THE NEWSCASTER
THE NEWSCASTER
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Deborah Russell - Editor/Publisher
A Publication of
Wednesday December 18, 2013
Inglis, FL 34449
Tom Russell - Consulting Editor
Newscaster Publishing
Permit No. 14
Sally Price - Correspondent
Please visit our website: www.thenewscaster.com
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
Community Events
Energy Assistance
Outreach Event
Citrus County Housing Services
will accept energy assistance applications
on a walk-in basis for one day only at The
Catholic Charities Community Outreach
Center in Homosassa. On January 13th
from 10 am to 1 pm, low-income Citrus
County residents may visit the Catholic
Charities Community Outreach Center,
located at 9020 W Atlas Dr., Homosassa,
FL 34448, to apply. All applicants must
be checked in by 1 pm to be considered.
Ordinarily applications for LIHEAP are
accepted by appointment only due to the
demand for assistance.
The Low-Income Home Energy
Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps
low-income families with home heating
and cooling costs. LIHEAP is funded by
the U.S. Department of Health and Hu-
man Services through the Florida Depart-
ment of Economic Opportunity, and has
been established to help qualifying low-
income homeowners and renters pay for
a portion of their primary heating/cooling
costs. LIHEAP is not designed to pay a
household's total energy costs, but to pro-
vide supplemental assistance.
LIHEAP provides two types of
assistance, crisis and regular. Households
may apply for Crisis Assistance once
David and Toby Purcell, tourists from Kentucky, kayaking and manatee watching in Three Sisters Springs during the Manatee Refuge Day last
a year and can receive up to $600 for a
Saturday. The annual event allows the public access to the boardwalk that surrounds the springs where dozens of the spring's most famous
crisis. Households must be delinquent in
residents congregate every winter. More on page 4. TheNewscaster/Mike Moore
Crystal River Nuke Closing Cost:
paying their utility bill, received a shut-
Man Charged
off notice, be without power, or require a
deposit in order to qualify for crisis. If the
$1.18 Billion, Employees: 275+
With Burglary,
household has received this assistance in
the past year they are not eligible for cri-
From Duke Energy
sis.
The estimated decommissioning
Batter y, DUI
Households may also apply for
cost is $1.18 billion in today's (2013) dol-
Duke Energy has submitted its de-
Regular Assistance once a year for a cur-
lars. Duke Energy believes the company's
commissioning plan for the company's re-
rent bill. The benefit range is $150- $300
existing nuclear decommissioning trust
tired Crystal River nuclear plant in Florida
From Citrus County Sheriff Dept.
per household depending on family size
fund, plus the fund's future growth - coupled
to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
John Allen Neal, 49,
and income. If the household has received
with funds from the plant's nine other own-
(NRC). The plan includes a decommission-
Crystal River, was arrested by the
this assistance in the past year they are not
ers will be sufficient to decommission the
ing description, cost estimate and schedule,
Citrus County Sheriff s Office,
eligible for regular assistance.
plant.
along with a management strategy for stor-
Dec. 7, charged with DUI with
Radiological and environmental
ing used nuclear fuel.
Continued on page 4
prior conviction and burglary
monitoring will continue during the entire
Duke Energy expects to implement
Neal
with battery ($26,000 total bond).
decommissioning process to ensure safety
tasks outlined in the decommissioning plan
Expert Clock Repair
According to the arrest report, the
and environmental protection.
starting in 2014. The plant operated from
Vintage,
victim stated that Neal had been abusive and
The plant's used nuclear fuel will
1977 to 2009.
had exhibited violent behavior toward her.
remain in the existing on-site fuel pool un-
Plan highlights: Duke Energy has
She stated that she had gone to a relative's
Modern,
til a new, on-site, dry-cask storage facility
selected the "SAFSTOR" decommission-
home the previous day to get away from
is built. The plant has safely stored its used
ing option, which is one of three options
him, but Neal had come to her location three
fuel on site for 35 years, since the facility's
Historical,
approved by the NRC, and a plan chosen
times and had called her at least a hundred
first refueling in 1978. All U.S. nuclear
by several other retired U.S. nuclear plants.
times. The woman's relative told Neal not to
plants store used fuel on site either in fuel
see page 12
Under this option, the plant will be placed in
come to the residence again due to Neal hav-
pools or dry casks because the U.S. does
a safe, stable condition for 60 years until de-
Continued on page 3 - Burglary
commissioning work is completed in 2074.
Continued on page 12- NRC Closing Plan