000023 120110 ****3-DIGIT 32 LIB OF FLORIDA HISTORY PO BOX 117007 205 SMA UNIV OF FLORIDA GAINESVILLE FL 32611-1943 Senior success r -tin Stout's 28 points s Fort White to win. Sports, I B NO. 1 Wildcats move to top position in AP college basketball poll. Sports, 2B Tuesday, January 26,, _________* '* 1 Mary Miller and husband, George, receive the 2009 Lake City-Columbia County Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award Monday night. 'The broom did it,' George Miller said. JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter Si'ty Reporter www.lakecityreporter.com Vol. 136, No. 7 N 75 crnts Spring Fresh "Business of Year' Chamber honors small business; more photos, 5A. LEANNE TYO Ityo@lakecityreporter. corn "Wow." That's what George Miller, owner of Spring Fresh Cleaning Service, Inc., said as he and his wife, Mary Miller, accepted the 2009 Small Business of the Year Award at the Lake City/ Columbia County Chamber of Commerce 89th annual meet- ing and dinner Monday. Miller was up against semi- finalists John Burns, owner of the John Burns State Farm Insurance Agency, and Charlie Sparks, president of Westfield Realty Group, for the award. "Against that competition, I didn't think I was going to win," George Miller said. Jenny Drawdy, 2010 cham- ber president, said the semi- finalists, along with the other nominees, had to meet certain criteria for the award. They had to be a chamber member, had to have 25 employees or fewer in their business, had to be in business for at least 3 years and had to be involved in the community, she said. Drawdy said that the semi- finalists were judged on com- pany performance, innovation, overcoming adversity and hardship in their business, community involvement and chamber involvement. "It's a great honor to receive this award," George Miller CHAMBER continued on 5A Near flood stage Downpours almost '100-year rainstorm' JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter Leon Pope, 70, of Bell in Gilchrist County, gazes out at the rising Santa Fe River. 'It's starting in the flood stage,' Pope said. 'I'm not worried about it unless we get eight to 10 inches more rain. It'll be up another three, four, fi{e feet in 10 days.' By TONY BRITT tbritt@lakecityreporter.com Recent rains in the area and South Georgia are having an impact on local rivers and waterways. Last week's heavy rains have resulted in rising water levels in the Santa Fe and Suwannee rivers - and also Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission initiating boating restrictions on the Santa Fe River. Suwannee River Water Management District Senior professional engi- neer Megan Wetherington said the National Weather Service has called for the Santa Fe River to rise above flood stage on Thursday at its Three Rivers Estates monitoring gauge. "There is no crest pre- diction at this time. It could rise to a little bit above 20 feet," she said. Flood stage there is 19 feet. Officials have not issued a forecast for the Suwannee River at this time. '"The Suwannee River gauges are still well below flood stage," Wetherington said. "We don't see any fall in the river anywhere in the near future. The Suwannee River should continue to rise in the near future." Traditionally, rains from South Georgia cause area rivers to rise because water from the Ichetucknee River flows into the Santa Fe River, which in turn flows into the Suwannee River. When water levels on the Suwannee River flood, it backs up the flow of the" other two rivers. But rain in the area is believed to be the cause of the most recent high-water levels. Wetherington said that along the Santa Fe River area, residents received six inches of rain Thursday, and at some of the gauges, rainfall was measured at 4 to 5 inches in two hours. "That was nearly a 100-year rainstorm event," she said. Eloise Pearce, owner of Ellie Ray's Package and Lounge and an adjacent campground, said she has not experienced any interruptions in business because of the rising river levels. Pearce's package store and lounge is elevat- ed, but the business sits on the banks of the Santa Fe River, less than a football- field length away from the rushing water. "I don't expect to have any interruptions in busi- ness," she said. "I don't remember the exact num- bers, but when it gets to 21 feet at the bridge, then we're having problems with it. The rising water just affects the boat ramp and it comes on all the way up to the front and some of the parking area." Several campsites arid lots with mobile homes and boats are next to Pearce's business, but she said she hasn't noticed any property owners coming in to move their personal items away. "We're pretty safe right now," she said. "This hap- pens almost at least once a year and sometimes twice a year. When you live on the river you do what you've got to do. Usually when high water comes this early in the year, a lot of times it's worse than if it comes later in the year because the trees aren't absorbing the water and it just stays. So, we could be in trouble if it keeps rising." FWC posts no-wake restrictions Idle-speed only on 32-mile stretch of Santa Fe River. By.TONY BRITT tbritt@lakecityreporter.com Rising water in the Santa Fe River is expected to reach the 17-foot mark I! l !l CALL US: (386) 752-1293 SUBSCRIBE TO THE REPORTER: Voice: 75S-54.145 Fax: 752-9400 today at a gauge in Three Rivers Estates. As a result of the ris- ing water, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials have activated a idle-speed, no- wake zone on a 32-mile por- tion of the river. "Once it reaches that level, the whole river sys- 65 ; i Mostly sunny WEATHER, 2A tem from River Rise to the confluence of the Suwannee (River) is an idle-speed zone," said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission public infor- mation coordinator Karen Parker. "Basically, people just have to go very slow and not create a wake." Parker said right now the restrictions only apply to the one zone, but restric- tions may be added to other portions of the rivers if the water continue to rise. "We're expecting the (Santa Fe) river to crest at 20 feet, and flood stage at Three Rivers Estates is CREST continued on 5A . Opicnio S But.z, .' PuJZzle' 20-year water supply plans . will be on tap, Lowering of Floridan aquifer prompts meeting. By TONY BRITT tbritt@lakecityreporter.comrn Regional lowering of the Floridan aquifer has result- ed in water management district plans to address future water supply needs. Those plans will be dis- cussed later this week when water management district officials from the Suwannee River Water Management District and the St. Johns -River Water Management District hold a public meet- ing from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Alachua County Health Department Auditorium, 224 SE 24th St, Gainesville. The meeting will be an informational event with senior technical staff members representing both water management districts. The meeting is scheduled to include an overview of the water supply planning pro- cess and discussion led by representatives from each of the water management districts on the water sup- ply assessment in northeast Florida. Representatives will also take comments from the public. Suwannee River Water Management District spokesperson Vanessa Fultz said Thursday's meeting is part of an ongoing effort to keep the public informed about the water planning process. Water Management District officials are in the process of developing regional water supply plans for areas where supplies AQUIFER continued on 3A Legion efforts to benefit Haiti Group presents donation to Mission Harvest. LEANNE TYO Ityo@lakecityreporter.corn The American Legion Post 57 raised $750 to pres- ent to Mission Harvest America, a nonprofit orga- nization in Jacksonville. The money will go toward disaster relief in Haiti. Susan Palmer, American Legion Post 57 historian, said Dewey Painter is a retired Navy officer who founded Mission Harvest America; an organization that supports missionaries, churches and other organi- zations in 51 countries. She knew Painter from her time spent in the Civil Air Patrol, Palmer said. Recently, Painter sent out a message to his contacts for help to raise money for REUEF continued on 3A JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter, Larry Krull, post commander at the American Legion Post 57, presents a $750 check to Post 57 historian Susan Palmer, who receives it on behalf of Mission Harvest America founder: Dewey Painter. . - .. . . . �'.' ..% , ., . ....-,2 �- -. �.- ' . : . TODAY IN SCHOOLS COMING WEDNESDAY � n tl, ii :. Ii -lb -ii^.