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Brown-Waite election victory challenged

By TIMES STAFF
Published January 5, 2007

John Russell is formally challenging the election results in his loss to U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite. Information about the challenge is included in the Times' story about the Vern Buchanan-Christine Jennings race.

Second girl says man molested her

In August, Melton Daniels Jr. was arrested on stalking and child sex charges after a school bus driver spotted him on his route. Now Daniels, 76, faces additional child sex charges. The first victim is a 12-year-old girl who usually rides the bus that authorities say Daniels was stalking. Now a 9-year-old girl has accused Daniels of molesting her during the past two years. Anyone with information should call sheriff's Detective Chris Prus at 726-4488, ext. 287.

Publix construction is one step closer

A Safety Harbor developer is one step closer to building a Publix at the northeast corner of U.S. 19 and U.S. 98. On Thursday, the Planning and Development Review Board unanimously approved a change in the master plan for the Shoppes of Sugarmill Woods. The County Commission is slated to discuss the plan next month. In addition to the grocery store, Paradise Development Group's 78,213-square-foot shopping center will have a fast-food restaurant, 14,000 square feet of retail space, a bank with four drive-in lanes, and a Walgreens. The Walgreens is slated to open in June or July. The developer hopes to start other construction in June, with stores opening in the first quarter of 2008.

New manufacturer preparing a site

A new manufacturing business could be coming to Citrus County, leaders of the Economic Development Council said Thursday. Council executive director Brett Wattles said the owner of a new company has said the business plans to start up in Citrus. But land closings and permitting are still in the works, he said, so the company isn't ready to go public. Wattles said the company would employ 75 to 80 people in its first year, with "worldwide and national sales." Eventually, he said, the company's work force would include more than 200 people. "It's not an assembly line type product. It will be a high-end product when it goes to sale," he said. At its meeting Thursday morning, the council's executive committee also discussed the possibility of using a tax abatement to help lure a large business to Citrus. Wattles said he could not reveal further details about that company.

[Last modified January 5, 2007, 06:28:20]