The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

Rule changes coming to Pasco County’s coastal high-hazard area

By

Pasco County must update its comprehensive land use plan to comply with state regulations relating to  development in the county’s coastal high-hazard area.

In keeping with that requirement, the Pasco County Commission considered proposed changes at its Jan. 18 meeting.

As county planner Amy Tull was outlining proposed changes, Chief Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein asked her: “Is there a reason that you’re not fixing the issue with this policy that deals with whether density increases in the coastal high-hazard area need to be MPUDs (master-planned unit development) or not?”

Goldstein was referring to a current requirement that says that MPUD rezonings are required within that area. But, according to the attorney, based on an interpretation by Nectarios Pittos, director of planning and development, requiring MPUDs was not the intention of language within the comprehensive plan.

So, Goldstein said, the county has an opportunity to fix that, as it is making the current changes.

“If that’s the planning position, I’m not sure why you’re not making that perfectly clear in the policy,” Goldstein said.

Tull responded: “We can do that.”

Planning Commission Chairman Charles Grey asked for clarification: “From a practical point of view, how does that affect people who want to build, develop, whatever? Is it going to create more – another layer of bureaucracy for them?”

Planning Commissioner Jon Moody responded: “It would remove a layer.”

Goldstein agreed with Moody. 

Removing the MPUD requirement would make it easier, not harder.

Pittos told the planning board: “The way the provision had been understood in the past was that the comprehensive plan was not actually calling for a rezoning to MPUD, but for the use of the MPUD requirements of the land development code.”

In other words, Pittos continued: “You could do a Euclidean zoning, but ultimately when the site plans were to come in, they would have to meet the various requirements, as conditions of approval, on the site plan.”

Planning board members indicated they favor the removal of the MPUD requirement and approved a motion to have the county’s legal staff work with the planning staff to take that recommendation to the Pasco County Commission. The county board has final jurisdiction over land use and zoning issues.

Published February 07, 2024

Giving back — through kicks, blocks and other karate moves

By

When Keith Kirk was just on the verge of becoming a teenager, he went to see the movie, “Enter the Dragon,” starring Bruce Lee.

Little did he know that seeing that film would change his life.

“I grew up in rural Arkansas,” Kirk said. “When I saw that, I went, ‘I want to do that.’ I’d never seen a human move like that and this was long before they had special effects’ camera tricks, and things. It was just him — moving like electricity.”

It turns out Kirk wasn’t the only one inspired by Lee’s fluidity and strength.

Keith and Carla Kirk are senior instructors for Tampa Shotokan Karate, which meets on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Keystone Recreation Center, 17928 Gunn Highway, in Odessa. (Courtesy of Keith Kirk)

His wife, Carla, also had seen “Enter the Dragon,” and she began studying martial arts during college.

The couple has practiced together for 44 years, and they have passed along their love for martial arts to their daughters.

Now, Keith, Carla and their daughters, Rachel and Liz, are volunteer instructors at a program they established a year ago at the Keystone Recreation Center, 17928 Gunn Highway, in Odessa.

How their volunteer work began
Keith and Carla moved to Lutz a couple of years ago, from Memphis, following their daughters who had moved to the area from California.

Both Keith and Carla are retired. They owned a commercial property company and a financial services company. Carla provided management of the office bookkeeping and the tax work.

“One of the things that we wanted to do — part of our retirement — is give back to the community. The struggle you’ve got is, ‘How do you do that with the things that you know?’” Kirk said.

Then, they discovered a way.

“We went to vote, of all things, a couple of years ago, in November.

“And, our voting spot was the Keystone Recreation Center. It wasn’t open yet. They had only opened one room for the voting.

The center was closed during Covid and was being remodeled, and still didn’t have all of its permits, he explained.

While waiting to vote, Kirk chatted with the recreation center’s assistant director and found out more about the center’s mission and offerings.

That’s when he realized that he, his wife and their daughters would be perfect volunteers for the center.

“The nonprofit, community nature of the recreation center matched up to our nonprofit,” Kirk said, referring to their affiliation with Shotokan Karate of America (SKA).

When the recreation center reopened last February, the Kirks became volunteers running training sessions on two nights a week, through what is known as Tampa Shotokan. The club is affiliated with the nonprofit SKA established by Tsutomu Ohshima.

The Kirks receive no pay from the Keystone center and they don’t charge their students.

However, students must purchase a uniform — which costs around $50, depending on the student’s size.  Members also must pay an annual $100 fee, to support the nonprofit SKA.

Keith and Carla Kirk were seeking a way to give back to the community and found that the nonprofit nature of Keystone Recreation Center was a perfect fit for their desire to offer free karate training. The Kirks are affiliated with Shotokan Karate of America, a nonprofit organization, and their club at the recreation center is known as Tampa Shotokan.

Still, training sessions are free, and there’s no cost for testing, which happens twice a year.

The club currently has 15 members, ranging from a 10-year-old who is a complete novice, to a 60-plus-year-old, who has trained for 30 years.

The club meets on Mondays and Wednesdays. There’s beginner’s practice, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., for those with little to no experience. There’s a second session, on the same evenings, from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., for those who know karate.

“We’re kind of what I think of as the original version of what you now see as a professional sport on television, MMA (mixed martial arts), because you have throws, you have sweeps, you have joint locks. You have kicks, punches, elbows, knees — all of that is part of what we teach,” Kirk said.

He went on: “What you’re teaching has some to do with the physical art, but it has mostly to do with trying to make a good human being.”

That’s an ongoing quest, he said.

“You could live 10 lifetimes and there would still be more for you to improve on your own individual character, and your own individual behavior — particularly when no one else is looking,” said Kirk, who will celebrate his 50th year in training this summer.

“When you’re practicing, you’re teaching people to become the very best version of themselves,” he said.

Karate welcomes all
“If you’re a small person and you want to play football, you can’t necessarily be as good as that guy that is 6-5 (6 foot, 5 inches) and 290 pounds.

“I can’t change that you’re 5-5 (5 foot, 5 inches)  and 140 pounds. You can’t change that about you,” he said.

But, he added: “Karate lets people practice and build their self-confidence, build their self-esteem.”

It also offers health benefits for people of all ages.

Plus, it helps people to develop composure — to keep an even keel, he said.

“I’ve taught for decades, and especially among the 12-, 13-, 14-year-old boys, those young teens, or tweens. You’ll find somebody that’s really shy and it will help build them a little more confidence. You’ll find, every so often, somebody who is a little bit of a bully, and it will humble them very quickly.”

It allows people of all ages to train in one group, he added.

“Each person is working on their individual practice. We’re training together, but your punch is your punch,” he said.

While the club meets just two nights a week, Kirk tells students, “For every one hour you practice in class with me, you should practice two hours outside of class.”

He noted it’s not hard to find enough space at home for training: “A 4-by-4 space is plenty enough space to practice karate.”

In essence, the club sessions include work on fundamentals, such as basic blocks, punches and kicks.

Students also practice a predetermined pattern of blocks, punches and kicks against imaginary multiple attackers.

Richie Malapira, left, and Keith Kirk work on kicks at a training session at the Keystone Recreation Center.

Plus, they practice with partners.

Students learn ancient forms, he added.

“They’re 1,000 years old. This was before widespread printing presses. It was before most people could read or write,” Kirk said.

In essence, there are a couple of basic rules, the instructor said.

“Rule No. 1 is don’t get hit,” he said.

He added: “When you hit, you’ve got to make sure you can hit the other guy.”

For those curious about whether karate is right for them, Kirk encourages them to check it out.

“I tell people, ‘Come and try.’ The only way you will ever know is to come and try. You can’t learn about this by watching it. Karate is taught from the soles of the feet, up,” Kirk said.

Learn more
To find out more about the free karate program at Keystone Recreation Center, reach out to Keith Kirk at 901-494-6418 or , or check the website, Tampa.ska.org.

Published February 07, 2024

Lutz athlete is among paralympic hopefuls

By

(File)

Dani Kanas, of Lutz, is one of eight student-athletes from the University of Alabama’s Adapted Athletics program who are hoping to compete in the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8.

Kanas, who was a standout at Steinbrenner High School, hopes to compete in the Para Track and Field events. She is expected to find out in June whether she has been selected, according to a University of Alabama news release.

This wouldn’t be Kanas’ first international competition.

The one-arm javelin thrower has demonstrated her skill both locally and abroad, and besides enjoying the challenge, she welcomes the chance to be a role model for other athletes.

In a previous interview with The Laker/Lutz News, she said: “My goal is to show others — who may have a similar story to mine, who may be in a similar situation as me — that they shouldn’t let their disability stop them … I want them to know that this community (of adaptive athletes) exists and they shouldn’t just assume they can’t do it because they’re not able-bodied.”

Business Digest 02/07/2024

By

‘Star’ performers celebrated
The Pasco County Commission has adopted a resolution commending the county’s 2023 Star Performer, Star Leader and Star Team of the Year.

Sarah Sukhram was selected as the county’s Star Performer; Ben Diel was selected as its Star Leader; and a long list of employees was selected as the Star Team of the Year for their work in helping the county assume operations of the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus.

Sukhram, is volunteer and foster coordinator with Pasco County Animal Services,  “Sarah has worked to create one of the finest volunteer programs in the country, validated by Points of Light and the Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement (AL!VE) as a Service Enterprise organization for standards of excellence in volunteer engagement,” according to a Pasco County news release.  “She routinely goes above and beyond – making a difference in not only people’s lives, but animals’ lives as well,” the release adds.

Diel is the county’s training and development manager, who has worked for Pasco for nearly three decades. He “has provided outstanding service to team members and leaders across the organization – making him a top role model for all,” the release adds.

The county’s 2023 Star Team of the Year award goes to the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus (WRSC) Transition Team, the release says.

“They overcame a huge obstacle,” according to the release. “In a mere 45 days, the team took over operations of WRSC from an outside agency. Dozens of team members from all facets of Pasco County Government played an important role in the transition. These devoted employees offered their services, assistance and guidance to successfully complete this monumental task.”

Members of the Star Team of the Year are: Mathew Abenojar, John Alland, Doug Anderson, Erik Anderson, Louise Anderson, Lorraine Atwater, Todd Babinsack, Shelly Bandy, Nicolas Barr, Andrew Baxter, Todd Bayley, Jesse Bednarik, Elizabeth Blair, Chad Blaz, Earle Burch, Troy Casten, Matthew Christian, David Conlin, Chuck Cordon, Cristina Cordon, Elva Correa, Carolyn Creamer, Todd Curci, Anthony DeFeo, Anita Derks, John Digeon, Connor Donovan, Kyle Endriss, Monica Ewalt, Amielee Farrell, Alex Fasano, Danny Ferns, Denise Forman, Joe Fox, Curtis Franklin, Kayla Getz, David Goldstein, Audomaro Gomez, Samantha Grahn, Peter Grayling, Art Greif, Ashley Grindstaff, Sharaya Hairston, Michael Hall, Laura Hayhurst, Eli Hazen, Margery Helton, Roy Hernandez Rivera, Louis Hite, Barbara Hitzemann, Greg Hodges, Carolina Howard, Faridah Huller, Ben Isaacs, Lindsay Janssen, Schello Jean-Louis, Tom Johnson, Tambrey Laine, Emilee Leathers, Ryan Lewis, Karen Lloyd, Marivette Maldonado-Figueroa, Michael Maloy, Jeffrey Manion, Anthony Martin, Matthew McDonough, Lawrence Miller, John Morrell, Timothy Myrick, Brenda Nardi, Raul Nardi, Jeffrey Nealey, Kathie O’Neill, Ronnie Outen, Gail Parnell, Sarah Phinney, TJ Pyche, Matthew Raffaelli, Carrie Roberts, Consuelo Sanchez, Shawn Sanders, Shannon Saracena, Nina Scherach, Christopher Sharrer, Bryan Shaw, Robert Shipley, James Sikes, Isaiah Smallwood, Michael Smith, Kathy Spinks, Doug Steiger, Terrence Stewart, Cindy Szappan, Brian Taylor and Jennifer Tellarini.

Chamber Lunch ‘n Learn
The North Tampa Bay Chamber will host a Lunch ‘n Learn focusing on the topic of Pasco County Libraries. The event will be on Feb. 15 at 11:30 a.m. To find out more, go to NorthTampaBayChamber.com.

Showcase of opportunities
The construction of Orlando Health Hospital in Wesley Chapel is creating new opportunities for local businesses. The North Tampa Bay Chamber, Turner Construction, trade partners and community leaders are planning a day of networking, procurement opportunities and an informational panel.

The event will be on Feb. 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Porter Campus of Pasco-Hernando State College, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel. The event will include a tabletop expo and trade partner networking, lunch and a panel discussion with community partners.

Cost is $25, which includes lunch. Visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com for more information.

GROW Pasco
Take advantage of the opportunity to learn about a wide array of business topics at Grow Pasco, which is set for March 14 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Saint Leo University Wellness Center, 12338 Priory Circle, in San Antonio. Grow Pasco features 15 breakout sessions, led by some of the best business minds in the area. Go to the Pasco Economic Development Council’s website, PascoEDC.com, to find out more about the topics, the speakers and how to register. 

Pasco County Day at the Capitol
Join the Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce’s public policy committee for its “Pasco County Day” at the Capitol. Those taking the trip will have the opportunity to visit with our local representatives serving in the Florida Legislature, and to provide advocacy for your business and/or industry. The trip is open to all, not just chamber members. The cost is $40 and this is what you can expect:

* Arrival at Center for Innovation where refreshments will be served
* Break
* Legislative speakers
* Complimentary lunch with legislative speakers
* Senate Chamber with more legislative speakers
* Tour of Old Capitol and/or 22nd floor Capitol Observatory Gallery visit
* End the evening with a social at Proof Brewing Company with complimentary heavy hors d’oeuvres and refreshments
* Bus ride back to Pasco

The chartered bus will be departing from Pasco County at 6:15 a.m., on Feb. 13 and will be returning by 11 p.m., the same day. To reserve your seat or for additional information, call 727-842-7651, or visit the chamber’s website at GreaterPasco.com.

International Tourism & Trade Day
Registration is open for Pasco County International Tourism & Trade Day. The event will bring together Pasco County business leaders, international resource partners and exporters. It offers opportunities to learn about resources available to help Pasco businesses expand their business through exporting. 

There will be a panel discussion featuring Pasco County businesses who have participated in trade missions and with resource partners who made that possible. There also will be opportunities to meet resource partners to assist with international business development, and information will be shared about an upcoming trade mission to Canada.

The event is set for Feb. 22 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Florida Avenue Brewing Company, 2029 Arrowgrass Drive, in Wesley Chapel.

Seating is limited and a complimentary lunch will be provided. For more information, reach out to .

Pasco/Hernando SCORE Mentoring
Pasco Hernando SCORE offers free confidential small business mentoring. Volunteer business experts will provide free assistance to small business owners to help solve their problems and grow their business. To request a mentor, visit SCORE.org/pascohernando .

Pasco Tax Collector’s support of animals wins national recognition

By

Pasco Tax Collector Mike Fasano is a widely known local figure.

Of course, many residents recognize his name because he’s the man in charge of collecting taxes across the county. 

But he’s also widely known for using his offices to help generate support for a lengthy list of charitable causes.

Last week, his work to support animal welfare captured the spotlight when the Pasco County Commission adopted a resolution recognizing Fasano’s recent selection for the 2023 National Animal Care & Control Association’s Bill Lehman Memorial Award.

Mike Fasano poses here with his dog, Seaver. The golden is named after the former New York Mets’ baseball player, Tom Seaver. Fasano was recently honored by a national organization for his exceptional awareness and support intended to benefit animals. (Courtesy of Greg Giordano)

Mike Shumate, director of Pasco County Animal Services (PCAS), told commissioners: “it was our pleasure to nominate Mike Fasano for this award from the National Animal Care & Control Association.”

The award is bestowed every year by the national organization to recognize “an outstanding individual not directly employed in the animal care and control field who has shown exceptional awareness and support of animal control and care related matters,” according to the resolution unanimously adopted by the Pasco County Commission during its Jan. 23 meeting.

Fasano was honored “for his hard work and compassion in animal welfare, both in the state of Florida and in Pasco County,” the resolution says.

It also goes on to provide background regarding Fasano’s lengthy history concerning safeguarding the welfare of animals.

The resolution notes that in 2012, when Fasano was a state senator, he drafted legislation seeking to create a statewide animal abuser registry. His Senate Bill 618, known as “Dexter’s Law,” failed, but it laid the groundwork for future passage of local animal abuser registries throughout the state, including one adopted in 2017 by the Pasco County Commission, the resolution says.

In 2018, Fasano endorsed a proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution to ban dog racing in Florida, which was approved by 69% of the voters on Nov. 6, 2018, the resolution reports.

Beyond those achievements, Fasano “continues to be a strong supporter of animal welfare as the Pasco County tax collector.”

For instance, Fasano’s offices routinely highlight the PCAS’ Pet of the Week on their lobby televisions and share the PCAS shelter content on social media platforms, the resolution says.

Those efforts have resulted in adoptions and helped spread public awareness of shelter and animal welfare initiatives, the resolution adds.

Additionally, Fasano’s office has held fundraisers for Friends of Animal Services, with both fundraisers raising over $11,000 to support the nonprofit. The money was used to help in the purchase of medical equipment and established a medical fund to help citizens with one-time emergency medical care for their pets, according to the resolution.

In summary, the resolution notes: “Fasano exemplifies the spirit of Bill Lehman in his continual promotion and support of animal welfare organizations, his generosity in supporting nonprofit rescues and animal friend groups, and his influence in legislative efforts to improve state law and local ordinances to protect animals.”

Shumate told Fasano: “Mike, this award is for you, for all of the great things you’ve done for us. I think we feel pretty blessed to have you here in this county. You do a lot of great things for us.”

Fasano responded: “I’m going to share this with all of my staff, Greg Giordano, specifically, because Greg was with me in those legislative years.”

Besides being Fasano’s assistant tax collector, Giordano also was there for both the legislative successes, and the “almost successes,” Fasano said.

Commissioner Seth Weightman, whose office sponsored the resolution, noted Fasano’s many contributions to life in Pasco County.

Weightman praised Fasano’s work on behalf of animal welfare, but also thanked him for efforts during his time in the state Legislature, and as Pasco’s tax collector, which have helped to improve the overall quality of community life.

Weightman said that Fasano has elevated the tax collector’s office to deliver arguably “the best level in customer services in our county.” Plus, he has used the office “to capture much-needed funds and donations to support so many charities that otherwise wouldn’t have help. So, your footprint and passion and care for our county, and our state, are really unmatched,” Weightman said.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey echoed those thoughts. She told Fasano: “Of course, you know, you’re very well-loved in this county, and we appreciate all that you do for all of the different nonprofits and our citizens in the county.”

Like his colleagues, Commissioner Jack Mariano expressed gratitude to Fasano, too.

“We greatly appreciate all of the service you do for this county — going above and beyond, helping our charities,” Mariano said.

Commission Chairman Ron Oakley put it this way: “In short, you may say that you touch every citizen in the county, in some way or another.”

Published January 31, 2024

Pasco County ‘all in’ in battle against state’s Live Local Act

By

Pasco County is pulling out the stops in its fight against the state’s Live Local Act, which elected leaders say could have dire fiscal consequences for the county.

Board members and the executive director of the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., rang alarm bells about the economic impacts the new law could have, during the county board’s Jan. 23 meeting.

The Live Local Act aims to increase workforce housing across the state by allowing the conversion of land zoned for commercial, industrial or mixed uses into multifamily developments — provided the project serves people who meet income criteria.

The law also preempts local government from blocking the developments and it allows a tax exemption for newly constructed or substantially rehabilitated developments that meet criteria for setting aside units for households earning 120% of Area Median Income (AMI).

Pasco County invested roughly $65 million to pay for an interchange at Overpass Road and Interstate 75. The project is intended to ease traffic and to stimulate economic development. The Pasco County Commission contends the state’s Live Local Act could thwart local efforts to generate jobs. (File)

The idea of the law is to make local housing available for a community’s workers.

In Pasco County’s case, however, elected leaders say the law undermines the county’s persistent attempts to bring more jobs to a county that has long played a bedroom community role for nearby jobs-rich counties. Seven out of 10 members of Pasco’s workforce commute elsewhere for their jobs.

The county board has been focused on efforts to bring jobs closer to home for its residents through its policy decisions that protect industrial and commercial lands from being converted to residential uses.

It also has worked closely with the Pasco Economic Development Council (Pasco EDC) on a program that seeks to identify sites and get them ready for future industrial development.

The county and Pasco EDC also work together to offer economic incentives to attract companies in targeted industries to locate in Pasco.

Consequences of law could be far-reaching
Pasco officials said they’re glad that Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, sponsor of the bill, has agreed to an amendment that would remove industrial land from being eligible for conversion.

But that doesn’t go far enough, they said.

Bill Cronin, president and CEO of Pasco EDC, said he’s not sure the Live Local Act will provide housing that’s affordable to workers.

“Honestly, I don’t think the way it is structured right now actually helps anybody, if they’re eligible at 120% of AMI,” Cronin said. “That is not affordable housing.”

“It is 100% (apartment rental) market rate and not only is it market rate, it’s high market rate. It’s not helping people it was intended to help,” he said.

Commission Chairman Ron Oakley agreed: “You know, you’d think Live Local is for affordable housing and it’s not at all affordable.”

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey also noted that Live Local doesn’t benefit local developers, but instead benefits institutional investors.

Cronin agreed: “There is not really local developers that are doing multifamily development, they’re all out-of-state. So, their allegiance to this area and their understanding, I would question, because they don’t have the same skin in the game as we do.”

Commissioner Seth Weightman highlighted another aspect of the new law that he finds troubling.

“There’s another clause in there where existing Class A (apartments) can apply and be reclassified as Live Local.”

There are two existing apartment developments that are seeking the Live Local designation.

Starkey said she and Commissioner Jack Mariano met with Senate President Passidomo.

Pasco officials are deeply concerned about the potential conversion of existing apartments to tax-exempt status, she said.

“We didn’t find one other county or city who knew that it was a possibility that existing apartments and future apartments can come off their tax rolls,” Starkey said.

Starkey added that she asked if a cap could be imposed on the number of developments that could come off the tax rolls and was told that a cap would be illegal.

The fiscal impact could be enormous, county leaders said.

David Goldstein, Pasco’s chief assistant county attorney, said “in theory, if these apartment complexes continue to qualify, they could be off our tax rolls for the next 35 years.”

The county did a calculation just for the two apartment complexes that have applied to convert to Live Local, and that turned out to be about $38 million in lost tax revenues, Goldstein said, adding that could just be the tip of the iceberg, if other apartment complexes seek the exemption.

Oakley said the county’s other taxpayers would bear the brunt of those lost revenues.

“Somebody has to make up for all of those services, and that’s the rest of our citizens who are going to be charged extra to pay for services in those areas where they’re not collecting ad valorem (property taxes),” Oakley said.

Goldstein said other taxing bodies, such as the school board, would also feel the impacts.

If law doesn’t change, county prepared to sue
Commissioner Mariano said he hopes lawmakers are paying attention to the potential ramifications.

If the law isn’t changed, the county board already has authorized its legal team to file a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Live Local Act.

But Mariano said that may not go far enough. The county may need to impose a moratorium to ensure adequate protection for its citizens, he said.

Goldstein told Mariano that he’d prefer not to use a moratorium, but to use legal action and other county development tools, first.

“I can’t promise you a (legal) victory, but I do feel pretty good about some of our arguments,” Goldstein said.

“One of them is that we don’t think these rents are a charitable purpose.

“The whole way this law was orchestrated, the whole reason that the Legislature found it to be tax-exempt was under the theory that this was a charitable (cause).

“This is the first time we can find that the Legislature has given a tax break to a for-profit corporation under the theory that it’s charity, but in reality, in Pasco County, it’s not charity in my opinion.

“These are just market-rate rents. In fact, the two apartment complexes that came in first didn’t even reduce their rents, at all. These are the same rents they were charging prior to Live Local. The same rents they are charging now.

“So, they’re basically getting a tax exemption for doing virtually nothing,” Goldstein said. 

He also noted there’s the possibility that Property Appraiser Mike Wells would read the county’s complaint and that could influence how he handles requested exemptions.

“So, that’s the first step, if we don’t get the law changed, go ahead and file against those two companies. We hope they go away, or if they don’t go away, we hope that Mike Wells reads our complaint and says, ‘I’m not issuing these exemptions. These may be unconstitutional, these exemptions, so maybe I should not be issuing them.

“I don’t know what Mike Wells will do when he gets them,” Goldstein said.

Published January 31, 2024

New office aims to improve Pasco’s ability to ‘bounce back from anything’

By

Pasco County now has an office focused on identifying vulnerabilities and creating collaborative efforts to address them.

The office intends to aggressively pursue state, regional and federal funding opportunities to address needed improvements.

That’s the gist of the mission of the county’s new Office of Strategy and Sustainability. The Pasco County Commission approved the creation of the office during its Jan. 23 meeting.

Marc Bellas has been named Pasco County’s chief resilience and sustainability officer. Bellas will lead the county’s new effort to prepare to avoid disruptions and to bounce back from them when they occur. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

It will be led by Marc Bellas, the county’s former director of performance management, whose new title is chief resilience and sustainability officer.

He told commissioners: “Based on what our neighbors to the south are doing and have been doing, we’re a little bit behind the curve on this.

“There’s already millions of dollars — lots of projects going on — to create resilience and sustainability in our neighbors to the south.

“It’s time for us to get on board.”

Bellas detailed the types of acute shocks the county has faced, or could be facing:

*Severe weather: “It’s not getting better. It’s getting worse. The storms are getting stronger. We all know that. We see the science behind it. We’re not immune to wildfires here in Pasco County. We’ve had them in the past, not recently, but you know how bad that gets.”

*Pandemics: “Was anybody ready for that one? That caught us all flat-footed.”

*Geological subsidence: “Do you know what that is? That’s the politically correct word for sinkholes.”

*Active threats: “You see it all of the time in the news. It isn’t something that’s necessarily going to get better. It could get worse.”

There are other issues that have long-term impacts, Bellas said.

Those include:

*Rapid growth: “We’ve seen that the growth scenario that we’re having right now has created a lot of issues for us, not the least of which is funding and trying to keep up with the needs of infrastructure.

*Economic downturn: “That’s just a reality. It’s going to happen.”

*Increased costs: “So many times we’ve had to increase the cost of our projects because of increasing costs and supply chain issues.”

*Global warming, sea level rise: “All of the science points to it. We’ve actually seen models of what Pasco County is going to look like in 2050, based on sea level rise.”

*Unfunded mandates: “We see that more and more. Live Local, didn’t see that one coming.”

Bellas said the county needs to ask itself: “Are we ready for these things, as an organization?”

The Tampa Bay area has been spared from much of the devastation caused by hurricanes hitting Florida. But flooding, such as this from Hurricane Irma, can often happen in places far away from the coast because of the state’s many low-lying areas. (File)

Pasco must be ready to address these types of challenges not only during the next year, but over the course of five years, 10 years and 15 years, Bellas said.

The Office of Strategy and Sustainability “will, in fact, focus on those things that we need to do as a county to prepare for and be able to respond to, and bounce back from, anything that happens to us over time,” Bellas said.

“As Pasco County, it’s our time to do this,” he said. “If we don’t do this now, we’ll get caught flat-footed again.”

The effort must be focused and will require resources, which include people, time, energy, effort and money, Bellas said.

He will lead a team of experts that have been pulled from various county departments.

The team includes an expert on resilience and sustainability; an expert on the federal side of grants and funding; a long-range planner who is managing the county’s vulnerability assessment; and, a strategic planner.

Bellas’ position and that of his assistant make up the other two members of the team.

Funding granted by the county board will go to fill vacancies created in other departments caused by shifting staff, Bellas said. Two of those positions are being funded now and the third will be part of next year’s budget.

Identifying vulnerabilities
“Part of what we want to do immediately is identify any gaps there are in Pasco County, around resilience and sustainability. The big piece that gets us there is the vulnerability assessment that will be done late spring,” Bellas said. “Very quickly we’re going to understand the shape the county is in.

High hurricane winds caused obvious damage to this pier. It doesn’t take hurricane-strength winds, however, to create significant damage and power outages. (File)

“These are the things that we’re going to target as a group to get fixed up as soon as we can and draw as much money as we can down, to begin to address projects around that,” he said.

The team will be educating others about the issues. It also will reach out to the county’s constitutional officers and to the cities. And, it will be involved in regional and statewide efforts.

“There’s a lot of moving parts to this that are going to bring a lot of attention and focus to what we need to do to get us into good shape,” Bellas said.

There are already activities and actions going on around the county that address resilience and sustainability, he said.

“We have a lot of smart people here who know what they need to do, to set their business on the right path. We have a 24-page report of all of the things that are happening, those actions and activities that are happening already across the county,” he said.

Collaborating to strengthen responses
His team will verify the actions that have been taken and see if there are ways to help, Bellas said.

“We’ve already seen a few projects where two different departments are really trying to achieve the same thing, but they’re doing it independently. We can help with the collaboration on that,” Bellas added.

“We will also identify new projects.

“The vulnerability assessment will give us a good idea of what we have to focus on,” he said.

He’s confident the county will be able to qualify for grant money to help attack the work that’s necessary.

“We are aggressively going to pursue regional, state and federal funding. The money is out there.

“You have to have a plan. You have to have a purpose. You have to be able to show the funders, we know what we’re doing, we’re going to do this project. Here is what the outcome is going to be,” Bellas said.

Published January 31, 2024

Popularity of pickleball has players on the hunt for courts

By

As pickleball’s popularity expands, the search continues for permanent courts.

Pickleball grew in 2023 to 8.9 million players in the United States, according to the trade association, Sports & Fitness Industry Association.

In 2016, that figure stood at 2.5 million, according to a previous report in The Laker/Lutz News.

The pace of growth has quickened considerably in recent years.

Brandon Mackie is the co-founder of Pickleheads, a company that is essentially a search engine for pickleball courts around the country. It also offers videos to help people learn about pickleball, and it advertises events and products. (Courtesy of Pickleheads)

“It’s been the fastest-growing sport for three years running,” said Brandon Mackie, co-founder of Pickleheads, a company based in Scottsdale, Arizona, that specializes in keeping track of pickleball courts around the country.

“So, for any player that wants to find a court, find a game, or even other people to play with — that all happens on this website,” Mackie said, describing the site that launched in June of last year.

“I’ve been a big player myself, since early on in the pandemic. And, in a lot of ways, Pickleheads is something that I wished would have existed when I first started out because there just wasn’t a good way to find other people, find other games. Because of that, I would only play once every two weeks, because there was so much effort involved in finding games.

“I always thought if something like Pickleheads existed, I might play every day. That’s what we’re trying to solve for people,” Mackie added.

For people looking for a place to play, they’ll likely find something that may work for them on the site.

“There’s a huge mix of public, private, paid, free — and all of those are available on our platform.

“You have the full range of playing pickleball in an abandoned warehouse for free, versus doing a country club. All of those opportunities are on our site,” he said.

The list of potential places to play is extensive.

“Starting out, it was challenging. We hired a team to really go city by city and do a full audit of the country. As you can imagine, that took a long time. But once we had the initial data set going, we created a loop where users could submit their own court edits, or add new courts in the database, kind of how Wikipedia works. And that was really the best thing that we ever did.

Seffner resident Grant Goad makes a diving save shot playing pickleball at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, during a tournament hosted by Pickleball Fanatics, in October. (File)

“Now, we’re getting information at the ground level, from people going to the courts, and it just really got better and better. Now, it’s not perfect, but we think it’s the best database that’s out there,” he said.

The website lists places to play all over the country, including locations in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

Mackie has a couple of theories regarding why pickleball is so popular.

“It’s really easy to learn and pick up the sport,” he said, noting that unlike golf or tennis, it doesn’t take months or years of practice to enjoy it.

There’s another big reason for pickleball’s popularity, he added.

“No. 2 would be the social nature of the sport.

Pickleball Fanatics co-founder Val Thomopalos goes over the match schedules during the second day of the tournament. She and her pickleball partner, Kathy McCausey, hosted the tournament. (File)

“A lot of times people play pickleball in an open-play format, where you’ve got 20, 30, 40, 50 people all going to courts, rotating time with partners. It’s just a great opportunity to meet people.

“So, I think for a lot of people, it’s a community more so than it’s a sport,” he said.

Pickleball is affordable
“You can find paddles on Amazon for as cheap as $20. I would recommend spending between $50 and $100 on your first paddle, to get something halfway decent,” Mackie said.

There are public facilities that are free to use and typically other players will have a spare ball you can borrow, he added.

“I think that’s a lot of the reason why the sport has grown — you just don’t need to spend a lot of money to give it a try,” Mackie said.

While there are many potential places to play — sometimes they require temporary lines to be laid down and temporary nets to be installed.

So, the effort continues to get more permanent facilities.

The Laker/Lutz News previously detailed a push by Picklehead Fanatics, led by Kathy McCausey and Val Thomopalos, to increase the number of pickleball courts in Central Pasco.

McCausey and Thomopalos are pickleball instructors who give lessons, run tournaments and coordinate impromptu meet-ups of pickleball enthusiasts in Central Pasco.

This provides a glimpse of what pickleball courts look like. Notice there is much less space used than tennis courts. (File)

They hosted an adult and youth tournament at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway, with players coming from near and far to compete in different divisions and competitions.

About 120 players showed up — including 18 youth players.

McCausey and Thomopalos are looking to promote the sport and they are using proceeds from the tournament to benefit the rec complex — specifically to get public, permanent courts.

Besides the recreation complex, other possible locations are Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park and Wesley Chapel District Park. The pickleball partners also mentioned the county might want courts at Starkey Ranch District Park, as well.

About pickleball
A racket sport, pickleball incorporates elements from other sports, like tennis, badminton and Ping-Pong. It is reportedly the fastest-growing sport in the United States. It can be played essentially wherever there is a flat surface, but ideally, there’s a court with permanent lines and a permanent net. For complete rules and video demonstrations, visit Pickleheads.com.

For more information:
Visit PickleballFanatics.biz, or email . Or, visit Pickleheads.com.

Published January 31, 2024

Stay safe, while getting fit

By

The Pasco Sheriff’s Office offers these tips to help you stay safe, while you work to stay fit:

  • Park in a well-lit and highly visible area – you’ll be more likely to be seen when you are outside fitness centers.
  • Properly secure your valuables and lock your doors before going into the gym.
  • Avoid using gym key hangers open to the public to ensure your keys stay safe.
  • Wear bright colors and something reflective when exercising outdoors to increase visibility in congested areas.
  • Stay alert by keeping your eyes and ears open when exercising, especially when exercising outdoors such as running or riding a bike.
  • For extended outdoor activities such as hiking or kayaking, tell loved ones where you’ll be and for how long.
  • Remember to stay hydrated and carry a charged phone in the event you need help.

Lutz native helps anglers achieve No. 1

By

The Association of Collegiate Anglers posted Carson-Newman University as No. 1 in point standings in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. With the points update, the Carson-Newman Eagle Anglers garnered the top spot for the first time in program history, according to a news release.

“Being ranked No. 1 at this point in the season is very exciting for our guys,” Hunter Sales, head coach for Carson-Newman, said in the release. “They’ve done an excellent job taking care of business both on and off the water. If we’re able to stay focused through the spring, we have a real chance to bring our first School of the Year title back to Jefferson City.”

The news comes following an MLF College Series regular season event at the Harris Chain and the MLF Championship at Lake Toho. It is the first points update of 2024. The University of North Alabama moved to No. 2, while defending School of the Year winner University of Montevallo fell to the third spot.

At the Harris Chain event, the Eagle Anglers earned the most points of any team in the MLF College Series regular season event. Carson-Newman’s top two teams composed of Nicholas DellaPorta (Pequannock, New Jersey) and Drew Pitts (Lutz, Florida), along with Riley Faulkner (Jacksboro, Tennessee) and Szymon Piton (Chicago, Illinois) finished fourth and 12th respectively.