Make-A-Wish grants Alabama teen’s dream of being a mermaid
Sophie McCleney, 16, of Alabama, has a nervous system disorder that affects her behavior and memory and has cost her much of her mobility. Her wish was to be a mermaid and Make-A-Wish Southern Florida made it happen at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park.
Sophie’s day began with a private tour of the park, one of Florida’s first roadside attractions. She got a mermaid makeover at the Weeki Wachee boutique, complete with scales, hair and body glitter, jewelry and a mermaid tail, then headed to the lagoon to swim with her new aquatic friends and get a behind-the-scenes look at the shows staged there. Five mermaids and a prince spent the day with Sophie and her family, talking, laughing and dancing their way through the visit.
Jenkins Creek Park closed through Aug. 31 for shoreline work
BROOKSVILLE — Jenkins Creek Park, 6401 Shoal Line Blvd., Spring Hill, is closed through Monday, Aug. 31, while crews finish a shoreline stabilization project along the park’s western edge.
The work is being done in partnership with Minnow Creek Conservancy Inc., a nonprofit organization. It is the first of two projects with the group; a second is planned for Linda Pedersen Park at a later date.
The county will notify the public when the park reopens.
Information: minnowcreekfl.org. For Hernando County parks, visit hernandocounty.us/community-recreation/Parks-Recreation.
Health department lifts blue-green algae alert at Silver Lake
The Florida Department of Health in Hernando County has lifted the health alert it issued June 16 for harmful blue-green algae toxins at Silver Lake Campground in the Withlacoochee State Forest.
Follow-up water samples collected by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection detected no algae toxins, and the public may resume water-related activities, the department said.
Officials cautioned that bloom conditions can change quickly and urged residents and visitors to avoid contact with water where algae is visible.
Elections office reminds voters that Precinct 200 has moved
Supervisor of Elections Denise LaVancher is reminding voters that Precinct 200’s polling place permanently moved in 2025.
Voters who once cast ballots at Hernando Beach Marine Group now vote at VFW Post 9236, 3435 Shoal Line Blvd., Hernando Beach — less than a mile away, or about a two-minute drive.
All Precinct 200 voters were mailed a new voter information card listing the address. Voters whose registration records are not current may not have received it.
Address changes within the county can be submitted by calling 352-754-4125 or online at hernandovotes.gov. Signs directing voters to the new site will be posted at the former location on Election Day.
To look up a polling place, visit hernandovotes.gov/Voters/Voter-LookupTool or call 352-754-4125 to speak with an election specialist.
Spring Hill Waterfall out of service for about three weeks
BROOKSVILLE — The Spring Hill Waterfall, 5281 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill, is out of service for about three weeks while Hernando County crews complete maintenance and beautification work.
The work includes removing a dead tree, trimming palms, pressure washing and sealing the surrounding brick, and general cleanup. The “Spring Hill” letters also will be powder coated, with materials and labor donated by Clean Pro Motor Sports.
The county will notify the public when the waterfall returns to service.
County offices closed for Labor Day
BROOKSVILLE — Hernando County government offices and services will be closed Monday, Sept. 7, for Labor Day and will reopen at regular hours Tuesday, Sept. 8.
Closures include county offices, TheBus transit service, libraries, and solid waste and recycling operations.
The West Hernando and East Hernando solid waste convenience centers are closed Mondays year-round. The main landfill, 14450 Landfill Road, Brooksville, will remain open, and Coastal Waste & Recycling will collect trash, recycling and yard waste on the regular schedule.
For more information call 352-540-6457.
Water district governing board to meet in Brooksville
BROOKSVILLE — The Southwest Florida Water Management District governing board will hold its monthly meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25, at district headquarters, 2379 Broad St.
The meeting can be watched online through the live video stream link at swfwmd.state.fl.us. The feed begins about 15 minutes before the scheduled start.
Public comment will be taken only at the meeting site. Comment on issues not listed on the published agenda will be heard shortly after the meeting begins. Agendas and materials are posted a week in advance at watermatters.org under the “Meetings & Events Calendar” link.
Water district to hold virtual workshop on water body priorities
The Southwest Florida Water Management District will hold a virtual public workshop at noon Thursday, Aug. 27, to gather public input on which lakes, wetlands, rivers, streams and aquifers should get priority for minimum flows and levels, and on proposed water reservations. State law requires the district to review the schedule each year and revise it if necessary.
The workshop will be held on Microsoft Teams. Register at bit.ly/3SqvGmr; the district recommends the Chrome browser. To join by phone, dial 786-749-6127 and enter conference ID 562 912 452#.
Written comments on the draft priority list and schedule may be submitted by Sept. 7 to Gabe Herrick, chief environmental scientist, at gabe.herrick@watermatters.org or 2379 Broad St., Brooksville, FL 34604.
Bilirakis joins Democrats in bipartisan bill to honor Roberto Clemente
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., has joined U.S. Reps. Darren Soto, D-Fla., and Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y., in filing bipartisan legislation that would authorize a statue of baseball great and humanitarian Roberto Clemente at the U.S. Capitol.
The lawmakers announced the bill Aug. 18, on what would have been Clemente’s 92nd birthday.
In 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Clemente recorded exactly 3,000 hits, won four National League batting titles, earned 12 consecutive Gold Glove Awards, was named the NL’s Most Valuable Player in 1966 and helped lead the Pirates to two World Series titles. He was the first Latin American player inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Clemente died Dec. 31, 1972, at 38, when a plane carrying relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua crashed shortly after takeoff from Puerto Rico.
“Roberto Clemente embodied the very best of the American spirit. He was a trailblazer whose extraordinary talent changed the game of baseball, but his greatest legacy was the compassion, courage and selflessness he demonstrated in service to others,” Bilirakis said. “As a proud Floridian who represents a vibrant Hispanic community and a lifelong Pirates fan, I know how deeply Clemente’s example continues to resonate with generations of Americans. ... I am proud to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to recognize a true American hero whose life reminds us that greatness is measured not simply by what we achieve, but by what we do for others.”
Clemente once said, “If you have an opportunity to make things better and you don’t, then you are wasting your time on Earth.”