 Tell me if this is weird.
Before going there, a little setup. Now, you know me as a government geek. I pay more attention to government stuff than a normal person should. Some people are bricklayers, some are musicians. I write about the government. Not the sexiest job in the world, but someone has to do it.  Happy Monday! Here’s a little story about hope.
On July 5, 2006, I went to bed convinced I wouldn’t make it through the night. This was it. The end. They’d find me alone in my little cabin, stone dead with an empty whisky bottle nearby. I drank myself into a corner. Ran off from all who loved me. In my fog that night, I reached out to someone I barely knew and asked for help.  Yeah Friday!
Please meet my new best friend. That is Jennifer Aitken behind the counter at the Ferris Groves store, serving up my well-earned strawberry shake freebie. In a county filled with iconic destinations, Ferris Groves stands alone. From its it’ll-never-happen-again parking lot design to its place as THE home for fresh oranges and strawberries, Ferris Groves has not caught up with the times. And we are thankful for that.  OK, enough government geek for the week. It’s Citrus County Fair time.
Thank goodness for the annual county fair. It’s our escape, the chance to slow down and be silly for a little while. The entire community is on display at the county fair, from quilts to tractors. Swine show. Bright midway. And of course, fair food. The fair is vital to my existence. I’ve been told by more than a few people that I’m wound a little tightly on certain subjects, that I tend to rely on self-importance and fail to see the significance of the world around me.  Happy Wednesday! Let’s go government geek big time today.
— Commissioner Jeff Kinnard received the support he requested for a 120-day letter of intent on Pirates Cove. Kinnard essentially has three months to raise $1 million in private donations to buy the 3-acre parcel. Uphill climb doesn’t describe Kinnard’s task. Remember…the appraisals came in at about $1 million. The county’s offer of $900,000 was worse than rejected — owners are asking twice that, or $1.8 million.  This should come as no surprise:
There’s a lot of people living in this county. And a lot more still to come. The County Commission has an 8:30 a.m. workshop today to discuss the “interactive growth model,” a study of what’s coming, where, and when.  Happy Monday! Let’s start the week with two of my favorite subjects:
Pirates Cove. Betz Farm. They are miles apart geographically but linked politically. As one goes, so goes the other.  All is well from Stress Central.
That’s how I think of these Tallahassee visits. Been coming up here for three decades and am still overwhelmed by the intensity of this town during Session. Because I know where NOTHING is, I have but one goal: Wherever I’m headed, get there early. I’ve attended these Citrus County Legislative Days meetings with state higher-ups when someone from our group shows up late and I tell ya…I don’t want to be that late person.  Ah yes, the Tallahassee trip.
That’s today and Thursday when about 120 of our Citrus County leaders head to the state capital to bring home the bacon. Citrus County Legislative Days is the Chamber of Commerce’s big political event of the year. Not only does it attract local elected types, it also has community leaders from all walks. Some are coming to the Capitol for a specific purpose. For others, it’s their first visit.  Happy Tuesday! Three random thoughts while pondering whether the City of Inverness should dye Big Lake Henderson green for St. Paddy’s Day next year:
— No developer takes it on the chin here more than James Dicks. Through his numerous sub-companies, Dix Development and I don’t view life in Citrus County the same way. Dicks wants to develop much of it to make money. Me, I’d like us to slow up a bit. Dicks is the developer holding Betz Farm at bay. Despite the property being cleared of all title issues, we have yet to see Dicks’ grand plans for it. County commissioners seem only interested in the $6 million he plans to fork over once they rubber stamp his project. |
AuthorMike Wright has written about Citrus County government and politics for 37 years. 
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