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Madison County businessman, Mike Williams, has announced that he will seek the Republican nomination to represent ten North Florida counties in the Florida House of Representatives, District 7 seat. The post is currently held by Marti Coley.

As reported last week, 16 Air Commandos from Hurlburt Field are ruck marching to honor our fallen Special Operations warriors and to raise money for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. They will be coming through Blountstown this afternoon, then proceeding into Bristol. Updated information is the group will REACH Magnolia Square around 3 p.m. (coming in on Hwy. 20 from the west). The group will set up at Magnolia Square for anyone wishing to purchase t-shirts, etc. to support the cause. Once they finish the visit in Blountstown, the Air Commandos will proceed into Bristol. The march began Feb. 12 at Hurlburt Field and will continue all the way to Tampa.

Ralph Yoder has filed his letter of intent to run for Calhoun County Superintendent of Schools. This seat is currently held by Tommy McClellan who has not yet announced. Logan Barbee has also entered this race.

District 1 School Board member Danny Ryals has announced plans to seek re-election. No other candidates have stepped forward at this time for that post.

Election season continues to heat up in Calhoun County with another candidate stepping forward. Sky Scott has announced plans to run for Supervisor of Elections. The seat is currently held by Margie Laramore who says she does plan to seek re-election.

TALLAHASSEE -- Kimberly Nakia Lewis, 31, of Sneads, Florida, and Christopher Lamont Shorter, 33, of Quincy, were arrested today on an indictment charging them with conspiracy to defraud the United States in the filing of false 2008 and 2009 income tax returns.

The indictment alleges that, while employed with the Florida Department of Corrections, Lewis used the department’s database to obtain the names and social security numbers of inmates for use in a scheme to file fraudulent federal income tax returns. According to the indictment, Lewis gave the information to Shorter, who used it, without the inmates’ knowledge or consent, to file fraudulent income tax returns in the inmates’ names. Shorter then arranged for the refunds issued on the returns to be deposited at credit unions throughout Tallahassee, in accounts opened in the name of “Complete Solutions Tax Services,” a business Shorter established in 2008.

The indictment also charges Shorter with 25 counts of filing false claims against the United States, seven counts of wire fraud, 18 counts of mail fraud, and four counts of aggravated identity theft, in connection with the scheme. Lewis is charged with four counts of false claims, seven counts of wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.

If convicted, the defendants face maximum sentences of ten years in prison for conspiracy, five years’ imprisonment on each count of false claims, and twenty years for each count of wire and mail fraud. If convicted of aggravated identity theft, the defendants face a mandatory minimum term of two years’ imprisonment, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence.
Trial is scheduled for April 2, 2012.

Pamela C. Marsh, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, praised the work of the Internal Revenue Service and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, whose joint investigation led to the indictment in this case.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Winifred Acosta NeSmith.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

GAME NIGHT: The Altha Wildcats host the Liberty County Bulldogs in basketball Friday night. Game time is 6 p.m. for J.V., followed by varsity at 7:30.

ROMANTIC EVENING: The Panhandle Pioneer Settlement invites you to an elegant evening of scrumptious confections and classical chamber music and romantic favorites on Saturday, February 4, at 6:30 pm. CST. Enjoy a delicious buffet with live music. Cost for the event is $20 per couple and $15 per individual. Call 850-674-2777 for ticket reservations.

SELL YOUR GOODS: The River Valley Marketplace is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon in the greenspace next to Centennial Bank. Booth spaces are free and open to artists, crafters, farmers, gardeners, bakers, and business vendors. No flea market items permitted. Just show up and choose your own space, first come, first serve.

PREACH ON: A Black History Preaching Tournament will be held at Prayer Chainer's Church Feb. 3 & 4 beginning at 6:00 p.m. nightly with Evangelist Peterson. Contact Pastor G.B. Sheard at 674-8623, Le'Tonya Reed, 850-272-2482, Marjorie Peterson, 674-3449, or the Prayer Chainer's Mission of God Church, 674-5548 for more details.