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• State agents shut down two illegal gambling houses in White Springs, including the Social Center, on Wednesday after executing search warrants. Five people were arrested. (COURTESY)

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WHITE SPRINGS — A pair of White Springs illegal gambling houses were shut down following a state raid Wednesday.

In executing search warrants at two Internet cafes in town, the Florida Gaming Control Commission’s Division of Gaming Enforcement, with assistance from the Florida Highway Patrol’s Rapid Response Team as well as the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, made five arrests and seized 179 suspected illegal gambling devices, computers, ATMs and an undetermined amount of cash.

According to the FGCC, the investigation into the illegal gambling houses in White Springs continues.

“The state of Florida will not condone illegal gambling,” FGCC Executive Director Lou Trombetta said in a release.

Warrants were executed at the Coff33 Cafe and the Social Center, both on Spring Street in White Springs, on Wednesday. Three arrests were made at Coff33 Cafe on charges of possession of slot machines and keeping a gambling house. Two arrests were made at the Social Center, also on charges of possession of slot machines and keeping a gambling house.

According to the FGCC’s release on the arrests, slot machines are heavily regulated in Florida and are only legal in eight pari-mutuel facilities in Miami-Dade and Broward counties and facilities operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

“The FGCC will continue to combat illicit gambling to protect the safety of Florida’s communities, and we appreciate the public’s help in identifying suspected illegal gambling sites,” Carl Herold, FGCC’s director of law enforcement, said in a release.

By NEWS STAFF on Wednesday, February 21, 2024Subhead

White Springs officials claimed response to sign were coming.

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WHITE SPRINGS — White Springs town officials didn’t provide documentation in regards to a residents’ complaints with them after all.

White Springs Town Manager Vanessa George and Town Clerk Audre’ Ruise both said Tuesday that documents in regards to signs constructed by resident Joe Griffin would be available Wednesday afternoon.

All a reporter from the Lake City Reporter received instead was a no comment from George at Town Hall on Wednesday.

The Reporter filed a public records request for the documents Wednesday evening.

Griffin, who has filed more than 20 lawsuits against the town and town officials since moving to the Hamilton County town in 1999, constructed a pair of signs on his property on Mill Street — one street over from Spring Street (U.S. Highway 41) — in town taking shots at White Springs elected officials and staff as well as Hamilton County officials.

One of the two prominent mini-billboards labels George, Ruise and White Springs Mayor Anita Rivers as “White Spring’s 3 biggest crooks.” The other lists Hamilton County Judge Jamie Tyndal as a “Bad Guy” and challenger Tisheena “Sheena” Rickerson as a “Good Guy.”

On Tuesday, a sign was posted on the door at Town Hall instructing visitors that the government office was closed for unspecified security reasons. Ruise, who answered when the door bell was rang Tuesday, said town officials were holding a safety/security meeting in the building regarding Griffin and his signs.

Town Hall remained closed to the public Wednesday as well with the sign still posted on the door.

On June 21, 2022 the Town of White Springs City Council proposed and passed the first reading of an ordinance to allow internet Cafe's within the City. There was an existing ordinance banning them that the new would reversed . On June 28th the final reading took place with  many citizens speaking their disagreement  along with State's Attorney John Durrett and Hamilton County Sheriff having strong words against the new ordinance. The ordinance passed 5-0 as the cafe attorney John Koberlin spoke in favor .  Needless to say the citizens were outraged by the outcome.

There appear to be many issues within the city council, city manager and the citizens, they continue.

THE LATEST:   

It’s been a long hot summer. We hope that you and your family and friends have fared well especially with Hurricane Ian. White Springs was very lucky that it skipped us and now we can enjoy an early fall. 

We are still in tumultuous times with the new internet gambling café open in the old Stormants’ grocery store location. They also added additional gambling machines in the Munchies convenience store. They are working on renovating the old hardware store for their next location.

As a result of the town council passing the internet gambling café and subsequent findings afterward, a lawsuit against the Town of White Springs and the town council and manager has been filed in the Hamilton County Circuit Court. Another lawsuit is pending. Additionally there has been at least two Ethics complaints filed against the town with the State of Florida. As communicated in my last email, July 20, the money raised to fight the gambling was transferred to the attorney, Taren Lane DeLisle, who is handling the lawsuits. 

The town councils’ behavior towards the citizens of White Springs is still deplorable. Mick Shea has been recording town hall meetings, as well as the final budget meeting, Oct. 4. It was very contentious. Here is a link to the budget meeting video/audio recording. I am sure if you listen to it you will agree that this town deserves better leadership. 

https://youtu.be/d_05MMq2NO0

Link to final budget PDF: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17_tV1KlhRVEwOTi6zr8uXRTlmxXuPXk_/view?usp=sharing
 

Please feel free to respond if you have any other comments or questions.

You can follow the lawsuit on this link : https://www.civitekflorida.com/ocrs/app/partyCaseSummary.xhtml

Hamilton County and then Greene Roger