Feature Stories

Wife describes night that ended with Tranum McLemore’s death

April 13, 2012
Wife describes night that ended with Tranum McLemore’s death

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 had a temper, she said, but they were able to joke about it. “It’s your world. We just live in it,” she would tell him and they would laugh. “He liked things his way and he lived life with us just as he coached ball, everything was about the win. This is no secret and...

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Dentists volunteer their skills to help local patients in need of care

March 23, 2012
Dentists volunteer their skills to help local patients in need of care

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor Several area dentists agreed to step away from their own practices this week for a few hours to provide some much-needed dental care for people who have neither the insurance nor the funds to afford it on their own. The volunteer dentists are working in the Florida Baptist Convention’s Mobile Dental Unit, which will be on site at the Calhoun-Liberty Ministerial Center in Blountstown through Friday. Medical professionals donating their time include Dr. Laban Bontrager of Bristol, Dr. James Melzer of Chattahoochee, Dr. Raymond Layne and Dr. Brad Layne of Blountstown, Dr. Lynn Tolley...

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Rainbow Family returns for annual gathering in the Apalachicola Forest

March 16, 2012
Rainbow Family returns for annual gathering in the Apalachicola Forest

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor More than 400 people are expected to gather in the Apalachicola National Forest this weekend for the Fifth Annual 2012 North Florida/Apalachicola Rainbow Gathering. The group’s spokesperson, Greg “Forkman” Beck, said campers are setting up at Cliff Lake, 1.6 miles down Forest Highway 13, about 14 miles northeast of Sumatra. As of Monday, about 250 had already made the pilgrimage to join their Rainbow brethren. “The hippies are back and we’ve had the biggest, warmest welcome this time,” said Forkman. Visitors are welcome to come see them at the lake. Forkman said that several...

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

March 2, 2012
Price, Daniels among those honored at Calhoun Chamber banquet Thurs.

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, followed by dinner and an awards presentation. U.S. Representative Steve Southerland was the special guest for the evening, and helped start the program by presenting Calhoun County native and Tuskegee Airman, Cornelius Davis with a letter of appreciation. Rep. Southerland also presented Davis with the Chamber’s Pioneer Award for his service with the Airmen in...

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Remembering sanctuary founder Betsy Knight

February 24, 2012
Remembering sanctuary founder Betsy Knight

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor   “It was just work, work, work all the time but I enjoyed it. I’m glad I did it,” said Babs Moran of Bristol about her experiences volunteering with Betsy Knight. Moran and her husband, Jack, helped establish Big Bend Wildlife Sanctuary in 1988. “We didn’t make a dime,” she said. Although the plan was to operate as a non-profit group, she jokes, “You could say we were a loss-profit organization.” Their biggest asset was the community. When there was a need, they went looking for help. When food ran low, local farmers and...

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

February 24, 2012
Sanctuary founder Betsy Knight dies at 73, leaving behind a legacy of love for wildlife

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 a tumble out of their nest, orphaned fawns, a descented skunk that had once been someone’s pet and displaced otters got a second chance when they were brought to her. There were owls, hawks, eagles, wolves, coyotes, a bobcat and even vultures. Her goal was always to help them find their way back into the...

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Blountstown’s Laura Davis on primary care track at FSU

February 17, 2012
Blountstown’s Laura Davis on primary care track at FSU

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 for the still-young College of Medicine and its particular mission to produce primary-care physicians working in under-served areas. “Laura definitely fulfills that scenario. She is a great fit for us,” said Dr. Paul McLeod, dean of FSU’s Pensacola campus, where Davis is spending her last two years of medical school. Davis is a native of...

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Two Bristol homes robbed; attempt made on another

February 17, 2012
Two Bristol homes robbed; attempt made on another

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 the window and saw a stranger jogging toward his back porch. The suspect – described as a tall, thin, black male – jumped up on the porch and walked toward the window. “He put his hands up to get rid of the glare to look through the breakfast nook window,” said Holland. “He and I...

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

February 3, 2012
Investigation into inmate’s accusations inconclusive; Calhoun County booking officer turns in resignation

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 to the Calhoun County Jail to be booked in on methamphetamine charges following her Dec. 2 arrest. She remained at the jail for more than seven hours before being transported to the Liberty County Jail’s women’s dorm, which houses female inmates for Calhoun County. Three days later, Terry notified Liberty County Jail Correctional Officer Jenny...

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Blountstown native fulfills a dream and open bed & breakfast in Italy

January 27, 2012
Blountstown native fulfills a dream and open bed & breakfast in Italy

by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor A couple of years ago, Rusty Wyrick said goodbye to his 25 year career as a computer programmer and consultant to fulfill a longtime dream of moving to Italy where he now owns and operates a bed and breakfast in the medieval village of Ghivizzano in Northern Tuscany. His discovery of the country that would one day become his adopted home came about due to a missed deadline. Following his 1981 graduation from Blountstown High School, Rusty continued his education at FSU where he applied for the college’s study abroad program in 1984. He...

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