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Deborah Russell - Editor/Publisher
A Publication of
Inglis, FL 34449
Wednesday September 12, 2012
Tom Russell - Consulting Editor
Newscaster Publishing
Permit No. 14
Sally Price - Correspondent
visit our website: www.thenewscaster.com
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
Squawk Box
Wounded Warriors
Deserve Special Treatment
With Doug Johnston
What started out
as a conversation between
two old Army buddies
turned into a hog hunting
weekend in the Cross City
area this past weekend for ten Wounded
Warriors who made the trip from Ft. Ben-
ning, Georgia.
Dale Johnston served in the U.S
Army from 1996-1999 as a paratrooper.
He and Josh Watkins formed a friend-
ship that, like many friendships forged in
the armed forces, has endured. Their two
families often vacation together though
Dale left the military and Josh, a native of
West Virginia, is still serving. He is now a
Sergeant E-7 stationed at Fort Benning.
The Wounded Warrior project
was started when several veterans and
friends got together to provide comfort
items to service members returning home
from Afghanistan and Iraq. The project is
The Wings Grief Support Team of Hospice of Citrus County presented “Renewal: A Memorial Service of Hope and Healing To Remember Those
aimed at helping any service member who
We Love” on Wednesday, September 5. The release of white doves commemorated an important milestone of hope that added a special
received a service connected injury on or
touch to the memorial service. The service was held at 3:00 pm at the Beverly Hills Community Church. The goal of the interactive, non-
after September 11, 2001. The project has
denominational service was to provide comfort, peace, hope and healing to grieving family members and friends of departed loved ones while
flourished and now has grown into a com-
honoring the lives of those who are dearly missed.
plete rehabilitative assistance effort for
Man accused of stabbing
Fires Destroy
those Warriors. They also provide retreats
for Wounded Warriors and outings such
as scuba diving, whitewater rafting and
pregnant girlfriend
Two Homes In
mountain climbing. Josh thought it would
be a good gesture to take a few Warriors
from Fort Benning on a hog hunting
From Citrus County Sheriff Dept.
let, Helfer asked her to have sex with him,
Citrus County
trip. The ten Warriors, (five purple heart
and she refused. When she walked out of
The Citrus County Sheriff s Office
awardees) who signed on are currently
the bathroom, the victim told
became involved in a physical disturbance,
stationed at Ft. Benning.
Woman Charged With Arson
deputies, Helfer was standing
Sept. 9, when a person called with a com-
The Bailey Brothers of Cross
A fire was reported to a single-wide
in the bedroom with a large,
plaint, that a man he did not know had tried
City allowed the group to use their prop-
manufactured home located at 10332 S. Mc-
black-handled kitchen knife in
to barge into his home with a knife.
erty and lodge just north of Cross City.
Clung Loop in Homosassa at 6:57 p.m., Sept.
his hand. She asked him, “Are
When deputies arrived, they spoke
Watkins and Johnston then recieved a
8. The Sugarmill Woods station of the Citrus
we going to get into a knife
with a woman who said she is four months
commitment from Dunnellon outdoors-
Sheriff Fire Rescue Division arrived at 7:07
fight over this?” and Helfer
pregnant and had been in a physical con-
men Jack Duley and Wesley Markham
Helfer
p.m. and found the home three-quarters in-
replied, “Yeah, we are,” the
frontation with her boyfriend, Christopher
and Newberry hunters Dane Green and
volved with fire, heavy smoke and roof col-
report stated.
Allen Helfer, 46. Clearly visable, was a
Bobby Gonzalez who gave their time and
lapse. Four other units arrived, including as-
She said that she pulled out a fold-
knife wound to the woman’s shoulder, ap-
equipment and served as guides for the
sistance from the Crystal River station. The
ing pocket knife that she usually carries in
proximately 3 inches long and 2 inches
Continued on page 8 - Squawk Box
crews went into a defensive mode of fire-
her pocket, but did not open it. As she tried
deep, with the shoulder bone exposed. The
fighting, from the outside, due to the heavy
to go past Helfer to get away from him, she
victim stated she’d been living with Helfer,
Inglis, Yankeetown
fire involvement. The fire was under control
said, he lunged at her with the knife and
in Crystal River, for approximately two
at 7:45 p.m., and crews performed extensive
stabbed her in the left shoulder. She dropped
weeks.
Sharing a
overhaul (locating hidden fires) and mop-up
her pocket knife and ran to the Crystal River
She said that she and Helfer began
due to the amount of fire involvement. One
home of the person who had contacted the
Water Supply?
arguing over her getting back together with
vehicle was completely destroyed at the site
sheriff s office. Helfer was pursuing her and
her old boyfriend, and at one point during
Details pg. 11
of the fire, and the home next door, located
tried to enter the complainant’s residence,
the argument, she went to the bathroom to
Continued on page 4 - Fires
relieve herself, and while she was on the toi-
Continued on page 3 -Stabbing