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Deborah Russell - Editor/Publisher
Wednesday May 6, 2009
Inglis, FL 34449
Tom Russell - Consulting Editor
A Publication of
Sally Price - Correspondent
Permit No. 14
Newscaster Publishing
Have a Safe & Happy Mothers Day
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
Squawk Box
With Mike Moore
The only constant:
change.
On the way back
from fighting floods in North-
west Minnesota for the past
month I discovered that
things have changed. Notwithstanding the
glimmer of hope that our economy isn’t go-
ing to melt down into a huge pile of goo, the
other major story is the great ‘almost’ pan-
demic of Swine Flu that has been all the rage
for the past week or so. The changes I notice
are not so much about economic crisis or an
impending epidemic, but rather the way in
which the U.S. Government is releasing in-
formation about such matters.
I made fun of Barack Obama right
here in this column. Not that that is anything
special, I make fun of anyone and everyone
here. At the risk of having to eat some words
however, I will say that I misjudged him. Es-
pecially to the point of his insistence of trans-
parency in public matters; it’s heartwarming
Gene Gresens and Dave Goffard prepare to launch their kayaks on the Waccassa River to check on the Yellow-crowned Night Herons known to be nesting
to actually have the government disseminate
on the creeks of the river. Gresens organizes regular kayak trips to keep a check on the eagle nests in both Citrus and southern Levy County as part of
Arrests Made in SunTrust
copious amounts of accurate information
the Eagle Watch program. Photo by Sally Price
concerning the public welfare; compare that
Two Arrested
new mandate to several prior administrations.
Bank robbery
This change is good.
I’m not talking about the blast fur-
After
nace treatment the Swine flu (H1N1) has been
given by the Big News networks; on the con-
Late Friday afternoon, May 1st, detectives with the Citrus County Sheriff's Office arrested
trary, I’m talking about the systematic release
two men on charges relating to the robbery of the Inverness SunTrust bank located at 408 U.S.
“Terrorizing”
of status updates and public oriented instruc-
Highway 41 S, shortly after 3 p.m., Thursday.
tions on how to minimize the spread of the
Christian Martel, 36, was taken into custody at his Gospel Island, Inverness residence
disease. I haven’t once seen or heard the CDC
located at 7704 E. Allen Dr., after he was identified as the robbery suspect in the surveillance
Couple In
or Health and Human Services social media
photo taken during the robbery. Detectives secured a warrant for his arrest and also executed
outlets hyping the outbreak or otherwise en-
a search warrant at the residence. He faces charges of strong-arm robbery to a banking insti-
gaging in pumping the facts just to stir people
tution. According to the sheriff's office, Martel was cooperative during the interview process
Inglis
up. This is a change that we can live with.
and made a statement to detectives about his actions during the robbery.
Continued on page 4because of our popula-
Here in our area, Squawk Box
A probable cause arrest was also made on Martel’s close friend, Dan Gay, also 36, who
Continued on page 4 - Squawk Box
voluntarily left the Gospel Island residence that he and Martel share to accompany detectives
Adopt A
Inglis-On May 3, 2009
downtown to the Sheriff’s Operations Center where he made a statement to them about driv-
Jason Davis of Inverness
ing the white 2004 four-door Mitsubishi used in the robbery. Gay also faces a charge of strong-
Pet-Page 2
was arrested for robbery,
arm robbery to a banking institution.
possession of controlled
Six employees were in the SunTrust Bank
substance without a pre-
building at the time of the robbery, along with
scription and posses-
three customers, when a lone white male en-
sion of marijuana less
tered the front door of the bank. He handed a
Davis
than grams. Also ar-
note to one of the tellers, demanding cash.
rested was David Fries of
After receiving an undisclosed amount of
Ocala for possession of
money, the man exited the bank on foot and
a controlled substance
circled around to the rear of the building near
without a prescription
a day-care center. No weapon was displayed
and battery.
or alluded to, during the robbery, and no inju-
The victims (hus-
ries were reported.
band & wife) were trav-
The Citrus County Sheriff's Office quickly
eling on Highway 19 and
dispatched ground units, K-9 teams and a he- Christian Martel identified in bank photo
Continued on page 8
Continued on page Bank Robbery
Fries