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Today's News

  • Local track and field standouts advance to regionals

    At the district championship meet Wednesday, April 11, at Oak Hall School, the following Chiefland athletes qualified in one or more events for the regional championship meet April 25 in Wesley Chapel: Courtney Hayes; Reagan Hudson; Lauren Jones; Jaycie Anderson; Aubrey Hudson; Banner Hodge; Tramaine Brown; L.J. Jenkins; Jalen Rutledge and Lane Studstill.

    Hayes is the district champion in the girls high jump, while Reagan Hudson and Lauren Jones were district runner-ups in multiple events (see detailed list of finishes below).

    The top four individual finishers or relay teams from each event earned a bid to regionals, and the top eight earned medals.

    The Chiefland girls 4x100-meter relay team of Chamirra McQueen, Aubreigh Brown, Sierra Norris and Courtney Hayes was a near shoe-in to qualify, as the talented quartet has been winning meets in style all season, including the Levy County Championship. But they were ruled out for a false start before the race even began.

    Bronson qualifiers included: Yelena Thomas; Mahki Bostic; Jasmine Glover; Deziah King and Keyera Hutto.

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  • School resource officer tweets to prove point about internet safety to students

    By Lori Prevatt, Citizen Correspondent

    A school resource officer from Richland County, South Carolina, made a bold move to prove the dangers of the internet to her students in that state. Now, Kelly Pounds is using the knowledge she gained from the experience to teach other students about internet dangers.

    Pounds went to Chiefland Elementary April 2 to teach her social media class to the entire fifth grade student body.

    She began by sharing a little information about herself. Pounds has been a school resource officer in South Carolina for two years. She grew up in Chiefland and graduated from Chiefland High School. After graduation, she went to school for medical billing and services. But later, she discovered her passion for law enforcement.

    “There are 96 school resource officers in Richland County and we still do not have a resource officer in every school,” Pounds said.

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  • Proposal to appoint superintendents is withdrawn

    By Lori Prevatt, Citizen Correspondent

    A proposal to appoint school superintendents by school boards instead of by popular vote in the general election was withdrawn from consideration by the Constitution Revision Commission.

    CRC Chairwoman Erika Donalds filed the proposal in October 2017. She withdrew the plan March 22. The amendment to the state constitution requiring district school boards to appoint superintendents would have taken effect Nov. 17, 2020, had it won public approval in November.

    Levy County Superintendent of Schools Jeff Edison shared an email from the Small County Coalition of Florida. The organization issued a cautionary note about the possibility of portions of the withdrawn proposal being used to amend future revisions.

    “We have seen this committee take some very contradictory actions and we are not sure the proposal is dead,” coalition consultant Chris Doolin stated in the email.

    He wrote that for now, Florida citizens have the final say.

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  • Blueberry Festival: Bronson turns purple

    Join the town of Bronson Saturday, May 19, for the fourth annual Bronson Blueberry Festival. There you will find all things blueberry, from fresh blueberries to a wide assortment of other foods made with blueberries. Other delicious foods will also be for sale.

    The Blueberry Festival will host local growers with fresh berries for sale. Vendors will be on hand selling a wide assortment of crafts and other goods. There will be music and a children’s play area.

    The morning of the festival the 5k Blueberry Stomp will take place with registration starting at 7 a.m. and the race starting at 7:30 p.m. The 3.2-mile course winds through town to finish in the James H Cobb Park.

    Anyone interested in being a vendor please contact the Town Hall for an application at 352-486-2354.

    Schedule of events:

    Blueberry Pageant, Saturday, May 12, starting at 9 a.m.

    Blueberry Parade, Friday, May 18, starting at 6:30 p.m.

    Blueberry Stomp 5K, Saturday May 19, starting at 7 a.m.

    Blueberry Festival, Saturday, May 19, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

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  • City prohibits agressive begging

    By C.L. Watson, Citizen Correspondent

    Prohibiting Aggressive Solicitation is illegal in the city of Chiefland after the city commission passed the second and final reading of Ordinance No. 18-02 at the regular meeting Monday, April 9.

    The ordinance was a direct request from Police Chief Scott Anderson following an incident at the beginning of 2018 where a group of out of state vagabonds infiltrated the Walmart parking lot seeking financial handouts. The group consisted of about 19 persons traveling in an old bus.

    The ordinance does not affect groups who have been granted permission from business owners to raise money for their charities and organizations at that business owners location. Girl Scouts will still be allowed to sell cookies and high school students hold car washes.

    The aggressive panhandling law gives the police authority stop the unwanted persons from preying on customers in parking lots and areas throughout the city. The discretion of each violation will be made by the officer handling the incident. No. 18-02 has a maximum fine of $500 and or imprisonment for violators.

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  • Storm damaged trees to be removed from cemetery

    By C.L. Watson

    An emotional thank you was heard by all at the recent commission meeting held April 3rd. Beth Dieveney expressed sincere gratitude to the City of Cedar Key staff, Fire Department and volunteers for their actions following a 911 call May 25, 2017. Mrs. Dieveney was dining at 83 West when her father suffered a heart attack. She felt the quick coordination and knowledgeable response was a contributor to her father being alive and well.

    George Oakley requested placing a directional sign for Cedar Key Bed & Breakfast at the corner of D and 3rd Street. Unfortunately the city ordinance does not allow erected private signs on public property. Police Chief Virgil Sandlin read the Laws of Cedar Key citing the ordinance. The overall concern was if one business is allowed to add signage others will follow.

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  • Lady Indians excelling in college softball

    Former Chiefland Lady Indian softball players continue to make their mark in the college ranks.

    College of Central Florida freshman Takiya London is a slugging machine for the Lady Patriots out of Ocala, with team highs in home runs (15), doubles (12), slugging (.797) RBI (57) and stolen bases (13). The first-year shortstop has boasted a five-game home run streak this season as well as a 12-game hitting streak, and currently carries a .412 batting average.

    CF (40-8) is ranked No. 8 in the nation in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I, and is on top of the Mid-Florida Conference behind a 13-1 mark in conference play. London is second in runs, 10th in home runs and seventh in total bases in NJCAA Division I.

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  • Keen brings rock-a-billy to Chiefland Playhouse

    By Lori Prevatt, Citizen

    Houston Keen took his brand of rock-a-billy music to the Community Playhouse in Chiefland the Thursday before Easter. Keen grew up in Chiefland and graduated from Chiefland High School.

    The 23-year-old Chiefland native shared his story about how he got into the music business and what he is currently working on in a brief interview, before the start of the concert.

    Keen became interested in music because of his grandmother’s influence.

    “My grandma was a singer in church. She always wanted a singer in the family. One day I found my dad’s old guitar and my grandmother told me I was doing this,” Keen said.

    He took guitar lessons at Billy Bones for two years and then learned more guitar skills at his own pace.

    Keen has played at the Alachua County Fair and the Chiefland Watermelon Festival for several years as well as many festivals and fairs in Florida the past three years.

    Keen has also opened for Granger Smith, a famous singer in Texas, and Jamie Davis, another country music singer. He also opened for We the Kings, a well-known Florida band.

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  • Security coming to schools; funding still a question

    Levy County Sheriff Bobby McCallum says all 15 public and charter schools in the county will have a deputy on campus for the remainder of the school year, but he’s concerned about the financial viability of the program going forward.

    At the Levy County Commission meeting April 2, McCallum announced the plans his Office finalized the previous day to send deputies to each campus. The move was in response to the state law passed in March that includes provisions for increasing school safety and security in the wake of the mass shooting that killed 17 and injured 17 more at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

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  • NRA suit vs. Florida continues

    By Lori Prevatt, Citizen Correspondent

    A Palatka goat farmer's request to intervene in the lawsuit filed March 9 by the NRA against Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi was denied.

    The National Rifle Association filed suit against Bondi in response to legislation signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott. The new law was in response to the shooting Feb. 14 at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. The new statute increases the age limit of individuals allowed to buy rifles and shotguns from age 18 to 21.

    Mitchell Williams, 26, a goat farmer attempted to intervene in the lawsuit, but the judge ruled he had no standing in the case. Williams stated in a letter to the federal court that Florida had been experiencing issues with neighbors shooting to close to his home and goats. He suggested the courts limit the purchase of ammunition and also include microchips on ammo to make it traceable.

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