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Today's News

  • Education briefs

    n College of Central Florida offering computer courses

    The College of Central Florida Levy Center is offering two courses to help computer users keep their machines in top condition.

    First, the school is holding a Computer Repair and Troubleshooting course, scheduled for Aug. 6 and Aug. 13. Class time is slated to be 9 a.m. to noon. Participants will learn how to disassemble, configure and assemble the basic computer; and how to install the Windows Operating System. They also will learn about computer maintenance, upgrade and repair.

    Click here to read more...
  • GED offers MORE for college

    The College of Central Florida's successful Adult Education Program, which serves about 750 students per year, wants to do more than bestow Florida High School diplomas and General Equivalency Diplomas to students.

    The program's seven educators at the Levy Center want to help graduates get something MORE — a successful entrance and graduation from college.

    Click here to read more...
  • New county-by-county study shows future water shortages

    Levy County may have only a moderate risk of future water shortages, according to a new study by the Natural Resources Defense Council.

    The results of the study, released on July 20, show a county-by-county analysis of water shortages throughout the U.S. by the year 2050 due to climate change.

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  • Levy County school millage tentatively set at 7.653

    The School Board of Levy County on Tuesday unanimously adopted its tentative millage rate and tentative budget for the 2010-2011 school year.

    But throughout the public hearing — the first by the school district for the next fiscal year —  signs of future financial distress filtered in to the discussions.

    Outside of school district employees, board members and the press, no one attended the hearing.

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  • County to set tentative millage Aug. 3

    The Levy County Commission on Tuesday asked the Sheriff's Office and any department that has not cut its budget to go back to the drawing board and pare their requests.

    At the same time, the board put off setting a tentative property tax millage until its Tuesday, Aug. 3, budget workshop to consider new budget proposals. That's  the same day they will hold a workshop to consider joining a public library co-operative with neighboring counties, a regular commission meeting in the morning, and a workshop on solid waste, fire and emergency medical service assessments.

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  • He's a winner!

    Correction — The 2nd place winning dish in the Cajun Clam Challenge at this year's CLAMerica Celebration was Cajun Clam Cakes, Prepared by Chris Hancock of Tony’s Seafood.

    The July 15 issue of the Beacon had the wrong photo.

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  • Community outreach event in Otter Creek to focus on health and hunger issues

    Two community outreach events, sponsored by the Florida Department of Children and Families, the Levy County Health Department and the Children’s Table, will be held on Saturday, July 31. The events, which will focus on local health and hunger issues, will be held in Levy County at the following locations and times:

    • Inglis Town Hall, 135 Highway 40 West, from 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.

    • Otter Creek Town Hall, 555 SW 2nd Avenue, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.

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  • ‘Songs from the Scrub’ CD is about Cedar Key, made in Cedar Key

    A new CD now available in local shops features Cedar Key resident Matthew Chatowsky sings and plays all the instruments on the album – which he recorded in his home.

    Matt says the album and its songs are uniquely Cedar Key. “The CD is entirely local,” Matt said. “They’re about Cedar Key and produced in Cedar Key – all done in my Cedar Key house.”

    The music doesn’t fit into any one particular genre.  It’s part blues, part country, a little rock, and some folk.

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  • The Ubiquitous Plastic Bagee

    Cities (San Francisco, U.S.A.; Mumbai, India) and even countries around the world (Ireland, Switzerland, and believe it or not, China) are beginning to ban or heavily tax single use plastic bags (the flimsy ones we get at the grocery store).  Why?

    Because plastic bags are made from petroleum (oil) and somewhere between 500 billion and a trillion bags are produced worldwide annually – another example of our dependence on oil.

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  • My National American Miss experience

    Confidence. Public speaking, interview, and presentation skills. New friends.  

    These are some of the things I brought home with me from the National American Miss pageant last Sunday and Monday.  I haven't been in a pageant since I was a baby, so I obviously did not know what to expect.  

    I had absolutely no skills in this area.  I was judged on four different things; personal introduction (30 percent of score), formal wear (30 percent of score), an interview with the judges (30 percent of score), and community service (10 percent of score).  

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