Misfiring: After drubbing by Heat, Magic thrash Pistons /B1 TUESDAY CITRUS COUNTY TODAY & Wednesday morning HIGH Mostly sunny with patchy 85 fog after midnight. LOW Winds 5 to 10 mph. 55 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com APRIL 10, 2012 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOLUME 117 ISSUE 247 NEWS BRIEFS Nugent voices, hears frustrations at town hall New Wal-Mart NANCY KENNEDY “The whole idea of a budget He said 10,000 baby boomers Nugent spoke about his own Staff Writer is to give a guideline for the fu- are becoming eligible for frustration with Congressional set to open on ture in regards to how the ap- Medicare every day, and that gridlock and the status quo in Wednesday INVERNESS — The mood propriators wind up the Medicare board is saying in Washington, and also of his On Wednesday, was “Nugent-friendly” as about appropriating funds,” he said. 10 to 12 years Medicare will be sense of urgency to fix the April 11, the doors 40 local citizens met with Rep. He added that he recently insolvent if nothing changes. problems the nation faces. Rich Nugent, R-Brooksville, for testified in front of the budget One of the ideas being dis- He said the United States will open to the new a town hall meeting Monday to committee on behalf of seniors cussed is a “premium support” has to make a choice about its Homosassa area discuss proposals regarding currently on Medicare and So- program where those who can future: The annual interest on Wal-Mart, located at Rep. Richard the federal budget. cial Security as well as those 55 afford more, pay more. the national debt is currently Nugent the intersection of Nugent began by saying the and older who are approaching “The problem with Washington, $200 billion — 40 cents of every U.S. 19 and West said the U.S. House’s “Path to Prosperity” eligibility, urging members to it tends to wait until the last dollar spent is borrowed money. needs a “flatter, Cardinal Street. budget is one of six or seven keep the benefits in place and minute to do something. Well, fairer” tax Events will kick off brought to the floor for a vote. not reduce any. we’re in the last minute,” he said. See NUGENT/ Page A2 system. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 7:30 a.m., with various themed events to fol- low through Sunday, April 15. The new store, to No be open 24 hours a day, is approximately 51,000 square feet more larger than the pres- ent Homosassa Wal- Mart, and is a prototype with a more customer- 4-H? friendly ambiance than some of the larger Supercenters. Extension New law waives fees services on for veterans chopping block; One of the meas- ures signed into law county short late Friday by Gov. Rick Scott waives $7 million some license fees for military veterans. The CHRIS VAN ORMER bill (HB 887) allows Staff Writer the initial application fee and unlicensed LECANTO — The specter activity fee to be was raised Monday of clos- waived for veterans ing the extension services returning for service DAVE SIGLER/Chronicle division to meet county gov- Margaret Butts has had a front-row seat to the past 50 years of growth in Inverness from the window of her living for the first two years ernment budget needs. room in the Historic J.K. Kelley House on Main Street. “What do we mean by re- after they’re out of duced services?” asked the military. It applies Cathy Pearson, assistant to more than 20 pro- county administrator, fessional licenses, speaking to the Agricultural from those in real es- Alliance of tate to hairdressers. Citrus —From staff and wire reports ‘Miss Margaret’ County, a group of INSIDE business- people in HEALTH & LIFE: food-pro- duction and related Cathy trades that on Main Street Pearson meets said eliminating monthly at NANCY KENNEDY commercial businesses. As the came to Inverness from Paducah, extension the county only residence among the historic Ky., they fell in love with the area, service would extension Staff Writer save county homes on Main Street, sometimes and Miss Margaret with the Kelley office. $237,990 At its — INVERNESS people knock on her door thinking House. annually. or 50 years, Margaret Butts she’s a real estate agent or maybe “It was empty, and I used to first budget has had a front-row seat to an accountant. come up on the porch and peek in workshop on March 7, the F all the goings-on in Inverness. “I had a hard time when the the windows,” she said. “I love old Citrus County Board of County In 1962, she and her late hus- Chamber of Commerce bought houses, and I knew I wanted it.” Commissioners (BOCC) di- band Ed bought the 1903 J.K. Kel- Mrs. Hicks’ house (on Tompkins In Kentucky, Ed Butts was a rected staff to compile a list ley House on Main Street. Street),” she said. “The Chamber pilot. The couple had met when of potential spending cuts to She has seen the county grow put a sign across the street from Miss Margaret decided she save money. Pearson pro- from 9,000 to 140,000 and has en- me and I knew that was a bad idea wanted to learn to fly and Ed was posed cuts in her divisions Autism dured two road construction proj- because everybody thought I was her flight instructor. of services as an example of For the first time in ects that took 10 1/2 feet of her the Chamber of commerce and Another one of his students how much money could be nearly two decades, front yard. came to this house. That was before owned Shell gas stations, many of saved. experts want to rewrite For 40 years, she worked with I got my historic plaque out front.” them in central Florida. He told “I will tell you one of the definition of Ed at the Shell gas station they Part of the Walk of History pro- Mr. and Mrs. Butts if they came to them is eliminating the ex- autism./Page C1 owned (now Citgo) across the gram in Inverness, the J.K. Kelley Florida they could have one of his tension services,” Pearson TRAYVON MARTIN CASE: street from their house. She used House at 410 W. Main Street was stations. He said he was about to said. “We have eliminated to be able to make a quick dash originally owned by J.K. Kelley, a build one in Inverness. They took Bicentennial Pool. We have Who’s liable? across Main Street to home and former county commissioner, him up on his offer and moved closed Coastal Region Li- Homeowners associa- back, but with the traffic these school board member, Inverness south. brary. We have the closing tion could be targeted days, not even the quickest runner city council member from 1923 to They had been renting a small of two senior centers.” by lawsuit in teen’s should attempt it. 1927 and manager of a turpentine house and Miss Margaret was The county’s budget year death./Page A4 After 50 years, she still has the still located at the southern end of holding out, hoping for the one starts Oct. 1, so if these serv- WALL STREET: best view of the Christmas parade town. she really wanted. ices were dropped, the right from her front porch. When “Miss Margaret,” as Mrs. change would happen at the end of September. Sharp decline Today, all her neighbors are Butts is called, and her husband See MARGARET/ Page A2 The Dow drops more than 130 points, finish- See CUTS/ Page A2 ing under 13,000. /Page A7 COMING TOMORROW: Part eagle Two men arrested in separate scuffles with police Bob Griffin loves eagles. How much? Enough to A.B. SIDIBE walking to- crashing into a ditch, where Officers ically from the driver’s side sit for a full-back tattoo Staff Writer ward his he was arrested. obtained a and an attempt was made to that took 47 hours and vehicle and Investigators also report- description remove Tillman from the cost $2,200./Wednesday Two men arrested over was or- edly found marijuana in his of Tillman’s vehicle. the weekend allegedly at- dered to pants pocket, and the per- vehicle dur- He reportedly resisted of- INDEX tacked deputies, albeit stop. He al- son who called the sheriff ’s ing the ficers by flailing his arms Comics . .C8 using different techniques. legedly ig- office said Beldotti had domestic and legs. In the process, he Community . .C6 Charles Beldotti, 47, of nored the been drinking all day and battery com- repeatedly struck a deputy. Crossword . .C7 Port Richey, reportedly commands may have ingested Xanax. plaint and He was finally handcuffed, used his vehicle to try to Charles and got His bond was $5,500. Adam spotted him but because he was still Editorial . .A8 Beldotti Tillman Entertainment . .B6 ram a deputy’s vehicle in into his ve- Adam Ryan Tillman, 27, on U.S. 19. wearing a seatbelt while Horoscope . .B6 Floral City. hicle, started it and began of Crystal River, is accused Tillman was reportedly in being restrained, Tillman Lottery Numbers . .B4 Citrus County Sheriff ’s driving through the yard at of battery on a law enforce- the passenger’s seat of the had to be handcuffed again, Lottery Payouts . .B6 Office deputies were re- a high rate of speed. ment officer, among other vehicle and was repeatedly during which time he re- Movies .