Local News

It’s a long way from the old James A. Shanks High School to the Pentagon.

Just ask Quincy native U.S. Army Major Gen. Frederick B. “Ben” Hodges, a graduate of Shanks.

Hodges came home in March to the delight of many and visited the school. Classmates remembered him as a big, blond kid, smart in school with a good sense of humor. From the James A. Shanks Class of 1976, he went to West Point and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1980.

Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part series of stories reviewing the most significant Gadsden County stories in 2012. Look for the conclusion in the Jan. 3 edition.

Despite opposition from some in the community, Gadsden County voters, almost by a 2-1 margin. voted yes in two referendums that could change the face of the county forever.

Walt McNeil, Quincy Police chief, traveled Dec. 20 to Washington, D.C., to serve on a panel with Vice President Joseph Biden. The meeting came on the heels of the Dec. 14 shooting incident that left 20 children and six adults dead in Newtown, Conn.

President Barack Obama held a press conference Dec. 19 at the White House and promised the panel would be one of substance.

With most of America still in disbelief on the heels of the tragic shooting in Newtown, Conn., that left 20 children, 6 adults and the shooter dead Dec. 14, the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office is stepping up its efforts in the county should a similar incident occur.

“The Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office is already working on its own response plan. We have requested (site) plans for each of the 12 schools, and we will be meeting and developing a plan to address an active shooter,” said Capt. Jim Corder of the GCSO.