COVID changed everything
Phil and Gay Courter were quarantined on a Texas Air Force base after being flown by military cargo plane along with cruise ship passengers. This photo is taken from the plane. Photo courtesy of Phil Courter Get more from the Citrus County Chronicle
âThis is like a luxury prison.â â Philip Courter, Crystal River resident who, along with his wife, Gay, was among the passengers and crew of the Diamond Princess docked near Tokyo under quarantine in their cabins after a passenger tested positive for the deadly coronavirus. (February 2020)
âWhy? There is no reason why.â â Ernesto âTitoâ Rubio, Citrus County health department director, answering the question: âWhy has Citrus County avoided a confirmed case of COVID-19 so far?â (March 2020)
Howard s Flea Market is back under ownership by the Howard family. Family members include, from back left, Aaron Dalllia, Vanessa Dallia, Jeff Oladell, Quillen and Renee Howard, owners, Betty Stanton, Jay Lisiecki, Darlene Darlin Bells Blake and Santa.Matthew Beck
Photo Editor
Some of the most popular stories of the week
Return to Howard s: Flea Market original owners take back management
Welcome back Howard! The original owner of Howardâs Flea Market, Quillen Howard, and the Howard family have taken back running their original flea market in Homosassa, in operation since 1972.
In 1994, the Howards sold their flea market to Tom and Alice Cushman; Swap-O-Rama had it the past three years.
Citrus Countyâs manatee-viewing experience draws people from all over the world because they can swim with manatees.
That alone is a huge tourism coup. But there has been one component of that experience that has been lacking and it is about to change this spring.
The Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge will open its new state-of-the-art visitor center at 1520 SE Kingâs Bay Drive and from the moment visitors enter, they will be immersed in the world of water, manatees and more. The complex is expected to attract 40,000 visitors a year and enhance touristsâ experience in Crystal River and countywide.
Citrus County can thank Floridians for boosting its tourism coffers this year.
The number of international and out-of-state visitors has nosedived due to the pandemic so local hotels, restaurants and businesses had to rely on in-state tourists to fill the gap.
And itâs worked, said Anne Wittine, director of data analysis for Research Data Services (RDS), who gave her report to the Citrus County Tourist Development Council on Wednesday, Dec. 9. Get more from the Citrus County Chronicle
John Pricher, Citrus County Visitors Bureau director, also gave the board this positive: Tourist tax revenue for October 2020 was $149,000, a 44.68% increase from the $103,000 the same month last year.