Budget Bids $2B Apart

Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 NASCAR: Logano wins dirt track race in Tennessee /B1 TUESDAY TODAY CITRUSCOUNTY & next morning HIGH 84 Partly sunny with LOW a stray shower possible. 64 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com MARCH 30, 2021 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community $1 VOL. 126 ISSUE 173 NEWS BRIEFS Citrus County Budget bids $2B apart COVID-19 cases According to the Flor- House plan would seek to tap federal aid, but state Senate proposal wouldn’t ida Department of Health, 12 positive cases were JOHN HAUGHEY (FY22) budgets. Committee will take up $4.4 billion in federal as- approach in trimming reported in Citrus County The Center Square The House’s proposed the Senate’s preliminary sistance from the recently $2.5 billion in state since the latest update. $97.1 billion FY22 spend- $95 billion FY 22 spend- adopted $1.9 trillion spending this and next No new deaths were TALLAHASSEE — ing plan, outlined in APC ing plan, the 423-page American Rescue Plan fiscal year while ac- reported, for a total of With 25 days to go in the 21-01 and the 82-page SPB 2500 and its imple- while Senate budget writ- knowledging the plan is 428. 60-day legislative session, APC-21-02, goes before menting bill, SPB 2502. ers opted not to do so. based on outdated reve- To date in the county, the Florida House and the House Appropriations While the chambers’ Senate President Wil- nue projections and does Senate appropriations Committee Wednesday at tentative budgets are ton Simpson, R-Trilbly, not include $10 billion in 10,278 people have committees will get their 1:30 p.m. more than $2 billion and Appropriations federal aid Florida is set tested positive (including first formal looks this At the same time apart, much of the varia- Chair Sen. Kelli Stargel, to receive. 88 non-residents). week at each chamber’s Wednesday, the Senate tion can be attributed to R-Lakeland, touted the One new hospitaliza- tentative Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations the House allocating Senate’s conservative See BUDGET/Page A2 tion was reported, for a total of 670 hospitalized. Totals reflect preliminary reports received by the state, and are subject to revision. Vaccine Young cattlewoman has big plans registration system open Livestock DOH-Citrus’ preregistration system to schedule COVID-19 vaccine shows play appointments for individuals 40 and older and big part in frontline health care work- ers is now available. Individuals can now be county fair added to a waiting list for vaccine appointments FRED HIERS and be notified when ap- Staff writer pointments are available auren Stokes’ in Citrus County by visit- 9-month old heifer ing myvaccine.fl.gov or by LAlayna is already calling 866-201-0442; eight times her owner’s TTY is 833-476-1036. size, but the young Fu- As part of the statewide ture Farmer of America preregistration system, tugged at the animal’s each county has a desig- halter as gently as if she nated number that indi- were holding a child’s viduals can call and hand for a stroll. preregister with if they do Stokes, 17, softly ran not have internet access. her fingers through Alay- Citrus County’s desig- na’s thick, black hair and calmed the animal as nated helpline number is they walked outside the 833-540-2058. fairground’s barn to Fair midway where half a dozen other teenagers were already opening washing their animals. postponed Stokes is one among about 80 young people Due to transportation who compete each day and labor difficulties, this week at the Citrus Belle City Amusements County Fair Association’s said the carnival/midway livestock competitions in rides will not be able to Inverness. be inspected and ready On Sunday, the Lecanto to open today, according high school student won to the Citrus County Fair the Open Senior Show- Association. manship Grand Champi- Dollar Night will still onship with Alayna. begin at 5 p.m. today, See FAIR/Page A7 with all the other fair ac- tivities (food vendors, Lauren Stokes, a senior at competitive exhibits, live- Lecanto High School and stock programs, enter- member of the school’s tainment and commercial FFA program, cleans her heifer Monday, March 29, vendors) as scheduled. prior to the beef Carnival/midway rides showmanship show at the will open at 5 p.m. annual County Fair. On Wednesday with a Sunday, Stokes won her $20 wristband. first grand championship For information, visit for heifers in the open www.citruscountyfair.com division for senior or the fair’s Facebook showmanship. page for official JEFF BRYAN/Chronicle communication. $2 off fair coupon inside There’s a coupon inside today’s paper for $2 County: Watering restrictions a success off a midway armband at the Citrus County Fair on MICHAEL D. response to increased ir- necessary to bring water highest since the restric- customers to adjust their Chronicle Night, Wednes- BATES rigation demands that re- use into permit compli- tions began, withdrawal irrigation and landscap- day, March 31. Present Staff writer sulted in groundwater ance and avoid regulatory figures are significantly ing practices to accommo- the coupon at the ticket withdrawals exceeding penalties. less than they were in date the one-day-per-week booth for the discount. Citrus County’s manda- Southwest Florida Water Since that time, monthly March 2020, according to watering schedule,” Cit- The fair runs from March tory once-a-week water- Management District’s averages have fallen below the county. rus County Water Re- 29-April 4. It is located at ing restrictions have been (SWFWMD) permitted the permitted limit set by “Our Water Conserva- sources Director Ken called a success. 3600 S. Florida Ave., amounts. SWFWMD. tion and Florida Yards Cheek said. The county enacted re- The new watering And while March aver- and Neighborhoods staff Inverness. strictions in June 2020 in schedule was deemed ages are set to be the will continue to assist our See WATER/Page A7 — From staff reports INDEX Classifieds . .B6 Comics . .B5 Crossword . .B8 Defendant in case to cooperate with prosecution Editorial. A9 Entertainment . A4 BUSTER Daytona 30-year- pretrial hearing defenses, and asked judge’s docket. Horoscope . A4 THOMPSON old William John Monday, March Howard to postpone Assistant State Attorney Health . A11, A12 Staff writer Olsen Jr. and 29. their trial dates. Kevin Davis told Howard Summerfield Dana Fried- “We need time to make he has audio recording of Lottery Numbers . .B2 Legal strategies had to 41-year-old Doro- lander, Olsen’s strategic changes,” Fried- Hill’s new statements, Lottery Payouts . .B2 change for attorneys in- thy Jan Ball- lawyer, and lander said. which he shared with Obituaries . A6 volved in a local home in- McDuffie gave Ball-McDuffie’s Hill, a Dunnellon Friedlander and Evilsizer TV Listings. .B4 vasion case after one of Citrus County attorney, Eric 34-year-old, was also for review before they de- the three defendants de- Circuit Court Jessica Hill Evilsizer, said scheduled to have a pose Hill. cided to cooperate with Judge Richard “Ric” co-defendant Jessica hearing Monday before Friedlander added she prosecutors. Howard the news during Marie Hill is expected to Howard, but her case Lawyers representing their clients’ final testify against their was pulled from the See COURT/Page A5 A2 TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2021 STATE CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE Deal reached to lower state’s business rent tax JIM TURNER and to subsequently make R-Spring Hill, said the News Service of Florida a major cut in a tax on amended bill can be commercial rent. viewed as a $1 billion tax SAVE WITH EXCLUSIVE TALLAHASSEE — Flor- The commercial rent cut. ida businesses would get a tax, long a target of busi- “Since we’re taking the SENICA REBATES AND CREDITS second massive benefit as ness lobbying groups, was money and we’re offset- 11 when you purchase select energy-efficient Carrier® systems lawmakers move toward re- added to the House pro- ting and we’re giving it * Call for complete details.. Expires 4/3/2021. quiring out-of-state retail- posal Monday. 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