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Bristol man sentenced to life after kidnapping conviction

May 18, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor A man who called 911 and said he found a severely injured woman propped up against a tree in the woods not far from his home in Liberty County was convicted last week of kidnapping and ordered to serve life in prison. Wayne Davis, 43, of Bristol, was given a life sentence (25 years) for the kidnapping, received 20 years to run concurrently for the aggravated assault and was ordered to serve a 30-year sentence to run consecutively for failing to register as a sex offender, according to Joe Mulholland, District Attorney for the...

Altha man charged with battery in parking lot altercation

May 11, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor A 25-year-old Altha man was arrested for battery after witnesses called the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office to report that a man was attacking a woman in a car in the parking lot of Smith’s Grocery Sunday afternoon. Witnesses said...

Candidate list updated after deadline to file by petition

May 11, 2012

A few more names have been added to the list of candidates hoping to win office in this year’s election as the time to file by petition ends. The latest to announce their intent to run in Calhoun County include Carla Hand, who is...

Manspeaker named new Health Department Director

May 4, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor Rachel Manspeaker, 40, began her duties Monday as the new Director of the Calhoun and Liberty County Health Departments. The Bristol native holds two master’s degrees, one in nursing, and one in Business Administration/Heath Care Management. “Public health has...

Bristol man killed in Saturday wreck

May 4, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor A 26-year-old Bristol man was killed Saturday when his truck went off the road in Gadsden County, hit several trees and overturned. The Florida Highway Patrol identified the fatality as Preston Michael Myers. According to the accident report, Myers...

Car rear-ends van stopped in construction zone

May 4, 2012

A Bristol driver was charged with careless driving after four vehicles were involved in chain-reaction mishap along a construction zone in Calhoun County Friday morning. According to FHP Trooper Liz Condo-Varner, three vehicles were waiting in line for their turn to proceed along a...

Blountstown man charged in Chattahoochee shooting

April 27, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor A Blountstown man is facing charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and shooting into an occupied dwelling after an argument in Chattahoochee ended with a man being shot in the leg. Desmon Antwan Martin, 23, was taken...

FSU student bitten by snake while hiking at Torreya Park

April 27, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor A 22-year-old FSU student remained under observation at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Tuesday afternoon, two days after she was taken by ambulance from Torreya State Park where she was bitten by a snake. “She stepped on what appeared to be...

Candidate update

April 27, 2012

One new candidate has joined the field of hopefuls vying for office in the upcoming Liberty County Elections while more have come forward to declare their intent to seek public office in Calhoun County. •Sharon Revell Mackey (D) filed her intent to run on...

Sheriff’s Office releases report on death of Tranum McLemore

April 20, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor BRISTOL – The Liberty County Sheriff’s Office released the report on the death of Tranum McLemore Tuesday afternoon. Sheriff Donnie Conyers said he is satisfied that McLemore, who was found facedown on his bedroom floor with three bullet wounds...

Brother asks for new investigation

April 20, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor A Dothan, AL man has a lot of questions about the night his half-brother, Tranum McLemore, 35, died at the Bristol home where he lived with his wife, Winter, and their three young daughters, who are two, five and...

Altha men convicted in federal court for drug conspiracy

April 20, 2012

TALLAHASSEE - By jury verdicts returned at 8:30 last Friday night in the U.S. District Court in Tallahassee, Jose Misael Garfias-Garcia, 33, and Miguel Angel Moreno-Ortega, 25, both of Altha, Florida, were convicted of conspiring to distribute cocaine and marijuana. Evidence at trial showed...

McLemore’s brother, uncle both question account of shooting

April 13, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor Klenton McLemore, whose brother, Tranum McLemore died at his Bristol home last week in what authorities say was a suicide, finds it hard to believe he took his own life. In television interviews Monday night, he said that “something...

Wife describes night that ended with Tranum McLemore’s death

April 13, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor BRISTOL – Winter McLemore remembers her husband, Tranum, as a good man who loved their three little girls. “He loved playing ball outside with them, wrestling on the floor with them, and playing games with them,” she said. He...

Sheriff says McLemore’s death was a suicide; two other wounds plus fatal head wound found on body

April 6, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Editor Calhoun-Liberty Journal The death of Blountstown Middle School Coach Tranum McLemore, whose body was found in his Bristol home Wednesday, was the result of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head, according to Liberty County Sheriff Donnie Conyers. Two other gunshot...

Evicted tenant arrested for rental trailer destruction

December 30, 2011

A problem tenant who had been evicted from a residence at Junction Trailer Park but allowed to return for a night has been charged with criminal mischief for destroying the kitchen, according to a report from the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office...

Man arrested after witnesses confirm he knocked down wife and took phone

December 30, 2011

A 29-year-old Blountstown man is charged with domestic battery after his estranged wife said he threw her on the ground and then dragged her into the house by her feet when she tried to get away from him, according to a report from the...

House guest steals host’s pickup truck

December 30, 2011

A man who showed up uninvited asking for a place to stay for the night didn’t leave empty handed. The next morning, he stole his host’s truck, according to a report from the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office. Chet Geiger said he let Daniel Brown,...

Man charged after hitting wall and resisting arrest

December 30, 2011

A 34-year-old man found in the midst of a loud argument with a woman at a residence on River Street was taken into custody after refusing to comply with a police officer and resisting arrest. Octavio Torres Garcia was charged with disorderly intoxication and...

Man charged with retail theft for taking $4.99 item from store

December 30, 2011

A Blountstown man is charged with retail theft after a store surveillance camera caught him taking an item valued as less than $5, according to a report from the Blountstown Police Department. Shane Tolliver Whitfield, 43, of Blountstown, was sitting at the counter at...

Assisted living operator, 75, arrested for grand theft and exploitation of an elderly/disabled adult

December 30, 2011

Joyce Daughtrey, 75, of Bristol was arrested last week for grand theft and exploitation of an elderly and disabled adult, according to a news release from the Attorney General’s office. She is charged with stealing $9,500 by withholding the victim’s Social Security funds and...

Liberty County kids find something extra under the Christmas tree

December 30, 2011

Liberty County Sheriff Donnie Conyers and Phillip Jones, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Bristol, are shown just before packing up a roomful of toys collected for children in the community who might not otherwise find anything under the Christmas tree this year....

Two Liberty Co. men charged with stealing boat, stove & copper wiring

January 6, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor BRISTOL — Two 19-year-old Liberty County residents were arrested Dec. 29 for the theft of an aluminum boat, a four-burner wood stove and an estimated $3,000 worth of copper wiring. James Tipton and Jessie William Hobby were charged with...

Liberty Co. inmate escapes through unlocked jail door

January 6, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor BRISTOL — A 25-year-old man arrested last month for manufacturing methamphetamine had a few hours of freedom when he escaped from the Liberty County Jail after discovering an unsecured door. Daniel M. Brown of Vermilion, LA, was downstairs with...

National Solar Power CEO to speak at Liberty Chamber banquet

January 6, 2012

James Scrivener, CEO of National Solar Power, will be the guest speaker at the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce annual banquet on Monday, Jan. 16. The banquet, which will be followed by the general membership meeting, will begin at 7 p.m. and is being...

Paramedic injured in wreck on way to work Tuesday

January 13, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor A Liberty County paramedic didn’t make it to work but her co-workers came to her aid after she lost control of her car and hit a tree Tuesday morning in Bristol. Melissa Brown, 42, of Bristol was traveling east...

Florida High School grades announced

January 13, 2012

TALLAHASSEE – Florida’s high schools increased in the number and percent of schools achieving high marks for the 2010-11 school year, according to results just released from the Florida Department of Education. Results show that 78 percent of the state’s high schools earned either...

Clarkville resident dies in Friday night accident

January 12, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor A Clarksville man died on the way to the hospital after he was injured in a single-vehicle accident on Newsome Road in Calhoun County Friday night. Forensic Investigator Becki Fejes with the Bay County Medical Examiner’s Office said John...

ID sought for pedestrian killed in collision with truck in Quincy

January 20, 2012

The Florida Highway Patrol is seeking help in identifying a man killed in Quincy Monday night when he was hit by a truck. William Larimore, 30, of Carrabelle, was eastbound on US 90 at 10:05 p.m., approaching Ben Bostick Road, when his 2000 Ford...

Company planning to build five solar farms in Liberty County

January 20, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor Liberty County’s economic future just got a little brighter with the news that a Melbourne-based company plans to build five 200-acre solar farms here. National Solar Power CEO James Scrivener made the announcement at Monday night’s Liberty County Chamber...

Altha native honored for terrorist attack response

January 26, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor Altha native Lamar Conner, 53, was taking a quick smoke break from his job as a customer service agent at Frankfurt airport in Germany last March when he heard shots and turned to see a man stumbling out of...

Investigation into inmate’s accusations inconclusive; Calhoun County booking officer turns in resignation

February 3, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor A booking officer with the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office accused of inappropriate behavior by a female inmate will not be facing charges after a seven week internal investigation resulted in an inconclusive finding. Melissa Ann Terry, 34, was taken...

Girls arrested after taking a Hosford School bus for joy ride

February 3, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor Two teenage girls are facing charges of felony grand theft and trespassing on school grounds after they stole a school bus and took it on a joy ride through Hosford Sunday night, according to a report from the Liberty...

Hosford fire

February 3, 2012

A large shed behind a Burlington Road home in Hosford burned Saturday after a car parked under it caught fire. The blaze began shortly after Jackelene Pullam drove home. The car, shown below left, along with a boat, a Gator utility vehicle, a riding...

Altha man charged with trying to stab trooper, resisting arrest

February 10, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor John Derek Sangster, 57, had a lot of people worried Monday morning as he stood in front of the Chevron Station in Altha, swinging a hand saw and acting in what many saw as a threatening manner. Including FHP...

Series of break-ins reported in Calhoun and Liberty

February 10, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor Thousands of dollars’ worth of property – including guns, jewelry, TVs and game consoles – have been stolen in recent burglaries in the Calhoun and Liberty County area. Three of the break-ins happened in Calhoun County. Three more were...

NEWS ALERT Two suspects in custody; other arrests possible in Liberty County burglaries

February 15, 2012

Two men are in custody today in connection with the recent rash of Liberty County home break-ins and other arrests are possible, according to Liberty County Sheriff Donnie Conyers. He said local Task Force members were in the Chattahoochee area around noon when two...

Blountstown’s Laura Davis on primary care track at FSU

February 17, 2012

By Doug Blackburn Reprinted with permission from the Tallahassee Democrat Her mother calls Laura Davis “just a regular, small-town girl.” There are other ways to describe Davis, a third-year medical school student at Florida State University. She is, by all accounts, a poster child...

Hosford’s Ann Marie Brown wins Big Bend Spelling Bee…again!

February 17, 2012

Ann Marie Brown of Hosford won the Tallahassee Democrat Big Bend Regional Spelling Bee Saturday. Just like she did last year. Her winning word was “homogeneous.” She took the competition in the 20th round. The 14-year-old is an eighth grade student at W.R. Tolar...

Two Bristol homes robbed; attempt made on another

February 17, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor Two Bristol houses were robbed and another homeowner came face-to-face with a would-be intruder peering into his window Tuesday afternoon. Lamar Holland, 70, said he came downstairs just before 1:30 p.m., walked into his kitchen, happened to look out...

Sanctuary founder Betsy Knight dies at 73, leaving behind a legacy of love for wildlife

February 24, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor “Take it to Betsy.” That’s what was said when injured and abandoned animals were found in this part of the Florida Panhandle for years and that’s how many of us first met Betsy Knight. Baby birds who had taken...

St. Joe leases land to ship-building group for expansion

February 24, 2012

WATERSOUND – The St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE – News) announced that it will lease 20 acres of its former paper mill site in Port St. Joe to Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) of Panama City. ESG plans to expand its existing shipbuilding, vessel construction...

Teens arrested for break-ins; Pair charged with robbing Jackson County homes

February 24, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor Two Gadsden County teens linked to numerous area break-ins, including eight in Liberty County, two in Calhoun County, six in Jackson County (along with one attempt) and two in Gadsden County, were arrested last week. Xavier Darcus Parks, 18,...

Eighteen Calhoun candidates, four in Liberty declare intent to seek office in 2012 election

March 2, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor Election day may be far away and qualifying doesn’t even start until the first week of June but candidates are already coming forward to declare their intent to run for office. Twelve offices will be on the ballot in...

Hill announces plans to seek the Dist. 7 seat

March 2, 2012

Liberty County Clerk of Court Robert Hill says he will seek the District 7 seat in the Florida House of Representatives after redistricting left Liberty County without an incumbent. Hill, who is completing his third term as Clerk, said he had already planned to...

Clarksville man dies in fiery crash near Calhoun County line

March 2, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor A 44-year-old Clarksville man was killed and his truck burned after he crashed into a wooded area off the road sometime after 10 p.m. Friday night. The fatality was identified as James Swain. Firefighters arrived to find little more...

Price, Daniels among those honored at Calhoun Chamber banquet Thurs.

March 2, 2012

by Kristy Terry, Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce Director BLOUNTSTOWN – The 65th Annual Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce Membership Banquet was held Thursday, Feb. 23rd at the W.T. Neal Civic Center. The evening began with a reception featuring historic photos and newspaper clippings,...

Man charged with trying to smuggle smoking incense into Liberty County Jail

March 12, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor A Hosford man who brought toiletry items for his brother at the Liberty County Jail found himself on the other side of the bars after a bag of synthetic marijuana was discovered hidden inside an Old Spice Body Wash...

Futch files intent to run for sheriff in Calhoun; Brown seeks Clerk’s job in Liberty race

March 12, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor Three new names have been added to the list of candidates hoping to win new jobs in the upcoming election. •Former Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Ken Futch has filed his intent to run for Calhoun County Sheriff. He...

Hiers sentenced to 6 months in prison, 3 months home confinement

March 16, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor Former C&L Bank President Jed Hiers was sentenced to six months in prison, followed by three months of home confinement and three years of supervised release after prison during a sentencing hearing that lasted over three hours last Thursday...

Broadband Network installation starts soon

March 16, 2012

from Opportunity Florida MARIANNA – The interior of this hollowed-out 30-year-old factory building looks more like a scene from NASA than the sewing operation that originally occupied the facility. Within this abandoned 31,000 sq. ft. building in the Marianna Industrial Park, rows of white...

Blaze destroys Bristol home

March 16, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor A fire that destroyed the home of Jim and Celeste Shuler is believed to have started in the carport where a truck was parked, according to Bristol firefighter Richard Mims. He said the four-bedroom home was fully engulfed when...

Hosford man facing child abuse and battery charges following altercation

March 23, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor A Hosford man is facing several charges following an altercation in which he hit a man, grabbed a child from a stroller and then resumed fighting while still holding the child, according to a report from the Liberty County...

Five mailboxes hit, three vehicles damaged & two poles knocked down in mishap

March 30, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor A Clarksville man backing up a log truck with an empty trailer set off a chain of events along SR 73 last week that left a trooper scratching his head trying to figure out what happened. Remarkably, no one...

Bike Tour

March 30, 2012

More than 600 bicycle riders made their way through Liberty and Calhoun County Monday during the 2012 Forgotten Coast Tour, organized by Bike Florida. One of the many riders who stopped to sign the guest book at the Depot Museum in Blountstown is shown...

Naked man arrested after disturbance at Camel Lake Saturday

April 6, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor A man under the influence of mushrooms ran naked and screaming through the campground at Camel Lake before being arrested after a foot chase and taken into custody with the assistance of another camper, according to a report from...

Broadband meeting set April 10 in Blountstown

April 6, 2012

BLOUNTSTOWN – Two centuries ago, this early town on the western bank of the Apalachicola River was a center for trade. Local Native Americans bartered goods to English and American trading companies and those goods flowed north to Columbus, Georgia and south to the...

FDLE to open new investigation into McLemore death in Bristol

May 11, 2012

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is taking a closer look at the death of Tranum McLemore. The agency was called to the scene the night McLemore’s body was found on the bedroom floor of his Bristol home with...

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