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Deborah Russell - Editor/Publisher
A Publication of
Wednesday June 15, 2011
Inglis, FL 34449
Tom Russell - Consulting Editor
Newscaster Publishing
Sally Price - Correspondent
Permit No. 14
Visit our website for the latest news: www.thenewscaster.com
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
Squawk Box
Too Many Cooks
Spoil the Broth
With Doug Johnston
I have clear memo-
ries of conversations with
my Grandfather in the late
1950’s and early 60’s. I was
in my early teens then and
he was in his late 70’s. We
would sit in rocking chairs
on the porch of his house on
Gospel Island, just outside of Inverness,
and would talk for hours at a time.
One topic that frequently popped
up was the status of law in the state of
Florida. My Grandfather claimed that the
state was pumping out lawyers at an alarm-
ing rate. He opined that if the increase in
practicing lawyers continued, our court
system was going to be a mess. My Grand-
father was a lawyer himself and along with
a handful of attorneys, at least three with
the last name Schoefield, he practiced law
in Citrus County. I sincerely doubt if there
were more than a dozen or so practicing at-
torneys in the entire county in those days.
Florida Forestry Service brought in a helicopter to help fight the Goethe Complex fire in Levy County from the air. Land was quickly cleared and
Grandaddy was a prophet, as it turns out.
a pond dug on the east side of Hwy 121 just south of Hwy 337. An incident command center was set up at the Forestry Division on Hwy 337
The population in Florida, ac-
manned by Incident Commander Lamar Stegall who serves as Williston Fire Chief and head of the Levy County Fire Advisory Board. Accord-
cording to the U.S. Census Bureau climbed
ing to Ludie Bond. local Forestry Public Information Officer, this last week’s fire started back April 26 with a lightning strike in 2 areas. The
from almost 13 million citizens to 18.5
Swamp Fire and the Badlands Fire, together, since April 26, consumed 4,594 acres combined with the Bad Lands Fire being 3,094 acres alone.
million, a little over 30%, from1990 to
Bond said as of Sunday 75% of the Bad Land Fire and 60 % of the Swamp Land Fire is contained. Monday Hwy 121 was still closed and traffic
2011. During the same time frame Florida
rerouted due to smoke, and fallen trees taking down power lines. Newscaster Photo/Sally Price
went from 45,000 practicing attorneys to
Firefighters
Homosassa man arrested on
90,000, according to the Florida Bar Asso-
ciation. If my math is correct that’s a 50%
Making Progress
increase in the same twenty year period.
child lewdness charges
In a simpler time men could form
on Goethe
a binding contract with a handshake: Still
From the Citrus Co. Sheriff Dept.
than she’d been wearing when she went to
Continued on page 2- Squawk Box
A 48 year-old Homosassa man,
Wildfire
bed. She alleged she would
Custom
Michael Robert Webb, was arrested by the
sometimes awaken to find
Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, June 7, fol-
Webb rubbing her in an in-
Wood Products
From Levy County Sheriff Dept.
lowing an investigation of sexual allegations
appropriate manner.
made against him by a 15 year-old Homo-
One witness re-
According to Williston Fire & Res-
sassa girl.
ported seeing Webb grop-
cue, the fire service has set-up an Incident
Home - Industry - Marine
When the girl made the allegations
ing the girl. A teenager
Command Post for monitoring the Badland
on May 23, a Child Protection Team in-
visiting the victim on Aril
Fire in the Goethe State Forest. The Incident
Your plans or ours
terviewed her. The girl said that Webb had
30 said that Webb made an
Command Post is located at the Division
touched her inappropriately. She said Webb
inappropriate suggestion
of Forestry headquarters on C.R. 337, just
Webb
began talking to her in a sexual manner dur-
regarding the three of them.
south of S.R. 121. County fire departments
50 years experience
ing the latter part of 2009, and his behav-
The report stated that the victim confinded
are working closely with the Division of
ior toward her had escalated from talking
some of the activity to a friend in April. The
Forestry in efforts to contain this massive
Wood Products Division
to groping, requesting a sexual favor and
victim initially confided in a sibling, and the
fire. Since Sunday evening, June 12, every
awakening to find him massaging her. She
sheriff’s office was eventually contacted.
fire Department in Levy County has worked
said Webb often medicated her for her aller-
A child protective investigator
to help bring the fire under control. The con-
Enviro Group of Florida, Inc.
gies, which would make her sleepy, and she
spoke with Webb on May 23, and he denied
tinued dry weather, in addition to the heavily
would wake up to find her clothing in disar-
wooded terrain and muck ponds, has made
352-586-9598
Continued on page 2 - Lewdness Charges
ray, or she would be wearing less clothing
Continued on page 3 - Goethe Wildfire