SP R I NG F O O T B A L L RE C A P S — P a g e 10
THE
May 25- 31, 2018
Volume IV, Issue VIII
Hernando Sun Y O U R
Warm Potato Salad: Great for Memorial Day
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In Sports
Leopards Football Coach Bill Vonada steps down
L O C A L
FROM OUR TABLE
MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY Florida National Cemetery
W E E K LY
hernandosun.com
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ast year, we saw 17 named storms and 10 hurricanes, six of which were major, including Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. Harvey, Irma, and Maria impacted the U.S. mainland and territories and caused billions of dollars of damage. And forecasters are predicting another active season for 2018. According to a Colorado State University study, its initial prediction for the upcoming season is 14 named storms and seven hurricanes, three of which will be major. Considering the odds — and the sheer magnitude and frequency of storms in recent years—are we ready? Have we in the Tampa Bay area just been lucky or is the Florida Adventure Coast next on the hit list? The Atlantic hurricane season begins in just a few days and runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, with the peak occurring between mid-August and late October. Are you prepared?
2018 Storm Names
BY ANDY VILLAMARZO HERNANDO SUN WRITER
See page 7 for helpful tips on what you can do to before the storm comes
R u o e Y a d e r y? A
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Local goverment boards convene to discuss school hardening
The storms of 2017 left a path of destruction across Florida. Now is the time to prepare for 2018 hurricane season which starts soon.
Alberto Beryl Chris Debby Ernesto Florence Gordon Helene Isaac Joyce Kirk Leslie Michael Nadine Oscar Patty Rafael Sara Tony Valerie William
BROOKSVILLE — In what was somewhat of a shocker, Bill Vonada has stepped down as Hernando’s head football coach early last week and penned a letter of resignation. Below is the letter of resignation obtained by the Hernando Sun from Vonada to the school, as he points out that the ever growing demands of coaching high school football are being met with dwindling resources. "I have recently realized that I am either too old or too young to just play games when it comes to coaching. In other words, high school athletics for me is not just about passing time or doing something for amusement. There are two parts to this thought process: • If we are keeping score, we are playing to win. • It has to be about something more than the score and trophy. Coaching for me has usually included something more: Core values and priorities. I have found that this has made me a better person, as it has caused me to continually examine and improve my own core values and priorities, so that I might be a more effective coach and teacher. In the realm of high school football, both the need and the cost of winning has never been higher:
75¢
N E W S PA P E R
SPRING FLING AT THE ARC OF THE NATURE COAST
8
Suggested Retail
By LISA MACNEIL STAFF WRITER
On Monday, May 21, 2018, the Hernando County School Board met with the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) and Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis. The special Interlocal Governmental Meeting’s purpose was to bring the two boards together with the primary focus of finding funds to comply with new school security mandates, which are described in Senate Bill (SB) 7026. The school district estimates the cost of compliance to begin at $22-million, and a state grant up to $720,375 is available to the county. SB 7026, also cited as the “Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act” is new legislation that raises the age to legally buy a firearm to 21 after a three day waiting period, and bans gun modifications called “bump stocks.” The act also gives police more authority to seize weapons, and allows qualified staff to carry firearms on school grounds. Following Governor Rick Scott’s signature of the bill on March 9, 2018, the Office of Safe Schools was created to address the top three issues pertaining to school shootings; student mental health, physical hardening of school structures and changes to security practices within. State Representative Blaise Ingoglia was also in attendance, and spoke about particular facets of school funding. Ingoglia commended both boards on assembling the Interlocal Meeting, and recommended future meetings annually or semi-annually. He went on to say that he voted against SB 7026 “for a myriad of reasons,” citing primarily his concerns See SECURITY Page 4
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Runners not afraid to get dirty BY JULIE B. MAGLIO STAFF WRITER PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALICE MARY HERDEN
See VONADA, Page 11
Just under 1000 athletes descended on Wildlife Lane in Brooksville last weekend to participate in the Mud Endeavor 10 5K race. Runners mostly came from central Florida, but some travelled from as far away as Georgia, to experience the Brooksville mud run which takes advantage of the area’s unique terrain and the property’s access to water- essential for any respectable mud run. This location is where it all started for Randy Yoho, race organizer and business owner. In 2012 Mud Endeavor held its first mud run at this location, which was once an old dirt mine. The entire course is visible for spectators to witness all the mud running action. Yoho explained, “Every course is different every time. We always add new obstacles and delete others and this particular run, we actually ran backwards from the way we have run it in the past.” Obstacles included See MUD, Page 20
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Just under 1000 particpants join in the return of Mud Endeavor for a 5k obstacle course in Brooksville, Florida. Photo by Alice Mary Herden
INDEX LOCAL & STATE 2 OUT & ABOUT 6 | SPORTS 11 BUSINESS & COMMUNITY 13 FUNNIES 18 | OPINION 19
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