Homosassa River

Friday Meanderings

June 30, 2017 by KTgreen

Here in Old Homosassa, we celebrate our country’s independence a week early.

Gotta say, it’s a good marketing tool. Inverness and Crystal River share the fireworks over the real holiday. Old Homosassa and all of the waterfront bars are ready with a party the weekend before.

The day starts out with a poker run and there are events at just about every waterfront bar and restaurant. Like a tug of war at the Freezer, pie eating and a beer belly contest at MacRae’s, cornhole at Seagrass and a ping-pong twerking contest at Riverside Resort. There’s even a shuttle boat that takes poker run participants to the various places.

Now, I have to say I only witnessed the kids’ pie eating contest. (really wondering how that ping-pong twerking worked out!) But it was freaking hot which required a lot of beer to keep cool. And we had to pace ourselves because my favorite event is the Fireworks Show and there were a lot of hours before that took place.

And it was super. For the first time, we watched the show from a boat on the Homosassa River. Way too much fun.

This weekend the real festivities begin. Saturday is the first day of scalloping season. A lot of fun for those that do the scalloping. And it’s a boon to all of our local businesses.

But the river and our community take a beating.

There’s only a small county lot that offers free parking. That fills up very quickly and then the boaters park their trucks and trailers along the streets, on the sidewalks, even in the retention ditches. Riverside Resort offers a ramp and parking for a price. There are also several neighbors that provide parking for a fee. Some even give a golf cart ride back to the ramp.

But still. Illegal parking. Blocked streets. Trash thrown any old place. Public urination.

The Homosassa Civic Club has innovative ideas to help relieve some of the issues and yesterday met with Sheriff Prendergast, Citrus County’s new sheriff. More work needs to be done but the Civic Club is working with the community, the sheriff, and the area businesses to offer solutions without alienating the tourists.

It will take a while to get everything in place. But…..it will be worth it!

And speaking of our River.

Once again.

Don’t throw your scallop shells in the Homosassa or Crystal Rivers. It’s okay to throw them in the Gulf. But putting them anywhere in the Rivers. They just stay. And they don’t belong there.

Here’s the county sign….

Our local river community groups decided that was too vague and there were not enough signs. So created this version.

This one is in front of Old Homosassa Learning Center. We can only put them on private property. The county supports our ideas but do not support the idea of putting the signs on county land.

And what’s going on with the Learning Center????

A mural by Cindy Ersch, a local artist and lover of our community!

It’s not done.

But.

How about how great this community is!

Right?

The civic club has also invited Tiffany Beck to hold yoga lessons at their facility. $5.00 a session and veterans get a 50% discount. Starting July 8, every Saturday and Wednesday at 10 am. Limited to 30 people.

Have a great weekend and holiday!

Kathy

Friday Meanderings

June 16, 2017 by KTgreen

How cute is Maggie? She actually let me take her photo without a biscuit! We rarely let her off of the leash anymore. Being partially blind and almost completely deaf, she can’t see my hand commands and can’t hear those I shout at her. We rode our bikes down to the Cobia Big Fish Tournament with Maggie in the basket.

SO many boats in every size. All waiting for that 7 am count down and “132 you’re good to go” Seriously, that announcer says that 200 times!

The tournament is a lot of fun even if you don’t fish. BBQ on Saturday and fish fry on Sunday. Plus art, t-shirts, and the OHHC booth! It’s turning into a mini-festival!

It was also the end of the Amazing Race Scavenger Hunt! My friends won 1st and 2nd. And I didn’t give them any clues. Seriously, I didn’t know the answers!

Here’s Melinda and Sue, bloody mary’s in hand, running for the finish line. Doesn’t it look like Melinda will win?

But no, the clue said you had to touch the little water tower. Sue saw it first. Can you see the water tower over Sue’s shoulder. Melinda completely missed it!

The third place winner, Teri Reed, gave half of her winnings back to the OHHC. Melinda told me yesterday that her and Sue gave all their winnings back to the community–with drinks at Old Mill!

If you read my posts on NatureCoaster.com, the following info is not new. (You read it, right? Comes out on Thursday!) Just in case you don’t, I’m giving you a little review…..

Way back in April, two groups from Old Homosassa headed to Tallahassee to show support for adding two bills to the state budget for funding. Both groups, “Access to the River” and “Homosassa River Restoration Project” got bills passed and money in the state budget.

Unfortunately, the governor vetoed the money for the restoration project.

Steve Minguy, president of the Homosassa River Restoration Project, is not giving up. In an email to concerned residents, Steve thanked Senator Simpson and Representative Massullo for their support but the group is not waiting for next year to ask for money from the state. They are staying active. He will be setting up a community meeting plus putting together a brochure. In addition, he is looking for a “good grant writer”.

The “Access to the River” group fared better. $850,000 was put in the budget for what is now being called the Homosassa Heritage Park and that made it past the governor’s veto pen! But much more is needed to buy the property.

As a member of the “Access to the River” committee, I attended Citrus County Board of County Commissioner’s meeting Tuesday (June 13) to find out if the park would receive money from the BP Restore Funds. I’ve attended a few of these meetings and there are several projects seeking that money. That meeting put the park at number two, behind the Crystal River Boardwalk project.

I’m disappointed. The commissioners unanimously voted for Crystal River saying that the boardwalk idea has been discussed for 24 years! The chairperson of our group, Roger Cullen, got up to say that Old Homosassa has been trying to get a park on the river for 70 years.

Anyhow, that’s where we are now. I’ll update you as the park progresses–that’s what I’m here for!

On a lighter note, Terry and I went to lunch before the BOCC meeting in downtown Inverness. We planned on going to Deco Cafe which I’ve wrote about before. Closed! What! That doesn’t leave much on that block. Stumpknockers, Coaches, Subway and Motor City Pasta. We went to the later because that was the only place we hadn’t been yet. Terry and I both had paninis. Very Yummy. Unless something new opens up before our next BOCC visit, we will go there again.

Scallop season is almost on us. Again. The influx of scallopers helps our economy but hurts the river. A typical boater comes in, heads out to the Gulf, snorkels for the scallop, head back to the spring and shuck those scallops. After years and years and years of throwing those shells into the springs, the local community groups have gotten together to stop this activity. Yeah, pick up those scallops but throw the shells in the Gulf. Not our river. After asking the county to step in to help stop this activity, Old Homosassa got this sign at the boat ramp.

That wasn’t good enough for our local residents. They banded together and had these signs made.