Citrus briefs

By Times staff writers

© St. Petersburg Times,
published July 10, 2001

Police to have stops to check licenses, inspect vehicles

CRYSTAL RIVER -- The Police Department will conduct driver's license and vehicle inspection stops this week in the following locations: NE Crystal, NW Crystal, NE Eighth, NE Ninth, NE 12th, NW 19th, NE Third, NE First, SE Eighth and NE 11th streets and NE First Terrace.

Crystal River is awarded $50,000 to improve park

CRYSTAL RIVER -- Though many budget requests died at Gov. Jeb Bush's desk this year, the city has learned that it was awarded a $50,000 grant to improve Hunter Springs Park. The city, which does not have to match the grant, plans to rebuild a fishing pier and dock that was wiped out during the storm of 1993. A sea wall will be extended to counter erosion and improvements will be made to the beach area. The city will remove a sandbar, which has caused an obstruction, and play equipment will be improved.

Boy leaves school, but is returned without incident

LECANTO -- A Brown Schools resident left the grounds briefly Saturday evening before staffers brought him back to campus without incident. The boy was participating in activities in the gymnasium when he left through an unlocked door, Brown spokeswoman Donna Burtanger said.

County fire regulations require the door be kept unlocked. Burtanger said staffers never lost sight of the boy, who wound up standing in a retention pond between the Brown campus and Black Diamond. Law enforcement was called and the resident was returned safely to campus.

Naturecoast Sierra Club to meet at Lake Lindsey

BROOKSVILLE -- The newly formed Naturecoast Sierra Club, serving Citrus and surrounding counties, will hold an organizational meeting Sunday at the Stone Lodge on Lake Lindsey at the Chinsegut Hill Conference Center. Doors open at 2 p.m.; the meeting will start at 2:30. This new chapter serves Citrus, Hernando, Pasco and Sumter counties. For information, call Clay Colson at (813) 996-5575 or Brad Bates at (352) 796-3784.

Drug program runs through July 27

Citrus County Parks and Recreation and the Florida Recreation and Parks Association is sponsoring the Partnership Against Drugs Program at Hernando Park, N Railroad Way, Hernando.

The program combines free recreational activities with drug awareness in a park setting. The program is from 9 a.m. to noon weekdays through July 27 and is for youngsters from 6 to 12 years old.

The program stresses recreation over drug use. Various sources are used to help educate and inform the youth involved.

The Citrus County Parks and Recreation also is offering the Summer Outreach Program which provides free activities such as arts and crafts, group/individual activities, group games and various sports for 6- to 12-year-olds. This is a great opportunity for children to get outside, interact with other children and have some fun.

The outreach program meets from 9 a.m. to noon, weekdays until July 27. This year's sites are:

• Mondays: Floral Park, Floral Park Drive, South of Floral City.
• Tuesdays: Holden Community Park, Rainbow Drive, Inverness.
• Wednesdays: Fire Station Park, Homosassa Trail, Homosassa Springs.
• Thursdays: Water Tower Park, Beverly Hills.
• Fridays: Lecanto Community Park, Educational Path, Lecanto.

Any person requiring reasonable accommodation at either program because of a disability or physical impairment should contact the Citrus County Parks and Recreation office 72 hours prior to the activity.

If you are hearing impaired, use the TDD telephone 795-2202. For information, contact Citrus County Parks and Recreation at 795-2202.

Chamber seeks theme for Christmas parades

Ho-Ho-Ho . . . Happy Holidays!? The Citrus County Chamber of Commerce is making plans for two fun-filled Christmas parades. The first will be at 6 p.m. Dec. 1 along U.S. 19 in Crystal River. The Inverness parade will take place at noon Dec. 8 along Main Street.

Both Christmas parades are community parades; therefore the chamber would like suggestions from our community on what the theme should be for each parade. Theme ideas can be mailed to the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce, 208 W Main St., Inverness, FL 34450 or 28 NW U.S. 19, Crystal River, FL 34428, before July 30.

Please specify if your idea is for the Crystal River or the Inverness parade. With community input, the chamber is looking forward to two wonderfully successful and entertaining parades. If you would like to participate in the parade, please contact the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce at 726-2801 or 795-3149.

Blood drive schedule for this month

The Citrus Community Blood Bank is reminding local blood donors they are eligible to give the gift of life every eight weeks. To make donating blood more convenient, the blood bank has scheduled blood drives on both the east and west sides of the county this month. Donors are invited to give the gift of life on the west side at:

Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park Blood Drive, from 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. July 28, at 4150 S Suncoast Blvd. All donors receive a camouflage cap, a park pass and a cholesterol screening.

And on the east side at the:

Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar Blood Drive, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. today at 1901 W Main St., Inverness. All donors receive a recognition T-shirt, an appetizer and a cholesterol screening.

Checkers Blood Drive, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 27, at 510 W Main St., Inverness.

Donors must be at least 17 years of age, weigh at least 103 pounds and show a valid photo identification. Citrus Community Blood Bank, a LifeSouth blood center, is the sole supplier of blood components for Citrus County medical facilities. LifeSouth Community Blood Centers is a nonprofit, charitable organization that supplies blood components to more than 70 medical facilities in Florida, Alabama and Georgia. Call 527-3061.

Sites listed to recycle phone books

The Citrus County Board of County Commissioners announces the start of the 2001 Phone Book Recycling Program.

Phone books may be placed in the last door of the Plastic Bottle Recycling Container at all Residential Recycling Drop-Off Centers. Look for the bright green containers and the slot marked "Sprint Telephone Directory Recycling." For questions, please call 746-5000. The drop-off sites are:

• Homosassa Wal-Mart on U.S. 19.
• Crystal River Fire Department, a block off U.S. 19 at Third Avenue.
• Meadowcrest Industrial Park on State Road 44 at Meadowcrest Boulevard.
• Powerline Access Road, just off Citrus Springs Boulevard, approximately a half mile west of U.S. 41 in Citrus Springs.
• Beverly Plaza Shopping Center on County Road 491, north of Roosevelt Boulevard.
• Beverly Hills Volunteer Fire Department just off County Road 491 at Regina Boulevard.
• 488 Plaza on County Road 488, a block east of County Road 495.
• Citrus County Central Landfill on State Road 44, between Lecanto and Inverness.
• Withlacoochee Technical Institute, back parking lot on Highland Boulevard at Montgomery Avenue.
• Citrus County Fair Grounds, on U.S. 41, about a mile south of Inverness.
• Arlington Street just off U.S. 41 in Inverness.
• Lee's Coffee Shop on U.S. 41 at Kabrich in Floral City.
• Lecanto Government Center just off Educational Path at the Lecanto School Complex, about a block from County Road 491, Lecanto.

Additional locations are:

• Crystal River Chamber of Commerce, 28 NW U.S. 19.
• Chamber of Commerce, 208 West Main St., Inverness.
• Homosassa Springs Chamber of Commerce, 3495 S Suncoast Blvd., Homosassa.

Landfill in central county is offering free mulch

LECANTO -- The Citrus County Central Landfill has free mulch available indefinitely. Mulch is used to help keep moisture in plants and shrubs and helps conserve water during this time of severe drought. Open-top trucks and trailers will be loaded 8 a.m to 4 p.m. Fridays, and 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. the first Saturday of each month at the landfill, 230 W Gulf to Lake Highway, in the Recycle Alley section (directions at the scale house).

The recipient must have a tarp to cover the load and must sign a waiver before pickup. Call 746-5000 for information.

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