Headline Surfer videos produced by Sera Frederick / Volusia County Chair and dist. 8 State Senate candidate Frank Bruno is Headline Surfer's first guest for the 24/7 Internet newspaper's new online newsmaker interview, The Sunday Conversation. In the first video, 9-year-old Makayla Mercado, a fourth-grader at the Marion Charter Elementary School in Ocala, reads to Bruno her concern for water preservation. In the second interview, Bruno talks about the final months of his 20-year career in Volusia County government and his quest for a state senate seat.
OCALA -- When Frank Bruno takes to the podium at the Ocean Center on Monday, he'll have trekked across five Central Florida counties in just a matter of days in his dual role as the face of Volusia County government and as Democratic candidate for the newly redrawn dist. 8 seat in the State Senate.
A Tuesday evening visit to Ocala may prove to be one of his most important.
Bruno hosted a roundtable over the controversial Adena Springs Ranch request to increase water demands to irrigate its 15,000 acres for 30,000 grass-fed cows. Some 70 residents attended the public meeting at the Marion County Library to voice their opposition to the ranch's water consumption.
Bruno's roundtable was held on the eve of the Adena Springs Ranch public meeting the following day where Adena agreed to lower its consumption request from 13.26 million gallons of water per day to 5.3 million. The ranch is a dozen miles north of Silver Springs and its aquifer.
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Headline Surfer photos by Henry Frederick / Frank Bruno holds a roundtable addressing the water consumption concerns of dozens of residents of nearby Silver Springs a group of concerned citizens Tuesday night at the Marion County Library in Ocala opposed to the sprawling Adena Farm, for massive quantities of water to grass-feed 30,000 cows.Bringing together environmental experts and concerned citizens, Bruno led a conversation focused on the future of the community and government's responsibility for ensuring water for future generations.
"These Springs are an icon of this community," Bruno told the crowd. "We must protect and preserve the quality of life that makes Florida a great place to live and work — not only for ourselves but for our children and grandchildren. We simply cannot afford to turn a blind eye to this growing problem which threatens our way of life."
"These Springs are an icon of this community," Bruno told the crowd. "We must protect and preserve the quality of life that makes Florida a great place to live and work — not only for ourselves but for our children and grandchildren. We simply cannot afford to turn a blind eye to this growing problem which threatens our way of life."
Joining Bruno at the front of the meeting room were Director of Advocacy for Florida Audubon Charles Lee, former Silver Springs Museum Director Guy Marwick, Barbara Fitos and Buddy Martin, all of whom spoke to members of the community about the growing threat to Florida's springs.
With a series of meetings tying up most of his week, Bruno had to set aside time for his Ocean Center presentation. Before a crowd of several hundred, he'll recap his eight years as the first elected Volusia County chair before he has the opportunity to go full steam ahead in his quest for the coveted senate seat.
Term-limited in the lead county post and rounding out 20 years in elective service countywide, Bruno either ascends to the Statehouse or he goes home to Ponce Inlet.
Standing in his way is Republican rival and State Rep. Dorothy Hukill, herself term-limited after two successive terms for the 24th district that encompasses New Smyrna Beach, Edgewater, Oak Hill and greater Port Orange where she was mayor.
Headline Surfer is Florida's first 24/7 Internet newspaper launched April 7, 2008, initially as NSBNews.net. It is based in New Smyrna Beach, covering Volusia County and throughout the Orlando Metropolitan Area via HeadlineSurfer.com, NSBNews.net and VolusiaNews.net. "Headline Surfer" is a registered trademark owned by NSB News LLC, for editorial, marketing and advertising purposes. All rights reserved.