Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 Horse Racing: Baffert’s Derby winner fails drug test / B2 MONDAY TODAY CITRUSCOUNTY & next morning HIGH 91 Partly cloudy with LOW chance of stray showers. 69 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com MAY 10, 2021 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community $1 VOL. 126 ISSUE 214 NEWS BRIEFS State may speed up parkway opening Citrus County MIKE WRIGHT The road is 87% complete, the email COVID cases Staff writer states. If the proposed accelerated According to the schedule is kept, the parkway will open Florida Department of If it seems the Suncoast Parkway’s two or three months early. progress through Citrus County is pro- County Administrator Randy Oliver Health, 20 positive gressing at a fast pace, it is. explained it this way in an email to cases were reported So much so that the contractor in- county commissioners: in Citrus County since formed state officials they are pre- See PARKWAY/Page A7 the latest update. pared to open the portion between U.S. No new deaths 98 and Cardinal Street in October, and Electronic signs are installed in were reported, for a the remainder to State Road 44 two March 2021 along State Road 44 at the total of 445. months later, according to an email se- projected terminus of the Suncoast To date in the nior project engineer Mark Cook sent Parkway in Lecanto. county, 11,154 people Citrus County officials. MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle file have tested positive (including 99 non- residents). Two new hospital- izations were re- ported, for a total of 726 hospitalized. Totals reflect prelim- Emergency for service inary reports received by the state, and are subject to revision. Paper seeks D-Day vets Sunday, June 6, marks the 77th anni- versary of D-Day, the allied armed forces in- vasion of Europe. The Chronicle is seeking stories of veterans who were a part of the invasion the day of or the immediate days afterward. If you have information or know of a veteran, please con- tact Managing Editor Jeff Bryan at 352-564- 2909 or email jeff. bryan@chronicle online.com or contact Assistant Managing Editor Brian LaPeter at 352-563-3293 or email blapeter@ chronicleonline.com. Delays on US 41/CR 39 The Florida Depart- ment of Transportation (FDOT) put motorists on alert as they should expect delays while traveling on U.S. 41 north at West Withla- coochee Trail (County MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle file Volunteers with the Salvation Army canteen sometimes serve up to 150 meals in one hour. The canteen has been demobilized and the Road 39) from 7 a.m. charity is seeking a replacement. to 5 p.m. Monday, May 10, to Friday, May 14, as work con- tinues on the Citrus County’s vulnerable seniors, homeless could lose hot-meal program Withlacoochee- Dunnellon Trail Connector. MICHAEL D. BATES commissioners for help. Watch for shifts in Staff writer He figures it will cost about $130,000 to the traffic pattern. buy a new mobile canteen. These vehicles Unless the local Salvation Army gets are suited to delivering hot meals be- — From staff reports financial help soon, it may no longer be cause they have compressors, generators able to provide hot meals for the hun- and special compartments to store food. ONLINE dreds of county homeless and needy Strissel said the Salvation Army’s terri- POLL seniors. torial headquarters in Atlanta said if he The meals are cooked in the nonprofit could raise 70% of the money they would What do charity’s kitchen at its headquarters at match the balance. 712 S. School Ave., in Lecanto. They are The need in Citrus County is great, he you think? delivered to two sites — one in Homosassa said. What is the greatest and the other in Crystal River — via the “We’re seeing a great number of seniors Salvation Army’s mobile canteen. coming to us because they’re not able to capital improvement The state charity’s headquarters re- Col. Dennis Strissel sits in his office at the stretch their dollars through the month,” needed in Citrus County cently deemed the mobile canteen was in Strissel said. “Coming for hot meals on in 2021? Salvation Army’s Lecanto location. Strissel too bad of shape and spending money on is filling in until a replacement commander Tuesday and Wednesday helps.” A. Finishing the it would be a waste. It is scheduled to be for the Salvation Army is named. He’s He would like to start up a third food Riverwalk decommissioned. subbing because Majors Ken and Linda site in Inverness. B. Building a new “We absolutely have to have that kind of Fagan retired. What happens if the money doesn’t vehicle to transport meals,” said Col. Den- come in for a new canteen? animal shelter nis Strissel, interim administrator at the serving meals but that vehicle must be re- “I don’t even want to think of that,” he C. A Baker Act facility Salvation Army’s Lecanto location. turned when officials there need it. said. D. U.S. 41 North The Citrus County branch borrowed a Strissel is appealing to the public expansion van from Hernando County to continue and plans to reach out to county See SERVICE/Page A7 E. Progress in road repaving F. Boat ramp at the barge canal G. Making Cardinal Lane four lanes H. Purchasing property in Ozello for a Kinnard: Time for definite animal shelter plan county park MIKE WRIGHT add space for programs the community “I believe that people are donating To vote, visit www. Staff writer supports, such as programs linking the these large sums of money to build a chronicleonline.com. shelter with veterinarian students, new shelter, not rehab the old shelter,” Scroll down the home Citrus County Commissioner Jeff Kin- LifeStream Behavioral Center and the Kinnard said in an interview. page and look for the nard thinks it’s time for the board to county jail. After years of discussing whether to make the call on a new animal shelter or He noted the county has $1.7 million repair, replace or retrofit the animal poll box in the right- get off the discussion. in private donations for a new shelter, shelters, commissioners at their last hand column. At the Tuesday, May 11, board meet- and he believes the county can borrow meeting directed County Administrator Results will appear Jeff ing, Kinnard will ask commissioners to the remainder. Additions to the shelter Randy Oliver to provide details for three next Monday. Find last Kinnard support the staff designing a $8 million requested by the community can be options: week’s online poll Citrus County to $9 million animal shelter on county- funded with private partnerships, he results./Page A3 commissioner. owned land in Lecanto, with plans to said. See SHELTER/Page A7 Classifieds . .B8 Editorial. A6 Extra puzzles . .B5 Lottery Numbers . .B3 Comics . .B7 Entertainment . A4 INDEX Horoscope . A4 Lottery Payouts . .B3 Crossword . .B10 TV/Movies . .B7 A2 MONDAY, MAY 10, 2021 LOCAL CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE Withlacoochee Technical College’s third annual ‘Made for the Trades’ ABOVE: Patrick and Stepanie Johnson of Citrus Springs, with co-owner Samantha Indo of the Side Bar Tavern, downtown Inverness, enjoying a drink and laughs with friends while supporting the Withlacoochee Technical College’s third annual “Made for the Trades” dinner and auction held Friday, May 7, at Liberty Park. The event was completely sold out, with all donations going back into furthering the students’ education with supplies and materials. LEFT: Christine Mestrovich, with Career Source, places a bid on a female welding student’s artwork, at the Withlacoochee Technical College third annual “Made for the Trades” dinner and auction held Friday, May 7, at Liberty Park in downtown Inverness. SYDNEY AKENS/For the Chronicle Around the COMMUNITY League of Citrus Baby questions to the executive 509 E Hartford St. in Her- $10. New members or visitors administered by the Florida board, email [email protected]. nando. Lunch is served at should call Sybil at 352-344- Department of Health at Unity Women’s Voters to Shower planning noon and all members will be 8256 for lunch choices. To of Citrus County, 2628 W. talk motherhood team to meet Senior Friends for called with the lunch choices. make a restaurant tour reser- Woodview Lane in Lecanto. In recognition of Mother’s The Citrus Baby Shower Life announces Their program will be pre- vation, call Pat at The first dose event will be Day, the League of Women’s planning team will have their upcoming events sented by the Sheriff’s Office. 352-795-5822. Wednesday, May 12 and the Voters has invited Nancy To- evaluation meeting at 10 a.m. They will have another second dose event will be Fri- Senior Friends for Life has Vaccines available maselli to make a presenta- Wednesday, May 12, via restaurant tour at 12:30 p.m. day, June 11. announced upcoming events. tion at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May Zoom. Wednesday, May 26, at Out- at Unity of Vaccinations are by ap- Their monthly luncheon 11, via Zoom. She will ad- They will review the regis- back Steakhouse, 2225 High- pointment only. To schedule meeting will be at 11:30 a.m. Citrus County dress fun and interesting facts tration and evaluation data way 44 W. in Inverness. an appointment, call Unity of Wednesday, May 12, at Citrus The Moderna COVID-19 about the universal process of from this year’s event. To join New members are wel- Citrus at 352-746-1270.