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Spectrum News Staff
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UPDATED 7:07 AM ET Jan. 15, 2024
PUBLISHED 6:35 AM EST Jan. 12, 2024
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Spectrum News Staff
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Winter means cold, and winter plus wind equals colder! The term to describe the combination of wind and cold is “wind chill.”
First, understand that our bodies lose heat through convection.
When we are outside and there is little to no wind, the air temperature is the same temperature we feel. There’s little to no difference between the two.
In the example below, the outside temperature is 20 degrees, and it feels like it because a layer of that heat remains around our body to help us stay warm.
When it is windy, the moving air breaks up the insulating warm layer. This wind helps to speed up the heat loss and makes the body feel much colder outside.
Add in a 20 mile per hour wind to an outside temperature of 20 degrees, and it doesn’t feel like 20 degrees anymore. Instead, the wind chill is only 4 degrees!
The wind chill temperature is calculated based on the temperature and wind speed. Check the chart below to determine the wind chill and how long it takes to get frostbite.
At the top of the chart you’ll find the air temperature, and on the left is the wind speed. When you line up those two factors, where they meet is the wind chill.
Frostbite happens when body tissue freezes; your hands, feet, and nose usually freeze first. Your body protects your vital organs by cutting circulation to those extremities and focusing it on the most important places.
We’ve fought wearing jackets since we were kids, but one of the easiest ways to keep yourself safe from frostbite or hypothermia is by dressing appropriately. Wearing layers and cover all exposed skin (including fingers, toes, ears, nose and so on).
How you fuel your body can also help you stay safe. Stay hydrated because that increases your blood volume, which in turn helps prevent frostbite.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine constricts your blood vessels, which prevents the warming of your extremities. Alcohol reduces shivering, which is the body’s attempt to keep you warm.
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Meteorologist Robyn King
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We’re heading into another year, and there are so many astronomical events we can look forward to.
Check out what to expect for each month. The second half of the year will bring plenty of fun shows.
Quadrantids meteor shower: We started the year with a bang. This meteor shower produced 40 meteors per hour at its peak on the night of the 3rd. Don’t worry if you missed it. We have plenty more meteor showers this year.
(AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
View of Mercury: Our first 2024 view of Mercury occurred on the 12th. We’ll be able to view this planet six more times this year!
February is quiet, only offering a new moon on the 9th and a full moon on the 24th.
First day of spring, also called the vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere (the autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere) will occur on the 19th this year at 11:06 p.m. ET. The Sun will pass directly over the equator, and we’ll have nearly equal amounts of day and night across the planet.
(Spectrum News/Lacy Leonardi)
Mercury in sight: our second view of Mercury will happen on the 24th. Look for it low in the western sky just after sunset.
Penumbral lunar eclipse: occurring when the moon passes through Earth’s penumbra. This eclipse will take place on the 25th and be visible through all the U.S.
Total solar eclipse: this rare event will occur on the 8th and be visible in the eastern U.S. The Moon will completely block the Sun, letting us see the outer ring of the Sun. You don’t want to miss it because it won’t happen again until 2045.
(Pixabay)
Lyrids meteor shower: this is a decent shower that produces about 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It will run from the 16th to the 25th but will peak on the night of the 22nd. Unfortunately, the full moon will block out many meteors, but you should still be able to catch a glimpse of the brightest ones.
Eta Aquarids meteor shower: this decent meteor shower will produce 30 meteors per hour in the Northern Hemisphere at its peak on the 6th. The new moon means we’ll have a dark sky and an excellent show.
Mercury returns: our third viewing of Mercury this year will occur on the 9th. You can see it in the eastern sky just before sunrise.
First day of summer: this year, the summer solstice will occur at 4:50 p.m. ET on June 20, marking the first day of summer for the northern hemisphere. The North Pole will tilt toward the Sun, and the Sun will travel over the Tropic of Cancer.
Another view of Mercury: our fourth view of Mercury will happen on the 22nd. Look for it low in the western sky just after sunset.
(Pixabay)
Delta Aquarids meteor shower: this shower will produce 20 meteors per hour at its peak on the night of the 28th. The moon will block out a lot of the meteors, but you will still catch a few bright ones.
Perseids meteor shower: one of the best meteor showers of the year, you’ll see 60 meteors per hour at its peak on the night of the 12th. The good news is the Moon will set shortly after midnight, leaving us with dark skies for the show.
Full moon and blue moon: we’ll get this full moon and blue moon on the 19th. It’s called a blue moon because it’s the third of four full moons of the season.
View of Mercury: our fifth view of Mercury will be on the 5th. Look for it low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.
See Saturn’s rings: Saturn should be visible all night on the 8th. You’ll see a glimpse of its rings and brightest moons with a medium or large telescope.
Full moon and supermoon: this full moon and supermoon will occur on the 18th. Don’t miss it, as the moon will look larger and brighter.
Partial lunar eclipse: occurring when the Moon passes through the penumbra and partially through the umbra. We’ll see this partial lunar eclipse on the 18th, and most of the U.S. will be able to view it.
(Photo by Anthony Leone)
The Blue Giant: we’ll get a view of Neptune all night on the 20th. Unfortunately, because of its distance, it’ll only look like a tiny blue dot in the sky unless you have an extremely powerful telescope.
First day of fall: the autumnal equinox will occur at 8:43 a.m. ET on the 22nd. We’ll have nearly equal amounts of day and night across the world as the Sun shines over the equator, marking the first day of fall in the northern hemisphere.
Draconids meteor shower: practice patient with this shower on the 7th, as it only produces 10 meteors per hour. Unlike other showers, you’ll want to view this one in the early evening.
Another full moon and supermoon: this full moon and supermoon will happen on the 17th. It’ll be the second supermoon of three in 2024.
Orionids meteor shower: this shower will peak on the night of the 21st, bringing us 20 meteors per hour. The waning gibbous moon will block fainter meteors, but you should still be able to catch some brighter ones.
Taurids meteor shower: a very minor shower. This show will only produce 5-10 meteors per hour at its peak on the night of the 4h. The first quarter moon will block most of the meteors, but you’ll still see a few after midnight.
Full moon and supermoon: the last of the supermoons of 2024, you can catch this full, big and bright moon on the 15th.
Mercury’s back: Mercury loves to show off, as this will be our sixth view of the planet on the 16th.
Uranus: Uranus appears on the 17th and you’ll be able to view it all night. Unfortunately, if you don’t have an extremely power telescope, you’ll only see a tiny dot in the sky.
(NASA/JPL)
Leonids meteor shower: another minor shower, this one will produce 15 meteors per hour at its peak on the night of the 17th. The best time to view this show will be during the early morning of the 18th, but the nearly full moon will block out most of the meteors.
Jupiter and its moons: Jupiter will appear on the 7th and be visible all night. You’ll be able to see Jupiter’s cloud bands with a medium telescope. Even with just binoculars, you’ll be able to see its four largest moons.
Geminids meteor shower: welcome to the best meteor shower of every year. Peaking from Dec. 13-14, this shower will produce 120 multicolored meteors per hour. Unfortunately, an almost full moon means we won’t see a lot of the meteors, but we should still be able to catch a good amount. Bundle up and head outside after midnight for the best viewing time.
First day of winter: on the 21st, the winter solstice will occur at 4:19 a.m. ET, marking the first day of winter. The South Pole will tilt toward the Sun, and the Sun will be in its southernmost position in the sky.
(Photo by Sean Organ)
Ursids meteor shower: the last shower of the year will be the Ursids meteor shower on Dec. 21-22. It is minor, producing 5-10 meteors per hour, and the waning gibbous moon will block out many of the meteors.
One last view of Mercury: Mercury was the first planet we saw this year, and it’ll be the last. You’ll be able to view it on the 25th low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.
If you’re trying to view a planet, it might become a little tricky differentiating it from a star. Caballero-Nieves, assistant professor in Astronomy at FL Institute of Tech., explains “planets are typically brighter than stars. Stars also twinkle. This is called scintillation. Stars will change a little in brightness and even color, and planets do not.”
“Finally, if you look at a planet over several nights or months, you will notice that it moves with respect to the stars near it. That’s where the Greeks gave the planets their names, which means wanderer.”
If you want to view all these heavenly events this year, head to a dark area away from city lights.
It also doesn’t hurt to buy a telescope, either. What kind of telescope should you buy?
Caballero-Nieves suggests that “You should first decide what you are interested in observing. Reflecting telescopes use mirrors and are more compact, but reflecting telescopes that use lenses can be more affordable.”
“Smaller telescopes are great for looking at bright things like the Moon, planets and bright stars. Larger telescopes are better for observing faint things like galaxies, nebulas and comets.”
Hopefully, you will see some wonderful views this year!
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.
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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State and football coach Mike Norvell have agreed to terms on what the university called an “enhanced contract,” the school announced Friday.
The Seminoles did not release the terms of the deal, but the Associated Press, citing a source with direct knowledge of the deal, confirmed initial reports by Yahoo that the deal is for eight years and more than $10 million per year.
The agreement came as Norvell’s name had been mentioned in media reports as a possible replacement at Alabama for Nick Saban, who announced his retirement as the Crimson Tide’s coach on Thursday. The Associated Press and ESPN reported Friday night that Washington coach Kalen DeBoer, whose team was the runner-up to Michigan in the national championship game, has signed a deal to take Alabama’s job. AP cited a source who spoke on condition of anonymity because neither school had announced DeBoer’s decision.
“We came to Tallahassee four years ago, and it was a life-changing experience,” Norvell said in a statement on seminoles.com. “Knowing the great history, tradition and expectation has guided our staff on a daily basis. It has been an incredible journey these last four years, and I have fallen in love with this program, the university and the people who I get to represent. I am so excited to continue our climb to push Florida State back to the top of college football. We are committed to being our best on and off the field while helping develop our players to be their best in every area of their lives. I am incredibly thankful for the amazing commitment into our student-athletes and staff from President McCullough, AD Alford and the Board of Trustees.”
Norvell led the Seminoles (13-1) to an unbeaten regular season in 2023 before they were the first undefeated Power Five conference champion left out of the College Football Playoff, following a season-ending injury to quarterback Jordan Travis.
Since they were not selected for the College Football Playoffs, the Seminoles have faced some adversity. Norvell stood up for his program and expressed how angry he was that the program was left out after becoming the first undefeated team in CFP history to be left out. The program has filed a lawsuit against the Atlantic Coast Conference, challenging the league’s grant of rights that ties the program to the ACC.
The Seminoles, who subsequently lost many of their key players to injuries or the NFL Draft before the bowl game, then got crushed by Georgia in the Orange Bowl 63-3. On Thursday, the NCAA announced that a Florida State assistant coach has been suspended for the first three games of the 2024 season for violating recruiting rules by connecting a potential transfer with a representative from a name, image and likeness collective during an official visit. FSU agreed to two years of probation, the loss of a total of five football scholarships over the next two seasons and other restrictions on recruiting, including a reduction of official visits. The school was also fined $5,000.
In four seasons at Florida State, the 42-year-old Norvell has dramatically improved the program and is 31-17, including 23-4 the past two seasons. The Seminoles went 3-6 in his first season as coach, but Norvell worked patiently through the COVID-19 pandemic to steadily rebuild the program.
Despite the lopsided Orange Bowl loss, the Seminoles place sixth in the final Top 25 rankings. Norvell was voted the 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year and the AFCA Region 1 Coach of the Year. He was one of five finalists for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award presented by the Maxwell Football Club and one of 12 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award.
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CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. — The City of Crystal River is hoping to secure funding to help bring back its city hall. City officials were already eyeing a new city hall before Hurricane Idalia caused enough damage to close the building.
The asking price to bring back the office space is $10 million, with plans to raise the building and make it less susceptible to flooding.
On the outside, the city hall looks pretty ordinary. It’s not until you get a little closer do you realize something’s different.
“It’s not ‘if,’ it’s just ‘when’ it’s going to get flooded out again,” city manager Douglas Baber said.
For four months, Crystal River City Hall has sat empty, forcing its staff to find workspace elsewhere.
“We’ve got a list of appropriation requests that we’ve put together,” Baber said. “One of them, in which, is a $10 million appropriation request for the City of Crystal River to rebuild a city hall.”
Baber, who entered the building for the first time since Idalia, says it’s haunting.
“You look at this place and you look around at the walls and you can see from one end of the building to the other,” he said. “It’s kind of creepy the way that it’s just a hollow of a shell.”
The building has been remediated from top to bottom. The walls have been gutted. The floors have been stripped. The building is almost unrecognizable.
“This is the Crystal River chambers,” Baber said. “This room took on about 18 inches of flood water as well as sewage and chemicals from the auto body shop across the street.”
Baber says the plan is to lift the building, preventing any future threats of flooding. A fix that they have been looking to make for some time.
“This is how it got fixed last time,” Baber said, while touring the building. “These are Hermine repairs and I’m not knocking anybody for any of the damage and repairs but it would just be more of this if we decide to go back in here. It’s just not a healthy building and I don’t think it was healthy before the storm.”
As for a timeline, Baber says it will probably take about three years to complete. But he’s hopeful of having the building brought back to its former glory and more.
“They were used to their routines in this building since the ‘60s,” he says. “Some of them have worked here for over 25 years and overnight that just changed. They are a resilient crew, as well, and we’re going to get thru this together.”
Baber says he will be traveling up to Tallahassee here towards the end of January. In an effort to receive that funding to bring back his city hall.
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Calvin Lewis
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We’ll see scattered showers and thunderstorms develop with a broken line of storms overnight ahead of a cold front.
While this system will not be as strong as the one we saw on Tuesday, we do have a low chance of seeing a strong or severe thunderstorm, particularly tonight as a broken line moves through.
The main concern will be strong wind gusts. While unlikely, a brief tornado cannot be ruled out entirely.
Showers and storms should clear the area by 5 a.m. Saturday.
Rainfall will not be as abundant since storms and showers will be scattered. We’ll see less than half an inch of rain in most areas.
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.
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Meteorologist Kyle Hanson
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Learn how wind can affect the outside temperature.
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BRADENTON, Fla. — After months of anticipation, the Gulf Islands Ferry, which connects downtown Bradenton to Anna Maria Island, formally launches this weekend.
The ferry was initially scheduled to launch in early December, but was pushed to mid-January as the new service awaited Coast Guard approval.
While the new scheduled start date for the service was listed as Jan. 12, less than stellar weather forecasted for Friday and Saturday is now pushing the inaugural ride to Sunday. Tickets are now available and the service is in operation, despite the weather delays.
To start, the ferry will take passengers from the day dock located by the River Dance apartments on the Bradenton Riverwalk to Anna Maria City Pier. In the next couple of weeks, the service will also include a stop at the Bridge Street pier in Bradenton Beach, according to Elliot Falcione with the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
John Horne, owner of Anna Maria Oyster Bar, located on the Bridge Street pier, said the ferry will now allow him to recruit new staff members from east Bradenton and Palmetto.
“Almost no one who works on the island lives on the island,” Horne said. “The island has changed drastically, so we’re recruiting from off the island for staff….everybody is.”
Horne says he’s working on an arrangement with the ferry operators that would allow his staff members to use the boats as a way to commute to work. He says the traffic on Manatee Avenue and Cortez Road as you approach the island can get so dense during peak season that he hopes the ferry will relieve some of that.
“Less cars on the island, less traffic on the island, more parking spaces for people that do drive out there,” he said.
Falcione estimates that talks about adding a ferry as a mode of transportation in Manatee County first started about 15 years ago. But it took years to get the cities and county all on the same page.
He’s hoping residents and visitors start using the ferry as a way to get around traffic and enjoy the river in the meantime.
“We’re all in, this isn’t a pilot program,” Falcione said. “If we get complacent or we get bureaucratic then we’ll face some challenges.”
Large bags and coolers are permitted on the ferry, but no bicycles are allowed.
Falcione says it cost approximately $1.2 million to get the ferry up and running. The bulk of that money, he said, is from tourism tax dollars and not coming from Manatee County’s Ad Valorem taxes.
Tickets for the ferry are now on sale and can be found at Bradenton Gulf Islands.
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Angie Angers
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PHOENIX (AP) — A Florida State assistant coach has been suspended for the first three games of the 2024 season for violating recruiting rules by connecting a potential transfer with a representative from an NIL collective during an official visit, the NCAA announced on Thursday.
The NCAA did not name the coach in its release, but a person with direct knowledge of the case confirmed to The Associated Press that it was offensive coordinator Alex Atkins. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because neither the NCAA nor the school was identifying Atkins as the coach involved.
The case involved two Level II infractions and was resolved as part of a negotiated resolution between NCAA enforcement staff and Florida State, approved by the Committee on Infractions. It is the first time the NCAA has punished a school for using name, image and likeness compensation as recruiting inducement.
Collectives are the booster-funded, independent organizations that support schools by paying athletes for their names, images and likenesses.
Florida State agreed to two years of probation, the loss of a total of five football scholarships over the next two seasons and other restrictions on recruiting, including a reduction of official visits. The school was also fined $5,000.
The NCAA said the coach facilitated contact between the player and a booster in April 2022. The booster encouraged the player to enroll at Florida State and offered him an NIL opportunity with the collective worth about $15,000 per month.
The person told AP the player involved was offensive tackle Amarius Mims from Georgia. Mims entered the transfer portal, but ended up returning to Georgia. He recently announced he was entering the NFL draft as an underclassmen.
The NCAA said the assistant coach then gave false or misleading information about his involvement in the arranged meeting to investigators, violating ethical conduct rules.
Atkins was given a two-year show cause order by the NCAA and had recruiting restrictions placed upon him by the school last year.
The university also must disassociate with the booster for three years and the collective for one year.
Florida State said the NCAA acknowledged no findings of responsibility by head coach Mike Norvell and the COI affirmed Norvell “promotes an atmosphere of compliance.”
“We are pleased to reach closure to this situation and view this as another step in strengthening our culture of compliance at Florida State University,” athletic director Michael Alford said in a statement. “We take all compliance matters very seriously, and our full cooperation with the NCAA on this case is a clear example of that commitment. We remain committed to compliance with all NCAA rules including disassociation of the booster and the collective.”
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HOMOSASSA, Fla. — Shipping container homes are quickly becoming a hot commodity in Citrus County, and owners say downsizing and affordability are just some of the reasons behind it.
But officials are raising concerns about the manner in which they are built. Citrus County Commissioner Jeff Kinnard spoke of his worries during a commission meeting Tuesday, saying the county should have a process in place for making sure homes are completed in a timely manner.
“For making sure that they are completed, completed in a reasonable time, and that we don’t have a hobbyist out there cutting holes in the side of a shipping container with a hacksaw on the weekends deciding that someday it might be a home for them,” Kinnard said.
There is one group in Citrus County that specializes in converting shipping containers into homes.
Resting on top of a sandy mound in Homosassa sits Darren Nichter’s latest project — a shipping container that will soon be a home.
“I think that’s what attracts people a lot to it is not only the cost savings, but also doing a little DIY project as well,” Nichter said.
Nichter is a managing partner of Citrus Container Park, specializing in turning a standard high cube shipping container into an affordable living space.
“When you get through that welding and making sure the container and the structure is strong again, it’s really built out like a normal home,” he said. “We frame 2×4 walls on the inside out of wood. That’s where you run your plumbing and electric.”
Containers are outfitted with plumbing, electric and HVAC. The foundation slab work, Nichter said, is done by licensed contractors.
“To do it properly, they need to be on a foundation, they need to be secured,” he said. “There are flat sides to them and in a bad storm they are going to get hit. That is the reasoning why he’s bringing it up — that they’re not just dropped on the ground, that they’re done correctly.”
It’s about a six-month process from the build until it is move-in ready, Nichter said. Architect stamped drawings are permitted through the county, ensuring proper building protocols are followed.
“There’s a lot of myths out there about what it takes to do one of these, and they just make it seem like it’s just so easy, that you can live off the grid and it should only cost $10,000 to do one of these,” he said. “When that is the farthest from the truth.”
It’s a unique way to live that is starting to catch on.
“I don’t think they’re going to replace traditional homes, but I think they’re going to become more prevalent,” Nichter said. “Especially with some of the building costs coming down.”
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Calvin Lewis
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The U.S. dealt with 28 disasters that each cost over $1 billion last year, according to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. That’s the most in one year since records began in 1980.
The average number of billion-dollar disasters since 1980 is 8.5 per year. However, from 2019 to 2023, the average was 20.4 events, including the previous record of 22 events in 2020.
NOAA adjusts for the Consumer Price Index to account for inflation.
Here’s when and where 2023’s billion-dollar disasters happened.
The majority were from severe storms and tornadoes, which made up 19 of them. The rest included four floods, two tropical cyclones (including Hurricane Idalia), one wildfire, one winter storm and one drought/heat wave.
The year may end up with one more, depending on the tally from the mid-December East Coast storm.
In total, NCEI estimates 2023’s billion-dollar disasters cost $93.0 billion, above the average of $60.5 billion. They also say these also contributed to at least 492 deaths.
NOAA’s information on 2023’s costly disasters came the same day that Europe’s climate agency reported the global average temperature last year set a record that was 2.66 degrees above pre-industrial levels. The Lower 48 had its fifth-hottest year on record, according to NOAA.
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.
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Meteorologist Justin Gehrts
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DUETTE, Fla. — There is a new goat in Duette.
“This is Henry,” said Kelly McCormick as she fed the rescued pygmy goat.
McCormick, the owner of Florida Rescue Farm, started this free-range rescue nine years ago.
At first, she’d planned to homestead the 5-acre piece of land in Manatee County. But that all changed when McCormick’s partner and fellow owner Glenn Maresca rescued an orphaned newborn calf named Moobee.
Moobee was lost in a nearby swamp for two days after his mom delivered him and died.
A grateful rancher offered Moobee as a gift for Maresca to grow and eat.
See, Moobee is a “Brangus,” a Brahman and Angus breed. Basically, a meat cow.
But then Moobee did something Maresca did not expect. He nudged and protected Maresca from approaching coyotes.
“Moobee had seen the coyotes, seen that I did not see the coyotes, and actually circled me to protect me against that threat,” Maresca said. “He was playing with me and the dogs, feeding him, and I was like, ‘There’s no way I’ma be able to kill this animal and eat it’.”
The farm now has 107 animals.
“All of these guys have a story. And they all have a name,” said McCormick, throwing out food to the rescue waterfowl.
And those rescue waterfowl also have wild friends. McCormick points out the three mallard ducks that have been living in the pond crew for some time.
It’s all part of keeping space for as many wild friends as possible.
To that end, half of the rescue property is left wild — a “no human zone.”
Animals graze in it, and it’s a natural habitat.
“It shows that you can co-exist with wildlife and livestock,” Maresca said.
Livestock guardian dog “Ripper-do” ensures the balance.
And the final piece of the pie is volunteers like Lori Desmarais.
She calls this her happy place.
“I started coming out to the farm a couple years ago. I thought it was going to be a one-time visit, and I just fell totally in love,” Desmarais said.
Together, they offer a safe place for their rescues.
But others can visit the farm, too, for private tours on Saturdays and Sundays from October until May. Those interested can email info@floridarescuefarm.org or call the farm at 941-209-9558 to discuss the sanctuary and arrange a time to visit.
“Our job is to take care of them, and our job is to give them a good quality of life. So, I mean, that’s what we do,” McCormick said.
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Virginia Johnson
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NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Pasco County commissioners approved recommendations this week from the county’s opioid task force about how settlement money from lawsuits against the drug industry should be spent to help curb the opioid crisis.
“One of the priorities of the opioid task force has been to try to distribute these funds in a manner where we are impacting all segments of the population that we can — from expectant mothers all the way to veterans, homeless individuals in our community, individuals who may be struggling and don’t even know that they’re having a struggle because they’re just getting those symptoms identified by their primary care doctors,” said Paula Baracaldo, Pasco County’s director of support services and task force member. “So, through these funds, we’re actually going to be able to make those connections and provide additional services to them. So, it’s going to be a widespread impact, and we’re also forging partnerships, which is really important.
According to information from the county, $8.4 million was allocated to nine projects.
They included $600,000 for Premier Community Healthcare Group, Inc. for expansion of support services and behavioral health staff, education and case management; $286,000 for Pasco Kids First for mobile outreach and personnel, outreach, supplies and equipment; $25,000 for Ace Opportunities for treatment and recovery support services and transitional housing; $297,803 for WestCare GulfCoast-Florida, Inc. for direct services, case management, outreach and education; $200,000 for the Alliance for Healthy Communities, Inc. for education, stigma reduction and awareness for youth, $138,950 for The Hope Shot, Inc. for recovery housing; and $61,000 for Florida Recovery Schools of Tampa Bay, Inc. to fund Victory High School, mental health and recovery services, rent and partial salaries.
The biggest award went to BayCare Behavioral Health, with more than $3 million to establish a behavioral health urgent care.
“When you need to go to urgent care, you can make an appointment same day, you can walk in if you need to, there’s extended hours, right? So, that’s the same concept, except for behavioral health needs,” said Tracy Kaly, director of operations for Behavioral Health at BayCare and a task force member.
Kaly said that can include anything from someone dealing with grief who needs to talk with a therapist to someone who wants to detox and needs to access services.
“What is that service that that individual really needs? Maybe it’s something more routine, maybe it is something more urgent, but they could come here, and we could help them figure it out because, oftentimes, navigating the behavioral health system is tricky,” she said.
According to Kaly, the urgent care would be the first facility of its kind in Tampa Bay and, possibly, in the entire state.
A building on BayCare’s behavioral health campus on King Helie Boulevard that’s currently being used by the facilities team and for office space is going to undergo renovations to become the urgent care. Funding for the project will be released during the next three years. Kaly said the first year of funds is going toward construction and the next two are going to operational costs.
“This felt like the ideal place because right across the street, we have our integrated stabilization unit. So, if individuals do need detoxification or withdrawal management, we’re able to connect them right to those services. Also across the street is our outpatient center, so where we offer medication assisted treatment, where we offer groups, where we have doctors and therapists,” Kaly said.
Baracaldo said when it comes to the opioid crisis in Pasco, the county has seen an increase in overdoses but a decrease in deaths.
“We’re still higher than the state average in Pasco County when it comes to both fatal and non-fatal overdoses due to opioid use,” said Kaly. “The numbers are improving, and I think with this level of care also being added to the continuum, that will continue in that direction.”
Kaly said the goal is to have the urgent care opened by the end of the year.
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Sarah Blazonis
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HUDSON, Fla. — The face of homelessness is constantly changing and some shelters are now seeing a growing senior population. A recent study by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development says those 50 and older are the fastest growing age group experiencing homelessness and that those 55 and older make up nearly 20% of the sheltered homeless.
These statistics are showing up at shelters in Tampa Bay, as they continue to see a growing number of seniors seeking for help.
At the R.O.P.E Center in Hudson, 65-year-old David Madore has had a rough life in recent years. He shared an apartment with a partner who died suddenly late last year.
Madore said that he took nearly full-time care of his partner and didn’t have a full-time job. After his partner’s death, he says the bills started to pile up and he could no longer afford his apartment and eventually ended up sleeping on the streets.
“I never want to be in that situation again. I was scared,” Madore said.
He says one night he was attacked and robbed of his phone. After that encounter, he says he sought out help and eventually ended up at the R.O.P.E. Center.
“If I didn’t have this place, I don’t know what I would do. I’d still be out there,” Madore said.
Madore was helped by Gregory Hicks, who is a Clinical Social Worker at the R.O.P.E Center. He has worked with the homeless for years. He said that Madore’s story is becoming all too common at the center.
“Probably 1 of every 5 to 8 of the people who come to our gate is a senior who can no longer afford where they are living,” he said. “They are not coming with backgrounds of substance abuse or anything like that, but a lot of it is coming from losing their apartments and houses because of rising rents.”
Hicks says that he works to find seniors to buddy up and share the cost of an apartment, and that’s exactly what Madore is planning to do next. He has come a long way. He says he almost gave up on living and hopes for a better future.
“I am at ease,” Madore said. “Everybody there is great. I get along with everybody in there and we help each other if we can.”
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Jeff Van Sant
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NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Scallop season in Pasco County may be getting another extension this year. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is gathering public feedback on proposed changes to the length of season.
A longer trial season was set to 37 days last year to see if extending the season would balance sustainability with community interests.
This time FWC wants to do 40 days. But not everyone is on board.
“I love scallop season. It’s just such a fun time with the family,” Captain Wendy Longman said. “It was beneficial for business, but for me, personally, I’m rather opposed to it.”
Despite a boom at her New Port Richey business, Windsong Charter & Boat Rentals, Longman says it’s education she wants to see emphasized. Knowing the right time to harvest.
“We’ve seen that the third week of July the scallops have time to grow bigger and bigger,” she says. “Having that season start earlier, they’re still a little too small, in my opinion.”
If too many scallops are plucked prematurely, Longman says, there won’t be enough to go around in the years ahead. Which can pose as a troubling outlook.
“They were over-harvested, our grasses weren’t healthy enough,” said Longman. “With more people moving to the area and more boats and more people scalloping- I just think there needs to be that education so that we don’t lose our season for another 24 years.”
The FWC is planning to host more workshop discussions. Hearing public input before deciding whether to extend scallop season once more.
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Calvin Lewis
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HOUSTON, TX — Michigan was voted a unanimous No. 1 in the final Associated Press Top 25 college football poll of the season after the Wolverines beat Washington in the College Football Playoff championship game Monday night to win their first national title in 26 years.
The Wolverines (15-0) received all 61 first-place votes as the only unbeaten team in the country. Washington (14-1) was second, the Huskies’ best final ranking since finishing No. 2 in 1991. That year, Washington was No. 1 in the final coaches’ poll to claim its only national title.
Texas (12-2) was third, its best ranking since finishing second in 2009. Georgia (13-1) was fourth and Alabama (12-2), which ended the Bulldogs’ 29-game winning streak in the Southeastern Conference title games to make the playoff, was fifth.
Florida State (13-1) and Oregon (12-2) finished tied for sixth. The Seminoles’ only loss came in a lopsided Orange Bowl against Georgia after they became the first unbeaten Power Five conference champion to be left out of the playoff and many of their top players opted out of the bowl.
Missouri was eighth and Mississippi was ninth to give the SEC four teams in the top 10. For the Tigers, it was their best finish since landing at No. 5 in 2013.
Ohio State was 10th, the Buckeyes’ worst final ranking since they were 12th in 2013.
Clemson moved back into the poll at No. 20 to extend its streak of being ranked to end the season to 13 years, the second-longest in the nation behind Alabama’s 16.
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Associated Press
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Multiple locations in the Bay area will be assessing damage Wednesday after storms moved through the region on Tuesday.
From up in the Panhandle, to Pinellas, to Sarasota and then Pasco County. Some areas in Pasco experienced coastal flooding with waves washing up to picnic areas on Hudson Beach, which is one of the areas that officials will monitor Wednesday for flooding.
Meanwhile in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, Code Enforcement departments will be out assessing property damage.
The strong storms crossed through the Bay area Tuesday afternoon, causing numerous tornado warnings and thunderstorm warnings and at one point leaving thousands of residents without power.
Preliminary reports stated that an EF-0 tornado touched down just south of downtown St. Petersburg. An EF-0 tornado contains wind speeds of 65-85 mph.
An EF-0 tornado touched down Tuesday night around this location in St. Petersburg. The address is 1736 6th St. S. (Spectrum Bay News 9/Josh Rojas)
At Hudson Beach Park on Tuesday, it basically became part of the Gulf, with crashing waves and strong winds leaving it under inches of water.
Michelle Miller said she had never seen the water that high. And at that point, the water had receded a bit.
“It was super low, like, three hours ago, and it just rapidly came up,” said Steve Miller.
The Millers were in the area Tuesday on an annual visit from Wisconsin, which is getting its own brand of weather.
“I was just teasing my mom and dad because they’re out shoveling snow,” Michelle Miller said.
“We’re still not regretting this. We’re still just enjoying it.”
Meanwhile, in Treasure Island last month, a spokesman said more than 60 homes were flooded during a storm.
It was the second time in four months for many homeowners there to see those conditions.
It looks like low-lying residents in Pinellas County caught a break on Tuesday.
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Spectrum News Staff
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A unique cultural exchange has resumed in St. Petersburg after a pandemic interruption.
Once again, Tibetan monks from Drepung Gomang Monastery in India are here on a Sacred Arts Tour at Florida CraftArt.
During their last visit in 2020, the group created a sacred sand mandala for peace.
This year — it’s for wisdom.
Geshe Khenrab Chaeden is one of the eight monks visiting and his path to becoming a holy person was all about family.
Monks came to his town in Tibet when he was 11.
“The parents all love the monks,” said Geshe. That included Geshe’s parents too.
Plus, his older brother was already a monk, and his parents supported his decision.
Now, he is creating sacred mandalas for the community to witness. This year’s prayer is for wisdom.
The monks will work on the mandala all week, only to sweep the intricate design away on Sunday, Jan. 14.
The lesson? Life here isn’t forever.
“This is all temporary,” said Geshe. “Yeah, so impermanent.”
The monks also offer their religion to the public.
Used for meditation, Geshe says these singing bowl vibrations raise healing energy. And they also raise money for Geshe’s brothers in India for food, clothes, medicine and scholarships.
In return, the monks offer a piece of their culture, like rock painting or mala creation.
Their great hope is to paint our world with love.
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Virginia Johnson
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BEVERLY HILLS, Fla. — The Citrus County Board of Commissioners took public comment Tuesday on what to do with the vacant Pine Ridge Golf Club.
There are talks of building new townhomes as well as senior living apartments on the property. But not everyone is in agreement. One homeowner has some strong feelings for the former golf course.
“Even if it’s left natural, people are fine with that,” said Linnea Johnson, who has called Pine Ridge home for 17 years.
Johnson says she’s worried about potential noisy neighbors in her backyard, as her property ends where the old golf course begins.
“It’s like 50 feet from here to our pool screen,” she said.
For a couple of years now, the golf course has sat vacant. But after a recent purchase in 2021, its new owner has plans to make it relevant again.
“He wants to put a separate housing development in the middle of Pine Ridge and gate it,” said Johnson.
It’s what’s sparked Johnson to get involved. She and a few other homeowners in the area have started petitioning against any development on the property.
“To me, the green space is what it’s all about,” she said. “I mean, look at these beautiful big oak trees. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. If it can’t be brought back as a golf course, just let it be nature or maybe even part of a park or something. Just for the wildlife.”
Johnson was one of many to speak out against the plan Tuesday night at a commission meeting in Citrus County. A vote has yet to be held on the matter.
A vote, Johnson says, that is important not only to other homeowners but others who call the area home.
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Calvin Lewis
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TAMPA, Fla. — Tuesday’s line of severe storms have left impacts around Tampa Bay, including flooding, debris and power outages.
View our gallery to see photos of the storm’s aftermath below.
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Spectrum News Staff
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