HNS REPORTS---SEPTEMBER 28, 2009
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ONE RESIDENCE, ONE DAY, TWO FIRE CALLS
Hernando County firefighters were called out twice on Saturday to extinguish flames at a double-wide mobile home at 24480 Dan Brown Hill Road. According to a sheriff's office report the first call came in at about 4:30 Saturday afternoon when a resident at the address called about seeing smoke coming from the structure. The report says the fire was believed to be out, and a district chief reported that the fire appeared to be accidental and originated in the home's kitchen. Less than four hours later, the report says firefighters were called back to the scene when flames were observed coming through the roof. Hernando Assistant Chief Frank DiFrancesco says it appears that the first fire crew did not knock down enough of the ceiling to find all of the blaze, and that it re-kindled in the attic of the mobile home. He said manufactured and modular homes can be very difficult to handle when it comes to making sure there is no remaining fire. Damage was estimated at $60,000 to the structure and $10,000 to contents.
BUSY WEEKEND FOR LOCAL FIREFIGHTERS
Another fire on Saturday destroyed what was described as an old cracker home at Bayport. The residence was a total loss, according to a sheriff's report. The owner arrived later and told fire investigators that he had not been at the residence for a month but that family members sometimes stayed at the home in the area of Driftwood Drive and Bayou Drive. Cause of the blaze remained under investigation.
The fire Friday evening in the 3300 block of Irondale Avenue in Spring Hill has been classified as apparently accidental. Authorities said 75% of the house, which was used as an assisted living facility, was destroyed. A homeowner reported she found a bed on fire and tried to extinguish it before smoke forced her out of the room, and she evacuated the other occupants and called in Spring Hill firefighters.
SPRING HILL TEEN CHARGED IN SEX ASSAULT ON GIRL UNDER 12
A 14-year old Spring Hill boy has been charged with sexual battery in connection with an alleged assault on a girl under 12 years of age. An arrest affidavit says the teenager was at a friend's house Friday when he reportedly took the victim into a bedroom, removed her pants and had intercourse with her. The victim's mother reportedly found the pair together and contacted the sheriff's office. The affidavit says the teen admitted the intercourse in a recorded interview and was then placed under arrest and transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center in Ocala.
MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT ARRESTED FOR OXYCODONE
A twelve year old Powell Middle School student was charged with possession of Oxycodone Friday after several students said they saw the girl give another student a matchbox in exchange for five dollars. A sheriff's reports says the student who got the matchbox claimed he didn't know what was in it and put it back in the girl's backpack. A school resource officer interviewed the girl, found the matchbox, and according to the report confirmed that the pills in the matchbox were Oxycodone, The suspect claimed the pills came from a parent's prescribed medication. She was released to her parent after processing at the Hernando County Jail.
ACTIVIST SEEKS INVESTIGATION OF FUGITIVE'S DROWNING
Spring Hill's resident socialist, Brian Moore, is on another crusade. Moore has written a letter to Hernando Sheriff Richard Nugent and Pasco Sheriff Bob White calling for internal affairs or independent citizens' investigations of the death of a fugitive who drowned on Hunter's Lake two weeks ago as deputies from both counties prepared to arrest him. The suspect, James "Little Man" Rayford, who was described as one of Pasco's most wanted criminals, tried to get away from the deputies by paddling a canoe toward an island in the lake. According to accounts from law enforcement, Rayford fell from the small craft and drowned. Moore says he's talked to witnesses who claim that a sheriff's helicopter was operated "in a menacing manner," hovering very low over the boat with the fugitive in it, causing the boat "to flip up in the air" and overturn, throwing Rayford out of the boat and into the water. Moore said the witnesses told him that the helicopter continued to fly low as the fugitive surfaced twice before disappearing into the water. The witnesses, according to Moore's account, are refusing to confirm the reports to media representatives because of "family and spousal pressure and fear of retaliation by the sheriffs' departments." Hernando News Source has not yet received a response to a request for comment directed to the Hernando County Sheriff's office.
[CLARIFICATION: A prior version of this story referred to Rayford's crimnal record but did not properly note that it was based on statements from Rayford's family. In fact, the fugitive had an arrest record that included armed burglary, grand theft and sale and possession of drugs, and he reportedly made a habit of escaping or evading capture. Rayford's conviction record was not immediately available.]
HERNANDO BEACH DREDGE: BETTER LATE THAN NEVER?
If all went according to schedule this weekend, dredging for rock in the Hernando Beach channel should be underway this week. If it happens, it will be the first concrete signal that the long-awaited dredge project is becoming a reality. County officials said last week they expected the dredging barge to be on station this weekend and ready to go to work. The rock is to be placed on spoil islands along the channel, while another barge will be brought in later to dredge sand and pipe it to the former wastewater treatment plant site on Shoal Line Boulevard.
NEW WATER AND SEWER RATES COMING THIS WEEK
Thursday is the first day of October, and in addition to the new local government budget year, the date also marks a new rate schedule for Hernando County water and sewer customers. The County Board approved the new rates at the beginning of the summer. While low water consumers willl see initial decreases in rates, the new rate blocks will hit the bigger consumers harder. And over the five year implementation schedule for the rates, almost everyone will see some increase in rates. Utilities staff say the new rate blocks are needed to encourage water conservation and to help finance a series of major projects to upgrade water and sewer delivery infrastructure throughout the county.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT MEETINGS THIS WEEK
The Hernando County Metropolitan Planning Organization has scheduled public hearings for Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. on the 2010 - 2019 Transit Development Plan Major Update; Adoption of a five year Transportation Improvement Program Proposed Priority Program of Projects; Amendment of the Program to Remove Non-Eligible Projects from the federal Stimulus Projects List; and Approval of Budget Transfers. Also on the agenda are the Joint Participation Agreements for Funding, and Appointment of a Member to the Transportation Disadvantaged Local Coordinating Board.
The MPO's regular meeting will be followed by a public workshop on the 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan. Tuesday's MPO session is in the Commission chambers at the Government Center in Brooksville.
The Hernando County Tourist Development Council will meet Tuesday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. at the Quality Inn & Suites (formerly Best Western), I-75 and Cortez Blvd., in Ridge Manor West.
The South Brooksville Community Iniatives Team meets Thursday evening at 5:30 at Brooksville City Hall. The CIT is reviewing major redevelopment projects for the areas in the city and county on the city's south side, including drainage improvements and economic revitalization.
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ONE RESIDENCE, ONE DAY, TWO FIRE CALLS
Hernando County firefighters were called out twice on Saturday to extinguish flames at a double-wide mobile home at 24480 Dan Brown Hill Road. According to a sheriff's office report the first call came in at about 4:30 Saturday afternoon when a resident at the address called about seeing smoke coming from the structure. The report says the fire was believed to be out, and a district chief reported that the fire appeared to be accidental and originated in the home's kitchen. Less than four hours later, the report says firefighters were called back to the scene when flames were observed coming through the roof. Hernando Assistant Chief Frank DiFrancesco says it appears that the first fire crew did not knock down enough of the ceiling to find all of the blaze, and that it re-kindled in the attic of the mobile home. He said manufactured and modular homes can be very difficult to handle when it comes to making sure there is no remaining fire. Damage was estimated at $60,000 to the structure and $10,000 to contents.
BUSY WEEKEND FOR LOCAL FIREFIGHTERS
Another fire on Saturday destroyed what was described as an old cracker home at Bayport. The residence was a total loss, according to a sheriff's report. The owner arrived later and told fire investigators that he had not been at the residence for a month but that family members sometimes stayed at the home in the area of Driftwood Drive and Bayou Drive. Cause of the blaze remained under investigation.
The fire Friday evening in the 3300 block of Irondale Avenue in Spring Hill has been classified as apparently accidental. Authorities said 75% of the house, which was used as an assisted living facility, was destroyed. A homeowner reported she found a bed on fire and tried to extinguish it before smoke forced her out of the room, and she evacuated the other occupants and called in Spring Hill firefighters.
SPRING HILL TEEN CHARGED IN SEX ASSAULT ON GIRL UNDER 12
A 14-year old Spring Hill boy has been charged with sexual battery in connection with an alleged assault on a girl under 12 years of age. An arrest affidavit says the teenager was at a friend's house Friday when he reportedly took the victim into a bedroom, removed her pants and had intercourse with her. The victim's mother reportedly found the pair together and contacted the sheriff's office. The affidavit says the teen admitted the intercourse in a recorded interview and was then placed under arrest and transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center in Ocala.
MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT ARRESTED FOR OXYCODONE
A twelve year old Powell Middle School student was charged with possession of Oxycodone Friday after several students said they saw the girl give another student a matchbox in exchange for five dollars. A sheriff's reports says the student who got the matchbox claimed he didn't know what was in it and put it back in the girl's backpack. A school resource officer interviewed the girl, found the matchbox, and according to the report confirmed that the pills in the matchbox were Oxycodone, The suspect claimed the pills came from a parent's prescribed medication. She was released to her parent after processing at the Hernando County Jail.
ACTIVIST SEEKS INVESTIGATION OF FUGITIVE'S DROWNING
[CLARIFICATION: A prior version of this story referred to Rayford's crimnal record but did not properly note that it was based on statements from Rayford's family. In fact, the fugitive had an arrest record that included armed burglary, grand theft and sale and possession of drugs, and he reportedly made a habit of escaping or evading capture. Rayford's conviction record was not immediately available.]
HERNANDO BEACH DREDGE: BETTER LATE THAN NEVER?
NEW WATER AND SEWER RATES COMING THIS WEEK
LOCAL GOVERNMENT MEETINGS THIS WEEK
The MPO's regular meeting will be followed by a public workshop on the 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan. Tuesday's MPO session is in the Commission chambers at the Government Center in Brooksville.
The Hernando County Tourist Development Council will meet Tuesday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. at the Quality Inn & Suites (formerly Best Western), I-75 and Cortez Blvd., in Ridge Manor West.
The South Brooksville Community Iniatives Team meets Thursday evening at 5:30 at Brooksville City Hall. The CIT is reviewing major redevelopment projects for the areas in the city and county on the city's south side, including drainage improvements and economic revitalization.
You keep scooping HT.I still say something "fishy" happened at Hunter's lake. If residents/witnesses say the HCSO chopper was moving in close on an unidentified man in the water "in a menacing manner"...and then he drowned,there would have been an internal investigation just about anywhere else.Not in Hernando County. Professional? What's so professional about this sort of behavior? Easy to remind your readers that Moore is a "socialist" thereby reducing his credibility as a reliable source of information and downgrading the importance of the request for an investigation,eh? Where do the majority of the good people of HC stand on this issue? What do their consciences demand? If petty thefts were all this man was guilty of,he most certainly did not deserve to die. If protocol was not followed in this arrest,resulting in the death of this man,an investigation is certainly warranted. Yet,I'm sure,men and women with hardened hearts and consciences continue to pat each other on their backs regarding their day of "heroics' on Hunter's lake.What a match! An assumably unarmed man in a kayak versus an airborne chopper!
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