Five people were arrested early Tuesday morning, August 19, as the result of a two-year-long investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Madison County Sheriff’s Office and the federal Drug Enforcement Agency.
   A number of law enforcement agencies, including the Sheriff’s Office, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, FDLE, DEA and area SWAT teams converaged on locations at approximately 5:30 a.m. Tuesday mornings.
   The five people taken into custody were Sonya Earnhardt Graves, Jerry Sapp, Jody Tompkins, Wendy Vann and Melissa Williams. Charges against the five include dealing in methamphetamine.
   Due to press deadlines, this newspaper did not have a press release from the Drug Enforcement Agency Thursday morning. See next Wednesday’s Madison County Carrier for detailed information on the drug bust.

EPA Calls Public Meeting To Discuss Toxic Ground Contamination

By Michael Curtis
Greene Publishing, Inc.
   On Thursday, August 28 at 6 p.m., the Environmental Protection Agency is holding an official Public Meeting in Building 8, Room 8 of North Florida Community College to discuss the proposed cleanup of the abandoned ITT-Thompson Industries Site located at 800 Livingston Street, Madison.  When the cancer-causing contamination was finally acknowledged in 1994, adjacent properties were immediately put on warning as associated illegal dumping at a nearby landfill was also discovered.  Now, fourteen years later, severe contamination levels remain, in some cases hundreds of times safe levels.              
   Separate cleanup efforts at the landfill have cost city and county residents hundreds of thousands over the last decade.  And while arguments have been made that “some” improvement has taken place, again testing shows numbers at huge multiples from safe levels.  And again, that was just the dumping that was identified at the landfill.
   An official close to the situation emphatically contends that many more undiscovered barrels exist either at the site or landfill or both, which remediation efforts at the landfill confirmed as additional barrels were unearthed during initial cleanup efforts.  The potential presence of hundreds of additional buried barrels combined with the sinkhole previously referenced that is underneath the landfill, effectively creating a funnel directly into the Aquifer, is bad enough by any measure.  Now add the findings and effects if opening up the ITT-Thompson site itself and everyone can see why the meeting on August 28 is such an important date to keep.
   One element working in favor of local residents is that ITT-Thompson does not own the land that comprises the site. 
   The reason this is so important is that the owners can act as a second set of eyes to protect the interests of residents.  The fact that the land is owned by Madison Industries is especially beneficial because it is comprised of a number of local notables that are sure to keep ITT honest.  So considering that ITT-Thompson has already acknowledged full financial responsibility for the site cleanup (not yet the landfill cleanup) during a recent interview that was aired on Channel 27, with strong public support, the county may see this deadly issue come to pass.
   Now the key is turning cheap words into extremely expensive action without waiting for Erin Brockovich to arrive.  Every Madison County resident is strongly urged to attend the August 28 meeting, especially those living near the site.

Cowboy Round-Up Set For August 24

By Michael Curtis
Greene Publishing, Inc.
   On Sunday, August 24 at 4 p.m., everyone is invited and urged to attend the Madison County High School Cowboys Football Round-Up.  The gathering will be held at the football field and is sure to be fun for the whole family. 
   Coming off a championship season, the Cowboys are looking to repeat and strong support from the community is certainly an important ingredient to that success.  The Round-Up was a fan favorite for years but fell of a few years ago.  Organizers now stand ready to reignite the event that is set to showcase the Varsity, Junior Varsity, Band and Coaches.  Come see why Madison County Football is in a league of its own.
   Underscoring the team’s growing reputation is the newest sponsor to the team.  Under Armour, the worldwide maker of performance sports apparel, has agreed to provide sportswear to the team, and ESPN is scheduled to televise the October 31 game against Godby. 
   The MCHS Cowboys have championship players and fans.  The August 24 Round-Up is a great opportunity for both to show why that tradition will continue for years to come.

Call Counters Liquor Petitions

By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
   Citizens Against Legalizing Liquor (CALL) now has petitions for people to sign who might have signed the petition by mistake to get a referendum on the ballot to legalize liquor.
   The new petitions can be signed and dated by anyone who signed the other petition by mistake or who has simply had a change of heart on the matter.
   Some of those pushing for the liquor petition to be passed have claimed that it will generate $160,000 in sales tax revenue the first year it is sold in Madison County. CALL members are questioning that claim since it would take a total of ten million dollars ($10,000,000.00) in liquor to be sold to raise $150,000 in taxes. The county would only get one-and-a-half cents sales tax off each dollar of liquor or wine sold.
   Some CALL members are also challenging a claim by some proponents of legalized liquor in Madison County that it will attract restaurants like Applebee’s to the area.
   This writer researched some information on Applebee’s and discovered that the requirements for the neighborhood restaurant include being in a community with at least 20,000 people and for the owner to have at least three to seven years restaurant experience in restaurant business. A franchise fee of $40,000 is also required, as well as the owners having a net worth of one million dollars ($1,000,000.00).
   If anyone has signed the CALL petition by mistake or had a change of heart, please call Gene Stokes, Vice-Chairman of CALL, at 973-8607.

Storm Stalls But Expected To Pass Through On Weekend

By Michael Curtis
Greene Publishing, Inc.
   Parents will be notified by school officials if classes are cancelled Friday because of Tropical Storm Fay, which has dropped major flood level rains on East Central Florida for over a day now as the storm literally stood still.  Over 25 inches of rain have left residents and officials scrambling for solutions.
   According to current updates provided by Madison County Emergency Management Director Jim Stanley, Fay is expected to be a Tropical storm with sustained winds of 20-30 MPH and gusts over 40 MPH.  In addition, forecasts project 4 to 6 inches of rain.
   Travelers can call 511 from any phone for up-to-the-minute storm travel information.
   The difficulty of projecting exact numbers is a frustration that officials always carry during severe storms.  On the one side, they don’t wish to frighten anyone.  Of course, on the other hand, they would never want people to be caught unprepared.  Therefore, there is a good common sense saying to follow:
   “Expect the best, but plan for the worst.”

Fire Department Holding Boot Drive

By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
   Madison Fire and Rescue will hold a boot drive for the Muscular Dystrophy Association on Friday, August 22, and Friday, August 29.
   Firefighters will be stationed from 2-6 p.m. with boots at the traffic lights at the corner of Base and Range Street and plans are also to be set up in the shopping centers.
   “It depends on the weather, whether we will do it or not on August 22,” Fire Inspector Archie Strickland said, “but we should be out there on August 29.”