Elsa Barrels Down Coast Council Meeting Canceled the Citrus Springs Ad- Visory Council Meeting on July 7 Has Been Canceled
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Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 Hockey: Tampa looks to come back after Montreal win /B1 WEDNESDAY T O DA Y C I T R U S C O U N T Y & n e x t m o r n i n g HIGH 86 Rain and wind LOW early in the day. 72 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com JULY 7, 2021 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community $1 VOL. 126 ISSUE 273 NEWS BRIEFS Elsa barrels down coast Council meeting canceled The Citrus Springs Ad- visory Council meeting on July 7 has been canceled. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be at 9 a.m. Aug. 4 at the Citrus Springs Commu- nity Center, 1570 W. Cit- rus Springs Blvd. For information, call the Citrus County Depart- ment of Public Works at 352-527-5477. Send a letter to a first responder The Nature Coast Vol- unteer Center of Citrus County and Retired and Senior Volunteer Pro- gram will host a “9/11 Cards & Letters to First Responders” project from Sunday, Aug. 1, to Friday, Sept. 10. They will be collecting cards and letters of en- couragement and appre- ciation that will be delivered to first respond- ers in the community. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and has M T T H E W B E C /Chroncle been designated as a na- Matt Miller winches up his 31-foot Grady White boat Tuesday, July 6, at Pete’s Pier Marina in Crystal River. He, along with many other boaters, tional day of service and removed their vessels from the water as Tropical Storm Elsa approached. remembrance. On this day, Americans How to get help in the aftermath across the country volun- teer in their local commu- FRED HIERS AND Elsa strengthens nities as a tribute to the MICHAEL D. BATES individuals lost and in- Staff writer jured in the attacks, first responders and the many After Hurricane Elsa makes its way through Citrus County, before landfall who have risen in service to defend freedom. many local residents could have CURT ANDERSON flooding and isolated torna- does. A hurricane warning has This day of service is a a new set of problems: power AND FREIDA FRISARO outages, flooded roads, downed been issued for a long stretch way to honor those who Associated Press trees blocking roadways, and of coastline, from Egmont Key were lost and to rekindle even possibly water and sewer ST. PETERSBURG — A at the mouth of Tampa Bay to the spirit of unity and services not working. storm that has lashed the Ca- the Steinhatchee River in compassion that followed First, Citrus County officials ribbean and the Florida Keys Florida’s Big Bend area. Land- the attacks. are asking residents with prob- with pounding rain and gusty fall was expected somewhere Cards and letters can lems to call 911 only if it’s an winds and complicated the in between. be sent to the Nature emergency, but for other prob- search for survivors in a The Tampa area is highly Coast Volunteer Center, lems that don’t need immediate deadly condominium collapse vulnerable to storm surge be- 2804 W. Marc Knighton care, telephone the Citrus County has strengthened into a cause the offshore waters and Court, Key #4, Lecanto, Sheriff ’s Office non-emergency hurricane. Tampa Bay are quite shallow, FL 34461. number 352-249-2790. The National Weather Ser- experts say. Gov. Ron DeSantis People can also call the coun- vice said Tuesday that Hurri- said the area would take a For more information, Ozello resident Bill Gaskins call 352-527-5959. ty’s citizens information center cane Elsa was packing winds hard hit from the storm at 352-249-2775 for general removes lawn decorations overnight. — From staff reports as high as 75 mph as it hurtled storm recovery information. Tuesday, July 6, from his front yard toward Florida’s northern Now is “not a time to joy- on South Waterman Drive as he SO YOU KNOW I If you have standing water Gulf Coast. The Category 1 ride” because “we do have flooding a county road near prepares for the upcoming storm. storm is expected to make hazardous conditions out I Because of early your home call the CCSO’s But if the standing water poses landfall between 8 a.m. and 9 there,” DeSantis said at a deadlines due to non-emergency number and re- an unacceptable danger that a.m. Wednesday, somewhere news conference Tuesday. Elsa, some news and port it. emergency vehicles may not be between the Tampa Bay area Still, on the barrier island sports stories, and The county’s stormwater able to pass, the county public and the Big Bend region. beach towns along the Gulf the Florida Lottery drainage systems may be taxed works employees will come and In addition to damaging Coast, it was largely business numbers are not in during heavy rains, so “some- evaluate the problem, she said. winds and heavy rains, the Mi- as usual with few shutters or today’s newspaper. times you have to give it a little Public works employees have ami-based U.S. National Hur- plywood boards going up Check the bit of time,” said Veronica experience with road flood is- ricane Center warned of early Tuesday. Chronicle’s Facebook Kampschroer, the county’s sues, and they can determine life-threatening storm surges, See LANDFALL/Page A2 page and visit spokeswoman. See HELP/Page A2 www.chronicleonline. com, for storm updates. INDEX Classifieds . .C7 Jury selection begins Hallowell’s murder trial Comics . .C6 However, Elsa’s approach led Hallowell, who Crossword . .B10 Attorneys deliver opening statements the courthouse to close for busi- has no prior Editorial. A9 ness Wednesday; Hallowell’s trial criminal history, Entertainment . A4 BUSTER THOMPSON Circuit Judge Richard “Ric” How- will resume Thursday morning. could be sen- Lottery Numbers . .B3 Staff writer ard selected six jurors and two Attorneys told Howard they ex- tenced to life in Lottery Payouts . .B3 alternates — six men and two pect to give their closing state- prison if con- Obituaries . A6 With Tropical Storm Elsa loom- women — the morning of Tuesday, ments by Friday. victed. He’s not ing outside the courthouse, Carlos July 6, to preside over Hallowell’s TV Listings. .C5 A Citrus County grand jury in- eligible for death Hallowell’s trial for the premedi- trial, which was scheduled to last dicted Hallowell in October, Carlos row because he tated murder of his adoptive the week. charging him with first-degree Hallowell was a 17-year-old mother began on the fast-track of In the afternoon, attorneys deliv- murder of his 57-year-old adop- minor at the time a shortened week. ered opening statements and ques- tive mother, Denise Hallowell, of the offense. Lawyers and Citrus County tioned a handful of witnesses. July 13, 2019. See TRIAL/Page A2 BEST OF THE BEST SPOTLIGHT 2021 Thankfor voting us Best of You the Best Real Estate Office and Commercial Real Estate Office ALEXANDER Family owned and operated, Alexander Real Estate, Inc. has been proudly serving Citrus County and the Nature Coast since 1984. We have garnered a reputation of honesty, integrity, and diligence. We get the job done, because we put our heart and back into each transaction. CC-0010DYM www.ALEXRE.com (352) 795-6633 A2 WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2021 STATE & LOCAL CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE outage-reporting system at 800- will continue to respond as needed. 228-8485 or visit www.duke- GOVERNMENT CLOSURES HELP energy.com. I Crystal River City Hall is closed through July 7. SCHOOL CLOSURES Continued from Page A1 If you’re a Withlacoochee I The Citrus County Courthouse is closed July 7. I Citrus County School District offices and River Electric Cooperative cus- It will reopen July 8. campuses are closed July 7, including all sites what can be done to alleviate tomer call 352-567-5133. If using operating summer school, summer camps and the problem, she said. SmartHub, select the Report I Citrus County Parks and Recreation facilities, athletics. Normal operations are anticipated to The county’s Emergency Op- An Issue/Inquiry button in the including county parks, boat ramps, pools and resume July 8, including the summer lunch erations Center warned Tues- top right corner after logging community buildings, are closed through distribution program from 11 a.m. to noon. day that Citrus could see some in, then the Power Outage but- July 7. localized flooding with rainfall, ton on that page. Follow the I The College of Central Florida cancelled I Citrus County Animal Services (CCAS) is closed which will be approximately form and complete the infor- classes at all locations in Marion, Citrus and through July 7. 2-4 inches inland and possibly mation required. Levy counties through July 7. Operations will 4-6 inches on the coast. If a SECO customer, report I CCAS suspended the community cat Trap- resume July 8 unless otherwise announced. I If you see a downed trees your outage at 352-793-3801. Neuter-Vaccinate Return program until July 13. blocking the roadway, Kamp- Duke Energy also has some It is recommended that healthy cats found OTHER CLOSURES schroer said to report it, espe- tips for after the storm: outside are left alone during the period services I All Citrus County Library System locations are cially if it’s a large tree blocking G Stay away from power lines are suspended. closed through July 7. a major thoroughfare needed that have fallen or are sagging.