THE NEWSCASTER
THE NEWSCASTER
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Deborah Russell - Editor/Publisher
A Publication of
Wednesday April 9, 2014
Inglis, FL 34449
Tom Russell - Consulting Editor
Newscaster Publishing
Permit No. 14
Sally Price - Correspondent
Visit our website: www.thenewscaster.com
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
Community
Wildlife Park Focuses
on Orchids and Native
Plants in April
Special to The Newscaster by
Susan Strawbridge,
Park Services Specialist
Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs
Wildlife State Park will be focusing on
native plants and Florida s orchids during
the month of April. The Park is introduc-
ing monthly themes featuring natural and
cultural resource opportunities in Florida
State Parks.
Two programs are planned to
interpret the importance of planting with
native plants. Park volunteer and orchid
enthusiast Jeff Rundell will present a
program on orchids. In the early days of
Homosassa Springs, the attraction raised
exotic orchids in large greenhouses and
featured blooming plants for sale in the
Children s Education Center, which was
once the Park s main entrance. With the
Park s current focus as a Florida State
Park and our emphasis on native plants,
Rundell will be concentrating on the Flor-
ida s wild orchids. This program will be
held in the Children s Education Center
on Thursday, April 17, 2014, starting at
Women are invited to explore the finest of fishing at the next "Ladies, Let's Go Fishing!" seminar,April 11-13 at the I.T. Parker Community
10:00 a.m.
Center, 901 NE 3rd St. in Dania Beach. Sponsored by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) in conjunction with the Sport
Jim Bierly of Citrus County s
Fish Restoration Program, "Ladies, Let's Go Fishing!" is a national organization dedicated to attracting more women to sport fishing and pro-
Native Plant Society will be offering a
moting conservation and responsible angling. Other upcoming events are scheduled for May 16-18 in Stuart and Nov. 14-16 in the Florida Keys.
program on the native plants of our area.
To learn more, visit ladiesletsgofishing.com, call 954-475-9068. Above Betty Bauman shows event attendees how to catch a big fish.
Homeless Man Charged With
On Thursday, April 24, 2014 starting at
Homosassa
10:00 a.m. The Native Plant Program will
be held in the Park s recently renovated
Choking Mother to Death
Woman Killed,
Children s Education Center.
Both the Native Plants Program
From The Citrus County Sheriff Dept.
searched the area surrounding the home-
and the Orchids Program are included in
Man Injured in
less camp and found what appeared to be a
Shortly after 3:00 p.m. on April 5,
your Park admission. In addition to these
grave.
deputies with the Citrus County Sheriff's Of-
programs, visitors will find exhibits and
Based on the statements of several
fice were searching for 23 year-
displays on native plants and orchids in
Crash
witnesses, detectives said, on the previous
old Benjamin Dick regarding an
the Visitor Center and the Children's Edu-
night, Benjamin Dick and another home-
aggravated battery in which his
cation Center.
From FHP
less man, 28 year-old Shannon Parker, were
brother was stabbed. Deputies
On Saturday, April 19, 2014,
A two-vehicle crash in Levy Coun-
drinking with Dick s mother - 42 year-old
went to an area in Crystal River
the Park will be celebrating Earth Day
Dick
ty, April 1, resulted in serious injuries to the
Jennifer Brooks - and others who were wit-
behind Farmer s Furniture, a
with exhibits in the Garden of the Springs
driver of a 1994 Jeep Cherokee, 67 year-old
nesses, at the camp site. Dick and his girl-
known homeless camp, to speak with Dick,
and with interpretive carts throughout the
James Curtis Smith of Homosassa and the
friend had an argument, and Dick began
who is homeless, about the domestic inci-
Continued on page 2- Native Plants
death of his passenger, 84 year-old Ria Kaete
choking her. According to detectives, Dick s
dent. Deputies had been searching for Dick
Inglis Loses
Fortner, also of Homosassa. Mr. Smith was
mother made derogatory statements toward
since the previous evening when the inci-
transported to Ocala Regional Medical Cen-
his girlfriend, and Dick then attacked his
dent was reported to law enforcement.
A
ter in Ocala, FL, and Ms. Fortner was trans-
mother. The struggle between Dick and his
While at the homeless camp, depu-
ported to Seven Rivers Regional Medical
mother led to an area behind a tent and into
ties received a tip about a murder that had
Friend
Center in Crystal River, FL where she was
a ravine. Dick not only strangled his mother,
recently occurred. When detectives arrived
pronounced deceased by Doctor Martin at
but stabbed her, several times, as well, lead-
on the scene, a witness told detectives that
see page 11
9:34 a.m. Roberto Febles, 60, of Ocala the
ing to her death. Dick s girlfriend sustained
Benjamin Dick had killed his mother and
Continued on page 3- Fatal Crash
buried her in a shallow grave. Deputies
Continued on page 3 - Multiple Charges