Youngest man at first Ishie Day
shares happy stories of past
Law Day 2012
Posing for the group shot this year are members of law enforcement agencies, judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, clerks and others.
Photo by Jeff M. Hardison

By Jeff M. Hardison, © May 11, 2012
     SUWANNEE RIVER – It was next to the Suwannee River at Fowlers Bluff at the house and pavilion of the late Judge W.O. Beauchamp Jr., where the 12th Annual Levy-Gilchrist Law Day happened on Friday afternoon (May 11).
     The annual event was again a who’s who in relation to the law within the two counties and stretching out into the Eighth Judicial Circuit, and reaching with the long arm of the law farther out into the state of Florida.

Back When
This picture from the mid-1970s shows Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Warren Hallman (left) and Norwood Ishie. (This is a picture of a picture that was on display at the event.)

       The top stars of the day this year were Levy County Sheriff Johnny Smith Jr., Gilchrist County Sheriff Daniel Slaughter, Levy County Judge James T. Browning, Gilchrist County Judge Edward Philman, State Attorney Bill Cervone and Public Defender Stacy Scott. Circuit Court Judge Stan Griffin and Circuit Court Judge David Glant were among the recipients of a trophy from LCSO Police Benevolvent Association spokesman Rick Rogers, who said it took Browning, Glant and Griffin to equal the service provided by now-retired Levy County Judge Joseph Smith.
ISHIE DAY
       Beyond the trophies for the judges who provided law enforcement officers with the much-needed search warrants this year, and even beyond this 12th annual event to honor people involved with the law of the land, the roots of the foundation for this event go back to 1969, when there was the first Ishie Day.  

Arriving In Style
Two sets of FWC boats arrived but one pair of men had to help investigate a sturgeon incident on the same river. FWC Lt. James Umhoefer and FWC officers Casey Anderson and B.J. Johnsoton all had originally arrived in style at the Law Day event via a boat. Just as the Levy County judge said in short address, though, the men and women in law enforcement may be called to duty at any time -- even from a nice luncheon event.
Photo by Jeff M. Hardison

     Cameron Asbell, a member of the Levy County School Board and owner of Cameron Asbell Insurance in Bronson, shared his insight about Ishie Day. Norwood Ishie was Asbell’s grandfather.
     Warren Hallman, 79, was at the 12th Annual W.O. Beauchamp Jr. Levy-Gilchrist Law Day on Friday. Hallman shared with HardisonInk.com, that what has become Law Day was once known as Ishie Day. He showed a picture of himself as a trooper in the mid-1970s with Ishie.
      Hallman was a Florida Highway Patrol trooper and then supervisor from November of 1959 until he retired in 1983. Hallman showed a picture of him and Norwood Ishie.
      Norwood Ishie passed away in November of 1979, Asbell said. The man hated his first name and everyone just knew him as Ishie. Few family members would ever call him Norwood.

Rookie Fish Fixer
LCSO 9-1-1- Coordinator Mike West breads mullet before they are deep fried. West said this was his first time breading fish for the Law Day Dinner. Other renowned cooks included Scott Tummond and Bubba Castell.
Photo by Jeff M. Hardison

      “I was the youngest person at the first Ishie Day in 1969,” said the 43-year-old Asbell. “I was a baby. I went to every Ishie Day from then until my grandfather died. Back then, Ishie Day was for men only. It was a fun day that was started by the courthouse gang back then.”
     Ishie was an outstanding man. He had only a sixth grade education, but he would write a weekly column in the Levy County Journal for Asbell’s uncle – Elton Cobb, who owned the newspaper at that time. The column was very well received by readers. Ishie was best known as the courthouse custodian, but he later became a bailiff.
       The story of how his grandfather came to Bronson captures a little bit about Ishie. Asbell said it was the late 1930s or early ‘40s. Times were tough. Ishie had one pair of shoes.

True Grits
LCSO Maj. Mike Sheffield cooks grits at Law Day. Sheffield is a veteran grits cooker. He said diners prefer not to have lumpy grits.
Photo by Jeff M. Hardison

     Ishie walked all the way from Sumner to Bronson barefoot, so that he would not scuff-up the shiny shoes that he planned to wear for a job interview. Asbell said his grandfather walked that far merely on the hope of a job.
      “I am not half the man my grandfather was,” Asbell said.
      Ishie worked with inmates on the chain gang for a period, but eventually became the courthouse custodian.
      “My grandfather would treat everyone with respect,” Asbell said, “from the lowest inmate in the courthouse to the highest officials. And he was friends with everyone. He was not judgmental.”
      Asbell knew his grandfather was extremely important because “He had the keys to the Coke machine.” Even after he became a bailiff,” Asbell said, “Ishie was the custodian of the key to the Coke machine.”
      One thing about Ishie Day. It shows that a person can impact lives for several generations after he is gone, and he need not have gained some sort of earthly riches, fame or glory.      During some Law Day events of the past decade, there have been declarations presented by Judge Smith – just like in the decades of the Ishie Day. There was no presentation on Friday afternoon – just a statement by Judge Browning.
LAW DAY
      The short speech this year before the meal of fried mullet, grits, hush puppies and more, was given by Levy County Judge Browning this year.
      He thanked the Beauchamp family for letting the people connected with the law use the facility in part to honor the late Judge Beauchamp and to thank law enforcement personnel.
      He mentioned some of the agencies, like the LCSO, the GCSO the FHP and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the State Attorney’s Office and the Public Defender’s Office.
      He also mentioned a few of the cooks like Scott Tummond, Bubba Castell and Todd Horne.
      The key message from Browning was that these men and women risk their lives daily, and they deserve to be honored with this annual luncheon.

Winning Lawyers
Eighth Judicial Circuit Public Defender Stacy Scott (left) and Eighth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Cervone pause for a moment Friday next to the Suwannee River during the 12th Annual Levy-Gilchrist Judge W.O. Beauchamp Jr. Law Day. No person in the circuit chose to qualify to run against the Honorable Ms. Scott or the Honorable Mr. Cervone in the upcoming election. Therefore, these are the two leaders of the opposing sides in criminal law for the people in this circuit for the next four years.
Photo by Jeff M. Hardison