Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 Bowden: Made everyone feel like a Hall of Famer /B1 WEDNESDAY T O D A Y C I T R U S C O U N T Y & n e x t m o r n i n g HIGH 92 H ot w ith scattered LOW afternoon storm s. 73 PAGE A4 w w w.chronicleonline.com AUGUST 11, 2021 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community $1 VOL. 126 ISSUE 308 NEWS BRIEFS FDOT to tackle drainage Teacher faces drug related charges MICHAEL D. Water Management Dis- Carnahan announced Thursday to fix the The county, he said, trict (SWFWMD) to cor- the news prior to Tues- drainage issues. Resi- will monitor the A 5 2 - e a r - l d C t r u s S p r i n g s BATES Staff writer rect any drainage issues day’s commission dents said untreated situation. M iddle School teacher w as ap- along U.S. 19 in Homo- meeting. water from the stormwa- “We are continuing to prehended M onday, Aug. 9, by The Florida Depart- sassa due to the stalled The water district ter drainage system was work with SWFWMD to the Ctrus Cunty S heriff’s O f- ment of Transportation widening project. cited FDOT with permit finding its way to the improve the conditions fice, according to a new s re- (FDOT) will work with County Commission violations and gave the Halls River and degrad- lease issued by the Ctrus the Southwest Florida Chairman Scott state agency until ing water quality. See COUNTY/Page A8 Cunty S chool D istrict. A ccording to the sheriff’s of- fice w ebsite, Jeffrey S cott B rake, w ho lives in D unnellon, was charged w ith traffick- ing in fen- tanyl, ow n/ Smooth sailing on first day rent/lease a r e s i d e n c e for the traf- ficking in a controlled Jeffrey substance, Brake possession of m etham phet- am ine w /intent to distribute, possession of heroin w ith in- tent to distribute and drug par- aphernalia. H is bond w as set a t $ 4 1 000 A ccording to a new s release issued late Tuesday evening by the sheriff’s office, m em bers of the Tactical Im pact U nit (TIU ), along w ith detectives from the S pecial Victim s U nit (S V U ) served tw o search w arrants that resulted in B rake’s apprehension M onday evening. O fficials served the w arrants at B rake’s residence off W est E dison P lace as w ell as an ad- joined recreational vehicle (R V ) on the property. U pon their ar- rival, detectives located B rake at the residence, the release stated. A fter securing the con- veyances and individuals on scene, detectives located a glass pipe that later tested pos- itive for m etham phetam ine in Brake’s pocket. D etectives searched the R V and found tw o eyeglass cases, w hich contained hypoderm ic needles and three clear, plastic baggies. Inside one of the bag- gies w as m etham phetam ine, M A T T H E W B E C K / C r o n i c l e w eighing 18 gram s. A second Central Ridge Elementary School students and administrators’ reflection is seen in a school bus mirror Tuesday, Aug. 10, as the first day baggie, w eighing 2.3 gram s, of school begins across the school district. contained heroin. The third baggie field-ested positive for Across county, students head to school — some for the first time ever fentanyl, w ith a total w eight of 4 . 1 g r a m s . HANNAH SACHEWICZ The Chronicle spent some this moment and we are almost off their students with us.” D etectives further located a Staff writer time at Central Ridge Ele- here and ready to start,” Prin- When the doors opened, credit card issued to B rake be- mentary, where excited par- cipal Chris Bosse said just be- parents and kids began filter- side a digital scale w ithin the Eagles, Ridgebacks, Fal- ents and children walked fore making the announcement ing in to find their classroom. cons, Pirates, Panthers and hand-in-hand to the front of to open the doors. R V. There w as also an assort- For kindergarteners and their the rest of the Citrus County the school to drop their “Look at the excitement out parents, it’s a particularly m ent of firearm s, prescription gang welcomed the first day of Ridgebacks off for their first front,” Bosse said. “We have emotional and exciting day. pill bottles prescribed to B rake, the 2021-22 school year on day. parents lined up, ready to come and a variety of drug parapher- Aug. 10. “All of our work has led to back in the building and drop See SCHOOL/Page A2 nalia present. A ccording to the district’s re- lease, B rake has w orked for t h e C t r u s C u n t y S c h o o l D i s - t r i c t s i n c e A u g . 6 , 2 001 “A ll em ployees go through Hard an F I level 2 background Heather Peffers: Council pans screening,” S uperintendent Sam H im m el said. “W e w ill w ork to the fullest extent w ith worker with a heart of gold the Ctrus Cunty S heriff’s O f- fice as this investigation RV proposal NANCY KENNEDY continues.” Staff writer BUSTER Bay and a flood-prone T h e C t r u s C u n t y S c h o o l THOMPSON neighborhood. D istrict is in the process of con- Whether it was in the Staff writer Council wasn’t ex- ducting a full investigation re- classroom with ESE (Ex- pected to vote at its pub- garding these crim inal charges. ceptional Student Educa- or being the best “Gigi” to Physically, Heather Crystal River City lic hearing the evening The Cronicle w ill have tion) students, organizing her grandson Maverick, had heart problems, but Council wasn’t thrilled of Monday, Aug. 9, on re- m ore details about B rake’s ar- a benefit for someone in Heather Peffers was her emotional heart with a developer’s ongo- zoning and redesign pro- rest in the Thursday, A ug. 1, need, serving drinks at 100% all in. beat strong. ing pitch to build an RV posals for the Plantation e d i t i o n . Sleepy Hollow, cheering Heather Peffers died resort with almost 325 — F o m s t a f f r e p o r t s on her beloved Broncos July 20. She was 57. See PEFFERS/Page A9 lots next door to King’s See PLANTATION/Page A10 Classifieds . .C7 Crossword . .C14 INDEX Lottery Numbers . .B3 Obituaries . A6 Comics . .C6 Editorial. A11 Lottery Payouts . .B3 TV Listings. .C5 Horoscope . A4 Entertainment . 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SCHOOL Citrus County School District Continued from Page A1 spokeswoman Lindsay Blair spent some time at the Inverness schools Brianna and Andrew Metzler on the morning of the first day. were there to drop off their “Everything seemed to flow 5-year-old daughter, Hailey Met- really well,” she said. zler, to her kindergarten class- For new parents especially, room. They were joined by Blair said, “it’s always emo- Hailey’s brother, 5, who is also tional, always hard.” starting kindergarten this year. Blair said schools are still try- Hailey was welcomed in by ing to utilize social distancing and her smiling teacher, Amanda other safety protocols to mitigate Harris, and went right to playing the spread of COVID-19. with the toy kitchen set in the “I think our students are re- corner of the classroom. Hailey ally looking forward to getting was even wearing a shirt that back to routine,” she said. said, “1st Day of Kindergarten.” “I’ve talked to several princi- “I am very excited to be back on pals and they all said the first day the first day of school and defi- Hudson Bojrau, 5, is assisted by has been good,” Superintendent nitely excited to see the kiddos,” Central Ridge Elementary School Sandra “Sam” Himmel said. Harris said. “This is my first year kindergarten teacher Amanda As the district irons out bus teaching kindergarten. I usually Harris on Tuesday, Aug. 10, as the routes, buses may experience teach second or first so I’m really MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle child’s grandfather Alvin Breitling delays. excited to be in here this year.” Andrew Metzler hugs his five-year-old daughter Hailey on Tuesday walks the boy into class.