Project1:LayoutFlair 1 6/10/2014 for 1:13 Food PM Page 1 : Back to basics MLB: Rays sweep Blue Jays with dinner trends /Page A10 in AL wild card round/B1 THURSDAY TODAY CITRUSCOUNTY & next morning HIGH 81 Mostly sunny, LOW pleasant. 57 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com OCTOBER 1, 2020 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOL. 125 ISSUE 359 NEWS BRIEFS Citrus COVID-19 Stan Olsen dead at 92 update Twenty new positive Black Diamond, Meadowcrest developer remembered for impact on county cases were reported in Citrus County since the MIKE WRIGHT watermelon field that later Nash came to Citrus Crump on the Homosassa YMCA in Lecanto. latest FDOH update. One Staff writer became Citrus Hills, died County in the 1970s with River and the Crow’s Nest, “It’s easy to say he was new hospitalizations was Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020, the idea of building houses an island restaurant near one of the most significant reported; three new He was a visionary in a at his home in Lake Winni- on farmland in the center the mouth of the Homosassa developers and entrepre- way that defied the term. pesaukee, New Hamp- of the county. Mr. Olsen that the March 1993 “no- neurs that ever came to the deaths were reported. Black Diamond. Mead- shire. He was 92. would go on to develop name” storm wiped out. county,” Chronicle Pub- To date in the county, owcrest. Rock Crusher “It’s a sad day,” said Joe Black Diamond Ranch and Mr. Olsen brought well lisher Gerry Mulligan said. 2,783 people have tested Canyon. K.C. Crump’s. Cappucillii, who worked its award-winning Quarry known musical entertain- “He changed the face of Cit- positive (including eight Stan Olsen saw it all be- for Olsen 18 years as a cor- golf course, one of the ment to the county at Rock rus County by developing non-residents), 292 have fore anyone did. porate vice president. “He county’s first upscale gated Crusher Canyon, now an places like Meadowcrest been hospitalized and Mr. Olsen, a New En- was a great guy, a great guy. developments. RV park. and Black Diamond. He 106 have died. glander who with Sam Couldn’t ask for a better He built Meadowcrest, a And he donated the made huge things happen.” Tamposi and Jerry Nash person to work for.” mix of homes and manufac- 18 acres that now holds the Foundation envisioned homes in a Mr. Olsen, Tamposi and turing. He owned K.C. Citrus Memorial Foundation See OLSEN/Page A2 awards local Y $2,000 Dollar General Literacy Foundation recently awarded the YMCA of the Suncoast–Citrus Memo- Scallop season labeled a success rial Health Foundation branch a $2,000 grant to support youth literacy ini- tiatives. This local grant award is part of more than $4 million in grants awarded this fall to nearly 850 nonprofit organiza- tions, libraries and schools across the 46 states that Dollar Gen- eral serves. The YMCA will use the funds to help more young students improve their reading skills through its School Age Program. The program helps children build and strengthen their literacy skills in phonolog- ical awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, com- prehension and writing. Since its inception in 1993, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $186 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 12 mil- MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle lion individuals take their Boaters head west toward the shallow grass flats off of Citrus County’s coastline July 1, 2020 as the scallop season begins. Scallops thrive in the first steps toward literacy clear, grass-laden saltwater flats off of the coastline due to an abundance of fresh water flowing from coastal rivers into the Gulf of Mexico. or continued education. Deputies: Man Despite pandemic restrictions, harvest pulls in strong tourist numbers hid in teen’s MICHAEL D. BATES lackluster scallop population reopening, people had been year, the third consecutive room for weeks Staff writer last year — it all came together, cooped up in their homes for month of increases, according said Citrus County Visitors Bu- four months and were ansty to to Smith Travel Research (STR) SPRING HILL — A The pandemic did not pre- reau Director John Pricher. get out. Scalloping fit that bill, report data. That, said Pricher, Louisiana man found hid- vent Citrus County from having “I was as successful as we he said, because it was outdoors was “a very pleasant surprise.” ing in a Florida teenager’s a successful scallop season. could have hoped, given the ob- and mostly limited to families. “(People) were ready to be closet had been staying It may not have matched pre- stacles,” said Pricher, who attri- “It came at just the right time out of the house and as soon as in the child’s bedroom for COVID-19 seasons, but given butes much of that success to for folks and us in the area,” he they could safely find a spot, more than a month, ac- the topsy-turvy year — marked timing. said. they jumped at the chance,” cording to investigators. by an economic shutdown, stay- When scallop season began Pricher said hotel occupancy The Hernando County at-home directives and a July 1, the economy started was up 3% in August from last See SEASON/Page A2 Sheriff’s Office charged Johnathan Lee Ross- moine, 36, with multiple sex crimes Sunday after deputies were called to a Spring Hill home by the Art Nersasian: ‘A quintessential American story’ parents of the teenager, who found Rossmoine in ANCY ENNEDY story,” said the Sept. 10, 2020. He was 96. His wife, a closet in the child’s bed- N K Staff writer Rev. Ray Cortese, Grace Nersasian, died Sept. 12, room, the agency an- pastor of Seven 2018, at age 91. nounced Tuesday. Art Nersasian’s story begins be- Rivers Church in Art would grow up to be a chem- Rossmoine allegedly fore he was born with the 1915 Ar- Lecanto, where — new shoes, a new bike — learn- ist and an inventor, a graduate of told deputies he traveled menian Genocide, the systematic Art and his wife, ing the value of hard work, sacri- MIT and the University of Michi- from Louisiana to Florida slaughter and expulsion of Grace, were long- fice and selflessness. gan and enjoy a career at DuPont, several times to have 1.5 million ethnic Armenians by time members. “He was a feisty little guy who retiring as a senior automotive sexual encounters with the Turks. “Art often Art came from nothing, who was proud consultant. the teen. Investigators One of the Armenians to escape talked about Nersasian of his Armenian heritage, who He would invent “Viton,” which said he had been in Her- was Nelson Nersasian, who fled growing up and having nothing, loved his family, loved his country, corrects the problem of failing nando County for about to the U.S. to start a new life in his father spending the bare- loved Jesus and our church,” Cor- fuel injection systems. five weeks when he was Salem, Massachusetts. bones minimum so he could send tese said. “Art and Grace were here But he got his start as a kid, discovered. Nelson and his wife, Mary, the rest of his paycheck to Arme- almost from the beginning and re- making his own gunpowder at — From staff and wire reports raised five children: Anne, Aram, nian relief,” Cortese said. mained fiercely committed. We are home. Rose, Robert — and Arthur. As kids, Art and his siblings glad we had them for so long.” INDEX “It’s a quintessential American would never ask for anything Arthur “Art” Nersasian died See POSTSCRIPT/Page A3 Classifieds . .B7 Comics . .B6 Crossword . .B12 Editorial. A7 Crystal River to host ‘First Friday’ event downtown Entertainment . A4 Horoscope . A4 BUSTER stores, eateries and bars open earlier or later. For more information, Fishhook Outfitters and Food . A9, A10 THOMPSON will stay open later and “We’re really excited. ... visit the “First Friday” the adjoining River City Lottery Numbers . .B3 Staff writer offer one-day-only specials First Fridays are done all Facebook events page. Social, all off of Citrus Ave- Lottery Payouts . .B3 for shoppers to take ad- across the nation,” Main Linley said around nue — said First Friday Obituaries . A2 Crystal River is going to vantage of. Street Executive Director 25 Heritage Village and gives shops a chance to TV Listings. .B5 recognize the beginning Crystal River Main Meredith Linley said. “We Bayside businesses off of showcase themselves after weekend of every month Street and the Crystal just wanted to bring this Citrus Avenue, Northeast COVID-19 crippled many with a celebration of its River City Events Depart- recurring event here so Fifth Street and Northeast of them earlier this year. downtown. ment partnered to host that we can increase Fourth Street are “I wanted to participate Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, is the First Friday, which will awareness for people who participating. so we can share all the city’s very first First Fri- last from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. aren’t downtown on a day- Amy Lee — owner of day, when its downtown Some businesses may to-day basis.” Amy’s On The Avenue, See EVENT/Page A8 A2 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020 LOCAL CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE Obituaries. Willie former wife, Joyce Lyles Cleveland Sr., Mattox, and nine of his siblings. 86 Curtis is survived by CRYSTAL RIVER his son Sam Head (Con- nie), Homosassa, FL; Mr. Willie Cleveland daughter Eva L. “Lucy” Sr., 86 of Crystal River, Young (Donald), also of Florida Homosassa; Maxine passed Goodman of Homosassa, away on the love of his life; sister Septem- Eva Lorraine Hudgens of ber 28, Arkansas; grandchildren 2020.