THE NEWSCASTER
THE NEWSCASTER
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Deborah Russell - Editor/Publisher
Inglis, FL 34449
Tom Russell - Consulting Editor
A Publication of
Wednesday February 16, 2011
Sally Price - Correspondent
Permit No. 14
Newscaster Publishing
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
Squawk Box
Homosassa Pilot Program
Providing Free Healthcare
Guest Commentary by Diane Toto,
President, We Care Food Pantry
A strong partnership was formed
by Citrus Memorial Hospital, Citrus Coun-
ty Transportation, The Department of Chil-
dren and Families, and the We Care Food
Pantry recently to better serve the homeless
and needy population on the west side of
the county. This pilot medical program
will provide primary care for the Homo-
sassa-area’s uninsured and homeless. The
program will focus on preventive health-
care with family care and diagnostic test-
ing as program components. Free media-
tions, surgeons and speciality care are not
yet available, however, this is a new and
evolving program.
A driving force behind the part-
nership is We Care Food Pantry’s president
Diane Toto who shared an update on the
early success of the program:
“The new medical shuttle has
made some significant advances. Citrus
Memorial Hospital (CMH) and Lon Frye,
from Citrus County Transportation, could
not be more cooperative. It is one thing to
announce a new program, but it is another
when it is so successful in such a short peri-
od of time. Once our clients are treated and
properly diagnosed, CMH has found doc-
Manatee and Calf returned to Three Sisters Springs - Michael Lusk, who manages the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge
tors to accept our clients and become their
Complex which includes the Three Sisters Springs property said the rescue and release could not have gone better as he watched
primary physicians. They will be accepted
over and helped with the return of the mother and calf. Newscaster Photo
Injured Manatee Homeless man “tired of living on the
whether they have Medicare, Medicaid or
nothing. That is a giant leap for our under-
served population.
& Calf Returned streets” charged with bank robbery
One client told me, that in addi-
tion to not feeling good, he knew he also
to the Wild
needed surgery. When he got on the bus,
A 42 year-old homeless man, Rob-
her to not push any buttons.
he accepted the fact that we couldn’t get
ert Alphus Dunlow, Jr., who was arrested by
He fled through the north
him a surgeon, not yet, anyway. Surprise -
the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, Feb. 8,
door and entered a white
CMH is going to find him a surgeon, and he
It was a very touching scene this charged with the robbery, earlier that day,
Ford F-150 truck, traveling
should be taken care of within two weeks!
past week as rescuers slid a baby manatee of the BB&T Bank in Inverness, told the ar-
west on Hwy. 44.
Another client had been to the emergen-
calf down the bank at Three Sisters Springs resting deputy that he robbed the bank be-
A “Be On the
cy room a few times within the last six
in Crystal River.The larger mother was low- cause he was tired of living on the streets
Look Out,” commonly
months. She is now properly diagnosed and
ered into the water 6 or 8 feet away. In a and wanted to go to federal prison because it
called a “BOLO,” was is-
will not need to go to the emergency room
tense moment the two were gently released was easier.
sued for Dunlow and the
Dunlow
to receive medical care. Keeping this one
and the baby swam over to meet the mother
According to Dunlow’s arrest re-
truck. Deputy Ferguson
client out of the emergency room is already
and the two glided off side by side in the port, Dunlow entered the BB&T bank, locat-
and Captain Richie saw the truck, heading
a huge monetary saving.
crystal clear water. About 50 rescuers and ed at 2709 E. Gulf to Lake Highway, through
west on Hwy. 44, and activated the overhead
This pilot program is already
media recorded the event and cheered as the the north door and approached the first teller
lights and siren in an attempt to stop Dun-
demonstrating traceable results and mak-
two left.
to the right. Dunlow instructed the teller to
low. The truck headed north on S. Leona
ing a difference in the lives of desperate
Tracy Colson, wildlife photogra- put money in the bag. She queried, “Are you
Ave. to a portion of the road that is separated
people. Once a person is properly diag-
pher while photographing manatees spotted kidding?” Dunlow replied, “Put the money
by a wooded area. The truck entered the
nosed, treated and given a primary physi-
the large female last year with mono fila- in the bag.” He pushed a gray plastic bag
wooded area, but due to the terrain became
cian, they can lead a more normal, pain-
ment fishing line wrapped around her right toward the teller, telling her to hurry. The
disabled, and Dunlow fled on foot, headed
free life. Another important, and probably
flipper cutting into it, but the manatee left teller quickly placed money in the bag and
northwest. A passenger in the vehicle exited
Continued on page 3 - Squawk Box
handed it back to Dunlow who instructed
Continued on page 3 -Manatee & Calf
Continued on page 3 -Bank Robbery