Thorpe: Sudden Costs Strain County's Reserves
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Battling back: Rays hit Tigers’ ace in ninth-inning rally /B1 THURSDAY CITRUS COUNTY TODAY & Friday morning HIGH Mostly sunny. North 78 winds around 10 mph. LOW PAGE A4 48 www.chronicleonline.com APRIL 12, 2012 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOLUME 117 ISSUE 249 Thorpe: Sudden costs strain county’s reserves CHRIS VAN ORMER coalition of 20 ring to Nicholas Dinovo of Pine ■ Staff Writer civic, home- Ridge, who was reportedly armed WHAT: County budget workshop. owner and envi- when he was shot in February by ■ WHEN: 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 24. BEVERLY HILLS — Paying a ronmental a Citrus County sheriff ’s deputy. ■ WHERE: Citrus County Courthouse, Room 100, 110 N. Apopka disputed Medicaid backlog and groups. “The board of county commis- Ave., Inverness. the expenses of a person who was “Do you know sioners has to pay that medical shot by a deputy could drain the individual bill if that person is indigent and ■ ON THE NET: A PowerPoint presentation from the first budget much of the county’s reserve that was shot has no other medical insurance,” forecast workshop of March 7 is available at www.bocc.citrus.fl.us; fund, residents were warned on select Budget from the Most Requested list. Brad about a month Thorpe said. “As we speak today, Wednesday. Thorpe ago by the sher- the bill at Shands is about “I’m going to give you a couple worried about iff ’s office and $563,000 and it’s proposed that in- Medicaid bills to the state, along lion dollars a year is our portion of shocking things that you’ve got reserve fund. that person was dividual may have to stay in with all other 66 counties in the of contributions for this care. to realize this board is up sent to Seven health care for a year. That is one state. Right now we have a backlog of against,” said County Administra- Rivers hospital and to Shands example.” “We paid for Medicaid days in disputed bills that amounts to tor Brad Thorpe, speaking before and now he’s back in our custody Thorpe’s second example was the hospital and nursing home the Citrus County Council, a in our jail?” Thorpe asked, refer- the county having to pay disputed care,” Thorpe said. “Over a mil- See THORPE/ Page A5 INSIDE ANYTOWN, USA: Murder charge brought Behold, the real Springfield in Simpsons creator ends mystery surrounding Homer’s home./Page B6 Martin CONSUMERS BILKED: E-book pricing case conspiracy The Department of Justice slaps Apple and Zimmerman a number of publishers with an antitrust suit. could get life /Page A12 MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle Associated Press “SLIP STRIKE” QUAKE: The new Homosassa Wal-Mart Supercenter opened to much fanfare Wednesday morning. Hundreds of people lined up in front of the store, waiting to check out the deals. JACKSONVILLE — The neighborhood watch volun- teer who shot 17-year-old Wal-Mart Supercenter opens in Homosassa; replaces old store Trayvon Martin was ar- rested and charged with NANCY KENNEDY right around the corner.” second-degree murder Staff Writer Edna Lashaway, Con- Wednesday after weeks of nie Rengle and Sandy mounting tensions and HOMOSASSA — Rob Mockel were all relative protests across the U.S. Jones wanted to be first in latecomers, taking their George Zimmerman, 28, line when the doors to the places in line at 6:30 a.m. could get up to life in prison new Wal-Mart Super- “This means we don’t if convicted in the slaying of Panic, but no center opened at 8 a.m. in have to go all the way to the unarmed black Homosassa Wednesday. Hernando County to teenager. He was jailed in tsunami He drove all the way shop,” Mockel said. Sanford — the site of the Strong earthquakes from Dunnellon, arrived “A Dunkin Donuts in- killing Feb. 26 that set off a rattle Indonesia, but the at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, and side is a big plus,” Rengle nationwide debate over nation is spared from slept on the cement. added. racial profiling and self- damage and tidal waves. “I collect Hot Wheels,” By 7:30 a.m., county of- defense. /Page A12 he said. He wanted to be ficials, community mem- Customers flood into the new Wal-Mart Supercenter Special prosecutor An- first to see the well- bers, Citrus Shrine Club Wednesday morning. gela Corey announced the WALL STREET: stocked shelves. Rednecks, the Sons of the charges but would not dis- U-turn Second in the line that American Revolution, Shaw said. “We’ve had a Wal-Mart!” cuss how she arrived at snaked almost to the end Nature Coast Dragon long history here in Ho- Before the ribbon cut- them or disclose other de- Stocks soar of the parking lot, Dar- Boaters and representa- mosassa, 25 years in the ting, Shaw and the store’s tails of her investigation, after big lene Pendleton arrived at tives from dozens of local community.” community coordinator, saying: “That’s why we try decline./ cases in a courtroom.” Page A9 5:30 a.m., excited to be organizations were on Shaw led the crowd in a Suzanne Green, gave there. hand to help manager Ed traditional Wal-Mart checks to three local or- Second-degree murder “I like the one in Inver- Shaw open the store. cheer, starting with, “Give ganizations — $2,500 to is typically brought in TASTE TEST: ness,” she said, “but I love “Homosassa Wal-Mart me a W! Give me an A! ... cases when there is a fight this one because I live is officially — changed,” What’s that spell? See OPEN/ Page A2 or other confrontation that results in death but in- volves no premeditation to kill. It carries a mandatory minimum of 25 years be- hind bars when a gun is TDC sees sustained used. Homeless shelter to Martin’s parents ex- pressed relief over the deci- boost in tax revenue sion to prosecute their son’s expand into Citrus killer. SHEMIR WILES several TDC projects. The “The question I would Main course MIKE WRIGHT Staff Writer request for proposal really like to ask him is, if Staff Writer ON THE NET (FFP) for a technology he could look into Taste of Inverness set LECANTO — Tourist marketing company went Trayvon’s eyes and see for Saturday./Page C1 ■ www.jericho-road.net. CRYSTAL RIVER — A tax revenue continues to out March 26 and so far, how innocent he was, Hernando County home- rise while the Citrus she said, there have been would he have then pulled COMING TOMORROW: less mission that has Jericho Road offers 46 County Tourism Develop- five responses. By next the trigger? Or would he New resort tripled its number of beds beds for men, women and ment Council (TDC) con- meeting, she expects the have just let him go on in four years is looking to families, up from 14 beds in tinues to make strides in five companies will be home?” said his father, George Decker is expand into Citrus promoting Citrus County ranked and scored. Addi- Tracy Martin. striving to keep the 2008. It’s the largest home- County. as a place to get away Corey said Zimmerman public happy as he less shelter in Hernando tionally, Dr. Walter Klages from it all. will be in court within 24 presents his plans for a Jericho Road Ministries, County, according to the with Research Data Serv- During Wednesday’s five-story resort in with two homeless shelters homeless coalition’s hous- ices has begun work on hours, at which point he Ozello./Friday in Brooksville, will search ing inventory of facilities in TDC regular board meet- assembling a visitor pro- can request bail. He for a location and commu- the four counties it serves. ing, Marla Chancey, direc- file study for Citrus turned himself in in nity support before deciding Citrus County’s largest tor of the Citrus County County. Letters are ex- Florida. INDEX the size and type of shelter shelter is the Mission in Visitors and Convention pected to reach accom- Zimmerman’s new attor- to build in Citrus, the Rev. Citrus. According to the Bureau, revealed tax rev- modators next week and ney, Mark O’Mara, said Comics . .C5 Bruce Gimbel, ministry enue for the month of visitor surveys on the Zimmerman will plead not Community . .C3 homeless coalition inven- chaplain of Jericho Road, February was $55,586.64, ground will be imple- guilty and will invoke Crossword . .C4 tory, the Mission had 38 up $3,970.57 from Febru- Florida’s “stand your Editorial . .A10 told the Chronicle Editorial beds in 2011, which is the mented subsequently. ary 2011. In addition, Entertainment . .B6 Board on Wednesday. most recent count. Danielle Ackerman ground” law, which gives Horoscope . .B6 Gimbel is an officer with Other Citrus County using information from with the Citrus County people wide leeway to use Lottery Numbers . .B4 the Mid-Florida Homeless shelters are the Path of Cit- the newly acquired STR Visitors and Convention deadly force without hav- Lottery Payouts . .B6 Coalition, which aims to rus County, with 12 beds; report, occupancy was Bureau gave a brief ing to retreat in the face of Movies . .C5 prevent and reduce home- Sanctuary Mission with 19 62.6 percent in the county, overview on recent mar- danger. The lawyer asked Obituaries . .A6 lessness in Citrus, Her- beds; and Citrus Abuse which was higher than keting and public rela- that people not jump to Classifieds . .C6 nando, Lake and Sumter Shelter Association, which Hernando County’s 56 tions endeavors including conclusions about his TV Listings .