The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

Mask mandate dropped in Pasco, Hillsborough public schools

By

Students returning to public schools in Pasco and Hillsborough counties will not be required to wear masks.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning took a moment at the school board’s July 6 meeting to reiterate the Pasco district’s position.

“I’ve been getting a number of emails from folks, across the district, that I guess are still concerned that I’m going to have staff and students in masks.

“I am not going to have students in masks, come the beginning of the school year.

“I think it’s been patently clear by this district that masks would be optional starting in August.

“I think it’s even more clear with the remarks made by our governor that there would be no masks in school. So, they’ve removed that decision from local school districts,” Browning said.

“So, I just want to make it abundantly clear that we will not have masks required in Pasco schools.

“We will, however, continue to monitor COVID and COVID data, with the Delta variant that’s out there,” Browning added.

Hillsborough County public schools also has announced that it would drop the mask mandate.

Gov. Ron DeSantis told the Florida Board of Education at its June 10 meeting that most of the state’s school districts had already decided that “kids should be able to go to school normally, they should not be forced to wear masks.

“I think that that’s important that we do that statewide,” he said.

However, guidance from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, updated on July 9, for COVID-19 prevention in K-12 schools says: “Masks should be worn indoors by all individuals (age 2 and older) who are not fully vaccinated.”

The guidance continues: “Consistent and correct mask use by people who are not fully vaccinated is especially important indoors and in crowded settings, when physical distancing cannot be maintained.”

The CDC “recommends schools maintain at least 3 feet of physical distance between students within classrooms, combined with indoor mask wearing by people who are not fully vaccinated, to reduce transmission risk. When it is not possible to maintain a physical distance of at least 3 feet, such as when schools cannot fully reopen while maintaining these distances, it is especially important to layer multiple other prevention strategies, such as indoor masking.”

Published July 14, 2021

Clash continues over Pasco clerk’s budget

By

Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles is continuing to push for a big budget increase, despite resistance by county administration.

During the Pasco County Commission’s consideration of next fiscal year’s property tax rate, the clerk sought permission to address the budget.

Commission Chairman Ron Oakley allowed her to speak, but shortly after she began, Commissioner Mike Moore interjected: “We cannot have these conversations. This is the board, actually debating the budget.

Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Sowles is continuing her bid to get increased funding for her office in fiscal year 2021-2022. (File)

“If we’re going to allow all constitutionals to debate their budget request, we have to bring all of them in here and have that,” Moore said.

The clerk said that anyone from the public is free to speak during the public comment portion of the meeting, but Moore said it wasn’t appropriate for remarks to be part of the board’s deliberations.

So, the clerk said she would wait until the miscellaneous business portion of the meeting during which she’s allowed to bring issues to the board.

At that point in the meeting, Alvarez-Sowles told board members she had met with County Administrator Dan Biles.

During that meeting, she said Biles acknowledged “that the commission has a legal obligation to fund IT and that they are funding it at 40%” of her IT request.

“I just wanted to state that funding it at 40% of the request is inadequate to meet the needs of my office and the requirements of the law,” Alvarez-Sowles said. “I would like to have the full funding of IT for fiscal year 2022.”

Alvarez had spelled out her request in an April 30 letter to Commission Chairman Ron Oakley and the Pasco County Commission.

In that letter, she told commissioners that her budget request was for $13,284,195, resulting in $8,992,936 in additional funding.

At the July 6 county board meeting, Alvarez-Sowles said: “I recognize that my request is more than the county administration would like, however, it is based specifically on the commission’s legal funding obligations and the reasonable needs of my office.

Her April 30 letter also noted: “Since 2010, Pasco’s population increased by 19% and the county increased staffing by 39% to provide additional services. In that same time frame, the clerk’s office cut 11 % of its positions due to funding shortages.”

At the board meeting, she reiterated those issues and told commissioners, “the funding situation in my office is just unsustainable.”

Alvarez-Sowles also noted that the emphasis during the board’s June 8 meeting was on property tax revenue, but said there also are other unrestricted revenues that go into the general revenue account, such as sales tax and state revenue sharing.

She said the county board “is responsible for determining and setting its funding priorities” and she told the board that the clerk’s office should be among its highest priorities, along the same lines as public safety — the sheriff’s office and firefighters.

County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder weighed in on the issue.

“Mr. Chairman, there appears to be a fundamental dispute between the administrator and the clerk with regard to whether or not what the clerk is asking for, is in fact, a local requirement.

“It boils down to — for large scale — whether or not the West Pasco Judicial Center is a local requirement.

“The clerk’s position is that it is. The county’s position is that it’s not,” Steinsnyder said.

Published July 14, 2021

Local novelist’s ‘Lake Roland’ was inspired by real case

By

As a journalist, Charlie Reese knew how to ferret out the facts and crank out stories on tight deadlines.

As a novelist, Reese — that is, C. Roloson Reese — has delighted in letting his imagination run wild to create just about every detail in his first published book, “Lake Roland.”

The Lutz author didn’t imagine every single detail because the novel is based on a two-paragraph news wire story that Reese read about eight years ago.

Charlie Reese, who published his novel, ‘Lake Roland,’ under the name C. Roloson Reese, is a former journalist and current businessman who lives in Lutz. The novel’s inspiration came from a two-paragraph news wire story the author had read, involving a missing persons case. (Courtesy of Charlie Reese)

The news wire account was about a 45-year-old mystery involving missing persons — solved essentially by accident.

“It just stuck with me — longer than any other newspaper story I’ve ever come across as a reporter or as a reader,” Reese said.

He decided to give that tiny nugget of a story a life of its own.

“I felt moved to tell the story, the back end of the mystery, as best as I could imagine it,” Reese said.

“Once I started reflecting on it, it wouldn’t let go of my imagination. So, I sat down and I wrote the first chapter.

“The real-life characters, they disappeared around high-school age — at least a couple of them,” Reese said.

The novel is told from the vantage point of Tom O’Malley, who spent a lifetime dealing with the mysterious disappearance of his pal, Mark. They’d been inseparable.

In creating the story, Reese thought about how it would feel if his best friend from high school had gone missing.

“I just imagined what that would be like — what kind of a hole that would have left in my life,” Reese said. He explored how having that type of loss would affect the families and friends of the pair that went missing.

“That’s what started me on this particular book. I just felt called to flesh out the characters behind the story,” Reese said.

The novel begins before the actual disappearance.

“I wanted to build some background because, any story you cover as a reporter, there’s always a backstory. And, it’s quite an interesting backstory in many cases. And, we don’t really do it justice. We can’t. We’re limited by deadlines. We’re limited by space. And, we really can’t tell the story with as much passion or thoughtfulness, as we can — or we should, or is possible,” Reese said.

Novels don’t have those limitations.

The actual missing persons case in the news wire story occurred in Oklahoma.

Reese decided to set his story in Baltimore, where he grew up and went to high school, and where there actually is a Lake Roland.

“As I got to writing — which is really a creative exercise — I just felt so emotional at times. But I was also so alive with being able to create these characters and storylines.

“Although the book is not autobiographical, it is a collection of characters and people I knew over the years.

“Running through my mind were many of the people and characters I’ve met over the years. Their stories.

“We come across so many different people, in our travels, in our work, in our families.

“So, it’s real amalgamation of all of these different characters and people that I’ve met, and usually admired,” he said.

Once Reese started writing the novel, the work went quickly. He asked his wife, Judith, to read chapters and offer feedback during the process.

In essence, the book was finished in 2013 and Reese occasionally has revisited it through the years.

This spring, he decided it was time to give the novel a final edit and to publish it.

Although this is Reese’s first published novel, he’s been a writer — in some form or another — since childhood.

He began reporting stories in the Tampa Bay area when he was a student at the University of South Florida, writing for the Oracle. Then, he reported for The Laker and later became the editor of The Lutz News and the former Temple Terrace Beacon.

He went on to work in media relations and communications with the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and the Institute for Business & Home Safety. He’s also been published in the former Tampa Tribune and in the St. Petersburg Times, before it became The Tampa Bay Times.

His love for writing dates back to childhood.

As a boy, he wrote poetry, which he read aloud to his family.

In college, he studied literature.

And, while he’s spent much of his career working with words, he said he’s learned more about the art of writing by reading great authors.

Being tuned in to people and places, is essential, too, he said.

“Observing and listening are probably the best things a writer can do,” Reese said. “That’s what poets do.”

“Lake Roland” by C. Roloson Reese, is available at Barnes & Noble Press (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lake-roland-c-roloson-reese/1139075421?ean=9781666262001).

To see a video about “Lake Roland,” visit https://www.facebook.com/211702412202894/videos/960288408037265.

 

Published July 14, 2021

Stay safe: Hurricane season can be deadly

By

Tropical Storm Elsa was headed toward the Tampa Bay region this week, and it was too early to know what the impacts would be — as The Laker/Lutz News went to print.

Regardless of Elsa’s impact, experts are predicting an above-normal Hurricane Season 2021.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center has predicted a 60% chance of an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season, a 30% chance of a near-normal season and a 10% chance of a below-normal season.

NOAA is forecasting a range of 13 to 19 named storms, with winds of 39 mph or higher. Of those, six to 10 could become hurricanes, with winds of 74 mph or higher, including three to six hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5), with winds of 111 mph or more, according to the predictions.

Laura Wilcoxen, interim director for emergency management in Pasco County urges people to prepare now, so they can take any actions that become necessary, if a big storm heads our way. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

An average hurricane season – which runs from June 1 through Nov. 30 — produces 14 named storms, of which seven become hurricanes, including three major hurricanes, according to NOAA’s updated statistics.

The last hurricane to hit Pasco County was Hurricane Irma, in 2017. County officials have estimated that more than 200 homes were damaged, with 56 homes suffering major damage and four homes destroyed, according to the 2021 Pasco County Disaster Preparedness Guide.

Of the 261,000 addresses in Pasco County, approximately 217,000 addresses reportedly were without power, the guide adds.

As this issue of The Laker/Lutz News was going to print, experts were keeping an eye on Tropical Storm Elsa that was brewing, but it was too early to tell whether the storm would affect the Tampa Bay region.

Of course, it’s impossible to predict when or where a hurricane or tropical storm will strike, so that’s why emergency management officials urge residents to be ready to take whatever actions are necessary.

Laura Wilcoxen, interim director for emergency management for Pasco County, said residents need to prepare now, so they can be ready if a threat arises.

Prepare now
It’s important to keep in mind there are just a couple of thousand first responders, Wilcoxen said, compared to more than 550,000 Pasco County residents.

“So, personal responsibility is extremely important for us all to be able to recover as quickly as we can,” she said.

First, know your hazards, she said. “Are you in an evacuation zone? Are you in a flood zone?

“You know best where you live. You know best the route that you routinely travel,” Wilcoxen said.

Perhaps you’re new to the area.

In that case, Wilcoxen suggests: “Talk to your neighbors. Ask them what their experience has been in past storms.”

Perhaps you haven’t geared up yet for this storm season.

Wilcoxen offers this advice: “Prepare a simple go-kit: Quick things that you can grab, in a backpack. Water, some food, your medications, batteries, a flashlight.”

Prepare a larger home kit, too.

That kit should include 1 gallon of water per person, per day, for up to 7 days; nonperishable food, a non-electric can opener, hygiene items, and so on.

Those preparing disaster kits also should keep in mind the need to pack personal protection equipment, such as masks and gloves, in case they are needed, she said.

As you make preparations, consider any special needs of elderly or disabled people, infants and pets, she said.

Also, if you will need a special shelter, be sure to know where they are and how to register.

This is the list of 2021 Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Names from the World Meteorological Organization and presented in a graphic by The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. See page 1B for a lengthy list of practical tips intended to help you prepare before storms threaten; stay safe if severe weather hits; and, respond in the aftermath. (The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

Stay safe
“Each storm is different. Some of the worst damage that this county has experienced has been because of a tropical storm,” Wilcoxen said.

Residents need to know their evacuation zone.

“Heed the warnings. There can be a lot of complacency based on previous experience,” Wilcoxen said.

“If county officials are giving you a warning that it’s time to evacuate, it’s because there’s a high potential for threats to life and safety,” the emergency response expert said.

Areas of special concern include coastal areas that are subject to storm surge and buildings that would be susceptible to wind damage, such as mobile homes or homes that are not secured to their foundation, she said.

There are public shelters available, but they should be the option of last resort, Wilcoxen said.

It’s better for people to find friends or family, or stay in a hotel, Wilcoxen said.

“You are going to be much more comfortable than you would be at a shelter,” she added. “Shelters are really like the lifeboat —they’re the lifeboat, not the cruise ship.”

County shelters will follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Florida Department of Health, Wilcoxen said.

There will be isolation areas, if needed, because of COVID-19, she added.

Protect your property, and yourself
“Know what your insurance covers,” Wilcoxen said.

If you need flood insurance, get it now.

New flood insurance policies cannot be obtained, if a storm is approaching.

It’s also a good idea to take action now, such as trimming your trees, to reduce potential property damage, she said.

When a storm is approaching, store items — such as patio furniture, grills and planters — in a garage or in another secure place. Those could become projectiles during high winds.

If you have emergency equipment, be sure you know how it works. That’s particularly true about generators, Wilcoxen said.

“Make sure they’re (generators) properly installed. You don’t want to put them inside your garage. Don’t put them next to your bedroom window. Make sure the way it is wired in, is correct,” Wilcoxen said. “You don’t want to have a disaster, within a disaster.”

Be sure you have a communication plan.

Whether you are evacuating or sheltering in place, be sure to share the specifics with someone who is outside of the danger zone.

Keep informed
Wilcoxen encourages residents to register for the AlertPasco app, which provides timely reports.

The county also has the social media NextDoor app, which can push out more information, easily, she said.

Wilcoxen also recommends that residents read the county’s disaster guide.

“It’s been updated and designed to make it user-friendly,” Wilcoxen said.

The county’s preparedness videos, on the emergency management page of the county’s website, are helpful, too, she said.

“If you have people who are interested in learning about how to properly fill a sandbag and stack them, we have a video about sandbags. If you want to learn more about what to take to a shelter, we have a video on our shelters. We also have one on how to build a kit.

“They’re just great, useful, educational tools,” Wilcoxen said.

“If you have any questions ever, make sure you’re reaching out and asking. Our team is here to help,” Wilcoxen said.

Preparing for a disaster
Would your organization or association like to know more about preparing for a disaster? Pasco County’s emergency management department has speakers available to provide presentations. To find out more, call 727-847-8137.

Written for July 07, 2021 publications

Revised July 05, 2021

Hurricane Season 2021 could be a busy one, experts predict

By

In 2018, Hurricane Michael was the first Category 5 hurricane to impact the contiguous United States since Hurricane Andrew did in 1992. Weather experts are predicting that Hurricane Season 2021 will have higher-than-normal activity. (File)

Florida’s annual Hurricane Season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, and Tropical Storm Elsa was heading toward the Tampa Bay region, when The Laker/Lutz News went to print.

Regardless of what happen with this storm, experts are predicting higher-than-normal activity, and they urge residents to be ready to respond, if a hurricane or tropical storm threatens.

Here are some practical pointers to help you to prepare for the storm, stay safe when it hits and recover after it.

What to do now:

Assemble hurricane kits
Supply kits vary, depending on the size of the family and whether there are infants, elderly people or pets. Be sure to consider individual needs, when assembling your kit.

Your pet emergency kit should include: Sturdy leashes, harnesses and/or a carrier; pet food, drinking water, bowls, cat litter, a litter pan; pet health records, current photos of your pets, in case they get lost; pet beds and toys.

In general, kits should include:

  • Drinking water (at least 1 gallon per person per day, for at least seven days)
  • Food that doesn’t require refrigeration and a manual can opener. Be sure to have a seven-day supply of food, including items such as protein bars, dried fruit, canned pastas, canned soup, canned tuna, peanut butter, crackers, baby formula, baby food.
  • A two-week supply of medications
  • Personal hygiene items, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, wet wipes, deodorant, toilet paper, face masks, hand sanitizer, gloves and diapers, if needed.
  • Clothing and footwear
  • Books and games, to help pass the time

Other useful items:

  • A battery-powered or hand-cranked radio (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Radio)
  • A first aid kit
  • A flashlight, batteries, a helmet and a whistle.
  • A solar-powered phone charger
  • A printed list of important telephone numbers.
  • Filter masks to protect your mouth and nose
  • A whistle to signal for help
  • Seasonal rain gear, sturdy shoes or boots
  • Paper plates, plastic utensils, plastic cups
  • Grill, cooking tools, fuel, charcoal
  • Hand tools, automotive repair tools
  • Duct tape and heavyweight garbage bags or plastic sheeting
  • A wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)

Protect your property

  • Trim your trees and shrubs, to avoid damage from high winds.
  • Clear out clogged rain gutters and downspouts.
  • Document your valuables, by making a list of them, and taking photos of them and your property.
  • Cover windows with pre-cut plywood or hurricane shutters.
  • Store outdoor furniture, windchimes, garbage cans, decorations, potted plants and other items that could become projectiles in high winds.
  • If you have a boat, determine how and where to secure it.
  • If you live in a flood-prone area, use sandbags to help keep water from entering your home or property.

Have a plan for staying, or evacuating
Whether evacuating or sheltering in place, be sure to put important documents into a waterproof and fireproof container. These documents can include driver’s licenses, your insurance agent’s name and phone number, copies of medical information, insurance policies, and property inventories. Take photos of your documents or scan them and save them on a USB drive, or a cloud-based computer application.

Plan how you will evacuate, in the event you are ordered to do so.

If evacuating:
Have a go bag ready. It should include medications, clothing and important documents.

Have an evacuation plan. Check now with family and friends, to see if you can stay with them. If not, look for places to stay that are 10s of miles, rather than hundreds of miles away.

Know how to find the state’s evacuation routes.

Keep your gas tank 3/4s full or more, during hurricane season. Have cash on hand.

If you need assistance to evacuate, be sure to line that up now. If you need to go to a special needs shelter, register now.

Be sure to share your evacuation plan with someone who is outside of the danger zone.

If staying:
Know what to do, if a storm is threatening. Experts suggest that you:

  • Go inside immediately; take family and pets with you.
  • Close all interior doors. Secure and brace exterior doors. Take refuge in a small interior closet, or hallway on the lowest level. Choose a room with as few windows as possible. Lie on the floor under a table or another sturdy object.
  • Fill bathtubs or buckets with water to use for cleaning and toilet flushing.
  • Monitor local TV stations and radio stations.
  • Don’t be fooled by a lull in the storm. It could be the eye of the storm and the winds could resume.
  • Stay in place until advised it’s safe to leave.

Staying safe, after the storm

  • Avoid walking through standing water. Floodwaters may contain fecal matter, bacteria and viruses.
  • Don’t drive through moving or standing water. Water 2-feet deep can disable most vehicles.
  • Treat non-functioning traffic signals as a four-way stop.
  • Observe all barricades and detours. They are there for your protection.
  • Clear yard of debris or items that can block water flow and storm drains.
  • Assume downed power lines are live; avoid them.
  • Keep an eye out for alligators and other wildlife. Floods create an opportunity for them to come into residential areas.
  • Drain items that collect rainwater to help prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
  • Re-enter your home with caution.
  • Open windows and doors to ventilate and dry your home.
  • Check refrigerated foods for spoilage.
  • Beware of snakes, insects and other animals driven to higher ground by floodwater.
  • Turn power off if house was flooded.
  • Do not burn charcoal in your house or garage, the fumes can be deadly.
  • Do not use gas-powered generators indoors or in a garage, the exhaust can be lethal.
  • If you’re using a generator, do not plug it into a building’s wiring. This can cause generator back-feed, which is extremely dangerous for utility workers and for anyone in the public who comes into contact with a downed electrical wire.
  • If you have been evacuated, do not return to your home until authorities tell you that it is safe to do so.

Dealing with property damage

  • Make emergency repairs to limit the damage. Be sure to keep receipts for tarps, lumber and so on. But be careful, because inexperienced people attempting repairs are sometimes injured.
  • Take photos of the damage to help in filing insurance claims.
  • Contact your insurance claims agent as soon as possible.
  • Be wary of potential scams. Use licensed contractors to make repairs. Be sure to obtain a written estimate or contract. Require start and completion dates, and payment terms in the contract. Do not pay in full before the work begins and do not pay the final balance until the work is finished.

Counseling & support

Living through a disaster can be overwhelming. Take time to process the experience. Reach out to family and friends for support. If additional help is needed, take advantage of free counseling services that are available. Children may experience fear, nightmares or other symptoms. Talk to them honestly about the disaster and share your emotions about it.

Sources: Pasco County and Hillsborough County websites, their 2021 emergency preparedness guides and The Laker/Lutz News archives.

Keep up to date about storm dangers
Sign up to ALERT PASCO for emergency updates. Visit bit.ly/AlertPasco.
Visit HCFLGov.net/HCFLAlert to sign up for Hillsborough County emergency updates.

Written for July 07, 2021 publications

Revised July 5, 2021

Pasco stormwater utility fee expected to stay the same

By

The Pasco County Commission has decided that the county’s stormwater utility fees will remain unchanged for the 2021 fiscal year.

The current rate is $95 per equivalent residential unit — which is based on an average amount of impervious area of 2,890 square feet for a single-family home, according to agenda background materials.

County staff recommended that the ERU rate and square footage remain the same for the 2021 tax year, and commissioners signaled their approval, without discussion, during their June 22 meeting.

The public hearing for the Annual Stormwater Management Utility System Rate Resolution is scheduled for 9 a.m., on Sept. 14, in the board room at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse, at 37918 Meridian Ave., in Dade City.  At the hearing, the board must adopt a final rate resolution. It can reduce the fee, but cannot increase it, at that hearing.

In other action, commissioners approved these items, without discussion, as part of their consent agenda:

  • The award of a professional services agreement with HDR Engineering Inc., to provide the required roadway design services for the widening of Old Pasco Road, from north of Deedra Drive to north of Overpass Road, in an amount not to exceed $2,570,032.37. That figure includes $595,973.19 in optional services for fiscal year 2021.
  • The appointments of Dennis Baker, representing Tampa North Aero Park, and Spencer Brass, representing Pilot Country Estates Airport, to the Airport Zoning Commission. Zephyrhills Municipal Airport Manager Nathan Coleman will continue to serve on the commission, too.
  • A contract to Pacscon GeoEnvironmental Inc., for as-needed gopher tortoise surveying, permitting capturing transporting and after-action reports. The contract is for an amount not to exceed $90,000 for fiscal year 2021; not to exceed $90,000 for fiscal year 2022; not to exceed $110,000 in fiscal year 2022 and not to exceed $90,000 in fiscal year 2024. The total not to exceed amount is $400,000.
  • A task order revision in the amount of $109,910 with Stroud Engineering Consultants to cover additional design and construction inspection engineering services due to the addition of a 16-inch pipeline. The Florida Department of Transportation is fast-tracking the completion of the widening of U.S. 41, from north of Connerton Boulevard to south of State Road 52. After the original task order was approved, additional improvements were identified, which consist of construction of a new 16-inch diameter force main along U.S. 41 to provide wastewater capacity for new development expected to be built in the vicinity in the near future.

Including the piping now will help meet future demands and avoid costly work later, according to the agenda materials.

Published July 07, 2021

Author hopes Bible study guide will lead to richer relationships with God

By

It’s not like Liz Lyon-Hall was just looking for something to do.

After all, she’s a professional guardian for the elderly with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Plus, she and her husband, Alan, have two daughters, 15-year-old Eliana and a 12-year-old Alyssa, and two sons, 5-year-old Daniel and 3-year-old Jaidon.

On top of all that, the Wesley Chapel family has dogs, a cat, a bunny, a mouse, a bird and two pet sharks.

Liz Lyon-Hall experienced what she characterizes as a revelation, as she was reading a particular Bible verse. The experience was so inspiring she decided to write a Bible study guide to encourage other Christians to deepen their relationship with God, by reading scripture.

Still, when Lyon-Hall was reading a particular verse of the Bible she experienced what she characterizes as a revelation — and she was inspired to share it with others.

“I realized at one point that any revelation from God, no matter how big or how small, is not necessarily just for the person receiving it, but also to be shared with other Christians,” she said.

“I really want to encourage people to be reading the Bible and studying it for themselves. That’s a big life message for me — just encouraging Christians to spend time in the Bible,” she said.

It’s important, she added, to “know your scriptures and study it as much as you can.

“One of the ways that God speaks to his people is through the scriptures and if you’re not reading them, you’re missing that opportunity.

“Christianity is not just a belief system. We’re meant to have a relationship with God,” she continued. “If you’re missing out on his primary way of communicating to you, you’re really missing out.”

So, what began as a personal inspiration turned into a research and writing project.

“I typically wrote about an hour a night, pretty much from midnight to about 1 a.m.,” she said. She squeezed in some extra writing time on Fridays, which she generally takes off from her day job.

She estimates she spent about six months creating the study guide, which is called “Hezekiah, A Conversation With the Enemy.”

The guide’s release will be celebrated with a book launch on July 11 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Bridgeway Church, at 30660 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel.

The six-week Bible study is divided into six weeks of study, five days a week.

“That’s kind of a standard format for a lot of Bible studies,” Lyon-Hall said.

While Bible studies can be done individually, that’s not the general approach.

“The main goal for most Bible studies is to be done with a group of people, so that you’re having discussion and you’re fellowshipping — getting to know each other and helping each other throughout life, praying for each other, that sort of thing,” Lyon-Hall said.

This is the cover of Liz Lyon-Hall’s Bible study guide. She lives in Wesley Chapel and attends Bridgeway Church.

“This Bible study, when I wrote it, I did it with my own personal little small group Bible study,” she said. She also ran it through a Bible study at Bridgeway Church, where she has been a member since 2015. A  second Bible study group at the church began using the guide recently.

Lyon-Hall said her guide is designed to be used by Christians of any church denomination.

She plans to get the word out about the book by attending church events, conferences, breakfasts and so on. She is scheduled to sell her book at Palm Harbor’s New Hope Church’s Women’s Dream Conference, Aug. 13 and Aug. 14; at Tampa’s St. Clement’s Episcopal Church’s Blessing of the Animals event Oct. 2; and, at Lutz’s St. Timothy Catholic Church’s Annual Women’s Club Boutique on Nov. 13.

Whether or not it’s a big seller, Lyon-Hall said she’s glad she pursued the project.

She knows that the guide was extremely helpful to one of the participants of the first Bible study group that used it.

“It was a blessing to her, specifically — helped her kind of break through some issues she was having,” the author said.

“I’m not looking to make my millions off this book. I’m just looking to share it and encourage people to be reading their Bible.

“I figure God is going to use it for whatever he’s going to use it for. He will put it in the hands of who needs to read it,” she said.

For more information, visit LizLyon-Hall.com.

Bible Study Book Launch
What: Meet local author Liz Lyon-Hall at an event celebrating the launch of her first published Bible Study: “Hezekiah, A Conversation With the Enemy.”
Where: Bridgeway Church, 30660 Wells Road, Wesley Chapel
When: July 11, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Details: Enjoy Christian fellowship across a variety of denominations. There will be light hors d’oeuvres and drinks. Bring or buy a book for author signings.
Please RSVP to , to ensure adequate provision of food and drink.

Need a guest speaker for your Christian group? Liz Lyon-Hall, author of the Bible Study, “Hezekiah, a Conversation With the Enemy,” is available to speak to your group. Email her at to make arrangements.

Published July 07, 2021

Pasco gains state funding for wide assortment of projects

By

Initially, things were looking pretty bleak on the state fiscal front — before the last session of the Florida Legislature.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey recalled some previous remarks from the county’s state lobbyist, Shawn Foster, of Sunrise Consulting.

“Before session started, you were like: ‘This is going to be a really bad session. We’re going to be billions of dollars in the hole,’” Starkey said, during the Pasco County Commission’s June 22 meeting.

Foster said that was before the dollars that came in from the America Rescue Act.

Nearly 10% of the state’s $101.5 billion came from the federal government, Foster said.

“If it had not been for that $10 billion that we got from the federal government, there would be no good here. There would be no good,” Foster said.

Without the federal money, he added: “There would be none of these projects on here, none of these other big grants.”

Instead, “the state took $7 billion of the American Rescue Act and implemented it into this year and held off another $3 billion for the next budget,” Foster said.

Instead of being decimated, the statewide budget includes:

  • $1 billion for community substance abuse and mental health
  • $3.2 million for homeless program challenge grants
  • $500 million for the Resilient Florida Trust Fund and programs
  • $626 million for septic to sewer and stormwater improvements
  • $146.7 million for the State Housing Initiative Partnership program
  • $74 million for the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, including $24 million from last year
  • $1.5 billion in the Emergency Rental Assistance Program

The county can apply directly for funding through the Septic to Sewer/Stormwater Improvement program, Foster said.

“That was our Sen. (Wilton) Simpson’s priority and has been for years. I think it started with an idea a few years ago; it was $50 million. So, to see it up to $626 (million) is amazing.”

The lobbyist also noted that the Emergency Rental Assistance Program is one in which constituents can make direct applications, through OurFlorida.com.

Three Pasco County projects also went through to the governor.

Those were:

  • $6.5 million for the Handcart Road water and wastewater improvements
  • $200,000 for the Ackerman Street drainage improvements
  • $3,818,208 for the Lindrick sewer and water quality

“The county as a whole, really did well,” said Ralph Lair, the county’s intergovernmental affairs officer.

Other county projects receiving funding were:

  • $3 million to extend the runway at Zephyrhills Municipal Airport
  • $4,665,000 for the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center in Zephyrhills
  • $25 million for a Florida National Guard Armory in Zephyrhills
  • $1.25 million for a CARES One-Stop Senior Center in Dade City
  • $450,000 for AmSkills Workforce Training
  • $25 million for a Pasco-Hernando State College student success and community engagement center in Dade City
  • $34,738 for a Pasco Association of Challenged Kids Summer Camp
  • $5 million for Metropolitan Ministries to expand its campus in Pasco County
  • $700,000 for Bridging Freedom Program in Pasco County

While Commissioner Mike Moore expressed gratitude for this year’s appropriations, he said the county needs to focus on securing funding to address flooding issues in areas such as Quail Hollow and around Eiland Boulevard.

“That needs to be a big focus, going forward,” Moore said. “Those are very important. Those affect our citizens on a day-to-day basis,” he said.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said she’d like to follow the Pinellas County Commission’s example of meeting with their county legislative delegation and with their federal legislative delegation.

She wants Pasco to be more proactive in seeking state and federal funding to help address county needs.

Foster expressed optimism about the state’s revenue prospects for next year.

Committee meetings will begin in the fall, and the next session of the legislature is set to start Jan. 11 and end on March 11.

Published July 07, 2021

Planning board urges county to speed up reviews

By

As the Pasco County Planning Commission considered a request for a special plan reviewer for the Villages of Pasadena Hills (VOPH), planning board members took the opportunity to encourage the county to find ways to speed up its development review process.

The VOPH asked the county to dedicate a specific planner to handle plan reviews within the special district, which county staff resisted.

“I think their general thought was since they’re paying an extra fee that is not paid throughout the rest of the county that that entitles them to their own reviewer,” said David Goldstein, chief assistant county attorney.

But Nectarios Pittos, the county’s director of planning and development, and Ernest Monoco, manager of special districts, said having a specific planner to handle those issues is not a viable solution.

The planning board ultimately agreed with the staff, to recommend to the Pasco County Commission that it rejects the request for the dedicated VOPH planner. But they also urged county staff to find a way to shorten the amount of time needed to complete the county’s development review process.

Planning Commissioner Jaime Girardi put it like this: “I know it’s unprecedented times for the county, and this isn’t obviously the forum for the discussion. But I know there’s a lot of developers out there that are getting extremely concerned with lengths of review time, lengths of pre-application times. Because they see the fees that they’re paying and they know those fees are getting collected, yet there’s not allocation to hire additional staff to support the workload.

“Everybody here understands the problem, and it’s a great problem to have, but it’s out there. I just want to make sure that it’s getting taken care of.”

Girardi continued: “You have great staff here, but I feel they’re under more and more stress every single day, from everybody. I worry for the people here, as much as anything.”

Planning Commissioner Peter Hanzel added: “Is there a possibility you could contract with a vendor out there who could do some of the work, and therefore kind of catch you up? There’s got to be a corporation or a business or a private entity that can bring in some people, do the work — you contract that work out for a short period of time. You only need that manpower for a short period of time anyway.”

But Monoco explained: “The review is more than just the planner. You distribute the review to various entities within different departments. There’s a lot of coordination. It’s bigger than just a particular division within the planning department.”

Richard Tonello, representing the Pasco School Board on the planning board, said the school district takes part in those reviews.

“It’s a huge undertaking. People have to know the county. They have to know the land use. The land development code. There’s a lot to learn. You just can’t farm that out. It’s very difficult,” Tonello said.

Goldstein added:  “In my experience, consultants are best utilized for specific tasks, for specific projects.

“I would say that normal standard review of zonings and MPUDs (master-planned unit developments) is probably still best handled by internal staff.”

Board Chairman Charles Grey said “I think it’s important, Jaime, that you brought that to everyone’s attention. I think we all know it. Sometimes it’s a good idea to just vocalize it.”

Planning board members, Grey said, have been hearing complaints about how long it takes to go through the process.

“Of course, they (those complaining) don’t realize how much work goes into it,” Grey said.

The chairman also acknowledged Goldstein’s comment that “you can’t just necessarily hire somebody off the street to do certain functions of the review process because it takes a lot of expertise, a lot of background information.”

Planning Commissioner Chris Poole noted: “This is not unique to Pasco. All of the surrounding counties are experiencing the same thing. The county immediately to the south is much worse.”

Pittos said there are proposed initiatives in the 2022 Pasco County budget to help planning and development to obtain more resources and more people, but final action on the budget won’t be taken until September.

Meanwhile, Planning Commissioner Roberto Saez said the City of Clearwater and Pinellas County are outsourcing engineering services and it has sped up their reviews.

Published July 07, 2021

Precautions being taken as Tropical Storm Elsa approaches

By

Potential threats from Tropical Storm Elsa has prompted Pasco and Hillsborough counties to declare a local state of emergency and also has resulted in a number of changes in local scheduling to minimize potential impacts.

Weather forecasters are warning that Tropical Storm Elsa could bring torrential rain, high winds, storm surge, isolated tornadoes and flooding.

State and local officials are urging residents and visitors to pay close attention to weather reports and to make decisions accordingly.

At the Pasco County Commission’s July 6 meeting, Laura Wilcoxen, the county’s interim director of emergency management, briefed the board on the latest information regarding Tropical Storm Elsa.

She said Elsa’s potential impacts on Pasco could be winds of up to 55 mph, storm surge of 3 feet to 5 feet, and 4 inches to 6 inches of rain.

Wilcoxen said the winds were expected to arrive around 8 p.m., on July 6, and last until 8 a.m., on July 7.

She also told the board that pumps have been deployed to known flooding areas and that 7,000 sandbags had been given out.

“Pasco is under a Tropical Storm Warning, a Storm Surge Warning and a Hurricane Watch (for the wind speed along the coastal part of the county,” Wilcoxen said, in recommending the declaration of a local state of emergency.

The county board voted unanimously to declare the emergency.

Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles said the county would not close early on July 6 and added a determination would be made later in the day regarding whether the county would open late on July 7.

Hillsborough County also has declared a state of local emergency. It planned to close its offices and facilities, effective 2 p.m., on July 6 to allow employees and customers to get home safely, according to a county news release.

The Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative also announced that all libraries and book drops would close at 2 p.m., on July 6.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning announced that all Pasco County public schools and offices will be closed on July 6 by 3 p.m., and will remain closed all day on July 7, because of the high probability that Pasco County will experience tropical storm force conditions late Tuesday into Wednesday, according to a district news release.

The closures include the Extended School Year program, the PLACE child care program, STAR, VPK and Early Head Start. School-based activities and events planned for the afternoon of July 6 and on July 7 have been canceled, too, the release says.

The North Tampa Bay Chamber announced a noon closure on July 6, with plans to reopen at 9 a.m., on July 8.

Chamber staff planned to work remotely to provide timely updates on the storm, and impact on business and industry around the state, according to a news release.

“We are in constant communication with the state and have representation on the state emergency response team. Please stay tuned to our social media and web page for important information, at NorthTampaBayChamber.com,” the chamber’s release said.

In a July 6 morning news briefing, Gov. Ron DeSantis said there were tropical storm warnings for 22 counties along Florida’s West Coast and a hurricane watch, from Pinellas County to Dixie County.

“Storm surge will be a concern,” DeSantis said.

Flash flooding is another potential threat, the governor said, because the ground in much of North Florida and Central Florida already is saturated from above-normal rainfall over the past two weeks.

“It’s important that Floridians have their weather alerts turned on,” the governor said, noting that’s particularly important since most impacts are expected to occur overnight.

“We don’t anticipate any widespread evacuations, as a result of this storm,” DeSantis said. “We don’t anticipate that that will be necessary.”

However, the storm could cause power outages, the governor said.

“Be prepared to be without power for a few days,” DeSantis said.

He also urged people who use generators to be sure that the exhaust goes to open air. It should not be used within a home, or in a garage, or under an open window — where the fumes can drift into the home.

“The last four years, there have been more fatalities, as the result of people getting carbon monoxide poisoning, than direct impacts from the storm,” DeSantis said.

July 07, 2021