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Deborah Russell - Editor

A Publication of

Wednesday April 12, 2017

Inglis, FL 34449

Tom Russell - Publisher

Newscaster Publishing

Permit No. 14

Mike Moore - Photojournalist

Have a Safe and Happy Easter

Community

Area Easter Egg Hunts

Homosassa Springs Wildlife

State Park and the Friends of Homosassa

Springs Wildlife Park will be hosting a

Spring EGG-stravaganza starting at 8:00

am in the field behind the main entrance

and Visitor Center parking area on April

15th.

Finders of the Golden egg in

each age group will win an age-appropri-

ate prize. Families should arrive early to

Wildlife Puppeteers will be pre-

senting a puppet show on Saturday, April

15, 2017, following the egg hunt starting

at 9:15 am in the Florida Room, the Wild-

life Puppeteers will be presenting a new

puppet play entitled "This is your life...

Lu, the Hippopotamus!"

For more Information, please

call Rene Poppe at (352) 628-5445, ext.

1004 or Susan Strawbridge at (352) 628-

5445, ext. 1002

Underwater Egg Hunt

Bicentennial Park Pool will be

holding their annual Underwater Egg

Hunt on Saturday, April 15, 2017 from

11am to 2:30pm, which is a FREE event

for children under 12 years of age in our

The 1100-acre "Water Tower Fire" in northwest Hernando County, near Hernando Beach in the Weeki Wachee Preserve area, was about 90%

community. There will be games, arts

contained by Monday afternoon, April 10, helped by a "300 acre burnout"and east winds. The Florida Forest Service placed a fire control line

and crafts, an egg based egg hunt, pic-

Winds Fan

around the entire 1,100 acre fire. Photo courtesy Hernando Fire/Rescue.

tures with the Bunny, and of course,

1100-acre brush fire, Weeki Wachee

swimming for eggs! It will be a fun time

for everyone who comes! Please bring

Fires in the

your own baskets and come to enjoy a

Preserve, 90% contained

fun filled day! For more information on

Bicentennial Park Pool or this event call,

Area

County Emergency Management and The

From Hernando County Fire/Rescue

352-795-1478.

Salvation Army are currently providing aid,

In a press release, Hernando Coun-

as needed.

Wildlife Park To Present

ty Fire Rescue first reported the brush fire

Residents in the entire region

Wildlife Ranger Camps

From Citrus Fire/Rescue

as 4 acres at 7:23 pm, on Saturday, April 8.

should be cautious, as even a discarded ciga-

However, the fire covered approximately

Brush fire extinguished in Homosassa, April 7

rette or trash burn could cause serious prob-

HOMOSASSA - The Florida Depart-

200 acres by Sunday morning and grew tre-

On April 7, Citrus County Fire

lems due to the drought, lower than usual

ment of Environmental Protection s El-

mendously during Sunday. The fire likely

Rescue assisted the Florida Division of For-

humidity and wind conditions.

lie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife

started by a lightening strike.

estry in extinguishing a brush fire at the end

No evacuations had been ordered,

State Park will offer two weeklong Wild-

Various agencies are working to

of W. Highland St., near the intersection

as of Monday, and no occupied homes have

life Ranger Camps in June and July. The

extinguish the fire, which include the Her-

of S. Candlenut Ave., in Homosassa. The

been damaged, but the HCFR reported that

Friends of Homosassa Springs Wildlife

nando County Fire Rescue (HCFR), Florida

fire covered approximately 4 acres, and no

a vehicle and two unoccupied homes were

Park sponsor the programs. June s Wild-

Forest Service and various other state and

structures were threatened, according to the

damaged.

life Ranger Camp is for children ages 8

local agencies.

Citrus County Sheriff s Office, Media Divi-

FHP Driving Update:

and 9 years old, and runs June 19 through

On Monday, a Road Closure con-

sion.

The Florida Highway Patrol is

June 23. July s Wildlife Ranger Camp is

tinued to all but local traffic on Shoal Line

Citrus County Fire Rescue assisted

continuing to monitor roadways in the area

for children ages 10 through 12, and runs

Blvd., from Linda Pederson Park, south to

the Florida Division of Forestry with a brush

of I-275 and Gandy Boulevard in Pinellas

from July 17 through July 21.

Jew Fish Dr., and the Hernando County

fire, April 6, in the area of N. Vesper Pt. in

County for smoke and fog due to a brush fire

Applications for the Wildlife

Sheriff s Office was requesting identifica-

Crystal River. The fire quickly consumer 2

which started on April 7, 2017.

Ranger Camp are available in the park of-

tion from residents in order to access the

acres and spread to fifteen acres prior to be-

The FHP is also monitoring other

fice.

area.

ing extinguished, due to "very heavy fuel

wildfires throughout the Bay Area, notably

The Florida Forest Service, Her-

in the area," according to the Citrus County

along SR-589, US-19, SR-60 and SR-52.

Continued on page 4 - Fires

nando County Sheriff s Office, Hernando