The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Thanksgiving traveling like it’s 2009

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It’s just five years ago, but 2009 is not too hard to remember. The Black Eyed Peas had a hit in “Boom Boom Pow.” At movie theaters, “Avatar” was breaking every record imaginable. And at the gas pump, drivers were paying less than $2.70 at the pump.

Hit songs and blockbuster movies from five years ago will likely stay there, but cheap gas? It’s back, as the national average for a galling of regular unleaded gas was $2.82 heading into the busy Thanksgiving week.

“Travelers are thankful to have more money  in their pockets due to falling gas prices,” said AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins, in a release. “The good news is gas should continue falling through the rest of the year. Cheaper gasoline has helped boost disposable income and consumer spending, which encourages more people to travel.”

The state average in Florida Sunday matched the national average at $2.82, down 6 cents from a week ago, and off 64 cents a gallon from the $3.46 prices the state saw just over Thanksgiving weekend a year ago. State prices also are down 27 cents from a month ago.

The best prices in Land O’ Lakes over the weekend were found as usual at two stations on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard and State Road 52 — Both the RaceTrac and Hess station there reported $2.65 on Sunday, according to GasBuddy. The most expensive gas, on the other hand, was $2.83 reported at the Sunoco at Land O’ Lakes and Causeway boulevards.

Lutz drivers also found $2.65 gas at the Circle K on Van Dyke and Old Tobacco roads. The most expensive in that area was $2.89 at the Shell station on North Dale Mabry Highway and Van Dyke.

Six different gas stations in Wesley Chapel advertised prices of $2.69 over the weekend, competing for the cheapest gas there, while the most expensive was reported to be $2.79 at the Shell station on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard near State Road 56, as well as the BP station on Willow Oaks Drive and State Road 56.

In Zephyrhills, gas prices ranged from $2.69 at the Marathon on Eiland Boulevard and Geiger Road, as well as the Murphy USA on Gall Boulevard, to $2.76 at the Sunoco on County Road 54 and Wire Road. Dade City’s cheapest gas was $2.63 at both the Clark on U.S. 301 near Long Avenue, and D&D on U.S. 98 and U.S. 301.

 

Gainesville bumps Sunlake from postseason … again

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The rivalry between Sunlake and Land O’ Lakes high schools is obvious because of the close proximity of the two schools. But the Seahawks may have found a new rival in the Gainesville Hurricanes, which for the second year in a row, knocked them out of the state football playoffs.

Gainesville used two quick scores at the start of the game to cement what would become a 27-19 win Friday night in front of its home crowd. That finishes Sunlake’s season at 9-3 with the Class 6A-District 6 title.

Mitchell High School, the 6A-6 runner-up, also lost to Gainesville the previous week, giving the Hurricanes a clean sweep of the district as they ready for a tough regional finals matchup against Armwood High School.

In other games, according to published reports, Sickles fell to Tampa Bay Tech 20-16 in Class 7A, allowing the Titans a chance to face Osceola in the regional finals. That team out of Kissimmee beat Lakeland 35-28 in overtime to get there.

Lakewood topped River Ridge 26-3 in Class 5A action, while Suwannee — which beat Zephyrhills in a come-from-behind win last week — upset South Sumter 24-22.

Sunlake principal Steve Williams live-tweeted the game from his spot in Gainesville, and had nothing but good things to say about the Seahawks as they wrap up a strong season.

Sunlake also got kudos from elected officials as well, including new Pasco County commissioner Mike Moore, and state Rep. Richard Corcoran.

Florida job growth continues through October

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Private-sector businesses in Florida added 32,000 jobs in October, dropping unemployment slightly in the state to 6.0 percent.

That still remains slightly above the national unemployment rate of 5.8 percent with the creation of 214,000 jobs across the country. That marks the nation’s lowest unemployment levels since July 2008 when President George W. Bush was in office.

“As the state’s primary economic indicators continue to improve month after month, Florida is showing the nation that low tax, pro-growth policies make a difference for families,” said Jesse Panuccio, the executive director of Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity, in a release from the governor’s office. “The 32,000 new private sector jobs, the 268,m000 job openings, and an unemployment rate down to 6.0 percent mean that Florida is getting back to work.”

Florida’s labor force has increased for the past 56 months, the governor’s office said. This economic indicator can be a sign of optimism as more people are entering the labor force with confidence in their prospects for finding employment.

Job postings compiled from Help Wanted OnLine data by the governor’s office showed 268,453 openings in October.  The state’s 24 regional work force boards reported more than 39,200 people were placed in jobs, which counts for employment and training assistance through a CareerSource Center that places someone within 180 days of seeking help. Of those people, more than 8.300 of them had previously received unemployment benefits.

Home flipping down nationally, but not locally

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Observers are happy with some of the positive indicators they are seeing in the housing market on a national scale, but the greater Tampa Bay area — including Pasco and Hillsborough counties — continues to struggle to keep up.

House flipping — homes that are bought and resold within 12 months — dropped to 4 percent of all national single-family home sales in the third quarter, according to a new report from RealtyTrac, but actually rose in the Tampa area. That has kept the Tampa metropolitan market on the list of the top five most-flipped markets in the nation with 789 flips behind Miami (1,190 flips), Los Angeles (1,170), Phoenix (1,147) and New York (1,070).

Flipping was down in all the top five markets except Tampa, helping to bring the level of home-flipping to its “historic norm,” according to RealtyTrac vice president Daren Blomquist. And a lot of that is because home appreciation rates have slowed a bit in those markets to more normal levels.

“Meanwhile, the record-high average profits per flip in the quarter demonstrate that flippers are still filling an important niche in an aging housing market with historically low levels of new homes being built,” Blomquist said, in a release. “The most successful flippers are buying older, outdated homes in established neighborhoods, and rehabbing them extensively to appeal to modern tastes.”

Flipping is not always bad. From the investment side, those who bought and flipped were seeing profits of just under $76,000 per flip in the third quarter, a return of 36 percent on their initial investment — not including rehab costs and other expenses — Blomquist said. That is up from 35 percent in the second quarter, but down from 37 percent a year ago.

“Those discounted distressed properties have become harder to find,” he said, “but a recent jump in scheduled foreclosure auctions could provide more fodder for flippers in the next three to six months.”

Most of the flipping activity at the national level have been among homes priced between $100,000 and $400,000, while just 20 percent involve homes less than $100,000. However, RealtyTrac analysts say the best returns in flipping come on homes above $1 million, which has an average gross return of 45 percent, but make up less than 4 percent of all flips.

Cheaper gas means more cars on road for Thanksgiving

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Travelers will be out in abundance over the Thanksgiving holiday next weekend, but many more will be in cars than in previous years thanks to the massive drop in gasoline prices.

AAA Travel projects that 46.3 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more from home during the holiday weekend, the highest volume since 2007.

Even more, 90 percent of them will take to the road, including 2.1 million in Florida alone.

The nationwide forecast is 4.2 percent higher than last year, and will include gas prices at lowest levels since 2010.

That doesn’t mean people won’t be flying. In fact, the 3.6 million booking plane tickets also is the highest since 2007, despite airfares increasing by 1 percent, mid-range hotels up 8 percent, and car rentals costing 10 percent more.

“The rise in travelers comes as Americans grow more optimistic about the future,” said AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins, in a release. “Falling gas prices and improvements in several key economic factors — including employment, GDP and disposable income — are boosting consumer confidence and the desire to travel.”

This will be the first time drivers have had gas under $3 over Thanksgiving since 2010, when national averages were at $2.86. Last year, the cost of a gallon of gas over the November holiday was $3.28.

“The dramatic discount at the pump is a welcome gift for travelers as they head into the busy holiday travel season,” Jenkins said. “Lower prices mean increased disposable income enabling families to carve out more money from household budgets for travel this Thanksgiving.”

Travelers are expected to spend an average of $573 over the holiday weekend, with 31 percent going to fuel, AAA officials said. Dining and shopping will account for 42 percent of it.

Lifetime hunting, fishing licenses slashing costs

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Gov. Rick Scott is using his executive order powers to offer lifetime sportsman’s licenses at a greatly reduced cost for children and young adults.

Through the end of the year, Florida residents younger than 22 can purchase a lifetime license that covers saltwater and freshwater recreational fishing, hunting, and most associated permits, for $500.

“Our state’s natural treasures give families wonderful opportunities for both fishing and hunting from the Panhandle to the Keys,” Scott said, in a release. “This lifetime sportsman’s license will provide Florida’s youth with the opportunity to spend time outdoors with their families.

“Fishing and hunting are time-honored traditions in our state, and I encourage all Floridians to spend some time enjoying the great outdoors.”

A lifetime license is true to its name, giving the holder the license the ability to hunt and fish in Florida for the rest of that person’s life, even if they are no longer a resident of the state.

Licenses can be purchased at all Florida county tax collectors’ offices, or online at License.MyFWC.com. More information can be found at (888) 347-4356.

Weather service warns about another frigid night

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The National Weather Service has issued warnings for a second night in a row for freezing temperatures through west central Florida, including Pasco County.

The group’s Ruskin office has issued a frost advisory between the hours of 1 a.m. and 8 a.m. early Thursday for areas that include inland Pasco County, especially local cities like Dade City and Zephyrhills. That means residents should expect temperatures of between 30 and 35 degrees, with widespread frost threatening to damage or destroy cold-sensitive plants.

An advisory like this means that frost is likely, weather officials said, and that sensitive outdoor plants may be killed if left uncovered.

The cold is the result of high pressure, and the clear skies and lighter winds that come with it. That creates radiational cooling that will produce freezing temperatures throughout the Nature Coast area, as far south as Pasco.

The area remains under a severe weather alert caused mostly by temperatures dropping below freezing. A freeze watch is in effect for Citrus and Levy counties.

Pet shelter suffering from dog overcrowding

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It’s winter time, when the number of cats and dogs ending up at animal shelters is lower than normal. But that’s not the case right now, as the shelter at Pasco County Animal Services is overcapacity with dogs.

Because of that, the shelter is waiving adoption fees on selected animals for the remainder of November.

“It’s hit a critical point,” animal services manager Mike Shumate said, in a release. “We came through the summer months with good community support. We need the community to rally around its shelter again to help save a few more lives.”

Dogs that have been abandoned by their owners, or are simply stray, continue to drive up intake numbers at animals shelters across Florida, officials said. It’s got to the point where some shelters are restricting the number of animals they’ll accept.

“We really need pet owners to be more responsible,” Shumate said. “When that cute puppy grows up, it needs to be cared for by the family that adopted it, and not put out on the street or turned in at a shelter. Pets should be adopted for life.”

The local shelter is on a program with a goal of saving 90 percent of its animals. However, that becomes far more complicated when families just aren’t there to adopt, and when others give up on their animals to bring them to an already overcrowded shelter.

“We don’t want to euthanize adoptable animals,” said Shivana Sismilich, the shelter’s adoption coordinator, in a release. “We want our community to come to the shelter first when they consider a new pet. These dogs and cats need Pasco families to save them.”

The shelter is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 6:30 p.m., and closed Sundays and Mondays. It’s located at 19460 Dogpatch Lane in Land O’ Lakes.

For information, call (813) 929-1212, or visit PascoCountyfl.net/PAS.

In Print: Something funny happening at Beef’s?

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Football and hockey might be the first thing that comes to people’s minds when they think of Beef O’Brady’s. But comedy? That might be something new.

Yet, the Beef’s at 7040 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., is welcoming comedians to the sports-themed restaurant once a month. And coming up Nov. 21 is a teacher-turned-jokester from Pinellas County, Mike Rivera.

Rivera’s comedy fits with Beef O’Brady’s desire to put on a show that is adult-oriented, but not vulgar. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Rivera’s comedy fits with Beef O’Brady’s desire to put on a show that is adult-oriented, but not vulgar. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

“There’s nobody else who has a comedy show in the area,” Beef’s general manager Mike Connor told reporter Michael Murillo. “We just thought this was something different.”

The show begins at 9 p.m., to allow a more adult audience to enjoy Rivera’s humor. But if anyone is expecting to hear material that would make many people blush, it’s not part of what Connor is trying to do at Beef’s.

“Dropping the f-bomb every other word is not funny,” Connor added.

Get all the details about how Beef O’Brady’s is turning to comedy in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, available on newsstands and driveways right now, or for free in our online e-edition by clicking here.

Getting to Beef’s might be a little easier for residents living in the Silver Lakes community after learning a developer wanting to build more than 100 homes near the shores of Curve Lake is changing that community’s main entrance.

Southern Crafted Homes had originally looked to use the small and quite rural Fletch Road as the main entrance to Pristine Lakes, forcing residents there to travel through a small community to Barcellona Road to finally get to Land O’ Lakes Boulevard. This was not a popular idea by residents who lived along those roads, including Bobbi Smith, who had pushed for developers to acquire enough land to move the entrance to Ehren Cutoff.

That wish appears to be granted, with developers proposing to do just that.

“All we wanted was for the traffic to go a different way,” Smith told reporter Michael Hinman. “That’s the answer to everybody’s concern.”

Yet, Smith might not be ready to take a breath quite yet. Pristine Lakes wants to still use Fletch Road as an emergency entrance. What does she think of that? Find out in this week’s print edition of The Laker, available right now. Or read it right here online for free in our e-edition by clicking here.

Wiregrass Ranch High School students might be looking at a bit of a longer day soon. School officials need to deal with some overcrowding issues on campus, and one way to do that is through a 10-period school day.

“While that seems to be the most feasible and logical solution right now, we have stayed open to other possibilities,” school principal Robyn White told reporter B.C. Manion. “We have looked at every suggestion that anybody has given. So far, we haven’t come up with anything better.”

Wiregrass Ranch was built for an enrollment of 1,633, but currently has 2,333 students in the hallways and in 30 portable classrooms. It is expected to have as many as 2,500 students by the time next fall rolls around.

How would the 10-period day work? Find out in this week’s Wesley Chapel print edition of The Laker. Or read it online right now in our free e-edition by clicking here.

And finally, photojournalist Fred Bellet has some great pictures to share from the U.S. Marine Corps birthday celebration at Harbor Terrace Restaurant at Heritage Harbor Golf and Country Club. See it online by clicking here.

All of these stories and more can be found in this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, available in newsstands throughout east and central Pasco County as well as northern Hillsborough County. Find out what has your community talking this week by getting your local news straight from the only source you need.

If The Laker/Lutz News is not coming to your door, call us to see where you can get your copy at (813) 909-2800, or read our free e-edition by clicking here.

Cold snap expected tonight, shelters open

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With a cold front moving through the area bringing frigid temperatures with it, Pasco County has opened shelters in Port Richey and Hudson for those who might not be able to stay out of the cold otherwise.

The shelters are located at Impact Family Church, at 8020 Washington St., in Port Richey, as well as Holy Ground Shelter, 8835 Denton Ave., in Hudson. Both shelters open at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The cold temperatures and low wind chill values are dangerous to anyone who is outside for a long period of time, according to county officials. Children, the elderly and pets are especially vulnerable to the cold, and extra care should be taken to protect them.

For additional shelter information, contact the United Way at 211.

Pasco County Public Transportation provides service to cold weather shelters free of charge during normal operating hours. Riders simply need to tell drivers when boarding they are en route to a cold weather shelter.