Upset: RG3 ends season injured as Seahawks stun /B1 2012 Cadillac MONDAY Escalade ESV TODAY CITRUS COUNTY & next $ morning SAVE 10,000 HIGH 70 Few passing showers, SEE IT ON PG. B12 LOW partly sunny and breezy. Village Cadillac 57 PAGE A4 000DOR9 www.chronicleonline.com JANUARY 7, 2013 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOLUME 118 ISSUE 153 INSIDE NATION & WORLD: Syria a ‘jihad land’ ing crowd Sunday to fight the uprising Defiant Assad pledges against his authoritarian rule, dismissing any chance of dialogue with “murderous criminals” that he blames for nearly two to continue fighting years of violence that has left 60,000 dead. In his first public speech in six months, Christmas Associated Press Assad laid out terms for a peace plan that Egyptian Copts keeps himself in power, ignoring interna- BEIRUT — A defiant Syrian President celebrate Christmas, tional demands to step down and pledging Bashar Assad rallied a chanting and cheer- fearing for their to continue the battle “as long as there is future./Page A12 one terrorist left” in Syria. Syrian President Bashar Assad gestures “What we started will not stop,” he said, while he speaks Sunday at the Opera ENTERTAINMENT: standing at a lectern on stage at the regal House in central Damascus, Syria. Associated Press See SYRIA/ Page A8 2012 Year in REVIEW New sitcom Michael J. Fox stars in a MFL debate continues new NBC comedy about a newscaster who had quit his job due to Parkinson’s Disease, but returns to work./Page B6 OPINION: As responsible “citizens, we need to pay attention to “ those doing the public’s business. EDITORIAL, PAGE A10 LOCAL EFFORTS: Give blood Find out where the LifeSouth Bloodmobile will be parked for donations during upcoming weeks./Page A6 Get food Area groups offer low-cost food options MATHEW BECK/Chronicle file and free meals each Hope Corona displays stacks of signatures to a crowd gathered at the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s minimum flows and lev- week./Page A6 els public hearing this past October in Brooksville. The signatures are from citizens opposed to reducing the flow of the Chassahowitzka River. ONLINE POLL: Your choice? Determining minimum flows and levels for rivers a hot topic in 2012 What’s your view of A.B. SIDIBE river at 3 percent. The SWFWMD staff rec- guns in Staff writer ommendation was initially for 3 and 9 percent PUBLIC HEARING schools? respectively for the Homosassa and Chassa- The Southwest Florida Water A. All school For the uninitiated, MFLs — or minimum howitzka rivers. Management District has scheduled a staff flows and levels — is beginning to hold water. The board also instructed SWFWMD staff members public hearing to give affected persons In the past year, some county residents to develop the framework for a “water use an opportunity to present evidence and should be have been embroiled in a point-and- cautionary area” for Hernando and Citrus trained and equipped argument on the rules proposed by the counterpoint debate with officials with the counties and present it to the board in June with firearms. district to establish minimum flows for B. I’m all for every Southwest Florida Water Management Dis- 2013. Cautionary areas require more strin- the Homosassa and Chassahowitzka school having an armed trict (SWFWMD) over water flow levels at two gent water withdrawal permit rules. River Systems. law-enforcement officer of the county’s seven rivers. The “compromise” also requires MFLs be District staff will be available to respond on campus during It culminated in a compromise of sorts by reviewed every six years rather than the to questions or comments regarding the school hours. SWFWMD’s governing board. usual 10 years. proposed rules. Many locals and environmental advocates C. Arming school The water district board rejected the staff ’s personnel wouldn’t stop recommended levels of flow, reducing the are not pleased. The public hearing will be 10 a.m. until noon Tuesday, Jan. 15, in the district’s a determined terrorist, proposed minimum flow for the Chassahow- Brad Rimbey, who is with SOS NOW, an um- so don’t spend the brella group of disparate environmental governing board room, at 2379 Broad itzka River from an initial recommendation. St., Brooksville. money. The board voted to set the MFLs for each See MFL/ Page A4 D. Condoning gun possession by adults in schools sends the wrong message and creates a bad educa- ■ tional environment. WHAT: Citrus County Board of County To vote, visit www. Next year’s Dental clinic to chronicleonline.com. Commissioners meeting. Click on the word ■ WHEN: 1 p.m. Tuesday; “Opinion” in the menu county budget public comments and to see the poll. questions will be taken at bring low-cost smiles Results will appear 1:30 p.m. next Monday. Find last ERYN WORTHINGTON starts now ■ WHERE: Room 100, Citrus have a resolution — a free, perma- week’s online poll County Courthouse, 110 Staff writer nent dental clinic. results./Page A4 CHRIS VAN ORMER N. Apopka Ave., Inverness. The Knights of Columbus do- Staff writer Imagine waking up at 3 a.m. with nated its building at 9020 W. Atlas INDEX ■ AGENDA: Available on the a terrible throbbing toothache that Drive in Homosassa to Catholic Commissioners will discuss next county’s website, has been bothering you for months. Charities. The bishop dedicated Comics ....................B8 www.bocc.citrus.fl.us, at Crossword ................B7 year’s budget on Tuesday, even though No relief is in sight, since you have the renovation of the building for it won’t be finalized until September. the Lecanto Government no dental insurance. offices, meeting rooms and dental Editorial..................A10 Building or in the “We have a balanced budget. We’re Your only option of temporary and medical care. The Catholic Entertainment ..........B6 commissioners’ suite on Horoscope ................B6 OK for this year,” County Administra- Charities Citrus Community Out- the second floor of the liberation is the emergency room. Lottery Numbers ......B4 tor Brad Thorpe said at December’s reach Center is a location that will courthouse in Inverness. However, you know in the back of Lottery Payouts ........B6 meeting of the Citrus County Council, your head they will only provide a provide part-time facilities for the Movies ......................B8 (CCC), a not-for-profit, nonpartisan ■ WATCH: The meeting will figurative Band-Aid to your pain; We Care Food Pantry, Pregnancy Obituaries ................A6 consortium of homeowner associa- be televised live on cable once the pain medication wears and Family Life Center, Citrus TV Listings................B7 tions, civic groups and environmental TV on Channel 622 on off, the toothache will be back. You Abuse Shelter Association and Na- Classifieds ................B9 groups. “But obviously we’ve got to Bright House and Channel sigh in confusion, not knowing ture Coast Ministries Dental and have a plan for next year. And we’re 9 on Comcast. The what to do to fix the problem. Medical Clinic. not going to wait for the budget cycle. meeting also can be Nature Coast Ministries and Homosassa dentist Dr. Frank We’re going to start Jan. 8, when I’m viewed live online in a Vascimini and 20 other dental and small digital format. Catholic Charities recognized the See BUDGET/ Page A4 predicament faced by many and See DENTAL/ Page A7 A2 MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 2013 CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE IT’S FREE! Visit NuTech’s Discovery Days And Get Answers To Your Hearing Questions! 2 WEEKS ONLY For A Limited Time . Come on in! We’re celebrating better hearing by providing all Call any of our convenient locations the tests below absolutely FREE! Learn more about your own for a FREE Hearing Evaluation! hearing in a pressure-free environment. You’ll talk with hearing care professionals with time to answer your questions. The Video Otoscope test will indicate if you have problems that could be causing your hearing loss. If we find any abnormalities, we’ll immediately refer you to a medical doctor for a thorough evaluation and tre atment. Is earwax Could Your Middle Ear Blocking Be The Problem? Your Hearing? Because You Shouldn’t Have To Hear Any Less Than Your Best . Are Sinus We invite you to Problems or come in and learn Allergies more about your Affecting Your hearing during Hearing? DISCOVERY DAYS FREE FREE HEARINGHEARING EVALUATIONS!EVALUATIONS! IS EARWAX THE CULPRIT? It’s actually a very common reason for hearing difficulties. We check with our Video Otoscope. You see what we see, right on a video screen. DO YOU HAVE GAPS IN HEARING CERTAIN SOUNDS? With the Video Otoscope, we’ll see if you’re hearing the full spectrum of sounds like you should be. DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING CERTAIN WORDS? We’ll use our Sound Field Test to measure your ability to understand words in normal conversation in both quiet and noisy environments. COULD YOUR MIDDLE EAR BE THE PROBLEM? Using our special testing, we’ll determine if your middle ear is functioning properly. TROUBLE HEARING SOFT SOUNDS? If you wear hearing aids or would benefit from them, our new Loudness Growth Profile Test customizes our advanced circuit models to fit your needs. HOW DOES BETTER HEARING REALLY SOUND? We let you experience how better hearing would sound with our hearing aids. You can hear the difference right away . right in our office. HEARING LOSS? VISION Turn up the T.V. Tell people to speak up PROBLEMS? Don’t answer the phone. Get An Stay out of restaurants. Eye Don’t go to movies. Exam. Avoid socializing. SEEMS SEEMS SILLY,SILLY, DOESN’TDOESN’T IT?IT? CALL NOW FOR YOUR FREE HEARING EVALUATION 000DOEQ We wish everyone a Happy New Year! CRYSTAL RIVER INVERNESS OCALA 352-794-6155 352-794-6155 352-419-7911 352-419-7911 352-671-2999 352-671-2999 1122 N.