By Sid Riley
In the early 1900’s A.D. Harkins moved to Jackson County from South Carolina. Within a few years he opened “Greenwood Products Company” a peanut shelling mill which was needed for peanut farming which was steadily increasing in the area. A.D. encouraged his brother Paul who was still living in South Carolina to ‘come on down to Florida’, and become one of the prospering peanut farmers of Jackson County.
So Paul sold his interest in South Carolina, and moved to the Greenwood area and bought some acreage and became a peanut farmer. A.D. had one son, Jimmy Harkins and three daughters, while Paul, had one son, George, and six daughters. This story is about that son, George.
George attended Greenwood High through the tenth grade. Then, in 1938, at the height of the Great Depression, he left school and joined the CCC (Civilian Construction Corps.) to begin to earn some money and help his family. He was only sixteen at the time.
George was sent to Oregon where he was part of a CCC crew which was busy building state parks. After a couple of years George returned to Greenwood and went to work for H.C. Neel as a truck driver. Then World War II began.
Harkins enlisted in 1942, at the age of 20. After initial training he was sent to Europe as a paratrooper in the legendary 101st Airborne Division. In a document provided to the Jackson County Times by the Harkins family, the story of his exploits during the Battle of the Bulge was disclosed by his son, Wayne Harkins.
As his unit was parachuting behind enemy lines on the ridges of Normandy on D Day, George was waiting his turn to stand in the doorway for his jump when the man in front of him was struck by an enemy bullet, splattering George with blood. George wiped his face clean and jumped into battle.
During the bloody conflicts which followed, George often came face to face with the enemy, and potential death. George was decorated with the Bronze Star for his heroic actions which kept the Germans from making it to a critical bridge which they wanted to destroy to stop the advancing Allied Forces.
George Harkins survived the war, and was honorably discharged in 1945, as the war ended. He then returned to Greenwood, and resumed his job as a truck driver. When George was in his early 40’s he lost his leg due to injuries from an accidental gunshot. He lived to be 81 years old, when he died peacefully in 2003.
George Harkins was a hard working, ordinary man who answered the call of his nation when he was most needed. He valiantly defended our beliefs and ideals when they were threatened from abroad. He certainly was a member of what is now deemed to be America’s “Greatest Generation”. Jackson County can be proud of his contributions.
Top Story News
Thursday, October 29, 2009
County Commission Writes New Ordinance Over Ambulance Services
New ordinance would make use of county ambulances mandatory.
Public Hearing scheduled on proposed ordinance. By Sid Riley
At Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Jackson County Commission, a proposed ordinance relating to the county’s system of regulating ambulance services was read for consideration. A public hearing on the proposed ordinance was scheduled for November 10.
This issue has arisen since Jackson Hospital has begun using Dothan Ambulance Service for some patient transfers which could be accomplished by Jackson County Fire and Rescue. The proposed ordinance adds sixteen new sections to the regulations governing this issue. The new rules require any ambulance service wishing to provide services within the county to first obtain a certificate of necessity from the Board. The rules also require these providers to work under the quality requirements defined by the county Director of EMS, and to provide a 24-7 service throughout the county.
If approved these requirements would prevent the out of county ambulances from performing patient transfers within the county, regardless of the wishes of the patient, the doctor, or the hospital. It in essence creates a “zone of monopoly” for the county ambulance system, regardless of cost differential or other relevant criteria.
Official Hospital Statement: “Jackson Hospital does have a contract with Dothan/Pilcher Ambulance Service. We routinely enter into contracts for goods and services because we always strive for new ways to improve patient care and quality to those we serve in Jackson and the surrounding counties. We will continue working with Jackson County officials on all health related issues, to include patient transport services, in a positive and collaborative manner.”
Any citizens who disagree with the establishment of this county operated ambulance monopoly should appear at the November 10 public hearing…..or forever hold your peace.
Public Hearing scheduled on proposed ordinance. By Sid Riley
At Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Jackson County Commission, a proposed ordinance relating to the county’s system of regulating ambulance services was read for consideration. A public hearing on the proposed ordinance was scheduled for November 10.
This issue has arisen since Jackson Hospital has begun using Dothan Ambulance Service for some patient transfers which could be accomplished by Jackson County Fire and Rescue. The proposed ordinance adds sixteen new sections to the regulations governing this issue. The new rules require any ambulance service wishing to provide services within the county to first obtain a certificate of necessity from the Board. The rules also require these providers to work under the quality requirements defined by the county Director of EMS, and to provide a 24-7 service throughout the county.
If approved these requirements would prevent the out of county ambulances from performing patient transfers within the county, regardless of the wishes of the patient, the doctor, or the hospital. It in essence creates a “zone of monopoly” for the county ambulance system, regardless of cost differential or other relevant criteria.
Official Hospital Statement: “Jackson Hospital does have a contract with Dothan/Pilcher Ambulance Service. We routinely enter into contracts for goods and services because we always strive for new ways to improve patient care and quality to those we serve in Jackson and the surrounding counties. We will continue working with Jackson County officials on all health related issues, to include patient transport services, in a positive and collaborative manner.”
Any citizens who disagree with the establishment of this county operated ambulance monopoly should appear at the November 10 public hearing…..or forever hold your peace.
Cornerstone Reaches Milestone
Special Celebration THIS WEEKEND for First Year Anniversary
By Sid Riley
Owner-Operator of the Cornerstone Family Restaurant, Dianne Mongiello wants to celebrate the end of her first year of operation at the popular restaurant located on Highway 71, South of Marianna. In order to demonstrate their appreciation for their loyal customers and the community, they are offering a special “anniversary recognition” discount to patrons this Friday and Saturday nights.
All married couples who dine at Cornerstone during those evenings will receive a discount equal to the number of years they have been married. For instance, if you and your better half have been married for fifty years, when you pay your bill for the evening, you will receive a 50% discount!
This great idea even applies to those who come out on Saturday evening to enjoy the huge seafood feast buffet which is featured on Saturday nights. That means this great seafood meal, including crab legs, would only cost you $8.50 each when married 50 years.
So this Friday or Saturday come on out to the Cornerstone Restaurant, help them celebrate their first year, and eat a delicious meal at a great price!
By Sid Riley
Owner-Operator of the Cornerstone Family Restaurant, Dianne Mongiello wants to celebrate the end of her first year of operation at the popular restaurant located on Highway 71, South of Marianna. In order to demonstrate their appreciation for their loyal customers and the community, they are offering a special “anniversary recognition” discount to patrons this Friday and Saturday nights.
All married couples who dine at Cornerstone during those evenings will receive a discount equal to the number of years they have been married. For instance, if you and your better half have been married for fifty years, when you pay your bill for the evening, you will receive a 50% discount!
This great idea even applies to those who come out on Saturday evening to enjoy the huge seafood feast buffet which is featured on Saturday nights. That means this great seafood meal, including crab legs, would only cost you $8.50 each when married 50 years.
So this Friday or Saturday come on out to the Cornerstone Restaurant, help them celebrate their first year, and eat a delicious meal at a great price!
Meet Margaret Carter, A Survivor
By Bo McMullian
Margaret Carter was “devastated” in October of last year when her son’s wife in Tallahassee came down with breast cancer. “I asked the Lord why it couldn’t be me,” she thought. But quick to react to “life’s certainties,” she increased her own self examinations from monthly to weekly as she helped her daughter-in-law through her treatment. And sure enough, two months later, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in Dothan.
Her daughter-in-law’s cancer is now in remission after treatment that included chemotherapy. Her disease was caught before it entered her lymph nodes, Mrs. Carter said. And Mrs. Carter’s timely lumpectomy has also removed all the cancer from her infected breast and doctors say there is little chance of a recurrence.
Mrs. Carter, 79, a former registered nurse, attributes cancer awareness and other health meetings, self-exams and “a lot of praying- both by myself and my doctor and I together,” to her survival story. “When my doctor told me of the cancer diagnosis,” she said. “It was the best day of my life. My doctor prayed with me for quite a while and I felt the Lord was going to take care of everything.” She said she was more troubled by the waiting for the biopsy results than any other part of the event. “I don’t mind the certainties in life,” she told The Jackson County Times in an interview Monday, “but the uncertainties kill me!”
Mrs. Carter and her husband Gus, 83, a World War II vet, have lived in the Galalee community, between Cottondale and Graceville, for more than 40 years. They built a house on land Gus’s grandparents homesteaded back in the 1890s. They have four children, 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren and they attend Galalee Methodist Church. Their beautiful pastoral home can only be reached by first going over a one-lane wooden bridge. God has truly taken care of these people.
She gives it all back to Him also. She says she now wants to spread the word to others to help them to also survive cancer. And not just women. “Men get breast cancer too,” she points out. “I would like to be able to say that if I just helped one person survive, what happened to me would have all been worthwhile.” She says younger women, especially those with cancer in their family, need to be more aware and take preventative action. “And by all means,” she said, “when you find it, don’t wait.”
Mrs. Carter immediately went to get her biopsy, she said, even though Christmas of 2008 loomed in the immediate future. In fact, she told her family she had cancer on Christmas day. The sequence went like this: She had a mammogram in June 2008 and it was negative. In October came the bad news from her daughter-in-law. That’s when Mrs. Carter increased the frequency of her self-exams. She found a lump on Dec. 17 and she called the doctor the next day after a night of prayer. She was scheduled for an ultrasound and a biopsy. Then, on Dec. 22, 52 years after her father died of cancer, she was told she had “non-invasive hyperplasia,” and an appointment with a surgeon was scheduled.
She spent the night in the hospital in Dothan after having the lumpectomy on Jan. 8, a report showing that it was “non-invasive carcinoma” but it had not spread to the lymph nodes.
She had to endure 34 treatments of radiation therapy, driving back and forth to Dothan five days a week, but no chemo. She will not have to take any medication for years, she said.
Throughout the entire ordeal, Mrs. Carter says she was never in the slightest physical discomfort. “There were no burning feelings, no loss of appetite, no discomfort,” she says. Although she is hopeful of a new “certainty of non recurrence” in her life, Mrs. Carter is still checking herself regularly. “No one is ever 100 percent sure IT will not come back.”
Margaret Carter was “devastated” in October of last year when her son’s wife in Tallahassee came down with breast cancer. “I asked the Lord why it couldn’t be me,” she thought. But quick to react to “life’s certainties,” she increased her own self examinations from monthly to weekly as she helped her daughter-in-law through her treatment. And sure enough, two months later, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in Dothan.
Her daughter-in-law’s cancer is now in remission after treatment that included chemotherapy. Her disease was caught before it entered her lymph nodes, Mrs. Carter said. And Mrs. Carter’s timely lumpectomy has also removed all the cancer from her infected breast and doctors say there is little chance of a recurrence.
Mrs. Carter, 79, a former registered nurse, attributes cancer awareness and other health meetings, self-exams and “a lot of praying- both by myself and my doctor and I together,” to her survival story. “When my doctor told me of the cancer diagnosis,” she said. “It was the best day of my life. My doctor prayed with me for quite a while and I felt the Lord was going to take care of everything.” She said she was more troubled by the waiting for the biopsy results than any other part of the event. “I don’t mind the certainties in life,” she told The Jackson County Times in an interview Monday, “but the uncertainties kill me!”
Mrs. Carter and her husband Gus, 83, a World War II vet, have lived in the Galalee community, between Cottondale and Graceville, for more than 40 years. They built a house on land Gus’s grandparents homesteaded back in the 1890s. They have four children, 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren and they attend Galalee Methodist Church. Their beautiful pastoral home can only be reached by first going over a one-lane wooden bridge. God has truly taken care of these people.
She gives it all back to Him also. She says she now wants to spread the word to others to help them to also survive cancer. And not just women. “Men get breast cancer too,” she points out. “I would like to be able to say that if I just helped one person survive, what happened to me would have all been worthwhile.” She says younger women, especially those with cancer in their family, need to be more aware and take preventative action. “And by all means,” she said, “when you find it, don’t wait.”
Mrs. Carter immediately went to get her biopsy, she said, even though Christmas of 2008 loomed in the immediate future. In fact, she told her family she had cancer on Christmas day. The sequence went like this: She had a mammogram in June 2008 and it was negative. In October came the bad news from her daughter-in-law. That’s when Mrs. Carter increased the frequency of her self-exams. She found a lump on Dec. 17 and she called the doctor the next day after a night of prayer. She was scheduled for an ultrasound and a biopsy. Then, on Dec. 22, 52 years after her father died of cancer, she was told she had “non-invasive hyperplasia,” and an appointment with a surgeon was scheduled.
She spent the night in the hospital in Dothan after having the lumpectomy on Jan. 8, a report showing that it was “non-invasive carcinoma” but it had not spread to the lymph nodes.
She had to endure 34 treatments of radiation therapy, driving back and forth to Dothan five days a week, but no chemo. She will not have to take any medication for years, she said.
Throughout the entire ordeal, Mrs. Carter says she was never in the slightest physical discomfort. “There were no burning feelings, no loss of appetite, no discomfort,” she says. Although she is hopeful of a new “certainty of non recurrence” in her life, Mrs. Carter is still checking herself regularly. “No one is ever 100 percent sure IT will not come back.”
Melvin Engineering Is Featured in “850”, The Business Magazine of Northwest Florida
Feature story describes “honesty and character’ of the firm. By Sid Riley
A local engineering firm, Melvin Engineering, was featured in the “Experience Speaks” section of the “850” magazine this month. The article emphasized how through placing continuing emphasis on the attributes of honesty, integrity, and truthfulness, the firm has gained the confidence of customers, governments, and the public.
These qualities reflect the personal philosophy of the firm’s owner, David Melvin. He brings these attributes with him at all times, at home and at work. His devotion to his family, his church, and his business becomes apparent after only a few moments of conversation with this capable father and civil engineer. He demonstrates his belief in fulfilling social obligations through his personal mission work in developing countries, and the many donations and contributed services provided by his company.
We congratulate Melvin Engineering and David Melvin for their accomplishments and for receiving this recognition. We are proud they are part of our local community.
A local engineering firm, Melvin Engineering, was featured in the “Experience Speaks” section of the “850” magazine this month. The article emphasized how through placing continuing emphasis on the attributes of honesty, integrity, and truthfulness, the firm has gained the confidence of customers, governments, and the public.
These qualities reflect the personal philosophy of the firm’s owner, David Melvin. He brings these attributes with him at all times, at home and at work. His devotion to his family, his church, and his business becomes apparent after only a few moments of conversation with this capable father and civil engineer. He demonstrates his belief in fulfilling social obligations through his personal mission work in developing countries, and the many donations and contributed services provided by his company.
We congratulate Melvin Engineering and David Melvin for their accomplishments and for receiving this recognition. We are proud they are part of our local community.
The Ghost of Bellamy Bridge is Popular Local Legend
By Dale Cox
A few miles north of Marianna, the Chipola River flows silently beneath the rusting framework of an old iron bridge. Historic in its own right, Bellamy Bridge is one of the last surviving such structures in Florida. It takes its name from previous spans that crossed the river at that point, but it is undoubtedly best known as the centerpiece of a fascinating legend.
The Bellamy Bridge ghost story is Jackson County’s most enduring legend. It revolves around Elizabeth Jane Bellamy, a young woman who died in 1837. Her lonely grave is just a few hundred yards from the old bridge. As the story goes, she was the young bridge of Dr. Samuel C. Bellamy, a prominent member of early Florida society. They supposedly were married in Marianna on May 11, 1837, but Elizabeth somehow came into contact with an open fire and her beautiful wedding gown burst into flames. She ran from the house in panic and engulfed in fire. After lingering for days, Elizabeth supposedly died from her injuries and was buried beneath a grove of trees near today’s Bellamy Bridge.
As the years passed, a story grew that Elizabeth’s lonely ghost could be seen roaming the swamps around Bellamy Bridge. It was described in various ways, but most often as a silent figure that could be seen moving through the trees late at night. It is a fascinating tale and a unique reminder of the time when story-telling was a leading form of entertainment among local residents. As is often the case, though, the real story is quite a bit different than the legend.
Family letters indicate that Samuel and Elizabeth were actually married in North Carolina on July 15, 1834, three years before the date of the supposed Florida wedding. They settled on the Rock Cave Plantation northwest of Marianna (near Baker Creek) and had a son named Alexander.
In 1836, however, the entire family was stricken with fever. Malaria was then a scourge on the people of Jackson County and was no respecter of wealth or social status. Samuel eventually recovered from the illness, but Elizabeth and the baby did not. According to an obituary that appeared in the Tallahassee Floridian at the time, Elizabeth died on May 11, 1837. Her baby, Alexander, followed seven days later. The two were buried side by side in the little cemetery near Bellamy Bridge. The site was then on the plantation of Samuel’s brother, Edward.
Dr. Samuel Bellamy went on to build a magnificent mansion in Marianna and represented Jackson County at the Florida Constitutional Convention at St. Joseph (today’s Port St. Joe) in 1838. He became an alcoholic, however, and killed himself at the tavern at Chattahoochee Landing in 1853 by slashing his own throat.
The true story of the Bellamy family is tragic enough to have created a ghost story in its own right, but the idea was also helped along by a novel written by the famed 19th century novelist Caroline Lee Hentz. Mrs. Hentz lived in Marianna near the end of her life and many of her books eventually came to be associated with Jackson County, even though they were written about other locations. In one, Earnest Linwood, she told the story of a young girl who died in a tragic wedding night fire and then came back to haunt the area around her grave. The plantation where the incident took place was owned by a family named, of all things, Bellamy.
Mrs. Hentz wrote in the introduction to her book, however, that the name was imaginary and that the incident was based on a real event that happened near Columbus, Georgia.
These facts became forgotten over time and it appears that the story told by the 19th century writer became combined in local tradition with the lonely grave of Elizabeth Jane Bellamy near Bellamy Bridge. A ghost story was born. It is a fascinating case of real history combining with literature to create a legend that survives even to this day.
None of this, of course, proves that there is not a ghost at Bellamy Bridge. Many local residents, in fact, swear to have seen something there. Although she did not die in a tragic fire, perhaps Elizabeth Bellamy walks there still. If you would like to read more and see an actual photograph of the “ghost,” please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bellamybridge.
Editor’s Note: Writer and historian Dale Cox is the author of several books on local history, including Two Egg, Florida and The History of Jackson County, Florida: The Early Years, both of which include detailed accounts of the Bellamy Bridge story. His books are available at Chipola River Book and Tea in Downtown Marianna or online at www.amazon.com.
A few miles north of Marianna, the Chipola River flows silently beneath the rusting framework of an old iron bridge. Historic in its own right, Bellamy Bridge is one of the last surviving such structures in Florida. It takes its name from previous spans that crossed the river at that point, but it is undoubtedly best known as the centerpiece of a fascinating legend.
The Bellamy Bridge ghost story is Jackson County’s most enduring legend. It revolves around Elizabeth Jane Bellamy, a young woman who died in 1837. Her lonely grave is just a few hundred yards from the old bridge. As the story goes, she was the young bridge of Dr. Samuel C. Bellamy, a prominent member of early Florida society. They supposedly were married in Marianna on May 11, 1837, but Elizabeth somehow came into contact with an open fire and her beautiful wedding gown burst into flames. She ran from the house in panic and engulfed in fire. After lingering for days, Elizabeth supposedly died from her injuries and was buried beneath a grove of trees near today’s Bellamy Bridge.
As the years passed, a story grew that Elizabeth’s lonely ghost could be seen roaming the swamps around Bellamy Bridge. It was described in various ways, but most often as a silent figure that could be seen moving through the trees late at night. It is a fascinating tale and a unique reminder of the time when story-telling was a leading form of entertainment among local residents. As is often the case, though, the real story is quite a bit different than the legend.
Family letters indicate that Samuel and Elizabeth were actually married in North Carolina on July 15, 1834, three years before the date of the supposed Florida wedding. They settled on the Rock Cave Plantation northwest of Marianna (near Baker Creek) and had a son named Alexander.
In 1836, however, the entire family was stricken with fever. Malaria was then a scourge on the people of Jackson County and was no respecter of wealth or social status. Samuel eventually recovered from the illness, but Elizabeth and the baby did not. According to an obituary that appeared in the Tallahassee Floridian at the time, Elizabeth died on May 11, 1837. Her baby, Alexander, followed seven days later. The two were buried side by side in the little cemetery near Bellamy Bridge. The site was then on the plantation of Samuel’s brother, Edward.
Dr. Samuel Bellamy went on to build a magnificent mansion in Marianna and represented Jackson County at the Florida Constitutional Convention at St. Joseph (today’s Port St. Joe) in 1838. He became an alcoholic, however, and killed himself at the tavern at Chattahoochee Landing in 1853 by slashing his own throat.
The true story of the Bellamy family is tragic enough to have created a ghost story in its own right, but the idea was also helped along by a novel written by the famed 19th century novelist Caroline Lee Hentz. Mrs. Hentz lived in Marianna near the end of her life and many of her books eventually came to be associated with Jackson County, even though they were written about other locations. In one, Earnest Linwood, she told the story of a young girl who died in a tragic wedding night fire and then came back to haunt the area around her grave. The plantation where the incident took place was owned by a family named, of all things, Bellamy.
Mrs. Hentz wrote in the introduction to her book, however, that the name was imaginary and that the incident was based on a real event that happened near Columbus, Georgia.
These facts became forgotten over time and it appears that the story told by the 19th century writer became combined in local tradition with the lonely grave of Elizabeth Jane Bellamy near Bellamy Bridge. A ghost story was born. It is a fascinating case of real history combining with literature to create a legend that survives even to this day.
None of this, of course, proves that there is not a ghost at Bellamy Bridge. Many local residents, in fact, swear to have seen something there. Although she did not die in a tragic fire, perhaps Elizabeth Bellamy walks there still. If you would like to read more and see an actual photograph of the “ghost,” please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bellamybridge.
Editor’s Note: Writer and historian Dale Cox is the author of several books on local history, including Two Egg, Florida and The History of Jackson County, Florida: The Early Years, both of which include detailed accounts of the Bellamy Bridge story. His books are available at Chipola River Book and Tea in Downtown Marianna or online at www.amazon.com.
Auction Time!! Smoked Steak Dinner and Auction Thursday Evening
By Sid Riley
It is time for the annual Habitat Auction. Great bargains can be realized if you bid wisely on the hundreds of donated items. Treasures await, it is a great time to get a head start on your Christmas shopping.
The evening begins with a delicious smoked steak dinner, a silent auction where hundreds of items are on display for your close inspection before you enter your bid on the bid sheet for the item, and then the lively “live” auction where a professional auctioneer manages the sale of the major items which are in the inventory of donated merchandise.
The event will be held at the Agricultural Conference Center on Penn Avenue in Marianna, it begins at 4:30 with the silent auction, with the live auction starting at 6:30. Tickets are $20 for auction and meal, or $5 for auction only. For more information contact Leslie Fuqua at 482-2187.
It is time for the annual Habitat Auction. Great bargains can be realized if you bid wisely on the hundreds of donated items. Treasures await, it is a great time to get a head start on your Christmas shopping.
The evening begins with a delicious smoked steak dinner, a silent auction where hundreds of items are on display for your close inspection before you enter your bid on the bid sheet for the item, and then the lively “live” auction where a professional auctioneer manages the sale of the major items which are in the inventory of donated merchandise.
The event will be held at the Agricultural Conference Center on Penn Avenue in Marianna, it begins at 4:30 with the silent auction, with the live auction starting at 6:30. Tickets are $20 for auction and meal, or $5 for auction only. For more information contact Leslie Fuqua at 482-2187.
Breast Cancer Symposium Is Great Success
Over 250 women attend seminars
By Sid Riley
The Sixth Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Symposium was held at the Ag Center last Thursday. It was a great event.
Over 250 women attended this very worthwhile effort to educate, stimulate, and activate women’s awareness of this terrible cancer which annually impacts so many beautiful, productive women in our communities. You do not have to look very far to find a friend, relative, or acquaintance that has battled this disease. It is lurking among us.
This year’s event was generously sponsored by Jackson Hospital, Jackson County Health Department, Dr. Steve Stokes, Luana Granger-Ramsey, WTVY TV, and Oglesby’s Plants International. The program featured two outstanding speakers, both of whom are involved in the latest research efforts on the front battle lines against breast cancer.
Genetic specialist Emily Burke, MS, explained genomic science and how it is being used to learn more about breast cancer. This diagnostic testing analyzes the molecular composition of tumors, and through that analysis can predict results from alternate programs of treatment. She was introduced by Kathryn Jordan. She gave each attendee a “Beads of Hope” bracelet which depicted tumor sizes, beginning with a very small and progressing to a very large bead in the bracelet. With each size, statistics on survival were detailed. It was a very effective way to tell the story.
The keynote speaker for the event was Dr. Kirby Bland, a nationally recognized leader in breast cancer research and a top executive at the Birmingham Cancer Center. He was introduced by Dr. Steve Stokes, MD. He presented a revealing story on current and developing treatment programs, as well as new drugs which are in the developmental stage. He presented statistics on the occurrence of breast cancer, which demonstrated a significant increase which he attributed to better early detection programs and educational programs…..such as this symposium.
The third speaker on the program was Lucille Latham, an Avon Breast Care Educator who was introduced by Lanet James, a survivor.
Organizers were very pleased with the turnout for the event and the quality of the program. The overriding objective of this annual event is to heighten awareness among women in the Jackson County area, and to hopefully help save some lives which would be lost if early detection had not occurred.
The Jackson County Times is proud to have assisted in the promotion of this event, and hopefully the positive impact our “Breast Cancer Survivor” series has created during the month of October.
By Sid Riley
The Sixth Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Symposium was held at the Ag Center last Thursday. It was a great event.
Over 250 women attended this very worthwhile effort to educate, stimulate, and activate women’s awareness of this terrible cancer which annually impacts so many beautiful, productive women in our communities. You do not have to look very far to find a friend, relative, or acquaintance that has battled this disease. It is lurking among us.
This year’s event was generously sponsored by Jackson Hospital, Jackson County Health Department, Dr. Steve Stokes, Luana Granger-Ramsey, WTVY TV, and Oglesby’s Plants International. The program featured two outstanding speakers, both of whom are involved in the latest research efforts on the front battle lines against breast cancer.
Genetic specialist Emily Burke, MS, explained genomic science and how it is being used to learn more about breast cancer. This diagnostic testing analyzes the molecular composition of tumors, and through that analysis can predict results from alternate programs of treatment. She was introduced by Kathryn Jordan. She gave each attendee a “Beads of Hope” bracelet which depicted tumor sizes, beginning with a very small and progressing to a very large bead in the bracelet. With each size, statistics on survival were detailed. It was a very effective way to tell the story.
The keynote speaker for the event was Dr. Kirby Bland, a nationally recognized leader in breast cancer research and a top executive at the Birmingham Cancer Center. He was introduced by Dr. Steve Stokes, MD. He presented a revealing story on current and developing treatment programs, as well as new drugs which are in the developmental stage. He presented statistics on the occurrence of breast cancer, which demonstrated a significant increase which he attributed to better early detection programs and educational programs…..such as this symposium.
The third speaker on the program was Lucille Latham, an Avon Breast Care Educator who was introduced by Lanet James, a survivor.
Organizers were very pleased with the turnout for the event and the quality of the program. The overriding objective of this annual event is to heighten awareness among women in the Jackson County area, and to hopefully help save some lives which would be lost if early detection had not occurred.
The Jackson County Times is proud to have assisted in the promotion of this event, and hopefully the positive impact our “Breast Cancer Survivor” series has created during the month of October.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
A Gem In Downtown Marianna, “Suitman’s” Men Shop
By Bo McMullian
Why not buy your next men’s suit, sport jacket, or tuxedo rental from a local entrepreneur who is also a “Great American?” Gene Smith, 76, the owner of Suitman’s Men Shop on Lafayette Street in downtown Marianna, has earned that distinction the old-fashioned way. Not only has he survived the Korean War and a more recent fight with throat cancer, Smith embodies American entrepreneurship, being the owner of his own business for most of his life.
And he’s a local boy who has “done good” as well. Born in Alford, the brother of the late Mayor Don Smith, he attended Marianna High School and then left to join the Navy in 1952 during the middle of the Korean War. “I went straight from boot camp to Korea,” Smith said, “I was stationed on the destroyer USS McDermot.” His second tour would have been in 1954 but the war ended, leaving him on overseas shore duty in Japan. He remained there until 1956 when he left the service and returned to Jackson County.
Smith finished up the 1950s working for the Harrison Chevrolet parts department in Marianna. Then after a succession of serving other dealerships in Panama City and Ocala, he seized upon an opportunity to work for Snap-On Tools as an independent dealer. He stayed with Snap-On for several years, eventually becoming a district manager. Finally, in 1985 he was ready to take on the reins of full business ownership, going into a wedding and banquet rental operation in Tallahassee.
Smith succeeded in this venture and he planned to retire after 10 years and return to Jackson County. But here’s where his wife of 22 years, Helen, comes into his life. Today she is the co-owner of Suitman’s Men Shop. “I was ready to retire,” Smith said, “but she was too young to consider retirement, so we bought the Cottondale suit store from Doug James and ran it until February 1999. We decided the Cotttondale store wasn’t big enough. I couldn’t keep 70 suits in that tiny place,” Smith said. “I can put 600 here.” The labels on his present stock of suits include JohnnyWear, Wall Street and Vinci and range in price from $99 to $269.
The Smiths have those suits on display in their downtown Marianna haberdashery along with shirts, ties, pants, men’s jewelry and Park Royal hats, reminiscent of Daffin’s and Turner’s men stores. Two young men in the store Monday said they would come again “for the prom,” since a large part of the store’s business comes from tuxedo and formal wear rentals.
Smith reports they are doing OK, in spite of the recession. “I think 2008 was the worst year ever,” he said, “but 2009 has been relatively good for this economy. July and August were weak but they always were down months because people are involved with vacations and everything.”
Helen, a “Georgia girl,” as she puts it, is from Albany. She was in the banking business, bookkeeping end, for 26 years before she met Gene in Tallahassee while she was looking to rent some tables and chairs. “She found me in the yellow pages,” Gene said. “She looked in the phone book and I was the first listing..” He may be bragging a bit when he says, “I needed a bookkeeper, so I married one.”
Helen became Gene’s spiritual partner as well, for they are both quite religious. In addition to being active in the Baptist Church, Gene also serves with the local Gideons International group. It doesn’t stop there either; he also serves Our Lord as a lay speaker. He spoke in Bonifay last Sunday, is speaking in Wewa next week and in Crestview after that.
“I feel as if it’s a way of doing the Lord’s work by being a witness,” Smith said. He has some advice for those concerned about the current troubles the United States is facing: “I’d like to see the U.S. return to the nation we once were. In my opinion, our nation has moved too far to the left. We need to work on our relationships with the world and especially our relationship with Our Lord. We are ‘one nation under God’ and we need to become a Christian nation...again.”
Why not buy your next men’s suit, sport jacket, or tuxedo rental from a local entrepreneur who is also a “Great American?” Gene Smith, 76, the owner of Suitman’s Men Shop on Lafayette Street in downtown Marianna, has earned that distinction the old-fashioned way. Not only has he survived the Korean War and a more recent fight with throat cancer, Smith embodies American entrepreneurship, being the owner of his own business for most of his life.
And he’s a local boy who has “done good” as well. Born in Alford, the brother of the late Mayor Don Smith, he attended Marianna High School and then left to join the Navy in 1952 during the middle of the Korean War. “I went straight from boot camp to Korea,” Smith said, “I was stationed on the destroyer USS McDermot.” His second tour would have been in 1954 but the war ended, leaving him on overseas shore duty in Japan. He remained there until 1956 when he left the service and returned to Jackson County.
Smith finished up the 1950s working for the Harrison Chevrolet parts department in Marianna. Then after a succession of serving other dealerships in Panama City and Ocala, he seized upon an opportunity to work for Snap-On Tools as an independent dealer. He stayed with Snap-On for several years, eventually becoming a district manager. Finally, in 1985 he was ready to take on the reins of full business ownership, going into a wedding and banquet rental operation in Tallahassee.
Smith succeeded in this venture and he planned to retire after 10 years and return to Jackson County. But here’s where his wife of 22 years, Helen, comes into his life. Today she is the co-owner of Suitman’s Men Shop. “I was ready to retire,” Smith said, “but she was too young to consider retirement, so we bought the Cottondale suit store from Doug James and ran it until February 1999. We decided the Cotttondale store wasn’t big enough. I couldn’t keep 70 suits in that tiny place,” Smith said. “I can put 600 here.” The labels on his present stock of suits include JohnnyWear, Wall Street and Vinci and range in price from $99 to $269.
The Smiths have those suits on display in their downtown Marianna haberdashery along with shirts, ties, pants, men’s jewelry and Park Royal hats, reminiscent of Daffin’s and Turner’s men stores. Two young men in the store Monday said they would come again “for the prom,” since a large part of the store’s business comes from tuxedo and formal wear rentals.
Smith reports they are doing OK, in spite of the recession. “I think 2008 was the worst year ever,” he said, “but 2009 has been relatively good for this economy. July and August were weak but they always were down months because people are involved with vacations and everything.”
Helen, a “Georgia girl,” as she puts it, is from Albany. She was in the banking business, bookkeeping end, for 26 years before she met Gene in Tallahassee while she was looking to rent some tables and chairs. “She found me in the yellow pages,” Gene said. “She looked in the phone book and I was the first listing..” He may be bragging a bit when he says, “I needed a bookkeeper, so I married one.”
Helen became Gene’s spiritual partner as well, for they are both quite religious. In addition to being active in the Baptist Church, Gene also serves with the local Gideons International group. It doesn’t stop there either; he also serves Our Lord as a lay speaker. He spoke in Bonifay last Sunday, is speaking in Wewa next week and in Crestview after that.
“I feel as if it’s a way of doing the Lord’s work by being a witness,” Smith said. He has some advice for those concerned about the current troubles the United States is facing: “I’d like to see the U.S. return to the nation we once were. In my opinion, our nation has moved too far to the left. We need to work on our relationships with the world and especially our relationship with Our Lord. We are ‘one nation under God’ and we need to become a Christian nation...again.”
The “Good Union Men of Marianna”
An Incident of the War Between the States
By Dale Cox
One of the more unusual incidents of the War Between the States in and around Jackson County was the opening of talks between a party of businessmen from Marianna and the officers of a Union blockade ship at St. Andrew Bay.
The strange negotiations began on the afternoon of January 16, 1864, when the crew of the U.S.S. Restless noticed a man standing on the shore of St. Andrew Bay waving a white flag. Thinking he was a refugee, Acting Master W.R. Browne sent an officer in a small boat to investigate:
He represented himself a good Union man having business with me on behalf of good Union men of Marianna. I took him into my cabin, where he remained during his stay on board. He made substantially the following statement: That there was a schooner of 60 tons burden, named the [William A.] Kain, lying at Bear Creek, North Bay, about 20 miles from here and partly loaded with cotton (of this fact I was already aware); that she would carry about 120 bales; that he, George W. Maslin, was the agent in this mission for four Union men of Marianna, named John T. Myrick, Alderman, Moore, and Burnett, one or two of whom owned part of the cotton on board the the vessel. All had determined to get away from the Southern Government, if possible, except Burnett, whom domestic affairs compelled to remain.
John T. Myrick, Sidney S. Alderman, Eli Moore and the also-named Burnett were wealthy Jackson County planters and merchants. They had been active in Whig politics in previous years and were well-known Unionists, although several sent sons to fight for the Confederacy. Alderman was one of the non-secessionists elected to represent the county at the secession convention in 1861 and had been part of an unsuccessful effort to delay Florida’s decision to leave the Union, although he ultimately voted in favor of the move in a show of unity.
The men proposed that a Captain Maslin be allowed to sail the William A. Kain through the blockade on their behalf. The schooner would then proceed to either Pensacola or Key West where it would be sold with its cargo. The men, with the exception of Burnett, would then use the funds obtained to flee the South:
The four men are known by refugees here to be true and loyal men. Captain Maslin says he is an Englishman who has been in this country about twelve years, residing most of that time at Key West, and has taken out his first papers of naturalization. While on board he took the oath of allegiance.
I told Captain Maslin I could make no promise whatever, or in any way compromise myself or Government; that if the vessel came down to me I should take possession of her, in the same way as if she were lawful prize, and refer the whole matter to you. Captain Maslin said he would report my answer to his principals and thought they would be willing to bring the cargo and schooner down and deliver them into my possession, to await the action of the proper authorities in the matter.
Browne warned the civilian captain not to attempt to run through the blockade and instructed him where to anchor the Kain to avoid misunderstanding. He then referred the matter to his commanding officer, Acting Rear Admiral Theodorus Bailey in Key West, along with a letter from Myrick further elaborating on the scheme. Bailey consulted with the U.S. District Judge in Key West who ruled that “only the President, acting under laws of Congress” could approve such an arrangement. So far as is known, the matter was never referred to President Lincoln for his consideration. No records indicate that the “good Union men of Marianna” made any further effort to escape the Confederacy. The Kain itself was captured a short time later while preparing to run the blockade.
Editor’s Note: Dale Cox is the author of several books on area history including The History of Jackson County, Florida: The Early Years and Two Egg, Florida: A Collection of Ghost Stories, Legends and Unusual Facts. His books are available at Chipola River Book and Tea in Downtown Marianna or online at www.amazon.com.
By Dale Cox
One of the more unusual incidents of the War Between the States in and around Jackson County was the opening of talks between a party of businessmen from Marianna and the officers of a Union blockade ship at St. Andrew Bay.
The strange negotiations began on the afternoon of January 16, 1864, when the crew of the U.S.S. Restless noticed a man standing on the shore of St. Andrew Bay waving a white flag. Thinking he was a refugee, Acting Master W.R. Browne sent an officer in a small boat to investigate:
He represented himself a good Union man having business with me on behalf of good Union men of Marianna. I took him into my cabin, where he remained during his stay on board. He made substantially the following statement: That there was a schooner of 60 tons burden, named the [William A.] Kain, lying at Bear Creek, North Bay, about 20 miles from here and partly loaded with cotton (of this fact I was already aware); that she would carry about 120 bales; that he, George W. Maslin, was the agent in this mission for four Union men of Marianna, named John T. Myrick, Alderman, Moore, and Burnett, one or two of whom owned part of the cotton on board the the vessel. All had determined to get away from the Southern Government, if possible, except Burnett, whom domestic affairs compelled to remain.
John T. Myrick, Sidney S. Alderman, Eli Moore and the also-named Burnett were wealthy Jackson County planters and merchants. They had been active in Whig politics in previous years and were well-known Unionists, although several sent sons to fight for the Confederacy. Alderman was one of the non-secessionists elected to represent the county at the secession convention in 1861 and had been part of an unsuccessful effort to delay Florida’s decision to leave the Union, although he ultimately voted in favor of the move in a show of unity.
The men proposed that a Captain Maslin be allowed to sail the William A. Kain through the blockade on their behalf. The schooner would then proceed to either Pensacola or Key West where it would be sold with its cargo. The men, with the exception of Burnett, would then use the funds obtained to flee the South:
The four men are known by refugees here to be true and loyal men. Captain Maslin says he is an Englishman who has been in this country about twelve years, residing most of that time at Key West, and has taken out his first papers of naturalization. While on board he took the oath of allegiance.
I told Captain Maslin I could make no promise whatever, or in any way compromise myself or Government; that if the vessel came down to me I should take possession of her, in the same way as if she were lawful prize, and refer the whole matter to you. Captain Maslin said he would report my answer to his principals and thought they would be willing to bring the cargo and schooner down and deliver them into my possession, to await the action of the proper authorities in the matter.
Browne warned the civilian captain not to attempt to run through the blockade and instructed him where to anchor the Kain to avoid misunderstanding. He then referred the matter to his commanding officer, Acting Rear Admiral Theodorus Bailey in Key West, along with a letter from Myrick further elaborating on the scheme. Bailey consulted with the U.S. District Judge in Key West who ruled that “only the President, acting under laws of Congress” could approve such an arrangement. So far as is known, the matter was never referred to President Lincoln for his consideration. No records indicate that the “good Union men of Marianna” made any further effort to escape the Confederacy. The Kain itself was captured a short time later while preparing to run the blockade.
Editor’s Note: Dale Cox is the author of several books on area history including The History of Jackson County, Florida: The Early Years and Two Egg, Florida: A Collection of Ghost Stories, Legends and Unusual Facts. His books are available at Chipola River Book and Tea in Downtown Marianna or online at www.amazon.com.
Meet Marie Herring R.N., A Breast Cancer Survivor
“Take them both! God immediately led me to that decision.”
By Sid Riley
Marie Herring is a registered nurse, currently working as Branch Director of the local Emerald Coast Hospice group. One advantage of being a health care professional is that you automatically develop a deeper level of knowledge and appreciation for your own personal health. Your experiences as a health care provider prepare you to better deal with personal health related decisions when they are necessary. This was certainly the case with Marie Herring.
Marie is married to Dr. Duane Herring, who is part of the Emergency Room staff at Jackson Hospital. She has three children and two stepchildren. A daughter, Amanda is a student in Dade City, Florida, a son, Chris is an engineer in Atlanta, and another son, Ryan, a senior at Marianna High School is the kicker on the football team. Her stepchildren include Lauren who is a student as FSU, and a stepson, A.J., who is a student at the University of Florida.
Marie’s fight with breast cancer began with a routine mammogram in December of 2007. The day after the test she received one of those phone calls that no woman ever wants to get. “Marie, we need to have you come back in for some more testing tomorrow, the Doctor has seen a suspicious spot and wants to do an ultrasound”. Next came a biopsy, and again, bad news.
“The tissue testing has disclosed a D.C.I.S. (ductal carcinoma in situ) which is a very early stage cancer, and you will need to have a lumpectomy followed by some radiation treatments”, the doctor explained. “No, I want to have a bi-lateral mastectomy!,” Marie exclaimed to the surprised physician.
Her feelings were enhanced by a prior experience she had with a patient she had assisted in her R.N. duties. She helped this woman through chemotherapy after having a mastectomy. The woman proclaimed her conviction that by rigorously attacking the cancer from the onset, her chances of reoccurrence were held to a minimum. “I believe it was God’s plan to have me work with this woman through her battle, in order to lead me to the correct decisions as I encountered the same fight” Marie explains. “I knew from the onset I had to have the bi-lateral operation instead of merely having a lumpectomy. The way I viewed the situation was that I was through having children, and if my breast were threatening my life, then I needed to get rid of them”.
After a search for the right doctor, who was willing to perform the bi-lateral procedure for such an early stage cancer, she finally found Dr. Croombs in Tallahassee. “After I explained my situation, he managed to squeeze me into his schedule right away as the last patient of the day. He and his staff stayed and worked with me until 6:30, well after the work day had ended. They had a real concern for my situation. Then the Doctor agreed to perform the procedure. He also referred me to Dr. Larry Hopper to do the reconstructive surgery, and I immediately felt a reassuring bond with him,” Marie continued.
So the operation was performed. As a result of performing the bi-lateral procedure, two additional, undiagnosed tumors were found. Marie would surely have had reoccurrences which might have threatened her life. One of these was a Lobular Carcinoma in situ, a more serious form of cancer which would have demanded a bi-lateral mastectomy as treatment. As a result of Marie’s persistent intuition, she had greatly increased her potential of remaining healthy and cancer free.
Marie is now enjoying a fulfilling career working with Emerald Coast Hospice. “It is a wonderful organization, and I feel we are helping so many families,” she beams. “All of my experiences while working as a Registered Nurse, and even my battle with breast cancer, have prepared me for this wonderful job.”
Marie encourages any other women who have encountered breast cancer personally, or through a loved one to consider attending a local “Breast Cancer Support Group”, which meets at 5:00 PM at Jackson Hospital, the third Thursday of each month. Also, she encourages all women to attend the Breast Cancer Symposium on October 22. For more information contact Marie Herring at 209-8412.
By Sid Riley
Marie Herring is a registered nurse, currently working as Branch Director of the local Emerald Coast Hospice group. One advantage of being a health care professional is that you automatically develop a deeper level of knowledge and appreciation for your own personal health. Your experiences as a health care provider prepare you to better deal with personal health related decisions when they are necessary. This was certainly the case with Marie Herring.
Marie is married to Dr. Duane Herring, who is part of the Emergency Room staff at Jackson Hospital. She has three children and two stepchildren. A daughter, Amanda is a student in Dade City, Florida, a son, Chris is an engineer in Atlanta, and another son, Ryan, a senior at Marianna High School is the kicker on the football team. Her stepchildren include Lauren who is a student as FSU, and a stepson, A.J., who is a student at the University of Florida.
Marie’s fight with breast cancer began with a routine mammogram in December of 2007. The day after the test she received one of those phone calls that no woman ever wants to get. “Marie, we need to have you come back in for some more testing tomorrow, the Doctor has seen a suspicious spot and wants to do an ultrasound”. Next came a biopsy, and again, bad news.
“The tissue testing has disclosed a D.C.I.S. (ductal carcinoma in situ) which is a very early stage cancer, and you will need to have a lumpectomy followed by some radiation treatments”, the doctor explained. “No, I want to have a bi-lateral mastectomy!,” Marie exclaimed to the surprised physician.
Her feelings were enhanced by a prior experience she had with a patient she had assisted in her R.N. duties. She helped this woman through chemotherapy after having a mastectomy. The woman proclaimed her conviction that by rigorously attacking the cancer from the onset, her chances of reoccurrence were held to a minimum. “I believe it was God’s plan to have me work with this woman through her battle, in order to lead me to the correct decisions as I encountered the same fight” Marie explains. “I knew from the onset I had to have the bi-lateral operation instead of merely having a lumpectomy. The way I viewed the situation was that I was through having children, and if my breast were threatening my life, then I needed to get rid of them”.
After a search for the right doctor, who was willing to perform the bi-lateral procedure for such an early stage cancer, she finally found Dr. Croombs in Tallahassee. “After I explained my situation, he managed to squeeze me into his schedule right away as the last patient of the day. He and his staff stayed and worked with me until 6:30, well after the work day had ended. They had a real concern for my situation. Then the Doctor agreed to perform the procedure. He also referred me to Dr. Larry Hopper to do the reconstructive surgery, and I immediately felt a reassuring bond with him,” Marie continued.
So the operation was performed. As a result of performing the bi-lateral procedure, two additional, undiagnosed tumors were found. Marie would surely have had reoccurrences which might have threatened her life. One of these was a Lobular Carcinoma in situ, a more serious form of cancer which would have demanded a bi-lateral mastectomy as treatment. As a result of Marie’s persistent intuition, she had greatly increased her potential of remaining healthy and cancer free.
Marie is now enjoying a fulfilling career working with Emerald Coast Hospice. “It is a wonderful organization, and I feel we are helping so many families,” she beams. “All of my experiences while working as a Registered Nurse, and even my battle with breast cancer, have prepared me for this wonderful job.”
Marie encourages any other women who have encountered breast cancer personally, or through a loved one to consider attending a local “Breast Cancer Support Group”, which meets at 5:00 PM at Jackson Hospital, the third Thursday of each month. Also, she encourages all women to attend the Breast Cancer Symposium on October 22. For more information contact Marie Herring at 209-8412.
Ok…The Sykes Building Is Gone, Where Is Our New Health Center?
Construction Should Be Well Underway Under Original Schedule
By Sid Riley
The crippled Sykes structure has been demolished and carted away. The empty lot sits waiting for the promised new Jackson County Health Center to now adorn the land. Where is the promised new public building?
In order to get a direct answer to this question I contacted William Long, who heads the department. When the question was posed, Long took a deep breath and provided an update on the “slow to start” project.
“The problem is not the fault of any portion of the bureaucracies which are involved”, Long began. “The problem relates to the initial bidding process for the architectural work for the project. After the first bidding was concluded, one of the firms which did not win the contract filed a protest. Rather than become embroiled in court proceedings, the decision was made to void the initial bids and then go through the biding process again as a means of resolving the issues raised in the protest. This was completed and the winning architectural company, EMI of Tallahassee, is currently hard at work completing the final plans.”
When asked about the amount of delay this process has caused, Long sadly stated, “Six or seven months. We are now hoping for a January ground breaking, and we hope to be moving into the new facility in December 2010, or January 2011.”
So that is the latest news on the saga of the new Jackson County Health Department facility which will someday sit proudly upon the spot once filled with the ruins of the Sykes Building at the Marianna Airport Industrial Park.
By Sid Riley
The crippled Sykes structure has been demolished and carted away. The empty lot sits waiting for the promised new Jackson County Health Center to now adorn the land. Where is the promised new public building?
In order to get a direct answer to this question I contacted William Long, who heads the department. When the question was posed, Long took a deep breath and provided an update on the “slow to start” project.
“The problem is not the fault of any portion of the bureaucracies which are involved”, Long began. “The problem relates to the initial bidding process for the architectural work for the project. After the first bidding was concluded, one of the firms which did not win the contract filed a protest. Rather than become embroiled in court proceedings, the decision was made to void the initial bids and then go through the biding process again as a means of resolving the issues raised in the protest. This was completed and the winning architectural company, EMI of Tallahassee, is currently hard at work completing the final plans.”
When asked about the amount of delay this process has caused, Long sadly stated, “Six or seven months. We are now hoping for a January ground breaking, and we hope to be moving into the new facility in December 2010, or January 2011.”
So that is the latest news on the saga of the new Jackson County Health Department facility which will someday sit proudly upon the spot once filled with the ruins of the Sykes Building at the Marianna Airport Industrial Park.
Good Samaritan…Where are You?
Honest Lady Finds Lost Purse in Marianna
By Sid Riley
In today’s world which is full of stories of horrific crimes, robberies, thefts, drugs, and too
many examples of uncivilized behavior, it is comforting to realize there are many honest, hard working, Christian people among us. Their goodness is taken for granted, and their honesty usually goes unheralded.
Wilma Black, owner of Marianna Glass Company was shopping at the Grocery Outlet in Marianna last Friday, the busiest time of the week for the store. After Wilma had unloaded her groceries she returned her grocery cart to the cart holding area, returned to her car, and drove away. It was not until she had driven across town and was leaving her vehicle to go into another store when she realized she had left her purse in that grocery cart.
In a panic she rushed back across town, hoping against hope that the purse was still where she had left it. As she drove down Lafayette she recalled items which were in the purse…two check books….several credit cards….$384.00 in cash…..her drivers license…her social security card…and many personal items. She realized she had made a serious mistake and feared for the worse.
Back at the grocery store, she hastily parked and rushed up to the empty cart area..NO PURSE! Wilma then entered the store and asked cart boys, clerks, and managers if they had any reports of a purse being turned in. They all answered to the negative, several looking at her as if to question why she would even expect such an item to be turned in to them.
In total despair she next went to the Marianna City Police Department to report the incident, now feeling sure the purse was lost, and probably her identity. She envisioned forged checks and multiple charges on those credit cards, and there was no forecasting what evils would come from the disclosure of her social security number.
She could barely speak as she tried to tell the man behind the counter at the police reception desk her sad story. She was near tears as she began to speak.
Then the man smiled, and said “An African-American woman turned your purse in to us about five minutes ago. Here it is!” Wilma could barely believe what she was hearing.
The purse was completely intact. All of the money, cards and other items were untouched, just as she had left them. The Good Samaritan had taken the time to bring the purse to the police station, and had not even left her name. “What a blessing,” Wilma thought. “It is wonderful to know good people are out there.”
Wilma is now trying to locate the lady who performed this act of honesty and caring on her behalf. Wilma wants to hug her neck, and if she will take it, to give her a reward for her actions. So, if the Good Samaritan reads this story, please call Sid Riley at the Jackson County Times, 526-1501.
By Sid Riley
In today’s world which is full of stories of horrific crimes, robberies, thefts, drugs, and too
many examples of uncivilized behavior, it is comforting to realize there are many honest, hard working, Christian people among us. Their goodness is taken for granted, and their honesty usually goes unheralded.
Wilma Black, owner of Marianna Glass Company was shopping at the Grocery Outlet in Marianna last Friday, the busiest time of the week for the store. After Wilma had unloaded her groceries she returned her grocery cart to the cart holding area, returned to her car, and drove away. It was not until she had driven across town and was leaving her vehicle to go into another store when she realized she had left her purse in that grocery cart.
In a panic she rushed back across town, hoping against hope that the purse was still where she had left it. As she drove down Lafayette she recalled items which were in the purse…two check books….several credit cards….$384.00 in cash…..her drivers license…her social security card…and many personal items. She realized she had made a serious mistake and feared for the worse.
Back at the grocery store, she hastily parked and rushed up to the empty cart area..NO PURSE! Wilma then entered the store and asked cart boys, clerks, and managers if they had any reports of a purse being turned in. They all answered to the negative, several looking at her as if to question why she would even expect such an item to be turned in to them.
In total despair she next went to the Marianna City Police Department to report the incident, now feeling sure the purse was lost, and probably her identity. She envisioned forged checks and multiple charges on those credit cards, and there was no forecasting what evils would come from the disclosure of her social security number.
She could barely speak as she tried to tell the man behind the counter at the police reception desk her sad story. She was near tears as she began to speak.
Then the man smiled, and said “An African-American woman turned your purse in to us about five minutes ago. Here it is!” Wilma could barely believe what she was hearing.
The purse was completely intact. All of the money, cards and other items were untouched, just as she had left them. The Good Samaritan had taken the time to bring the purse to the police station, and had not even left her name. “What a blessing,” Wilma thought. “It is wonderful to know good people are out there.”
Wilma is now trying to locate the lady who performed this act of honesty and caring on her behalf. Wilma wants to hug her neck, and if she will take it, to give her a reward for her actions. So, if the Good Samaritan reads this story, please call Sid Riley at the Jackson County Times, 526-1501.
Gilmore Services Starts Shredding At Airpark
New business provides shredding service
By Sid Riley
If a Sheet Shredder Shreds Sheets and sits among shredded sheets, how many sheets can a sheet shredder shred? As this writer started to compose this story about Gilmore services, that phrase insisted on being included.
In today’s world of high tech identity theft, individuals and families must become more security conscious. Among this enhanced level of personal security should be the practice of regularly shredding any documents which might lead a clever crook into your personal life. By obtaining a credit card number from an old invoice, or a cancelled check which discloses your bank account number, or some government document which might include your social security number….we are all made vulnerable and helpless to what amounts to common thievery.
On Saturday, October 17, Gilmore Services was operating out of the old Shades Incorporated building near the main entrance to the Airport Industrial Park. They were working in conjunction with a “Secure Your ID Day” program sponsored by the Better Business Bureau of Northwest Florida, the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, and the National Association for Information Destruction, in an effort to combat identity theft and to increase awareness of this growing problem.
By Sid Riley
If a Sheet Shredder Shreds Sheets and sits among shredded sheets, how many sheets can a sheet shredder shred? As this writer started to compose this story about Gilmore services, that phrase insisted on being included.
In today’s world of high tech identity theft, individuals and families must become more security conscious. Among this enhanced level of personal security should be the practice of regularly shredding any documents which might lead a clever crook into your personal life. By obtaining a credit card number from an old invoice, or a cancelled check which discloses your bank account number, or some government document which might include your social security number….we are all made vulnerable and helpless to what amounts to common thievery.
On Saturday, October 17, Gilmore Services was operating out of the old Shades Incorporated building near the main entrance to the Airport Industrial Park. They were working in conjunction with a “Secure Your ID Day” program sponsored by the Better Business Bureau of Northwest Florida, the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, and the National Association for Information Destruction, in an effort to combat identity theft and to increase awareness of this growing problem.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Montford Meets With Supporters
Bill Montford, Democrat Candidate for State Senate Seat District 6, was in Marianna this past Thursday night to meet with friends and supporters. Ronnie and Kitty Myers opened up their lovely home to approximately 75 folks who came out to show their support for Montford. Robert Trammel introduced his longtime friend to those few folks who were meeting Montford for the first time. Montford then spoke briefly to the crowd about why he was running for the Senate and what he planned to accomplish if elected. He also fielded questions from those in attendance before the group enjoyed some fine smoked steak dinners prepared by Bill Peacock.
Montford was born in Marianna and moved to Blountstown where he grew up and graduated from Blountstown High School. He went on to graduate from Chipola Jr. College before moving to Tallahassee and graduating from Florida State University. Currently a retired educator from Leon County, Montford served in Leon County as a teacher, a principal for 18 years and then ran for and was elected as Superintendent of Schools. In addition to his education work, Montford also served two terms as a Leon County Commissioner. But on Thursday he was back among family and friends from the area he still calls home. “Growing up in North Florida, hard work and community service have always been a large part of my life. That’s how I was raised, and how Jane (his wife) and I raised our children. I am proud of my professional accomplishments and community involvement, and I stand by my record of public service. Someone once said of me, “He is one of us!” That is the best compliment that I could ever receive,” Montford said to those in attendance.
Montford was born in Marianna and moved to Blountstown where he grew up and graduated from Blountstown High School. He went on to graduate from Chipola Jr. College before moving to Tallahassee and graduating from Florida State University. Currently a retired educator from Leon County, Montford served in Leon County as a teacher, a principal for 18 years and then ran for and was elected as Superintendent of Schools. In addition to his education work, Montford also served two terms as a Leon County Commissioner. But on Thursday he was back among family and friends from the area he still calls home. “Growing up in North Florida, hard work and community service have always been a large part of my life. That’s how I was raised, and how Jane (his wife) and I raised our children. I am proud of my professional accomplishments and community involvement, and I stand by my record of public service. Someone once said of me, “He is one of us!” That is the best compliment that I could ever receive,” Montford said to those in attendance.
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