March 1- 7, 2019

Page 1

GOOFY STUFF: IN PLAIN SIGHT PART 2 OF 3 — page 19

THE

Hernando Sun

March 1- 7, 2019 Volume V, Issue IX

Y O U R

W E E K LY

L O C A L

N E W S PA P E R -

I N F O R M AT I O N

FREE PROM DRESS GIVEAWAY

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Governor Ron DeSantis, Hernando Sheriff Al Nienhuis and Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco held a joint press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 26, 2019. The topic addressed was public safety in relation to crimes committed in our state by illegal immigrants. A

Article by ALICE MARY HERDEN

HERNANDO SUN WRITER

A female bald eagle was struck by a car while foraging on road kill in Brooksville on Jan. 24, 2019. This story is not only about her path to recovery, but a look at those who help save, treat and rehabilitate sick, injured or orphaned wildlife. After the eagle was hit, she was brought to Owl’s Nest Sanctuary in Odessa, FL. “This is our fifth eagle already for the year,” said Kris Porter, a state and federally permitted wildlife rehabilitator and founder of Owl’s Nest Sanctuary. “She is doing fine, she had a little blood in the eye from the impact, and she’s got a hematoma on the elbow, but in reality she is good, just bruising and nothing broken,” Porter added. Porter was able to determine that this particular eagle had been attending eggs in her nest as this is the breeding season for bald eagles and she had developed a brood patch. In the bald eagle species, both parents develop an incubation (brood) patch because they share the incubation duties. The incubation patch begins to form on the breast or abdomen shortly before the female lays her eggs. Hormonal changes cause the feathers, that cover that area, to fall out. That leaves a wrinkled patch of bare skin that blood vessels fill with warm blood. When we see the female or male “wiggle” as they settle upon the eggs, they A female bald eagle that was hit by a car in Brooksville on Jan. 24, 2019. Photo courtesy of Kris Porter, a wildlife rehabilitator. are spreading the bare patch over

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KY Colonel Honoree

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See RECOVERY, Page 13

A new look for Weeki Wachee Springs by ALICE MARY HERDEN HERNANDO SUN WRITER

The Mermaid Theatre is currently going through a redesign as part of the ongoing upgrade of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park.

2019 you could...

BE A WINNER.

COLORFUL CHARACTERS

Gov. DeSantis at Tues. Feb. 26, 2019 Press Conference. Photo courtesy of the Governor’s Press Office.

From rescue to recovery BROOKSVILLE CUBS ‘SCOUTING’ FOR FOOD

hernandosun.com

James T. Walker ‘Never did the expected’

number of state, county and local elected officials were in attendance. Sheriff Nienhuis discussed a program the Hernando County Sheriff’s office has implemented that will make it easier for local authorities to detain and investigate persons arrested for a crime who may be in the country illegally. This 287(g) program See ICE Page 2

75¢

D R I V E N .

Gov. DeSantis in Brooksville, to show support for ICE program By Sarah Nachin Hernando Sun Reporter

Suggested Retail

Renovations and upgrades at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, caused the closure of park in early February. Three main attractions are in the process of renovations: the Mermaid Show, Wildlife Show and the River Boat Tours. The renovations and upgrades are intended to provide additional safety for both visitors and staff. “We want to make sure we can provide the safest journey for our guests to get from one place to another,” said John Athanason Marketing & PR Manager for Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. Athanason has been working at the park for 17 years.

The wooden bridge, also under construction, is the first stop for many visitors who enter the park. They glance over the rail to see the beautiful koi fish and turtles swimming in the pond. The popular Weeki Wachee peacocks graze alongside. During the renovation process, The Mermaid Theatre interior was completely gutted and the seating is being refurbished. An important factor in the renovation process is managing to upgrade while not losing that nostalgic feel many visitors look forward to. Since the Mermaid Theatre is historic, there are no significant architectural changes being made. A recent roofing restoration project (2015) removed

ANNOUNCING

THE

Hernando Sun READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

See PARK, Page 20

James T. Walker BY JESSICA WILLIAMS HERNANDO SUN WRITER

For about 30 years, a mystical little fairy-tale house stood in the midst of a forest, right here in Hernando County. Some have even referred to its similarity to Christopher Robin’s Hundred Acre Woods, enticed with a magical child-like feeling. It’s vaulted ceilings once pointed directly to the warm sunlight, encompassed with floorto-ceiling windows, portraying a castle-like picturesque image for many admirers, especially young children. The magical little house, was even painted the same hue of blue as Cinderella’s ballroom gown. The Victorian-style tree-house was built by the well-known aviator and industrialist, James Talmage ‘Tokey’ Walker in the mid 1980s, at 17346 Powell Rd, Brooksville, Florida, just north of the Hernando County airport. The property was also home to the M.I. Nursery. As the story is told, Walker was born in 1911, and spent his childhood and teenage years enthralled with airplanes. Thousands of hours spent on building and modeling airplanes, he flew his own plane See WALKER, Page 14

INDEX LOCAL & STATE 2 OUT & ABOUT 7 SPORTS 11 BUSINESS & COMMUNITY 13 FUNNIES 18 OPINION 19

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