Citrus Tourism Remains Robust Volunteers MICHAEL D
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Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 MLB: Rays finish up 18-1 against Orioles / B1 MONDAY TODAY C I T R U S C O U N T Y & next morning HIGH 93 Partly sunny with LOW a chance of PM storms. 75 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com AUGUST 30, 2021 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community $1 VOL. 126 ISSUE 331 NEWS BRIEFS Citrus tourism remains robust Volunteers MICHAEL D. BATES comfortable coming to Citrus, said household an average “More people are becoming needed for Staff writer John Pricher, director of the Cit- $248 annually. comfortable traveling again,” he rus County Visitors Bureau. I 4,300 jobs in Citrus County said. cleanup Citrus County tourism re- Pricher this week provided are tourism-related. “Being outside, small groups — The Friends of the mained strong during the pan- these highlights during a presen- With scallop season winding it was just what people were look- Chassahowitzka are demic and continued to contribute tation to county commissioners: down and winter visitors return- ing for,” he said. I conducting a cleanup to the economy. In 2020, visitors to Citrus ing, Pricher said there should be Tourism leaders statewide are Because of its outdoor tourist County paid an estimated from 7:30 a.m. to noon an increase in hospitality-related focusing on the resurgence this attractions and nature-based ac- $17.7 million in sales taxes. jobs. That sector took a heavy hit Sept. 18 at the Chas- tivities, visitors felt more I Visitor spending saves each during the pandemic, he said. See TOURISM/Page A5 sahowitzka County Park public boat ramp. The cleanup is in conjunction with Citrus County’s 32nd annual AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF Lakes, Rivers and Coastal Cleanup. CONSTRUCTION, COMMUTERS Storm Volunteers must register by Sept. 2 to MAY BE LOOKING AT A REAL receive their T-shirt and supplies. There are limited bags, surges gloves, grabbers and boats available. Par- ticipants can help by bringing their own. GAME-CHANGER For more informa- ashore tion or to register as a volunteer, call or text 352-897-0479 or email info@Friendsof Hurricane Chassahowitzka.org. For more informa- tion, visit Friendsof Ida hits as Chassahowitzka.org or Friends of the Chassahowitzka River on Facebook. Category 4 Landfill to KEVIN MCGILL close for AND JAY REEVES Labor Day Associated Press The Citrus County NEW ORLEANS — Hur- Landfill will be closed ricane Ida blasted ashore Monday, Sept. 6 in ob- Sunday as one of the most servance of Labor powerful storms ever to hit Day. It will reopen the U.S., blowing off roofs Tuesday, Sept. 7 to its and reversing the flow of normal hours of the Mississippi River as it operation. rushed from the Louisiana For more informa- coast toward New Orleans and one of the nation’s tion on the hours of most important industrial operation, call the Cit- corridors. rus County Division of The Category 4 storm hit Solid Waste Manage- on the same date Hurri- ment at 352- cane Katrina ravaged Lou- 527-7670. isiana and Mississippi 16 years earlier, coming Donate to the MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle file Work continues on the Suncoast Parkway as the new toll road passes over West Grover Cleveland Boulevard, a road ashore about 45 miles west Key Center, that takes motorists from the southern part of Lecanto to Homosassa. of where Category 3 Ka- receive a shirt trina first struck land. Ida’s 150-mph winds tied it for Support the Key the fifth-strongest hurri- Training Center with Entire Suncoast Parkway scheduled to open by early 2022 cane to ever hit the main- the $15 purchase of a land U.S. It dropped hours “teach, love, inspire, MICHAEL D. BATES as details become available. with safer options for movement later to a Category 3 storm motivate, encourage” Staff writer “(The) Suncoast Parkway 2 proj- under roadways and through the with maximum winds of T-shirts. Shirts are ect will increase capacity to ease area,” Starke said. 125 mph as it inched closer available in S, M, L, Citrus County is just months current and future congestion and Work began on the $135-million to New Orleans. XL, 2XL and 3XL. away from the debut of the biggest improve safety by creating full in- Suncoast Parkway 2 project in The rising ocean To order, call 352- transportation corridor in recent terchanges in areas undergoing February 2018. swamped the barrier is- land of Grand Isle as land- 795-5531, ext. 312. history — the opening of the new significant residential develop- The original contracted comple- 12.7-mile Suncoast Parkway. ment,” Starke said. tion date was summer 2022 but the fall came just to the west at — From staff reports Motorists will soon be able to When it opens, there will be project is ahead of schedule. The Port Fourchon. Ida made a bypass all the traffic lights to get 15 new bridges, two all-electronic new road will be funded entirely second landfall about two from U.S. 98 to State Road 44 by tolling gantries, equipment build- with turnpike toll revenues. hours later near Galliano. ONLINE taking the 70-mph toll road. For ings and a pedestrian overpass Once this first phase ends, work The hurricane was churn- POLL many commuters, this will be a over U.S. 98. on the next leg of the parkway — ing through the far south- game-changer. There will also be five wildlife extending the road another ern Louisiana wetlands, Angela Starke, spokeswoman crossings: four are enclosed cul- 3 miles to County Road 486 — is with the more than 2 mil- What do with Florida’s Turnpike Enter- verts or pipe-like tunnels and one expected to begin. From County lion people living in and prise, said it is anticipated the en- is a wildlife bridge. Road 486, county officials hope around New Orleans and you think? tire stretch of roadway will open “Both types of structures will the state extends the road to U.S. Baton Rouge under threat. Nature Coast EMS in early 2022. help to protect the local wildlife 19, north of Crystal River at Red “This is going to be much More updates will be provided population by providing them Level. stronger than we usually officials say they see and, quite frankly, if need more funding to you had to draw up the provide sustainable worst possible path for a services, which were hurricane in Louisiana, it contracted by the would be something very, BOCC. Should the very close to what we’re county: seeing,” Gov. John Bel Ed- wards told The Associated A. Keep funding at Press. the current levels. People in Louisiana woke up to a monster B. Increase funding storm after Ida’s top winds to the nonprofit grew by 45 mph in five entity. hours as the hurricane C. Find a new EMS moved through some of the provider. warmest ocean water in D. Operate the the world in the northern services itself. Gulf of Mexico. Wind tore at awnings, To vote, visit www. water spilled out of Lake chronicleonline.com. Ponchartrain in New Orle- Scroll down the home ans, and boats broke loose from their moorings. Engi- page and look for the neers detected a “negative poll box in the right- flow” on the Mississippi hand column. River as a result of storm Results will appear surge, U.S. Army Corps of next Monday. Find Engineers spokesman last week’s online Ricky Boyette said. poll results./Page A3 The Suncoast Parkway and West Cardinal Street interchange will be a busy one as it will allow travelers direct access to the southwest and central parts of Citrus County. See STORM/Page A8 Classifieds . .B7 Crossword . .B10 INDEX Horoscope . A4 Movies . .B6 Comics . .B6 Editorial. A6 Lottery Numbers . .B3 TV Listings. .B5 Entertainment . A4 Lottery Payouts . .B3 A2 MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021 CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE Why you should never buy hearing aids online, no matter how good the deal is. he ear is a complicated the first month or two. But when We have done that right here system. 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