Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 Football: New coaches deal with lost spring /A11w FRIDAY TODAY CITRUSCOUNTY & next morning HIGH 93 Partly sunny with LOW a few afternoon 68 showers, storms. PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com MAY 22, 2020 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOL. 125 ISSUE 227 INSIDE LOCAL: Spotlight on Coming back from the ashes business The Chronicle is Crumps Landing reopens Thursday after a fire closed it down last summer coordinating spotlights on local businesses that MICHAEL D. BATES Staff writer are adapting to the PDC backs Crump expansion coronavirus . To submit It was the day Laurel your own business Birch of Crystal River had that includes parking, homes spotlight, visit https:// been waiting for since last bit .ly/2LsNIhU . For July, when a fire forced MIKE WRIGHT today’s spotlight, see Crumps Landing to close. Staff writer Page A3 Thursday morning, Birch joined other long- Crump’s Landing is looking to expand, and has NEWS time Crumps customers backing from Citrus County planners. and newcomers alike in The Planning and Development Commission, or BRIEFS welcoming back the coun- PDC, gave unanimous backing Thursday to plans to ty’s tiki-themed restaurant expand the restaurant. Those plans include an addi- Citrus COVID-19 and bar at 11210 W. Halls tional kitchen, tiki bar, dining area, bandstand and River Road on the kayak launch. information MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle Homosassa River. The expansion doesn’t stop there. Crump’s plans No new positive “It’s special,” Birch said. Kenny and Linda Newsome of Homosassa look over the menu Thursday at Crumps Landing Waterfront Tiki in to build a parking lot across Halls River Road to ac- COVID-19 cases were re- “It’s different. We don’t Homosassa. The popular eatery and tiki hut reopened company not only vehicles from customers and staff, ported in Citrus County have anything like it but also the overflow of boat trailers that park along- here.” following a fire in July 2019 that destroyed much of the since the latest FDOH side the roadway during scallop season. The crowds started establishment. The couple said they have been excited for update. To date in the “This is a benefit to the community,” Michael Wil- trickling in shortly before the business to open. “We’ve been waiting like crazy, like county, 115 people have burn, representing Riverfront Investments LLC, told 11:30 a.m. hoping to es- everybody else,” Kenny Newsome said. PDC members. tested positive and cape the heat at one of the 12 have died. tables near the river. Folks There were the familiar dining areas. There was Along with the parking, Riverfront Investments For more information, seemed happy to see that statues of manatees, pi- the 1935 GMC panel van at also proposes to develop up to 13 homesites on the see Sunday’s edition. the overall ambience of rates and parrots scat- the entrance. eastern edge of Riverhaven Village. Wilburn said the Chronicle the place was the same. tered around the bar and See CRUMPS/Page A10 See PDC/Page A10 STARS winners announced This year, to observe the welfare and safety of our students, the event will be held online. Win- ‘It’s Dolphin Day’ for CREST ners for the player of the year in each boy and girl sport, scholar-athletes, male and female MVPs, and overall athlete of the year will be announced. A video of the award announcements, and congratulatory video snip- pets from the schools and special guests, has been posted to https://bit. ly/36e2qCL. For information on the winners, see the special section inside today’s edition. Graduates, family, friends invited to site The Citrus County Chronicle is hosting a vir- tual graduation page that includes photos and per- sonal information pro- vided by graduates. Family and friends of each graduate are en- couraged to visit their graduate and congratu- late them with a personal MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle message under their Matthew Tucker is all smiles as he receives his diploma Thursday, outside of the CREST School in Lecanto. Citrus County School District photos. Superintendent Sandra “Sam” Himmel, right, and CREST School Principal Lee Mulder celebrate the student’s accomplishment. The Graduates can also up- teacher who introduced and presented Matthew for graduation affectionately said he was full of “spunk and fire.” load profiles to their photos. Visit www.chronicle online.com/virtual_ School graduates 15 students in county’s first drive-thru style ceremony graduations/ to take part BUSTER THOMPSON forward to with great anticipa- in the Chronicle’s virtual Staff writer tion,” Principal Lee Mulder Future Graduation Dates graduation. said over loudspeakers, wel- Here are the graduation dates for Citrus County’s high school Coronavirus Nothing could stop the ex- coming graduates in vehicles, programs: citement of the 15 CREST their windows lowered for oc- n Lecanto High School starts at 4 p.m. on May 26; tests damaged School students who gradu- cupants to hear. n Crystal River High School begins at 4 p.m. on May 27; on way to lab ated Thursday afternoon, not “Today, we begin a series of n Citrus High School starts at 3:30 p.m. on May 28. even a pandemic. graduations throughout Citrus Due to COVID-19, Lecanto, Crystal River and Citrus high schools TALLAHASSEE — CREST, or the Citrus Re- County,” Mulder added, “but More than 1,700 Floridi- will host drive-thru ceremonies on their campuses, where one vehicle sources for Exceptional Stu- most importantly, it’s ‘Dolphin per graduate will be allowed. ans will have to be Day.’” dents in Transition, was the For more information about those graduations, visit the schools’ re- retested for the coronavi- CREST broadcasted its cere- first Citrus County School Dis- spective Facebook pages: facebook.com/LHSPanthers, facebook. rus after their state- trict campus to graduate its mony live on radio and online. administered tests were To watch the graduation and a com/piratecountry and facebook.com/citrushurricanes. class of 2020 with a drive-thru High schools will also be sharing live video of their graduations on damaged while being ceremony. tribute video, visit facebook. the Chronicle’s website, chronicleonline.com/virtual_graduations. transported to the lab for “This is what the students com/CRESTSchool. Seven Rivers Christian School in Lecanto is hosting its 7 p.m. analysis. and staff have been working Family and friends of gradu- graduation on June 26 inside the neighboring Seven Rivers Church. The state did not give toward, we’ve been planning ates lined up vehicles For more information, visit sevenriverscs.org. details on how the tests for and we’ve all been looking See CREST/Page A2 were damaged. —— From staff and wire reports INDEX Classifieds . .B4 Comics . B3. Kinnard critical after planners deny his variance Crossword . .B7 Editorial . A13 MIKE WRIGHT Development Commis- variances is final. he said in an interview. “I asked for a 22-foot setback, Entertainment . .A4 Staff writer sion, or PDC, Kinnard ex- have neither.” but amended the request Horoscope . A4 voted 5-2 against pressed his frus- Kinnard and his wife for 35 feet. Lottery Numbers . .A11 Citrus County’s plan- Kinnard’s request tration with the bought the vacant lot in The planning staff said Lottery Payouts . .A11 ning board on Thursday to build his home vote and the per- Dixie Shores two years Kinnard had not shown a Obituaries . .A6 denied Commissioner Jeff within 35 feet of mitting process. ago. The county requires a “hardship” needed for Scene . B1. Kinnard’s request for a Dixie Bay, instead “If your project 50-foot setback for homes, county approval of the Sports . A11 variance to build his home of 50 feet as the is not a perfectly pools and other struc- variance. Staffers said TV Listings . .B2 in Dixie Shores, saying he county setback re- round peg in Cit- tures, or 35 feet if berms or there was plenty of room could accomplish what he quires without a Jeff rus County, you swales are built to prevent on the property for Kin- wanted on the property variance. Kinnard need really deep direct water runoff from nard to build his home within the county rules. Unlike zoning pockets and you the property to the water. and pool without further The Planning and cases, the PDC decision on really need a lot of time,” Kinnard has initially See KINNARD/Page A9 A2 Friday, May 22, 2020 LocaL Citrus County (FL) ChroniCLe and Circumstance.” “Sam” Himmel. Attendees stood to at- Families in vehicles CREST tention as graduate Re- drove up alongside to Continued from Page A1 becca Wilson recited the shoot photos and videos of Pledge of Allegiance on their loved one graduat- decorated with signs, ban- her Proloquo2go, a device ing, with some relatives ners, balloons and flags to used to help vocalize her hanging out of windows to greet the students as they words aloud. catch the moment. rode down Panther Pride As their names were While their pupils posed Drive toward CREST in called one at a time, grad- for cameras, CREST the Roger Weaver Lecanto uates exited vehicles to teachers shared moments Educational Complex. don their cap and gown about them. Citrus County Sheriff ’s with the assistance of To see what CREST Office deputies and school masked and gloved school School teachers had to say district guardians directed staff, before walking to get about their graduating stu- the vehicles up to CREST’s their diploma from Mulder dents, read the story on- MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle entrance to the tune of and Superintendent line at chronicleonline.