Community News

AIRPORTS

     There are two county airports located in Citrus County.  One is located in Crystal River just off Highway 19 and the other is located in Inverness behind the Fairgrounds/Race Track just of Highway 41.  There are two International Airports (Orlando and Tampa) within a 90 minute drive of Citrus County and are served by all major carriers.  Gainesville Regional Airport, located within 60 minutes of Citrus County offers service from Delta, US Airways and several commuter airlines.

CHURCHES

     There is a church for everyone in Citrus County.

Assemblies of God                        Inverness                           352/341-1711   Baha'is of Citrus County                Inverness                           352/344-5177  Beverly Hills Community Church    Beverly Hills                      352/746-3620  Christian Center Church                 Homosassa                       352/628-5719      Citrus County Salvation Army        Homosassa                       352/621-5532   Crystal River United Methodist Church  Crystal River             352/795-3148       Faith Lutheran Church                   Lecanto                             352/527-3325       First Assembly of God                  Crystal River                      352/795-2594       First Baptist Church                      Crystal River                      352/795-2259       First Presbyterian Church of Crystal River  Crystal River         352/795-2359       First United Methodist Church of Homosassa  Homosassa      352/628-4083       Gospel Light Baptist Church           Lecanto                            352/628-9885      Grace Baptist Church of Citrus Springs   Citrus Springs           352/465-0362        Gulf To Lake Church, s.b.c.          Crystal River                      352/795-8077        Hernando SDA Church                 Hernando                           352/344-2008      Hernando United Methodist Church   Hernando                      352/726- 7245        Homosassa Seventh-day Adventist Church   Homosassa Sprg   352/628-7950      Hope Baptist Church Citrus County    Hernando                     352/464-4441      Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church   Citrus Springs                                                     Inverness Church of God                  Inverness                        352/726-4524           Nature Coast Unitarian Universalist   Beverly Hills                   352/746-7040         Pleasant Grove Road Church of Christ   Inverness                   352/344-9173       Redeemer Presbyterian Church         Inverness                        352/726-0077        Roman Catholic Churches of Citrus County - Homosassa, Crystal River, Lecanto, Inverness, Beverly Hills,  Citrus Springs                                                                     Seven Rivers Presbyterian Church     Lecanto                         352/746-6200        Shepard's Way Baptist Church          Lecanto                         352/628-0924          St. Anne's Episcopal Church             Crystal River                  352/795-2176          Vineyard Christian Fellowship            Inverness                       352/726-1480

             

ORGANIZATIONS AND CLUBS

     Citrus County is growing.  The purpose of this list is to provide people planning to move to our beautiful area information on Citrus County Community organizations and clubs.  Our list is short, there are many more to find out about.  Hope this will provide an incite into the place we call home.

Citrus Shrine Club          4400 N. Elkam Blvd. Beverly Hills          352/746-6936  Abate of Florida, Inc.                                                                   352/489-1644  Abundant Life Coach 4 U  2834 W. Rutland Dr Citrus Springs     352/489-4440  Beverly Hills Recreation Assoc  530 W. Milkweed Lp Bev Hills   352/746-7040  Citrus County Historical Society                         Crystal River   kryan@xtalwind.net  Citrus Tree                          3089 S. Graymor Path Inverness    352/341-3711  Creative Quilters of Citrus    21 Floribunda Court  Homosassa   352/382-7683  Nature Cost PT Cruisers                                claymont@naturecoastptcruisers.com  Scottish American Society of Citrus County           Homosassa    352/382-2519     Sky High Amateur Radio Club    w4iir@hotmail.com                  352/382-3108

      

CHASSAHOWITZKA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

    The Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1941, is composed of over 31,000 acres of saltwater bays, estuaries and brackish marshes at the mouth of the Chassahowitzka River.  The refuge is located approximately 65 miles north of St. Petersburg, Florida and was established primarily to protect waterfowl habitat.  

     Chassahowitzka River is one of the more scenic rivers in Florida.  Accessible only by boat or canoe, the river is one of the state's Outstanding Florida Waters.  Like most of the other rivers in the Springs Coast Watershed, this river is spring fed.  The Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge borders the river.  This refuge includes the Chassahowitzka and Homosassa River estuaries, many islands, 12 miles of river, salt marshes and coastal swamps.  This area is protected and managed by several federal, state, and local government agencies.  Today the Southwest Florida Water Management District buys lands that are important to the protection of Florida's water resources.  In 1990, the District began acquiring lands that now make up the Chassahowitzka Riverine Swamp Sanctuary.  Today the Sanctuary is made up of about 5,676 acres of land.  The District's Sanctuary includes both uplands and wetlands.  Some of the trees and plants you will find in the uplands include sand live oaks, fetterbushes, saw palmettos, longleaf pines, and turkey oaks.  Some of the wetland plants include cypress trees, cabbage palms, saw grass, sweetgum trees and red maple trees.  Many animals also make the sanctuary their home.  These animals include Florida black bears, white-tailed deer, bald eagles, river otters, bobcats, ospreys, great blue herons, wood storks, manatees, and whooping cranes.  

     Operation Migration starting in 2001.  The second home for the whoopers will be in the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge.  The migration was the longest journey attempted, 1,250 miles from Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin. 

     Whooping cranes stand about 5 feet tall and are pure white in color with black wing tips and a red crown.  These birds fly at 32 mph.  Do you remember hearing of the movie "Fly Away Home?"  The story is about a little girl who leads migrating geese in an ultralight?  That movie is based on the true experiences of William Lishman and Joseph Duff, founders of Operation Migration.  These people DO fly with the birds.  May you always hear the whisper of wings...

     The West Indian manatees are large mammals with a body that tapers to a flat, paddle-shaped tail.  They are grayish-brown in color and have two flippers with nails on them.  The average adult manatee is about 10 feet long and weights about 1000 pounds.  

     Manatees are concentrated in Florida in the winter, but can be found as far west as Louisiana and as far north as Virginia in the summer months.  The manatee lives in warm, shallow rivers, bays, estuaries, and coastal waters.  They are often found in the warm waters released by power plants.  The clarity of the water is not important.  Manatees prefer water that has a depth of  1 - 2 meters.

     Manatees are very gentle, slow-moving, graceful swimmers.  They eat aquatic plants.  Manatees must come to the surface to breath.  Manatees have no natural enemies, and it is believed they can live 60 years or more.  Many manatee mortalities are human-related. Most occur from collisions with watercraft.  The loss of habitat is a serious threat.  There are approximately 2600 manatees left in the United States.  You can see the manatees in the local rivers in the winter or in the Homosassa Springs State Park.  Crystal River, Florida is the only area where the herds are growing.  The City of Crystal River and Homosassa Springs area of Citrus County are very proud of this.  Manatee tours are available, so that you can observe the manatee in their natural habitat.  Most tours have guides that are true professional and respect the manatees and its environment.   

GOLFING

     Challenges are everywhere when you golf in Citrus County.  Citrus County, the unspoiled gem in the heart of Florida's Nature Coast offers many public and private courses that beckon to both serious and casual golfers.  There are more than 50 courses in our area.  With one of the world's greatest concentrations of golf courses, some people refer to Florida's Gulf Coast as the "Golf Coast."    The Nature Coast courses - include four ranked among the top 100 in the nation by Golf Digest magazine.  With so many courses to choose from, long waits for tee times are rare and play usually moves along at a pleasant pace.  Mother Nature has provides us with our magnificent landscape to remind golfers of why then have chosen to play in the great outdoors that Citrus County has to offer.  Below is a list of some of Citrus County area golf courses.  The Citrus County Florida Golf offering is an ever changing and growing list.

Black Diamond Golf & Country Club          Lecanto          352/746-3446

Citrus Hills Golf & Country Club                 Citrus Hills      352/746-4425

Citrus Springs Golf & Country Club           Citrus Springs   352/489-5045

Inverness Golf & Country Club                   Inverness         352/637-2526

Lakeside Golf & Country Club                    Inverness        352/726-1461

Pine Ridge Country Club & Golf Course     Pine Ridge       352/746-6177

Plantation Golf Club                                  Crystal River     352/795-7211

Seven Rivers Golf Club                             Crystal River     352/795-2100

Southern Woods Golf Club                    Sugarmill Woods 352/382-5996

Sugarmill Woods Country Club              Sugarmill Woods 352/382-2663

Twisted Oaks Country Club & Golf Club  Beverly Hills    352/746-6257

World Woods Golf Club                           Brooksville     352/796-5550 x 4

FISHING

     We have seven of Florida's outstanding water bodies.  We are sure you will have an abundance of choices, and a productive and enjoyable time when coming here to fish.  

     If freshwater is your preference, then you have your choice of sunshine bass in the Lake Tsala Apopka chain, speckled perch in Lake Rousseau, catfish in the Withlacoochee or the ultimate southern quarry, the Florida Largemouth Bass, just about everywhere.

     If saltwater is more to your liking, you can seek grouper and snapper at the reefs (Citrus County Reef #1, Laran Co-ordinate 14356.2/45305.05) and rock piles of the coast, sea trout and Spanish mackerel on the grass beds, cobia and sheepshead at the markers, redfish and whiting off the oyster bars, and record size tarpon working the flats.

     Once you have decided what you would like to fish for, the next choice is where you want to start.  We have numerous boat ramps, fishing piers, bridges, and locations for bank fishing as well as professional guides, party boats, and boat rental businesses to serve you.  Choose one of our local captains to take you out and show you where the fish are biting.

     We also have many bait shops and sporting goods stores where you can purchase live bait and the newest "can't miss" lures.  They may even fill you in on the location of the latest hot spots.

     If you would like to go even further and find that special spot that the locals always seem to know about, try asking them!  Citrus County's regulars are usually ready to share a few secrets, although I wouldn't go as far to ask for directions to that 10 pound bass they caught last week!

     The last decision for you to make is when you want to come to fish.  That depends on you,  Certain fish, however, do have closed seasons and or special requirements that could effect your decision of when to visit.  So select the time that is right for you and come and enjoy "Mother Nature's Theme Park!"

Crystal River, Citrus County, Florida

"CENTURY 21 Nature Coast is pleased to recognize David Bramblett with the honor of Top Producer for the Year 2007.  He has been a consistant multi-million dollar producer since joining our company.  He is a leader and innovator, empowering local homebuyers and sellers with valuable information, helping them to make informed real estate decisions."says Hugh Tolle, Broker/Owner of CENTURY 21 Nature Coast.    CENTURY 21 Nature Coast is a full-service real estate brokerage company specializing in residential, commercial, recreational properties and waterfront properties.

The office is located at 835 N.E. Hwy. 19, in Crystal River.