Today's News

The Nature Coast Business Development Council has set five goals for 2018 to help build a stronger economic foundation for the future.

The goals include completing the economic impact statement for the Inglis whitewater kayaking venue; countywide broadband; investment launch; relaunching the business alliance and establishing a food-related business incubator. Broadband internet and whitewater kayaking were discussed at the meeting Thursday, Jan. 11, at the Jack Wilkinson Campus of the College of Central Florida.

Council Director David Pieklik opened discussion on the economic impact statement for a kayaking project in Inglis. Completion of the EIS by the University of Central Florida is expected in April.

Richard Streeter, of Inglis, said a whitewater course in Inglis would have two advantages over any other similar venue in the country. It would operate year around and the water temperature is very important to Olympic kayaking.

A solid run through its holiday tournament games, punctuated by a win over Providence, gave way to the Chiefland girls’ basketball team’s best week of the season, as it came back from break with convincing wins over Cedar Key and Bell.

The victories set the Lady Indians on a three-game winning streak heading into their Jan. 9 home tilt against Fort White (played after press deadline). It also made them winners of four of their last five, and they hadn’t lost in regulation in seven games.

On Jan. 2, in Cedar Key, the Lady Sharks knotted things up with CMHS at 19-19 with two minutes remaining in the half on a long 2 by Makalynn Bowling. Chiefland, though, responded with a long Colby Reed bucket and a bank shot from J’Mia McNeil to go up 24-19 for the break.

The Lady Indians never surrendered their advantage for the remainder, as they clung narrowly to their lead in the third before establishing some breathing space in the final frame behind a combined 15 points from Sierra Norris and Courtney Hayes.

Cedar Key’s Workout on the Waterfront (WoW) is an exciting day packed full

of fun and active events, scheduled this year for Feb. 24.

The WoW event aims to raise awareness about plastic pollution along our coasts.

Proceeds from the 2018 races and silent auction will benefit the public aquarium at NCBS, Cedar Key School and the annual Cedar Key International Coastal Cleanup.

WoW events include the Coastal Heritage 5K with runners of all ages following a route winding through downtown Cedar Key and along the historic waterfront. Race starts 9 a.m. at Lil Shark Park, 192 Second Street. Register at Active.com in advance or on race day at 6:30 a.m. Runner check-in begins at 6:30 a.m.

Astena Otie Kayak Challenge is for kayakers ages 18 and above. It will start at the beach in downtown Cedar Key at 10:15 a.m. The course runs around and through Astena Otie Key and back to the City Park beach. Racers must pick up at least one item of garbage from Atsena Otie’s shoreline before racing back to City Park. Register at Active.com in advance or day of race at 6:30 a.m.

A complaint of guns fired within the city limits set off a heated discussion Monday evening at the Chiefland City Commission meeting.

Shannon Iglesias said she was at a city park with her three children and her fiancé on the afternoon of Dec. 31 and heard a bullet whiz above her head. She told commissioners she called the 9-1-1. Emergency operators dispatched the Chiefland Police to the scene, “but they didn’t really investigate it.”

She said Capt. Ray Tremblay advised her to attend the commission meeting and advise commissioners of a 2015 law prohibiting recreational shooting firearms in a primarily residential neighborhood with more than one dwelling place per unit acre.

Iglesias said she believed the law was being misconstrued and is of the opinion that the law was supposed to be used as a residential unit as a whole as opposed to looking at a 10-acre parcel separately.

“I’m concerned about my children. The FFA property is next door. My children go out there to feed the animals. They’re shooting and bullets are coming across the street to the park,” she said.