ReportWire

Tag: Human Interest

  • JWU Charlotte providing excess food to community partners

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A North Carolina university is giving surplus food a second life, repurposing it into meals for students and neighbors across the Charlotte region.

    Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte offers a wide selection of majors and programs, like culinary arts and business administration, preparing students for high-demand industries.

    At the heart of that mission sits the university’s culinary storeroom, often described as the backbone for daily operations. 

    What You Need To Know

    • JWU Charlotte is well known for majors and programs that prepare students for high-demand fields 

    • The campus is also helping community partners, feeding neighbors across the Charlotte area 

    • The university runs a weekly distribution, providing excess food to partners 

    • Nonprofits share how the partnership is strengthening their reach and mission 


    Staff, culinary assistants and federal work-study students are managing daily inventory, orders and distribution needs, while keeping activities running smoothly campuswide.

    Product Manager Sierra Curtis oversees storeroom operations.  

    “We are responsible for ordering and receiving all the product once it comes into the storeroom,” Curtis said. “We store it properly and use reports to fill daily requisitions for all the labs and any events we might have on campus. I like to tease — if there was no storeroom, there would be no culinary without us.”

    Beyond the day-to-day responsibilities, the storeroom is also empowering nonprofits and neighbors across the Charlotte area, sharing excess food with community partners for people who need it most.

    JWU Charlotte operates a weekly rotation of distributing quality food items to groups and organizations, helping to feed neighbors, all while reducing waste.

    One of those partners is the Community Culinary School of Charlotte, a nonprofit providing workforce training and job placement support in the food service industry.

    Executive Director Ronald Ahlert, also known as “Chef Ron,” makes regular donation pickups from the JWU Charlotte campus.

    “They give us really nutritious [food], a lot of different unique items our students may not get a chance to work with because sometimes the cost can be tough,” Ahlert said. “I put people to work that might have a barrier to successful long-term employment. This relationship [with JWU] is paramount.”

    Ahlert said the boxes of surplus food are supporting hands-on training while stretching resources needed for its program.

    “Money can be tight. We rely on donations and grants,” Ahlert said. 

    Another partner, The Bulb, is operating a mobile farmers market, delivering fresh produce to underserved neighborhoods across the region.

    “It allows us to redistribute surplus produce that otherwise would have been thrown away and it directly contributes to our mission of putting food back into the economy, back into the environment, communities that need it the most,” said Emma Start, sustainability coordinator for The Bulb. “We’re taking it away from landfills.”

    Culinary assistants and staff at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte finish helping Emma Start (left), with the nonprofit The Bulb, pack up boxes filled with healthy food items. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Roberts)

    “Community partners supporting each other is invaluable. You can’t compare it to something like this,” Start said.

    The support is extending to students on campus who may need meals as well, through a commuter lab. 

    “We take food from labs that we’ve repurposed as meals for people in between classes and commuters that have busy schedules and don’t have time to go home in between classes,” student and culinary assistant Macie Braymiller said.

    “Helping out people who truly need our assistance, that’s what makes this meaningful,” said Isabella Mock, JWU student and culinary assistant. 

    Kaden Rogers is a JWU Charlotte student and culinary assistant.

    Rogers said he’s grateful to be in a learning environment that’s also giving back to neighbors.

    “It’s an amazing opportunity that we get here as students, every day, to be able to contribute to the city while we’re students,” Rogers said. “It’s a powerful thing.”

    JWU Charlotte leaders said the storeroom also serves as a training ground for students interested in careers beyond the kitchen, teaching skills like supply-and-demand operations that translate directly into today’s workforce.

    “Some come in as a work-study student, get promoted to a culinary assistant and go out and get jobs in the industry,” Curtis said.

    Curtis said it’s a great feeling to see the storeroom giving back in so many ways.

     I like that JWU is donating to these community organizations all year-round,” Curtis said. “It takes a village.”

    JWU Charlotte food donation partners also include Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, churches and soup kitchens.

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

     

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    Jennifer Roberts

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  • Groundbreaking for St. Pete’s Science Center reimagined

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — For decades, the science center in St. Pete served as a staple for educating students in the Tampa Bay area.  

    What You Need To Know

    • After years of debates and advocacy from local residents, on Friday shovels went in the ground for the reimagined Science Center

    • Sen. Darryl Rouson and other lawmakers rallied to raise awareness and money to make the $22 million project happen

    • A groundbreaking was held Friday

    When it closed years ago, there was debate about what to do with the iconic building and property. After years of debates and advocacy from local residents, on Friday shovels went in the ground for the reimagined Science Center.

    Joe Hamilton is the founder of the reimagined Science Center. He showed a rendering of the big plans to renovate and rebuild the center, keeping the iconic round building on the property and the impactful education they’re known for.

    “We hope to get real construction started around April, and we think it will take about 12 to 14, 15 months to complete the building,” Hamilton said. “So, summer camps 2027 may be a little ambitious, but that’s our goal and hopefully by school year 2027.”

    “We’re focusing on emerging technology basically because we think it’s the most important need and the most important gap we have in education,” he said.

    Jamie Hoke used to take her now-grown kids to the science center. So, a couple of years ago, when her son wanted to help advocate to revitalize the center, she stepped up, focusing on its past and promise for the future.

    “This science center has done so much to take children, their dreams and making them come even bigger and better. So, I’m super excited to see what it will do for the next generation, including my grandson, who’s coming in March,” she said.

    That’s why Sen. Darryl Rouson says he got on board to make this project happen from the very beginning.

    “I’m excited. I’m excited that it’s finally going to happen. It took seven years, five years, for us to get to this point,” he said.

    Rouson and other lawmakers rallied to raise awareness and money to make the $22 million project happen.

    They’re still short $10 million, but Hamilton said with the rich memories made there and the reimagined changes to come, they’re confident they’ll meet their goal through their capital campaign.

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    Saundra Weathers

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  • Foundation awards $100K for foster care youth in N.C.

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A national nonprofit supporting families, children and young adults facing serious obstacles is receiving a major boost in the south. 

    Youth Villages is a leader in mental and behavioral health services, working to help young people overcome obstacles through direct services, partnerships and advocacy.  

    What You Need To Know

    • A national nonprofit just received a major boost from a NASCAR champion’s foundation to support youth aging out of foster care in North Carolina

    • The organization is providing direct services to help youth transitioning from foster care to adulthood, including those seeking a postsecondary education 

    • Staff said the recent grant will further its ability to support more youth in need of support services 



    The Youth Villages in North Carolina location is being awarded a $100,000 grant from the Joey Logano Foundation. The foundation was started by the NASCAR champion Joey Logano to provide second chances to children and young adults during times of crisis, particularly those involved in the foster care system.

    “We want to see youth who have been through the foster care system have a healthy chance at living independently and embarking on a path to a bright future,” Brittany Logano, founding vice chairman of the Joey Logano Foundation and wife of Joey Logano, said in a press release.

    “That is exactly what they receive with Youth Villages’ Scholars program. It is wonderful to hear success stories from Scholars who were raised in the system and defeated all odds to take on their dreams of going to college or a trade school, graduating and creating a joyful life for themselves,” she said.

    Erica Ellis is director of development for Youth Villages in North Carolina. 

    Ellis said the $100,000 grant will further strengthen and expand the LifeSet and Scholars offerings for youth in need of services. 

    LifeSet is designed to help young people successfully transition from foster care to adulthood. 

    Through one-on-one support, LifeSet specialists work with participants to achieve secure safe housing, build healthy relationships and meet education and employment goals. 

    The Youth Villages Scholars initiative builds on that model by offering additional assistance to LifeSet participants enrolled in postsecondary education or vocational training. 

    Scholars receive monthly stipends, technology, school supplies and other essential resources, as well as support from dedicated staff and mentors.

    “One hundred thousand dollars will go a long way with helping ensure we can maintain those stipends and also maintain the staff we have, the support systems,” Ellis said.

    Youth Villages in North Carolina Director of Development Erica Ellis is preparing for another busy year, helping youth transitioning from foster care to adulthood. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Roberts)

    Last year, Youth Villages served over 800 young adults through LifeSet in North Carolina with more than 40 students participating in the Scholars program. 

    Ellis said the data shows, many of those young adults need direct support services.   

    “Nationwide, only about 13% of young adults who age out of the foster care system will reach their secondary educational goals,” Ellis said.

    But Youth Villages reports around 48% of its scholars complete their degrees, which Ellis said highlights the impact of providing young people consistent, long-term support.

    “Once they go into those institutions, a lot of times they can face a lot of barriers, whether that be mental health issues, not being able to afford books or not knowing how to advocate for themselves on campus,” Ellis said.

    “Our Scholars initiative came out of how do we provide [a] support system that a lot of us take for granted because we had a family,” Ellis said. “We are their family, their support system, all the way through their secondary education.” 

    One of the students benefiting from the program is Leo Ma, a 19-year-old studying supply chain management at UNC Charlotte. 

    “I know Charlotte is also the second biggest banking city after New York, so I thought it would be good for business,” Ma said. 

    Ma said at age 16, he navigated through the foster care system after the Department of Social Services took custody. 

    “I knew then if I wanted to be successful, I would have to strategize and take advantage of every opportunity,” Ma said. 

    After aging out of foster care, Ma said he secured a full ride scholarship from NC Reach.

    The Charlotte 49er later connected with Youth Villages, which he credits for supporting his academic pursuits and navigating housing and other needs that often arise for higher education students.

    “Creating a plan for housing during the academic breaks. I think that’s something that could have easily turned into a crisis, but instead, we were able to create a plan early on,” Ma said. 

    “I think it’s very important to have programs that extend into the adult life of someone who ages out of foster care. Programs like LifeSet that have clear incentives related to education and employment, that allows foster youth to act upon their own free will and create their own future instead of being left out to dry after they age out,” Ma said. 

    Since partnering with Youth Villages in 2016, the Joey Logano Foundation has now contributed over $900,000 to support foster youth in North Carolina. 

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

     

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    Jennifer Roberts

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  • Tampa Oyster Fest set for Saturday, benefits local group

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    The 7th-annual Tampa Oyster Festival happens Saturday, Jan. 10. 

    Organizers are promising an afternoon of fresh oysters, slow-cooked barbeque and traditional low-country boils. 

    A Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tribute band will headline the live music entertainment. 

    The festival will benefit Frameworks of Tampa Bay, a local nonprofit focused on helping children with their emotional intelligence.

    What: Tampa Oyster Festival 

    When: Saturday, Jan. 10, 1-5 p.m. 

    Where: Tabellas at Delaney Creek 

    Tickets: Click here

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    Jeff Butera

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  • Realtor from Venezuela reacts to capture of former Venezuelan president by U.S.

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte realtor originally from Venezuela is reacting to the capture of Venezuela’s former president Nicolás Maduro and his first court appearance in the U.S.

    What You Need To Know

    • The U.S. military captured former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores Saturday and brought them to the U.S. 

    • Maduro faces narco terrorism charges and pleaded not guilty to them at his first court appearance Monday

    • Rosemara Espinoza, a realtor in Charlotte, from Venezuela supports his removal of power but worries about the future of the country 

    • Espinoza hopes Venezuela becomes free one day and Venezuelans reclaim the power of the country


    Maduro made his first appearance Monday alongside his wife Cilia Flores in a New York City courtroom.

    The U.S. military captured Maduro and Flores Saturday morning in Venezuela, bringing them to the U.S. to face narco terrorism charges.

    During the court appearance, Maduro declared himself the president of Venezuela and claimed he was innocent. 

    Rosemara Espinoza, who was born and raised in Venezuela, is watching developments closely. 

    She moved to the U.S. on Jan. 3, 2000 and the capture of Maduro fell on the anniversary of her arrival. 

    “It had a great meaning for my life to see that after 26 years, we at least have some hope,” Espinoza said.

     

    Espinoza remembers the positive memories she had of her home country growing up.

    “Life was good in Venezuela with a welcoming environment and friendly people,” Espinoza said

    She and her family left for the U.S. because she said her father had concerns over the country’s future under the leadership of Hugo Chavez, a self-described socialist.

    Espinoza recalls visiting Venezuela in 2009 and seeing a drastic change from the country she grew up in. 

    “It was my last time there because I didn’t like how I felt and the lack of safety, lack of basic food, toothpaste and soap,” Espinoza said. 

    Maduro took power in 2013 and since then CNN reports Venezuela has lost 72% of its economy and nearly eight million Venezuelans have left the country.

    “Starting with Chavez and then Maduro, Venezuela started to crumble at all levels, not only politically but also economically,” Espinoza said. 

    While she favors removing Maduro from power, she questions what’s next for the Latin American country.

    “There is a lot of uncertainty because there are a lot of people in the Venezuelan government that have his same ideology,” Espinoza said. 

    She’s following closely the developments of Maduro’s legal case, including his first court appearance Monday where he pleaded not guilty of drug trafficking charges.

    “I’m fearful, he’ll be found not guilty because it will be another dream for Venezuelans that doesn’t come true,” Espinoza said. 

    Her dream moving forward would be to see Venezuela become free.

    “I would like to see Venezuela being in power of the country, of their oil, of everything,” Espinoza said. 

    She hopes to return to visit Venezuela one day and hopes this can be a steppingstone to make it possible. 

    As far as her family back in Venezuela, she said while they share the excitement of seeing Maduro removed from power, they haven’t celebrated in fear of retaliation. 

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

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    Estephany Escobar

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  • Doctors walk to promote better health in their communities

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    COLUMBUS — Doctors are stepping out of the office and into the community to promote better health.

    What You Need To Know

    • Walking is one of the simplest and effective forms of exercise 

    • Walk with a Doc is a group that meets up at a park and listens to a medical lesson from a doctor then walks together
    • The group started in Columbus but has spread all over the nation 

    Instead of a waiting room, the doctor visit starts on a walking path walk with a doctor to encourage people of all ages to get moving while learning about their health.

    Walking is one of the simplest things that people can do to improve their overall health, and this gives them the chance to connect outside of the clinic.

    The free program is open to the public and focuses on physical activity, conversation and prevention, helping participants feel comfortable asking questions along the way.

    “It’s called Walk with a Doc. It’s something that was started by a physician at St. Ann’s, Dr. David Sab here several years ago and he started a thing, he’s a cardiologist, he had some patients he met out at a park here, I believe it was High Banks, and the whole thing was just to encourage exercise in a fun way,” said Philip Berger, a medical doctor at St Ann’s. “So he would meet his patients out here and give a short talk about a medical topic and then after that go for a walk and be able to say ‘Hey folks, you are doing what I’ve asked you to do right now.’”

    He said Walk with a Doc has spread to 30 countries. The goal is to build healthier habits and stronger relationships one walk at a time.

    Walk with a Doc is held every Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m. at High Banks Metropark throughout the year, with no registration is required.

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    Cassidy Wilson

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  • Meet the 2026 Epiphany Dove Bearer, Sylvia Marakas

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    TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral announced Sylvia Marakas as the 2026 Epiphany Dove Bearer.

    “It’s a great honor,” said Marakas. “I don’t know the right words to articulate for what it means to myself, to my family, to the community.”

    What You Need To Know

    • St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral announced Sylvia Marakas as the 2026 Epiphany Dove Bearer
    • The person selected carries a dove in the procession to Spring Bayou and then releases it before the cross dive

    • Marakas said she’s been a member of the choir ministry for over three years

    • Marakas also said that family connection and her faith mean everything to her


    Marakas said she’s been a member of the choir ministry for over three years.

    “I’ve always been involved with music and enjoyed music,” said Marakas. “And my grandmother in the ’50s was actually a member of the choir. We have that connection.”

    Marakas said that family connection and her faith mean everything to her. The cathedral describes the Pinellas County native as a devoted member of church and community.

    Marakas said the church is special to her. She holds memories of attending with her family close.

    “My grandfather would always sit around this area, so anytime I’m in the choir singing, I think of him,” said Marakas pointing to the front pews in the cathedral, missing her grandfather, but knowing he is proud of her today.

    “I was selected for this for a purpose, and I’m so grateful for it,” said Marakas. “And I hope now that I can give back and be a positive reflection for the faith, for Tarpon Springs and for St. Nicholas.”

    One way Marakas is already giving back is by serving on the St. Nicholas Cathedral Restoration Capital Campaign Cabinet and the Oversight and Audit Committee.

    “I’ve seen water coming down and after during bad rains from the columns,” said Marakas, showing a part of the church that has fallen into disrepair. “We are entering a different phase, a new phase sort of this year,” said Marakas. “The church is undergoing a major multi-million dollar restoration.”

    While trying to preserve the church’s past, the 2026 Epiphany Dove Bearer is also proud to be part of its future.

    “That I can continue to be a representative for the Orthodox faith, as well as the Tarpon community, this community has been very important to my family,” said Marakas.

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    Melissa Eichman

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  • How to stick with your New Year’s goals

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio — As the calendar flips to a new year, millions of people are setting fresh goals from getting healthier to saving more money, but studies show most resolutions don’t make it past the first few weeks.

    What You Need To Know

    • Many people are setting New Year’s goals 

    • Most people don’t stick to their goals after the first few weeks

    • Experts reccommend using the SMART goals anaology 

    So how do you actually stick with them this time around?

    Experts said it’s more about a lifestyle change, like changing your habits.

    Lauren Esposito is a manager at Ohio Health in the neuroscience wellness center and said the most common New Year’s goals they see are around health and fitness.

    “I think sticking to them, really, you have to focus on that consistency is going to beat intensity every single time,” Esposito said. “It’s really important that you’re realistic and you’re thinking about these small, incremental habits or behavior changes versus, ‘I didn’t workout at all last year and I’m going to workout starting five days a week on Jan. 1.’ You don’t overhaul your life on Jan. 1.”

    Her advice for people setting new goals is using the SMART goals analogy. That means the goals you set are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time bound.

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    Cassidy Wilson

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  • University Hospitals welcome first babies of 2026

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    Damarion was born at 4:59 a.m., and Wilder was born at 5:52 a.m.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Cleveland Clinic welcomes first baby of 2026

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    AKRON, Ohio — Cleveland Clinic confirmed that it welcomed its first baby of the new year, born at 12:31 a.m. on New Year’s Day at Cleveland Clinic Akron General. 

    Stetson Vickers. (Cleveland Clinic)

    Stetson Vickers was born to Haley and Cody Vickers of Newcomerstown, Ohio, and the hospital said both mom and the baby are “doing great.”

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • ProMedica Toledo Hospital welcomes first baby of 2026

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    TOLEDO, Ohio — ProMedica Toledo Hospital announced that its first baby of the year was born at 3:27 a.m. on New Year’s Day.

    His name is De’Kari Stafan Tilman. His mother’s is Joimoni Tilman of Toledo. He was born 19 inches long and weighed six pounds, according to a press release from ProMedica.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • St. Pete Beach approves rebuild of historic Merry Pier

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    ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — The City of St. Pete Beach has approved plans to rebuild the historic Merry Pier bait shop in Pass-a-Grille, months after Hurricanes Helene and Milton left the popular waterfront landmark heavily damaged.

    What You Need To Know

    • St. Pete Beach City Council unanimously approve to restore popular bait shop at Merry Pier in Pass-a-Grille

    • The city has set aside more than $144,000, but the project cost is still being worked out 

    • Locals and tourists are excited about the decision to save the bait shop 


    City commissioners unanimously voted to restore the 123-year-old structure, citing its importance to tourism and its deep connection to the local community. Rather than tearing the building down, leaders say restoring the bait shop is an investment in the city’s future.

    The closure has already had ripple effects for nearby businesses. Colleen Bouchard, who runs Shell Key Shuttle next to the vacant bait shop, says the empty building has noticeably reduced foot traffic along the pier.

    “They sold lots of cool stuff in there,” Bouchard said. “They rented bicycles, sold bait, and it used to be a fish store where you could buy fish to cook at home.”

    Since the shop shut down after last year’s storms, Bouchard says fewer people are coming onto the dock at all — even for simple stops.

    “Our business has been down because nobody’s just coming on the dock to go in and even just use the bathroom or buy some water,” she said.

    City officials say more than $144,000 has been budgeted for the rebuild, though early estimates suggest the final cost could be higher. Even so, Bouchard believes restoring the bait shop will be worth it.

    “It’s just going to bring more people down to the docks,” she said. “There are people who’ve lived in Pass-a-Grille for years and still don’t know what’s going on down there.”

    Merry Pier has long been a favorite fishing spot, and for many residents, the bait shop is part of decades of memories. Tim Spelling, who has been visiting the pier since childhood, says the decision to rebuild preserves a piece of Pass-a-Grille’s identity.

    “It’s been an institution down here,” Spelling said. “Two thumbs up.”

    While commissioners approved the rebuild, final plans are still being developed. City leaders have asked staff to return with a revised, scaled-down proposal aimed at lowering costs. Even with potential changes, officials say restoring the bait shop remains a priority for both residents and visitors.

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    Jeff Van Sant

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  • A dream come true: N.C. State’s biggest fan meets basketball team

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    RALEIGH, N.C. — Fandom is a passion for at least one person in our state.

    A teenager had the time of his life meeting the men in Wolfpack Red.

    What You Need To Know

    • Luke Girardin found himself at the epicenter of his favorite school Friday afternoon: N.C. State

    • Girardin loves the Wolfpack, and got to meet the basketball team

    • The 16-year-old high-fived the players and let them know how much he loves them in his own way

    • He has been diagnosed with alopecia, a skin condition, and Down syndrome


    Luke Girardin found himself at the epicenter of his favorite school Friday afternoon: N.C. State.

    Girardin loves the Wolfpack, and got to meet the basketball team.

    “It doesn’t take him being in a room more than two minutes. Everyone’s in love with Luke, and you just can’t not love that kid,” his mother, Kami Girardin, said.

    This teenager was visibly over the moon with joy before walking into the Lenovo Center to be introduced to the Wolfpack.

    Luke’s parents learned he was diagnosed with alopecia, a skin condition, and Down syndrome — a condition marked by developmental delays and intellectual disabilities.

    His mom and dad said this wouldn’t have happened without the help of Dream On 3, a nonprofit based in Charlotte, connecting young girls and boys with their dreams through sports.

    The 16-year-old high-fived the players and let them know how much he loves them in his own way.

    Rob Girardin, his father, said his son is one of a kind.

    “He does his own thing. But he’s just, his happiness is infectious and contagious, and he just makes everyone around him smile,” Girardin said.

    His mother said without giving him many details, her son knew something special was happening Friday.

    “People are just drawn to Luke. He’s drawn to them, and you can’t not be drawn to him. I honestly never saw anyone in his 16 years treat him badly. He just makes everyone smile and ends up with high-fives and hugs everywhere he goes,” Kami Girardin said. “Luke loves people, love sports, loves N.C. State. So this is just an amazing opportunity for him to meet the team, meet the coach. He’s never got to do that.”

    But no medical diagnosis on earth can contain the excitement shining in his eyes and the look on his face.

    “It doesn’t take him being in a room more than two minutes. Everyone’s in love with Luke, and you just can’t not love that kid,” Girardin said.

    Because this young man had the time of his life.

    While he’s short on words, you don’t have to hear him talk to know how he feels because you can see it.

    His family said the team embraced him with open arms.

    “We’re just very grateful for the team at Dream On 3 to give Luke this opportunity. It’s just an awesome day. We are big Wolfpack fans and just love to be able to share with everyone and the family, and especially have Luke be able to have this opportunity to have just a great day and (a) great, great dream for him,” Rob Girardin said.

    Luke will also attend two games this weekend. Saturday’s men’s game against Virginia and Sunday’s women’s game against Cal.

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

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    Patrick Thomas

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  • Urban Ag growing in Florida and its local impact

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    TAMPA, Fla. — Most people who grow fruits and vegetables do so on large properties. But imagine growing them right outside your front door…it’s a method known as urban farming. It’s a form of farming growing in popularity among communities in our state.

    What You Need To Know

    • The U.S. Environmental Protection agency reports urban agriculture can include community gardens, larger scall urban farms or orchards
    • Theo’s Harvest is in New Port Richey, and provides food for community-supported Ag members and restaurants
    • Urban agriculture is growing in popularity, and small farms make up 90% of all farms


    Nestled in a growing community, lies a farm unlike any other in New Port Richey.

    “There’s no tractors here it’s all handwork,” Tanner Johnson said.

    Standing outside his front door, Johnson is the owner of Theo’s Harvest, an urban farm. Where he grows everything from parsley to broccoli to beets. 

    It’s a unique way of farming that he wanted to learn more about, and that led him to taking over this farm in 2023.

    It was originally founded by Jim Kovaleski in 2007.

    “We’re growing it on wonderful soil, which in itself is creating a nutrient-dense food, but then we’re getting to a consumer within a day of harvest,” Johnson said.

    He sells his products to 10 local restaurants and to community-supported ag members who are members of the community that support his farm.

    Small farms like Theo’s Harvest make up 90% of all farms in Florida. And they make up about 15% of all farm product sales.

    For Johnson, the farm lends itself to providing education to the consumer too.

    “Usually one of us are out here harvesting, they’re walking out with their food, and then we do run some hands-on classes,” he said.

    Seeing the growth of his produce gives him hope for the future of urban agriculture.

    “There’s totally this reimagining we can do to feed a lot of people and give a lot of people good work to do,” he said.

    Theo’s Harvest also houses a homeschool on its property, providing education about the farm to about 12 kids. 

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    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • Small businesses cut ties with Shop Local Raleigh

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    ZEBULON, N.C. — There is an emphasis on the importance of small businesses in North Carolina. The state is filled with many businesses that support inclusivity, diversity and the LGBTQ community.

    But now, many of these businesses are calling for the leader of Shop Local Raleigh to step down after she allegedly posted an anonymous comment dismissing transgender youth.

    What You Need To Know

    • North Carolina is filled with many businesses that support inclusivity, diversity and the LGBTQ lifestyle 

    • The executive director for the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association is under fire after allegedly posting a comment about transgender youth on Facebook 

    • A handful of local business no longer want to be affiliated with Shop Local Raleigh following comment 


    “I immediately stop my scroll because it felt so unnecessary and unkind,” said Erica Vogel, owner of Be Like Missy online shop.

    Vogel was scrolling through social media when she first saw a comment in a local community Facebook group on Dec. 21.

    “I dug and read the responses because of course, I was not the only one that was upset about the comment. And then I ended up finding out who made the comment,” Vogel said.

    The comment was allegedly posted by the executive director for the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association, which also operates as Shop Local Raleigh, a nonprofit dedicated to growing and promoting locally owned businesses.

    Spectrum News 1 reached out to the executive director of the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association and Shop Local Raleigh for further comment on the situation. Spectrum News 1 has decided not use their name until they respond.

    According to the Facebook group, the comment was made in response to another parent’s post regarding their transgender child. 

    “At that point I immediately commented and said, ‘for real,’” Vogel said.

    Even though it was posted anonymously, the page’s admins were able to see who made the comment.

    Shop Local Raleigh said in a statement, in part: “The Board is currently addressing the matter. The comment made does not reflect those of the organization. Shop Local Raleigh is dedicated to a culture of diversity, inclusion and respect.”

    Vogel said her business has been a member of Shop Local Raleigh for five years. She said she can’t do business with the organization any longer, if its leaders think this way.

    “Being a longstanding ally of the LGBT community, I thought that would be disingenuous for me to continue with the status quo of, like, remaining in Shop Local Raleigh and continuing to be a part of their events,” Vogel said.

    Be Like Missy is not the only business cutting ties with Shop Local Raleigh. 

    Raleigh Downtown, an organization that helps promote events around the city, and The Night Market Company, a company that is LGBTQ friendly, took to Facebook to announce that it too will no longer be affiliated with the organization. 

    “I’m so proud of my small business friends that have also stepped up, and, you know, taken back their support in solidarity with the LGBT community,” Vogel said. 

    Vogel said her company will not be participating in Brewgaloo, the annual event held by Shop Local Raleigh that brings in vendors and breweries from around the state to Raleigh in April.

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

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    Jatrissa Wooten

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  • Restaurant celebrates New Year by offering traditional ‘lucky’ foods

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    CARY, N.C. — On the first day of the New Year, many brought in the holiday by eating foods they believe could bring them a little luck this year.

    What You Need To Know

    • People around the state celebrated New Year’s Day by eating foods some believe will help bring them prosperity this year

    • Some southern traditions include eating black eyed peas, collard greens, cornbread, pork, cakes and grapes 

    • Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen serves “good luck foods” like those every day, and every year they invite customers to enjoy “lucky“ New Year’s meals



    Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen in Cary invited the community to celebrate that tradition.

    Executive Chef Dan Hoskins has been preparing the New Year’s meals for more than 10 years.

    “It was a surprise how many people came after New Year’s, and now it’s just kind of a regular tradition now,“ Hoskins said.

    He said the New Year’s menu is curated to honor longtime holiday traditions.

    “The New Year’s tradition is that a lot of people eat pork because it’s moving forward, and then, black-eyed peas are for coins. Cornbread is for gold, and collard greens are also for paper money,” he explained.

    “We have ham with red-eye gravy, crispy black-eyed peas, collard greens and cornbread for gold,” Hoskins said.

    These holiday food traditions are an annual custom in the south.

    “Every culture has a tradition for New Year’s, and this is our culture,”  Hoskins said as the restaurant began to pack with people.

    Management said each item on the menu is also available year-round for customers who want a little extra luck.

    “Some of the best moments are made over a good meal, and so we remember that, and we know that it’s true in our culture, that we want to create experiences,” Lucky 32 General Manager Tiffany Maye said.

    Some believe to bring sweetness into your new year you should eat cakes and honey.

    People also traditionally eat grapes for a full year of fortune.

    Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen has locations in Cary and Greensboro.

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    Sasha Strong

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  • Industries of the Blind offers career path for the visually impaired

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    GREENSBORO, N.C. — People living with disabilities play an important role in North Carolina’s workforce, and organizations like Industries of the Blind in Greensboro are working to expand those opportunities. For many North Carolinians, that support is life-changing.

         What You Need To Know

    • At Industries of the Blind, 21-year-old Brendon Brown spends his days packing and shipping military uniform orders that are distributed nationwide
    • Brown is legally blind. He lost his vision for the first time as a toddler after an allergic reaction
    • Nationwide, the American Foundation for the Blind found that in 2024, 10% of people ages 16 to 64 with visual disabilities were unemployed 
    • Earlier this month, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced that Project Spark, one of its initiatives that supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, will expand to 10 new locations across the state


    At Industries of the Blind, 21-year-old Brendon Brown spends his days packing and shipping military uniform orders that are distributed nationwide. He started at the organization just over a year ago.

    “I started out picking on the floor, getting everything that goes in the boxes, and I moved to shipping a couple months ago,” he said.

    Brown is legally blind. He lost his vision for the first time as a toddler after an allergic reaction.

    Brendon Brown is legally blind after suffering from an allergic reaction as a kid. (Brendon Brown)

    He regained it off and on for about a decade, but an infection in 2017 caused him to lose his sight completely.

    Finding employment wasn’t easy. Brown said he applied to multiple places before discovering Industries of the Blind.

    “I tried a few different places, and everybody sounded promising when you talked to them, but then you never hear back from them after that,” he said.

    According to the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Labor and Economic Analysis Division, one in nine working-age adults in the state was living with a disability as of 2022. Roughly 145,000 of those adults were visually impaired.

    Nationwide, the American Foundation for the Blind found that in 2024, 10% of people ages 16 to 64 with visual disabilities were unemployed — more than double the unemployment rate for people in the same age range without a visual disability.

    A separate study from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that as of 2024, 22% of all working Americans were living with a disability.

    Industries of the Blind aims to close those gaps by offering meaningful work and long-term career paths.

    Richard Oliver, the organization’s director of community outreach and government relations, said Brown represents exactly why their mission matters.

    “We like to put the effort into Brendon so he can learn and grow,” Oliver said. “We want him to be here for a long time.”

    Brendon Brown says he loves to fish when he's not at work. (Brendon Brown)

    Brendon Brown says he loves to fish when he’s not at work. (Brendon Brown)

    Brown is already taking that next step. On Nov. 25, he graduated from the company’s 2025 Future Leaders Academy cohort.

    The program teaches employees skills in finance, human resources, production and business development. His goal is to eventually move into a leadership role.

    “I have no plans on changing anytime soon,” Brown said. “I enjoy it, I see lots of room to grow.”

    A new class of Future Leaders Academy participants will begin next year.

    Earlier this month, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced that Project Spark, one of its initiatives that supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, will expand to 10 new locations across the state.

    NCDHHS says it will expand to new sites in Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Durham, Greenville, Kinston, Jacksonville, Wilson, Gastonia, Asheville and Boone.

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

     

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    Ashley Van Havere

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  • Parma hosts inaugural New Year’s Eve Pierogi Drop

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    CLEVELAND — Justin Sollinger’s giant pierogi is mounted on a 30-foot pole on the roof of restaurant Sloppy Bob’s in Parma, and no, you can’t eat it.

    What You Need To Know

    • While millions of Americans are tuning in to see the famous ball drop at Times Square, many northeast Ohioans are gathering for their own New Year’s Eve celebration.

    • Parma is home to the largest Ukrainian population in Ohio, along with Polish and other Eastern European communities.

    • At the heart of the city’s Ukrainian Village, Sloppy Bob’s is adding a unique cultural twist to an iconic tradition.

    “It’s built out of a piece of plywood… a prefabricated metal frame… heavy fabric,” Sollinger said. “A lot of steel, spray paint, epoxy. It’s got a whole lot of stuff in there.”

    Sollinger hopes it’s the start of a new tradition. The restaurant is partnering with the City of Parma and nonprofit We Are Parma Proud to host the inaugural Parma Pierogi Drop. The event kicks off the New Year and celebrates the city’s bicentennial anniversary.

    Kelly Lasecki and her husband co-own Sloppy Bob’s, which has served Parma residents in the Ukrainian Village for the last seven years. She said the idea for the Pierogi Drop came about during her and her husband’s most recent trip to their go-to destination, Key West.

    “We were out there this last year, and we decided … they drop a conch shell from Sloppy Joes… what would be better in Parma than to drop a Pierogi,” Lasecki said.

    State Meat’s sister company Mama Maria’s Kitchen cooked hundreds of their famous pierogies for Sloppy Bob’s NYE celebration. (Spectrum News 1/Tanya Velazquez)

    Lasecki said the celebration also shines a spotlight on the city’s strong Eastern European roots, inviting residents to explore traditional foods and festivities along State Road.

    “They’re going to shut the streets down, and you’ll be able to do like a bar crawl and meet safely walking back and forth,” she said. “And then there’s a couple of food trucks going on. We have live music outside of Sloppy Bob’s.”

    While he’s excited for the giant pierogi’s grand landing, Sollinger said, he has even higher hopes for future celebrations.

    “This is the first year. So we only had a few months to plan it,” he said. “We want it to be bigger and bigger and bigger and better next year and make it like three times the size it is now.”

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    Tanya Velazquez

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  • From Ebola to world records, here’s a look at historic anniversaries in 2026

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    It’s been a busy century.

    Within the past 100 years, the world has seen World War II, the advent of space travel, the fall and rise of nations and plenty more.

    What You Need To Know

    • A lot has happened over the last 100 years

    • A number of historic events will be seeing anniversaries this year

    • Here’s a look at some, according to History.com

    Here’s a look at some major historic events recognizing 100, 50 or 10-year milestones this year, according to history.com.

    • “Amos ‘n’ Andy” made their debut on a Chicago radio station as “Sam ‘n’ Henry” on Jan. 12, 1926
    • TV is demonstrated publicly for the first time by John Logie Baird on Jan. 26, 1926
    • The first liquid-fueled rocket is launched out of Auburn, Massachusetts, on March 16, 1926
    • The Ford Motor Company adopts the five-day, 40-hour work week on May 1, 1926
    • Marilyn Monroe was born on June 1, 1926, in Los Angeles 
    • Fidel Castro is born in Cuba on Aug. 13.
    • Gertrude Ederle swims across the English Channel on Aug. 6, 1926, the first woman to do so
    • Babe Ruth earns a world record with three home runs against the St. Louis Cardinals on Oct. 6
    • The magician Harry Houdini died on Oct. 31 in Detroit
    • Cambodia was renamed to Kampuchea by the Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot on Jan. 5, 1976
    • The first Concorde planes with commercial passengers take off from airports in England and France on Jan. 21, 1976
    • Paul Robeson—a singer, athlete and actor—died on Jan. 23, 1976. Sal Mineo, another actor, was killed in a stabbing in California.
    • Frank DeLuca and Patricia Columbo were arrested on May 15, 1976, for the murder of her parents and brother in Illinois
    • The National Basketball Association merges with the American Basketball Association on June 17, 1976
    • The first recorded Ebola virus epidemic occurs in Sudan on June 27, 1976
    • The United States Naval Academy admitted its first women on July 6, 1976, and the first female cadets were enrolled at West Point one day later
    • Romanian Nadia Comăneci is first Olympic gymnast to earn a perfect 10 on July 18, 1976
    • The Viking 1 probe made a successful landing on Mars on July 20, 1976
    • An earthquake destroys the Chinese city of Tangshan on July 28, 1976, killing an estimated 242,000 people
    • Renée Richards,a transgender athlete, was barred from competing as a woman in the U.S. Open on Aug. 27, 1976
    • Mao Zedong died on Sept. 9, 1976
    • The movie “Rocky” released in theaters on Nov. 21, 1976
    • El Chapo is apprehended by authorities in Mexico on Jan. 8, 2016
    • The musician Prince died on April 21, 2016
    • A gunman opens fire inside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 49 people and injuring dozens of others
    • A man drove a truck through a street filled with people celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France, killing 86 people and injuring hundreds of others on July 14, 2016
    • Hillary Clinton accepts the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. She was the first woman to lead a major party in the United States
    • Colin Kaepernick, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, chose not to stand for the national anthem during a game on Aug. 26, 2016, setting off a firestorm of controversy around the decision
    • Mother Teresa was named Saint Teresa of Calcutta on Sept. 4, 2016
    • The National Museum of African American History and Culture opened on Sept. 24, 2016
    • The Paris Agreement went into effect on Nov. 4, 2016, with the hope to curb carbon emissions and mitigate global warming
    • The nation of Russia is accused of cheating in the Olympics by the World Anti-Doping Agency on Dec. 9, 2016

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Tampa Bay’s first recovery high school marks five years in 2026

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    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Tampa Bay’s first recovery high school is marking a milestone in the new year. Victory High School held its grand opening five years ago this month. It’s an option for students struggling with drugs and alcohol to receive an education without going back to familiar places or people that can cause them to fall back into old patterns.

    What You Need To Know

    • Victory High School turns five years old in 2026

    • The recovery school is a place where students struggling with drugs and alcohol can receive an education based on their needs and away from old temptations

    • Its founder says more than 150 students have been served, with 23 receiving diplomas and 58% successfully transitioning to public schools

    • Graduates say that while they were reluctant to attend Victory at first, the school met them where they were and provided a pathway forward


    “It feels like 50 years since we started,” said Tina Miller, founder and executive director of Florida Recovery Schools of Tampa Bay. “It’s been a lot of ups and downs, but overall, the quality of the services and the connections we have made with students have just been remarkable.”

    The school held its annual Golfing For Victory fundraiser at Innisbrook Golf Resort in Palm Harbor on November 17. It was the third year in a row that Alex and Chris Finch took part.

    “Today, we did pretty good,” Alex said.

    “I really enjoy getting the time to come out here on a beautiful day and spend it with my son. I’m just so proud of him,” said Chris.

    Spectrum News first spoke with the father and son duo when they were practicing for the 2024 event. It’s a cause that’s close to both of their hearts.

    “I went to Victory because I was having problems with drugs and also just problems with how I was acting,” said Alex. “I remember even thinking through my mind, ‘I don’t want to do college. I don’t want to do baseball for much longer, and I just want to do my own thing.’”

    But in 2024, Alex graduated from Victory and is now playing baseball for Bryant & Stratton College in Virginia Beach while studying business. He said Victory helped him develop the mindset to succeed.

    “In public school, I was maybe kind of over thinking or worried about small things. In Victory, they’re very open, and if maybe even you’re just not having a good day, you can open up and talk about that,” he said.

    “It’s not a typical school, where you sit at a desk and chair for six-to-eight hours,” said Miller. “It’s self-directed, it’s self-paced.”

    Miller opened the first Victory High School in Pasco County in 2021. Two more followed in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. She said the schools have served more than 150 students. Twenty-three have earned diplomas, and 58% successfully transitioned into public schools.

    “That’s really what we’re doing with the majority of our students is we stabilize them emotionally and mentally, and then they actually go and transition into a traditional school,” she said.

    For some, traditional school wasn’t the answer.

    “I never thought I would be where I am today,” said James Guerin.

    The first time Spectrum News interviewed Guerin, he was taking part in an equine therapy program offered through Victory in 2022.

    “When I was a kid, I was being stupid – doing drugs, got sent to a very abusive rehab program that just kept me spiraling even deeper. So, I got into harder drugs, got into more fights, stuff like that,” he said.

    Guerin said Victory met him where he was rather than forcing him to work towards recovery in one certain way.

    “There were days I would come in and Tina would tell me, ‘Sometimes, amends is just working on other people who were in the same spot you were.’ Little things like that, where it was just a slight switch-up from what I was taught prior to make it digestible for me,” Guerin said.

    Since graduating in 2022, James has become a mentor to current students. He said he’s less than a semester from earning his associate in arts degree from St. Petersburg College and plans to study biochemistry at the University of Tampa.

    “My dream is to end up being either a neurosurgeon or a cardiovascular surgeon, but one step at a time,” he said. “No matter where I end up right now, it’s better than where I thought I’d be.”

    Alex’s dad, Chris, called Victory a lifesaver. He said the school gives students breathing room to get into a good head space and move forward from there.

    “What makes me so proud of him is everything he does today is his decision. He wants to go to school. He wants to play ball. He wants to work hard, and I couldn’t be more proud of him,” said Chris. 

    Victory is a nonprofit and relies on donations and grants. Anyone interested in becoming a donor can visit this web site.

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    Sarah Blazonis

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