THE NEWSCASTER
THE NEWSCASTER
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Deborah Russell - Editor/Publisher
Inglis, FL 34449
Tom Russell - Consulting Editor
Wednesday April 7, 2010
A Publication of
Sally Price - Correspondent
Permit No. 14
Newscaster Publishing
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
Squawk Box
With Sally Price
11th Hour Move to
Save the Islands
April 2nd, the Town
of Yankeetown was informed
by the Department of Com-
munity Affairs (DCA), Tallahassee that the
town’s Comprehensive Plan has, for the
second time, been appealed. The appeal
came literally days before the plan would
have become law.
The appeal was filed by Izaak
Walton Investors, LLC. When asked about
the filing, IWI Managing Member Jim
Sherwood said, “this filing has nothing to
do with the old Izaak Walton development
plan. That has been ruled on and will be
heard at a future date in another place. It is
unrelated to this appeal action.”
IWI was going to let the comp
plan become law. “We had no further inter-
est in it relative to moving our Yankeetown
project forward”, Sherwood said. That is
until he was contacted by a local citizen’s
action group at the last minute. “These
people have, on their own, put together a
“No escaping the long arm of the law”--The house at 8538 W. Kimberly Court, Homosassa – the location where CCSO deputies and DEA agents
compelling argument for reconsideration
served a search warrant on Friday, March 19, and discovered a meth lab and several young children living in squalor, being demolished after
of certain aspects of the amended comp
being condemned unfit for human habitation. The backyard contained among the filthy piles of garbage, and open cesspool covered with
plan passed by the town council approved
discarded bedframes and a tarp, extremely dangerous given the young ages of the children living in the house, the unprotected septic system
by DCA, specifically as it relates to protect-
effluent eventually ran unchecked directly into the wetlands behind the house. TheNewscaster/Mike Moore
Escapee kills himself in Dunnellon
ing the barrier islands. ” he said.
Two Inglis
The Amended Yankeetown Com-
prehensive Plan is hugely inconsistent in
women arrested in motel after standoff with SWAT team
that it literally destroys the value of all of
Yankeetown’s in-town commercial proper-
ty with massive building restrictions while
Justin Joseph Williamson, 31, Cor- protective custody of the
Homosassa store dova, AL, an escaped inmate from the Walk- Florida Department of Chil-
relaxing island development.
Two Inglis women were arrested by
The citizens group has over the
er County Jail in Alabama, shot and killed
dren and Families (DCF), un-
the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, around
past year attracted the attention of local and
himself in a Two Sisters motel room in Dun-
til other family members can
10:20 a.m., April 2, after a report was called
state historic, archaeological and Native
nellon, March 31, during a standoff with the
be located.
in of a retail theft in progress at Kane’s Ace
American groups and a number of environ-
Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO)
The deceased Wil-
Hardware store located at 3000 S. Suncoast
mental and gulf preservation organizations.
Swat Team.
liamson is accused of rob-
Blvd.in Homosassa. While enroute to the
The MCSO arrested two women
bing Priscilla Forehand, 57, Williamson
Continued on page 11 - Squawk Box
store, the deputy was informed that the sus-
in connection with Williamson, his 26-year-
and her 62-year-old husband,
Levy Commission
pect was wearing a purple jumpsuit and may
old sister, Ashley T. Williamson of Cordova,
Earl Forehand, both of We-
be trying to leave the store in a white Pon-
AL, and his girlfriend, 27-year-old Stepha-
wahitchka, Florida on Satur-
Highlights
tiac.
nie L. Hill of Jasper, AL, the mother of a
day night, March 27, in the
(Bronson-4-6-10) - The interlocal agree-
When the deputy arrived at the
two-year-old child Williamson released to
parking lot of the Walmart
ment between the town of Inglis and Levy
store’s parking lot, he saw two females in
deputies before shooting himself.
Supercenter in Callaway,
county for inspection service was approved.
a white Pontiac and a dark pickup truck
Ashley Williamson is being held
Florida, according to inves-
Thad Barber was approved for a new four
parked directly behind the Pontiac.
without bond at the Marion county Jail on
tigators with the Bay County
Hill
year term on the Levy Planning Commission
The two females inside the white
charges of aiding in prisoner escape and ac-
sheriffís Office. Williamson
over the objections of many Yankeetown
pontiac were identified as the driver, Marga-
cessory to armed robbery.
allegedly pointed a pistol at
residents. They were in support of Yan-
ret Ann Scott, 38, of Garden Mall Ct., Inglis,
Stephanie Hill is also being held
Mrs. Forehand, threatened her
keetown resident Kathleen Burke, Commis-
and the passenger, Amy Jean McKay, 47, of
without bond at the Marion County Jail, on
life and took her purse. Wil-
sioner Marsh Drew's choice. Commissioner
S.E. Debra St., Inglis, who was wearing a
charges of organized fraud (obtaining prop-
liamson left the Walmart in a
Lilly Rooks said, "I'd rather have someone
purple jumpsuit. McKay immediately stat-
erty valued at $50,000 or more), aiding in
pewter-colored SUV that was
with experience with the county compre-
ed, “I took items from inside the store; it’s
prisoner escape, and accessory to armed
reported as stolen in Walker
hensive plan and development code."
Williamson
robbery. Hill’s two-year-old child is in the
Continued on page 12- Store Incident
Continued on page 4 - Standoff