Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 Golf: Johnson cards a 60 to take Northern Trust lead/A6 SATURDAY TODAY CITRUSCOUNTY & next morning HIGH 91 Partly sunny, LOW scattered storms. 72 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com AUGUST 22, 2020 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOL. 125 ISSUE 319 NEWS BRIEFS The best at delivering babies Citrus County Healthgrades Operating Com- exceptional outcomes for vaginal website about hospitals that re- Local hospitals pany, which provides national delivery shows that our team’s ceived the high ranking. COVID-19 update information about physicians commitment to continued ad- “Women who select a hospital Twenty-one new positive and health care facilities. vanced training and providing with a 5-star rating can feel con- cases were reported in Cit- rank high Healthgrades obtains its infor- our patients with state-of-the art fident in their choice knowing that these organizations are com- rus County since the latest mation on about three million care truly makes a difference.” FRED HIERS providers from the Centers for Bayfront Health Seven Rivers mitted to providing exceptional FDOH update. Two new Staff writer women’s care to their patients,” hospitalizations were re- Medicare and Medicaid also received five stars for its Services C-Section program when deliver- he said. ported; no new deaths were Both Citrus County hospitals The 2020 grades were based on reported. “Our Women and Baby Center ing babies. can tout this week their top, has long been known to offer a “Hospital quality should be top data submitted to CMS in To date in the county, 5-star Healthgrades’ rankings for highly trained labor and delivery of mind for consumers when they 2016-2018. 1,903 people have tested the quality by which they deliver team that provides unparalleled evaluate and compare hospital As for Citrus Memorial, while the hospital fared well in its baby positive (including five non- the community’s babies. care,” said Citrus Memorial CEO performance,” Brad Bowman, delivery services, its grades for residents), 183 have been The score is the highest possi- Ginger Carroll. “This recognition chief medical officer of Health- hospitalized and 46 have ble from Denver-based from Healthgrades for grades, said on the company’s See BABIES/Page A3 died. Lightning ignites hidden fire in Beverly Hills attic Regular A lightning strike sparked a concealed fire in the attic of a Always in his heart Beverly Hills home the night of Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020. billing Citrus County Fire Rescue crews were dispatched at 9:33 p.m. to a house off of West Birds Nest Drive, where returns firefighters from CCFR’s Pine Ridge Station first arrived at 9:38 p.m. to find no flames or Duke Energy smoke coming from the 3,000 square-foot home, ac- cording to CCFR. willing to Other CCFR units from the Citrus Springs, Kensington, work with Connell Heights stations also arrived to assist along with a battalion chief and captain. customers According to CCFR, MICHAEL D. BATES homeowners told emergency Staff writer responders lightning struck the house earlier, and heat When Joy Whitehead of could be felt coming from be- Beverly Hills got a notice hind a wall by the fireplace. in the mail her Duke elec- Firefighters removed the tric bill was going up affected section of the ceil- starting Sept. 1, she be- ing, and extinguished a fire came concerned. discovered in the attic before And not only because ventilating smoke outside the her bill. Whitehead — who didn’t say how much home and checking carbon her bill went up — said monoxide levels. she is concerned about No injuries were reported. the 47,000-plus other CCFR reported an esti- Duke customers in the mated $30,000 in damages county, many still unem- to the house. Members of the ployed due to COVID-19 American Red Cross were shutdowns. The Duke called to assist the displaced news, she said, comes at homeowners. an inopportune time. Crews cleared the scene People are still dealing at 11:22 p.m. with just staying safe — Buster Thompson/staff writer during the pandemic, she said. Plus, “we’re in hurri- Temporary work cane season,” she said, which adds to the stress. needed at “Why are they doing it Elections office now?” she asked. The Citrus County Super- Actually there are two things going on, said Duke visor of Elections Office is spokeswoman Ana Gibbs. looking to hire temporary Yes, rates are going up staff to work the Front minimally starting Sept. 1 Counter Associate position and the company is also for the upcoming General returning to regular bill- Election in November. NANCY KENNEDY/Chronicle ing and payment prac- The office is looking for in- In this photo from 2014, Crystal River native John Bowman sits outside the house built by his grandfather, tices which had been dividuals who are hardwork- Judge Edwin Thomas Bowman, Crystal River’s first mayor, and where he was born and grew up. On the temporarily waived ing, computer savvy, and tree beside him is the basketball hoop he used as a child. The historic home on N.E. Ninth Street, is the during the height of the comfortable assisting the setting for Bowman’s novel, “Life’s a (Sandy) Beach, But Watch Out for the Crabs!” Bowman died crisis. public both in person and Aug. 13, 2020, at age 74. But Gibbs stressed the over the phone. company is willing to work with any customer This is a temporary posi- John Bowman had a deep love of Crystal River who may be having finan- tion that will start ASAP and cial difficulties. Duke can will go through mid-Novem- NANCY KEnnEDY It’s the house where he was either work out a payment ber. Hours will be 8 a.m. to Staff writer born and raised and where his schedule or refer them to 5 p.m. Monday through Fri- mother lived until her death in a financial assistance pro- day with additional hours o matter where John two-story farmhouse on NE 1996. gram, she said. during Early Voting and Elec- Bowman lived, his Ninth Street, built in 1921 by Growing up, Bowman spent But, she added, it is im- tion Day. heart was always in his grandfather, Judge Edwin Saturdays fishing the waters of perative that folks who Please submit resumes to Crystal River. Thomas Bowman, who was also still need relief contact N the first mayor of Crystal River. [email protected] for Home was always the See HEART/Page A11 Duke now because they consideration. See BILLING/Page A11 — From staff reports Correction Storms pose possible double threat Due to a reporter’s error, a story on page A1 of the Aug. 20, SETH BORENSTEIN them that their futures were not Mexico,” said National Weather 2020, edition, “City gets final AP science writer clear Friday. Computer forecast Service Tropical Program Coor- Riverwalk nod,” contained an in- models varied so much that dinator Joel Cline. “Since you Two tropical systems could some saw Laura becoming a simply don’t know you really correct date. Charlie’s Fish become nearly simultaneous major hurricane nearing the need to make precautions.” House Restaurant and Seafood threats to the U.S. Gulf Coast U.S., while others saw it Two hurricanes have never Market signed the Riverwalk early next week. They could dissipating. appeared in the Gulf of Mexico easement agreement on Tues- even get sucked into an odd If both storms survive the at the same time, according to dance around each other. Or weekend, Laura was forecast to day, Aug. 18, 2020. The Chroni- See STORMS/Page A3 cle regrets the error. they could fall apart as they head toward the Florida and Readers can alert the soak the Caribbean and Mexico Alabama end of the Gulf Coast This satellite image released this weekend. while the other one aimed at by the National Oceanic and Citrus County Chronicle to any Newly formed Tropical the Texas and Louisiana Atmospheric Administration errors in news articles by Storm Laura and a depression region. (NOAA) shows Tropical Storm emailing newsdesk@chronicle that is likely to become Tropical “A lot of people are going to Laura on Friday in the online.com or by calling Storm Marco have such bad and be impacted by rainfall and North Atlantic Ocean. 352-563-5660. good environments ahead of storm surge in the Gulf of Associated Press Classifieds . .B6 Crossword . .B9 INDEX Lottery Numbers . .A8 Obituaries . .A5 Comics . B5. Editorial . A10 Lottery Payouts . .A8 TV Listings . .B4 Horoscope . A4 Entertainment . .A4 Sports . A6, A7, A8 A2 SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2020 CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE WE NEED TRADES!OF NOW up KBB FOR YOUR OFFERING to 120% TRADE Text VILLAGE to 90407 to see all special offers! 2021 TOYOTA 2020 TOYOTA 2020 TOYOTA 2020 TOYOTA COROLLA RAV4 LE CAMRY LE TACOMA MODEL#1852 LE MODEL#4430 0% APR MODEL#2532 V6 SR5 AVAILABLE MODEL#7146 $ $ $ $ 191 -OR- ZERO 335-OR- ZERO 208 -OR- ZERO 238-OR- ZERO PER MONTH FOR 36 MONTHS DOWN PER MONTH FOR 36 MONTHS DOWN PER MONTH FOR 36 MONTHS DOWN PER MONTH FOR 36 MONTHS DOWN $247/MO. FOR 36 MOS. WITH $2999 DOWN $276/MO. FOR 36 MOS. WITH $2999 DOWN WITH $2999 DOWN $291/MO. FOR 36 MOS. WITH $2999 DOWN $327/MO. FOR 36 MOS. FOR WELL-QUALIFIED LESSEES WITH APPROVED CREDIT THROUGH SETF. NOT ALL LESSEES WILL QUALIFY. CLOSED-END LEASE ON NEW 2021 COROLLA LE MODEL #1852. $191 PER MONTH FOR 36 MONTHS. $2999 DUE AT SIGNING OR $276 PER MONTH FOR 36 MONTHS $0 DUE AT SIGNING.