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THE NEWSCASTER
THE NEWSCASTER
PRESORTED
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RECYCLE
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Deborah Russell - Editor/Publisher
Yankeetown, FL
Tom Russell - Consulting Editor
Wednesday June 6, 2007
A Publication of
Permit No. 4
Sally Price - Correspondent
Hometown News For The Nature
Coast
Squawk Box Another
marijuana
With Doug Johnston
Donovan's jump to NBA has
growing bust
a down side
Billy Donovan has put
in Marion Co.
basketball on the map in the
state of Florida. Gator fans are
forever indebted to Donovan
A marijuana bust by the Ocala/
for taking a program mired in mediocrity to
Marion County Multi-Agency Drug Enforce-
the absolute pinnacle of college hoops. Be-
ment Team initiated by a Florida Highway
cause of him the University of Florida will
Patrol trooper on May 31 was eerily similar
be able to recruit players and coaches to their
to another drug bust on May 22.
basketball program that would never have
According to reports, 59-year-old
seriously considered the Gators before. I hope
Antonio Lobaina was
he is a huge success in the National Basket-
driving on Interstate 75,
ball Association. That being said, I can't help
when an FHP trooper
but think of the words from that Country and
pulled him over for an al-
Western hit song "What was I thinking".
leged window tint viola-
I would not live in the asphalt and
tion of his Ford Windstar
concrete jungle that is Orlando for 10 mil-
Eyes & Ears on the Trail
van. During the traffic
lion dollars a year, much less the 5.7 million
stop, a K-9 officer alerted Antonio Lobaina
he will earn there. Have you driven in Or-
Citrus County Sheriff Jeff Dawsy exercises the ribbon cutting honors and sending Withlachoochee
to the presence of mari-
lando lately? You have to drive 90 miles an
Trail Patrol volunteer Elaine Quarton on her first patrol. Ms. Quarton is one of many volunteers driving
juana, and the trooper found a small amount
hour to keep from being run over and the
a specially modified golf cart which will be manned in rotation by other Trail Patrol members. Also
of marijuana during the search of the vehicle.
average Orlando motorist shoots that three-
equipped with an AED device and minor repair parts for stranded cyclists, the patrol will be eyes and
The FHP trooper contacted the
finger salute at you quicker than you can say
ears for Citrus County police officers. Officially, the newly formed Trail Patrol began cruising the trail
Ocala/Marion County Multi-Agency Drug
Rick Pitino.
June 1st. If this sounds like a volunteer activity for you, contact C.C.S.O. Sgt. Chris Evans for more
Enforcement Team, which tracked a utility
Donovan served as a coach and
information. More on page 12. Newscaster Photo by Mike Moore
bill to a home in the Marion Oaks subdivi-
mentor to young student athletes at Florida.
Interstate Fugative Arrested in Levy Co.
sion of Dunnellon, 7823 S.W. 128th Street
He is trading that to coach millionaire prima
Road. When officers arrived at the residence,
donnas. It's hard for me to envision that the
they found no one there, but smelled a strong
On May 24, 2007 the Levy County Sheriff's Office Special Operations Bureau
likes of Latrell Spreewell, Kobe Bryant and
odor of fresh marijuana coming from the
received information that a wanted fugitive may be traveling through Levy County. The
Ron Artest will buy into Donovan's unself-
house. Officers obtained a search warrant and
Orlando State Probation and Parole advised that Clarence Marshall is wanted from Lake
ish team concept. Although the three players
found 53 marijuana plants, along with items
County for violation of probation- Fleeing Attempting to Elude and has violent tendencies
mentioned are not his problem now they are
used in growing marijuana, including lights,
towards Law Enforcement. Deputy Clint Anderson and Deputy Willie Barnes attempted to
typical of the type of players who are not the
fans and tools. At first, Lobaina denied liv-
stop the wanted fugitive in the Chiefland area. The fugitive at first complied and pulled
majority, but are plentiful in the NBA. He
ing at the home, but he later told police he
over but prior to making contact he led Deputies on a chase. The pursuit ended in Dixie
that he's rented the home since December,
Continued on page 3- Squawk Box
County when the fugitive crashed his vehicle in a single car crash into a light pole. Upon
Continued on page 4 - Fugative Arrested
2006. He was arrested and transported to the
Coast Guard Rescues
Marion County Jail where he was charged
Progress Energy
with trafficking in marijuana, cultivation of
marijuana and possession of drug parapher-
Dunnellon Family of Four
Meeting in Inglis
nalia. His total bond was set at $30,500.
Lobaina told law officers that he learned how
Thursday,
to grow marijuana from reading books. He
YANKEETOWN_Coast Guard Station Yankeetown rescued four people from an overturned
said the marijuana was grown for his personal
vessel about six miles southwest of the County Road 40 boat ramp, in Yankeetown, Fla., at
use and to give to friends, but he had never
see page 4
about 7:30 a.m. today.
sold any.
The four boaters reported being in the water since about 10 p.m. yesterday, when their vessel
On May 22 in a very similar drug
took on two large waves and the bow of the boat went under. Station Yankeetown received
for details
arrest situation, a FHP officer pulled over two
a call at about 7:15 a.m. today from an off-duty Coast Guard petty officer reporting that an
men on Interstate 75 in Sumter County for an
overturned 19-foot pleasure craft was partially submerged in the Withlacoochee River, in
Continued on page 8 - Marijuana Bust
Continued on page 4 - Rescue