Thorpe to Retire, Again CMH Foundation Approves $3M YMCA Donation Citrus County Administrator Sets Sept
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NBA: Miami looks to rebound tonight against Pacers /B1 TUESDAY TODAY CITRUS COUNTY & next morning HIGH 86 Mostly sunny to LOW partly sunny. 58 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com MAY 20, 2014 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOL. 119 ISSUE 286 NEWS BRIEFS Thorpe to retire, again CMH Foundation approves $3M YMCA donation Citrus County administrator sets Sept. 26 as his last day on the job The effort to build a YMCA healthy living cen- CHRIS VAN ORMER “It has been over a year since I an- stay until his replacement was found. ter received a huge boost Staff writer nounced my intention to retire,” Thorpe But on Aug. 13, the Citrus County Board Monday night when the stated in an email message. “I believe of County Commissioners (BOCC) by a Citrus Memorial Health Just five days past the anniversary of now is time to formally announce that I 3-2 vote stopped the search for Thorpe’s Foundation agreed to do- his first retirement announcement that will be retiring on Sept. 26, 2014. This replacement and allowed him to with- nate $3 million in philan- was rescinded last August, County Ad- date should give the board sufficient time draw his resignation as the board had Brad thropic funds to the ministrator Brad Thorpe announced to select a new county administrator.” never officially accepted it. Thorpe Monday that he plans to retire in On May 14, 2013, Thorpe first gave no- project. county September. tice of his retirement, saying he would See THORPE/ Page A5 With the donation, the administrator. YMCA is only $1.1 million away from its goal to raise $8 million to build the center on County Road 486 near Pine Traffic Ridge. Garden feeds the hungry Chronicle Publisher Gerry Mulligan, who co- chairs the Y’s fundraising stop effort, said the donation provides a lasting legacy for the foundation even as leads to it nears a lease contract with Hospital Corporation of America for operation of Citrus Memorial. meth “This is going to be a tremendous facility,” Mulligan said. The facility will be arrests named the Citrus Memo- rial Health Foundation SEAN ARNOLD YMCA. For the Chronicle Foundation attorney Clark Stillwell, who also Deputies arrested a Flo- sits on the YMCA board of ral City couple Sunday directors, said two large evening after discovering several items used to man- potential donors — Duke ufacture methampheta- Energy and HCA — were mine in their vehicle. waiting to see whether the Steven Fowler, 42, and foundation approved the Melissa Sims, 31, of East donation. Mulligan said he Walton Drive, both face is negotiating with Duke multiple charges related and HCA for potential do- to the manufacturing of nations to reach the methamphetamine. $8 million mark. Fowler was charged Funding comes from with felony possession bequests and donations with intent to sell or man- to the philanthropic or- NANCY KENNEDY/Chronicle ufacture methampheta- ganization associated O.C. Cook is one of the volunteer gardeners. They start early in the morning before it gets hot, working in mine and possession of with Citrus Memorial. the rows and harvesting produce. listed chemicals with in- Hospital officials said tent to manufacture some donors might re- methamphetamine. His quest full or partial re- Church ministry grows vegetables and gives them away bond was set at $150,000. funds after being Sims, the driver of the informed that the largest NANCY KENNEDY vehicle, was charged with donation is for the YMCA. Staff writer felony conspiracy to com- mit a crime and the mis- About $350,000 of the FLORAL CITY demeanor charge of fund will be used for nurs- knowingly driving with a ing scholarships at the here are two kinds of community gardens. One is a plot of land that people from the suspended license. Her College of Central Florida bond was set at $50,500. and to buy equipment for Tcommunity can use to grow their own food. According to the Citrus the Nature Coast Min- The other is one used by people to grow food for the community. That’s the idea behind the commu- County Sheriff ’s Office, istry’s dental clinic. the pair was initially —Mike Wright/ nity garden in Floral City, an outreach ministry of Floral City United Methodist Church. pulled over in the Wendy’s staff writer Three days a week, church members come to the parking lot in Inverness for being suspects in a re- garden next to the church parsonage on Baker Patty McClendon shows Nina Tabbert something she Dictionary adds tail theft. A database Street to weed, hoe and harvest squash, okra, toma- found while trimming tomato plants in the search indicated Sims da ‘Yoopers’ toes, eggplant, arugula, cantaloupes, cucumbers community garden in Floral City. was driving with a sus- NEW YORK — Da and watermelons. And then they give it away. starter plants purchased from The Path farm. pended license, and “Yoopers” up dere in da Fowler had multiple out- U.P., Michigan’s Upper “So far, most of the food goes to CUB,” said Va- “I wanted to grow things that are proven prod- lerie Maldonado, referring to Citrus United Basket. ucts in Florida soil,” LaBelle said. “I’ve farmed in standing Pasco County Peninsula, have hit it big warrants. with inclusion of their nick- Produce also goes to Grace Temple Church of the Georgia clay, but Florida soil is much different.” They’re growing several varieties of squash: A K-9 unit alerted to name in Merriam- Living God for its soup kitchen and First Baptist Church of Floral City for its food pantry. crooked neck, zucchini, “patty pan” and “eight possible drugs in the vehi- Webster’s Collegiate Dic- ball,” which looks like a round zucchini; red and cle. Lithium batteries, a tionary and the company’s Skip LaBelle, former Georgia Master Gardener, oversees the project, which began March 20 with can of ether, and a cold free online database. See GARDEN/ Page A9 The moniker for native See METH/ Page A9 or longtime residents of the Lake Superior region known for a distinctive manner of speaking and its Scandinavian roots was Redistricting trial under way in capital among about 150 new words announced Monday by the Springfield, Massa- Lawsuit questions whether redrawing new political maps benefited GOP chusetts, company. Some of the other words added are: Associated Press some of Florida’s highest ranking tect incumbents or members of a protected. Legislative leaders politicians, including the leaders political party. The new districts have insisted the allegations are Auto-Tune, cap-and- TALLAHASSEE — A trial over of both the House and Senate. were adopted by the Legislature false and that legislators followed trade, dubstep, fangirl, whether the Republican- The central question of the trial more than two years ago. the law even though GOP legisla- crowdfunding, freegan, controlled Florida Legislature is whether or not GOP leaders ig- The coalition of groups behind tors opposed passage of the “Fair hashtag, gamification, broke the law when drawing new nored a 2010 constitutional the lawsuit, including the League Districts” amendment. selfie, steampunk, tweep political maps started on Monday amendment that forced legislators of Women Voters, contends that a Attorneys for the groups suing and turducken. and is expected to last up to 11 days for the first time to draw up con- “shadow” process was used to —From wire reports and will include testimony from gressional districts that do not pro- make sure that Republicans were See TRIAL/ Page A2 INDEX INSIDE Classifieds . .C9 Comics . .C8 Community . .C6 Crossword . .C7 Editorial . .A9 Entertainment . .A4 Horoscope . .A4 Lottery Numbers . .B3 Lottery Payouts . .B3 Movies . .C8 Obituaries . .A6 TV Listings . .C7 To the rescue: Up for auction: Sound Bites: An ER tech dons Batman’s cowl to battle Everything in the Pontiac Silverdome is up for Dr. Frank Vascimini discusses when to use an jitters among younger patients./A3 auction./A10 implant to replace a missing tooth./C1 A2 TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014 LOCAL/S TATE CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE of the maps with U.S. Rep. who are usually regis- Dan Webster. tered as Democrats. TRIAL Reichelderfer got some Brown’s district winds all Continued from Page A1 of the maps from a top aide the way from Jacksonville to Cannon, but said he to Orlando and was de- the Legislature got the could not recall how he got scribed as “serpentine” trial quickly rolling by other copies. He repeat- by one of the coalition bringing a Republican edly insisted that he did lawyers. consultant and not tell Cannon Legislative attorneys friend of former or legislative have countered that the House Speaker staff whether loss of several Republi- Dean Cannon to changes to the cans during the 2012 elec- the stand. districts would tions including U.S. Rep. Evidence ob- help or hurt Allen West is proof that tained from Marc Republicans. legislators did not draw Reichelderfer’s “I did not tell districts just to help GOP computer show them how to politicians. that he got Marc draw the maps,” If the court finds the copies of pro- Reichelderfer Reichelderfer current district unconsti- posed maps evidence from the said. tutional it could force leg- Republican islators to redraw sometimes days consultant’s The lawsuit and weeks be- computer shows said several dis- congressional districts. fore they were he got copies of tricts, including Currently there are 16 Re- released to proposed maps the one held publicans and 10 Democ- the public. before they were by U.S. Rep. rats in Florida’s Reichelderfer released to the Corinne Brown congressional delegation exchanged in- public.