Going bowling: Who will Seminoles face in title game? /B1 MONDAY TODAY CITRUS COUNTY & next morning HIGH 82 Morning fog, then LOW partly cloudy. 59 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com DECEMBER 9, 2013 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOL. 119 ISSUE 124 QUESTION OF THE WEEK Kenney to present chairman’s agenda ahead. A chairman’s year’s non-ad valorem will start on Oct. 1, 2014, Special fees topic of hearing agenda sets out particular special assessments to and be assessed through- goals to be reached during provide fire protection out the unincorporated CHRIS VAN ORMER ing of the Citrus County that commissioner’s term services and facilities, and incorporated areas of Staff writer Board of County Commis- as chairman. storm water services and the county. sioners (BOCC). At 2 p.m., the board will facilities and roadway The board is expected to INVERNESS — Com- Kenney will report his conduct a public hearing maintenance, improve- adopt and authorize a res- missioner John “JJ” Ken- findings from his research to listen to residents’ com- ments and services. olution to use the uniform ney, the new chairman, with county staff of the ments about using the These would be new method of collecting and Contribute! will present his agenda at areas identified needing uniform method to levy, fees on residents’ tax bills provide an effective date. Like us at Tuesday’s regular meet- special focus for the year collect and enforce next for the budget year that See AGENDA/ Page A5 facebook.com/ citruscounty chronicle and Monday CONVERSATION respond to our Question of the Week. Cold It seems like the Leading 4-H in 2014 holiday season brings out the best and worst in snap people. What do you do to alleviate stress? Stephanie hits Haden Waters Just breathe and remind myself what Christmas is all about. Then go bake some cookies, ha ha. hard Patti Griffith Associated Press Biking and yoga are my stress relievers. PHILADELPHIA — A powerful storm that crept Tricia McEntire across the country Marble dumped a mix of snow, Workout, go for a walk, freezing rain and sleet on call my friends, or get the Mid-Atlantic region some reading in! and headed northeast John Pepe Sunday, turning NFL playing fields in Pennsyl- I pray then read vania into winter wonder- Philippians 4:6. lands, threatening as Mary Johnson much as a foot of snow in I go to my quiet Delaware and New Jersey spot. A park not visited and raising concerns by many. Huge open MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle about a messy morning fields, trees, fresh air, Citrus County 4-H Extension Agent Marnie Ward says her organization offers an array of learning commute. wildlife. “The human opportunities for children that are not exclusive to agriculture. While agriculture programs are a large The storm forced the spirit needs places component of the 4-H program, children can also learn about robotics, cooking, photography and more. cancellation of thousands where nature has not of flights across the U.S. been rearranged by the and slowed traffic on hand of man.” Marnie Ward on board for Citrus County’s youths roads, leading to a num- ber of accidents, includ- Vicki Truett ing a fatal crash on the Home workout PAT FAHERTY ice was down to a skele- CHRONICLE: Can you Pennsylvania Turnpike DVDs! Staff writer ton staff and Citrus sum up your background near Morgantown that led County 4-H was entering and qualifications and Dawn Heatly to a series of fender- arnie Ward is the its busiest time of the how the job is shaping benders involving 50 cars. I go to work at new UF/IFAS Citrus year. The program up? the hospital and re- What was forecast in County 4-H Exten- serves young people For video, WARD: I have lived in the Philadelphia area to member how lucky I am sion Service agent. ages 5 through 18. Citrus County for almost to not be a patient — M click on this be a tame storm system The long-time Citrus County Ward has since been 27 years. I am not a na- true therapy! story at with about an inch of resident has a background in out and about attending www.chronicle tive of Florida, but I am snow followed by rain Linda Thomas education and has been in- events and meeting with online.com. at heart. I came from up- mushroomed into a full- Jazzercise! volved as a 4-H volunteer. various community state New York. As far as blown snowstorm that She holds a doctorate degree groups. She is also involved my education goes, I started col- snarled traffic along In- and has been an adjunct sci- with the Agricultural Alliance of lege down here at Central terstate 95 in Pennsylva- POLL ence instructor at the College of Citrus County. Under her direc- Florida, right here in Citrus nia from the Delaware to Central Florida. tion, Citrus County 4-H clubs County, and then transitioned New Jersey state lines. ONLINE POLL: She took the position in Sep- are planning even more activi- Paul Jones, 24, a youth Your choice? tember, as the Extension Serv- ties in 2014. See MONDAY/ Page A9 hockey coach from Should Internet sales be Warminster in the taxed? Philadelphia suburbs, was A. Absolutely. on his way to a game in Now that buy- Lancaster when he got ing online is stuck — along with his fi- common- ancee, another coach and DAV seeking van donations three players — in a major place, it’s es- sential to backup on the turnpike. capture the tax revenue. ERYN The roadway was B. Nope. I like the sav- WORTHINGTON “snow-covered, slick,” ings I get when buying Staff writer online and don’t want to See COLD/ Page A2 pay a sales tax. At a quarter after six C. Probably not. The every weekday morning, complicated bureau- veterans arrive at the Vet- cracy needed to take in eran Affairs service of- the tax dollars would fice in Lecanto to load offset the benefits. into a van. D. Yes. It’s only fair, No, they are not head- since store owners are required to collect the ing to the Hard Rock sales tax. Casino in Tampa or to St. To vote, visit www. Augustine for a ghostly chronicleonline.com. tour. Click on the word Instead, approximately “Opinion” in the menu 3,000 ambulatory veter- to see the poll. ans a year are trans- Results will appear ported to a Veterans next Monday. Find last Administration medical week’s online poll facility in either results./Page A3 Gainesville or The Vil- lages for appointments or INDEX treatments. Classifieds ................B8 The patients range Comics ....................B7 from young able-bodied ERYN WORTHINGTON/Chronicle Crossword ................B6 men and women receiv- Disabled American Veterans Transportation Network driver Joe Stephens is soliciting Editorial..................A10 ing minor treatment to donations from organizations and businesses throughout the county to fund a new Entertainment ..........A4 disabled veterans and van to transport veterans to and from their medical appointments in Gainesville and Horoscope ................A4 others who need frequent The Villages. Lottery Numbers ......B3 hospital care. “Our loaner van has out of service there goes purchase a new van. He Lottery Payouts ........B3 Joe Stephens, a Dis- 276,000 miles on it,” our second route to The said the funds for the van Associated Press Movies ......................B7 abled American Veterans Stephens said. “I’m not Villages for those who are the responsibility of Obituaries ................A6 Bob Gannon of Hockessin, (DAV) Transportation worried about it not being need a ride to their ap- private fundraising. No TV Listings................B6 Del., says he has a snow Network driver, said The kept up. But if it no longer pointments there.” tax dollars are permitted blower, but decided to use Villages route may soon becomes cost effective for With the odometer re- to be used in purchasing a snow shovel for now as become obsolete if funds the VA to keep that van flecting the van’s history, a new van. the first snow of the are not raised for a new going it will be taken out Stephens is heading up season rolled into the van for transportation. of service. If it is taken fundraising efforts to See VAN/ Page A5 region Sunday. A2 MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013 NATION CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE STATE BY STATE ■ CALIFORNIA: Citrus farmers in California’s Central Valley dodged the brunt of the seemingly never-ending winter storm. ■ DELAWARE: Transportation officials said snow rapidly accumulated on Delaware roadways Sunday and that driving conditions were hazardous. ■ IOWA: The state’s first widespread snow of the year caused a 20-car pileup on Interstate 80 in Des Moines. Most of Iowa is expected to see 2 to 4 inches of snow. ■ KANSAS: 6 inches of snow were forecast in the north-central part of the state. Lesser accumula- tions were reported elsewhere. ■ MARYLAND: State officials have asked motorists to stay at home while bands of expectedly heavy snow move across the state. ■ MINNESOTA: In northern Minnesota, the low was 35 below zero in Hibbing, with wind chills as much as 25 below to 30 below zero Sunday night into Monday morning in west-central and central Minnesota. ■ MISSOURI: Only a light dusting of snow fell Sunday on top of southern Missouri’s 6 to 12 inches of snow from earlier in the week, the National Weather Service said. ■ NEBRASKA: Near northwest Lincoln, officials had Associated Press to close a three-mile section of Interstate 80 on Sunday morning because of multiple accidents.