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Citrus Slices
By Times staff writers Enthusiastic, but within the codeSchool Board member Sandra "Sam" Himmel describes herself as "enthusiastic to the extreme" when she cheers on her team at sporting events. So it was natural that when the School Board approved the new code of conduct for coaches, athletes and spectators last week that she thought the spectator portion was written with her in mind. "I just wish they'd take my picture off that," she quipped. * * * COUNT ON IT: School district planning director Gail Grimm gave a detailed, computer-based report to the School Board regarding the district's latest update on the strategic plan. She was followed by executive director James Hughes, who was to bring the board up to speed on construction projects planned for the coming year. As he began, he explained that he and Alan Burcaw, the district's construction director, would not have the same fancy presentation as Grimm, just old-fashioned overhead projector transparencies. "This means it takes two men to do the job of one woman," Hughes quipped. "No," Himmel corrected him. "It takes more than two." * * * IS THAT YOUR FINAL ANSWER? A group of students from the Future Farmers of America attended last week's School Board meeting to show support for the Citrus High School agriculture program. As the discussion ended and the students got up to leave, board members thanked the teens for attending and for the help they offered with some questions about parliamentary procedure. "Thanks for coming, and come any time to the School Board meeting," said board member Ginger Bryant. And just why would students want to spend their time at the School Board meeting? "They are fun," Himmel said. * * * WORD GAMES: Himmel had been struggling to find the correct cliche to represent the public sentiment that it was time School Board members made up their minds about what to do about the former gymnasium at Citrus High School. Himmel thought of one such cliche, but it involved bathroom humor. Later, board attorney Richard "Spike" Fitzpatrick helped her out. "It's 'fish or cut bait,' Sam," he said. * * * CRIKEY, SHE'S GRUMPY: It pays to watch Steve Irwin's wildlife show, Crocodile Hunter. When a Times staffer went to take a photo of a 7-foot Burmese python captured by a local wildlife expert, the agitated snake looped several strong coils around the expert's arm and was squeezing to the point of pain. Staffer Jorge Sanchez, who is not a wildlife expert but is a couch potato and handy with a TV remote control, recalled a Crocodile Hunter tidbit claiming that a snake can be persuaded to release its coils if someone grabs its tail and starts unwrapping, which is what he did. The snake released its tight grip. Next week: how to outwit a marauding mud hen. * * * BUMPER STICKERS WE LIKE: "I was out of sick days, so I called in dead." * * * BUMPER STICKERS THAT WE 'WIZARD OF OZ' FANS LIKE: "Things just haven't been the same since that house fell on my sister." -- Times staff writers Barbara Behrendt, Paulette Lash Ritchie and Jim Ross contributed to this report.
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