Cross City Correctional Institution
K-9 Team wins statewide event

The First Place Winning Team from Cross City Correctional Institution is (from left) Sgt. Timothy Bussey, Officer Thomas Albach, Officer Larry Keen and Sgt. Mitchell O'Steen.

Information and Photo Provided By FDOC - Blur By HardisonInk.com
Published Oct. 15, 2025 at 8 p.m.
     BROOKSVILLE -- The Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) recently hosted the 2025 Statewide K9 Tracking and Training Event in Brooksville.

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     This event serves as an advanced training and competition opportunity for top-qualifying FDC K9 tracking teams from across the state to showcase their abilities and share best practices for responding to incidents and emergencies.
The Winning Teams
     ● First Place - Cross City Correctional Institution (Cross City)
     ● Second Place - Mayo Correctional Institution (Mayo)
     ● Third Place - DeSoto Correctional Institution (Arcadia)
     ● First Place Shooting Team - Okeechobee Correctional Institution (Indiantown)
      “Our K9 tracking teams are an integral part of public safety in Florida and we are greatly appreciative of the support we receive from Gov. (Ron) DeSantis and the incredible sheriffs we partner with to serve the local communities where our teams live and work,” said Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Ricky D. Dixon. “These events are a testament to our dedication to continuous improvement. During every activation our K9 teams respond to, there are lives on the line that depend on us to be at our best.”
     FDC K9 tracking teams are primarily designated for pursuing escaped inmates; however, such instances have become infrequent in modern times thanks to advanced technology. As a result, these teams are frequently deployed within surrounding communities to aid local law enforcement in capturing dangerous fugitives and locating missing children or vulnerable adults.
      “This event brings together the top eight teams from regional competitions across the state, culminating in a showcase of the state's absolute best,” said Florida Department of Corrections Special Teams Coordinator Jonathan “Danny” Rummel. “Each year, these teams compete to see who has trained the hardest and perfected their skills. It's not just about winning; it's about public safety and ensuring that our facilities and communities remain secure. This event highlights the dedication and hard work of our teams, and we are incredibly proud of their accomplishments."
     The timed and scored sessions throughout the event included rigorous day and night courses focused on tracking human scent, conditioning for rough terrain, firearms proficiency, and distance progression for K9 tracking teams. These scenario-based courses ensure FDC K9 officers and their tracking dogs are trained and prepared to serve alongside local law enforcement and keep their local communities safe and secure.

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FWC Dive Team rescues boaters
from sinking vessel in Crystal River

Information and Photo Provided By FWC
Published Oct. 16, 2025 at 10 a.m.
     CITRUS COUNTY – On Monday (Oct. 13), members of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) North Central Region Dive Team prevented a potentially tragic outcome for boaters in Crystal River.

     The team was heading offshore to investigate a previously located capsized vessel when they observed a recreational boat returning to shore that appeared to be experiencing mechanical trouble. A good Samaritan nearby hailed the officers over VHF Channel 16 to request assistance for the vessel. Upon making contact, officers discovered the vessel had begun taking on water, one of its motors had failed, and the operator was attempting to reach a nearby island to beach the vessel before it sank.
     There were four people aboard, including an older woman with limited mobility. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the FWC officers pulled alongside the distressed vessel while it was underway. They safely lifted the woman and assisted two additional passengers onto the patrol boat, instructing the operator to put on a life preserver. Almost immediately after the transfer was completed, the vessel capsized and overturned.
     The officers immediately directed the operator to move clear of the vessel as it overturned before rescuing him onto their patrol boat. Their swift actions ensured that all four individuals were safely removed from danger.
      After ensuring everyone’s safety, the officers and the good Samaritan retrieved personal belongings floating nearby and assisted the vessel operator in contacting a commercial salvage company before transporting all four individuals safely back to shore.
      “I am extremely proud of this team of officers,” said Maj. Scott Lee, FWC North Central Regional Commander. “They were in the right place at the right time and used their extensive training to manage a situation that could have had a very different outcome without their quick thinking and decisive actions.”
     The FWC Dive Teams are specialized units designed around the agency’s unique law enforcement and emergency response responsibilities. Equipped with advanced training and specialized gear, these teams provide critical underwater capabilities across Florida’s waterways. Their missions include responding to boating accidents, derelict or sunken vessels, evidence and body recoveries, homeland security threats, and other specialized underwater operations.

State executes 72-year-old man
14^th execution in 2025 shows
record-setting governor continues

Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) Director of Communications Ted Veerman (third from left) and other FDOC officers arrive to inform members of the media about Samuel Lee Smithers’ execution.

Story and Photo By John Koch, Independent News Service
HardisonInk.com Correspondent © Oct. 15, 2025 at 3 p.m.
Edited By Jeff M. Hardison
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     STARKE (INS) - Samuel Lee “The Deacon of Death” Smithers, 72, was finally lawfully put to death Tuesday night (Oct. 14) at the Florida State Prison in Starke. 
     The man said he was too old to be executed, and that the death penalty for this man was against his constitutional rights. His opinion did not change the outcome.
     Smithers became the 14^th man executed so far in 2025 as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis keeps breaking his own records for most execution in Florida in one year.
     The state carried out the sentence at 6 p.m., taking 13 minutes to complete.
     Smithers was executed after a 12-member jury convicted and chose the death sentence for the slaying of two Plant City women in 1996. 
     Florida Department of Corrections Director of Communications Ted Veerman said the execution was without incident.
     Smithers met Marion Whitehurst in church where he was a Baptist deacon, Veerman said. He agreed to maintain her 27 acres of vacant property in Plant City (Hillsborough County), Veerman said. On May 28, 1996, Whitehurst stopped at the property, where Smithers was sitting in carport cleaning an axe, Veerman said.
      “While speaking with Smithers, Whitehurst noticed a pool of blood in the carport,” Veerman said. “Smithers told her that someone must have come by and killed a small animal.”
     He assured Whitehurst that he would clean up the area. Whitehurst left the property and contacted law enforcement, Veerman said. Later that night, Whitehurst met a deputy at the property.
     The deputy noted that while the blood had been cleaned up, Veerman continued, there were drag marks going toward a pond.
     The bodies of Christy Cowan and Denise Roach were found in a pond. Veerman said. Extensive evidence – including a confession – were part of the trial, Veerman said.
     On June 25, 1999, the court sentenced Smithers to death for the murders, Veerman said.

Man dies in early morning
Levy County crash
By Jeff M. Hardison © Oct. 15, 2025 at 2:30 p.m.
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     LEVY COUNTY – A 50-year-old Chiefland man died in an early morning single-vehicle crash today (Wednesday, Oct. 15), according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
     His next kin were notified before the FHP sent the press release, which was based on information from crash investigator FHP Trooper K. Davis and homicide investigator FHP Cpl. J. Gurrieri.
     The man was driving a pickup truck northbound on Northwest 110^th Ave. at 12:30 a.m. on Oct. 15, the FHP said. He failed to negotiate a curve toward the left that transitions to Northwest 129^th Place, the FHP said. This is Northwest of Chiefland Golf and Country Club.
     The vehicle continued straight off of the roadway and struck a yellow warning sign at first collision, the FHP said. The pickup truck then hit a tree with its front section and came to rest within the trees, the FHP said.
     The driver, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash by personnel from Levy County Fire Rescue (aka Levy County Department of Public Safety), the FHP said.
     As of May of 2020, the Florida Highway Patrol stopped providing names of people and some other information from crashes as part of its press releases.
     Prior to May of 2020, the FHP formerly provided that information via those public records in its press releases.
     The FHP and some other law enforcement agencies in Florida are abiding by a version of something known as “Marcy’s Law” of California, which is allegedly used to protect victims of crimes. The Florida version of “Marcy’s Law” was adopted after Florida voters chose to change the Florida Constitution to exempt more public records from view.
     Although not every vehicle crash involves crime victims, which may have been the legislative intent of the Florida version of “Marcy’s Law” approved by voters, the FHP adopted its current blanket exclusion of some information as part of its process in sending press releases.
     Although the FHP adopted this new practice, not every law enforcement agency has done so.
     For instance, the Chiefland Police Department, the St. Petersburg Police Department and the Ocala Police Department all have provided crash information in press releases or traffic crash reports, except when there is an actual victim of a crime, as demonstrated in the reports provided to the press since the onset of the FHP’s revision in its press release practices in May of 2020.
Crash Report Purchasing
https://services.flhsmv.gov/CrashReportPurchasing/
Florida Crash Data
https://www.flhsmv.gov/traffic-crash-reports/crash-dashboard/
Victims’ Rights Information
https://www.flhsmv.gov/victimsrights/  

Three hurt when lime rock hauler
hits SUV and spills load on highway
By Jeff M. Hardison © Oct. 14, 2025 at 4:45 p.m. p.m.
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     LEVY COUNTY – A 42-year-old woman and a 26-year-old woman, both from Belleview were among the three people injured when the SUV they were in was hit by an oncoming truck that had a trailer with lime rock in it, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
     All three adults involved in this crash were wearing seatbelts, the FHP said.
     The 2-year-old boy from Belleview who was in the SUV with the two women was not injured, the FHP said, in the crash that happened in Levy County at 1:30 p.m. today (Tuesday, Oct. 14). He was wearing a seatbelt or was in a child restraint, the FHP said.
     The SUV driven by the 42-year-old woman was westbound on Levy County Road 326 (CR 326) approaching the intersection of State Road 121 (SR 121), according to the FHP press release based on information from crash investigator FHP Trooper R. Davis.
     The truck driven by a 54-year-old Orlando man was southbound on SR 121 with a trailer in tow, the FHP said. The trailer was loaded with lime rock, the FHP said.
     The SUV driver arrived at the stop sign for the intersection of SR 121, but she failed to yield the right-of-way to the oncoming truck, the FHP said, resulting in a crash.
     The front of the truck hit the passenger side of the SUV within the southbound lane of SR 121, the FHP said.
     Post impact, the SUV rotated counterclockwise, which caused its passenger side rear to make secondary contact with the truck, the FHP said.
     The SUV came to final rest blocking the northbound lane of SR 121, facing to the southeast, the FHP said. The truck driver veered the truck and trailer to the left after the initial collision, the FHP said, before overturning onto its passenger side, blocking the northbound lane of SR 121 with the trailer.
     The trailer’s load spilled across both lanes of SR 121 as it overturned, causing an extended road closure, the FHP said. 
     The Florida Department of Transportation responded to the scene with heavy equipment to clear the roadway of debris, the FHP said.
     As of May of 2020, the Florida Highway Patrol stopped providing names of people and some other information from crashes as part of its press releases.
     Prior to May of 2020, the FHP formerly provided that information via those public records in its press releases.
     The FHP and some other law enforcement agencies in Florida are abiding by a version of something known as “Marcy’s Law” of California, which is allegedly used to protect victims of crimes. The Florida version of “Marcy’s Law” was adopted after Florida voters chose to change the Florida Constitution to exempt more public records from view.
     Although not every vehicle crash involves crime victims, which may have been the legislative intent of the Florida version of “Marcy’s Law” approved by voters, the FHP adopted its current blanket exclusion of some information as part of its process in sending press releases.
     Although the FHP adopted this new practice, not every law enforcement agency has done so.
     For instance, the Chiefland Police Department, the St. Petersburg Police Department and the Ocala Police Department all have provided crash information in press releases or traffic crash reports, except when there is an actual victim of a crime, as demonstrated in the reports provided to the press since the onset of the FHP’s revision in its press release practices in May of 2020.
Crash Report Purchasing
https://services.flhsmv.gov/CrashReportPurchasing/
Florida Crash Data
https://www.flhsmv.gov/traffic-crash-reports/crash-dashboard/
Victims’ Rights Information
https://www.flhsmv.gov/victimsrights/  

Teen arrested for abduction hoax

Caden Speight was located by Williston Police Department officers on Sept. 26.

Story and Photo Provided By Lt. Paul Bloom
Public Information Director
Marion County Sheriff’s Office
Published Oct. 14, 2025 at 4 p.m.
     MARION COUNTY – Today (Tuesday, Oct. 14), Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Major Crimes Det. Jason Williams arrested Caden Speight, 17, for presenting false evidence, shooting into a conveyance, making a false report of a crime, and possession of a firearm by a minor.
     On Sept. 25, at around 4:10 p.m., MCSO deputies responded to the 12800 block of Southwest Highway 484 (Marion County Road 484) in Dunnellon after Speight texted his family that he had been shot, and Life360 showed this as his last known location.
     When deputies arrived, they located the truck that Speight had been driving; however, he was nowhere to be found.
     A vast amount of MCSO resources and personnel, along with numerous other law enforcement agencies, were deployed to search for Speight and collect evidence at the alleged crime scene.
     Crime scene technicians observed a bullet hole through the windshield of the vehicle, suspected blood, Speight’s severely damaged cellphone, drag marks in the dirt, and bicycle tracks leading away from his truck. Further investigation and testing revealed that Speight had fired the shot through the windshield, splattered a mixture of blood in the truck, and destroyed his cell phone.
     Speight then fled the area on a bicycle with camping supplies he purchased at Walmart just before reporting this incident. An eyewitness also advised that he saw Speight leaving the area on a bicycle.
     While continuing the investigation, detectives additionally learned that Speight had mentioned running away before, and they located ChatGPT searches on his laptop about collecting his blood without causing pain and Mexican cartels. On Sept. 26, Williston Police Department (WPD) officers located Speight during a call for service at 727 W. Noble Ave. (U.S. Alt. 27) in Williston.
     Speight was found with a handgun and the bicycle still in his possession. He attempted to continue the ruse and had a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his leg, which shattered his femur and required medical treatment.
     At the conclusion of our investigation, a warrant was obtained for Speight’s arrest. He was ultimately placed under arrest and transported to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.

Sheriff Bobby Schultz thanks others
for helping in recovering motorcycle
and arresting two suspects
By GCSO Lt. Keagon Weatherford, PIO
Published Oct. 13, 2025 at 8:30 p.m.
     TRENTON – Gilchrist County Sheriff Bobby Schultz commends the outstanding teamwork between the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office and the Panama City Beach Police Department, which led to the recovery of a stolen 2023 Suzuki GSX-R1000 motorcycle and two arrests last week.     Deputies responded to a location in Branford, where the stolen motorcycle was found in plain sight.
     Contact was made with Courtney Nicole Siegwarth, 33, of Branford, who was arrested on an active out of county warrant for grand theft.
     The following day, deputies located Jordan Joseph Nathan Kemp, 24, of Branford, who attempted to flee from law enforcement but was quickly apprehended with the assistance of GCSO K9 Zano. 
     Kemp was arrested on four out-of-county warrants and charged with resisting arrest without violence.
     Both individuals were transported to the Gilchrist County Jail.
     Sheriff Schultz expressed his gratitude to all deputies and assisting agencies for their hard work and cooperation that helped bring this investigation to a successful conclusion.

Ohio sexual offender indicted
for child sex crime after pictures
of Levy County juvenile are sought
LCSO and Homeland Security
work to bring sex offender to justice

Photo Provided By LCSO And Others - Text On Shirt Blurred

By Jeff M. Hardison © Oct. 13, 2025 at 1:45 p.m.
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     BRONSON -- According to court documents, Ronald Pate Newman, 26, of Youngstown, Ohio, is being federally charged after federal authorities found he was involved in video recordings of a minor or minors in sexual activity and then shipped or transported the material across state lines.
     From another source -- the Levy County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) recently noted that Newman has been indicted for a federal crime that is connected to Levy County.
     An indictment is merely an accusation and does not prove guilt. It is a formal, written accusation by a grand jury that there is enough evidence to believe a crime has been committed and that the accused person likely committed it, but it is not a conviction. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
      In April, the LCSO noted in an Oct. 13 press release, LCSO Set. Ryan Sullivan and Det. Mary Weaver LCSO Internet Crimes Against Children / Sex Offender Unit, received a complaint from a juvenile and her guardian that a male had contacted the juvenile through a popular social media platform.
     The Levy County juvenile victim told detectives that the male identified himself through a moniker (screen name) and requested various photos of the juvenile, the LCSO said. The male was identified as Newman who is a registered sexual offender, the LCSO said.
     The parental guardian discovered the chats and contacted the LCSO Criminal Investigation Division, which immediately launched an investigation. Detectives found Newman had contacted the juvenile and requested explicit photos and sexual favors, the LCSO said.
     LCSO detectives contacted the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) for assistance due to the criminal acts occurring over multiple state lines, the LCSO said.
     HSI and LCSO detectives presented the case to the Northern District Court of Florida where the Levy County case was adopted at the federal level and federal charges were filed in the investigation, the LCSO said.
     On Oct. 7 the HSI executed a search warrant at the Ohio residence of Newman where he was arrested on the warrants for Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).
     Newman is being held without bond in the Mahoning County (Ohio) Jail as federal authorities work to transfer him to Florida, where he faces charges in connection with CSAM and sexual offender violations, the LCSO said.
     Levy County Sheriff Bobby McCallum is, and the LCSO remains, committed to these investigations in order to protect children. He encourages all parents to monitor their children as they navigate online.

Suspects Jailed Oct. 6, 2025 through Oct. 12, 2025
Published Oct. 13, 2025 at 1:30 p.m.

Suspects Jailed Oct. 6, 2025 through Oct. 12, 2025
Published Oct. 13, 2025 at 1:30 p.m.

Suspects Jailed Oct. 6, 2025 through Oct. 9, 2025
Published Oct. 13, 2025 at 1:30 p.m.

DCADC plans town hall meeting on Oct. 22

Sheila Frierson holds up a poster to show information about Red Ribbon Week.

Story and Photo By Jeff M. Hardison © Oct. 3, 2025 at 8:30 p.m.
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Do Not Copy and Paste to Social Media or Elsewhere
     CROSS CITY – Sheila Frierson with the Dixie County Anti-Drug Coalition (DCADC) on Thursday (Oct. 3) told the five members of the Dixie County Board of County Commissioners, and a room that was overflowing with audience members, that the DCADC has planned a Town Hall Meeting at The Putnam Lodge.
     The meeting is planned for Oct. 22 starting at 11 a.m. and scheduled to end at 1 p.m. The title of the meeting is “On the edge of legal,” Frierson said, and it will be in regard to potential laws that affect everyone.
     Frierson said everyone is invited, however she needs people to RSVP so that there will be enough food for lunch to be provided for all attendees.
     “RSVP” in this instance is being used as a verb. It is an initialism of the French phrase “répondez s'il vous plaît.” This directly translates to “Respond, if you please.” This phrase is a request that is often used to confirm attendance for an event.
     When a person fails to respond to confirm that they plan to attend, sometimes they are turned away from an event because of maximum occupancy for safety reasons.
     To reserve a seat, contact the DCADC.
     Another announcement she made in regard to the DCADC is that the coalition is participating in Red Ribbon activities. The theme this year is “Life is a puzzle. Solve it drug free.”
     The Red Ribbon campaign, which runs annually from Oct. 23 through Oct. 31, honors DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena (July 26, 1947-Feb. 9, 1985), who was murdered in 1985 while investigating drug traffickers.

Shootout ends at tavern
with bullets hitting a deputy and suspect
FDLE takes over investigation
By Jeff M. Hardison © Oct. 12, 2025 at 9:30 a.m.
Updated Oct. 12, 2025 at 6 p.m.
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     CROSS CITY – The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has taken over the investigation of s shootout between a Dixie County Sheriff Office Deputy and a suspect, according to records.
     The Dixie County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) at some time about 11 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 11) noted on Facebook that a deputy was shot. DCSO Deputy Cody Pope is continuing to recover and is expected to make a full recovery following yesterday’s (Oct. 11) shooting, according to records.
     There are no hospitals or trauma centers in Dixie County, Levy County or Dixie County. Therefore, he or she probably was taken to a Gainesville hospital.
     The DCSO responded call reporting that an individual had fired shots into an occupied building at 3634 N.E. Highway 349 (Dixie County Road 349).
     The building at that address shown by the DCSO as having been shot into is the Old Town Tavern, where people can buy beer and wine.
     If the address listed in the social media post and other information is accurate, then no tavern patrons or employees were struck, and no injuries were reported from that incident, according to what the “DCSO” noted in its Facebook post.
     “When deputies arrived on scene, the suspect was still armed and began firing at deputies,” a DCSO Facebook noted. “During the exchange of gunfire, one Dixie County Sheriff’s Office deputy was struck.”
     The FDLE has issued a capital felony warrant for attempted homicide of a law enforcement officer for Christopher Thomas Van Ness, 53, according to records.
     Van Ness was taken into custody by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and remains hospitalized as of Sunday evening, according to records.

Cross City Police Department
arrests four wanted suspects
Police chief is looking to serve
more outstanding arrest warrants

Photos By CCPD – Graphic By HardisonInk.com
By Jeff M. Hardison © Oct. 11, 2025 at 4 p.m.
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     CROSS CITY – The Cross City Police Department (CCPD) is rounding up suspected criminals who have arrests warrants issued for them, according to records.     And according to a social media post, Cross City Police Chief Jamey King is asking for the public’s help in serving arrest warrants, although he was unavailable Saturday to confirm that.
     The CCPD arrested two suspects on Gilchrist County warrants and two suspects on Dixie County warrants, according to records.
     The chief also reportedly on social media noted his gratitude for having night vision equipment that was bought with a grant by the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program- Implementation. That equipment reportedly, according to the social media post, helped the CCPD see and arrest a suspect during an operation at night.
     Following is the arret information from public records and a social media post. All four suspects list Cross City residential addresses.
     ● Elsie L. Craig, 39, was arrested Oct. 2 on a violation of probation (VOP) Gilchrist County arrest warrant.
     ● Terrance Daniel Joyner, 32, was arrested Oct. 8 for domestic battery and on a Gilchrist County warrant for failure to appear (FTA).
     ● David Christian Davis, 34, was arrested recently on a 
Dixie County warrant for VOP.
     ● Eric J. Stokes, 36, made his first appearance via a public defender representing him on Oct. 9. Stokes was arrested on a Dixie County charge of grand theft of a vehicle; and on a Gilchrist County arrest warrant for FTA.

Driver Doesn’t Move Over

In this one-minute video, a pickup truck does not move over although it slows down as the driver passes a Chiefland Police car on Friday (Oct. 10, 2025) as captured by a dash camera in one of the HardisonInk.com vehicles. This was southbound on U.S. Highway 19 near to the Palms Medical Group location and to Jim King Realty. Notice the flashing lights at the right, as well as when the vehicle with the camera moves over, and slows down to allow the truck to move over, even though the truck driver does not move over. Click on PHOTO to see video. (Sound was muted due to sounds made in vehicle where camera is located.)
Video By HardisonInk.com - All Rights Reserved © Oct. 10, 2025 at 3:15 p.m.

30 cheaters rejected from dump
New solid waste hours
By Jeff M. Hardison © Oct. 8, 2025 at 8:30 a.m.
     BRONSON – An assortment of 30 scofflaws, scalawags, ne’er-do-wells, and other cheaters on Saturday (Oct. 4) tried to bring their garbage to the Levy County Solid Waste Transfer Site (the dump), but since they were not Levy County residents, they were turned away at the weigh-in gate house.
     Levy County Solid Waste Assistant Director Travis Newsome gave a few reports on Tuesday (Oct. 7) to the four Levy County Board of County Commissioners present for the regular twice monthly meeting.
     In one report, he told about how the staff on that Saturday checked identifications because the solid waste transfer site is meant for Levy County residents and businesses only.
     There were longer lines going through the weigh-in area that day as a result but this first phase of stopping out-of-county garbage drop-offs showed that level of success,
     In other news from the Levy County Solid Waste Department, a press release sent from Levy County Manager Mary-Ellen Harper later on Oct. 7 showed there are new hours at the “Levy County Landfill.” All three of the satellite solid waste transfer collection sites, however, have the same hours as before.
     The county is also moving forward with its review of residency to cut back on the cheaters who bring trash from other counties.
     Effective immediately, the new hours -- to better serve the public – at the dump are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
     The three satellite stations are open Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays only. And those hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. No trailers are allowed at the satellite stations. The satellite collection points do not accept furniture and there are some other restrictions.
     Everyone must show proof of residency. 
     Effective immediately, all individuals disposing of waste at the main Levy County solid waste transfer site (the “landfill” or the “dump”) must present proof of residency before using landfill services. Residents must show a valid photo ID with a Levy County address at the scale house upon arrival. To help minimize wait times, people are asked to please have their ID ready when they arrive.
     This policy ensures that landfill services—funded by Levy County taxpayers—remain available and affordable for those who support them. By confirming residency, Levy County can:
     ● Manage operational costs more effectively;
     ● Reduce illegal dumping from outside the county; and
     ● Extend the life of the landfill (main solid waste transfer site) for Levy County families and businesses.
     The new ID requirement is the second phase of Levy County’s ongoing effort to reduce out-of-county dumping. On Aug. 1, 2024, Levy County prohibited commercial haulers from bringing in garbage originating from outside the county. Strict enforcement of that rule has led to significant cost savings—enough to avoid increasing the Solid Waste Assessment Fee this year.
     Please bring one of the following forms of identification:
     ● Florida Driver’s License;
     ● State-Issued Identification Card with a Photo; and
     ● Other Photo ID showing a Levy County address
     Levy County staff members will be on-site to assist residents and answer any questions.
     On another matter related to garbage in Levy County, the four county commissioners present – Chair Desiree Mills, Vice Chair Tim Hodge and commissioners Johnny Hires and Charlie Kennedy -- approved acceptance of the agreement between the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the County Commissioners for the Levy County Small County Consolidated Solid Waste Management Grant of $93,750.
     Chair Mills said County Commissioner Rock Meeks was too ill to attend the meeting that Tuesday.
     The County Commission also worked to have staff create a resolution on a finer point of garbage delivery in Levy County regarding how much residential trash can be brought on a trailer to the main site for solid waste transfer.
     No trailers are allowed at the satellite collection points.
     When one resident of Levy County mentioned to the County Commission that a person collected garbage in Levy County for a fee does not secure the load, and that litter was strewn on Levy County road, Commissioners Hiers said that it is a matter for law enforcement to consider.
     One chronic complainer again said she felt all people should pay on the per-load basis and the county should stop its annual special assessments on Levy County property owners for the Solid Waste Department. That assessment began in 2018.

DEA Champions 2025 Red Ribbon Campaign
Information Provided
By United States Drug Enforcement Administration
Published Oct, 1, 2025 at 2:30 p.m.
     WASHINGTON, D.C. – Forty years after the death of DEA Special Agent Enrique ‘Kiki’ Camarena (July 26, 1947 – Feb. 9, 1985), the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) continues to honor his legacy by supporting the nation’s largest drug prevention initiative -- the Red Ribbon Campaign --throughout the month of October.
     “The ultimate sacrifice made by Special Agent Enrique ‘Kiki’ Camarena inspires the men and women of DEA to continue our critical mission with unwavering determination. In order to win this battle, we must fight it together,” said DEA Administrator Terrance Cole. “Drug prevention is a critical and powerful tool that enhances knowledge and builds resilience. The Red Ribbon Campaign – the nation’s largest and longest drug prevention campaign – reminds us that a healthy, drug-free lifestyle can build a safer, stronger America for generations to come.”
     This year’s Red Ribbon theme is “Life is a Puzzle, Solve it Drug Free,” highlighting how living a drug-free lifestyle helps build a stronger and brighter future, one piece at a time. 
     October is a cornerstone for DEA’s efforts around drug prevention, education, and community outreach. Through a unified focus on fentanyl enforcement, public awareness initiatives, and the National Prescription Drug Take Back Campaign, DEA works tirelessly throughout the month to promote community safety and encourage healthy, drug-free lifestyles.
     DEA’s 2025 Virtual National Red Ribbon Rally is now live on www.dea.gov. The Red Ribbon Rally will be available throughout the month on demand at https://www.dea.gov/redribbon and https://www.getsmartaboutdrugs.gov/.
     The Virtual National Red Ribbon Rally includes remarks by DEA Administrator Terrance Cole; a musical performance by students from Center Stage Academy for the Arts in Clinton, Maryland; Color Guards from DC’s Young Marines and ChalleNGe Academy in Maryland; remarks from country music artists on the dangers of counterfeit pills; inspirational remarks from NFL Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Baltimore Raven Ray Lewis, and several scout troops from around the country discussing the Red Ribbon Patch Program. The winners of DEA’s 2025 Community Drug Prevention Awards and Visual Arts Contest will be announced, and viewers will learn many ways schools, community organizations, and families can get involved in this year’s Red Ribbon Campaign.
     Every year, DEA recognizes Oct. 23 through Oct. 31 as Red Ribbon Week, which offers a great opportunity for parents, teachers, educators, and community organizations to raise awareness about substance misuse. In addition to our heightened outreach and awareness efforts you will see DEA #GoRedforKiki to honor Special Agent Camarena’s life and legacy. 
     Red Ribbon Week began in 1985 in Kiki’s hometown of Calexico, California, and quickly gained momentum across the state and then across the rest of the country. The National Family Partnership turned Red Ribbon Week into a national drug awareness campaign, an eight-day event proclaimed by the U.S. Congress and chaired by then President and Mrs. Reagan.  Every year since, Red Ribbon Week has been celebrated in schools and throughout communities.
     October is also recognized as National Substance Use Prevention Month by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

GCSO catches another drug suspect

Mugshot by GSCSO-Graphic By HardisonInk.com

By Jeff M. Hardison © Sept. 26, 2025 at 2:30 p.m.
     GILCHRIST COUNTY – A 37-year-old man who got out of prison on Sept. 10 went into the Gilchrist County Jail yesterday (Sept. 25) after being stopped as a suspected traffic law violator in the Gilchrist County part of that city, according to information from Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) Lt. Keagon Weatherford, public information officer.     Yesterday (Sept. 25), at approximately 12:36 p.m., a GCSO deputy conducted a traffic stop on a white SUV in the area of Stephen Foster Avenue and Indiana Street in the City of Fanning Springs. The vehicle was seen going 38 mph in a 30-mph zone, and the driver was not wearing a seatbelt, Weatherford noted in a press release.
     Joseph Austin Singleton, 37, of Gilchrist County, was identified as the driver and he admitted that he did not have a valid driver’s license, Weatherford said. A records check confirmed Singleton’s Florida driver’s license had been suspended since Feb. 22, 2010.
     Deputies found a sock in the vehicle’s center console that contained about 1.3 grams of methamphetamine, Weatherford said.
     Singleton was arrested and transported to the Gilchrist County Jail without incident. He is charged with possession of methamphetamine and driving while license suspended or revoked, Weatherford said.
     Since 2009, he Singleton served four separate prison sentences and has seven prior felony convictions, according to records.
     Weatherford noted that the GCSO remains committed to keeping roadways safe and removing illegal drugs from the community.