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Sprinkles Dampen Art Fest’s Start
However, Nothing Breaks The Stride
Of The Ninth Annual Lower Suwannee
Art & Nature Festival (Video)
LEISURE PAGE


                         March 17, 2026

Forestry moves to ‘mop-up’ phase
at Dixie County '440' fire
No burn ban in Dixie County

A helicopter used by the Florida Forest Service prepares to dip a bucket into a lake to collect water to drop on the fire, and a Dixie County Fire Rescue vehicle is seen in the foreground.
Photo Provided By Dixie County Fire Rescue

By Jeff M. Hardison © March 10, 2026 at 4 p.m.
Updated March 11, 2026 at 8:15 a.m.
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     TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Forest Service is bringing a large wildfire into containment in Dixie County, according to information provided Tuesday (March 10) and Wednesday (March 11) to HardisonInk.com by the state agency and by Dixie County Fire Rescue, a division of Dixie County Emergency Services.

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     “Our agency is currently working the “440” fire in Dixie County,” Florida Forest Service Communications Manager Tim Brown noted at 1:31 p.m. on March 10. “It is now listed at 750 acres, 80 percent contained. We have many resources on scene including 14 personnel, nine pieces of equipment, and a drone team mapping hot spots.”
     The Florida Forest Service is part of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service.
     Brown said, “There is no burn ban in Dixie County,” when he was asked about that.
     Levy County has been under a burn ban for three weeks now due to the drought.
     “Since it is an active wildfire, there is no fire report yet to be released. Thank you for reaching out to us,” Brown noted Tuesday afternoon.
     Deputy Public Information Officer Blake Watson of Dixie County Fire Rescue noted at 7:30 a.m. on March 11 that the Florida Forest Service reports crews are now in the “mop-up phase,” which involves locating and extinguishing remaining hot spots to prevent any flare-ups.
     Watson noted he will provide updates.
     

Elder Options apologizes for delays
Helpline is part of affected services

The Elder Options Management Team includes Chief Executive Officer Katina Mustipher, Director of Marketing and Communications Lisa Kanarek, Director of Financial Operations Christopher Johnson, Human Resources Kathy Dorminey, Director of Program Operations Janet Kreischer, Director of Access and Eligibility Cindy Roberts, Director of Community Care Coordination Amy Thomas and Director of Operations Debbie Sahay, according to its current website.
Photo Taken From Elder Options Website

By Jeff M. Hardison © March 7, 2026 at 7 a.m.
     GAINESVILLE – The Elder Options Helpline, which is advertised on HardisonInk.com, is part of the system that the Mid-Florida Area Agency on Aging Inc. (doing business as Elder Options), notes is experiencing issues resulting in people having to endure significant delays in responses.
     The message people see if they seek to contact Elder Options by using its website shows, as of March 7, “We are currently implementing a new database system, which may result in delays, when contacting our Elder Helpline by phone or email. We appreciate your patience during this transition.”
     An attempt to contact Elder Options Director of Marketing and Communications Lisa Kanarek has been unsuccessful for more than two weeks through the Elder Options Helpline as well as through email.
     Elder Options’ mission is to ensure that communities have a trusted and unbiased place to turn for information, resources and assistance.
     The Mid-Florida Area Agency on Aging Inc. (dba Elder Options) was established in 1977 as a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation.
     Elder Options is the state-designated area agency on aging, Aging & Disability Resource Center, and Helpline (1-800-262-2243). 
     The agency is charged with administering state and federal grant-funded programs and providing direct services to benefit elders, people with disabilities, and their informal caregivers in a 16-county Planning and Service Area in North Central Florida, which includes: Alachua, Bradford, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Lafayette, Lake, Levy, Marion, Putnam, Sumter, Suwannee and Union counties.
     For more information to see the potential services and programs available via Elder Options, click https://agingresources.org/.

VDCI starts mosquito control in Dixie County

VDCI Southeast Regional Director Caroline Efstathion Card, Ph.D., tells Dixie County Commissioners what to expect in this county’s first year of mosquito control by this private contractor that has a national presence.

Story, Photos and Video By Jeff M. Hardison © March 6, 2026 at 12 p.m.
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     CROSS CITY – Dixie County joined a list of clients of a company that controls mosquitoes and on Thursday morning, that company’s regional director for the Southeast United States.
     Caroline Efstathion Card, Ph.D., is the southeast regional director for VDCI. She is responsible for overseeing mosquito abatement programs in the Southeast United States. She received her doctorate in entomology from the University of Florida.
     Vector Disease Control International (VDCI) is a leader in Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM) services. Its efforts support the public health goals in cities, counties and states by establishing mosquito abatement programs across the United States. In addition to building and enhancing mosquito management programs, VDCI has more than 20 years of experience conducting emergency response mosquito management services after major flood events or increased mosquito-borne disease activity.
     Dixie County joins Baker, Clay, Lake, Putnam and Sumter counties and the cities of Clewiston, Live Oak and South Bay, and others, in Florida as clients of this private mosquito-control contractor. VDCI serves people in 25 states with 17 aircraft that provide adulticide and larvicide services, Card said.
     VDCI also has 350 spray trucks and 350 full-time employees as well 150 to 200 other seasonal employees, she said.
     Dr. Card showed the Dixie County Board of County Commission members – Chairman Mark Hatch, Vice Chairman Jamie Storey and commissioners David Osteen, Jody Stephenson and Daniel Wood III how VDCI will control mosquitos to help Dixie County’s residents and visitors in regard to that annoying flying insect.


Commissioner Jody Stephenson speaks with Caroline Efstathion Card, Ph.D., about the lay of the land in Dixie County.


VDCI Operations Manager Lita Honsby speaks with the Dixie County Commission. Honsby is the manager for mosquito control in Dixie County. She is licensed through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

     There are more than 45 species of mosquitoes in Dixie County, Card said.
     “Some of them spread disease,” Dr. Card continued. “Some of them just a nuisance and some of them just bite frogs and we don’t need to worry about them.”
     The IMM plan for Dixie County, she said, will use multiple methods to control the mosquito population in this county. VDCI takes a proactive approach rather than a reactive approach, she explained.
     Surveillance, education and larvicide application are parts of this plan, she said. By targeting larva in the water, she said, this helps keep the mosquito population in Dixie County low.
     During this first year of VDCI serving as the mosquito-control service, she said, the team will be learning locations of people, parks and places where stormwater gathers, floodwater areas, and to find the mosquito habitats of Dixie County.
     Larvicide applications as well as adulticide missions – as need will be happening. Card said the team will be responding to complaints.
     The same telephone number used before VDCI started will be used and the company will have access to those voicemails left by people, she said.
     The person who is licensed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for this service in Dixie County is VDCI Operations Manager Lita Honsby. Dr. Card told HardisonInk.com before the start the meeting that Honsby is “our best” operations manager.
     Chairman Hatch asked Dr. Card about the “written right of entrance” that VDCI will need for larvicide applications on private property in Dixie County.
     Card and Honsby told Hatch that VDCI sticks to county roads.
     “You’re going to get a lot of calls then,” Vice Chairman Storey said.


Dixie County Commissioner Jody Stephenson clarifies the method that VDCI will use to gain access and to enter private property for larvicide applications. Click on PHOTO to see and hear the video.
Video By Jeff M. Hardison – All Rights Reserved

     Commissioner Stephenson told Card the company will need a method to speak to property owners to gain access to property. 
     Card said she understood what Stephenson said. For VDCI to go onto private property, though, “creates a huge liability” for the company. She added that spraying adulticide chemicals on property that is not within 300 feet of a public road is something that will take working with the county.
     Stephenson said he was not speaking about spray, but instead about treating water for larva when the water is on private property.
     Card said the VDCI method is to knock on the door of a residence and obtain permission that way.
     She further exclaimed that the spray trucks are very heavy, where trucks get stuck on dirt roads or fall over into ditches due to a ditch wall collapse.
     In regard to the beekeepers in Dixie County, Card said the company has a list of those locations for “no spray.” That will be an exclusion zone where there is no adulticide sprayed.
     Card anticipates spraying to start in April. Currently, in addition to mapping the county for mosquito habitat, VDCI has been trapping mosquitoes. 
     Card answered Commissioner Wood’s questions about the use of aircraft fir adulticide applications. This is an extremely expensive procedure that usually happens after a hurricane, she said, and the federal government reimburses the county if there is a state of emergency declared.
     She answered all questions put to her. Dr. Card let everyone know that this company works first to prevent the mosquito population from being a problem, and then it attacks the bugs to knock back that pest’s numbers.

Levy County Commission hears
annual investment report
Sign slated to designate historic site

Richard Pengelly of PFM Asset Management (left) speaks from the lectern to the County Commission as Senior Levy County Finance Director Robert Boschen stands behind him after having introduced the speaker.

Story and Photos By Jeff M. Hardison © March 4, 2026 at 8 p.m.
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     BRONSON – The regular twice-monthly meeting of the Levy County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday morning (March 3) included a report on investments; a sign to designate a reportedly historic site for stagecoaches in Levy County; and a county commissioner complaining about a purchasing process that saves the county $20,000 or so per vehicle.
     Also, one man is paying to have a county-maintained road covered with chip and seal paving.
     And there was more.
Investments
     Richard Pengelly, a certified financial advisor and managing director of PFM Asset Management, provided a year-end financial report as is required.
     The current Levy County investments are short-term, very high quality and safe investments, Pengelly said.
     They are affected by short-term interest rates determined by the Federal Reserve. The Fed was on a path to lower interest rates, he said. By The Fed delaying the lowering of interest rates due to uncertainty of the market caused by tariffs worked to benefit Levy County, he said.
     Tariffs drove prices up on products.
     “Maybe not so good for us as consumers,” he said, “but the county’s investments did well.”
     (The Federal Reserve has lowered interest rates three consecutive times as of late 2025/early 2026, cutting by 25 basis points each time to a range of 3.5 percent to 3.75 percent by December 2025 to support a softening labor market. At the January 2026 meeting, the Fed held rates steady at this 3.5 percent–3.75 percent range, pausing the streak of cuts.)
     The earnings for the current fiscal year were lower than the prior year, Pengelly said, which is a result of The Fed lowering short-term interest rates.
     The belief that The Fed will lower short-term interest rates again is good overall for the nation’s economy, Pengelly said, but the county’s short-term investments will show a lower yield if that happens.
     Pengelly said PFM will be diversifying Levy County’s investments with a bit more long-term investment now.
     No action was required by the County Commission. This was just an annual update on progress with the county’s investments. 

History

County Commission Vice Chairman Charlie Kennedy holds up a sign that will designate a place that researchers believe was a resting place for horses and stagecoach passengers between Chiefland and Cedar Key.

     Levy County Commissioner Charlie Kennedy said he learned about a place where horse-drawn stagecoaches would rest between Chiefland and Cedar Key.
     This form of transportation in the late 1800s, he said, included the particular place that was named “Stage Stand.” To find the place where the sign will be placed in the days to come, take State Road 345 south from Chiefland toward Cedar Key.
     State Road 345 becomes Levy County Road (CR 345) at or near to Levy County Road 332 (CR 332) southwest of Chiefland. South of CR 332, the road becomes CR 345 -- heading toward State Road 24 (SR 24).
     As noted CR 345 eventually intersects with SR 24. 
     Four to six miles before the point where CR 345 intersects with SR 24, the sign will be placed on the east side of that north-south road.

Government Purchases

(from left) Commissioners Johnny Hiers and Desiree Mills, Chairman Tim Hodge, Vice Chairman Charlie Kennedy and Commissioner Rock Meeks are seen in action Tuesday. Hiers complained the loudest about the county not buying vehicles from Chiefland car dealers rather than using the much less costly method established years ago.

     Levy County Solid Waste Director Travis Newsome requested the County Commission approve his seeking to purchase a 2026 Ford F 150 4X4 Crew Cab from Duval Ford by using the Florida Sheriffs Association’s Light Vehicle Contract at a price of $48,066.
     Although the County Commission unanimously approved the purchase, there was a lot of complaining before it reached that point.
     The first complainer was freshman County Commissioner Johnny Hiers. He said he wants the county to look at local car and truck dealerships, like Plattner’s Chiefland Ford, Big Bend Chevrolet-Buick and Chiefland Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram FIAT.
     Hiers said that the County Commission is on its third set of attorneys and he wants to provide requests for proposals for vehicle sales to everyone – and to somehow give a preference to local dealerships.
     Among the comments from commissioners was that these car and truck sales enterprises pay local taxes and donate to community events.
     Of course, if the donation results in a banner placed on a fence at a school, then that really is an advertisement, even if it funds some part of some school activity.
     Levy County Manager Mary-Ellen Harper was too sick to be at the meeting, but one of her staff members said they have been working on this request to buy from local dealers.
     The proverbial bottom line, though, is that if Plattner’s Chiefland Ford can bid, then Parks Ford of Gainesville as well as Duval Ford should all be given the same option.
     Previous attempts to “buy local” rather than buy at the lowest price has shown the county would pay an extra $20,000 or so per vehicle.
     Hiers and every other Levy County Commissioner is a Republican.
     Republicans were once known to be the fiscally conservative party. 
    Here are some considerations about buying a vehicle at a higher price:
     ● Buying a vehicle at a higher price may be seen as a sign of fiscal irresponsibility if it leads to increased government debt or tax burdens. 
     ● Higher prices can lead to increased consumer debt, which may not be fiscally conservative. 
     ● The current market conditions, including inflation and interest rates, can influence the perception of whether it is fiscally conservative to buy a vehicle at a higher price. 
     ● Different political beliefs may lead to different perspectives on whether it is fiscally conservative to buy a vehicle at a higher price. 
     Ultimately, the decision to buy a vehicle at a higher price should be based on careful consideration of the fiscal implications and the broader economic context. 
     Another factor commissioners glossed over is the amount of staff time and effort, advertising costs for bids, and other costs from the bid process – rather than just buying at the best rate determined by previous research by an organization like the Florida Sheriffs Association.
     Still another consideration is the cost of an attorney conducting research to allow a government entity to give preferential treatment to a vendor based only on its location – within Levy County.

Levy County Director of Public Works hears the County Commission approve his request for the purchase of a $29,155 Mathis-Fesco two-disc fire-line plow. The county has been borrowing the fire-line plow from the state for years, and that plow is not working. Also, by owning the plow, the county does not have to hope one is available when the state is not using it.

Paving Deal
     By a unanimous vote, the County Commission approved Jerry Weintraub, who owns property at 8850 157th Place in Inglis to “pave” by the chip and seal process 4,000 linear feet of Southeast 157th Place.
     The resurfacing starts at U.S. Highway 19 and goes toward Weintraub’s house, according to a map showing the area of the project.
     Weintraub is paying the county $86,000 to cover the labor, material, equipment and related administrative expenses to complete the job.
     As part of the contract, Weintraub acknowledges that the resurfacing constitutes a public improvement and the project area remains as a public roadway. Also, this is voluntary and non-refundable.
     “Upon completion of the project,” the agreement notes, “the roadway shall remain a public roadway maintained by the county in accordance with the county’s standard practices, subject to available funding and county priorities.”
     No person from the public asked if this creates a precedent for any person or group of people to buy paving services from the county to develop roads in front of their homes where a lime rock road may exist now.
And More
     During the time when commissioners commented near the end of the meeting, Hiers mentioned that the Williston Middle High School Girls Basketball Team won the 2026 Florida High School Athletic Association State Rural Championship in the final game at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville recently.
     Hiers mentioned the names of some of the many donors who helped pay for the girls’ trip to Jacksonville, which included motel rooms and food.
     He said that while the WMHS team took the state title in its FHSAA division in girls’ basketball, he feels this win is shared by everyone in Levy County. High schools in Bronson and Chiefland also compete in FHSAA state championships in basketball and other sports.
     Other schools in Levy County, Dixie County and Gilchrist County have earned FHSAA state championships in baseball and football as well.
     Commissioners also spoke about conducting workshops so they can openly discuss with each other, and with the public being able to watch, as they review potential sign ordinance revisions as well as to better define the future of code enforcement in Levy County.
     Among the many other actions approved unanimously by the County Commission were:
     ● Extending a burn ban;
     ● Declaring office space for State Sen. Stan McClain (R-Gainesville, Dist. 9) and State Rep. Chad “Cracker” Johnson (R-Chiefland, Dist. 22) in what used to be the offices for Levy County Department of Veterans Services;
     ● Requiring background checks of county employees in programs funded by the state government’s opioid settlement with pharmacies;
     ● Contracting Asphalt Paving Solutions to resurface NE 190th Avenue for $196,643.78; and 
     ● Contracting Asphalt Paving Solutions to resurface NE 160th Avenue for $160,726.37.

City conducts first of two public hearings
to apply for $1.5 million grant
Grant waiver could up it to $3.5 million
Chiefland seeks Publix development
By Jeff M. Hardison © March 2, 2026 at 9 p.m.
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Do Not Copy and Paste to Social Media or Elsewhere
     CHIEFLAND – During the Feb. 23 regular meeting of the Chiefland City Commission and after that being the first of two public hearings, the four elected city leaders present approved the application of a $1.5 million Community Development Block Grant application for Economic Development (CDBG-ED).     Chiefland City Manager Laura Cain put the item on the agenda. 
     The application included the city’s intent to request a grant waiver from FloridaCommerce (formerly known as the Florida Department of Commerce), after the application has been submitted, to increase the grant amount request to equal $3.5 million. There will be no cost to the city for consultant services associated with the CDBG-ED application. The motion to approve included the engagement of Fred Fox Enterprises Inc. to prepare the small cities Community Development Block Grant application.
     During this, the first of two public hearings for this grant application, the people in the audience learned that there will be more information released about what the city plans to do with the money if the grant is awarded at the second public hearing.
     This CDBG-ED is intended to help with the plan to build a Publix, and potentially five or six other businesses in the acres of undeveloped land on the other side of Levy County Road 420 -- opposite Walmart and Walgreens, where planted pines now are growing.
     The developer in the application is noting that a certain number of jobs will be created if the grant is approved. The developer in this application is Thomas W. “Tommy” Miles. He said on that Monday night at the City Commission meeting that there will be 150 full-time jobs created if his development comes to fruition, with benefits, although there are not as many jobs needed to qualify for the grant as he said will be there.
     “There will be 50 more jobs with the out-parcels,” Miles said. “That is strictly the grocery store – 150 full-time jobs.”
     The City Commission voted to move forward with the application process.
Other Actions
     The four Chiefland City Commission members present took other actions as well that night. Commissioner Norm Weaver was absent. Mayor Rissa Johns and commissioners Chris Jones, LaWanda Jones and Kim Bennett were present for that regular twice-monthly meeting.
     It approved:
     ● A request from Fire Chief Dwayne king to accept a donation of 468 five-gallon buckets of foam from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. There is no cost to the city of Chiefland for the foam. The estimated value of the foam is $152,100. The City Commission also granted his request to accept different diameters of fire hose from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
     ● A request from Chiefland Police Chief Scott Anderson to apply for a $5,000 grant from Walmart.
     ● Recognized Capt. Luke Stockman for five years of service on Chiefland Fire Rescue by presenting him with a five-year pin. Fire Chief King said Capt. Stockman is one of the youngest people to reach the rank of captain in the history of the CFR. He is the son of CFR Deputy Fire Chief Gene Stockman and has been responding to fires “since he was 5 years old” Chief King said.

197^th Performance

Gilchrist County Sheriff Bobby Schultz sings the HardisonInk.com jingle at the Historic Trenton Train Depot on March 4, 2026. Jeff M. Hardison asks people to sing the jingle, and some of them agree to sing it. (Thanks people!) CLICK ON THE PICTURE ABOVE TO SEE AND HEAR THE VIDEO ON YouTube.com. The very first person to sing the jingle was Danesh “Danny” Patel of Danny’s Food Mart in Chiefland in March of 2013. HardisonInk.com started as a daily news website on Feb. 1, 2011.
Photo and Video by Jeff M. Hardison © March 4, 2026 at 9 p.m.
All Rights Reserved - Do Not Copy And Paste Anywhere Else