Record setter: Phelps earns 19th career Olympic medal/B1 WEDNESDAY TODAY CITRUS COUNTY & next morning HIGH 90 Showers and storms, LOW 50 percent rain chance. 74 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com AUGUST 1, 2012 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOLUME 117 ISSUE 360 NEWS BRIEFS Family Candidates Political stage to talk water of slain at forum The Citrus 20/20 woman Inc. Save Our Wa- ters Week Commit- tee, in partnership threatens with the College of Central Florida, will host a candidate forum at 6:30 p.m., lawsuit Wednesday, Aug. 1, SHEMIR WILES at the College of Staff Writer Central Florida Learning and Confer- INVERNESS — As the ence Center, Citrus family of a woman who was Campus, Lecanto. killed last week continues The forum will fea- to grieve for their loss, a ture candidates for local attorney vowed Tues- the Citrus County day to provide them an- Commission and the swers surrounding her death, even if it means fil- Florida Legislature ing a lawsuit against the Cit- and focus on water rus County Sheriff ’s Office supply, water quality to get them. and environmental Bill Grant, who repre- issues, which are key sents the family of Jamie to the county’s qual- Seeger, held a press confer- ity of life and eco- ence Tuesday evening out- nomic well-being. side the Citrus County Participating can- DAVE SIGLER/Chronicle Auditorium during the didates will be given Candidates for the Board of County Commissioners District 1 seat, from left, Renee Christopher-McPheeters, Den- same time the area was three minutes to dis- nis Damato and Ron Kitchen, addressed a packed house Tuesday evening at the Citrus County Chronicle Political teeming with activity as cuss their platforms Forum. people packed the building and then field audi- to attend the Citrus County ence questions pre- Candidates answer questions, meet public at forum Chronicle’s political forum. sented by a Seeger, 27, was discov- moderator. Each MIKE WRIGHT creation, support local ered in her Chrysler Cross- candidate will then Staff Writer businesses and preserve fire around 3 a.m. Wednesday, be allowed a three- the quality of life. June 25, near the intersec- minute closing INVERNESS — Dis- “My campaign has tion of North Reynolds Av- statement. trict 1 incumbent Dennis clearly articulated the enue and West Cyrus Street, about a mile and a half east For more informa- Damato touted his suc- achievements of the cesses from eight years Board of County Commis- of Crystal River. tion call 352- Detectives said Seeger 860-5175. on the county commis- sioners during my term in sion while challengers office,” he said. was in the driver’s seat and Fasano Renee Christopher- Christopher- died of gunshot wounds. honored for McPheeters and Ron McPheeters, who lost a Addressing local and re- Kitchen sought to poke Republican primary to gional media, Grant, with transparency holes in his record during Damato four years ago, his associate attorney Rick TALLAHASSEE — Tuesday night’s Chroni- blamed Damato for the Dozier and Seeger’s mother, Sen. Mike Fasano fre- cle Political Forum. county’s budget shortfall. See FAMILY/ Page A2 quently makes waves A crowd topping 500 “Right now the county at the state Capitol, people jammed the Cit- is debt because of the and he’s being recog- rus County Auditorium spending habits of the in- nized for those efforts for the forum to hear cumbent,” she said. to make sure govern- from candidates whose Kitchen, a Crystal names are on the Aug. 14 River councilman and its Scott Adams presses the flesh at the Citrus County District ment operates in the primary ballot. former mayor, said he has Chronicle Political Forum on Tuesday at the Citrus sunshine. County Auditorium. Fasano was Much of the crowd spent two years on the stayed for the final three campaign trail listening named Monday as Meadowcrest, I’ve heard Christopher-McPheeters eases races — county commis- to voter concerns about the winner of the sion Districts 1, 3 and 5, financial decisions. fire consolidation, I’ve said she supports better 2012 Pete Weitzel/ which will be decided in “You know what I’ve heard out-of-control public relations and less Friend of the First the universal primary. heard? I’ve heard Ot- budget,” Kitchen said. government infighting. watering Amendment Award Damato said his priori- tawa, I’ve heard Port Cit- Asked by a panel to ex- Damato said he wants for his vigilance in im- ties are to stimulate job rus, I’ve heard plain their visions, See FORUM/ Page A5 proving transparency in government. rules First Amendment Special to the Chronicle Foundation President Heathcock, Meek spar over local economy Barbara Petersen MIKE WRIGHT our legal fund just to bal- ated tax incentives for shut down the nuclear The Southwest Florida said Fasano has set Staff Writer ance the budget this year. job growth and rejuve- plant permanently. Water Management Dis- a standard that all What are we going to take nated the Economic De- “Your taxes are going trict’s Governing Board those in government INVERNESS — Tues- it out of next year?” velopment Council, of to go through the roof,” voted to let Modified Phase should emulate. The day’s District 3 county Meek, elected to office which Meek is chairman. he said. “There is no III water shortage restric- New Port Richey Re- commission debate cen- four years ago when he A panel of Chronicle plan. We have to get one.” tions expire Tuesday for publican is termed tered on budgets and job defeated a 16-year in- Editorial Board members Meek, however, said Citrus, Hernando, Lake, out this year in the creation, with incumbent cumbent, countered that asked candidates the county is part of the Levy and Sumter counties state Senate, but Joe Meek saying much the county budget whether they support Tampa Bay Partnership, as well as the city of Dun- seeking a return to has already been done dropped $44 million in Progress Energy whose chairman is Vin- nellon and The Villages in the Legislature in the and challenger Shannon four years and taxes have Florida’s plans to repair cent Dolan, chief execu- Marion County due to im- Florida House. Heathcock offering the decreased 37 percent. the nuclear plant north of tive officer of Progress provements in the region’s The award is given opposite view. Meek also said the Crystal River to get it Energy Florida. Meek water resources. annually to an indi- Heathcock, owner of county has come a long back online, and its plans also said he has person- Citrus County will return to the District’s year-round vidual who has made DASH Transport, said way in developing and di- for two additional nu- ally spoken with James the county has no long- water conservation meas- a significant contribu- versifying its economy. clear plants in Levy Rogers, CEO of Duke range plan to handle its “When I came into of- County. Energy. ures, according to Lindsay tion to the cause of budget which, he said, is fice in 2008, Citrus Heathcock said he sup- “I’ve relayed to them, Ubinas, spokeswoman for furthering open gov- balanced year to year on County was not a friendly ports the repairs and the and to Duke Energy, how Citrus County. ernment in Florida. whatever is available. place to do business new plants. However, he important they are with The lawn and landscape —From staff reports “There’s no vision for with,” he said. “Folks, said the county has no regards to our economy,” watering schedule is lim- the future in our budget,” those days are over.” fallback should Progress Meek said. ited to a two-day-per-week schedule, and most water- COMING UP he said. “We have to bor- Meek said the county — now a subsidiary of row $3.3 million out of lowered impact fees, cre- Duke Energy — decide to See SPAR/ Page A5 ing may only occur before TOMORROW: 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. Resi- dents are encouraged to Wanted water only if their lawn and Someone with the District 5 commission race hopefuls seek spotlight landscape needs it and turn interest and means to MIKE WRIGHT she has the knowledge public expense. vide a trained workforce off their irrigation system if fix up and run a it has rained or rain is pre- 170-acre existing Staff Writer and expertise to serve as “A public servant is for a diversified economy. dicted in the next 24 hours, campground needed for commissioner. what I’ve been for Citrus “Until we solve that a piece of Citrus County INVERNESS — With “The board needs to be County,” he said. problem, I think the sil- Ubinas said. wilderness./Thursday no incumbent in the Dis- creative,” Adams said. Rusnak, who served ver bullet is never going The governing board trict 5 county commission “We’re in a time and place four years as chair- to come,” he said. voted to lift the restrictions race, four candidates in history that things are woman of the Citrus Candidates, asked how in response to significant INDEX hoped to distinguish not going to get much bet- County Council, said she they would cut the budget improvements in aquifer Comics . .C7 themselves as the right ter. We need to be realistic supports growth that without cutting services, and river levels as a result Community . .C5 choice for attendees of with ourselves. We need doesn’t damage the provided a variety of of Tropical Storm Debby Crossword . .C6 Tuesday night’s Chroni- to be survivors.” county’s ecosystem.