By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor

Most of the candidates for Congress District 2 appeared at a forum held at the public library and hosted by The Wakulla Sun.
Since Congressman Neal Dunn, R-Panama City, announced his retirement, the field has been flooded with candidates.
Five Republicans and all four Democrats seeking their party’s nomination attended the forum on Tuesday, Aug. 5.

A video of the forum can be viewed at The Wakulla Sun website, 
thewakullasun.com.

The Republicans attending were Audie Rowell, Austin Rogers, Evan Power, Luke Murphy and Lee Jones. Jim Norton was unable to attend and sent his brother Joe as a stand-in. Keith Gross and Nick Lewis were absent.
Democrats in attendance were Yen Bailey, Brice Barnes, Amanda Marie Green and Nicholas Zatelos. Because of a family emergency, Barnes had to leave after introductions.
The number of candidates limited the number of questions that could be asked given time constraints. The candidates introduced themselves, took one question from Wakulla Sun Editor William Snowden, who was moderator, and then the candidates did their closing.

• Audie Rowell is a retired law enforcement officer who grew up in Tallahassee and attended North Florida Christian. He started his career as a deputy at the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and retired as chief deputy in Walton County.
  He said he’s running to make sure the country stays true to the values it was founded on. “That is our Christian family values, our Constitutional values, our capitalist values and our Constitutional republic values.”
• Austin Rogers who has served as a congressional aide and most recently as general counsel to Sen. Rick Scott.
  “You know a lot has changed since this race started,” he said. “It’s all shown me the importance of this election. We have men playing women’s sports, due to culture of decline and decadence. AI is developing at a rapid pace. And a good man, Charlie Kirk, was shot and killed on a college campus this past year for merely speaking his mind.”
• Evan Power is the chair of the Republican Party of Florida.
  Power, who has lived in the district for the past 26 years, said he wants his children “to have the same values and opportunities that I had growing up. But we’re in a battle for the soul of our nation. If you had asked us 10 years ago if we were having a discussion about men in women’s sports, men in women’s restrooms and labeling parents domestic terrorists, you would tell me I was crazy. But this is where we are with the Democrats.”
• • Jim Norton is the Gulf County Superintendent of Schools.
• His brother, Joe, said he could go through all the things Jim would do in office and it would be no different than any other candidate on the Republican ticket: “Smaller government, lower taxes, Second Amendment rights… and America First.”
• Luke Murphy is a combat-wounded veteran who served in Iraq with the 101st Airborne.
  “I’m tired of watching this country go downhill,” he said. “I’ve got a 5-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl. I care deeply about this country, its future. We’ve been fighting since we got here and, you know, I’m the only one on this stage that’s worked in agriculture, worked in construction, fought in the military.”
• Lee Jones is a retired pilot who flew as a civilian during Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
  “I am not an attorney. I am not a career politician and I am not in the good ol’ boy club…” He said he had worked to change some laws dealing with airlines that made flying safer, and warned against the dangers of communism.
  On the Democrat side:
• Nic Zateslo grew up in Tallahassee. His main issue he focused on was the proliferation of AI data centers. (He attended and spoke at the Wakulla County commission meeting in which commissioners voted 5-0 to support a local moratorium on data centers in Wakulla.)
  “I spent the last few years working directly in AI,” he said, “understanding what’s coming, the job loss that’s no one’s talking about, the kids and anxiety and social media that’s destroying people and families… We all know something is wrong right now… I’m running here to protect our home and protect our families.”
• Amanda Marie Green lives in Tallahassee and is a former international development and emergency management professional.
  “We’re experiencing a complete lack of interest in the voices of the American people beacause Congress is corrupt,” she said. “They don’t work for any of us in this room. They’re working for billionaires, they’re working for corporations that are funding their re-election and it’s unacceptable.”
• Brice Barnes lives in Tallahassee and is a political consultant and advocate for people with disabilities and women’s health care.
  Noting that her father was in the hospital that day awaiting heart surgery, she said appearing at the forum was important.
  “I care deeply about each of you and I’m running to represent everyone despite what else is going on in my life, I will show up for each and every one of you.” She stressed her ability to work across the aisle and get things done.
• Yen Bailey is an attorney in Tallahassee, and daughter of Vietnamese refugees. She ran against Dunn in 2024.
  “I’m running again now because that’s what we need in Congress right now – I’m so tired of seeing the people in Congress who can watch our Constitution be violated over and over again and just say there’s nothing they can do about it. We need a fighter.”
  Rotary Club member Heather Bryan was timekeeper, as the candidates were given 3 minutes for each portion.
  A straw poll was held in which the 60 or so audience members in attendance voted.Amanda Green got the most votes of the Democrats, and Luke Murphy got the most votes of Republicans.
  The party primary is Aug. 18. The winners of the Democrat and Republican primary will face off in the November general election.

By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor

On Tuesday, Aug. 4, the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office confirmed there was a double-homicide at 740 Otter Creek Road in Sopchoppy. The deceased were identified as Rebecca Lynn Thomas, 58, and John William Luper III, 49, who both died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds.

It was reported that, following the killings, the victims’ bodies were transported and concealed in separate locations.
A structure fire also occurred at the Otter Creek Road property. The cause and circumstances surrounding the fire remain under investigation; however, based on the information currently available, it is being treated as a separate incident from the homicides.
On Wednesday, Aug. 5, the sheriff’s office reported it had obtained arrest warrants for Joseph Ronnie Raker, 46, on two counts of homicide, with nationwide extradition authorized.
Based on investigative developments, Raker should be considered dangerous. A $10,000 reward has been offered for information leading to Raker’s arrest.
With social media blowing up and citizens posting comments critical of the sheriff’s office’s handling of the case, Sheriff Jared Miller and Major Eddie Wester, head of Criminal Investigations Division, posted a 15-minute video on Facebook late Friday with the sheriff expressing his concern about the family and Wester laying out a timeline of events.
Some of the social media criticism focused on the sheriff’s office finding Raker inside the structure that was on fire and having him transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation. At that time, it wasn’t clear that there had been any murders and Raker was described in the video as being cooperative with deputies.
Sheriff Miller said he was aware of a lot of information being posted on social media. “Some it’s accurate,” he said, “some of it’s incomplete and some of it is simply not true.”
The sheriff added that the agency not releasing a lot of information is because they are doing a thorough investigation and don’t want to compromise the successful prosecution of the case.
Wester said the case began on Sunday night with an intoxicated man, who could barely be understood, telling deputies that someone had been shot in the Otter Creek Road area. Deputies went out to the scene with limited information and found nothing. Deputies expanded their search and found signs of a struggle in the yard. They retreated to obtain a search warrant. No bodies had been found at the time.
Later, in the early morning, a fire was reported at the scene. Raker was inside the house and transported to the hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation. In an interview with detectives at the hospital, he indicated someone else was responsible for injuring Luper and Thomas.
Raker came back out to the scene and volunteered to help with evidence, but no evidence was discovered, Wester said. He was allowed to leave because he was considered a witness.
K9 teams from the state Department of Corrections and human remains detection K9s came out that morning and a man’s body was found on neighboring property of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. The body had been concealed and covered with underbrush, Wester said. It was identified as Luper.
The search continued and about 100 yards away, a deceased female was discovered in heavy brush and concealed with underbrush. It was identified as Thomas.
The video ends with Wester urging anyone with information on Raker to contact the sheriff’s office.
Ronda Connett, Luper’s sister, had been frequently posting on Facebook about the case. Her last post on Thursday, Aug. 6, just before midnight reads: “To make sure the truth is told Joey Raker is not the only suspect yes he shot them but also contacted his meth head friends to help dispose of the bodies and destroy the evidence and then paid them in cash with the money he stole for my brother”
Capt. Brett Surace, public information officer for the sheriff’s office, said on Monday that throughout the weekend, officers had been running down leads trying to find Raker.
Anyone who sees Raker or has information about his location should immediately call 911 or contact the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 745-7100.

By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor

We had a couple of good crowds on hand for the recent candidate forums.
Republican candidates for county commission Quincee Messersmith and Carrie Hughes shared their views at the library on July 28. There were about 40 people there.
And last week we hosted the Republican and Democrat candidates for Congress, seeking the district 2 seat currently held by retiring U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn. About 60 people turned out for that one.

I appreciate those citizens who showed up for the forums, who watched the video on our website or YouTube, and who submitted questions.
I also appreciate the candidates who put themselves out there to run for office, to be voted up or down by the people. It’s often thankless, and sometimes cynical people point fingers at them.
But without people running for office to represent us, we have no democracy.
Now it’s time for voters to vote.
And as an editor’s note, I will point out that, due to next week’s election, The Wakulla Sun will come out one day later so that we can get the election results to you.
The paper should be printed on Wednesday and in the news boxes that night.
If you usually get your paper on Thursday, it will likely be Friday before you get it.
But it will be worth it to get the results.
I can hardly wait.

William Snowden is the editor and publisher of The Wakulla Sun.

By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor

Republican candidates for county commissioner district 4 appeared at a forum hosted by The Wakulla Sun last week.
Incumbent Quincee Messersmith and challenger Carrie Hughes shared their views at the event held Tuesday, July 28 at the public library.
Candidates were given 3 minutes to answer questions, but their answers were so brief that not once did either reach the limit and the forum was done after 35 minutes.

A video of the forum can be viewed at The Wakulla Sun website, 
thewakullasun.com.

The forum opened with the candidates introducing themselves.
Messersmith, who has been a county commissioner since 2018, and said she’s kept her vow to be accessible and involved. “Public service is about listening, showing up and making thoughtful decisions,” she said. Growth, she added, presents opportunities as well as challenges.
Hughes has lived in Wakulla County for 20 years, and has 19 years experience in growth management. She stressed she supported “responsible growth” while protecting the character of Wakulla. “I think there’s been a lot of changes and I’m not thrilled with the way things have been going, and the trajectory we’re on,” she said.
Asked about their positions on growth, Hughes stressed she thinks there’s a misperception that she is anti-growth, which is not true, she said, but wants to see growth done in a responsible way. She said she supports impact fees to help pay for growth.
Messersmith acknowledged growth is a big deal and that there are strong feelings. But she said she believes in private property rights: “I’m never gonna tell anybody what they can or can’t do with their property.”
Asked about the proposal to increase the homestead property tax exemption that is set to be on the November ballot to increase homestead exemption – whether they support it, and what changes or cuts to services they would make if it passes – Hughes said she supported meaningful property tax reform, and said she would look at “creative ways to trim the budget without completely wiping things out.”
Messersmith said whether she supports the measure is a personal matter, and said if it passes “cutting amenities is obviously going to be very, very real.”
Water quality was one of the primary topics of reader-submitted questions, especially problems with water quality for Talquin customers. It was acknowledged that county commissioners have no control over the issue, but the candidates were still given the opportunity to respond. Hughes said she supported bringing the parties together to work for a resolution. Messersmith noted the issue involved private parties controlled by the state.
Controversy over Flock license plate readers was the second-most asked question by readers. Messersmith said it’s a matter for the sheriff’s office; Hughes said she is not for or against it, “but if we’re going to have it, we should establish strict policies on access, retention, searches and other things.”

What grade would you give the county administrator: Messersmith defelcted the question, saying job performance rating would be appropriate with the four other county commissioners. Hughes also declined, saying she had a feeling but it wasn’t data-based and “it wouldn’t be fair of me to do that.”
Hughes said she supported more transparency, such as easier access to commission agendas, and the county holding town halls before controversial decisions.
Messersmith said that, with her schedule, she has town hall meetings five days a week meeting and talking to citizens.
Asked what three main issues do you see facing Wakulla, Hughes answered: “Infrastructure is one of the big ones,” and that there was difficulty keeping up with growth. Growth was the second, and the potential impact of the property tax issue.
Messersmith said property tax and it’s impact on the budget, amenities, and people.
Asked what is the main thing they would change about the way Wakulla government operates, Hughes said transparency. “I feel like the citizens feel like they’re not being heard,” she said.
“I think the most important thing I would change about Wakulla County government is there would be more citizen involvement,” Messersmith answered.
In her closing, Hughes said the decisions being made now will affect the future. “I support responsible growth, careful use of taxpayers dollars and listening to citizens before decisions are made.” Hughes said she respected Messersmith’s service to the county and her volunteering, but said she sees the county at a crossroads and a decision needs to be made “if the current approach is what we want for another four years.”
Messermith said in her closing simply that she appreciated the people who turned out and wished more citizens would get involved.
Wakulla Sun Editor William Snowden was moderator, and Rotary Club member Heather Bryan was timekeeper.
A straw poll was held in which audience members voted, and they went 2:1 for Hughes.
The party primary election is Aug. 18. The winner between Messersmith and Hughes will face Democrat Beverly Keister and NPA candidate Patricia Dyzser in the November general election.

By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor

Wakulla Classroom Teachers Association president Cassandra Johnson was effusive in her praise of the superintendent and school board in salary negotiations for this year: the offer was an increase for teacher salaries from monies from the Legislature with a match from the district, plus increase in supplements.

“For a veteran teacher like me, I’m getting like an 8% increase,” Johson said.
She said that Superintendent of Schools Rick Myhre made the comment that Wakulla is an A district, and teacher pay should reflect that. “It’s been a really great experience working with Rick,” she said. “We’re heading in the right direction.
Teachers are scheduled to vote this week on whether to ratify the new contract.
Myhre issued a statement that “For the past two years, we have built our budget around the intent of providing competitive raises for all employees while also holding off any increases to health insurance. This was made possible by reducing positions at the district office and closing unnecessary school sites.”
The proposed contract is poised to help relieve some of the “compression” stress after the state set beginning teacher pay at a rate that in some cases exceeded the pay of some veteran teachers.
The base pay is currently $47,500 and set to increase this year to $47,750.
Teachers with more than 10 years experience will receive a Teacher Salary Increase Allocation of $1,800 plus a district increase of $1,200.

Non-instructional staff are also set to receive pay increases.
Johnson said the WCTA and the district also revisited supplements – stipends that teachers are paid for extra-curricular student activities like clubs and coaching.
Johnson now faces the challenge of making sure the WCTA has the support of teachers because the union must meet a 50% participation threshold in certification and recertification elections and petition for recertification if fewer than 60% of eligible members pay dues.
Dues are less than $70 a month for the 10-month work year.
Johnson worried that if the union loses teacher representation then the teachers lose the contract and some of the benefits they ensure, such as guaranteed lunch, planning time, and perks such as being able to bank sick time.
In a written statement to the Sun, Myhre wrote: “When questioned during my campaign, ‘How will you address concerns about teacher and staff compensation and benefits?’ my answer was always simple, you prioritize it. For the past two years, we have built our budget around the intent of providing competitive raises for all employees while also holding off any increases to health insurance. This was made possible by reducing positions at the district office and closing unnecessary school sites.
“While we have improved our state ranking in the average salary of almost all job roles within the district” Myhre wrote, “we still fall below the comparable level of academic outcomes our staff are providing to our students. We know that our staff aren’t in this field for the money, but it is difficult to keep our best staff when they could be compensated better for doing the same job somewhere else. This is why it has been such an important part of my administration to raise all staff salaries, and we are continuing that trend in this year’s budget.
“Additionally, we will be humbly asking our community for an additional millage on the November ballot to further support our staff with raises they deserve,” Myhre said. “I have made, and will continue to make, as many cuts as possible to divert funding to staff and students, but there is a theorical limit we are nearing without cutting necessary services which support students.
“The slight increase we are requesting will not take us to the top of the salary rankings, but will be a clear sign of support for those who so often put our children’s needs above their own,” Myhre said.

Through an extensive investigation, detectives determined that Rebecca Lynn Thomas, 58, and John William Luper III, 49, died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds. Detectives further determined that, following the homicides, the victims’ bodies were transported and concealed in separate locations.

A structure fire also occurred at the Otter Creek Road property. The cause and circumstances surrounding the fire remain under investigation; however, based on the information currently available, it is being treated as a separate incident from the homicides.

This remains an active and fluid investigation, with multiple investigative teams continuing to gather evidence and follow all available leads. Additional information will be released when it can be shared without compromising the integrity of the investigation.

By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor

Several citizens have voiced concern about Flock license plate readers set up by the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office throughout the county.
The concern by several speakers at county commission meetings is mass surveillance of citizens, and who has access to that data.

Capt. Brett Surace, public information officer for the sheriff’s office, said the cameras were paid for by a U.S. Department of Justice grant and started being place on road rights-of-way in November 2025. The sheriff’s office did a Facebook post at the time announcing the equipment was in place.
There have been allegations of some protestors being tracked in other areas of the state – notably some citizens who voiced opposition to the state bear hunt had their driver licenses and license plate reader info pulled by state wildlife officers with the Florida Conservation Commission.
In another case, the property appraiser Shawna Beach in neighboring Taylor County has filed a federal lawsuit claiming improper behavior by FWC officers, including allegations that they viewed her and her husband’s driver licenses and viewed Flock camera info. There was a criminal claim that Beach had shot a deer on property that was owned by the Suwannee River Water Management District.
In those cases of alleged abuses of the system, FWC officers reportedly entered into databases that the reason for the searches was related to criminal investigation.
Surace said that, unlike those alleged abuses, access to Wakulla’s information is strictly audited, and those pulling information from license plate readers have to enter a purpose code that requires a case number orCAD number.

Also, Surace said that Wakulla owns the data it collects, and unless it is being used in a criminal case, the data is deleted every month.
At the same time, there has been a proliferation of license plate readers – they’ve been on interstates and toll roads for years, and some private businesses like big chain retailers have put up license plate readers at the edge of their property. Even some homeowners associations are buying the cameras to see who comes into the development.
A couple of weeks ago, the Tallahassee Reports newspaper reported that the Leon County Commission reacted to public pressure and rejected a grant that was going to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office to flow through to Wakulla, Jefferson, Liberty and Taylor counties.
Surace confirmed the grant was intended for roadside signs that show travelers speed and included license plate reader cameras.
Surace also touted the cameras use in fighting crime: two different homicide suspects were caught in Wakulla County because of the cameras, plus a carjacking suspect from Leon, multiple stolen cars and people involved in car burglaries and retail thefts.
Deputies pulled over and stopped a car full of juveniles recently who were known to have been involved in past Walmart thefts because of a Flock hit on a stolen car out of Tallahassee.

By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor

Wakulla Superintendent of Schools warned that he was going to brag on the school system at a Chamber luncheon event last week slugged as the State of Education.
At the Tuesday, July 14 event at the community center attended by about 75 people, Myhre did just that, boasting that Wakulla is the highest performing district in the Big Bend, No. 1 in graduation rate in the state, and No. 1 in middle school acceleration.

Wakulla is ranked in the Top 10 in the state at No. 8 and “within striking district of being No. 5,” Myhre said.
It’s also the first time that every school in the district is an A. (COAST Charter School is a public school but run independently and for the second year in a row had a grade of C.)
While proud of the district grade, “My goal is to be No. 1,” Myhre said. “Being the Top 10 is wonderful, but I want to be No. 1.”
This is the fourth consecutive year of A performance by Wakulla schools.
Myhre noted that growth in the Crawfordville area has led to Crawfordville Elementary reaching its limit on students, leading to rezoning that is directing students to Medart Elementary.
“No matter where you live in Wakulla County, every school is an A,” Myhre said.
He touted the high school’s vocational programs through the War Eagle Academy, a $20 million facility paid for largely by Triumph Gulf Coast money that offers 16 career pathways.
He noted the planned return of art and music instruction to elementary schools this year.
And he promoted the optional 1 mill tax referendum that will appear on the November ballot as an effort to sustain excellence.
He noted that 20 of the 67 school districts in Florida already do the optional 1 mill.
Myhre also said his annual tax bill for schools is less than his phone bill.
“There is no better investment in our community than public education,” Myhre said.

A ballot measure for a 1 mill levy for schools is to be put on the November ballot for voters to approve or deny.

The Wakulla County Commissioners voted at their meeting on July 13 to send the ballot language to the supervisor for elections to be included on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. (County commissioners were only conducting a magisterial vote to put the matter on the ballot; the school board voted unanimously back in June to ask for the 1 mill of additional revenue from local voters.)
Superintendent Rick Myhre told county commissioners at their meeting that the extra revenue would go towards teacher pay, student athletics and activities – and to continue free school meals for all students.
Myhre calculated the cost of meals at $4 per day times 180 school days for a total of $740 per student.