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Calhoun County School Superintendent Tommy McClellan has filed his letter of intent to seek re-election. He will face Logan Barbee, Julie Leonard-Smith and Ralph Yoder on the ballot.

A suspect wanted in connection with over two dozen burglaries around the region has surrendered.

Keldrick Trenaud Wilson, 17, is facing charges in Calhoun, Liberty, Jackson, and Gadsden counties, as well as Decatur County, GA. Wilson was initially apprehended in Chattahoochee Feb. 15, along with Xavier Darcus Parks, 18. However, after being booked into the Jackson County Jail, Judge Woody Hatcher set bond at $50,000. Sources say there was a delay in warrants from other counties being processed. Wilson made bond on Feb. 20 and walked out of jail.

Authorities in other counties learned the following day Wilson was back on the streets and began searching for him. By week's end, the Fugitive Task Force with the U.S. Marshal's Office joined the hunt. Wilson turned himself into the Gadsden County Jail on Saturday.

BY KELLI PEACOCK DUNN
News Editor

A suspect wanted in over two dozen burglaries in Calhoun, Liberty and surrounding counties remains on the run with the U.S. Marshals joining in the hunt to bring him into custody.

As reported earlier this week by The County Record, Keldrick Trenaud Wilson, 17, walked out of the Jackson County Jail Monday after posting a $50,000 bond that had been set by Judge Woody Hatcher. Warrants from the surrounding counties were being processed at the time.

Authorities tracked Wilson to a housing project in Quincy Thursday, but have not yet found him. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact local law enforcement.

Wilson and his alleged partner in the burglaries, Xavier Darcus Parks, 18, were first apprehended Feb. 15 when a group of investigators from Calhoun, Liberty, Jackson, and Gadsden counties gathered at the BP Station in Chattahoochee to discuss the case. The pair pulled up and authorities noticed their car matched the description of a suspicious vehicle reported by eyewitnesses in Liberty County. Stolen jewelry, cash and firearms were discovered in the vehicle.

Calhoun County Tax Collector Becky Trickey-Smith has filed her letter of intent to seek re-election. She is currently unopposed.

CALHOUN COUNTY
Feb. 12: Jeremy Hazelwood, failure to appear
Feb. 14: Shane Coburn, county VOP; Lisa Welch, issuing worthless check under $150; Frederick Barfield, VOP (manufacture of meth, poss. of meth)
Feb. 16: David Attaway, battery; Jose Cruz aka Alfredo Guitennez, no valid drivers license, obstruction; Paul Bymes, VOP; Mark McGill, domestic battery
Feb. 17: Christopher Johnson, resisting arrest without violence, poss. of drug paraphernalia, criminal mischief, escape, possession of meth.
Feb. 18: Kevin Lee Moore, out of county warrant
Feb. 19: Carla Causey, disorderly conduct; Maxwell Jack Helman, driving while license suspended or revoked

LIBERTY COUNTY
Feb. 13: Thomas Galloway, failure to appear
Feb. 16: Nehomi Cossey, hold for CCSO
Feb. 17: Timothy King, hold for Jackson County
Feb. 19: Carla Lea Causey, hold for Calhoun Co.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Shane Goff listed on last week’s Calhoun County Sheriff’s Log should have been listed as “Shawn” Goff.

The above individuals were booked into the Calhoun or Liberty County Jail over the past week. Although they have been charged with a crime, they are considered innocent until proven guilty.

State Representative Marti Coley (R) will no longer serve as the District 7 legislator following this term. New district lines have been drafted with Coley, who lives in Jackson County, now residing in District 5. A native of Blountstown, Coley says she hopes to serve one more term and will be seeking the District 5 seat in the next election. Check out the full story in this week's print edition on news stands tomorrow.

Robert Hill of Bristol has filed his letter of intent to seek the State Representative seat in district 7. Hill has served the past three terms as Liberty County's Clerk of Court. Check out this week's print edition on news stands tomorrow for more details.

Calhoun County Property Appraiser Terry Stone has filed his letter of intent to seek re-election. His is currently unopposed.

BY TERRY MORSE, Big Bend Wildlife Sanctuary

Betsy Knight fought off more than one illness in her life, but I am afraid that she lost the battle this time. Betsy passed away around 11:30 this morning with her family by her side.

This was shock to many of us because we thought she was on the road to recovery. However, when she had planned surgery this week, the doctors discovered a mass that was cancerous and it had rapidly spread through her body.

Betsy Knight had a beautiful soul and dedicated her life to conservation and wildlife. She loved the outdoors and some of you may not know that every year in March she would go kayaking with friends and some of her grandchildren. She raised and rehabilitated many native animals during her years as the Director of Big Bend Wildlife Sanctuary. From all the stories I have heard, I don't think there is a species she hadn't cared for at one time or another.

If Betsy had to pick one accomplishment though, I think she would say she was most proud of the success she had with Florida Black Bears. She has raised or rehabilitated over 40 bears and returned them to all back the wild, even though she was told it couldn't be done. Few people told her no and if they did, it only made her WILL to prove them wrong all the stronger.

I will miss Betsy's stories and her wealth of knowledge. I hope I can continue her legacy with wildlife as many others are already doing. Betsy knew more about the natural history of each animal than I could ever hope to know. But mostly I will miss Betsy.

Thank you all for your prayers for Betsy and her family. The schedule for services has not been determined yet, but I will post that information as soon as I get it. I know Betsy had so many friends and I hope I have reached all of them either through phone calls, FWRA, Facebook or email but if anyone thinks of someone that might not know please pass this information on to them. I attached 2 of my favorite photos of Betsy.

Terry