THE NEWSCASTER
THE NEWSCASTER
PRESORTED
PLEASE
RECYCLE
STANDARD
US Postage
Paid
Deborah Russell - Editor
A Publication of
Wednesday January 20, 2016
Inglis, FL 34449
Tom Russell - Publisher
Newscaster Publishing
Permit No. 14
Sally Price - Correspondent
Please visit our website: thenewscaster.com
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
Community
Your Invited to Lu's
56th Birthday Party
Special to The Newscaster By Susan
Strawbridge, Park Services Specialist
HOMOSASSA--The Florida Department
of Environmental Protection's Ellie Schil-
ler Homosassa Springs Wildlife State
Park will celebrate Lu, the hippopotamus'
56th birthday with two special birthday
parties on Tuesday, January 26, 2016. Lu
has been a long-time resident of Homo-
sassa Springs Wildlife State Park and has
fans around the world. People come from
all over to help him celebrate his birthday.
There is an international club for
people who love hippos called the Hippo-
Lot-of-Us Club. They have a website and
members travel to visit hippos. Every year
members of Hippo-Lot-of-Us Club at-
tend Lu's birthday. Students from several
area day care centers will join park staff in
wishing Lu a Happy 56th Birthday. The
students will be encouraged to join in sing-
ing a special birthday song written and
performed by park volunteer Vicky Iozzia.
Citrus Co. Deputy Andy McEwen volunteered his time on Jan. 9 to instruct members of the 4-H Barnstormers Club on spray paint art. The talent-
(Every year Vicky adds another stanza for
ed McEwen showed the children painting techniques, gave them tips, and assisted each in creating his/her own space art picture. CCSO Photo.
his latest birthday). The children and other
Levy County Woman charged with arson, petit
park visitors will enjoy sampling the hun-
dreds of cupcakes along with fruit punch.
Lu will enjoy a specially made birthday
Charges Total
theft & vehicle burglary
cake (purchased by Friends from Publix).
In the afternoon, another party will take
place during the park's alligator and hip-
$385k Bond
From The Citrus County Sheriff Dept.
popotamus program.
arson and told him that the owner of the ve-
A 33 year-old homeless woman in
Lu will be offered another birth-
hicle had loaned her the minivan on Dec. 31,
the Homosassa area was arrested on Jan. 10,
day cake at the 12:30 pm. Alligator/ Hip-
2015, that she's a drug addict and was using
in relation to the Jan. 1st arson of a tan 2004
popotamus program so park visitors have
methamphetamine heavily during that time,
From The Levy County Sheriff Dept.
Oldsmobile that spread to a vacant home
another opportunity to join in the cel-
to the point she'd been up for two to three
Chass Clinton Harmon, 33, of 5340
without power, located at 5669 S. Willard
ebration of the birthday of Florida's only
days without any sleep. She at first denied
W. Glenbrook St., Homosassa
Ave., Homosassa.
resident hippopotamus. There will be a
setting the vehicle on fire, but later admit-
and Floral City, was arrested
Units with the Citrus County
giant birthday card for visitors to sign
ted she had, although as to why she'd done
by the Levy County Sheriff's
Sheriff s Office (CCSO), Division of Fire
to wish Lu a Happy Birthday. Lu has his
it, she didn't know, other than her "horrible
Office (LCSO), Jan. 7, charged
Rescue, along with CCSO deputies and an
own "Lu the Hippo" Facebook page.
drug problem" has caused her to do things
with driving under the influ-
investigator with the State Fire Marshal s
Lu, an African Hippopotamus, was born at
that she would not normally do, the report
ence of alcohol or drugs, flee-
office, responded to the fire.
the San Diego Zoo on January 26, 1960.
stated.
ing a law enforcement officer Harmon
According to the arrest report, the
He weighed 90 pounds at birth and now
Personnel with the State Fire Mar-
with disregard as to the safety
Oldsmobile minivan had been parked next
weighs more than 6,000 pounds. A vege-
shal s office was made aware of the arrest,
of persons or property, obstructing an officer
to the vacant residence, and a witness at the
tarian, Lu consumes 15 pounds of alfalfa
as Brown had intentionally set fire to the ve-
without violence, sale of methamphetamine,
scene of the fire told investigators he d seen
hay, four scoops of herbivore diet and a
hicle which had caused the home to be set on
trafficking a controlled substance, and pos-
a woman standing in a yard near the loca-
five gallon bucket of vegetables and fruit
fire, as well. She was charged with arson to
session of drug equipment (total bond
tion of the fire. The owner of the Oldsmobile
every day. A fixture at Homosassa Springs
a structure and arson to a dwelling, with her
$385,000); and possession of a controlled
minivan told investigators that he'd loaned
since 1964, Lu was a movie and television
total bond set at $15,000.
substance without a prescription (bond - re-
his vehicle (the one set on fire) to Amanda
star with the Ivan Tors Animal Actors
Her other arrests, also on Jan. 10,
lease on his own recognizance). The arrest
Brown the previous evening, but she'd not
troupe, which wintered at the Park while
included petit theft (of $100 or more, but less
came about after the Citrus County Sher-
returned it.
in private ownership. His credits include
than $300) burglary of an unoccupied con-
iff s Office contacted the LCSO of a reck-
On Jan. 10, a detective spoke with
the 1960s movies Daktari and Cowboy in
veyance, with her total bond set at $12,000;
less driver that had eluded deputies in Cit-
Brown at the Citrus County Detention Fa-
Africa, and television specials such as Art
and also a writ of bodily attachment in the
rus County, and was heading toward Levy
cility, where she'd been incarcerated for an
Linkletter Show and Herb Alpert Special.
amount of $1,160, for failure to pay child
County on U.S. Hwy. 19. When Harmon
unrelated crime. She agreed to discuss the
support.
Continued on page 4 - Charges