THE NEWSCASTER
THE NEWSCASTER
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RECYCLE
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Deborah Russell - Editor/Publisher
Wednesday September 3, 2008
Inglis, FL 34449
Tom Russell - Consulting Editor
A Publication of
Permit No. 4
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
Newscaster Publishing
Sally Price Correspondent
Squawk Box
With Mike Moore
Pricing Gives U.S. Gas
A couple of weeks ago, I
told anyone that complained
about $4.00/gal gas prices to
shove off, well, because I’d just
got done paying almost
$120.00 to fill up a rental car I was driving
in North Britain. Thankfully, no one has writ-
ten in to tell me to go back to Britain. But
one reader did write in and complain about
the differences in gas prices here in our im-
mediate area and THAT was worth squawk-
ing about… or at least I thought so.
The observation was that gas be-
tween towns around our publication area can
differ by $.18/gal or more. I thought it wor-
thy enough a question (and so did the boss)
that I set out on a little, yes, a little, (hey, gas
is almost $4.00/gal for crying out loud!) trip
around the county to see what was up.
Gas prices indeed differ. We all
know that. The individual retailer of gaso-
line in this country has very little control
over the price of gas at the pump. There are
many reasons for this, the foremost is that
the wholesale pricing is determined by the
some of the largest companies in the world
Homeowner defaces community entrance wall on Gospel Island, Inverness in protest to homeowners association
(the energy giants like Texaco, Mobile, and
decisions. Like Hatfields and McCoys, community relations are strained to the breaking point and ends in drastic
Shell) and their smaller but effectively large
measure. See full story below. Photo by Mike Moore
cousins like Murphy. Then there are the dis-
tributors like Coastal, and Kangaroo, and fi-
Copeland Park Shooter in Custody
Actions of
nally the independents (that are very largely
overshadowed by the big guys). “Ewing Oil”
the make believe oil ‘giant’ in the Hollywood
Galarza, who then also
The Citrus County Sheriff's Office
Homeowner
show “Dallas” would have been such an in-
spoke with Thomas. When
responded to a call at 4:08 p.m., Aug. 27, a
dependent.
the call ended, Galarza
shooting in Crystal River in the 200 block
Anyway, the world market sets the
asked the girls to return to
of N.E. 9th Ave., a street bordering Copeland
Perplexes
real price, the giants refine and set the whole-
the park, so that he could
Park. The caller said that her brother had just
sale price and the individual gas station
speak with Thomas.
been shot and that she and her brother would
charges an average of 7-11% over wholesale,
Galarza's sister's friend
meet deputies at the Race Trac gas station.
Neighborhood
and makes that the retail price for us, the
told officers that she had
At the gas station, detectives and
Continued on page 3 - Squawk Box
dated Thomas in the past.
deputies spoke with 19-year-old Jesus
By Newscaster Correspondent
The girls dropped-off
Galarza, who was having difficulty breathing
Adopt A
Devore Thomas Galarza at Copeland Park,
Mike Moore
due to an obvious gunshot wound to his up-
near N.E. 2nd St. Galarza, who had known
per right chest. Galarza spoke with officers
Twin Lakes ,Inverness resident and
Pet
Thomas for about three months, walked up
before he was airlifted to Shands Medical
homeowner John Potkul took matters into
to Thomas and asked him what the problem
Center in Gainesville for medical treatment.
his own hands and defaced and damaged the
was between them. Thomas immediately
Page 2
According to Galarza, his sister and
entrance wall to his community over an land
pulled-out a handgun from his waistband and
his sister's friend: Garlaza had called the
dispute with the community's association. He
fired two or three rounds, and one round
girls, requesting that his sister pick him up
says the wall was on his property and was
struck Galarza in the chest. As the girls drove
at a residence near Copeland Park. After the
'sinking into a sinkhole' and he had every right
away, they heard two gunshots. Fearing for
girls picked up Galarza, Galarza's sister's
to do whatever he pleased to the wall. Police
Galarza's safety, they returned to the park,
friend received a call on her cell phone from
were called out on several occasions when
where they saw Thomas, armed with a small
21-year-old Devore Laron Thomas, who
Mr. Potkul started demolishing the structure,
black handgun, chasing Galarza. When
made a comment to the effect of, "Why can't
then piling leaves and other yard debris in
Galarza be a man?" She handed the phone to
Continued on page 12 - Shooter in Custody
Continued on page 4 - Neighborhood