Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 Football: Big Ten will try to play a fall season after all /A6 THURSDAY TODAY CITRUSCOUNTY & next morning HIGH 90 Coastal flood LOW advisory. Show- ers and storms. 74 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOL. 125 ISSUE 345 NEWS BRIEFS Citrus County Local nurse arrested COVID-19 update Fifteen new positive cases Employee of Citrus Memorial faces charges of sexual battery on patient were reported in Citrus County since the latest FDOH update. FRED HIERS her hospital bed. victim if she and Miskar left her room asked the victim to text One new hospitalization was Staff writer The victim told wanted her feet and returned with a sup- Miskar and referenced reported; one new death was Detective Bruce rubbed and pository. She told Arnold Friday, the day the inci- A Citrus Memorial Hos- Arnold that she began rubbing that once Miskar gave her dent took place. reported. pital nurse is facing sex- was a patient at her feet. When the suppository, he touched “The defendant imme- To date in the county, ual battery charges. the hospital and she told him she her in a sexual manner, ac- diately (responded and) 2,508 people have tested posi- Sheriff ’s deputies ar- on Friday. didn’t want the cording to arrest records. asked the victim if she tive (including eight non- rested Mark Raymond Sept. 11, 2020, attention and for During the investiga- wanted another supposi- residents), 262 have been hos- Miskar, 64, on Monday, Miskar was her Mark him to stop, he tion, Arnold learned that tory, followed up with a pitalized and 76 have died. Sept. 14, 2020, after a pa- nurse, according Miskar did not immedi- Miskar and the victim had smiley face and ‘LOL,’” tient told investigators he to the arrest report. ately stop, according to exchanged telephone Arnold wrote in the arrest Bear sighted touched her inappropri- The victim told Arnold the arrest report. numbers and had texted report. roaming around ately after providing med- that the incident began She told Arnold that one another, according to Crystal River ical care while she was in when Miskar asked the later she had stomach pain the arrest report. Arnold See ARREST/Page A2 A black bear roaming around Crystal River stirred numerous sightings Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020. Crystal River City Manager Ken Frink said the Florida Fish Time to answer different call and Wildlife Conservation Commission was notified, but won’t act unless the animal causes issues. Frink said the bear was seen in the southeast part of the city, south of State Road 44. Other commenters on the city’s Facebook page also re- ported seeing the bear earlier in the area of SR 44 and County Road 486, and east of U.S. 19’s junction with S.R. 44. Residents are encouraged not to leave pet food or bird- seed outside overnight, and should put garbage out to the curb the day of pickup. All invited to POW/MIA ceremony The American Legion Post 155 invites all to a POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremony at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at the post at 6585 W. Gulf- to-Lake Highway, Crystal River. Come join us in honoring our veterans. We are going to have a skit about the history of the importance of the POW/MIA table. The post is also hosting a commemorative knife raffle to be drawn at 8 p.m. following MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle the ceremony. Long-time Supervisor of Voter Outreach Coordinator Patrick Thomas will be leaving his post at the elections office this week following The knife is in the lounge on 18 years on the job. “He was the perfect ambassador for the Citrus County Supervisor of Elections office,” Susan Gill said. display. Tickets are $2 each or three for $5. You do not need Longtime employee of county elections office moving to new job to be present to win. Purchase tickets in the lounge. MIKE WRIGHT supervisor of elections knows number of Citrus County up: Here you are, answer this Proceeds benefit the veter- Staff writer she isn’t the most popular one residents. call,” Thomas said. ans programs of American Le- in the car. Thomas, who has worked for His career has included gion Post 155. Susan Gill is a fixture at “I’m sitting there waving Gill for 18 years — and in gov- working in local government, For more information, con- parades. and stuff, and people are like, ernment employment since and 10 years as an aide to tact the post at 352-795-6526 Like most elected officials, ‘Hi Patrick!’” Gill said. 1985 — is leaving to go work Karen Thurman during part of or financeofficealpost155@ she rides in a convertible, sit- That would be Patrick for the Key Training Center in her tenure in the state Senate gmail.com, or visit ting atop the back seat, waving Thomas, at the wheel of the Inverness. His last day is Fri- and Congress. www.flpost155.org. at crowds along the roadways. convertible, a friendly and fa- day, Sept. 18. But even the retiring miliar face to an untold “It’s like the heavens opened See THOMAS/Page A11 Coastal cleanup scheduled Sept. 19 Keep Citrus County Beauti- ful and Save Our Waters Week Committee, in partnership with Inverness city employees to see 3% pay hike the Citrus County Aquatics Service Division, invites you to FRED HIERS voted for the raises during the city council as he pro- “That’s what I like to working with,” he said. participate in the county’s 31st Staff writer their regularly scheduled posed the raises for his hear and we do have a Councilman Ken Hin- annual Lakes, Rivers & public meeting this week 37 full-time and eight part- wonderful staff,” she said kle said the city should Coastal Clean-Up scheduled Inverness city employ- after City Manager Eric time employees. “Morale during the meeting. give raises if the city from sunrise to 11:30 a.m. Sat- ees will see 3% raises Williams requested the is as high as it’s ever been. Councilman David could afford it. Williams urday, Sept. 19. after their city council raises. Councilman Cabot I can tell you we’re getting Ryan said the city was said the money for the For information, contact bosses praised their work McBride was absent from more done (despite pan- fortunate. raises has already been Lace Blue-McLean at lace and unanimously voted the meeting. demic restrictions).” “We have one of budgeted. [email protected]. for the pay hikes. “I can tell you, you have Council president Jac- the best staffs I’ve ever — From staff reports The council members a great staff,” Williams told quie Hepfer agreed. had the privilege of See CITY/Page A2 Classifieds . .B4 Crossword . .B8 INDEX Sports . A6, A7, A8 Obituaries . A5 Comics . .B3 Editorial. A10 Lottery Numbers . A8 TV Listings. .B2 Horoscope . A4 Entertainment . A4 Lottery Payouts . A8 000Z127 A2 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 LOCAL/STATE CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE lobbyist, sometimes you do,” Williams told his council bosses. State BRIEF CITY I Agreed to renew its contract with Continued from Page A1 the Citrus County commission to use Man accused of stabbing closed for the rest of the week, news outlets re- its landfill in conjunction with the pri- ported. Library employees will be offered counsel- Councilwoman Linda Bega said she vate Heart of Florida the city now pre- woman during attack at library ing to help with their emotional needs, said was glad to support the raises seeing as dominantly uses. The city uses the DAYTONA BEACH — A man stabbed a Volusia County spokesman Gary Davidson said. how during the recession years the city county’s landfill when the wait is too 63-year-old woman in the face during an attack Deputy police Chief Jakari Young told report- could not afford pay hikes but the city long to unload trucks at Heart of on Tuesday in the children’s section of a Day- ers Burnian Bedford, 55, was charged with ag- employees were loyal and stayed with Florida. tona Beach library, police said. gravated battery and burglary. They believe he their jobs. I Voted 4-0 for city staff to bid out the The woman was taken to the hospital for treat- is homeless. job of analyzing the city’s roads and de- The raises will cost the city an addi- ment, the man was arrested and the library was — From wire reports tional $73,013.99 annually. velop a plan as to which roads need I Full-time employees earning less resurfacing and create a timeline for than $33,350 annually will get a pay their repair. For the RECORD rate increase of $1,000. “This is something you truly need,” I Full-time employees $33,351 or Williams told the council. Citrus County I Keith Tettenburn, 48, of East Maryann more would see a 3% across the board Williams said he hopes to have a pro- Sheriff’s Office Lane, Hernando, at 6:44 p.m. Sept. 12 on an ac- pay rate increase. posed contract next month. The analy- tive warrant for felony violation of probation stem- I Part-time employees would re- sis, which involves examining each of Domestic battery arrests ming from an original charge of driving with a ceive a $500 annual pay increase on Inverness’ roads and the layers be- I Mark Stocking, 47, of Ocala, at 1:27 p.m.