A Blueberry Festival is in the works for Hernando County, Florida.  The Tourism Development Council is donating $20,000 for seed money to the committee that is in charge of creating the project.  The first of the many annual festivals to come will be a one day gig held in downtown Brooksville in May of 2011, the actual site is still to be determined.  If the event is successful as the tourism director, Sue Rupe, believes it will be the festival could become a two day event by 2012.

The festival is sure to bring thousands of dollars of in tourism revenue to the county according to the event organizer, Michael Heard, which could be used to promote events at local parks.

The Hernando Beach dredge project will be able to take one more step forward now that Hernando County has the updated plans and will make the April 30, 2010 permitting deadline, according to David Russell, Hernando County Commissioner.

The project has been stalled for nearly three months, due to a contract responsibility dispute between the contractor, Orion Dredging Services, Inc and the consultant-engineer, The Halcrow Group.  Russell claims that the project will resume in 60 days as long as the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) finds the revised plans acceptable.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has provided $5.5 million in grant money towards the project and has offered a preliminary approval for a one year extension deadline for matching the funds to help pay for the project.

Eight years ago, the Hernando County Commission created a mandatory curbside recycling program in the Spring Hill, Hernando County, Florida area.  At the time, many residents felt that the program was forced on them, according to Jeff Stabins, Hernando County Commissioner.

Recently the county changed the program from once a week to once every two weeks in an effort to save the county some money; this prompted an onslaught of phone calls to the county officials.  However, only 20% of the residents in the mandatory recycling area adhere to the program while 80% do not use the program at all.

Today Hernando County Commission is considering changing the program, while Stabins says that he still supports recycling, he would prefer to change the mandatory program to a voluntary program around the county.  The program will be a focus on May 4 during a workshop at 9:00 a.m. at the commission chambers, located at 20 N. Main Street, Room 263, Brooksville, FL 34601

Spring break is around the corner and what better way to celebrate these unfamiliar warm days than with a dip in the Weeki Wachee Springs?

Buccaneer Bay, Florida’s only spring fed Water Park, has re-opened for the 2010 season. Buccaneer Bay features a lazy river, Lil’ Mates Caribbean Cove and thrilling flume rides, providing hours of “fun in the sun” for family members of all ages!

Weeki Wachee Springs is one of Florida’s oldest attractions and definitely one-of-a-kind!  Not only does Weeki Wachee Springs include a spring fed Water Park, but is also known as the “City of Live Mermaids”.

For nearly 60 years, the Weeki Wachee mermaids have been performing and amusing residents and winter visitors alike!

So, come on down and enjoy a cool dip in the enchanted Weeki Wachee Springs, cruise down the pristine, crystal clear waters of the Weeki Wachee River or get your picture taken with one of the magical mermaids!