Archive for January 2012

Man Arrested And Charged With Aggravated Assault And VOP in Allegedly Racially Motivated Crime

January 17, 2012 Crime, Front Page 2 comments

Madison County Sheriff Ben Stewart reports that On Saturday the 7th day of January 2012 at approximately 10:20 PM, Sheriff’s Deputies responded to 210 SE Centerwood Lane in Lee Florida in reference to an aggravated assault with a firearm. Upon arrival, Deputies spoke to the victims and obtained written statements regarding the incident. The victims disclosed that while visiting family at the aforementioned address the suspects, Shannon McCurdy accompanied by several other men, confronted the victims and threatened to hang him. McCurdy alluded to the fact that the victim was involved in an interracial relationship with the suspect’s girlfriend’s daughter and he didn’t like it.

The victims immediately left the residence on foot and while walking away Shannon McCurdy shot at the victims several times with a hand gun. The victims ran and hid in the woods as the suspect and other men continued to look for them. The suspect and other men were not able to find the victims. The victims waited until they believed it was safe to exit the woods and left the area to call 911.

Deputies located the suspect, Shannon McCurdy but the other men involved were not present. The investigation continues pending the exact identity of the other men involved and the potential for any criminal enhanced charges for hate Crimes.

Shannon Dale McCurdy, W/M, DOB: 06/22/1974 of Lee Florida was arrested and charged with the following:

1.            Aggravated assault with a firearm

2.            Violation of Probation

 

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Citizens Debate Presence Of Children’s Home

January 17, 2012 Front Page 4 comments

 

By Ginger Jarvis
Greene Publishing, Inc.

The divisive topic of a children’s home drew about 60 Madison County residents to the United Methodist Coop- erative Ministries Center on Jan. 12. The session, sometimes contentious, allowed questions and comments about the possibility of a United Methodist Children’s Home being located in Madison County.

Rev. Bob Laidlaw, pastor of Madison First United Methodist Church, served as emcee for the event. Laidlaw is a member of the 35-person Board of Trustees for the UM Children’s Home in Enterprise, Assisting Laidlaw with answering questions were Mike Cummings, Director of Family Philanthropy for the UMCH; Rev. John Gill, Community Development Coordinator; Mark Nelson, Development Officer; and Dr. Steve Batson of Albany, Ga., whose company carried out a feasibility study in the area in 2011.

The board had been considering adding a facility in North Florida, and the chance to do so came in the form of a land gift from Billy and Diane Sullivan and their daughter, Beth. The Sullivans offered a 120-acre site bounded by Daylily and Dogwood roads off Dusty Miller Road in the northeast section of the county. Another family offered the funds to construct the first building on the site.

Some residents of that area, however, were strongly opposed to the home in their neighborhood. Several of them (including a person from Jacksonville and another from central Florida) cited points such as these: (1) the possibility of widening the road into the area; (2) unsupervised children running rampant in the area and damaging property; (3) the presence of the children curtailing burns and aerial spraying; (4) property owners were not notified of the plan until surveyors came to the area; (5) increased traffic and noise; (6) taxpayer burden placed on schools; and (7) taxpayer burden for infrastructure to serve the home. One resident said, “This will impact our lives and our children’s lives.“ Another stated, “We don’t want no (sic) change.”

Preston Mathews of Lee stated that he and his wife were houseparents at the Enterprise campus for four years. “The children are constantly supervised. The footprint of the children does not make a big difference,” he said.
Cummings assured the group that the UMCH des not yet own any property in Madison County. He added, “I have spent the day at the Barksdale Farm with the idea that we might use that location. If you know of any other property available, please let me know.”

Laidlaw assured the group that the proposed home is not a juvenile-detention facility with barbed wire and guards.

Batson said that the feasibility study by Cargill Associates centered around funding sources for the home. He interviewed people from Madison County, Tallahassee, and Jacksonville; the home would serve Madison, Suwannee, and Taylor counties.

Andy Barnes, Chief Financial Officer of the Madison County School District, explained that the children would have little impact on school funding due to state funding rules. Cummings added, “Most of these children are enrolled in Madison County schools. We will be serving children who are already here.”

Questioned about the numbers of children involved, Cummings said that the first two houses would have space for 20 children and their houseparents. Daily employees would include office personnel, therapists, and a chaplain to serve the chapel. “Our children go to church every Sunday,” he explained.

Gill said that he will install a foster-parent office in Madison, where children can be placed with Christian families.

Regarding infrastructure costs, Cumming explained that the United Methodist Church pays all those costs, as any other non-profit would do. He said, “No taxpayer money is involved.”

He closed by asking, “What does God want us to do to start this ministry? Remember that the King of Kings is in charge.”

Even though many opposed the project and many approved it, the session ended with friends and neighbors agreeing to communicate more effectively.

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National Security: Straiht Of Hormuz

January 17, 2012 Editorials Comments Off

By Joe Boyles
Guest Columnist

The Straiht of Hormuz is a narrow shipping lane the empties the Persian Gulf into the Gulf of Oman and then, the Indian Ocean. At its narrowest point, the straiht is only 34 miles wide and separates the United Arab Emirates and Oman in the south from Iran to the north. Strategically, that 34 mile gap of water is probably the most important straiht in the world: last year, 20 percent of the world’s oil supplies moved by tanker through Hormuz. International shipping follows the rules laid out by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Oil tankers regularly transit the Straiht, carrying petroleum from the Persian Gulf ports of Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iran and the UAE to refineries in Europe and Asia. Each of these tankers is backed by high premium shipping insurance for the vessel and its precious cargo.

As the world’s protector of sea lanes, the United States has a strategic interest in keeping the Straiht of Hormuz open to worldwide maritime traffic. To do this, the Navy’s Fifth Fleet is stationed in Oman. Before the current Iranian crisis, the fleet consisted of twenty warships anchored by the USS Stennis (CVN-74), a Nimitz-class nuclear powered aircraft carrier. The Stennis has about 85 aircraft in its air wing, consisting of F-18 Hornet attack and fighter aircraft, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters and electronic warfare aircraft. Around the Stennis is an array of warships including guided missile cruisers and submarines to protect the CVN. It is an impressive armada.

Ever since the Iranian Navy began military exercises and saber-rattling, our Navy has deployed two additional carrier battle groups centered about the USS Vinson (CVN-70) and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) to the region. The Vinson will likely replace the Stennis since their cruise is scheduled to end. Each of these battle groups carry just as much capability as the Stennis.

Meanwhile as Iranian gunboats speed around the Straiht, their tin-hat admiral has announced that they might close the Straiht and warned the Stennis not to return to its port in Oman. Presumably, the Obama Administration will not succumb to this threat against international maritime law.

How might the Iranians close the straiht if they’re so inclined? They could do so either with anti-ship missiles or mines. The no-brainer approach is to mine the straight which is a passive means until a ship hits them. Missiles, on the other hand, require targeting and launch, a much more overt act of war. Regardless, we’ll allow the Iranians to make the first move, if they’re so inclined, so that our response is just that. We have to call their bluff and be prepared in case it isn’t.

My guess is that it is bluster and not much more. The Iranian radical Islamic government is known for saber-rattling. In the meantime, they are facing an internal crisis as someone is targeting their nuclear brain trust. Last week a speeding motorcycle attached a magnetic car bomb to the auto of one such scientist who quickly died in the resulting explosion. He’s the fourth nuclear scientist to die under violent and mysterious circumstances over the past year. The Iranians are sure this action and other similar to it are the work of Israeli/American intelligence, but who knows?

If the Iranians should decide to mine the Straiht, we have a secret weapon — dolphins. It seems as if the US Navy has been training bottle-nose dolphins for years to detect mines with their sonar and photograph them. It seems that the dolphins can detect mines from hundreds of yards away. Whether or not the dolphins are trained to actually detonate the mines is not known. Of course, this revelation has animal rights groups in a tizzy.

A more reliable, long-term approach would be to build sufficient oil pipelines across Saudi Arabia to a southern port which would give oil shippers an alternative and safer route. This would give the insurance companies much needed relief as well.

It is at times like this that we’re reminded that, although the Straiht of Hormuz is a small body of water, more than three-quarters of the earth’s surface is covered by water. Our Navy, the greatest in the world by far, is on patrol to ensure that sea lanes remain free and unimpeded. The world’s economy is dependent on this capability.

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Tax Pro Cuts Ribbon As Newest Business Downtown

January 17, 2012 Around Madison Comments Off

By Lynette Norris
Greene Publishing, Inc.

Tax season is right around the corner and Tax Pro, the new small business that just opened its doors at 119 E Base Street, Suite A, has cut the ribbon just in time to be of help.

Donnell Davis, president of Tax Pro, originally from Madison, attended Texas Southern University and soon started working at Tax Break in Texas.

He became interested in doing tax work after wondering how so many rich people ended up paying so little in taxes. Now he is back in Madison, working to help moderate and low-income families and individuals – people who can least afford to overpay their taxes – helping them make the most of whatever credits or deductions they are eligible for.

“I like to try to help someone out,” he said. “Not just at tax time, but by helping you and your family decide what’s best for you during the whole tax year.”

He provides help for folks who really don’t understand the tax business that well, and admits that at one time, that included himself. He also points out that the tax law is constantly changing and evolving; each year, Congress makes more changes to the tax code. This year, they still haven’t quite finished updating the codes with all the changes they passed in the last session.

At the ribbon-cutting Thursday, Jan, 12, Cindy Vees of the Madison Chamber of Commerce was on hand with the ceremonial ribbon and giant scissors to mark the occasion and welcome Tax Pro into the business community. Davis, along with family and friends, including his pastor, Rev. Joseph Andrews of Mt. Olive Primitive Baptist Church, celebrated with refreshments and a sheet cake decorated with the Tax Pro logo.

Tax Pro is located in the Madison Glass Doctor Building on Base Street, almost directly across from the Mansion; the office occupies one of the suites facing Base Street.

Davis invites anyone who needs sound tax advice to drop by the office, or contact him at (850) 253-2191 or (850) 673-6333. The doors are open and ready for business.

As he puts it: “You’ve tried the rest, now trust the best – Tax Pro.”

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Two MCHS Students Awarded Dell Laptops

January 17, 2012 Around Madison, Education Comments Off

By Bryant Thigpen
Greene Publishing, Inc.

Two students at Madison County High School were awarded two new Dell laptop computers on Friday, January 6, for their efforts in a student essay contest. Students across the state of Florida who are members of the High School High Tech program were encouraged to submit an essay about how they could benefit from a computer with their education and future careers. In a joint effort by the Able Trust and the Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology, MCHS students Chaddrick Johnson and Jamarian Robinson were each selected as a recipient of a new Dell laptop computer.

“Chad is very dedicated to his studies and commits his energy to his education, career goals, and the MCHS High Tech Program,” stated Mary Coody, director of the Madison High School/High Tech program. Johnson, who will graduate from MCHS in 2012, plans to attend Mortuary College and one day become a funeral home director. In his essay, Johnson states that having a laptop will allow him to excel in class work, do research on colleges and learn more about the career he has chosen.

Robinson, who is also venturing into mortuary college, states that his interest in having a laptop is based on the needs of gaining training for his selected career, researching vital information about funeral directing, and to improve his current study habits.

“I have had the privilege of working with Jamarian for a few months now and find this young man to be a dedicated hard working individual,” Coody said. “He is so excited about his choice of career.”

Allison Chase, the state director for the High School/High Tech program, was on hand for the presentation to the students. “By giving the laptops to the students, the Able Trust and FAAST are helping to make the technology link between their education and career goals,” Chase stated. “We want them to use the laptops in their studies, to explore the world of work, and of course, have fun in the process.”

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Player Spotlight: Matt Dobson

January 17, 2012 Sports Comments Off

By Kristin Finney
Greene Publishing, Inc.

In the south, football is more than just a sport; it’s a way of life. Matt Dobson is the epitome of this idea. Dobson’s football career began when he started playing football at the YMCA in Thomasville, Ga. when he was five years old. Then, in sixth grade, he began attending Aucilla Christian Academy and played quarterback for the Junior Varsity team that year. During my seventh and eighth grade year he was the starting Varsity quarterback at ACA. In January of his eighth grade year he transferred to North Florida Christian in Tallahassee. He was the starting safety his freshman and sophomore years. Then in his junior and senior years he was NFC’s starting quarterback.

Dobson’s background in football is extensive, he explains, “My family has always been avid football fans. I began by watching football with my dad and just always wanted to play. I cannot remember ever not playing football.”

Since playing at NFC, Dobson and his team have won two state championships. His freshman year he was a starting safety on the state championship team and his senior year he was the starting quarterback on the state championship team.

Dobson began practicing for the 2011 season the Monday after the last game of his junior season. They began preparing for the following season by working out in the weight room, running and conditioning. Dobson explained, “During the summer we had our summer program which includes lifting, running and 7 on 7 passing drills as well as competitions. During the actual season we practiced everyday throughout the week, watched film, and continued to lift in the weight room.”

“Playing in the two state championship games was a great experience that I will never forget. My freshman year playing in the state championship was very nerve racking and it was a new experience and something that I had no idea what to expect. My senior year I knew more what to expect and it meant more winning the state championship the second time. My senior teammates and I had worked extremely hard for 4 years and went through a coaching change and some tough times to get where we were to win the 2nd state championship in 4 years, so it was great to see how excited everyone was when we won and see how all the hard work had paid off,” said Dobson.

Being a quarterback isn’t always easy. Dobson said that one of the biggest challenges of being the quarterback is, “the mental aspect of the game. As a quarterback you have to be a student of the game and know exactly what is going on at all times. Leading up to the game the quarterback must study film and understand the game plan and the assignments of all eleven players on the field. The quarterback also needs to know what the other team’s defense is going to do and what their strengths and weaknesses are. One of the hardest things during practices and games is staying completely focused on your assignment every play. When you let your mind wander at all then that is when you make mistakes so you must be focused at all times and keep others around you focused.”

He also spoke of the positives of being quarterback, “The best part about being a quarterback is being an influential person in the lives of others. Younger kids and teammates look to the quarterback as someone who should be a leader and being able to be a positive role model in others lives is great. Another one of the best things about being a quarterback is having a big impact in the outcome of all the games especially in an offense like we run at NFC. The quarterback touches the ball on every play and has to make decisions on almost every play and that is great about playing quarterback.”

On Dec. 21 in Sebring, Dobson got to play in the Florida Athletic Coaches Association North – South all- star game. The players who were selected to play in the game were voted on by coaches. Dobson was able to play quarterback in the game. “This all-star game was a lot of fun and it was fun to play with some great players from all over the state of Florida. We won the game 47-21 and I really enjoyed the whole experience. Meeting and getting to know many of the other guys playing in the game was enjoyable, especially some of the guys from around this area like Tevin Roundtree from Madison and some of the guys from Tallahassee,” said Dobson.

“Being selected to play in this all star game was a great honor considering the many NFL hall of famers and future hall of famers who have played in this game in the past. I am thankful for all my teammates and coaches at NFC who helped me have a great year, which helped me get selected to play in this game. I was also selected to play in the Florida-Georgia border wars all-star game but will not be able to play in this game because I will be taking an official visit to a college on that weekend,” he said.

Matt Dobson has been selected for multiple all big bend teams and all state teams throughout his football career. He also won the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Player of the Year his senior year. He does plan on playing football at the collegiate level and has received full scholarship offers from multiple Division I schools. He has not decided where he will attend college yet, but he plans to make his decision soon.

When asked what advice he would offer to players interested in being quarterback, he said, “My advice to anyone interested in playing quarterback would be to first make sure you have your priorities straight. Put God first in everything you do. If you serve God and work hard He will honor your hard work. Make sure you also take your academics serious because this is more important than football as well. Football is not eternal so you need to make sure you put God first, your family second, academics next, and football after that then this will help you be successful. Also if you are interested in playing quarterback you have to be a leader on the field but even more importantly off the field and in life.”

Dobson is the son of Terry and Ronda Dobson who are originally from Greenville and Madison respectively, but they now reside in Aucilla. His grandparents are Ron and Martha Smoak from Madison. Loa Lee Dobson from Aucilla and the late George Dobson from Greenville. He has two sisters: Stephanie, who is married to Josh Boan, lives in Madison, and Chelsea Dobson, who lives in Tallahassee.

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