ACC: Seminoles, Hurricanes eye league championship /B1 WEDNESDAY TODAY CITRUS COUNTY & next morning HIGH 91 Partly cloudy, LOW 40% chance of showers. 72 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com AUGUST 14, 2013 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOL. 119 ISSUE 7 INSIDE EDUCATION: Board shelves Thorpe’s retirement MIKE WRIGHT Thorpe on board, we Staff writer should jump on that,” Meek said. FEMA training gets nod INVERNESS — Citrus County com- Commissioners Scott missioners voted 3-2 Tuesday night to Adams and Rebecca CHRIS VAN ORMER to spend $1,000 for food allow Brad Thorpe to un-retire. Bays wanted the board Staff writer for 10 selected staffers to Thorpe, the county administrator who to continue with the attend the course, spon- announced his retirement in May, said process of finding INVERNESS — Not sored by the Federal he would stay on the job as long as he’s Thorpe’s replacement. Brad all county commission- Emergency Management wanted. “It’s nothing to do with Thorpe ers were on board Tues- Agency (FEMA) from “I will tell you, if my health is good and Brad as a person,” Bays county day to send 10 county March 10 through March the board wants me, I’ll stay as long as I said. “I’m going to sepa- administrator to staff members to Mary- 13, 2014, in Emmitsburg, Summer can,” Thorpe said. “The board may not rate business from per- stay in office. land for an integrated Md., with their travel For many students and want me in the future. That’s the risk I sonal friendship. It’s not emergency management and lodging paid for by teachers, summer take as an administrator.” that he doesn’t have a heart for it. His di- course. the Department of vacation was more like Commissioners Dennis Damato, J.J. rection and my direction are polar In a 3-2 vote, the Citrus Homeland Security. summer term./Page C1 Kenney and Chairman Joe Meek said opposites.” County Board of County Thorpe is a valuable asset to the county. Commissioners agreed See FEMA/ Page A5 NATIONAL NEWS: “If we have an opportunity to keep Mr. See THORPE/ Page A5 Artifacts Whooperless found in No cranes Silver Merger stalls Governments sue to this coming Springs block the proposed merger of American Airlines with US winter Airways./Page A12 A.B. SIDIBE Archaeologists Staff writer OPINION: survey site he annual win- ter, man-led Associated Press migration of T whooping SILVER SPRINGS — cranes to the Chassa- Scientists have uncovered howitzka National a treasure trove of buried Wildlife Refuge was materials in Silver canceled for the sec- Springs’ crystal-clear ond year in a row. waters. But unlike last year, The Ocala Star-Banner this year’s cancellation reported University of is due to budgetary Florida experts estimate More letters issues. they’ve uncovered some Readers don’t feel shy Michael Lusk, the 10,000 artifacts, mostly an- about expressing their manager of the U.S. cient tools and “lithic deb- opinions in Sound Off Fish and Wildlife Serv- itage,” or the sharp flakes and letters. See ifyou ices’ Crystal River Na- left behind during the agree with them. tional Wildlife Refuge making of arrows and /Pages A9, A10 complex, said the fed- spear tips. eral sequester will The archaeologists sur- OPINION: make it impossible to veying the property said Muster bring the cranes here. the findings could land Sil- The cranes will instead ver Springs on the roster of up the political winter in St. Marks America’s most histori- See CRANES/ Page A11 cally significant venues. “will to develop The survey was man- Due to a lack of dated by the Florida De- and support a funding, the ultralight partment of Environ - aircraft flight leading mental Protection’s deal comprehensive “ the endangered with Palace Entertain- restoration whooping cranes to the ment, which in January Chassahowitzka was granted an early exit plan for King’s National Wildlife from its lease so Silver Refuge will not occur Springs could become a Bay. this year. state park. The transition MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle required an archaeologi- EDITORIAL, PAGE A8 cal survey. COMMUNITY: Key show The Key Training Center Study: Half who now buy own health plan to get aid invites everyone to Music of the Decades in two performances this Associated Press Thursday and Friday. Buying health insurance through new marketplaces /Page C4 WASHINGTON — About half the people who Beginning in 2014, most individuals will be required to carry health insurance if they don’t already have it. How people will now buy their own health apply for subsidized coverage under the law known as the Affordable Care Act: insurance — and poten- 1 Application sent to health 2 Information 3 Hub forwards applicant information to federal agencies – tially would face higher insurance market, known as forwarded to including the Department of Homeland Security, Internal premiums next year an exchange. federal data hub. Revenue Service and Social Security Administration – for under President Barack verification and subsidy eligibility check. Obama’s health care law 1 2 3 — would qualify for fed- 1 eral tax credits to offset rate shock, according to a new private study. Many other people, however, earn too much money to be eligible for HEALTH PLANINDIVIDUALS HEALTH INSURANCE FEDERAL DATA HUB FEDERAL AGENCIES EXCHANGE help, and could end up paying more. The estimate, being re- 7 6 5 4 leased Wednesday by the nonpartisan Kaiser Fam- 7 Depending on income and 6 Applicant notified 5 Approval notification 4 Verified information subsidies, applicant enrolls in of approval. returned to exchange. returned to data hub. ily Foundation, tries to an- private plan or Medicaid. swer one of the biggest INDEX remaining questions SOURCE: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services AP about the impact of Classifieds . .C7 Comics . .C6 Obama’s law on American insurance markets. much more will be a func- the federal government is for several reasons: Community . .C4 families: Will consumers “About half of the peo- tion of a lot of different taking the lead setting up ■ Insurers will have to Crossword . .C5 wince — or even balk — ple won’t be paying the things.” new insurance markets cover people with pre- Editorial . .A8 when they see the premi- sticker price,” said Gary For example, some peo- for individuals and small existing medical condi- Entertainment . .A4 ums for the new plans? Claxton, director of the ple who don’t qualify for businesses. tions, whose needs are Horoscope . .A4 The study found that 48 health care marketplace tax credits may get jobs People can enroll start- costlier to provide for. Lottery Numbers . .B3 percent of families cur- project at Kaiser, an infor- that offer coverage, added ing Oct. 1, and coverage ■ Policies must provide Lottery Payouts . .B3 rently buying their own mation clearinghouse on Claxton, a co-author of the becomes effective Jan. 1. certain standard benefits, Movies . .C6 coverage would be eligi- the health care system. study. And the bottom line Most people currently including prescription Obituaries . .A6 ble for tax credits next “The people who get help on premiums may not be covered by employer drugs, mental health and TV Listings . .C5 year, averaging $5,548 per will get quite a lot of help. clear until sometime this plans are not affected. substance abuse treat- family, or 66 percent of the “Many, but certainly not fall, after the Health and The law is likely to in- ment and rehabilitative average cost of a bench- all, of the people who Human Services Depart- crease the sticker price services. mark “silver” policy of- don’t get tax credits will ment releases rates for for individually pur- fered through new state pay more,” he said. “How more than 30 states where chased coverage next year See HEALTH/ Page A5 A2 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013 CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE 000FOK1 Page A3 - WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013 CITRUS COUNTY CHRONICLE Around the STATE Citrus County Rubio representative in county Aug. 23 A representative from U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio’s of- fice will be at the Lakes Re- gion Library, 1511 Druid Road, Inverness, from noon to 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, to address issues citizens have regarding Social Se- curity, Medicare, veterans benefits, immigration, the IRS or any federal agency. For more information, call the Gulf Coast regional of- fice at 813-977-6450. Fingerprinting resumes at EOC Fingerprinting services have resumed at the Emer- gency Operations Center in Lecanto, after having been suspended due to technical problems. The Citrus County Sher- iff’s Office offers fingerprint- ing services as part of a state-required background check for employment, to apply for a concealed weapon/firearm permit or any other reason where fin- gerprints are necessary. For more information, PAT FAHERTY/Chronicle contact Deputy Andy Citrus County resident Rachel Baril is a full-time online student at Saint Leo University. She works at the College of Central Florida McEwen at 352-527-3701. Citrus campus library and is pursuing a bachelor of arts degree in psychology. Constate issues boil-water notice All customers of Constate Utilities are advised that a major repair at the utility’s well site is scheduled for today, necessitating a pre- cautionary boil-water notice. The utility is urging all cus- tomers to boil water that is to be used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brush- ing teeth or washing dishes. To ensure safety, boil water Students, schools embracing e-learning as viable alternative to classroom for at least one minute. The precautionary notice will re- PAT FAHERTY using a mix of in-person and Lawter said plans on graduating in sum- main in effect until rescinded Staff writer online course work.