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THE NEWSCASTER

THE NEWSCASTER

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Deborah Russell - Editor

A Publication of

Wednesday February 10, 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

Wildlife Park: February Focus On

American Alligator

Ellie

Schiller

Homosassa

Springs Wildlife State Park s monthly fo-

cus during the month  of February will

be on the American alligator. Displays

will be available in the Visitor Center on

US 19 and in the Discovery Center inside

the Wildlife Park. Two special programs

will be presented on the American Alliga-

tor.

The Ellie Schiller Homosassa

Springs Wildlife State Park will be host-

ing a special program by Florida Wild-

life Conservation Commission (FWC)

bio-scientist and alligator  expert Kyle

C. Mader on the American Alligator on

Thursday, February 18, 2016,  starting

at 1:00 pm in the Florida Room of the

Wildlife Park's Visitor Center, located

on Kyle was born and raised in central

Florida and from a young age loved the

outdoors. He received his B.S. in Wild-

Remembering The Past - Ferris Groves is celebrating 75 years in Citrus County this year. In 1931 L G "Doc" Ferris began planting citrus trees

life Ecology and Conservation from the

in Floral City and the climate and fertile soil paid off. Many varieties of their citrus fruits have been sold and dozens of "Blue Ribbons" ac-

University of Florida (2013). Before re-

quired for their superior fruits. In 1944 a packing and shipping plant was added to the Floral City site followed by a retail store selling gift

ceiving his diploma he spent the majority

fruits shipped nation wide and beyond. Back then the fruit was sold in Floral City, Inverness, Crystal River and Miami Beach according to the

of his time volunteering with the FWC

post card. This Ferris Grove fruit stand was located on Hwy 19 south Crystal River in the 1950's. Card and history from Sally Price collection.

on a variety of projects which led to a

Dude must have had a

Trio Wanted

part-time Technician position. Here Kyle

was able to continue to work on a vari-

bad case of the "munchies"...

ety of projects including the monitoring

in Connection

of chronic wasting disease in Florida s

deer population, non-migratory Ameri-

With Thefts

can kestrel  monitoring, and American

two inches, the report stated. The deputy in-

From The Citrus County Sheriff Dept.

Alligator population monitoring.

formed Hopkins, that since he had disobeyed

Kendall Bernard Hopkins, 21, 1982

Since receiving his degree Kyle

the command to turn around, this was now

From The Citrus County Sheriff Dept.

S. Gleneagle Ter., Lecanto, was arrested by

is now a Biologist in the reptile and am-

a traffic stop. Hopkins decided pretty soon,

the Citrus County Sheriff s Office, Feb. 1,

The Citrus County Sheriff s Office

phibian subsection of the FWC primarily

that he'd rather the stop be for instruction

after he refused to take a detour around a

is asking for the public's help in locating

focusing on Crocodilians but continues to

rather than a traffic stop, but the deputy in-

traffic crash, and the incident escalated into

three women who are suspects is several lo-

assist on a variety of other projects. His

formed him that the opportunity had passed.

a traffic stop.

cal burglaries.

presentation will in include a general al-

Hopkins gave his name as Devonte Young

The incident occurred about 3:12

On Friday, Jan, 29th, the trio en-

ligator biology, the differences between

and his date of birth as July 6, 1994 (it s ac-

am at W. Gulf to Lake Hwy. and N. Heart

tered the Inverness Publix supermarket,

American alligators and American croco-

tually Aug. 12, 1994).

Path in Crystal River. Two patrol vehicles

right behind an elderly woman who fell vic-

diles, and the history of alligator manage-

The officer reported that he could

were parked in the roadway to block all

tim to the women. As the victim was shop-

ment in Florida.

smell marijuana coming from the vehicle

lanes of traffic, due to a traffic crash result-

ping, two of the women distracted her with

and told "Young" (Hopkins) that he had

ing in power poles and power lines being

conversation while the third woman took her

probable cause to search the vehicle. How-

down in the road. Motorists were instructed

wallet and promptly walked away. The other

ever, Hopkins told the deputy, he (Hopkins)

to make a u-turn, as the road was not safe for

two women then left the store without mak-

was not coming out of the vehicle, and the

travel.

ing any purchases.

deputy was not coming inside it. Hopkins

Hopkins slowed down and told the

The victim's two debit cards and

finally came out of the vehicle, and a plastic

deputies, according to the report, "Really? I

$500 in cash were taken along with the wal-

bag containing 14 grams of marijuana was

am just going to McDonalds.'' Not only did

let. The debit cards were quickly used at

found under the driver s seat. Hopkins main-

he fail to turn around as instructed, he at-

Office Max on U.S. Hwy. 19 to make pur-

tained that his name was Devonte Young,

tempted to travel in he median, between the

chases totaling $1574.47.

but deputies learned through a photograph

two patrol vehicles blocking the road.

Deputies believe that the same

in Aegis (a public safety software system),

One of the deputies commanded,

women may have committed a similar theft

that his name is Kendall Bernard Hopkins.

"Stop the vehicle, right now." The deputy

at Sally's Beauty Supply, which is located in

He was charged with one count

went to Hopkins' window, which Hopkins

the same shopping plaza as Publix, less than

of failure to obey a lawful command from

rolled up so that it was only cracked about

Continued on page 4 - Trio

Continued on page 4 - Munchies