By CARL MCKINNEYcmckinney@lakecityreporter.com

A Columbia County School District infor-mation technology employee who was sus-pended for stealing from teachers’ purses pleaded guilty to petty theft following her arrest in Hamilton County, according to court documents.

Sonya Romine Westberry, 52, of Northwest Pillsbury Drive, stole more than $300 from multiple victims before her suspension in December, said Columbia County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Murray Smith.

Hamilton County deputies arrest-ed Westberry on a warrant on March 14, a week after charges were filed with

the Third Circuit State Attorney.

Smith in December told the Lake City Reporter that an arrest affidavit had been filed, but the Third Circuit State Attorney’s Office didn’t receive it until Jan. 31, said Assistant State

Attorney John Durrett. The prosecutor filed the affidavit March

3, Durrett said. On Nov. 11, CCSO Cpl. Brian Rix

responded to Five Points Elementary School to assist with a theft investigation.

School officials told Tix that someone had been stealing money from their purses for the last six to eight weeks.

After district officials authorized class-room surveillance, video footage shows Westberry rummaging through teachers’ bags, according to CCSO.

Westberry was performing service calls at the school on each day a theft occurred, according to authorities.

Investigators interviewed Westberry at the school board office. She initially denied tampering with any purses, but later con-fessed after authorities showed her the video footage, a sheriff’s report stated.

On Nov. 28, Rix spoke to another dep-uty about a $100 theft from a former Richardson Middle School teacher, for which Westberry became a suspect.

Authorities reviewed video footage out-side the classroom and saw Westberry was the only person to enter the room, accord-ing to reports.

Assistant Superintendent Cherie Hill placed Westberry on temporary suspen-sion. An update on her employment status was not available on Monday.

Lake City ReporterTUESDAY, MARCH 28, 2017 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00

LAKECITYREPORTER.COM

CALL US:(386) 752-1293

SUBSCRIBE TOTHE REPORTER:Voice: 755-5445Fax: 752-9400

Vol. 142, No. 250 TODAY’S WEATHER Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4AObituaries . . . . . . . . . . . 3ASchools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6APuzzles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2BAdvice & Comics . . . . . 3B

SPORTSLady Tigers take on Vanguard

in district matchup, 1B.85 58Morning fog, 2A

CCSO: Steroids, pot prompt arrest, See below.+ PLUS >>

Last chanceJam auditions

LOCAL

Young Artists of the Month

SCHOOLS

See Page 6ASee Page 5A

Trump VA photo dust-up quelled

School worker charged in thefts

Temporary portrait hung after outcry.Story, Page 3A.

GOVERNOR HONORS VETS IN LIVE OAK

IT specialist rifled through teachers’ purses, according to CCSO arrest report.

Westberry

PHOTOS BY KATRINA POGGIO/Lake City Reporter

Governor Rick Scott greets two World War II veterans, Earl Mills (left) and Wyman M. Garland, at the Louie C. Wadsworth Armory in Live Oak on Monday afternoon. BELOW: Including family members and guests, more than 300 people were present.

By KATRINA POGGIOkpoggio@lakecityreporter.com

LIVE OAK — One by one, Governor Rick Scott honored 239 veterans at the Louie C. Wadsworth Armory here on Monday afternoon as he placed medals over their head and thanked them for their ser-vice.

“Think about all the free-doms we get to cherish,” Scott said. “It’s all because people are willing to defend

CCSO: Steroids, pot prompt arrestBy CARL MCKINNEYcmckinney@lakecityreporter.com

A local man racked up 17 criminal counts on Friday evening for domestic vio-lence and numerous drug-re-lated offenses, according to reports.

Richard Lynard Dicks, 38, of Southeast Rossi Drive,

was arrested after deputies responded to a domestic dis-pute at his house and found 405 grams of marijuana, more than 30 bottles of steroids, 10 bottles of human growth hor-mone and a variety of other pills and drug paraphernalia, according to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.

Dicks grabbed his signifi-

cant other by the throat during the dispute and dragged her down the hall, making her fear she would

lose consciousness and die, the woman told the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.

When a deputy respond-ed, he could hear the couple screaming at each other.

The woman was sitting on a pile of her personal belong-ings on the back porch, screaming at Dicks that she “just wanted to leave,” accord-ing to the report.

More than 300 attend ceremonyVets gather at Armory to get service medal.

SCOTT continued on 3A

Dicks

ARREST continued on 2A

A3

TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 2017 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER 3A

I’ll show you how life insurance can come in handy for more immediate family needs, like college. We put the life backin life insurance.™ CALL ME TODAY.

There are also benefits now.

With life insurance, the benefits live on.

State Farm Life Insurance Company (Not licensed in MA, NY or WI)State Farm Life and Accident Assurance Company (Licensed in NY and WI)

Bloomington, IL1311019

John Burns III, Agent234 SW Main Boulevard

Lake City, FL 32056Bus: 386-752-5866

john.burns.cnj5@statefarm.com

1005 W. Howard St. • Live Oak, FL 32060

Hair Angel & CompanySALON & BOUTIQUE

Get Your Best Look at Lake City’s newest salon & boutique

2086 SW Main Blvd, Suite #111Lake City, FL 32025386-288-7549 SE HABLA ESPAÑOL

10% OFFSERVICE

with thiscoupon

Thomas David Howard Thomas David Howard, 88

of Lake City, passed away on Saturday, March 25, 2017 at the Haven Hospice Suwannee Valley Care Center. He was born in Tampa, Florida to the late Earnest David and Nell Avery Howard. Mr. Howard had lived most of his life in Lake City and was a member of the 1946 grad-uating class of Columbia High School. Mr. Howard was a veter-an of the United States Army and he retired from the United States Post Office in Lake City in 1986. He was very active in the Lake City Masonic Lodge #27 hav-ing served as a Past Worshipful Master. Mr. Howard was also a member of the Scottish Rite, the York Rite, the Order of the Amaranth and Southside Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his brother, James Earnest Daniel Howard.

Survivors include his wife, Susan B Howard, Lake City; his children, Cyndi Sandlin, Lake City, Jon Randall Howard (Cathy), Ft. White, Jan Elizabeth Jewell (Robert), Oviedo, FL, Patti Marie Howard, Ft. White, Walter Scott Taylor and Adam Lee Taylor (Shannon) both of Lake City; eleven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren also survive.

Memorial services will be conducted on Friday, March 31, 2017 at 2:00 PM in the Chapel of Gateway-Forest Lawn Funeral Home. Visitation with the family will be one hour prior to the ser-vice starting at 1:00 PM. In lieu of flowers memorial contribu-tions may be made payable to the Amaranth Diabetes Foundation, C/O Mr. Donald Bedsole, 3410 Hwy 73, Marianna, FL 32446, in memory of Thomas David Howard. Arrangements are under the direction of GATEWAY-

FOREST LAWN FUNERAL HOME, 3596 S US Hwy 441, Lake City, FL. 386-752-1954 Please leave words of comfort for the family at www.gateway-forestlawn.com

Milton Clark “Micky”

Morper, Jr.Milton Clark “Micky” Morper,

Jr. was born June 21, 1929, and died March 22, 2017. He was the son of Milton Clark Morper and Louise Walton Morper, and has two sisters, Cortlandt Morper Koonts and Charlotte Morper Hollingsworth. Milton was a life-long member of the Presbyter ian Church. He g r a d u a t e d from Archer High School and the University of Florida with a Masters degree in Education.

After college, he taught a semester at Putnam High School in Palatka, and then served two years in the U.S. Army in Germany. Upon completion of his military ser-vice, he taught in Lafayette High School (Mayo) 1 year; Fletcher High School ( Jacksonville Beach) 7 Years; Lakenheath High School (England) 2 years; Chateauroux High School ( France) 1 year, Dreux High School (France) 1 ½ years; Spangdahlem Jr High School (Germany) 1 ½ years; H.H Arnold High School (Germany) 4 years; Farragut High School (Spain) 10 years; Columbia High School (Lake City) 2 years; Columbia High School ( Lake City) 9 years.

While assigned to Wiesbaden, Germany, he met the love of his life, Martha Cade. They were married in Geneva, Switzerland in 1970. After transferring to

Rota, Spain, their son, Marshall Cade Morper was born.

The Morper family moved to Lake City in 1982, where Milton, (now known as Micky) complet-ed his teaching career.

The funeral service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church in Lake City, Florida on Thursday, March 30, 2017 at 11:00am with Rev. Kenneth L. Goodrich II officiating and assist-ed by Mr. James Montgomery. Interment will be at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Archer, Florida. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Bethlehem Presbyterian Church, 16976 SW 137th Ave. Archer, Florida 32618 or the Haven Hospice Suwannee Valley Care Center at 6037 W US Hwy 90, Lake City, FL 32055. Visitation with the family will be on Wednesday, March 29, 2017 from 5-7pm at the funeral home. Arrangements are under the direction of GATEWAY-FOREST LAWN FUNERAL HOME, 3596 S US Hwy 441, Lake City. 386-752-1954 Please leave words of com-fort for the family at www.gate-wayforestlawn.com

David Robert “Shack”

Shackelford, Jr. Mr. David Robert “Shack”

Shackelford, Jr., 68 of Lake City, passed away on Sunday, March 26, 2017 at the Haven Hospice Suwannee Valley Care Center with his beloved CHS class of 1967 family and his soul-mate, Mellissa Cameron, by his side. He was a son to the late David R. Pete and Effie Mae Sunny Shackelford, Sr. Mr. Shackelford was a life-long resident of Lake City and member of the Columbia High School class of 1967 where he was voted most popular and

played varsity football for three years. He earned his Eagle Scout with the Lake City Boy Scout Troop #85. He went on to attend the University of Florida where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity and Georgia State University where he received his law degree. Mr. Shackelford was a lifelong mem-ber of the First Presbyterian Church of Lake City and a mem-ber of the Columbia High School Quarterback Club. He was an avid duck hunter, sportsman and Columbia High School sports fan. He was preceded in death by his sister, Sheridan Shackelford Harper in 2016.

Survivors include his two nieces, Priscilla Dunn Register, Thomasville, GA and Allison Leigh Register Bruns, Jupiter, FL; his devoted friend, Mellissa Cameron, South Carolina; and his Columbia High School class-mates of 1967.

Memorial services will be conducted on Friday, March 31, 2017 at 6:00 PM in the Chapel of Gateway-Forest Lawn Funeral Home with Mr. James Montgomery officiating. Visitation with friends and family will be one hour prior to the ser-vice from 5-6:00 PM. Interment will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Haven Hospice Suwannee Valley Care Center, 6037 W US Hwy 90, Lake City, FL 32055, First Presbyterian Church of Lake City, PO Box 469, Lake City, FL 32056 or to the Columbia High School Tiger Football, 469 SE Fighting Tiger Drive, Lake City, FL 32025. Arrangements are under the direction of GATEWAY-FOREST LAWN FUNERAL HOME, 3596 S US Hwy 441, Lake City, FL 32025. Please leave words of comfort for the family at www.gateway-forestlawn.com

OBITUARIES

Temporary Trump photo on display at VA

By CARL MCKINNEYcmckinney@lakecityreporter.com

Nancy Vining didn’t vote for Barack Obama, but she still felt a sense of pride when she saw his picture hanging at the Lake City VA.

Vining, who hasn’t visited the facility since her hus-band died several years ago, was disheartened when she learned that the wall lacked a new presidential portrait.

“It made you feel a little bit like we were all connected,”

she said. “To not have the pic-ture makes you feel like there’s not a connection there.”

She isn’t the only one who was concerned. The Lake City Reporter has received a number of angry calls and letters expressing concern over the VA’s lack of a Trump photo.

After the outrage from local residents, President Trump’s portrait is now hanging near the entrance, though it’s not his official photo.

VA spokesperson Cindy Snook said the department was ordered by higher-ups to use an unofficial photo while it waited on the offi-

cial one to be released. She did not say how

many complaints had been lodged over the absence of a presidential portrait.

Lake City resident Thomas A. Noton, in a let-ter featured in Sunday’s edi-tion, wondered whether a VA administrator was inten-tionally trying to keep the portrait off the wall.

“Where is the head of a person who would prevent the display of our president, who is obviously pro-Amer-ican veteran?” Noton wrote. “That person should step down and have nothing to do with the VA, in order to allow all American veterans

to laud the current presi-dent of the United States with the proud display of this picture.”

Vining also wrote a let-ter to the editor, featured in today’s edition, agree-ing with Noton. The letter was submitted before she knew the problem had been resolved.

“If there is an order from higher-up in the VA to for-bid the display of the com-mander in chief, then such order needs to be placed on display in that empty frame,” she wrote.

Snook said no such order was given.

“We were just following pro-

tocol and awaiting the official photo,” she said. “Hopefully, at least having something up helps alleviate whatever con-cerns they have.”

Vining told the Lake City Reporter she didn’t know for sure whether someone was had ordered Trump’s portrait to not be displayed.

“I really have no idea, except that I’ve heard other people say [it],” she said. “I look online a lot and I see a lot of people posting ‘this is not my president.’”

The VA should have been using the unofficial photo much sooner, Vining said, since Trump has now been

in office for two months. “That’s long enough,”

she said. “There should be a portrait”

Vining said she and her coworkers at the Columbia County Sheriff ’s Office would not have allowed a similar situation to take place there.

“If our sheriff hadn’t had his portrait put on the wall, we would have printed it out and put it up for him,” she said. “That’s been done in other places.”

Vining voted for Trump, but hopes even those who didn’t support him can look at his portrait and feel a sense of unity and pride.

Newspaper readers angry that official portrait wasn’t up.

us with their lives.”Since 2013, Scott has toured

the state giving more than 10,000 Veterans Service Awards to dis-charged veterans. It is all part of his mission to make Florida the most veteran-friendly state.

He said it is important for peo-ple to honor veterans and provide them with benefits, but the every-day citizen can honor veterans in passing, too.

“I think the biggest thing is when you see somebody and you recog-nize them, say thank you to them,” he told the Lake City Reporter after the ceremony. “People appre-ciate being thanked.”

He remembers when he got out of the Navy after the Vietnam War and since it was an unpopular war it was a difficult time.

His own experiences, and grow-ing up in a military family, inspired him to give back to veterans and he plans to continue doing so as long as he is governor.

“I want to make sure people want to go serve our nation, defend our freedom and also come home and get to lead their lives,” Scott said.

SCOTTContinued From 1A

KATRINA POGGIO/Lake City Reporter

Veterans line up to receive a Veterans Service Award from Gov. Rick Scott at the Louie C. Wadsworth Armory in Live Oak on Monday afternoon.