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Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 World Series: Rays, Dodgers ready for Game 1 /B1 TUESDAY TODAY CITRUSCOUNTY & next morning HIGH 88 Scattered storms; LOW breezy. 72 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com OCTOBER 20, 2020 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOL. 126 ISSUE 12 NEWS BRIEFS Citrus update Election kicks off for COVID-19 Five new positive cases were reported in Citrus County since the latest FDOH update. No new hospitalizations were reported; one new death was reported. To date in the county, 3,045 people have tested posi- tive (including 12 non-residents), 313 have been hospitalized and 131 have died. Blaze from cigarette bin destroys home A fire ignited from a cigarette bin early Monday, Oct. 19, 2020, and destroyed a home in Hernando. Citrus County Fire Rescue (CCFR) crews were dispatched to the blaze at 2:39 a.m. off of North Page Avenue, where fire- fighters from CCFR’s Hernando Station arrived first at 2:47 a.m. to find a double-wide mobile home heavily involved with flames, according to CCFR. CCFR crews from stations in Kensington, Rock Crusher, Cit- MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle rus Springs, Pine Ridge and the Visitors practice social distancing the morning of Monday, Oct. 19, 2020, outside of the Central Ridge Library in Beverly Hills as they Inverness Highlands also re- await their chance to vote early. sponded, and controlled the fire by 3:07 a.m. No injuries were reported. Lines greet residents showing up for first day of early voting in Citrus Investigators determined the blaze began accidentally from a MIKE WRIGHT mail for the in-person variety. Susan Gill said she visited all from past elections. cigarette butt receptacle left on Staff writer “I don’t trust it this year,” four sites and said the wait The first day of early voting Pine Ridge resident Carol was about 30 minutes. is normally the busiest, Gill the front porch, according to As expected, Monday’s first Bertling, waiting in line Mon- “They’re very busy,” she said. In 2016, the Central CCFR. day of early voting was a busy day morning at the Central said. “Everything is going Ridge Library early vote site, Emergency responders con- one. Ridge Library site, said of smoothly.” which is the county’s busiest, tacted the American Red Cross Whether it stays that way re- early voting. “I want my vote Of the three methods — vote had 1,324 voters the first day. to assist the displaced residents mains to be seen. to count.” by mail, early voting and Elec- Two days later it was under a — four adults and a child. Voters at four sites waited in More than 3,300 people had tion Day voting — mail ballots thousand and a week later, lines that moved along at a cast ballots by 4 p.m. Monday are the most popular and less than 200 a day. Drive-thru food steady pace, some deciding at one of four early-vote sites. early voting the least, accord- giveaway Wednesday this year to forgo voting by Supervisor of Elections ing to voter turnout results See VOTING/Page A5 Beginning at 9 a.m. Wednes- day, Oct. 21, the public can re- ceive boxes of assorted food items at the New Church Without Walls at 300 S. Kensington Ave., Lecanto, next to the Holiday Inn State starts work on connecting trails Express. Monetary donations are MIKE WRIGHT And it’s getting better. south end of the Dunnel- The 47-mile Withla- “I’ve been wondering needed to continue feeding Cit- Staff writer Contractors for the lon Trail just off County coochee State Trail be- about that forever,” he rus County residents. Please Florida Department of Road 39. gins in Pasco County and said while taking a break consider donating through Citrus Twice a day, John Piet Transportation have It will include an un- heads north into Citrus from his evening ride. United Way (www.citrusunited rides his bike along the begun work on a $5.6 mil- derpass at U.S. 41. FDOT Springs. The Dunnellon The construction is ex- way.org) or the New Church Withlacoochee State Trail lion connector to bring had considered either an Trail is 2.3 miles and pected to be completed Without Walls (www.newchurch in northern Citrus County. together the popular overpass or signalized crosses the Withla- in summer 2022, FDOT It’s a daily total of Withlacoochee and Dun- withoutwalls.com). crossing, but went with coochee River. officials said. 23 miles — 11.5 miles in nellon trails. the underpass because it Piet, who moved to Cit- There’s more good trail Crystal River the morning, 11.5 miles in The 1-mile project con- was less expensive than rus Springs from Michi- news as well. Rails to the early evening. nects the north end of the an overpass and sup- gan 12 years ago in part Trails of the flushing hydrants “It’s a beautiful trail,” Withlacoochee trail in ported by trail users, because of the local trail U.S. Water with the city of he said. Citrus Springs to the FDOT officials said. system, said he can’t wait. See TRAILS/Page A5 Crystal River is flushing hydrants (within the city limits of Crystal River) now through Oct. 21. During this time customers might experience a slight drop in pres- Wawa wait to end soon Local COVID-19 sure and/or temporary discolor- ation of the water. While the water is safe to consume, it is recommended to run faucets numbers the week until the discoloration disap- pears. If the issue persists or customers have any other ques- of Oct. 12-19 tions, call U.S. Water at 352-795-3199. BUSTER 13 to 131. THOMPSON According to the Flor- Drug seizure Staff writer ida Agency for Health funds available Care Administration Citrus County sur- (AHCA) on Oct. 19, Citrus The Citrus County Board of passed 3,000 COVID-19 County had 22 people County Commissioners (BOCC) cases over the week. hospitalized with a pri- announces the opening of a As of Monday, Oct. 19, mary diagnosis of grant period for drug seizure 2020, the novel coronavi- COVID-19. funds. The BOCC wants to en- rus infected a total 3,045 There was also 31.35% sure that these funds are used to people in Citrus County. of hospital beds avail- benefit the citizens of Citrus MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle Since Monday, Oct. 12, able in the county, ac- County. Grant fund use must be The new Wawa store in Crystal River is scheduled to open in June 2021, according 95 additional cases were cording to AHCA, and closely related to drug education to the company. tallied, according to the 32.50% of local adult in- or prevention programs. The Florida Department of tensive care units were schedule for the next round of Health’s (FDOH’s) on- open. grant applications is as follows: Crystal River store to start construction line dashboard. Locals between the ages of 15 and 64 have ac- Submission of requests to the MICHAEL D. Ryan Keidel, real es- has received an inquiry FDOH was reporting counted for 67% of total Sheriff’s Office are due by BATES tate project engineer for from Dan’s Car Wash an average of 12.85 cases cases, people from 55 to Nov. 6. Staff writer Wawa, said in an email about possibly building a day last week, even older than 85 years old The BOCC will consider sub- to city officials that he a facility right next to with 30 being recorded Construction on the “ran into a bit of an the new Wawa, at the on Friday. During made up 80% of hospital- mitted applications at their board izations and those from meeting at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Crystal River Wawa has issue” with the site of the soon-to-be va- Oct. 5-12, FDOH docu- mented an average 14.85 65 to over 85 accounted Dec. 15, 2020, at the Citrus begun. 20,000-gallon under- cant Suncoast Credit Earth-moving equip- ground storage tank cases a day. for 86% of deaths, ac- County Courthouse, 110 N. Union at that same ment showed up on the manufacturer but that Citrus County’s cumu- cording to FDOH. Apopka Ave., Inverness. intersection. site at the northeast cor- has been resolved. City correspondence lative rate of positive Long-term care facili- For more information about ner of State Road 44 and Keidel anticipates the shows car wash repre- coronavirus test results ties in the county have the grant process or to receive a U.S. 19 last week, almost new Wawa to debut in sentatives contacted the on Oct. 19 was at 10.78%, documented a total 531 copy of the guidelines, call Jeff three years after the old June 2021 and added Florida Department of up from the 10.76% re- cases, up one since Kopp, Citrus County Sheriff’s Of- Fat Boys’ Bar-B-Q that the chain is “ex- Transportation about ported Oct. 12. Oct. 12. Like it showed on Oct. 5, fice, at 352-341-7404, or Debra restaurant was torn tremely excited to fi- potential vehicle access COVID-19 hospitaliza- FDOH reported Monday Stack, Citrus County Administra- down to make way for nally open in Crystal to the site. tions went up six since tion Office, at 352-527-5467. the new gas station/ River.” Oct. 12 to a total 313. a total 61 cases for — From staff reports convenience store. Meanwhile, the city See WAWA/Page A5 Deaths also increased See VIRUS/Page A2 Classifieds .