[Clipping: Bombers land at Keystone Airport] Part: 28 of 40
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Sheriff's Race
Attracting Most
Candidates
Ann Williamson
Correspondent
As Tuesday, August 26, 2008 approaches,
a total of four other Republican challeng-
ers have announced their intentions to run
for Clay County Sheriff against incumbent
Sheriff Rick Beseler, with official qualifying
to occur in July.
Paul E. Abernathy is the latest candi-
date to open up a campaign account at the
Supervisor of Elections. Donald "Leroy"
Ennis, Aaron Gary Newman, Michael Tay-
lor and incumbent Sheriff Beseler opened
--their accounts several months ago, officially
entering the race.
Beseler lists $61,940 in monetary contri-
butions for his re-election war chest so far.
Michael Taylor shows $29,730, with New-
man's $4,137, followed by Ennis, who
shows $2,650 in contributions.
Many candidates and incumbents will be
busy gathering signatures for a spot on the
ballot, rather than paying qualifying fees
and the 2008 election cycle list in Clay
County grows longer as the weeks go by as
the primary date approaches.
Late breaking news from the Supervisor of
Election Office reveals an announcement by
Supervisor of Elections Barbara Kirkman
that she will not seek another term of office
to the post she has held for the last 12 years.
Kirkman announced on Tuesday, Febru-
ary 26, that she would not run for a fourth
consecutive term. She was first elected to
the office in 1996.
Immediately following Kirkman's an-
nouncement, Deputy Supervisor of Elec-
tions Chris Chambliss said he planned to
enter the 2008 race for Supervisor of Elec-
tions. Also
officially signing up as an active candidate
for the Supervisor of Elections post is
current Green Cove Springs Councilwoman
Debbie Ricks.
Of interest in the 2008 elections is the
expansion of the Clay County Commission
from five single-member district commis-
sioners to seven members with an elected
chairman and another commissioner. These
two new seats on the Board of County Com-
missioners will be elected at large.
So far District 1 County Commissioner
Rob Bradley has no opposition, with the
pull-out of District 5 Commissioner Harold
Rutledge, who had also announced plans
this past summer to run for this new office
.rather than qualify for another four years
representing District 5 on the Board of
County Commissioners. Bradley lists a total
of $46,945 in monetary contributions for his
campaign for the chairmanship.
This past summer, Rutledge had announced
his candidacy for the new elected chair and
was pitted against District 1 Commissioner
Rob Bradley (appointed by the Gov. to fill
the vacancy created by prior appointee John
Thrasher to fill out the unexpired term of
suspended County Commissioner Christie
Fitzgerald). This leaves District 1 and 3 va-
cant since Commissioner Bradley is seeking
the elected chairmanship in a countywide
at-large race. With Rutledge backing out,
Bradley continues to have no opposition for
the August 26 election.
Continued in next columnContinued from last column
In the School Board elections, District 2 and
4 come back before the voters. District 2 is
occupied by incumbent Carol Studdard and
District 4 by School Board Member Wayne
Bolla.
The entire slate of Constitutional Officers is
up for grabs, including the offices of
Sheriff (Rick Beseler), Clerk of the Court
(James B. Jett), Property Appraiser (Wayne
Weeks), Tax Collector (James "Jimmy"
Weeks), Supervisor of Elections (Barbara
Kirkman) and Superintendent of Schools
(David Owens).
Thus far, all candidate hopefuls and incum-
bents are running as Republicans, except
Superintendent of Schools candidate Steven
Richards who lists no party affiliation.
CANDIDATES FOR 2008 ELECTION
CYCLE CLERK OF THE COURT: James
B. Jett, incumbent. Monetary Contributions
to Date: $11,435.
SHERIFF: Paul E. Abernathy; Rick Be-
seler, incumbent; Donald "Leroy" Ennis,
Aaron "Gary" Newman, Michael K. Taylor.
Monetary Contributions to Date: Beseler,
$61,940; Taylor, $29,730; Newman, $4,137;
Ennis, $2,650; Abernathy just entered race
with no activity to date.
TAX COLLECTOR: Jimmy Weeks, incum-
bent. Monetary Contributions to Date: $120.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS:
Steven Richards; Patrick Thurman; Ben
Wortham. Monetary Contributions to Date:
Thurman, $3,070; Richards, $100; Wortham,
no activity.
COUNTY COMMISSION CHAIR AT-
LARGE: Rob Bradley. Monetary Contribu-
tions to Date: $46,945.
COUNTY COMMISSIONER AT LARGE:
Paul Nelson Ackley; Ronnie Coleman;
Diane Hutchings. Monetary Contributions to
Date: Ackley, $1,000; No activity for Hutch-
ings and Coleman to date.
COUNTY COMMISSIONER, DISTRICT
1 (no incumbent): Wendell D. Davis; David
K. McCall; Tom Platt. Monetary Contribu-
tions to Date: McCall, $6,157; Platt, $1,775;
Davis, no activity.
COUNTY COMMISSIONER, DISTRICT
3 (no incumbent): William "Travis" Cum-
mings; Michael S. Mann; Deborah A. Terry.
Monetary Contributions to Date: Cummings,
$36,670; Mann, $1,000; Terry, $225.
COUNTY COMMISSIONER, DISTRICT
5: Harold Rutledge incumbent. Monetary
Contributions to Date: $500.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, DISTRICT
2: Carol Studdard incumbent; Duane A.
D'Andrea. Monetary
Contributions to Date: Studdard, $700;
D'Andrea, $680.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, DISTRICT
4: Frank Farrell; Kenneth E. Francis. Mon-
etary Contributions
to Date: Farrell, $12,410; Francis, $100.
SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS: Chris
Chambliss (no activity); Debbie Ricks (no
activity). Incumbent office holders who have
not filed for re-election as yet include Prop-
erty Appraiser Wayne Weeks, and School
Board Member Wayne Bolla (District 4).
Clay County School Superintendent David
Owens announced last month that he would
not seek re-election in the 2008 election.
There are 64,004 Republicans; 28,745
Democrats and 20,982 listed in Others.
Registration books are currently open, but
close 30 days prior to each election.
The Primary Election is set for August 26,
2008 and the General Election will be held
on November 4, 2008.Florida's winner in the National Society
Dau hters of the American Revolution
(DAR) Good Citizen
contest
Regent Cheryl Field of Orange Park's Sophia
Fleming Chapter of NSDAR (Daughters of the
American Revolution) meets with Senior Eric
Bell at Orange Park High School to offer her
congratulations on him being selected as Flori-
da's winner in the National Society Daughters
of the American Revolution (DAR) Good Citizen
contest. Eric and his parents, Richard and Susan
Bell of Orange Park will attend the DAR Florida
'A ~ '~State Conference in Orlando, March 15 to accept
his award. Eric now qualifies as a contender for
rd _. ; the National award.World War II, Korea, Viet Nam Veteran
Colonel Howard Westphall
Honored by Junior Election Board
By Wayne Spivey
Staff Writer
Four youthful members of the Clay County Junior Elections Board honored Colonel
Howard Westphall, USMC Retired, with Valentine's Day surprises at the Supervisor of
Elections office in mid-February. Westphall is a three-war Marine veteran and part of Su-
pervisor of Elections Barbara Kirkman's "Vote in Honor of a Vet" campaign.
Students bridged the generation gap by asking questions of a true American patriot.
Each proposed two questions to the retired Marine who served the United States during
three wars: World War II, Korea and Viet Nam.
Abby Williamson, 8th grade at Green Cove Springs Junior High asked: "How old
were you when you joined the Marine Corps and why did you join?" Westphall answered,
"Just 17 - Rather interesting: My brother was three years older than I was. He enlisted in
the Army Air Corps. My friend enlisted in the Marines and we were on the train the next
morning - 12 Mar 1943." And, how many years did you serve, asked Abby? The answer:
"28 years, 3 months and 19 days."
Gordon Kingston, 8th grade at Lake Asbury Junior High asked, "What was your job
in the Marine Corps?" Colonel Westphall explained that before boot camp he first went
to Emery University two semesters, then to Duke two semesters. Out of boot camp he
said he was promoted to Private First Class. Following Officer's Candidate School he was
commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant, and the Marines shipped him off to Japan. "What foreign
countries were you stationed?" Answer: "Two tours in Korea, Vietnam, and two tours in
Okinawa, Japan." Then to the "arm-pit of the world, just a big storage area, the southern
most island of the Philippines;" the colonel explained. Later, Colonel Westphall said he
was working for a regular commission and was stationed with the Royal Marines in Eng-
land.
Britney Knight, 9th grade at Fleming Island High asked, "What Medals/Honors did
you receive?" A little hard of hearing but with Marine Corps demeanor, Colonel Westphall
said, "Oh, my late wife was my memory bank and I received the Legion of Merit and the
Distinguished Service Medal. I always wanted to be a pilot, so I got a private license and
flew as an artillery observer and later received an Air Medal." And, "if you could name one
thing that made you the most proud to be a Marine,yWhat would that be?" Westphall's quick
answer, "The Marine Corps history - I was immediately proud to be a Marine."
Andy Caplin, 11th grade at St. Johns Country Day School asked, "What were some
other military highlights that you remember?" Answer: "Lots of highlights. President Ken-
nedy challenged the Marine Corps to finish a 50-mile hike - like Theodore Roosevelt did
in 1903." Not everyone finished, but Westphall said he was proud to have completed the
challenge it in 12 hours and 18 minutes. Question: "Why do you believe it is important for
young people to register and vote?" Answer: "It is a primary responsibility of a citizen of
the country," Westphall told an attentive Junior Election Board. "People complain but a
high percentage don't even vote."
After retiring from the military Colonel Westphall explained that he worked for twenty-
five years teaching PACE (Personal And Company Effectiveness) seminars throughout the
world. "It changed my life," he said with a smile. Westphall now lives at Magnolia Point.
He has two daughters and five grandchildren.
The four students thanked the square-jawed Marine for his patriotic service and pre-
sented him with a plaque and Valentine's gifts. It was an enlightening experience for young
and old alike - an uplifting highlight from "America's Greatest Generation" to America's
next greatest generation.
Helping present the "Vote in Honor of a Vet" program for the Junior Election Board
was Clay County's Supervisor of Elections Barbara Kirkman and Myra Haslem, Outreach
Specialist.Junior Election Board Members Abby Williamson, Andi Caplin, Britney Knight and
Gordon Kingston, honored retired Marine Corps Colonel Howard Westphall with Valen-
tine Day gifts at the Supervisor of Elections Office in mid-February. Outreach Special-
ist Myra Haslam and Supervisor of Elections Barbara Kirkman promote the "Vote in
Honor of a Vet" campaign.The best way to predict your future is to create it.
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ffi _ .March 2008
Neighbor to Neighbor
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[Clipping: Bombers land at Keystone Airport], clipping, March 2008; Middleburg, Florida. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth887615/m1/28/?q=%22~1~1%22~1: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting National WASP WWII Museum.