PENSACOLA - An Army spokesman on Wednesday confirmed that two Florida National Guardsmen from the Pensacola area have been reprimanded for conduct related to marrying Iraqi women, but said the men have not been discharged.
An attorney for Sgt. Sean Blackwell had earlier said his client would be discharged from service. Blackwell and Cpl. Brett Dagen wed the women, both physicians, when they took a break while on foot patrol Aug. 17 after their commanding officer tried to prevent the marriages.
Capt. Jason Beck, spokesman for the 1st Armored Division in Baghdad, said he didn't know of any further action pending against the men. "The soldiers are still in service and continue to do their jobs," he wrote in an e-mail to the Associated Press.
Blackwell, 27, of Pace, and Dagen, 37, of Walnut Hill, are with the Florida Guard's 3rd Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment, which is attached to the Army's 1st Armored Division in Iraq.
First-grader's mom upset he was told Santa's a myth
MIRAMAR - Mrs. Jolly thinks her son's teacher is a Grinch.
Sandra Jolly said her 6-year-old son's Christmas was spoiled when his teacher told his first-grade class Monday that "Santa Claus is make-believe."
"He had this sad, lost-puppy-dog look on his face. This unhappy, empty look," Jolly said, recalling her son's expression when she picked him up at A.C. Perry Elementary. "He said his teacher informed the entire class that Santa is make-believe."
D.J.'s teacher, Geneta Codner, was reading a story about the Tooth Fairy when the class started discussing what was real and what was not, said district spokesman Joe Donzelli.
When the subject of Santa came up, the teacher started questioning parts of his story. How could a fat jolly man fit down a chimney? How could reindeer fly around the world in one night? she said - and told the children it wasn't possible.
"It's all been blown out of proportion," Codner said. "I'm sorry (parents) think I meant it that way. We were just having a discussion. I don't know where all this hurt came from."
Donzelli said the principal "had a real stern conversation" with the teacher. But there will be no written reprimand because she did not violate any school district policy.
To make amends, school officials were bringing a Santa to meet with the pupils Wednesday.
FDLE official now lobbyist
TALLAHASSEE - Daryl G. McLaughlin, a longtime executive with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, has joined a Tallahassee lobbying firm.
McLaughlin was FDLE interim director last summer after James T. "Tim" Moore retired to become a lobbyist.
McLaughlin has joined Hebrock Steiner McLaughlin Inc., said Bill J. Hebrock, head of the firm, which has offices in Tallahassee and Orange, Calif.
Moore recently joined Southern Strategy Group, a firm that includes former Florida House Speaker John Thrasher and others with ties to Gov. Jeb Bush.
