Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 Belmont: Will lead off Triple Crown for first time /A8 WEDNESDAY TODAY CITRUSCOUNTY & next morning HIGH 88 Brief morning LOW clouds, then sunny and warm. 64 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com MAY 20, 2020 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOL. 125 ISSUE 225 NEWS BRIEFS Town square takes shape Citrus COVID-19 information Opening still Two new positive COVID-19 cases were re- ported in Citrus County set for July 4 since the latest FDOH update. To date in the BUSTER county, 114 people have THOMPSON tested positive and 12 Staff writer have died. Crystal River’s undevel- For more information, oped plot of grassland on see Sunday’s edition. the corner of Citrus Avenue Elections office and U.S. 19 has always wel- comed highway motorists recruiting poll entering the heart of the workers city. In less than a couple Would you like to be a months, it will be an open part of the elections team hub of downtown recre- for the 2020 Primary and ation, events, gatherings General Elections? and transit. The Citrus County Su- After breaking ground pervisor of Elections of- mid-January with help fice is recruiting poll from Crystal River City workers. Council members, Lecanto To meet the new Flor- contractor Daly & Zilch Inc. ida guidelines, applicants still expects to wrap up the who are bilingual and first $820,683 phase of the city’s town square on time able to understand, in early July. speak, write and read En- “It’s really coming along; glish and Spanish fluently I’m excited to see the fin- are encouraged to apply. ished product,” City Man- Poll workers are paid ager Ken Frink said. “It’s for working and for all going to be a centerpiece training. for downtown.” To apply, go to the Citrus County Chamber elections website at www. of Commerce President and votecitrus.com, click on CEO Josh Wooten said a Poll Worker for further in- public square is the best formation and to com- customer draw for the city’s plete the online shops north and south of U.S. 19 at Citrus Avenue, application. where several new busi- Chronicle nesses have recently opened their doors because hosts virtual of the city’s endeavor. graduation site “That intersection has been crying for something The Citrus County that denotes: you have ar- Chronicle is hosting a vir- rived somewhere special,” tual graduation page that he said. “I think Crystal includes photos and per- River is obviously making a sonal information pro- huge comeback ... you have vided by graduates. all that investment Family and friends of downtown.” each graduate are en- Members of Crystal River courage to visit their Main Street and the Crystal graduate and congratu- River Boat Builders al- late them with a personal ready moved the Spirit in MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle December to the Best message under their Nick Soucek, an electrician with Gaudette Electric Inc., lays electrical conduit Tuesday at the Crystal River photos. Town Square being constructed at the corner of U.S. 19 and Citrus Avenue. See SQUARE/Page A2 Graduates can also up- load profiles to their photos. Visit https://www. chronicleonline.com/ virtual_graduations to High school take part in the Chroni- Help spotlight your cle’s virtual graduation. Chronicle STARS winners named senior needs car Thursday favorite local nurse Chronicle top nurses in Citrus County who are This year, to observe — you can help employed or retired in/from Citrus the welfare and safety of Maybe her kindness and skill made County and who served in places such our students, the STARS your mom’s final days under hospice as a doctor’s office, hospital, health event will be held online. care beautifully bearable, or she took department, lab office, assisted living Winners for the player of ‘Charlie’ has college scholarship, her time to explain to you what the or independent living facility or any the year in each boy and doctor said you need to do in words other medical care setting. girl fall and winter sport, but lacks transportation you can understand. In past years, the Chronicle and scholar-athletes, male Maybe he was gentle after your sur- generous sponsors hosted a dinner gery — or he made you laugh in spite and awards ceremony to celebrate the and female MVPs, and BUSTER THOMPSON or full-ride financial aid overall athlete of the year Staff writer and a vehicle, Charlie still of your pain. winners. Because nurses play a vital role in all This year we will award each of the will be announced. won’t have the money or our lives, every year the Chronicle of- winners with a prize package as a A video of the award A car is a life-changer for transportation to afford a teenager. schooling like that, Simon fers the community the opportunity to token of our community’s apprecia- announcements, and tell us about your favorite RN or LPN. tion. Each nurse will also be featured congratulatory video snip- It can be a test of respon- said. sibility and independence Volunteer members of the Nurses Appreciation is a program in a special section of the newspaper pets from the schools and of the Citrus County Chronicle that released on July 5. special guests, will be for a young adult, but it’s CCCCC, which strives to also a Crystal River High streamline students’ transi- recognizes excellence in nursing. posted at 6 p.m. Thurs- School senior’s shot at a bet- tions after high school and We are seeking nominations for the See NURSES/Page A5 day, May 21. ter future. support their plans, are try- Visit https://bit. Graduating with a ing to raise money to buy a ly/36e2qCL now to see weighted GPA of 3.1 along- vehicle for Charlie and help nominees for the awards side a heavy participation in with costs. and then again on Thurs- school sports, especially foot- CCCCC set up a donation Hospitals: Don’t delay day to watch the video. ball, “Charlie” is primed to fund for Charlie’s new ride, — From staff reports further his education. his driver’s license, vehicle Charlie — whose real registration and insurance. INDEX name is being withheld — is As of Monday, 11 people ER visits because of virus Classifieds . .B6 also ending high school have pledged a total $1,000 Comics . B5. working full-time without toward Charlie, according FRED HIERS need or waiting and let- too long before seeking Crossword . .B10 wheels, and has recently to the CCCCC, which pio- Staff writer ting their health danger- treatment for their Editorial . A10 managed to find a place to neered similar fundraising ously deteriorate before emergency medical con- Entertainment . .A4 stay with a roof over his efforts for several other Emergency room vis- they seek help. ditions,” Villarreal said. head. local students. Horoscope . A4 its have dropped 50% Emergencies such as “Heart attacks, strokes “This kid is bright and ath- CCCCC wants to raise an- nationwide as people heart attacks and strokes and appendicitis did not Sports . A8 letically talented. ... He’s not other $1,000. People can needing medical care are time-sensitive and go away because of Lottery Numbers . .A8 afraid of work,” said Patrick also just donate a vehicle. stay clear from fear of the faster a patient gets COVID-19, and delaying Lottery Payouts . .A8 Simon, president and Donors can mail checks entering hospitals and to an emergency depart- treatment can have di- Obituaries . .A6 founder of the the Citrus to the Citrus County Coali- being infected by the ment, the better the out- sastrous consequences.” TV Listings . .B4 County Coalition for College tion for Colleges and Ca- coronavirus. come, said Dr. Onier Citrus Memorial Hos- and Careers (CCCCC), “but reers, 681 W. Britain St., But Citrus County hos- Villarreal, Bayfront pital CEO Ginger Carroll he has a very different cul- Hernando, FL 34442. pital officials warn the Health Seven Rivers’ in- told the Chronicle that ture at home. ... His story is Write “Charlie” on the en- decline in ER visits is tensive care unit medi- her ER saw a 40% drop trying to survive.” velope or the check’s memo more than a statistic, but cal director. in visits. She also said An Ohio college offered line. rather an indication that “We are seeing an in- that when patients do Charlie an athletic scholar- people are going without crease in the number of ship, but without significant See STUDENT/Page A5 the medical care they people who are waiting See ER/Page A5 A2 Wednesday, May 20, 2020 LocaL Citrus County (FL) ChroniCLe Street and Northeast First Avenue, neighboring town SQUARE square. Continued from Page A1 State lawmakers ap- propriated $450,000 in Western Crystal River Re- grant money toward the sort from the corner plot, project during their 2019 where the replica Civil session. War-era sailing scow had Frink said he expects to been since 2015. bring bids for the splash Now the footprints for a pad park to council in a new network of sidewalks, month, when officials will planters and bathroom are also mull over profession- molded into place, and the als’ various opinions on city’s limestone parking how best to lay out another lot vanished to make way revitalized piece of for a paved, 20-space park- downtown. ing lot and a city trolley “It’ll give us some good stop. ideas,” he said. Workers laid out col- Frink said the sole hic- umns of concrete blocks, cup for town square was forming the skeleton of the COVID-19 shutting down square’s shaded and land- the plant tasked with man- scaped gateway to greet ufacturing the ordered and seat visitors.