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Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 MLB: One good, one bad start for Cy Young winners /B1 TUESDAY TODAY CITRUSCOUNTY & next morning HIGH 72 Mostly cloudy LOW and cooler. A shower possible. 63 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com MARCH 2, 2021 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community $1 VOL. 126 ISSUE 145 NEWS BRIEFS Bike path plans get boost Citrus County COVID-19 cases According to the Flor- County commissioners agree to prioritize long-sought upgrade going forward ida Department of Health, MICHAEL D. Good news: County of the road where they are the charge for a 9-mile 7 positive cases were re- BATES commissioners at a work- ON THE WEB jockeying for space with bike path on Fort Island ported in Citrus County Staff writer shop last week unani- cars and trucks. Trail since 2017. It’s since the latest update. I https://youtube/ mously agreed to make bvsCIEd6M_s. But it’s not just about downright dangerous Five new deaths were For years, people have the path a top priority and safety. right now, he said. reported, for a total of 404. been asking for a safe bi- asked staff to rework the public meeting. Commissioners said it The road is separated To date in the county, cycle path along Fort Is- costs and timing of con- “(We’re) on board with will contribute to the by a striped 5-foot bike 9,763 people have tested land Trail to allow cyclists struction, report back in it, we gave staff direction overall economy of the lane. But wide vehicles, positive (including 76 and walkers to get safely 60 days and forge ahead and there is funding for county by attracting even such as RVs or those tow- non-residents). from the beach to U.S. 19. with a multi-purpose it,” County Commissioner more tourists here who ing boats, veer into One new hospitaliza- But while everyone path. Jeff Kinnard said. “We’re will spend dollars. the bike lane on tight tion was reported, for a agrees it is needed, plans Staff will present their ready to move.” For Kinnard, this is curves. total of 641 hospitalized. to make it happen never findings and recommen- Once built, the path will great news indeed be- Totals reflect prelimi- really got off the ground. dations to the board at a get bikers off the shoulder cause he’s been leading See PATH/Page A2 nary reports received by the state, and are subject to later revision. Vaccine registration Missed a shot? Here’s your chance system open DOH-Citrus’ preregis- tration system to sched- ule COVID-19 vaccine appointments for individu- als 65 and older and frontline health care work- ers is now available. Individuals can now be added to a waiting list for vaccine appointments and be notified when ap- pointments are available in Citrus County by visit- ing myvaccine.fl.gov or by calling 866-201-0442; TTY is 833-476-1036. Each county has a designated number that individuals can call and preregister with if they do not have internet access. Citrus County’s number is 833-540-2058. Food giveaway Wednesdays in March Mark your calendar: Beginning at 9 a.m. every Wednesday in March (March 3, 10, 17 and 21), the public can receive boxes of assorted food items at the New Church Without Walls at 300 S. JEFF BRYAN/Chronicle Kensington Ave., Le- Regina Apple, ARNP, administers a COVID vaccine to a paramedic Thursday, Jan. 7, at Central Ridge Park as DOH-Citrus prepared to offer the canto, next to the Holiday vaccine to residents in the area. The Florida Department of Health in Citrus County will offer COVID-19 vaccines to Citrus County health care Inn Express. personnel with direct patient contact at a drive-thru clinic from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, March 8, at the Central Ridge District Park. Monetary donations are needed to continue feeding Citrus County DOH to offer more vaccines for residents. Donate through the New Church Without health care workers, others Local deaths pass 400; Walls (www.newchurch withoutwalls.com), Citrus FRED HIERS Highway, Beverly Hills. Staff writer In order to receive a vac- United Way (www. cine, frontline health care 25,473 now vaccinated citrusunitedway.org), For health care workers workers must bring proof of Community Food Bank of who missed their COVID-19 employment, according to BUSTER THOMPSON average of 25 cases a day. Citrus County (www. vaccines, there will be an- Audrey Stasko, DOH Staff writer From Feb. 22-28, the county’s communityfoodbankof other chance to make up for spokeswoman. average positivity rate for its citruscounty.org) or We the loss. The following list will be Roughly 17% of Citrus Coun- Florida residents was 5.66% — a Care (www.wecarefood The Florida Department accepted as proof: ty’s population has been vacci- decrease from the 7.59% average pantry.org). of Health in Citrus County I Health care license. nated for COVID-19 as the rate for Feb. 15-21, according to will offer COVID-19 vaccines I ID badge from place of disease claimed more than 400 FDOH reports. Commissioner to Citrus County health care health care employment. local lives. It’s the goal of health officials sets meeting personnel with direct pa- I Name and position de- According to the Florida De- to have a desired positivity rate March 11 tient contact at a drive-thru scription on agency partment of Health (FDOH) on — the number of positive test re- clinic from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., letterhead. Monday, March 1, the county to- sults out of total results — under Citrus County Board of or until capacity of 200 is I Recent copy of taled 9,763 cases of the novel 10%. County Commissioner reached, Monday, March 8, paystubs. coronavirus, an increase of 178 Ruthie Schlabach will host at the Central Ridge District infections since Feb. 22, at an See VIRUS/Page A5 a Town Hall Meeting for Park, 6905 N. Lecanto See SHOT/Page A5 the general public to at- tend from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 11, at the Central Ridge Community Center, 77 Civic Circle, Beverly Hills. Murder trial rescheduled; shooting case stays put For information, call Public Information Officer BUSTER Assistant Public Defender to Spaight when he re- I Howard left Justice involving a discharged Veronica Kampschroer at THOMPSON Ed Spaight, said he re- ceived them from either Michael Gurrola’s at- firearm and injury in con- ceived roughly 400 pages the Citrus County Sher- tempted-murder trial on nection to his alleged 352-527-5484. Staff writer of additional discovery iff ’s Office or Florida De- for the week March 15, de- September 2019 shooting — From staff reports An untimely arrival of from prosecutors on Fri- partment of Children and nying a defense attorney’s of then-18-year-old Tyler INDEX evidence led a judge to day, along with other case Families. request to postpone. Miller outside Miller’s In- Classifieds . .B5 postpone the trial date for reports on Hallowell’s It’s alleged Hallowell, Jack Maro, Gurrola’s verness home. Comics . .B4 Carlos Antonio background and then 17, fatally struck his lawyer, told Howard he’s While released on bond, Crossword . .B8 Hallowell, the In- unrelated inci- adoptive mother, 57-year- not ready for trial because Gurrola was arrested on verness 19-year- dents involving old Denise Hallowell, a doctor still has to evalu- domestic violence allega- Editorial. A8 old accused of him. with an ax in July 2019 ate his 22-year-old client tions he strangled a woman Entertainment . A4 killing his mom. Spaight said while she was sleeping at from The Villages. who was seven months Horoscope . A4 Citrus County those documents their Inverness home. “It’s going to be impos- pregnant, and held her Health . A11, A12 Circuit Judge were requested a Hallowell was arrested sible to accomplish,” against her will inside an Lottery Numbers . .B2 Richard “Ric” year ago, and he in September and indicted Maro said about the doc- Inverness home. Lottery Payouts . .B2 Howard on Mon- needs time to re- on a first-degree murder tor completing his report In his second felony Carlo Obituaries . A6 day, March 1, re- view them to charge in October. on Gurrola before the case, Gurrola was charged Hallowell TV Listings. .B3 scheduled prove Hallowell’s If convicted, Hallowell, case goes to jurors. with kidnapping and ag- Hallowell’s trial from lack of premeditation or who has no prior criminal Howard told Maro he gravated battery of a preg- March 15 to the week of mitigate a possible history and isn’t eligible could renew his motions nant woman. He’s been in July 6, with a final pre- sentence. for death row, could be to continue the trial as it the county jail without trial hearing on June 21. Assistant State Attorney sentenced to up to life in gets closer. bond since. Howard’s order came Blake Shore told Howard prison. Gurrola faces a charge after Hallowell’s attorney, he forwarded the reports Also in court on Monday: of attempted murder See COURT/Page A7 A2 TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 2021 LOCAL CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE PATH One of the biggest cost savings will Continued from Page A1 be to forget about tearing down and building new bridges along the ROFSNELA The county previously paid for a study to see if a road. ... Instead, the board path was feasible. The big- gest hurdle was cost.