The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Animals still overflowing at Pasco County shelter

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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

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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

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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

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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.

Scallop season could start earlier in the Gulf

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Gov. Rick Scott is asking the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to open the bay scallop season three days earlier than normal. The idea, he said, would be to create additional recreational opportunities for Florida residents and visitors, and help provide an economic boost to coastal communities.

“The bay scallop fishery is especially important to Florida’s Big Bend region, and by opening the bay scallop season three days earlier, Floridians throughout this area will have more opportunities to enjoy our national treasures and provide for their families,” Scott said, in a release.

The season normally opens July 1, but if approved, would open instead on June 28. Scott also wants to consider making the change permanent, by opening the season the Saturday before July 1.

The recreational season is set to open in the Gulf of Mexico state waters (up to nine nautical miles from shore) beginning at the Pasco-Hernando county line, to the west bank of the Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County. The season will remain open through Sept. 24.

Scott pushed for a similar early start last year as well, although it’s not expected to negatively affect the scallop populations, according to published reports.

Expect crowded roads this Memorial Day weekend

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More than 36.1 million Americans will take to the road during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, kicking off a summer season where more than 8-in-10 travelers will drive to their destinations.

“A long and unusually harsh winter gave many Americans the travel bug,” said Mark Jenkins, a spokesman with AAA, in a release. “Combine rising temperatures with signs of an improving economy, and travel for the holiday should hit a new post-recession high.”

The amount of people traveling at least 50 miles from home is up 1.5 percent from 35.5 million people who traveled last year, AAA said. However, more than half — some 57 percent — are still working to finalize their travel plans with things such as hotel reservations, car rentals, and such.

“Hotel and car rental reservations are filling up fast for Memorial Day,” said AAA Travel spokeswoman Jessica Brady, in a release. “Now is the time to make your Memorial Day travel arrangements to ensure you get what you want for the price that fits your budget.”

Travelers who plan to fly instead — about 2.6 million across the country — will find higher prices at the ticket counters. Airfares are up 6 percent, with mid-range hotels climbing 2 percent from last year, and car rentals up 1 percent, AAA said.

The winter was a hindrance to economic growth at the beginning of the year, but economic factors influenced by weather — such as car and home sales — appear to be resolving themselves now, AAA said.

Most drivers will pay lower gas prices during the holiday weekend because of rising supplies. The prices themselves should be steady with last year, at an average of $3.63 per gallon.

AAA bases its economic forecasting and research on IHS Global Insight, which has been working with the automobile association since 2009.

MOSI hosting hurricane expo

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It’s almost time for hurricane season, and the Museum of Science & Industry will host its free Tampa Bay Hurricane Expo to get the word out on how to be ready.

The expo — hosted by MOSI, Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa — will take place May 31 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the museum, 4801 E. Fowler Ave.

Hurricane season begins June 1 and continues through Nov. 30. The expo’s goal is to raise awareness about the importance of disaster preparedness by teaching hat to do before, during and after a storm.

Residents will learn the importance of having a solid disaster plan in place well in advance, so they can quickly recover after a storm.

The event will provide a kid-friendly entertainment, games and other activities. Adult and children can also have a chance to see various vehicles from first-responder agencies, as well as a variety of speakers and vendors.

Among the speakers will be professional meteorologists during question-and-answer weather panels from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. There also will be a resiliency/survivor’s panel at 10 a.m, where guests can hear stories from people who have experienced and recovered from a disaster, along with expert advice and preparation techniques to protect themselves and their homes.

For information, visit TampaBayHurricaneExpo.com.

Mobile medical unit coming to Land O’ Lakes

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Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic CHurch will host the mobile medical unit provided by the Pasco County public defender’s office, May 29 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The unit provides free health care for the uninsured and homeless, all at no charge. While it does not provide emergency services, the unit does help with the following services:

• Treatment for a brief illness
• Treatment for a long-term illness that requires ongoing medical care, like high blood pressure and diabetes
• Treatment for temporary infection and pain, such as dental abscess
• Would and derma care
• School physicals, with the student’s Social Security card and appropriate identification, as well as parent
• Pregnancy testing
• Flu shots
• Hot showers

The unit also offers some prescription voucher assistance, however no drugs are kept on board the unit.

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church is located at 2348 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes.

Wesley Chapel Walmart hiring 300 people

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A new Walmart planning to open this summer on State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel is now in the process of hiring up to 300 people to work in the store.

In anticipation of that opening, Walmart has set up a temporary hiring center at 28211 Paseo Drive, Suite 190, in Wesley Chapel. It will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and weekends from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Those who don’t want to go out physically also can apply online at Careers.Walmart.com.

Walmart says it will give extra attention to military veterans who have been honorably discharged over the last 12 months through its Veterans Welcome Home Commitment. Details of that program can be found at WalmartCareersWithAMission.com.

The new Walmart will be managed by Stephanie White, and will look for both full- and part-time associates.

The majority of the new employees are set to begin work in July to help prepare for the store’s grand opening, Walmart officials said, in a release.

Gas prices to drop in time for holiday weekend

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There will be some relief at the gas pump after all this weekend as drivers are set to hit the road for the Memorial Day weekend holiday.

AAA says average gas prices in Florida will drop to $3.64 per gallon this weekend. That’s a penny less than the national average, and 12 cents lower than what it was just a month ago. However, that is more than what motorists were paying last year when Memorial Day came in with average gas prices at $3.47 per gallon.

The latest drop comes as crude oil supplies continue to force gas prices lower. However, demand for gas is at its highest level since 2009, according to the Energy Information Administration.

More than 31.8 million Americans will fill their gas tanks and take a trip of 50 miles or more over the holiday weekend, AAA said. The national average for gas is down 1 cent from the previous week, while Florida saw a 3-cent drop — ahead of just 2-cent drops in Georgia and Tennessee.

“AAA has forecast gas prices to be at or near last year’s levels during the Memorial Day holiday weekend,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman for AAA, in a release. “However, the margins of decline have been modest in the past week, and prices could be slightly higher than a year ago. Even still, gas prices at these levels are not enough to keep people from traveling during the holiday.”

Gasoline prices have dropped since the beginning of May, which is typical for this time of year, AAA said. May 1 is the deadline for refineries to start making its summer-blend fuel, and now that the transition is complete, gas prices have likely reached their peak for the spring.