Pritchett

A circuit judge sent a Bryceville woman to prison for 16 months after she pleaded no contest on September 12 to violating probation stemming from drug possession and sale cases dating back to 2009.

Melissa Pritchett, 41, gets credit for 149 days she has been in county jail since violating terms of a two-year probation by being arrested for drunk driving and failure to pay restitution.

Court records show that Ms. Pritchett sold methadone in the parking lot of Walmart to a buyer working for the sheriff’s department in March, 2009, and earlier that month sold methadone and other controlled drugs in a pre-arranged meeting in the parking lot of Ace Hardware in east Glen St. Mary.

She was arrested a third time in November, 2010 for possession of drugs after her vehicle was stopped for erratic driving on US 90 in downtown Macclenny. She was taking her children to school at the time.

Competition in the business world is generally regarded as a good thing, at least from the consumer point of view. But it can be hard on locally owned businesses in small towns that have to go head-to-head against national retailers — especially in today’s tough economy.

That was the message some local business owners gave to the Macclenny City Commission last week as the five-member board discussed a proposed rezoning to pave the way for a new Tractor Supply Co. store in space formerly occupied by Food Lion in the Cornerstone Shopping Center on South 6th Street.

Local merchants said they ordinarily support free enterprise and competition but were concerned, nonetheless, about the potential impact a Tractor Supply outlet would have on their businesses.

“It’s going to greatly, greatly affect the little Mom & Pop stores out here,” Steve Williams, owner of Cycle & Marine Inc. on South Lowder Street, told commissioners at a board meeting on the evening of September 11. “We’re already struggling.”

Baker County commissioners are one step away from adopting a $28.2 million budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year, including a new method of paying for county jail inmate care that officials say will save taxpayers up to $200,000 a year.

The proposed budget was unanimously endorsed during a meeting on the afternoon of September 17, following a workshop to discuss a plan with the City of Macclenny to pave Buck Starling Road adjacent to the 10-acre site of a future public transportation center operated by the Council on Aging.

A final public hearing and adoption of the new spending plan, which holds the line on taxes and fees and was balanced by a roughly $1.5 million transfer from the county’s dwindling reserve fund, is scheduled for 6 pm on October 2 — one day after the new fiscal year begins.

Included in the $28,213,239 budget is $3,782,945 for county jail inmate care, which the commission in the past has paid in advance quarterly payments in exchange for a discount of about $80,000 a year. By paying the entire amount up front, as Sheriff Joey Dobson proposed two weeks ago, officials said the county could save up to an additional $120,000 a year.

After the sheriff pitched his idea to the board on September 4, Commission Chairman Gordon Crews noted that the plan enables the county to balance the budget without having to take quite as much out of reserves to fix a projected $1.6 million deficit.

The additional $120,000 in savings, Mr. Crews said, would require a transfer of only $1.48 million from reserves to balance the budget instead of $1.6 million. As of August 27, the reserve fund held about $7.8 million.

Arnold Clayton

The sheriff’s department charged two men with trafficking drugs from the residence of one of them in a north Sanderson neighborhood.

The arrests of Arnold (Ace) Clayton, 40, and Willis Hudson, 36, were based on a series of controlled buys at the former’s Clayton Ave. residence during a time period ranging from June 29 through August 27.

The two were picked up on August 31 when warrants were served at the address and remain in custody at county jail this week.

Because of the amount of drugs and frequency of the offenses, the case will likely be submitted to a federal grand jury. In the meantime, Mr. Clayton is being held without bond for possession of cocaine with intent to sell and sale.

For the time being, Mr. Hudson is charged only with a firearms violation.

Investigator Mike Hauge, who handles drug cases for the sheriff’s department, and Investigator Randy Crews, who is part of a regional drug task force, arranged the buys using two undercover purchasers. Police records indicate the buys took place during daylight hours on ten occasions involving cash ranging from $30 to $320.