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Volunteers restore plants on islands

Dave Clark places a Panicum amarum in the ground of the dunes on Cedar Key Beach on April 24.

Story and Photos By Jeff M. Hardison © April 25, 2026 at 3:15 p.m.
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     CEDAR KEY -- ReCedar Key is a 509(a)(2) grassroots coastal community dedicated to conserving and restoring the Cedar Keys ecosystem. The organization is incorporated as ReCedar Key Inc., which was registered on April 21, 2025, and is located in Cedar Key, according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

     Beyond that IRS business perspective, the vision of this group is to restore the natural vegetation to the island of Cedar Key and the neighboring islands after the islands suffered plant loss from Hurricane Helene and other weather events.
     Dr. David G. “Dave” Clark, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) professor, and Pat Bonish, a Cedar Key businessman, happened to be the two volunteers with this group who were planting native plants on Friday morning (April 24). That is when a journalist, who had planned to take a break from work, happened to see them in action. The best laid plans of some men occasionally go astray.
     A few minutes later, the duo of volunteers answered the publisher’s questions and provided photo opportunities to help the world understand about this recovery mission that came to be after that natural disaster swept through Florida and elsewhere. Hurricane Helene, which struck in late September of 2024, has been recorded as one of the deadliest and most destructive hurricanes to hit the United States in decades.
     Professor Clark, working as a volunteer rather than in his UF/IFAS professorial capacity, was planting “panic grass” to add to the sand dunes of Cedar Key Beach, which is next to the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent to the city park of Cedar Key.
     Panic grass is a diverse, large genus (Panicum and related Dichanthelium) of native annual or perennial bunchgrasses often found in temperate and tropical regions. The particular plants placed on Friday are Panicum amarum, commonly known as bitter panicum or bitter beachgrass. It is a native, perennial, rhizomatous, warm-season grass known for its high salt and drought tolerance. Primarily found in sandy coastal dunes along the coasts of the eastern United States and coasts of the United States next to the Gulf of Mexico, it is essential for dune stabilization and coastal erosion control, according to various sources, according to various scientific journals. 


Dave Clark holds a Panicum amarum and shows its root ball, and those roots will reach down to find water in the sandy soil. Notice the grassy bushes in the left of the photo. They are this type of plant that are one year old.


Pat Bonish and Dave Clark stand with a row of native plants behind them, which were planted a year ago and are thriving – having made it through a winter with a few days of subfreezing temperatures and not showing any impact from the drought because they get their water from what is available as a result of being on the coast next to the Gulf of Mexico.


Some of the 60 ‘panic grass’ plants are easily seen after growing for a year on the dunes of the beach at Cedar Key. 


In the middle of the three thriving plants seen here are four ‘control’ plants that were planted using a method that is older than the currently accepted best planting process for these plants. The hypothesis that the older method would be less effective than the newer method proved to be true, as shown here.

     Dr. Clark, when he is not volunteering to put plants in the ground to help future generations, earns money as a professor of horticultural biotechnology and genetics in the UF/IFAS Environmental Horticulture Department. He joined the UF/IFAS faculty in June of 1995, and has an extensive curriculum vitae, which includes being extremely well-published and having a significant amount of plant patents and trademarks.
     Bonish, Clark notes, is the singular spark leading to the initiation of ReCedar Key Inc.
     In the one year and four months of activity – yes, they started before incorporation as a non-profit organization -- they have planted 18,000 native plants, including 5,000 cedar plants that are potentially destined to become seed-producing trees generations after this mission began.
     This monumental success of thousands of plants on islands is not just from Bonish and Clark. They have volunteers galore. The goal of restoring native plants to Cedar Key and its neighboring barrier islands appears to be like a magnet to draw out humanitarian behavior. They have seen support from boaters who transport plants and people for fair prices.
    Bonish, who owns and operates Bonish Studio / The Thirst Emporium at 582 Second St. in downtown Cedar Key, said one of his bartenders heard about the group of volunteers boating out to islands and planting native plants for restoration and to reduce erosion. The young man asked why he was not invited to volunteer. Ever since, he has been among the many people who are welcome to help in this effort, Bonish said.
     Bonish and his wife Cindy are the owners and operators of this combined venue on Second Street that features an art studio/gift shop and a bar specializing in bourbons, ryes, tequilas and local craft beers. And he is a leader in the native plant efforts for the nearby barrier islands.
     Clark said that he is glad to see not only so many volunteers, from 17 to 70 years old, but the nonprofit organization has not had to beg for help monetarily so far. He said rather than “this,” as he held his hand with the palm upward (indicating please put money in it), ReCedar Key Inc. is putting organizational metaphoric hand out like “that” -- in a handshake motion.
     Clark said the 60 Panicum amarum plants on the Cedar Key dunes a year ago have a 100 percent survival rate. Not only that, he said, but the “control” version in this experiment, which were planted using the “old method” lived but they are not thriving. Clark is pleased with the plants’ progress near the beach. He said they are hearty and have never had one drop of irrigation required.
     These plants thrive by putting their roots down through the beach sand, and they are able to use the Gulf water, despite its salinity, he said. These plants hold the beach from future erosion, he said.
     When Clark first started speaking about planting native species on the islands, he mentioned that after Hurricane Helene, he and volunteers recovered 5,000 old growth cedar seeds. Old growth cedar seeds are reproductive units harvested from mature cedar trees, often older than 400 years old, used for propagation or for planting “legacy” trees.
     Cedar Key is named after the dense forests of eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) that once blanketed this barrier island and its neighboring island. These islands, according to the City of Cedar Key, were originally dubbed “Las Islas Sabines” (Spanish for “The Cedar Islands”) on a 1542 Spanish map due to the abundance of these trees, city scholars have noted. The area later became a hub for pencil manufacturing in the 19th century because of the tree’s soft, aromatic wood, as noted in several historic journals.
     Clark is off right now from his active teaching duties because he teaches for nine months and has three months off nowadays. Nonetheless, he teaches about plants casually, and perhaps unknowingly, while collaborating with the people involved with the ReCedar Key group’s projects as well as when interacting with curious passersby during a planting session.

Operation Green Light announced and
Water Conservation Month and proclaimed

Levy County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller Matt Brooks reads about Operation Green Light as Deputy County Clerk Jennifer Watkins joins him at the table during the April 21 Levy County Commission meeting.

Story and Photos By Jeff M. Hardison © April 24, 2026 at 4 p.m.
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     BRONSON – People attending the April 21 meeting of the Gilchrist County Board of County Commissioners heard about Operation Green Light by some Florida court clerks and comptrollers, as well as to learn that April is Water Conservation Month.

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     Both announcements were a bit past there useful dates, although not completely.
     Levy County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller Matt Brooks said his office is among the many Florida’s court clerks and comptrollers that are providing customers with an opportunity to pay overdue court-ordered obligations, while saving from having to pay certain additional fees. Operation Green Light helps customers save money and get back on the road. For drivers who have a suspended license and outstanding fines, Operation Green Light could have been their ticket to legally getting back behind the wheel.
     In Levy County, this deal was from April 13 to 17, and from April 20 to 24. Participants could have taken care of business in this county in-person, virtually online, or virtually by phone.


As part of the recognition in Levy County of April as being Water Conservation Month, the County Commission members and a representative from the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) paused for a photo opportunity with the proclamation. Seen here (from left) are County Commissioner Johnny Hiers, Commission Vice Chairman Charlie Kennedy, Chairman Tim Hodge, SRWMD Communications Supervisor Carrieann Adkins, and county commisisoners Desiree Mills and Rock Meeks.

     In addition to that informational item about Project Green Light on that Tuesday morning, the County Commission approved a proclamation to note that Levy County recognizes April of 2026 as Water Conservation Month.
     The proclamation notes: 
     ● water is one of our most valuable natural resources and is essential to the health, wellbeing, and economic vitality of our community; and 
     ● The State of Florida, Water Management Districts and Levy County continue to work together to raise awareness about the importance of protecting and conserving our water resources; and  
     ● Levy County and the State of Florida have designated April, typically one of the driest months of the year and a time when water demands are highest, as Florida’s Water Conservation Month to encourage citizens to use water wisely; and  
     ● Levy County supports water conservation through community education, outreach efforts, and partnerships that promote responsible water use and stewardship of our natural resources; and 
     ● conserving water helps protect Florida’s rivers, springs, lakes, and groundwater supplies while supporting a strong environment and sustainable economy; and  
     ● outdoor irrigation accounts for a significant portion of water use and improving irrigation efficiency can greatly reduce unnecessary water consumption. 
     And as a result of those facts the Levy County Board of County Commissioners proclaim by a 5-0 vote that the month of April 2026 is Water Conservation Month in Levy County.

People adamantly oppose
treated water importation - so far

Gilchrist County Administrator Bobby Crosby (foreground) and Gilchrist County Attorney David Miller ‘Duke’ Lang Jr. look at the County Commission members who discussed, to some degree, a plan for a pipeline from Jacksonville to some part of the Suwannee River Water Management District, where 40 million gallons a day of water reclaimed from wastewater would be pumped. People told the commissioners they oppose this. The commission had considered sending a letter to oppose it, but as what seemed to be intimated at the April 20 meeting, they want more input before voicing an opinion against it.

Story and Photos By Jeff M. Hardison © April 22, 2026 at 12 p.m.
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     TRENTON – If it were a night meeting, the people probably would have been carrying torches.
     A room full of Gilchrist County residents and visitors showed up in force Monday for the regular twice-monthly meeting of the Gilchrist County Board of County Commissioners. Gilchrist County Administrator Bobby Crosby and Gilchrist County Attorney David Miller “Duke” Lang Jr. spoke with the County Commission members about a plan for a pipeline from Jacksonville to some part of the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD), where 40 million gallons a day of water reclaimed from wastewater would be pumped. 
     People told the commissioners they oppose this. The commission had considered sending a letter to oppose it, but as what seemed to be intimated at the April 20 meeting by those five commissioners, they want more input before voicing an opinion against it.
     The people saw some sort of notice about the County Commission potentially voting to accept or reject “Resolution 2026-14,” and the dominant feeling expressed in the first hour of the multi-hour meeting was to accept the resolution.
     The North Central Florida Regional Planning Council’s (NCFRPC) “Resolution 2026-14” opposes the Water First North Florida Aquifer Recharge Project, and the NCFRPC recommends the implementation of the alternative water desalinization project instead.
     As usual, this twice monthly meeting started at 4 p.m., although it was a few minutes late for the start due to a workshop immediately beforehand.


On one wall of the County Commission Meeting Room in Trenton, this framed statement is visible. It states, ‘Gilchrist County Vision Statement – Our Vision for Gilchrist County in 2030 is rural communities working in harmony to provide opportunities for all its citizens through balanced growth and enhanced education, while preserving out proud heritage, natural resources, and agriculture.’

     The members of the Gilchrist County Board of County Commissioners are Chairman Darrell Smith, Vice Chairman William “Bill” Martin, and commissioners Sharon A. Langford, Tommy Langford and Kenrick Thomas.
     Chairman Smith opened that part of the regular twice-monthly meeting by noting they planned to discuss this matter. Smith said he has spent his entire life in this part of Florida. 
     Opening the discussion, he said that water is critical to all people.
     Whether a person agrees or disagrees with this proposed project of piping millions of gallons of reclaimed wastewater from Jacksonville to the SRWMD, Smith said the County Commission wants to hear from the constituents.
     Commissioner Sharon Langford had mentioned she had received several calls from people who wanted to attend a meeting later – for instance, starting at 6:30 p.m., because they could not be in the meeting due to them working too far away. She added that she had numerous emails that she did not even have time to read before the start of the 4 p.m. meeting that Monday.
     Crosby said the NCFRPC’s resolution to oppose the project was more of a “for your information” matter than for those five county leaders to vote upon.
     Then, Crosby recommended the County Commission schedule another meeting with perhaps a place with bigger seating capacity and starting later in the day, and with this matter being the singular issue for discussion. As of the conclusion of that April 21 meeting, there was no specific date, time and place for a meeting on this issue alone.
     Crosby said he had received several emails, too, from people who could not attend the regular County Commission meeting since it started at 4 p.m. He suggested the County Commission schedule a meeting for 60 days from then to give people enough notice about the County Commission hearing from the people about the meeting.
     Farmers mentioned the season was not right for them to attend at 4 p.m. on Monday, Crosby said. The SRWMD might want to send more staff beyond the one man who was there that evening, Crosby said.
     It was then that the people heard there was no resolution the county wanted to endorse. The NFRPC resolution was just an example.
     Crosby said that people who did make it to this meeting will have a chance to speak, adding that if anyone present that night would keep their comments until the bigger meeting, then that would be greatly appreciated.
     County Attorney Lang said NCFRPC Executive Director Scott R. Koons had requested that all cities and counties in this part of Florida see the resolution that Council adopted. Lang later mentioned to the crowd that the NCFRPC had sent copies of this resolution opposing the plan to pump reclaimed water to this part of Florida from Jacksonville to – Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Dunedin), Florida Senate President Ben Albritton (R-Wauchula), and Florida Speaker of the House Daniel Perez (R-Miami).
     Lang said Crosby makes a good point so that all of the parties who have an interest in this topic should enjoy the same opportunity to express themselves, and so a bigger venue with more public notice and with this being the singular topic is a good idea.
     Smith said at the outset that he would not endorse the Gilchrist County Commission creating a resolution opposing this possible pipeline until all of the facts were clearly understood as to the possible benefits as well as the potential liabilities from pumping millions of gallons of treated freshwater from one side of the state to the area that includes Gilchrist County.
     A spokesman for the SRWMD said the district was very much in the “research phase” of the project, which is in conjunction with the Saint Johns Water Management District (SJWMD). There is no date yet for groundbreaking of the project, he said. The plan relates to a minimum flow level recovery project that is being considered because Jacksonville is pulling so much fresh water that it is impacting the SRWMD.
     When the County Commission started listening to people, they heard every speaker objecting to the proposal.
     Lang asked the SRWMD representative about the long-term effects from chemicals used on wastewater to make it be defined as reclaimed enough for consumption. There was no clear answer to that question.
     He then asked if the SRWMD had made a presentation to the NCFRPC, because that group produced a strong resolution opposing this project and favoring desalination by March 26.
     Vice Chairman Martin said that as of April 20, he cannot say whether he is in favor of the plan or against it.
     “I’ll tell you what I am for,” he said. 
     He endorses agricultural interests in Gilchrist County being able to farm 20 years from now, Martin said. He is not in favor of having wastewater that is not suitable to drink to be pumped into Gilchrist County. Martin plans to look at the scientific research to back the proposal, and unless it is water that can be safely consumed by humans, he does not want it piped into this water management system.
     Commissioner Sharon Langford said she has not seen enough facts yet. One scientist, she added, has reportedly said that whatever prescription medicine that is in the wastewater will not be able to be filtered out or neutralized. If that is true, then it is something to consider by whoever determines if the project may proceed.
     As best as can be understood from the meeting on Monday, Gilchrist County and others in the SRWMD will have a chance to provide their opinions on the project, but the SRWMD.
     One woman suggested contacting a United States House of Representatives member. This is a state matter, though.
     Commissioner Tommy Langford asked if this is going to be water that is fit for humans to drink, then why doesn’t Jacksonville just keep it? The answer relates to the point of trying to keep the acquirer that serves the SRWMD at a level considered to be the minimal level to support humans in this district. One method to reach that goal is this piped-in method. Another way would be to use desalination plants. Those desalination operations are expensive, and they create a byproduct from removing salt and other parts from seawater to make freshwater. Then, the question becomes where does that byproduct get deposited?
     Tommy Langford said the SRWMD is the “water police” and “They are going to do something.”
     All five Florida water management districts (WMDs) are not fully independent from the Florida Legislature. While they are regionally managed and autonomous in daily operations, they are established by the Legislature, supervised by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and have governing boards appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Florida Senate.
     Therefore, they are independent regional entities with taxing power but operate within the legal and regulatory framework established by the state legislature and the executive branch.
     During his comments, Langford said reclaimed water is not wastewater. It is water that is reclaimed from wastewater.
     People who spoke to the County Commission from the lectern during the first hour of this first session of discussions with them were against the project.
     One farmer said he grows peppers in Gilchrist County, and he sends peppers all over the United States. If the peppers are using water that is not accepted for use on produce sold in those other states, then he sees a potential loss of customers.
      One woman said that 40 million gallons a day, in one year – not including a leap year that adds a day – equals 14,600,000,000 gallons in one year. She reminded the county commissioners that Gilchrist County has a strong economic draw of tourists from its many springs, and this county has an extraordinarily strong economic engine from agricultural pursuits as well. She said many coastal places use desalination. Why can’t Jacksonville use that method for its freshwater?
     Among the most outspoken against it was Ray Rauscher, an 82-year-old Gilchrist County resident who has been in the area for more than 25 years now. He said that Jacksonville’s “greedy politicians” have created “this monster.” Rauscher said he does not want to drink “urine water.”
     Rauscher said he feels the Gilchrist County Commission is just being a bunch of politicians by not deciding now like the NCFRPC to oppose this project of piping 40 million gallons of reclaimed water from Jacksonville into the SRWMD.
     As noted, the Gilchrist County Commission did not set a date, time and place yet for the next hearing on this issue; and the SRWMD may not be completely independent, but it does not appear to be answerable to a county commission or a regional planning council.

Residential development
seems destined for Chiefland
84 singlewide mobile homes
planned on 10 acres in Chiefland
Park models increase is
tentatively approved for RV resort
Story and Photos By Jeff M. Hardison © April 15, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.
(except one photo)
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     CHIEFLAND – Three separate development actions appear to be bound to impact Chiefland at different levels following the four members present for the regular City Commission meeting listening and taking some action on Monday night (April 13).
     In all three instances, this is something after the beginning; however, it is not the end of what may come to be in coming years. Right now, a significant factor limits growth in Chiefland. The city’s wastewater treatment capacity is close to its limit. Hence, adding sources that will produce more wastewater for the treatment plant to deal with is something that the city leaders must consider.
Six Triplex Apartments
     In the first instance, a parcel of vacant land – measuring between 3.22 and 3.35 acres (more or less) appears to be bound to switch from designated on the future land use map as “commercial” to become “residential – high density.
     The property is on the south side of Park Avenue (aka Martin Luther King Jr. Road) west of Main Street (aka U.S. Highway 19), across the street from an apartment complex and relatively near to a funeral home.
     The change in designation of zoning and on the map is sought by Genevieve Bullard, A Realtor of Cedar Key who is connected with Bullard Construction, for property owner Susan Sculky of St. Petersburg, according to records.
     Given that the developer reaches the intended goal, this will become six triplex structures to be 18 spacious two-bedroom, two-bathroom, 1,000 square-feet units. As of now, the buildings will have paved parking areas and sidewalks to each unit, along with lush landscaping and trees throughout.
     On a motion by Chiefland Vice Mayor Norman Weaver, seconded by Chiefland City Commissioner LaWanda Jones, where both were sitting as member of the Chiefland Planning Board, a 3-0 vote was passed for this board to recommend to the Chiefland City Commission (comprised of the same people to approve the applicable Comprehensive Plan Amendment.
     City Commissioner Chris Jones arrived a few minutes late to the Planning Board meeting, but like Mayor Lewrissa Johns, Norman Weaver, and LaWanda Jones, Chris Jones agreed with the recommendation of the Planning Board to approve that amendment when he was city as a City Commission member in the meeting that same night.
     City Commissioner Kim Bennett was absent from both the Planning Board and City Commission meeting of April 13.
84 Single-Wide Mobile Homes

Renda Kay Okike (left) of Newberry, her mother Sandra Webb speak to the City Commission and people in the audience from the lectern on April 13.

     The next item for the City Commission to hear about was a proposal that is taking more form.
     There was no action yet.
     City Manager Laura Cain wanted the City Commission to know about the “Obcube Mobile Home Park Proposal.”
     Renda Kay Okike of Newberry, her mother Sandra Webb and Renda’s husband Chidozie Okike spoke in favor of the Okike couple’s plan to develop the 10.38 acres of land.
     Cain said her reason to put this on the agenda that night was because the city has limited capacity for adding more wastewater input to its current system.
     As the discussion began, Cain reminded the four City Commission members present that this is just a proposal, with no action being sought at that meeting. She just wanted to start the discussion about this possible development.
     Renda Okike said this development will not happen all at once. The single-wide mobile homes will be brought in phases. This is not going to be a subdivision for government housing, which some people label as “Section 8.”
     The goal is to create more affordable housing in Chiefland.

This aerial map from the Levy County Property Appraiser’s Office shows the six sides of the property that will be the place for 84 singlewide mobile homes in Chiefland in the coming years if the developers succeed in bringing the current plan to fruition.
Photo Via Levy County Property Appraiser’s Office 

     These mobile homes will be “rent-to-own” the mobile home for the most part, Okike said, although there will be some of these mobile homes that are going to be for rent only. In both cases, the residents will be paying lot rent.
     Okike shared her vision for this set of 84 single-wide mobile homes on 10 acres of land will be.
     This will “not be a mobile home park,” she said, but instead will be a “mobile home community.”
     People will live with their parents, children and grandchildren in a safe community. Paved roads, lighting and 24-hour surveillance with cameras are part of the safe concept. Okike said she intends to give law enforcement and first responders a discounted rate on lot rent.
     “All of the homes will be new – brand new homes,” she said. “So, it’s not going to be bringing in old mobile homes and cluttering up.”
     Okike said the minimum lot space will be 3,000 square feet, with the mobile home taking up 1,000 of those square feet. There will be a basketball court, a park for children and an office.


Nancy Zubler-Turner, a Realtor with Big Bend Home & Land, expresses her opinion about 84 single-wide mobile homes on 10 acres of land.

     Nancy Zubler-Turner, a Realtor with Big Bend Home & Land, was among members of the public asking the developer about the plans.
     “Eighty-four homes on 10 acres seems like a lot,” Zubler-Turner said. 
     She questioned the ability of a park manager to be able to keep an area clean when there are so many families packed into such a tight space.
     Okike said there will be a maintenance man who will be paid through part of the revenue for lot rent to keep lawns mowed, etc. People renting spaces will know there is an expectation to keep property from becoming cluttered, she intimated.
     Betsy Hunt asked about the cost of lot rent and purchase price added for the mobile home. Okike said lot rent will be between $400 to $600 with the current projections and added to that will be the cost of the person who is renting to own a mobile home. That fee will be different, depending on how much the buyer puts down to start the process.
     Hunt said the affordable housing price should not be $2,000 to $3,000 a month, but Okike did not list a range of monthly costs for these rent-to-own options.


Chidozie Okike clearly explains the business model for this development.

     Her husband Chidozie Okike elaborated on what his wife said.
     People who bring their own brand-new home, he added, will pay only the lot rent of $400 to $600 a month. People who are renting to own will pay more. People who are just renting a mobile home, Chidozie Okike continued, will pay the lot rent fee as well as the fee to rent the mobile home – this will be paid in one single fee, even though the development owners will understand that part is for lot rent and part is for the renting of this brand new singlewide mobile home.
     This rental fee, Chidozie Okike, said is $1,200 to $1,500 a month – depending on the mobile home being rented.
     Chidozie Okike gave many details, including on mobile homes they own in Gainesville, where they do not own the property but just the mobile homes that they rent. He spoke about people building equity in their mobile homes that they are renting to own.
     They can list those homes to sell, and they will see some return on that investment. Likewise, grandparents who buy mobile homes can leave those homes to grandchildren, etc. If a person buys a mobile home through the rent-to-own method, they may choose to move that mobile home to another location, Chidozie Okike said.
     If a mobile home is moved, he added, then they will just fill that vacancy with a new mobile home.
     One woman from the public spoke and said she said she feels these residential units are going to be too close to one another for her to want to live there.
     As noted, this was an informational item on the agenda. There was no action.
     Chidozie Okike said he understands that the city does not want all 84 sites to be developed and filled with mobile homes at one time at the start of this process.
RVs or Park Models
     Sun Southern Leisure Regional Manager Becca Redmond essentially found the four City Commissioners present that night agreeing to her request to change another 12 slots to be for park models than for RVs.
     The difference is that park models do not have wheels, and people connect screen rooms to them and the like. The park models do not impact the volume of wastewater, Chiefland City Manager Cain said.
     The recreational vehicles drive in and drive out. In Florida, a person is not allowed to reside in an RV in one space for more than six months. People get around this by a husband signing a lease for six months and a wife signing for six months.
     The Florida Department of Revenue (FDOR) collects a certain percentage of the rent paid at RV resorts, hotels, motels, bed and breakfast places, and anywhere that makes money off of overnight stays in Florida.
     The FDOR then sends a certain part of that to the counties from whence the money came. This is known colloquially as a bed tax.
     Bed tax revenue paid to counties may be used for specific purposes related directly to tourism.
     In Chiefland, the RV resorts, or RV parks, are limited to how many park models can exist. Over time, this RV resort was bought by a company different from the one that originally developed it, essentially next to Walmart.
     City Commissioner Chris Jones spoke highly of the residents at the RV park. He said during the COVID 19 Global Pandemic the revenue from RV residents helped the city.
     As for whatever percentage of space the City Commission allows for park models rather than RV slots, it is up to the elected leaders. The four leaders present at the meeting on Monday seemed to have little concern about the percentage of park models versus RVs at this RV resort. 
     Either way, RVs and park models both pay the bed tax.

19th Annual Mosquito Factory Fly-In
draws people to Levy County

This view of a Mosquito helicopter owned by Mike Marshall shows these flying machines are built for one person to fly.

Story, Photos & Videos By Jeff M. Hardison © April 12, 2019 at 3 p.m.
All Copyrights Protected By Federal Civil Law
Do Not Copy and Paste to Social Media or Elsewhere 
     LEVY COUNTY – The 19th Annual Mosquito Factory Fly-in attracted people in helicopters and airplanes to unincorporated Levy County on Saturday (April 11). Also arriving there were many visitors in cars, SUVs, pickup trucks, RVs and other land-based vehicles.
     That amazing set of hours of fun happened as the first of the two-day fly-in event, and similar action happened today (Sunday, April 12). The event opened at about 8 a.m. on Saturday after a Friday night celebration at Ames Airfield in Levy County. A meeting of pilots at 9 a.m. on Saturday helped the pilots understand logistics as well as to be reminded of safety methods when several aircraft are in one area at the same time, and some pilots or operators do not have radio contact with the air boss, whose decisions are absolute and final about who is using the runway and where to taxi, etc.
     “Wow!” is the singular word to concisely describe the fun, excitement and kindness experienced by many, and definitely enjoyed by a visiting journalist who has covered Mosquito helicopter events before for about 20 years now.
     During the 19th Annual Mosquito Factory Fly-In, every pilot was ready, willing and able to share their stories and reasons they love to fly, as well as anything else a person wanted to know.
     The community of fliers is full of people who constantly strive to help one another. This set of hobbyists and professionals is like a huge family. Not only do they share insight about all aspects related to flight, but they care about one another in their aeronautic community. For instance, one friend drove from the east coast to the west coast of Florida to mow the lawn of a fellow flier whose yard was bound to need it while the one man recovered from significant injury, and that fellow airman just showed up – without being asked, and without being expected.
     Stories like this example from some years ago are incalculable.
     This fly-in nowadays, however, has moved from the area next to the manufacturing shop in Trenton (Gilchrist County), where machines are still built and repaired, to the relatively new airfield that includes 70 acres of open space, part of which being a 2,600-foot long by 75-food wide landing strip of relatively smooth turf, where small airplanes can come and go.
     There is enough open ground space, too, for helicopter pilots to travel at very low altitudes as they enjoy flying their machines, as well as to land and take off – essentially straight up and down. And there was no problem parking or fee imposed to park.
     With parasails, single-seat helicopters, bigger helicopters, small airplanes, including a biplane, all air traffic was guided by air bosses – Mark Klair and Paul Grieshaber, two of the many volunteers who made this event a safe success again this year.



Jacob Martin of McMinnville, Tennessee, flies in a parasail with a trail of smoke to show. He is seen here through windows of the tower at Ames Airfield in Levy County on Saturday (April 11). Click on the PHOTO to see and hear the video.
Video By Jeff M. Hardison – All Rights reserved


Both helicopters from MaxFlight Helicopter Services Of Kissimmee come in for a landing on the first day of the fly-in (Saturday, April 11) at Ames Airfield in Levy County. The white helicopter is a 2023 Robinson R44 Raven I (one) helicopter and the yellow one is a 2005 Robinson R22 Beta helicopter. Click on the PHOTO to see and hear the video.
Video By Jeff M. Hardison – All Rights reserved


Here are some clips of the Mosquito Composite XET -- the flagship of the XE models. Powered by a modified T62-T2A Solar Turbine engine, the XET sounds awesome with the quintessential turbine whine, smells great with the consumption of Jet A fuel, and is powerful, as noted by the builders. This was built by Mark Klare and is owned by William F.E. Kline III. Click on the PHOTO to see and hear the video.
Video By Jeff M. Hardison – All Rights reserved


Rick Martin, a dealer of Mosquito helicopters in Wisconsin, helps a child experience a simulator to see what it is like to fly a one-person Mosquito helicopter. This was part of the fun on Saturday (April 11). Click on the PHOTO to see and hear the video.
Video By Jeff M. Hardison – All Rights reserved


This is some of the airplane flight Jeff Hardison enjoyed on April 11 thanks to pilot Bill Palmer of Cross City. This film was taken through a closed window of a 1962 Cessna Model 150, two-seater airplane. The plane took off and landed at Ames Airfield in Levy County. A slight wind burst on takeoff and a slight bump upon landing was all part of the fun. This plane is owned by Mike Beville. Click on the PHOTO to see and hear the video. 
Video By Jeff M. Hardison – All Rights reserved


Co-founder of the Composite-FX company -- Mosquito Helicopters -- Dwight Junkins is seen in a trailer that is used as the observation tower, as well as a concession stand for hotdogs and other treats, and as a place of sale for tee-shirts and other Mosquito merchandise. The annual fly-in has progressed and grown over the past two decades.


Mark Klair, seen here with microphone in hand, is one of the air bosses for the event. The other volunteer who helped pilots know the safest methods for so many aircraft in an area was Air Boss Paul Griershaber. While this is not an FAA level of guiding pilots, the friendly but efficient management works.

Jacob Lawson, 27, of McMinnville, Tennessee flies into the fly-in as a parasail pilot. Lacking radio contact, he took extra care to know where it was safe for him to fly during the event.


When an actual mosquito is seen posing on a picnic table under the tent, it is bound to have its picture published on the 16-year-old, multiple award-winning, free, news website.


Mike Marshall agrees to provide a photo-op as he stands next to his Mosquito helicopter.


This structure on wheels has the observation tower on the right side with windows (closed at the moment this photo was taken) for the purchase of snacks, drinks and merchandise.

There were great photo opportunities to capture aircraft that day.


Quin Pronk, 22, of the Netherlands is seen next to the R44 he landed on Saturday at Ames Airfield in Levy County. Some of his friends call him ‘The Flying Dutchman.’ He is part of the team from MaxFlight Helicopter Services of Kissimmee.


The R22 helicopter that is part of the fleet from MaxFlight Helicopter Services of Kissimmee is seen soon after landing on Saturday.

     The Mosquito helicopters are the world’s premier single-seat experimental and ultralight helicopters. Composite-FX is the manufacturer of the XE Series helicopters, commonly known as the Mosquito, a single seat helicopter – using piston or turbine engines.
     At the two-day event again this year there were helicopter rides; helicopter training with a certified flight instructor; seminar and factory tours; static displays; flight demonstrations; a flight simulator, food and refreshments, and souvenirs like Mosquito gear – including tee-shirts heralding this 19th year of the annual fly-in.
     Mosquito Helicopters Co-Founder Dwight Junkins was as gracious as always, inviting people to enjoy their helicopters and other aircraft. He was among the main speakers during the pilots’ conference early Saturday morning. Another significant speaker at the conference was Mark Klair, pilot, Mosquito enthusiast and air boss. He reminded pilots about the vital need for clear communications with the air boss in the tower so that there were no accidents. Mike Marshall was among the several other volunteers who helped everyone at the event as well.
     Really, the pilots at this event clearly put others’ needs and wants first rather than being self-centered. They are similar to basketball team players on teams like the University of Florida Gators. They are selfless rather than selfish.
     As for people coming from far and near, they did. There were pilots from the Tri-County Area of Levy, Gilchrist and Dixie counties, like Bill Palmer of Dixie County. He helps people find hangar space at Cross City Airport with his business that is currently named Red Roof Aviation. He saw a logo from his father Hank Palmer’s company Aeroplane Co. Palmer of St. Petersburg, Florida, which was established in 1937. Using that logo, he will have the same new name for his company – replacing “St. Petersburg, FL” with “Cross City, FL,” and replacing “1937” with “2000.”
     Palmer said he became extremely interested in flying when he was eight years old, influenced by his father.
     Henry “Hank” Palmer (Oct. 14th, 1919 – Jan. 15, 2013) was a WWII United States Navy pilot, taking part in the Pacific battles of Leyte Gulf and Midway, a master mechanic, commercial pilot, restorer of antique automobiles and airplanes, and devoted husband and father, who had extensive experience building and flying airplanes before, during and after the war.
     Bill Palmer offered to take journalist Jeff M. Hardison on a plane ride in a 1962 Cessna 150, two-seater airplane. Hardison just wanted a short ride; so, they flew from the airfield and circled back and landed after flying over Lancaster Correctional Institution in Gilchrist County.


The two logos, one from the old company in Pinellas County and one from the current company in Dixie County are seen here.

     To see one of the many stories, photos and videos from the Dixie County Chamber of Commerce’s Expo and Fly-Ins at Cross City Airport , click HERE.
     Palmer shared some insight about the fence used at the fly-in this year. It is the very same portable fence created by Dana Sheffield for the former annual Dixie County Chamber of Commerce Expo and Fly-in, which stopped for a couple of years ago and is not forecast to restart.
     Junkins donated to the Experimental Aircraft Association 797 of Live Oak. That donation, Palmer said, will probably be the final touch so that the EAA can put fabric on the plane it is building. The EAA donated the fence for use at the annual fly-ins, which are now in Levy County.
     This EAA chapter has the following programs: VMC Club, Young Eagles, Technical Counselors, and Ray Aviation Scholarship.
     That EAA website is https://chapters.eaa.org/eaa797.
     Coming from farther than Dixie County were pilots and ground-based travelers from Canada, New York, Alabama, Colorado, Tennessee and other several of the other 50 states.


Members of the Maxflight team on Saturday seen here are (from left) George Mancin; Aline Ramos; founder and owner - Austi Tarter-LeClercq; Quin Pronk and Matthias Willberger.


One of the bigger airplanes of the day -- a two-seater Cessna rolls down the smooth, turf runway as pilot Bill Palmer arrives in Levy County from Cross City Airport in Dixie County.


Pilot Bill Palmer is seen next to the 1962 Cessna Model 150, two-seater airplane that he flew to provide his friend and visiting journalist Jeff M. Hardison with a short trip in the air, perfectly granting the journalist’s request for a very customized flight.


Some of the control panels to fly the 1962 Cessna Model 150, two-seater airplane, are seen here.


Anthony Johnson (left) of Greenville, South Carolina, and Dave Storey of Tennessee, work with the fencing to add to safety features on the airfield. This is the very fencing used year after year at the Annual Dixie County Chamber of Commerce Expo and Fly-in, which fencing was the work of Dana Sheffield, an aeronautical enthusiast. Storey is among the significant people who helped the event enjoy success again this year.


One of the largest helicopters of the day is seen as it flies over Ames Field in Levy County.

A small, orange-colored 2010 kit airplane based in Georgia lands, taxis and then parks at Ames Field in Levy County on Saturday. Experimental aircraft were among the many flying machines at the fly-in this year.


The two biggest helicopters of the morning, both from MaxFlight Helicopter Services, are seen close to each other in this photo. The pilots from this company are extremely qualified and professional, including being flight instructors.

Inside a large hangar at Ames Airfield in Levy County some Mosquito helicopters are parked.


Rick Martin volunteers as the flight simulator operator as a man looks through 3-D googles while ‘flying’ a Mosquito helicopter. The simulator is complete with movement to provide for a relatively authentic experience.

     Two members of the flight team from MaxFlight Helicopter Services Of Kissimmee are from The Netherlands and from Germany. A third team member came from Portugal. That company offered flight instructions in a white-colored 2023 Robinson R44 Raven I (one) helicopter and in a yellow-colored 2005 Robinson R22 Beta helicopter.
     The cost was $190 for 30 minutes in the smaller R22 helicopter or $380 for one hour. That ‘copter had a weight limit of 210 pounds for the passenger.
     The rate for the R44 (three seats – 600 pounds) was $300 for 30 minutes or $600 for one hour.
     MaxFlight is a high-quality helicopter educational institution.
     The website to learn more about MaxFlight Helicopter Services is https://maxflightheli.com/. Members of the Maxflight team from that company Saturday are founder and owner Austi Tarter-LeClercq, Quin Pronk of The Netherlands, Aline Ramos of Portugal, Matthias Willberger of Germany and George Mancin. Their top service was educational, although learning about flying helicopters is a fun part of that destination toward the arrival point of earning various licenses to fly through certification by the Federal Aviation Administration. Tarter-LeClercq served in the United States Marine Corps before starting her company.
     Junkin, the business owner who hosts the Mosquito Fly-In event each year spoke with HardisonInk.com about his helicopter sales and service company thriving.
     Junkin said this past year has been particularly good for Mosquito Helicopters. He shipped more do-it-yourself helicopter kits in 2025 than during the total number shipped in the two years before then.
     He said the COVID-19 Global Pandemic led to people being on a waiting list because the supply chain for parts was clogged. Things are moving properly now, he said.
     Mike Messex, a pilot from Harvest, Alabama, has three Mosquito helicopters. He is pleased with them all, and they get different hours of running per tank of fuel depending partially on the horsepower, although wind-resistance and other factors affect distance covered over time, or distance per tank of fuel. Hours in the air are more of a measure than miles per gallon of fuel.
     These helicopters are not made for especially long flights, he said. They are to be enjoyed like a sportster car on a weekend. The Marlin Sportster is a British-built, retro-styled sports car often sold as a kit or fully built, designed to blend vintage looks with modern BMW drivetrain reliability.
     Some people say a Mosquito helicopter is a viable, affordable, single-seat “motorcycle of the sky” for short-distance, personal point-to-point transportation, cruising around 70-90 mph with a potential 120-mile range. It requires specialized training to fly and is best for private, clear weather travel due to its lightweight construction and limited cargo capacity. The weather at the airfield on Saturday could be labeled “Chamber of Commerce weather,” or good flying weather.
     To learn more about Mosquito Composite helicopters, visit the website at https://composite-fx.com/.
     To see the Aug. 13, 2023 story and photos under the headline Skydivers land in Dixie County, click HERE. (That story includes a photo of Dana Sheffield, one of the many key volunteers for the former Dixie County Chamber of Commerce Expo and Fly-in at Cross City Airport, with Bill Palmer, one of the many thoughtful pilots at the event in Levy County.)
     To see one of several stories from the many years of Dixie County Chamber Expo and Fly-In events, including this one of three -- published April 16, 2023, with this one headlined as Fly-In takes off and lands with great success, click HERE.
     To see the April 1, 2019 story, photos and video under the headline 12th Annual Mosquito Factory Fly-in draws people to Trenton, click HERE.
     To see the Jan. 30, 2016 Story, Photos and Videos under the headline Drone flights at Eddy Thompson Field prove Successful, click HERE.