PAGE 3 - July 8, 2009
The Newscaster/Nature Coast News
Ft. Island Trail Park’s new pavilion
and walkway  Citrus County’s Fort Island Trail Park is
now open
The new pavilion and river walkway at
now open. The county’s goal was to have the new 170 foot-long, scenic walkway over-
looking Crystal River, as well as the new 1,100 sq. ft. picnic pavilion, open by Friday for
the 4th of July so citizens could it enjoy it over the holiday, and workers managed to finish
the project early this week, parks officials said. In addition to the walk and pavilion, the
entrance and parking areas of the park have been repaved. The new pavilion is ideal for
picnics, parties and other gatherings.
It can be reserved up to a year in advance by visiting the Parks & Recreation page
on the county’s website at www.bocc.citrus.fl.us. The pavilion, as well as the boat ramp
and trailer parking on the other side of the park, are available for public use at no charge.
The park is located along the Crystal River about two-thirds of the way to the west end of
County Road 44. There is another county park at the end of that highway, Fort Island Gulf
Beach Park, which has a beach, boat ramp and short boardwalk out into the gulf. For more
information about either park or any of the county’s parks, call Citrus County Parks and
Recreation at (352) 527-7677 during normal business hours. The parks are also listed on the
Monday, July 6 was Hospice of Citrus County Day at Beef O’Brady’s in Inverness. As server
county’s website. Go to http://thenewscaster.com/links.htm.
Citrus County gets $8.6 million in
Kari looks on, Hospice of Citrus County employees (from left clockwise) Marcey Mast, Dee
Peters, Sandra Benko and Lynda Gorsuch prepare to order lunch. Hospice of Citrus County
funding for road   officials have given Citrus officials
projects
Day is the first Monday of every month at Inverness Beef O’ Brady’s. The family sports pub
donates 15% of the day’s proceeds to benefit the bereavement camp program of the Herry’s
Kids Division of Hospice of Citrus County. The next Hospice of Citrus County Day at Inverness
Florida Department of Transportation (DOT)
Beef O’Brady’s will be Monday, August 3.
the go ahead on a group of stimulus funds road projects worth about $8.6 million. DOT is
CCVC Open Business Meeting 4th Thursday Every Month
the pass through and oversight agency for federal American Recovery and Reinvestment
(ARRA) stimulus funding, which accounts for almost $8 million of the funds. Most are re-
The Citrus County Veterans Coalition returns to their regularly scheduled business
surfacing projects. DOT sent the county a Notice-to-Proceed for the first 10 ARRA projects
meetings, after the holidays, on the 4th Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. in the Veterans
allocated to Citrus County.
Service Officer Classroom at the Citrus County Resource Center in Lecanto. All honorably
The resurfacing projects include: Fort Island Trail (U.S. 19 to N. Palm Springs Ter-
discharged veterans, veterans organizations and veteran widows and wives, interested in
race), Ozello Trail (U.S. 19 to Winterset), Grover Cleveland Boulevard (Tedna Terrace to
working on projects dedicated to helping veterans in need, are invited to attend the meetings
C.R. 491), Halls River Road (Halls River Bridge to Fishbowl Drive, Cardinal Street (from
and join the Coalition. Individual membership is now based on a calendar year for a $10.00
U.S. 19 to C.R. 491), County Road 480 (Stagecoach Road, from C.R. 491 to C.R. 581),
contribution per year or 3 years for $25.
Turner Camp Road (Ella Avenue to Twin Lakes Drive), Croft Road (from S.R. 44 to north
William Crow AMVETS Post 447
of Harley Street), C.R. 491 ( Pine Ridge Boulevard to State Road 200), C.R. 491 (S.R. 44
to C.R. 486). The tenth funded project is repair of the Withlapopka Causeway. “On behalf
33 Risher Ave•Inglis, FL•
447-4473
of the board, this is great news for Citrus County,” said Citrus County Administrator Brad
(352)
Thorpe. “It allows us to do some costly and needed projects that were not budgeted. “When
The Public is Invited to Our
the funds became available, the board and the staff jumped into action and the projects were
submitted and approved on a near impossible deadline. Given the range of work around the
Fundraiser Dinner
county, everyone in the county will directly benefit.”
Saturday, July 18 • 2:00-6:00pm
The county will bundle the projects into six contracts. The current amount of the
grants, representing 100 percent of the construction cost and including testing and construc-
Dinner is an $5 Donation & Will Include:
tion supervision totals $7,859,765. County officials said they anticipate advertising for the
ROAST TURKEY with Gravy, Stuffed
first project in August. The county is expecting an 11th ARRA project to be approved later in
the year after permits are received from the Southwest Florida Water Management District,
Potato Skins, Vegetable, Roll & Dessert!
bringing the total for the projects to $8,609,765. In addition and separate from the stimulus
Please Call 447-4473 for To-Go Orders
funds, DOT has notified the county that it is scheduled to receive Small County Outreach
Program grants for two other projects. The grants are for 75 percent state funded and 25
ew! email news to: news@thenewscaster.com
percent county funded projects.
N
The state’s funding for those two project totals $738,750. The first is the Ozello
Trail Bridge repair project, which is estimated to cost $535,000 (DOT portion, $401,250,
A.B.A.
county portion, $133,750). The other project is the C. R. 581/Anna Jo Drive Turn Lanes
project, which has an estimated cost of $450,000 (DOT portion, $337,500; County portion,
A/C & Heating,Inc.
$112,500).
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