The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Bilirakis to host veterans town hall meeting

By

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis is inviting veterans to attend a town hall meeting for what he’s calling a “candid conversation” about their experiences with local Veterans Affairs offices.

The event will take place June 5 at 10 a.m., at New Port Richey City Hall, 5919 Main St., in New Port Richey. Although it’s focused on veterans, it is open to the public.

Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, said in a release that he wants to hear directly from veterans regarding access to care and any delays they may be experiencing from VA hospitals. That feedback will then be used to “inform his legislative approach” in trying to improve those conditions in the future.

VA hospitals have been under fire recently because of long delays in care, and reports of “secret waiting lists” where some veterans waited longer to see a medical professional than what was reported to the federal government. Bilirakis and other lawmakers, primarily Republican lawmakers, called for Veterans Affairs secretary Eric Shinseki to resign. Shinseki did that Friday, citing his presence to being a continuing distraction that could hamper efforts to correct many of the problems there.

The overburdened hospitals have dated back to before the Obama administration however, and have only become bigger problems with the influx of new patients stemming from wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“I have spent the past several months participating in oversight hearings in Washington regarding the failures of the VA throughout the country,” Bilirakis said, in a release. “Having spent a great deal of time at facilities in our community over the last several years, I know that there are many wonderful public servants at our local VA offices. However, I need to hear directly from those who matter most, our veterans and their families, in order to get the clear picture regarding how these systemic national problems may be impacting my constituents.”

Hillsborough offering mini-grants to communities

By

Hillsborough County neighborhoods have a chance to apply for mini-grants up to $2,500 to fund projects that could improve their communities and increase civic involvement.

The grant’s purpose is to strengthen neighborhoods, associations and the communities they serve, according to a release. Applications should demonstrate community support in the application and implementation phases of proposed projects, and it should be submitted to the county’s Office of Neighborhood Relations by Aug. 8.

The grants are available to fund a variety of community projects both in unincorporated areas of the county, like in Lutz, as well as the incorporated areas, like New Tampa. There also are grants available year-round for unincorporated Hillsborough for projects like tree-planting, low-flow irrigation and clean-up projects.

Previous projects include shrub and flower planting, subdivision entrance signs, playground equipment, neighborhood festivals, crime watch programs, websites, newsletters, and education activities.

Applications will be reviewed by the Neighborhood Mini-Grant Evaluation Committee, and approved by Hillsborough County commissioners. Winners will be notified by Nov. 30.

Those interested in applying will need to watch an online orientation training video that explains the application process, grant criteria, and qualifying projects before applying. They are available at HillsboroughCounty.org/onr/minigrant.

Completed applications can be dropped off or mailed to Office of Neighborhood Relations, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., 21st Floor, Tampa, FL 33602. They also can be emailed to , or faxed to (813) 276-2621.

The Mini-Grant Program was established in 1988 by the Hillsborough County Commission to improve and revitalize communities, and strengthen neighborhood associations.

Summer travel heats up in Florida

By

Summer is going to be a busy time for travelers, especially those who hail from Florida.

The majority of Florida residents — 81 percent — plan to take a leisure trip of 50 miles or more over the next three months, according to a new study by AAA. That is a jump of four percentage points from 2013.

“This marks the third consecutive year that AAA data shows a steady summer travel season in Florida — a positive sign for the travel industry,” said Jessica Brady, AAA Travel’s spokeswoman, in a release. “Although theme parks, beach getaways and city destinations top 2014’s summer travel list, the majority of people haven’t finalized their vacation plans.”

However, travelers who do wait until the last minute to book their hotel, rental car or airline ticket can expect to pay more than those who book weeks in advance, Brady said.

The majority of travelers, some 59 percent, say they plan to spend $1,500 or less on travel in the next three months. More than half, or 62 percent, say they will pay for a hotel during a summer vacation. Another 36 percent say they will cut costs by staying with family and friends.

Although only 35 percent plan to rent a car this summer, nearly 3-in-5 travelers, or 57 percent, plan to drive at least five hours to get to their destination, or for sightseeing.

“Floridians are fortunate because most destinations like beaches and theme parks are within a one-day drive,” said AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins, in a release. “Gasoline prices are beginning to let up just in time for the busy summer driving season. Pump prices are not expected to have a negative impact on travel plans.”

The AAA Consumer Pulse Survey was conducted online among residents living in the Southern Region of the Auto Club Group — Florida, Georgia and Tennessee — from April 14-21.

Some 400 Florida residents were sampled in the survey, which has a maximum margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points. The results also were weighted by gender and age.

7-Eleven selling Lutz location, 74 others

By

Competition from a new RaceTrac location just next door may have sealed the fate of a long-time service station in Pasco Lutz. (Photo by Michael Hinman)
Competition from a new RaceTrac location just next door may have sealed the fate of a long-time service station in Pasco Lutz. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

The 7-Eleven store at 23434 State Road 54 in Lutz, is one of 75 stations across the country 7-Eleven Inc. is putting up for sale.

Robbie Radant, a vice president with the company, said 7-Eleven is cutting loose stores like the Lutz one not because it’s underperforming, but because it no longer fits with its overall goals.

“There are many nice sites in this package that simple do not fit 7-Eleven’s current business model,” Radant said in a release. “All of these stores have solid merchandise sales, and should provide good opportunities for the right buyers.”

However, it’s likely that last year’s opening of a competing RaceTrac just next door may have played a role in why the 7-Eleven is hitting the market, after decades of minimal competition on its stretch of State Road 54.

7-Eleven is looking to part ways with 31 stores in Florida, along with 14 in Virginia, six in Massachusetts and Illinois, three in Texas and two in New York, Delaware, New Jersey and Utah. The company is selling single stores in Arizona, Connecticut, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Vermont.

The Lutz site will not include the 7-Eleven branding, but could include a fuel contract with SEI Fuels Inc., a subsidiary of 7-Eleven, the company said.

7-Eleven has brought in NRC Realty & Capital Advisors of Chicago to conduct the sale, which will accept sealed bids from groups looking to buy single or multiple locations. The bid deadline is July 29.

The Lutz 7-Eleven opened in 1987 with a 3,100-square-foot store along State Road 54 when it was still a two-lane road. It includes a 10-year fuel contract.

For information on the sale, visit NRC.com/1408, or call (800) 747-3342, ext. 1408.

In Print: Graduation is here for Class of 2014

By

When you pick up your issue of The Laker or Lutz News this week, you’re going to find something we look forward to sharing with you each and every year.

GraduateMomHugHC1405_X_300_C_YOur graduation section honors the thousands of seniors who will walk across the stage and accept their diploma, all as part of the Class of 2014. And we don’t leave any school out in putting together our special pull-out section which we hope you will keep and enjoy for many years to come.

If you want to share the graduation section with family and friends through the Internet, we put together a handy guide that will take you directly to the e-edition related to your graduate. Just click which school you’re looking for below, and we’ll get you where you need to go.

The list for Land O’ Lakes High School is the correct list for the Class of 2014. The list appearing in our May 28 print edition was incorrect. We have updated our e-edition to the proper group of students, after an inadvertent error by the high school when submitting its graduation list.

The Laker will republish the list in its June 4 edition, but will also print a special four-page graduation section that will be available to graduates and their families at the May 30 commencement.

Academy at the Lakes
Bishop McLaughlin High School
Freedom High School
Land O’ Lakes Christian School
Land O’ Lakes High School
Pasco High School
Steinbrenner High School
Sunlake High School
Wesley Chapel High School
Wiregrass Ranch High School
Zephyrhills Christian Academy
Zephyrhills High School

Graduation isn’t the only thing we’re talking about this week. Get all the rest of the news for your community right here online. You can find the Wesley Chapel/New Tampa edition of the paper by clicking here. For Land O’ Lakes and Pasco Lutz, click here. For Hillsborough Lutz and Odessa, click here. And for our East Pasco edition, which includes Zephyrhills and Dade City, click 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.

PHSC project one of Florida TaxWatch’s ‘turkeys’

By

Will Pasco-Hernando State College get that performing arts center it has been hoping for? Not if the governor is paying attention to political activist group Florida TaxWatch.

The $10 million project is one of more than $120 million in taxpayer “turkeys” TaxWatch says is in this year’s state budget. A turkey, according to the group, does not mean that the project isn’t worthy of funding. Instead, the list is designed to “promote transparency in public budgeting and encourage meaningful legislative review of all appropriations.”

Even with the Legislature looking to provide tax cuts to some payers, Florida TaxWatch warns that not every project has been properly scrutinized.

“It is understandable that lawmakers would like to share this year’s budget surplus with their local constituents through member projects,” said Kurt Wenner, the group’s tax research vice president, in a release “However, in order to ensure transparency during appropriations and that proper accountability standards are in place for these projects, the Legislature should establish a competitive selection process for them to receive funding.”

The PHSC project, according to the report, was not part of the college system’s three-year Public Education Capital Outlay program, and thus was not fully reviewed, TaxWatch said. It was the only Pasco County project to get noted in the report. Hillsborough County, on the other hand, had turkeys worth $33.2 million including $2.5 million for the Museum of Science & Industry.

The turkeys themselves make up a tiny fraction of the state’s total $77.1 billion budget, which Gov. Rick Scott will have to finalize before June 4. Florida TaxWatch has offered suggestions on other ways the $120 million can be spent, including ideas to slightly increase student funding, reducing the Agency for Persons With Disabilities’ wait list by more than 4,000 individuals, and increasing state employee salaries by more than $1,000.

To read Florida TaxWatch’s full report on this year’s budget turkeys, click here.

Animals still overflowing at Pasco County shelter

By

With the summer approaching quickly, Pasco County Animal Services is facing a problem when it comes to housing animals seeking a new home.

The shelter, located at 19640 Dogpatch Lane in Land O’ Lakes, are looking for people willing to come and adopt either a dog or a cat. Each one has been spayed or neutered, microchipped, and have had all their vaccinations.

The center has a number of specials going on in May, including those that recognize Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day and Memorial Day. Some deals can save as much as $400 in fees that might be charged by other locations, the shelter said in a release.

The shelter is open from noon to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and from noon to 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays.

 

For more information on adoption, visit the Pasco County Animal Services website at PascoCountyFl.net/PAS, or call (813) 929-1212.

 

Saint Leo to address veterans at annual conference

By

Saint Leo University will host the second annual Military and Veteran Social Work Conference June 6 and June 7, to talk about veterans in transition from the military to the work force.

The conference is designed to generate and nurture ideas to advance the understanding of clinical and student service practices with veterans, military personnel and their families, and to serve as an effective teaching and training tool for educators and practitioners who seek to work with this growing population, according to a release.

Keynote speakers fore the two-day event are retired Col. Ann McCulliss Johnson of the U.S. Army, and Lt. Col Nathan Keller. It will include more than 50 presenters from across the country, sharing expertise on a range of topics that affect veterans, military personnel and their families, as well as student veterans.

Faculty and alumni from Saint Leo who will participate include John Jeanguenat, Veronika Ospina-Kammerer, April Steen, Rhondda Waddell, Moneque Walker-Pickett and James Whitworth.

Saint Leo is located at 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo.

For more information, or to register, visit SaintLeo.edu/vss2014, call (352) 588-8234, or email .

Pasco, Hillsborough close offices for Memorial Day holiday

By

Parks and beaches will remain open in Pasco County for Memorial Day, but many government service centers will not.

Pasco County government offices, including both the constitutional offices and the courts, will be closed May 26 in observance of the holiday. They will all reopen on May 27.

The tax collector’s office will be closed May 24 and May 26, re-opening May 27.

The libraries will reopen May 26 at their regularly scheduled times.

Parks and recreation centers will be closed May 26, although parks and beaches themselves will remain open.

The Pasco County Animal Services offices, adoption center, intake and reclaim shelter as well as field services will be closed May 26. An animal control officer will be available for emergencies only. All those offices will reopen May 27.

Pasco County Public Transportation will be closed May 26, and will not provide services. They do resume on May 27, however.

Pasco County Resource Recovery Facility and the East Pasco Transfer Station will be closed to the general public on May 26, but will remain open for licensed commercial haulers in the county. Both will reopen to the general public on May 27.

In Hillsborough County, most offices and facilities will be closed on May 26, including government, libraries, recreation centers, head start, senior citizen centers, and nutrition sites.

There will be no solid waste collection in Hillsborough that day, including garbage, recyclables and yard waste, in the unincorporated portion of the county. For those whose collection day falls on Monday, normal service will resume the next scheduled day for pickup.

Regional parks, however, will remain open.

The animal shelter will be closed, but emergency calls can be made to (813) 744-5660.

In Print: Take a trip to Bok Tower Gardens

By

It’s a place of beauty. It’s a place of serenity. It’s a place of history.

The 205-foot Singing Tower is the architectural centerpiece of Bok Tower Gardens. Those who enjoy fine craftsmanship will find plenty to appreciate, and those who enjoy carillon music can enjoy two half-hour concerts daily. (Photo by B.C. Manion)
The 205-foot Singing Tower is the architectural centerpiece of Bok Tower Gardens. Those who enjoy fine craftsmanship will find plenty to appreciate, and those who enjoy carillon music can enjoy two half-hour concerts daily. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

Bok Tower Gardens has been a part of Florida since before the interstate highway system criss-crossed the region, becoming a popular stop since it opened in 1929.

But even before the park opened, there were some who didn’t believe the Lake Wales landmark would survive the year, let alone decades.

“There were a lot of naysayers who said you couldn’t plant on a sand hill and it would be hard to keep things alive,” Bok Tower Gardens president David Price told reporter B.C. Manion.

Instead, it became a gift from The Ladies Home Journal editor Edward W. Bok to Florida, and is one that keeps on giving.

Too see some of the great images of gardens, and find out if it’s worth the trip, check out this week’s print edition, which you also can read online here.

Speaking of beauty, Pasco County commissioners want to keep their county looking as amazing as possible, and it might mean making some changes to the way residents can report code violations.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey wants to give residents a chance to report violations anonymously, similar to what other communities inside the county do. This, she said, would allow for more people to become involved, without fear of retaliation.

But not everyone is convinced.

“I am very concerned with going anonymous,” Commissioner Henry Wilson said during a recent workshop in Dade City, as reported by Michael Hinman. “I think it would be a huge burden to the (code enforcement) officers, but I will defer to them. If they think it’s the better option to do that, then I would be willing to look into it.”

What do the other commissioners think? Check out this week’s print edition, or read the story online by clicking here.

And finally, Bruce Hockensmith and his crew of flag wavers have made their home in front of the Old Lutz School every Friday for more than a decade. And all they want is for people to remember there are service members in harm’s way overseas, and they continue to need our support.

“If you stand here and watch us, you’ll hear the horns honking and see the lights flashing,” Hockensmith told reporter Michael Murillo. “It’s like a silent majority, people who support the troops.”

Get the full story in this week’s Lutz News, which you can read online right 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.