R News is Your News
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UPDATE April 12, 2024, 7:26 p.m.: According to sources, the cybercriminal gang Rhysida has claimed responsibility for the attack on Hernando County and is demanding upwards of $2.8 million or 40 Bitcoin for the purchase of data being held by the organization. County Officials have not commented on the development. BROOKSVILLE – The investigation continues into the countywide network cyberattack that took place last month in Hernando County, leaving real estate agents and o...
UPDATE: LOCATED... HERNANDO – The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office has issued a Purple Alert for 45-year-old Kevin Hancock who went missing earlier today from a hotel on Commercial Way. According to officials, Hancock was last seen at the Hampton Inn located at 1344 Commercial Way around 3:00 p.m. today. Hancock left his vehicle in the parking lot and walked in an unknown direction. Officials say Hancock has no friends or family in the area and rarely travels outside of Pas...
BROOKSVILLE – Last week R News reported that several "spy" cameras had been placed along Hernando County roadways and that no one was willing to claim ownership. Eventually, a source inside the Clerk's Office advised that Sheriff Al Nienhuis had deployed the cameras and sent an email to all county commissioners ordering them to not discuss what they were being used for. To this day, there has been no comment from Nienhuis other than providing R News with the completely r...
BROOKSVILLE – You might have noticed several small black cameras situated in various locations along Hernando County roadways and wondered what they were being used for. Unfortunately, Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis doesn't want you to know, and he's ordered his office and all elected officials to remain silent. After fielding numerous inquiries from concerned citizens, R News delved into the origins of the camera, only to encounter dead ends at every turn. Eventually, w...
BROOKSVILLE – A Hernando County Utilities Manager is charged with several counts of Larceny. According to sources, 55-year-old Cheri Elizabeth Cameron was arrested Sunday and charged with 9 counts of 2nd-degree petit theft. Cameron is listed as the Utilities Business Manager, but sources say she has since resigned from her position. R News has been unable to obtain the arrest affidavit due to the recent cyberattack on Hernando County's IT network. We will update this story w...
BROOKSVILLE – There are unconfirmed reports that Hernando County Government online services may have suffered a possible cyberattack. According to a source inside the Hernando County Clerk's Office, the County's online systems suffered a ransomware attack, interrupting access to websites for the Clerk's Office, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector, and other systems. Public Information Officer Dominique Holmes tells R News, "Our investigation into this interruption is ongoing; t...
SPRING HILL – The Hernando County Sheriff's Office is reporting the arrest of a Spring Hill man who is charged with possessing child pornography. According to officials, detectives received a tip that 21-year-old Joseph David Spain had transmitted a single image of child pornography between his electronic devices. Detectives obtained a search warrant and confirmed the devices belonged to Spain who also admitted they were his devices. Spain was taken into custody on March 2...
SPRING HILL – Pine Island Park has finally reopened after being closed for several months due to damage from Hurricane Idalia. Officials say the storm caused major damage to the infrastructure in Pine Island Park, requiring significant repairs. Alfred McKethan Pine Island Park is located at 10840 Pine Island Dr., in Spring Hill and is open from 8:30am to sunset, 7 days a week. The parking fee is $5 per car (credit card only). Handicapped placards and Disabled Veterans are e...
SPRING HILL – The Hernando County Sheriff's Office is currently investigating a shooting that took place in the vicinity of Berkeley Manor Blvd early Wednesday morning. Deputies responded to Mermaid's Lounge just after 1:00 a.m., after receiving 911 calls about a male standing outside the establishment firing shots into the air. Shortly after the first 911 call, dispatchers received additional reports of gunfire on Berkeley Manor Blvd. Numerous deputies responded to M...
BROOKSVILLE – Yesterday's Board of County Commissioners meeting left citizens and county workers wondering if four of the five commissioners they voted for should switch party affiliation and move to Washington, D.C. All five commissioners are registered Republicans but after recent votes to raise property taxes, approve a $350-milion Master Plan for Sheriff Al Nienhuis, set a referendum for a 1-cent sales tax increase to pay for it, and give the County Administrator a 30% p...
BROOKSVILLE – Earlier this year, R News published an exclusive report on a local Springstead High School senior who decided to do something very special for the citizens of Hernando County. Yesterday, during the Hernando Board of County Commissioners meeting, Commissioners recognized Jesse Kolberg for his work in establishing the Life Ring Stations throughout the Hernando County Parks & Recreation Waterways locations. Kolberg conducted an Eagle Scout project to establish o...
BROOKSVILLE – It is no secret that Hernando Board of County Commissioner Chairwoman Beth Narverud and Sheriff Al Nienhuis are no fans of County Animal Services Director James Terry, and a recent unsanctioned trip to Brevard County by the duo may be an indication of major changes coming to the facility. But that's not all. Sheriff Nienhuis may have violated FAA regulations by chartering their flight in his private plane. On March 15, 2024, Chairwoman Narverud published p...
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -Today, Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 3, which prohibits children under the age of 14 from becoming social media account holders and allows 14- and 15-year-olds to become account holders with parental consent. The bill will provide the following protections: • Prevents a minor who is younger than 14 years of age from becoming a social media account holder. • Empowers parents to decide whether 14- and 15-year-olds can have a social media account. • Prote...
SPRING HILL – The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the death of a motorcyclist who was involved in a two-vehicle crash on Spring Hill Drive earlier today. According to officials, a Kia Soul driven by an 81-year-old Hudson man was traveling on Cobblestone Drive, attempting to cross Spring Hill Drive. The driver failed to yield to a motorcycle that was traveling eastbound on Spring Hill Drive. As a result, the motorcycle collided with the driver-side door of the Kia S...
MASSARYKTOWN – An early morning fire destroyed a mobile home and injured one person. According to Hernando County Fire Rescue, just after 2:30 a.m., firefighters responded to the 200 block of Monroe Ave where they discovered a mobile home fully engulfed in flames. All occupants escaped the home, but the owner was transported to a nearby hospital to be evaluated for smoke inhalation. Officials say the cause is under investigation, but it is suspected to be electrical in n...
BROOKSVILLE – Yesterday, R News broke the news of several deputies missing depositions in a recent homicide case. Those deputies and a detective could face jail time if a Judge doesn't accept their explanation of why they each ignored two subpoenas. Under pressure from the media, Sheriff Al Nienhuis released a statement this morning, asserting that the incident is isolated and there are no systemic issues with deputies ignoring subpoenas. Nienhuis says, "The Hernando County Sh...
BROOKSVILLE – Chief Judge Daniel B. Merritt Jr. could hold several Hernando County Sheriff's deputies and a detective in contempt of court if they can't explain why they failed to appear for depositions in a 2023 manslaughter case. According to court records, Deputies Mitchell Vesper, Chelsea Reid, John Longobardi, and Craig Milne all failed to appear for depositions on September 12, 2023, and again on December 20, 2023, in reference to State vs Regina Cassie Ritter. Detective...
BROOKSVILLE – Hernando County Fire Rescue is reporting a residential fire that claimed the lives of two people. Fire Rescue responded to the 19000 block of VFW Road just before midnight Tuesday after reports of a fully engulfed home. Witnesses reported that the home was possibly occupied by at least two people, but the fire was too intense for firefighters to make entry. After extinguishing the fire, rescuers discovered two victims near the front door who were attempting to e...
BROOKSVILLE – The annual Blueberry Festival that draws thousands of visitors to downtown Brooksville every year has been canceled, according to organizers. According to a statement by event organizer John Lee, "...the festival relies on attendance to make its finances whole. With competing festivals being organized within blocks of our location, it makes a risky undertaking even more risky." Lee goes on to say, "Brooksville is simply too small to host two successful f...
BROOKSVILLE – Hernando County Fire Corps is an invaluable asset to Hernando County Fire Rescue, as they provide critical support to firefighters, especially during the hot summer months. Last night, HCFC swore in the following new volunteer officers: Left to right, Jan Parker, Secretary; Nathan Smith, Logistics Officer; John Thorton, Deputy Commander of Operations; Salvatore Rotella, Jr., Public Relations Officer; and Vince Montefusco, Training Officer. Not pictured: Dawn W...
PORT RICHEY – Earlier this month the local Police Benevolent Association (PBA) passed a vote of no confidence over Port Richey Police Chief Cyrus Robinson and Captain Michael Koch but City Manager Matthew Coppler has yet to decide their fate. 11 of the 18 officers who voted in favor of no-confidence still say they cannot work under the current command. There are numerous issues, according to Port Richey Police Officers who wished to remain anonymous, but the most critical i...
HOMOSASSA – Rooster fighting is still a popular and illicit form of gambling in Florida, and it can lead to serious felony charges. The Citrus County Sheriff's Office is reporting the arrest of a Homosassa man after officials say he raised nearly three dozen chickens for the purpose of fighting. According to reports, an anonymous tip led deputies to a residence on S. Gross Ave in reference to Rooster fighting. Upon arrival, Animal Control Officers (ACO) noticed several s...
BROOKSVILLE – Last night, R News broke the news of a brutal domestic-related stabbing that occurred at the 16000 block of Ft Myers Street. The suspect later identified as 23-year-old Douglas Albert Fuller fled the scene on foot and is still at large. Today, the Hernando County Sheriff's Office reported that Fullerton had gained access to his live-in boyfriend's cell phone and became angry after reading text messages on his phone. That's when Fullerton retrieved a machete and b...
SPRING HILL – Sheriff's Deputies are searching for two men involved in an armed carjacking that occurred in the area of Mariner Cay Apartments on Northcliffe Blvd. Sources say one suspect is in custody but two suspects are still at large and considered armed and dangerous. One suspect is a light-skinned black male with a black hoodie. The other suspect is a black male with a dark camouflage hoodie. Both men displayed firearms during the carjacking. The vehicle has been r...
SPRING HILL - Sad news to report after a man was found deceased in a residential pool. According to officials, Fire Rescue responded to the 1200 block of Gilpin Ave around 1:30 p.m. yesterday, after receiving reports of a possible drowning. Upon arrival, rescuers found an elderly man deceased from an apparent drowning. The Hernando County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident....
