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Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 NBA Finals: Lakers look to clinch, Heat try to survive /B1 MONDAY TODAY CITRUSCOUNTY & next morning HIGH 86 Some morning LOW low clouds then mostly sunny. 70 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com OCTOBER 12, 2020 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOL. 126 ISSUE 4 LIFE INTERRUPTED: RAYNNA HAMMOND NEWS BRIEFS ‘Footprints on my Heart’ changes Citrus County COVID-19 update NANCY KENNEDY chronicleonline.com or Nancy Kennedy at would be able to surround Staff writer [email protected]. yourself with friends and Thirty three new positive I I I family to help you grieve. cases were reported in Citrus Editor’s note: Every one of us has had our life Imagine you’re pregnant and you’re at a But now … . County since the latest FDOH interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, some prenatal doctor’s visit when you hear the “COVID has changed ev- update. Two new hospitaliza- more than others. news: “I’m so sorry, but we can’t find a erything for our (loss) fami- tions were reported; three We asked people to tell us about how their heartbeat.” lies — they have to deal with new deaths were reported. lives have been interrupted, in ways large or Or you’ve gone into labor. Everything has things differently now,” said Raynna To date in the county, small, and how they’ve handled their situa- been normal up to this point, but you deliver Raynna Hammond, founder 2,947 people have tested tions, how it has changed them. a baby that’s stillborn. Hammond of Footprints On My Heart, a positive (including 11 non- As we continue the series, “Life Interrupted,” Any number of scenarios paint the same nonprofit group that offers support for fami- we’re still looking for stories. If you have a story picture: A baby you’ve never seen, but have lies suffering from miscarriage, stillbirth, residents), 306 have been to tell and would be willing to share it with our loved for months you will never see grow up. neonatal or infant loss. hospitalized and 118 have readers, email Jeff Bryan at jeff.bryan@ Before the coronavirus pandemic hit, you See LIFE/Page A7 died. — From staff reports Woman charged in crash that killed 3-year-old Cooter Festival pushes on A 25-year-old Beverly Hills woman faces a number of charges, including DUI man- slaughter, after a single- vehicle crash in the early morning Sunday, June 11, 2020, at North Jill Avenue and West Cave Court killed a 3-year-old girl, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report. Shelby Gabrielle Collazo, the driver and mother of the deceased child, was arrested and charged with DUI Man- slaughter, four counts of DUI Serious Injury, one count of DUI Property Damage. She was taken to the Citrus County Detention Facility. According to the report, Collazo was driving an SUV northbound on North Jill Ave- nue. Upon reaching the right curve and intersection of West Cave Court, she failed to negotiate the roadway. The vehicle continued north, de- parting the roadway and col- liding head-on with a tree. Each of the six occupants, with all but one being unre- strained, suffered serious inju- Chronicle file ries, to include Collazo’s The annual Cooter Festival, which typically draws in 15,000 event goers will be scaled significantly back and reduced to a two-day event, 3-year-old child who died at said event organizer Liz Fernley, director of Inverness’ events and marketing, due to the current pandemic. This year’s Cooter Festival will the scene of the crash. The again be at the Depot District and Liberty Park. other occupants of the vehicle included a 40-year-old Her- nando man; a 15-year-old Inverness prepares for modest, downscaled event amid pandemic Hernando female; a 16-year- FRED HIERS old Hernando male; a 16-year- Staff writer old Beverly Hills male. — Jeff Bryan/Staff writer The Inverness Cooter Festi- val will go on despite the coro- POLL navirus pandemic. The popular city event that ONLINE POLL: typically draws about 15,000 visitors from Citrus Your choice? County and surrounding areas By all accounts, the first over three days, will be cele- presidential debate was a brated this year. disaster and some have even But event organizer Liz said it should be the last Fernley, director of Inverness’ one. If you were in charge of events and marketing, told the the debate, what would you Chronicle it will be scaled sig- do to create a more nificantly back and reduced to informative platform to learn a two-day event. about each candidate? Fernley said the city made A. Nothing. I like the free- the decision a few weeks ago to hold the festival and it was im- wheeling debates. The portant to bring some measure messier, the better. of normalcy back to people’s B. I would install a kill lives and celebrate Inverness. switch on the candidates “It’s about quality of life,” microphone. When a Fernley said. “We’re proud of question is being asked of everything Inverness has to Evelyn Owsiak shows her moves as a vampire cheerleader for the Cooterween costume contest at the one candidate, the other offer.” 2015 Cooter Festival at Liberty Park in Inverness, with Sharon Skeele-Hogan at right as the MC for the candidate’s microphone is But given the health risks as- event. Cooterween is still on the events card. The Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, event is a Halloween costume off until it is their turn to sociated with the virus, “it in- competition involving three categories for the age groups baby to 3 years old; 4 to 7 years old; 8 years speak again. spired us to do things old to 12; 13 to 19 years old; adults 20 years and older; and, also for pets. differently,” Fernley said. C. I would make all debates City councilman Ken Hinkle people get out of their homes upcoming city events, Council- rearrange festivals to keep “Town Hall” debates instead said residents are yearning for and have something to do,” he woman president Jacquie Hep- people as safe as possible. of moderator-led debates. some of the things they enjoyed told the Chronicle. “And it’s a fer said annual events are “We’re trying to give people D. I would stop debates all before the virus’ onslaught. local event.” important to residents. Mean- some normalcy,” she said. together. The candidates “I think we’re doing it to let When speaking about while, the city is working to See FESTIVAL/Page A2 don’t say anything new and hardly ever answer the questions asked. To vote, visit www. chronicleonline.com. Results will appear next Sheriff candidate prepares changes to agency if elected Monday. Find last week’s poll results./Page A3 FRED HIERS “hodgepodge” of mostly drug ar- current sheriff I OFFICE: Staff writer rests rather than a comprehen- tries to grab Citrus County Sheriff. sive, community-centered headlines with I WHO: Republican incumbent INDEX Lee Alexander thinks law en- approach to enforcing the law, drug arrests of Mike Prendergast and no- Classifieds .....................B7 forcement under the current Alexander told the Chronicle’s low-level dealers party affiliation Lee Alexander. Comics ..........................B6 sheriff isn’t working and its time editorial board recently. and users. I TERM: 4 years. Crossword ....................B10 for a change and he is the man Alexander told the editorial “You can’t just I SALARY: $138,491. Editorial .........................A6 bring it about. board his priorities are to re- attack the end Entertainment ................A4 Alexander is a registered Re- structure the sheriff ’s office to be Lee user,” Alexander I COVERS: All Citrus County. Horoscope .....................A4 publican but is running as a no- able to place more deputies on Alexander said of the sher- Lottery Numbers ............B4 party affiliation candidate in the the streets, increase traffic en- iff ’s arrests. Alexander told the Chronicle. November general election forcement, which in turn will re- The drug focus should be large- “What needs to be remembered Lottery Payouts ..............B4 against Citrus County Sheriff duce crime, and offer agency scale sellers and manufacturers is an increase in arrests does not TV Listings .....................B5 Mike Prendergast. transparency when it comes to “rather than whatever happens mean that a strategy is working, it The focus at the sheriff ’s office the office’s budget and to pop up,” he said. just as easily could mean your has become about making “head- operations. “We cannot simply arrest our problem is getting worse. lines” with an unorganized Instead, Alexander said the way out of the problem,” See SHERIFF/Page A5 A2 MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2020 LOCAL CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE adults 20 years and older; and, also for pets. FESTIVAL The city will hand out Continued from Page A1 ribbons for first-, second-, and third-place finishers. “We’re trying (but) The competition will be COVID-19 has rearranged at the Depot pavilion, 300 every aspect of how we N. Apopka Ave., Inverness. do things.” Registration begins at noon. Events such as these I The city will also host give people options rather the Cooter Softball Tour- than having to sit at home, nament from Oct. 19 to she said. Oct. 23, 2020. This year’s Cooter Festi- The city’s recreational val will be held at the department (352-726-3913) Depot District and Liberty is taking applications for Park in Inverness. teams and answering Fernley said the city will questions about the event.