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Deborah Russell - Editor/Publisher
Wednesday December 31, 2008
Inglis, FL 34449
Tom Russell - Consulting Editor
A Publication of
Permit No. 14
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
Have A Safe & Happy New Year!
Newscaster Publishing
Sally Price Correspondent
Squawk Box
With Doug Johnston
Ringing in the New Year
whether you want to or
not
There are different ways of
celebrating the New Year over
our great land. In New York City
thousands turn out at Times Square to see
the giant ball drop at midnight. In Atlanta they
drop the peach at the stroke of twelve. I was
actually there four years ago and attended
that event. I was not impressed. Of course it
was past my bedtime so I was just a little
cranky. And the best of all is in a small town in
North Carolina where they actually drop a
possum as the clock ticks in the New Year. I
wouldn't have believed that one but, my good
friend Whitey Price swears it is true and even
attended the Possum Drop the same year I
was watching the Peach Drop. I don't know if
that tradition brings good fortune to the
people watching but, I feel certain it is not a
good thing for the opossum that is used in
that ritual.
Our New Years eating traditions also
vary from region to region. In the south it is a
must to eat black-eyed peas cooked with hog
jowls on New Years day or a year of not-so-
good luck will follow. My West Virginia/Penn-
“Hiyaking” Florida - Jodi Eller and Matt Keene make a stop on the Withlacoochee River near Inglis-Yankeetown before preparing to set off
sylvania wife insists that Kielbasa cooked in
for Pensacola. The couple has been kayaking the last of the Florida Circumnavigational Salt Water Paddling Trail. Jodi and Matt left Ft. Clinch
sauerkraut holds the key to good luck on New
north of Jacksonville September 15. Full Story on page 4. Photo by Sally Price
Years Day and many others from the northern
Progress Energy selects potential
part of the country say that pickled herring is
Inverness
the good luck food to be eaten on the first
day of the year.
routes for transmission lines
youth charged
With the exception of our New Years
Eve in Atlanta which we attended because
From Progress Energy Florida
chase new rights of way.
we were there for a football game anyway, my
with stealing
"Because we're largely following the
Continued on page 4 - Squawk Box
ST. PETERSBURG - After an intensive study,
path of an existing transmission line, we will
Adopt A
Progress Energy Florida has identified poten-
be able to minimize the impacts on the com-
go carts
tial routes for new transmission lines through
munity and environment from the line than
Pet
Levy, Citrus and Hernando counties that
runs from the proposed Levy plant to the
An Inverness youth was arrested by
largely follows the path of existing lines. The
Brooksville West substation in Hernando
the Citrus County Sheriff's Office, Dec. 23, in
company will hold open houses early next
County," said Jeff Lyash, president and CEO
Page 2
relation to an incident that took place on Nov.
month to gather feedback from the commu-
of Progress Energy Florida. "We have actively
30. According to the arrest report, a complaint
nity.
solicited community input about this project,
was filed with the Sheriff's Office, Nov. 30,
The transmission lines needed from
and, overwhelmingly, people suggested we
when a man heard go carts driving up and
the proposed Levy plant in Levy County to
locate the new lines along existing lines wher-
down the road in front of his residence. He
the Brooksville West substation in Hernando
ever possible. We listened to that feedback."
watched as two males rode off on bicycles,
County will be about 40 miles of 230- and 500-
Working with the Community Partnership for
then noticed two go carts on his property that
kilovolt (kV) transmission lines that will largely
Energy Planning, the company will hold in-
had "Citrus County Shriner's Club" embla-
follow the path of an existing 115-kV line in
formational meetings, which will follow an in-
zoned on their sides.
Citrus and Hernando counties. In Levy and
formal open-house format, allowing people to
After being processed for evidence,
northern Citrus counties, new rights of way
attend as their schedule permits. Representa-
the go carts were returned to the Shriner's
will be needed. In some limited areas of
tives will provide information on the poten-
Club. On Dec. 17, a fingerprint recovered from
Hernando County, northwest of the
tial corridors, including aerial photographs,
the front visor of the go cart was matched to
Brookridge substation, the company may
estimated timeline, the need for the lines and
need to widen its existing right of way or pur-
Continued on page 4 - Go-Carts Recovered
Continued on page 3 - Transmission Lines