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Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 NHL: Lightning top Capitals in overtime thriller /B1 TUESDAY TODAY CITRUSCOUNTY & next morning HIGH 93 Hot and humid; a LOW few showers and thunderstorms. 74 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com AUGUST 4, 2020 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOL. 125 ISSUE 301 NEWS BRIEFS Candidates make final push Citrus COVID-19 update Aug. 18 primary will be make-or-break moment for many political hopefuls Six new positive cases were reported in Citrus MIKE WRIGHT With two weeks before reports for the primary are Here are some highlights has come in the last month, County since the latest Staff writer the election, already 12.8% due each Friday and they from the reports since then much of it in consulting FDOH update. No new of the county’s 133,033 regis- cover the week prior. A re- through Friday, July 31: and mail pieces. hospitalizations were re- It’s nearing home stretch tered voters have cast bal- view of candidate reports n Sheriff incumbent n Republican opponent ported; no new deaths time for candidates, who lots by mail, according to shows less fundraising and Mike Prendergast has the Mel Eakley spent 40% of were reported. are pulling out the stops in the Citrus County Supervi- more spending in recent most collected of any local his $52,711 expenditures hopes they walk away after sor of Elections website. weeks as candidates target candidate — $142,051. But in the past four weeks, To date in the county, the Aug. 18 primary either Early voting starts Satur- voter households. he has spent just over a mainly in direct mail. 1,297 people have tested elected or advancing to the day, Aug. 7. The Chronicle last exam- third of that — $54,551. Of positive (including two general election. Candidate finance ined reports through July 3. this total spending, $17,937 See ELECTION/Page A2 non-residents), 121 have been hospitalized and 30 have died. City to mull gas station rules The Inverness City Furniture sellers learn to adapt Council will meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020 at city hall on Main Street. The agenda in- cludes final reading of an ordinance that sets stan- dards for newer gas sta- tions, including that they not be allowed in the cen- tral business district. The council will also receive the quarterly report from the Citrus County Sheriff’s Of- fice, plus updates on the Depot District project in Wallace Brooks Park. Vote-by-mail ballot deadline The last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot for primary election is 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. The primary election is Aug. 18, 2020. Any voter can request a vote-by-mail ballot for themselves or a family member for a specific election or for all elections through two general elec- tion cycles. To request a ballot, call the Supervisor of Elections office: 352- 564-7120, fax 352-564- 7121; email Vote@ VoteCitrus.com; or visit www.votecitrus.com. MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle Vote-by-mail ballots RJ Cummins holds his son Roman Cummins, 17 months, as he stands with his wife April Royal with their newborn daughter Giada Cummins, may be hand delivered or 6 weeks. Brelyn Royal, 4, sits front and center inside the RJ’s Furniture Living showroom. Adjacent to this showroom is Resort Furniture dropped off in the 24/7 Liquidators. secure drop box at the Supervisor of Elections office at 1500 W. Mead- Amid pandemic, April Royal and RJ Cummins switch gears with business owcrest Blvd., Crystal River 34429. Vote-by-mail MICHAEL D. BATES thinking seriously about get- dwindled to a halt because peo- Royal said she and Cummins ting out of the furniture ple were hesitant to make big had two choices: “We either ballots delivered after Staff writer business. purchases, fearing an economic close our business or we think 7 p.m. on Election Day There was a point toward The year before they opened slowdown. outside the box.” cannot be counted. the end of February when the Resort Furniture Liquidators Not long after, they were They chose the second option Vote-by-mail ballots may coronavirus was starting to off State Road 44 in Lecanto. forced by the state to shut the and are happy they did. also be dropped off at the rear its ugly head and April But when virus fears started doors anyway, being a non- early vote sites during Royal and RJ Cummins were ramping up, customer traffic essential business. See FURNITURE/Page A6 early voting times for the primary from 10 a.m to 6 p.m. Aug. 7-15, 2020. Early voting locations are located at: Inverness City Hall, 212 W. Main St., In- Citrus adds 10 virus deaths over past week verness 34450; Central Ridge Library, 425 W. Roo- GWEN BITTNER 2020, coronavirus update, sevelt Blvd., Beverly Hills Staff writer the Florida Department of 34465; Homossasa Public Health (FDOH) reported a DeSantis adjusts state’s message Library, 4100 S. Grand- Citrus County saw its total of 10 new deaths in ETHANY collaboration to success- new directive in orches- march Ave., Homosassa highest jump in COVID-19 Citrus in the past week, for B fully overcome — the im- trating the state’s re- 34446, and the Crystal deaths in a single week a total of 30 deaths since BLANKLEY River early vote site at the early March when the The Center Square mediate emerging threat sponse to the COVID-19 from July 27 to Aug. 3, as posed by hurricane sea- crisis, an urge-not-order Supervisor of Elections of- the coronavirus pandemic virus began to spread. Florida Gov. Ron De- son and the continuing “One Goal One Florida” fice, 1500 W. Meadow- The FDOH reported shows no signs of disap- Santis warns the state COVID-19 pandemic. initiative that asks crest Blvd., Crystal River pearing from the U.S. any- 1,299 total COVID-19 cases in Citrus County on Aug. 3, faces two urgencies that DeSantis in a Thursday 34439. time soon. will require unified night address unveiled a See DESANTIS/Page A6 — From staff reports In its Monday, Aug. 3, See VIRUS/Page A2 Classifieds . .B5 Crossword . .B8 INDEX Sports . A7, A8 Obituaries . .A5 Comics . B4. Editorial . A10 Lottery Numbers . .A7 TV Listings . .B3 Horoscope . A4 Entertainment . .A4 Lottery Payouts . .A7 000YU5B A2 Tuesday, augusT 4, 2020 LocaL Citrus County (FL) ChroniCLe Schools incumbent Sandra Edwin Roberts doesn’t “Sam” Himmel has out- have a single campaign ELECTION spent opponent Paul Rein- donor other than the Continued from Page A1 hardt: $30,441 for Himmel, $7,000 he provided the ReasonsReasons $307 for Reinhardt. campaign himself. WWhyhy n Cregg Dalton leads n County Commission n School board District 2 1100 SSENICA SEENNIICCAA the fundraising efforts of District 3 Republican incumbent Ginger Bryant 10 the four Republicans for Ruthie Davis Schlabach loaned her campaign $3,000 property appraiser. He has spent $36,524 in the past on July 1, bringing her con- SShouldhould BeBe YourYour AirAir ConditioningConditioning CompanyCompany spent $33,004 of the four weeks on direct mail tribution total to $11,400. $46,275 collected. and TV/radio/newspaper She has spent $10,343, n Property appraiser ads. It accounts for 64% of mainly on advertising. SAVE WITH EXCLUSIVE SENICA candidate David Gregory her total campaign n District 2 challenger spending. Danielle Damato Doty col- REBATES AND CREDITS has the least — $390 col- 1 lected and $257 spent. n District 3 Republican lected $26,658, including 1 when you purchase select energy-effcient Carrier® systems. Call for complete details. Expires 12/31/ 20 n Tim Reynard shows Luis Marin loaned his $13,000 from herself. Re- $16,800 in contributions; campaign $10,000 on cords show 73% of the however, all but $300 came July 10. In all, loans to his $26,075 spent occurred in Guaranteed We’re the Area’s #1 from Reynard himself, in- campaign account for the last four weeks for di- 2 Lowest Price! 3 Air Conditioning Dealer. cluding $6,500 in mid-July. $25,000 of his $36,044 col- rect mail and billboards. We’ll beat any legitimate competitors’ written And one of the largest family owned & Most of his $14,492 in ex- lected. Much of his ex- Contact Chronicle re- price on an apples-to-apples system quote. operated air conditioning companies in Florida. penses have been for mail penses have gone toward porter Mike Wright at 352- pieces. consulting and postage. 563-3228 or mwright@ $ n n District 3 Republican chronicleonline.com. (Reg. Superintendent of 20 OFF SERVICE CALL* $79.95) *Coupon must be presented at time of service. Not valid with any other offers, maintenance 118, an increase of 19 or warranty contracts. See Senica Air Conditioning for details. Expires 12/31/20. (19.2%). 4 4 VIRUS 34465 (Beverly Hills, 100% Satisfaction Senica is a Carrier® Continued from Page A1 Black Diamond, Citrus Springs, Lecanto and Pine 5 Guarantee. 6 “President’s Award” winner. a 17.8% jump from the Ridge): 106, an increase of If you’re not happy, we’re not happy. Carrier’s highest honor for its dealers and 1,102 cases documented a 22 (26.2%). an example of true excellence. week earlier on July 27. 34453 (Inverness, Citrus From July 20 to July 27, Hills, Hernando, Inver- SENICA BONUS: Get an additional $100 the county witnessed a ness Highlands North and case increase of 28.8%, a Lecanto): 84, an increase OFF any 16+ SEER system or larger! lower rate increase over of 16 (23.5%).