Immigration Attorneys in Tarpon Springs, FL

Follow our live updates on the storm.

As Debby churned through the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday as a tropical storm, Lucia Trapani was securing patio furniture and offering refunds to people who had booked stays at the motel she manages on an island off Florida’s northwestern coast.

Ms. Trapani had been through this before. Less than a year ago, as Hurricane Idalia approached, she shut off the water and electricity at the Sunset Isle RV Resort, where she worked at the time, and moved campers off the property. The Category 3 storm did so much damage to the resort that it still has not reopened.

Ms. Trapani and Brooke Matthews — another manager of the motel, Park Place in Cedar Key — described Idalia with one word, in unison: “traumatizing.”

Almost a year after Idalia became the strongest storm to hit the sparsely populated Big Bend region, known for manatees and marshlands, residents are bracing for Debby, which strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane late Sunday before its expected landfall Monday morning. Storm surge of up to 10 feet was expected in some areas, andmandatory evacuation orders have been issued for parts of Levy County, including Cedar Key, as well as Franklin and Citrus Counties.

By midday Sunday, Debby was still a tropical storm, with winds of 65 miles per hour. But it strengthened rapidly over the gulf ahead of its landfall, with winds of at least 74 m.p.h.

At a news conference Sunday afternoon, Gov. Ron DeSantis said that Debby was following a path like Idalia’s last year, but with a key difference: lower winds and a lot more rain are expected. Other states in the Southeast could also see heavy rain in the coming days, including Georgia and the Carolinas.

”We’re going to see much more inundation,” Mr. DeSantis said.

Ahead of the storm, emergency officials in several counties were making preparations to warn residents in advance and to ensure that the most vulnerable ones would be protected.

Officials in Franklin County were making calls over the weekend to those residents, including people with special health needs who may require moving to a shelter, according to Jennifer Daniels, director of emergency management for the county.

“We do preach on a regular basis: A shelter is a place of last resort, because when you go to a shelter you are not going to be comfortable,” she said.

In Citrus County, Sheriff Mike Prendergast said there were about 20,000 residents in mandatory evacuation zones, but he expected many of them to stay put. While those who live in homes designed to withstand storm surge may be better prepared, Mr. Prendergast was concerned about those in more standard houses.

“Those will be the ones that we will be getting calls from later tonight to do high-water rescue,” he said.

Amy Winter, 56, and her husband were hit hard last year by Idalia, which damaged their home in Perry. After losing power for over week, the couple — who moved there just two years ago and are now trying to move again — made sure their generator was fueled and drained their pool ahead of Debby’s arrival.

“I’m a little frazzled,” Ms. Winter said. “We haven’t even finished fixing everything yet, and here we go again.”

Others along the storm’s path were making different kinds of preparations on Sunday.

In downtown Perry, a town of about 7,000 people, volunteers at the Taylor County Historical Society were working to protect old artifacts, newspapers, photographs and documents to preserve the region’s history.

J.T. Davis, vice president of the historical society, gathered photographs and put them in a concrete vault, where he also planned to store a mammoth hip bone and an early 20th-century medicine bag. Mr. Davis, 39, said he and other volunteers will cover everything with plastic before the storm hits. But he’s still concerned about flooding and rain leaking into the building, which was built in 1915 and still has water damage from Idalia.

“It’s terrifying every time we have a storm,” he said. “A lot of this is irreplaceable.”

But in other parts along Debby’s path, there were little signs of panic.

On Sunday morning, traffic was steady along South Jefferson Street in Perry, where several grocery stores and fast-food restaurants were operating business as usual. Some shoppers at a Walmart Supercenter said that after riding out Idalia, they were not too worried about Debby.

“I’m a little anxious about the rain that we’re going to be getting, but other than that I’m OK,” said Dorrie Sapone, a 54-year-old life insurance agent. Ms. Sapone and her partner filled up two five-gallon containers of water and bought about 12 cans of pasta.

Dawn Kosterlitz, a 54-year-old property manager living in Tarpon Springs, northwest of Tampa, appeared to be even less bothered by the storm.

Outside her waterfront home that juts out into the Gulf of Mexico, pounding rain was obscuring nearby islands and covering her deck. But instead of scrambling to make preparations, Ms. Kosterlitz set up a time-lapse camera on her deck and went out with her grandsons, hoping to add to her collection of storm photos and teach the boys a “healthy respect” for storms.

“I literally feel high as a kite when storms are approaching,” she said.

Joy McDonald, 28, and Jorge Velarde, 32, also live in a waterfront home in Tarpon Springs. The couple, both accountants, moved from the suburbs of Atlanta last year, and they were about to ride out their first hurricane as Florida residents.

They said they had no regrets about moving to hurricane territory.

“I will take the risks,” Ms. McDonald said. “If one day we lose everything, it will be worth it to me. We love to be on the water.”

On Cedar Key, the sky and the sea had turned the same shade of iridescent gray on Sunday. Palm trees swayed over the empty parking lot at the Park Place motel. Ms. Trapani and Ms. Matthews checked on the rooms that were reserved for a local news crew, which planned to ride out the storm, and left the members good luck notes.

Then they left the island.

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Extreme WeatherWeather Climate Capital Weather Gang Environment Climate Lab Hurricanes

Debby made landfall in Steinhatchee, in Florida’s Big Bend, on Monday as a Category 1 hurricane.

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Updated August 6, 2024 at 1:24 p.m. EDT|Published August 5, 2024 at 10:20 a.m. EDT

Debby is now a tropical storm that could produce historic rainfall across southeast Georgia, part of South Carolina and southeast North Carolina, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Heavy rain brought on by Tropical Storm Debby triggered severe flooding in parts of southwest Florida as the storm moved through the region.

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TARPON SPRINGS — Residents will get a chance to weigh in on whether they favor the state installing a viaduct to carry traffic along U.S. 19 over Tarpon Avenue in a nonbinding referendum next March.

At a recent meeting, representatives from Forward Pinellas and the Florida Department of Transportation provided the latest information on the final phase of its project to construct a series of viaducts along U.S. 19, with local exit ramps and frontage roads, designed to improve thru traffic along the federal highway in north county.

A viaduct is a long, elevated roadway that can be located above other civil works such as streets or natural features.

“It was a teaser, just supposed to be preliminary to further discussions, with us and also the residents,” Mayor Costa Vatikiotis said said of a recent meeting with the planners.

“Our responsibility is problem solving. The viaduct concept would certainly solve a lot of the problems on U.S. 19. In effect (U.S. 19 in north county) would go from six lanes that we have right now to 11 lanes. But there’s the downside too, with regard to access locally. That seemed to be the biggest issue,” the mayor said.

City officials for years have told state and county planners they didn’t support building an overpass at the intersection for fear it would impact commerce in the city’s two historic districts.

The mayor reminded commissioners a non-binding referendum question would determine whether residents support an elevated viaduct type concept for U.S. 19. “A proposed referendum would provide policy direction to the City Commission, Forward Pinellas, and FDOT concerning our residents’ preference,” he said.

“We have to get to a point where we can work with them,” the mayor told commissioners on May 28. “As a city, we need to be careful about instinctively blowing off FDOT’s overtures for improving U.S. 19 based on reactions from past efforts in this regard.”

The mayor explained between now and the election in March, the city’s Planning Department and Forward Pinellas would provide educational information concerning the viaduct concept at public forums, show the differences between it and a lower-walled overpass, provide information concerning potential economic impacts and what can be done to eliminate those impacts, and provide pre- and post-improvement crash statistics.

All information would be presented and made available publicly to educate the residents, property owners, and businesses, the mayor said.

Commissioner Michael Eisner said road safety is an issue. “I’m not saying it’s not going to hinder business, but do we sacrifice the amount of deaths that are on that road to not go and improve the roadway,” he said. “The way we have it right now, it’s a death trap.”

City Manager Mark LeCouris added, “it’s something that needs to be considered. I know, I’ve been around, I was around when the overpass was going to destroy Tarpon. But it really needs to be looked at, the figures and the deaths need to be looked at. Safety trumps all. So, if there is a way to do it, to increase the safety with elevated roads, or however it’s done, it’s something that needs to be thought of.”

Commissioners voted unanimously to hold a non-binding referendum to judge residents’ sentiments about a U.S. 19 overpass.

The city, Forward Pinellas and FDOT will conduct an educational campaign and hold community forums to address concerns of residents and business owners. Information will also be available on the city’s website and Facebook page.

BROOKSVILLE – The Hernando County Tax Collector offices will open at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 9.

• Main Office, Hernando County Government Center (Brooksville Courthouse), 20 N. Main St., Room 112, Brooksville

• Spring Hill Branch Office, Westside Government Center, 7489 Forest Oaks Blvd. Spring Hill

For online payments, visit hernando.county-taxes.com.

Residents can place their motor vehicle renewal or property tax payment in the drop box located next to the double-door hallway entrance at the Spring Hill Branch Office or at the bottom of the courthouse parking lot at the Main Office.

A Motor Vehicle Kiosk is inside the Seven Hills Publix off Mariner Boulevard and County Line Road (160 Mariner Blvd.) for the renewal of most DMV registrations. The registration and decal will print in minutes. For additional information, visit www.hernandotax.us.

HERNANDO COUNTY – As we’re picking up the pieces from the passage of Hurricane Debby, the government is gearing up to help those who need assistance in recovering from the storm.

Building Division offers emergency permitting

Emergency building permit forms are available on the Hernando County Government website by visiting www.HernandoCounty.us. Applications must be complete and notarized, if applicable. Submit completed applications for emergency permitting due to Hurricane Debby using the following email: emergencypermits@hernandocounty.us

On the website you will find the following information:

• Emergency Building Permit Application

• Electric Meter Request (Owner)

• Electric Meter Request (Contractor)

• Hernando County Storm Damage Guidelines

Damage reports collected

BROOKSVILLE -- Hernando County Emergency Management continues to monitor and inform about Hurricane Debby and the Hernando County Emergency Operations Center is actively collecting reports of damage to any properties within Hernando County. This assessment will help Hernando County in the documentation process and provide federal resources for our residents.

Residents can report storm damage at https://hernandocounty.jotform.com/242174517553962

Debris removal scheduled

Debris removal pickup for areas affected by Hurricane Debby begins Wednesday, Aug. 7, and will continue until debris removal has been completed. Areas included in debris removal pickup are between CR 550 (Cortez Boulevard) and Osowaw Boulevard., west of U.S. 19 (including private roads), and areas in the vicinity of B Street through Bethune Street in unincorporated Hernando County. Only storm-generated debris will be collected.

A debris hotline has been established. For residents with questions regarding the debris removal pickup, call 833-307-5580.

Tips for debris removal:

• Any appliances should be emptied before being placed at the curb for pick-up. Food waste can be disposed of with your regular household garbage.

• You may see multiple trucks on your street on the same day or trucks on different days, as each truck will be picking up a specific type of debris.

• Yard waste should be prepared separately and collected as Republic Services will pick up in accordance with their procedures, as Tropical Storm Debby did not generate large amounts of yard waste.

Residents may dispose of storm debris (residential, construction and demolition debris) on their own at the following locations:

West Hernando Convenience Center

2525 Osowaw Blvd., Spring Hill

ONLY ACCEPTED Wednesday, Aug. 7, through Saturday, Aug. 10

Northwest Solid Waste Facility (Main Landfill)

14450 Landfill Road., Brooksville

Always accepted during normal operating hours

Call Hernando County Solid Waste and Recycling at (352) 754-4112 for more information

Road work change

Contractors working for Hernando County will begin the milling and resurfacing work on Philatelic Drive from Deltona to Harrow Road, and Andy Pella Drive from Forest Oaks Blvd. to Philatelic Drive beginning Aug 12. This work is expected to take two weeks to complete, weather permitting. Roads will remain open; however, delays are expected.

Hurricane Debby caused the delay in the start of work

TARPON SPRINGS — American Craft Endeavors will host the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks Art & Craft Festival, taking place Saturday and Sunday, July 13-14, on Dodecanese Boulevard in Tarpon Springs.

Hours will be Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. For information, visit www.artfestival.com.

The festival will feature handmade fine craftwork and original art, created in the United States. More than 40 exhibitors will be on hand presenting their distinctive wares.

The outdoor art and craft festival offers a chance for residents to peruse and shop for practical and whimsical works of quality, handmade art while enjoying the beautiful Florida weather. Pets on leashes are welcome to join their human companions as they stroll through the festival, which includes a full green market of live plants, hand-made soaps, delicious edibles and more. Adding to the pleasure of the outing, patrons can meet the artisans behind the works and discover the techniques and inspirations behind each creation. Presented by the Tarpon Springs Merchants Association, the annual festival helps support both the arts and the local economy.

Among the vendors scheduled to take part in this year’s festival is Tampa mixed-media artist Sharri Johnson.

Johnson’s career started in 2021 when a delivery delay for a work of art she had purchased led to her decision to create her own poured paint pieces. Originally, she created only for family and friends who continued to encourage her to sell her work to others. A discovery of round canvas inspired her to envision painted clocks and soon she had found her niche. Each clock is an original work of art that starts with a decal which is used to pair with the paint colors. Following a 24-hour drying process, the epoxy resin is applied in two parts before the 12-hour curing. Finally, Johnson drills a hole in the canvas and installs the clock mechanism for a fully functional work of original art.

Dunedin artist Mark Eliason has been pursuing the expression of creativity through his art since 2017.

“In the past few years, I have found myself experimenting with various styles and mediums,” Eliason said in his artist’s statement. “My 2017 self-artistic renaissance started out with hyper-realistic graphite on paper drawings, oil and acrylic paintings, and eventually progressed into mixed media and collage. My most recent work has been concentrated mainly on a series of pop surrealistic collages.”

According to the artist, these collages take anywhere from 120 to 175 hours to complete.

“They are painstakingly made from thousands of small, recycled magazine images, that are glued to a plywood substrate,” he said. “The magazine scraps are basically (pigments) that I use to tell my visual story.”

Visiting craft artisans Kim and Michael Yerkey love to ask, “Is it art, or is it a 42” game table?” when patrons visit their booth. Their answer is “Both!”

An avid fan of mahjong, Kim realized the tables never had enough room. Both she and her husband loved doing DIY projects around the house and quickly built a table to her exact specifications. The only problem left was in the appearance. Kim’s artistic eye had long been skilled at turning old appliances, fixtures, bare walls and furniture into functional masterpieces.

More than adept with her wood burning tool, Kim burned an ornate dragon in the center, then finished with a flourished border before glossing her custom table. Every player wanted their own and this led to the Yerkeys’ new business as custom game-table creators.

“We use a 42" X 42" piece of birch, hand burn the design, stain and finish with polyurethane to create beautiful hanging art that doubles as a spacious, easily managed game table weighing only 16 pounds,” Kim explains. “We offer our own, hand-crafted, easy-to-install hanging French cleat hardware as well as our hand-made, innovative, removable folding leg system. We hear the same words at every show: We've never seen anything like this!”

Victoria Behm creates original home décor using resin poured on wood with a thick laquear finish. Under her Resin Reflections brand, she designs her own line of host/hostess items such as charcuterie boards, cocktail glasses, trays, cutting boards, trivets and more. She has spent years as an artist working with watercolors and pencils, and enjoys creating new designs with her functional art.

Winter Park resident Scott Burford has been cultivating plumeria for over 30 years.

According to American Craft Endeavors, he and his family have groves in Hawaii with over 32,000 followers on his site. Out of the 18 different varieties of plumeria, he offers the most fragrant from his groves in the green market. A chance friendship with Hawaii’s largest lei grower led to the cultivation of his family business.

Originally from Columbus, Georgia, Burford moved to Winter Park in the early ’80s. There, he met his future wife, Janette. After the couple got married, they launched Just Plumerias. They stayed busy touring craft festivals and helping their clients with expert advice on growing and maintaining beautiful and fragrant tropical trees.

Burford is one of a dozen exhibitors within the green market of the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks Art & Craft Festival.

About American Craft Endeavors

American Craft Endeavors produces juried craft shows in many of Florida’s vibrant downtown areas and popular tourist destinations including the Downtown Dunedin Art and Craft Festivals, the Siesta Key Craft Festival in Sarasota, and the Downtown Venice Art Festival and Craft shows in Venice. All crafters are hand-selected from hundreds of applicants in order to ensure a superior event featuring diverse art media and the highest quality of original handmade crafts.

For additional information, visit www.artfestival.com or call 561-746-6615.

TAMPA — Mexicana break-out star Ivan Cornejo will perform on Friday, Aug. 16, 8 p.m., at the Yuengling Center, 12499 USF Bull Run Drive, Tampa.

Tickets start at $38.24. Visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Cornejo is on the road for his “Mirada Tour” in support of his new album, “Mirada,” released in July.

"My new album represents an exciting evolution and growth of my musical journey," Cornejo said. "Each track has a blend of my signature style but with a fresh sound that pushes the boundaries of my art."

Cornejo recently co-headlined the Sueos Festival in Chicago. He also performed at Milwaukee Summerfest and Quebec City's Festival d'ete.

Earlier this year, Cornejo performed a record-breaking show in front of 72,000 people at a sold-out Rodeo Houston stadium show. The experience was daunting for the introspective then 19-year-old artist who only a couple of years ago was busy on TikTok, posting his confessional songs about having his heart broken in middle school. But the power of his own music — and a devoted fan base — carried him along during the biggest show of his career so far.

"That was the most shaky I've ever been during a show," Cornejo said. "It was a great feeling, but I could also hear my heart pounding."

Cornejo’s dreamy music — a combination of sad sierreo roots and hazy, alternative-rock vibes — resonates with young listeners who identify with his bicultural sensibility, quiet demeanor and the need to let the songs speak for themselves. With over 1.6 billion combined streams, he is currently a leading musica mexicana artist in the United States, and Top 10 in the overall Latin market.

“Fable”

Aug. 9-Sept. 8

freeFall Theatre, St. Petersburg.

freefalltheatre.com

“Title of Show”

Aug. 9-18

Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo.

LargoArts.com

Laura Reed & Kristopher James

Friday, Aug. 9, 8 p.m.

The Palladium, St. Petersburg.

mypalladium.org

Bolts Brew Fest

Friday, Aug. 9, 8 p.m.

Amalie Arena, Tampa.

www.ticketmaster.com

Drew Afualo Loud Book Tour

Saturday, Aug. 10, 8 p.m.

Capitol Theatre, Clearwater.

www.rutheckerdhall.com

Slash S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival

Saturday, Aug. 10, 6:30 p.m.

The BayCare Sound, Clearwater.

www.rutheckerdhall.com

Tamayo

Saturday, Aug. 10, 8 p.m.

Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin.

dunedinbrewery.com

Freestyle Explosion

Saturday, Aug. 10, 7:30 p.m.

Amalie Arena, Tampa.

www.ticketmaster.com

Joe Bartnick

Saturday, Aug. 10, 6 p.m.

Side Splitters, Tampa.

www.sidesplitterscomedy.com

BK Jackson’s Party in the Bay Concert

Saturday, Aug. 10, 8 p.m.

The Straz Center, Tampa.

strazcenter.org

Classic Albums Live: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

Sunday, Aug. 11, 7 p.m.

The BayCare Sound, Clearwater.

www.rutheckerdhall.com

Old Gods of Appalachia

Sunday, Aug. 11, 8 p.m.

Capitol Theatre, Clearwater.

www.rutheckerdhall.com

Weekend Nachos

Sunday, Aug. 11, 6 p.m.

The Orpheum, Tampa.

www.theorpheum.com

Leah Rudick

Sunday, Aug. 11, 5 p.m.

Side Splitters, Tampa.

www.sidesplitterscomedy.com

$uicideboy$

Sunday, Aug. 11, 7 p.m.

Amalie Arena, Tampa.

www.ticketmaster.com

“Pygmalion”

Through Aug. 11

Carrollwood Players Theatre, Tampa.

visit carrollwoodplayers.org

ENVIRONMENT

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — Tarpon Springs city leaders want to extend the time for the special exclusion zone in Spring Bayou by more than 2 months because manatees have been staying in the city longer.

What You Need To Know

“They are here longer and longer every year,” said Mayor Costa Vatikiotis, 75. “We want to extend our time where we prohibit boats coming into the areas that they frequent.”

Currently, the special exclusion zone in Spring Bayou prohibits motorized or self-propelled vessels from Nov. 15 to March 31. Mayor Costa Vatikiotis said he wants it updated to Nov. 1 through June 1.

“We’re trying to make it as friendly as we can for the manatees,” he said. “I would say that we have probably between a half dozen to a dozen manatee at any one time.”

Vatikiotis said he recently got a letter from a local environmentalist encouraging the city to further protect manatees which have been a large tourist draw. The mayor noted Spring Bayou is listed as one of the best springs in Florida to see manatees.

“This is a special resident for us,” he said. “We’ve had manatees that have given birth in the bayou and you see a lot of thrashing going on.”

Vatikiotis grew up one block away from Spring Bayou and said when he was a child there were no manatees.

Watercraft-related collisions with manatees have been the leading cause of unnatural deaths, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Researchers found one out of every four adult carcasses bore evidence of 10 or more watercraft strikes, according to the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. It appears exceedingly rare for an adult manatee not to be struck multiple times in its life with only 4% devoid of scars.

At the June 4 commission meeting, residents spoke out publicly in favor of protecting manatees. Some wanted to go even further, suggesting the use of drones to monitor waterways and banning snag hook fishing when manatees are present.

Commissioner Michael Eisner proposed putting up signs requiring boats entering Spring Bayou to have a propeller cover which he said could protect manatees all year. Vatikiotis said he wants to provide manatees with a peaceful habitat.

“The danger of the propeller to the manatees is one thing,” he said. “The noise and the fuss and the agitation of the water and not finding a peaceful corner to sit in the bayou would be another thing if boats were allowed into the bayou.”

The commissioners voted unanimously to authorize the city manager to work with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to try to secure the extended period of protection for the manatees.

Due to property rights, waterfront homeowners with boats would be excluded from the new rules, according to the mayor. The city has also applied for a grant that would pay for manatee educational signs.