(Citrus County, FL) Jurors took exactly 13 minutes to deliberate yesterday before rendering a guilty verdict in the case against 45-year-old Christopher James Cassidy. Cassidy was found guilty as charged on two counts of Lewd and Lascivious Molestation of a Child less than 12 years of age and two counts of Lewd and Lascivious Molestation of a Child less than 16 years of age. After the verdict was read, Judge Joel D. Fritton ordered Cassidy back into custody to await his sentencing hearing on November 12, 2025, pending a presentence investigation.

In May of 2024, Deputy Levi Garrison of the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) responded to the Emergency Operations Center in Lecanto, FL, in reference to a complaint of a past sexual assault of a child.

Upon arrival, Deputy Garrison learned from the complainant that a 12-year-old victim had been molested by the defendant. The complainant stated that the night prior, while having dinner with the defendant, he became visibly upset and left the dining room table. When the complainant went to ask what was wrong, Cassidy informed the complainant that he had touched the victim’s private area in a sexual manner. The defendant divulged a detailed account of the incident.

The complainant told Deputy Garrison that, upon learning this, Cassidy was asked to leave the residence. The complainant was then able to speak with the victim, who disclosed the sexual abuse committed by the defendant. The victim also stated to the complainant that Cassidy had instructed the victim not to say anything any the incident.

Detective Jason Cook with CCSO’s Special Victims Unit was assigned the case. A Child Protective Team interview was conducted at Jessie’s Place where the victim recounted the same details as initially reported by the complainant. Contact was then made with the defendant, where a recorded interview was completed. While speaking with officials, Cassidy made several admissions about molesting the victim and was subsequently arrested.

This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Kevin Davis and Kaitlyn Mannis.

Published on 10/09/2025.

(Hernando County, FL) Yesterday, Judge Daniel B. Merritt sentenced 43-year-old Christian Fischer to 15 years in the Florida Department of Corrections and designated him as a Sexual Offender. Fischer was found guilty in absentia during his jury trial back in February of this year. He was convicted of Traveling to Meet a Minor and Soliciting a Child for Unlawful Sexual Conduct.

Fischer, who was on bond at the time of his trial, appeared in court on the first day of the trial; however, he failed to appear on the second day of the trial. As a result, a Failure to Appear warrant was issued with nationwide extradition. In July, United States Marshals Service obtained photographs of Fischer in New Orleans, La. Investigators continued their efforts and located Fischer’s hiding spot, leading to his arrest on the outstanding warrant.

The case against Fischer involves a January 20, 2022, incident in which a citizen, who created a fake profile of a minor on social media to identify individuals who seduce, solicit, or entice children to engage in unlawful sexual conduct, was contacted by Fischer online.

Fischer messaged who he thought was a 13-year-old boy. During the message exchange with the citizen, Fischer acknowledged the age of the child and went on to ask if they had ever been with anyone sexually.

After continuing to communicate with the child through increasingly explicit messages, Fischer planned to meet up with the minor at a local store. Once at the store, the citizen confronted Fischer on his purpose there and his intentions to meet with the juvenile for sexual gratification. The citizen then called law enforcement to respond. The interaction was recorded and eventually turned over to local officials at the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO).

Authorities with the HCSO responded to the location and were informed by the citizen of the nature of the meeting with Fischer, who had fled prior to their arrival. The citizen told deputies that Fischer had discarded a bag into the trash bin before fleeing. Deputies retrieved the bag, which contained lubricant, a box of chocolates, a bottle of chocolate syrup, and one bag of gummy rings.

Officials located Fischer shortly after, who was in possession of another bag that contained a hairbrush, condoms, and an enema. During an interview, Fischer admitted to knowing the person he was talking to was only 13 years of age. Additionally, he confessed to sending sexually charged messages to the minor and attempting to meet up with the child with the intent to use the items on the child.

Investigators arrested Fischer for Traveling to Meet a Minor, Use of a Computer to Seduce, Solicit, or Lure a Child, Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device, and Possession of Marijuana.

This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Angelina Rodeo and Ben Larison.

Published on 10/10/2025.

The Citrus County Hospital Board (CCHB) is planning to shut down after 75 years of serving west central Florida.

Based in Iverness, Florida, the board oversees the county's public hospital system, which includes HCA Florida Citrus Hospital, formerly known as Citrus Memorial Hospital.

Why It Matters

The Citrus Country Chronicle reported the plans to shut down Friday. This comes after a long legal battle between the board and Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) over alleged Medicaid overpayments.

In 2017, AHCA claimed Citrus Memorial Hospital had overpaid approximately $5.8 million after a decade-long audit.

In 2022, Citrus Memorial Hospital changed its name to HCA Florida Citrus Hospital after it was assumed under the HCA Florida network. Even after this change, CCBH retained ownership of the property. According to the CCHB website, the hospital board "is authorized and will ensure citizen ownership of the hospital with opportunities to acquire property, Partnership with HCA with essential staff to provide patient care services in a safe environment which is compliant with Federal and State standards."

The parties reached a $650,000 settlement in June 2024 after years of hearings, appeals and previous settlement attempts.

CCHB Attorney Bill Grant informed the board that the AHCA Settlement Agreement had been fully executed during the meeting on June 10, 2025, according to CCHB. He said the money would be moved from escrow into the CCHB account to pay the settlement.

What To Know

The CCHB was created by the Florida State Legislature in 1949 “for the purpose of creating and operating a public hospital system on behalf of the citizens and residents of Citrus County.”

The five-member board is appointed by the Governor for a four-year term and has the authority to expand or repair facilities, adopt necessary rules and bylaws for operations, establish medical staff and employ personnel and borrow money to construct, maintain, repair, expand or alter facilities.

According to a timeline from the Citrus County Chronicle, the legal disputes between AHCA and CCBH began in 2006 with an AHCA audit of Citrus Memorial’s Medicaid reimbursement when CCHB owned the hospital, which lasted ten years.

In August 2017, AHCA issued a Notice of Agency Action stating the finding of the audit and $5.39 million in overpayments.

By May 2018, more than $1.75 million had been recouped. Citrus Memorial filed motions to stay recoupment during formal administration proceedings and collections were temporarily suspended.

From 2018 to 2022, there was a series of negotiations and failed settlement talks between AHCA and the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH).

Citrus Memorial continued to challenge AHCA audit findings by filing a “Second Amended Petition for Formal Administrative Hearing” in May 2024.

What Happens Next

According to the Citrus County Chronicle, CCHB Chairman Dr. Mark Fallows is set to outline the dissolution process during a presentation to the Citrus County Commission at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21. The CCHB will also meet later that evening.

Newsweek reached out to the Citrus County Hospital Board, the Agency for Health Care Administration and HCA Florida Citrus Hospital for comment.

Citrus County, Florida, has a treasure trove of delightful little wonders in a laid-back environment just waiting to be discovered.

Located 76 miles north of Tampa, Citrus County is home to Crystal River, Inverness, Homosassa Springs, Lecanto, Floral City, and others (21 cities in all). There’s an abundance of lakes, rivers, the bay, and, of course, the gulf that are reason enough to plan a visit.

It’s a paradise for outdoor lovers with the type of attractions that are quaint, quality, uncrowded, and don’t require standing in lines.

Yes, attractions here aren’t the over-the-top kind that are huge in scale like those in Orlando, but that’s also what makes it so worth a visit. As much as these natural delights are a draw for visitors, there are also a good number of away-from-the water activities worth checking out including:

Mertailor’s Mermaid Aquarium Encounter Lecanto is where one will find Mertailor’s Mermaid Aquarium Encounter, which houses a 15-minute mermaid show that’s sure to mesmerize young audiences and adults too.

While the exterior of the building isn’t inspirational, there’s plenty inside including more than 20 exhibits, touch tanks with stingrays and starfish, and zebra moray eels, clownfish, bamboo sharks, hermit crabs, and sea horses. A large collection of colorful macaws reside here too. Many of the creatures at Mertailor’s are rescues, which is part of the facility’s mission—rescuing and rehabilitation animals.

What sets this intimate aquarium apart from others is the mermaid and/or merman shows that take place three times a day.

Admission for Mertailor’s is $12.50 to $17.50 per person.

For more information, go to mermaidaquariumencounter.com.

Crystal River Archaeological State Park

History buffs will want to spend some time at Crystal River Archaeological State Park in Crystal River.

The 61-acre park is the site of six burial mounds, temple/platform mounds and midden mounds that are made up of food remains, animal bones, broken pottery, etc.

“The six-mound complex is one of the longest continuously occupied sites in Florida. For 1,600 years, the area served as an imposing ceremonial center for Native Americans,” according to the park’s website.

There’s also a museum that focuses on native people and artifacts.

Located on the edge of a coastal marsh, the park is a haven for saltwater and freshwater fish. It is also part of the Great Florida Birding Trail.

Moonlight guided tours are held throughout the year with Nov. 7 and Dec. 5 being the last two in 2025. For reservations, go to https://friends of crystalfiverstatepark.eventsbrite.com.

It’s a good idea to bring along bug repellant, especially after a significant rain.

For more information on the park, go to floridastateparks.org

Withlacoochee State Trail

A great place to actively experience Florida’s outdoors is the Withlacoochee State Trail, a 47-mile paved rail trail. The trail stretches south of Dunnellon in Citrus Springs, at the Gulf Junction Trailhead, and ends at the Owensboro Trailhead in the city of Trilby. Popular with bikers, runners, walkers, and skaters, it is the longest rail trail in Florida and cuts through three counties: Citrus, Hernando, and Pasco as well as six communities.

I spent a couple of hours on the trail learning the thrills and joys of riding an ebike, provided compliments of Select e-bike in Inverness, Florida, located right off the trail. The trail is flat and wide with an abundance of flora, lakes as well as restrooms, picnic areas and interpretive exhibits along the watch. Part of the National Recreational Trail, it takes visitors through forests, ranches, small towns and what officials describe as “the real Florida.”

For more information on the trail, go to floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/withlacoochee-state-trail.

NewsLetters and Flyers

General Nutrition

WIC and Breastfeeding

Children, Teens, and Families

WIC is a nutrition education and special supplemental food program for women, infants, and childen under age 5. Services we provide include:

WIC is a federally funded nutrition program for Women, Infants, and Children. WIC provides the following at no cost: healthy foods, nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding support, and referrals for health care and community services.

The Florida WIC Mobile App will give WIC participants the opportunity to view upcoming appointments, view food benefits that have been issued to them in the clinic, scan UPCs while shopping at the store to see if the UPC is a WIC Approved item or not, and provide information on locations of WIC Stores and WIC Clinics across the State of Florida.

In addition to these services, we provide breastfeeding support for new moms through our certified lactation consultants and breastfeeding peer counselors. It is recommended that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of their lives and that moms continue breastfeeding after solid foods are introduced, for as long as you and your baby wish, for two years or beyond.

We can help you work through common breastfeeding road bumps so you can be as successful as possible in meeting that recommendation. We can also help you adapt your breastfeeding routine for returning to school or work.

WIC also offers a 7 day-a-week Infant Feeding Line to provide support for topics that include breastfeeding, bottle feeding, breast care, and pumping by our breastfeeding staff. Give us a call! We are here to help you.

Infant feeding line: 352-513-6060

To be income-eligible for WIC, you must have a total household income that is equal to or less than the amounts listed in the WIC income guidelines and be a Florida resident. You are automatically income-eligible if you are currently receiving any of the following:

To apply for WIC, call the Lecanto WIC office at 352-527-8490, the Inverness WIC office at 352-726-5222, or call, toll-free 1-800-342-3556 and ask to apply for WIC.

What to bring to your WIC certification visit:

Citrus County WIC is offered from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (closed for lunch from noon - 1 p.m.):

Lecanto WIC Office: 3700 W. Sovereign Path, Lecanto, FL 34461

If you suspect someone is misusing or abusing WIC program benefits, please call Toll-Free 1-855-283-5135.

Tampa General Hospital is expanding its reach in Florida’s Nature Coast with the purchase of a 53-acre property next to its Crystal River Emergency Center in Citrus Hills.

The announcement marks the hospital system’s latest move to build out its TGH North network, which already serves Hernando and Citrus counties.

The new site is planned to include a hospital, medical office building, central energy plant and helicopter pad. Tampa General leaders said the expansion will make it easier for residents in the region to access advanced, academic-level care close to home.

What happened

Tampa General completed the purchase of the Citrus Hills property on October 27. The land, located beside the TGH Crystal River Emergency Center, will serve as the foundation for a new phase of development under TGH North, the hospital’s northern Florida network.

Steve Short, executive vice president of strategic growth at Tampa General, said the project “leverages the full power and scale” of the hospital system by connecting local patients to the same advanced care and clinical expertise available at its main campus in Tampa.

The move follows Tampa General’s 2023 acquisition of the Bravera Health network, which added hospitals and clinics in Hernando and Citrus counties.

Since then, TGH North has expanded services in heart and vascular care, oncology and infant health to meet the needs of a growing population.

What’s next

The Citrus Hills project is part of Tampa General’s broader plan to strengthen access to care across Florida’s Nature Coast.

Stacey Brandt, executive vice president, chief administrative officer and market president for TGH North, will oversee development of the new site and guide long-term planning for the region.

Her team will work with local officials and community members to determine which services to prioritize.

While construction timelines have not been announced, the expansion represents a major investment in Citrus County’s health infrastructure. It is expected to support new medical and economic opportunities in the area.

Tampa General’s latest expansion underscores a trend in Florida’s health care landscape: large hospital systems are extending their networks into smaller, fast-growing communities.

For Citrus County, the project promises more specialized care, new health care jobs and increased access to advanced treatment options without the need to travel to Tampa.

For business and civic leaders, the project highlights health care’s growing role as a driver of regional growth. As the TGH North network continues to evolve, its presence is likely to attract additional medical investment, professional talent and related business development across the region.

Tampa General’s expansion into Citrus Hills represents more than just a real estate purchase.

It reflects a long-term commitment to strengthening care and community in one of Florida’s fastest-growing regions, while extending the reach of academic medicine throughout Tampa Bay and beyond.