THE NEWSCASTER
THE NEWSCASTER
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Deborah Russell - Editor
A Publication of
Wednesday December 14, 2016
Inglis, FL 34449
Tom Russell - Publisher
Newscaster Publishing
Permit No. 14
Sally Price - Historian
Please visit our website: thenewscaster.com
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
Community
Wildlife Park To Focus On
Whooping Cranes In December
Guest article by Susan Strawbridge,
Park Services Specialist
Whooping cranes will be high-
lighted during the month of December at
Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife
State Park. The Park is currently home to
a pair of Whooping cranes, Peepers and
Levi, who live in a natural habitat with a
pond surrounded by grassy banks.
The Park will be presenting a
Wildlife Jeopardy program on Whoop-
ing cranes on Saturday, December 17,
2016 from 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm in the
Park s Discovery Center (formerly called
the Children's Education Center). This
program is presented by Barbara Cairns.
She uses a 20-question format and invites
visitors, young and old alike, to test their
knowledge about this endangered spe-
cies. Her goal is to have each person learn
at least one new thing about Whooping
cranes. Hand-outs will be provided.
Park admission applies. Displays
on Whooping cranes will be on exhibit in
the Park s Visitor Center on US 19 and
in the Discovery Center throughout the
month. Special activities on this species
Spreading Christmas Cheer - The Inglis Christmas Parade and Party, which occurred Saturday was a great success. You can see from the picture
will also be available all month in the Dis-
that there were lots of bikes; there were also skateboards, scooters, games, fishing gear, too many to mention, and all free to the children of
covery Center.
Yankeetown School. The bikes came from three sources. Read full story on page 11. Photo courtesy Betsy Webb.
Wanda Easton from Tampa,
Florida will present an Operation Migra-
CCSO deputy
Two men charged with
tion program on Thursday, December 22,
2016 at 1:00 pm in the Florida Room at
charged with
attempted vehicle theft
the park s Visitor Center located on US 19
in Homosassa Springs. She will discuss
domestic battery
Operation Migration and their partnership
and two men who appeared to be attempt-
with several government and non-profit
From the Citrus County Sheriff Dept.
ing to hide behind the vehicle.
organizations to form the Whooping
From the Citrus County Sheriff Dept.
Whitler initially told deputies that
Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP). Un-
Employment terminated
Two Hernando men were arrested
he and Strayer had stopped near the vehicle
der this WCEP umbrella these organiza-
around 4:00 pm, Dec. 1, after deputies
to smoke marijuana because they had be-
tions work together to safeguard the rar-
Early Sat. morning, Dec. 10,
were dispatched to the area of Hwy. 491
come tired from walking, but he eventu-
est crane in the world. Easton has been
around 3:31 am, Citrus County Sheriff's
and Hwy. 41 in Lecanto with the report of
ally told deputies that he'd allowed Strayer
a supporter of Operation Migration for
Office deputies responded to a home in In-
an attempted vehicle theft. Two
to use his knife to cut the wires under the
many years and has worked with Whoop-
verness regarding a physical domestic inci-
witnesses spoke with deputies
dash.
ing Cranes as a docent at Tampa's Lowry
dent that had already occurred.
about the incident, and the two
Strayer also initially told deputies
Park Zoo.
The defendant in this case, 25 year-
suspects, 21 year-old Christo-
they had stopped to smoke marijuana, and
old Heather Cogar, of Hernando, was em-
pher Thomas Strayer and 24
he also eventually told deputies that he'd
ployed as a deputy with the Citrus County
Strayer
year-old Bobby Alfred Whitler
entered the vehicle and used one of Whit-
Sheriff s Office, and had worked at the
were detained for questioning at
ler s knives to cut the wires under the dash.
agency for 3 years.
7016 N. Lecanto Hwy.
Dep. Cogar and 29 year-old Bryan
The report stated that Strayer nev-
Hesse, of Inverness, had previously been in-
One of the witnesses
er gave a reasonable explanation as to why
volved in a dating relationship. After depu-
told deputies that he was travel-
he cut the wires and never said he was at-
ties spoke with Hesse at his residence, early
ing south on Hwy. 491 in the Whitler
tempting to steal the vehicle, either.
Saturday morning, they determined that
area of N. Treefarm Ave., when
Whitler and Strayer were each
Cogar had physically battered Hesse, who
he noticed the 1985 Ford Ranger parked in
charged with theft of an auto, bus or truck,
the easement, where it was usually located,
with their bond set at $2,000 each.
Continued on page 11 - Deputy