Crystal River City Council members gave the OK to have the annual Manatee Festival as planned in their downtown, but backup plans are in place if COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations surge. With a quarantined Mayor Joe Meek phoning into councilâs Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, meeting, hosted by Vice Mayor Robert Holmes, city officials voted 5-0 to approve the Citrus County Chamber of Commerceâs permit for the event on Jan. 16 and 17. However, depending on virus transmission rates and hospital cases, the chamber has until Dec. 31 to either continue as scheduled or postpone until March 27 and 28. Get more from the Citrus County Chronicle