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200

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VETERANS, AND fellow Levy Countians remem-

bered the tragedy of Sept.

Robert Philpot and Chris
Wilder, agriscience teachers
at Williston High School, re-

~ ceived Outstanding Alumni -

Awards during a ceremony
hosted by Florida Associa-
tion of Agriculture Educators
(FAAE).

Bronson resident Denise
Blackburn penned an inspi-
rational book called Lean-
ing on God: For Answered
Prayers.

The 16-18 year-old Babe
Ruth baseball team from
Chiefland is the state cham-
pion of Florida and repre-
sented Levy County and the

- state‘in'the South Eastern

Tournament July 27 in
Northern Virginia, °°)
“8304 Wigust! sistas do
Teal Pornéréy id ferésa ''
Barron ‘hung onto theiz com-
mission seats in the city of
Chiefland by a 3-1 margin.

Frances Burnett shared her
very personal story of losing
her eyesight. Burnett suffers
from macular degeneration.

The Levy County Board —
of County Commissioners |
voted to deny the city of
Williston’s request for funds
to upgrade their communica-
tions equipment. The board.
agreed that'the ordinance
which governs the funds is
specific that the fees are col-
lected for the betterment of
the county.

Business owners’ in the
unincorporated areas of the
county learned they would
pay higher fire assessments.

’ Former Chiefland Police
Chief J.C. Corbin died. He
was 84 and was remembered -
asa man who enjoyed a
good prank.

The new high school at
Bronson was dedicated and
officially opened with a an
open house.

The Board of Directors
for’Nature Coast Business
Development Council, Inc.
named Pamela Blair as its
new executive director.

A Chiefland man drowned
at Fahning Springs.

A task force was formed
for the Levy County Fair.

Chiefland City Manager
Rodney Russ fired three
long-time city employees.
Axed were Mary Ellzey,
clerk: Bill Hammond, build-
ing and zoning director; and
Shane Keene, water depart-
ment supervisor. The three
terminations led to Russ’
own employment demise,
because the next week, the
city commission overrode
his decision, reinstated the
three and sent Russ packing.

~ The Lions Club in Cedar
Key sold its clubhouse to the
city for $950,000.

Several veterans received
medals of commendation
long after their military ser-
vice ended. In ceremonies at
Chiefland City Hall, Ginny
Waite-Brown presented

(

 

11, 2001.

medals to Thomas Brown,
William Rees Edward Burke
and George Lampka.

A block of candidates
dedicated to controlling
growth in Yankeetown swept
the city elections.

Former Williston City
Council member Justin
Landon learned he would
have the next six years to

ponder his misdeeds from

a prison cell when he was
sentenced after being found
guilty on 17 counts, includ-
ing lewd and lascivious acts
against a minor under the
age of 16, interference with
parental custody and expos-
ing a ae: to pornography.
September, ,

Commissioner. -Nancy, Bell
hung onto her post, narrowly
defeating Justin Wasson,
Brett Sandlin and Cracker
Johnson for the District 2
seat.

With the county’s new
budget in the works, com-
missioners asked Sheriff
Johnny Smith to trim his —
request for a $1.5 million
increase.

The city of Chiefland

- agreed to annex 949 acres

on both sides of Hwy. 19/98
north. ~

The county board of com-
missioners rolled the millage
back to 7.9 mills but unhap-
py taxpayers said it wasn’t
enough. .

In an eeny, meeny, miny,
moe situation, the Chiefland
City Commission finally
elected Betty Walker as its
new mayor.

Chiefland’s Chamber of
Commerce honored two
businesses in this year’s
Greater Chiefland Chamber
of Commerce Industry Ap-
preciation Day. Suwannee
Valley Veterinarian Clinic
received the Small Business
Award while White Ford
Mercury won the Large
Business Award.

Levy Countians remem-
bered the fifth anniversary
of the terrorist attacks on the
World Trade Centers. The
city of Cedar Key held a.
tribute to remember the lives

The Year That Was

that were lost.

Yankeetown Mayor
Joanne Johannesson’ resigned
her position in a letter to
Gov. Jeb Bush dated Sept.
19. citing a political situa-
tion that she said was getting
ready to “spiral once again
into the divisive chaos that
has consumed (the town).”
She added that an elected
official has “challenged the

landowners to initiate litiga-

tion.”

The town of Bronson
celebrated climbing out of
the red and into the black |
after two years of financial
struggle.

Drollene Brown of Mor-
riston announced her intent
to write a book about Levy
County using the personal
stories and photographs of
individuals.

County Commission
Chairwoman Nancy Bell
stood alone on a motion to
eliminate the county attorney
office and reduce the millage
from 7.9 mills to 7 mills.

A round up of drug users
and dealers resulted in 19 ar-
rests for the city of Chiefland
and Matt Brock was named
the interim city manager.

October

Gov. Jeb Bush refused to
dissolve the city of Yan-
keetown and turn the city’s
functions over to Levy
County, despite the request
from the city’s former mayor.

Levy County’s library
system was thrown into a
tailspin when it was learned
that the county’s insurance
provider required all volun-
teers to have drug testing.
The libraries once boasted 50
volunteers but were reduced
to one when the policy went
into effect.

Chiefland City Commis-
sion voted that properties
annexed, into, the, city, would’
have to abide by the ordi-
nance that prohibits alcohol
sales. on Sunday.

Levy County farmer
Tommy Harper was recog-
nized as one of eight Santa
Fe River Basin farm produc-
ers involved in the Suwannee
River Partnership CARES
program. He received his
award for exceptional envi-
ronmental stewardship.

The U.S. Department of
Agriculture designated 29
Florida counties, including
Levy County, as primary
natural disaster areas due to
losses caused by drought and
strong spring winds that oc-
curred from March 1, 2006
to the present.

The people of.Cedar Key
banded together to protest
high property values and tax
bills. Throwing an old-fash-
ioned tea party, they built a
bonfire to cast those dreaded
bills into and sending a
smoke signal to the county
commission that they were
furious with the state of
things.’

Chiefland city leaders
decided that preparing for,
and managing, growth, is the
number one concern facing
their town today,

The county commission
debated its policy on hear-
ing non-agenda items after
Chairwoman Nancy Bell
said it had to be a unanimous

 

LITTLE WOMEN played to packed houses at the
Chief Theatre.

LEVY COUNTY JOURNAL

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2006

Page 13

In Levy County

 

THE RED DEVILS of Williston High School had a phenomenal season and made
it to the state playoffs. ;

decision to do so.

‘The Cedar Key Seafood
Festival was spotlighted in
pictures that featured Nep-
tune, mermaids and dancing
clams.

Shadow Trailers an-
nounced plans to relocate in
Williston. The plant, to be
located in Horseman’s Park, °
will eventually employ about
150 people. ©

Renovation was completed

at Fort Fanning and guests
were invited to tour the
brick-lined sidewalks that
lead to the banks of the
river and connect the park’s
amphitheater area to the
Nature Coast State Trail.

The park is only partially
completed. Future phases
will include installation of
kiosks depicting the fort’s
history and building a trail
under the bridge to connect
the fort with Fanning. Senne
State'-Park:'\": aL

November

The Suwannee Valley
Players debuted Little Wom-
en at their Chief Theatre.

Julie and Roy Norton
announced plans to develop
three city blocks in Cedar
Key. The development will
include six historic buildings
which are currently being
restored. New buildings will
not be historic renovations
but will be designed in a
style compatible with the late
1800s.

Heather Sakowski, a
student at Chiefland High
School, was recognized as
outstanding Cooperative Di-
versified Education Student.

The Usher Classic golf
tournament raised over
$32,000 for Shands. Taking
home the Bankers’ Chal-
lenge prize was Campus
USA Credit Union, with
players David Barber, Peter
Subach, David String and
Lyle Schreck.

The Williston Red Devils
spent the better part of
the 2006 season putting
themselves in position to win
the District 5-Class 3A title.
For the first seven games of
their schedule that is exactly
what they did, but they fell
just short in clearing the
last hurdle, falling to North
Marion 27-21:

Charlie Crist was elected
the state’s new governor
and Levy voters said a
resounding no to a tax
abatement referendum
during the general election.

Hundreds of angry citizens
packed the courthouse to tell
the county commission they
could not survive this year’s
large tax increase.

The Cedar Key Historical
Society was awarded a
$50,000 planning grant from
the Florida Department of
State, Division of Historical
Resources to restore the
Lutterloh building which
houses the Cedar Key
Historical Society Museum.

The city of Chiefland
began its search for a new
city manager and by mid-

month had a short list of six

_ candidates.

School board members
learned details of a funding
shortage that was due to
diminished numbers of
students registering this
year. The district was short
114 students from what was
forecast and funds were
expected to have a total .
shortfall of $612,982.

Williston was a step closer
to being home to a new 30-

‘unit apartment complex.

Roswell Development Group
is proposing to build the
apartments on the corner of
SW First Avenue and NE 11"
Street.

Timothy Peterson, a
veteran who served in
the War Between the
States on both sides, was
memorialized at Sand Pond

. Cemetery in the Tidewater —
‘region of South Levy County

' by re-enactors of the Sons
of Confederate Veterans and
Sons of Union Veterans.

The Williston Red Devils
went to the state playoffs and
won their first game. The
season ended for the team
when they were bested by
Eustis 22-6.

The Levy County Board
of County Commissioners
agreed to begin negotiations
to buy property near the
courthouse and begin
working with an architect on
plans for additional space
needed for its expanding
offices.

The Suwannee River
Water Management District
(District) governing board
issued a Phase I Water Short-

age Advisory toremainin °

effect district-wide until
further notice.

County Attorney Anne
Brown came under fire
when Bronson resident
C.W. Gilbert blasted her
performance during a county
commission meeting. During
that same meeting, the
commissioners evaluated
Brown and all except
Chairwoman Nancy Bell
found her work satisfactory.
Bell said if it were up to her
alone, Brown would be fired.

Cedar Key students got
to experience clamming up
close as they seeded clams
in the Gulf as part of their
science lesson.

Chiefland’s Loy Ann and
Jack Mann donated 15.4
acres of land to Central
Florida Community College.

December

A new group, called the
Regional Transportation
Advisory Group (TAG),
was created to plan ahead
for development along
the Highway 26 corridor.
The group will look at
deficiencies in the current
roadway system, and by
working together, will share
future road building duties.

Wayne Hart was the
featured seaman during a
salute to Pearl Harbor Day.
This year marked the 65"
anniversary of the “day that

will live in infamy.”

The county mourned
the death of two Williston
High School students. Cody
Roberts and Corey Knappins
were killed when the truck
driven by Roberts hit a stand
of trees off Highway 27A. |

Williston City Manager
Jim Coleman received a less .
than enthusiastic evaluation
at the city council meeting.

The Levy County Quilt.
Museum celebrated the
release of its book detailing
the history of the museum.
Copies are available from
Winnelle Horne for $15
each.

County Commissioner
Lilly Rooks chastised
Chairwoman Nancy Bell
for authorizing a change in
the board’s minutes after the
board agreed not to change
them,

Chiefland and Bronson
were having a difficult time”
on the basketball court this
season. Area teams have
handily defeated the Levy

-schools.

Progress Energy
announced that its preferred
site for a nuclear power plant
is in South Levy County.
Once all the state and
federal hoops are jumped

_through and approved, the

plant could open by 2016
and employ as many as 500
people.

Bob Williams said race
is a factor in decisions
made by the Chiefland City
Commission. Williams made
several allegations against
city commissioners during
a meeting and said local
papers are afraid to print the
truth.

Chiefland City Council
narrowed its manager
position down to two and
after a background race,
selected Grady Hartzog of
Newberry as the man to
oversee city operations.

Cedar Key residents
are looking for additional
funding to continue
neutering the island’s feral
cats. The volunteer group

‘needs about $1,700 a month

to keep up with the cat
population.

The state of Florida denied
Ameris’ application for

 acertificate of need for a
~ hospital in Chiefland. With

only one letter opposed and
more than 5,000 in support,
Ameris will appeal the
decision.

Students at Cedar Key
School remembered a
classmate with a memorial
shark dedicated to his-
memory. D.J. Emanuel was
killed in a freak accident
earlier this year.

Two pages of photos
showcased the FFA Sub-
Region awards held at
Hardeetown Baptist Church:

The county commissioners
and the city of Cedar Key
agreed to divide roads and
bridges for maintenance
purposes and eventually
the city will take over Dock

y