The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Florida wants ‘abundance of caution’ against Ebola

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Could Ebola come to Florida? If it does, state government officials say they want to be prepared.

Over the weekend, a Miami hospital tested a patient to rule out Ebola, despite the fact the patient “did not meet the CDC case definition” for the virus, Gov. Rick Scott said, in a release.

“The test is being conducted out of an abundance of caution,” Scott said about the efforts of both the Florida Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Florida still does not have any confirmed cases of Ebola, and we hope we never do. But we are taking every preparedness step possible to keep our citizens and our visitors safe.”

Health officials requested 30 additional Ebola testing kits from the CDC, ensuring that all of the state’s 30 public hospitals have the ability to test patients believed to be infected, the governor’s office said. The health department also requested 100 additional units of high-level personal protective equipment to ensure the state is ready to backfill any county whose medical personnel develop a future need for those supplies.

“We know Florida’s hospitals and county health offices are prepared to identify and treat patients who may have Ebola,” Scott said. “While they are prepared on the local level, the state is requesting increased federal resources out of an abundance of caution for the unlikely event that we may have an extended response that warrants additional resources.”

The health department also is working in conjunction with the CDC to determine on a case-by-case basis whether testing for Ebola is necessary. The CDC already has shared detailed recommendations to the state’s hospitals to help detect suspected Ebola among those returned from affected countries, and prevention transmission of the virus within medical facilities.

Health officials also are providing training to counties on how to investigate and respond to people suspected of contracting the virus.

Thomas Eric Duncan travelled to Texas from Liberia last month after contracting the virus, and became one of the first cases to be diagnosed in the United States. He’s currently in critical condition in a Dallas hospital, according to published reports.

Five other Americans returned home after contracting Ebola, including a missionary doctor, and a television news cameraman. One American, Patrick Sawyer, has died, after seeking treatment in a Nigerian hospital.

Federal money available to protect farmlands, grasslands

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing $328 million in conservation funding to help landowners protect and restore key farmlands, grasslands and wetlands across the nation.

The initiative, according to agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack in a release, will benefit wildlife and promote outdoor recreation and related sectors of the economy.

“Conservation easements help farmers and ranchers protect valuable agricultural lands from development, restore lands that are best suited for grazing, and return wetlands to their natural conditions,” Vilsack said. “These easements are making a dramatic and positive impact for our food supply, rural communities and species habitat.”

The funding is provided through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, which was created in the 2014 Farm Bill to protect critical wetlands, and encourage producers to keep lands in farming and ranching. Approximately 380 projects nationwide were selected to protect and restore 32,000 acres of prime farmland, 45,000 acres of grasslands, and 52,000 acres of wetlands.

In addition to protecting cropland and critical habitats, conservation strengthens outdoor recreation and helps boost the economy, the USDA said. According to the National Fish and Wildlife Federation, annual U.S. conservation spending totals $38.8 billion, but it produces $93.2 billion of economic output throughout the economy.

That output takes the form of more than 660,000 jobs, $41.6 billion in income, and a $59.7 billion contribution to the national gross domestic product, officials said.

Through the conservation program, private or tribal landowners as well as other eligible conservation partners working with landowners, can request USDA assistance to protect and enhance agricultural land through an agricultural or wetland easement.

The program consolidates three former Natural Resources Conservation Service easement programs: the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection program, the Grasslands Reserve program, and Wetlands Reserve program.

To find out more information on the conservation program, visit NRCS.usda.gov/GetStarted.

Plunging gas prices take a breather

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Notice gas going up at your favorite fill-up station? Don’t worry, it’s happening everywhere.

Maintenance at refineries along the Gulf of Mexico created a spike in gas prices this past week, pushing the cost of a gallon of gas up nearly a dime in one night Wednesday in some places around the state. But it did calm down elsewhere, and Florida reported an average of a 2-cent rise since last Sunday.

“Last week was a temporary setback in what should otherwise be a month of falling as prices,” said AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins, in a release. “In October, refineries reduce output to conduct maintenance on their systems. They choose this month because fewer people are driving, and demand for gasoline is lower. However, there are more refineries along the Gulf coast doing maintenance compared to last year, and that put a temporary strain on supplies, causing prices to rise.”

However, that maintenance work should be done within the next week or so, Jenkins said, and that should cause gas prices to drop 20 cents by Thanksgiving.

If it weren’t for the maintenance work, gas prices would be at the lowest levels in a long time. The price of a barrel of oil settled at $89.74 last week, the first time it’s closed below $90 since April 2013. The United States remains the lead oil producer in the world because of the shale boom, and domestic crude production is at its highest level since March 1986, according to a report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Gas prices in Florida averaged $3.31 Sunday, up 2 cents from last week but still down 5 cents from a month ago. It’s even with prices from a year ago.

Marathon had the lowest gas prices in the Land O’ Lakes area Sunday, charging $3.17 at its station on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard and Ehren Cutoff. The highest was $3.29 at the Shell station on State Road 54 and State Road 56, according to GasBuddy.

However, prices were much better in Wesley Chapel, with $3.09 reported at the Marathon station at Wesley Chapel Boulevard near Magnolia Boulevard, and at the Shell station on County Road 54 and Oakley Boulevard. Prices peaked at $3.29 at two stations Willow Oaks Drive and State Road 56.

Gas prices in Lutz ranged from $3.19 at Citgo on North Dale Mabry Highway and Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, to $3.34 at the Shell station at Dale Mabry and Van Dyke Road.

Prices in Zephyrhills were pretty uniform, with several stations reporting gas at $3.22 or $3.23 over the weekend, according to GasBuddy. The 7-Eleven on Fifth Avenue had the highest-priced gas, but it’s $3.29 was not that far above everyone else.

Dade City was a little cheaper with $3.19 reported at Clark on U.S. 301 near Long Avenue, and at Sunoco on U.S. 301 near Jordan Road. The most expensive there was $3.29 at two stations not far from downtown.

 

Pasco County offices, bus lines to close Oct. 13

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Many Pasco County offices will be closed Oct. 13, for what officials are calling a staff development and appreciation day.

County employees will be working, but will focus on various development and appreciation activities throughout the day, according to a release. It also will affect riders who depend on the bus — Pasco County Public Transportation will not run its regular bus routes that day.

All affected government offices will reopen Oct. 14. Other offices, like the clerk and comptroller, the property appraiser, the elections supervisor, the sheriff’s office, and the courts all will be open for business as usual on that Monday.

The Pasco County Resource Recovery Facility and the East Pasco Transfer Station will be open to the general public on Oct. 13, as well as to licensed commercial haulers. However, the recreation centers will be closed, while parks will remain open.

An animal control officer will be on standby for emergency calls only, and the animal shelter in Land O’ Lakes will reopen Oct. 14 at noon, and close at 4:30 p.m.

For information, visit PascoCountyFl.net.

Rental scams are quickly on the rise

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Rental options are becoming more and more expensive, according to real estate website Zillow, and only 10 percent of the largest rental markets are now more affordable than they were before the housing market collapse.

More than a third of American households are renting, according to studies, and rental affordability continues to decline.

Officials with the Hillsborough County Consumer Protection Agency warn that renters need to be more cautious than ever when looking for rental homes in online classified advertisements. Often, they said, people responding to an online ad for rental properties are instructed to wire funds for a deposit in order to receive the keys.

When potential renters request to see the property first, the landlords claim they are out of the country and cannot show the home. Those landlords, officials said, use pictures posted online of homes for sale — not rent — to create a fake listing. Homeowners selling their homes have been shocked to have victims knock on their doors, intending to move into their new rental home.

The Better Business Bureau also suggests renters be on the lookout for these red flags:

  • Deals that sound too good to be true. Scammers often try to lure in victims by listing a rental for a very low price. Check the area for comparable listings, and if the price for the rental property looks suspiciously low, or anything else seems suspicious, walk away.
  • Out-of-the-country landlords. If a landlord is located out of the area and only wants to communicate by email claiming they’ve relocated for a job or missionary work, don’t believe it.
  • Request for a large deposit or upfront money, with no inspection of the property. Never pay any money before a home is thoroughly inspected inside and out.
  • Requests to wire money or send via MoneyGram or GreenDot. Never send money to anyone via wire transfer service, because it’s extremely difficult to retrieve — if not impossible — after the scammers have picked up the funds.
  • Request for personal information for a credit application. Never provide personal information to people online. It can be used to commit identity fraud and steal more money from victims. It is advisable to provide sensitive information only in person.

If anyone suspects a scam or that they were victimized in a scam, they can contact the Hillsborough County Consumer Protection Agency at (813) 903-3430.

Thrift stores collecting donations for veterans

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All five Gulfside Hospice Thrift Shoppes will collect toiletry items to give out to homeless and at-risk veterans as part of this year’s Stand Down Pasco County.

Donation collection begins Oct. 6 and will last until Oct. 17. Organizers prefer travel-size toiletry items, but also needed are personal care items, anti-bacterial hand wipes or gel, deodorant, shampoo, soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste, flashlights, batteries, reading glasses and others.

Donations are accepted at these thrift stores:

• Dade City Thrift Shoppe, 37925 Sky Ridge Circle
• Lutz Thrift Shoppe, 1930 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
• Zephyrhills Thrift Shoppe, 36542 State Road 54
• Hudson Thrift Shoppe, 12154 U.S. 19 in Bayonet Point
• New Port Richey Thrift Shoppe, 6117 State Road 54

Those stores are open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed on Sundays.

Each sale benefits Gulfside Hospice and helps provide care for patients with life-limiting illnesses in the county.

The stores also are in need of volunteers. For more information, call (800) 561-4883, or visit Facebook.com/ghthriftshoppes.

Bus service now including PHSC’s Porter Campus

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The bus schedule for Route 54 has been adjusted, allowing it to now include Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.

Pasco County Public Transportation started offering the bus service Sept. 29, and will come to the campus every two hours beginning at 8:07 a.m., and ending at 6:07 p.m.

Students are eligible for discount fares and passes with a valid PCPT reduced fare card, and can use a bus shelter and stop on the north side of the main facility, next to the parking garage.

“This is a wonderful addition” to the system, said PCPT director Mike Carroll, in a release. “I encourage students who use the campus to consider using the bus service as their main way to commute to school. Students able to catch the bus will save money on gas and transportation costs.”

Cross County Route 54 also makes stops at The Shops at Wiregrass, The Grove, Zephyrhills, and Medical Center of Trinity.

PCPT also operates the county’s para-transit services for those unable to access services because of a verifiable disability, environmental barrier, or distance from a route.

Those who would like more information about PCPT can call (813) 235-6073.

Bus route can be found by clicking here. More information on routes and schedules can be found right here.

Natural gas taking off in Florida, senator says

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Sen. Wilton Simpson says legislation he introduced last year creating a natural gas vehicle incentive has since produced 1,820 jobs and $68 million in wages throughout the state.

“This economic report shows how successful Florida’s Natural Gas Vehicle Rebate program has been,” the Trilby Republican said, in a release. “This fuel provides significant budget savings to governmental entities, the business world and our citizens.”

Simpson called natural gas a “game changer” for both the state and the country, “not only for motor vehicles, but for the energy sector, commercial businesses, and the manufacturing industry.”

Before his bill, Simpson said there were 18 compressed natural gas stations in Florida. Now there are 61, with another 29 planned — a 238 percent increase over that period.

A CNG station costs an average of $1.5 million, according to a report by the Florida Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition, meaning the investment into CNG station infrastructure has been $91.5 million over the past two years.

Since Jan. 1, Florida has spent $4.7 million in rebates issued under the program. Using methodology employed by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, that investment has generated a total economic output of $204.5 million.

To read more of the study, visit FuelForJobs.com.

 

It seemed like a whole new world, Part 2

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Buffalos have the right of way at Custer State Park in South Dakota’s Black Hills. (Courtesy of Marty Rubenstein)
Buffalos have the right of way at Custer State Park in South Dakota’s Black Hills.
(Courtesy of Marty Rubenstein)

On Aug. 14, we had a full day planned as we had reservations for the Fort Hays Chuck Wagon and Dinner Show. It consisted of a nine-hour narrated tour, plus two meals and a show.

We started at 7:30 with a breakfast of pancakes at the Chuck Wagon. We then boarded the coach with stops and a narration at Mount Rushmore Memorial. This is quite a site, and we saw videos of the work that went into this great monument. We were able to take a walk to view Mount Rushmore up close. It was a site that we won’t forget. The entire monument was created in granite.

We went back to the bus and went to the following ­— Lincoln Borglum Museum at the Mount Rushmore site, Pigtail Bridges, and scenic tunnels. The scenic tunnels were a real treat. From these tunnels we could actually get a beautiful picture of Mount Rushmore that looked framed. The tunnels were actually built with this in mind.
The bus then took us to see the Crazy Horse Memorial. This is a work in progress and was started on June 3, 1948. It is the world’s largest sculptural undertaking by carving a memorial Lakota leader, Crazy Horse. The 1948 dedication blast took off just 10 tons, but millions of tons have been removed since. Back to the bus, and we passed by Sylvan Lake and eventually arrived at Custer State Park. In Custer State Park, buffalos have the right of way. The massive beasts freely roam the parks thousands of acres, along with elk, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, coyotes and many other wildlife species. The towering pines sheltering the roadway, the swift flowing creeks with their clear sparkled waters, the massive cliffs and rock ridges, is nature at its best.
Custer State Park covers 71,000 acres in South Dakota’s Black Hills. In 1913, the park was created, but in 1919 the reserve became known as Custer State Park.
We arrived back at Fort Hays at 5:30 p.m., to browse around the different pictures, props and movies. Then we enjoyed a Chuck Wagon supper and a musical variety show. The show had loads of toe-tapping foot-stomping, belly-shaking laughter and more.
The following day we went on the Wildlife Loop Road as we were quite anxious to see more wildlife. This road twists and turns its way through the prairie and pine-studded hills that harbor many of the park’s wildlife species.
Now, let me ask you a question. “Do you like trains?” If you do, then let me tell you about the state railroad museum where we went. At the South Dakota Railroad Museum they had a 70-foot mural of the history of South Dakota and American railroad history. A very nice and informative video was also there for our viewing. There were antique tools and equipment, plus scale model trains.
Off to Four Mile Old West Town. This was featured in two parts. The first part had us walking through an old west town that included many features such as a newspaper office, a sheriff’s office, a saloon which had displays of women sitting on the bar, an old school house, the blacksmith, an ice company, a sweet shop, jeweler, a doctors office and more. It was a complete town with many shops.
There was also a cemetery of the town’s most notable citizens.
All the buildings had artifacts from the turn of the century, while the jail had the original furnishings from long ago. The jail was built around the time South Dakota was known as part of the Dakota Territory. The old wooden door showed the carving of an escaped prisoner.
The second part of Four Mile Old West Town was a one-hour melodrama where the audience interacts with Old West characters. The entire performance was very good and the audience was laughing and enjoying themselves.
Late in the morning on Saturday, we went back to the 1880 train and took the train ride. Here we got to see the Black Hills of South Dakota by rail. We experienced a historic, breathtakingly scenic, relaxing vintage train ride. This was a two-hour ride and a 20-mile round trip to Keystone.
While we saw much scenery, we also saw the vistas of Harney Peak, which is the highest point between the Swiss Alps and the Rocky Mountains.
Later in the afternoon, we went to the Circle B ranch and enjoyed watching the little ones trying to rope a steer (fake of course) and ride a pony, and we also got to see many horses. There was a shootout and after this, we entered the Chuck Wagon hall for dinner and a show. It is here that we stepped back in time and enjoyed an evening of Western hospitality and family entertainment.
The harmonies of the Circle B Cowboys were just delightful.

By Helene Rubenstein

Published October 1,2014

Castor wants to restore voting rights to felons

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U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor has sent a letter to outgoing U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, urging the Justice Department to conduct an inquiry related to civil rights restoration in Florida.

The state sees most non-violent offenders never regaining their civil rights and voting rights, due to multi-year and bureaucratic requirements imposed by the Florida Clemency Board, Castor said.

“I believe that in operation, Florida is violating the U.S. Constitution’s tenets of due process and equal protection,” the Tampa Democrat said in her letter. “Therefore, I respectfully request that the Justice Department conduct a thorough investigation into whether legal action is warranted against the state of Florida for its effective bar on civil rights restoration for non-violent offenders.”

In 2007, the Florida Clemency Board under then Gov. Charlie Crist voted to streamline the approval process for people with non-violent convictions, Castor said. However, in 2011, the board under Gov. Rick Scott reversed those rights restoration rules, and instituted highly restrictive policies. That year, the board restored civil rights to only 78 people, ignoring what the congresswoman says could be 600,000 who should be able to vote.

“Non-violent offenders who have completed their sentences and paid their debt to society should have full and equal access to exercise their voting rights,” Cantor said. “We must use all the tools and legal authorities at our disposal to fight against racial discrimination, to stand against disenfranchisement, and to safeguard the right of every eligible American to cast a ballot.”

Earlier this year, Castor joined the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP in calling on Scott and the clemency board to restore the voting rights of non-violence offenders who have paid fines and completed probation. In March, Castor sent a letter to Scott urging the change in policy.

The governor and board did not act, Castor said. In May, Holder reportedly advised Scott that the state’s action relating to voting rights would remain under scrutiny after Scott attempted to purge voter rolls in 2012.