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Highlands Today

Fourth-Grader's 'Save Denton' Petition Taking Off

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By Jim  Konkoly | Highlands Today

Published: January 12, 2008

SEBRING — Nine-year-old Michael Stone's petition drive to reopen Lake Denton to the public, without any restrictions or $25-per-person weekend user's fees, is taking off.

"We've gotten 10 phone calls on the petition," said Jessica Stone, the wife of Michael Stone the elder, who is the father of young Michael Stone the petitioner.

"At least two of the people who called want copies of the petition so that they can circulate it and get signatures," Jessica Stone said Friday afternoon.

"One of two callers who want a petition sent to them is John Huddleston, the owner of the barbershop next to Beef O' Brady's restaurant," Jessica Stone said.

Jessica Stone said she expects Huddleston to be successful in getting signatures on the petition because it will be available for signing in his busy barbershop.

Michael Stone supported and encouraged his son, Mike, when he learned that the fourth-grader created a petition at his school to call on the Highlands County commissioners to open public access completely to Lake Denton, which has been closed to the public since Sept. 10.

Michael's teacher, Connie Hogue, andLorie Davis, the dean of students at Cracker Trail Elementary School, both signed and supported young Michael's petition. They also praised him for taking, at his young age, political action against what he believes is an injustice..

Stone taught his son how to snorkel and how to swim several years ago at Lake Denton. Both the father and son said that is one reason, among many, that the petition drive exists.

"Another reason Mike started the petition drive is because he has two smaller brothers that are 1 year old and 6 weeks old," Jessica Stonbe said. "And Mike hopes to swim and snorkel with them in Lake Denton when they are old enough to do that, if the lake is open to the public again."

When asked how many people, both students and adults, have signed Mike's petition to the county commissioners, Jessica Stone said she has no way of knowing, because many of the petitions are still being circulated.

"One of the 10 callers who wants to support the petition drive is one of the seven members of the Lake Denton Citizens Advisory Committee," Jessica Stone said. That citizens committee was created by the county commissioners after they voted 3-2 in mid-August to close the county's most popular lake for one year, effective Sept. 10.

Jessica Stone said her husband is going to get in touch with everyone who called about the petition as soon as he can, probably before the end of this weekend.

For more information on the petition drive, call Michael and Jessica Stone's home phone, 863-371-2147.

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