Breakthrough: Thompson wins Honda /B1 2013 Cadillac XTS MONDAY TODAY CITRUS COUNTY & next PURCHASE WITH LEASE FOR morning $ 1.9% APR OR 459 /MO. HIGH FOR QUALIFIED BUYERS ON A 36-MONTH LEASE SEE IT ON PG. B12 65 Morning freeze; LOW sunny and milder afternoon. Village Cadillac 34 PAGE A4 000E60N www.chronicleonline.com MARCH 4, 2013 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOL. 118 ISSUE 209 QUESTION OF THE WEEK Leaders sour on nuke power costs RAY HENRY and Florida is a sign nuclear plants to compete same time, a Georgia law- The legislation has a Associated Press maybe the nation is not in the energy market. maker sought to penalize coalition of tea party, con- quite ready for a nuclear In Georgia last week, the company for going servative and consumer ATLANTA — As the cost renaissance. On top of Southern Co. told regula- over budget, announcing a advocacy groups behind of building a new nuclear construction costs run- tors it needed to raise its proposal to cut into South- it, but faces a tough sale in plant soars, there are ning much higher than ex- construction budget for ern Co.’s profits by trim- Republican-controlled signs of buyer’s remorse. pected, the price of Plant Vogtle in eastern ming some of the money General Assembly. The second-guessing natural gas has plum- Georgia by $737 million to its subsidiary Georgia from officials in Georgia meted, making it tough for $6.85 billion. At about the Power makes. See NUKE/ Page A8 Contribute! Like us at facebook.com/ citruscounty chronicle and Chasm respond to our Question of the Upkeep letdown Week. claims What do you think about home Commissioner Adams’ actions Most of house at commission meetings? over sinkhole Ashley M. Barrett What a surprise demolished more small town corruption ... and they won- Associated Press der why citrus never gets anywhere or will ever be any- thing more than a blip on SEFFNER — Crews on the map! Sunday razed more than half of the Tampa-area Jill Jacoby home perched over a Good, Bad and ugly Adams’ is getting huge sinkhole that swal- people interested and to the lowed a man three days meetings. He was elected ago, managing to salvage just like the rest of them. some keepsakes for family B. N B. Fluegel members who lived there. Finally, someone Jeremy Bush, 35, tried holding them slugs to save his brother, Jeff, accountable! when the earth opened up Theressa Foster and swallowed him Thurs- I think it is funny MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle day night. On Sunday how voters cast their Bonnie Patterson explains how the house across from her Citrus Hills home has been vacant for some six morning, Bush and rela- vote in November and then tives prayed with a pastor after that we bash the years and has become an eyesore. She says she and her husband chose a home in the deed-restricted elected officials. Three com- community because they believed an issue like this couldn’t happen. as the home — where he missioners were elected in lived with his girlfriend, November not just Scott Rachel Wicker; their Adams. The voters chose all daughter, Hannah, 2; and of them. Neighbors incensed by state of abandoned house others — was demolished E. Goodale-Yerain CHRIS VAN ORMER and waited for firefighters I don’t care for pick- Staff writer to salvage anything possi- ing on county em- ble from inside. ployees, but I do like that he asked Members of the BOCC he Pattersons are patient Early Sunday morning, to reduce their pay. ... At people. But their pa- just before the demolition least he’s trying hard to do tience is being sorely began, Bush and an something. Rebecca Bays’ unidentified woman knelt previous comment about tested. T and prayed at the mailbox looking like “buffoons” was Every morning, they look out in front of the home, an unfortunate and ridicu- on a blighted view across the lous statement — she owned by Leland Wicker, street, a derelict house in Emer- should have never opened Rachel’s grandfather, that can of worms. I also ald Estates, Citrus Hills. While since the 1970s. don’t think The Port idea is a Jerome (Pat) and Bonnie Patter- After praying, Bush and good thing in these times of son keep up their home’s curb trouble —stupid idea! the woman walked across appeal, the property opposite the street to a neighbor’s them on West Tacoma Street is lawn to watch the POLL taking on the image of a haunted demolition. house. The front yard is over- ONLINE POLL: The operator of the grown. Tree branches have heavy equipment worked Your choice? fallen and block the driveway. Special to the Chronicle gingerly, first taking off a Do you get screened for Weeds have taken over the front wall. Family belong- colon cancer? landscaping. Pat and Bonnie Patterson took photos of the home across from them on West Tacoma Street to document the state of decay. ings were scooped onto A. Yes. Once The place across the street I turned 50, I the lawn gently in hopes dinner, that’s what they see from especially troubling as the followed has been an eyesore to the re- of salvaging parts of the doctor’s tired couple for six years. our dining room windows.” house is in a deed-restricted family’s 40-year history in orders and know “It’s embarrassing,” Bonnie The neighboring property’s community. the home. it can save my life. said. “When I invite people for abandoned-looking condition is See LETDOWN/ Page A5 As of Sunday afternoon B. No, but I’m not 50 See CHASM/ Page A5 yet and will when the time comes. C. Yes, and I’m younger than 50, but because of family history, it’s the CMHS receives status for chest-pain treatment safe thing to do. D. No. I’ll take my MIKE WRIGHT from the Society of Cardiovascu- Only 12 percent of hospitals na- director of nursing operations. chances. lar Patient Care, hospital officials tionwide have the full chest pain Hospital officials praised the To vote, visit www. Staff writer announced recently. accreditation, she said. cooperative arrangement with chronicleonline.com. Click on the word INVERNESS — Someone ex- Hospitals that receive SCPC The accreditation notes the Nature Coast EMS and emer- “Opinion” in the menu periencing chest pain may hope accreditation show a higher level time between a patient arriving gency responders from area to see the poll. Citrus Memorial hospital is of expertise in dealing with pa- at the hospital and receiving counties. Because of their assis- Results will appear nearby. tients who arrive at the hospital treatment. tance, the hospital is more fully next Monday. Find last CMHS has become the 62nd with symptoms of a heart attack, “Our data showed we were prepared to treat chest-pain week’s online poll hospital in Florida to become a CMHS spokeswoman Katie Mehl right up there with the top hospi- results./Page A4 fully accredited chest pain center said. tals,” said Lori Dennison, R.N., See CMHS/ Page A8 Comics . .B7 Editorial . .A10 INDEX Lottery Payouts . .B5 Classifieds . .B8 Crossword . .B6 Entertainment . .B5 Movies . .B7 TV Listings . .B6 Horoscope . .B5 Lottery Numbers . .B4 Obituaries . .A6 000E7HG A2 MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2013 CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE Visit Nu T ech’s It’s Free! 2 WEEKS ONLY! AND GET ANSWERS TO YOUR HEARING QUESTIONS! Come on in! We’re celebrating better hearing by providing all the tests below ABSOLUTELY FREE! Learn more about your own hearing in a pressure-free environment. 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