Happy New Year TUESDAY TODAY CITRUS COUNTY & next morning 000DOE7 HIGH 76 LOW Mostly sunny to partly at VILLAGE sunny. TOYOTA SEE IT 55 PAGE A4 ON PG. C12 www.chronicleonline.com JANUARY 1, 2013 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOLUME 118 ISSUE 147 NEWS BRIEF Well permit draws deep concerns Got the day off? MIKE WRIGHT were in disbelief upon Visit the park Staff writer 2012 Year in REVIEW learning that, while the per- The Homosassa mit allows 28 million gal- cerned, it’s what someone west Florida Water Man- Ocala bottling plant brought Springs Wildlife State CRYSTAL RIVER — It lons of water to be pumped plans to do with the water agement District to issue a anger and disbelief to the Park is open today, New wasn’t the old lumber yard a year, it didn’t require a at 142 N.E. 11th St. that has underneath. well permit for a company community. Year’s Day. Park officials residents and officials con- A decision by the South- that will sell water to an Officials and residents See WELL/ Page A4 encourage the public to celebrate the holiday with a visit to the park. SO YOU KNOW A new day dawns SO YOU KNOW Negotiations on a deal to avert the fiscal cliff ■ Early holiday continued as of press deadlines for time. Read a detailed today mean news analysis in lottery numbers Wednesday’s Chronicle. will not be appear in today’s Chronicle. Look for the payouts printed in Fiscal Wednesday’s edition. ■ Early deadlines also mean stocks will not be in cliff, today’s paper. The stock markets are closed today. what INSIDE HEALTH & LIFE: now? FISCAL AP sources: CLIFF Deal emerging superfood Associated Press WASHINGTON — Work- ing with Congress against a YOLO midnight deadline, Presi- dent Barack Obama said Monday that a deal to avert the “fiscal cliff ” was in sight but not yet finalized. The emerging deal would raise You don’t say tax rates on family income “Spoiler alert,” “kick over $450,000 and individ- the can down the road,” ual income over $400,000 a “trending” and “bucket year, increase the estate tax list” are among a list of rate and extend unemploy- baned words./Page C1 ment benefits for one year. ENTERTAINMENT: “There are still issues left to resolve but we’re hopeful Congress can get it done,” Obama said at a campaign- style event at the White House. “But it’s not done.” In the building New Year’s Eve drama, the par- ties still were at an impasse over whether to put off the automatic, across-the-board spending cuts set to take ef- fect at the beginning of the year and if so, how to pay for that. GERRY MULLIGAN/Chronicle One official said talks were The sun rises over King’s Bay on a late December morning, illuminating both sky and water. focused on a two-month See CLIFF/ Page A4 Good year Film fans hand Healthy Commissioner Hollywood record cash./Page B4 sets goals for 2013 ASK THE EXPERTS: goals CHRIS VAN ORMER and members of the public Staff writer will comment at each meet- ing. Then the budget will be Woman drops Successfully dealing with put back together again, so a difficult economy will be the board will learn how 100 pounds, the challenge to the county much it can fund of what in the year ahead. residents want. Commis- aims for more “These are five sioners will look at goals I would like both budget reduc- NANCY KENNEDY Citrus County to tions and increases Staff writer focus on in 2013,” in revenue through Joe Meek, chairman other sources for a INVERNESS — Lisa of the Citrus County sustainable, bal- Leeper smiles easily. Board of County anced budget with- At 47, she lives at Avante Commissioners out pulling from Health & Life at Inverness, most likely (BOCC), recently reserves. the youngest resident at told the Chronicle. Joe Meek “Regardless of our Doctors Bennett, the nursing care facility. “As a county and a chairman of issue with Duke (En- Gandhi, Grillo and She came there a year local government, if Citrus County ergy Inc.), we were Vascimini share their ago from Lake County we would focus on commission. going to have to go expertise./Page C1 after a hip injury, weighing these issues, it through this 412 pounds. would be beneficial for our process,” Meek said. INDEX She came with four community.” Economic development Comics . .C8 goals: to lose between 200 Budget issues The BOCC will continue Community . .C6 to 250 pounds (she has al- From the first BOCC to focus on economic devel- Crossword . .C7 ready lost more than 100), meeting, commissioners opment initiatives to diver- Editorial . .A10 to get much-needed hip and county staff will con- sify the county’s sources of Entertainment . .B4 surgery, to be healthy and front the current budget on jobs and income. Working Horoscope . .B4 strong enough to get her MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle a schedule at each board with the Citrus County Eco- Lottery Payouts . .B4 own house or apartment, Activities assistant Nicole Sharpe walks alongside Lisa meeting for three months. nomic Development Coun- Movies . .C8 and her ultimate goal — to Leeper at Avante at Inverness as part of Leeper’s physical They will divide the budget cil, the board will continue Obituaries . .A6 find a “nice Christian man, therapy. Leeper has lost about 100 pounds in her drive to by function and take it apart to focus on targeted indus- Classifieds . .C9 settle down and have a lead a healthy and happy life. to explain how the money is tries. Medical care, Port Cit- TV Listings . .C7 family.” being spent this year and rus and tourism also will be Georgette Bass, Avante’s plus pounds, especially a nursing home. what the shortfall is, what areas to be incentivized. activities director, calls her when you spend most of “When I go through the programs are and how As a board, it will focus on an inspiration. your time in a wheelchair, much taxpayers are paying It’s not easy losing 100- especially when you live in See HEALTHY/ Page A5 for them. Commissioners See COMMISSIONER/ Page A5 A2 TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013 STATE CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE Rural residents savor laid-back lifestyle ERICA BROUGH husband (Lou Body) enjoys quired since beginning to The Gainesville Sun the music.” ride five years ago. Lou enjoys the music so “Horses are my favorite — NEWBERRY much that now his trips to animal,” Paige said. “They ast net fishing in the the festival include arrang- really catch my eye. I like Gulf of Mexico. ing time to take finger-pick- jumping. I like flying C Horseback riding ing lessons on a dobro. through the air.” and playing bluegrass Robert and Shirley Not every small-town music. Williams of Lake City like event is structured and or- Cheering for the home- to get front-row seats and ganized. A big part of rural town football team on Fri- spend their time between life includes time to just day nights, or singing for performances reading. enjoy local, everyday the church choir on Sunday “We come for the music activities. mornings. and the atmosphere,” said For teens in Dixie Those are seasonings Robert. “The nice thing is County, a favorite way to that provide unique flavors you can sit in the front row spend time is to cruise to the small towns of North and you can still hear.” along U.S. 19 after the sun Central Florida. While The front row is often a sets while looking for their many of the activities are preferred seat for another friends. The teens tend to unique to a specific com- sort of small-town fun. cluster around their pickup munity, others can be found Horse events ranging from trucks in a business park- in several places. trail rides to rodeoing to ing lot where they can swap Rural North Florida has dressage attract enthusi- stories, laugh and generally features that have attracted asts to live, work and play enjoy each other face-to- equestrians, anglers, farm- ERICA BROUGH/The Gainesville Sun in North Florida. face without constant texting. ers, and others who are Archer resident Bob Lusnia helps his grandson, Lucas Gruenwald, 3, get on an antique trac- Horses are big animals willing to eschew the con- tor on display Oct. 6 during the annual Central Florida Peanut Festival in Williston. that require big spaces to In tiny, coastal Cedar Key veniences of nearby shop- compete in. The owners, on a sunny after-school af- trainers and fans who are ternoon, the preference is ping, medical care and “This field brings back we socialize. This is a gath- has only a few months each at the events also need big often walking through town schools for the freedom to memories,” said Hemphill. ering hole for us. It’s social- year that don’t offer at least spaces to accommodate the in bare feet just to see pursue their outdoor “The family brings you ization — being friends a couple of weekend festi- motor homes, travel trail- what’s going on. interests. back to town and back to with people you can talk vals. Windsor has its zuc- ers, horse trailers and Cassie Lozier, 11, and In some cases, those who the game.” with whether it be right, chini fest. Trenton hosts a other gear they travel with. Ciera Beckham, 13, who left the area to pursue a job In some communities, wrong or indifferent.” quilting extravaganza, and North Florida, especially have been best friends or an education or for some there is a specific bit of ge- With daily drink and in Williston, it’s the Peanut Levy and Marion counties, since toddlerhood, rou- other reason find them- ography that draws resi- lunch specials, frequent Festival on the first Satur- have plenty of space that tinely leave their shoes be- selves returning again and dents together regularly.