THE NEWSCASTER
THE NEWSCASTER
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Deborah Russell - Editor/Publisher
Inglis, FL 34449
Tom Russell - Consulting Editor
A Publication of
Wednesday January 5, 2011
Sally Price - Correspondent
Permit No. 14
Newscaster Publishing
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
Squawk Box
Synthetic marijuana facing
emergency controls
By Gail A. Tierney,
Public Information Officer
Cracking down on the brisk sale
of synthetic marijuana, typically mar-
keted as incense, the federal government
initiated emergency action at the close
of November to temporarily control five
chemicals used to make various fake pot
products.
These products are sold for about
$10 to $20 a gram on the Internet, in drug
paraphernalia shops and right here in many
of Citrus County’s convenience stores to a
growing number of teens and young adults.
Action taken by the Drug Enforcement
Administration will make possessing and
selling these chemicals, or the products
that contain them, illegal in the United
States for at least one year while the DEA
and the Department of Health and Hu-
man Services further study whether these
chemicals and products should be perma-
nently controlled.
The agency acted after receiving
an ever-increasing number of alarming
reports from poison control centers, hos-
pitals and law enforcement agencies about
FWC rescues young manatee from chilly waters Biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Fish and Wildlife
users experiencing overdoses, seizures,
Research Institute (FWRI) rescued a young male manatee in St. Petersburg during a recent cold snap. The 7-foot juvenile manatee was thin and
hallucinations, addiction, even suicide.
showed signs of cold stress. This condition, which can result in death, occurs as a result of exposure to water temperatures below 68 degrees
Those who manufacture the fake
for long periods of time. Biologists also were concerned that the manatee was far from any warm-water sites, where manatees typically go to
seek refuge from cold water temperatures. Continued on page 2 - Manatee Rescue
New Year's Day
pot blends, with names like “Spice,” “K2,”
Duo arrested in aluminum
“Blaze” and “Red X Dawn,” label the
mixtures as incense in an effort to conceal
Fire Consumes
their intended purpose. The recent action
theft & sale
taken by the DEA was the fastest way to
get these products off the legal market.
Home
23. O’Brien and Hollie
From Citrus County Sheriff Dept.
Disturbingly, there already are indica-
Two men were arrested by the Cit-
were seen on the vic-
tions that the producers of these blends are
rus County Sheriff’s Office not long after a
tim’s property by the vic-
working to reformulate their products by
By Newscaster Correspondent
man reported the theft of aluminum from his
tim and a neighbor. The
using chemicals that aren’t covered by the
Sally Price
property.
neighbor told detectives
impending ban.
A New Year’s Day fire in the mo-
Christopher Lee Hollie, 26, who
that he saw the two men
Synthetic marijuana, described
bile home community of Graceland Shores,
refused to give authorities any of his per-
on the property, later the
as smoke-able plant leaves coated with re-
5 miles east of Inglis, kept all 3 South Levy
sonal information, such as his address or
same day, around 6:00
search chemicals that mimic THC, the ac-
fire departments jumping for hours. Part of
employment, was charged on Dec. 29 with
p.m. He said they got out
tive ingredient in real marijuana, has been
Hollie
the firemen were on a call north of Inglis
grand theft. Due to lack of any of his person-
of a vehicle, which was
when the 911 call was placed by Mary Bow-
Continued on page 3 - Squawk Box
al information, Hollie was given no bond.
parked in front of the vic-
en, a resident of the subdivision of mobiles.
John Dennis O’Brien, 25, 7862 W. Paps Ct.,
tim’s property, with cord-
The dryness and wind off Lake Rousseau
Dunnellon, was charged on Dec. 30 with
less tools they’d brought
were the perfect setting for a runaway grass
plan/manage/supervise and traffic in stolen
with them and began to
fire fueled by the perfect conditions. Doz-
property, grand theft and giving false infor-
cut up the victim’s alu-
ens of mobiles, most on 1/4 acre lots dot this
mation to a metal recycler. His bond was set
minum. The witness said
mostly retirement setting. The fire started on
at $14,000.
that he questioned the
the south side nearer the lake and spread rap-
According to the arrest reports, the
men as to why they were
idly almost to the north end staying mainly
victim reported the theft of $600 in alumi-
O'Brien
there and what they were
on the 2 middle roads of the 4 road area.
num from his property on S. LeBaron Dr.
doing. He said they knew
Bowen said she had looked from
The look of synthetic marijuana, as it appears
in Chassahowitzka. Around noon on Dec.
on the market.
Continued on page 3 - Aluminum Theft
Continued on page 3 - Fire