Local News

Waiting for help for Florida’s education budget? Don’t hold your breath.

The state’s leaders were counting on more than $3 billion from a federal stimulus package to provide relief for an already wheezing statewide budget, but the state may not qualify for the funds because the Legislature has cut the budget too much. Florida’s elected officials are scrambling in Washington, hoping to get a waiver in the Senate stimulus bill that will allow Florida to qualify for the much-needed money for education.

The first-degree murder trial of Hernandez L. Daniels, 39, gets underway in Gadsden County Circuit Court next week. Lopez and another man, Fernando Taylor, are accused of murdering Constance Dupont of Havana in 2006.

Dupont was shot to death in her downtown Havana apartment after she was suspected of being a confidential informant. Daniels is currently serving a life sentence in federal prison on drug charges.

It took more than two years to bring charges in the murder case against the two men.

Havana Town Council members voted unanimously last week to move forward with the development of a more than 350- acre retirement village.

The developer’s agreement meets Florida Department of Community Affairs requirements, and includes verbiage that the town of Havana will provide sewer and water services to the site.

The agreement also guarantees adequate connections so as to cover the town’s extension during the first 10 years of the property’s operation.

A house fire of undetermined cause nearly destroyed a home on East Jefferson Street a few blocks from Quincy's central business district early this afternoon.

Fire Chief Howard Smith said the fire started around 1 p.m. and that no one was living in the home at the time of the fire. Also, utilities to the structure had been disconnected.

Homeowner Casey Washington said the house was filled with items that he planned to take to the flea market in Tallahassee. His plan, he said, was to sell the items in the house to raise money to remodel the house.