THE NEWSCASTER
THE NEWSCASTER
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Deborah Russell - Editor
A Publication of
Wednesday March 11, 2015
Inglis, FL 34449
Tom Russell - Publisher
Newscaster Publishing
Permit No. 14
Sally Price - Correspondent
Please visit our website: thenewscaster.com
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
Community
Willfest Presents Florida Music
The 26th annual Will McLean
Music Festival (WILLFEST), March
13,14,15, at the Sertoma Ranch in
Brooksville, will feature over 70 Florida
acoustic musicians from age 9 to artists
who have been with the festival since its
inception. This festival provides an op-
portunity for guests to meet and camp
with the musicians. After the stages close
down, everyone is welcome to join the
evening campfire circles.
Beginning Friday at noon, four
stage areas with covered listening areas
will present a variety of performers, in-
cluding the winners of the Will McLean
Best New Florida Song Contest. Young
Florida performers will jam and hold
workshops at the Shooting Star Stage.
Workshops set in the shade of
the towering oaks are scheduled through-
out the festival. Open to anyone attend-
ing the festival, the sessions feature gui-
tar, banjo, fiddle, harmonica, autoharp,
dulcimer, mandolin, flute, and bodhran.
Prize winning singer/songwriter Amy
Carol Webb will present her popular
"Empowering Your Voice" workshop. It
At the 28th Annual Strawberry Festival in Floral City last Sunday,the near perfect springtime weather brought out record breaking crowds that,
is an excellent chance to pick up pointers
according to Citrus County Chamber of Commerce Economic Development manager Ardath Prendergast, "were more than recent years". She
regardless of your level of expertise.
added the fruit was "spectacular and the musical guest lineup simply the best ever". The Hospice of Citrus County volunteers worked to as-
Attendees may camp alongside
semble and distribute the strawberry shortcake dessert made famous by the Floral City springtime festival. TheNewscaster/Mike Moore
performers for the weekend, or come for
Deputies Discover Grow House
Man drives into
the day. Pets are welcome, so bring your
dogs (on leashes), children (leashes op-
Gulf at Yankeetown
tional) and chairs for a one of kind expe-
on Unrelated Arrest Warrant
rience of fun and entertainment. There
are activities for children.
and drowns
The festival honors Will
From The Citrus County Sheriff Dept.
two grow rooms containing approximately
McLean (1919-1990), a member of the
Early March 9, Citrus County
From The Florida Hwy Patrol
91 marijuana plants and items used in grow-
Florida Artists Hall of Fame, and Flor-
Sheriff s Office patrol deputies responded to
ing marijuana, such as heat lamps, inverters
A 71 year-old Lamoine, Maine man
ida's premier composer of songs about
S. Colonial Ave. in Homosassa in an attempt
to power the lamps, light ballasts, hoods and
died, Feb. 28, after driving onto the boat
Florida.
to serve an arrest warrant on a person other
fans, chemical and fertilizers,
ramp at the termination of County Road 40
Sertoma Youth Ranch is lo-
than the man who was eventually arrested.
along with loose marijuana
in Yankeetown, early Sat. morning, Feb. 28.
cated at 85 Myers Road, Brooksville, FL
When deputies approached the 19
and scales.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol,
34602. Weekend admission is $35 in ad-
feet travel trailer on the property, a man, lat-
Paul Eckelberger, 35,
Robert J. Okeefe drove a 2007 Ford Ranger
vance and $40 at the gate. Children un-
er identified as Paul Eckleberger, ran from
was arrested and charged with
pickup truck into the water at 12:15 am.
der 12 are free. Daily admissions are $20
the back of the trailer. A deputy asked Eck-
cultivation of marijuana and
The boat ramp is situated at the area
Eckelberger
(Friday), $25 (Saturday) and $15 (Sun-
elberger why he ran from the residence, and
possession of paraphernalia.
where the Withlacoochee River runs into
day).For information about camping, or
he stated because he was growing marijuana
He said he'd lived at the residence, on and
the Gulf of Mexico. The report stated that
other questions about WILLFEST, call
inside it.
off for about a year and a half, and full time
Okeefe was traveling west on County Rd.
352-465-2167.
At the door to the trailer, deputies
for about a year. He said his girlfriend lives
40 in the only westbound land, approaching
Inglis Election
saw potting soil in buckets with marijuana
with him, but she doesn't touch his plants.
the boat ramp, when he ran through the stop
stalks growing in them, small marijuana
He said he's growing the marijuana for his
sign at the boat ramp and proceeded into the
plants outside the door and other marijuana
Results:
personal use because he's addicted to pain-
Gulf of Mexico. The vehicle was submerged
grow equipment, along with a pungent aro-
killers and started smoking marijuana to get
underwater for approximately three and a
G o to: thenewscaster.com
ma of marijuana.
off the pain medication.
half hours while rescue crews attempted to
Members of the Tactical Impact
Due to Eckelberger's cooperation,
recover it. The U.S. Coast Guard assisted in
homepage
Unit responded investigate the illegal grow
he will be released on his own recognizance,
locating the truck underwater.
operation. A search of the trailer revealed
the report stated.
Continued on page 4 - Drowning