The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Michael Hinman

Business Digest 10-22-14

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(Courtesy of Karen McAllister)
(Courtesy of Karen McAllister)

Adult-sized donation for kids
AT&T raised more than $45,000 for charities like A Kid’s Place of Tampa Bay during a recent golf tournament at Lexington Oaks Golf Club in Wesley Chapel. Taking part in the check presentation included, from left, Daphne Dilbert and Ahmed Bhutta of AT&T; Samantha Mellen from A Kid’s Place; Andrew Hall, John Breen and Matt Du’Pre of AT&T; Suzette Armatas of A Kid’s Place; and George Wolfe and Neal Shackleton from AT&T.

Drone conference coming to Wesley Chapel
The Pasco Economic Development Council will host the first Tampa Bay Unmanned Aerial Systems Commercial Markets Conference Oct. 30 from 8:30 a.m. to noon, at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.

Networking for the event begins at 7:30 a.m., and will include talks about the latest developments in both Tampa Bay and Florida around the emerging small unmanned aerial systems industry, more commonly known as drones.

Although it’s probably best known for its American military use, the growth of much smaller applications is believed to be on its way to becoming one of the major economic and technological stories of the 21st century, according to a release.

Cost to attend is $30 per person.

For information, visit PascoEDC.com/events, or call (813) 926-0827.

Dr. Darren Morris
Dr. Darren Morris

New family practice doctor in Trinity
Dr. Darren Morris has joined Family Medical Centers of Trinity and Port Richey.

He is a board-certified family medicine physician who most recently worked in both Tampa’s Westchase area, as well as Land O’ Lakes.

His office is located at 2208 Duckslough Blvd., Suite A, Trinity. He can be reached at (727) 375-5885.

Dade City business opens training center
Growth has been huge at Florida Gas Contractors Inc., and the Dade City company is now opening a new vocational training center to help ensure it has trained workers available to continue the growth.

Florida Gas has grown its employee base by 45 percent since January 2013, the company said, now cutting paychecks to 125 people. The company says it offers wages for positions like foremen and welders at $48,000, while office staff can go as high as $56,000.

The new center, which will celebrate its grand opening Oct. 29, is located at 10518 U.S. 301 in Dade City.

For information, visit FlGasContractors.com.

New board at Crisis Center
The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay has elected attorney Gary Weisman its new chair for the coming year. He succeeds Timothy Traud in the role, the vice president of finance and division chief financial officer for Jabil.

In the same meeting, Tanya Hillary, the vice president of member and provider communications at WellCare, was elected vice chair, while Jamie Klingman — creative founder of The Klingman Group — was elected secretary.

Christopher Rogers, global vice president for Sykes Enterprises, joined the board.

The Crisis Center responds to more than 183,000 requests for help each year, and provides a number of community programs as a nonprofit.

East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group has scheduled several speakers for the coming months. The group meets every other week at the Village Inn at 5214 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills. Networking begins at 8 a.m., with the meeting starting at 8:30 a.m.

Upcoming speakers include:

  • Jack Mariano, Pasco County commissioner, Oct. 28
  • Pat Mulieri, retiring Pasco County commission, Nov. 11

Catholic Business Networking seeks members
The Catholic Business Networking group is looking for Catholic business owners, employees and supporters interested in joining it for regular meetings every Tuesday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, 2348 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes.

The group has annual dues of $60, and there is a minimum attendance requirement of two meetings per month.

For information, call (813) 833-4737, or visit CBNTampa.com.

Business Link available monthly
Business Link, a monthly small business gathering hosted by the San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union, meets the second Wednesday of each month beginning at 7:30 a.m.

The meeting is designed to provide a networking and information-sharing platform for the business community.

For locations, details and to reserve a seat, email , or call (352) 588-2732, ext. 1237.

Vendors sought for business expo
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce is looking for vendors for its upcoming Community Business Expo, which will take place Nov. 13 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Dan Cannon Auditorium, 36722 State Road 52, in Dade City.

Vendor fees begin at $50 for chamber members, with bundle fees available for $150, which includes space at the expo plus a year membership with the chamber. Sponsorship opportunities are available for $500.

For information, call John Moors or Melody Floyd at (352) 567-3769, or email them at , or .

Wesley Chapel networking group
Networking for Your Success meets every Thursday at 8 a.m., at Lexington Oaks Country Club, 2615 Lexington Oaks Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Cost is $5, and annual membership to the group is $79.

Political Agenda 10-22-14

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Crist gets Pasco support from Fasano
Mike Fasano has made no secret his dislike for Gov. Rick Scott. But now he’s taking that opposition to television.

The Charlie Crist gubernatorial campaign has released a new commercial featuring the Pasco County tax collector and former legislator, taking a shot at Scott while publicly endorsing Crist, who Fasano calls “a good man.”

Fasano appears in front of the Historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City, first announcing he’s not only a lifelong Republican, but a Rick Scott appointee — Scott named Fasano the tax collector following the death of Mike Olson last year.

In the commercial, Fasano says he decided to voice his opinion after he saw “the smears by Rick Scott against Charlie Crist.” While he has not always seen eye-to-eye with Crist, Fasano said he was a good governor, working to prevent utility companies from overcharging, cut property taxes and increased education spending.

“This Republican is supporting Democrat Charlie Crist,” Fasano says at the end of the 30-second ad.

The gubernatorial race is said to be too close to call at this point, with just a couple weeks before the Nov. 4 election. Both Crist and Scott have been debating, including one Oct. 15 that created some fireworks in the beginning after Scott refused to take the stage, accusing Crist of violating the debate agreement by including a small electrical fan at his podium.

Republican women to talk health
The Pasco Federated Republican Women’s Club will meet Nov. 7 at 11:30 a.m., at the Fox Hollow Golf Club, 10050 Robert Trent Jones Parkway, in Trinity.

Guest will be Mike Napier, a health officer with the Pasco County Department of Health.

Cost is $15.

For information, or to make a reservation, call Fran Scerbo at (727) 597-3727, or email .

Keep track of voter turnout online
Want to know how many people are voting in the midterm elections? It will all be available online.

Pasco County elections supervisor Brian Corley announced that turnout data will be available on the county’s website of PascoVotes.com.

“Transparency with elections in Pasco County has been, and will continue to be, of great importance for this office,” Corley said, in a release. “The posting of voter turnout on our website is an extension of our commitment to openness in the process.”

The numbers will represent those who have returned their vote-by-mail ballot, and beginning Oct. 25, will include those who have voted early.

Turnout will be reported every 10 minutes during early voting and on general election day. Once the polls close at 7 p.m., on Nov. 4, the results will be posted online as they become available.

The elections office already has mailed nearly 52,000 vote-by-mail ballots, with new requests being processed daily. Those wishing to request such a ballot can call (800) 851-8754, or visit PascoVotes.com.

Early voting begins Oct. 25, and ends Nov. 1.

Florida TaxWatch: Be careful with surplus
For the fourth straight year, the improving economy will give state lawmakers a head start on the 2015 budget, but one tax advocacy group is asking they spend it wisely.

Economists are predicting that an additional $336.2 million will be available for the next budget, created by additional taxes the state didn’t plan for in the most recent budget cycle.

“More Floridians are working and paying their taxes, which has enabled our government to receive a budget surplus for the past four years,” said Dominic M. Calabro of Florida TaxWatch, in a release. “However, even with a small surplus, it is crucial that lawmakers spend the hard-earned money of Florida taxpayers as carefully as they do for their own families.”

Another TaxWatch analyst, Kurt Wenner, did say that the surplus will not have a significant effect on the budget.

“It is only 1.1 percent of projected general revenue spending,” he said. “It is also based on leaving only $1 billion in reserves, much smaller than what recent Legislatures have left.”

Affordable Housing Advisory Committee to meet

Pasco County’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committee will meet Oct. 27, Nov. 10 and Nov. 24 beginning at 9 a.m., at the Hap Clark Building, 4111 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

For information, visit PascoCountyFl.net.

Bassinger endorses Burgess
San Antonio city commissioner Elayne Bassinger has endorsed Danny Burgess for state House District 38.

“In the years that I have known Danny, I have found that he is smart, capable and humble,” Bassinger said, in a release. “But what impresses me most is his ability to see the big picture, and to bring a no-nonsense realism to the challenges ahead. Danny is the type of leader we need in Tallahassee to continue to fight to strengthen our economy, reduce unemployment, and make sure that the needs of Pasco County are well represented.

Burgess, a Republican, faces Democrat Beverly Ledbetter in the Nov. 4 election.

 

Simon: Outlet mall construction has started

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Crews were out this week clearing the land near the intersection of State Road 56 and Interstate 75 for a new outlet mall, and it looks like come this time next year, there will be a new place for residents to shop.

Simon Property Group told investors in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Wednesday, that construction has started on Tampa Premium Outlets, a 441,000-square-foot center that is now expected to open next October. That is later than what Simon had hoped to complete construction, originally saying last year that it would open by the end of 2014, and then pushing that back to July 2015 a short time later.

It’s one of two new projects Simon has started in the most recent quarter, according to the filing, joining a 366,000-square-foot center start in Tucson, Arizona.

The Indianapolis-based company didn’t say how much it was spending on construction of the outlet mall in the general Wesley Chapel and Land O’ Lakes area, but said all of its current construction projects totaled about $2.2 billion. That includes the Tucson project, as well as recent premium mall openings in North Carolina and Minnesota, and construction and expansion of at least 30 other projects throughout North America.

Tampa Premium Outlets LLC purchased the more than 48 acres of land on three parcels for $14.1 million on Oct. 3, according to Pasco County property records. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Simon Property Group, according to state corporate records, and Simon’s financial filings with the SEC.

The full project will be built in seven phases, according to plans filed with the county last February, which would include the main outlet mall in the first phase located in nine buildings. It will include nearly 2,400 parking spaces, far more than the 1,600 spaces required by the county for a project of this size.

Simon has not made any formal announcements on tenants for the property, or who will anchor, although some of those announcements are expected by the end of the year.

Vote by mail already has 10 percent turnout

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Early voting doesn’t start until this weekend. But in the meantime, Pasco County elections supervisor Brian Corley continues to collect mail-in votes — by the thousands.

As of late Monday, Corley has received more than 30,000 ballots for the upcoming midterm election. Of those ballots, 35 percent of them are from Democrats, 45 percent are from Republicans, and 20 percent were from other parties. For the more than 305,000 registered voters countywide, 38 percent are Republican, 34 percent are Democrat and 28 percent represent other parties.

That means there’s still room for more non-partisan voters to complete a ballot before or on the Nov. 4 election, as well as a small number more Democrats.

Midterm elections are historically low when it comes to turnout, even though Florida typically elects a governor during the season between presidential elections. The county, however, still has a ways to go to beat the 2010 midterm turnout of 46 percent.

The area of the county with the biggest turnout so far is the area surrounding the Heritage Pines Country Club in Hudson, according to Corley’s office. There, 566 early votes have been received, representing just under 17.3 percent of the voters there.

The lowest turnout so far is the area surrounding Darby Community Church in Dade City, where just 30 voters — or less than 4 percent of those eligible — have cast ballots to far.

The Darby precinct has 764 voters, but is 42 percent Republican, 34 percent Democrat, and 24 percent other parties. The Hudson precinct, however, has 3,278 registered voters. There, Republicans represent 46 percent, Democrats 29 percent, and other parties 26 percent.

Early voting will begin Oct. 25 and run through Nov. 1 at eight locations, operating from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Those locations — which can be found by clicking here — include:

• East Pasco Government Center, 14236 Sixth St., Dade City
• Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes
• New River Branch Library, 34043 State Road 54, Zephyrhills
• The Grove at Wesley Chapel, 6013 Wesley Grove Blvd., Wesley Chapel
• Hudson Library, 8012 Library Road, Hudson
• New Port Richey Elections Office, 8731 Citizens Drive, New Port Richey
• Regency Park Library, 9701 Little Road, New Port Richey
• South Holiday Library, 4649 Mile Stretch Drive, Holiday

Missing Zephyrhills plane found six months later

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Authorities believe they have solved a mystery that had baffled authorities for months.

Theodore Weiss fires up his homebuilt Sonex plane not long before he disappeared from the Marion County Airport. Authorities believe they found a crash site with his plane markings and the remains of a man not far from the airport. (Courtesy of the Florida Sonex Association)
Theodore Weiss fires up his homebuilt Sonex plane not long before he disappeared from the Marion County Airport. Authorities believe they found a crash site with his plane debris and the remains of what is believed to be the pilot not far from the airport. (Courtesy of the Florida Sonex Association)

A hiker reportedly found the wreckage of a plane of a Zephyrhills pilot that has been missing since last April. A plane said to be the Sonex homebuilt airplane flown by Theodore Weiss was located at the Pruitt Trailhead in Dunellon, according to the Ocala Star-Banner. Skeletal remains have been found at the site, but authorities have yet to determine if they belong to Weiss.

The debris was white with a green stripe, and had the tail number “N229P,” which matches the description of Weiss’ plane, the newspaper said. That’s just a short distance from the Marion County Airport, where Weiss was last seen during the Florida Sonex Association’s Spring Sonex Fest.

Weiss departed the airport alone April 5, and was supposed to arrive in Zephyrhills a couple hours later. However, he never arrived. Officials as well as friends, family and members of the Florida Wing of the Civil Air Patrol began a massive search, trying to locate the plane in the heavy woods in both Marion and Hernando counties.

The plane was a fixed-wing, single-engine plane with two seats, according to aviation tracking site FlightAware. Weiss purchased it in February 2012, and it was originally owned by a Georgia man in 2006. It changed hands a couple times before Weiss bought it.

Sonex planes are self-build kit planes manufactured out of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The planes themselves have a range between 400 and 550 miles, depending on the engine used, according to the Sonex Aircraft website. They can fly between 16,000 and 23,000 feet.

Officials from both the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration were expected to arrive on the site Monday.

McDonald’s, office structure planned for Connerton area

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People waiting for a new McDonald’s restaurant on the northern part of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard may not have to wait much longer.

Planners are meeting with Pasco County officials this week to build a McDonald’s, as well as a 5,000-square-foot office building on the northeast corner of U.S. 41 and Pleasant Plains Parkway. The nearly 6.5-acres of land is currently owned by Pasco Investment Land LLC of St. Augustine and FCPG R E Fund 09-03 LLC of Orlando.

Pasco Investment Land is affiliated with Hayman Woods, the current developer of Connerton. FCPG is run by Charles Mitchell Jr. of Orlando. He is the president and owner of First Capital Property Group of Orlando, according to an online profile, a company he has owned for a little more than 19 years.

Mitchell is one of the people involved in the development of the property, as well as Stephanie Tyrrell, a construction manager for McDonald’s USA. It’s not clear if this will be a franchise location, and if so, who will own it. Ed Rogers of Heidt Design will function as the engineer of record, according to documents filed with Pasco County officials.

Once opened, this would be the 11th McDonald’s in Pasco, joining one franchised by Brickman Management Co., down the road at Land O’ Lakes Boulevard and State Road 54. The location would be near a SunTrust Bank, Subway, and a Walgreens.

A request for comment to Stew Gibbons with Connerton earlier this month was not returned. No timetable was released on when plans for the restaurant and office building will move forward.

Left Behind: Bus service screeches to a halt on Monday

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He leaned back on the bench, allowing just bits of a pizza delivery store advertisement to peek through for motorists to see as they sped past the New River Branch Library on State Road 54.

The skies were a clear blue, and the morning coolness was quickly giving way to what would soon be a noontime Florida heat. Yet, hints of sweat formed on his forehead, under a tattered ball cap where the letters “TB” were joined by a stingray — a not-so-happy reminder of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays of the past.

There were no riders at bus stops on Monday. Although Pasco County was technically open on Columbus Day, many departments — including Pasco County Public Transportation — were closed for employee training. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
There were no riders at bus stops on Monday. Although Pasco County was technically open on Columbus Day, many departments — including Pasco County Public Transportation — were closed for employee training.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

The man, who would not give his name, had walked from The Columns at Cypress Point, a small apartment community behind the library. He was hoping to catch the bus to the new Walmart in Wesley Chapel to replenish his food pantry and refrigerator.

Except no bus was coming.

“What do you mean?” he said. “It’s Monday. Where is it?”

Monday was Columbus Day, a holiday with federal status, but one that’s not recognized by many employers, including state and even Pasco County officials. Yet, many offices in the county were closed, including Pasco County Public Transportation, while the employees from those departments attended a daylong retreat and appreciation day. It’s something the county does twice a year — on President’s Day in February and on Columbus Day — County Administrator Michele Baker said. It comes during a time when bus ridership is “significantly reduced.”

“We don’t have the opportunity to train our work units as a team,” Baker said. “The only way to give good training and to improve our customer service, and improve the level of service to our customers, is to do a timeout.”

That timeout closed many county offices the same time banks and federal offices also were shuttered. So-called “constitutional offices,” like the tax collector’s office and supervisor of elections office, remained open, however.

The New River library was closed Monday, but budget cutbacks forced all county libraries to be closed Mondays. Yet, employees from New River and others also took part in the retreat, and they will make up for the extra day by closing down all libraries on Friday.

Baker’s administration got the green light to shut down the county twice a year for these training sessions when her predecessor, John Gallagher, was still in office three years ago, she said. The training has taken place ever since, but has not needed additional approvals from the commission.

“It is difficult to choose the right day,” Commissioner Pat Mulieri told The Laker/Lutz News, in an email. “I think that bringing staff together is a great idea. We are growing, and there are many departments that could assist one another and integrate services. It always helps if it is on a personal basis.”

But one of the people who wants to replace Mulieri on the commission agrees that training is good, but only with minimal impact to people who depend on county services. Erika Remsberg, a Democrat who faces Mike Moore in the upcoming Nov. 4 election, said her first thought after learning bus service was cancelled on Monday was wondering how some people were going to get to work.

“This will mean lower-income folks who depend on our transit system to access health care, employment, shopping or otherwise, will not be able to do so on that day,” Remsberg said, in an email. “The extent of those consequences may not be realized or assessed. My hope is this is such a critical training event that it will increase productivity (and) customer service more than it will hurt the folks who will lose a day’s pay, delay their treatment, or prevent them from getting groceries for their families.”

Six miles away from the man in front of the library, a woman sporting a bright orange bag leaned against a bus stop sign near Vandine Road. She had a dollar bill in her hand, as well as a voucher, and looked with concern down State Road 54, waiting for a bus to arrive.

When she was told buses were not running that day, her face turned disgusted, and she walked off down the sidewalk.

“When those drivers are at work, they are out driving a bus,” Baker said. “The only time we could meet with them is after hours and on overtime, and this is a way we didn’t have to do that and save money. We have really not gotten any complaints.”

For anyone who has been inconvenienced, the rewards from Monday’s meetings would make it worth it, she said.

“Our people come out of this with refreshed customer service skills and new technical skills,” Baker said. “The whole idea is to give us an opportunity provide all this necessary training, and to ensure it’s very cost-affordable.”

Did you work on Columbus Day?
It’s been called one of the nation’s most inconsistently celebrated holidays by the Pew Research Center. And while federal and bank employees might have Columbus Day off, state workers in Florida do not, nor do a vast majority of private company employees.

In fact, The Council of State Governments says just 23 states even recognize Columbus Day as a paid holiday. And while banks might be closed, the stock market isn’t, so the gavel still fell on Wall Street on Monday.

Pasco County Schools and Pasco-Hernando State College both remained open on Monday — meaning students, faculty and administrators were on the job.

The holiday first appeared in Colorado in 1906 to celebrate the landing of explorer Christopher Columbus to what would later become American soil in 1492.

– Michael Hinman

Published October 15, 2014

See this story in print: Click Here

Crist campaign gets Pasco County boost

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Mike Fasano has made no secret his dislike for Gov. Rick Scott. But now he’s taking that opposition to television.

The Charlie Crist gubernatorial campaign has released a new commercial featuring the Pasco County tax collector and former state legislator, taking a shot at Scott while publicly endorsing Crist, who Fasano calls “a good man.”

Mike Fasano
Mike Fasano

Fasano appears in front of the Historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City, first announcing that he’s not only a lifelong Republican, but a Rick Scott appointee —  Scott named Fasano the tax collector following the death of Mike Olson in 2013.

In the commercial, Fasano says he decided to voice his opinion after he saw “the smears by Rick Scott against Charlie Crist.” While he has not always seen eye-to-eye with Crist, Fasano said he was a good governor, working to prevent utility companies from overcharging, cut property taxes, and increased education spending.

“This Republican is supporting Democrat Charlie Crist,” Fasano says at the end of the 30-second ad, which can be watched here.

Fasano has not made his dislike for Scott secret. He has made a number of tweets on his Twitter account over the last several months, sharing his thoughts on the gubernatorial race with his more than 2,700 followers.

It’s not clear what exactly created the rift between Fasano and Scott, although Fasano did reportedly lose a committee chairmanship in 2012 while still a member of the state senate. Fasano had opposed Scott and then senate president Mike Haridopolos on a plan to privatize nearly 30 prisons in the state. The measure later failed to pass the senate.

However, many legislators had issues with Scott dating back to his first year in office, with some lawmakers like Fasano publicly speaking out against the Scott agenda.

The gubernatorial race is said to be too close to call at this point, with just weeks to go before election day. The two candidates already have chalked up two debates, with a third scheduled for next week. Wednesday’s debate created some fireworks in the beginning when Scott refused to take the stage, accusing Crist of violating the debate agreement by including a small electrical fan in his podium.

Business Digest 10-15-14

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New hotel coming to Wiregrass Ranch
Developers at Wiregrass Ranch want to build a 92-room Fairfield Inn & Suites on State Road 56, on a 91-acre parcel east of The Shops at Wiregrass.

It would be located less than a mile off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, and be close not only to the mall, but also to Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel and Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.

Pasco County officials will meet with developers in a non-public meeting this week to hash out some details of the project, but it will be located on land that has been used for decades for grazing at Wiregrass Ranch.

It’s not clear if developers plan to subdivide the tract of land on State Road 56, or to provide other outparcel amenities, since 91 acres is far more than the typical 2 acres or so a hotel of this size would need.

The developer, who was not identified in documents filed with the county, has hired Hardeman-Kempton & Associates of Tampa to manage the project, which will include 54,500 square feet of commercial space.

It would be just the second Fairfield Inn in Pasco County, joining a 78-room hotel in Holiday. The chain is considered one of the lower-cost brands operated by the Marriott chain, and locations typically are franchised out.

Chamber business breakfast
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce will host a business breakfast Oct. 21 at 7 a.m., in the Hornbuckle Room of the Dade City Business Center, 15486 U.S. 301, in Dade City.

Guest speaker is Danielle Albritton, and is sponsored by Florida Hospital Zephyrhills.

Cost is $5.

PHHCC Business & Career Expo
The Pasco Hernando Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is hosting its annual Business & Career Expo featuring the Taste of the Chapel Oct. 17 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Wesley Chapel Toyota, 5300 Eagleston Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

It will feature business exhibitors, live entertainment, free food samples and door prizes. It’s free and open to the public.

For information on attending or sponsoring a booth, visit PHHChamber.com.

HCA donates to help Ebola fight
HCA, which operates 164 hospitals and 114 surgery centers across the nation — including Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point and Medical Center of Trinity — has donated $1 million to the CDC Foundation to help support international Ebola epidemic response efforts.

The funds will help the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its work with other groups on the ground in West Africa.

Since the CDC ramped up its Ebola response in early July, more than 700 staff members from the organization have provided logistics, staffing, communication, analytics, management and other support functions, according to a release.

The number of people infected with the Ebola virus doubles approximately every three weeks, officials said, with more than 5,800 cases. The number of deaths has increased as well, from 1,500 to more than 2,800 in the same period.

Samaritan Project Harvest Festival and Business Expo
The Harvest Festival and Business Expo will take place Nov. 1 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Zephyr Park on Fifth Avenue in Zephyrhills.

The event — presented by The Samaritan Project, Zephyrhills-Wesley Chapel Ministerial Association and Florida Hospital Zephyrhills — will feature live entertainment, business exhibitors, community yard sale, car show, crafts and more.

Proceeds from the event support The Samaritan Project, which works to prevent homelessness.

Admission is free.

For information, call (813) 810-8670, or visit SamaritanProject.net.

Grand opening for bariatric surgeon
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce and Bayfront Health Dade City recently hosted a grand opening and ribbon cutting for Dr. Naga Thatimatla in his new practice location at 13993 17th St., Suite 200 in Dade City.

Thatimatla is a general and bariatric surgeon who also offers services like anti-reflux surgery, endoscopy, gall bladder removal, and more.

For information on the practice, call (352) 437-5971.

Dade City business expo
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce will host its 2014 Community & Business Expo Nov. 13 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Pasco County Fairground’s Dan Cannon Auditorium, on State Road 52, in Dade City.

For information, call John Moors at (352) 567-3769, or email him at .

Open house for Restored Hope
Restored Hope will host a community open house Nov. 14 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at 13703 17th St., in Dade City.

Restored Hope is a Christian organization that helps people in need or at risk in the community by providing food, and the means to become self-sufficient.

To RSVP, call (325) 437-4815.

Political Agenda 10-15-14

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(Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)
(Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

Getting out the vote
Pasco County supervisor of elections Brian Corley visited Sunlake High School recently to encourage seniors there to get out and vote. The mid-term elections are Nov. 4, which includes several local races, and Corley shared how important it is to vote in all elections.

Can Moore raise too much money?
A huge $22,500 haul from developers and real estate professionals over the last two weeks has given Pasco County Commission candidate Mike Moore his best fundraising week of the campaign, raising a whopping $34,250.

It easily dwarfed the $600 his Democratic opponent Erika Remsberg raised during the same period, bringing Moore’s total for the campaign over $166,000.

However, more than 65 percent of that total came from individuals and companies involved in real estate, development and related industries — something that made Moore a target during his primary campaign from opponents who said they refused to take any money from companies who might be looking for a vote on the commission.

Moore also has paid out more than $123,000 — outspending Remsberg 19-to-1.

Moore has raised the most money since Ronald Oakley’s failed attempt to unseat Ted Schrader in the 2012 commissioner race brought in just under $243,000. He’s closing in on John Nicolette, who collected $170,500 to battle Schrader in 2008, and passed Michael Cox, who raised $162,600 against Henry Wilson Jr. in 2010.

However, despite all that money raised, Moore may not necessarily want to be included in that elite club: Oakley, Nicolette and Cox all lost to candidates who raised less than they did.

Schrader had two of those wins, but Wilson’s in 2010 was significant, because he had raised just $8,700 — just 5 percent of Cox’s total.

Remsberg so far has raised just 5 percent of Moore’s total.

Voters will make the final decision between the two on Nov. 4, with the winner set to replace the retiring Pat Mulieri.

Candidates at Republican Club
The Republican Club of Central Pasco will meet Oct. 22 at 6:30 p.m., at Copperstone Executive Suites, 3632 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Speakers will include state House District 38 candidate Danny Burgess, as well as Pasco County Commission candidate Mike Moore. Burgess faces Beverly Ledbetter in his race, while Moore is up against Erika Remsberg.

For information, call Steve Graves at (813) 996-3011.

Swiftmud lowers tax rate
The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s governing board adopted its millage rate for the coming year at 0.3658 mills, down 4 percent lower than the previous year.

That means the owner of a $150,000 house with a $50,000 homestead exemption would pay $36.58 a year. The total budget for the year is $166.3 million.

The budget, according to officials, is designed to protect the state’s water resources and to improve Florida’s economic vitality.

The agency, commonly known as Swiftmud, also will leverage $75 million of its funds through cooperative partnership, as well as public and private partners. The funds are matched to make $150 million available for alternative water supply development, and other water resource management projects.

On top of that, $12 million is budgeted for springs initiatives, and another $6.4 million in state funding is designated for water supply activities to reduce groundwater withdrawals and improve water quality.