R News is Your News
R News is Your News
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SPRING HILL – Earlier today R News Reported a drive-by shooting that occurred at the 6400 block of Holiday Drive. Officials initially reported that no one was shot, but that has since changed. According to an update by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, a victim was later identified at a local emergency room who had suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. R News received reports from an anonymous source who said the victim is a female under the age of 18 and tha...
BROOKSVILLE – A pedestrian who was struck by a car while walking on US-41 has succumbed to his injuries, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Officials say a 32-year-old Brooksville man was walking northbound in the Southbound Lane of US-41 (The correct right-of-way for pedestrians), near Yontz Road, when he was struck by a pickup truck driven by a 78-year-old woman. The victim was airlifted to a trauma center where he later died....
SPRING HILL – At least one person is in custody after sources say shots were fired from a vehicle, which may have resulted in a rollover crash on US-19. Around 6:15 p.m. this evening, Law Enforcement and Fire Rescue responded to reports of a rollover crash at the intersection of Pine Forest Drive and US-19. Witnesses reported seeing a red pickup truck flip at least four times before coming to rest on its roof on US-19. Sheriff’s Deputies then received reports that someone fir...
SPRING HILL – Christmas will never be the same for the Ptarcinski family, after their 18-year-old daughter Ariana Ptarcinski was murdered on the night of December 24, 2021, inside their Sterling Hills home. Click Here for Full Story Ed and Judy Ptarcinski trusted that investigators would charge their daughter's alleged murderer, Ramon Calderon Durst, with her death but last month they were told that because he "remained silent" they couldn't make an arrest. The unexpected resp...
PORT RICHEY – A bullying incident outside a local middle school led to a woman's arrest after officials say she battered a 12-year-old female student who was walking to her parent's car. According to reports and cellphone video taken at the scene, on Thursday, August 24th, several students were walking westbound on Ridge Road after being released from Chasco Middle School. As the group left school grounds, a female student grabbed the backpack of another student and began s...
HERNANDO – In response to damage caused by Hurricane Idalia, FEMA has approved a Federal Declaration for Individual Assistance applications for Hernando County. Anyone wishing to apply for FEMA assistance can apply on the FEMA.gov website....
BROOKSVILLE – Sad news to report this morning, after a volunteer search team located the bodies of the missing elderly couple that disappeared Tuesday from their home on Star Road. The family searched desperately in the area of downtown Brooksville, yesterday after cellphone pings pinpointed their location to be somewhere near the Health Department on S. Main Street. The family spoke with We Are the Essentials (WATE) who offered their services to locate 76-year-old Albert A...
BROOKSVILLE – A search is underway for an elderly couple who disappeared yesterday afternoon from the home on Star Road. Officials say 76-year-old Albert Allen and his wife 73-year-old Cynthia Allen were last seen on Tuesday at 3:15 p.m., when they drove away in their green 2005 Saturn Relay minivan bearing Florida tag 0016TM. Mr. Allen suffers from dementia and is deaf. Cynthia is partially paralyzed from a recent stroke. Neither took their medications with them when they l...
CLICK IMAGE FOR VIDEO HERNANDO COUNTY - All areas along the coast of Hernando County are closed to access due to rising waters and a second round of storm surge later this afternoon. Homeowners are being turned away at checkpoints. Officials expect a high tide at 1:25 p.m. today, which will make conditions worse along the coast. WREC has disconnected power to the regions, in an effort to prevent fires and danger of electrocution. There have already been several structure...
HERNANDO – Hurricane Idalia is heading into the Gulf of Mexico as a category 1 storm, but it is expected to strengthen and possibly make landfall as a major category 3 storm. Officials expect Idalia to make landfall somewhere around Cedar Key, resulting in a storm surge of 8-12 ft from Hernando County northward. High tide for Wednesday morning is scheduled for 2:15 a.m., which isn't good news for coastal regions. With high tide at 2.9 ft, storm surge could be as high as 15 f...
SPRING HILL – Fire Rescue is on the scene of a drowning involving a 2-year-old girl who was found in a residential pool on Dandelion Court. Sources say the toddler is not conscious or breathing and CPR is in progress. We will bring more on this as it develops. UPDATE 5:41 p.m.: The child has been resuscitated and is conscious and breathing. The child will be airlifted to a trauma center for treatment....
HERNANDO – The National Weather Service has issued a Hurricane Warning from Franklin County, south to Manatee County, which includes, Citrus, Hernando, and Pasco Counties. Officials with Hernando County Emergency Management held a press conference this morning to provide an update on what is expected to be Hurricane Idalia by the time it reaches our area. Officials say a mandatory evacuation will go into effect tomorrow morning and they urge anyone living in a low-lying a...
HERNANDO - According to Hernando County School officials, all schools will be closed Monday through Wednesday due to Tropical Storm Idalia. Idalia is expected to strengthen into a category 2 hurricane before it makes landfall somewhere north of Hernando and Citrus Counties. The opening of two shelters, Challenger K-8 (Special Needs/General Public) and D.S. Parrott Middle School (Pet-friendly/General Public) will open starting at noon on Monday. We will continue to provide...
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) continues to monitor and prepare the state of Florida for potential impacts from Invest 93L. Today, Governor DeSantis issued Executive Order 23-171, declaring a state of emergency for 33 counties in anticipation of impacts from Invest 93L. This executive order allows state officials to make critical resources available to areas that may be impacted by the storm. As of 2 p.m. ET, Invest 93L is located n...
BROOKSVILLE – If you thought hard rock faded out in the 90s, think again. It's not just the old fogeys playing covers in dive bars anymore, a younger generation still has what it takes to keep a four-piece pounding out hardcore rock. Tonight only, 23-year-old Rocker Kyle Pogue joins other local talent, like Duff. E, Kat Hines, and Oshea at Savages Bar & Grill for Savage Slam! Pogue told R News during a rehearsal in Spring Hill Wednesday that he started his musical journey i...
BROOKSVILLE – Sad news to report in the professional wrestling community today, after WWE wrestler Bray Wyatt, just 36, was found dead in Brooksville earlier today. Wyatt, whose real name is Windham Rotunda died in Brooksville, but the cause of death has not been released by officials. Hernando County Commissioner Steve Champion says Wyatt visited his gun store frequently and provided the photograph of the two below....
BROOKSVILLE – Devastating news to report for a family who hoped justice would be served and their daughter's killer would be held accountable. 18-year-old Ariana Ptarcinski was murdered on December 24, 2021, at the hands of her boyfriend Ramon Durst, according to her parents Eddie and Judy Ptarcinski (See previous R News Report). Since their daughter's murder, Ariana's parents remained silent, just as they were told to do by the Hernando County Sheriff's Office and A...
BROOKSVILLE - More problems for the leadership at the Hernando County Sheriff's Office after sources say a Special Investigations Unit [SEU] was suddenly disbanded due to multiple violations committed by the elite squad. Officials have not commented on the allegations, but according to our source within the agency, at least five detectives were removed and placed on regular patrol, pending the outcome of Internal Affairs Investigations. According to the source, "The SEU unit...
BROOKSVILLE – In recent weeks, several Correctional Officers at Hernando Correctional Institution (HCI) contacted R News to report serious safety concerns among officers and inmates. Out of fear of retaliation and for their personal safety, the officers we spoke to asked that we not reveal their true identities. Officer "Jennifer Smith" tells R News that the recent extreme temperatures are creating serious health and safety concerns for the inmates and officers. Smith says t...
BROOKSVILLE – The woman who nearly sacrificed her own life trying to help an elderly woman cross Cortez Blvd this afternoon is going to be okay, according to family. Diane Conigliaro reached out to R News just minutes ago and said, "My daughter Ashlee Bell is ok she is alive and for that I'm grateful." 33-year-old Ashlee Bell stopped to help a 69-year-old Brooksville woman cross Cortez Blvd in front of Oak Hill Hospital (HCA Brooksville) when they were struck by a driver w...
BROOKSVILLE – A convicted sex offender who gained access to Gulf Coast Elementary School several times last year has been extradited from Missouri to Hernando County to face a charge of failing to register as a sex offender in Florida. On June 9th of this year, R News reported that 43-year-old Patrick James Hurd was dating Gulf Coast Elementary School Principal Melinda Heater and that she allowed Hurd to access the school several times in 2022. According to a probable cause a...
SPRING HILL – A death investigation that officials originally claimed was not a homicide has now led to the arrest of a suspect for that very charge. On the evening of May 28th, Sheriff's Deputies responded to separate residences on Galloway Road and Bonnet Way in reference to a physical altercation that turned deadly. According to witnesses, two men were sitting in the driveway of a residence on Galloway Road, when the victim approached the men while walking his dog. The s...
BROOKSVILLE – The former Winding Waters K-8 teacher who was investigated for showing a prohibited Disney movie to her students is back in the classroom at a local private school. Several parents contacted R News today, claiming Jenna Lynn Barbee, the "woke" progressive activist who made national headlines for showing the movie Strange World, has accepted a position at Entirety K-12 in Brooksville. One parent, who wished to remain anonymous, says she had no idea Barbee was h...
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the suspension of State Attorney Monique Worrell of the 9th Judicial Circuit for neglecting her duty to faithfully prosecute crime in her jurisdiction. Officials say, Worrell's practices and policies have too often allowed violent criminals to escape the full consequences of their criminal conduct, thereby endangering the innocent civilians of Orange and Osceola counties. The Governor has appointed former judge Andrew...
HERNANDO BEACH – Thanks to the quick response of Hernando County Sheriff's Deputies, a distraught man will live to receive the help he needs. On Saturday, R News learned that a burglary attempt was underway at the First Baptist Church of Hernando Beach. According to sources, a representative of the church observed a man jump a fence and climb on the roof of the church building. Deputies were immediately dispatched and arrived on scene within minutes of the call. Upon a...
