West Hernando Branch library reopens
BROOKSVILLE — The Hernando County Public Library System’s West Hernando Branch Library, formally the Staffordene T. Foggia Memorial Library, has reopened after closing temporarily for renovations.
The library is at 6335 Blackbird Ave., Brooksville, near Weeki Wachee.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; noon to 8 p.m. Tuesdays; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays. The library is closed Saturdays and Sundays.
County offices, libraries closed for Veterans Day
BROOKSVILLE — Hernando County Government offices will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 11, for Veterans Day and will reopen during regular business hours Thursday, Nov. 12.
All Hernando County library branches will also be closed Nov. 11. On Nov. 12, the Main Library, East Hernando Branch Library and West Hernando Branch Library will open at 10 a.m., and the Spring Hill Branch Library will open at noon.
TheBus will run its regular routes and schedules Nov. 11 and will offer free fares to veterans who show ID. More information is at www.HernandoCounty.us/living-here/Transit-TheBus.
The West Hernando and East Hernando Solid Waste Convenience Centers and the Main Landfill will keep normal hours Nov. 11. Coastal Waste & Recycling will collect residential trash, recycling and yard waste as scheduled. For questions, call Coastal Waste & Recycling at 352-540-6457.
Swiftmud: check your irrigation timer
The Southwest Florida Water Management District, known as Swiftmud, is reminding residents to check the timers on their irrigation controllers.
Under the district’s current Modified Phase 3 “Extreme” Water Shortage Order, all residents, including those on private wells, are limited to watering one day a week, and watering hours are reduced to midnight to 4 a.m. and 8 to 11:59 p.m. Properties smaller than one acre may use only one of those windows. Properties one acre or larger may water in both.
The district also urges residents not to water just because it’s their assigned day, but only when the lawn shows signs of stress. Those signs include grass blades folded in half lengthwise on at least a third of the yard, blades that look blue-gray, and blades that don’t spring back, leaving footprints visible for several minutes.
For more about the water shortage order, visit WaterMatters.org/Restrictions. For water-saving tips, visit WaterMatters.org/Water101.
Bilirakis leads push for benefits for veterans with rare muscle disease
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., is leading a bipartisan group of House and Senate members urging Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins to recognize inclusion body myositis as a presumptive service-connected condition.
The designation would let veterans with the rare, progressive and incurable muscle disease receive disability benefits without having to prove individually that their military service caused it.
The effort builds on a letter Bilirakis sent the VA earlier this year. He has now been joined by 53 lawmakers in calling on the department to ease the obstacles veterans with the disease face in seeking benefits.
“Our veterans should not have to spend years fighting a devastating disease while also fighting a burdensome bureaucracy to receive the benefits they have earned,” Bilirakis said. “With this disease reported at substantially higher rates among veterans, the VA must take these concerns seriously and establish a fairer pathway to benefits.”
Bilirakis’ 12th Congressional District includes Hernando County.
FWC: Now is the time for safe, legal bat exclusions
Fall is the right time for Florida homeowners to remove bats from their homes and other buildings, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission wants it done safely and legally.
Bats are beneficial to people and important to healthy Florida ecosystems and killing or harming them is illegal in the state. The only legal way to remove them is an exclusion device, which lets bats leave a structure but keeps them from getting back in.
Exclusions are not allowed during bat maternity season, April 15 to Aug. 15.
To exclude bats legally, identify where they enter and exit the building and install an exclusion device. Devices must stay up for at least four nights, and overnight lows must be forecast to stay above 50 degrees during that time. The FWC recommends hiring an experienced professional to make sure all bats are removed safely.
For more information, visit MyFWC.com/Bats.
Sheriff’s Office mourns retired station dog Rose
The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office is mourning the death of Rose, its retired station dog.
Rose joined the agency in February 2022 and became a source of comfort for its members, whether brightening someone’s day or easing a long shift.
She retired in November 2024 and went to live on a farm with one of the agency’s dispatchers, where she had plenty of room to roam.
“Although Rose’s time has come to an end, the memories she left behind will forever hold a special place in our hearts,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
Data center meeting set for Nov. 10
A meeting titled “The Truth About Data Centers” will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the GFWC Historic Brooksville Woman’s Club, 131 S. Main St., Brooksville.
Presenters will be Ryan Smart, who holds a master’s degree in political science from the University of Florida with a focus on water policy and public administration, and Michael Hill, a planner and manager of Torreya Design and Consulting LLC.
For more information, visit nodatacenterhernandocty.org.
County seeks volunteers for advisory boards
Hernando County is seeking applicants for several advisory board seats that are vacant or will open Dec. 31:
Affordable Housing Advisory Committee: one member actively engaged in banking or mortgage banking in connection with affordable housing; one member representing essential services personnel, as defined in the county’s Local Housing Assistance Plan; one member actively engaged as a for-profit provider of affordable housing; and one member who serves on the local planning agency under Section 163.3174, Florida Statutes.
Board of Construction and Regulation: one consumer representative and one general, building or residential contractor.
Fine Arts Council: five seats.
Library Advisory Committee: three seats.
Tourist Development Council: two members who collect the tourist development tax and one who does not.
Applicants must be Hernando County residents and registered voters. The positions are unpaid, and some may be designated as alternate seats.
Applications are available at the County Administrator’s Office, 15470 Flight Path Drive, Brooksville; by calling 352-754-4002; or at www.HernandoCounty.us/Committees. Completed applications must be emailed to Administration@co.hernando.fl.us by 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6.
County offers free tire disposal in November
BROOKSVILLE – To help reduce mosquito breeding sites, Hernando County is offering free disposal of standard-size automobile tires throughout November at the Main Landfill and the West Hernando and East Hernando convenience centers.
Residents may drop off up to eight standard-size tires, without rims, per household. They must show ID proving Hernando County residency and fill out a short form documenting the number of tires and the waived fee.
Additional tires beyond eight must go to the Main Landfill, 14450 Landfill Road, Brooksville, where regular fees apply. Rims and semi-truck tires are not included, are subject to fees and also must go to the Main Landfill. Prices are at www.HernandoCounty.us/Living-Here/Garbage-Recycling/Landfill-Drop-Off-Locations.
Drop-off hours:
West Hernando Convenience Center, 2525 Osowaw Blvd., Spring Hill: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.
East Hernando Convenience Center, 33070 Cortez Blvd., Ridge Manor: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.
Main Landfill (Northwest Solid Waste Management Facility), 14450 Landfill Road, Brooksville: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
Full schedules are at www.HernandoCounty.us/Living-Here/Garbage-Recycling. Mosquito prevention tips are at www.HernandoCounty.us/Public-Safety/Mosquito-Control.