Kass Circle redevelopment agency to meet Nov. 17
BROOKSVILLE — The Hernando County Community Redevelopment Agency for Kass Circle will meet at 3 p.m. Nov. 17 to approve its 2027 meeting schedule.
The meeting will be in the John Law Ayers Commission Chamber, Room 160, at the Hernando County Courthouse, 20 N. Main St., Brooksville. It is open to the public, and public comment will be taken.
The agenda and information about other public meetings are at HernandoCountyFL.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx.
For more information, contact Haydee Padin-Alvarez, community development specialist, at 352-540-4338.
EōS Fitness to open first Spring Hill gym
SPRING HILL — EōS Fitness has signed a long-term lease to build a 40,000-square-foot gym at Shoppes at Avalon, 13455 County Line Road. It will be the company’s first Spring Hill location.
Other tenants at the plaza include Publix, 7-Eleven, Heartland Dental, Mavis Tires & Brakes, OneBlood, Avalon Liquor and The Red Room Salon.
The gym will offer EōS’ standard equipment and amenities, including recovery options. Memberships start at $9.99 a month, according to the company.
EōS Fitness operates 22 gyms in Florida. SRS Real Estate Partners represented EōS in the deal, and Phillips Edison & Co. represented the landlord.
WREC passes on alert regarding scam
HERNANDO COUNTY -- Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative is warning residents about people in the Brooksville area who say they represent a company called Unitech and falsely claim to be affiliated with WREC.
The people are trying to sign residents up for programs they say will lower electric bills, according to the cooperative.
WREC said it has no connection to the company and does not send representatives door to door to solicit services or enroll members in programs. Employees on official business wear WREC clothing and carry WREC identification.
Anyone unsure whether a person represents WREC should not give out personal information and should contact the cooperative directly, WREC said.
Sheriff’s major completes FDLE executive seminar
TALLAHASSEE — Maj. Shaun Klucznik of the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office was one of 19 graduates of the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute’s Chief Executive Seminar.
The graduates hold leadership roles in criminal justice agencies around the state. During three weeks of coursework in Tallahassee, they studied topics including future trends, social media, stress management, succession planning and trust-based leadership.
The Legislature created the institute in 1990. It operates within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, is affiliated with the State University System and provides education and training for criminal justice professionals.
Mirra-Access files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
SPRING HILL — Mirra-Access and several affiliated entities have filed voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy petitions in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida.
In a statement, the company said the filing stems from a legacy debt obligation that grew before the loan was scheduled to be refinanced, not from problems with its operations.
The company said it plans to restructure or refinance that debt and expects either to seek dismissal of the cases or to propose a plan that would pay all creditors in full.
Mirra-Access said patients will continue to receive uninterrupted service during the bankruptcy case.
Mitchell named new principal of Wilton Simpson Technical College
HERNANDO COUNTY – The Hernando County School District has named Deedra Mitchell principal of Wilton Simpson Technical College.
Mitchell succeeds Radiah Dent, who resigned earlier this year.
Mitchell has more than 25 years of experience in K-12 education. Most recently, she worked for the Pasco County School District as career pathways and apprenticeships coordinator and as senior supervisor for career, technical and adult education, leading career and technical education programs districtwide and building partnerships with local businesses and industry.
“I am honored and excited to join Hernando County School District and contribute to its adult and technical education programs,” Mitchell said. “This is an exciting time for Hernando County, and I look forward to working alongside a dedicated team of educators and business leaders to expand opportunities for students and adult learners.”
“Wilton Simpson Technical College plays a critical role in connecting education with the workforce needs of our community,” Superintendent Ray Pinder said. “Deedra’s leadership, dedication to students, and commitment to career and technical education will help us continue building programs that provide students with a direct pathway to successful careers.”
Bilirakis bill targets VA staff retention
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, has introduced legislation aimed at helping the Department of Veterans Affairs keep nonclinical employees at its health care facilities.
The bill directs the U.S. Government Accountability Office to study employee retention strategies at VA health care facilities with severe shortages of nonclinical staff.
“Providing our veterans with the high-quality care they have earned requires more than having enough doctors and nurses. It also requires a strong team of dedicated professionals behind the scenes who keep our VA facilities functioning and help veterans navigate the system,” Bilirakis said. “When these positions remain vacant or we experience high turnover, the effects can ripple throughout a facility — contributing to delays, increasing the burden on remaining employees and ultimately impacting the veteran experience.”
Swiftmud awards water education grants to two Hernando schools
BROOKSVILLE — The Southwest Florida Water Management District, known as Swiftmud, has awarded $113,735 in Splash grants to 56 educators across the district.
Two Hernando County teachers received grants: Rachel Kingdom of Central High School and Erica Metzler of Westside Elementary School.
The program provides up to $3,000 per school for hands-on lessons about freshwater resources for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Grants support science, technology, engineering and math projects, as well as schoolwide awareness campaigns, focused on the water cycle, freshwater and estuarine ecosystems, water quality and water conservation.
Each school district sets aside part of the youth education funding it receives from Swiftmud for the grants. For more information, visit WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.
Report: Florida drug-related deaths fell 12% in 2025
TALLAHASSEE — Drug-related deaths in Florida fell 12% from 2024 to 2025, according to the Florida Medical Examiners Commission’s 2025 annual report on drugs identified in deceased persons, released by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Deaths caused by opioids dropped 33%, and deaths caused by fentanyl fell 37%.
Fentanyl remained the drug most often involved in deaths, followed by cocaine and methamphetamine. Cocaine deaths fell 16% and methamphetamine deaths fell 23% from the previous year.
“Florida continues to see record lows in opioid and drug-related deaths because we support our law enforcement and ensure they have the resources they need to do their jobs,” Attorney General James Uthmeier said. “Since February 2025, our office has secured a record increase in narcotic-related prison sentences, holding those who push these poisons into our communities fully accountable.”