000E3OU Dominant: Citrus lifters claim county title /B1 NEW 2013 TOYOTA TUESDAY COROLLA CITRUS COUNTY See Pg. TODAY C12 & next morning HIGH $ 75 Mostly cloudy 14,995 LOW with showers likely. at VILLAGE TOYOTA 54 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com FEBRUARY 26, 2013 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOL. 118 ISSUE 203 Killer Adams: Fire Wesch Commissioner concerned about legal outsourcing gets MIKE WRIGHT ment official. county attorney,” Adams said. “I Staff writer Adams said Monday he will feel we’ve got so much outside make a motion during today’s attorneys doing simple things. If CRYSTAL RIVER — Two county commission meeting to we’re going to delegate it out, weeks after calling for County fire County Attorney Richard we need to eliminate the county Scott Administrator Brad Thorpe’s Wesch, citing what Adams be- attorney’s position.” Richard stay Adams head, Commissioner Scott lieves is an over-reliance on out- Adams said he is particularly Wesch county Adams has his sights set on an- side counsel and consultants. county Execution halted commissioner. other high-ranking govern- “We need to get rid of the See WESCH/ Page A2 attorney. temporarily Associated Press TALLAHASSEE — A federal appellate court on Monday tem- porarily stopped the execution of a drug trafficker convicted of killing a Florida state trooper with a pipe bomb. What began as a routine traf- fic stop on Interstate 10 in rural north Florida quickly escalated into the killing of the trooper and launched a multistate in- vestigation that unraveled a major crack cocaine ring 21 years ago. That chain of events was set to end with the execution Tues- day of South Florida drug traf- ficker Paul Augustus Howell, 47, for murdering Florida High- way Patrol Trooper Jimmy Ful- ford on Feb. 1, 1992. The Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, though, stayed the execution that was scheduled for 6 p.m. at See STAY/ Page A5 Con artists target Social Security A.B. SIDIBE Staff writer Imagine Allen and Carol Tall- man’s shock when they re- ceived a letter from Social Security Administration stat- ing: “As per Allen’s request, his Social Security check, which NANCY KENNEDY/Chronicle has been directly deposited in Swanee Owen, from Unadilla, Ga., sits in front of a sheep wagon she has converted into a camper. She’s part of a group called his bank for 22 years, is now Sisters on the Fly, women from around the nation who meet up at various campsites in their restored and tricked-out campers. changing to another bank.” This past weekend a group of “sisters” camped at Crystal Isles RV Resort in Crystal River. “We said, ‘Wait a minute. We didn’t request that,’” Mrs. Tallman said. Women share camaraderie during The couple scurried to the Social Security office in Ocala to address the apparent identity camping trips in vintage trailers theft visited on Tallman, 84. NANCY KENNEDY Australia. “Thankfully, Social Security Staff writer “We get to do things we never was able to stop it, but all we do by ourselves, like swimming kept thinking is ‘What would CRYSTAL RIVER — Call with manatees, kayaking, zip- See SCAM/ Page A8 them the “sisterhood of the trav- lining,” said Paula Grimstead, eling tricked-out, vintage, retro sister from Lake Butler who INDEX trailers,” a ladies-only group served as hostess for a Sisters on who meet at campsites across the Fly camping event at Crystal Comics ..................................C8 the nation to share adventures, Isles RV Resort in Crystal River Community ............................C6 stories, ideas and/or a pot of cof- this past weekend. One of the customs at a Sisters on the Fly event is to Crossword ..............................C7 fee or bottle of wine. “There’s an event somewhere create a still-life tableau. Carol Youourski has a col- Editorial ..............................A10 Sisters on the Fly was started by around the country just about lection of trailer pottery made by her real sister and Entertainment........................B4 two real-life sisters who took a fly- every weekend,” she said. fellow “sister” Sally Weber. Horoscope..............................B4 fishing trip to Montana together in About 23 women came from as Lottery Numbers ....................B3 1999. They had so much fun they far away as Ohio and Pennsylva- Lottery Payouts ......................B6 invited some friends along on nia this past weekend and gra- Movies ..................................C8 their next trip — and thought, ciously gave tours of their Obituaries ..............................A6 Classifieds..............................C9 “Wouldn’t it be fun to camp in re- kitschy homes on wheels to curi- TV Listings ............................C7 stored vintage trailers?” ous passersby. Morgan, a 9-year-old Jack Friends invited friends on Upon arriving, each woman Russell terrier, shares a each trip and now — 14 years set up her own space according 1942 Tourette Tear Drop later — the group has grown to to her theme — “bookmobile,” trailer with Gale Doman- 3,500 women from all over the ico of Largo on Sisters on U.S., Canada, England and even See SISTERS/ Page A5 the Fly events. 000DY3O A2 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013 LOCAL CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE ■ WHAT: Drug awareness program WESCH Citrus County Commission meeting. ■ WHEN: 1 p.m. today; public comment at 1:30 p.m. Continued from Page A1 ■ WHERE: Courthouse, 110 N. Apopka Ave., Inverness. upset about payments to ■ ON THE WEB: www.bocc.citrus.fl.us. Tampa attorney Fred Bu- sack for the County Road 491 widening project. The I feel we’ve got too much project includes obtaining donations of right of way, outside attorneys doing developing a medical cor- simple things. ridor and redesigning drainage along the stretch of roadway between C.R. Scott Adams 486 and State Road 44. county commissioner. “We’ve given Busack over $300,000 on 491 and we “It’s another example of being able to direct and don’t have the first signed him attempting to cause make the proper judgment contract as of two weeks chaos and disruption. As calls because the relation- ago,” Adams said. “That’s chairman of the board, I’m ship blurs your vision.” the people’s money. I feel dedicated to working to Adams said he criticizes like we’ve got an open solve the issues we have in commissioners because he pocketbook to Fred Busack. front of us as a county. I’m blames them for the I feel it’s a real cozy rela- not going to let this turn county now being faced tionship. We’re not getting into a circus sideshow.” with millions of dollars in what we’re paying for.” Adams, who has more budget cuts. Wesch, a former county than 300 followers of his “It’s misconduct on their administrator, became Facebook page, sent a let- part not to have already Special to the Chronicle county attorney in 2010 ter to the editor (See Page done this,” he said. “We’ve Citrus County pharmacist James Mauler was the special guest speaker at the drug and is paid about $121,000. A11) in response to a col- got this thing on auto-drive awareness and education program of the Citrus County Composite Squadron FL-315 Wesch said Monday umn by Chronicle Pub- and what it’s done, it’s be- Civil Air Patrol. Mauler shared information about abuse of otherwise simple over-the- Adams doesn’t understand lisher Gerry Mulligan in come so comfortable on counter drugs. He also told cadets about the names of the problem drugs that are his duties and has made Sunday’s newspaper. auto-drive, it’s out of con- “accessible and cheap.” According to Drug, Demand and Reduction Officer/2nd Lt. no attempt at learning the In it, Adams complained trol. As a new commis- Marlene Korycki, the presentation goes along with the Civil Air Patrols’ active and attorney’s role. He said of “cronyism” between sioner, I see it.” aggressive stance in the community against drugs. Adams doesn’t want him commissioners and top Meek was incredulous included in the commis- staff, and suggested a grand that Adams would suggest 000E5HX sioner’s weekly briefings jury be convened to “see a grand jury investigation. and they rarely speak to what’s really going on.” “That is simply outra- each other outside com- Adams, in an interview geous!” he said. “A grand mission meetings. Monday, said commission- jury investigation? He’s “It’s unfortunate the ers and top staff have be- coming up with nothing of commissioner continues come too friendly with each substance, just throwing on this campaign of dis- other to make hard deci- rhetoric out there to cause traction,” Wesch said. “I sions about cutting staff. chaos and confusion.” think a full-time county at- Adams said he thinks the Adams said he will con- torney in a county this size administration should be tinue to bring up issues he is imperative. I stand by reduced by six to nine posi- believes need scrutiny. my body of work.” tions, though he said he “People are upset, they Adams, elected in the Au- suggested Thorpe decide want accountability,” he gust primary, is a constant where those cuts should said. “They’re not getting it and public critic of Thorpe, come. because we’re at the last Wesch, top county staff and “Bosses aren’t supposed minute having a fire drill even fellow commissioners. to patronize with the em- when we should have been During a debate Feb. 12 ployees,” he said. “When having fire drills the whole about county vehicles, we’re so cozy, we start not time.” Adams abruptly made a motion to fire Thorpe after the administrator chal- lenged him to do so.