ReportWire

Tag: APP Human Interest

  • Lansing planning a celebration as businesses reopen after Helene

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    LANSING, N.C. — It’s been nearly a year since Jamey Hart was standing inside CJ’s Market in Lansing when water started pouring in. His wife was trying to open a window while he was working to get shelves back in order.

    What You Need To Know

    • CJ’s Market in Lansing is set to open back up in the next few weeks

    • Lansing will be having a day to reopen on Sept. 27

    • Gov. Josh Stein announced a new push for federal funding


    “It was a 20-minute period from where it was seeping under the door to where it came in the store, and I realized my life could have been in danger,” Hart said.

    The next day he returned, finding Helene had destroyed his business.

    After nearly a year of work, they’re just weeks from opening back up fully.

    “It did not take long for us to realize we thought it was our calling to make sure the store came back,” Hart said.

    Lansing Assistant Fire Chief Donald Sykes said on Sept. 27 they are reopening the town. He said all businesses are planning to open back up in some capacity.

    “There’s still a lot of work to be done. It’s going to take some outside help to get us back, not just the town but the community to get the community back where it was,” Sykes said.

    Sykes said he agrees with Gov. Josh Stein’s call for $13.5 billion in federal aid. Sykes said the area still needs it.

    “There’s been a lot going on, a lot of people have been workin’ hard,” Sykes said.

    On Monday, Stein said six out of seven businesses have not returned to pre-Helene revenues. Stein also said 96% of small businesses reported impacts from Helene. The governor was in Flat Rock to announce his call for additional federal relief money.

    Hart has lived the experience but vows he and others aren’t going anywhere.

    “I’m just like, we’re coming back, you come back too,” Hart said.

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    Rose Eiklor

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  • Organizers cancel festival due to immigration raid concerns

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hispanic Heritage Month started Monday, but it’s already looking different for some. 

    What You Need To Know

    • The Hispanic Heritage Festival of the Carolinas had three yearly events in Uptown Charlotte

    • Organizers canceled this year’s event due to the immigration climate

    • Co-founder Rick Herrera said there were concerns about potential immigration enforcement operations near the venue

    • Other groups are still planning to host events for Hispanic Heritage Month


    Organizers for an annual celebration in Charlotte canceled their celebration amid the political climate over immigration, fearing the community could be targeted.

    Hispanic Heritage Festival of the Carolinas celebrated three annual events at Truist Field in Uptown Charlotte.

    Festival co-founder Rick Herrera is also the co-founder of Progreso Hispano News, a Spanish publication. 

    “To be able to have a voice for the Latino community is so important, and we take it very seriously, over 35 years of serving the Latino community in Charlotte,” Herrera said. 

    Herrera, who moved to the U.S. from Ecuador at age 8, made Charlotte his home, and he hosted Hispanic Heritage Festival of the Carolinas with pride at the ballpark. He estimates more than 10,000 attended the event each year to enjoy food, concerts and entertainment.

    “The food and the dancing is the best part of the festival,” Herrera said. 

    La Unica Mexican Restaurant brought its sizzling food to the festival last year as a vendor and sponsor. 

    General Manager Julio Nolasco explained the exposure brought added support.

    “A lot of people show a lot of support, and we got the chance to put our name out there so people can try our food,” Nolasco said. 

    This year, Herrera and other organizers announced the event is canceled this year due to the immigration climate.

    “Why give people an opportunity where we usually have 10,000 to 11,000 people on Saturday together. It’s a massive number for our community to perhaps be targeted,” Herrera said. 

    He added the biggest concern was a potential ICE enforcement operation near the venue.

    “The reality of scaring or separating a family. That wasn’t going to happen with us,” Herrera said. 

    He added concerns stemmed from vendors and images of immigration raids on TV.

    “We’ve all seen different raids. We’ve all seen different things are happening on TV.  For me, it’s a friend of mine, a friend of mine that got picked up. When it hits home, that’s when you start, really start saying, what do we do here?” Herrera said. 

    It was hard for Nolasco to learn about the festival’s cancellation. However, he respects the decision, if it keeps the community safe. 

    “We don’t want to give anybody a reason to get detained or to get pulled over for any reason,” Nolasco said. 

    Even without the festival this year, Nolasco and Herrera are finding other ways to celebrate. 

    Nolasco is hosting events at the restaurant. Meanwhile Herrera said they are collaborating with Carolina Theater during Hispanic Heritage Month and partnering with the group for other cultural events. 

    As far as the festival, the hope is to bring it back next year. 

    “We appreciate the support of the community. We understand that it was a let down not to have this year’s festival but please if you can just see if perhaps next year we can have it, if you care to support,” Herrera said. 

    While this event is canceled, other groups are still hosting their festivals this year.

    La Fiesta del Pueblo in Raleigh and the 35th Latin American Festival and the Hola Charlotte festival are scheduled to go on. 

    The Latin American Coalition, which hosts the Latin American Festival, said it is monitoring the immigration situation but can’t allow fear to prevent it from showing up for the community. In addition, the event brings a diverse crowd and not everyone is undocumented. 

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    Estephany Escobar

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  • Food and music take center stage during Hispanic Heritage Month

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    PAINESVILLE, Ohio — National Hispanic Heritage Month is an anomaly when it comes to heritage celebrations. 

    What You Need To Know

    • National Hispanic Heritage Month begins in the middle of September to honor countries’ independence days

    • Central American countries celebrate freedom from Spain on Sept. 15

    • The month celebrates contributions of Hispanic culture in the United States

    It starts on Sept. 15 each year instead of Sept. 1.

    History helped determine that date.

    Central American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, all celebrate their independence from Spain on Sept. 15. Mexico celebrates on Sept. 16.

    Over the next month, festivals across the country will showcase some of the influence and contribution the Hispanic culture has had on the United States. But it’s also a month to celebrate freedom.

    “History is very complex of these countries. You had indigenous peoples who were basically colonized, conquered by Spain,” said Veronica Isabel Dahlberg, founder of Hola, Ohio — an organization that advocates for farm workers, immigrants and Latino families.

    She said the countries share a common thread, including culture, history and the language.

    Despite colonization, the culture endured for thousands of years, according to Dahlberg.

    “I would start with the corn tortilla. Corn, which was domesticated in Mexico from some grasses. By creating this corn, that then was harvested and used for a tortilla starting 10,000 years ago,” said Dahlberg. 

    Cities across the country will ring in the month with traditional music, dance and food.

    “We’re celebrating a taco festival in Ohio. I mean, that’s proof right there of the enduring and the resilient part of our culture,” Dahlberg said.

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    Kimberly Perez

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  • Columbus Metropolitan Library sets opening date for new Marion-Franklin Branch

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Metropolitan Library announced it’s opening the new Marion-Franklin Branch Saturday, Oct. 18, at 2800 Lockbourne Road. 

    To celebrate, there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. on the day of the opening.

    CML said before the new branch opens, it will close the current Marion-Franklin Branch at 2740 Lockbourne Road. It will shutter its doors Friday, Oct. 3, at 6 p.m. The location will be closed permanently, and CML encouraged customers to visit nearby locations until the new one opens. 

    CML explained that the current Marion-Franklin Branch opened as an “express branch” in 2014 to help give the community access to library services since it previously didn’t have any. 

    The new location will be more than double the size of the branch that’s closing, CML said. Construction of the new location began in June 2024. 

    Its hours of operation will be as follows:  
     
    Monday-Thursday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
    Friday-Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
    Sunday: 1-5 p.m.

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    Lydia Taylor

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  • Aviation group looks for would-be pilots at Girls in Aviation event

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    TAMPA, Fla. — The office view is a little different if you’re a pilot.

    What You Need To Know

    • 11th Girls in Aviation, courtesy of Women in Aviation, this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

    • Location: Tampa International Airport’s Sheltair, 4751 Jim Walter Blvd., Tampa

    • Free event, but registration is required here


    Victoria Jones used to be a salesperson for the banking industry in a building.

    Now she’s a flight instructor at Peter O. Knight Airport on Davis Islands in Tampa, and a leader at the Women in Aviation organization.

    “I used to travel a lot for my job, so every time I got on an airplane, I would peek inside the cockpit,” Jones said. “I’d just see all the buttons and switches and just thought, ‘I wonder how hard that would be.’”

    So she took what’s called a discovery flight with a flight instructor.

    “You get to have your hands on the controls and fly around. I loved that feeling. And I haven’t looked back ever since,” said Jones.

    One of the planes she flies is the Skyhawk Cessna 172.

    Jones follows a pre-flight checklist on the tarmac before taking to the skies, inspecting wings and lights.

    Was she ever nervous about all this?

    “Yes, it just takes repetition,” she said. “Checking the plane’s oil.”

    It’s all good.

    What’s not good?

    There aren’t many female pilots around.

    “Six percent of pilots in the U.S. are female. So, in the state of Florida, there are only a few thousand female pilots,” said Jones.

    This weekend’s event, “Girls in Aviation,” puts young women inside the planes.

    Everyone is welcome, especially those who may not have been exposed to this kind of opportunity in this kind of field.

    And Jones is making a difference.

    “It’s very exciting; each year we have more young women — and women of all ages — that are getting involved in aviation,” said Jones.

    Tickets are free, but signing up for “Girls in Aviation Day 2025” is mandatory.


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    Virginia Johnson

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  • Guide dog helps owner have first solo travel trip

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    CLEVELAND — Guide dogs are more than pets; for many, they’re a safety net, a navigation system and a source of independence.

    September is National Service Dog Month, celebrating the service dogs around the country, including northeast Ohio.

    What You Need To Know

    • September is National Service Dog Month
    • Achromatopsia is a rare genetic eye disorder that causes complete or partial loss of color vision
    • Dogs Inc. is an organization that provides guide and service dogs

    Jaclyn Schiemann is legally blind, and it wasn’t until she was 30-years-old that she was diagnosed with achromatopsia.

    “Everything to me is just blurry,” said Schiemann.

    Achromatopsia is a rare genetic eye disorder that causes complete or partial loss of color vision. Fewer than 50,000 people in the U.S. have this disorder.

    “I was born with it. I was originally diagnosed with rod cone dystrophy, and they thought I would be completely blind by the age of 16,” said Schiemann. “There wasn’t genetic testing when I was young.” 

    Schiemann said she sees a lot of shadows and she can’t see colors. In 2021, Schiemann applied for a guide dog. In June 2023, she was introduced to Tyrus.

    “The happiest day of my life.” Said Schiemann.

    A four-year-old purebred yellow American Lab who was trained by Dogs Inc. An organization that provides guide and service dogs. They currently have more than 700 active service and guide dog teams. Tyrus is trained to find curbs, steps, Schiemann’s mom, and to stop and avoid hazards.

    “I took my first trip solo.” Said Schiemann. “So, he has given me independence, courage, confidence to actually do something like that. This past February, we went to Disney World.”

    Schiemann said she never traveled alone when she was using a cane because she was afraid of tripping or running into something.

    “It’s nice to be on my own because I’ve always been so dependent on everybody,” said Schiemann. “To do anything, to go anywhere but with him I’m not scared to do that. I have a constant companion.”

    Schiemann said her goal is to go to as many national parks as she and Tyrus can. Their most recent was to Yellowstone and Grand Teton.

    “We’ve been to six national parks in two years.” Said Schiemann.

    Since getting Tyrus, Schiemann said she is able to experience a part of life she once thought was out of reach.

    “It’s life-changing, and it’s freeing, and it’s liberating, and it’s encouraging that I can go out and do stuff that I never thought I would do alone,” said Schiemann.

    If you know someone who could use a guide or service dog, Dogs Inc. provides them at no cost to the recipient once they are approved and matched with a dog.

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    Rose Todd

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  • Tarpon Springs women’s club uses stickers to spread human trafficking awareness

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    TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — A Tarpon Springs women’s group is working to fight human trafficking by placing awareness stickers in bathrooms across the city.

    What You Need To Know

    • The GFWC Woman’s Club of Tarpon Springs puts up stickers that include contact information of the National Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence Awareness hotline

    • The group wants to bring awareness to the issue of human trafficking 

    • They hope a victim will see the number and make contact if they’re in the hands of a trafficker 

    • Member Linda Eisner and the rest of the group plan to send letters to Gov. Ron DeSantis and their local lawmakers about their project


    The GFWC Woman’s Club of Tarpon Springs hopes the stickers, which include the National Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence Awareness Hotline, will give victims a chance to seek help.

    “We wanted to put it in some place where a victim will be separated from their trafficker — to be able to read it, make a copy of it, or memorize it — and be able to use it in the future,” said member Linda Eisner.

    The nonprofit has already posted stickers in dozens of businesses and plans to keep going.

    “We’ll probably hit 50 or 60 businesses. We will continue to walk up and down Tarpon Avenue, Pinellas Avenue and then we’ll go on (US 19) to all those stores,” Eisner said.

    The project has been years in the making, with awareness as the goal.

    “Tampa is like number two in the country for human trafficking, so we really just want to protect the victims and bring awareness to everybody,” Eisner said. “There are so many people out there that are oblivious to the whole issue of what’s going on,” Eisner said.

    The group is now pushing for a statewide mandate requiring stickers in all restrooms and rest areas.

    “Any chain store like a McDonald’s or an Ace Hardware, they can’t make the decision for themselves, they have to ask corporate. That’s why the mandate is so important to come from the top down,” Eisner said.

    Eisner and the GFWC Woman’s Club of Tarpon Springs plan to send letters to Gov. Ron DeSantis and their local lawmakers about their project. The next legislative session, where a bill could be introduced, will be in January 2026.

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    Jeff Van Sant

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  • Crystal River businesses excited over prospect of added tourist traffic

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    CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. — A new expansion of the Suncoast Parkway has opened.

    What You Need To Know

    • The second part in a three-phase project expanding the Suncoast Parkway from Tampa to Crystal River has opened

    • With more traffic passing through, the expansion has local businesses excited for what it may do for the local economy
    • Those with Discover Crystal River say having the newly expanded road will help bring more traffic to the city, which saw a record-breaking 1.6 million visitors this year
    • The third and final phase of the Suncoast Parkway will extend the road 5.5 miles north to County Road 495 in Crystal River


    It’s just the second part in a three-phase project expanding the toll road from Tampa through Citrus County. With more traffic passing through, the expansion has local businesses excited for what it may do for the local economy.

    Inside his store, Paddletail Waterfront Adventures, managing director Paul Cross clears out the shop.

    “We are the state-of-the-art dive shop in this area,” said Cross.

    For years, the business has served as a staple in Crystal River, offering kayak rentals, manatee encounters, as well as local lodging. A business, like many in the area, that thrives on tourism.

    “The time frame after Christmas until the 3rd or 4th of the year in January is a phenomenal business for us,” said Cross. “We really look forward to being in the shop when manatee season kicks off and we look forward to a great season.”

    It’s this tourism that has allowed Paddletail to expand into a brand-new building.

    “We’re excited about being in a location that people will walk by going to the tiki bar, going to the pool area, using the boat ramp,” said Cross. “They’re going to see us. We’re going to be front and center, not to mention the fact that we’re right on the water. We can see the boats coming and going. Accessibility to us will be great.”

    And more visitors may soon be on their way with the recent expansion of the Suncoast Parkway, expanding through Crystal River.

    “We’re really excited about it,” said tourism director Auvis Cole for Discover Crystal River. “I mean, for us, the connectivity to Tampa being an hour away right now, it’s huge for the destination in our continued growth and development.”

    Cole said that having the newly expanded road will help bring more traffic to the city with the hopes of replicating, or even doubling, the numbers they saw this past summer, which was a record-breaking year.

    “We welcomed over 1.6 million visitors to this destination,” said Cole. “A lot of them came through the Suncoast Parkway, of course, through the Tampa market and the Orlando market, which are our biggest market force as well. But from an international standpoint, when they’re flying into TPA, they’re coming right down the Suncoast Parkway.”

    So that area businesses, like Cross’s, may continue to thrive.

    “We have people come in from all over the world — Germany, Denmark — come in here, and then our local drive market (doesn’t) even know it exists,” Cross said. “So come check it out and see what the fuss is about, it’s an unbelievable experience and it’s a great family activity.”

    Putting this slice of Citrus County further on the map.

    The third and final phase of the Suncoast Parkway will extend the road 5.5 miles north to County Road 495 in Crystal River. A completion date is expected by late 2026 or into 2027.

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • LGBTQ+ advocate works to create more art in the community

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    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Across the Tampa Bay area, local municipalities are removing street art following a state policy change.

    What You Need To Know

    • India Miller found herself looking for artistic alternatives after street art was removed last month in downtown Sarasota

    • Miller started her own group recently — called ‘Good Trouble’ — that advocates for the LGBTQ+ community, as well as for artists

    • Miller said that this Saturday at 10 a.m., her group and others will be painting a rainbow at the Harvest United Methodist Church in Bradenton


    That has left some artists looking for other ways to express themselves.

    For India Miller, painting is a form of expression.

    “I’m drawing the transgender pride flag,” she said.

    Which is why she’s painting rocks with LGBTQ+ colors, to then scatter around the community.

    “It just gives people hope. I hope that somebody’s walking, just sees it and picks it up, takes it home, or just realizes we care,” she said.

    She found herself looking for artistic alternatives after street art was removed last month in downtown Sarasota.

    For example, it appears that a rainbow was painted over on one particular crosswalk.

    “I’m sad, you know, that our rights to exist and have, you know, freedom and dignity and the same rights that everybody else has, you know, are up for vote,” she explained.

    Miller started her own group recently — called ‘Good Trouble’ — that advocates for the LGBTQ+ community, as well as for all artists whose work was once here on a sidewalk that has been scrubbed clean.

    “It’s something that says you’re here, you’re valid, we love you, you know. It can be hopeful, or it doesn’t have to be an LGBTQ person — somebody who loves art,” she said.

    She is also offering the rock art to local businesses to have inside their shops.

    Miller said it’s a way to speak without words.

    “I hope it’s, you know, a way to protest peacefully and resist,” she said.

    By placing a new form of art where other art was removed.

    Miller said that this Saturday at 10 a.m., her group and others will be painting a rainbow at the Harvest United Methodist Church in Bradenton.

    She said there will also be opportunities for the public to participate in rock painting.

    The next event will be on Oct. 4 at 10 a.m. at the Church of the Trinity.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Students remember, honor Charlie Kirk with vigil

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlie Kirk’s conservative message found followers on hundreds of campuses across the U.S., including in North Carolina.

    What You Need To Know

    • Charlie Kirk was assassinated Wednesday while kicking off his organization’s tour of college campuses

    • Kirk was the founder of Turning Point USA, a conservative movement attracting young people

    • UNC Charlotte’s Turning Point USA’s chapter held a prayer vigil to honor Kirk Friday

    • The chapter president had met Kirk and calls his loss heartbreaking


    Kirk founded Turning Point USA, which had more than 800 college chapters, according to the organization’s website. 

    Friday, Turning Point USA UNC Charlotte chapter president Matthew Kingsley was keeping up with the arrest of the suspect accused of killing Kirk.

    “It was hard because I was literally just in a video with this guy two months ago. And I was like, wow, why would anybody do this?” Kingsley said.

    The sophomore participated in a video with Kirk this summer and met him seven times after he started college.

    “He loved his family more than anybody I know, as he would say: God, family, country. That’s an important statement for me as well,” Kingsley said. 

    The assassination of Kirk shook Kingsley.

    “It was very heartbreaking,” Kingsley said. “Even outside of the politics, just being a great father, his faith, that’s something that’s very respectable, no matter who you are. So when you, when you lose somebody like that, even if you didn’t personally know them … it still hurts.”

    Kirk’s personality was Kingsley’s main draw to join the conservative movement he describes as pro-America and pro-free speech.  

    “He was brave enough to come to campuses across the country and just talk with us. We didn’t see anybody else doing that. We didn’t see anybody coming to universities to talk about liberal issues,” Kingsley said. 

    These interactions also left a mark on Jewish student Rachel Rubin, UNC Charlotte Turning Point USA’s vice president. 

    “I was a big Charlie Kirk fan. Not for the reason that I believed in everything. He believed there were multiple things that I have extremely different viewpoints with him about. And I think that’s the beauty about what he talks about is he created a platform to have conversation,” Rubin said. 

    She said she was devastated by his killing.

    “When conversation stops, violence starts and that was the big thing that Charlie would say all the time and I think that that message spoke to me more than anything, because in a time where people aren’t willing to have conversations, as we just saw, it’s now more than ever,” Rubin said.

    Friday afternoon, the group held a prayer vigil in honor of Kirk.

    “The violence that took him from us is senseless, and it leaves a hole that words can’t fill,” Kingsley told the crowd during the vigil.

    Students held hands during a prayer. 

    Since Kirk’s death, they said the group has doubled in size to 40. 

    “I think we lost a light. I don’t think our story is over,” Rubin said. “Turning Point Charlotte is not going anywhere, and we are here to continue Charlie’s legacy.”

    His legacy included engaging young conservatives, a mission Kingsley plans to continue.

    “I’m going to encourage conservative voters to vote, encourage Gen Z to vote, because at the end of the day, it’s our voice that matters,” Kingsley said. 

    In addition, he encouraged students who disagree with Kirk’s views to engage in conversations with the group. 

    Turning Point USA holds voter registration events on campus and brings conservative speakers to talk to students. He said the chapter is open to everyone, not just Christians. 

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    Estephany Escobar

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  • Volunteers remember 9/11 on Patriot Day

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    RALEIGH, N.C. — Patriot Day marks the 24th year since Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. It serves as a day of remembrance for the nearly 3,000 lives lost.

    What You Need To Know

    • Patriot Day marks the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks  

    • Carry The Load is a nonprofit organization that aims to preserve the memory of the day through community service 

    • The project welcomes volunteers to honor veterans 


    More than 50 volunteers gathered Thursday at the Raleigh National Cemetery, as part of the Carry the Load National Day of Service & Remembrance for military and first responders who died during the Sept. 11 attacks.

    Among the group was volunteer Carlos Santiago, a volunteer with UBS who says the day carries deep personal meaning. He was living in Manhattan during the attacks and says the twin towers were part of his everyday view.

    “The towers was actually my view for every single day. I was right across the street from it,” Santiago said.

    The years after the attack were difficult for this New Yorker to navigate. Now in North Carolina, he still chooses to remember the friend he lost.

    “Every day this day comes… I think about him,” he said.

    Others, like Angelia Fajri, were there to honor the service members who followed in the years after 9/11. Her son, Justin, was inspired by the attacks to join the military right out of high school.

    “Justin always liked the military and anything that has anything to do with honoring the flag, honoring the country,” Fajri said.

    Organizers of the event say Patriot Day is not only a time of remembrance for those who died on 9/11 but also a chance to reflect on the generations who’ve served before and since.

    “It’s just a way of individually remembering them and ensuring that they’re not forgotten as people,” said John Hanken, a Carry the Load ambassador.

    Santiago said that being among the volunteers today, he is reminded that we are stronger united as a country.

    “There are people here that probably have different beliefs than I have, right? But we’re all working together, right? For a better cause. And that’s what America is all about. That’s what it needs to be all about.”

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    Ryan Hayes-Owens

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  • Madeira Beach city manager resignation agreement accepted

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    MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. — Madeira Beach commissioners agreed to accept City Manager Robin Gomez’s resignation agreement on Wednesday, which gave him one extra week of severance pay.

    What You Need To Know

    • Madeira Beach City Manager Robin Gomez officially resigned his position on Wednesday 

    • Commissioners approved giving Gomez one extra week of severance pay to avoid a lengthy process 

    • Gomez was hired in December 2021, with an annual salary of $140,000 

    • Commissioners appointed Fire Chief Clint Belk as the acting city manager


    Gomez was hired for the position in December 2021 and earned an annual salary of $140,000. Mayor Anne-Marie Brooks said the official process for Gomez to resign could take up to 6 weeks to complete, which is why the commission agreed to pay out the extra week.

    “He had presented a settlement agreement to the city attorney, and the city attorney negotiated,” she said. “We did 20 weeks, 20 weeks is what the State of Florida allows…. and we didn’t have to go through the long process.”

    Gomez also wanted to stay on the job through Friday, but Commissioner Eddie McGeehen said his constituents wanted the city manager to leave on Wednesday, which he reluctantly agreed to do.

    “I mean, if that’s the desire to move forward then I’m fine with that,” said Gomez. “But two days just to finish what needs to be completed with the staff is the reason for it.”

    Commissioner Housh Ghovaee said he agreed with McGeehen that Wednesday should be Gomez’s last day as city manager.

    “I think we’re at the stage that we need to sever,” he said. “When you decide to part with an employee, there’s no need to drag that on.”

    Last month, Mayor Brooks said she had lost confidence in Gomez’s leadership. Brooks said Gomez had poor communication, mismanaged projects and lacked accountability. Spectrum News requested an interview with Gomez, but he did not get back to us by our deadline.

    At the Wednesday meeting, commissioners appointed Fire Chief Clint Belk as the acting city manager. They also waived the RFP process to hire a recruiting firm to do a nationwide search for a new city manager.

    “I think that we’ve probably all learned a lot about what we would like to have in a city manager,” said Mayor Brooks. “To grow the community and to grow the city and the staff into the next phases of where we’re going as a city.”

    In the four years before Gomez was hired, Madeira Beach had three different city managers.

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    Josh Rojas

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  • Former NYC Paramedic shares her 9/11 experience

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — It has been 24 years since the September 11 attacks in New York City. 

    What You Need To Know


    Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives that day, but without our first responders, it could have been many more. 

    Ellen Leichert is a psychiatric nurse practitioner in the VA Bay Pines Health Care System.  

    Before moving to Florida in 2005, she was a paramedic in NYC.

    She spent 12 years in that job, but September 11, 2001, is a day she still remembers vividly.

    “We pulled under the Brooklyn Bridge and started eating breakfast,” she said. “The next thing I knew, we both saw a plane coming across the skyline.” 

    Leichert said while watching the plane, they realized something was wrong. 

    Seconds later, the plane hit the first tower. 

    “We couldn’t believe it,” she said. “Did that actually just happen? That’s when I called into the radio that the plane hit the tower.” 

    They rushed to Manhattan to help. 

    Leichert said the scene was chaotic, with people rushing out of the World Trade Center and more crews arriving.

    Minutes later, things became more intense.

    “Then we heard an explosion,” she said. “So we look up and the other tower was a fireball on top.”  

    Leichert didn’t know it yet, but the second tower was hit. With debris falling, she and everyone else rushed to get away.

    “We heard a rumble and we started to see the second tower come down,” she said. “And people were running from that area, and there was a cloud of smoke starting to follow and build up around us. I was pulling so many people, as many as I can into the back of my ambulance.” 

    From helping victims with severe burns to the people who lost their lives when the towers fell, it’s a day Leichert can’t forget.

    However, it’s the events from that day that led her to her current job.

    She hopes that others who experienced that day realize they’re not alone. 

    “In a way, I was honored to work that day because I was able to help others and survive and move forward and continue my work and to help as many people as I can, because I did get a second chance and I know not many did,” she said. “So for them, I will do the best that I can.”

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    Matt Lackritz

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  • Former Durham hotel transformed into affordable housing

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    DURHAM, N.C. — Have you ever driven by an empty building and wondered what it used to be used for? All across the country people are getting resourceful to try to make something new out of older buildings.

    A former extended-stay hotel near Research Triangle Park now has a new purpose. The building has been converted into six dozen affordable housing apartments, now called The Pines Apartments, as a way to help people who both live and work in Durham.

    What You Need To Know

    • A former extended-stay hotel near research Triangle Park has been transformed into 72 apartments

    • Rent ranges from $950–$1,100 per month with utilities included

    • Durham currently has the highest fair market rent in North Carolina at $1,872 for a two-bedroom unit



    For new tenant Teddy Pugh this new space means more than just a place to live, it’s a space to bond with his grandson.

    “Everything’s brand new. The kitchen, all the appliances, the bathroom. You know, it’s nice having a bathroom nobody’s used but you,” he said.

    According to North Carolina Housing Coalition, Durham has the highest fair market rent in the state, averaging at $1,872 for a two-bedroom apartment.

    Pugh said affordable housing isn’t just about shelter, it’s about stability. 

    Reinvestment Partners, a stakeholder in the project said the goal is to create workforce housing for residents. 

    “We’re really trying to make it workforce housing for Durham residents who want to live here and work here. So, it’s a big endeavor. In a moment in Durham where we’re seeing a lot of displacement for folks,” said Robert Polanco, director of real estate with Reinvestment Partners. “So, we’re excited to have this opportunity.”

    Across the country more hotels are being converted into affordable housing. A study from the National Association of Realtors says the rising costs of construction and labor are fueling this push, as families struggle to afford everyday life. 

    Peter Skillern, CEO of Reinvestment Partners, said this project is proof it can work. 

    “This makes it possible to have affordable rents. And again, it has no subsidy. This is just what the market will bear. For a group of folks who’ve got choices, where they live, but not infinite choices, this is a good, affordable, safe community,” Skillern said.

    While not big, these units range from 313 to 420 square feet. And rent is between $950 and $1,100 a month, including utilities. That’s well below the statewide average of $1,883 according to Zillow.

    The apartments are designed for individuals or small families earning around 60% of the area’s median income, which is around $81,000 according to Data USA.

    For Pugh he said it can’t get much better then this.

    “If you’re single and you can live in an area like this, you can’t find no better in Durham,” he said.

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    Ryan Hayes-Owens

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  • Mountain pumpkin farm reopening this weekend

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    WATAUGA COUNTY, N.C. — The countdown is on for Cassandra Bare and her family to bring visitors back to Harvest Farm in Valle Crucis.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pumpkin patches are opening back up in Watauga County this weekend

    • Many pumpkin patches were destroyed in Helene

    • Farmers have worked hard to rebuild the areas and get ready for this fall


    “They didn’t get to come last year, and a lot of people I talked to are excited to get to come to get to support local farmers,” Bare said.

    It’s a moment they have been waiting for all year.

    “We lost five generations worth of work in one night, and it’s not all going to be put back together in one year,” Bare said.

    It’s not back just as it was, she said, and this farm has been fixed more than the others, but they are on their way.

    Last year, after Helene her pumpkins and flowers were destroyed, fencing was torn down and there was sports equipment in the fields from down the street. The damage was huge and the loss even bigger.

    “We have had floods before and lost pumpkin crops before, but we have never lost everything that we worked on before,” Bare said.

    While this crop may only take a year to grow, some of her others, like Christmas trees, take several years. Still, Bare looks through this field and sees a light at the end of the tunnel.

    “I’m more thankful to be here this year than I ever have been or to have a crop to be able to sell,” Bare said.

    They also have a beautiful pick your own flower garden that has grown back since last year.

    More challenges could be heading in.

    Many farmers in the mountains keep a close eye on the bean count to get an idea of how the winter will be. For every foggy morning in August a bean is put into the jar. Each bean signifies a snow storm. It may sound like silly folklore to some, but many farmers swear by it. With some counting as many as 27 beans this year, they want to be prepared.

    “A farmer started back then with the bean in a jar to predict the weather because they needed to know how much they had to store for the weather. It was a way to guestimate if you will what was to come,” Bare said.

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    Rose Eiklor

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  • Lake Lure expected to reopen in spring 2026

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    LAKE LURE, N.C. — As cleanup from Hurricane Helene continues in Lake Lure, the town is hopeful it can reopen its lake next spring.

    The town announced this week its “goal is to welcome residents and visitors back to a fully restored Lake Lure by late spring 2026.”

    What You Need To Know

    • The town of Lake Lure is planning to reopen the lake in late spring 2026 

    • The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hopes to complete its cleanup of the lake by Oct. 31

    • The cleanup of Lake Lure has cost more than $200 million


    The announcement comes as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and AshBritt Environmental continue to remove debris and contaminated sediment from the lake.

    “When we first were able to lay eyes on Lake Lure, we could tell there was a lot of debris in the lake,” said George Minges, a debris subject matter expert for the Army Corps of Engineers. “It was just everything that came from upstream and Bat Cave, Hickory Nut Gorge and Chimney Rock.”

    Crews have been working on the lake since November, removing pieces of cars, metal appliances and other hazards that flowed into the lake after Helene. 

    While most of the large pieces of debris have been removed, the soil and sediment that sat on the lake floor is contaminated. Each day, crews dig up the soil and load it onto hundreds of trucks to be taken to a landfill in South Carolina.

    “We remove about 300 to 400 truckloads of soil, sediment and other debris every day,” Minges said. “To date, we’ve removed about 900,000 tons of debris just from the subsurface section of the lake.” 

    Minges said the Army Corps of Engineers is 90% done with its work in Lake Lure. He is hopeful they can complete the project by Oct. 31.

    “From the beginning of this event, we heard that without Lake Lure, there is no town of Lake Lure,” Minges said. “The work that we’re doing here is essential to the economic recovery and regional recovery of this area.” 

    The project has cost more than $200 million, according to the Army Corps of Engineers.

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    Chloe Salsameda

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  • Raleigh Housing Authority launches new department to support families in need

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    RALEIGH, N.C. — Finding a new home and making the transition can be challenging for families in public housing.

    The Raleigh Housing Authority has launched a new department, Resident Services, with a goal to better support them.

    What You Need To Know

    • More than 46,000 residents live in public housing across North Carolina, with an average household income of just over $15,000 a year

    • The Raleigh Housing Authority’s new Resident Services Department helps families transition to stable housing while connecting them to health care, food assistance and community resources

    • Finding enough available units and working with landlords who accept housing vouchers is a challenge

    • The authority is creating a self-sufficiency program focused on career and personal development to boost long-term economic independence



    Washing dishes in your own kitchen or having enough space for your children to play is something that some may take for granted, but for families like Tequita Jarman’s, it’s the biggest blessing.

    Jarman struggled with homelessness for years but found stability through the housing authority.

    “Them girls in they own rooms and they own spaces and they created their own spaces within their space? I like and love that,” Jarman said.

    The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reports more than 46,000 residents live in public housing in North Carolina, with the average household income just over $15,000 a year. For many families, navigating the housing system is overwhelming, and access to support can be limited.

    That’s why the Raleigh Housing Authority has launched Resident Services, a new department designed to guide families through difficult transitions and connect them with critical resources.

    Relocation manager Sharon Sneed says her team focuses on helping families move into affordable, safe housing while offering additional support.

    “We are a team that comes in to support our families in transitioning from one location to the next… helping in supporting them, ensuring that they find housing that is affordable and decent and safe,” Sneed said.

    The department also works to connect residents with health care, food assistance and community programs, aiming to improve stability and quality of life. But the challenges are steep — from a lack of available units to landlords unwilling to accept housing vouchers.

    “When you have a family with the large size, sometimes that’s kind of hard for them to locate housing that they want, that they can afford, or if they can afford it with the voucher. Sometimes you have trouble finding the … landlords that will accept the assistance,” Sneed said.

    Despite these challenges, Jarman says it’s important to keep moving forward.

    “It’s going to be hard. It’s going to make you cry. You’re going to have moments where you had to cry when the kids ain’t looking, you know? But you gotta keep pushing,” she said.

    The housing authority says it is continuing to look for community partners, landlords and properties to expand its efforts. The agency is also developing a new program to help residents build self-sufficiency through personal and career development.

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    Ryan Hayes-Owens

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  • Florida Holocaust Museum officially reopens after renovations

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Florida Holocaust Museum reopened to the public for the first time on Tuesday after being closed for more than a year due to renovations.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Florida Holocaust Museum reopened Tuesday

    • The museum has been closed for more than a year for renovations

    • Guests can visit the Florida Holocaust Museum on Wednesday for free between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. as part of Duke Energy Free Day


    Honoring the millions of people who died during the Holocaust, the museum features new exhibits, improved safety features and more.

    Holocaust survivor John Rinde said the museum holds a special place in his heart.

    Not only can you find his family among the exhibits, but also Rinde himself and his wife.

    “It’s teaching history, hoping it won’t repeat itself, because they say history unlearned is a history repeated,” he said.

    Rinde is 90 years old.

    It has been a long time since he lived under the Nazi regime.

    Even so, he can’t forget it.

    “When we were occupied by the Germans in ‘41, I was six and a half years old,” he said. “All I knew is we’re in trouble.”

    Not all the exhibits in the museum are new.

    Previously on display is a boxcar used by the Nazis to transport Jews during the Holocaust.

    Now, it’s joined by Thor the Danish Fishing Boat used to rescue Jews.

    Rinde said there is so much history in the museum that needs to be remembered. He wants people to take this away more than anything else.

    “Don’t blame any minority for the bad things that happen because bad things do happen, not because somebody wanted them to happen,” he said.

    Guests can visit the Florida Holocaust Museum on Wednesday for free between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. as part of Duke Energy Free Day.

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    Matt Lackritz

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  • From homeless to peer specialist of the Year, Coast Guard vet shares his story

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Every year in the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, a Peer Specialist of the Year is chosen in recognition of their work.

    What You Need To Know

    • Matt Labitzke is the Peer Specialist of the Year in the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System

    • He was chosen from the region representing veteran hospitals and clinics across Florida, south Georgia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

    • Labitzke hopes that when other veterans see his story, they can see that if he can do it, so can they


    That position helps facilitate groups that can talk about anything from PTSD, substance abuse, mental health, and more.

    This year’s winner is Matt Labitzke.

    It’s a job he didn’t initially think about after he finished his service in the Coast Guard.

    These days, he has a hard time thinking about doing anything else.

    “It’s my goal to give back to other veterans that are dealing with the same issues that I dealt with,” he said.

    He has helped veterans with their struggles for the past five years.

    One way he does this is through his story.

    “Before I came here, I was homeless,” he said. “I was addicted to alcohol and other substances. I was living on the streets. I had nothing.”

    Labitzke was named the Peer Specialist of the Year in a region representing veteran hospitals and clinics across Florida, south Georgia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

    These facilities serve over 1.4 million veterans.

    Labitzke didn’t get to where he is now without help.

    He’s a peer specialist for many people, but Eileen Nelson was one for him.

    Now retired, Nelson has always been one of Matt’s biggest supporters.

    “I didn’t hear it, I saw his picture on the monitor, and I was like, ‘Oh man, Matthew made it,’” she said.

    Labitzke hopes that when other veterans see his story, they can see that if he can do it, so can they.

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    Matt Lackritz

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  • Kickoff party for VeloSano Bike to Cure fundraiser

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    STRONGSVILLE, Ohio — Hundreds of cyclists are heading out Saturday morning for the annual VeloSano Bike to Cure fundraiser.

    What You Need To Know

    • One hundred percent of proceeds from VeloSano go toward cancer research at Cleveland Clinic

    • Over 2,700 cyclists will take part in the ride to raise funds

    • Genetic testing helped one woman catch a cancer diagnosis early

    The event raises money for cancer research at Cleveland Clinic.

    One woman and cancer survivor said she is doing the ride for her kids.

    Rose Sanders watched as her mom struggled through 11 years of cancer treatments.

    Her mother left her a binder filled with her medical journey as well as medical family history.

    Sanders’ mom passed away when Sanders was 30-years-od.

    She said she didn’t want the same fate for her children and had genetic testing in her twenties. It found she carries CDH1, a gene that greatly increases your chances of cancer.

    The gene increases people’s chance of breast cancer by 40 to 50% according to Dr. Jame Abraham, breast oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic. He said it increases the risk of stomach cancer by 25 to 35%.

    Abraham said genetic testing involves taking a blood test.

    Sanders was diagnosed with stomach cancer after the birth of her fourth child. She was 32

    Abraham said the gene is rare compared to BRCA1 and BRCA2, genes more commonly known to cause breast cancer. He said he recommends anyone with a family history of stomach cancer to speak to a doctor at age 25.

    Knowing she carried the gene meant Sanders got screened more often and was able to find cancer in its early stages.

    Sanders ended up having her stomach removed at age 32. She decided to have a double mastectomy as a preventative measure at age 35.

    Her pathology report came back positive for breast cancer.

    Because it was found early, she ended up not needing chemotherapy or radiation.

    Sanders will be riding 25 miles in Saturday’s VeloSano bike ride. she’ll be joined by 2,700 other riders. 

    “I hope that with the funds raised – especially with VeloSano – that my kids won’t have to do what I’ve done and hopefully there will be some preventative choice for them,” Sanders said.

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    Kimberly Perez

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