Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 Olympics: Durant leads USA hoops into semifinals /B1 WEDNESDAY TODAY C I T R U S C O U N T Y & next morning HIGH 84 Flood watch in LOW effect. Storms, heavy rain. 73 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com AUGUST 4, 2021 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community $1 VOL. 126 ISSUE 301 NEWS BRIEFS Rescue owner drops claims Drive-thru food giveaway Founder Schweickert currently in jail, faces multiple charges of animal cruelty at county MIKE WRIGHT Twenty-seven dogs in Robert Schweickert Jr., dehydrated. Some had court to obtain ownership fairgrounds Staff writer the care of Citrus County owner and founder of Out heartworm, ear infections of the dogs so that they Beginning at 9 a.m. Animal Services are of the Box rescue, and and one had an injured could be cared for. Wednesday, Aug. 4, the The owner of an animal being evaluated for possi- charged him with leg. One dog was found Of the 43 dogs seized, 27 public can receive food at rescue who is in jail fac- ble adoption, fostering or 27 counts of cruelty to an- with the prongs of a shock remain at the shelter. the Citrus County fair- ing cruelty charges has transfer to animal rescue imals. His next status collar embedded in its Three were euthanized grounds at 3600 S. Flor- dropped the rescue’s at- groups. hearing is Aug. 20. neck, according to court for medical reasons, three tempt to retain ownership These dogs and others Animal control officers files. euthanized after injuring ida Ave., Inverness of the animals seized were seized when Citrus seized 43 dogs that they While Schweickert staff or volunteers, and 10 — drive-thru only. during his January County Sheriff ’s animal said were underweight, faces criminal charges, Feed Citrus County will arrest. control officers arrested malnourished and the county went to civil See DOGS/Page A2 be at the fairgrounds every Wednesday in Au- gust at 9 a.m. Monetary donations are needed to continue feeding Citrus County residents. Please con- sider donating through Rains raise flooding concerns the New Church Without Walls (www.newchurch withoutwalls.com), Citrus United Way (www. citrusunitedway.org), Community Food Bank of Citrus County (www. communityfood bankof citruscounty.org) or We Care (www.wecarefood pantry.org). Commissioner Schlabach to host town hall meeting Citrus County Board of County Commissioner second vice chair, Ruthie Davis Schlabach, will be holding a public town hall meeting from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 4 at the Central Ridge Community Center, 77 Civic Circle in Beverly Hills. Schlabach will ask at- tendees to present their opinions on four options for redevelopment of the Beverly Hills Pool MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle property: Motorists traveling along West Homosassa Trail Tuesday, Aug. 3, found flooded conditions on the busy road. This intersection at South Lantana I Addition of a Way and West Homosassa Trail was an especially slow area for travelers, with some of the deepest water on the road at the intersection. fountain. I Addition of a gazebo. I Addition of pickle ball Recent storms have some local waterways approaching critical levels courts. I MICHAEL D. BATES urged residents along the Restoration of the Staff writer Withlacoochee River and pool with the condition Barge Canal to secure boats that the civic association Some Citrus County roads and refrain from swimming. take ownership of the flooded Tuesday morning and Homosassa Trail at South property after the updates residents along the Withla- Lantana Drive had signifi- have been completed. coochee River were asked to cant flooding as of 10 a.m. For more information, take precautions as 6 inches Tuesday. The U.S. 19 corridor call public information offi- fell in a roughly 10-hour from U.S. 98 to West Venable cer Veronica Kamp- period. Street — which normally schroer at 352-527-5484. The National Weather Ser- floods — was mostly clear ex- vice (NWS) on Tuesday cept for retention ponds and Proposal calls placed Citrus County under a medians that were filled with for $25 million river flood warning for the water. Withlacoochee River at U.S. James King sent a reporter for Parkland 41 in Dunnellon. photos of his flooded yard victims, families As of 7:45 a.m. Tuesday, the that he says came during the river was at 28.9 feet, just shy night Monday and early Tues- TALLAHASSEE — Beverly Hills resident Isaac Smith, left, and Dunnellon resident John of flood stage at 29 feet. Fore- day morning storms from Florida lawmakers next Martin fish for largemouth bass Tuesday morning, Aug. 3, along the casters said the river will rise rainwater pouring down year are expected to con- Withlacoochee River at the Spruce Boat Ramp in northeastern Citrus above flood stage later Tues- slopes on the Suncoast Park- sider a proposal that County. Steady rainfall over the last several weeks coupled with heavy day and continue rising to way under construction. would clear the way for the recent downpours have created conditions that are rapidly swelling the 29.5 feet early by Thursday King, who lives on South Broward County School Withlacoochee River. Southwest Water Management District officials morning. Millston Point off Grover Board to pay $25 million in have opened flood gates at the Inglis Dam to reduce the swelling along The Citrus County Sheriff ’s compensation in the 2018 the river. The gates are expected to be open for the next week. Office on Tuesday morning See FLOOD/Page A7 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that killed 17 people. Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, filed a bill Duke to finish (SB 84) on Monday that Vaccination rates in would authorize the school board to pay the money to the estates of coal-ash cleanup students and faculty county inch upward members who died in the shooting and to other vic- tims of the attack. Hospitals still struggle to convince some staff by end of year The proposal, known as a “claim” bill, is filed for FRED HIERS officials report that vacci- available from the Flor- BUSTER 2021 to finish the last of consideration during the Staff writer nations, the best way to ida DOH website, vacci- THOMPSON its fixes to curb the con- legislative session that reduce infections rates, nation rates in Citrus Staff writer taminants underneath will start Jan. 11. It would A percentage point in- are slowly increasing in County rose to 52%. That its Crystal River Energy require a settlement of crease in vaccinations Citrus County. was up one percentage Duke Energy is almost Complex, specifically against the coronavirus During June, the per- point from July 15. claims against the school done with remedies to around a 62-acre landfill now sweeping through cent of Citrus County resi- The uptick is small, stop coal-ash pollutants board, though it would used to store coal ash. the county may not seem dents vaccinated against concedes Audrey Stasko, from seeping into leave open the possibility To see Duke’s final like much, but for local the virus was a disap- spokeswoman for the De- groundwater at its plan describing its work, that victims and family health officials, every up- pointing 49%, less than partment of Health in Cit- power plant in Citrus visit tinyurl.com/ members could pursue tick in inoculation rates is half the county’s eligible rus County, but the 1% County. nw7e7c26. other lawsuits stemming a small victory. population and not much increase represents about Bill Norton, a spokes- After around a dozen from the attack by former As cases of COVID-19 better than Florida’s 2,000 people above the man for the North of Duke’s groundwater Marjory Stoneman Doug- climb to levels not seen average. age of 12 years getting Carolina-based power monitoring wells las student Nikolas Cruz. since a year ago, Florida During the week ending company, told the Chron- — From staff and wire reports Department of Health July 29, the latest data See VACCINES/Page A2 icle Duke is expected by See DUKE/Page A5 Classifieds . .C13 Crossword . .C20 INDEX Lottery Numbers . .B3 Obituaries . A6 Comics . .C12 Editorial. A10 Lottery Payouts . .B3 TV Listings. .C11 Horoscope . A4 Entertainment . A4 Movies . .C12 A2 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2021 LOCAL CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE “These animals suffered or otherwise releasing to needlessly.” the public the Out of the DOGS Schweickert’s attorney, Box dogs, county spokes- Continued from Page A1 Luke Lirot, appealed the woman Veronica Kamp- decision. Lirot informed schroer said Tuesday. were transferred to part- the county last week he “As with any pet that ner agencies, was dropping the comes into the shelter, county spokes- appeal and focus- each dog will be assessed woman Veronica ing on Schweick- as an individual — both Kampschroer said ert’s criminal medically and behavior- Tuesday. case. He asked for ally — to determine their At the conclu- a “status report” suitability for placement,” sion of a Feb. 18 on each dog for she said in an email. “Our hearing, Citrus Schweickert’s goal is to ensure the best County Judge Robert benefit. interest of both the ani- Bruce Carney Schweickert “Despite the dif- mals and the community awarded the ferent viewpoints as we determine their out- county ownership of the of the treatment and/or sal- come pathway.” dogs. vation of these animals, suf- Contact Chronicle re- “Quite frankly, the evi- fice it to say that Mr. porter Mike Wright at 352- ...a way to give and to receive® dence is simply over- Schweickert is very de- 563-3228 or mwright@ whelming and spondent over these mat- chronicleonline.com.