THE NEWSCASTER PRESORTED

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Deborah Russell - Editor/Publisher Paid
Tom Russell - Consulting Editor A Publication of Inglis, FL 34449
Sally Price - Correspondent Wednesday February 9, 2011 Newscaster Publishing Permit No. 14
Mike Moore - Photojournalist
.

Squawk Box
Unemployment  rate for Citrus,
Levy, Marion dips below 14%
  Workforce
From CLM
January's release of unemploy-
ment data for Citrus, Levy and Marion
counties from the Florida Agency for
(AWI) indicated joblessness dropped un-
der 14 percent in the Workforce Connec-
tion three-county region for December
2010.
  Workforce Connection’s region
posted a 13.6 percent unemployment rate,
down 0.7 percent since November and
down 0.5 percent over the year.
  Rusty Skinner, chief executive
office for Workforce Connection, said that
the region experienced a mixed-bag of in-
dicators.
    “We’re up and down, up and
down … We’re not fostering the type of
job growth need to begin to pull us out or
continue a trend to reduce the numbers of
unemployed.”
  Skinner noted that the “one bright
spot is that our overall unemployment is
better than we were a year ago.”
  Marion County’s unemployment
rate for December is 14 percent, a drop of
0.7 percent since November and 0.4 per-
cent lower than December 2009. However,
the Ocala MSA now has the second-high-
est unemployment rate in the state, though Emergency Services from Citrus and Levy County responded to a car/motorcycle wreck between the Withlacoochee River and the Barge Canal
well behind Palm Coast with 15.7 percent. Saturday where Hwy 19 narrows from four lanes into two lanes and the new bridge is being constructed. Many wrecks have occurred in this
The Ocala MSA also tied with Jackson- area over the years and hopefully the four lane highway and new bridge will end this. Newscaster Photo
ville with the third highest number of job
losses, losing 1,500 jobs over the year. Robber Hits Motorcyclists seriously injured
in Inglis car/cycle crash
  According to Becky Rust, AWI’s
head of Labor Market Statistics, the metro
areas with the highest unemployment rates
are due to “continued weakness in con-
RaceTrac
From Florida Hwy Patrol overturn and eject both Nelson and Green-
struction.” Rust said Ocala also experienc-
es long-term declines in the finance sector.
  Statewide, Rust noted that bar-
Convenience A car/motorcycle crash in Inglis
at 1:10 Sunday afternoon, Feb. 6, resulted
wall.
The report stated that Hagmann
riers to jobs recovery continue to include
such factors tight credit conditions and Store in in minor injuries to the driver of the car
and serious injuries to the two motorcyclists.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol,
was charged with failing to yield right-of-
way, and she was wearing a seatbelt, but
neither Nelson or Greenwell were wearing
frugal consumer spending, business cost-
cutting and weak demand, less worker mo- The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office Joan Hagmann, 68, Eaton, N.Y. was driving helmets, and no alcohol was involved in the
bility due to the poor housing market and (CCSO) is seeking information regarding a 2000 Dodge Intrepid, traveling south on crash.
higher worker productivity due to technol- an armed robbery that took place in Crystal U.S. Hwy. 19, approaching W. Foss Grove Emergency Medical Services from
ogy. River, just before 3:25 a.m. on Friday, Feb. Path, while Paul Nelson, 60, Crystal River, Citrus and Levy counties responded to the
  Rust also said that longer spells 4, at the RaceTrac gas station located at 1001 was driving a 1989 Harley Davidson motor- scene. Hagmann received minor injuries, but
of unemployment make reemployment N.E. 5th St. and Hwy. 44. cycle, traveling north on U.S. Hwy. 19 with Nelson and Greenwell received serious inju-
more difficult, adding a new phenomena of The two female clerks told deputies his passenger Donna Greenwell, 59, also of ries and were transported to Shands Hospital
employers advertising jobs open to those that a lone white male had entered the store, Crystal River. at the University of Florida Medical Center
who are already employed. wielding a firearm and demanding cash. The report stated that Hagmann in Gainesville. Nelson was transported out,
  Out of a regional labor force of They handed him an undetermined amount failed to notice the motorcycle approach and first, by Shand’s helicopter, and about twen-
204,744 – which is 1,332 fewer than No- of money, then the man fled from the store, attempted to make a left (east) turn onto W. ty minutes later, a helicopter from Bayflite
vember – there were  27,909 without jobs possibly heading west. No shots were fired, Foss Grove Path, directly in the path of the landed in the field by Food Ranch and trans-
and neither of the clerks was injured. The motorcycle. The motorcycle struck the right ported Greenwell.
Continued on page 3 - Squawk Box Continued on page 4 -Robbery side of the car, causing the motorcycle to Continued on page 3 -Motorcycle Crash