Toxic algae halts scallop harvest in Pasco waters
State wildlife officials shut down recreational bay scallop harvesting in Pasco County waters Aug. 6 after tests found unsafe levels of a toxin-producing algae.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission closed the Pasco Zone, which takes in all state waters south of the Hernando-Pasco county line and north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse in northern Pinellas County, including the Anclote River.
Samples showed Pyrodinium bahamense above the safety threshold set by the National Shellfish Sanitation Program, the agency said. The algae produces saxitoxin, which can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning in people who eat contaminated shellfish.
The closure is temporary. The zone will reopen if follow-up tests show toxin levels have fallen to safe limits. The season had been set to run through Aug. 18.
Fishing, boating and swimming are still allowed in the zone.
For updates, go to MyFWC.com/BayScallops. A fact sheet on the algae is posted at MyFWC.com.
Early voting now open in Pasco County
Pasco County voters can cast ballots in the Aug. 18 primary at any of 12 early voting sites.
Supervisor of Elections Brian E. Corley said the sites will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Saturday, Aug. 15.
Voters must bring photo and signature identification or they will be given a provisional ballot. Those who have moved should call the elections office at 800-851-8754 or update their record at PascoVotes.gov/ovr before going to the polls.
Florida is a closed primary state, so voters will see only candidates from their own party. Nonpartisan races, including judicial and school board contests, appear on every ballot.
The Hudson Library and Regency Park Library, used in past elections, are not early voting sites this year.
Wait times for each location are posted at PascoVotes.gov/EV_WaitTimes.
The sites are:
• West Pasco Government Center, 8731 Citizens Drive, New Port Richey
• New Port Richey Recreation Center, 6630 Van Buren St., New Port Richey
• Veterans Memorial Park, 14333 Hicks Road, Hudson
• J. Ben Harrill Recreation Complex, 2830 Gulf Trace Blvd., Holiday
• Odessa Community Center, 1627 Chesapeake Drive, Odessa
• Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes
• Pasco County Utilities Administration Building, 19420 Central Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
• New River Library, 34043 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel
• Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus, 3021 Sports Coast Way, Wesley Chapel
• Wesley Chapel District Park, 7727 Boyette Road, Wesley Chapel
• Alice Hall Community Center, 38116 Fifth Ave., Zephyrhills
• East Pasco Government Center, 14236 Sixth St., Dade City
New Port Richey martial arts studio wins world honor
NEW PORT RICHEY — A New Port Richey martial arts school has been named Studio of the Year by the World Tang Soo Do Association.
Suncoast Tang Soo Do, 8508 Old County Road 54, took the association’s top studio award after first winning the Region 21 title, its first regional honor.
The association includes more than 500 affiliated studios in 36 countries. The award recognizes leadership, instruction, dedication to traditional martial arts and community building.
“This recognition reflects the dedication, perseverance and spirit of every student, instructor and family who calls Suncoast Tang Soo Do home,” studio leadership said in a statement.
The studio is owned by Victor Lampasona, a fourth-degree master. Rusty Camacho, a third-degree instructor, is chief instructor.
Tang Soo Do is a traditional Korean martial art. The school trains students of all ages, emphasizing fitness, discipline, respect and leadership.
Wesley Chapel event outfits nearly 1,000 kids for school
WESLEY CHAPEL — About 1,000 Pasco County children picked up new shoes, backpacks and school supplies Aug. 1 at Life Church’s annual back-to-school outreach in Wesley Chapel.
AdventHealth partnered with the church for the event, providing 450 new pairs of shoes and sending volunteers to help hand out supplies.
“I’d say the impact is huge,” said Earl Watson, a volunteer from AdventHealth Wesley Chapel. “The climate we’re living in, the economy, so many families are making sacrifices. This shouldn’t have to be one of them.”
Church leaders said the outreach has grown into an annual tradition drawing churches, businesses, nonprofits and volunteers.
“We saw a huge need in our community for our students to not just go back to school, but to go back to school confidently,” said Natalie Dougherty of Life Church. “New shoes, new backpacks, with no one making fun of them. Just having them fit right.”
Pasco County schools open Thursday, Aug. 13.
$2 million gift funds Saint Leo cybersecurity program
ST. LEO — Tech entrepreneur Arnie Bellini and his wife, Lauren, have pledged $2 million to Saint Leo University to launch a graduate program aimed at training cybersecurity executives.
The gift will fund the university’s Master of Science in Cybersecurity Executive Track, an accelerated program for professionals who lead security strategy in business, government, health care, defense and infrastructure. The first class starts in January 2027.
“Our nation needs to defend its digital borders with the same commitment that we defend our physical borders,” Bellini said. “That starts by educating leaders who understand cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and the responsibility that comes with protecting our economy and critical infrastructure.”
The commitment includes $1.6 million in cash and about $400,000 in technology, including access to the SkillBit and ConnectSecure platforms for hands-on training and simulations.
Bellini founded ConnectWise and is chairman of ConnectSecure. He has pushed to brand the Tampa Bay area as “CyberBay,” a hub for cybersecurity work.
The program will sit in Saint Leo’s Tapia College of Business and Technology. Unlike most cybersecurity degrees, which focus on technical skills, the executive track pairs that training with leadership coursework.
The Bellinis also fund an endowed scholarship for Saint Leo students studying cybersecurity.