Page 4 January 11, 2017
The Newscaster/Nature Coast News
Stolen Vehicle  - Continued from page 1
Remembering the past
$6,000. Shortly before 1:30 pm, deputies were dispatched to the Beall s department store,
located at 2851 E. Gulf to Lake Hwy. (SR 44) due to a complaint by the store s loss preven-
tion officer of the couple s suspicious behavior. The two people were later identified as Ms.
Rottmann and her male companion, David Holt.
The store officer told the deputy that he watched Ms. Rottmann select women s t-
shirts, children s sneakers, socks and a woman s belt. He said that Mr. Holt selected numer-
ous other items of clothing and fragrances, and then the two went into the shoe department
where Mr. Holt took a pair of Nike shoes from a box, placed them on his feet, then walked
around the store with his own shoes in his hand. The complainant stated, that most of the
items the couple had selected were placed inside a large polka dot bag that Ms. Rottmann
had brought into the store. He said that Rottmann walked out of the store, followed by Holt,
who was wearing the Nike shoes and carrying the polka dot bag that contained the merchan-
dise that had not been paid for.
When the store s loss prevention officer spoke with the couple in the parking lot,
according to the report, Holt dropped the bag and kicked off the Nike shoes, and when he
did this, fragrance bottles fell from his pants leg onto the ground. Holt ran across Hwy. 44
into a wooded area, but deputies were unable to locate him. However, the shoes, fragrances
and other stolen items inside the polka dot bag - totaling $462.81 - were recovered. As of
this writing, Holt had not been arrested by the Citrus County Sheriff s Office.
Deputies soon learned that the vehicle the couple had driven to the store had been
reported as stolen to the Ocala Police Department by a relative of Mr. Holt. The stolen
vehicle was searched, and the drug items were found. The incident was recorded on video
surveillance.
CrimeStoppers Citrus: 1-888-ANY-TIPS
Rainbow Springs State Park, Dunnellon was originally an attraction owned independently but
it closed in 1974. It was later purchased by the state of Florida. Once upon a time it was
just plain old "Blue Springs," but that was before the developers in the 1930's decided that
Citrus Residents Hear Update on
"Rainbow Springs" had a nicer ring to it. Instead of glass bottom boats, "Submarine Boats"
were built to show off the springs. Fish were viewed out the side windows. In 1951 a group of
precision swimmers from St Petersburg performed for the public at the head springs of Rain-
Dakota Pipeline Project
bow Springs. These aquatic swimmers were called the Bahama Belles. The Rainbow Springs
delivers 462 million gallons of water a day and they are classified as a first magnitude spring.
On January 4th, the Nature Coast Unitarian Universalists Fellowship hall
Located several miles north of Dunnellon on Hwy 40/41, the park is open today and you can
was filled with an environmentally attuned group of individuals to hear about
enjoy the trails and waterfalls for a minor fee. Photo from Florida State Archives, history by
Standing Rock and our local Sabal Trail issues. The guest speaker was Luc
Sally Price.
Watelet, who is a psychotherapist and an environmental activist with a passion
Aggravated Battery  - Continued from page 1
for nature and life. He has spent time living among the Native American Water
Protectors at the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) location in North Dakota.
of the victim s car. The bar s video surveillance captured the entire incident, and it showed
Indigenous people from all parts of the world have joined the Standing
Hibard speeding around cars in the parking lot, attempting to get at the victim, who was hid-
Rock Reservation as well, along with military veterans and ordinary citizens. They have
ing behind a truck, according to the report.
come together in an effort to save the Missouri River s water from becoming contaminated
Hibard is on misdemeanor probation from a Citrus County battery with the same
by often occurring pipeline leaks. This river is a major water supply for the nation and af-
victim in both incidents, the report stated.
fects a large part of our population.
Luc Watelet spoke with great passion as he related his experiences living among
the Native American Water Protectors. He described the strict rules of the camps. "No alco-
hol, drugs or violence." Despite their pledge of nonviolence, police and company security
have used various forms of violence against the pacificists. Luc provided slides and videos
which contrasted the tranquil camp life and harsh actions that have taken place at the site.
Luc spoke of the similar situation here, closer to home. Many people attended because of
their concerns regarding the Sabal Trail which is a 515-mile natural gas pipeline that starts
in Alabama and continues through Georgia and Florida.
At this time drilling has begun under the Suwanee River in Gilchrist County and
the Withlacoochee in Citrus County. Both rivers are on the Florida Department of Envi-
ronmental Protection s List of Outstanding Florida Waters which require special protec-
tion. http://www.dep.state.fl.us/ water/wqssp/ofwfs.htm
The pipeline will transport fracked gas under high pressure, with the potential of
endangering waterways, rivers, springs, and lakes. Property is being taken by Eminent Do-
main and indigenous burial sites are being disturbed.
A member of the audience commented that many people in the area did not know
about the project until after construction had started, and others had heard about it and that
just hearing the name "Sabal Trail" could make one think it was a hiking trail.
For more information on the Sabal Trail please contact John Quarterman, president
of the WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc., email: wwalswatershed@gmail.com, telephone:
850-290-2350, 229-242-0102.
Carl Roof, Inc.
League of Women
Voters of Citrus County
Land Clearing - Fill - Septic Installation
Carl Roof, Owner
You can make a difference
19371 SE Butler Rd.
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Inglis, FL 34449
For infor please visit our website:
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