Special to The Laker/Lutz News

LAND O’ LAKES – The Tunnel to Towers Foundation was scheduled July 16 to welcome three injured veterans into new mortgage-free smart homes in the Let Us Do Good Village.

The village will consist of 100 mortgage-free to injured veterans and first responders as well as Gold Star and Fallen First Responder families. The village features an accessible design throughout to help injured veterans and first responders reclaim their independence.

Shawn Mullins

U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant 

Shawn Mullins spent 30 years in the Air Force, with multiple overseas deployments. 

When America was attacked on 9/11, he helped to load the fighter jets that flew over New York.

During his career, he suffered from multiple back injuries and surgeries and was diagnosed with PTSD. He medically retired from the Air Force in 2015. 

In 2019, he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, an autoimmune illness that attacked his nervous system and left him a home-bound quadriplegic relying on an electric wheelchair.

“Tunnel to Towers saved my life, I cannot wait to start a new chapter with my fellow veterans in the village,” Mullins said.

Steven Maxwell

U.S. Army Specialist 

Motivated to enlist by the 9/11 attacks, Steven Maxwell joined the Army in March 2002. 

He deployed to Iraq, where he suffered multiple brain injuries and concussions. He was left with a traumatic brain injury, PTSD, memory loss and Grand Mal seizures.

He is moving from Oregon to Florida and looking forward to a safer, supportive future in the Let Us Do Good Village.

“I cannot wait for my family to be part of a community where we can support each other and enjoy the sense of safety in the village,” Maxwell said. “I am so grateful for getting this chance.”

Charlie Figueroa

U.S. Army Private First Class 

Figueroa grew up in a military family, so it felt natural for him to follow in their footsteps. 

After graduating from high school in 1977, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and deployed to Germany, where he trained for combat missions focused on using rockets to counter enemy tanks.

In 2003, he went to the emergency room because he thought he was having a heart attack. While there, he began to lose feeling in his legs. Doctors discovered a hematoma pressing against his spinal cord. Emergency surgery saved his life, but the injury left him permanently wheelchair-bound.

“I’m looking forward to a home where I have more space to move around, feel more comfortable and be in a community that understands everything I have been through,” Figueroa said. 

On the web: T2T.org

PASCO COUNTY – The 2025 recreational bay scallop season for the Pasco Zone opened July 10 and will remain open through Aug. 18. 

This includes all state waters south of the Hernando-Pasco county line and north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse in northern Pinellas County, including all waters of the Anclote River.

Whether you’re a seasoned scalloper or giving it a try for the first time, Florida’s Sports Coast, the official Tourism Office of Pasco County, offers experienced local guides and charter companies to help you make the most of scalloping season. 

“This is such a special time of year for our community,” said Adam Thomas, executive director for Florida’s Sports Coast. “Scalloping is a fun, family-friendly adventure that brings generations together, and we’re excited to welcome everyone back for another fantastic season.”

The daily bag limit is 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat per person, with a maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell or 1/2 gallon (4 pints) shucked bay scallop meat per vessel per day.

Throughout the season and region-wide, vessel limits do not allow an individual to exceed their personal bag limit.

Harvest of bay scallops is permitted only by hand or by using a landing or dip net. Commercial harvest is prohibited.

For information on bay scallop regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations” and “Bay Scallops” under the “Crabs, Lobster and other Shellfish” tab.

Although bay scallop season dates can vary by region, regulations do allow the direct and continuous transit of legally harvested bay scallops through closed areas. When transiting, boaters may not stop their vessels in waters that are closed to harvest and instead must proceed directly to the dock or ramp to land scallops in a closed area.

Recreational harvesters need a Florida saltwater fishing license to harvest bay scallops unless they are exempt from needing a license or have a no-cost shoreline fishing license and are wading from shore to collect scallops (i.e., feet do not leave the bottom to swim, snorkel or SCUBA, and harvesters do not use a vessel to reach or return from the harvest location).  

Visit flsportscoast.com/scalloping for tips on how your family can enjoy Pasco’s Bay scallop season.

Pasco seeks input on Draft 2050 Comprehensive Plan

PASCO COUNTY – Pasco County’s Planning, Development and Economic Growth Department has unveiled its draft Pasco 2050 Comprehensive Plan.

The county has scheduled open houses for residents to provide input to help shape the next 25 years of Pasco’s future.

Residents can explore updated maps, chat with the Pasco planning team and share thoughts to help refine the vision for 2050 at the following open houses: 

• July 16, 6 to 8 p.m., at Elsie Logan Memorial Park, 15840 Greenglen Lane, Spring Hill.
• July 23, 6 to 8 p.m., at South Holiday Branch Library, 4649 Mile Stretch Drive, Holiday.
• July 28, 6 to 8 p.m., at New River Branch Library, 34043 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel.

Visit Pasco2050.com to review the plan and provide feedback.

​​Pasco County launches real-time bus information

PASCO COUNTY – Pasco County Public Transportation (GoPasco) is now offering an app called myStop to provide real-time tracking for GoPasco buses.  

Users can view the exact location of their bus, see estimated bus arrival, plan a trip and get service notifications/alerts. The app is available on Android or Apple IOS. 

“This app represents a significant advancement in our efforts to modernize and improve your public transit experience in our community,” GoPasco Director Jannina Elkin said.  “With real-time bus tracking, you can better plan your trips, reduce wait times and make more informed decisions about your transportation needs.”

On the web: mypas.co/MyStopApp

Cats overcrowd pet shelter 

TAMPA – Residents are encouraged to adopt or foster a dog or cat from the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center, which at the start of July was at more than five times capacity for cats.

On July 1, the Pet Resource Center had 285 cats and kittens, putting the shelter at 508% of its stated capacity of 56 cats. Th​​e pet shelter had 247 dogs, or 137% of capacity. The crowded living conditions increase the risk of the spread of infectious diseases and create other stresses for the animals.

During times of severe overcrowding, the shelter works closely with dozens of animal rescue groups and other community partners to help deal with the sheer volume of cats and dogs. What is most needed, though, are residents to provide a permanent home or offer their services as a pet foster parent. 

Hillsborough residents to review plans for future road

TAMPA – The Corridor Preservation Plan Study will help Hillsborough County keep up with growth by planning the location of future roadways to ensure the scale, location and rights-of-way are adequate to serve residents’ needs.

To do so, an update to the plan, which is part of Hillsborough’s Comprehensive Plan, is needed.  

It has been 15 years since the last major update to the Corridor Preservation Plan. As land use patterns and travel habits change, county planners want to ensure transportation is safe and efficient for years to come.  

Meetings will be held countywide to explain the study, review objectives and gather feedback. 

Meetings will be held: 

• July 17, 6 to 8 p.m., at Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library, 2902 W. Bearss Ave., Tampa.
• July 22, 6 to 8 p.m., at Town ‘N Country Regional Public Library, 7606 Paula Drive, Suite 120, Tampa.
• Online, at PublicInput.com/CorridorPreservation through Aug. 15.

Florida Aquarium unveils new costumed character 

TAMPA – The Florida Aquarium introduced its newest ambassador: a pink, wide-eyed axolotl from Mexico City. The costumed character is ready to dive into her new life in Tampa but needs a name. The aquarium is inviting the community to help name its newest resident by voting online.

The names are inspired by her Mexican heritage and vibrant personality: 

• Xochi (pronounced so-chee) – Short for Xochimilco (so-chee-meal-koh), one of only two lakes in Mexico City where axolotls are found in the wild. The name comes from the Aztec word xochitl, meaning “flower” or “princess of flowers,” and symbolizes beauty, growth, creativity, renewal and new beginnings.
• Toci (pronounced toe-see) – Named after the Aztec goddess of renewal and healing, Toci means “our grandmother,” representing wisdom, protection and nurturing strength.
• Izel (pronounced ee-sel)– An Aztec word meaning “only one” or “unique,” highlighting how special and rare axolotls are in the natural world.

Voting is open through Aug. 1 at https://www.flaquarium.org/name-that-axolotl/. The winning name will be revealed Aug. 4.

TAMPA – Project Focus has unveiled plans for a first-of-its-kind community campus in Tampa Bay, designed to meet the housing and workforce needs of people with developmental disabilities. 

The proposed campus features a middle and high school, a transition academy for students ages 18 to 22, a workforce training center with commercial partners, a performing arts theater and apartment-style housing. Project Focus aims to provide a place for residents to develop the skills necessary to gain independence.

“At Project Focus, we believe individuals with developmental disabilities deserve more than programs, they deserve a place to belong, thrive and grow,” Executive Director Clayton Clemens said. “This campus is designed to provide choice, remove barriers to housing, employment and community engagement while building a model that can be replicated elsewhere.”

Project Focus has convened an advisory council of leaders to guide the effort. Members include:

• Commissioner Josh Wostal, Hillsborough County.
• Councilman Luis Viera, City of Tampa.
• Leroy Moore, chief operating officer, Tampa Housing Authority.
• John Nertney, chief financial officer, Alliant Partners.
• School Board Member Patti Rendon, Hillsborough County School Board.
• Eric Eisenberg, senior vice president, University South Florida Community Partnerships.
• Eileen Pope, senior vice president of community development, Bank of America.
• Mayor Andy Ross, City of Temple Terrace.
• Christian Leon, executive director, Patel Family Foundation.

“The advisory council gives us the ability to bring together leaders who deeply believe in this mission and are ready to move the needle,” Clemens said. “It takes a community that believes in you to build a community.”

Project Focus is working with stakeholders on locating a property to bring their vision to life and working with state and federal partners at eliminating the red tape that prohibits intentional communities from being constructed. 

Project Focus leadership remains committed to providing a community that would resemble a 55+ community with safety and services taken into consideration. They also believe in the importance of being central with access to bus stops and the interstate for those who commute.

Project Focus supports daily programming for 160 young people with developmental disabilities on its campus in Temple Terrace through Focus Academy, Focus Forward Adult Day Program, Focus Workforce Readiness Training, the Focus Café and Focus Day School. The use of drama therapy, mental health supports and the arts separate it from other programming. 

Project Focus hosts weekly tours at the Temple Terrace campus and is hosting its Annual Gala on Oct. 18 at the Tampa Yacht and Country Club. 

On the web: www.projectfocusfoundation.org

CLEARWATER – Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside has set a new affiliate record with 88 homes built in its 2024-25 fiscal year, allowing 88 new families to enjoy the safety and security of homeownership. 

Each family completed the Habitat homeownership program, which includes 38 homebuyer education classes focused on finances and homeowner responsibilities, and putting in between 350 and 450 sweat equity hours. 

Upon completion of the program, these families earned 0% APR mortgages that ensure affordability throughout the life of the home loan.

“Each home built and family served is its own milestone for us at Habitat,” said Mike Sutton, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside. “For us as a staff to be able to step back and see that we helped 88 families achieve their piece of the American dream by becoming homeowners, with a 0% interest mortgage, is just an incredible feeling. It’s also a reminder that our work is so important to the community and we are using this as fuel to build more homes and help anchor more families in our community.”

Expanding the service area

In April 2024, Habitat for Humanity International selected this Habitat affiliate (then known as Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco Counties) to expand its service area to include Hernando County. 

Following this expansion, the affiliate rebranded to represent its regional reach and became Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside.  Over the next year, Habitat Tampa Bay Gulfside worked to establish relationships and partnerships in Hernando County, hired staff and recruited four business leaders to join its board of directors. 

Here are some key events from the fiscal year: 

• December 2024: Habitat accepts the Pickerings as the first Hernando family into the program.
• January 2025: Habitat breaks ground on first Hernando Home.
• February 2025: Hernando County Board of County Commissioners awarded Habitat 9.5 acres in Spring Hill to Habitat to build 30 single-family homes.
• May 2025: Coca-Cola Beverages Florida announced as Habitat’s first Hernando home sponsor.
• June 2025: Habitat welcomes the Pickering Family to their new home in Spring Hill.

The year ahead

Habitat Tampa Bay Gulfside is celebrating 40 years of impact in 2025. This August, the affiliate will join an exclusive group of Habitat affiliates to achieve the milestone of 1,000 homes built in their community.

Habitat’s 1,000th Home Dedication Celebration will take place Aug. 22, at 10 a.m. in the Lealman community of St. Petersburg. Visit habitattbg.org/1000thhome to learn more about the family and this milestone event.

Habitat will also appear on an upcoming episode of HGTV’s “100 Day Dream Home” with Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt. The episode will focus on a Habitat partner family going through the process of building their home. The episode is expected to air in October and Habitat will host a special 40th anniversary event to premiere the episode. Dates and times for the episode and event will be announced this summer.

By the numbers

• 88 homes built across the service area of Pinellas, West Pasco and Hernando counties.
• $41 million-plus revenue to fund Habitat operations and construction of homes.
• 106 adults who now have peace of mind and can pass down intergenerational wealth to their children.
• 153 children now in a place where they have the space to grow.

NEW PORT RICHEY – Pasco County earned a 2025 Innovation Award for opioid response from the Florida Association of County Health Services Administrators.

Pasco County Government, in partnership with BayCare Behavioral Health Institute, received honors for its strategic use of opioid settlement funds to launch the Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center.  

This new service line within Pasco County’s crisis continuum of care is the first behavioral health urgent care center in Florida, providing immediate support for those in need of mental health and addiction care that may not require intensive intervention.

“This award reflects what’s possible when local government, health care leaders and community partners come together with a shared vision,” said Kathryn Starkey, chair of the Pasco Board of County Commissioners.  “Pasco is proud to lead the way in transforming how we respond to substance use and mental health challenges.”

The Innovation Award recognizes counties that take forward-thinking approaches to public health delivery.  Pasco’s model was selected for its impact, replicability and alignment with long-term solutions to urgent behavioral health needs.

“This new (urgent care center) in Pasco County is an example of what can be achieved when community partners work together toward a common goal,” said Tracey Kaly, clinical operations director for BayCare. “This much-needed resource for the people of Pasco would not have been possible without the county’s proactive leadership and responsible stewardship of opioid settlement funds.”

Since February, Pasco’s urgent care center has served over 600 people. Vulnerable people and families have received critical support regardless of their ability to pay.  

Support for this service comes from the Opioid Fund, Community Development Block Grant and other federal and private funding sources.