All Aboard for Adoptions Crossed the Dark Highway, According to the Florida High- Way Patrol
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NFL reverses suspension of Saints players /B1 WEDNESDAY TODAY CITRUS COUNTY & next morning 000DIUD HIGH 69 Mostly cloudy, LOW with showers and at VILLAGE thunderstorms likely. TOYOTA SEE IT 51 PAGE A4 ON PG. C10 www.chronicleonline.com DECEMBER 12, 2012 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOLUME 118 ISSUE 127 NEWS BRIEFS Mixed vote for new revenue options Man in benefit units (MSBUs) and munici- wheelchair New commissioner Adams offers lone dissent on authorization pal service taxing units for use in fu- struck, killed ture budgets to retain the county’s current level of service. CHRIS VAN ORMER enue options in the future, so that INVERNESS — each passed by the Citrus County County Attorney Richard Wesch Staff writer we can stabilize our revenue to de- Investigators are try- Board of County Commissioners explained the resolution before the velop our budget annually. This is ing to determine why (BOCC) on a 4-1 vote, with the same board would reserve their ability to The response was not unanimous even more clearly evident with the a 31-year-old Inver- voter against both actions: Commis- use these options, but not commit to to two economic issues that went be- current issue of Progress ness man in a sioner Scott Adams, the newest them. fore the county commission Energy/Duke. We have to have these wheelchair at- member of the board. Commissioner Rebecca Bays said Tuesday. available revenues next year as an tempted to cross Introducing some of the potential the current ad valorem tax system A recommendation to enable spe- option.” U.S. 41 at Inverness funding options for future use, seemed to burden property owners Boulevard on Mon- cial assessments and another to County Administrator Brad Thorpe The board was asked only to en- day night, crossing apply for an enterprise zone were said, “We need to advance all rev- able options for municipal service See BOCC/ Page A2 into the path of an oncoming car, killing him. Michael Kurpiewski was hit by a southbound car at 7:10 p.m. as he All aboard for adoptions crossed the dark highway, according to the Florida High- way Patrol. The 2008 Honda was driven by Lowell Baker, 80, of Floral City. He was not injured. After Kurpiewski’s wheelchair was struck, he was thrown into the path- way of a second ve- hicle traveling southbound, driven by Reginald Mason, 44, of Floral City. Mason was not injured. Kurpiewski was transported to Citrus Memorial hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Further details were unavailable Tuesday. Florida Highway Patrol is further investigating the incident. — From staff reports INSIDE NATION: MATT BECK/Chronicle Kelly Gill, volunteer outreach coordinator, sits on the steps of the animal adoptions bus with a sweet, shy shepherd-mix female pup about 3 months old that needs to be adopted and given a name. Animal shelter’s new bus will take pets to public CHRIS VAN ORMER pets a joyride is not the Staff writer foremost reason for reas- signing the bus. As part of — INVERNESS the county commission’s helter pets will get a newly adopted “Strive for free pass on a Life” program, the bus Scounty transport bus will help expedite adop- to find new homes. tions and thereby in- The bus recently was crease the numbers. The Loss for transferred from Citrus result will be fewer ani- County Transit to Citrus mals surrendered to the unions County Animal Services county shelter, hence Michigan lawmakers OK as a mobile adoption cen- fewer that will have to be contentious right-to- ter, following a request in euthanized because no work bill./Page B6 September from Commis- one wants them. sioner John “JJ” Kenney. Kelly Gill, the shelter’s EDUCATION: The bus will take shelter volunteer outreach coor- pets to community events dinator hired in October, where residents will see explained how the bus them and possibly want to will work. adopt them. “Currently, we are Dogs and cats — dogs doing Pet Supermarket on especially — love to travel Who could turn down a face like this? Shelter workers hope an up close and personal in vehicles. But giving See BUS/ Page A7 look at the animals will give people more of an incentive to adopt. Board gives Smith ‘Last Man Standing’ Science fairs Students get a taste using scientific method earful about testing ends in four-way tie to solve problems./ Page C1 MIKE WRIGHT Staff writer ■ WHAT: Citrus County Leg- Health of contestants became issue INDEX islative Delegation meeting. INVERNESS — School dis- ■ WHEN: 2 p.m. today. Comics . .C6 PAT FAHERTY technician was the last minute bathroom break trict officials who see the ■ Staff writer woman standing in the every eight hours and Community . .C4 angst standardized testing WHERE: Citrus County Courthouse, Inverness. “Last Man Standing” were restricted to a con- Crossword . .C5 brings to students and teach- Editorial . .A10 CRYSTAL RIVER — competition and one of fined area in the rear ers brought their frustration Entertainment . .B6 Sandra “Sam” Himmel and The black circles ringing the final four. parking lot of the Crystal Horoscope . .B6 Tuesday to state Rep. Jimmie her eyes hardly hid her The 38-year-old single River Mall. T. Smith. board member Pat Deutschman Lottery Numbers . .B4 said a system requiring stu- anger. mother of two had Supporters could pass Lottery Payouts . .B6 The school board, which met dents to pass a single a test to And even standing mo- trooped along for more them select food and Movies . .C6 with Smith and representatives move to the next grade or grad- tionless, shoeless and on than 75 hours and recharge cell phones; the Obituaries . .A6 of U.S. Rep. Rich Nugent and uate dooms students who do the edge of a parking lot watched 43 others, in- event supplied beverages. Classifieds . .C7 U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, said test- well in class but struggle on puddle in torn jeans, dirty cluding 13 women, drop The remaining TV Listings . .C5 ing requirements are unfair to tests. wet socks and a damp out. She had stood night standers competing struggling students and create Himmel said legislators and hoodie, it was obvious to and day through sun and against her for the win- an unrealistic expectation for the state Board of Education everyone, Rachael rain, hardly moving, eat- ner-take-all $5,000 purse students and educators. Powalish was upset. ing and drinking little. Superintendent of Schools See TESTING/ Page A5 The Crystal River nail Contestants got a five- See LAST/ Page A5 A2 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012 CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE rather than on population. zone, the BOCC agreed to When property values nominate sites for the zone, BOCC dropped, the taxes went which will be an area in the State’s fourth-graders Continued from Page A1 down, but county govern- northwest corner of the ment was spending too county that also includes with supplying all the bene- much per capita, he said. the proposed Port Citrus lead world in reading fits to the community. “I look at the whole pic- and an area in Homosassa “If we can levy the benefit ture and try to analyze east of U.S. 19. through an MSBU, we share what’s best for everybody The vote included estab- Associated Press Stewart said the results show Florida is on the burden across the involved,” Adams said. “I lishing an enterprise zone the right path as it moves toward imple- board,” Bays said. think we should review development agency and TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida’s on top menting new Common Core State Stan- Commissioner Dennis these numbers before mak- adopting a strategic plan. of the world when it comes to reading. dards over the next couple years along Damato also favored the ing any decision to tax.” After John Siefert, execu- The state’s fourth-grade reading scores with 44 other states, the District of Colum- resolution. Commission Chairman tive director of the Citrus last year were slightly behind Hong bia and three U.S. territories. “Our goal should be to Joe Meek said he under- County Economic Develop- Kong’s, but an international study re- Former Gov. Jeb Bush, who made provide our administrator stood the issues Adams ment Council, spoke in sup- leased Tuesday concluded their results schools a top priority and continues to and senior staff with as brought forward. port of the application, were not measurably different. push for educational changes statewide many possible creative rev- “My goal is to look at these Adams said it only helped “No education system scored higher and nationally, also hailed the reading re- enue options they can uti- issues as we build this special interests. than Florida,” it states. sults in a statement issued through his lize to fund our budget for budget in 2013,” Meek said. “I’d like to see the EDC Florida’s 2011 fourth- and eighth- Foundation for Florida’s Future, which core citizen services,” Dam- “We are looking at ways to help the working people in graders also scored above the global aver- advocates for his policies. ato said. keep our options open.” this county,” Adams said. age in math and science and on par with “Sunshine State students are once again Commissioner John “JJ” Adams said the BOCC had Both Siefert and Josh the rest of the United States. busting all the myths and proving that all Kenney said he was in favor already used up its re- Wooten, president and CEO The National Center for Education Sta- kids can and will learn when education is of giving county staff the serves, but Meek said it was of the Citrus County Cham- tistics released both studies.