Citrus County Still Hot COVID-19 Cases Local Housing Market Remains on Robust Side, Despite Lack of Home Availability According to the Florida Department of MICHAEL D
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Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 NCAA: Stanford women win national championship / B1 MONDAY TODAY CITRUSCOUNTY & next morning HIGH 79 Mostly sunny and LOW pleasant with a breeze. 47 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com APRIL 5, 2021 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community $1 VOL. 126 ISSUE 179 NEWS BRIEFS Citrus County Citrus County still hot COVID-19 cases Local housing market remains on robust side, despite lack of home availability According to the Florida Department of MICHAEL D. BATES listings active at the end of Febru- potentially slow the pace of home the homes sold for more, half for Health, 15 positive Staff writer ary was 361, down 63.8% from sales, rates remain relatively low less. cases were reported 996 a year ago. That puts a strain by historical standards,” Lambert I The median time to contract in Citrus County since Citrus County’s existing on new buyers because there just said. “Record-low inventory is was 28 days (faster than the the latest update. single-family home market con- aren’t as many homes available. continuing to put pressure on 52 days last year). One new deaths tinued its hot trend as new pend- “Florida’s housing market con- home prices to rise and creates I New listings were down 10.1% was reported, for a total ing sales rose 10.7% in February tinued its momentum in February, challenges for buyers.” to 321, compared to 357 last year. from one year ago. but higher interest rates could be Other highlights from the I New pending sales were up of 433. That’s the good news from Flor- a factor going forward,” said February report: 10.7%, from 336 last year to To date in the ida Realtors’ most recent monthly 2021 Florida Realtors President I The median sales price of a 372 this February. county, 10,404 people market report. Cheryl Lambert, broker-owner single-family home in Citrus The brisk market is not limited have tested The downside continues to be a with Only Way Realty Citrus in County was $195,000 — up 11.1% to Citrus County. positive (including lack of home inventory in Citrus Inverness. from $175,500 one year earlier. 91 non-residents). County. The number of property “While rising rates could The median is the midpoint; half See HOUSING/Page A7 No new hospitaliza- tions were reported, for a total of 675 hospitalized. Totals reflect prelim- inary reports received by the state, and are Official: subject to revision. Register to BREWS BENEFIT get COVID Pond vaccine DOH-Citrus’ prereg- istration system to collapse schedule COVID-19 vaccine appointments for all individuals 18 and older. could Individuals can now be added to a waiting list for vaccine ap- pointments and be no- cause tified when appointments are available in Citrus County by visiting flooding myvaccine.fl.gov or by calling 866-201-0442; TTY is 833-476-1036. Associated Press As part of the state- wide preregistration PALMETTO — Florida system, each county Gov. Ron DeSantis said has a designated Sunday that crews are number that individu- working to prevent the als can call and pre- collapse of a large waste- register with if they do water pond in the Tampa not have internet ac- Bay area while evacuat- cess. Citrus County’s ing the area to avoid a designated helpline “catastrophic flood.” number is Manatee County offi- 833-540-2058. Special to the Chronicle cials say the latest models show that a breach at the Vaccine supply re- Ed Blair, left, and Casey Philips brew beer with a home-brew system. The pair are part of the Inverness Brewers Union, which will host a Craft Beer Festival on Saturday, April 10. old phosphate plant res- mains limited and ap- ervoir has the potential to pointments may not gush out 340 million gal- be available for sev- lons of water in a matter eral weeks. Homemade crafters’ festival will raise money for CASA of minutes, risking a — From staff reports 20-foot-high wall of water. “What we are looking at HANNAH SACHEWICZ POLL now is trying to prevent Staff writer and respond to, if need GO ONLINE: be, a real catastrophic le’s well that ends well flood situation,” DeSantis at the inaugural Inver- What do you said at a press conference ness Brewers Union after flying over the old (IBU) Craft Beer Fest think? A Piney Point phosphate where attendees can fill their mine. Although Florida ice-cold mugs to the brim for a Authorities have closed received universal praise great cause. off portions of U.S. 41 and Nine State Brewery will host for its 2020 elections, a ordered evacuations of the event from 3 to 7 p.m. Satur- bill in the Legislature 316 homes. day, April 10, at 200 Tompkins would cancel current Some families were St. in Inverness. The event pro- vote-by-mail requests on placed in local hotels. ceeds will benefit the Citrus file, require voters to A local jail 1 mile away County Abuse Shelter Associa- from the leaky pond is not renew mail ballot tion (CASA), an organization being evacuated, but offi- requests every election that supports survivors of do- cials are moving people cycle instead of every mestic violence. and staff to the second two cycles, and Tickets are $25 and include story and putting sand- eliminate mail ballot four hours of unlimited beer bags on the ground floor. tasting. Guests can taste local drop boxes. Do you Manatee County Adminis- favorites from Copp Brewery, support the bill’s trator Scott Hopes said Marker 48 and Hiatus Brewing proposed changes? the models show the area Company, along with unique A. No, Florida’s could be covered with be- home brews from members of 2020 elections were Ed Blair brews beer with a home-brew system. tween 1 foot to 5 feet of the IBU. water, and the second exemplary. “IBU is just a group of home floor is 10 feet above B. If it’s not broken, brewers who get together and recipe,” two-year IBU member or kegged. ground. don’t meddle with it. talk about home brew,” IBU Karla Grzeka said. “Most people in our group County officials say C. A little fine tuning member Ed Blair said. The brewers buy wheat and keg,” Blair said. well water remains unaf- won’t hurt. Members make unique beers barley, crush it themselves and Different ingredients are fected and there is no D. Florida’s elections at home, which they bring to mix it with hot water to begin used depending on the type of threat to Lake Manatee, their meetings for tasting, cri- the process. Then they extract beer and have to be added at need to be tightened up. the area’s primary source tique and technique sharing on the liquid and boil it to make just the right time and E. It’s absolutely of drinking water. the first Monday monthly. “wort,” a sweet malt liquid. temperature. necessary to combat The Florida Depart- There are three main meth- This “converts all the “It’s an all-day thing,” Grzeka elections fraud. ment of Environmental ods of brewing: extract, partial starches in the various grains to said. Protection says the water mash and all-grain. Most mem- sugar,” Blair said. One of Grzeka’s favorites to To vote, visit www. in the pond is primarily bers of the IBU prefer the all- Next, the hops are added to make are fruity IPAs. chronicleonline.com. salt water mixed with grain method. the boiling mixture. “The ingredients list is lon- Scroll down the home wastewater and storm The all-grain method is ex- Lastly, the mixture is cooled ger,” she said. page and look for the water. actly what it sounds like. Brew- and the yeast is added, which At a previous festival, she ex- poll box in the right- It has elevated levels of ers use grain only, rather than eats the sugar over the course perimented with pineapple phosphorous and nitro- hand column. pre-made malt extract. of two to three weeks creating juice in her IPA, which created gen and is acidic, but not Results will appear It allows the brewer the most alcohol. “Once it’s fermented a combination of sweetness and expected to be toxic, the next Monday. Find last creative control, which is what out, you pretty much have bitterness. agency says. week’s online poll the IBU is all about. beer,” Blair said. results./Page A3 “You create your own Then, it’s ready to be bottled See BREWS/Page A8 See POND/Page A7 Classifieds . .B8 Crossword . .B10 INDEX Horoscope . A4 Movies . .B7 Comics . .B7 Editorial. A6 Lottery Numbers . .B3 TV Listings. .B6 Extra puzzles . .B5 Entertainment . A4 Lottery Payouts . .B3 A2 Monday, april 5, 2021 Citrus County (FL) ChroniCLe Se Habla Español INVERNESS HOMOSASSA 2036 Hwy 44 West 5699 S. Suncoast Blvd. (352)726-1916 (352)621-8000 HOURS: Mon. - Fri. 9am - 4:30pm Sat. by Appt. www.floridahearing.com CC-000ZYKS Page A3 - MONDAY, APRIL 5, 2021 STATE &CITRUS L COUNTYOCAL CHRONICLE Around the COUNTY Jenny Morelli ‘unplugged’ Two seriously injured in wreck on Saturday A pair of Citrus County residents were seriously in- jured in a single-vehicle crash in the late hours of Saturday, April 3, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report. A 22-year-old Inverness man was traveling south- bound in a sedan on North Citrus Avenue, north of West Emerald Oaks Drive, at 11:36 p.m.