.JRAPH, &... & MONI-i J.-SECTION Page 7B


LETTER
Continued from p. 4B

Does anyone
care if we
loose freedom
of press?
Dear Editor:
 In one of their sane and
 responsible moments, the
 Florida Legislature once
 delivered their finest gift to the
 people of Florida. We call it
 the "Government in the
 Sunshine Laws" which require
 politicians and bureaucrats to
 conduct public business in the
 sunshine. Meaning in a public
 forum with notice to the
 public, so they may attend and
 contribute to the decisions
 being made on public matters.
 Now, in reality, do you or
 your spouse or your neighbor
 have time to attend all these
 meetings, hearings,
 workshops, etc? No, the
 demands of daily life prevent
 most of us from doing
 anything other than gaining
 some knowledge of these
 matters after the fact. In reality,
 what the people are promised is
 public notice of government
 meetings and the opportunity
 for the free press to attend for
 us and our hope that the press
 will report back to us about
 these vital matters.
 Recently, I came across an
 essay I wrote in high school
 titled '1984' Will Never
 Come To My Land," which
 expressed my youthful
 optimism that Big-Brother
 Government would never
 happen in America. It reminded
 me that the generations who
 graduated prior to about 1970
 were exposed to the various
 compulsory readings to broaden
 our minds and teach us to
 question. Not only ideas, but
 also authority.
 When the year 1984 arrived,
 the mass media reminded us of
 that famous Orwell book and
 questioned whether we thought
 the prediction of overreaching
 government was accurate. Of
 course at the time, I still
 thought I was correct and
 government had not stolen our
 rights. Sadly, that was almost.
 25 years ago.
 Today, I think of the high
 school education offered by our
 schools and am struck by the
 fact that not one class offers a.
 mental challenge to-students-to
 make critical assessments; to
 express independent thought; to
 explore social issues; to
 question not only authority,
 but every underlying alleged
 fact, figure and statement of
 government officials. To a
 great extent, this may have
 happened because we do not
 want to be branded .as
 "politically incorrect. or
-ethnically .insensitive,'.We
may have given up our right to
critical, thoughtful deliberation
out. of a. demand that we not
offend arnyone.
 Today, I sadly concedeAhat
Orwell's ""`1984" .predicted
correctly, although he 'vas off
.by 23 years. We Americans
have gratefully surrendered our,
rights to privacy, freedom of


speech, freedom from
unreasonable search and
seizure, freedom of thought,
freedom to cast an effective
citizen vote, and virtually all
the other precious rights we
supposedly cherish and too
often sacrifice our lives to
preserve. All it took to achieve
the surrender of our civil rights
to Big Brother was the growing
anonymity and isolation of the
people, exemplified by
common road rage, crime,
senseless social violence,
religious zealots who won't
tolerate others, terrorists of all
sorts. We also have a
government ever-so-willing to
protect us in exchange for that
surrender.
 Sadly for our future, the loss
of thoughtful, critical,
questioning minds in our
citizens will lead to loss of our
last American freedom, freedom
of the press. With no citizen
educated and motivated to
examine ideas, consider and
critically evaluate choices and,
above all, preserve our rights
there is no reason to have a free
press. Mark my prediction,
within the next 20 years this
letter to the people and all
other exhortations to save our
precious rights will not be
permitted. The last surrender is
coming soon but, no one will
notice or care.
 F. Reed Replogle
 Starke


Victoria Denmark


Denmark

runner-up in
state pageant
 Victoria Denmark, 10,
recently placed as first runner-.
up in her first state scholarship
pageant. The Miss Florida
Forestry Scholarship Pageant
promotes the state forestry
division and scholarship and is
affiliated with the Georgia and
National Forestry Pageant
system.
 Victoria qualified for the


I Pone Bet: 7


Pedestrian
killed on
S.R. 121
 A 33-year-old Worthington
 Springs woman was killed
 when she was struck while
 walking on S.R. 121 last week.
 Melissa Dawn Lorette was
 walking northbound in the
 southbound apron or shoulder
 of S.R. 121 at 12:20 p.m.,
 according to FHP Cpl. D.R.
 Bazinet. A 2001 Ford, driven
 by Mark Travis Worrell, was
 southbound on S.R. 121. As
 the Ford rounded a curve at the
 intersection of Southwest 119th
 Loop, Lorette was struck. She
 died at the scene, Cpl. Bazinet
 said. -
 A second pedestrian, Candace
 Getchell, 14, received only
 minor injuries and was taken to
 Lake Butler Hospital, Cpl.
 Bazinet said.
 Worrell, 35, of Worthington
was not injured. Damages to
his vehicle were $4,000.
 Charges are pending in the
 Sept. 27 crash.
 On Sept. 28 at 10:12 p.m.,
 a 2004 Ford pickup truck
*flipped near the same location
on S.R. 121. Randolph Adam
Carlton, 20, of Raiford, driver
.of the Ford, was travelling too
fast on the curve, lost control
and overturned, according to the
Highway Patrol.
 Carlton was transported to
 Lake Butler Hospital, then to
 the county jail, where he was
 charged with driving uhder the
 influence.


Deer vs. cycle
on S.R. 100
 A deer was struck by a
motorcycle early Monday
morning near Brooker on S.R.
100.
 Jack Floyd Schenck, 56, of
Lake Butler was eastbound on
S.R. 100 when the deer ran in
front of him, according to
Trooper J.W. Hattie. Schenck
suffered abrasions and was
treated by rescue.
 Apparently, the injured deer
"left the scene."
 There was no further
information on the 5:37 a.m.
accident.
 The Florida Department of
Elder Affairs is seeking
volunteers for its SHINE
program. The program
provides free Medicare and
health insurance information
and counseling programs. Free
training is provided. Call (800)
262-2243 for information:


Junior Miss Division (ages 10-
12) by two weeks and was the
youngest in her age group.
She also won the award for
prettiest smile.
 Victoria has many hobbies
and only competes in a few
pageants each year. She is an
honor-roll student at Hope
Christian Academy and attends
Hope Baptist Church.
 She is the daughter of Terry
and Virginia Denmark. Patti
Crawford is her maternal
grandmother. H.M. and
Meriam Denmark are her
paternal grandparents, and Jim
and Christine Lawson are her
maternal great-grandparents.

Starling
family reunion
is set
 The descendants of Joe E.
and Alma Starling, and Jimmy
and Dolly Starling, will have
their family reunion on
Saturday, Oct. 6, at the Lake
Butler Community Center.
Directional signs will be
posted.
 Lunch will be served at


 I -
b


approximately noon. Bring
your favorite covered dish,
dessert or drinks.
 Please arrive early so you
can meet and greet other family
members.
 For more information, e-
mail ljsdraper@comcast.net.



Griffis family
reunion is set
 The descendants of Westberry
Griffis, 1835-1905, and
successive wives, Penny Padgett
Griffis, Eliza Wilkerson Griffis
and Laura Blitch Griffis, will
hold their family reunion on
Saturday, Oct. 20, at Evergreen
Baptist Church, C.R. 125 in
Lawtey, from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m.
 Please bring covered dishes.
Tea, ice, plates and utensils will
be provided.
 If there are any questions,
please contact Dorothy Griffis
Lindsey at (386) 842-5007 or
Norma Redding Griffis at (904)
259-2170.


Cattlemen's
association
meeting
 The Bradford-Union
Cattlemen's Association will
hold a meeting on Thrusday,
Oct. 11 at the Bradford County
agricultural office. All 4-H and
FFA exhibitors should turn in
their entry forms between 4-8
p.m.
 Eugene L. Matthews
Bradford County Historical
Museum, 201 E. Call St. in
Starke, offers a unique blend
of sophisticated text and
photographs on display panels
and a wealth of exhibits of
downhome artifacts. Museum
hours are Tuesday-Thursday,
1-5 p.m., and weekends by
appointment. For information
call (904) 964-4604 or (904)
964-5382.
 Children can listen to a
 story on the telephone. Dial
 (888) 4ATALEI and listen to a
 story. Stories are appropriate
 for young children and are
 changed weekly. Provided by
 your public library and New
 River Public Library.


-' VNv


 Electric Wneeichairs Beds & Oxygen
 (New & Used) Lift Chairs
 Wheelchair Lifts Scooters
 (New & Used) Rentals I Sales
 Bathroom safety products & Much More
 (Come by & see our large inventory of products)

 HOME RESPIRATORY CARE
 (9G4) 966-0520 (866) 966-0520
 Cell (904) 364-6622

452-B Hwy 301 Medicaid / Medicare 4,
(across from High School)
 Starke visA E ] Bret Hines, Sr.
 ,Starke ,V --. Respiratory Therapist


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k k A A AL A A


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Oct. 4,


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