THE NEWSCASTER
THE NEWSCASTER
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Deborah Russell - Editor/Publisher
A Publication of
Wednesday August 7, 2013
Inglis, FL 34449
Tom Russell - Consulting Editor
Newscaster Publishing
Permit No. 14
Sally Price - Correspondent
Please visit our website: thenewscaster.com
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
Squawk Box
What's Legal May
Not Be Fair
By Tom Russell, Newscaster Editor
The town of Inglis is apparently,
after much talk about using Levy County
fire services for it s fire protection has de-
cided to go it alone and stay with its own
fire department. No official vote has taken
place, and according to Mayor Glenda
Kirkland no contract from the county has
shown up.
Some Inglis taxpayers have taken
exception with the way the Inglis com-
mission raised their fire taxes and ques-
tionable notification of a special meeting
August 1st. The meeting was called to set
the maximum Fire Equivalent Unit (ERU)
rate for the 2013-2014 Fire Special As-
sessment. The commission vote would
set what the rate would be for this year s
tax notice. The Levy County Property Ap-
praiser needed the ERU to include in the
county s TRIM notice that is nearing the
deadline. If not provided on time the town
could be “on the hook” for expenses to no-
A new building for Jessie’s Place - The Citrus County Children’s Advocacy Center opend a new building Thursday, August 1, 2013 with a ribbon
tify taxpayers itself.
cutting ceremony. Ruth Lunsford, grandmother of Jessica Lunsford, sheriff Jeff Dawsy, County commissioner JJ Kenney and others look on.
Mayor Kirkland said someone
The new facility is located at 1410 South Lecanto Hwy, Beverly Hills. Jessie’s Place opened the doors to the first facility in the spring of 2008
“forgot” to put the item on the next agenda
thanks to the generosity of local businessman and real estate broker C.J. Dixon. During those five years, services have expanded and outgrown
such as the special meeting of July 25th.
the current location. Continued on page 2 Jessie's Place.
The item was actually tabled from a previ-
Emaciated horse euthanized,
Duke Energy
ous meeting. Since fire rates are controver-
sial, this should be an embarrassing excuse
for not notifying the public of the meeting
owner charged with animal cruelty
Cancels
in a timely manner. Four people showed
up at the August 1st meeting while your
From Citrus County Sheriff Dept.
commission voted 3-1 to increase your
had been losing weight over the
Levy Nukes
rate from $29.69 per household (ERU).
Tammi Walsh Kampman, 43, 9761
past year, but she didn t know
The sunshine law says 3 days notification
S. Arabian Ave., Floral City, was arrested by
why. She said she had tried
on the town s bulletin board for special
the Citrus County Sheriff s Office, Aug. 1,
several methods to help Mary
In a letter to Duke Energy employ-
meetings. Emergency meetings are as lit-
charged with animal cruelty, a first-degree
gain weight and improve, but
ees Thursday, it was announced the compa-
tle as 24 hours. Clerk Sally McCranie told
misdemeanor. The arrest affidavit stated that
none had worked, that friends Kampman
ny would exit contracts committed to build-
commissioner Price that the language had
Kampman had failed to provide adequate
with knowledge of equine care
ing two nuclear plants at a Levy County site
been changed to “reasonable”. Reasonable
nourishment and/or medical care to an ill
had come over, and none of their suggested
north of Inglis. “Duke Energy is announcing
may be legal, but is it fair to the public?
horse which resulted in the horse having to
treatments had worked, either. She said her
today that we are exiting the Engineering,
We were told the notice was
be euthanized.
friends had told her that Mary was an old
Procurement and Construction (EPC) con-
posted on the town s bulletin board and
The animal cruelty was reported to
Arabian horse, and the breed looks malnour-
tract with Westinghouse CBI (previously
website. The Florida legislature in its most
the Citrus County Animal Control Services
ished as they age. She said, over the last few
Shaw) Consortium for the proposed Levy
recent session has clearly said websites are
and Sheriff s Office. The animal control of-
months, her horse s condition had steadily
Nuclear Plant. This announcement is part
not a legal way for meeting notification
ficer who arrived to check on the animal im-
deteriorated.
of an amended settlement agreement filed
because 50% of the population doesn t
mediately contacted a veterinarian to check
A relative of Kampman, a witness,
with the Florida Public Service Commission
have a computer and the percentage is
the horse, whose name was Mary. Mary
stated that the horse had been losing weight
(FPSC) that provides long-term clarity for
even higher for persons over the age of 60.
was emaciated, with her bones clearly vis-
for some time now, approximately a year.
Florida customers, the company and other
Newspapers are used by law for regular
ible. “Her hooves were unkempt and clearly
The relative said that Kampman had tried
key stakeholders.”
meetings.
had not been trimmed or cared for in a long
different horse feeds to encourage the horse
Blomberg Businessweek reported
Inglis citizen Patricia Tully told
time,” according to Kampman s arrest affi-
to gain weight, but they had not worked.
Thursday: “Duke Energy Corp. will halt
the commission at the August 1st meeting,
davit.
Upon questioning, the witness said the only
plans to build a new nuclear plant in Florida
“the only thing on the town bulletin board
After Mary was euthanized due to
knowledge she had about horses was how to
Continued on page 3 - Duke Energy
Continued on page 8 - Squawk Box
her condition, Kampman said that the horse
Continued on page 4 - Animal Cruelty