Cedar Key Tide Tables at Right Side of Page

Poker run helps cheerleaders


Story and Photos
By Jeff M. Hardison © May 25, 2013
     CHIEFLAND -- Dominated by members of the Gainesville Chapter of the Christian Motorcycle Association and AmVets Post 42 (Chiefland), a poker run helped Chiefland High School Varsity and JV Cheerleaders on Saturday (May 25).
     Steve and Tammy Gardner organized the event to help bring in money for the girls to be able to go to the Daytona Beach campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on Aug. 1-4.
     Varsity Cheerleading Coach Tammy Gardner said the girls need $325 each for the instructional part of the event, which will include lessons for new cheers, chants and dances.
     Among the riders out Saturday was Melody LaFlam, prevention coordinator at Meridian Behavioral Healthcare Inc. of Bronson and sergeant-at-arms of the Williston Rotary Club. She is also among the Christian Motorcycle Association members riding that day.

Melody LaFlam pauses for a moment on her motorcycle before participating in the fundraiser to help Chiefland cheerleaders pay for summer camp.

     LaFlam heralded her first day back riding on a motorcycle after her husband was involved in a serious motorcycle crash some time ago.
     Ray Bristow, president of the Gainesville Chapter of CMA, was among the many riders participating too. The group went to stops in Bronson, Cedar Key, Fowlers Bluff before returning to CHS, where they enjoyed BubbaQue’s for lunch.
     Many parents brought desserts for the participants too.
     The CHS JV and Varsity Cheerleaders include Abby Brown, Bailey Beauchamp, Briana Cannon, Cori Allen, Skyler Cannon and Liana Walker, Kaylee Cannon, Darian Everett, Katie Brock, Sydney Philman and Aubrey Gore, Felicity Langford, Kristen Wade, Alicia Charlton, Becca Thomas, Kirnaé Williams, Jaylyn Harvey, Sydney Beck, Cheyenne Hatch, Sarah Gore, Annie Tolentino and Kellie Jones. The JV Coach is Amber Tindale.

Bronson Wins Spring Football

Bronson High School Eagles beat the Ocala Christian Crusaders 38-8 in spring football. The head coach for Bronson is Cameron Porch.
Photo by Casey Ranalli

Wildlife refuge is more open
Story and Photos
By Jeff M. Hardison © May 24, 2013
     CHIEFLAND – Suwannee Valley National Wildlife Refuge Park Ranger Pam Darty shared insight with members and guests of the Chiefland Chamber of Commerce Friday afternoon (May 24) as she mentioned that there are two lighthouse tours this summer.
     Overall during the year, there will be eight open house occasions, where traditionally there have been only two a year at the lighthouse on Seahorse Key, she said.

Ranger Pam Darty speaks to the Chiefland Chamber.

     The new refuge manager is more open to the public visiting Seahorse Key, she said, than any manager in the past 12 years she has served there. The only expense to tours of the lighthouse is for people who need to pay for a ride to the island that is accessible only by boat. People with their own boats just cruise over to the island.
     The two National Wildlife Refuges in the Levy, Dixie and Gilchrist counties’ area are not state parks. They are federal wilderness refuges, which are designated for wildlife.
     Darty urged people in the hospitality business in Chiefland to take advantage of what their counterparts in Cedar Key have been doing for decades.
     “Keep your visitors here for days at a time,” rather than passing through,” Darty said. “Birders, people who like to take photographs, professionals or people that do photography as a hobby go into the refuge. And then, they find Cedar Key.
     “Where, you, if you let them know on your websites what’s happening here, in Chiefland – that is our mailing address, Chiefland, Florida – you can keep people here as long as Cedar Key keeps people.”
     Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge on May 20 announced the dates for its upcoming Seahorse Key open house events. There will be eight in all during the year - many more than ever before.
     “We hope to introduce more visitors to the Cedar Keys Light Station by offering more open house dates," Manager Andrew Gude said. "Each event will be thematic featuring either the research being carried out by the University of Florida’s Marine Research Lab or the history of the island and its historic light station.”
     The next open house event will take place on July 6, to celebrate the fledging of the young birds of the rookery. Later, on Aug. 3, the anniversary of the light station will be celebrated.
     Everything at the National Wildlife Refuge is free, Darty said. There are many opportunities for people to enjoy the area. There are ranger led walks. And there is even a summer camp for children to enjoy as their parents drop them off.
     Parents may go off birding or doing other things, including putting up an easel and painting while their children learn from the park ranger.
     Lighthouse lovers can be flooding Chiefland, rather than Cedar Key, she said, if business owners here will simply promote the events at Seahorse Key and in the other parts of the Refuge – like at Shell Mound. Chiefland can become the base camp for those visitors. Just list the events on the Chiefland websites, she said.
     There is no reason to think Cedar Key can capture the whole market for these visitors. And, with other events happening in and around Chiefland, some of the birders and other visitors may want to participate in them as well – like the Watermelon Festival on June 1, or perhaps visit the state parks with their springs – Manatee Springs State Park or Fanning Springs State Park.
     “You put that (lighthouse event) on your website,” she said, “and you’ve got them staying with you. They might discover Cedar Key on the way, but you’ve already got them staying with you.”
     Another free option is hunting – especially for wild hogs. There is no cost, other than to have a Florida hunting license. Since the refuge is not a wildlife management area, there is no stamp required. There is a proper method to go about hunting for hogs, but the refuge rangers are glad to help hunters learn how to hunt hogs.
     In other news from the Chiefland Chamber meeting, it was mentioned that Central Florida College paid for the lunch, which was catered by Bell’s Catering. The lunch included salad, pasta salad, tuna salad, bread, fresh fruit, lemonade and tea.
     Another Chamber member is providing the lunch for the June 28 meeting. Central Florida Electric Cooperative and Duke Energy have joined forces to cover the lunches on July 26 and Aug. 23.
     Chamber President Patrick Allen mentioned that the four newest members are Days Inn of Chiefland, Fanning Springs Storage, Manatee Springs Motel and SAS Electronics.

Story and Photos
By Myrtice Scabarozi
     LEVY COUNTY -- The Log Cabin Quilters met Thursday (May 16) at the Levy County Quilt Museum. Several quilt tops were brought in for us to enjoy. Several individuals were working on their quilt class project and other people worked on the quilts in the frames.
     Ruth and Samantha from Dudley Farms also visited with us. They told us of their plans for a Quilt Day to be on Oct 5. We are planning to set up a booth as well as to take in a few quilts for a display for that day. Write down the date for an outing that will take you back in time.
     Thursday lunch was great. We had homegrown vegetables to eat. We had chicken and rice, squash and zucchini, fried squash, cabbage, string beans and carrots, tomatoes and zucchini, scalloped potatoes with cheese, watermelon, string beans with new potatoes, asparagus and banana cake with peanut butter frosting. You could come out and join us. Please bring a pot luck dish. It’s OK to stop and buy something to bring out.
     Greg and the boys from the Youthful Offender Program of Lancaster Correctional Institution were out this week. They’re getting caught up with the yard work (at least 'til we get rain). They started painting the trim on the porch then it’s up to us to get the new frames down and ready to hang. Thanks Lancaster.
     We’ve heard rumors that the Levy County Quilt Museum was broken into by the most recent escapee from Cross City Correctional Institution. Thankfully, this rumor is untrue. We did not have a visit from that escapee. Thanks for your concerns, nonetheless.
     We’ve found a great way to use the polyester and knits that have been donated. The large spools on the table now have bright scrappy tablecloths made from the knits and two of the picnic tables are ready for the holidays with red, white and blue tablecloths. Later on, the benches, swings and rockers will get knit coverings. The porch will be full of color later in the summer.
     Come join us on the porch and listen for the bobwhite talking to us.

This is a finished quilt top that the Tuesday night class is working on. Ailiene, who is teaching the class, finished the top for the others to see a complete project.

First Fish

Kody Brady with his first boat ride and first fish! Kody is seen here with his dad Scott Brady.The fish was caught on Cajun thunder and shrimp in four feet of water out between Bird Island and Eleven Prong!
Photo Provided by Captain’s Cove Outfitters of Inglis

Williston recreation
budget  issue discussed
By Jeff M. Hardison © May 22, 2013
     WILLISTON – Williston City Council members heard discussion about a non-agenda item Tuesday night (May 21) and the potential for action at the June 4 meeting exists.
     When Dr. Oel Wingo was city manager, the city budgeted $10,000 to be used by city children who lacked the money to pay for the $75 to $200 fees to participate in sports. The requirements of being a city resident and of receiving free or reduced lunches caused no person to apply for funding.
     As a result, representatives of the Williston Youth Athletic Association, Williston Soccer Club and We Soar approached the Council with requests for where to spend the money.
     The WYAA receives $10,000 from the County Commission. Each of the county’s five districts received $10,000, and the whole amount goes to WYAA for County Commissioner Danny Stevens’ district. That money is used for capital improvements. The WYAA serves about 450 children with baseball, softball, tee ball, soccer, flag football and tackle football. Fees that average $75 for each child for the various sports cover the costs of uniforms, referees and umpires.
     Mimi Johnson said there are 15 dance students and four piano students who participate in We Soar. The past two years, she has asked the two volunteers in the dance program to volunteer. She volunteers with the piano students. We Soar is also responsible for the Back To School Jamboree, which is going into its 19th year, Johnson said.
     Angela Gomez of Williston Soccer Club said this group pays $1,500 to the Florida Youth Soccer Association. It also spends money on background checks of coaches. There are 50 children involved in this group and they range between 12 and 18 years old. The fees for children in this soccer club are about $200 each. Gomez said some parents help others who are not able to cover the fees, and there are sponsors as well.
     City Councilman Charles Goodman made a recommendation for the Council members to consider what they heard. An East Williston sports group lacked a representative, but the City Council anticipates input from the group showing the number of children, the range of ages, the types of games they play and how the city might help children in that group.

Throws, coins, DVDs
and bricks on sale 'til June 15
     CHIEFLAND -- There are still some Chiefland Centennial throws, coins and DVDs on sale at City Hall, and they will be available through June 15 unless they sell out by then.
     Bricks for the Wall of Fame are still on sale as well.
     The rare and collectible one-ounce pure silver coins to commemorate the 2013 Chiefland Centennial are selling for $150 now.
     Also the 40-inch by 60-inch collectible throw to commemorate the 100th birthday of the city is selling for $60 to help raise money for the celebration that was held April 5 and 6.
      Bricks are selling for $40 each. These bricks are creating a wall in front of the building department. They can be engraved with business names, family names and the like – at the choosing of the buyers.
     A previous story shows this, as well as pictures of the coins and the rifle. Click HERE to see that. Other stories about the Centennial are on the Review Page as well.

-- UPDATED --
SATURDAY, MAY 25
at 7:47 p.m.
Levy, Dixie, Gilchrist counties     
    

  
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