The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Be ready for tragedy by making an inventory now

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Storm season continues on, and the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America is urging homeowners, renters and business owners to create an inventory in case they need help replacing items.

This can help in the recovery process, PCI said, which they say often is a stressful situation.

“It’s important to create an inventory of what’s inside your home or business,” said Chris Hackett, director of personal lines for PCI, in a release. “It only takes a few minutes, and could save you hours of trying to determine exactly what you lost.”

One way to do that is to use the video feature on a smartphone to capture images of those items, and then store that video somewhere safe, like even in an off-site cloud. If something were to happen to those belongings, they can more easily be reported lost or damaged to an insurance company or agent.

In addition to video, inventories can be completed in a variety of ways using online tools, apps, or specially designed software, PCI said. Several insurance companies have home inventory apps that can be downloaded as well.

PCI offers this checklist to homeowners, renters and business owners:

• Talk with your insurance agent or company about your insurance policy. Check your deductible and make sure you have a solid understanding of your current coverage.

• Assess whether you have adequate home, auto and other property coverage. Property damage can take a tremendous financial and mental toll. Knowing you have proper coverage will give you peace of mind.

• Review additional coverage options, particularly flood coverage. Heavy rains and storm surge can cause extensive flood damage in coastal and inland areas.

PCI is composed of more than 1,000 member companies, writing more than $195 billion in annual premium, 39 percent of the nation’s property casualty insurance.

Drone conference coming to Wesley Chapel

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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 the 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.

One of the key challenges facing the industry, however, is the regulation of unmanned operations in civilian airspace, officials said. Those in attendance want to engage public officials and economic development leaders to consider how they can “untether the industry” and foster its rapid development.

The event is co-sponsored by the Association of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems International, the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, the Pasco EDC, PHSC, USF Connect, the Tampa Bay Partnership, and Turin Aviation Group.

Cost to attend is $30 per person. For information, visit PascoEDC.com/events, or call (813) 926-0827.

In Print: Pasco’s day without public transit

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Unless you were heading to the post office or bank on Monday, chances are you probably didn’t realize the nation celebrated Columbus Day this past week.

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 holiday, meant to recognize explorer Christopher Columbus and his trip to North America in the 15th century, is technically a federal holiday, but not really recognized as one that closes many businesses or schools. Except for Pasco County government.

Not that county workers weren’t on the clock Monday — they just were not available to provide services to residents, instead taking part in a twice-yearly training and appreciation day. And it also meant that people who did need to go to work — especially those who depend on public transportation — were looking for other ways to get there Monday.

“We don’t have the opportunity to train our work units as a team,” Pasco County administrator Michele Baker told reporter Michael Hinman. “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.”

Columbus Day was a day when bus ridership was historically low, Baker said. It’s important to have drivers and other workers with the bus lines attend the training, because they don’t typically get it otherwise.

But not everyone fully supports shutting down the bus lines on a work day. Erika Remsberg, who is running against Mike Moore for Pasco County Commission, worried about how it might affect people who need a ride to their job.

“The extend of those consequences may not be realizes or assessed,” Remsberg said. “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 (medical) treatment, or prevent them from getting groceries for their families.”

What do riders think who tried to catch the bus on Monday? Find out in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, now available throughout Pasco and northern Hillsborough counties, and also online with our free e-edition by clicking here.

October is a month where it’s easy to find pink, as many people work together to raise money to help fight breast cancer. While the medical condition is primarily associated with women, breast cancer can be a problem among men, too.

Kriss Bowles knows, because 10 years ago, she lost her husband to breast cancer.

“He’d lay in a recliner to sleep,” Bowles told reporter B.C. Manion about her husband, Brock. “I would sit there and watch him sleep, and wonder what was going through his mind. Because he knew he was dying.”

Male breast cancer can be even more dangerous than it should be, primarily because it’s not common enough to require annual exams. But also because male breast cancer carries a stigma for many that checking for it would make men less “macho.”

What can men do to protect themselves from breast cancer? Find out in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, available on newsstands and in driveways right now, or through our online e-edition by clicking here.

It’s a new rivalry, but one a lot of people are paying attention to. On Friday, the Land O’ Lakes Gators host the Sunlake Seahawks in high school football’s Battle on U.S. 41, or pretty close.

Sunlake is coming in with a very strong 6-1 record, and looking to make a trip to the postseason. The Gators, at 3-3, are poised to play spoiler — especially as Land O’ Lakes remains the top-scoring team in the district, despite its record.

But what can fans expect come Friday? Well, for started, no one taking anything for granted.

“Land O’ Lakes has a good football team,” Sunlake head coach Bill Browning told reporter Michael Murillo. “They obviously have a very good throwing game, so we have to be able to get lined up right, and be able to defend the pass against them.”

What’s worse, this is a game where everyone knows everyone else. No scouts are needed to see where the strengths and weaknesses are for both Sunlake and Land O’ Lakes.

“All the players know each other,” Browning said. “We’re right in each other’s backyard. It makes for a great rivalry game.”

Who has the edge? Draw your own conclusions after reading the full story, found in the sports section of this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News. And if you can’t wait to get your copy, check out the free online e-edition right here.

And finally, photojournalist Fred Bellet has some great pictures to share from the recent Peace Week at Pasco-Hernando State College. See what happens when Tibetan monks get a hold of colored sand in a beautiful yet spiritual display, which can be found on the front of this week’s B-Section. 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.

Saint Leo recognized again for student diversity

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Saint Leo University once again is celebrating its focus on student diversity, earning another top 100 ranking for minority students from Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine.

The St. Leo-based school is ranked ninth nationwide for its number of African-American students earning a bachelor’s degree, and 31st in the nation of the same minority group working on a master’s degree.

Saint Leo also earned high rankings for the number of African-Americans in is graduate-level and associate-level courses, as well as for all minorities seeking a bachelor’s.

“We are pleased to again be included in these significant rankings by Diverse,” said Saint Leo president Arthur Kirk, in a release. “At Saint Leo University, students live and study with counterparts from many backgrounds, places and cultures. We are proud of our inclusive spirit, which is consistently reflected in these rankings as a top degree-granting institution for minority students. We were particularly pleased that we increased our ranking in several categories.”

The Oct. 9 edition of the magazine identifies the top 100 undergraduate and graduate minority degree producers among U.S. colleges and universities. The data is compiled exclusively for the magazine by Victor Borden of Indianapolis. It’s part of his national report documenting the ability of American colleges to award degrees to African-American, Hispanic, Asian-American and Native American students.

Pet dangers are lurking on Halloween

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With goblins, ghosts and creatures of every size and shape creeping around the neighborhood, Halloween can be frightening for the bravest of souls.

It can be especially frightful for pets and pet owners. Even the most responsible pet owner may not know all of the dangers lurking around their beloved pet during this time of year.

Thankfully, the nightmares can be avoided.

Halloween can actually be a fun and festive time for both pets and owners. These steps will help keep pets safe and away from the hidden hazards of this October holiday.

• Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets. All forms of chocolate — especially baking or dark chocolate — can be dangerous, and even lethal, for dogs and cats. Symptoms of chocolate poisoning may include vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, increase heart rate, and seizures.

Halloween candies containing artificial sweetener Xylitol can also be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts of Xylitol can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar and subsequent loss of coordination and seizures.

While Xylitol’s toxicity in cats has yet to be established, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

• Don’t leave pets out in the yard on Halloween. Surprisingly, vicious pranksters have been known to tease, injure, steal and even kill pets on Halloween night. Inexcusable? Yes. But preventable, nonetheless.

• Keep pets confined, and away from the door. Not only will a door be constantly opening and closing on Halloween, but strangers will be dressed in unusual costumes and yelling loudly for their candy.

This, of course, can be scary for furry friends. Dogs are especially territorial, and may become anxious and growl at innocent trick-or-treaters. Putting a dog or cat in a secure room away from the front door also will prevent them from darting outside into the night.

• Keep outdoor cats inside several days before, and several days after Halloween. Black cats are especially at risk from pranks or other cruelty-related incidents. In fact, many shelters do not adopt our black cats during October as a safety precaution.

• Keep Halloween plants such as pumpkins and corn out of reach. Although they are relatively non-toxic, such plants can induce gastrointestinal upset should pets ingest them in large quantities. Intestinal blockage can even occur if large pieces are swallowed.

• Don’t keep lit pumpkins around pets. Should they get too close, they run the risk of burning themselves, or knocking it over and causing a fire.

• Keep wires and electric light cords out of reach. If chewed, a pet can cut himself on shards of glass or plastic, or receive a life-threatening electrical shock.

• Don’t dress a pet in a costume, unless you know they’ll love it. If you do decide that Fido or Kitty needs a costume, make sure it isn’t annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict movement, hearing, or the ability to breathe, or bark, or meow.

• Try on pet costumes before the big night. If they seem distressed, allergic, or show abnormal behavior, consider letting them go in their “birthday suit.” Festive bandanas usually work for party poopers, too.

• IDs please! If a dog or cat should escape and become lost, having the proper identification will increase chances that they will be returned. Just make sure the information is up-to-date, even if a pet does have a microchip.

Raymond James in Pasco: Don’t hold your breath

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Just months after T. Rowe Price decided not to open offices in Pasco County, it looks like Raymond James Financial will take a step back from its expansion north.

Paul Reilly, Raymond James’ chief executive, told reporters during a recent symposium that while the St. Petersburg-based financial company is delaying plans up to five years, Raymond James is still coming to Pasco.

“Our plan always been and will continue, we will close on the Pasco land,” Reilly said, according to the Tampa Bay Business Journal. “We think it’s a great site over time, but right now, we don’t need the space, and when we need the space, we’ll look at expansion there or see what happens to our other facilities.”

Pasco County commissioners earmarked $10 million to lure Raymond James to the Wiregrass Ranch area, not far from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, which the company added to $5 million in state incentives. The plan was to build two 100,000-square-foot buildings on Wiregrass Ranch Boulevard, that would create 750 jobs in the county by 2024, and at least 100 by this year.

Two years ago, state Rep. Will Weatherford said he expected Raymond James to start construction by that fall, and eventually have up to 1 million square feet of space in Wesley Chapel.

“It’s going to change the game,” the Wesley Chapel Republican said at the time.

Once it was ready to start construction, Raymond James would close on 65 acres of vacant land. The company has had that land under contract since 2011.

 

It’s here! $3 gas arrives in Wesley Chapel

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It’s been years since Florida has seen its average gas prices drop below the $3 mark. And while the state average is not there quite yet, two gas stations in Wesley Chapel was selling gas at $2.99 this past weekend.

The Hess station at State Road 54 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in Wesley Chapel is one of the first stations locally in years to have gas under $3. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
The Hess station at State Road 54 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in Wesley Chapel is one of the first stations locally in years to have gas under $3. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

Those gas stations — the Hess at State Road 54 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, and the cash buyers at Citgo at State Road 54 and Boyette Road — were the lowest in the area, and below the $3 mark for the first time, according to GasBuddy.

And that might be just the beginning.

“Gas prices declined dramatically last week, and more discounts are on the way,” said AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins, in a release. “It will soon be increasingly common for motorists to find gasoline cheaper than $3 a gallon. Demand is low and domestic oil supplies are high, putting downward pressure on the price of both oil and gasoline. State averages in Florida and Georgia could be flirting with the $3 mark by Thanksgiving.”

Right now, Florida’s average gas price is $3.24, down 7 cents from a week ago, and down a dime from a month ago. However, it’s down just a nickel from a year ago.

Gas nationally is $3.21, down 9 cents from a week ago, and 20 cents lower than a month ago.

Tennessee, by the way, already is at $3 on average. That’s down 9 cents from the week before, and 20 cents from the month before.

Gas prices in Land O’ Lakes on Sunday ranged from $3.17 at three different gas stations, to $3.21 at the Shell located at Land O’ Lakes Boulevard and Hale Road, according to GasBuddy.

It was a similar story in Lutz, where gas prices were found as low as $3.15 at both the Circle K at Van Dyke and Old Tobacco roads, as well as the Citgo at North Dale Mabry Highway and Land O’ Lakes Boulevard. The highest prices there on Sunday were reported at $3.29 at the Shell located at Van Dyke and Lakeshore Drive.

To join the $2.99 prices in Wesley Chapel, there were still some highs, including a price of $3.19 at three different stations.

Murphy USA had the cheapest gas in Zephyrhills over the weekend at $3.14 on Gall Boulevard near Ginger Avenue, while the Citgo at Gall and Chancey Road had the highest reported price at $3.25.

In Dade City, prices ranged from $3.15 at two locations, to $3.22 at two other stations.

More Pasco government closings to ‘focus’ on work force

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Pasco County already is planning to close many government offices — including public bus transportation — on Oct. 13. But now libraries will join in the single-day closures, but this time at the end of the week.

All libraries in the county system will be closed Oct. 17 for what officials are calling the county’s “Workforce Focus Day.” The libraries, however, will reopen Oct. 18 and resume normal hours.

Pasco already is shutting down a number of county offices on Oct. 13 for what officials are calling a staff development and appreciation day. Those closings coincide with Columbus Day, which is not typically a recognized holiday by the government.

On Oct. 13, Pasco will close many offices, except “constitutional offices” like the sheriff’s office, tax collector and others would remain open. Pasco County Public Transportation, however, would not provide bus services that day.

For information on the library closings, visit PascoLibraries.org.

SBA offering fee relief on certain loans

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The U.S. Small Business Administration is extending fee relief on 7(a) loans into next year of $150,000 or less that was implemented last year, and originally slated to expire last month. SBA Veterans Advantage will be renewed and enhanced as well.

“We don’t want SBA fees to be an impediment to getting capital out to communities where it can make a game-changing difference, especially to our underserved communities, who use these small-dollar loans more frequently,” said SBA administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, in a release. “We also owe a debt of gratitude and so much more to our servicemen and women, and veterans who are the cornerstone of small business ownership.”

The SBA has guaranteed more than 28,800 loans for more than $1.74 billions, each less than $150,000. That was up from 23,200 loans and $1.34 billion the year before.

Fee reductions on these loans resulted in nearly $19 million in savings to small business borrowers last year.

More than 70 percent of all SBA loans made to veterans are less than $350,000. Through Sept. 20, the SBA guaranteed 153 loans for $38.9 million under Veterans Advantage. Fee relief of those loans resulted in savings to borrowers of about $571,000.

For more information, visit SBA.gov.

Saint Leo opening some fall fest events to public

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A three-day event that traditionally welcomes Saint Leo University students and their parents, will open some of the festivities to the general public.

Saint Leo’s annual Fall Family Festival is set for Oct. 17-19, and will feature offerings like a hypnotist, a talent show, athletic events and fireworks.

It’s hosted by the school’s Campus Activities Board, and will take place on the main campus of Saint Leo, located on State Road 52 in St. Leo.

The festival provides the opportunity for family members to spend time on the campus in what officials call a fun and relaxed setting. They have a chance to enjoy fellowship with other university families, while learning more about Saint Leo.

The event kicks off with a reception for students and family that includes a welcome dinner and a live performance by hypnotist Jim Wand.

A fair will be open to the public beginning Saturday at 11 a.m., and running to 3 p.m. It will include carnival-type rides and games. The public also is invited to the women’s soccer game between Saint Leo and Barry University beginning at 4:30 p.m., followed by the men’s team facing their own competition from Barry beginning at 7 p.m.

A tailgate party for students and their families will start at 4 p.m. at the school’s soccer field.

That evening, the public is invited to a fireworks display grand finale by Pyrotechnico, which begins at 9:30 p.m., in The Bowl.

Sunday concludes with a breast cancer 5-kilometer walk, which also is open to the public.

Several campus amenities — including The Trane Stop, student financial services and the campus bookstore — will have extended hours on Saturday.

For more information on the event, visit SaintLeo.edu/FallFamily, or call Edson O’Neale at (352) 588-8856.