3rd time a charm? CHS has something to prove in today's Border War matchup. Sports, IB L 000016 120110 ****3-DIGIT 326 LIB OF FLORIDA HISTORY PO BOX 117 007 2 05 SMA UNIV OF FLORIDA GAINESVILLE FL 3 2611-1943 Friday, September 3, 2010 Explosion Gulf oil platform explodes, workers rescued ... oil leaking? Nation, 5A wwwJakecityreJporter.com orter Vol. 136, No. 194 � 75 cents County: IDA miscue $9 IK Officials: Rebate collection is top priority. By TODD WILSON and LEANNE TYO twilson@lakecityreporter. com ltyo@lakecityreporter. com Property tax rebate overpayments to three industries in Columbia County plus one uncollected industrial penalty payment now total more than $91,000 in revenue the county must collect, County Manager Dale Williams said Thursday. New Millennium Building Systems, Hunter Panels and Mayo Fertilizer all were overpaid ad valorem property tax rebates .totaling $60,000 and Hunter Panels also owes a $31,000 penalty for having fewer than 45 full-time employees last year, as outlined in its development and job creation agreement, Williams Poole said. Columbia County Industrial Development Authority officials took full responsibility for the overpayment of the $60,000 in tax rebates to the industrial partners. IDA Executive Director Jim, Poole told the Columbia County Commission Thursday night he incorrectly calculated the formula used for the tax rebates. Poole said he has spoken with executives at each of the three companies involved. "All of them responded and said they would be glad Williams to repay it," Poole said. IDA officials initially suggested recouping the revenue by assessing the owed amount on future tax rebates, but Williams said the county may move away from a tax rebate system � 'and waiting more than a year for the repayment is not a comfortable option. REBATES continued on 3A Hurricane Earl forces Goodyear pit stop Port In A Storm RONI TOLDANES/Lake City Reporter Crew members of the Spirit of Innovation secure the airship on a mooring mast after it lands at the Lake City Municipal Airport Thursday. By RONITOLDANES rtoldanes@lakecityreporter. com Sidetracked, but not exactly blown off course, one of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company's four advertising blimps made a stopover in Columbia County Thursday. The airship was forced to moor in Lake City versus Jacksonville en route to Atianta due to Hurricane Earl, said Harvey Campbell, Columbia County Emergency Operations Center public information officer. Marty Chandler, 39, is chief pilot of the Spirit of Innovation, one of the Goodyear blimps that provide a television camera platform for aerial views of major sporting events. Chandler was joined in Columbia County by his crew. "The best part is, I work with these guys," Chandler said, referring to the 21-member crew that follows the airship in a bus, a 9-passenger van and a 40-foot specially-outfitted tractor-trailer rig. 'To me, it's like a team sport. It becomes like a second family." Chandler, with 14 years of experience as a commercial pilot, has been flying for nine year what he calls � at more than 190 feet long, almost 60 feet tall and 50 feet wide � "one of the best advertising vehicles." He spoke minutes after the Spirit of Innovation landed at the Lake City municipal airport. The Spirit of Innovation is based in Pompano Beach. It is among the four blimps operated by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company as its major advertising vehicles. The other blimps are the Spirit of America, based near Los Angeles; the Spirit of Goodyear, based near Akron, Ohio; and a fourth in China. Chandler said he was set to fly the airship today for the Saturday and Sunday races in Atlanta. In almost a decade flying the blimp, he has been all over the East Coast and West Coast, Canada and Mexico. After Atlanta, he will be in Richmond, Va., and then off to Boston. Blimps fly like airplanes, Chandler said. And like for other aircraft, poor weather can make for a stressful journey. Otherwise, he said, "We have literally the best seat in the house." Bascom Norris project bids near County OKs possible use of eminent domain. By LEANNETYO ltyo@lakecityreporter.com County officials on Thursday made final administrative decisions aimed at moving toward the next phase of the Bascom Norris Road connector project. The Columbia County Board of County Commissioners finished acquiring all land rights for the project by unanimously adopting an eminent domain resolution for the Overflow Land Trust parcel at its regular meeting. An offer of compensation for the parcel set at $391,500 � an average of two appraisals � was also unanimously approved by the board. Acquiring the land rights on the final parcel was the last step before the project can be put to bid. "They've all been adopted," said Dale Williams, county manager. "Ifs now no longer an administrative matter. It's a legal matter and then it's going to con- struction." The board previously adopted an eminent domain resolution for the Overflow Land Trust parcel, but adopted another for additional acreage within the parcel that the first resolution did not include. An offer' of compensation at $165,900 was also OFFER continued on 3A Apprehended McAlpin murder suspects nabbed in Minnesota Men were staying in campground when discovered. TONY BRITT tbritt@lakecityreporter.com Two suspects wanted in connection with last week's triple homicide in Suwannee County were arrested Thursday morning in Minnesota. Lonnie Munn, 47, of Live Oak and James Howze, 38, of O'Brien, were arrested near a campground in St. Charles, Minn., accordingto information released from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Suwannee County Sheriff's Office Thursday morning. Munn and Howze were each charged with three counts of first-degree murder in connection with the murders in McAlpin. Munn and Howze are being held in the Winona County (Minn.) Jail await- ing extradition. According to reports, F D L E special agents and Suwannee County investigators were given Munn information that Munn and Howze were in St. Charles. Investigators worked _ with the U.S. Marshals service through the night and posi-t i v e 1 y Howze identified the suspects. U.S. Marshals arrested Munn and Howze around 3:30 a.m. near a campground where they were staying. MURDERS continued on 3A United Way kickoff JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter Pam Hyde (left) and Darlene Barrs donate spare change in one of the decorated piggy banks at the United Way of Suwannee Valley 2010-2011 Campaign Kick-off event Thursday night at Florida Gateway College. United Way raises goal to match community need Organization eyes $685,000 total. By ANTONIA ROBINSON arobinson@lakecityreporter.com A goal has been set and now it's time for the campaign to begin. United Way of Suwannee Valley announced its 2010-2011 campaign goal of CALL US: (386) 752-1293 SUBSCRIBE TO THE REPORTER: Voice: 755-5445 Fax: 752-9400 94 69 Mostly sunny WEATHER, 2A Opinion................ 4A Business................ 5A Obituaries.............. 3A Advice & Comics......... 3B Puzzles................. 2B TODAY IN NATION Earl's winds threaten much of east coast. GOAL continued on 3A COMING SATURDAY Heightened patrols during the holiday. 0184264000201