Hand it to a Hero toy drive
draws donors to help
local Toys For Tots program

Levy County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Carl Rogers takes his post in front of the Chiefland Walmart early in the program Saturday morning (Nov. 30) in temperatures in the low-to-mid 30 degrees Fahrenheit. LCSO Sgt. Rogers is among the heroes to whom people could hand toys as they donated to the Tri-County United States Marine Corps Reserve's Annual Toys For Tots program.

Story and Photos (except one photo)
By Jeff M. Hardison © Dec. 1, 2024 at 6:45 a.m.
Updated Dec. 1, 2024 at 11 a.m.
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     CHIEFLAND – Heroes from the professions of law enforcement, firefighting and military service were on hand Saturday (Nov. 30) from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. to accept donations of unwrapped toys.
     Some people gave money for the cause, too, with that cause being to support the Tri-County United States Marine Corps Reserve's Annual Toys For Tots program.

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(from left) Representing Chiefland Fire Rescue, Assistant Fire Chief A.D. Goodman accepts a Dino Valley toy set for a young archeologist, and representing the Levy County Sheriff’s Office, Levy County Sheriff Bobby McCallum a set of Hot Wheels, with both donated toys being presented by Jeff M. Hardison (seen here in a heavy suede jacket with thick camouflage gloves), representing the daily news website HardisonInk.com.
Photo By Tri-County Community Resource Center Manager Beverly Goodman


This is a group shot of heroes participating in the Tri-County Community Resource Center’s part of the Tri-County Toys for Tots program on Saturday morning (Nov. 30). Seen here are (from left) Tri-County Toys for Tots Coordinator Dennis Wait, LCSO Sgt. Carl Rogers, volunteer Kenny Schubel, volunteer youth Gabriel (unpublished last name), Assistant Tri-County Toys for Tots Coordinator Beverly Goodman, volunteer Bryan Chrisp, Chiefland Fire Rescue Station 71 Assistant Chief A.D. Goodman, Levy County Sheriff Bobby McCallum, Chiefland Fire Rescue Station 71 Capt. Luke Stockman, Chiefland Fire Rescue Station 71 Firefighter-EMT Jason Venegas, and LCSO Deputy Scott Finnen.

     Everyone was invited to join in the “Hand it to a Hero” toy drive at Walmart in Chiefland for the Tri-County Community Resource Center’s participation in this annual event with Chiefland Fire Rescue, the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office, the Levy County Sheriff’s Office, as well as local veterans and others. 
     The mission is the collection of new, unwrapped toys for children ages 1- to 12 years old.
     Scores and scores of people brought toys for children, who will receive them as Christmas gifts.
     Children enjoyed an opportunity to explore a sheriff’s cruiser from the Levy County Sheriff’s Office.
     All of the donors helped make Christmas bright for hundreds of children in the Tri-County Area of Levy County, Gilchrist County and Dixie County by donating toys to the Tri-County United States Marine Corps Reserve's Annual Toys For Tots program.

Boil water notice issued
for Manatee Water System starting Dec. 3
Information Provided By Levy County Water
Published Nov. 27, 2024 at 9 a.m.
     LEVY COUNTY – Effective starting on Dec. 3 and until further notice, everyone served by the Manatee Water System is under a boil water notice, according to information provided by Levy County Water.     The Manatee Water System utility is one of the water systems where the Levy County Board of County Commissioners is the agency responsible for its care.
     One of the customers served by this system is the Chiefland Golf and Country Club. Since the water will be off, restroom use there and throughout the service area may require special considerations.
     This water service is having its water storage tanks cleaned out, Christina Sakelson of Levy County Water noted.
     “The water will be off most of the day due to having to drain the tanks, clean them, inspect them and then fill them back up,” Sakelson said.
     Customers served by this utility are advised to boil tap water at a rolling boil for one minute or to use bottled water for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth and washing dishes.
     Please call 352-486-5376 or send an email to levywater@levycounty.org to find answers for questions related to the boil water notice.

Santa accepts letters
Reindeer appears
in Chiefland Post Office

The traditional mailbox for children to put their letters to Santa Claus in has been established in the lobby of the Chiefland Post Office, W. Park Ave., Chiefland, FL 32626. This tradition has been happening many years with coverage by the award-winning daily news website.

Story and Photos By Jeff M. Hardison © Nov. 22, 2024 at 6:30 a.m. 
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     CHIEFLAND – Every child who lives in the 32626 or 32644 Zip Code areas and wants to send Santa Claus a letter, and potentially have him write back to them, is asked to send him a letter in care of the Chiefland Post Office, 222 W. Park Ave., Chiefland, FL 32626.     Another method to get the letter to Santa is to put it in the mailbox that is located in the lobby of the Chiefland Post Office and is accessible during normal Post Office business hours. No postage is required on these letters if they are sent from a mailbox that serves a Chiefland address.
     A helper of Santa Claus said that the jolly old elf knows every language, but for the letters coming to the Chiefland Post Office, he requests that they be limited to either English or Spanish.
     Here is how the letter should be addressed: Santa Claus in care of Chiefland Post Office 222. W. Park Ave. Chiefland, FL 32626. Santa Claus stressed that he sincerely wants to reply to children as best as he can.
     And while Santa knows everyone's address and whether they are on one of the lists he keeps, he requires a RETURN ADDRESS so that he may respond to the young letter writers. Please remember, Santa Claus is accepting letters from children with Chiefland postal addresses via the mail, and no postage stamp is required on that letter; however, any child can deliver a letter to Santa Claus by going into the lobby of the Chiefland Post Office and placing the letter in the mailbox that is in the lobby.
     Also, Santa Claus can read letters written in Spanish! And he will write back in Spanish too. (¡También Santa Claus puede leer cartas escritas en Español! Y también va a escribir en Español.)
     All Letters Must Be Submitted By Dec. 24 For Santa Claus To See Them.
     Chiefland Officer-In Charge Nadrea Adams has helped Santa Claus see and respond to these letters after former Postmaster Tammy Gomez did so in 2017, and Officer-In-Charge Starr Lacasse did in 2021, with Postmaster Ronald Timmons Jr. serving the people at that Post Office between Lacasse’s leadership -- until Adams took the helm of the United States Postal Service facility in Chiefland on Nov. 30, 2022.
     The first Postmaster in Chiefland was Luther Lafayette Callaway (March 23, 1878-Feb. 4, 1963).
     The first Postmaster in Chiefland was Luther Lafayette Callaway (March 23, 1878-Feb. 4, 1963).
     The Luther Callaway Public Library in Chiefland was dedicated in 1985 to honor Luther Callaway who was postmaster for almost 30 years and he served as a school teacher.
     In November 2019, two vacant parcels of land adjacent to the library were donated by Luther Callaway's family in hope of expanding the library facilities. That has not come to fruition yet.


United States Postal Service Employee Clerk Marybeth Cento created the reindeer seen above to stand near the mailbox for Santa Claus. When she asked North Florida’s most intrepid, illustrious and prolific journalist if he had noticed the reindeer, he said that he had looked right past it. ‘It seemed to be a camouflaged reindeer,’ Jeff M. Hardison said, adding that -- except for a certain nose feature -- it blended in with all of the other spiffy mail-oriented material that people can purchase right in that very Post Office. ‘That magical reindeer in the United States Post Office at Chiefland is like other deer I notice in the woods. It blends in with its background.’
Photo By Jeff M. Hardison © Nov. 22, 2024 at 6:30 a.m.
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Three Levy County Commissioners
Take Oath Of Office

This photo provided exclusively to HardisonInk.com for publication shows Levy County Commissioner Johnny Hiers (District 5) with Levy County Clerk of the Court and Comptroller-elect Matt Brooks, who is the former Levy County commissioner for District 5, soon after the ceremony on Nov. 19, heralding the start of Hiers becoming a county commissioner. Brooks will be taking office in January as longtime Levy County Clerk Danny Shipp retires from that position. To see the whole story with photos regarding three Levy County commissioners taking the oath of office, please see the COMMUNITY PAGE.
Photo By Kanesha Carnegie using Matt Brooks’ cell phone
Published Nov. 20, 2024 at 12 p.m.

New elementary school
planned for Gilchrist County
Spring Ridge roads to be fixed

Gilchrist County School District Director of Operations David Spencer speaks to the Gilchrist County Commission on Monday (Nov. 18) during the first of two public participation points on the agenda.

Story and Photos By Jeff M. Hardison © Nov. 19, 2024 at 2:30 p.m.
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Do Not Copy and Paste to Social Media or Elsewhere
     GILCHRIST COUNTY – Monday evening (Nov. 18) was another successful meeting for the five-member Gilchrist County Board of County Commissioners.
     The Gilchrist County Commission is comprised of commissioners Sharon Akins Langford, District 1; William “Bill” Martin, District 2; Darrell Smith, District 3; Tommy Langford, District 4; and Kendrick Thomas, District 4.
     They learned about another elementary school to be built in the county. They heard about the Spring Ridge Subdivision roads all being repaved. And that is just within the first hour or so of the meeting.

Gilchrist County commissioners listen to Gilchrist County School District Director of Operations David Spencer speak about a new elementary school that is set to be built thanks to $40 million-plus, which was appropriated for that purpose by the Florida Legislature. Seen here from left are County Commissioner Kendrick Thomas, County Commissioner Tommy Langford, Commission Chairman Bill Martin, Commission Vice Chairman Darrell Smith and County Commissioner Sharon A. Langford.

     Gilchrist County School District Director of Operations David Spencer shared happy news about a $40 million-plus elementary school to be built on the east side of Waccasassa Flats in the center of the county.
     Spencer said the Florida Department of Education considered the application by Gilchrist County. This project was rated third in the state as far as a critical need. Then the Florida Legislature put it in the budget and the governor did not remove it via a line-item veto.
     The property is currently owned, Spencer said, by HLT Gilchrist LLC. This limited liability corporation, he added, has been collaborating well with the school district.
     Spencer said the School Board’s plans to seek rezoning for the property to accommodate the construction of the school. That request did not happen at the Nov. 18 meeting, but it is anticipated in the relatively near future.
     North Florida Professional Services is the vendor helping the School Board with this project, just as it serves the Gilchrist County Commission, and several other entities with projects like this.
 

GilkE – Todd Gray of Hicks Asphalt, Paving & Concrete explains how he worked with county staff to reduce a bid of $2.3 million to about $1.3 million (actually $1,276,060.65) to repave every road in the Spring Ridge Subdivision. 

     As many people know, the property owners of Spring Ridge Subdivision agreed to pay Gilchrist County about $596,000 to repave about 10 miles of roads in the subdivision.
     The roads are county roads, but the people who live there were willing to expedite improvements by paying through a method similar to a municipal service taxing unit. It took a majority vote by the affected property owners to go forward.
     Gilchrist Couty used milled asphalt that did not bind with the current asphalt and the results were not of an acceptable level to the people.
     After months of discussions, the Gilchrist County Commission reached the point on Nov. 18 where it agreed to pay Hicks Asphalt, Paving & Concrete to repave all of the county roads in that subdivision.
     One man who was not aware of all that had happened questioned the county leaders and they explained what is going on to him.


Gilchrist County Finance Director Richard Romans (foreground) explains to county commissioners why there is a need for budget amendments totaling more than $600,000. Most of the amendments are from unanticipated revenue increases. Assistant Gilchrist County Finance Director Tonya Howell is at the desk in the background.

     Gilchrist County Finance Director Richard Romans requested and received unanimous approval of five budget year-end amendments for the fiscal year that concluded Sept. 30, 2024.
     There was a $60,000 shortfall in the budget for Gilchrist County Fire Department.
     There was a $100,000 shortfall in the Road Department.
     The SHIP program enjoyed a $100,000 surplus from unanticipated revenue.
     Gilchrist County EMS saw a $225,000 surplus from what was budgeted due to unanticipated revenue.
     The Solid Waste Department saw $195,000 in unanticipated revenue.
     These year-end budget adjustments are required to assure the county will meet accounting standards that an accountant would notice if the revisions were not made before the records were audited, Romans explained. This type of activity is required within a certain date by Florida law.
     At least one commissioner made a snide remark about federal legislators not making expenditures and revenue match.
     One commissioner made an untrue comment about state leaders having the same authority to print more money as federal lawmakers.
     States print that were part of the Confederate States of America printed money during the Civil War from 1861 to 1865. That war ended with victory for the Union. This meant the United States Constitution was intact, where the federal government has certain powers such as minting coins and printing currency, declaring war and the like. Meanwhile, states have certain powers and rights.
     That outcome of the Union winning the Civil War resulted in the preservation of the United States of America as a single nation and it ended slavery here.
     Florida legislators must balance the budget. They cannot print money.


Gilchrist County Farm Bureau President Grayling Smith hands out a flyer as he invites people to an event set for the Gilchrist County Public Library in Trenton. This event is listed in the Community Calendar under the date of Nov. 23, which is Saturday. Agriculture is among the top three economic engines in the Tri-County Area. Smith said some people do not know that food comes from the efforts of farmers and ranchers.

Inky takes a break

Inky the cat Hardison is seen relaxing after her morning calisthenics on Friday morning (Nov. 15).

Story and Photo By Jeff M. Hardison © Nov. 15, 2024 at 7:15 a.m.
     JEMLANDS – Having recently completing her modeling program where she posed for a graphic used by Big Daddy Jeff to promote the multiple award-winning daily news website, Inky spoke about her duties by speaking Merp, her language of a meow and purr mix.
     Now pretty well into her second decade of existence in human years, the 70-plus cat-years old feline merped a bit about being a cat who lives at The Ink Pad, located essentially on the southwest corner of the unrecorded subdivision known as Jemlands in unincorporated Levy County.
     She noted her happiness at not being sat upon on those occasions where she takes the black office chair as her own in the Code Orange Office and in other places.
     Having been among the three cats to select winners during prize giveaways, where the other two were the late Goldy the cat Hardison and Needles the community cat who also was the first-ever catch-spay-release cat who was helped by Levy County Animal Services, Inky said she is ready to select two winners who will get two tickets each to see A Christmas Carol performed at The Chief Theatre.
     “Merp, merp, merp, merp,” Inky said.
     “First, I want to note my appreciation for Momma (Sharon) and Pappa (Big Daddy Jeff) for adopting me from the former Pet Vet of Chiefland, and for them loving me,” Inky’s statement is translated to reveal.
     The cat mentioned that she can carry many messages with just a few of her “words” in the Merp language.
     “Next, I want people to know that the potential exists for me to select the winners and that may be captured on video and published in the daily news website,” Inky continued. “Of course, I am a cat and I will do what I like, which includes perhaps not picking anyone.”
     Inky spoke a little bit about listening carefully when Big Daddy Jeff told her about his high school days where he took advanced classes like engineering concepts II, anthropology, high school newspaper and business law and the various English and mathematics classes, etc.
     “He did get a bit carried away when he told me about some people who are ethnocentric, or prejudiced and the like,” Inky said. “Once he got into his speech about hating and lying, I reminded him that my jobs are not so involved with humans other than him, my wonderful Momma and veterinarians and their staff members on occasion.”
     She wondered about his being required to take eastern and western humanities as an undergraduate, and then having to retake classes for “recency of credit” as he attained postgraduate certification to teach.
     “The bottom line for me,” Inky said, “is that I probably will be the one to pick winners in a contest where four humans are going to see a live performance of a play based on a novel by an excellent human in history. Those people will have been chosen to help support the local performing arts.”
     Inky mentioned her being a happy American cat who is the mascot for an institution that is part of the free enterprise system, and which exists in a democrat republic where humans are governed by laws that help them all enjoy freedom while requiring a level of responsibility to one another.

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177^th Performance

This is Robin Thackrey of Saint Petersburg, Florida. He visited The Ink Pad on Nov. 24, 2024, where he sang the HardisonInk.com Jingle. Jeff M. Hardison asks people to sing the jingle, and some of them agree to sing it. (Thanks people!) CLICK ON THE PICTURE ABOVE TO SEE AND HEAR THE VIDEO ON YouTube.com.
The very first person to sing the jingle was in the City of Chiefland in March of 2013. HardisonInk.com started as a daily news website on Feb. 1, 2011.
Photo and Video by Jeff M. Hardison © Nov. 29, 2024 at 8:30 a.m.
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