Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 MLB: Rays beat Blue Jays to break road losing streak / B1 MONDAY TOD AY C I T R U S C O U N T Y & e x t m o r n i n g HIGH 92 S cattered rain. LOW Keeping w atch on tropical storm . 72 PAGE A4 w w w.chronicleonline.com JULY 5, 2021 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community $1 VOL. 126 ISSUE 271 INSIDE Officials say wall collapse not dire damage to the Chronicle, which “... This wall is installed for FDOT: Heavy rains caused problem forwarded it to the Florida De- slope protection against erosion. partment of Transportation for an The heavy rains experienced the MIKE WRIGHT slope between the northbound and explanation. previous week resulted in some Staff writer southbound lanes, collapsed some- FDOT spokeswoman Ivette washout of the dirt beneath the time after heavy rains that hit Cit- Ruiz-Paz’s response: slope pavement and affected some Fourth fun State transportation officials say rus County on Friday, “First and foremost, the wall of the concrete panel sections, ei- Citrus County carries on there is no cause for concern over June 25. shown in the photo is not for re- ther late Sunday night or early with its Fourth of July a concrete panel that collapsed on The overpass crosses Southern taining or structural purposes and Monday morning, leading to the a Suncoast Parkway underpass Street near Seven Rivers Christian Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise as- wall’s current appearance. celebrations./Page A2 being constructed in Citrus County. School’s Warrior Park. sures drivers the facility remains The panel, part of a concrete A reader sent a photo of the safe. See WALL/Page A7 NEWS BRIEFS Citrus government offices closed EOC’s C t r u s C u n t y g o v - ernm ent offices w ill be closed today, July 5, in ARING FOR IDS observance of Inde- C K eyes on p e n d e n c e D y . N o r - Jessie’s Place child advocacy center gets national accreditation m al hours of operation and services w ill re- BUSTER THOMPSON sum e July 6. Staff writer Chronicle Elsa t’s official: the Citrus County offices closed Children’s Advocacy Center is for holiday in the U.S. premier league of its industry. Watch issued C t r u s C u n t y I After scrutinizing every one of its Cronicle offices w ill regulations and practices for six be closed today for months, officials with the National for storm surge the Fourth of July Children’s Alliance accredited the h o l i d a y . Lecanto-based CAC, also known as T e c i r c u l a t i o n d e - Jessie’s Place. as we prepare partm ent w ill still take “They reviewed every policy we c a l l s f r o m 8 t o 10 a . m . have, every procedure we have, BUSTER every practice we implement ... and C l l 3 5 2 - 6 3 - 6 5 5 f o r THOMPSON measured it against the national new spaper delivery Staff writer i s s u e s . standards established for a child advocacy center,” Melissa Bower- As Tropical Storm Elsa — From staff reports master, executive director of Jes- pumped the brakes over sie’s Place, said. the Caribbean on its trek ONLINE In a June 8 letter and attached toward Florida’s Gulf news release to Jessie’s Place an- POLL Coast, Citrus County re- nouncing its new designation, Na- mained “poised and tional Children’s Alliance ready to pull the trigger” What do Executive Director Teresa Huizar on its emergency said the facility is the epitome of response. you think? what the alliance wants CACs na- “We’re kind of just cir- tionwide to strive toward. A recent hot topic in cling the airport — sort of “Jessie’s Place is to be com- the Chronicle Sound speak,” county emergency mended for its excellent work serv- Off is the amount of management director ing victims of child abuse,” Huizar trees, vegetation Amanda Woodward told said. “As the national association the Chronicle the after- being removed to and accrediting body for Children’s noon of Sunday, July 4. make way for more Advocacy Centers across the coun- “You don’t want to pull development in try, our goal is to ensure that every the trigger, and nothing Citrus. What do you victim of child abuse has access to happens; it’s not good for think? high-quality services that result staffing and government from professional collaboration.” A. There’s still plenty funding.” This is the first time Jessie’s On Sunday afternoon, of nature on the Place applied for the accreditation while off Cuba’s southeast Nature Coast. following roughly 12 years of pre- coast, Elsa was headed B. The county should paring paperwork, and years of fine northwest at 14 mph, require a percentage tuning its operations as a develop- M ATT E EC / C r o n i c l e packing sustained winds of tree preservation ing member of the alliance. Licensed mental health counselor Brenda Richter, a contracted therapist at of 60 mph, according to “It’s a huge validation of kind of Jessie's Place in Lecanto, makes a batch of slime with a client during a trauma on new commercial, the National Hurricane what I’ve always known; my staff therapy session. The fun craft is meant to lighten the mood during a session, residential Center (NHC). does great work here, and we help says Richter. developments. “The cone of uncer- kids,” Bowermaster said. “It’s rec- C. If it’s private tainty, as far as the track is ognition on a national level that property, it’s the concerned, has been min- what we’re doing here is necessary, imized dramatically,” owner’s full right to and evidence-based in the quality Woodward said. “We’re strip all nature from of service.” very sure the track is the lot. Born from a communal move- going to take the storm up D. Someone needs to ment following the 2005 kidnapping the Gulf Coast, and, when speak for the trees. and murder of 9-year-old Jessica she gets to Tampa, she’ll Lunsford in Homosassa, the coun- To vote, visit www. probably make her east- ty’s CAC was incorporated as a non- chronicleonline.com. ward turn.” profit in August 2006 before it was Scroll down the home Elsa’s impact was fore- bestowed the informal title of Jes- page and look for the cast to reach Citrus sie’s Place. poll box in the right- County by early Wednes- hand column. day morning. Results will appear See JESSIE’S/Page A8 “We were supposed to next Monday. Find see stuff Tuesday after- last week’s online Jessie’s Place, in Lecanto, is a child noon, Tuesday evening,” poll results./Page A3 advocacy center that aids children Woodward said, “but she’s who have suffered trauma. See ELSA/Page A7 Classifieds . .B8 Crossword . .B10 INDEX Horoscope . A4 Movies . .B7 Comics . .B7 Editorial. A6 Lottery Numbers . .B3 TV Listings. .B6 Extra puzzles . .B5 Entertainment . A4 Lottery Payouts . .B3 Thank you for your vote!! , Brashear s Pharmacy- BEST Pharmacy and BEST Medical Equipment and Supplies 6 years running! A Pharmacy Doing More CC-0010DHT BrashearsPharmacy.com Make the switch today! LECANTO - 746- 3420 INVERNESS - 637 -2079 A2 MONDAY, JULY 5, 2021 LOCAL CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE Inverness celebrates in spite of the rain JEFF BRYAN/Chronicle After canceling its annual Patriotic Evening a year ago due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, Mother Nature almost got the best of the city of Inverness on Saturday, July 3, in the city’s Depot District. But the rains finally cleared, giving way to a spectacular barrage of fireworks in the night sky as residents gathered in the Depot District and other key viewing areas as the city of Inverness celebrated the Fourth of July. Alexis Larsen, 4, rides on the back of Logan Harper, a family friend, Saturday afternoon, July 3, as they make their way through Liberty Park during a steady rain in Inverness. The park is where many residents gather for fireworks. Rainfall fell throughout Citrus County throughout the day Saturday making many doubt if the Inverness fireworks display would happen. The weather finally cooperated enough for the show to go on, a welcome relief to many. MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle Crystal River is a bit luckier with the weather STEPHEN SHANER/For the Chronicle Lilly Walsh, 2, sits on her mother’s, Angela Walsh of Homosassa, lap while getting a unicorn painted on her arm by face- painting artist Kayla Carroll of Inverness. Carroll says unicorns and superheroes are the most requested subjects. STEPHEN SHANER/For the Chronicle Robert Celllucci plays for the crowd at the Crystal River Old-Fashioned 4th of July. From his website: “Robert Celllucci is a touring country music artist mainly based on the east coast of the United States. He has been playing music since he was 12 years old. He started off with playing alternative music until one day his mom said to play some country, that is where he fell in love with the genre." Lindsay Bauer, Inverness, takes a photo of her daughter, Piper, 3, to post on her social media accounts. Bauer said this will be Piper’s first real fireworks.