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Local News

  • Business Council discusses revenue

    The Nature Coast Business Development Council discussed generating its own income source, industrial development sites and an offer from Williston to locate in the new city hall in the fall at its March 8 meeting in the College of Central Florida Jack Wilkinson Campus.

    Memberships is an avenue of raising money beyond the amount provided by the county.

    The reason for an additional revenue stream is to give the council more flexibility and while the idea has been discussed for a time, the membership drive was finally kicked off earlier in the year.

    Councilmembers discussed the governor’s Economic Development Fund. The governor included $85 million in the fund for the next fiscal year just as he did in the current fiscal year. Of that amount, only about $35 million have been allocated for grants in this fiscal year so there is still money available. Some communities are gearing up to submit additional applications. It was suggested that NCBDC members think about what the organization can submit to help Levy County and communities to become more competitive to attract jobs and help businesses grow.

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  • McCallum, Edison talk school security

    By Lori Prevatt, Citizen Correspondent

    A public school security meeting at Chiefland Elementary educated about 30 parents on some changes coming to the security measures at the school and possible changes coming in the near future.

    The changes were prompted March 9 when Gov. Rick Scott signed Senate Bill 7026, a 105-page bill addressing school security and safety. The bill was proposed after the Valentine’s Day school shooting at Marjory Douglas Stone high school.

    Sheriff Bobby McCallum addressed the crowd of parents and citizens on the evening of March 16.

    “I don’t think I have been anymore stressed as I am right now for the task set before us. This bill has left the superintendent and I in a very tight spot,” McCallum said. “The bill requires a school resource officer in every school. The sheriffs department works hand in with the police department. They will back up school resource officers. We’ve increased the numbers of patrol officers, so we can pay close attention to our schools,” McCallum said.

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  • Missing Child

    Todd Watson has been located.

    Todd Watson, a 2 year old toddler, wandered from his home earlier today in Rosewood. Law enforcement from the Levy County Sheriff's Office, the Florida Department of Corrections Cross City K-9 and the Citrus County Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit and approximately 150 volunteers searched the wooded area near the child's home located at 9730 SW 67 Street in Rosewood.

    Todd was found safe and is currently being evaluated by EMS.

    The LCSO and Sheriff McCallum want to offer our sincere thanks to all of the volunteers who offered their time and extraordinary efforts to make this a successful community effort.  

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  • Zino is Levy spelling champ

    Courtesy of School Board of Levy County

    Bronson fifth-grader Mina Zino is the Levy County District Spelling Bee Champ. Zino was also recognized in fourth grade for having perfect scores on her FSA Reading and Math, and was recognized in third grade for having a perfect score on her FSA Reading.

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  • Homan greets students after holiday break

    By Lori Prevatt, Citizen Correspondent

    A new principal greeted students when they returned to Chiefland Elementary School in January after the Christmas Holiday.

    Michael Homan, originally from Baltimore, began her career in education as a volunteer, then as a substitute and eventually became an Exceptional Student education teacher at Bronson Elementary where she spent 12 years working her way from ESE teacher, to reading coach and to assistant principal at BES for five years. She in that capacity at CES for one year before moving on to the district office where she served as Title 1 Coordinator for the next four years.

    Homan said some changes she has made is the way teachers do intervention time. Interventions are extra activities used to help students meet specific needs in the areas in which they are academically weak.

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  • Ed. bill has some good, some bad

    By Lori Prevatt, Citizen Correspondent

    Passage of House Education Bill 7055 has been making headlines across the state and country because of the complexity of the 200-page bill, funding going to private charter schools and the requirement that teachers’ unions must have at least 50 percent of teachers in membership to remain intact.

    Gov. Rick Scott signed the bill March 11.

    Levy School Board Superintendent Jeffery Edison stated in email correspondence that, “Normally a bill only has one or two sections, and this bill has 43 sections. You can see that private and charter schools are receiving funding and the bill makes it more difficult for public schools to operate.”

    Levy County School Board member Chris Cowart summed up his concerns due to upcoming changes facing school boards and district superintendents. Cowart was greatly concerned about district superintendents being instead of them being elected by citizens as they are under the current system.

    He also expressed concern over the possibility of school board salaries being decreased.

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  • DOH issues mosquito borne illness alert

    The Florida Department of Health in Levy County issued a mosquito-borne illness alert for Levy County. A case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis has been confirmed in a flock of Emus in the Bronson area and there is a heightened concern that residents could become ill.

    DOH-Levy continues to advise the public to remain diligent in their personal mosquito protection efforts by remembering to “drain and cover.”

    Drain standing water to stop mosquitoes from multiplying.

    •Drain water from garbage cans, house gutters, buckets, pool covers, coolers, toys, flower pots or any other containers where sprinkler or rain water has collected.

    • Discard old tires, drums, bottles, cans, pots and pans, broken appliances and other items that aren’t being used.

    • Empty and clean birdbaths and pet’s water bowls at least once or twice a week

    • Protect boats and vehicles from rain with tarps that don’t accumulate water.

    • Maintain swimming pools in good condition and appropriately chlorinated. Empty plastic swimming pools when not in use.

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  • LCSO to hold school security briefings

    By Lori Prevatt, Citizen Correspondent

    The Levy County Sheriff’s Office is holding a community school security meeting Thursday, March 15, in the Chiefland Elementary School cafeteria at 6:30 p.m.

    The meeting comes after Gov. Rick Scott signed House Bill 7026. The bill, signed March 9 by the governor is also referred to as the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act.

    The bill addresses many concerns that were brought to light by the school shooting that took place Valentine’s Day.

    According to the Florida Senate website, the bill will allow law enforcement officers to seize weapons from mentally ill persons and hold those weapons until those persons have received appropriate treatment.

    Also, the bill calls for placement of extra resource officers, retired law enforcement officers, or school workers that volunteer to carry firearms in the schools solely for the protection of students and staff.

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  • Deputies cleared in shooting

    The Levy County Grand Jury found two Levy County deputies were within their rights to use deadly force on a Chiefland man armed with two knives in November 2017.

    Levy County Sheriff Bobby McCallum said Tuesday morning that “no true bill” was the decision he expected.

    “Based on our initial investigation and review of the information I had, I believed it was justifiable, though I do feel bad for the family,” the sheriff said. “These are three of the most experienced deputies. I know their communications skills in dealing with suspects and knew they had done everything they could do and the shooting was the last option they had. This was the last thing they wanted to do.”

    According to a press release by State Attorney Bill Cervone, deputies responded Nov. 16, 2017, to a domestic dispute and found 34-year-old Michael Goodale armed with two knives.

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  • Honey the Wonder Dog reaches 'end of tour'

    By Deborah Goad
    Citizen Correspondent

    March 2 was a very sad day for many as final goodbyes were said to Honey “the Wonder Dog.”

    Recently celebrating her eighth birthday, Honey's health had been steadily declining and the time had come to release her from her pain.

    Honey was a decorated medical service dog and companion to Michael Gaither for the past eight years.

    She saved his life many times by calling 911 when he'd fall him his wheelchair, barking two times into the receiver, alerting dispatchers to send help. Honey would wake him when he lost his oxygen mask, take him his medication and assist him with daily needs.

    Gaither, who suffers from PTSD, multiple sclerosis and osteoporosis, found his life unbearable before Honey came into it. She gave him the will to live.

    Through Kids for K9's, a program designed to teach children in Levy and Gilchrist County schools the value of all service dogs, Honey touched many children. Visiting hospices and veterans’ programs, Honey gave countless demonstrations showing the benefits of medical service dogs.

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