WWW.GADCOTIMES.COM GADSDEN COUNTY TIMES • THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016 - 5A friend-of-the-court brief, it writes they’re concerned the “expansion of gambling devices” will “encour- age casino-type gambling contrary to public interest.” They also wrote they plan to offer legal analysis and public policy arguments to the court to help with interpreting the law. The Florida Supreme Court de- cided in December to decide the fate of Creek Entertainment’s slot machine hopes. In May, the First District Court of Appeals approved slots being added in a 2-1 vote, but then reversed that decision in an- other 2-1 vote in October. The October ruling decided a 2012 referendum where Gadsden County voters approved slot ma- chines at the facility wasn’t enough to begin the implementation of the slots, and that slots would have to first be approved by the state Leg- islature. In Gadsden County’s re- quest to file a friend-of-the-court brief, it writes the matter address- es Gadsden County’s ability to call and conduct a legal referendum. Gretna Commissioner Clarence Jackson said after the May ruling that successful implementation of slots could bring 2,000 jobs to Gretna. Board of County Commis- sioners Chairwoman Brenda Holt has put the number closer to 800. The projected, created jobs would include additions to Creek’s staff and new jobs created once Creek’s owners, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, proves the area to be a viable market. SLOTS Continued from Page 1A -Janet Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office Arrest Report January 4, 2016 1. Christopher Rashod Fain: VOP/Burglary 2. Jermaine Terrell Hadley: Aggravated Battery 3. Brittany Dianna Harrison: Felony Theft 4. Daltonica Wilson: Burglary and Grand Theft of a firearm QUINCY — The Gadsden County Chap- ter of National Hook- Up of Black Women Inc. in partnership with the FAMU Na- tional Alumni Associ- ation – Gadsden Coun- ty Chapter will host a celebration in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King’s life and legacy. This is the 10th an- nual Unity in Commu- nity Breakfast Cele- bration. The public is invited to attend — a full breakfast will be served. The event will be Monday, Jan. 18. The schedule includes: Q 7:45 a.m. Free- dom Walk starts at Joe Ferolito Recreation Center, 122 N. Graves Street, Quincy Q 8 am. to 10:30 a.m. “A Day ON — Not a Day OFF” —A Day of Service! Community Cel- ebration & Breakfast at the Joe Ferolito Recreation Center in Quincy features key- note speaker the Rev. Dr. Torrey Phillips, pastor of Saint Marks Missionary Baptist Church in Quincy. Performances include solos by students(s) of Legacy School of Performing Arts in Quincy. For informa- tion, contact Lau- ren S. Wright at lau [email protected] or 860- 874-8137. Annual MLK celebration includes walk, breakfast ty years of planning and construction, the Quincy Bypass opened in February at a ceremony attend- ed by local and state legislators from Gads- den County. The By- pass cost $13 million to construct. It was officially named in May for the late Julia Munroe Woodward. Commissioners vot- ed to allow The Quin- cy Municipal Airport to build two new han- gars on their facility under the condition that new hydrants are installed at the air- port during the 2016- 2017 fiscal year and that pipes for the new hydrants are installed now. The city had told the airport to install new hydrants in 2008, and decided to allow the airport to build the new hangars al- though it hadn’t in- stalled new hydrants so business wouldn’t be stifled. Two official meet- ings were held in Quincy to receive public opinion on the proposed Arts Trail. No one spoke in fa- vor of the trail at the meeting held in May while a few attend- ees spoke in favor of the trail at the meet- ing held in Novem- ber. At both meetings, at least 10 people spoke in opposition of the trail, which is expected to make right-of-way acquisi- tions from at least 30 residences and two businesses. The trail would connect Ha- vana and Quincy with a path for biking and walking. QUINCY Continued from Page 1A TALLAHASSEE — In observance of Florida First Responder Appreciation Week, Tallahassee Commu- nity College will have a ceremony to recognize first responders at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 7, at the Florida Pub- lic Safety Institute in Havana. Governor Scott de- clared the week of Jan. 4 to 8 as Florida First Responder Apprecia- tion Week. This is the second year Governor Scott has made the proclamation. This event will be an opportunity to show appreciation for local law enforcement of- ficers, firefighters and EMTs who protect and serve the community. The event is open to the public. For information or to RSVP, contact Kim Allen at 850-201-7964 or allenk@tcc.fl.edu. TCC to honor first responders Farm Bureau fundraiser to fight hunger Gainesville — Florida Farm Bureau’s Women’s Leadership Program has partnered with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and the Ameri- can Farm Bureau Wom- en’s Program to host a Chef’s Night on Jan. 8 to help citizens in need at the Second Harvest Food Bank in Orlando. The benefit gala will feature an array of fresh dishes prepared by Chef Paula Kendrick of FDACS. Guests will en- joy a menu that includes a blue crab and tarragon salad, a Florida beef filet with vegetables and a strawberry coconut trifle, among other delights. Chef’s Night is a true Farm-to-Fork Fresh from Florida experience. Food products will be locally sourced from Florida farms. Farmers and ranchers will be on hand to meet with event attendees to share their story of American agricul- ture and where their food comes from. All proceeds will sup- port the Second Harvest Food Bank’s operation and benefit its Culinary Training Program, which provides students with the skills and inspiration they need to obtain entry- level positions in food service establishments. More than 50 million Americans – that’s 1 in 6 – including nearly 17 million children, are food insecure, meaning they live at risk of hunger. Throughout the year, farmers and ranchers across the nation donate food, funds and people power to create a hunger- free America. The Chef’s Night will kick off the American Farm Bureau Conven- tion, Jan. 8 to 12, at the Orange County conven- tion center. More than 8,000 farmers and ranch- ers from across the coun- try are expected to attend the national conference. Second Harvest Food Bank is located at 411 Mercy Drive. Chef’s Night will begin at 6 p.m. The final school board meeting of 2015 touched on serious issues facing Gads- den County’s public school leaders. Attention was fixed on the Florida De- partment of Educa- tion’s (FDOE) pro- jection that Gadsden County will see a de- crease in student en- rollment in 2016, and teachers gathered to voice their concerns about needing higher pay and better work- ing conditions. Assistant Superin- tendent of Business and Finance Kim Ferree reviewed the school board’s budget and shared her con- cern about the dis- trict’s future finances after receiving pro- jections of a decline in student enrollment for 2016. Since 2015, five Head Start centers have closed due to lack of enrollment. According to FDOE, Gadsden County will lose approximately 121 students, but Fer- ree projects the coun- ty will lose more than 200 after the dust settles. “We have the pro- jections, so it’s time to plan for the worst and hope for the best,” said Ferree. “Our biggest problem is budgeting. We need to think long-term, plan and manage our finances.” Ferree attribut- ed low birth rates, students attending schools in different counties and people moving to different counties for more em- ployment opportuni- ties as factors affect- ing projected school enrollment. Due to the project- ed enrollment drop, the county would re- ceive less funding, which could lead to the closing of some Gadsden County schools. School Board Mem- ber Charlie Frost Sr., is in favor of giving teachers raises, but believes the district cannot survive if stu- dents continue to leave. “We are losing stu- dents because par- ents are sending them to different counties. We lost approximate- ly 80 students to the opening of a charter school this year. We can’t keep all of these schools open with no students in them,” said Frost. Ronte Harris, pres- ident of the Gadsden County Classroom Teachers’ Associa- tion, is a proponent of closing down schools in order for students to receive a quality education and teach- ers to receive an in- crease in salaries. Critical issues, opportunities face school district leaders ASHLEY E. SMITH Correspondent See DROP/Page 9A Assistant Superintendent of Business and Finance Kim Ferree presents the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) projections for a decreases in stu- dent enrollment in Gadsden County. Photo by Ashley E. Smith