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  • Penny Lane Museum offers look at Beatlemania

    Penny Lane Museum offers look at Beatlemania

    DUNEDIN, Fla. — Bealtemania brought Penny Lane to Dunedin.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida on a Tankful visits the Penny Lane Beatles Museum
    • It’s located at 730 Broadway, second floor, in Dunedin
    • Hours are Thursday – Sunday, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.; admission is free


    We’re talking about the Penny Lane Beatles Museum. And bringing it all to visitors for free is Curator and Docent Harlan Brown.

    Brown is a musician — a drummer — so prepare for him to know how many drummers the Beatles worked with until Ringo Starr came along.

    “I thought I knew a lot about the Beatles when I started to work here,” said Brown.

    He was mistaken.

    Visitors love talking about all things Beatles and how their lives touched — if only for a few moments.

    That’s about how long a fringe jacket was with its original owner, John Lennon.

    “He used to catch in the door of his car, probably the Rolls Royce,” Brown said, smiling.

    So, he left it with family. Most people ask to not only touch it, but wear it as well.

    Same goes for John’s Lennon’s long johns.

    Lennon left them in Denmark with wife Yoko Ono’s ex.

    Now you may smell moth balls when standing here, but it’s not John’s drawers. It’s Beatles merch — everyone wanted a piece of Beatlemania.

    There are moth balls with The Beatles on them.

    “People used them to sell everything, even though they weren’t affiliated with the Beatles organization in many ways,” said Brown.

    It’s all part of our cultural zeitgeist.

    And Harlan Brown is glad to help people remember.

    “And that’s really what the museum is all about is keeping the idea of the Beatles,” said Brown. “And it’s about having fun in it and being entertained by how really amazing they were.”

    Look for the Museum to move to Ybor City in the Fall of 2025 and expand with a few more thousand square feet.

    Virginia Johnson

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  • Gambling is ‘public health threat,’ panel of experts says

    Gambling is ‘public health threat,’ panel of experts says

    Gambling has emerged as “a neglected, understudied, and expanding public health threat” throughout the world, a panel wrote in The Lancet medical journal Thursday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Gambling has emerged as “a neglected, understudied, and expanding public health threat” throughout the world, a panel wrote in The Lancet medical journal Thursday

    • The Lancet’s Public Health Commission on gambling wrote in its report that the growth of the gambling industry has been fueled by online gaming, easier access through mobile devices, legalization and the introduction of commercial gambling to new areas

    • As a result, 46.2% of adults and 17.9% of adolescents are estimated to have gambled globally in the past year, according to the commission’s analysis

    • Arguing that balancing public health and economic interests is crucial, the commission issued a series of recommendations

    The Lancet’s Public Health Commission on gambling wrote in its report that the growth of the gambling industry has been fueled by online gaming, easier access through mobile devices, legalization and the introduction of commercial gambling to new areas.

    As a result, 46.2% of adults and 17.9% of adolescents are estimated to have gambled globally in the past year, according to the commission’s analysis. That translates into about 80 million of the nearly 450 million adults who placed bets experiencing a gambling disorder or problematic gambling, the report said.

    Some form of gambling is now legal in more than 80% of countries, with betters’ net losses projected to reach nearly $700 billion by 2028, the report said. And with online access, gambling is available everywhere, the authors added. 

    “Gambling can inflict substantial harm on individuals, families, and communities,” the commission wrote. “Beyond the obvious danger of financial losses and financial ruin, these harms can include loss of employment, broken relationships, health effects, and crime-related impacts. Gambling can heighten the risk of suicidality and domestic violence.”

    The report’s authors wrote that the consequences of the digitalization of the gambling industry — which also includes highly targeted advertising — have not yet been fully recognized. They said that the industry has developed partnerships with media and social media companies and sports leagues that make it part of a “corporate ecosystem” that “wields substantial influence over policy” and regulation.

    The gambling industry has staved off broader policy changes by focusing its narrative on individual responsibility, the commission wrote. 

    “However, framing the problem in this way and narrowly focusing policy attention on a small subset of the people who gamble draws attention away from industry practices and corporate behaviour,” the authors wrote in the U.K.-based journal. “We must also seriously examine the structures and systems that govern the design, provision, and promotion of gambling products.”

    Governments, meanwhile, are conflicted because of the tax revenues they collect from legal betting, the panel wrote.

    Arguing that balancing public health and economic interests is crucial, the commission issued a series of recommendations. They include effective regulation in all countries, even those where wagering is not legal, including bans or restrictions on gambling access, marketing and sponsorships. 

    The commission recommended regulatory provisions that would protect children and young people by enforcing minimum age requirements and mandatory identification. According to The Lancet’s analysis, more than 10% of adolescents have gambled online despite a widespread agreement that commercial betting among adolescents should be prohibited.

    The authors also call for affordable, universal support and treatment for gambling harms and campaigns to raise awareness about the dangers. And they suggested international coordination to develop strategies aimed at helping protect people from gambling harms.

    “Our conclusion is clear: gambling poses a threat to public health, the control of which requires a substantial expansion and tightening of gambling industry regulation,” the commission said. “Timely response to this growing worldwide threat necessitates concerted action at intergovernmental, national, and regional government levels.

    Joe Maloney, senior vice president for strategic communications at the American Gaming Association, a trade industry group for U.S. casinos, said in a statement to Spectrum News the “regulated U.S. gaming industry works diligently with state regulators to foster a safe and responsible environment for consumers,” adding it has in recent years “made significant investments towards advancing responsible gaming initiatives, expanding available consumer resources, and developing tools to promote safer gambling.”

    “We firmly support ongoing discussions and the adoption of best practices to ensure the continued implementation of effective safeguards,” Maloney said.

    Note: This article was updated to include the statement from the American Gaming Association.

    Ryan Chatelain

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  • Judge orders Virginia to restore 1,600 voter registrations

    Judge orders Virginia to restore 1,600 voter registrations

    A federal judge on Friday ordered Virginia to restore more than 1,600 voter registrations that she said were illegally purged in the last two months in an effort to stop noncitizens from voting.

    What You Need To Know

    • A federal judge on Friday ordered Virginia to restore more than 1,600 voter registrations that she said were illegally purged in the last two months in an effort to stop noncitizens from voting

    • The injunction was sought by the Justice Department, which claimed the voter registrations were wrongly canceled during a 90-day quiet period ahead of the November election that restricts states from making large-scale changes to their voter rolls to prevent errors

    • The Justice Department and private groups, including the League of Women Voters, said many of the 1,600 voters whose registrations were canceled were in fact citizens whose registrations were canceled because of bureaucratic errors or simple mistakes like a mischecked box on a form

    • State officials said they will appeal, and Virginia’s Republican attorney general Jason Miyares criticized the ruling



    U.S. District Judge Patricia Giles granted an injunction request brought against Virginia election officials by the Justice Department, which claimed the voter registrations were wrongly canceled during a 90-day quiet period ahead of the November election that restricts states from making large-scale changes to their voter rolls.

    State officials said they will appeal.

    The Justice Department and private groups, including the League of Women Voters, said many of the 1,600 voters whose registrations were canceled were in fact citizens whose registrations were canceled because of bureaucratic errors or simple mistakes like a mischecked box on a form.

    Justice Department lawyer Sejal Jhaveri said during an all-day injunction hearing Thursday in Alexandria, Virginia, that’s precisely why federal law prevents states from implementing systematic changes to the voter rolls in the 90 days before an election, “to prevent the harm of having eligible voters removed in a period where it’s hard to remedy.”

    Giles said Friday that the state is not completely prohibited from removing noncitizens from the voting rolls during the 90-day quiet period, but that it must do so on an individualized basis rather than the automated, systematic program employed by the state.

    State officials argued unsuccessfully that the canceled registrations followed careful procedures that targeted people who explicitly identified themselves as noncitizens to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

    Charles Cooper, a lawyer for the state, said during arguments Thursday that the federal law was never intended to provide protections to noncitizens, who by definition can’t vote in federal elections.

    “Congress couldn’t possibly have intended to prevent the removal … of persons who were never eligible to vote in the first place,” Cooper argued.

    The plaintiffs who brought the lawsuit, though, said that many people are wrongly identified as noncitizens by the DMV simply by checking the wrong box on a form. They were unable to identify exactly how many of the 1,600 purged voters are in fact citizens — Virginia only identified this week the names and addresses of the affected individuals in response to a court order — but provided anecdotal evidence of individuals whose registrations were wrongly canceled.

    Cooper acknowledged that some of the 1,600 voters identified by the state as noncitizens may well be citizens, but he said restoring all of them to the rolls means that in all likelihood “there’s going to hundreds of noncitizens back on those rolls. If a noncitizen votes, it cancels out a legal vote. And that is a harm,” he said.

    Virginia’s Republican governor, Glenn Youngkin, issued an executive order in August requiring daily checks of DMV data against voter rolls to identify noncitizens.

    State officials said any voter identified as a noncitizen was notified and given two weeks to dispute their disqualification before being removed. If they returned a form attesting to their citizenship, their registration would not be canceled.

    Prior to Youngkin’s executive order, the state did monthly checks of the voter rolls against DMV data, in accordance with a state law passed in 2006.

    Youngkin said the Justice Department was wrongly targeting him for upholding a law that was followed by his predecessors, including Democrats, even if they didn’t take the extra step of ordering daily checks as he did in his executive order.

    “Let’s be clear about what just happened: only eleven days before a Presidential election, a federal judge ordered Virginia to reinstate over 1,500 individuals–who self-identified themselves as noncitizens–back onto the voter rolls.,” Youngkin said in a statement after Friday’s hearing.

    Giles, for her part, questioned the timing of Youngkin’s executive order, which was issued on Aug. 7, the very beginning of the 90-day quiet period required under federal law.

    “It’s not happenstance that this was announced exactly on the 90th day” of the quiet period, she said Friday from the bench.

    Her injunction requires voter registrations be restored for all of those canceled as a result of Youngkin’s executive order, and that letters be sent out within five days informing those voters of their restored status. The letters will also include a note of caution informing those individuals that if they are indeed noncitizens, that they are barred from casting ballots under federal law.

    The plaintiffs had asked the judge to grant those voters an extension of the deadline to request absentee ballots, but Giles denied that request, saying it would result in confusion.

    “We may not be able to achieve everything we would want,” she said.

    Virginia’s Republican attorney general, Jason Miyares, issued a statement after Friday’s hearing criticizing the ruling.

    “It should never be illegal to remove an illegal voter,” he said. “Yet, today a Court – urged by the Biden-Harris Department of Justice – ordered Virginia to put the names of non-citizens back on the voter rolls, mere days before a presidential election.”

    U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., who had alterted Justice Department officials to the removals. praised the ruling.

    “Governor Youngkin’s purges have served only one purpose – to disenfranchise thousands of lawfully voting citizens of the Commonwealth. That stops today,” he said.

    Nearly 6 million Virginians are registered to vote.

    A similar lawsuit was filed in Alabama, and a federal judge there last week ordered the state to restore eligibility for more than 3,200 voters who had been deemed ineligible noncitizens. Testimony from state officials in that case showed that roughly 2,000 of the 3,251 voters who were made inactive were actually legally registered citizens.

    Associated Press

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  • Former Ohio House Speaker Jo Ann Davidson dies at 97

    Former Ohio House Speaker Jo Ann Davidson dies at 97

    COLUMBUS, Ohio — Jo Ann Davidson, former Ohio Speaker of the House, died Friday, a statement from Gov. Mike DeWine’s office confirms.

    She was 97.

    What You Need To Know

    • Former Ohio Speaker of the House, Jo Ann Davidson, died Friday at 97

    • Gov. Mike DeWine confirmed the news in a statement issued by his office

    • The Ohio Statehouse website notes that she served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1980 through 2001

    “Fran and I are saddened to learn of the death of our dear friend Jo Ann Davidson,” DeWine said in the statement. “Jo Ann dedicated her life to public service and the people of Ohio, a model public servant who was full of wit, intelligence, class, and skill.  She was a trailblazer in the truest sense, beginning her career on Reynoldsburg’s city council in the 1960s and making history in 1995 as Ohio’s first female speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives.”

    According to the Ohio Statehouse website, Davidson served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1980 until 2001 in the Republican party. She was also elected as co-chair of the Republican National Committee in 2005.

    In his statement, DeWine highlighted the Jo Ann Davidson Leadership Institute, where he said she “guided nearly 500 of Ohio’s up-and-coming Republican women on core leadership skills.”

    The Statehouse website also notes a number of recognitions she received, including:

    • Outstanding Legislator in 1988 from United Conservatives of Ohio
    • Watchdog of the Treasury Award from United Conservatives of Ohio
    • Legislator of the Year (1991) from the National Republican Legislators Association
    • Women’s Hall of Fame induction (1991)
    • YWCA Woman of Achievement Award
    • Honorary Doctor of Law Degree from Ohio University

    “Although we mourn Jo Ann’s death, Fran and I take comfort in knowing that she will live on through those she mentored, and her legacy will be remembered by everyone who passes by her portrait on the wall of the House Chamber at the Ohio Statehouse,” DeWine said in the statement. “We extend our sincere condolences to her family.” 

    Current Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens, R-District 93, also issued a statement on Davidson’s death:

    “I’m saddened to learn of the passing of Speaker Jo Ann Davidson. As a true trailblazer, Speaker Davidson’s legacy is one of strength, grace, and servant leadership. She fostered a culture of mentorship that changed the lives of many for the better. I extend my sincere condolences to the family and friends of Jo Ann Davidson.”

    Ohio Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Steve Stivers issued a statement saying they were sad to learn of her death.

    “Speaker Davidson was a trailblazer for women in Ohio government,” Stivers said in the statement. “As the first woman elected Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, she paved the way for all women who dreamed of a career in public service. The Jo Ann Davidson Ohio Leadership Institute allowed many women, some of whom serve in today’s Legislature, to assume more prominent roles in a field that remains largely male-dominated. Speaker Davidson’s influence will persist in our state forever. We are grateful for her lifelong partnership and her resounding impact.”

    Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost also issued the following statement:

    “Speaker Davidson was a great public servant for all Ohioans, but a special advocate for women – first a pioneer, then as a mentor to an entire generation of leaders. Her dedication to public service and her unwavering commitment to empowering others will be remembered and cherished. She leaves behind a remarkable legacy that continues to inspire us all.”

    Cody Thompson

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  • Judge upholds dismissal of involuntary manslaughter charge against Alec Baldwin

    Judge upholds dismissal of involuntary manslaughter charge against Alec Baldwin

    SANTA FE, N.M. — A New Mexico judge has upheld her decision to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie.

    In a ruling Thursday, state District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer stood by her July decision to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin. She said prosecutors did not raise any factual or legal arguments that would justify reversing her decision.

    The case was thrown out halfway through trial on allegations that police and prosecutors withheld evidence from the defense in the 2021 death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust.”

    Baldwin’s trial was upended by revelations that ammunition was brought into the Santa Fe County sheriff’s office in March by a man who said it could be related to Hutchins’ killing. Prosecutors said they deemed the ammo unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin’s lawyers say investigators “buried” the evidence in a separate case file and filed a successful motion to dismiss.

    Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey can now decide whether to appeal to a higher court.

    Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer for “Rust,” was pointing a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal on a movie set outside Santa Fe in October 2021 when the revolver went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the revolver fired.

    A judge in April sentenced movie weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed to the maximum of 1.5 years at a state penitentiary on an involuntary manslaughter conviction in Hutchins’ death.

    Gutierrez-Reed also has asked Judge Marlowe Sommer to dismiss her involuntary manslaughter conviction or convene a new trial on allegations prosecutors failed to share evidence that might have been exculpatory.

    Associated Press

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  • More Manatee beaches to open next week, officials say

    More Manatee beaches to open next week, officials say

    HOLMES BEACH, Fla. — Beaches are beginning to make a comeback after receiving damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

    What You Need To Know

    • Some beaches in Manatee County were closed after receiving damage during Hurricanes Helene and Milton

    • County officials say, though, that Manatee Public Beach has reopened and they are working to reopen other beaches soon

    • Manatee County Property Management Deputy Director Carmine DeMilio says crews have been cleaning for 29 days straight to get shuttered beaches reopened

    In Manatee County, officials say the Manatee Public Beach on Anna Maria Island is now open, and they’re working to get other beaches open soon.

    With residents starting to recover and businesses reopening, residents say they hope the beaches are next. 

    Manatee County Property Management Deputy Director Carmine DeMilio said repairing damage to beaches has been one of the county’s top priorities.

    “We have cut up and removed over 80 trees, and we have been running two to three beach rigs daily to keep the beaches clean,” said DeMilio.

    DeMilio said tourism has about a $2 billion economic impact in Manatee County, and crews have been cleaning for 29 days straight, working 12-hour shifts, so beachgoers can return.

    “We’re looking to open a portion of Coquina Beach mid-next weekend, to later in the week,” he said.

    County officials say they’re hoping for a quick rebound and want people to know the damage is being fixed.

    “It’s so important that we get the message out that these restaurants and businesses are back open for business, too,” said Manatee County commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge. “People will start to come back out to their favorite places and enjoy them again.”

    Van Ostenbridge said it could take up to 30 days of cleaning to get all the sand cleared of debris for the beaches.

    Julia Hazel

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  • USF basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim dies at 43

    USF basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim dies at 43

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Amir Abdur-Rahim, who led USF men’s basketball to 25 wins last year in his first season at the school, has died, the school confirmed Thursday evening.


    Abdur-Rahim coached at Kennesaw State for four seasons before taking over the Bulls program before the 2023-24 season.

    The Bulls had struggled before his arrival but climbed into the AP Top 25 for a stretch this season before falling just short of an NCAA Tournament bid.

    He played in college at Southeastern Louisiana.

    Just after 6:30 p.m. Thursday, the school released the following statement:

    University of South Florida head men’s basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim passed away earlier today.

    Abdur-Rahim, 43, was undergoing a medical procedure at a Tampa-area hospital when he passed away due to complications that arose during the procedure.

    “All of us with South Florida Athletics are grieving with the loved ones of Coach Abdur-Rahim,” said Vice President for Athletics, Michael Kelly. “He was authentic, driven, and his infectious personality captivated all of Bulls Nation. Coach Abdur-Rahim leaves a lasting impact on our student-athletes, the University, and the community. We are supporting those closest to him, including his family, team, and athletics staff, to ensure they have the resources they need to deal with this tremendous loss.”

    “In a very short time, Coach Abdur-Rahim made an indelible impact on the University of South Florida. In his first season as our head coach, he brought an unmatched enthusiasm, achieved unprecedented success and helped generate unforgettable memories for Bulls Nation,” said USF President, Rhea Law. “Throughout my time working with Coach Abdur-Rahim, I was continually inspired by his leadership, and truly admired his sincere approach to connecting with our entire student body. His influence on our student-athletes, coaching staff and the university community will live on forever.”

    Abdur-Rahim was the American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year this past season. Following a 25-8 record, he led the Bulls to their first regular-season conference championship and to their first-ever top 25 ranking during the regular season, reaching as high as no. 24 in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Poll.

    We offer our deepest condolences to the family of Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim. He is survived by his wife, Arianne, and three children.

    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Crew-8 returns home in splashdown off Florida’s coast

    Crew-8 returns home in splashdown off Florida’s coast

    FLORIDA — After conducting various experiments and working onboard the International Space Station for seven months, NASA and SpaceX’s Crew-8 returned home in a splashdown off the coast of Florida early Friday morning.


    What You Need To Know

    • It took Crew-8 more than 30 hours before splashing down off of Florida’s coast
    • It will be a long and wild ride home, with intense speeds and temperatures
    • It will take Crew-8 more than 30 hours for a splashdown off Florida’s coast

    Estimated Splashdown Countdown

    Crew-8 members NASA astronauts Cmdr. Matthew Dominick, pilot Michael Barratt, and mission specialists Jeanette Epps and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin returned home in SpaceX’s Dragon space capsule Endeavour near Pensacola at around 3:29 a.m. ET to the cheers of NASA and SpaceX teams heard during a live feed.

    For the crew, it was an estimated 34-hour commute home after undocking from the International Space Station at 5:05 p.m. ET, Wednesday.

    Before this new undocking date was announced, (more on that down below), NASA stated that depending on the time of the undocking and other factors like weather conditions, it could have taken between six to 39 hours for the Crew-8 to return to Earth.

    For a long time, NASA did not reveal which of the various splash zones Crew-8 would be landing in because they had to monitor the weather forecast, but in the end, the Endeavour returned to Earth near Pensacola.  

    As Endeavour was floating in the Gulf Coast, crews raced in fast boats to inspect the spacecraft before towing it to SpaceX’s recovery vessel Megan before it scooped up the capsule. Once on board, all four space travelers got out of the capsule to waves before being inspected by medical personnel.

    Then they will take a helicopter ride to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

    The ride back home

    SpaceX Dragon specs:

    • Height: 26.7 feet tall

    • Diameter: 13 feet fall

    • Number of engines: 8

    • Passengers: It can carry up to 7 people

    • Parachutes: 2 drogue + 4 main = 6 parachutes

    The Dragon was fully autonomous from the moment it undocked from Harmony to the splashdown, yet the crew could take control if needed.

    “After performing a series of departure burns to move away from the space station, Dragon will conduct multiple orbit-lowering maneuvers, jettison the trunk, and re-enter Earth’s atmosphere for splashdown off the coast of Florida approximately 34 hours later on Friday, October 25,” explained SpaceX and NASA.

    And it was one heck of a ride. Using a series of parachute deployments, the Dragon slowed down from an orbital speed of about 17,500 mph (2,816 kph) to 350 mph (482 kph) to about 16 mph (25 kph) when it softly landed off the coast of Florida.

    And things were a bit toasty for the Dragon has it experienced temperatures of 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,927 degrees Celsius) once it entered Earth’s atmosphere, but special shielding and the air conditioning system kept the crew safe and cool.

    As the Dragon was screaming over, some lucky people may have heard a sonic boom.

    Learn all about sonic booms here.

    Trying to return home

    Crew-8 members NASA astronauts Cmdr. Matthew Dominick, pilot Michael Barratt, and mission specialists Jeanette Epps and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin took off from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center back in March.

    They spent their time conducting a series of experiments, but they were originally supposed to return home in August, but the mission was extended several times, especially as NASA investigated Boeing’s troubled Starliner capsule.  

    What was supposed to be an eightish-day mission for Starliner’s Cmdr. Barry “Butch” Wilmore and pilot Sunita “Suni” Williams in June turned into a months-long odyssey as their craft suffered from thruster issues and helium leaks.

    NASA kept pushing their stay on the ISS as engineers launched an investigation, which resulted in the Crew-8 staying onboard longer in case an emergency occurred, where Wilmore and Williams would have needed SpaceX’s Dragon to return home.

    Eventually, the Starliner returned home without its crew. And Crew-9, which was launched to the ISS last month, will return to Earth with the Starliner pair in February 2025.

    Williams was made commander of Expedition 72. An expedition means the current crew in the International Space Station.

    And the International Space Station has gotten crowded these last few months. Usually it holds about seven people, plus any guests who plan on being there for a short time. But between the Starliner crew, Crew-8, Crew-9 and Soyuz MS-25, there are a total of 11 people.

    NASA and SpaceX were set to see Crew-8 undock on Sunday, Oct. 13, and splashing down on Monday, Oct. 14, but Hurricane Milton changed their plans.

    Other undocking dates were issued — Oct. 18, Oct. 20 and Oct. 21 — but weather conditions were unfavorable for the different splashdown zones.

    Late on Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 22, NASA stated that the new undocking date was Wednesday, Oct. 23.

    However, poor weather was still a concern for undocking, with the U.S. space agency recently considering Tuesday night for the undocking. But as of Tuesday afternoon, the new date was given Wednesday but it all depended on the weather conditions.

    “Forecasters have seen improvement in expected weather at some of the landing sites off the coast of Florida and continue to monitor conditions while considering splashdown sites and exact timing. The next weather briefing is scheduled for 9 a.m., Wednesday,” NASA stated.

    Follow the Dragon

    Watch the splashdown

    Anthony Leone

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  • Pasco County launches online debris collection map

    Pasco County launches online debris collection map

    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Pasco County Government announced that it is offering an online debris management map to highlight the debris removal progress throughout the county following hurricanes Milton and Helene.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pasco County Government is offering an online debris management map to highlight the debris removal progress following hurricanes Milton and Helene

    • The map will show estimated debris collection times and locations

    • Currently, the county has collected more than 159,000 cubic yards of debris – enough to fill about 50 Olympic-sized swimming pools, officials said

    • View the debris collection map below


    The map will show estimated debris collection times and locations. Officials said the map is interactive and is updated in real time, so residents can get accurate information about debris pickup.

    Currently, the county has collected more than 159,000 cubic yards of debris – enough to fill about 50 Olympic-sized swimming pools, officials said.

    Residents are also encouraged to bring storm debris to one of the county’s debris drop-off locations:

    Fees for debris disposal are waived until further notice. Those who are dropping off will be asked to show ID with proof of Pasco County residency.

    View the debris collection map below:

    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Banchero scores 33 as Magic pound Heat 116-97 on teams’ opening night

    Banchero scores 33 as Magic pound Heat 116-97 on teams’ opening night

    MIAMI  — Paolo Banchero scored 33 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Franz Wagner scored 23, and the Orlando Magic rolled past the Miami Heat 116-97 on Wednesday night in the opener for both teams.

    Gary Harris added 18 for Orlando, all on 3-pointers. The Magic shot 18-for-49 from 3-point range.

    Terry Rozier scored 19 for Miami, which celebrated “Pat Riley Court” night with a halftime ceremony. Nikola Jovic scored 15 and Tyler Herro added 14 for the Heat.

    Orlando led by as many as 32 in the second half.

    Takeaways

    Magic: Orlando’s high for 3-pointers attempted in a first half last season was 23. The Magic tried 27 before halftime on Wednesday, a clear sign that they see the 3-pointer as more of an option this season. The Magic made a league-low 903 3s last season.

    Heat: Jimmy Butler was 1-for-8 from the field and scored three points. It’s the fifth time in his career that he played at least 24 minutes and scored three points or less.

    Key moment

    The whole third quarter was a moment for the Magic. Orlando outscored Miami by 21 points in the third, 39-18. It was the most lopsided third quarter on the road for the Magic since Feb. 7, 2010, when they outscored the Boston Celtics by 25 on the way to a 96-89 win.

    Key stat

    Banchero had the sixth instance of an Orlando player scoring at least 30 in a season opener. Tracy McGrady did it twice, and Shaquille O’Neal, Nick Anderson and Anfernee Hardaway did it once. Anderson (1992) and O’Neal (1993) each scored 42 for the Magic opening night record. Banchero is now No. 3 on that list with his 33-point effort.

    Up next

    Orlando plays its home opener Friday night against the Brooklyn Nets. Miami goes to Charlotte to play the Hornets on Saturday night.

    Associated Press

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  • RNC rebuilding legal operation after Trump allies’ failed efforts in 2020

    RNC rebuilding legal operation after Trump allies’ failed efforts in 2020

    The last time Donald Trump ran for president, the lawyers most directly involved in his efforts to overturn the election wound up sanctioned, criminally prosecuted or even sued for millions of dollars.

    What You Need To Know

    • The last time Donald Trump ran for president, some of the lawyers most directly involved in his efforts to overturn the election wound up disbarred, criminally prosecuted or sued for millions

    • This time, Republican party leaders are aiming to turn the page from that chaotic and failed effort and say they’ll have a professional legal operation

    • Democrats are warning of a renewed potential to undermine confidence in the electoral process

    • Republicans and Democrats are already fighting in court over election rules, but the Trump team finds itself under a particularly intense microscope given the aftermath of the 2020 race
    • That’s when longshot legal efforts to challenge the results were dismissed by judges as frivolous

    This time around, Republican party leaders are working to present a more organized, skilled legal operation even as Trump continues to deny he lost the 2020 election and sows doubt about the integrity of the upcoming one.

    “It has been very important to make sure that in every aspect, we are going to have a fully professional operation,” RNC Chairman Michael Whatley told The Associated Press.

    As Republicans and Democrats fight in court over election rules, the Trump team finds itself under a particularly intense microscope given the aftermath of the 2020 race when meritless legal efforts challenging the results were repeatedly rejected by judges appointed by presidents of both political parties. Scrambling to undo the results, Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in a violent clash with law enforcement.

    The chaotic court challenges were pushed by a loosely organized group of lawyers who ascended in Trump’s orbit after experienced, establishment attorneys who had advised the then-president during the campaign backed away from his false claims of widespread fraud. This year, the Republican National Committee has launched a coordinated “election integrity” initiative that involves the recruitment of thousands of lawyers, polling-place monitors and poll workers, who officials insist will operate within the law.

    “What we have seen in court over the course of the last six months and as we’ve ramped up to these 130-plus lawsuits is a testament to making sure that we’re working with the states and working with the courts to get a really truly, responsible program up and running,” Whatley added.

    But there’s no guarantee that a well-credentialed team will equal better results if the arguments are again rooted in baseless claims, or that the effort, like in 2020, won’t be co-opted after the election by different attorneys.

    A new legal team takes shape

    Among the lawyers with prominent roles are Steven Kenny, the RNC’s senior counsel, who worked at the high-powered law firm of Jones Day; Gineen Bresso, who was nominated by then-President George W. Bush to serve on the U.S. Election Assistance Commission and later became chair; and Josh Helton, general counsel for Mike Huckabee’s 2016 presidential campaign.

    David Warrington, who represented Trump during the congressional Jan. 6 investigation, has also been involved in lawsuits, including one in Michigan challenging the designation of voter registration agencies.

    The RNC’s litigation so far has been aimed at ensuring voter ID requirements; asserting that non-citizens are improperly voting; and challenging what they see as lax rules on mail-in and absentee voting.

    Democrats have sounded alarms about the election integrity initiative, calling it an effort to sow distrust in the process and pave the way to cry foul if Trump loses. They have warned that election deniers installed in voting-related positions may refuse to certify legitimate results. And they’ve assembled a team of veteran attorneys, including longtime Democratic lawyer Marc Elias, and filed their own lawsuits, including challenging Georgia rules they fear could be used by Trump allies to delay or avoid certification. A judge last week invalidated seven of the rules.

    The flurry of litigation is hardly surprising in a competitive election between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, that could turn on about a half-dozen battleground states.

    Familiar figures from 2020 have resurfaced

    Cleta Mitchell, an attorney who participated in a January 2021 phone call in which Trump implored Georgia officials to “find” enough votes to declare him the winner, has championed lawsuits challenging rules on how overseas voters, including military members abroad, cast their ballots. (On Monday, judges in North Carolina and Michigan rejected efforts to disqualify ballots of certain overseas voters.)

    The RNC earlier this year named Christina Bobb to head its election integrity division. A former reporter for the conservative One America News Network, Bobb has been indicted by Arizona’s attorney general, accused of joining an effort to promote a slate of Trump electors after the 2020 election even though Democrat Joe Biden won the state. Her attorney, Thomas Jacobs, said Bobb “had no involvement in the arrangements to select or present these alternate electors” and would seek to dismiss the charges.

    Trump has been criminally charged with trying to overturn the 2020 election, yet his continued insistence that the contest was marred by fraud has been adopted by many within the party even though judges, election officials and Trump’s own attorney general found no evidence of that.

    Trump says there’s no evidence of cheating so far in 2024

    In May, Charlie Spies, a veteran election law attorney with ties to Mitt Romney and Ron DeSantis, resigned as the RNC’s chief counsel after about two months. He made waves at the 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference by saying there was “zero evidence” a voting machine software glitch had caused thousands of votes to switch in the 2020 election.

    Whatley said in a radio interview in the weeks after the 2020 election that there was “massive fraud.” But he has largely avoided using Trump’s characterization of Biden’s victory, and said in one 2021 interview that Biden “absolutely” was legitimately elected.

    Standing together Monday in North Carolina, Trump praised Whatley as having been “very much into stopping the steal” in 2020. Though Trump has said he hasn’t seen evidence of cheating in 2024, he has repeatedly raised doubts about the process, telling his supporters they need to turn out to make the result “too big to rig.”

    Among the established Republican political lawyers who resisted the legal challenges in 2020 was Justin Riemer, a lawyer for John McCain’s 2008 campaign who was later chief counsel for the RNC but clashed with Trump allies after the election. He warned an RNC colleague in a November 2020 email that the legal efforts were getting “laughed out of court.”

    “It’s setting us back in our fight for election integrity and they are misleading millions of people who have wishful thinking that the president is going to somehow win this thing,” Riemer wrote in the email about Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis, two lawyers who helped engineer Trump’s efforts to overturn the election.

    Consequences for Trump-allied lawyers

    Giuliani was disbarred in New York and Washington; Ellis lost her law license in Colorado. The two, along with Sidney Powell, another lawyer central to advancing Trump’s claims, were among 19 people charged in Fulton County, Georgia, with conspiring to overturn the election.

    Both Powell and Ellis pleaded guilty.

    Giuliani was ordered to pay $148 million to two former Georgia poll workers who sued him over lies he spread about them in 2020 that upended their lives. He subsequently filed for bankruptcy.

    “All of that,” said UCLA law professor Rick Hasen, “should be a deterrent to a thinking lawyer who might want to replicate something like that.”

    Associated Press

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  • Unbeaten Miami not overlooking disappointing Seminoles

    Unbeaten Miami not overlooking disappointing Seminoles

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Florida State-Miami showdown is no stranger to the brightest of college football spotlights.

    The rivals spent the 1980s, ’90s and early 2000s chasing national championships while battling for state domination.

    Not only has the matchup routinely pitted Top 25-ranked teams against each other, it has featured some of the biggest stars in college football.

    This year’s version….not so much.

    While the unbeaten Hurricanes come in at No. 6 nationally, the Seminoles are struggling through a season that was supposed to feature an FSU run to a playoff spot.

    Whether it be high expectations, poor quarterback play, average offensive and defensive line or a lack of big play ability, the Seminoles (1-6 and 1-5 in Atlantic Coast Conference play) are spinning their wheels.

    Still, it is a rivalry game, and UM (7-0 and 3-0) is taking its conference rival seriously.

    “You know, we have tons of respect for those guys, defending ACC champions, a really, really talented football team,” Miami receiver Xavier Restrepo said. “You watch their defense, all five DBs (defensive backs) can line up in your face and play man, they run around, have great ball skills.

    “We have to be as prepared as we can be.”

    Consider last season, when the Hurricanes were a 14- and 17-point underdog when it went to Tallahassee to take on the then-undefeated Seminoles. Miami had the ball with a chance to tie in the final minutes, before losing 27-20 in a game that was much closer than oddsmakers expected.

    This year, Miami is a 21-point favorite for the 7:30 p.m. matchup Saturday.

    “Obviously, this is a huge week for our football program,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell said. “I mean, this game is a game that we have an emphasis on 365 days a year because we’re fortunate to be at a place that you get two rivalry games every single year that mean a ton to our football program.”

    In Orlando, UCF will face a Top 11 team, and a top two team in the Big 12, for the second time in two weeks when BYU comes to town — for Homecoming, no less.

    After getting the starting nod last week in a last-minute 38-35 loss then-No. 9 Iowa State, Jacurri Brown has been named the starting quarterback for the rest of the season, coach Gus Malzahn said. He took over for KJ Jefferson, a fifth-year transfer out of Arkansas who began the season as the starter.

    “I liked the way he (Brown) handled himself,” Malzahn said.

    The team will look to balance the offense more going forward, he said.

    “We’ve got to find a way to take that next step,” Malzahn said. “I will say we did improve, played one of our best games (against Iowa State).”

    THIS WEEKEND’S GAMES:

    FSU (1-6, 1-5 in ACC) at Miami (7-0, 3-0), 7 p.m., ESPN

    While FSU’s disappointing season would receive a huge boost with a victory, this would be just another step toward a playoff spot for the streaking ‘Canes. Miami is coming off an impressive win at Louisville, taking shots from the Cardinals before pulling away for a wild 52-45 win. The Seminoles’ downtrodden season reached another low last week with its first loss to Duke in 22 years of being ACC foes. Miami quarterback, and potential Heisman finalist, Cam Ward has thrown for 2,538 yards, 24 touchdowns, leading the country in both categories, throwing for over 300 yards in every game played. Meanwhile, FSU will again be led by QB Brock Glenn, a redshirt freshman. Glenn, who has appaeared in the Seminoles’ last three games only completed nine of 19 passes last week in the loss to Duke, was sacked three times and threw two interceptions. FSU offense has not scored more than 16 points in its last six games.

    No. 11 BYU (7-0, 4-0 in Big 12) at UCF (3-4, 1-3), 3:30 p.m., ESPN

    The season has not gone as the Knights or their fans expected, and the team heads into this week’s matchup with another ranked team hoping to end its four-game losing streak. There were some positives, however, as Brown stepped in as starting quarterback to pass for 62 yards and rush for 154 yards and two touchdowns. As a team, the Knights rushed for 354 yards, led by RJ Harvey with 196 yards and two touchdowns. UCF’s Brandon Adams returned an interception to close to the goal line against Iowa State. Malzahn said early in the week that defensive end Nyjalik Kelly, who got knocked out of the loss to Iowa State, might be able to return Saturday. However, Malzahn also disclosed that defensive tackle John Walker, who was hurt in the preseason, underwent surgery and will miss the rest of the season. BYU came in on the opposite side of a 38-35 score last week, defeating Oklahoma State. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff threw for 218 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 81 yards and another score. The Cougars’ Tanner Wall, who was recruited as a wide receiver before switching to safety last year, has made interceptions in each of the past two games.

    (USF is off. Florida is off)

    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island helps those without transportation after Helene

    Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island helps those without transportation after Helene

    CORTEZ, Fla. —  Many Manatee County residents are still struggling to recover after Hurricane Helene, and one of the biggest issues they talk about is a lack of transportation.

    In many cases, cars, trucks and motorcycles were damaged by flooding, high winds, or debris. Now, one local organization is stepping up to help people get moving again.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island is stepping up to help people in Cortez Village with donated bikes

    • Many Manatee County residents are still struggling to recover after Hurricane Helene, and one of the biggest issues they talk about is a lack of transportation

    • Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island officials say they hope to give storm victims a more permanent way to get around in the future

    Many people in Cortez are still left without transportation since the storm surge totaled their vehicles. But now, with the help of the community, they have a new set of wheels.

    Like many residents in Cortez, Lisa Harrison lost almost everything inside her home from Hurricane Helene. She calls that night “traumatizing”.

    “I’ve never been through anything like that,” she said. “I wasn’t prepared, because I thought, ‘This is going to be fine. We’re going to get through this.’ Then, all of a sudden, one of the boys said, ‘The water’s coming into my bedroom.’”

    It was her grandson who saw the water rush in — all five of Harrison ‘s family members had to be rescued from the home.

    “It was so deep, so strong,” she said of the water.

    She’s thankful that everyone got out safely, but the storm did claim her only means of transportation: her car.

    Now, the Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island is stepping up to help people like Harrison with donated bikes.

    Even though it’s not a car, Harrison said two wheels will get the job done.

    “To work, for sure, and to the store,” she said. “Probably Dollar General, because it’s the closest, and up to the island, to CVS where my prescriptions are.”

    Harrison said she has been out of work at a local restaurant for weeks because it had to temporarily close due to storm damage. But now, with a bike, she said she doesn’t have to worry about getting to work when the restaurant reopens next week.

    “It’s very important, very important. You know? You depend on it,” she said.

    “You know, it’s been hard,” Harrison added. “That’s been really, really hard. But in time, you know, things will work out. God will provide in time.”

    She says the new bike will benefit the entire family by allowing her to get around.

    “We have four generations living here right now,” Harrison said.

    Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island officials say the bikes are just a temporary fix — they are working on a more permanent solution and hope to receive used cars to give to those hurricane victims.



    Julia Hazel

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  • A guide to Florida’s 6 constitutional amendments on the ballot

    A guide to Florida’s 6 constitutional amendments on the ballot

    In addition to voting on candidates, Florida voters will also get the opportunity to decide on six constitutional amendments that will appear on your ballot.

    Below, we have outlined what each amendment would do, why supporters back the amendment, and why detractors oppose it.

     

    Amendment 1

    What it would do: Makes school board races partisan

    Currently, a candidate for school board in Florida does not have to say whether they are a Republican, Democrat or Independent, nor does party affiliation appear next to their name on the ballot.

    If this amendment passes, that would change.

    Starting in 2026, candidates would have to disclose their party affiliation.

    Supporters believe it offers more information to voters. Opponents argue politics should stay out of education.

    Amendment 2

    What it would do: Enshrine a right to hunt/fish in Florida’s constitution

    You already have the right to hunt and fish in Florida. But if this amendment passes, it would preserve that right in the state’s constitution and stand as a blocker to any future challenges to hunting and fishing.

    Supporters believe that’s valuable. Opponents argue it’s unnecessary and might hinder attempts to protect animals from barbaric forms of hunting or fishing.


    ABOVE: Amendments 1, 2, 5 and 6 explained

    Amendment 3

    What it would do: Legalize recreational marijuana use

    Medicinal use of marijuana is already legal in Florida. If this amendment passes, recreational marijuana use would become legal too.

    Under the amendment, people 21 and older would be legally allowed to possess three ounces of marijuana at a time.

    Existing Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers would be authorized to sell the marijuana. The state would control the process of licensing other entities to cultivate, process and sell marijuana.

    Supporters believe marijuana does not need to be outlawed like other substances, would allow law enforcement to focus on stopping more deadly drug use and create an additional tax base for Florida.

    Opponents argue legalizing marijuana might create a smell in public, hurt quality of life and unfairly benefit certain corporations.

    Amendment 4

    What it would do: Protect abortion rights up to “viability”

    Currently, Florida outlaws abortion after six weeks of a pregnancy. If this amendment passes, it would protect access to abortion up to “viability.”

    Viability is not defined in the amendment, though most doctors suggest it would be the 23-24 week mark.

    This amendment would put Florida’s abortion policy back in line with federal protections that used to exist under the Roe v. Wade ruling.

    Supporters believe the Florida legislature went too far with its six-week abortion ban, and that the government should not be involved with these decisions.

    Opponents argue the amendment is misleading, too vague and the life of the fetus should be protected.

    Amendment 5

    What it would do: Incorporate inflation into how homestead exemptions are determined

    Currently, Florida homeowners are given a homestead exemption on their primary residence. Right now, that includes a $25,000 exemption on property taxes.

    If this amendment passes, that $25,000 exemption can be adjusted for inflation.

    For example, if the Consumer Price Index shows four percent inflation, the homestead exemption would also go up four percent (from $25,000 to $26,000).

    Supporters argue the homestead exemption becomes less valuable over time if inflation is not factored in.

    Opponents fear the loss of tax revenue might hurt budgets for necessary government services.

    Amendment 6

    What it would do: Repeal a program giving statewide candidates public campaign funding

    Currently, candidates for statewide office in Florida (Governor, Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer, Agriculture Commissioner) can accept public money to campaign, in exchange for agreeing to certain rules on spending limits.

    If this amendment passes, that program would no longer exist.

    Supporters believe that money would be better spent on other things. Opponents argue taking the option of public money away would make it harder for non-wealthy candidates to run, and give more power to wealthy donors.

    These amendments need 60 percent support from voters to become part of the Florida constitution.

    Jeff Butera

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  • Seniors displaced from apartment building after damage from Hurricane Helene

    Seniors displaced from apartment building after damage from Hurricane Helene

    SOUTH PASADENA, Fla. — Due to storm surge from Hurricane Helene, a South Pasadena apartment building for seniors had to shut down as the first floor flooded and power was knocked out.

    Lutheran Residences in South Pasadena remains closed, and residents are still displaced. 

    What You Need To Know

    • More than 160 residents need to find new homes after their apartment building shut down due to damage from Hurricane Helene 

    • The apartment’s power grid was on the first floor and was destroyed by surging floodwaters 

    • Many residents are now in extended stay hotels covered by FEMA 


    Management at the apartment estimates it could take six to ten months to restore power and make repairs.

    However, residents are now allowed to enter the building and grab what they can carry of their belongings.

    “Clothing, personal pictures — things like that,” resident Diane Ludwig said. “Everything else, furniture, dishes, that sort of stuff you have to leave up there.”

    Some residents said they are staying at extended stay hotels that are covered by FEMA for up to six months. Others are staying with family.

    Management said they are in the process of reimbursing rent for the month of October, as well as deposits. They are still assessing the damage and how to move forward with repairs.

    Jeff Van Sant

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  • City of St. Pete Beach asks for volunteers to help clean beaches post Milton

    City of St. Pete Beach asks for volunteers to help clean beaches post Milton

    ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — In hopes of getting the beaches safe and back open as quickly as possible, the city of St. Pete Beach is asking for volunteers to help in a series of beach cleanups.

    The second cleanup of the series is set for Thursday, Oct. 24 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. behind the Bellweather Beach Resort on 52nd Ave. W. There will be a third cleanup on Sunday, Oct. 27 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m at 4700 Gulf Blvd.

    What You Need To Know

    • Cleanup happening Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m behind the Bellweather Beach Resort

    • Next cleanup scheduled for Sunday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m at 4700 Gulf Blvd.

    • To date, the city of St. Pete has collected 87,507 cubic yards of debris and placed it at Egan Park

    • More than 22,000 tons have been taken from Egan Park to landfill over the last few days 


    Three more are also scheduled for the following Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at different locations along St. Pete Beach.

    If you’re interested in volunteering, you’re asked to show up at the designated location and time, and to sign in at the tent. Please wear gloves and close-toed shoes. Carpooling is encouraged as parking is limited, and water will be available to refill water bottles. Any additional questions can be directed to the city at volunteer@stpetebeach.org and last-minute changes will be posted to https://www.stpetebeach.org/.

    The city of St. Pete Beach also provided an update on debris removal efforts. To date, more than 87,000 cubic yards of debris have been collected and staged at Egan Park. The area was used as a temporary dump site as trash and debris were pulled from neighborhood streets.

    Bob Zahn, who lives across the street from Egan Park, says he’s concerned about the size of the pile and what could be inside.


    “Well what about all this mold that’s in here?,” he said. “Isn’t that creating an air problem? Is it safe to be breathing this stuff for weeks now? I don’t know.”

    Zahn says contractors began using Egan Park as a dump site shortly before Hurricane Milton. While it grew for a number of days, he says now crews are working to haul away the debris pile.

    “They have hauled away so much stuff just in the last 24 hours… they’ve done a heck of a job,” he said.

    The city of St. Pete Beach says as of this week, they have hauled more than 22,000 tons of debris from Egan Park to the landfill.

    The debris hauler contracted by the city estimates that a “first pass” of all residences will be complete by Saturday, Nov. 16.

    Angie Angers

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  • Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church hosts annual Greekfest

    Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church hosts annual Greekfest

    CLEARWATER, Fla. — The annual Clearwater Greekfest is happening this weekend. 

    The event is hosted by Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, which is located on Old Coachman Road. Admission and parking will be FREE!

    The church is just finishing up the paintings that adorn its interior walls. Holy Trinity’s old church was destroyed by a fire in 2015, and it rebuilt a much bigger church that opened in 2019. Finishing the art has been a long process.

    Father James Paris has been with the church through it all.

    “It’s inspiring and inviting and embracing all at once,” he said of the paintings.

    Nearly every square of the church’s interior is covered with paintings by Sacred art painters from Greece.

    The interior dome of the church is a great example of the art.

    “We are looking at Christ the ruler of all. The one who is,” Paris said as he looked up at the dome. “The eternal Logos. Up in the heavens surrounded by the eternal beings.”

    Right behind the baptismal font is a painting of the baptism of Christ.

    “He’s being baptized in the River Jordan by John the Baptist,” said Paris. “You see the Holy Spirit coming down in the form of a dove. And of course, the father’s voice echoing, ‘This is my son, in whom I am well pleased.’”

    In the choir loft there is a huge painting of the Virgin Mary that includes dolphins representing Clearwater.

    “Her blessed veil is protecting all of us,” said Paris. “Our beloved city of Clearwater in Florida. And she’s holding an image of our church. She’s protecting our church.”

    Use the video above to watch the report from Spectrum Bay News 9’s Rick Elmhorst.

    *According to the Clearwater Greek Festival Facebook page, all net proceeds will go to help local disaster relief after the recent hurricanes.

    Clearwater GreekFest 2024 Schedule: (October 25th – October 27th)

    Friday

    • 11:00am:  Opens
    • 3:00pm:  Cooking Demonstration
    • 3:30pm:  Church Guided Tour
    • 4:00pm:  Cooking Demonstration
    • 5:00pm:  Cooking Demonstration
    • 6:00pm:  Cooking Demonstration
    • 7:30pm:  Jr. Hellas Dancers
    • 8:00pm:  Sr. Hellas Dancers
    • 11:00pm:  Closes

    Saturday

    • 11:00am:  Opens
    • 12:00pm:  Cooking Demonstration
    • 1:00pm:  Cooking Demonstration
    • 1:30pm:  Church Guided Tour
    • 2:00pm:  Cooking Demonstration
    • 3:00pm:  Cooking Demonstration
    • 3:30pm:  Church Guided Tour
    • 4:00pm:  Jr. Hellas Dancers
    • 5:00pm:  Cooking Demonstration
    • 5:00pm:  Sr. Hellas Dancers
    • 5:30pm:  Church Guided Tour
    • 7:00pm:  Jr. Hellas Dancers
    • 8:00pm:  Sr. Hellas Dancers
    • 11:00pm:  Closes

    Sunday

    • 12:00pm:  Opens
    • 1:00pm:  Cooking Demonstration
    • 1:30pm:  Church Guided Tour
    • 2:00pm:  Cooking Demonstration
    • 3:00pm:  Jr. Hellas Dancers
    • 3:30pm:  Church Guided Tour
    • 4:00pm:  Sr. Hellas Dancers
    • 6:00pm:  Festival Ends OPA!


    Rick Elmhorst, Spectrum News Staff

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  • Manatee County launches online debris collection map

    Manatee County launches online debris collection map

    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Manatee County has created a debris collection map to help residents identify designated debris removal routes and nearby drop-off sites following hurricanes Milton and Helene.

    What You Need To Know

    • Manatee County has created a debris collection map to help residents identify designated debris removal routes and nearby drop-off sites following hurricanes Milton and Helene

    • Residents of the city of Anna Maria, the city of Bradenton, the city of Bradenton Beach, the city of Holmes Beach, the city of Palmetto, the town of Longboat Key, and Trailer Estates must contact their respective utilities departments for storm debris removal information

    • View the debris removal map below


    Removal teams are transporting debris to temporary locations throughout the county to ensure efficient removal from the county’s neighborhoods.

    For curbside pickup, the county is asking residents to separate debris from regular garbage and into the following three categories:

    • Vegetative (e.g., tree branches)
    • Construction/Demolition (e.g., building materials, fencing, furniture, mattresses)
    • Appliances/White Goods

    Debris should be placed at least 3 feet away from structures such as mailboxes, vehicles, and backflow prevention assemblies. Do not place debris in bags, officials said.

    Residents of the city of Anna Maria, the city of Bradenton, the city of Bradenton Beach, the city of Holmes Beach, the city of Palmetto, the town of Longboat Key, and Trailer Estates must contact their respective utilities departments for storm debris removal information. 

    View the debris removal map below:

     

    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Home sales fell in September to slowest pace in almost 30 years

    Home sales fell in September to slowest pace in almost 30 years

    Sales of existing homes in the United States have dropped to their lowest level since 1995, the National Assn. of Realtors reported Wednesday. Sales fell 1% in September and are down 3.5% from a year earlier.

    What You Need To Know

    • Existing home sales fell 1% in September and are down 3.5% from a year earlier, according to the National Assn. of Realtors

    • While sales fell, prices have continued to increase; he median price of an existing home for sale increased 3% in September compared with a year earlier to $404,500

    • The number of unsold existing homes increased 1.5% in September compared with a month earlier and 23% compared with a year ago

    • Homes are now sitting on the market an average of 28 days — up from 26 days in August and 21 days in September 2023


    “Home sales have been essentially stuck at around a four-million-unit pace for the past 12 months, but factors usually associated with higher home sales are developing,” NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said in a statement. 

    “There are more inventory choices for consumers, lower mortgage rates than a year ago and continued job additions to the economy,” Yun said. “Perhaps some consumers are hesitating about moving forward with a major expenditure like purchasing a home before the upcoming election.”

    While sales fell, prices have continued to increase. The median price of an existing home for sale increased 3% in September compared with a year earlier to $404,500. It was the 15th consecutive month of price increases. 

    Mortgage rates are also increasing. As of October 17, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 6.44% — up from 6.32% a week earlier.

    The number of unsold existing homes increased 1.5% in September compared with a month earlier and 23% compared with a year ago. Homes are now sitting on the market an average of 28 days — up from 26 days in August and 21 days in September 2023.

    “More inventory is certainly good news for home buyers as it gives consumers more properties to view before making a decision,” Yun said. 

    Susan Carpenter

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  • Flood policy exclusion surprises many multistory homeowners

    Flood policy exclusion surprises many multistory homeowners

    ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — Many multistory homeowners whose lower level was flooded by Hurricane Helene have been caught off guard when they learn most of their damage is not covered in a standard flood policy, according to the Office of the Insurance Consumer Advocate.

    What You Need To Know

    • A standard flood policy doesn’t cover much damage on the lower level of a multistory home

    • Many multistory homeowners whose lower level was flooded by Hurricane Helene have been surprised by the exclusion  

    • Office of the Insurance Consumer Advocate recommends reviewing your policy to understand what’s included and excluded

    • Homeowners who have damage which is not covered should contact FEMA and consider applying for an SBA loan


    “That’s why it’s so important to make sure that you are reviewing your policy and you understand what’s included and what’s excluded,” said Tasha Carter, Florida’s Insurance Consumer Advocate. “So that you are fully informed and protected as much as you possibly can be.” 

    St. Pete Beach resident Phil Smithies said Helene surged more than three feet of seawater into his garage, damaging drywall, five doors, a staircase and a freezer. Smithies said he has paid his Wright Flood policy for 35 years and recently learned not much was covered when he filed his first claim.

    “There’s virtually nothing except for the ‘mucking out’ that they call it, which is like sanitizing and a freezer. That’s it,” he said. “It’s all out of pocket, which I’m on Social Security these days.”

    Smithies said he’s fighting to get his staircase covered and admits he did not read the fine print on his policy.

    “My declaration page is what I went by and I thought I was covered… I may be dumb, but these guys (neighbors) are all the same,” he said. “I’ve spoken to dozens of people in the last three weeks, and nobody has heard about this multistory-single story thing.”

    That includes Al Johnson, the former mayor of St. Pete Beach, who has read many legal documents during his six years in office. Johnson said he had 29 inches of seawater inside his garage and also learned much of the damage will not be covered.

    “I’ve been told that they won’t cover any drywall and the only thing they say they’ll cover is the what they call ‘mucking out’ of the garage,” he said. “I think they should cover, at least enclosing your access to your home, which I always thought they did.”

    Johnson said because his living quarters are on the second floor, he does pay a lower rate than single story homeowners. Still, in his community, he said there’s 55 townhomes with garages and all the owners were surprised by the flood policy exclusion.

    “It’s the old fine print routine. I think there ought to be some sort of a better disclosure because you ought to be able to cover the stuff you’d normally have in your garage,” he said. “Give me bullets here. This is covered, this is covered, this is not and maybe throw some options together as to what you can add to it if you need to.”

    Carter said oftentimes homeowners don’t know what’s covered under their insurance policy and what’s excluded until they file a claim. Florida’s Insurance Consumer Advocate recommends homeowners should contact FEMA who have damage which is not covered and consider a low interest loan from the Small Businesses Administration.

    “For homeowners who have insurance and your insurance is not going to cover the extent of your damage, you may have an option to contact FEMA to request additional financial assistance through disasterassistance.gov,” she said. “If you are not eligible to obtain assistance directly through FEMA, you may be eligible to obtain financial assistance through the Small Business Administration.”

    The SBA loan program offers a 30-year term interest rate for as low as 4 percent for small businesses and as low as 2.8 percent for homeowners and renters. Last week, the Biden-Harris administration added a new incentive for Helene and Milton storm victims, which includes up to 12 months of zero interest and no payments.

    Smithies said he’s reviewing all of his options, but if he’s forced to take out a loan, it will be tough to pay back on a fixed income.

    “It’s extremely worrying at my age,” he said. “Payments now not good.”

    Smithies predicts the exclusion in the flood policy will force some seniors out of their homes and said he knows of one lady who’s leaving.

    Josh Rojas

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