The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

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.

Saint Leo collecting necessities for veterans in need

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Saint Leo University once again is partnering with Two Men and a Truck, as well as local schools, businesses and other organizations, to collect items critically needed by veterans.

As part of its annual Movers for Military community outreach program, the university and local organizations are accepting essential care items they will distribute to veterans living in local shelters on Veterans Day on Nov. 11.

Collection began on Sept. 29, and continues until Nov. 7, at six collection boxes in high-traffic areas around the East Pasco County campus of Saint Leo. Two other boxes, primarily for the general public, are available in the atrium of the Donald R. Tapia School of Business, and the lobby of the Marion Bowman Activities Center.

The wish list for donations include:

• Soap, shampoo, shaving cream, razors, toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash and deodorant

• Washcloths, towels, sheets and blankets

• Backpacks, sleeping bags, plastic blue tarps, and disposable rain ponchos

• Sneakers, thick socks and winter hats

• Canned food

• Batteries, Band-Aids, baby wipes and insect repellant

For more information on the program, call Kim Payne at Saint Leo at (352) 588-7233, or email him at .

Pasco launches sports tourism survey

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Pasco County residents waiting for that chance to have a voice in tourism can do it now through a new survey offered by The Sports Facilities Advisory.

The survey is designed to help the advisory group develop a set of recommendations to the development of a sports tourism industry in the county. The goal will be to bring youth, amateur sports tournaments and events to the county by expanding the Office of Tourism’s structure and ability to attract and host events, according to a release. The study will assess the opportunities, challenges and steps necessary to enter into the rapidly expanding and competitive industry.

Pasco has been inspired by the success of sports tourism programming in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, and believe there is enough that Pasco could share in it as well. Last year, Pinellas generated more than 110,000 room nights from such tourism, while Hillsborough has a long history of hosting successful sports tourism events — ranging from Florida Youth Soccer Association tournaments to the 2012 United Youth Football League National Championships.

“Pasco County is on the verge of tremendous growth, and we want to position ourselves to bring competitive sports to our region,” said Ed Caum, Pasco’s tourism manager, in a release. “Having dedicated sports facilities for tournaments in Pasco County, and working toward more collaborative efforts with our potential partners in Hillsborough and Pinellas will assist with our goal to make our region a recognized sports destination for sports tourism.”

The online survey will gauge perceived needs and support. The survey requests information related to sports participation, current use of existing sports facilities, and the potential use of future sports facilities. The survey also provides those taking it the option to request Pasco not develop a sports tourism program.

The survey will be available through Oct. 9, and can be accessed by clicking here.

In Print: New baseball, new schools, a new rivalry?

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On a Wiregrass Ranch site where Pasco County officials had once dreamt about a massive tennis complex, developer James Talton has put together a new dream. And with a little help from the county — about $11 million worth — he might be able to make plans for a massive baseball complex come true instead.

Talton is ready to take on more than 100 acres not far from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel to build 20 baseball diamonds, a dormitory and other amenities, to make Pasco a true destination for developing baseball players.

“We could make between $18 million and $20 million, and that’s just in the summertime alone,” Talton told members of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, according to a story by reporter Michael Hinman. “If we took the 13- or 14-year-olds, and we did nothing else, I could pay down my debt service of $54 million.”

Talton expects to need $70 million total to build the complex, with a lot of that money coming from private sources. Even baseball legend Gary Sheffield is ready to be involved, and has been working to bring in the likes of Bo Jackson and Cal Ripken — who already are running their own youth baseball programs in other parts of the country.

“It won’t be a Cal Ripken facility, or a Bo Jackson facility, but we can always integrate all of those things into what we’re doing,” Sheffield said. “What it does is give us the ability to probably have 20 to 30 (Major League Baseball) players that (at) any one time your kid might bump into, and that ups the brand.”

Want more details on the project? It’s all in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, which is available right now everywhere, as well as online by clicking here. And don’t forget to check out our previous story about how this complex could attract a Major League Baseball team like the Atlanta Braves. Read all about that by clicking here.

Pasco County is about to get its first magnet school, and a meeting introducing some details of that new campus attracted more than 200 students and parents to learn more about Sanders Memorial Elementary School.

The furniture in Sanders Memorial Elementary School will be easy to move around, so students and teachers can easily cluster together in groups to work on learning projects.
The furniture in Sanders Memorial Elementary School will be easy to move around, so students and teachers can easily cluster together in groups to work on learning projects.

Sanders will be different from other schools in many respects, reporter B.C. Manion writes. For one thing, the school’s design includes large spaces next to classrooms, intended to encourage collaboration between students, between teachers and students, and between classrooms.

The school’s furniture also will accommodate a greater degree of teamwork. The chairs and desks will move easily to accommodate clusters of learners tackling various tasks.

Want to learn more about Sanders? Pick up a copy of The Laker/Lutz News, or read our online e-edition by clicking here.

And finally, the Zephyrhills Bulldogs football team started out the season strong, dominating teams and looking a lot like division foe South Sumter High School played last season.

The roll continued, until the Bulldogs ran into South Sumter, and discovered that not much has changed with that team since last year.

“We knew that we can’t make mistakes with that team and survive, and we did that,” Bulldogs head coach Reggie Roberts told reporter Michael Murillo.

Those mistakes included a muffed punt, and being forced into a field goal instead of a touchdown early on that allowed the Raiders to jump out to a 28-10 lead, instead of a more manageable 21-14 or 21-10 lead.

“That’s tough to do against a very good football team,” Roberts said. “I think that was a turning point.”

What does it all mean for Zephyrhills as it looks to make the postseason? Find out in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, or read it online right now 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.

Swiftmud offering hog hunting permits

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It’s time again to try and reduce the hog population in Florida, and the Southwest Florida Water Management District — more commonly known as Swiftmud — is gearing up for a new season of hunting on lands it controls.

Wild hogs are not native to Florida, and feed on roots, tubers and grubs by rooting with their broad snouts in the ground. That can leave an area looking like a plowed field, officials said.

They also prey on native wildlife, compete with native species for food, and transmit diseases to other wildlife, livestock, and even humans. Hogs also help spread exotic plat species by transporting seeds, or providing germination sites through rooting.

The hunts themselves will be conducted in three phases, with the first two requiring separate registration processes. Top producers from the first phase will be awarded free hunts in the second phase. Top producers from the second phase will be asked to participate in the third phase.

All hunts adhere to the hog-dog format, and no still hunts will be available.

Registration for the first phase begins Oct. 6 at 9 a.m., and will include six hunts in November and December. The permits are transferable, with the top two producers of each hunt awarded a non-transferable registration to continue hunting in the same location for the second phase, free of charge.

Those who make it to the second phase will have to register beginning Dec. 15 at 9 a.m., and that will include six hunts in January and February. Those permits also are transferable, and the top two producers there will be contacted between March and October to take part in the feral hog management hunts on an as-needed basis, free of charge.

The third phase is open to all 12 second phase top producers, and will have a minimum of two management hunts throughout the non-hunting season.

During the hunts, land managed by Swiftmud will be closed to the public. The cost for permits, which are available on a limited basis, are $75 each.

A complete list of locations and dates is available at HogHunts.watermatters.org.

This is the sixth consecutive year for the hunts. Last year’s removed 938 hogs during 26 hunts on 11 different tracts of land throughout Swiftmud’s area.

Exotic pets looking for homes, too, through amnesty program

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Ever wanted to replace the traditional dog or cat, with a blue-tongued skink, or a green anaconda?

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is looking for qualified people willing to adopt exotic pets through its Exotic Pet Amnesty Program.

These pets need new homes because owners who can no longer care for them have surrendered them to the state. New owners will need to understand the costs associated with taking care of such an animal, as well as the natural history, care and safe caging requirements for the pets.

“It’s a great way to help prevent the release of non-natives, while providing these pets a home where they will be properly cared for and safely caged,” said Liz Barraco, coordinator of the amnesty program, in a release.

Without the amnesty program, many of these animals would be released into the wild. And because they are not part of the existing natural food chain, they could disrupt habitats, and even pose a danger to people.

The application process to adopt is done in two parts — the first will help someone become an approved adopter, while the second identifies that person’s experience and knowledge regarding a specific type of exotic pet.

“People considering taking one of these animals home need to think about the level of responsibility and long-term commitment involved,” Barraco said. “Many exotic pets live for a long time, and some get quite big.”

The amnesty days allow current exotic pet owners to bring in their animals without a fee or penalty. Those wanting to adopt don’t have to pay a fee, either, but they would need to be pre-qualified before attending one of three upcoming events around the state.

The first is Oct. 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Dreher Park Garden Club, 4800 Dreher Trail North, in West Palm Beach. The second is Nov. 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at North Collier Regional Park, 15000 Livingston Road, in Naples.

The third is April 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Wickham Park Pavilion, 3845 N. Wickham Road, in Melbourne.

Veterinarians examine each surrendered pet, and every attempt is made to place healthy animals with qualified adopters, officials said. Also, live animals will be on display at the events, which are open to the public, and experts will be available to talk to people about proper care of the pets.

Those who can’t attend an amnesty event, but would like to join the ongoing registry to become a potential new owner of an exotic pet, can visit MyFWC.com/Nonnatives to learn more about the program, and how to become an exotic pet owner.

Refinery problems freeze gas prices

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The dream of gas under $3 may have to wait a little longer, at least in Florida.

Refinery outages in both Canada and Texas put a halt to the summer-long decline in gas prices, and even went as far as pushing prices up in some places, like Pensacola.

“Refinery maintenance, especially in the Gulf, is causing the tightening of supplies in some areas,” said AAA spokesman Josh Carrasco, in a release. “As a result of these refinery issues, the downward pressure eon gas prices motorists saw earlier this month has stopped.”

Several companies in the Gulf region — home to more than 40 percent of U.S. refining capacity, announced an unplanned maintenance, AAA said, which reduced gasoline output in this areas. Those outages occurred the same time as other refineries in the region are conducting seasonal maintenance.

Oil prices also are rising again, with West Texas intermediate crude rising $1.13 to $93.54 a barrel on Friday.

“Overall, motorists are still seeing value at the pump,” Carrasco said. “Gas prices are at a seven-month low, and we expect gasoline to continue trending downwards in the coming months.”

Prices in Florida held steady this week at $3.29, but was down 8 cents from a month ago, and 6 cents from a year ago.

The cheapest gas in Land O’ Lakes was $3.16, and found at a few stations in the area, including the Hess on State Road 52 and U.S. 41, as well as the RaceTrac at State Road 52 and Silver Palm Boulevard, and another RaceTrac on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, near Lake Patience Road, according to GasBuddy. The most expensive gas reported to the site was $3.29 at the Shell station on the corner of State Road 54 and State Road 56.

In Wesley Chapel, prices ranged from $3.12 at Sam’s Club near Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, and $3.29 at a Shell station nearby. Lutz gas was as low as $3.16 at the Chevron and Sunoco at State Road 54 and Collier Parkway, and as high as $3.39 at the Shell on North Dale Mabry Highway and Van Dyke Road.

Gas prices in Zephyrhills climbed a little bit to a low of $3.15 at the Marathon on Eiland Boulevard and Geiger Road, as well as the Mobil on State Road 54 and Allen Road. The most expensive was reported at the Cumberland Farms on Gall Boulevard and State Road 39, where gas was $3.26.

The cheapest gas in Dade City was $3.13 at Clark, on U.S. 301 near Long Avenue. The most expensive there was said to be at Chevron on the corner of Fort King Road and Clinton Avenue, were prices came in at $3.24.

Weather service issues flood warnings for Pasco, Hillsborough

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(These warnings have been lifted.)

The National Weather Service in Ruskin has issued a flood warning for urban areas and small streams for southwestern Pasco County, northwestern Hillsborough County, and northeastern Pinellas County.

The warning is in effect until 8:45 p.m. Friday, officials said.

Flooding already has been reported along Hesperides and Lambright streets in Tampa, according to a report. Vehicles are said to be stuck in the water, which in some areas reporting waist-deep.

A flood warning means that flooding is imminent, or has been reported. Stream rises will be slow, and flash flooding is not expected, officials said.

Drivers should not take vehicles into areas of high water, even if the water does not appear to be moving. Vehicles can stall, and drivers could end up trapped in flooded areas.

Most flood deaths occur in cars, especially since flood waters are usually deeper than they appear. One foot of flowing water is powerful enough to sweep a vehicle off the road.

Children and small pets should be kept away from storm drains. As flood waters swell around these areas, strong current can develop and pull children and pets into the drain, officials said.