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Marion County Commissioner Kathy Bryant said she thinks it s an incredible opportunity for Woods. Bryant said Woods would be able to bring valuable insight to the community on what s happening at the border. She wishes she could be part of the delegation.
Marion Commission Chairman Jeff Gold said Woods budget presentation day was changed to allow for the trip. Gold said if Woods feels it s important to go to the border, then that s fine.
However, the commissioner said, we ve got problems here locally. Gold said that the Marion County Sheriff s Office is short on deputies for patrol and detention deputies for the Marion County Jail.
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods set to join Rep. Cammack s trip to U.S.-Mexico border Austin L. Miller, Ocala Star-Banner
Gov. Abbott discusses Texas border security
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Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods is expected to be among the law enforcement officials joining U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Gainesville) on a trip to the U.S./Mexican border this week to learn more about the border crisis.
Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken is also going on the journey, he said on Tuesday.
Adeline Sandridge, communications director for Cammack s office, confirmed Tuesday afternoon that Woods and Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood were two of the four people making the flight to Texas. Sandridge said she s waiting on word from some others. No one from Alachua County is scheduled to make the trip.
The pandemic has forced many residents and business owners to alter their habits. For a time back in 2020, Florida, like most states, imposed restrictions as governors and legislatures sought a way through the crisis.
The restrictions were evident on the roads, among other places. Traffic counts started dipping around mid-March and remained relatively lower for months after that, as more people worked from home, or weren t working at all, spring school switched to online, and people did less entertaining and visiting.
The temporary reduction in road traffic did have one corresponding effect: a reduction in traffic tickets. During 2019, all the law enforcement agencies in Marion handed out a combined 21,405 citations. Last year, that dipped to 20,437 – a 4.5% decrease.