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Tag: APP Human Interest

  • Duette Fire & Rescue chief says no to consolidation

    Duette Fire & Rescue chief says no to consolidation

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    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Could Manatee County fire departments be consolidating? That was the talk during one commissioner’s meeting after a volunteer fire department requested more resources. Commissioners said in order to achieve that, Duette Fire and Rescue Station would need to merge with a station that already has those services.

    The Duette Fire Rescue District encompasses 200 square miles of northeastern Manatee County. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Manatee County Commissioners tossed around the idea of Duette Fire and Rescue merging with another station to receive more resources

    • Manatee County Commissioners said that the fire station does not meet the bare requirements for an Advanced Life Support Permit
    • In order for the fire station to use their life saving equipment they must get the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (COCPN) from the commissions
    • Once they have the COCPN, they can then apply for the Advanced Life Support Permit with the state and then the state will decide.

    The Duette Fire and Rescue team are trying to get a Certificate of Public Convenience from Manatee County commissioners. Once the fire station has that, they can make a request to the state for their Advanced Life Support Permit.

    However, at the April 23rd meeting, County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said they don’t meet basic requirements.

    “It came up again this time because Duette was wanting to achieve ALS status, but they are unable to meet the bare minimum qualifications to meet that. If Duette were to merge, they would achieve the same thing,” said Van Ostenbridge.

    VIDEO: County commission meeting about consolidation of fire districts

    According to county commissioners, they have no say or any part of decision making if the fire stations are going to or can consolidate. The commissioners say it’s entirely up to the fire departments.

    “We have no power. We aren’t a charter county. We can’t do anything up here other than try to facilitate anything that is in your best interest to do it,” said Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse.

    Spectrum News did reach out to Commissioner Kruse for comment and he told us that he doesn’t want to comment any further on the matter.

    Fire Chief Rocky Parker has been with the Duette Fire and Rescue station in Duette for 7 years, and a chief since 2023. He is against the consolidation and says that he doesn’t believe that this is a true conservative approach.

    The Duette Fire & Rescue Station has 7 paramedics in a volunteer team of 40.

    One of the recent investments Parker has made in technology was the purchase of defibrillators that cost the station $80,000.

    He says he purchased this equipment, among other things, in order to use during calls.

    The department had these devices for two years now, but is unable to use them because the county hasn’t given them a permit to apply for their Advanced Life Support permit.

    “The county kind of declared that we weren’t even barely qualified to provide this service. That’s not true; the state really determines that,” he said.

    The fire chief has put out everything that the Duette Fire Rescue Station has provided for the ALS permit according to the Manatee County Ordinance 17-041 on their Facebook page:

    That’s when county commissioners offered up the idea for Duette to merge with another fire station. That would give them the ALS resources they need. So the chief hosted his own town hall meeting on April 30th to see what the residents in their coverage area wanted. “It was no on cosolidation,” said Parker. “True conservative values lies within local people deciding their own destiny, their cost and the level of service that they want and this is what our citizens want.”

    Parker has been a paramedic and firefighter for decades. He knows how important it is to respond quickly to a call, especially in this rural area. But when they can’t use their ALS equipment, he says it puts lives at stake.

    “We will wait for an ambulance up to 20 to 40 minutes. There’s not a thing we can do with advanced life support. It keeps happening over and over and over again,” he said.

    Parker says he’s going to continue asking the county for a Certificate of Public Convenience, in order to request an ALS permit from the state.

    “We’ve have some of the worst car crashes out here in the county; it’s nothing for us to have 4 or 5 people that are critically injured, and having just one paramedic on the scene is just not enough. We fill that gap for people that need it,” he said.

    Despite the county telling the chief that they don’t meet the requirements, Parker says they have already invested $80,000 on Advanced Life Support equipment and already have an ALS rescue vehicle.

    He’s pushing forward with a mission to give people more help and will be meeting with Senator Jim Boyd to talk about what more can be done so his station can use this life saving equipment.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Tampa museum honors the engineers behind vintage, rare automobiles

    Tampa museum honors the engineers behind vintage, rare automobiles

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    PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — Say hello to the 1937 Peugeot, with an overhead cam and 4-cylinder engine.

    What You Need To Know

    • Tampa Bay Automobile Museum, Pinellas Park

    • Cerf family collection focuses on innovation

    • Open 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. daily, closed on Tuesdays

    • Admission prices: $10 – $16

    It’s the first of about 100 cars in Olivier Cerf’s family collection — now the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum.

    Each vehicle is here for a reason.

    “It has to be about engineering and the man behind the car,” said Cerf.

    And it had to leave a mark in its time, like the winner of the Le Mans — the famous 24-hour race in France.

    “This car, the engine has never been rebuilt. And this is the original car, and it still runs today,” said Olivier.

    Andy Kinworthy is one of the mechanics who keeps engines purring.

    Of course, his whip is a fully restored vintage baby.

    He can make anything go fast.

    And he can explain all of it to visitors.

    “I love blowing their mind and showing them how things worked,” said Kinworthy.

    One of his current projects is working on a rare 1909 Elmore two-stroke.

    “Not like a 4-stroke engine like a regular car. It’s like a lawnmower, a weed eater—something like that,” said Kinworthy.

    Back to that 1937 Peugeot — the car that started all this. In 1957, Cerf’s dad Alain bought it at a police auction in Paris.

    “You know he couldn’t afford a new car. So you know that was a used car back then,” explained Cerf.

    What’s it worth now? For Cerf — it’s priceless.

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    Virginia Johnson

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  • N.C. advocacy groups host film festival to show off talent in Asian community

    N.C. advocacy groups host film festival to show off talent in Asian community

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    GREENSBORO, N.C. — North Carolina is home to a number of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and this month, the Greensboro History Museum partnered with an advocacy group to host a film festival showcasing the creativity within the area’s Asian community.

    What You Need To Know

    • AAPI Short Film Fest hosted by Pave N.C. at the Greensboro History Museum

    • The festival organizer says the films help to break stereotypes surrounding the Asian community

    • Six film makers from the Triad showcased their short films highlighting the Asian and Asian American community


    Paul Beyun submitted a film on his Kenya travels for the AAPI Short Film Fest, hosted by Pave N.C. at the Greensboro History Museum.

    “Let’s embrace Asian community, but let’s also address some issues that we need to talk about and strengthen our community. And, also celebrate, you know,” Beyun, a Greensboro filmmaker and videographer, said.

    The festival organizer says the films help to break stereotypes surrounding the Asian community.

    “It’s always good to talk about just individuality and then talk about just hard topics such as, like, different races, different religions having to mix together,” Beyun said.

    Six film makers from the Triad showcased their short films highlighting the Asian and Asian American community.

    Beyun says showing the films and discussing them with the audience after gives all the filmmakers a sense of pride.

    “The panel is important because it makes people say their truth. Like sometimes they say good things about the world, and sometimes it talks about the pains that we had,” Beyun said.

    When it comes to the films Beyun creates, he showcases the different backgrounds of his travels.

    “I just want to show, like the real, real side of things, like, so my Kenya video, I didn’t want to just show zebras and lions and resorts and hotels,” he said.

    Beyun is Korean, and says even though people are from different backgrounds, their experiences bring people together, which is why he began filming all of his travels.

    “All cultures are beautiful and we shouldn’t be so scared to go to certain countries, or we shouldn’t stereotype like continents, you know, like that’s what happens here. Most people don’t go to certain parts of the world,” Beyun said.

    There are more than 20 Asian Film Festivals worldwide, according to the AsianFilmFestivals.com.

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    Zyneria Byrd

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  • Mother’s Day sales expected to decline slightly 

    Mother’s Day sales expected to decline slightly 

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    OHIO — With Mother’s Day weekend here, small businesses across the state are expected to be busier than usual.

    What You Need To Know

    • The National Retail Federation predicts that consumers will spend $33.5 billion for Mother’s Day this year 
    • Flowers are the most popular item this year 
    • Blossums Florist in Cincinnati has been working hard to stay on top of orders 

    The National Retail Federation predicts consumers to spend nearly $33.5 billion in 2024. That’s a little less than last year, but the second highest since the start of the pandemic. 

    With flowers being the most popular item this year, floral businesses are doing their best to keep up with orders, despite higher prices. 

    “Inflation has really played a major part in how you order,” said Carol Ruffin, Blossoms Florist owner. “Because you don’t want to go buy a truckload of stuff and have to eat it. So pretty much everything you have to preorder here.”

    Greeting cards, jewelry and electronics are other items that are expected to be top sellers this year. 

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    Camri Nelson

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  • Barbershop talk aims to teach teens how to resolve conflict

    Barbershop talk aims to teach teens how to resolve conflict

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    DURHAM, N.C. — Community leaders are calling for action after five people were shot in Durham on April 11 in three separate shootings in just two hours.

    North Carolina communities are seeing a rise in gun violence. It’s the reason police chiefs across our state are advocating for more positive opportunities for teens.

    What You Need To Know

    • Community leaders are calling for action after five people were shot in Durham April 11 in three incidents over two hours
    • Derick Cagle of GQ Barber Academy works with teenage boys on conflict resolution
    • Cagle uses barbershop talk to start deep conversations at POOF Teen Center  


    One program keeps its doors open late after school and during the summer to give teens an outlet.

    With clippers in hand, Derick Cagle of GQ Barber Academy shows teenage boys in North Durham how to resolve conflict without guns. Teens get involved in deep conversations at the POOF Teen Center, which stands for Planning Our Own Future.   

    Cagle brings barbershop talk to the after-school and summer program because he knows many teens like 15-year-old London Hunter can’t always make it to the shop.

    “This program, it keeps you out of trouble, like it keeps you here, you go certain places, you learn new stuff. It just helps you a lot,” Hunter said.

    Last month five people were shot in Durham within a two-hour span, including a 16-year-old boy who died.

    “To be honest, it makes me concerned for myself and my friends,” Hunter said.

    Hunter says he’s used to hearing gunshots in his neighborhood and looks forward to the barbershop talk because it gives students a chance to tackle subjects like gun violence and anger management and, most importantly, provides a way to stay off the streets.

    “To be honest, my mom, she wants us to be outside, but just not in that neighborhood. That’s why she brought us here, because to be honest, if I didn’t really start coming here, there’s a lot of things I wouldn’t have done,” Hunter said.

    Cagle says the biggest lesson he wants students to learn is to think twice before they react, so that they don’t become a negative statistic.

    “Being a decent human being is the primary goal. When I say decent, I mean the core basics, ethics, morals, respect,” Cagle said.

    Outside of barbershop talk, POOF offers other activities every day where students learn about financial literacy, hear from guests speakers who are entrepreneurs, and this summer, they’re going to Jamaica.

    Before they go out of the country, they’re required to learn how to save and start a savings account.

    POOF operates solely on donations. To find out how you can donate or to learn more about the program, click these links: 

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    Siobhan Riley

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  • Therapy dog helps Palmetto first responders de-stress on the job

    Therapy dog helps Palmetto first responders de-stress on the job

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    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Friday, May 10, marks First Responders Mental Health Awareness Day.


    At least 30% of first responders experience stress, anxiety, and depression while on the job, according to the Journal of Emergency Medical Services.

    One Palmetto fire station is changing the game when it comes to helping their team overcome mental health struggles.

    Steve Garrity starts his work the same way every day.

    “Checking the monitor in the morning. Making sure the batteries are charged. Check to see if all the equipment is in there,” he said.

    He’s a firefighter and paramedic at Station 5 for North River Fire District in Palmetto, a job he’s been in for 20 years.

    Each call is different. Garrity says it’s like walking into the unknown.

    “Some days, you know, it’s an easy day and some days it can be really stressful, different types of calls,” he said.

    He says his job affected his mental health.

    “I was just kind of ready to get out of the job. It was a lot. I have a young family, and it just wasn’t really dealing with things in the best way possible, and it’s isolating if you are having mental health issues,” he said.

    But his mindset changed when he started working at this fire station.

    Drew is the facility therapy dog that joined the force two years ago, from Dogs Inc in Palmetto.

    “It’s the best feeling in the world, second to your kids. But dogs always know what’s going on, especially when you are trained. He can pick up on little things and make your day. You don’t have a choice but to be happy,” he said.

    Having a therapy dog present can lower stress and anxiety symptoms, according to the National Library of Medicine.

    “A lot of us compartmentalize everything. You might not want to explain or add a burden to your family, so with a dog, you don’t have to explain. They are full of joy and compassion for you,” Garrity said.

    He says Drew helps the crew overcome mental struggles after responding to a difficult call.

    “He has a job to do. He will brighten the mood on any day.”

    But more importantly, it’s given the team a chance to be stronger together.

    “It’s my second family. I count on them, they count on me,” he said.

    The leader of the family is Fire Chief Joseph Sicking. He wanted a therapy dog to alleviate stress, and he says he’s noticed a big change.

    “Having the dog present takes your mind off of what you just dealt with or seen. It loosens up the room. It lets you feel the setting is more informal and more of a discussion to get this stuff off our chest,” he said.

    Garrity says it’s refreshing working somewhere that makes mental health a priority, something he hasn’t always experienced.

    “Coming here, it was right off the bat with conversations with the chiefs,” he said.

    One step at a time, moving forward with the help of a trusting friend.

    Chief Sicking hopes more fire stations incorporate therapy dogs to help with mental health. He says, on average, the North River Fire District goes to more than 700 calls a month, and 64% of those are EMS related.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Pasco County nurse calls for ceasefire after 2nd trip to Gaza treating injured

    Pasco County nurse calls for ceasefire after 2nd trip to Gaza treating injured

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    WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — A critical care registered nurse who works at a Wesley Chapel med spa recently got back from her second trip to Gaza where she helped treat wounded patients.

    What You Need To Know

    • Registered critical care nurse Rana Mahmoud returned from Gaza on April 10 

    • It was her second trip this year with the Palestinian American Medical Association 

    • Mahmoud said most of the wounded she treated were women and children 

    • The nurse has called for a ceasefire to protect the lives of the children

    In October 2023, the terrorist group Hamas crossed Gaza’s border and into Israel, killing more than a 1,200 people and kidnapping others. Israel followed with a campaign of air strikes on targets in Gaza, killing both Hamas members and civilians.

    Many civilians in both Israel and Gaza have been caught in the middle of this war.

    “I felt the need to go,” said Rana Mahmoud, 47. “It’s such a humanitarian call.”

    Mahmoud said both of her 14-day trips this year were with the Palestinian American Medical Association. She got back from her last trip on April 10. Mahmoud said because she had been to Gaza before she was the “facilitator” for the group of 11 doctors traveling with her.

    “I was the only nurse with them,” she said. “I feel like all the medical providers should go and help out.” 

    Mahmoud’s heritage is Palestinian, but she has lived in the United States for 37 years. She brought 30 suitcases full of medical supplies with her to Gaza. She said most of the wounded she treated were women and children.

    “Every single night, when we had a mass casualty, there would be children without parents,” she said. “Those are orphans automatically.”

    Mahmoud said she feared for her life the entire time due to the frequent bombing. The nurse said she stayed at a hospital with 15,000 refugees and started a wounded care team.

    “Just trained some nurses there because that’s my specialty in the hospital, is that I’ve done wound care,” she said. “I’m a critical care nurse. So, I trained local nurses there to help to facilitate with wound care in Gaza.”

    After seeing so many injured and orphaned children, Mahmoud said she felt the need to speak out.

    “I just want (a) ceasefire because I want to save these children’s lives,” she said. “When I first started this mission, my whole goal was just to be medical. I’m non-political.”    

    Mahmoud plans to go back to Gaza in June. She wants to support the wounded care team she created.

    “Just seeing all those people being displaced and all of these children getting sick,” she said. “I know that I helped out twice before and I know that I can help out again.”

    Mahmoud wants to return with books and puzzles for the children in Gaza and has started a fundraiser called HEAL Palestine.

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    Josh Rojas

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  • Wesley Chapel community coming together for neighbors impacted by house fire

    Wesley Chapel community coming together for neighbors impacted by house fire

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    WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — A Pasco County community is coming together after fire severly damaged a neighbor’s home. The flames broke out at a house in the Epperson Lagoon community on Sunday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Homeowners in the Epperson Lagoon community are coming together to raise funds for a family impacted by a house fire on Sunday 

    • The house is unlivable and the affected family has had to find somewhere else to stay

    • Neighbors have started a GoFundMe page to help the family pay for clothes and food

    Right now, the house is unlivable, and the family has to find somewhere else to stay. The unfortunate event is bringing the best out of the neighborhood.

    Inside one Wesley Chapel home, a community is coming together to help one of their fellow homeowners.

    “You’re able to rely on your neighbors,” says Betsy Rose, who lives in the Epperson Lagoon community. “It’s really important.”

    It’s a neighborhood composed of people like Rose who are taking action. Across the street a fire broke out at this home on Sunday. Consuming just about everything in this family’s garage.

    “I still feel like I’m numb,” said Rose. “I could barely sleep last night because it was just devastating news that this happened to our friends who are so kind and so caring and they would do anything for anybody.”

    It’s this sense of community that has brought Rose and her neighbors together. All wanting to help out their fellow neighbors. So they started a GoFundMe page for the family.

    “They had to go out and buy clothes and food and they need temporary shelter until the insurance kicks in and gets them a place to live because the entire house is gone.”

    Even though the home is still standing, the house, as Rose says, needs to be gutted. Leaving the family currently displaced. But the support, so far, has been beyond expectation. Homeowners from neighboring communities have also joined the discussion for helping.

    “They feel impacted the same way we do because we’re all just one big happy family,” Rose said.

    A big family that has all been affected by this unprecedented act of nature.

    Rose says the community is looking into a few other funding options, including a silent auction.

    GoFundMe.com, or any other third-party online fundraiser, is not managed by Spectrum Bay News 9 or Spectrum News 13. For more information on how GoFundMe works and its rules, visit http://www.gofundme.com/safety.

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • Manatee County family honored during Gold Star Memorial marker dedication

    Manatee County family honored during Gold Star Memorial marker dedication

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    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Community members gathered Saturday to honor the Gold Star Memorial at Lakewood Ranch Library in Manatee County.

    What You Need To Know

    • Manatee County officials and the community honored a Gold Star Family during the Gold Star Memorial dedication.

    • According to Manatee County, there are only 47 Gold Star Memorial markers, and the one at the Lakewood Ranch Library is the ninth one in Florida.

    • Stefenie Hernandez lost her son Patrick L. Lay II during active duty when he was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011.

    The Veterans Services and Gardeners Out East Garden Club, along with the public, met to remember our fallen heroes and their families.

    A Manatee County family was honored as part of the dedication.

    Stefenie Hernandez lost her son Patrick L. Lay II in August 2011.

    It’s a call no family wants to receive, but an act of service that Hernandez knows will never be forgotten.

    “As a mom, I’m extremely proud of him and his service of giving his life and for this to be recognized in our county,” she said.

    Her son was an Army Specialist who died in August 2011 in Afghanistan. He was an infantryman with the 10th Mountain Division.

    “I understood a call to duty for him because he had always wanted to make a difference in this world,” she said.

    Four other soldiers also died with him after an improvised explosive device destroyed their vehicle.

    Manatee County honored Lay and his family with a dedication for the Gold Star Memorial marker at Lakewood Ranch Library that serves as a reminder to those families who have lost a loved one during active duty.

    Spectrum Bay News 9/Julia Hazel

    “When the national anthem plays, I cast my gaze down, and I try to hide my eyes as floods of memories overwhelm me as I am reminded and swear in loyalty to a country that cost my son his life,” she said during the dedication.

    Her son grew up in Bradenton and was part of the first graduating class of Braden River High School. She says her son was loving and selfless, that he always wanted to serve and protect.

    Stefenie says tributes like this help her family heal.

    “I tell you, despite the pain my family has endured and sacrifices many of our military families make on a daily basis, this country is worth every drop of bloodshed and tear cried,” she said.

    She says the Gold Star Memorial gives people in the community a way to honor our fallen heroes, and for Stefanie, it’s a way to heal a little bit more.

    “One of the scriptures that I used on his marker was ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’ He was willing to do that,” she said.

    Stefenie says she has seen the American flag in many ways — waving in the sky, over her son’s casket, and folded in her arms. It’s A service to our country that will always be remembered.

    According to Manatee County, there are only 47 Gold Star Memorial markers, and the one at the Lakewood Ranch Library is the ninth one in Florida.

    To learn more about the Hernandez family and Patrick L. Lay II click here.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Lealman’s Raymond H. Neri Community Park to get $10M in upgrades

    Lealman’s Raymond H. Neri Community Park to get $10M in upgrades

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    LEALMAN, Fla. — The Pinellas County Commission recently approved a plan to spend more than $10 million to improve Raymond H. Neri Community Park in Lealman over the next two years.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Pinellas County commissioners recently approved a $10.2 million project to improve Raymond H. Neri Community Park in Lealman

    • The project includes sports fields, a dog park, trail improvements, restrooms, picnic shelters and playgrounds 

    • Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice said Lealman has been historically underserved when it comes to traditional government services 

    • The groundbreaking has been scheduled for May 21 and the project is expected to be complete by the summer of 2026

    Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice said the project would be an important improvement for the historically underserved community of Lealman.

    “This shows a continued focus on improving the quality of life in Lealman,” Justice said. “We’re spending millions of dollars on infrastructure.”

    On April 9, commissioners approved the $10.2 million project, which includes sports fields, a dog park, trail improvements, restrooms, picnic shelters and playgrounds for Neri Park.

    Justice said the Lealman Community, located in unincorporated Pinellas County, has been lacking when it comes to traditional government services and amenities like a first-class community park.

    “This is an area of high poverty,” he said. “So, a lot of things happening, a lot of focus and things are just getting better every day in Lealman.”

    Resident Laura Simkanich, 69, who lives a few blocks west of Neri Park, was born and raised in Lealman. She said community leaders have been pushing for park upgrades for years.

    “It’s something that’s been wanted for a long time,” she said. “A lot of people have fought for it and whatever money we get will be used wisely.”

    In 2005, the County purchased 38 acres of land and established the park. In 2018, it was officially named after Raymond Neri, a community activist who unofficially called the “Mayor of Lealman” and championed the need for green space.

    Justice asked for the park to be renamed after Neri, who passed away in 2017.

    “He’s the one who kind of discovered the space, came to the county, got first access to it,” said Justice. “We thought it’s appropriate that we honor his memory by naming it after him.”  

    Neri’s widow, Laura, said her late husband would be thrilled to see the county and residents continuing on with his dream. Simkanich said her parents worked with Neri, and she gets emotional when talking about his legacy.

    “I know he’s looking down,” she said. “It took a little time, but it’s ours.”

    Most of the funding for the Lealman park upgrades comes from the federal American Rescue Plant Act with a smaller portion coming from the Penny for Pinellas sales tax and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

    “It’s just an overall positive improvement to the area — something this area needs,” said Simkanich. “I’ve lived here all my life and we’ve never had anything like this, and I welcome the change.”

    The project’s groundbreaking has been scheduled for May 21. It is expected to be complete by the summer of 2026.

    “Really looking forward to when families can have a picnic,” said Justice. “Really make some of those treasured family memories that I remember growing up and going to parks at.”

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    Josh Rojas

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  • Hope Services in Pasco County expanding with new programs for students

    Hope Services in Pasco County expanding with new programs for students

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    LAND O’ LAKES, Fla. — A Pasco County nonprofit is helping those with disabilities live independently.

    What You Need To Know

    • Hope Services, a Land O’ Lakes nonprofit, is expanding their operation with new programs on the way

    • The nonprofit teaches students life skills and offers vocational programs with training in areas like culinary arts, as well as construction and hospitality

    • It’s also giving those who volunteer and work at the center a sense of purpose

    Hope Services was founded more than 20 years ago but recently added a new program to its curriculum.

    Last year, the nonprofit opened its very own training center to teach students life skills and offering vocational programs with training in areas like the culinary arts as well as construction and hospitality.

    Executive Director Cindy Bray said they are learning everyday life skills.

    “Everything in our center is centered around not only teaching them life skills but also vocational skills,” said Bray. “So they leave us learning how to live on their own and also to become employed.”

    Bray said they are in the process of finishing a retail training room, which will be a big addition to their program.

    The program is already helping shape students’ lives. For inside one culinary classroom, students are getting a taste of food prep.

    “It’s like, ‘Oh my gosh — I’m doing cooking class!’” Cheyenne Stoltz, a student at Hope Services, said. “I don’t get to cook at home, so it’s a lot of fun for me.”

    Stoltz has been taking classes like this for the last year, honing her culinary skills and making delicious meals, like chicken stir-fry.

    “It’s fun to get to know people and have that feeling that you’re doing something good,” she said.

    It’s all under the watchful eye of chef and teacher Brent Belcher, a local business owner taking time to teach these eager students.

    “It’s kind of flexing a muscle that I don’t get to use on a daily basis in the kitchen,” Belcher, assistant director of Culinary Operations at Hope Services, said. “As far as like teaching and breaking things down and showing someone who is totally green to the industry, the baby steps to getting involved. That’s been very rewarding and challenging at the same time.”

    And the impact Belcher’s lessons have on his students is clear.

    “The teachers are amazing. They’re really kind and respectful,” said Stoltz. “They’ll help you out if there’s a problem and me taking this class here was amazing. It was life changing for me.”

    The nonprofit provides them with the necessary life skills to live independent lives.

    “These classes are changing my life and it’s a lot of fun, like I said,” Stoltz said. “I would do it again if I could.”

    All while making lasting memories and lifelong friends.

    You can learn more about Hope Services and their available classes on their website.

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • Exotic animals find home at sanctuary

    Exotic animals find home at sanctuary

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    MOORE COUNTY, N.C. — If you visit the Dunrovin Exotic Animal Sanctuary in Vass, you can hear the call of Daisy from far away.

    What You Need To Know

    • There’s 200 exotic animals at the Dunrovin Exotic Animal Sanctuary in Vass

    • They’re mostly birds, lizards, monkeys and other animals that aren’t necessarily dangerous

    • North Carolina, Alabama, Nevada and Wisconsin are the four states that do not have any regulations on keeping these creatures

    She’s a parrot and has been at the sanctuary for five years.

    “She’s a real sweet bird. Let’s you pick her up … and all that good stuff,” said Jacob Seebode, the park’s manager. “But she’s definitely an attention hog and loves when people show her that attention.”

    Daisy is one of the 200 animals kept at the sanctuary. Each animal has a name. And each one has a story.

    Like Esmeralda, the patas monkey. When she was a week old, she was accidentally injured by her mother. Now, Amelia Bruns is her surrogate mother.

    “I’ve been raising her,” Bruns said. “I’m mama to her. That’s my baby … and I love her to death.”

    The goal of the sanctuary is to provide a home and refuge for all these animals. And while many of them are cute and pleasant to look at, the staff said they’re really not meant to be pets. Caring for them is hard work and can be expensive.

    “Our vet bill this upcoming May for our animals to get their vaccines, could be over $9,000,” Seebode said.

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    David Ivey

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  • Columbus Metropolitan Library opens new branch in Reynoldsburg

    Columbus Metropolitan Library opens new branch in Reynoldsburg

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Metropolitan Library officially opened its Reynoldsburg branch this week with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. 

    The 39,200-square-foot facility includes an interactive children’s area, a preparation area for help preschoolers get ready for kindergarten, a study space for young teens and much more. 

    The library, located at 1402 Bryce Rd., will operate the following hours:

    • Monday through Thursday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
    • Friday and Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
    • Sunday: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

    The Columbus Metropolitan Library now has 23 locations throughout central Ohio. 

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    Lydia Taylor

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  • Suncoast Remake Learning Days a 15-day festival of free education

    Suncoast Remake Learning Days a 15-day festival of free education

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    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Several Florida counties are coming together for a 15-day festival called Suncoast Remake Learning Days after the country saw a decline in 2023.

    Students and families will get resources and hands-on learning opportunities at various locations across Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties, starting April 20 through May 4.

    One organization in Manatee County is working with parents to get their kids the materials they need to boost their reading levels. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Organizations across Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties are coming together for a 15-day festival called Suncoast Remake Learning Days
    • Students and families will get resources and hands-on learning opportunities at various locations from April 20 through May 4

    • Soar in 4, a Manatee County nonprofit, provides free literacy tools and resources to parents who need financial aid
    • They help roughly 800 families a day with free materials

    Amanda Quirino is teaching her kids something new through a game of hopscotch.

    Playing hopscotch isn’t the typical way to improve literacy, but it works for her family. Quirino has her kids focus on enunciation.

    “This is a game we don’t see anymore to show them what we grew up with. It’s simple like hopscotch or writing their name,” she said.

    Quirino has a table filled with learning materials, like arts and crafts, she received from Soar in 4, a nonprofit that provides free literacy tools and resources to parents who need financial aid.

    “I became a mom at the age of 20. So I was a very young mom, and I just wanted to be able to find the right resources,” she said.

    For the past 10 years, Quirino has received about a dozen items each week. Her children are bilingual, and she says those supplies have helped them overcome the hurdles of learning two languages.

    “My third grader, the testing is non-stop sometimes. So she needs to be that fluent reader and she needs to be able to comprehend the questions. My kindergartener, they have sight words. So anytime I can expose them to that, it will help them,” she said.

    According to Soar in 4, 50% of Manatee County students are reading below their grade level. Sheila Halpin, one of the organization coordinators, said the materials they provide help kids improve their reading and writing skills.

    “Soar in 4 has been in existence for 10 years. We have grown and grown and grown. We are seeing that the kids who attend preschool are getting better in 3rd-grade assessment,” Halpin said.

    They help roughly 800 families a day with free materials. Halpin says more than 90% of families who have attended a Soar in 4 event are using the at-home material and are reading more to their kids.

    “Families just don’t have the funds to purchase all of these items. We teach our families that when we are jumping rope, we talk about counting again. How many? 1, 2, 3, once again. Counting leads into literacy,” she said.

    Quirino’s chidlren read every day, and she says their skills have improved with the help of the hands-on tools Soar in 4 provides.

    “I’ve seen them pronouncing the sounds, putting it together, and connecting them. Maybe they would just know one sound, and now if they have the two sounds that go together or we count out syllables, and it’s helped them in their school life,” Quirino said.

    For Quirino, having these free resources is like connecting the pieces of a puzzle.

    “We barely just became homeowners last August. We rented for 10 years with our family, so we are finally able to do bigger and better things with our family. But it was hard, so it was through our programs that we were able to connect and get resources that we needed. It was a journey,” she said.

    Community resources that help families so their kids can have bigger and brighter futures.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Durham homeless woman calls Supreme Court case ‘scary’

    Durham homeless woman calls Supreme Court case ‘scary’

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    DURHAM, N.C — The Supreme Court of the United States is weighing a case that could impact the homeless population.  

    The issue at hand is whether people who sleep in public parks should be charged with a crime.

    What You Need To Know

    • Supreme Court hearing arguments on making it criminal for homeless people to sleep in public parks
    • Homelessness increased 12% between 2022 and 2023
    • A Durham homeless woman says the Supreme Court case is “scary to think about”

    Last week, Spectrum News 1 joined with Housing for New Hope employees in Durham as they handed out supplies at a local encampment.

    A homeless woman at one of the camps said the Supreme Court case was almost too difficult to think about.

    “Making it criminal just to be homeless altogether and have camp, I’d be in jail. We’d all be in jail, and that’s scary to think about,” Stormie Tingle, who is homeless in Durham, said.

    Tingle said she’d lived at the encampment for several months.

    “I’ve liked living here as much as you can, being homeless and being in a camp,” Tingle said.

    But what might be beneficial, in relative terms now, could soon turn bad.

    “We think we have a lot of people in jail now, were gonna have a whole lot more,” Tingle said.

    Tingle is talking about Monday’s Supreme Court case concerning the homelessness crisis.

    The case could have far-reaching consequences for how cities address their homeless populations.

    Homelessness increased 12% between 2022 and 2023, according to the latest numbers from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

    Now, the Supreme Court is hearing arguments from people living in Grants Pass, Oregon, which has a poverty population of over 15%.

    This is a reality she’d rather not think about as she grapples with the prospect of possibly being jailed.

    “Criminal to be homeless is, uh, you know, everybody to me is just one paycheck away from being exactly where I am. Let them not get that paycheck and find a job after that. What are they gonna do?” Tingle explained.

    The Supreme Court hearing coincides with the highest reported level of homelessness ever. 

    Last year’s point-in-time count, which follows the homeless population, found about 653,000 people were experiencing homelessness across the country.

    That’s up about 70,000 people from the year before.  

    The Supreme Court is expected to announce a final decision on this case in June. 

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    Evan Sery

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  • Florida Farm Finder group connects people with local farms around the state

    Florida Farm Finder group connects people with local farms around the state

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    BARTOW, Fla. — A woman in Polk County is helping connect people across the state with local farms in their area.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida Farm Finder is a Facebook group that connects people with local farms in the state

    • One of its users, S&S Micro Farm, says they’ve been able to extend their reach, in part, because of Florida Farm Finder

    • As a result of using the group, farms have been able to save money on marketing and let people know of the different events they have going on

    It’s all on a Facebook group called Florida Farm Finder, and farmers say the page has brought tons of business to them, saving them loads of money in marketing.

    Sam Longster’s farm, S&S Micro Farm in Bartow, has rows of fresh blueberries with many of them ripe for the picking.

    “I like the sort of big fat round ones. The dark blue makes some really sweet,” Longster said. “I just really, really enjoy this time of the season. Just being out here and meeting people.”

    But when she and her husband, Scott, first bought this farm, this time of year wasn’t always kind.

    They purchased the land in August 2019 and blueberries bloom in February and March.

    So, right as they were about to sell their berries in 2020, things took a turn.

    “The first week of us realizing we were ready to go, and we had all these blueberries, the whole planet shut down,” Longster said.

    Rather than sticking with wholesale markets, she and Scott converted the farm to a “u-pick” model, where people can come to the farm in person to pick their own berries.

    “We really had to pivot quickly or else we were going to go broke,” Longster said.

    But getting the message out to the public wasn’t easy until Jillian Childs came into the picture.

    “It just kind of clicked that there was this huge disconnect,” Childs said.

    According to Childs, she saw during the height of the pandemic in 2020 that fresh produce was tough to come by, especially since millions of pounds of things like blueberries are imported from other countries, like Peru.

    So, she started Florida Farm Finder to let people know about local farms in the state where they can pick their own fruits and vegetables.

    “At that time,” Childs said, “I was like, ‘yeah, this is great for emergencies.’ And we thought, you know, it would die down and slow down, but it never really did.”

    Four years later, they have 70,000 members and 500 farmers regularly participating on the page, including Longster.

    “We really wouldn’t have the confidence to do only, you know, commercial if it wasn’t for Jillian’s site,” Longster said.

    Especially with inflation doubling the cost of fertilizer and diesel fuel, she said having thousands of people see the latest events and activities at S&S has been beneficial.

    “Jillian really helped us connect with the public on that. So, she was a great help,” Longster said.

    It’s a partnership that’s proven to be fruitful.

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    Nick Popham

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  • Nature Coast serving as backdrop for new film

    Nature Coast serving as backdrop for new film

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    CITRUS CO., Fla. — A slice of Hollywood has found its way to Florida’s Nature Coast. Citrus County is taking center stage as the prime location for a new movie being shot.

    What You Need To Know

    • Citrus County and the Nature Coast are taking center stage as the prime locations for a new movie being filmed

    • The movie, titled “Skinwalker Island,” is an indie horror film set in the deep south

    • One of the film’s leading roles is played by social media influencer ‘Too Turnt Tony’ alongside his popular duck sidekick ‘Baby Girl’

    • Plans are to have the movie premiere in this summer

    The movie is called “Skinwalker Island” and is an indie horror film set in the deep south. But the movie is going beyond its unique genre.

    In the remote woods of Citrus County, a movie set and its crew have set up in producer Nick Tamposi’s very own backyard.

    “I can’t imagine doing this anywhere else and having the comfort of doing it at our own home,” he said.

    Tamposi has been making movies for five years. He and his wife have their own talent agency, managing fashion models from New York to Miami. With a background in photography for many years, the transition, he says, was seamless.

    “Just fell in love with the whole process of the filmmaking side,” said Tamposi, a producer of the film. “I’ve been a photographer for many years and it was just a natural progression to move over onto this side. Being able to do it with my kids and my family is just a complete blessing.”

    Like with any movie, the crew is pretty extensive, including writer and director Jon Carlo.

    “We always really wanted to do a horror film because we love the genre, also because it’s just so popular right now and they sell well, and this area lends itself so perfectly to a horror film,” Carlo said.

    And what’s a movie without its cast? One of the leading roles is played by social media influencer ‘Too Turnt Tony.’ Well-known across the internet for his quirky videos featuring him and his duck, ‘Baby Girl.’

    “It’s almost come like full circle, because she’s been in all of the videos since we started, and now we’re doing a movie together, so it’s cool,” said Tony. “I’m glad they put her in a cameo and she’s loving it. She’s quiet right now, so she must be happy, but yeah, it’s been cool to have her along the journey for sure.”

    It’s a different approach to movie-making. One that Carlo says could be a game-changer for the industry.

    “We have someone that has more power than any PR company can bring on or an advertising company,” he said. “We have someone that if one percent of his followers convert and rent the movie, that’s real box office money. We’re really excited to see what this non-conventional approach to marketing a movie turns into.”

    It’s also an opportunity for Citrus County. A community, Carlo says, that has been so welcoming to them. A favor they would like to return.

    “If we can eventually figure out a way to train and hire locally across the board, that’s how I feel like we can really give back to the community.”

    Which could extend beyond the camera lens.

    “Putting it on camera and letting people see the real natural beauty of the area and the charm of the deep south setting that we have, it’s almost a character itself: Citrus County,” said Tamposi. “So we’d love to have more film here and we’re going to continue to do more filming as we go.”

    Shining the spotlight on the idea of more show biz along the Nature Coast.

    Carlo says they plan to have the movie premiere in early summer. Exclusive streaming rights are still being negotiated.

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • Suncoast Remake Learning Days a 15-day festival to help improve student literacy

    Suncoast Remake Learning Days a 15-day festival to help improve student literacy

    [ad_1]

    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Several Florida counties are coming together for a 15-day festival called Suncoast Remake Learning Days to help improve student literacy rates after the country saw a decline in 2023.

    Students and families will get resources and hands-on learning opportunities at various locations across Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties, starting April 20 through May 4.

    One organization in Manatee County is working with parents to get their kids the materials they need to boost their reading levels. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Organizations across Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties are coming together for a 15-day festival called Suncoast Remake Learning Days
    • Students and families will get resources and hands-on learning opportunities at various locations from April 20 through May 4

    • Soar in 4, a Manatee County nonprofit, provides free literacy tools and resources to parents who need financial aid
    • They help roughly 800 families a day with free materials

    Amanda Quirino is teaching her kids something new through a game of hopscotch.

    Playing hopscotch isn’t the typical way to improve literacy, but it works for her family. Quirino has her kids focus on enunciation.

    “This is a game we don’t see anymore to show them what we grew up with. It’s simple like hopscotch or writing their name,” she said.

    Quirino has a table filled with learning materials, like arts and crafts, she received from Soar in 4, a nonprofit that provides free literacy tools and resources to parents who need financial aid.

    “I became a mom at the age of 20. So I was a very young mom, and I just wanted to be able to find the right resources,” she said.

    For the past 10 years, Quirino has received about a dozen items each week. Her children are bilingual, and she says those supplies have helped them overcome the hurdles of learning two languages.

    “My third grader, the testing is non-stop sometimes. So she needs to be that fluent reader and she needs to be able to comprehend the questions. My kindergartener, they have sight words. So anytime I can expose them to that, it will help them,” she said.

    According to Soar in 4, 50% of Manatee County students are reading below their grade level. Sheila Halpin, one of the organization coordinators, said the materials they provide help kids improve their reading and writing skills.

    “Soar in 4 has been in existence for 10 years. We have grown and grown and grown. We are seeing that the kids who attend preschool are getting better in 3rd-grade assessment,” Halpin said.

    They help roughly 800 families a day with free materials. Halpin says more than 90% of families who have attended a Soar in 4 event are using the at-home material and are reading more to their kids.

    “Families just don’t have the funds to purchase all of these items. We teach our families that when we are jumping rope, we talk about counting again. How many? 1, 2, 3, once again. Counting leads into literacy,” she said.

    Quirino’s chidlren read every day, and she says their skills have improved with the help of the hands-on tools Soar in 4 provides.

    “I’ve seen them pronouncing the sounds, putting it together, and connecting them. Maybe they would just know one sound, and now if they have the two sounds that go together or we count out syllables, and it’s helped them in their school life,” Quirino said.

    For Quirino, having these free resources is like connecting the pieces of a puzzle.

    “We barely just became homeowners last August. We rented for 10 years with our family, so we are finally able to do bigger and better things with our family. But it was hard, so it was through our programs that we were able to connect and get resources that we needed. It was a journey,” she said.

    Community resources that help families so their kids can have bigger and brighter futures.

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    Julia Hazel

    Source link

  • Initiative aims to diversify craft beer industry

    Initiative aims to diversify craft beer industry

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    DURHAM, N.C. – Austin Bethea, a brewer at Fullsteam Brewing in Durham, says if you asked him just a handful of years ago if he saw himself creating craft brews, he wouldn’t have seen it coming.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Many Faces Initiative offers a 10 week paid internship

    • The goal is to bring people of color into the craft beer industry

    • Austin Bethea took part in the program and is now a brewer in Durham

    • Five breweries are taking part this year

    Bethea has worked different jobs in what he calls the “alcohol scene” for about a decade. It was two years ago that a friend told him about the Many Faces Initiative internship, which is a 10-week paid program aimed at bringing in more people of color to the craft beer world.

    He jumped on the chance and says immediately after the program, he landed his current job.

    “The Many Faces internship really helps us understand what this scene is like and then share it with others,” Bethea said. “I think it’s made a huge impact on the people that you see behind the scenes, in front of the scenes selling. I mean, I think as a whole, North Carolina’s been on top of it.”

    The internship, which started in 2021, is now accepting applications for this year’s participating breweries. The deadline for submission is April 22.

    Five breweries are taking part: Atomic Clock Brewing Co. in Durham, Fullsteam Brewing in Durham, Bond Brothers Beer Co. in Cary, Town Brewing Co. in Charlotte and 760 Craft Works in Huntersville.

    Bethea says there’s still a long way to go when it comes to diversity in the industry, for both women and people of color. He says only 1% of breweries across the country are minority owned.

    The North Carolina craft beer industry, he says, is working to change that.

    “Mike Potter just opened up the first African American brewery in Durham, and that’s super exciting. So, I think that there’s more and more traction, and I think the more and more we can have leaders like them, me and other people like us. I think it’s building. I really do think it’s building,” Bethea said.

    Bethea doesn’t see a downside for people who are thinking of applying. Any gained knowledge or interest in the industry only helps introduce it to more people down the line.

    “You’re learning things. If it doesn’t work out, it’s still OK,” Bethea said. “Now you can teach other people what you know.”

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    Mary Helen Jones

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  • Countryside High graduate Rocco Simonelli makes big splash in college diving

    Countryside High graduate Rocco Simonelli makes big splash in college diving

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    LARGO, Fla. — When Rocco Simonelli is diving, he says nothing else can compare to the thrill.

    “You’re just in a free fall. You can’t do anything except do what you know. It’s a fun rush,” Simonelli said.

    His mom, who’s a former collegiate diver and coach, introduced Simonelli to the sport at a young age.

    But for Simonelli it was just for fun. 

    “When I started diving, I was actually little, you know, going to a local pool,” Simonelli said. “We had fun on the dive boards. My mom was a coach, so she always got me to try something new every time we went.”

    It wasn’t until high school that he decided to pursue the sport.

    What You Need To Know

    • As a youth, Rocco Simonelli was the national champion in taekwondo. He represented team USA at the Pan-American games 

    • Simonelli started diving at a young age for fun, but didn’t pursue the sport competitively until high school 

    • The Countryside High graduate recently added another accolade. He’s the National Junior College men’s champion in the 1 meter 

    • This fall, he’ll continue his training at Florida Atlantic University 

    His first love was martial arts, where he racked up many medals and awards. 

    “As a youth, he was a national champion for taekwondo. He represented team USA at the Pan-American games in taekwondo,” Ann Simonelli said. “He’s been on USA national team, AAU national team and then he started with the diving and he’s won the county. He’s won districts.”

    Although Simonelli got a later start competing in diving, he quickly found success, and decided it was the sport for him. 

    “It was tough to see him step away from some of the other sports that he was also really excelling in and continue with the diving, but because he said this is what he was loving, this is what I had to let him do and he’s proven to me that this was the right choice,” his mother said.

    The Countryside High graduate recently added another accolade. He’s the National Junior College men’s champion in the 1 meter. 

    “It means a lot. It really shows to me that all the hard work really does pay off,” he said.

    This fall, he’ll continue his training at Florida Atlantic University. 

    He’s following in his mom’s footsteps, while making a big splash of his own.

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    Olivia Stacey

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