PAGE 3 - December 23, 2009
The Newscaster/Nature Coast News
Two School Buses Crash, Seven Injured
Stimulus Money At Work For
Ten Citrus Roadhere is federal stimulus money work-  was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol. According toCounty school buses and a car
Projects
A 3-vehicle crash, Dec. 14th, involving two Citrus
the agency, the crash occurred
Regardless of political arguments pro or con,
at 2:40 p.m. on County Road 481, just south of the intersection with county Rd. 486.
ing in Citrus County. The five-mile stretch of Stage Coach Rd between Lecanto Hwy and Rt.
A 2009 school bus driven by Diane Nix (59, Crystal River) was stopped behind
491in the southern part of the county is undergoing a desperately needed face lift. The wid-
traffic. A 2003 Buick driven by Joshua White (age 23, Lecanto) was stopped behind Nix’s
ening and resurfacing project is being funded with approximately $980,000 federal funds
school bus, and another school bus, driven by Bonnie Tucker (51, Lecanto) was coming
and is keeping people working here in Citrus County. According to County Commissioner
up behind the the Buick. The crash report stated that at the time of the press release, these
John Thrumston, Stage Coach Road is only one of several more county road projects slated
circumstances lead to the incident: Tucker was distracted by the communication radio to her
to begin construction in upcoming months. The near unbearably rough surface and narrow,
dispatcher and did not see the stopped traffic; as a result, Tucker struck the rear of the Buick
winding five mile stretch of Stage Coach Rd. being fixed in southern Citrus County. Federal
with the front of her school bus, causing Mr. White’s Buick to leave the road and travel onto
stimulus funding is providing the push to improve infrastructure and encourage local em-
the east shoulder. After the collision with the Buick, Tucker’s bus continued to travel north
ployment across the nation. See photo below, by Mike Moore.
on C.R. 486, and crashed into the rear of the school bus driven by Nix. Both buses came to
rest on C.R. 491, facing north.
According to the FHP, Nix and 3 15 to 16-year-old passengers received minor inju-
ries. Nix and one student was transported to Citrus Memorial Hospital in Inverness for treat-
ment and two students were transported to Seven Rivers Regional Medical Center in Crystal
River for treatment.In the bus driven by Tucker, three were injured, including Tucker who
was was seriously injured and transported to St. Joe’s Hospital. Two students received mi-
nor injuries, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old who were both transported to Citrus Memorial
Hospital for treatment.White received no injuries and had no passengers in his vehicle. All
drivers were wearing seat belts.
Levy  Levy County Sheriffs Office presented its annual Officer of the Year awards
Officer of the Year Awards
The
December 16, 2009 at its Christmas Luncheon. Sheriff Smith states this is always a hard
time of year for him, because he has such a large pool of professional talent that its hard to
focus on the highlights of just one employee.
Law Enforcement Deputy of the year Cpl. Mike Narrayan serves as an investigator
in our Cid unit. He is always a got to officer and willing to except any assignment that comes
his way. Mike constantly clears a lot of big cases while maintain a large case load sets the
example for others to fllow.
Correctional Deputy of the Year is Lisa Mathis. Lisa serves as a correctional of-
ficer, nurse and director of our Medical program. Lisa and her staff continue to excel in their
work despite an ever shrinking budget and doe this without ever reducing the quality of care
A number of federal stimulus road
to our inmates.
repaving projects are being done or about
Administrative Employee of Year Mike West. Mike serves as our IT and 911 direc-
to begin on the west side of the county. The
tor. In the last 6 months he and his team have made “Mission Impossible into Mission Pos-
Citrus County Commission formed a strike
sible”. Mike and his staff have supervised the conversion of our old 911 system to another
force to go after federal stimulus road re-
more cost effective user friendly system.
paving projects and was awarded 10 ini-
Levy County Judge Joe Smith retiring at year’s end
tially. Part of the western portion of Ozello
Judge Joe Smith, Levy County Judge for over 16 years, will retire from his fulltime
Trail where it intersects with U.S. 19 is be-
duties on the bench, Dec. 31st. The Florida supreme Court recently approved Judge Smith’s
ing repaved in one project. Coming soon
status as a senior judge, and he will continue to work part-time as a senior judge in circuit
will be repaving of parts of Ft. Island Trail,
and county court. Judge Smith is known as a fair and honest judge with family values. He
Cardinal Drive, and Halls River Road.
is also a Methodist lay minister and a loyal Florida State Seminoles fan. He also spent one
Shown here at the Ozello repaving project
year teaching at Williston High School. Judge Smith was honored last week with a retire-
are, from left, Commission Chairman Gary
ment party at the Chiefland Elementary School which drew a huge crowd of well wishers
Bartell and Commissioners Dennis Damato
that included nine other Florida judges and his wife, Bobbie.
and Joe Meek.
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