IN HOMOSASSA, GROWTH THE WORD

Section D - SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014
CITRUS COUNTY CHRONICLE
Month-to-month rental can end at 30 days’ notice
EAR BRUCE: I have
been living in my
apartment for five
years. I pay my bills on time.
Now my landlord is telling
me I have to move. No reason from him at all. We have
no contract, just month-tomonth.
I finally said OK and
asked for my security payment of $500, which I have
in a signed contract. Is it
worth it for me to file a
D
Bruce Williams
SMART
MONEY
paper at the courthouse or
walk away? — Fred
DEAR FRED: It is not unusual to have a month-tomonth rental agreement.
You can leave any time, giving a month’s notice, and
your landlord can ask you to
leave with a month’s notice.
You’ve agreed, and you are
moving out within that 30day period.
You have every right to
inquire about your $500.
There is no reason to file at
the courthouse or walk
away, at least at the beginning. If your apartment is
reasonably maintained and
left clean, there should be
no reason the $500 shouldn’t
be returned to you. If your
landlord refuses to return it
or gives you a lower amount
due to “damage” in the
apartment, that’s a different
matter, but it can be a matter of negotiation. If the
amount is not high, it is
sometimes easier to pay
and move on.
DEAR BRUCE: What is
the difference between a
checking and a savings account? — Jenny
DEAR JENNY: A savings
account is simply an account used to deposit
money into an institution,
usually a bank or credit
union, with the idea that the
money will stay there and
earn interest. In today’s
world, I see no reason to
have a savings account
since it effectively pays no
interest.
A checking account is a
different matter altogether.
With a checking account,
you are allowed to write
checks for the amount of
money on deposit at any
given time. A check is simSee MONEY/Page D2
IN HOMOSASSA,
GROWTH THE WORD
Several new businesses
opening within 5 miles
of each other
ROCHELLE KAISER
Chronicle
he landscape in Homosassa
is changing as a number
of new businesses opening
continues to grow by leaps
and bounds. The majority
of these new businesses are located
within a five-mile radius of each other
and each one is either already open or
plans to open before the end of the year.
T
For the past month residents have been
welcoming four new businesses that have
opened. A brand new Auto Zone, located on
U.S. 19 just south of Halls River Road, replaced the old Misty River restaurant; The
Dog House, located at the intersection of
Yulee Drive and Fishbowl Drive in old Homosassa, has just opened in the former Taz
Dogs ’n’ Scoops; the new HearUSA, located
in the Shoppes of Sugarmill Woods shopping
center — behind Walgreens — has recently
opened as well as the new Watson’s Art
Gallery & Studio, located on Yulee Drive.
This is just the beginning as residents anticipate the opening of several other new businesses in the next two months.
After being a fixture in Crystal River for
more than 25 years, Farmers Home Furniture
will soon relocate into its newly remodeled
store next to Tractor Supply. The furniture
company is taking over the remaining vacant
half of the former Walmart store.
“We are very excited and looking forward
to moving into a nice new store,” said Dee
Teague, store manager.
Teague is overseeing the remodel of the
new store and expects to move in by late October. She said a grand reopening will probably be held near the end of November. The
new store will offer approximately the same
square footage and all existing employees
will be coming to the new location.
Farmers Home Furniture was founded in
1949 and now boasts 178 stores across the
eastern United States.
Next door to the new furniture store will
See HOMOSASSA/Page D2
ROCHELLE KAISER/Chronicle
Cheryl Martin and several family members are the new proprietors of The Dog House, formerly Taz Dog ‘n’
Scoops. They offer Nathan’s hot dogs with a variety of topping choices along with Blue Bell ice cream. The
family plans to add more food options in the future.
A LOOK AT WHO’S NEW
FARMERS HOME
FURNITURE
352-795-3733
3818 S. Suncoast
Blvd., Homosassa
Open Monday
through Friday from
9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m. to
5 p.m. and closed
on Sunday.
THE DOG HOUSE
10317 W. Yulee Drive,
in Old Homosassa
Open Tuesday
through Thursday
11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday and Saturday
from 11 a.m. to
8 p.m.
Closed on Monday.
DOLLAR TREE
3810 S. Suncoast
Blvd., Homosassa
Open Monday
through Friday
HearUSA
352-224-3354
9475 S. Suncoast
Blvd., Homosassa
Open Monday
through Friday 8:30
a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday and
Sunday by appointment only
WATSON’S ART
GALLERY & STUDIO
352-476-2843
10330 W. Yulee Drive,
in old Homosassa
Open Monday
through Friday from
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday and
Sunday 9 a.m. to
4 p.m.
QUICK CARE MED
CLINIC
3956 S. Suncoast
Blvd., Homosassa
Open Monday
through Friday
9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday and
Sunday from 9 a.m.
to 4 p.m.
Closed Thanksgiving
and Christmas only
AUTO ZONE
352-621-1284
4135 S. Suncoast
Blvd., Homosassa
Open Monday
through Saturday
7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday 8 a.m. to
9 p.m.
When opportunity introduces itself, say hello
alk about a missed
opportunity.
For Renee Wilson,
now global chief client officer for the MSLGROUP, it
came years ago when she
was a gung-ho intern with
more awards already under
her belt than most folks
amass in a lifetime.
She fully expected her
exceptional talent, dedication, work ethic and enthusiasm to land her a dream
T
Laura Byrnes
CAREER
SOURCE
job at the Manhattan firm
where she had been slogging away for six months.
It didn’t. Understandably
crestfallen when she got the
news, Wilson left the building to cool off and read from
her favorite book of corporate inspiration written by
her idol, the company’s
owner.
Stepping into the elevator
to return to her office, Wilson
was joined by a man who
noticed her gloomy demeanor and the book she
was still clutching. He said
something to the effect that
she really ought to smile.
Wilson told him that she
had nothing to smile about.
In fact, she unloaded with
all the ill-conceived candor
of youth. At the end of her
tirade, her elevator companion gestured to the photograph on the back of the
book and said, “Well, I still
think you should smile, and
I’ll bet that guy does, too.”
And then the CEO of the
company, bestselling author
and Renee Wilson’s role
model stepped out of the elevator and out of her life.
We all know, or should
know, the importance of a
good “elevator speech” —
your 30-second pitch that
tells who you are, what you
do and why they should
continue the conversation
once the elevator ride ends.
It could be argued that
what transpired between
Renee Wilson and the corporate mogul was the exact
opposite of what you want
an elevator speech to
accomplish.
Can you imagine just how
differently things could
have turned out if, instead
of expressing her anger and
See BYRNES/Page D2
D2
CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE
BUSINESS
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014
HOMOSASSA
MONEY
Continued from Page D1
Continued from Page D1
be a new Dollar Tree store projected to open
on or about Sept. 27. As part of a Fortune 500
company this location is being considered a
new store. Several years ago a previous Dollar store was located in the corner of this
shopping center but closed its doors sometime during the late 1990’s.
At just under 12,000 square feet, this new
location will offer the same four foundation
categories as other locations.
Categories include seasonal, health and
beauty, party supplies and food and snacks.
“We believe in offering excellent service
and incredible values to our customers,” said
Shelle Davis, Dollar Tree public relations
spokesperson.
In addition to its regular merchandise Dollar Tree will also offer all the wow stuff it offers at similar locations including helium
balloons and greeting cards, two for $1.
It’s a family affair at The Dog House where
hungry guests can enjoy their Nathan’s hot
dogs in a variety of ways that includes chili,
sauerkraut and cheese along with regular favorites such as onions, relish, mustard and
ketchup. For dessert guests can indulge in
some Blue Bell ice cream with several different flavors available.
“Eventually we would like to add burgers
but we’re taking little steps as we start out.
Right now we try to add something new each
week,” said owner Cheryl Martin.
Formerly known as Taz Dogs n Scoops, several family members have joined together to
take shifts through out the week. Martin says
the drive-thru tends to stay busy but she expects the outside seating area will also become busy once the weather starts to cool off.
Just down the street is the new Watson’s
Art Gallery & Studio owned by residents Gil
and Wendy Watson. The family moved to Homosassa just over a year ago from Colorado.
They happened to find Homosassa through
the Internet and were so impressed they ended
up purchasing their new home sight unseen.
Soon after moving to Homosassa, the Watsons began their search for the perfect location to open an art gallery. Before their big
move they sold all of their artwork, so once
they secured a new location, they immediately began working day and night to produce enough pieces to open. The studio is
money from your account
to someone else’s account.
There are penalties involved
if you overdraw money, and
you may have to leave a minimumamount in the account
to avoid paying a service
fee for each check written.
DEAR BRUCE: My dog
is turning 11 years old and
I am worried that I won’t
be able to afford all his future vet visits. What do you
think about pet insurance?
— K.B.
DEAR K.B.: You are wise
to worry. As your dog gets
older, the vet bills can increase geometrically. Having just gone through this
with my second dog, I can
assure you it can be very
expensive.
Whether or not you’ll be
able to buy a policy on a dog
as old as yours is another
matter, but I would certainly
inquire. You can also look
at partial coverage as compared to whole coverage. If
the insurance is available
at a decent price, it’s something you should consider.
DEAR BRUCE: I have
been out of work for six
months and can’t seem to
catch up on any of my bills.
My credit cards are maxed
out. My total debt with car,
cards, etc., is around
$32,000. My question is, if I
file for bankruptcy, will I be
able to keep my car? — B.V.
DEAR B.V.: You have a
tough road ahead of you,
and I have nothing but
sympathy. The fact that
you are $32,000 in debt
doesn’t sit well.
The problem is, how
much is the car worth? If
it’s an expensive vehicle,
you will most likely be directed to sell it. If it’s of
modest value, the chances
are you can keep the car
and, of course, you will have
to continue to make payments on the automobile.
Should you continue to
be out of work, I would seriously consider bankruptcy as an option.
BYRNES
Continued from Page D1
disappointment — to a total
stranger! — she had talked about
her passion and love for the profession and why she was so interested in working for what
turned out to be his company?
It’s safe to say that Wilson certainly has.
I heard her tell this cautionary
tale recently while discussing
forks in the road and changing
ROCHELLE KAISER/Chronicle
This bench, created by Watson’s Art Gallery & Studio, uses repurposed wood and is
embellished with carvings of animals indigenous to the area.
now filled with original art work, sculptures
and signs with space reserved for other
artists to showcase their work.
“We’ve had a tremendous response from
the community,” said Gil Watson.
Watson is a master carver and offers several carved and sculptured pieces of various
sizes. His most popular pieces are headboards for any size bed and fireplace mantels with intricate carvings. The art gallery
has only been open three months and he’s already been commissioned to do more headboards and mantels.
The studio offers smaller individual rooms
off of the main gallery. One room has been
dedicated as a fun room. It’s filled with popular signs with sayings on them and molded
fish with unusual expressions. Much of this
detailed work is done by Wendy.
“I’d like to dedicate one of the rooms as a
bedroom where I’ll have a real bed with one
of my carved headboards and maybe some
other carved pieces. Sculpting and carving
is my big forte,” Watson said. “We have other
plans to include a coffee shop and maybe a
wine bar. I’d like to expand beyond visual
arts to include music too.”
career paths. Wilson said that, in
retrospect, it all worked out for
the best and she’s glad she didn’t
get that job. She went on to become one of the foremost authorities in global brand and
influencer marketing, and has
worked in London, throughout
Europe, the Middle East and
Africa.
But she also came away from
the experience with an important lifelong lesson: “Every interaction is an opportunity.”
Think about that. In your career, or in your search for your
Watson has some very ambitious plans that
include getting all of the artists together for
a meet and greet. He would like to bring all
of these creative minds together to offer
demonstrations and other small functions on
weekends. He also plans to go overboard
with decorations during the holidays. He is
looking at November to hold a grand opening.
And a new Quick Care Med Walk-in Clinic
will soon open in the Springs Plaza near
Publix at the corner of Halls River Road and
U. S. 19. This will be the fourth location locally owned and operated.
“The clinic will offer urgent care. The office will also provide physicals for work,
school, workman’s comp and DOT. The clinic
can also take care of people with colds, lacerations, broken bones and other medical issues,” said Charley Cook, office manager at
the Crystal River location. Besides Crystal
River and Homosassa, other Quick Care Med
Clinics are in Inverness and Dunnellon.
Staff at the clinic will include a doctor
along with mid-level assistants. It will provide jobs for up to five people. Quick Care
Med Walk-in Clinic is expected to open the
beginning of October.
next career, you will come into
contact with lots of people. You’ll
meet them in every manner of
ways, from old-fashioned networking to the digital world to a
ride in an elevator or, in our relatively skyscraper-free county,
perhaps it’s in line at the grocery
store, pumping gas or getting a
shave at the corner barbershop.
The point is, make the most of
those interactions. Don’t squander the opportunity to make a
good impression — after all, you
never know who it might be, or
how long their memories.
Not sure where to start? Stop
by our career center at 683 S.
Adolph Point, just off West Gulfto-Lake Highway, or give us a call
at 352-249-3278 or 800-434-JOBS.
———■———
Laura Byrnes, APR, is a Florida
Certified Workforce Professional
and communications manager
at CareerSource Citrus Levy
Marion, formerly Workforce
Connection. Contact her at
352-291-9559 or 800-434-5627,
ext. 1234 or lbyrnes@
careersourceclm.com.
———■———
Send questions to bruce
@brucewilliams.com.
Questions of general
interest will be answered
in future columns.
Communit y Happenings
000HQOE
THE 21st ANNUAL
QUARTER AUCTION
Southern Woods Golf Club
Monday, October 6, 2014
11:30 a.m. Shotgun Start
Citrus County Fairgrounds - U.S. 41 S., Inverness
Sale Hours
10:00 a.m. Registration (New Time)
Fri. 5-8 p.m. with $5 donation
$60/person incl. cart, beverages, lunch, greens
fees & Certificate for Golf at World Woods
No admission charge for the following
Multiple Drawings, 50/50 Raffle,
Closest to Pin & Longest Drive Contests
Rules: 4-person best ball scramble,
Individual and Couple entries.
Sat. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. • Sun. 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
Mon. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (half price day)
t
Grea s
Tues. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. ($3 a bag)
ain
000IGFU
barg cled
y
in rec ing!
read
Cash or Checks Only
Make checks Payable to RACC - Mail or fax entries to:
REALTORS Association of Citrus County
714 S. Scarboro Ave., Lecanto, FL 34461
Fax (352) 746-3223
FOR MORE INFO CALL RACC (352) 746-7550
www.foccls.org
For book sale information call
746-1334 or 527-8405
The GFWC
Woman’s Club of Inverness
presents
10th ARTISAN’S
ANNUAL
BOUTIQUE
000IWLN
2014
FRIDAY & SATURDAY
OCTOBER 10 & 11 • 9AM-3PM
1715 Forest Drive, Inverness
across from Whispering Pines Park
www.chronicleonline.com/divanight
DRAWING BY CHANCE:
Tickets: $2 ea. or 3 for $5
1ST PRIZE: $200 Walmart Gift Card. 2ND PRIZE: Golf Outing for 4.
3RD PRIZE: Watercolor by Artisan Susan Strawbridge. 4TH PRIZE: Mystery Basket worth over $200.
000IWYX
For more information contact Trista Stokes
[email protected] or 564-2946
Proceeds to benefit various philanthropies.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 746-6168
Sat., Oct. 4, 2014
000IZ74
Oct. 10 thru Oct. 14
Citrus County Auditorium
Bring your quarters and
come join us for a night of
good food and fun to
benefit the approximately
1800 Court Dependent
children of the Fifth Circuit.
Just $25.00
buys you:
6:00 PM
Dinner by: Harry’s Seafood Bar &
Central Ridge
Grille of Ocala
Community Center Salads by: Bently’s of Dunnellon
Desserts by:
77 Civic Circle
Cinnamon Sticks of Inverness
Beverly Hills
For tickets call
Kathleen Burrows 352-400-9325,
Sue Carpenter 352-362-5851,
Kathy Klein 352-895-1218
or Karen Strouse 352-601-0115
HURRY TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE NOW AND BRING A FRIEND!
000ISE4
MEGA BOOK SALE Realtors Golf Tournament & DINNER
Fundraiser
To Benefit Habitat For Humanity
TEAM
HOPE
RELAY FOR LIFE
FAMILY FUN
FISHING TOURNAMENT
3rd ANNUAL
RELAY FOR LIFE
Saturday • Oct. 4, 2014
Homosassa Riverside Resort
Pre-Registration
$100 per boat
Day of Event
$125 per boat
Plenty of Prizes for
Adults & Children
Chance Raffles &
50/50 Drawing
3 Categories- Heaviest
Redfish, Heaviest Trout,
Heaviest Grouper
MANDATORY
Captains Meeting
Fri., Oct. 3 at 6:30 PM
No Entrants after 8 PM
For more information contact
Michele Snellings 697-2220 or
[email protected]
SPONSORS:
Homosassa Riverside Resort, 96.3 The Fox, Citrus 95.3, Eagle
Buick GMC, Citrus Country Chronicle, Moore’s Bait & Tackle &
Preferred Automotive Services, Blue Water Bait & Tackle
000J5JS
Friends of the Citrus County Library System