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  • Champion Calls for Transparency while Others Aren't So Sure

    Tom Lemons|Updated Sep 6, 2024

    BROOKSVILLE – During a Hernando Board of County Commissioners meeting today, Commissioner Steve Champion called for the board to research and develop options for the Sheriff's Office to purchase and maintain body worn cameras (BWCs). The issue of BWCs doesn't go over well with Sheriff Al Nienhuis, as he vehemently opposes their use in Hernando County. Nienhuis has offered various excuse over the years, from cost to purchase them to privacy concerns. When confronted with the i...

  • LOCATED SAFE - Missing Woman Could be in Hernando County, Family Fears the Worst

    Tom Lemons|Updated Jul 29, 2024

    UPDATE: Rachel Schwartz has been located and is safe. There are no further details at this time. FLORIDA – A search is underway for woman who hasn't been in contact with family since leaving her ex-boyfriend's home in Wimauma, Florida, last month. 33-year-old Rachel Schwartz was last seen on January 31st, when family says she left her ex's home on Carloway Hills Drive in Wimauma. R News spoke with Schwartz' sister and brother-in-law, Elizabeth and Ben Schrupp, who voiced conce...

  • Man Dies After Being Stabbed, Not the Suspect's First Stabbing

    Tom Lemons|Updated Nov 1, 2023

    UPDATE: According to jail records, 36-year-old Regina Cassie Ritter was booked into the Hernando County Jail on Saturday but was only held on a contempt of court charge. Last night, R News learned that the charge of manslaughter was added, and she was given a bond of $30,000. SPRING HILL – The victim in yesterday's stabbing on Commercial Way has died and a suspect is in custody, say officials. The incident took place around 4:00 p.m. yesterday behind 5060 Commercial Way, t...

  • Fox Chapel Parents Kept in the Dark over Alleged Threat Against Students

    Tom Lemons|Updated Aug 21, 2023

    SPRING HILL – Nashville Police say 28-year-old Audrey Hale plotted the attack on Covenant School for several months before carrying out the mass murder on March 27th. Three 9-year-old students and three adults died at the hands of Hale, who police say may have held resentment for being forced to attend the Christian school. When school shootings occur, law enforcement and school officials become more vigilant in preventing possible copycat incidents, but where do you draw the...

  • Teenage Girl's Murder May Have Been a "Hit" to Prevent Her From Testifying in Court

    Tom Lemons, February 6, 2023|Updated Jun 19, 2023

    BROOKSVILLE – A teenage girl's life was cut short after a double shooting late Tuesday, and sources tell R News that the killing was not random, but that she may have been intentionally targeted. Hernando County Sheriff's Deputies responded to 707 Hazel Ave around 11:30 Tuesday night, after receiving a 911 call from someone inside the home, claiming that she and her daughter had been shot. CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO/AUDIO Upon arrival, deputies located a 57-year-old woman and 1...

  • Teacher Removed from Student Contact - Officials Can't Figure Out Who to Blame

    Tom Lemons|Updated Jun 9, 2023

    SPRING HILL – On the heels of the Fox Chapel Middle School fiasco, School and Law Enforcement officials have done everything they can to pass the buck and shirk responsibility for how the situation was handled. From the moment R News broke the story on the Adventure Coast Journal Facebook page, parents demanded answers as to why a teacher who made threats towards children was not removed, why they weren't immediately notified, and why officials waited two weeks to release s...

  • Parents Outraged Over Teacher's Alleged "Threatening" Comments Made About Students

    Tom Lemons|Updated Jun 9, 2023

    SPRING HILL – Two weeks after alleged threatening comments were made by a Fox Chapel Middle School teacher Ashlee Belle Renczkowski, Principal Carmine Rufa sent a voice text message to parents, advising them of the incident and subsequent investigation. R News learned of the disturbing allegations one day before publishing the details on April 7th, and that didn't sit well with parents. Making things worse, the Hernando County School District (HCSD) attempted to conceal the i...

  • Firearms Seized at Teacher's Home During Threat Investigation, Parents Furious with Officials for Coverup

    Tom Lemons|Updated Jun 9, 2023

    SPRING HILL – On April 7th, R News broke the news of an incident that occurred at Fox Chapel Middle School on March 24th, involving a teacher who made homicidal and suicidal threats. Sources at the time told R News that Ashlee Belle Renczkowski, a transgender biological male teacher, told a fellow staff member that she wanted to shoot her students and then herself. R News immediately contacted the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, who refused to respond to our numerous r...

  • Superintendent Announces Desire to Leave Hernando County

    Tom Lemons|Updated Jun 9, 2023

    BROOKSVILLE – Big changes coming to the Hernando County School District, after school officials announced today that Superintendent John Stratton will be seeking employment elsewhere. According to a statement by school officials, Stratton will be applying for the position of Superintendent in Brevard County, but will remain with the district during the selection process "I truly love serving the students, staff and community here in Hernando County, where I have spent the p...

  • Parent Praises Quick Response by Hernando County Sheriff's Deputies

    Tom Lemons|Updated Jun 9, 2023

    SPRING HILL – On the one-week anniversary of the mass shooting that took place at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, a local elementary school was placed on lockdown, for what some thought might be another tragedy in the making. Around 3:00 p.m. this afternoon, an observant parent waiting to pick up her children from Spring Hill Elementary noticed a woman standing in her front holding what she believed to be a shotgun. The parent then witnessed the woman load two s...

  • Inmate's Death Remains a Mystery, Shows Possible Signs of EXDS Phenomenon

    Tom Lemons|Updated Jun 9, 2023

    LEESBURG – It's been nearly a year since 50-year-old Timothy Lee Peters become unresponsive inside the Hernando County Jail, and then later died at a nearby hospital. The community wanted answers, but the Hernando County Sheriff's Office did not provide much of an explanation, at least not to local media. Peters was booked into the detention center on April 13, 2022, on several counts of battery on LEO or Firefighter, Resisting Arrest, Trespassing, and Assault on LEO. P...

  • Homicide Investigation Underway in Spring Hill

    Tom Lemons|Updated Jun 9, 2023

    UPDATE: Officials have now released new details into the arrest of the victim's grandson, 24-year-old Kristopher Charles Amore. On 03-26-23 at approximately 4:30 p.m., Hernando County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a residence on Casa Grande Circle in Spring Hill (Seven Hills) to conduct a Well-Being Check. The caller, a neighbor, believed something may be wrong, as there had been no activity at the residence since the day prior. Deputies arrived on scene and made...

  • Sex, Lies, Scandals, and Coverups - Move Along, Nothing to See Here

    Tom Lemons|Updated Jun 9, 2023

    America has become so divided that we practically live in two different nations. There is absolutely no room for compromise between the values of the Left and Right, yet they continue the façade of compromise to placate their base. There are very few principled politicians left on either side of the isle, and the vast majority are buried so deep in the swamp that you can barely tell them apart. Most of them pretend to represent what their constituents want, but behind closed...

  • Woman Says She Didn't Set Herself on Fire or Shoot Her Ex-Husband, Blames Drug Cartel

    Tom Lemons|Updated Jun 9, 2023

    SPRING HILL – Last year, 43-year-old Maranda Luciano was arrested and charged with Attempted Second-Degree Murder, after officials say she shot her ex-husband at their home on Nantucket Lane. But Luciano says she had nothing to do with the shooting and that there is a lot more to the story than meets the eye. According to the Hernando County Sheriff's office, Deputies responded to 6074 Nantucket Lane on May 22, 2022, after the victim called 911 to report that he had been s...

  • Spring Hill Man Charged with Numerous Counts of "Murder" and Arson.

    Tom Lemons|Updated Jun 9, 2023

    UPDATE – According to Pasco County Officials, Morrison is charged with setting fire to several condominiums on Boardwalk Street in Holiday on March 4, 2023. The fire destroyed four condos, a vehicle, and other items in the area. Morrison faces several counts of attempted murder and arson. ORIGINAL STORY: SPRING HILL – A Spring Hill man is behind bars today on numerous attempted murder and arson charges, but he didn't go down without a fight. According to sources, Hernando Cou...

  • Spring Hill Man Charged with Possessing Child-Like Sex Doll

    Tom Lemons|Updated Jun 9, 2023

    SPRING HILL – An early morning raid of a residence on Filmore Street led to the arrest of one person for possession of obscene material. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Hernando County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant at around 5:30 a.m. this morning at 12430 Filmore Street. Witnesses say they heard flash bangs and agents yelling over a loudspeaker, "You might as well come out because we aren't going anywhere." According to the Hernando County Jail w...

  • BREAKING Missing Toddler Located Near His Home by Volunteer

    Tom Lemons|Updated Jun 9, 2023

    UPDATE: Sheriff Nienhuis met with reporters minutes ago to announce that JJ Rowland has been found. Watch Live Facebook Video from Adventure Coast Journal ORIGINAL BROOKSVILLE – Deputies are still searching for 2-year-old Joshua "J.J." Rowland who disappeared this morning from his home on Cheever Street. According to the latest information from officials, the toddler disappeared around 9:45 a.m. but he was not reported missing until around noon today. Officials say the p...

  • Active Shooter Injures Two, Sets Fire to Barn, Before Being Shot by Deputies

    Tom Lemons|Updated Jun 9, 2023

    BROOKSVILLE – Hernando County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to 9139 Erma Road around 5:00 p.m. Friday, after reports of a structure fire, following by reports of shots fired. Prior to arrival, deputies confirmed that a subject was actively shooting and that there were multiple victims. When deputies arrived on scene, they observed two victims lying on the ground. R News arrived on scene at the same time as Law Enforcement and Fire Rescue and immediately began broadcasting liv...

  • Florida Lawmakers Introduce Legislation that Threatens First Amendment

    Tom Lemons|Updated May 4, 2023

    FLORIDA – Throughout President Donald Trump's term in office and during the COVID 19 pandemic, Big Tech and the Mainstream Media targeted free speech under the guise of protecting the country from misinformation and disinformation. Opposing opinions to vaccines, climate change, election fraud, and the January 6th Capitol raid, were met with harsh criticism by progressive commentators, and faced banishment from social media platforms. President Trump still refers to most n...

  • New Details into Deputy Involved Shooting Tells a Slightly Different Story

    Tom Lemons|Updated Mar 13, 2023

    BROOKSVILLE – Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis held a press conference today to discuss the details into last month's deputy involved shooting that injured both the victim and suspect in a domestic dispute. Nienhuis provided a detailed account of the incident that occurred on the evening of January 29th at 10070 Cobb Road. According to Nienhuis, the suspect and victim were involved in an ongoing domestic dispute and called the Sheriff's Office several times before the s...

  • Body of Young Woman Discovered on Vacant Lot in New Subdivision

    Tom Lemons|Updated Mar 13, 2023

    SPRING HILL – An investigation is just getting underway into the discovery of a young woman's body near the intersection of Bromley Ave and Chamber Ct. The fully clothed body was discovered in a vacant lot of a new subdivision on Sutherland Street. Sources say the woman appears to be in her early 20s. Residents in the area say they heard several gunshots two nights ago, but it is unknown if that is related to the victim's death. We will bring more on this story as it d...

  • Fire Marshal to Investigate Suspicious Explosion and Fire

    Tom Lemons|Updated Mar 13, 2023

    BROOKSVILLE - Fire Rescue is on the scene of a possible boat fire that may have spread to a nearby home at the intersection of Jasbow Junction and Desert Sparrow Ave. Witnesses say they heard an explosion and then saw smoke and flames near the residence. It is unknown at this time if the residence is occupied. UPDATE: The State Fire Marshal is responding to the scene. Deputies are possibly searching for a suspect who fled on foot. UPDATE: There are no victims inside the...

  • Pedestrian Struck and Killed After Driver Attempted to Avoid Collision

    Tom Lemons|Updated Mar 13, 2023

    HOLIDAY – A pedestrian was struck and killed this morning, after a woman attempted to avoid a collision on Moog Road. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 47-year-old woman was traveling eastbound on Moog Road, west of US-19, in a 2006 GMC pickup. A second vehicle pulled out of the 7-Eleven parking lot, causing the driver of the pickup to swerve in an attempt to avoid a collision. Sadly, the driver of the pickup struck a 70-year-old woman who was walking in the p...

  • Truck Collides with Waterfront Business, Tree, Other Vehicles

    Tom Lemons|Updated Mar 13, 2023

    HUDSON – A popular waterfront night spot along had an unwelcome guest, last night, after a pickup truck plowed into the front entrance. Officials with the Florida Highway Patrol say a 45-year-old man was traveling northbound on Old Dixie Hwy, south of Nowiki Ave, when the driver failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway. The vehicle departed the roadway, ran over a parked Harley Davidson, and the struck the front of the Fisherman's Shack, located at 14159 Old Dixie Hwy. T...

  • One Person Confirmed Dead in Motorcycle Crash

    Tom Lemons|Updated Jan 31, 2023

    SPRING HILL – One person is confirmed dead in a two-vehicle crash involving motorcycle on Mariner Blvd. Sources say the driver of a motorcycle was traveling northbound on Mariner Blvd at Portillo Road, when an SUV pulled into the driver's path. The motorcycle collided with the left side of the SUV and was ejected onto the roadway. Fire Rescue arrived on scene and began performing CPR on the victim, before he was transported by air to a nearby trauma center. Officials have c...

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