Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 Tennis: Big upsets in Australian Open quarterfinals /B1 THURSDAY TODAY CITRUSCOUNTY & next morning HIGH 82 Partly sunny. LOW PAGE A4 64 www.chronicleonline.com FEBRUARY 18, 2021 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community $1 VOL. 126 ISSUE 133 NEWS BRIEFS Trail intersection gets light Citrus County COVID-19 Inverness to pay for Eden Drive signal after failing to get outside funding update FRED HIERS Drive. The unanimous Other council The city bid out Eden Drive near the south- According to the Flor- Staff writer vote came after years of members agreed the job, with Traf- ern city limit,” wrote City ida Department of Health, failed attempts to get fi- that given the high fic Control Prod- Manager Eric Williams. 41 positive cases were To ensure that pedestri- nancial help from state use of the trail ucts of Florida of “Dating back at least three reported in Citrus County ans and vehicles don’t and regional funding and the many ve- Wildwood submit- years, the city has wanted since the latest update. mix at a busy Withla- sources. So the council hicles on Eden ting the lowest to install a signalized cross- Eight new deaths were coochee State Trail inter- decided this week to foot Drive, something bid. The project ing for the trail at Eden reported, for a total of section, the Inverness the bill rather than risk was needed to will include rapid Drive.” 373. City Council approved a an accident. control traffic. Eric flashing beacons “After exhausting at- To date in the county, near $33,000 signalized “We’ve been talking “Many people Williams at Eden Drive by tempts at outside funding, 9,533 people have tested crossing. about this for many feed into this Inverness city the trail to warn the city has opted to fund The council approved years,” said council Presi- area,” said Coun- manager. vehicle drivers this important safety im- positive (including during its regularly sched- dent Jacquie Hepfer, add- cilman Cabot McBride. “It and trail users alike. provement internally,” he 75 non-residents). uled public meeting this ing that it was good to is something we do need “Within the Inverness ju- said. Three new hospitaliza- week a signalized cross- “finally see something” to to do. This is by far the risdiction, one of the busi- tions were reported, for a ing at the trail and Eden solve the problem. busiest area I see.” est crossings is located at See LIGHT/Page A2 total of 616 hospitalized. Totals reflect prelimi- nary reports received by the state, and are subject to later revision. Vaccine Location leads many to Oak Hill registration system open DOH-Citrus’ preregis- tration system to sched- ule COVID-19 vaccine appointments for individu- als 65 and older and frontline health care work- ers is now available. Individuals can now be added to a waiting list for vaccine appointments and be notified when ap- pointments are available in Citrus County by visit- ing myvaccine.fl.gov or by calling 866-201-0442; TTY is 833-476-1036. As part of the statewide preregistration system, each county has a desig- nated number that indi- viduals can call and preregister with if they do not have internet access. Citrus County’s number is 866-201-0442. Vaccine supply remains limited and appointments may not be available MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle file for several weeks. Oak Hill Hospital Chief Executive Officer Mickey Smith explains some of the state-of-the-art features in the North Tower intensive care State hopes unit in 2013. delayed vaccine For residents in southern part of Citrus, Hernando hospital is first choice will arrive soon FRED HIERS year chose the facility for from 180 beds in 2006 into The state hopes Staff writer their medical care. More a medical campus with storm-delayed doses of than 100 people from Cit- 350 beds on its 140 acres. the Moderna COVID-19 Every morning, Mickey rus County also work at The hospital opened in vaccine will arrive Thurs- Smith makes the the accredited hospital. 1984 with 96 beds. day or Friday, Gov. Ron 40-minute commute from In a business where He wants the hospital DeSantis said Wednesday. his home in Crystal River most hospital heads stay to be south Citrus Coun- DeSantis said the to Oak Hill Hospital in only a few years before ty’s medical destination “vast, vast majority” of a Hernando County. moving on, Smith is an when people need weekly Pfizer vaccine de- But the CEO of Oak anomaly. He has been the health care or have an livery hasn’t been de- Chronicle Hill Hospital is not alone. hospital head for emergency. layed by bad weather About 4,500 Citrus County residents last year chose About 4,500 Citrus 18 years, overseeing the across large parts of the Oak Hill Hospital for their medical care. County residents last hospital’s expansion See HOSPITAL/Page A2 nation, but an entire ship- ment of 208,000 doses from Moderna is affected by weather issues. “You see all the storms. You see a lot of the ice. I Talent, returned to God: Rush Limbaugh dies think some of this stuff is in Memphis or the places MATT SEDENSKY Limbaugh said a year In this Feb. 4, 2020 file photo, Rush Limbaugh where they ship from,” AP national writer ago that he had lung can- cer. His death was an- reacts as first Lady DeSantis said while ap- Rush Limbaugh, the talk nounced on his show by Melania Trump, and his pearing at the Premier his wife, Kathryn. wife Kathryn, applaud, as Sports Campus at Lake- radio host who ripped into liberals and laid waste to Unflinchingly conserva- President Donald Trump wood Ranch in Manatee political correctness with a tive, wildly partisan, bom- delivers his State of the County. “So, it’s a combi- gleeful malice that made bastically self-promoting Union address to a joint nation of the weather, the him one of the most power- and larger than life, Lim- session of Congress on ice and then obviously ful voices in politics, influ- baugh galvanized listeners Capitol Hill in Washington. the different logistics that encing the rightward push for more than 30 years with Limbaugh, the talk radio result from that.” of American conservatism his talent for sarcastic, host who became the DeSantis advised peo- and the rise of Donald insult-laced commentary. voice of American ple with vaccination ap- Trump, died Wednesday. conservatism, has died. pointments to be patient if He was 70. See RUSH/Page A7 Associated Press they are advised to wait a day or two. “If you have an ap- pointment, like at a Publix for Thursday and they Jenkins Auto Group acquires Citrus Kia dealership have to delay you, that is almost assuredly why,” MICHAEL D. dealership is Jenkins Kia Crystal River Kia for the director for Jenkins Auto car lease and Patino said DeSantis said. “So, just BATES of Crystal River. past five years, will con- Group, said there were no she’s already been in “We’re excited to ex- tinue in that role, For- changes in employees at contact with the Citrus have patience with it. Staff writer pand our presence to the manek said. the dealership, which op- County Education There is nothing we can Ocala-based Jenkins Crystal River area and “David is an important erated as Citrus Kia for Foundation. do with the weather in Auto Group has acquired continuing the growth of part of our team,” he said. 15 years. “We’re just thrilled to other states.” the Citrus Kia dealership this dealership as an im- “We welcome him to the Patino said the Jenkins be (in Citrus County),” she The state received at 1850 U.S. 19. portant part of our Jenkins family and look Auto Group is “very in- said. 132,000 first doses of the With the acquisition, award-winning group,” forward to working with volved” in each commu- Contact Chronicle re- Pfizer vaccine this week Jenkins Auto Group now said Tom Formanek, pres- him and creating an even nity it serves and Citrus porter Michael D. Bates at and anticipates has 13 dealerships spread ident and CEO of Jenkins brighter future for this County is no exception. 352-563-3205 or mbates@ 9,000 more arriving by throughout Florida and Auto Group. new acquisition.” Jenkins gives the chronicleonline.com. To Thursday morning. Georgia. David Dondanville, Maria Patino, customer teacher of the year in its see more of his stories, visit — From staff and wire reports The new name of the general manager at the and community relations communities a three-year tinyurl.com/y6kb23vv. Classifieds . .B6 Crossword . .B10 INDEX Food . A11, A12 Obituaries . A6 Comics . .B5 Editorial. A9 Lottery Numbers . .B2 TV Listings. .B4 Horoscope . A4 Entertainment . A4 Lottery Payouts . .B2 A2 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021 STATE/LOCAL CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE Around the STATE Setting the ER standard higher costs the hospital more HOSPITAL in salaries, but the ER can guarantee its patients a Men posed as US marshal arrived and arrested Continued from Page A1 marshals to avoid the men on charges of im- higher level of care, Oak Hill CEO Mickey Smith said. wearing masks personating a federal officer. The hospital, owned by office and in the adminis- residency program. “It’s a privilege to come A hotel manager told in- Hospital Corporation of trative lobby, Smith has “I always wanted to be a here and actually practice DEERFIELD BEACH — vestigators Brummett went America, is a teaching hos- three monitors that track rural, small town doctor,” here,” he said.