Leon County

The latest discussion will focus on the accomplishments of some remarkable Black women.

David O’Keefe and Paula DeBoles-Johnson will face off in November for County Commission District 5—the seat currently held by mayoral candidate Kristin Dozier. O’Keefe took about 27 percent of the vote Tuesday while DeBoles-Johnson won about 26%.

Leon County Commissioner Rick Minor will keep his seat. Minor took more than 56 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s elections—winning the race outright. He said he looks forward to continuing to serve his constituents in District Three.

Hannah Crow took about 26 percent of the vote Tuesday. The race to determine which of Crow’s six other opponents she’ll face in November was too close to call Tuesday evening. Christian Caban and Lynda Bell were separated by just 10 votes by midnight with only mail in ballots left to count.

In a candidate forum hosted by WFSU, the Tallahassee Democrat and The League ofWomen Voters of Tallahassee, the discussionzeroed in on housing, gun violence and government accountability.

The candidates for the District 5 seat are Paula DeBoles-Johnson, David O’Keefe, Jay Revell and Dustin Ryan Rivest. During a candidate forum Tuesday they agreed on the need for more affordable housing, greater transparency for public dollars, and increased support for crime-fighting and local businesses.

Both Leon County and the City of Tallahassee have additional guides available on helping households get ready for the storms that could be on the way

Supporters say they see Lake Hall schoolhouse as a symbol of hope. “It’s the only thing that we have that shows the agency of a free people, five years out of slavery. We have nothing else that’s evidence of their willingness, and belief, and their hope that they can make sure their children can do better than they did," said Lake Hall preservation advocate Geraldine Seay.

Leon County Commissioners want to make it easier for residents to own and drive electric vehicles. The board is scheduled to consider a proposed “Electric Vehicle Ready” ordinance Tuesday evening.

Leon County’s jail is more than 80 percent full. That’s set off alarms for local policy makers who say it’s time to start looking into ways to reduce the population or consider expanding the space. Part of the problem comes from a backlog created when trials were paused during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, but state attorney Jack Campbell said the growth is also due to an increase in murder cases.