Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 Olympics: Citrus grad, USA place 4th in men’s 8 rowing/B1 FRIDAY TODAY C I T R U S C O U N T Y & ne x t m o r ni ng HIGH 91 P artly sunny w ith LOW a passing storm . 75 PAGE A4 w w w.chronicleonline.com JULY 30, 2021 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community $1 VOL. 126 ISSUE 296 NEWS BRIEFS US 19 work down for months City rolling out revised parking, State officials say it could be up to three months to get project running again launch fees MIKE WRIGHT formally notified the Flor- behalf to contract with D.A.B. had three proj- and Bill Bachschmidt A revised set of fees to Staff writer ida Department of Trans- other companies to finish ects in Citrus County, all on said in a statement Mon- park at Cystal R iver portation late Wednesday the work. U.S. 19: resurfacing be- day that a dispute with parks and launch recre- U.S. 19 construction afternoon that it was Massullo said he spoke tween the Hernando FDOT over an Interstate should pick up again in walking away from six with David Gwynn, FDOT County line and Green ational w atercraft from 75 interchange project in about two or three months road projects totaling District 7 secretary, who Acres Street, and two wid- Pasco County led to the city ram ps goes into ef- following an Inglis com- $250 million in contracts, assured him motorists, ening segments to Fort Is- company’s demise. The f e c t S u n d a y , A u g . 1 pany’s decision to aban- state Rep. Ralph Massullo businesses and residents land Trail in Crystal River. decision led to the imme- These fees pertain to don state highway said. should see improved One project is a year over- diate layoff of 400 H unter S prings P ark, projects and shut its The state has contacted progress once the re- due and the other two are employees. Kings Bay Park and the doors. surety companies that placement companies in various stages of work. city boat ram ps at P ete’s D.A.B. Constructors Inc. posted bonds on D.A.B.’s restart. D.A.B. owners Debora See US 19/Page A8 P ier and w ithin the D ock- side S hoppes plaza off of U . S . 1 . A l l - a y p a r k i n g a t H unter Springs and Kings B ay parks w ill be $5, all- day trailer parking at ‘Miss Lynda’ lived life of service Kings Bay Park and D ockside Shoppes w ill be $7.50 and the launch fee per boat or paddlecraft from any city ram p or launch w ill be $5. P arking fees at P ete’s P ier are collected by the m arina. Starting M onday, w hen C y s t a l R i v e r C t y H a l l opens, city residents can buy annual passes to launch paddlecraft for ei- ther $20 per household w i t h u p t o 10 v e s s e l s , o r $5 for a single vessel. R esidents living out- side of Cystal R iver can purchase an annual pass for unlim ited parking at H unter Springs and Kings B ay parks for a single ve- hicle. This pass doesn’t cover vessel launches from city ram ps. F o r $ 100 a y e a r , b u s i - nesses can acquire an annual pass for unlim ited parking of either a vehicle or trailer, and unlim ited boat launches at the city’s ram ps at P ete’s P ier and Dockside Shoppes. C m m e r c i a l a n d r e s i - dential annual passes from the city don’t cover BRIAN LaPETER/ C r o n i c l e f i l e parking at P ete’s P ier. In this photo from 2009, Lynda Simmons takes Sandy Bender and a meal back to his home during the weekly Monday night dinners in Cllected revenue from Hernando Park. Simmons, who died July 23 at age 70, learned from her mother, the late Joyce Alexander, the importance of caring for others, parking and launch fees especially feeding them. w ould go back tow ard m aintaining city parks im - Lynda Simmons cared for — and fed — anyone and everyone she could pacted by visitors. “It’s a great program , NANCY KENNEDY spaghetti, cornbread They would line up in and greens and lima and funds are going to go Staff writer droves to eat Miss Lyn- beans. da’s food. right back to the city ynda Simmons For about 12 years, After a long illness, parks,” said A ndrea H ull- was an angel with every Monday at 5 p.m., Mary Lynda Alexander strung, director of city vis- La serving spoon. rain or shine, even in Simmons died July 23. itor services. “W e’re using The second oldest of Her mother, the late It’s said she would the stifling heat, Lynda She was 70. a lot of resources from 16 siblings who grew up Joyce Alexander, be- feed a rattlesnake if it would set out pans of “She was a strong city residents to give back in the tight-knit commu- lieved no one should go looked hungry, and so food on the tables at Al- force and the matriarch to the parks.” nity of Hernando, “Miss hungry and she always would Lynda. exander Park, the park of their family,” said Cll H ullstrung at 352- Lynda” learned from had food on the stove or Jesus said, “Feed my named after her family, brother-in-law Robert 586-988; or the city’s her mother that feeding in the refrigerator for sheep,” and Lynda Sim- and serve meals to the Simmons. “She was a parks supervisor, M ichael people was just some- anyone who knocked on mons took those words homeless and hungry strong force in the C r c o r a n , 3 5 2 - 8 6 - 0 3 . thing you were sup- the door, even literally, feeding them people who would strangers. chicken and rice, — From staff reports posed to do. come to eat. See SIMMONS/Page A8 INDEX Classifieds . .C7 Comics . .C6 Crossword . .C10 Editorial. A10 Survey: Politics shapes COVID-19 perceptions Entertainment . A4 Horoscope . A4 Lottery Numbers . .B3 Democrats, Republicans sharply divided on many questions about pandemic Lottery Payouts . .B3 do that, Democrats are Florida July 15-25 survey identifying it as No. 1. The 70.7% of Independents Movies . .C6 JOHN HAUGHEY The Center Square more confident in vac- of 600 state voters that economy was second said they were. Only half Obituaries . A6 cines than Republicans in found 29% of respondents No. 1 issue among 13.3%. Republican respondents TV Listings. .C5 Nearly one-third of what a new poll confirms said COVID-19 is the most In response to a query agreed. 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