Staff Reports

SESCO Cement begins full operations at Port Tampa Bay

TAMPA – SESCO Cement has begun full commercial operations at its Port Tampa Bay import terminal after receiving its first two ships carrying bulk gray cement.

Each vessel is making a partial delivery at the Port Redwing terminal in Gibsonton before continuing to SESCO’s terminal in Houston. The route connects the company’s Florida and Texas operations.

The Tampa facility uses a custom ship unloader and conveyor system to move cement directly from vessels into storage silos. An automated system then loads the cement onto trucks for distribution to ready-mix producers and other customers.

SESCO opened the terminal with a ribbon-cutting in June. The company says the facility is positioned to serve Florida construction markets through maritime, highway and rail connections.

SESCO expects the facility to become Florida’s largest cement terminal.

 

GTE Financial opens New Port Richey location

NEW PORT RICHEY – GTE Financial celebrated the grand opening of its new Community Financial Center on Oct. 3 at 9746 Little Road.

The location replaces GTE Financial’s former Hudson center and offers banking, lending, financial planning and education services.

“Pasco County continues to grow, and we want to make sure our physical locations are growing alongside the communities we serve,” said Channing D. Thornton, managing director of retail member sales. “Relocating to New Port Richey allows us to better serve existing members while creating greater access for individuals, families and businesses throughout the area.”

Manager Matthew DeSalvo leads the center.

“Whether someone is buying their first home, starting a business, working toward a savings goal or simply looking for financial guidance, we want them to know they have a local team they can turn to,” Thornton said. 

 

SBA opens nominations for 2027 small business awards

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration has opened nominations for its 2027 National Small Business Week Awards.

Small business owners may nominate themselves or be nominated by others at sba.gov/nsbw. Nominations are due by 3 p.m. Dec. 7. National Small Business Week will be held May 2-8, 2027. 

Each state will select a Small Business Person of the Year. Those recipients will compete for the national award.

National categories also include Small Business Manufacturer of the Year, Small Business Exporter of the Year, Blue-Collar Small Business of the Year, Rural Small Business of the Year, Veteran Small Business of the Year and the Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recovery.

 

Florida approves renters insurance rate decrease

TALLAHASSEE – Florida Insurance Commissioner Mike Yaworsky has approved an average 12.8% rate decrease for renters insurance policies issued by American Modern Home Insurance Company.

The decrease applies to about 121,900 HO-4 policies and takes effect Oct. 11 for new policies and renewals.

Policyholders in more than 30 counties are expected to receive average decreases ranging from 13.1% to 13.9%. HO-4 policies generally cover renters’ personal belongings against specified losses and provide personal liability coverage. They do not insure the building itself.

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has approved rate decreases for four homeowners insurance companies.

On the web: floir.gov

 

Quick Hits

• Alexander Ugarte launched a fundraising campaign on gofundme.com to help small business owner Jonathan Marte replace landscaping equipment that was reportedly stolen while he was working at a job site. The Lutz-based campaign had raised $515 of the $1,200 needed as of Oct. 4. Learn more at gofundme.com/f/replace-jonathan-martes-stolen-equipment.
• The Internal Revenue Service has launched a new IRS mobile app, replacing IRS2Go and expanding mobile access to IRS tools and account services. Taxpayers can also visit the IRS App on IRS.gov for verified links and additional information.
• Tampa Bay public broadcaster WUSF won 20 journalism excellence awards, including 10 first-place honors in The Sunshine State Awards, hosted by the Florida chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

 

EAST PASCO – The East Pasco Chamber Foundation has launched its 2026-27 Citizen of the Month program, continuing a tradition of recognizing exceptional students for more than 28 years.

The program honors 11 citizens from Dade City-area schools and 11 citizens from Zephyrhills-area schools each month during the school year. Citizens are selected by their teachers and school administrators for outstanding effort, achievement, character and contributions to their schools, families and communities.

“The Citizen of the Month program gives us an opportunity to celebrate students who are making a positive difference, often without expecting recognition,” said Vicki Wiggins, president and CEO of the East Pasco Chamber of Commerce. “We are proud to continue this meaningful tradition through the East Pasco Chamber Foundation and to recognize the young people who represent the future of our community.”

Citizens receive certificates of achievement, commemorative medallions and letters of commendation from local and state officials during the monthly breakfast ceremonies. Each honoree is invited on stage for a brief interview, giving attendees an opportunity to learn more about the citizens and the qualities that led to their selection.

Parents, teachers and school representatives are also invited to share words of encouragement and celebrate each citizen’s accomplishments. Honorees and their families enjoy breakfast together and citizens receive bags filled with gifts donated by chamber partners.

The chamber thanked AdventHealth (title sponsor), Chick-fil-A Dade City and Chick-fil-A Zephyrhills (venue sponsors) and Stone Imaging Co. (photographer sponsor).

Chamber members, businesses and community organizations can support the program by becoming sponsors or donating goodies. 

 

ANGELINE – Moffitt Cancer Center drove its mobile lung screening bus to Angeline on Sept. 22 for World Lung Day.

For people who meet screening guidelines, a lung CT takes less than five minutes. The patient lies on a bed that moves through the scanner while the equipment provides instructions. Results are typically available within three to five business days.

“Every mile matters because behind every lung screening is a person, a family and an opportunity to find lung cancer early, when treatment options are greater and survival rates are highest,” said Michelle Smith, mobile lung screening program manager for Moffitt Cancer Center.

The World Lung Day event was part of a broader partnership between Metro Development Group and Moffitt Cancer Center at Angeline, where Moffitt is developing Speros, a 775-acre research campus focused on cancer care, research, technology and life sciences. 

Angeline is one of Metro’s signature master-planned communities built around a health and wellness focus. The community includes preserves, walking and biking paths, outdoor amenities and health partnerships, including its work with Moffitt Cancer Center.  

“Bringing Moffitt’s mobile screening bus to Angeline gave people an opportunity to access an important health resource close to home,” said Lisa Gibbings, vice president of corporate affairs for Metro Development Group. “We’re proud to work with Moffitt and find ways to bring its expertise and resources into the Tampa Bay community.”

 

Liquor Depot raises $18K for Alstott foundation

TAMPA – Liquor Depot raised a record $18,000 for the Mike Alstott Family Foundation through its annual charity barrel fundraiser Oct. 3.

The Tampa retailer sold bottles from a Penelope Havana 114-proof single barrel for $140.40 each at its Waters Avenue location. Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers player Mike Alstott attended the event to sign bottles and take photos with customers.

Liquor Depot owner Trey Lawson said customers began lining up at midnight and the bottles sold out quickly.

Lawson launched the fundraiser in 2021. Liquor Depot has donated more than $78,000 to the Mike Alstott Family Foundation through five charity barrel fundraisers. 

The foundation supports children and families through assistance programs, events and other initiatives.

On the web: liquordepottampa.com

 

Pasco launches recovery program for small businesses

PASCO COUNTY – Pasco County has launched a recovery program to assist small businesses and nonprofits affected by hurricanes Idalia, Helene and Milton.

The Small Business & Non-Profit Recovery Program is part of the county’s Better Future initiative and may provide assistance for storefront and signage repairs, damaged equipment, inventory, operating costs, workforce development and business relocation.

Nearly $25 million has been earmarked for the program.

The county’s Better Future recovery programs are supported by nearly $586 million in federal Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Pasco County held a virtual workshop Sept. 30 to explain eligibility and program benefits.

Learn more at mypas.co/BetterFuture.

 

Hope Services holds fundraiser at training center

HUDSON – Hope Services held a Smash for Cash fundraiser Sept. 30 at its newly acquired facility at 6901 State Road 52.

The event marked the beginning of renovations to create a Life Skills and Vocational Training Center. 

Hope Services plans to use the expanded facility to provide training environments for culinary arts, construction, retail, hospitality and other career fields.

On the web: hopegetsjobs.org

 

Florida awards recruitment bonuses to 38 Pasco officers

LAND O’ LAKES – Gov. Ron DeSantis awarded recruitment bonuses to 38 new law enforcement officers in Pasco County as part of a statewide program. 

The officers were among 1,506 recruits receiving more than $10 million through the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Program. The program provides a one-time $5,000 after-tax bonus to newly recruited and employed officers. 

Since the program began in 2022, nearly 12,500 officers have received more than $83 million in bonuses, according to the governor’s office. 

Florida’s 2026-27 budget includes $20 million for the recruitment bonus program and $19.8 million in pay increases for sworn state law enforcement officers.

On the web: floridajobs.org/Recognition-and-Recruitment

MIAMI – Xzavier Peon, a 16-year-old angler from Miami, caught a jaguar guapote weighing 3.02 pounds and measuring 16 inches long in the Westwood Lakes area with live bait.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission fisheries biologists certified the catch as a new state record jaguar guapote. 

“When I hooked it, I thought it was a peacock bass,” Xzavier said. “But once the giant jaguar came up, I knew that it was a state record almost instantly. We started freaking out once we realized it was a state record.”

Jaguar guapote are found primarily in the urban canal systems of southeast Florida. 

The FWCmade jaguar guapote was made eligible for state record status in 2012. The first state record for the species was certified in 2017. That record stood for nine years until Xzavier’s catch was confirmed in September 2026.

Jaguar guapote are one of more than 30 nonnative freshwater fish species that have become established in Florida. The FWC encourages anglers to catch, keep and eat nonnative fish (except legally introduced peacock bass and triploid grass carp) to control their numbers and reduce potential impacts on native fish. 

Anglers can check current state records at MyFWC.com/Freshwater. 

 

NEW PORT RICHEY — Pasco Kids First has named Rebecca Lemanski as CEO.

The nonprofit described Lemanski as an experienced nonprofit executive and licensed social worker. She will lead its work in protecting children, strengthening families and helping communities respond to and prevent child abuse and trauma.

“I am honored to join Pasco Kids First and lead an organization whose mission means so much to me,” Lemanski said. “I have spent my career strengthening the systems that support people during some of the most vulnerable times in their lives. I’m excited to bring that experience to Pasco and Hernando counties and work alongside our staff and community partners to help children and families feel safe, supported and empowered to thrive.”

Before joining Pasco Kids First, Lemanski served as chief operating officer for two Connecticut nonprofits. One supported survivors of domestic violence. The other served people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Lemanski is a licensed master social worker. She is trained in the Community Resiliency Model, Circle of Security and Triple P – Positive Parenting Program. She has also served as adjunct faculty in undergraduate and graduate social work programs.

Officials said Lemanski’s leadership approach emphasizes compassion, transparency and strong relationships. She strives for meaningful, lasting results for children and families.

“One of my first priorities is to listen to our employees, families, board members and community partners to understand what is working well and where we have opportunities to grow,” Lemanski said. “I believe the strongest organizations invest in their people, build authentic partnerships and hold themselves accountable to the communities they serve. Pasco Kids First already has a strong foundation, and I’m excited about what we can build together for children and families in the years ahead.”

Pasco Kids First works with community partners to create coordinated responses to abuse and neglect while expanding prevention and early intervention.