THE NEWSCASTER
THE NEWSCASTER
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Deborah Russell - Editor/Publisher
Yankeetown, FL
Tom Russell - Consulting Editor
A Publication of
Wednesday March 5, 2008
Permit No. 4
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
Newscaster Publishing
Sally Price Correspondent
Squawk Box
With Mike Moore
Love It or Leave It II
Since last week, Mark Lun-
sford says, "I'm doing it all to
change policies, it's not about
the money." I'd like to offer to
Mr. Lunsford to enroll in the po-
lice academy (we even have one
here in Citrus County) and then
walk a mile or two in police shoes. I'd further
offer that if after all that, he still sees some
serious litigious-worthy policy deficiency,
then have at it. By twisting the arm of Citrus
County and the Sheriff's department and run-
ning an end-around, he's short cutting the
peaceful resolution process. In police circles,
it's called, "escalation of force". In this case,
it's the tail wagging the dog.
I'm very fond of using the `tail wag-
ging the dog' axiom. It covers many of the
same situations as the `cart before the horse'
saying, but I like it better because it also im-
plies an arrogance that the side stepping of
prudent order is being done on purpose.
Of course I am also a big proponent
of government being responsive to and people
being represented by the government they
The Martin family takes a breather and dives into some Strawberry Festival goodness last Saturday. Today little Madelyn Martin is on the
elect. If it takes arm-twisting to change gov-
receiving end of some "yumminess" and is very enthusiastic about it too! The annual festival draws crowds from far and wide; the Martin's
ernment policy, then that's a positive for civic
drove in from Spring Hill for the event. Photo by Mike Moore
Bar Owner Shoots at Burglar
action and a negative for government respon-
Two Men
siveness. It should go without saying that
when government gets too big for an arm-
twisting to be effective we are in deep trouble.
Residents on northern Lake Rousseau
sisting arrest without
Arrested on
That would be our national situation, but I
between Inglis and Dunnellon were awakened
violence
digress.
early Monday morning by the sound of si-
According to Lt.
I would however like to know how
rens blaring. Residents close to the Fin &
Evan Sullivan, Shook
Multiple
much money Mr. Lunsford gets paid out of
Feather bar heard also heard several rounds
forcibly
entered
his foundation as an administrator(he told a
from a gun, when a burglar was caught on the
through a window,
channel ten reporter $800/week). What about
scene by the club's owner who decided - that
broke into three vend-
Charges
expenses, car, travel, entertainment, food? I
with four burglaries in two months - she'd had
ing machines inside the
also would like to know how much he gets
enough!
bar, and stole coins and
paid for his public speaking events. Since the
From the Citrus County Sheriff Dept.
At 5:03 a.m., Barbara Chaffin, the owner of
liquor before running
Continued on page 3 - Squawk Box
Two men were arrested in Dunnellon
Fin & Feather, dialed 9-1-1 and was on the
out the back door. Mrs.
Lunsford
phone to the Levy County Sheriff's Office re-
Arthur E. Bolinger, Jr., 40, of 4165 W.
Chaffin went to inves-
porting the burglary, while also firing shorts
Station Ct., Dunnellon, was arrested and
tigate the noise, while
John D. Shook
toward the burglar's location. She said the
charged with burglary with battery ($25,000
she remained on the
Lawsuit
dispatcher heard the shots and asked her if
bond), felony domestic battery (no bond),
phone with 9-1-1 operators, and observed
the burglar was shooting at her. Chaffin said
tampering with a witness/informant ($5000
Shook running out the back door. She was
she replied,"No ma'am," and the dispatcher
bond), aggravated assault with a deadly fire-
armed with her pistol, and told deputies she
Against Citrus
then asked her if she was the one firing the
arm without intent to kill ($3000 bond) and
feared for her life when Shook ran out of the
shots and she replied, "Yes ma'am; I'm pro-
possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
back door. She fired into the ground, several
tecting my property." Chaffin said the dis-
County Sheriff
($5000 bond). Joshua James Sipes, 30, 1821
times, not injuring Shook.
patcher told her she was sending five units
N. Shirley Pt., Inverness was also arrested on
Shook continued running and dropped
out, immediately. The burglar ran into a swamp
a charge of burglary with battery ($25,000
stolen items on the ground after the shots
Update
area, to avoid Chaffin's wrath, where he eluded
bond).
were fired. He vanished into a swampy area
law enforcement officers for about two hours.
According to the arrest reports, the
of Lake Rousseau, near the bar. Within min-
The Levy County Sheriff's Office arrested
men entered a residence without knocking,
utes of Chaffin's call, the Levy County
on Page 8
50-year-old John David Shook of 10251 Can-
announcing their arrival, or being invited in.
Sheriff's Office had six deputies on the scene,
non Circle Lot #20, Inglis, on charges of bur-
Continued on page 2 - Multiple Arrests
Continued on page 2 - Burglar Caught
glary, grand theft, criminal mischief and re-