Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 Golf: Crowds return to British Open after year absence /B1 FRIDAY TODAY C I T R U S C O U N T Y & next morning HIGH 92 Slight chance of LOW afternoon show- ers and storms. 72 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com JULY 16, 2021 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community $1 VOL. 126 ISSUE 282 The Citrus County Animal Shelter is open Pair arrested for animal cruelty to the public by appointment only BUSTER THOMPSON close because of overcrowding. authorities found 21 dogs, 27 cats, property, totaling 84 animals. through Saturday, AND MIKE WRIGHT Animal control officers and six bird species, five rabbits, a go- Most of the animals were suffer- July 24. It is closed on Staff writers deputies with the Citrus County pher tortoise and a chicken. ing from open sores. Sundays and Mondays. Sheriff ’s Office responded at Of the dogs, 13 were caged in Animal shelter staff had to eu- To make an A pair of Homosassa women around 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 14, the kitchen and living room, lying thanize a dog suffering from se- appointment, call 352- were arrested after their 84 ani- to a report of animal cruelty at a in their own urine and feces. vere malnourishment to the point 746-8400 or email mals were seized from neglectful home off West Green Acres Street. Officers and deputies discov- it couldn’t stand, according to the colleen.yarbrough@ conditions, which also forced the Inside the house, according to the ered and rescued other pets and sheriff ’s office. citrusbocc.com. Citrus County Animal Shelter to sheriff ’s office Thursday evening, livestock from throughout the See PAIR/Page A5 NEWS BRIEFS Battle for the Withlacoochee Apply for rental assistance The Citrus County Hous- ing Services Division will open a waiting list for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program at 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 28. The waiting list will re- main open until 5 p.m. Fri- day, July 30. At that time, the waiting list will close and no further applications will be accepted. Applications will be avail- able online only. No walk- ins will be accepted and MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle applications are not avail- The Withlacoochee River flows from the Green Swamp northwest into able at the Section 8 office. the Gulf of Mexico near Inglis, pictured above. Applicants may use any computer, tablet, or smart- Report indicates poor health of phone with internet access to apply. Section 8 is a federally river; stakeholders called to act funded rental assistance BUSTER THOMPSON report of its findings. program provided by the Staff writer What the Gainesville-based Department of Housing company discovered was unset- and Urban Development After almost a decade of tling, documenting “a variety of (HUD) for low-income fundraising, research and pa- hydrological, physical, chemi- tience, citizen advocates of the households, especially cal, biological and structural Withlacoochee River have the impairments” from 120 years of those in the following proof to show their waterway human nature. categories: needs a lot of help. As a result, invasive vegeta- I County residents. “We did the investigation; it tion has flourished while native I Non-English speakers. was tedious, it was expensive,” fisheries and other river habi- I The homeless. said Dan Hilliard, president of tats have either suffered or I Those 62 years of age Withlacoochee Aquatic Resto- died off. or older. ration Inc. (WAR). “But it’s nec- “There was a downturn in I Those with a disability. essary, it’s long overdue and we what we were seeing in the I Victims of domestic got it done.” river,” Hilliard said, describing violence. It was in 2012 when members his residency along the lower A computer lottery sys- of WAR decided to pursue an river from 2001 to 2015. “The tem will be used to ran- extensive study to illustrate the things we saw and appreciated domly select 150 health of the river’s most down- ... those things were all gone, applications and will then stream section in between Cit- and it was the lifeblood of this rus and Levy counties — the community.” rank the applications using Lower Withlacoochee River. To read a copy of the report, Withlacoochee Aquatic Restoration Inc. (W.A.R.) president Dan these local preferences. In early July 2021, following view the online version of this Hilliard addresses a recent study to determine the health of the To apply, visit tinyurl. three phases of work, Wetland story at chronicleonline.com. Withlacoochee River. The river is a vital ecological resource for much com/34mkd8rk. Visit the Solutions Inc. published a See BATTLE/Page A7 of Central Florida. Housing Services website at tinyurl.com/pfe8768t. For additional informa- tion, call 352-527-7520. Register to vote at Third Friday PDC OKs plan for extension COVID cases The Supervisor of Elec- tions Office will be at the Connecting Brentwood Circle to Ottawa Avenue on rise locally Third Friday event in Inver- ness from 5 to 7 p.m. MIKE WRIGHT additional homes and an ex- Brentwood Circle is a FRED HIERS July 16 in front of the Staff writer tension of Ottawa Avenue to right-turn only out of the de- Staff writer Old Courthouse Museum, serve the new development velopment at C.R. 486. Motor- 1 Courthouse Square. Citrus County planners called Davis Reserve. ists wanting to head east Citrus County is seeing an increase in Stop by to make gave their backing to a plan to County commissioners must do the turn-around at coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, ac- changes to your voter re- add 400 villas to a new Brent- have the final say. A public the Ottawa signal. cording to local officials monitoring cases cord, register to vote or re- wood development but does hearing is set for 5 p.m. Tues- Brentwood is a Citrus Hills of the potentially deadly disease. quest to vote-by-mail. not give current residents di- day, Aug. 10, at the county development. Citrus Hills at- “We’re not going in the right direction,” rect access to the traffic signal courthouse. torney Stephen Hallet said Information to apply for said Audrey Stasko, spokeswoman for the at Ottawa Avenue and County PDC members said they the only issue is whether to department of health in Citrus County. election worker positions Road 486. think it’s in the developer’s extend Ottawa to serve the “This is alarming.” will also be available. The Planning and Devel- best interest to connect Brent- new community only, or not Despite months of declining COVID-19 To learn more, visit opment Commission, or PDC, wood Circle to the Ottawa ex- extend Ottawa and use the cases, cases are again on the rise, as it is in votecitrus.gov, email vote@ voted 6-1 Thursday, July 15, to tension, allowing occupants current Brentwood Circle ac- many Florida counties and in many parts of votecitrus.gov or call recommend approval to of Brentwood’s 800 homes cess point for both Brent- the United States, according to the U.S. Cen- 352-564-7120. change the Brentwood Farms access to Ottawa and the traf- wood and Davis Reserve. ter for Disease Control and Prevention. — From staff reports master plan to allow for the fic signal. See PLAN/Page A7 See COVID/Page A5 Classifieds . .C4 Crossword . .C7 INDEX Lottery Numbers . .B3 Obituaries . A6 Comics . .C3 Editorial. A10 Lottery Payouts . .B3 TV Listings. .C2 Horoscope . A4 Entertainment . A4 Movies . .C3 BEST OF THE BEST SPOTLIGHT 2021 Thank You Citrus County For Your Support & For Voting For Us! “Smarter Home Security” alarm.com with 352-527-3201 Alarm & • Security Systems • Complete Fire Systems Security Systems • Surveillance Cameras • Audio/Video • Medical Alert CC-0010EW8 Jarey & Ruthie Schlabach EF20001311 2181 W. Norvell Bryant Hwy, Lecanto, FL www.sssonline.biz A2 FRIDAY, JULY 16, 2021 CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE 2021 TOYOTA 2021 TOYOTA 2021 TOYOTA 2021 TOYOTA COROLLA CAMRY LE RAV4 LE HIGHLANDER 0% APR LE 0% APR 0% APR 0% APR LE AVAILABLE AVAILABLE AVAILABLE AVAILABLE MODEL#1852 MODEL#2532 MODEL#4430 MODEL#6946 LEASE FOR LEASE FOR LEASE FOR LEASE FOR $ ZERO $ ZERO $ ZERO ZERO - OR - - OR - $ 170 - OR - DOWN 209 DOWN 228 DOWN - OR - DOWN PER MONTH FOR 36 MONTHS PER MONTH FOR 36 MONTHS 298 PER MONTH FOR 36 MONTHS $286/MO. FOR 36 MOS. $325/MO. FOR 36 MOS. $349/MO. FOR 36 MOS. PER MONTH FOR 36 MONTHS $419/MO. FOR 36 MOS. 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