The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Gas higher for summer, but not for long term

By

Drivers probably were not happy to see gas prices jumping up just ahead of the Labor Day holiday, as they typically do when demand is higher, but they should be happy that it was still the cheapest Labor Day weekend gas in four years.

More than 29.7 million families gassed yup for a road trip on the weekend, according to AAA, with average prices nearly 19 cents cheaper than last year in Florida.

“There’s no doubt that low gas prices helped convince many Americans, who were on the fence about traveling, to take a trip during the holiday weekend,” said Mark Jenkins, a AAA spokesman, in a release. “Prices may get even cheaper in the coming months.”

That will come because of a mixture of higher domestic production in the fall, and lower demand, Jenkins said. In fact, he is expecting to see gas prices fall to below $3 a gallon before the end of the year. However, things that could spoil that would be refinery outages, or a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico.

Barrels of oil were trading at $97.88 at the beginning of August, but finished the month at $93.86, helping to push the national average gasoline pieces down 9 cents. That included a 6-cent drop in Florida, as well as 8 cents in Georgia and 7 cents in Tennessee.

Right now, Florida is averaging $3.37 per gallon, 3 cents more than last week, but down a nickel from a month ago.

As of Monday, the cheapest gas in Land O’ Lakes, according to GasBuddy.com, was at the Mobil station at State Road 52 near the Suncoast Parkway, where regular unleaded was listed at $3.19. The most expensive was at a Shell station on the corner of State Roads 54 and 56, with a price of $3.37.

In Wesley Chapel, gas prices ranged from $3.18 at Sam’s Club on State Road 56 near Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, to $3.38 at a Shell station at State Road 54 and Oakley Boulevard. Lutz saw prices as low as $3.26 at a Sunoco in State Road 54 and Collier Parkway, and as high as $3.39 at the Shell station at Van Dyke Road and Lakeshore Drive.

The cheapest gas in Zephyrhills as of Monday was at the Marathon at Eiland Boulevard and Geiger Road at a cost of $3.25. The most expensive was reported at Citgo at Wire and Otis Allen roads at $3.40. Dade City gas prices ranged from $3.26 at the RaceWay at U.S. 301 and McDonald Road, to a cash price of $3.39 at the BP station on U.S. 98 Bypass and Church Street.

 

Weapon report put Sunlake High on lockdown

By

The beginning of the holiday weekend was a stressful time for the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and administrators at Sunlake High School after a reported student carrying a weapon put the campus on lockdown Friday morning.

Sunlake principal Steve Williams worked to keep the public informed what was happening throughout the morning through Twitter, and posted on the school’s Facebook page later that while an unidentified student was taken into custody by deputies, no weapon was found on campus.

“In an abundance of caution, we began a thorough search of the campus to ensure the student did not give the weapon to another student, or attempt to hide it on the campus,” Williams wrote on Facebook. “Once we were sure that the campus was safe, we moved out of lockdown and finished the day.”

Earlier in the day, a student reported to a school staff member that another student was in possession of a weapon. That immediately put the school into lockdown, and administrators brought in the sheriff’s office, which started an investigation, Williams said.

Although safety precautions were made, Williams emphasized to parents that there was no evidence that a weapon was actually at the school, and that everyone “remained safe throughout the situation.”

“I wish to commend the students, staff and parents of the Sunlake community for their patience and professionalism during this stressful situation,” Williams wrote. “In addition, I want to thank the Pasco sheriff’s office for their efforts today. They were highly professional, and we appreciate our partnership with them.”

Classes are expected to resume as normal on Sept. 2, and no Friday night or weekend events were affected by the lockdown, Williams added.

Land O’ Lakes woman wins $1 million scratch-off

By

After a few winning scratch-off tickets were sold locally, yet another local resident can call herself a millionaire this week after a big win through the Florida Lottery.

However, unlike other recent tickets, this one was bought in Tampa.

Loida Emmons, 46, of Land O’ Lakes, claimed a $1 million prize in Florida Lottery’s 50X the Cash Scratch-Off game. She chose to receive her winnings in a one-time, lump-sum payment of $733,560.

Emmons purchased her winning ticket from Neighborhood Food Mart, located at 11620 N. 22nd St., in Tampa. The retailer received a bonus commission of $2,000 for selling the $1 million winning ticket.

Tickets for the game costs $10, and offers more than $164 million in cash prizes, including 16 top prizes of $1 million, according to a release. Seven top prizes remain, with the game’s overall odds of winning at 1-in-3.46 million.

The game is part of a series multiplier-themed games offered by the lottery, ranging in price from $1 to $25.

They are part of the lottery’s portfolio of games, comprising approximately 64 percent of ticket sales, and generating more than $640 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund in 2013-14.

Tampa Bay Water funding nonprofit conservation projects

By

Tampa Bay Water is offering $20,000 worth of mini-grants to help fund projects and events sponsored by local community groups, non-profit groups, schools and universities that help promote protection of the region’s drinking water sources.

The deadline to apply for the grant is Oct. 31. To qualify, applicants need to provide a plan for a project or event that is related to source water protection in the Tampa Bay Water service area. The program grants funds from $2,000 to $10,000 for community-based activities, including but not limited to, river cleanups, stormwater nature walks, and educational field trips.

“The mini-grant program helps those who are dedicated to protecting our region’s drinking water sources, and it ensures that our ecosystems remain healthy and functioning now and into the future,” said Paula Dye, mini-grant program manager for Tampa Bay Water, in a release. “

Last year, the agency awarded four $5,000 mini-grants that funded projects and events managed by Lowry Park Zoo, Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, Keep Pasco Beautiful and Friends of Brooker Creek.

Keep Pasco Beautiful ran a poster contest for elementary students that focused on educating them about the importance of protecting drinking water sources. Its Tampa Bay counterpart used its grant to fund its environmental program, which included interactive and educational presentations for elementary through high school students throughout Hillsborough County.

Lowry Park Zoo raised its outflow structure to reduce the amount of wastewater discharge during heavy rain events, playing a role in keeping a Hillsborough River tributary clean.

Friends of Brooker Creek built an exhibit at the Brooker Creek Preserve in Pinellas County. The hands-on exhibit illustrated the elements of the water cycle and how surface and groundwater flows move through the watershed.

Mini-grant applications will be reviewed, with winners notified before the end of 2014 for funds that will be available in 2015.

To apply, visit tinyurl.com/TBWMiniGrant. For information, call Paula Dye at (813) 996-7009.

Vehicle registration fees drop Sept. 1

By

Motor vehicle registration fees will return back to their pre-2009 levels next week after better economic times no longer required the higher fees instituted during the Great Recession.

Gov. Rick Scott, who is now set to face off against his predecessor, former Gov. Charlie Crist in November, said drivers will save between $17 and $25 when renewing their registration, depending on the size of their vehicle. The move, Scott said, would cost the state about $400 million, which was additional revenue the Legislature passed at the time to help close budget gaps.

By rolling back to the original registration fees, motorcycles will save a little more than $17, vehicles less than 2,500 pounds will save $18.55, vehicles between 2,500 and 3,500 pounds will save $21.55, and vehicles at more than 3,500 pounds will save just over $25.

The reduction will apply for vehicle registrations renewed on or after Sept. 1.

In March, Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano encouraged drivers who were renewing registrations to only do it for one year instead of two, so that they would have a chance to realize the savings that took effect Sept. 1. While the bill would help motorists in reducing their tax burden, it did not address the 750,000 vehicle owners who typically renew in two-year increments, Fasano said.

Professional eye care at your local Sam’s Club

By

Dr. Anthony Valenti is an optometrist with an office inside Sam’s Club next to the eyeglass booth. A simple nameplate on the door marks the entrance to his office. Inside that door is a state of the art eye care facility.

Wesley Chapel Sam’s Club customers can now get a professional eye exam as well as their glasses and contacts in a single convenient location. This is a full scope optometric practice capable of providing all of the services found in a typical optometric office without the additional overhead costs.

Anthony Valenti
Anthony Valenti

In addition, Dr. Valenti provides something extra. He can examine deep inside the eye without dilation using retinal imaging. This technology provides him with a 200 degree view inside of the eye. Patients will be able to review those images right there in the office alongside Dr. Valenti.

A retinal scan provides a greater single view along with the ability to isolate deeper layers of the retina. All of this is obtained quickly and painlessly without the need to dilate the pupil. The retinal scan is included with the eye exam at no additional charge.

Dr. Valenti and his wife both graduated from the State University of New York College of Optometry in 1989. He started his own practice in 1993. They moved to Florida with their two girls in 2005.

“I’ve experienced enough snow to last a lifetime,” says Dr. Valenti. “ I love the water. Now we can enjoy our time outdoors for more than those three short months of summer on Long Island.”

“Our goal is to get the entire family down here now,” says Dr. Valenti. “We miss the family and the food, but not the traffic and the cloudy weather. “

He worked at a medical clinic for nine years before an opportunity to lease space in Sam’s Club prompted him to start his own practice again. “I’m very happy with this decision say’s Dr. Valenti.

Currently , the majority of his work is for glasses and contacts, including specialty contact lenses (multifocal, astigmatism, and Keratoconus) He also treats Red Eye, Glaucoma, removes foreign bodies, and manages dry macula degeneration.

Exams are also performed for systemic diseases that affect the eyes such as diabetes, high blood pressure and arthritis. Certain medications, such as Plaquinal, require special tests to guard against ocular side effects.

His work includes co-management of Cataract and Lasik surgery. He provides his clients with pre-op testing and post- op follow-up exams.

Dr. Valenti is happy to come in early or stay later for appointments and is available for emergencies, such as when a client gets something in their eye. He accepts medicare and is currently being credentialed for private medical insurance. He will see patients from 4 to 104.

His wife is a retired Optometrist. They have two daughters. The eldest will be attending the University of Florida in the fall with the goal of becoming a Pediatric Ophthalmologist. His youngest daughter is currently in 11th grade and plans to pursue a career in either architecture or medicine.

Anthony V. Valenti OD & Associates Inc., is located at 27727 State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel, inside Sam’s Club. They are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and can be reached at (813) 994-3931.

– Mike Matthew

This story is a feature of the advertising department.

 

Don’t drive drunk, just get towed

By

Labor Day and having something to drink go hand-and-hand for many people. But unfortunately, so does drinking and getting behind the wheel.

That’s why this weekend AAA is offering Tow to Go, where anyone who has been drinking — whether they are a AAA member or not — can have both themselves and their vehicle safely and freely transported within 10 miles.

“As the last official holiday of the summer, it’s critical to have a plan to celebrate safely if you are going to be drinking this Labor Day weekend,” said Gerry Gutowski, senior vice president of AAA’s The Auto Club Group, in a release. “Whether you are attending a family barbecue or going out on the town, always have a designated driver or another plan in place to help you get home safely.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says someone is killed in a drunk driving crash every 51 minutes on average during the year, AAA said. However, when Labor Day rolls around, that statistic jumps to a fatality every 34 minutes.

“We are proud to partner with AAA and their roadside assistance drivers to help keep our roads safe,” said Kathy Casso, vice president of corporate social responsibility for Anheuser-Busch, in a release. “The Tow to Go program is a very effective way to promote the use of designated drivers and help prevent drunk driving.”

Since 1998, Tow to Go has safely brought more than 23,000 intoxicated drivers home, and is intended to be used as a last resort. It’s offered based on the availability of AAA drivers and tow trucks during times of high call volumes.

Rides are confidential, and must be local, with a 10-mile radius. It’s available in Florida, as well as Georgia and Tennessee. It’s free to both AAA members and non-members, and the service transports both the person and their car.

To use the service, call (855) 286-9246.

 

PHSC, sheriff agree to keep Dade City academy going

By

UPDATE: The Pasco-Hernando State College board of trustees approved the new agreement at its meeting Tuesday night, finalizing the deal. “While it took time to work through details, we feel this agreement is in the best interests of everyone concerned,” said PHSC board chair Len Johnson, in a release.

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office may have finally settled its months-long dispute with Pasco-Hernando State College after the two groups came to terms on a new agreement that will give Sheriff Chris Nocco more say on who will teach at the school’s Law Enforcement and Corrections Academy.

The agreement still has to be approved by the PHSC board of trustees, which is meeting Aug. 26 at 6 p.m.

“The Pasco Sheriff’s Office could not be more pleased with this contract, and more importantly, the new level of partnership we have established with PHSC,” Nocco said, in a release. “As the needs and demands for law enforcement continuously evolve, this academy and regional training center will allow us to continue to develop our members and new law enforcement officers to professionally address the challenges they will face.”

The new agreement about the academy, which is hosted at PHSC’s East Campus location in Dade City, was signed by Nocco Aug. 18. It gives Nocco the power to appoint an academy director, who will actually be a member of his department. That director will then allow Nocco to play a more direct role in selecting academy instructors, something that has been a sticking point between the sheriff’s office and the college over recent months.

“We are pleased to have forced a clear and mutually beneficial agreement with the Pasco County Sheriff,” PHSC president Katherine Johnson said, in a release. “The college and the sheriff’s office have enjoyed a positive and collaborative relationship for decades. With this agreement in place, we look forward to continuing and enhancing our relationships with the sheriff’s office and all other law enforcement agencies PHSC serves.”

Updated 8/26 at 6:13 p.m., to include voting results of PHSC board of trustees.

Sheriff’s sergeant helps send two ambulances to Guyana

By

Guyana Development Mission International, an international relief organization created by Pasco County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Mike Mielke, will receive two refurbished ambulances formerly owned by TransCare Medical Transportation to help provide critical emergency medical services to the people of Guyana.

TransCare is donating two ambulances to Guyana in South America thanks to the help of efforts like, from left, Pasco County Sheriff's Office major John Corbin, Sgt. Mike Mielke, and TransCare vice president Terence Ramotar. (Courtesy of Crisis Center of Tampa Bay)
TransCare is donating two ambulances to Guyana in South America thanks to the help of efforts like, from left, Pasco County Sheriff’s Office major John Corbin, Sgt. Mike Mielke, and TransCare vice president Terence Ramotar. (Courtesy of Crisis Center of Tampa Bay)

The ambulances have been stocked with critical medical supplies and mechanical replacement parts with the help of Pasco County Fire Rescue, the sheriff’s office, Wilderness Lake Church, Crockett’s Towing and Scaife Enterprises. They will be used through two hospitals in Georgetown.

Ambulances with more than 300,000 miles can no longer be used for medical transportation in Hillsborough County, and have minimal resale value, according to a release.

This latest effort was made possible by Terence Ramotar, vice president of TransCare, whose parents immigrated to the United States from the small coastal nation. His connection to Mielke was practically coincidence for the time his organization was looking for ambulances to help the country.

“It was a matter of being in the right place at the right time,” said Ramotar, in a release. “The two vehicles had recently come to the end of their service life, and we met Sgt. Mielke at the same time. I’ve traveled to Guyana and have seen the need first-hand. These vehicles have saved lives in the Tampa Bay area. It’s great to know they’ll now be used to save lives in Guyana.

TransCare is a division of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, a not-for-profit organization that responds to 183,000 requests for help each year.

Guyana, with a population of a little more than 750,000, is located in the northern part of South America, with Georgetown its largest city at 235,000 people. Life expectancy in Guyana is a little older than 70 years, compared to nearly 80 in the United States. That ranks it 126th in the world, with one of the leading causes of death in the country being malaria.

Storm drops trees, damages Dade City zoo

By

Clean-up is continuing Tuesday morning at Dade City’s Wild Things after severe rain over the weekend took down four trees, causing extensive damage to cages and equipment there.

Sasha, a panther at Dade City's Wild Things, tries to stay out of the way of a fallen tree after storms knocked down three of them at the zoo. (Courtesy of Dade City's Wild Things Facebook page)
Sasha, a panther at Dade City’s Wild Things, tries to stay out of the way of a fallen tree after storms knocked down three of them at the zoo. (Courtesy of Dade City’s Wild Things Facebook page)

The storms, which hit Aug. 24, caused the trees — including one that was more than a century old — to hit a tiger and panther cage, according to the organization’s Facebook page. Although no one was hurt, zoo officials had to act quickly to secure the animals, and make sure they were safe.

The National Weather Service reported that 1.33 inches of rain fell in the Tampa Bay area Saturday, an inch more than normal. That was followed by another 0.34 inches on Sunday, contributing to saturated conditions that have endured 7 inches more rain than the average, since January.

A lot of the damage was started by a single tree, zoo officials said on Facebook. That tree was so large, it took down three other trees with it. That destroyed a concession stand and drink cooler, and heavily damaged cages that were home to panther Sasha and tiger Roy.

“We knew it was bad last night,” the zoo said on Facebook. “But seeing it completely this morning, it is very disheartening to see all our work destroyed and having to start over.”

Rebuilding will have to begin immediately, and the zoo is currently accepting donations to help with cleanup efforts. For more information on how to help, call (813) 714-2555, or visit DadeCitysWildThings.com.

Dade City’s Wild Things is located on 22 acres just off Meridian Avenue in Dade City. It operates in conjunction with Stearns Zoological Rescue & Rehab Center Inc.