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Gilchrist County Rotary Club's
Purple Pinkie fundraiser
is a huge success, and it is fun
A- Chalmer Rushing gets a purple pinkie from Bell High School Interactor Vanessa Welch.
Story and Photos
Provided By Holly Creel, Rotarian
Published Nov. 10, 2019 at 8:39 a.m.
GILCHRIST COUNTY -- Polio. Most people in the United States of America don't even remember how devastating this life-threatening disease can be.
More Below This Ad
Trenton School Resource Officer Jennifer Williams and Teacher Sheila Frazier with Julian Jones, Tucker Turner and Brynli Fitzgerald help the children mark their fingers with purple dye to show they helped in the fight against polio. The purple pinkie results in countries where children and others are vaccinated, because it shows they have been vaccinated. There was a time when people received more than one vaccination at an event, because some recipients incorrectly believed more was better. Then, the idea to mark people with this dye on their pinkies helped reduce that needless waste.
Bell High School Interactor Taryn Kemp paints a pinkie for Skylar Rarey. (An Interactor is a member of Interact, the Rotary Club for high school students.)
Bell Interactors (from left, seated) are Emma Boyette, Ty Powell, Audrey Thomas, Sasha Slayton, Delaney Santerfeit, Taryn Kemp, Brayden Carlisle and Vanessa Welch. Rotarians (from left, back row) are Jo Buckles, Holly Creel, Charlie Smith, Lowell Chesborough, Teacher-Sponsor Ashley Johnson, Dana Nicholson, Stephanie Douglas, Michael McElroy and Patricia Knight.
That's because, through vaccination, polio has been eradicated in most of the modern world. How fortunate for us! Nevertheless, there are a few countries where this disease still exists. Until it is completely eradicated, the virus that causes this deadly disease can still be a threat.
And that's why Rotary International has made such a concerted effort to raise funds to provide vaccinations to children in the countries still effected by this completely preventable disease.
That's where the Gilchrist County Rotary Club's Purple Pinkie fundraiser shines a big bright purple pinkie, telling polio – “We are going to get rid of you, for good!”
Every October, during Polio Awareness Month, Rotarians visit the public elementary schools and paint the children’s pinkies purple in honor of their donation to this cause. Besides being a great fundraiser, it's so much fun!
After the children get their fingers painted, they ring a bell to celebrate their participation. This year was especially fun because Interact students (young Rotarians) joined in the event and really made it special for everyone.
The Gilchrist County Rotary Club raised $584 by conducting the fundraiser in the two schools.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will give $2 for every $1 we raised! The Gilchrist County Rotary Club thanks the teachers, staff and families at Bell Elementary School and Trenton Elementary School.
We also thank our Interact students and their sponsors, Taven Bennett from Trenton High School and Ashley Johnson from BHS for supporting the event with their service club teams! Thanks to all for helping us being one step closer to saying goodbye to polio - forever!
Public works director resigns;
Bronson seeks replacement
Moments before the start of the Monday night meeting (Nov. 4), the Bronson Town Council is seen here. They are (from left) Councilman Berlon Weeks, Vice Mayor Jason Hunt, Mayor Beatrice Roberts, Councilman Aaron Edmondson and Councilman Robert Partin.
Story and Photos © Nov. 6, 2019 at 3:29 p.m.
By Jeff M. Hardison
BRONSON – Nothing is so constant as change.
Bronson Public Works Director Erik Wise resigned from his job effective Nov. 8, according to an Oct. 22 letter he sent to the members of the Bronson Town Council.
Wise shared with the five leaders that he accepted another job.
The Town Council voted Monday night (Nov. 4) unanimously to seek a new public works director who will be certified in public water and public sewer operations, and who will have a Commercial Driver’s License.
Town Councilman Aaron Edmondson said the next director of Public Works in Bronson needs to be able to drive a dump truck, as well as handle everything in that department.
Bronson Town Clerk Shirley Miller is seen in action at the meeting on Monday night.
Town Clerk Shirley Miller on Tuesday (Nov. 5) sent information showing that the Town of Bronson is accepting applications for a fulltime public works director.
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, she noted.
This person will perform professional duties and exercises a high degree of independence in the daily operations of the Town's multi-division Public Works Department.
This employee of the town plans, organizes, directs and integrates the town's public works and utilities activities and functions; provides expert professional assistance to the Town Council and staff in areas of expertise, including engineering, municipal water, wastewater collection, storm water, drainage, solid waste and street and landscape maintenance; and performs related duties as required.
This 40-hours-per-week job shows hours of Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. However, he or she is on-call 24/7 to address any and all emergency situations.
Overtime pay will be received as deemed necessary.
The salary range is between $41,496 and $52,000 a year, depending on experience and certification/license.
This worker has a long list of administrative and hands-on duties and responsibilities in the areas of administration; the
water/sewer department; the road department; code enforcement; billing; care of parks and other town properties;
maintenance and repair to all town buildings; maintenance and repair to town equipment including but not limited to trucks, tractors, backhoe, mowers and lawn equipment; and animal control, which includes the removal and disposal of dead animals within the town limits.
Among the certification and licenses required of this worker are a valid Class "B" Wastewater Plant Operator's Certificate, or Class "C" Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator's Certificate and Class "C" Water Plant Operator's Certificate from the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the CDL Class “A” or Class “B” for driving.
Interested applicants should contact Bronson Town Hall.
9th Annual All Saints Day
adventure brings results
This view of the Suwannee River is looking east from Fort Fanning in the City of Fanning Springs.
Story, Photos and Video
By Jeff M. Hardison © Nov. 2, 2019 at 4:09 p.m.
THE INK PAD – The 9th Annual All Saints Day adventure started late on Friday (Nov. 1), because hobbyist pilot Jeff M. Hardison used time to charge batteries for The Dragonfly.
This three-minute video is a clip of three flights that put the drone in the air for fewer than five total minutes at any time.
This long view to the west from Fort Fanning shows the moment a southbound Greyhound bus crossed the Suwannee River going from Dixie County to Gilchrist County, and then within minutes to Levy County – continuing southbound on All Saints Day 2019. There must be something about a southbound Greyhound bus passing from Dixie County as it crosses the Suwannee River that a country musician can use in his or her next song.
This closer view of the Greyhound bus confirms its identity. Go Greyhound, and leave the driving to those bus drivers!
The Dragonfly is a DJI Mavic Pro drone (unmanned aerial system) that Hardison flies as a hobby, taking care to conduct research and consider where the flight path of the drone will take it during a certain time.
The hobbyist pilot charged three batteries for enough to be in the air for one hour, however, he only used one part of one battery to spend some minutes in the air that day.
On All Saints Day 2019, Historic Fort Fanning was the launch point. Flying lower than 400 feet above the ground and closer than 20 feet above the neighboring trees, and hearing no plane or helicopter engines, the flights for hobby fun succeeded safely.
No animals, humans, sporting events, aircraft of other objects were impinged upon, endangered or inconvenienced in any manner during this hobbyist’s flight.
This past Nov. 1 marked the ninth year since HardisonInk.com added The Christian Press, and each year there is an All Saints Day adventure, although not all are published.
This hobby flight is part of the Keeping It Fine In Year Nine theme of HardisonInk.com, which is slated to start Year 10 on Feb. 1, 2020.
Horses Without Humans
at Gilchrist County Rotary Club
Jennifer Cefalu, Rotary President Bob Clemons and Yvonne Barteau
Story and Photo
By Holly Creel, Rotarian
Published Oct. 29, 2019 at 3:09 p.m.
TRENTON -- Yvonne Barteau and Jennifer Cefalu, from Horses Without Humans at Rock Bluff Ranch in Bell, came to the Gilchrist County Rotary Club meeting on Monday (Oct. 28) to tell us about this wonderful nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization right here in our community.
Yvonne, a lifelong horse lover, started Horses Without Humans when she learned that some horses are either tragically abused or are given up to be sent to a slaughterhouse across our borders. She and Jennifer work full-time at the ranch taking in these neglected horses and care for them until they are able to be adopted to live in a loving home.
Horses Without Humans is committed to helping as many horses as they can. Currently they have more than 80 horses at the ranch, although not all of these are rescue horses. Through hard work, volunteers, and donations they are helping save horses and finding them loving homes so they will be treasured and have brighter futures.
Yvonne, who has a fascinating history, is a champion dressage rider, equine theater performer, Tevis Cup Buckle recipient and a trainer/partner of KYB Dressage with her husband, Kim. They have four grown children, all of whom share their parent's love for horses.
Yvonne has published two books and produced three documentary films about horses and is the trainer of the most winning horse in United States Dressage history.
Jennifer, who earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry, is a horse trainer and competed and won third place at Paso Fino Nationals and loves cross country fox hunting.
Yvonne and Jennifer told us about an event they will be holding on Dec. 6, 7 and 8 at the Alachua County Agriculture & Equestrian Center (formerly Canterbury Grounds in Newberry).
The event, titled Spirit of the Horse, will be a beautiful and heartwarming holiday show and all proceeds will go to the Horses Without Humans Equine Rescue and Adoption Center.
Tickets can be purchased at https://horseswithouthumans.org/. Rotarians were fascinated with this lifesaving program for horses.
Chef Jason Fuchs of Spring Water Events served a delicious luncheon of fried chicken, garden salad, roasted potato wedges, green beans, bread and butter, mini tarts and tea. Thank you, Yvonne and Jennifer.
Rain dampens
inaugural fall festival;
Saturday slams Tri-County Area
with several outlets for fun
Chiefland Mayor Chris Jones performs an original rock song just after 4 p.m. on Oct. 26 at the 2019 Chiefland Fall Festival.
Story, and Photos
By Jeff M. Hardison © Oct. 28, 2019 at 9:39 a.m.
TRI-COUNTY AREA – While the 2019 Chiefland Fall Festival started well on Saturday (Oct. 26), heavy rain around 2:30 p.m. dampened the event for a bit in its midsection.
Mayor Chris Jones as lead guitarist performs as does Geoff Gaskin on bass, Theodore C. Patrick on keyboard and Nick Cleveland on drums. All of the musicians on Saturday in Chiefland were stellar performers, according to people who were there.
This is a marker for the Fall Festival, seen during a time of reduced attendance due to a period of rain.
The Hemp Station of Chiefland was among the vendors at the festival. Emma Anderson, proprietor, was absent from the booth when this photo was taken, because she was donating blood in the LifeSouth Community Blood Centers’ bloodmobile, which was at the event.
The 2019 Chiefland Fall Festival started at 11 a.m. on Saturday. From its start, with 44 vendors, a bounce house and all, things went well. After the rain, the bounce house came down, bands called to cancel – to preserve equipment from ruin. Some vendors left and some stayed.
Among the bands that played were Houston Keen, an alternative country music artist from northern Florida; J.R. Ward of St. Augustine; Danny Wooten; and the band with Mayor Chris Jones as lead guitarist. Also playing that day with the mayor were Geoff Gaskin (of Canada) on bass, Theodore C. Patrick on keyboard and Nick Cleveland on drums.
The last song that band performed is titled “Nothing.”
By 4 p.m. many vendors had left and Mayor Jones and his bandmates performed some strong rock-and-roll original music. Another band showed up. The weather calmed down, and the evening built into the anticipated Trunk-Or-Treat event, with costume contests and all.
The three pictures above show some of the activity near vendors at the South Levy Area Marketplace in Inglis on Saturday. This monthly event is among the projects helping to stimulate the local economy there.
Photos Provided By Inglis Mayor Drinda Merritt
Meanwhile, Saturday at the South Levy Area Marketplace (SLAM) in Inglis, vendors and customers enjoyed a level of success, including from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., when the Town of Inglis sponsored its Trail of Trunk Treats, A Safe Alternative to Trick or Treating. (That same alternative is set for Old Town in Dixie County as well.)
As noted earlier in HardisonInk.com, on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Tri-County Cruisers Annual Halloween Car Show And Swap Meet was the biggest ever at the Chiefland Farmer’s Flea Market.
In Bronson on Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Reggie Stacy is led the 9th Annual Cancer Awareness Walk and Rally. The Walk started at the Bronson Post Office and went to James H. Cobb Park (Bronson Sports Center).
Another two-hour fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. was at Manatee Springs State Park, 11650 N.W. 115th St., Chiefland. That promised to be fun for dogs and their owners, and for other people watching the event.
Bark In The Park was a Dog Halloween Costume Contest scheduled to be at that park. It was held to benefit the Friends of Manatee Springs
As covered in HardisonInk.com, including three videos, the 8th Annual Dixie County Fire Expo held again at Dixie County High School, 17924 S.E. U.S. Highway 19, just south of Cross City, was a success – although the crowd was about 50 percent smaller than the first year when it was held at DCHS – last year.
A big event sponsored by the Levy County Prevention Coalition from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday was a Drug Take-Back Day.
The takeback happened in Bronson, Cedar Key, Chiefland, Inglis and Williston. This was an operation of the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, the Levy County Sheriff’s Office, the Chiefland Police Department, the Cedar Key Police Department and the Williston Police Department. The operation is funded by the Levy County Prevention Coalition.
This event allowed the public its 18th opportunity in nine years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your pills for disposal to the sites noted in this announcement
The monthly meeting of The Life Raft happened Saturday at the Williston Community Center, located at Williston City Hall, 50 N. Main St. The Life Raft is an advocacy and support group for caregivers of people with dementia, meeting on the last Saturday of each month.
Continuing to try to build as a revived group in Levy County, the Levy County Democratic Party met Saturday afternoon in the Bronson Public Library, and it was among the vendors at the Trunk-Or-Treat event in James H. Cobb Park that evening.
Perhaps the biggest event in Gilchrist County – Levy County area near the Suwannee River was the movies in the park and Halloween fun at Fort Fanning, in the City of Fanning Springs Saturday night.
There were even other events that drew people to enjoy Saturday at different places in the Tri-County Area of Levy County, Dixie County and Gilchrist County, even though there were spats of rain at some of those points that day.
Volunteers sought
for food giveaway on Nov. 23
Published Oct. 3, 2019 at 8:09 a.m.
CHIEFLAND -- On Nov. 23 (a Saturday) from 9 a.m. until noon (or until the food runs out, the Tri-County Community Resource Center (TCCRC) is scheduled to present the next drive-through Farm Share event, in partnership with Central Florida Electric Cooperative, the City of Chiefland, and a variety of supporting contributors.
The distribution point for the food giveaway is scheudled to be Charles Strickland Recreational Park, 1500 N.W. 23rd Ave. in Chiefland.
Any individual or organization, or student group, that is interested in participating as a volunteer to help with this event is being sought by the TCCRC.
Last year, almost 30,000 pounds of food was distributed to more than 1,200 people. This couldn’t have been accomplished without the amazing community collaboration last year. This year, the distribution of more food to more people is planned.
The TCCRC is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. Friday hours vary. Call 352-507-4000 or visit 15 N. Main St. during office hours to learn about volunteer opportunities for the Farm Share event slated for Nov. 23.
Williston City Council
struggles with fair lease;
Other issues persist
Debra Jones of the Levy County Fair Association speaks with Williston City Council members Tuesday night.
Story and Photos
By Jeff M. Hardison © Oct. 25, 2019 at 3:39 p.m.
WILLISTON – The Levy County Fair is not going to happen in 2020, but there is some hope for 2021.
(from left) Williston City Council Vice President Marguerite Robinson, City Councilman Justin Head and Mayor Jerry Robinson are seen at the meeting Tuesday night.
(from left) Williston City Council President Nancy Wininger, City Councilman Charles Goodman and City Councilman Elihu Ross are seen at the meeting Tuesday night.
(from left) Williston City Manager Scott Lippmann, City Attorney Frederick L. Koberlein Jr. and City Clerk Latricia Wright are seen at the meeting Tuesday night.
The last Levy County Fair was in April of 2019.
Meanwhile, though, as the Levy County Fair Association (LCFA) has sought to have use of the city property via a lease, it discovered Tuesday night (Oct. 22) that the words “fair market value” may force the LCFA to work from a license rather than from a lease agreement.
Another ongoing issue with the Williston City Council include at least a couple of its members disliking Florida law that requires the public to be able to watch the process by which it makes decisions – The Sunshine Law.
And the third of some number of dilemmas for the five City Council members results from it possibly wanting to revise the current contract with City Manager Scott Lippmann.
The next regular meeting of the Williston City Council is scheduled for Nov. 5 starting at 6 p.m. in City Hall, 50 N.W. Main St., in Williston.
LEVY COUNTY FAIR
City Manager Lippmann told the City Council that City Attorney Frederick L. Koberlein Jr. is reviewing other leases between interests and the city, in regard to land being used on the Williston Municipal Airport property.
A couple of those leases, Lippmann said, are “very old” and have terms that last for 30 to 35 years.
Lippmann told Debra Jones of the Levy County Fair Association that when the attorney has drafted a lease agreement for consideration between the county fair and the city, Lippmann will let the LCFA know.
Jones said she is aware that the Federal Aviation Administration has requirements for land that is Williston Municipal Airport property, even though it is being used for non-aeronautical uses.
If the lease method is not possible, Jones said, then the LCFA will return to the short-term license agreement it has used for the past several years. The Fair Association would like to lease the property, she said, because it believes it would be more cost-effective to build large pole barns rather than to rent the expensive big tents it has rented in the past.
The attorney shared some tough news.
There is no exception, even for a non-profit organization, to use the Williston Municipal Airport property for non-aeronautical activities at anything less than the current fair market price for the use of that land, Koberlein said.
City Attorney Koberlein said he is reviewing other leases, because Jones had requested a lease similar to the existing leases on that property.
“Are these not-for-profits paying fair market value?” Koberlein asked in regard to the other current leases. “There is, again, no exception under the federal regulation if you are performing non-aeronautical activities – that you pay a fair market value.”
Every airport must have a study completed for fair market value, whether it be for acreage of square-foot, he added. Williston Municipal Airport has that information, Koberlein said.
The current leases, he continued, must be revisited to determine if the lessees are paying fair market value. They should be notified if they are not paying fair market value, he concluded.
“And it may be that we (Levy County Fair Association) can’t afford fair market value,” Jones said, “because it’s 20-something acres.”
She said the last time she looked, that cost would be about $60,000 a year to lease that much property there.
The rental of tents is $17,000 a year, she said. Multiply that by 10 or 11 years of the fair’s existence, Jones said, and that is why the LCFA sees big pole barns as a better option. To build them, though, the LCFA would need to lease the property rather than just have a license to use the property.
SUNSHINE LAW
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody continues a practice that her predecessors started decades ago.
Florida's Government-in-the-Sunshine Law was enacted in 1967.
Following are the attorneys general of Florida since then: Earl Faircloth, 1965–1971; Robert L. Shevin, 1971–1979; James C. Smith, 1979–1987; Bob Butterworth, 1987–2002; Richard E. Doran, 2002–2003; Charlie Crist, 2003–2007; Bill McCollum, 2007–2011; Pam Bondi, 2011–2019; and Ashley Moody, 2019–present.
On her website, Attorney General Moody notes “Florida is proud to lead the nation in providing public access to government meetings and records. This website is designed to help government agencies, the media and private citizens understand Florida’s Open Government and Public Records laws.
“Government must be accountable to the people,” Attorney General Moody notes. “The Florida Constitution, which sets forth our rights as citizens of this great state, provides that the public has the right to know how government officials spend taxpayer dollars and make the decisions affecting their lives. The principle of open government is one that must guide everything done in government for its public.”
Despite these noble reasons, as well as the law, Williston City Council President Nancy Wininger has repeatedly complained that the Sunshine Law prevents her from speaking with members of the City Council – outside of the public view – about matters that they will or may vote upon.
City Councilman Charles Goodman also has complained about the Sunshine Laws.
On Tuesday night, Wininger said she does not fear public scrutiny. She simply believes that since the City Council only meets once every two weeks, it is not progressing quickly enough on matters such as the lease of airport property to the Levy County Fair Association.
It would be quicker for the five people to just telephone each other and make decisions out of the view of the public, however they would have to live in some place other than Florida.
Sunshine laws are in place to ensure certain activities are conducted in an open and ethical manner. This allows members of the public to bear witness to certain activities or to request access to records pertaining to certain topics. They are designed to limit corruption within the affected organizations and instill public trust through willing transparency.
CITY MANAGER
Another of the issues with which Williston’s elected leaders wrestled on Tuesday was their understanding of the contract with City Manager Lippmann.
President Wininger read every word of the document that night. Councilman Goodman said at a previous meeting that he wanted to review the contract to assure everyone had the same understanding.
After a review and discussion, the City Council asked President Wininger to see if City Manager Lippmann would be will to revise the contract.
More discussion will happen at the Nov. 5 meeting if Lippmann is willing to revise the contract, however if he is not willing then the Oct. 22 review may be the end of that discussion.
There were a few points where the City Council may seek revision. First the term of the contract is “indefinite” and it started on Dec. 13, 2012. Since then, though, the City Council has changed in its membership.
For instance, when it was signed, Jason Cason was on City Council. He has since moved out of the city limits and can no longer serve. Norm Fugate was on City Council, but he accepted a job as Cedar Key City Attorney and that city’s meetings conflicted with him being able to attend the Williston City Council meeting.
There are methods, though, for either the City Council by a supermajority vote or the city manager to end the contract.
Nevertheless, Councilman Goodman said he would like to see a renewal clause, where instead of the 4-1 supermajority vote required to fire the city manager, there could be a 3-2 vote by the council to not renew an annual contract.
Another point where the City Council is considering seeking a change would be for salary adjustments. They spoke about tying this salary adjustment to the required annual review, which is supposed to happen in December each year.
Councilman Elihu Ross suggested the City Council conduct a workshop to create a revised contract to offer the city manager, but other Council members said it would be a practice in futility unless the city manager agreed to a possible contract revision, because it takes both parties to be willing before a contract can be amended.
Between the Oct. 22 and the Nov. 4 meeting, Wininger said she would speak with Lippmann to see if he is amicable to amending his contract with the city. If he is, then the City Council will set a workshop to iron out revisions it feels it wants in the current contract with the city manager.
Cow Goes Moo
In this video, taken in the early years of HardisonInk.com, perhaps in 2011, Jeff M. Hardison talks to a cow and asks her to say 'Moo.' She does, a few times. The video is a bit grainy. There have been equipment upgrades since then.
Video By Jeff M. Hardison © Oct. 24, 2019 at 3:09 p.m. All Rights Reserved
CFEC Donates To Lions
On Wednesday evening (Oct. 16), Madison Redd and Alison Deloach attended the Inglis-Yankeetown Lions Club meeting on behalf of Central Florida Electric Cooperative. CFEC donated an entire bucket full of eyeglasses to the Lions Club as a part of the Eyeglass Recycling Program. These glasses were collected at CFEC offices in Cross City, Chiefland and Inglis. They will be sent to be sanitized and sorted before going to children and young adults in need. CFEC thanks its members for donating these eyeglasses as well as the Inglis-Yankeetown Lions Club for all it does for the community. More information on this program can be found by sending an email to eyeglasses@lionsclubs.org.
Published Oct. 19, 2019 at 5:09 p.m.
Information and Photo Provided by CFEC
‘Come to the Cabaret’
music program held
at the Williston Public Library
Warming up before the audience arrives, songstress Mandy Fugate and accompanist Sara Nussel prepare for a musical program at the Williston Public Library. The 'Power of Passion' series continued Friday, Oct. 11, when it started at 7 p.m. with 'Come to the Cabaret.'
Story and Photo
by Lisa Statham Posteraro
Published Oct. 14, 2019 at 1:39 p.m.
WILLISTON -- Continuing the “Power of Passion” theme, the Friends of the Williston Library (FOWL) hosted the second in the series of programs featuring Mandy Fugate and Sara Nussel, both of whom are passionate about music.
It was a Friday night (Oct. 11), and the crowd was small; but those attending enjoyed not only beautiful, lively, touching music but also had fun singing along! A good time was had by all!
An added plus? “Singing stimulates the vagus nerve, which runs along the spinal column,” said Nussel.
Deep breathing and yoga also stimulate the vagus nerve. Activation of the vagus nerve keeps your immune system in check and releases an assortment of hormones and enzymes such as acetylcholine and oxytocin. This results in reductions in inflammation, improvements in memory, and feelings of relaxation. Vagus nerve stimulation has also been shown to reduce allergic reactions and tension headaches. (“Natural Vagus Nerve Stimulation,” Dr. Arielle Schwartz)
The hour-long program, as advertised, featured “American standards” as well as compositions by the musically gifted Nussel, who taught music in the public schools for years, was choir director and continues as the pianist for the First United Methodist Church of Williston. Fugate is passionate about musical theater, but also loves “regular” theater and recently appeared in the Gainesville Community Theater’s production of Sunset Village, by Michael Presley Bobbitt.
Who doesn’t recognize the theme songs to Cabaret and Annie? And anything “George Gershwin” And “Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz could elicit a tear or two. Then there were some catchy tunes – spirituals, folk songs and an original song by local songster Anna Moo – with which the audience could sing along: “God Put a Rainbow,” “You Are My Sunshine” and “Florida.” The duo added some verses to “The Peanut Song,” which had been introduced at the recent Peanut Festival.
Also included were songs Nussel wrote, based on a poem a friend shared and a musical she has envisioned about health care in the United States.
Look for future programs at the Williston Public Library which feature presenters who reveal the “power of passion.”
If you would love to share that about which you are passionate, please contact Lisa Posteraro by calling 352-339-1201. The plan is to have at least one more program before the end of the calendar year; as the holidays approach, perhaps it will be a workshop, which features crafts such as stamping/card-making.
Satellite transfer station opens
to help Levy County residents
Steve Keene, 44, of Bronson is the county worker who mans the new satellite transfer station. Here he is standing on Friday afternoon (Oct. 11) next to one of the two big compactors for household garbage
Story and Photos
By Jeff M. Hardison © Oct. 11, 2019 at 8:09 p.m.
LEVY COUNTY – A number of Levy County residents will enjoy having a new location to bring their household garbage, recyclables, brush and old appliances.
This is a view of the area where brush and appliances can be deposited. This transfer station does not accept tires, electronics (like TVs), or hazardous waste.
A satellite transfer station opened Oct. 4, next to Levy County Road 347 between Fowler’s Bluff and Cedar Key.
Levy County residents do not have to pay for these items, just like when they take them to the solid waste transfer station located between Bronson and Williston.
The new transfer station is open Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
To reach the location from the southern community limits sign for Fowler’s Bluff, go south on Levy County Road 347 (which is heading toward Cedar Key) and travel for about eight and one-half miles.
The driveway into the area is located on the east side of the road (which will be a left turn for people going from the Fowler’s Bluff community).
Household garbage is brought to the site and deposited in a compactor chute by the Levy County resident.
There is a limit to the amount of brush or yard debris. There is a limit of two cubic yards per day. That is about the amount of brush that would fit in the back of one pickup truck that had a long bed.
There is a recycling trailer, there, just like at some other places in Levy County.
This transfer station does not accept tires, electronics (like TVs), or hazardous waste.
This project came to be thanks to the leadership of Levy County Vice Chairman Matt Brooks championing the idea, with support from Chairman John Meeks and county commissioners Rock Meeks, Lilly Rooks and Mike Joyner.
Benny Jerrels is the department director for Levy County Solid Waste.
For more information about the Levy County Solid Waste Department, click HERE.
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