Today's News

A 12-member jury unanimously found 36-year-old Hernandez Lopaz Daniels of Havana guilty of premeditated first-degree murder in a Gadsden County courtroom filled with relatives of the victim and the defendant. Daniels, who is serving a life sentence in federal prison, showed no emotion when the verdict was read.

Assistant State Attorney Richard Combs, who had requested the death penalty in the case, did not want to comment on the verdict.

The Gadsden County Times has welcomed a new general manager.

Alana Rich, a native Floridian who was raised mostly in Citrus County, is excited to be in Gadsden County and says she has fallen in love with the community.

“From the moment I drove into Gadsden County, I knew this was a special community,” she said. “The beauty of the area and historic homes are breathtaking. I am enjoying meeting with community leaders, festival coordinators and residents.”

Gadsden County fire chiefs presented county commissioners a proposal Tuesday night outlining how their volunteer fire departments could give the county equal or better fire protection than is in place currently.

Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young didn't get the $500,000 he asked for during a county commission workshop last week, but commissioners voted Tuesday night during a regular meeting to give him $200,000. The money will be used to help the sheriff meet some of the operating costs at the jail that he says have caused his law enforcement budget to fall short.

"I've talked to the sheriff and he's fine with this. This is what we're doing and what we can afford it. He knows the fiscal constraints this county is under," said Commission Chairman Eugene Lamb.