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1 week ago | 
chronicleonline.com | Michael Bates
Citrus County Commissioner Jeff Kinnard is proposing a six-pronged plan aimed at helping the county manage growth more effectively by partnering with developers to ensure they contribute to needed infrastructure improvements and reduce strain on roads, parks and other public resources.
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1 week ago | 
chronicleonline.com | Michael Bates
As Florida braces for what’s expected to be another active hurricane season starting June 1, sweeping budget and staff cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) could leave local governments — especially in smaller counties like Citrus — struggling to recover when disaster strikes. Citrus County, like many others across the state, depends on FEMA funding to pay for hurricane cleanup — clearing roads, removing storm debris, and covering overtime for first responders.
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1 week ago | 
chronicleonline.com | Michael Bates
At Caliber Car Wash in Citrus County, there’s something missing this May – and it’s not soap or suds. It’s lovebugs. Manager Caroline Powell, said there is a noticeable decrease in the number of bug-splattered windshields and grills this season. “It seems like it’s a little less this year,” Powell said. Typically, lovebug season is a bonanza for Florida car washes.
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1 week ago | 
chronicleonline.com | Michael Bates
Driving down State Road 44 just west of the RaceTrac, you’ll notice the trees are gone and the ground’s been cleared. No, it’s not another gas station or mega car wash — and it’s not even a self-storage facility either. Think bigger. It’s the start of Lecanto Preserve, a major residential and commercial development. Plans include over 930 homes — both single-family and townhomes — plus more than 30 acres of retail space and outparcels.
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1 week ago | 
chronicleonline.com | Michael Bates
In the coming months, county commissioners will face a major reshuffling of government offices to resolve long-standing space issues at the county courthouse. Public Works Director Carlton Hall on Tuesday presented a detailed facilities report to the board, stressing the need to relocate certain offices and modernize aging buildings.
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1 week ago | 
chronicleonline.com | Michael Bates
In the coming months, county commissioners will face a major reshuffling of government offices to resolve long- standing space issues at the county courthouse. Public Works Director Carlton Hall on Tuesday presented a detailed facilities report to the board, stressing the need to relocate certain offices and modernize aging buildings.
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1 week ago | 
chronicleonline.com | Michael Bates
Joe and Kristen Maslak live on a 5-acre equestrian property in Pine Ridge Estates — a place they say is everything they ever wanted in a home. The property is surrounded by trees and wildlife, with a stable for their horses and few passing cars to break the stillness. “Listen, what do you hear?” Joe Maslak asked a reporter. Aside from the chirping of bluebirds and the rustling wind, there was silence. But the Maslaks and others in this horse-friendly community fear that peace may soon be disrupted.
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1 week ago | 
chronicleonline.com | Michael Bates
Citrus County Animal Services received a generous $270,000 donation Tuesday from the estate of Frank and Maria Schiraldi. The donation, left in trust to the department, was officially presented during the County Commission meeting. Russ Varney, a longtime friend and trustee of the Maria R. Schiraldi Trust, delivered the check on behalf of the couple. He was joined by three of Maria Schiraldi’s caregivers: Jenn and Jim Malone and Ena Long.
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1 week ago | 
chronicleonline.com | Michael Bates
Justin Hall, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District 7 secretary, said the urgency over the lack of fill material for the Suncoast Parkway extension has diminished. “I don’t feel the same dire emergency,” Hall told commissioners at their Tuesday meeting. In an earlier email to the county, Hall had stated that FDOT needed 4.5 million cubic yards of fill for the next phase of the project.
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1 week ago | 
chronicleonline.com | Michael Bates
County commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved a settlement agreement with the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD), resolving a three-year dispute over ownership rights at the Chassahowitzka River Campground. The agreement clarifies that the county owns the boat ramp, parking area and access road, while the campground itself remains under the District’s ownership.
