Inauguration: Brown wins his first Presidential /B1 MONDAY TODAY CITRUS COUNTY & next morning HIGH 82 Possible storms LOW by late evening, rain chance 20%. 67 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com APRIL 7, 2014 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOL. 119 ISSUE 243 QUESTION OF THE WEEK Son charged in death deputies with the Citrus deputies that Dick killed his Woman, 42, found buried at County Sheriff ’s Office re- mother and buried her in a sponded to a known home- shallow grave within the site. less camp behind Crystal After a search of the home- Crystal River homeless camp Square Plaza off U.S. 19 re- less camp, deputies found garding the stabbing of his what appeared to be a grave. CHRIS VAN ORMER brother. After an extensive excava- Contribute! had been stabbed was Staff writer charged early Sunday in the According to the sheriff ’s tion, detectives found the Like us at death by strangulation of his office, deputies received a body of Jennifer Brooks, 42, Benjamin facebook.com/ CRYSTAL RIVER — A mother. tip about a recent homicide Dick’s mother. Robert citruscounty young homeless man sought Benjamin Robert Dick, 23, while at the homeless camp. Lt. Brad Smith, Major Dick chronicle and by law enforcement officers was arrested at 3:53 p.m. Sat- A witness at the camp was faces multiple respond to our on Saturday after his brother urday for felony battery after reported to have told See DEATH/ Page A5 charges. Question of the Week. Monday CONVERSATION Retired Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Accord John Stewart talked to the ‘Right place, right time’ reached Inverness City Council recently about a parade about next year honoring Vietnam War 4-year veterans. ... Your thoughts? degrees Noel Dorothy Hurd I wish this idea PAT FAHERTY came sooner so my dad could have participated. Staff writer Vietnam veterans deserve the respect and compassion A compromise between they were not given years state college presidents before. Awesome idea! and the Florida Senate Chris Gangler heads off legislation that I think it will only would have restricted enhance Citrus bachelor degree pro- County’s reputation as a grams and reduced fund- county that loves and hon- ing to colleges offering ors its veterans. those degrees. Jay Parker “I see it as a positive Great idea, and I’m outcome for the Legisla- so pleased the coun- ture and a positive out- cil jumped on board with no come for the presidents,” reservations. Dr. James Henningsen, Linda Holihan president of the College of St. Onge Central Florida (CF), said Friday. “I feel very good Super idea. Big tourist draw. about this; there is posi- Erin Meyers Ray tive energy around us.” I think it’s a wonder- He chairs the policy ful idea! The more MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle and advocacy committee that we can do as a commu- Andy Houston will soon step down from his position as city manager in Crystal River. King’s Bay Park, where on legislative matters for nity to thank and honor all the Florida College Sys- of our veterans and current Houston is pictured, is an area he says is an ideal focal point for music and entertainment in the city. servicemen and women, the tem Council of Presidents better. and explained the Manager Houston proud of his work with Crystal River compromise. CORRECTIONS The Senate will repeal the mandate of a financial A.B. SIDIBE and that process should be done A story on Page A2 of MORE INSIDE penalty on colleges for ex- Sunday’s edition, “Inau- Staff writer in the next month. That project isting bachelor degree gural home show draws Read today’s editorial/ was ordered in 1999, so it was a programs — about hundreds to auditorium,” rystal River City Man- Page A10 long time coming. I am proud of $3.4 million statewide as ager Andy Houston ad- the effluent line project that we misspelled Jason well as dropping a provi- mits he came to his job are just now starting that will sion removing the author- Aguilar’s Landscaping in 2006 “at the right his grandchildren. basically take our spray field Services, sponsor of the C ity of the state Board of time” and ended up serving for This is the second retirement out of operation. According to Education to approve new backyard makeover. eight years until the announce- for Houston. He first retired the Swiftmud (Southwest A news brief on Sun- bachelor programs. ment of his retirement from municipal work with St. Florida Water Management Dis- In exchange, the college day’s front page, “Author March 31. Petersburg, but after a short trict) people, that will eliminate Berger dead at 96,” presidents agreed to a The city sorely needed stabil- stint in retirement in nitrate loading in King’s one-year moratorium on stated an incorrect date ity at the manager position, Georgia he decided to Bay by 16 percent and re- approving new bachelor- of death. Betty Berger going through 12 of them in 25 come to work in Crystal duce the groundwater degree programs. died Saturday, April 5. years. The average length of River. withdrawal at the plant Chronicle “It will not affect any The regrets stay was 19 months. The city His last day, tenta- (Duke Energy complex) existing programs,” Hen- the errors. was infamous for tumult on the tively, is July 18. by nearly a million gal- ningsen said, “though it various city councils. CHRONICLE: Andy, I For video, lons a day. So, those are does curtail our ability to click on this POLL Houston credits former mayor know you recently an- really good things and the offer additional bachelor story at www. Ron Kitchen, current mayor Jim nounced your retire- city is doing those things. degree programs.” ONLINE POLL: Farley and the councils he ment, but what are some chronicle I am proud of the fact online.com. CF had been consider- Your choice? worked with for supporting him of your most cherished that the city has come ing offering a four-year and creating an atmosphere for memories of working through an extended pe- criminal justice degree. How do you do your progress. here? riod of hard economic time in income taxes? Henningsen said they He is credited with pushing HOUSTON: I don’t know that good financial condition. I am will conduct a review of A. I do the through major capital projects proud of the fact that we have a paperwork I will point to any one thing, but existing programs with and submit such as the sewer line project, I am proud of the fact that we plan for our waterfront that is the Legislature. them myself. the redo of Cutler Spur Boule- have made good progress on a going to work. You know we’ve “We welcome a review,” B. I have a tax vard and the beautification ef- number of very important envi- got pretty key properties that he said. “There was con- service do the work. forts in the downtown area. ronmental issues. have been undeveloped for cern some colleges had C. I file my taxes Houston, who turns 63 in July, The extension of sewers to 40 years and why that is and I gone too far — mission electronically. said it is time to work on his golf some 500 houses right in the im- creep — in terms of D. Taxes? Is it time to game and spend more time with mediate vicinity of King’s Bay See MONDAY/ Page A5 think about filing again? See DEGREE/ Page A8 To vote, visit www. chronicleonline.com. Click on the word “Opinion” in the menu to see the poll. Results will appear Proposed landfill review to cost $92K next Monday. Find last week’s online poll CHRIS VAN ORMER GSG would assist the board with the fol- ■ results./Page A3 lowing questions: WHAT: Citrus County Board of County Staff writer Commissioners meeting. 1. Does continuing to operate the Central INDEX INVERNESS — The future of the landfill Landfill provide the best overall value to the ■ WHEN: 1 p.m. Tuesday; public com- Classifieds ................B8 will once again come before county commis- residents and businesses of the county, or ments and questions will be taken at Comics ....................B7 sioners for a decision. should the county consider outsourcing or re- 1:05 p.m. Crossword ................B6 At Tuesday’s meeting of the Citrus County gionalizing waste disposal? ■ WHERE: Room 100, Citrus County Court- Editorial..................A10 Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), 2. What costs and services could a contrac- house, 110 N. Apopka Ave., Inverness. Entertainment ..........A4 county staff will ask the board for discussion tor offer with outsourcing or regionalizing ■ AGENDA: Available on the county’s Horoscope ................A4 and direction regarding the retaining of Gov- waste disposal? If some services were con- Lottery Numbers ......B3 website, www.bocc.citrus.fl.us, at the ernment Services Group (GSG) to develop a tracted, what services and costs would the Lecanto Government Building or in the Lottery Payouts ........B3 solid waste management strategic plan. county need to provide to retain the current Movies ......................B7 commissioners’ suite on the second floor GSG has offered a scope of services to as- level of services for residents and businesses? Obituaries ................A6 of the courthouse in Inverness. sist the county for the review of current oper- 3. What other solid waste program changes, TV Listings................B6 ■ WATCH: The meeting will be televised live ations and costs. It would explore regional including implementing universal solid waste on cable TV on Channel 622 on Bright opportunities, identify options and alterna- collection, should the county consider and House and Channel 71 on Comcast.