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- Issue #430: Mosquito-Fighting AI, SC Lake Amoeba Alert & Love Triumphs in Montana Wedding Story
Issue #430: Mosquito-Fighting AI, SC Lake Amoeba Alert & Love Triumphs in Montana Wedding Story
7/31/2025
Ted Grellner
31 Jul
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In this issue of NewTampa | WesleyChapel
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Local News
— AI vs. Mosquitoes: USF Professor Takes on World's Deadliest Animal
Of Interest
— Silver Moon Drive-In: A Retro Gem Shining Bright in Lakeland
OMG!
— Deadly Amoeba Strikes After July 4 Swim in South Carolina Lake
— “Love Won”: Montana Town Rescues Couple’s Vandalized Wedding
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AI vs. Mosquitoes: USF Professor Takes on World's Deadliest Animal
Associate Professor Ryan Carney from USF’s Department of Integrative Biology is using AI and citizen science to track mosquitoes, the world’s deadliest animal.
Carney’s project uses apps like iNaturalist, Mosquito Alert, and NASA’s GLOBE Observer to collect mosquito data. These observations appear on the Global Mosquito Observations Dashboard, aiding real-time monitoring and control efforts in Tampa Bay and worldwide.
Carney, who won the 2025 Excellence in Innovation Award, is developing an AI-powered smart trap with Professor Sriram Chellappan. The trap attracts mosquitoes, takes photos, and uses an algorithm to identify species, helping spot dangerous populations quickly.
The device could cost under $150 and may be deployed in Florida and parts of Africa after field trials.
Mosquitoes cause nearly 700 million infections and 1 million deaths each year, spreading diseases like malaria, dengue, and Zika. The smart trap aims to offer early warnings for outbreaks through remote detection.
Silver Moon Drive-In: A Retro Gem Shining Bright
in Lakeland
The Silver Moon Drive-In Theatre in Lakeland is one of only four remaining drive-ins in Florida—and the oldest still operating. Since 1948, it has offered a timeless movie-going experience with double features shown nightly on two screens.
Movies play via FM radio (88.3 and 89.3), and radio rentals are available. Tickets are just $8 for adults, $3 for kids, and free for children under 4, making it one of Florida’s most affordable family outings.
Pet-friendly and filled with nostalgia, the Silver Moon also hosts a popular Swap Shop market every Saturday and Sunday morning. Entry is free, and vendor spots start at just $10.
Its concession stand sells popcorn, pizza, candy, and more—with a free movie ticket for purchases over $35.
From its iconic sign to its enduring charm, Silver Moon is a true Florida treasure for locals and visitors alike.
Did you know?
During the 1950s and 60s, some drive-in theaters offered in-car heaters and baby bottle warmers to encourage families with infants to attend late-night showings.
These added comforts made drive-ins more appealing to parents and helped them compete with traditional indoor cinemas. It’s a nostalgic reminder that drive-ins were once designed to be full-service, family-first entertainment hubs.
Deadly Amoeba Strikes After July 4 Swim in
South Carolina Lake
Twelve-year-old Jaysen Carr died on July 18 after contracting a rare brain-eating amoeba following a swim in Lake Murray, near Columbia, South Carolina during the July Fourth weekend.
His parents were unaware of the threat until doctors confirmed the infection through spinal fluid tests. The amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, enters the body through the nose, attacking the brain and causing primary amebic meningoencephalitis, an almost always fatal condition.
Over 160 deaths have been recorded in the U.S. over the last 60 years, with only four known survivors. The amoeba thrives in warm freshwater during hot summers. South Carolina has no public reporting laws for such infections, and no water testing was conducted at the lake.
Jaysen's father, Clarence Carr, said, “If he had one warning, he would have thought swimming in the lake was a bad idea.”
“Love Won”: Montana Town Rescues Couple’s Vandalized Wedding
Travis and Carsen Snider arrived in White Sulphur Springs on their wedding day to find their venue vandalized—tables overturned, decorations ruined, and every can of beer and soda stabbed open.
But the small Montana town wouldn’t let them down. Local businesses and strangers rallied to save the day.
The Edith Hotel cleaned linens and donated decorations. Bar 47 gathered replacement shot glasses. The local grocery store helped print photos, and even customers contributed to the couple’s honeymoon fund.
By 4:30 p.m., the venue looked brand new, and the ceremony went on.
“There were happy tears at that point,” Carsen said.
Though no arrests have been made, the couple is focusing on the love and kindness they received.
“Love won that day,” Carsen said. “And love is all that matters.”
The Meagher County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the incident.
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