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Wednesday March 27, 2013

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Permit No. 14

Sally Price - Correspondent

Have a Safe & Happy Easter

Mike Moore - Photojournalist

Squawk Box

More than $100K in

scholarships for high

school graduates

(OCALA) – Workforce Connection will

award up to $105,000 in scholarships to

regional high school graduates who plan

to pursue careers in science, technology,

engineering, math (STEM) or technical

occupations that supports the local econ-

omy.

The scholarship program pro-

vides two scholarships up to $3,500 each

for students in each of the public high

schools in Workforce Connection’s re-

gion of Citrus, Levy and Marion coun-

ties. These scholarships can be used for

training in two-year community college

or technical school programs.

Scholarship applications are

available from high school guidance

counselors; the deadline to return com-

pleted applications to counselors is Mon-

day, April 1.

Eligible students must be at

least 18 prior to the enrollment dead-

line for their training program. Scholar-

ships are awarded in coordination with

each school district based on students’

Under the oaks of Old Homosassa, over 3000 participants showed up for the annual Shrimpa Paloosa arts, crafts and seafood festival Saturday.

academic performance, income eligibil-

The annual Mardi Gras style event is a fundraiser for the Homosassa Rotary club and featured a parade and live entertainment.

ity and planned course of postsecondary

Citrus Grow House "Busted Up"

study.

Ocala area leads

Workforce Connection CEO

Rusty Skinner said that the investment

From Citrus County Sheriff Dept.

done tablets and one 5 mg. valium pill (no

state with highest

in postsecondary programs focusing on

prescription bottles were found)

On March 19, the Citrus County

STEM and other targeted occupations

and $1,180 in cash that was deter-

Sheriff s Office Tactical Impact Vice Nar-

job-growth rate

is an “important factor for expansion of

mined to be counterfeit currency.

cotics executed a search warrant at 4715 E.

economic development and job growth.”

The counterfeit currency varied

Hillsdale Ln. in Inverness, which proved to

Last year, when the scholar-

in denomination from 20 dollar

be a cannabis grow-house operation, as in-

(OCALA) – The jobless rate in January for

ship program was introduced, Workforce

bills to 100 dollar bills, and each Garifalos

vestigators had suspected.

Workforce Connection’s Citrus, Levy and

Connection earmarked $60,000 for area

bill had a similar serial number.

The search began at 8:10 a.m. Res-

Marion counties region was 9.1 percent, up

students.

Approximately 10 gms. of can-

ident Christopher Garifalos answered the

0.2 percent from December’s rate but 1.9

Scholarships cover continuing

nabis, hash, multiple distributor-

door, was taken into custody and seated at

percentage points lower than the same time

education costs including tuition, books,

sized ziplock baggies, two digital

the dining room table. He said that Michele

last year and down nearly 4 percent since

fees, labs and supportive services pro-

scales, rolling papers and a glass Mederos

Medoras, was in her bedroom, and as team

January 2011.

vided by Workforce Connection. In ad-

smoking pipe were found.

members began walking toward the bed-

For the second consecutive month,

dition, scholarship recipients will work

The cannabis grow room next to

room area, Garifalos told them they were

the Ocala Metropolitan Statistical Area

with a trained Workforce Connection

the bedroom contained 28 cannabis plants,

not allowed to be there. Officers soon deter-

(MSA), which covers all of Marion County,

Continued on page 4- Squawk Box

ranging in sizes from small to large. The

mined that the cannabis grow operation was

posted the highest job-growth rate in Florida

majority of the cannabis plants were con-

located in the bedroom and in another room.

at 3.3 percent, with 3,000 new jobs over the

Easter Egg

tained in two large black portable grow

Medoras was found and also seated

year. Florida’s job-growth rate during the

rooms equipped with a ventilation air filtra-

at the dining room table. Both Garifalos and

same period was 1.8 percent.

Hunts

tion system. An instrument utilized in mak-

Medoras requested to invoke their rights in

According to today’s release of the

ing hash was also found.

speaking with an attorney.

January 2013 unemployment rates by the

Garafalous was charged with three

Items located within the residence

See Pages

Florida Department of Economic Opportu-

counts possession of schedule I, II or III

included documents with Garafolas’ name

nity (DEO), Marion County posted an un-

drugs with intent to sell/manufacture/de-

and cannabis grow instructions, a medicine

employment rate of 9.1 percent, up 0.2 per-

5, 10

liver; possession of a controlled substance;

bottle labeled ‘stool softener’ which con-

cent over the month; Citrus County rose 0.4

tained eighteen and one-half 10 mg. metha-

Continued on page 4 - Grow House

Continued on page 8 - Job Growth Rate