THE NEWSCASTER
THE NEWSCASTER
PRESORTED
PLEASE
RECYCLE
STANDARD
US Postage
Paid
Deborah Russell - Editor/Publisher
A Publication of
Wednesday October 9, 2013
Inglis, FL 34449
Tom Russell - Consulting Editor
Newscaster Publishing
Permit No. 14
Sally Price - Correspondent
Please visit our website: thenewscaster.com
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
Squawk Box
Jobless Rate
Drops to 7.9%
Workforce Connection’s region-
al jobless rate dropped to 7.9 percent in
August, down 0.4 percent over the month.
There were 16,576 unemployed out of a
labor force of 209,392. That rate is down
2.2 percentage points compared to a year
ago.
The August 2013 unemployment rates,
released today by the Florida Department
of Economic Opportunity, were 7.9 per-
cent for Marion County, a decrease of 0.4
percent over the month; 8.0 percent for
Citrus County, also down 0.4 percentage
points; and 7.9 percent in Levy County, a
drop of 0.8 percentage points. Local rates
are not seasonally adjusted. Florida’s un-
employment rate, seasonally adjusted, is
7.0 percent and not seasonally adjusted
rate is 7.1 percent. The national rate is 7.3
percent.
Workforce Connection CEO
Rusty Skinner said that the August report
shows that the three-county region ex-
perienced a “summer neutral position,”
which is not unexpected coming out of
After two years of dedicated labor, Saturday, the Crystal River Boat Builders successfully launched their Scow boat built with hand tools and a
the traditional summer slump.
lot of ingenuity. The nineteenth century rendition, because of the stability and shallow draft was used along the Gulf Coast of Florida in the
“It’s August, there are all sorts
rivers and creeks during the Civil War for transporting salt and supplies. The Scow was christened at the launch and was named “SPIRIT” which
of issues bounding around,” Skinner
brought cheers from the crowd. CRBB was supported by Friends of Crystal River State Parks, Gulf Archaeology Research Institute (GARI)run
said. “We have had some growth, but we
by Gary Ellis and the Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN). The Scow will remain as an educational exhibit.Newscaster Photo/Sally Price
Homosassa woman CCSO arrests Lecanto couple in
also see an extension of the summer dol-
drums.”
Skinner said that in Citrus and
huge meth lab bust of 24 ‘One-Pots”
charged with
Levy counties, drops in unemployment
rates were driven by actions in the labor
From Citrus County Sheriff Dept.
unlawful activity
methamphetamine detectives
force, including college students return-
After detectives with the Citrus and Fire Rescue hazmat op-
ing to school, high school and college
County Sheriff s Office checked at a Lecan- erators could not even enter the
with 16 year-old
graduates moving out of the area, people
to residence about a stolen vehicle on Oct. 3, residence without protective
simply not looking for work because they
deputies and detectives with the Tactical Im-
breathing apparatuses, due to
are disengaged – or vacationing – or oth-
From Citrus County Sheriff Dept.
pact Unit discovered a whopping 24 one-pot
the fumes. The conditions inside T. Benfield
ers moving out of the area for “a variety
Cynthia Lynn Herr, 35, 5926 S.
methamphetamine labs at a nearby double-
the home were absolutely de-
of reasons.”
Ashlawn Way, Homosassa, was arrested by
wide mobile home.
plorable, and it is unbelievable
Regional unemployment rates
the Citrus County Sheriff s Office, Sept. 24,
Theodore Gene Benfield, 37,
that parents would subject their
tracked back to 1991 show that in all but
charged with having unlawful sexual activ-
and Lesle Evon Benfield, 35, both of 678
children to these extremely haz-
Continued on page 4 - Squawk Box
ity with a minor, a 16 year-old boy. At the
Fairlane Ter., Lecanto, were arrested and
ardous conditions.î
New!
time of her arrest, Herr was a teacher at John
charged with manufacturing methamphet-
The "one-pot" method
D. Floyd K-8 School of Environmental Sci-
amine with children under the age of 16
of manufacturing methamphet- L. Benfield
ence in Spring Hill (Hernando County).
Dollar Zones
present, possession of a listed chemical with
amine (“meth”), also called
A detective with the sheriff s office
intent to manufacture a controlled substance
shake and bake, has become popular in re-
spoke with the victim about a report they’d
At Food Ranch
and drug paraphernalia. Their bond was set
cent years because it was designed to get
received on Sept. 12, that he was having
at $250,500 bond. Three children, all under
around laws restricting the sale of ingredi-
inappropriate contact with Herr by way of
16 years old, were removed from the home
ents used to make meth. By using something
Visit Ailes
text messages and Facebook, and that Herr
by DCF (Department of children and Fami-
as simple as an empty two-liter soda bottle,
had romantic feelings about him. The victim
lies).
common ingredients are combined to pro-
1, 5 & 6
stated that he and Herr had communicated in
"I've never seen this many one pot
duce a chemical reaction which results in a
a sexual manner in text messages and Face-
methamphetamine labs in a single home,"
crystalline powder that users smoke, snort or
Newscaster Football Pick'em pg. 8
Continued on page 3 - Unlawful
remarked TIU Det. Aidan Marshall. "TIU
Continued on page 4 - Meth Bust