THE NEWSCASTER
THE NEWSCASTER
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Deborah Russell - Editor/Publisher
Inglis, FL 34449
Tom Russell - Consulting Editor
Wednesday November 17, 2010
A Publication of
Sally Price - Correspondent
Permit No. 14
Newscaster Publishing
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
Squawk Box
Levy Voters Await Appointment
of Next County Commissioner
By Newscaster Staff
Michelle Finnen, President of the
Levy County Republican Executive Com-
mittee was recently photographed with
newly elected Levy County Commission-
ers Ryan Bell and Chad “Cracker” John-
son on Election Night in Bronson. This is
a first ever according to Levy County Su-
pervisor of Elections Connie Asbell speak-
ing of the first Republicans elected to the
seat of County Commission in the voting
of this Central Florida rural county.
Asbell said when Governor Crist
appointed Marsha Drew and Chad Johnson
to fill the seats vacated by former County
Commissioners Sammy Yearty and Tony
Parker that was the first County Commis-
sion seats to be filled with a Republican.
In this Democrat dominated county, Asbell
said the first Republican elected to a Levy
County Office was Oz Barker as Property
Appraiser last election.
In the Nov. 2 election Ryan Bell
unseated longtime Democratic Commis-
sioner Lilly Rooks but eyes will be watch-
An Inverness resident pays her respects during the 2010 Veterans Day Parade along Main Street last Thursday. The two hour show stopper drew
ing with great anticipation when Governor
thousands of residents to salute the people who have/are/will serve in the armed forces. TheNewscaster/Mike Moore
Crist, who switched to an independent
Man dies after Man charged with robbery at knifepoint
from the Republican party, appoints the
replacement for his former appointed
crash with CCSO
after being fired from job
Republican County Commissioner Chad
Johnson, who changed districts and un-
seated long time Democrat Nancy Bell.
patrol car
The Citrus County Sheriffís Office (be on the lookout) was issued for the gray
According to Asbell the election
arrested a man who was detained on a traffic Mitsubishi and the man.
is certified on the Friday after a 10 day
stop in Crystal River at Hwy. 44 and Crede
Two deputies viewed the video
period for overseas ballots to arrive. Voter
Ave., just a couple hours after he is sus-
tape from the liquor store
From Florida Highway Patrol
information and election results can be
pected a liquor store at knifepoint, shortly
and saw the robbery, just
A car crash that took place in In-
found at thenewscaster.com/election.htm.
after 3:00 p.m. Kevin F. Heard, 38, of Bev-
as the victim had described
verness on Friday (Nov. 12) at 7:14 p.m., re-
Election records show as of 11-9-2010
erly Hills, formerly of Citrus Springs, was
it. The deputies also made
sulted in the death of a 78 year-old Villages,
Levy County has a total of 25,027 regis-
charged with one count of armed robbery
note that the 2003 gray Mit-
Florida man and minor injuries to an on-du-
tered active voters: Democrat-12,730, Re-
to Bob’s Liquor and fine Wines, located at
subishi Eclipse had chrome
ty deputy with the Citrus County Sheriff’s
publican-8284, other-4013.
6601 W. Gulf to Lake Hwy.
rims and a small spoiler on
Office, 35 year-old Todd Jeffrey Cridland.
So, the appointment of the va-
The victim of the robbery, Pra-
the back. Another deputy
According to the initial report from
cant Levy county commission seat makes
fulbhai Patel, described the robber as a bald
called-in that she was in
the Florida Highway Patrol, the circum-
Heard
the third time in the past two years Levy
white male with a goatee beard, who was
pursuit of a vehicle that
stances of the crash indicate that the elderly
County voters had nothing to say about
wearing sunglasses, a blue shirt, blue jean
matched the description in the bolo. The in-
man, who has not yet been identified pend-
these positions.
shorts and black sneakers. He said that the
formation in the bolo, the video and infor-
Our Pub
ing notification of next of kin, was driving
robber was in the store for approximately
mation pulled up on the DAVID computer
a 1993 GMC pickup truck and was facing
five to ten minutes prior to the robbery, just
system showed the suspect to be Kevin
north, exiting the Publix Shopping Center
walking about and looking around the store,
Heard. A detective and two deputies were
parking lot. He started a left (west) turn
Inglis
until he walked behind the counter, pointed
tracking the suspect vehicle on Hwy. 486, as
onto S.R. 44, into the path of Dep. Cridland,
Open Thanksgiving Day
a knife toward him and demanded for him
it turned west onto W. Gulf to Lake Hwy.,
who was driving at 2010 Ford Crown Vic-
to, “Give me the money.” Patel said that
and the vehicle was stopped. The driver was
toria patrol car, traveling east in the inside
Turkey or Ham
he opened the cash register, and the robber
identified as Kevin Heard, who, “was still
lane of S.R. 44. The front of the patrol car
Dinner with All the
walked over to the register and took all the
wearing the same clothes that he had on in
crashed into the side of the elderly man’s
money, with the exception of a couple one
the video of the robbery,” the report stated.
pickup truck. The impact caused the truck to
Trimmings
dollar bills. He said the robber then fled the
Heard was placed under arrest and
travel into the westbound lanes of the road
Details, pg. 5
store and got into a gray Mitsubishi, head-
transported to the CCSO Eemergency Op-
and came to rest, facing northeast, blocking
ing west on W. Gulf to Lake Hwy. A “bolo”
Continued on page 3 - Fatal Crash
Continued on page 3 - Robbery Charges