Clay County’s once-promising top lawman is under scrutiny

Sheriff’s swagger loses luster: Clay County’s once-promising top lawman is under scrutiny

Florida Times Union
By Eileen Kelley
Jun 30, 2019

They spoke on the phone about four times a month. The older man understood military life, the younger man was just stepping into it.

Darryl Daniels cautioned Larry Smith about the pitfalls of having to leave a spouse for extended periods when out in the field. He guided him on how to develop a strong, committed marriage. To Smith, the former Navy man turned sheriff’s officer was a mentor.

Smith’s wife, Cierra, introduced the two as he got ready to graduate from Florida A and M University and be commissioned in the U.S. Army.

Cierra Smith had worked for Daniels at the Duval County jail since 2013. She called him “Uncle D.” She seemed to revere Daniels, a man twice her age.

Larry Smith said he didn’t look to Daniels in the same father-figure way, although he did respect him for his sacrifices as a military man and law officer.

When Cierra and Larry Smith held their wedding reception in September 2015, Cierra picked Daniels — not a best friend or relative — to give the bridal toast. Larry Smith selected his younger brother.

Fifteen months later, Larry Smith discovered a trove of emails between his wife and Daniels. They were rife with stories and reflections of the things Daniels and Cierra Smith had done together while Smith was likely out in the field for the Army. He then came across a video link on his wife’s iPad.

He clicked on the link and a video popped onto the screen, a video that stunned him. The images showed his wife performing a sex act on his mentor, her boss, the chief of the Duval County jail at the time. Both were in their uniforms. They were in an office, Larry Smith would later tell investigators with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
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U.S. Rep. Susan Wild "without specific training in mental health, we cannot recognize and act on the warning signs"

Op-ed by U.S. Rep. Susan Wild: ‘I can only make sense of the loss of my partner in life if I can save someone else’s life’

THE MORNING CALL
JUN 30, 2019

I didn’t run for Congress thinking that suicide prevention and awareness would be a cornerstone of my platform. Yes, I was aware of the pressing problem of veteran suicide, and that the number of suicides has increased dramatically. Never, however, did I think that this issue would become so very personal to me. Sadly, on May 25th, it did. On that day, the person who was my best friend, confidante, and partner in life, took his own life.

I cannot begin to describe the impact of receiving a phone call from an unknown police officer, telling me that my beloved had committed suicide. Disbelief was my first reaction, so much so that I thought it was a prank call. Fairly quickly, however, my mind gathered the warning signs that had existed, and which, sadly, I did not act upon with enough urgency.

For those who think I am assigning blame to myself for this act, and who have rushed to reassure me that there was nothing I could have done to stop this act of madness, you should know I have gotten to a place of peace in terms of my role. Because I now realize that without specific training in mental health, we cannot recognize and act on the warning signs, unless we learn more.

So it has become a new part of my mission to do as much good as I can in this public position I now occupy. Having only recently experienced this tragic loss, I am not yet an expert on the subject. However, I intend to become one. I can only make sense of the loss of my partner in life if I can save someone else’s life, and, just as importantly, can save another family from the devastation of losing their loved one to suicide.
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American history is offensive to Nike?

Ruled by the offended instead of the brave?

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
July 2, 2019

Since when is it OK to obliterate the history of this country and the people who put their lives on the line to live it? 

It seems that anyone who is offended by something is suddenly empowered to dictate to all others. You know the type. Bow down your free will, your own thoughts, and forget about silly things like history and facts.

Their Mom's must have really gotten carried away with telling them "you're special" because evidently, they are all that matters.

The "American" who first thought it was OK to take a knee during a football game while the National Anthem was playing, has just been handed the Nike crown to do with as he pleases. 

It is complete with 13 stars and now, it seems that it is so offensive to him, they have joined the NFL cowards afraid to take a stand for those who paid the price for "Americans" like him to speak his own mind.

Somehow he ended up believing that everyone not only had to hear what he had to say...they had to subject themselves to his power.

I just saw the movie Aladdin and like the song Jasmin sings...I won't be speechless in return.

Nike Nixes ‘Betsy Ross Flag’ Sneaker After Colin Kaepernick IntervenesThe Wall Street JournalBy Khadeeja Safdar and Andrew BeatonUpdated July 1, 2019

Nike Inc. NKE -0.53% is yanking a U.S.A.-themed sneaker featuring an early American flag after NFL star-turned-activist Colin Kaepernick told the company it shouldn’t sell a shoe with a symbol that he and others consider offensive, according to people familiar with the matter.

The sneaker giant created the Air Max 1 USA in celebration of the July Fourth holiday, and it was slated to go on sale this week. The heel of the shoe featured a U.S. flag with 13 white stars in a circle, a design created during the American Revolution and commonly referred to as the Betsy Ross flag.

After shipping the shoes to retailers, Nike asked for them to be returned without explaining why, the people said. The shoes aren’t available on Nike’s own apps and websites.

“Nike has chosen not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July as it featured the old version of the American flag,” a Nike spokeswoman said.

After images of the shoe were posted online, Mr. Kaepernick, a Nike endorser, reached out to company officials saying that he and others felt the Betsy Ross flag is an offensive symbol because of its connection to an era of slavery, the people said. Some users on social media responded to posts about the shoe with similar concerns. Mr. Kaepernick declined to comment.

The design was created in the 1770s to represent the 13 original colonies, though there were many early versions of the America flag, according to the Smithsonian. In the 1790s, stars and bars were added to reflect the addition of Vermont and Kentucky as states. U.S. flag designs continued to change as states were admitted to the union until the 50th star, for Hawaii, was added in 1960.read it here

I was born and raised in New England by first generation American parents who understood that this country was worth working hard to make a better place, as well as worthy of risking their lives to defend. My Dad and uncles were all in the military.

Our history began by those who were much more offended by being ruled by someone else, namely, the King of England, than they were concerned about what price they would pay for the freedom they were willing to die for.

For a company to be yield to someone being offended by what so many were willing to die for to obtain equals being ruled by someone else...namely the king of the take a knee stunt no matter what football fans thought of it...or him.

Nice work Nike. Maybe you need to appeal to Heaven for a miracle to get your reputation out of the gutter this time too.

"Appeal To Heaven"
The phrase is a particular expression of the right of revolution used by British philosopher John Locke in Second Treatise on Civil Government which was published in 1690 as part of Two Treatises of Government refuting the theory of the divine right of kings.

Locke's works were well-known and frequently quoted by colonial leaders, being the most quoted authority on the government in the 1760-1776 period prior to American independence. Thomas Jefferson was accused of plagiarizing Locke in certain sections of the Declaration of Independence by fellow Virginian delegate Richard Henry Lee.

Prior to Colonel Reed's suggestion and Massachusetts General Court establishing the Pine Tree flag as the standard of the Massachusetts navy, "an appeal to Heaven" or similar expressions had been invoked by the Massachusetts Provincial Congress in several resolutions, Patrick Henry in his Liberty or Death speech, and the Second Continental Congress in the Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms. Subsequently, it was used again by the Second Continental Congress in the Declaration of Independence.

Do they know that men and women gave their lives to obtain our freedom from England? 

The Revolutionary War (1775-83)

Or the men and women who once again defended this nation in 1812? Or that is what was behind the writing of the National Anthem they protest?

More gave their lives so that everyone would be free?

Civil War (1861-1865)

We are not perfect but so far, most generations have tried to make it better than it was...until this generation decided history no longer mattered and companies like the NFL and Nike gave them the power over the rest of us.

Arizona governor to withdraw Nike financial incentives after shoe company pulls ‘Betsy Ross’ American flag sneakers


More of us are offended they are not only offended, but that they GET TO RULE BECAUSE THE ARE BRATS! Wonder if he'll take a knee on the 4th of July while everyone else is looking up?

80 years later, Tuskegee Airman received diploma

Tuskegee Airman receives diploma 80 years after high school

By: The Associated Press

July 1, 2019

   

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A Missouri man who was unable to finish high school but went on to serve as crew chief

A Tuskegee Airman displays a Congressional Gold Medal given to all Tuskegee Airmen during a ceremony commemorating Veterans Day and honoring the group of World War II airmen on Nov. 11, 2013, in Washington. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The Jefferson City News-Tribune reports that James Shipley got the diploma in a Sunday ceremony.
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Florida police officer proved what good Cops do...and bad guys do to them

To anyone who wants to think that all Police Officers are the bad guys...this proves why they should always have their cameras on. Watch what this guy does to the officer...including trying to grab his gun and then dragging him off the road.

Video shows Florida police officer being dragged by car during traffic stop