THE NEWSCASTER
THE NEWSCASTER
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Deborah Russell - Editor/Publisher
A Publication of
Inglis, FL 34449
Wednesday August 29, 2012
Tom Russell - Consulting Editor
Newscaster Publishing
Permit No. 14
Sally Price - Correspondent
Have a safe and Happy Labor Day!
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
Squawk Box
Inglis Broadband a
Dead Issue
Newscaster Editorial Staff
Inglis was a little late getting to
the party to offer broadband service to
the area. Recent statistics support the fact
that people are using computers less and
less to access the internet. The cable news
channel CNBC reported Friday that there
are about 5 billion wireless phones in use
today and about 1 billion of them smart-
phones. There are about 1 billion comput-
ers, not all of which access the internet.
Also reported was the fact that more than
50% of the users of Facebook access the
site using a smartphone. Smartphones
have their own service providers and do
not use the typical broadband connections.
Inglis and Levy County are mem-
bers of the North Florida Broadband Au-
thority. It is the NFBA that Inglis commis-
sioner Drinda Merritt is pushing at town
commission meetings to bring additional
broadband service to the area. Yankeetown
resident Dawn Clary stated in her News-
caster column (8-15-12) that the cost could
Shrare your panther sightings - The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has launched a new website that makes it easy
be from $19.95 to $29,95 per month ac-
for citizens who spot Florida panthers to share the information online. The site – https://Public.MyFWC.com enables the public to report when
cording to Commissioner Merritt.
and where they have seen a panther or its tracks and upload photos of the sighting. As recently as the 1970s, the Florida panther was close
NFBA was first created in 2009
to disappearing, with as few as 20 animals in the wild. Now there are an estimated 100 to 160 adults and sub-adults. Sub-adults are panthers
through an interlocal agreement between
that have left their mother but are not yet breeding age. This FWC photo is a Collared panther known as FP 110 and her kitten.
Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gil-
Elderly Man
Lecanto Man Could Get 40 Years
christ, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette,
Levy, Madison, Putnam,Suwannee, Tay-
lor, Union and Wakulla counties.
Attacked by
for Federal Trafficking Charges
NFBA applied for a $30 million grant
through the program in August 2009, win-
Pit Bull
ning the grant in February 2010.
From Citrus County Sheriff Dept.
When completed, the NFBA
broadband project would deliver up to 1
According to a federal criminal
on the confiscated box was linked to a male
From Levy County Sheriff Dept.
Gbps capacity throughout the region. The
complaint, on July 23, following the con-
allegedly living at an address on Roosevelt
one thing we haven t been able to pin
trolled delivery of a package destined for
Boulevard in Beverly Hills.
On August 25, the Levy County
down is the cost of additional equipment
a female at a home in Lecanto, a 26-year-
On or around July 21, the package,
Sheriff s Office received a frantic 9-1-1 call
the user might have to purchase. The sys-
old Citrus County man was taken into cus-
by then in the hands of the U.S. Postal In-
in reference to an animal attack. Deputies
tem uses the 700 mhz portion of the now
tody. David Preston Rogers of Beverly Hills
spection Service, was sent on to Tampa.
arriving at 5530 NW 97 Court in Chiefland,
reassigned spectrum formerly used by
faces federal trafficking charges relating to
TIU members started surveillance
found the 84 year-old victim bleeding pro-
UHF TV channels. The sectrum space was
the contents of the box, which field-tested
at the Lecanto delivery address, develop-
fusely, with serious dog bites from his head
freed up with the move to digital broadcast
positive for a kilo weight (1,018 grams, or
ing suspects and associates from prior un-
to his legs. The victim reported that he was
TV in 2009. The 700 mhz. signal requires
approximately 2.2 pounds) of cocaine.
dercover drug activities at the two addresses
mowing the grass when the pit bull dog at-
an outside antenna and an inside receiver/
Members of the Citrus County
appearing on the package.
tacked him for no reason. The victim fought
Sheriff s Tactical Impact Unit (TIU) had
Continued on page 2 - Squawk Box
During the course of their investigation,
the dog for over ten minutes before he was
been advised three days earlier by agents
Homeland Security agents discovered that
able to free himself and call 9-1-1 for help.
Pigskin
from the Tampa office of the U.S. Depart-
David Rogers had recently visited the Virgin
The victim had severe lacerations
ment of Homeland Security, that a package
Islands, and returned to Florida around the
to his head, neck, arms and legs and lost a
Predictors
sent from the U.S. Virgin Islands to Puerto
same date the package was sent by mail.
tremendous amount of blood. A trauma alert
Rico had been intercepted by authorities in
On July 23, a controlled delivery
was called. University of Florida ShandsCair
14th Year
the commonwealth during a routine inbound
of the packaged coke was made by an un-
responded, and the victim was air-lifted to a
inspection.
On page 8
dercover postal inspector to the Lecanto ad-
local hospital and was taken to the intensive
The originating name and address
Continued on page 3 -Trafficking Charges
Continued on page 4 - Man Attacked