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  • Artist devotes time, body to ballet

    Artist devotes time, body to ballet

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    TAMPA, Fla. — A life in the arts may seem like a wonderland, just living in creativity. But trying to manage your time could make you mad.

    Just ask Matthew Doolin of the Tampa City Ballet. He’s stretching out before his part in the Alice in Wonderland ballet rehearsal at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center.

    “Most dancers, including myself, had four other jobs in Tampa,” said Doolin. “Teaching at this dance studio, taking care of these kids, teaching after to school here, being a secretary and bartender.”

    And they come to rehearsals five days a week.

    “It’s insane,” he said.

    Doolin’s solution is becoming a neuromuscular therapist. With that, it’s just two jobs.

    Doolin and the Tampa Ballet Company are part of the inaugural Fall Festival at the New Tampa Performing Center. It’s free for the public to enjoy, and it includes many acts, from Improv to Ballet.

    Saturday morning kicks off with a free showing of Disney’s Encanto.

    “So, I imagine we’ll have a lot of kids out here singing ‘We don’t talk about Bruno,’” said Center Manager Keith Arsenault.

    From the wings offstage, Doolin says he still gets a ping of excitement before hitting the stage.

    Doolin’s connecting and sharing his humanity, even as he portrays the White Rabbit in the Alice in Wonderland ballet.

    He explained his mindset on stage.

    “Is my intention clear? Is what I’m doing going to read to the back of the audience,” said Doolin. “If it doesn’t read, it doesn’t make sense, they’re not interested, they might not come back.”

    So the art is ready, the connection is there, and the audience is all that’s missing.

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    Virginia Johnson

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  • Cedar Key churches band together to lift up residents after Idalia

    Cedar Key churches band together to lift up residents after Idalia

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    CEDAR KEY, Fla. — Cedar Key is a small, tight-knit community of just 700 full-time residents.

    People on the island say when a storm comes through and their neighbors are in need, everyone is quick to band together to support each other. 

    What You Need To Know

    •  Cedar Key churches have been working together to collect donations, serve hot meals and lift up residents after Idalia.

    •  Pastor Billy Dalton with First Baptist Church said they were able to also send supplies to other hard-hit areas like Horseshoe Beach and Steinhatchee. 

    •  Dalton will be leading a special service at 11 a.m. on Sunday for residents to gather and reflect.

    As soon as Idalia settled on Wednesday afternoon, Pastor Billy Dalton with First Baptist Church Cedar Key sprung into action. The church has been collecting donations and serving three hot meals a day. People have been donating water bottles, pet food, gloves for cleanup and other necessities. 

    “You’ll have somebody come up, they’ll drop off two and somebody right behind them will be grabbing three,” Dalton said. “People are driving in from all over the state, even out of state, and delivering stuff so that’s fantastic.”

    Dalton said churches on the island are all working together to help get residents back on their feet. As residents begin to rebuild their lives, Dalton said he wants to be a light for the community and give them hope. 

    “I think a lot of people go into despair, discouragement,” he said. “Especially if you’ve poured your life into a business or you have your home and all these things –  and then those things are gone. Ultimately we need to say OK, we’re still here, we have our relationship with God, we have our relationship with one another. We’re going to come together, we’re going to be together. Don’t give up. Let’s keep going step by step.”

    Dalton said so many donations have come in from people locally and in other areas of the state, that they’ve been able to send them to other hard-hit areas like Horseshoe Beach and Steinhachee. 

    “For all these communities, it’s going to be a long process of rebuilding,” he said. “I think sometimes we have a tendency to jump in and then something else happens and then people get forgotten. So, I just encourage people – thank you so much on the front end, and bear with us for the long term as well.”

    Pastor Dalton held a special service at 11 a.m. on Sunday at First Baptist Church for the community to come together and reflect. 

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    Brian Rea

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  • Business wiped out by Hermine rebuilds once again after Idalia

    Business wiped out by Hermine rebuilds once again after Idalia

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    CEDAR KEY, Fla. — Peter Stefani and his wife, Gina, have been running Cedar Cove Hotel for more than 30 years.

    It’s become known as a staple in the community.

    What You Need To Know

    • Communities in the Big Bend were also hit badly with damage from Hurricane Hermine in August 2016

    • Cedar Cove Hotel in Cedar Key was a complete loss

    • It took a year and a half to reopen the hotel and restaurant

    • Seven years later, the owners are rebuilding their business once again

    Stefani now has months of work ahead of him, after Hurricane Idalia washed out the Island Room Restaurant on the first floor. Everything has to be replaced, Stefani said, except for the bar that is still standing.

    “You can’t prepare for something like this,” he said. “I mean, we did all we could. We boarded up and taped up and did all the stuff we’re supposed to do. But, Mother Nature is going to do what it wants to do.”

    Our Spectrum News team first met Stefani the day before Idalia made landfall in the Big Bend region. Two days later, Stefani returned to a much different scene – windows shattered, bottles of wine floating in the Gulf and the feeling that he had been in this position before.

    In August 2016, Cedar Cove was completely taken out by Hurricane Hermine. It took Stefani a year and a half to reopen.

    “It’s ironic that they’re almost on the same date,” Stefani said. “There’s a certain amount of resiliency and there’s a lot of people that are ready to leave and get the heck out of here and I don’t blame them. I’m not making that choice. We have to get back and running, we can’t just leave.”

    When Stefani rebuilt after Hermine, he added features – like cement flooring and stronger walls – to help withstand storms. He believes those improvements helped protect the hotel from even more damage during Idalia.

    This time around, Stefani expects it could take up to six months to rebuild. But his biggest concern right now is his employees and how he’s going to keep paying them.

    “It’s just sad,” Stefani said. “I’m going to be OK because I’ve got to keep working and doing this. But it affects more than just me, it affects a lot of people.”

    Even in a difficult time, Stefani describes himself as a positive person. That mindset, in addition to the community’s support, is what pulled him through rebuilding the first time – and he said it will get him through this, too.

    “It just has to be done, we just have to get back,” Stefani said. “There’s a lot of people that are supporting us. There’s a couple that just left – they’re flooded but they wanted to come see how we did because they eat here on a weekly basis and they like my staff. It’s just a whole community thing.”

    Stefani’s family has started a GoFundMe to help support staff and build their business back.

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    Brian Rea

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  • Cedar Key business owners, residents trying to get back to normal

    Cedar Key business owners, residents trying to get back to normal

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    TAMPA, Fla. — As Benjamin Iversen cleaned up the mud caked on the floor of his Cedar Key coffee shop, he said he’s trying to stay optimistic.

    Even though he mounted his refrigerators on milk cartons before the storm, that wasn’t enough to protect them from the three feet of water that flooded inside 1842 Daily Grind.

    What You Need To Know

    • Cedar Key residents are starting to return to the island to see the damage from Hurricane Idalia. 

    • Community members are helping each other clean up their businesses and homes.

    • Starting Friday, FEMA crews will be going door-to-door to help enroll people in assistance programs. 

    “With each piece of equipment I keep testing, it turns out I’m going to be needing to replace it,” Iversen said. “But in some way, shape or form, this weekend we’ll be back open for coffee and for some breakfast and lunch.”

    Iversen’s coffee shop is on 2nd Street, about two blocks from the water.

    There are many homes and businesses on the street, which saw a lot of flooding during the storm. Iversen stayed put in Cedar Key to ride out the storm. He didn’t want to risk not being able to get back on the island to fix his shop, but also to help his neighbors get back on their feet.

    “It’s just unbelievable,” Iversen said. “You see storms on the news and hear about these big hurricanes and stuff happening but living through it and experiencing one is just, it’s very humbling and also overwhelming.”

    Even though Iversen has to replace a few refrigerators, he’s confident his business – and the whole island – will make it through the storm.

    As residents return home to the damage Hurricane Idalia left behind, Iversen and his staff are welcoming them with free coffee, water and pastries – because that’s the Cedar Key way, Iversen said.

    “Friends, the community, family – you just have to lean on that and trust that everything will be OK,” he said.

    On Friday, FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance crews will begin going door-to-door in Cedar Key and Yankeetown to help register people for assistance programs.

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    Brian Rea

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  • From Big Bend to Tampa Bay, residents cleaning up after Idalia

    From Big Bend to Tampa Bay, residents cleaning up after Idalia

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Assessment and cleanup continues in north Florida and across the Bay area after Hurricane Idalia.

    Meanwhile, state officials confirm

    At a Thursday morning news conference, Gov. DeSantis and Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie confirmed no storm-related deaths have been reported. There were two deaths related to driving in bad weather, according to Florida Highway Patrol.

    A Pasco County man crashed into a tree when he lost control of his vehicle Wednesday morning, and another person died in Alachua County when he crashed his pickup truck into a ditch.

    The hurricane made landfall Wednesday morning at 7:45 a.m. at Keaton Beach in Taylor County with 125-mph winds. 

    It left as many as a half-million customers without power in Florida and other states at one point as it ripped down power poles and lines.

    Still, it was far less destructive than feared, providing only glancing blows to Tampa Bay and other more populated areas as it came ashore in rural Florida.

    Here’s a look at recovery efforts across the region:

    PINELLAS COUNTY

    Flights at St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport resume today after the airport closed ahead of the storm.

    During a news conference Thursday morning, Pinellas County officials said 60 water rescue missions were performed during and after the storm.

    Crews will be out assessing damage today. 

    St. Pete police continue to limit access to Shore Acres due to continuing flooding there. Officials said hundreds of homes were flooded in St. Petersburg. Anyone with damage can report it to Disaster.pinellas.gov.

    During the height of the storm, 28,000 homes in Pinellas lost power. That was down to just 2,600 by midday Thursday.

    Meanwhile, crews were working until early Thursday to clear debris, water and sand on Gulf Boulevard in Madeira Beach. A total of about 85 dump trucks of sand was cleaned up, officials said. Indian Rocks Beach in particular had a big drop off from erosion.

    Officials also said there were three house fires related to the storm.

    HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

    Tampa International Airport is also now fully open. The airport was open to just to arriving flights yesterday afternoon.

    Port Tampa Bay is still closed Thursday.

    Coast Guard officials will determine when the port can reopen.

    A spokesperson for the port said the Coast Guard needs to complete a harbor assessment today before they open again.

    So this will impact incoming shipments and cruise travelers.

    PASCO COUNTY

    The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office said it did 85 rescue mission in the hours after Idalia roared by the Bay area, saving 150 people from flood waters. Deputies helped people ranging from 9 months old to age 90, officials said.

    Also, crews are still monitoring some areas of Hudson and New Port Richey where flood waters had swamped streets.

    CITRUS COUNTY

    A part of U.S. 19 remains closed in Crystal River due to flooding.

    U.S. 19 has been shut down from Dunnellon Road to State Road 44 because of remaining water on the roadway.

    HERNANDO COUNTY

    Some Hernando County residents who evacuated ahead of Idalia were allowed back into their neighborhoods on Wednesday.

    A debris field greeted Sandra Day when she returned to her Hernando Beach home.

    But she said there was no damage to the house itself.

    That came as a relief since these screen shots from home cameras show what she and her husband saw while taking shelter: Their yard and neighborhood were flooded.

    “Our backyard, the dock was up about two feet, and we could just see the water rushing in, and it sounded like a waterfall,” said Day, a Hernando Beach resident. “So, now you look how calm it is, and it’s all going over the berm now.”

    No injuries or deaths related to Idalia have been reported in Hernando County.

    Day said she feels like that’s an answer to prayers.

    CEDAR KEY

    Power has been mostly been restored in Cedar Key.

    Still, some residents are being kept off the beach.

    Officials are only letting residents who have re-entry passes cross the bridge.

    Before the storm, city officials said their biggest concern was flooding. That held true and storm surge damaged businesses and homes.

    Officials say it’s going to take some time to get the city back up and running and are asking for people to be patient as they continue cleanup and recovery efforts.

    Spectrum Bay News 9 reporters Brian Rea, Nick Popham, Sarah Blazonis, Cait McVey and Fallon Silcox contributed to this report.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Braving the roads, helping others in Palm Harbor

    Braving the roads, helping others in Palm Harbor

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    PALM HARBOR, Fla. — A number of Pinellas County residents spent their day driving around flooded neighborhoods and checking on people who stuck around for Idalia.

    Frank Furman was one of those on a mission Wednesday, and he allowed Spectrum Bay News 9 to join him for a ride-along.

    Use the video above to watch Jeff Van Sant’s report.

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    Jeff Van Sant

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  • Citrus sheriff: ‘Never seen a dumpster floating down Highway 19’

    Citrus sheriff: ‘Never seen a dumpster floating down Highway 19’

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    CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. — Air boats were used Wednesday to rescue dozens of people from high waters, as Citrus County continues to clean up after Hurricane Idalia.

    Sheriff Mike Prendergast said he saw things during the storm that he had never seen happen in Crystal River.

    “I’ve never seen a dumpster floating down Highway 19, but I saw two of those today,” he said.

    Angel Lockley and her family watched as the boats came in, one after another, rescuing stranded residents.

    “I’m glad that they’re safe now and hopefully their homes are not damaged,” Lockley said.

    Use the video player above to watch Fallon Silcox’s full report.

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    Fallon Silcox

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  • Idalia: When classes across Tampa Bay will resume

    Idalia: When classes across Tampa Bay will resume

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    We’ll be using this page to update our viewing area on school impacts due to Idalia. 

    School Closings by County: 

    Citrus County

    NEW: The school system will reopen Friday.

    In a statement Thursday, the district said: “After receiving the latest update from Emergency Management officials and having assessed the damages in our facilities sustained from Hurricane Idalia, I am pleased to share that schools will be reopen tomorrow Friday, September 1st.  Should you have any issues or concerns, please contact the administration at your school.  As always, we appreciate your time, understanding, and patience during these uncertain times.”

    Due to the coastal impact in our county from Hurricane Idalia, schools are continuing to be used as shelters.

    School will be cancelled, Thursday, Aug. 31.

    After the next high tide, more info regarding a projected date of school reopening will be announced.

    Hernando County

    All Hernando County schools and district offices will reopen Thursday, Aug. 31.

    Students impacted by coastal flooding will be provided an excused absence.

    Hillsborough County

    Hillsborough County Schools are reopening on Thursday, Aug. 31.

    Manatee County

    All Manatee District Schools will reopen Thursday, August 31.

    Pasco County

    All Pasco County schools will be open on Thursday, August 31.

    This includes athletics, PLACE, Delta, Star, and all other extracurricular activities.

    Pinellas County

    Schools will be open for normal operations on Thursday, August 31.

    Polk County

    All Polk County schools and offices will reopen Friday, Sept. 1.

    Major Universities:

    University of Central Florida: UCF will resume standard operations on Thursday, Aug. 31. 

    University of Florida: UF to resume normal operations on Thursday, Aug. 31. 

    University of South Florida: USF says classes will resume Thursday, Aug. 31, except for classes at Mote Marine.

    University of Tampa: Regular operations are scheduled to resume Thursday, Aug. 31 at noon.

    St. Petersburg College: Campuses/sites open and all classes resuming — on Thursday, Aug. 31. 

    Florida State University: Classes and normal university operations will resume on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

    FAMU: Classes and Universtiy operations remain suspended through Friday, Sept. 1. Normal operations will resume on Tuesday, Sept. 5. 

    Polk State College: PSC classes and operations will resume Thursday, Aug. 31. 

    Keiser University: Classes will resume at the following Keiser University campuses on Thursday, August 31, 2023. All campuses will be open for regular operations unless otherwise noted.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Idalia lashes Citrus County with winds and heavy rain

    Idalia lashes Citrus County with winds and heavy rain

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    CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — It started with a blast of wind-driven rain at 6 a.m.

    An inner rain band of Hurricane Idalia lashed Kings Bay in Crystal River late Tuesday, pushing the first of feet of storm surge toward land.

    What You Need To Know

    • Citrus County residents and business owners dealt with pounding winds and rising rain levels from Idalia

    • Idalia lashed Kings Bay in Crystal River late Tuesday and into Wednesday

    • LIVE UPDATES: Aftermath of Idalia in Tampa Bay

    That surge continued to rise Wednesday, knocking on the door of neighborhoods and dozens of small town businesses.

    “This water has risen in an hour from walking back there to up to your waste,” said Marty Hoffman, whose son works on commercial fishing boats in Crystal River. He came to try and help workers from losing the boats as the surge quickly pushed in.

    “There’s four commercial fishing boats back there that they are trying to keep from floating into buildings,” he said.

    Away from the docks, there’s water where it’s not supposed to be.

    Meanwhile, along the North Citrus Avenue shopping district, businesses owners threatened by rising water could only watch Wednesday afternoon, waiting to see how long the inshore winds will push water in.

    Aside from the storm surge, more than 3,000 power outages are being reported.

    And at least one fire was reported, an electrical fire, potentially due to storm surge.

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    Jason Lanning

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  • Live Updates: Aftermath of Idalia in Tampa Bay

    Live Updates: Aftermath of Idalia in Tampa Bay

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    The Tampa Bay area is dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia. 

    The hurricane made landfall Wednesday morning at 7:45 at Keaton Beach in Taylor County with 125-mph winds. 

    The storm brought heavy rain, winds and flooding to the Bay area.

    Use our Live Updates feed below for updates from our reporters in the field, Weather Experts in the Spectrum Bay News 9 studio, and more.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Hurricane Idalia makes 125-mph landfall in Big Bend area

    Hurricane Idalia makes 125-mph landfall in Big Bend area

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    TAMPA, Fla. —  Major Hurricane Idalia has made landfall.

    The storm and its 125-mph winds made landfall over Keaton Beach. Catastrophic storm surge and winds are expected to continue impacting the Big Bend of Florida. 

    Idalia continues to move NNE at 18 mph through what has been a favorable environment for intensification. It’s located 90 miles northwest of Cedar Key, where “catastrophic storm surge and destructive winds” are expected. 

    The low-lying marsh area faced a predicted storm surge of up to 15 feet.

    A state of emergency is in effect for 49 Florida counties, including:

    Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Nassau, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, and Wakulla counties.

    Hurricane force winds reach out 25 mph from the center. Rain bands have produced gusts over 60 mph around Tampa Bay. Water levels are still increasing for the Nature Coast. Seven to 11 feet of surge is still expected.

    Water levels around Tampa Bay are at 4 feet above the astronomical tide as of 5:30 am. Many roads are flooded.  Water levels will stay high all day. 

    Rain bands can continue to produce tornadoes across the Bay area. A Tornado Watch and a Flood Watch continue. 

     

    While the exact track of the center will determine where the worst storm surge will end up, the rain bands will continue to impact the entire region through the morning hours.

    That means gusty winds and heavy rain along with a threat of tornadoes. We will monitor Klystron 9 for rotation and to track the center of Idalia as it moves north through the Gulf. Polk, Citrus and Hernando counties were under brief tornado warnings Wednesday morning.

    Coastal areas will see the strongest storms, but there will be gusty squalls far inland that rotate around the large circulation of Idalia.

    The west coast of Florida is highly susceptible to storm surge so there is a threat of significant, life-threatening impacts.

    TIMING:

    Tropical storm-force winds are impacting the Tampa Bay area.

    WINDS: 

    Widespread tropical storm force winds are forecast (39-73 mph), even inland. This will cause downed trees and power outages.

    Hurricane force winds (74+) primarily impact the Nature Coast. Any change in the future track will cause changes to the forecast.

    TORNADOES:

    Models show numerous strong thunderstorms and gusty squalls tomorrow along the coast. Some of these will produce a few fast moving tornadoes.

    STORM SURGE FORECAST: 

    Storm surge will also be a threat to areas along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Bay News 9 Meteorologist Juli Marquez states that, “astronomical tides will be high with a full moon, so storm surge will be more impactful.”

    Storm Surge Warnings are now in effect for from Englewood northward to Indian Pass, including Tampa Bay.

    Storm Surge Watches are also in effect for the Florida Gulf Coast from Chokoloskee to Englewood and the mouth of the St. Marys River to South Santee River in South Carolina.

    Peak Storm Surge:

    Levy/Citrus Counties: 7-11 feet AGL

    Hernando/Pasco Counties: 6 to 9 feet AGL

    Tampa Bay Area: 4-7 feet AGL on coast, 3-6 feet in Tampa Bay

    Sarasota: 3-5 feet

    A Flood Watch has been issued for our area. Idalia could bring 4 to 8 inches of rain. Locally higher amounts are possible. This could lead to street flooding and flooding of poor drainage areas.

    POTENTIAL IMPACTS ALONG THE NATURE COAST:

    • Widespread deep inundation, with storm surge flooding greatly accentuated by powerful battering waves.
    • Structural damage to buildings, with many washing away.
    • Damage greatly compounded from considerable floating debris. Locations may be uninhabitable for an extended period.
    • Near-shore escape routes and secondary roads washed out or severely flooded. Flood control systems and barriers may become stressed.
    • Extreme beach erosion. New shoreline cuts possible.
    • Massive damage to marinas, docks, boardwalks, and piers.
    • Numerous small craft broken away from moorings with many lifted onshore and stranded.

    Tides are running much higher than normal due to the Super Moon, which could contribute to a higher storm surge in some areas.

    HIGH TIDE FORECAST:

    Crystal River:

    • 3:14 p.m. Tues.

    • 4:59 a.m. Wed.

    • 4:09 p.m. Wed.

    Ozello:

    • 2:19 p.m. Tues.

    • 4:04 a.m. Wed.

    • 3:14 p.m. Wed.

    Bayport:

    • 12:53 p.m. Tues.

    • 2:38 a.m. Wed.

    • 1:46 p.m. Wed.

    Tarpon Springs:

    • 11:30 a.m. Tues.

    • 1:23 a.m. Wed.

    • 12:33 p.m. Wed.

    Clearwater Beach:

    • 10:47 a.m. Tues.

    • 12:32 a.m. Wed.

    • 11:42 p.m. Wed.

    St. Petersburg:

    • 12:54 p.m. Tues.

    • 3:32 a.m. Wed.

    • 1:53 p.m. Wed.

    Gulfport:

    • 11:22 p.m. Tues.

    • 2:00 a.m. Wed.

    • 12:21 p.m Wed.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • COUNTY BY COUNTY: What to expect from Idalia around Tampa Bay

    COUNTY BY COUNTY: What to expect from Idalia around Tampa Bay

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    Our Spectrum Bay News 9 Weather Experts have broken down, by county, what to watch for with Idalia. For the latest forecast updates, you can check here.

    Citrus

    Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon

    Tropical Storm Warning

    Winds (coast): 30 to 40 mph, gusts to 60

    Winds (inland): 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 40

    Rainfall: Additional 2 to 4 inches, locally higher amounts near the coast

    Storm Surge Warning

    The potential for up to 5 to 8 feet above ground within surge prone areas

    Hernando

    Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon

    Tropical Storm Warning

    Winds: 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 50

    Rainfall: Additional 2 to 4 inches, locally higher amounts near the coast

    Storm Surge Warning

    The potential for up to 5 to 8 feet above ground within surge prone areas

    Pasco

    Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon

    Hurricane Warning

    Winds (coast): 35 to 45 mph, gusts to 70

    Winds (inland): 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 50

    Rainfall: Additional 3 to 6 inches, locally higher amounts

    Storm Surge Warning

    The potential for up to 6 to 9 feet above ground within surge prone areas

    Pinellas

    Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon

    Hurricane Warning

    Winds: 30 to 40 mph, gusts to 65

    Rainfall: Additional 3 to 6 inches, locally higher amounts

    Storm Surge Warning

    The potential for up to 4 to 6 feet above ground within surge prone areas

    Hillsborough

    Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon

    Hurricane Warning

    Winds: 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 50

    Rainfall: Additional 3 to 6 inches, locally higher amounts

    Manatee

    Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon

    Hurricane Warning

    Winds (inland): 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 50 mph

    Winds (coast): 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 55 mph

    Rainfall: Additional 2 to 4 inches, locally higher amounts

    Storm Surge Warning

    The potential for up to 4 to 6 feet within surge prone areas

    Polk

    Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon

    Tropical Storm Warning

    Winds: 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 50 mph

    Rainfall: Additional 1 to 3 inches, locally higher

    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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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Where to find last-minute gas

    Where to find last-minute gas

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    Many Floridians are preparing for Idalia, and soon many will be searching for gas as the storm gets closer.

    With the GasBuddy Outage Tracker, drivers can search for gas stations nearby, as well as filter by the following criteria:

    • Has Fuel & Power
    • Has No Power
    • Limited Fuel Options
    • Has No Fuel & Power

    Click/Tap on the image below to locate gas stations near you and check their status. For the best results, be sure to share you location. You can also track outages on your phone by downloading the GasBuddy app for Android or iOS.

    Screenshot of the GasBuddy Outage Tracker (Courtesy: GasBuddy.com)

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Send us your severe weather photos

    Send us your severe weather photos

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    Share your weather photos with us and you may see them on our newscast.

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    Dan Trotter

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  • Investigation into contaminated gas yields stations that can resume sales

    Investigation into contaminated gas yields stations that can resume sales

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    TAMPA, Fla. — After an investigation into reports of contaminated gas from the Port of Tampa being delivered to multiple gas stations, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said Tuesday that 17 stations remain under a stop sale order.

    State officials announced Sunday that it had identified a potentially widespread fuel contamination caused by human error at the Port of Tampa that impacted gas stations in the Tampa Bay area supplied by Citgo.


    Any fuel purchased from 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 26, through Sunday, Aug. 27, at impacted stations has a strong likelihood of being contaminated with diesel fuel.

    Impacted stations were ordered to stop selling gas until the contaminated fuel is replaced and tanks are cleaned. Once the stations are cleared or have completed a corrective action plan fuel will once again be safe for purchase.

    “I am grateful to the hard-working men and women at FDACS who responded to this incident swiftly and thoroughly,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson. “It is never good to have such a catastrophic error for consumers, but particularly during a time when Floridians are evacuating from a potentially dangerous storm. I firmly believe our department was able to mitigate what could have been a worse situation. We stand ready to assist those whose vehicles and equipment were impacted by contaminated fuel.”

    State officials also said there are no reports of disrupted fuel supply in the region.

    After emergency inspections and testing, FDACS has determined the following:

    Six stations did not receive the contaminated fuel shipment:

    Dan’s Car Wash: 39522 US Highway 19 N., Tarpon Springs

    7-Eleven: 3437 US Highway 19, Holiday

    7-Eleven: 13411 Fish Hawk Boulevard, Lithia

    Quick & Easy Stop: 4529 Bee Ridge Rd., Sarasota

    Palmers Easy Stop: 903 Cattleman Rd., Sarasota

    2K Express 5: 6202 N 40th St., Tampa

    Eight stations have been inspected, remediated, and cleared by FDACS for fuel sales:

    7-Eleven: 720 Chiquita Boulevard, North Cape Coral

    7-Eleven: 2604 Skyline Boulevard, Cape Coral

    7-Eleven: 601 Pine Island Rd. S.W., Cape Coral

    7-Eleven: 6050 Dean Dairy Road, Zephyrhills

    7-Eleven: 714 Burnt Store Road, Cape Coral

    Handy Foods Store #87: 3205 Lee Blvd., Lehigh Acres

    Faulkenburg CITGO: 5320 Faulkenburg Road, Tampa

    PJI LLC: 7977 W Dunnellon Road, Dunnellon (Regular and premium fuel was not contaminated, only diesel fuel)

    17 stations remain under a stop sale order pending laboratory confirmation:

    7-Eleven: 4325 Lee Boulevard, Lehigh Acres

    7-Eleven: 12750 South Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers

    7-Eleven: 290 Lakeland Park Road, Lakeland

    7-Eleven: 940 S Broad St., Brooksville

    7-Eleven: 1626 Meadow Road, Lehigh Acres

    7-Eleven: 2401 James Redman Parkway, Plant City

    BJ’s Wholesale: 1929 Pine Island Road N.E., Cape Coral

    BJ’s Wholesale: 9372 Ben C Pratt Six Mile Cypress Pkwy., Fort Myers

    BJ’s Wholesale: 13585 NE 86th Path, Lady Lakes

    Handy Foods Store #86: 21321 Palm Beach Blvd., Alva

    Superday CITGO: 1595 South McCall Road, Port Charlotte

    Bolton One LLC: 15434 US Highway 19, Hudson

    JHW #310 – DBA Avenue CITGO: 11867 N. Williams St., Dunellon

    AL Prime – Daytona Beach: 1898 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach

    Choice Food & Gas: 310 N Central Ave., Umatilla

    Perfection Station 5: 9931 N Florida Ave., Tampa

    Rogers Petroleum: 134 N Desoto Ave., Arcadia

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Largo designer uses unique raw materials for corsets in Dunedin runway show

    Largo designer uses unique raw materials for corsets in Dunedin runway show

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    DUNEDIN, Fla. — They stand behind a low, wide table filled with fanciful pieces of honeycombed wood, dyed leather, cork and copper leaf, all for corsets.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Kelli-Lynn Luckey makes corsets

    •  They will show off their wares at the Wearable Art 17 show on Saturday, August 26 at the Dunedin Fine Art Center

    •  Luckey enjoys playing with color schemes

    Kelli-Lynn Luckey is a corset maker under the name Artemis and Aphrodite.

    “I think I made my first one when I was 12 with my grandma,” Luckey said..

    Since then, Luckey pushed the boundaries of this article of clothing right into Wearable Art 17, the annual all-out art fashion show at the Dunedin Fine Arts Center. The theme for their look: “Enchanted Forest.”

    “I started all these in January, so it’s been a long process to get here,” said Luckey.

    That’s because they costume down to eye color — the models are wearing white contacts.

    “It’s beautiful, but it’s like, haunting,” said Luckey.

    And if the wigs match the aesthetic and the model perfectly, it’s because Luckey made those too.

    “I am a hairstylist and barber by trade,” they said.

    So of course, it only makes sense they would dye their own clothes. They tell us this while showing us a rack of clothing that will accent their corsets. It’s filled with the gauzy, delicate tops modeled on the photo shoot.

    “I just had such a specific color scheme in mind,” said Luckey of their green and soft pinkish hues. “And I really like the distressed look that comes with hand dying as well.”

    Luckey will complete a dozen corsets, using various mediums, like wood, leather and cork. And they’ll finish up a few ornamental exoskeletons as well.

    Luckey says they can create these supportive garments because of the support they’ve received from other artists and crafts persons, especially people at MakerSpace Pinellas, Tandy Leather, Whole Aveda and Del Favero Oasis.

    “So there’s really a whole team, behind me, helping me and inspiring me along the way,” said Luckey.

    And they’’ll be taking them all down the runway with them to Wearable Art 17.

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    Virginia Johnson

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  • One last hurrah for Legoland Florida’s Flight School coaster

    One last hurrah for Legoland Florida’s Flight School coaster

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    TAMPA, Fla. — Wednesday is National Roller Coaster Day, or — as we like to think of it in theme park-laden Florida — every day.

    What You Need To Know

    • Wednesday is National Roller Coaster Day — and the last day anyone will be able to ride the Flying School coaster at Legoland Florida
    • The coaster was the first opened at the park when it opened 11 years ago

    • Legoland Florida President Frank Idris did not released any details about what will come next for the park, other than to say it may be one of the  biggest investments in its history

    The year will be a bittersweet celebration at Legoland Florida, though, as the 11 year-old park is retiring one of its oldest rides — The Flying School Coaster — at the end of National Rollercoaster Day.

    Legoland Florida President Frank Idris has been pretty tight-lipped about what will come next for the park, but did tease at the scope of it.

    “I can’t tell you specifically what we will be doing, but (it is) probably the biggest investment this part has made since its inception, since we opened,” he said.

    So far, Legoland has added rides, hotels and a water park since opening in late 2011 — in addition to the Peppa Pig Theme Park, which opened next door in February of 2022.

    Back at the Flying School Coaster, Bella Deonandan — a queen from Queens who was at the park celebrating her 10th birthday — is waiting to ride.

    Like a lot of kids who show up at Legoland, Deonandan says she’s a creator.

    “I like to build a lot of different things like cars,” she said. “A bunch of Lego cars and a couple engines.”

    She says she doesn’t mind switching vehicles and taking flight — it’s the unknown that Deonandan likes.

    “You don’t know what’s coming, so that’s why it’s really, really fun,” she said.

    Deonandan and her family will be some of the last people learning to fly on the Flying School coaster.

    The coaster flight time is just over a minute with twisty fun and no upside-down fear, and a top speed of 26 mph.

    “It’s like when you start it’s really slow, but when you get up there, it’s really, really fast.,” Deonandan said, pointing to the first hill the coaster climbs.

    Deonandan said this is good practice for next step in her coaster career — which she says will include the faster, bigger, flippier ones.

    “The smaller ones were the start and the big ones are the ending,” she said.

    According to patriarch and coaster enthusiast Kevin Sookra, this is a family goal.

    “I grew up on roller coasters so it’s pretty fun,” he said. “It was my smallest daughter’s (Riya’s) first time, so you guys actually got that on video, so it’s pretty cool. She’s not like her mom — she likes to go on all the rides, and so I love it.”

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    Virginia Johnson

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  • Summer Circus Spectacular in final week of 18th annual show

    Summer Circus Spectacular in final week of 18th annual show

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    SARASOTA, Fla. — Before the lights. Before the cheers. Before the performance — it’s a quiet stage and an empty house.

    What You Need To Know

    • Summer Circus Spectacular continues through Saturday, Aug. 12

    • One-hour show filled with circus arts

    • 18th year at the Historical Asolo Theater at the Ringling Museum in Sarasota 

    • Created by Pedro Reis, founder and CEO of the Circus Arts Conservatory

    Tersit Dersu is the opening act for the Summer Circus Spectacular at the Historic Asolo Theater at the Ringling Museum in Sarasota.

    Dersu warms up by softly bouncing balls off a clear apparatus that she and the crew wheeled on stage.

    “Juggling is practice and patience,” she said.

    Dersu adds more balls to the flow, creating a double two-bounce roundabout of a circle whirring of white.

    She said she knew at 15 that she was destined to perform.

    “It’s been like 10 years of practicing,” she said.

    “Circus makes the impossible possible,” said Pedro Reis, the founder and CEO of the Circus Arts Conservatory. “They’re juggling. There’s aerial, there’s grace. It’s a combination of movement and dance.”

    Reis started the show after retiring from his own international adventures on the high wire.

    Dersu’s performance skills have taken her from her native Ethiopia to stages around the world.

    “You do what you love, you travel,” she said.

    Dersu said meeting and working with people from different countries and cultures has been amazing.

    “I love my job,” she said.

    And when she does her job, the crowd — they love it too. 

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    Virginia Johnson

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  • Fairgrounds St. Pete introduces new monthly ‘Art After Dark’ event

    Fairgrounds St. Pete introduces new monthly ‘Art After Dark’ event

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — When you step inside Fairgrounds St. Pete, Florida’s culture and history comes to life through art, soundscapes and even smells. The immersive art and technology museum has started a new monthly event to showcase the work of local artists and give visitors a whole new experience.

    What You Need To Know

    • Fairgrounds St. Pete is starting a new monthly event to give visitors a whole new experience. 

    • “Art After Dark” will feature immersive art, live music, drink specials and an artist talk.

    • The event will take place on the third Friday of every month.

    On the third Friday of every month, Fairgrounds will host “Art After Dark.” The event invites guests to socialize and learn more about the artists’ work and process.

    “We want them to feel as immersed as possible, and just bringing different sources of art to this central hub with music, with the artist talk, with just a little party vibe,” said Sarah Hardin, digital marketing and content manager for Fairgrounds St. Pete.

    The museum kicked off its new event while unveiling a new piece of art by local artist Paul LeRoy Gehres.

    “I just want to bring joy,” Gehres said. “I want to bring joy and teach art history, really. You know, teach people about artists of the past and generate interest.”

    Gehres goes by many pseduonyms. At “Art After Dark” he’s Lucky LeRoy, dressed up as Andy Warhol to show off his new installation. 

    “The story is that Andy Warhol came to Florida in the seventies to save art deco,” LeRoy said. “They were going to tear down the art deco hotels in Miami and they brought Andy Warhol to bring attention to the cause.”

    LeRoy’s installation is part of the Floridarama exhibit. Each diorama tells a different story about Florida’s culture and history. It’s easy to pick out LeRoy’s piece because it’s different than the others — but you’ll have to take a peek inside to get the full picture. 

    “It sort of flashes at you, so it’s like ‘What’s that flashing light over there?,’” LeRoy said. “To me, that’s the paparazzi. And then you run over to look in the Floridarama and then Andy Warhol is taking a picture of you.”

    LeRoy said his goal is to make everyone feel like a celebrity for just a moment, all while teaching them about one of his own artistic heroes. 

    The next “Art After Dark” will take place on Aug. 18 from 7-9 p.m. Click here for more information and to purcahse tickets. 

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    Brian Rea

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  • 5 things to know about Escapology

    5 things to know about Escapology

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    Escapology is touted as the fastest-growing escape room company in the world and Central Florida just got a brand new one.

    1. Escapology — founded in 2014 — has nearly 75 locations, including internationally.  
    2. Locally, there’s already one on International Drive in Orlando. But the newest one is at the Promenade at Sunset Walk in Kissimmee.
    3. This Escapology (3259 Margaritaville Blvd., Kissimmee) has eight themed rooms, including one licensed from the Agatha Christie Estate back in the United Kingdom.
    4. The new game is Batman-themed. The control room is described as super slick and hi-tech. It looks like a television station control room with monitors everywhere.
    5. The Promenade at Sunset Walk has more than two dozen unique restaurants and retails shops (including a brand new Friday night dueling piano show at The Wharf). You park for free, including for your gaming experience at Escapology.  

     

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    Allison Walker

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