prep playoffs begin thank you, Veterans

HONORING THOSE WHO SERVED

VETERANS DAY FRIDAY, NOV. 11, 2016

St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra start See a full rundown of

History of the American Legion
PAGE 3

Forward March
and the Legion Legacy Project
PAGE 4

Veterans Day weekend calendar

PAGE 6

at home; Bartram on the road Veterans Day events

Continuing the mission
of the American Legion
PAGE 7

Remembering C.F. Hamblen

PAGES 8-9

Military Ball set for Januray

PAGE 11

sports, 1B COmPASS

join today!
Get unlimited digital
access by activating your
All-Access membership: staugustine.com/allaccess

FRIDAy
NOVEMBER 11, 2016 $1
COVERING THE ANCIENT CITY AND ST. JOHNS COUNTY SINCE 1894

[ StAugustine.com ] [ VisitStAug.com ]
vETERANS DAy
St. Augustine
Medals dont mask pain of war looking into
future sham
write-in
candidates
Some are upset over
closed primary elections
By Sheldon Gardner
sheldon.gardner@staugustine.com

While elections wont be back

for awhile, the city of St. Augus-
tine plans to take on the issue
of write-in candidates and their
ability to close primary contests.
In St. Johns County this year,
write-in candidates closed pri-
maries in several contests where
only Republican candidates had
filed and which would have
been open to all registered voters.
The citys resolution is coming
to the table even though St. Au-
gustines City Commission has
no-party-affiliation races, so the
citys elections arent directly af-
fected by the issue.
But the city is affected in a dif-
ferent way because the issue cre-
ates distrust in the political pro-
cess, said Commissioner Nancy
Sikes-Kline, sponsor of the reso-
lution.
PhotoS By ChRiStiNA.KeLSo@StAuGuStiNe.CoM I think our commission is
St. Augustine native Vietnam War veteran and Purple Heart recipient Lorenzo Neely, 73, shows medals he was awarded for his working very hard to create
service in the Army, while seated inside his cousins home on Thursday. transparency and accountability
and build trust within the com-

Vietnam veteran still struggles to cope with the wounds, both physical and spiritual
By Jared Keever
jared.keever@staugustine.com
Lorenzo Neely doesnt have much in
the way of worldly possessions. Of the
things he does have, he is proudest, per-
haps, of a small hobby box that holds
the medals he was awarded for his ser-
vice in the Vietnam War.
There are four Bronze Stars in that
box. Theres a Purple Heart. There are
others, too, and Neely can list what he
did to earn each one.
None of them came easy, believe me,
he said Thursday afternoon seated in the
front room of his cousins Collier Street
home.
Thats where Neely, 73, lives these
days. Everything else he owns, apart
from his car, fits in the small bedroom
where where he has been sleeping for
the last two years.
He said he would like to think that the
medals in his box have earned him some
help with trying to find a home where he
can live out the rest of his years and play
with the grandchildren who come to see
him in the summer. But the way he sees
it, Vietnam has brought him nothing but
pain.
It didnt bring me no success in life, it
just brought everything down and took
everything away from me, he said.
Hes been diagnosed with post-trau-
matic stress disorder and suffers from
diabetes caused by exposure to Agent
Orange, the chemical defoliant sprayed
on the jungles where he was fighting.
He doesnt tell war stories the way
some do, but in recounting his own his-
tory there are plenty of comments and
references that leave little doubt he has
seen some of the worst atrocities war
has to offer.
NeeLy continues on 4A
munity, and our community is re-
ally just a small part of our larger
region and our state, she said.
I think its time to take ac-
tion, she added.
The City Commission is ex-
pected to vote on the resolution
on Monday, and its not clear
whether the issue will be added
to the citys official legislative
agenda if it passes.
The resolution would oppose
write-in candidates ability to
close primary elections and
would also urge lawmakers to
pass legislation to make write-in
candidates more accountable, for
example[,] by requiring them to
at least collect voter signatures
on petitions or pay a qualifying
fee, according to the resolution.
In June, write-in candidates
Vietnam War veteran Lorenzo Neely, 73, filed in the final days and hours
indicates a tattoo he and the 11 other of candidate qualifying, closing
members of his squad had done during
their tour. City continues on 4A

New Florida House speaker planning to crack down on lobbyists activities

Corcoran setting
new rules on contacting
legislators during votes
Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE | Floridas next
House speaker wants to put in
place a long list of rules to crack
down on lobbyists, saying he is
trying to battle back perceptions
of corruption and influence-ped-
dling.
Rep. Richard
the House floor.
The rules prohibit legislators
get for hometown projects, a ritu-
al that usually occurs in the wan-
Sen. Marco Rubio when Rubio
was speaker. The Florida House
Corcoran, a Land
O Lakes Repub-
from traveling on lobbyist-owned
planes, which is allowed now if
ing days of the session. The new
process will force legislators to
will set the standard for others
to emulate. And those who can-
lican set to be- they pay the same rate it would file stand-alone bills that include not live up to the highest ethical
come speaker this cost to fly on a commercial jet. the request. He also wants to ban and professional standards will
Richard month, released Lobbyists will be required to dis- legislators from lobbying local find the Florida House a difficult
Corcoran will proposed rules close electronically more infor- governments when they arent in place to work or visit.
be Floridas next Thursday that in- mation about their activities, in- session. House members will vote on
House speaker clude a ban on lob- cluding bills or amendments they It is time that government em- the new rules Nov. 22 when they
byists using emails are trying to kill or pass. bodies the very highest of stan- gather to formally install Corco-
or text messages to reach out to Corcoran also wants to make it dards and serve citizens and not ran as speaker.
legislators when they are about to harder for legislators to add new self, said Corcoran, an attorney
vote in committee meetings or on spending items to the state bud- who was once a top aide to U.S. houSe continues on 4A

INDEX TODAyS WEATHER THEy SAID IT Copyright 2016

TV LISTINGS
COMICS
OPINION
NATION/WORLD
4D
5C
5B
5A
76 55
HIGH
Sunny
LOW
LIKE US
facebook.com/
FOLLOW US
twitter.com/
When you work hard and do things
the right way you get rewarded.
DALvIN COOK, Florida State running
back who is about to set the schools
4 SECTIONS, 24 PAGES

OBITUARIES 4A FORECAST ON PAGE 6B

staugustinerecord staugrecord career rushing record. See 1B. 8 29562 00001 9