Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 MLB: Two games postponed after virus outbreak /B7 TUESDAY TODAY CITRUSCOUNTY & next morning HIGH 92 Scattered LOW showers and thunderstorms. 73 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com JULY 28, 2020 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOL. 125 ISSUE 294 NEWS BRIEFS Citrus County Where’s the Wawa? COVID-19 update Pandemic, social unrest hold up company’s new Crystal River store Seventeen new posi- MICHAEL D. BATES emanated from the George Floyd tive cases were reported Staff writer killing in Minneapolis, said Crys- in Citrus County since the tal River Mayor Joe Meek. It’s been two-and-a-half years However, chain officials have as- latest FDOH update. No since demolition crews tore sured the city the Crystal River site new hospitalizations were down the old Fat Boys’ Bar-B-Q — at the northeast corner of State reported; no new deaths restaurant in Crystal River to Road 44 and U.S. 19 — remains a were reported. make way for a new Wawa gas priority and that it is scheduled to To date in the county, station/convenience store. open sometime in 2021. 1,100 people have The city and Wawa enthusiasts “Obviously that is an extremely tested positive (including are still waiting. See WAWAPage A2 two non-residents), 99 What’s the hold-up? have been hospitalized Turns out the Pennsylvania The new Wawa store in Crystal and 20 have died. chain has halted construction of River is scheduled to open all its stores under construction sometime in 2021, according to No appointment because of the COVID-19 pan- the company. needed for demic and the civil unrest that MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle file drive-thru test The Florida Depart- ment of Health in Citrus County (DOH-Citrus) will Florida judge no longer require ap- Progress at Three Sisters pointments for drive-thru COVID-19 testing at the upholds Citrus Springs Commu- nity Center, 1570 W. Cit- rus Springs Blvd., Citrus Springs. masks Testing will be offered at no cost to adults and children 12 and older, ordinance with or without symp- toms; however, it will be TERRY SPENCER limited to the first 150 Associated Press individuals. Registration starts at FORT LAUDERDALE — A Florida 7:30 a.m. followed by judge on Monday upheld a county’s testing at 8 a.m. Do not coronavirus ordinance that requires masks be worn in public places like arrive earlier than stores, saying government officials 7:30 a.m. If more than have the authority to protect their one person is being residents from the spread of infec- tested, they should sit in tious diseases. the back seat on the Circuit Judge John Kastrenakes, driver’s side. noting Palm Beach County’s recent DOH-Citrus’ viral tests spike in cases and deaths, rejected check samples from the challengers’ claim that the re- your respiratory system cently enacted ordinance violates with an oral swab to tell their rights to privacy and personal you if you currently have autonomy. an infection. If you test Citing a century-old U.S. Supreme Court ruling that said a state can positive, you will be con- mandate vaccinations, Kastrenakes tacted by DOH-Citrus said county commissioners came to and provided “a reasonable and logical conclusion instructions. that mandating the wearing of facial Antibody tests are not coverings best serves their available at DOH-Citrus constituents.” at this time. “This Court is not prepared to find Test results are not that unelected persons residing or re- immediate. It generally maining in any city or town where takes approximately 7 to COVID-19 is prevalent, and enjoying 10 days to receive labo- the general protection afforded by an ratory results. The health organized local effort, may nonethe- less defy the will of its constituted department will call with results regardless of the See MASKS/Page A12 result. Persons who were ill at the time they took the test should self-isolate Citrus COVID until the diagnosis is known. All residents, in- cluding those who are cases increase asymptomatic, are re- minded to wear face coverings while around by 247 in the other people in public. Additional testing sites in Citrus County, past week include: n Langley Health Ser- vices at 151 E. Highland GWEN BITTNER Staff writer Blvd. Suite 151. Staff can be contacted at Citrus County officially broke the 352-419-5760. mark of over 1,000 total recorded n Quick Care Med: MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle COVID-19 cases this past week. Schedule a telemedicine Contractors under the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service upgraded the entrance of Three Sisters Springs In its Monday, July 27, 2020, corona- appointment by visiting in Crystal River, pictured here in June 2020. Renovating the wildlife refuge’s gateway was one of virus update, the Florida Depart- www.quickcaremed.com/ several improvement projects USFWS had to complete on the property. ment of Health reported a total 1,102 telemedicine. Staff can cases for Citrus County, a 28.8% jump be contacted at 844- from the 855 cases document a week 797-8425. First round of improvements wrap up at springs earlier on July 20. From July 13 to July 20, the county witnessed a case increase of 48.2%, Habitat in need BUSTER THOMPSON Service’s (USFWS) Crystal River National of construction Staff writer Wildlife Refuge Complex, which encom- which surpassed the 44.6% rise in passes Three Sisters Springs per an agree- cases a week beforehand. volunteers Three Sisters Springs has some changes to ment with property co-owners, the Southwest Three more residents died from Habitat for Humanity show off. Florida Water Management District and the virus since July 20, putting the current death count at 20. of Citrus County needs Several projects for the popular wildlife Crystal River. refuge in Crystal River were checked off the “I’m excited because I want people to enjoy Hospitalizations went from 83 to 99 volunteers at the job between July 20 and 27, an increase site. If you can spare a to-do list: a paved main road, hardened na- what we have here, and enjoy the amenities ture trails, a new entrance booth and we were able to put in,” Palmer added. “I like of 19.2% compared to the 33.9% rise few hours a week to in hospital visits from July 13 to July help eliminate substan- restroom. to see people enjoying that.” Workers still have a few final touches to Certain facilities, like the restrooms and 20. dard housing in Citrus make before they can sign off on the first of water fountains, are closed for further notice According to CoreCivic, the Citrus County and help families three rounds of improvements for the 57-acre due to COVID-19, Palmer noted. County Detention Facility’s manage- realize the dream of property surrounding three pools of crys- As part of an updated management con- ment, and County Administrator home ownership right tal-clear spring waters. tract, the USFWS was tasked with completing Randy Oliver on July 27, there has here in Citrus County, “We should be ready by manatee season,” certain enhancements to the property within been no change in cases within jail call 352-563-2744 to Joyce Palmer said about the mid-November timeframes divided into three tiers. staff and inmate populations since volunteer. deadline. July 20. — From wire reports Palmer manages the U.S. Fish & Wildlife See SISTERS/Page A12 See COVID/Page A11 Classifieds . .B6 Editorial . A9 INDEX Sports . A6, A7 Obituaries . .A5 Comics . B5. Entertainment . .A4 Lottery Numbers . .A7 TV Listings . .B4 Horoscope . A4 Crossword . .B8 Health . .B1 Lottery Payouts . .A7 A2 Tuesday, July 28, 2020 LocaL/State Citrus County (FL) ChroniCLe Local/State BRIEFS This Dog lost on South No Democrats will be no general election for these races. Therefore all vot- Carolina highway on Citrus County ers, regardless of party affilia- found in Miami primary ballot tion, have an opportunity to MIAMI — A pet dog that As vote-by-mail ballots are cast a vote. jumped out of a car window arriving at voters’ homes, The winners of these races REAL ESTATE on a South Carolina highway there has been the question will become the next District 3 and 5 County Commissioners, has been found two weeks from many Democratic voters Market later, nearly 600 miles away in — why are there all Republi- Superintendent of Schools Miami, according to a relative can candidates on my ballot? and Supervisor of Elections. is of the owner. The answer is: There are no In the races for Sheriff and Property Appraiser, only Re- HOT The dog named Belle es- Democratic candidates in this caped from the moving car primary election. publicans will be voting in the near Charleston on July 15, ac- On the Citrus County Pri- primary because there are no Buying or cording to Tim Whitfield, whose mary ballot there are four party affiliation candidates for both offices and therefore the This is what my 90-year-old mother owns Belle. races where all the candi- customers have to say After nearly two weeks of dates are Republican, which winner will be determined in Selling searching, Whitfield learned are County Commission Dis- the General Election on Nov. 3, 2020. “Amy Meek is the most over the weekend that a car trict 3, County Commission Some neighborhoods of Florida residents grabbed District 5, Superintendent of The nonpartisan District 2 professional real estate Belle out of traffic after spot- Schools and Supervisor of School Board race and the agent I have ever in Citrus only have a ting the animal while traveling Elections.