Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Kyle LoJacono

 Pasco County water bills will swell during the next four years, forcing residents to pay 20 percent more for H2O.

Pasco commissioners agreed to a new plan for water rates on Sept. 20 that will increase the price each year until 2015.

The typical household of four, which uses about 6,000 gallons each month, will pay $5.44 more monthly for the first year. The same family would pay $12 more by 2015.

“We didn’t want to have the price of water increase, especially now with people struggling to pay the bills they have,” said Commissioner Ted Schrader. “Tampa Bay Water showed us they couldn’t provide water to our county with the current rates. We looked at their data very closely, and we believe this is the only way to continue providing safe water for everyone.”

Schrader is also one of Pasco’s representatives on Tampa Bay Water’s board of directors, an unpaid position. The organization provides water to 2.4 million people in much of the Bay area, including all of incorporated Pasco and Hillsborough counties.

“The demand for water has gone down during the last few years,” said Michelle Rapp, a spokeswoman for Tampa Bay Water. “Because of that we haven’t been selling enough water to cover the costs of producing safe water.”

Rapp said the decrease has happened because more houses have been vacated after foreclosures. That combined with above-average rainfall this year and more people being conservation-minded has led to the reduction in water use.

The water rates spike comes about a year after Tampa Bay Water got an increase of $1.05 for those using 6,000 gallons per month. Schrader said the organization’s board gave them the minimal increase in 2010 to delay this bigger hike as long as possible.

“We wanted to see if this larger increase was going to be needed,” Schrader said. “We were hoping the revenue situation would get better. Now there isn’t a choice.”

Schrader represents Pasco District 1, which includes most of east Pasco. His district includes numerous orange groves and other agricultural production. Schrader admitted the increase will have a bigger effect on large businesses and farmers, which tend to use much more than 6,000 gallons per month.

The new rates took effect on Oct. 1, the first day of the county’s new fiscal year. The increase will also help pay for sewers and other services from the Pasco’s utilities.

 

By Kyle LoJacono

After months of debating, speculation and tough decisions, the Pasco Commission approved the county’s budget for next year.

The commissioners heard public outcry from those wanting to keep certain government programs going during the down economy, but the board’s final budget seems to have quieted down those critical voices.

In the end only one citizen showed up to the approval meeting, where he gave his compliments to the commissioners for their compromising efforts.

“We took care of the sheriff, we took care of the swimmers, and we took care of the veterans,” said Commissioner Pat Mulieri.

The new budget, which runs from Oct. 1 through September 2012, includes $83.3 million for the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. The plan includes $1.6 million for 23 new staffers to specifically help fight prescription drug use within the county.

The sheriff’s office will hire 10 detectives and two sergeants to create two new squads to battle drug abuse, eight nurses for the Land O’ Lake Detention Center to help with inmate drug issues and three detectives to form a new intelligence-led policing unit to identify problem areas.

The $1.1 billion budget also includes $160,000 to keep the county’s last two public pools open. However, swimmers at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex and Veterans Memorial Park in Hudson will have to pay an additional $1 per day to use the facilities next year.

The commissioners and parks department had proposed closing both pools to save about $300,000 but changed their minds when the Land O’ Lakes Lightning swimming club agreed to take on some of the operating costs for the central Pasco facility.

So far no group has stepped up to help run the west Pasco pool. The commissioners agreed to close the facility if no one steps up to help run the site by the end of next year.

The commissioners had also planned to cut veteran’s services by $15,800 but agreed to keep funding at its current level.

In addition, the new budget keeps the current tax rate of $7.86 for every $1,000 of property value.

The county’s financial plan was passed by a 4-1 margin, with only Commissioner Jack Mariano voting against it.

“I couldn’t vote for a budget that includes the user fees for parks,” Mariano said.

The county put in a $2 fee last year to use several parks as a way to generate revenue to keep them open seven days a week. Mulieri chastised Mariano for his decision.

“If the people agreed with you — where are they?” Mulieri asked. “You have to know when to fold them. This is the time to fold.”

Mulieri later explained Mariano said he had heard from many people upset with the budget, but none of them showed up to the meeting to voice their concerns.

To view the entire county budget, visit portal.pascocountyfl.net.

 

By Kyle LoJacono

 Hillsborough commissioners have identified 18 locations for the county’s revamped after-school program, including Nye Park in Lutz.

In July, commissioners voted 4-3 to eliminate the program run by the Hillsborough Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department to save $7.5 million but reversed that decision in August.

County parks director Mark Thornton came up with a plan to reduce the number of locations for the program from 42, while reducing the cost from $48 to $38 for one week.

“We wanted to find a way to keep the program,” Thornton said. “The number of kids has dropped from 6,000-1,880 during the last few years, and we hope centralizing locations and dropping the cost will bring the numbers back.”

The scaled-down program is called Rec2Six, which reflects the hours of operation from 2-6 p.m. and the focus on keeping kids active, according to county spokeswoman Kemly Green.

“Rec2Six is an evidence-based, outcome-oriented recreation component that improves a child’s quantity and quality of physical activity, motor skills, movement knowledge and peer interaction,” Green said. “The program measures fitness improvements throughout the year. The program also provides seasonal sports, fitness activities, art programs and special activities.”

The original plan was to have Rec2Six at 30 county sites, but the parks department decided against many of the locations because attendance was not large enough to warrant inclusion. The department can drop any center from the program if fewer than 25 kids are enrolled there.

The new program started on Oct. 3, the first day of the new fiscal year. Thornton said the operating cost for Rec2Six will likely be about half of the original program.

The commission has given the parks department until next June to make Rec2Six self-sufficient. It wanted to eliminate the program to help close a $50 million budget shortfall.

Commissioner Ken Hagan was one of the loudest supporters of cutting the program, stating it is “broken” and unable to exist without major taxpayer subsidies. He has since changed is opinion and believes the new scaled-down program will be solvent.

“You would save on staffing, maintenance, utilities and a lot of other things,” Hagan said.

The new price for the program is also $10 less than a week at the similar program at public schools or at the YMCA. He added anyone on free or reduced-price lunch at school is eligible for a discounted rate of $30 or $20 a week in the program.

“When we increased the fee to generate more revenue for the department, more people left,” Thornton said. “It had the reverse effect, and that’s been hurting the budget for the last two years.”

Thornton said two years ago 6,000 kids were in the park’s after-school program, a record high. At that time, the per-week cost was $20.

“We’ve talked with our parks director and looking at all the evidence we believe the cut in the cost will bring more kids to the program,” Hagan said. “If you have a program and you lower the fees, they’re going to come back in droves.”

Commissioner Kevin Beckner voted to bring the park’s program back for the year but remains skeptical it will increase its population enough to make it self-sufficient in less than a year. He does not want to use any of the county’s reserves to subsidize the service any longer.

“How long do you operate at a loss before you decide to pull the plug on an operation?” Beckner asked. “Another year? Two years? We’re laying people off, so we can’t afford to keep paying for a program not being used.”

For more information on Rec2Six, visit www.hillsboroughcounty.org/parks/rec2six.

 

Pasco-Hernando Community College gets grant

Pasco-Hernando Community College has received an Adult Education Career Pathways Grant for $243,410. The grant’s primary goal is to provide a clear set of educational steps that will give adult education students a direct educational path to jobs in the community.

Part of the project will emphasize how reading, writing and mathematics skills are used in the workplace.

The grant-supported program will run through June 2012.

Wesley Chapel rummage sale

The Wesley Chapel High Parent Teacher Student Association will have a rummage sale from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on Nov. 5 at the corner of Old Pasco Road and Country Club Road.

Proceeds will benefit the school’s Assist Believe Care program to help those in need of a Thanksgiving meal and other assistance throughout the holidays.

East Pasco Retired Educators meet

The East Pasco Retired Educators Associations will meet at the IHOP Restaurant, 13100 US 301 in Dade City at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20. All retired school personnel and friends are welcome. For more information call Joyce Snow, in Dade City at (352) 567-5050 or Joan Knowles in Zephyrhills (813) 788-4980.

Odessa Elementary events

Odessa Elementary is having a Bingo night from 6-8:30 p.m. in the cafeteria at the school, 1874 Ketzal Drive in New Port Richey.

Other upcoming events include a Red Ribbon week beginning Oct. 24, health screenings on Oct. 27 and a fall carnival from 5-8 p.m. on Nov. 4.

Sand Pine PTA fall festival

Sand Pine Elementary’s Parent Teacher Association will hold its fifth annual Fall Festival from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 4, at the school.

The family friendly event will include food, games, prizes, a decorating contest and more. If you would like more information or are interested in volunteering, please email or contact Chrystal Mueller at (813) 794-1900.

Sand Pine Elementary School is located at 29040 County Line Road in Meadow Pointe.

SAT participation rates increase

The percentage of 2011 seniors in Hillsborough County public schools taking the SAT test increased 15 percent over the previous year.

The College Board, publisher of the SAT, reported that 9,071 district 12th graders took the SAT in 2010-2011, an increase of 1,207 students from 2009-2010 (7,864).  This represents a 42 percent increase (an additional 2,688 students) over the number who participated five years ago.

GED graduates

Graduates who received GED diplomas were honored in the East Pasco County Graduation Ceremony on Aug. 25.

The 107 graduates represented students from Land O’ Lakes, Sunlake, Pasco, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass Ranch and Zephyrhills high schools and also from Moore Mickens Education Center. They ranged in age from 16 to 57.

The ceremony was held at Pasco Schools Center for the Arts at Wesley Chapel.

Long-time adult education teacher Allen Sweet was honored posthumously and a scholarship fund was established in his memory. He was lauded as a dedicated and talented teacher who helped thousands of students during his career.

Rushe Family Fun Night

Charles S. Rushe Middle School will have a Family Fun Night from 4-9 p.m. at Extreme Adventures on SR 54. Proceeds from the event will be used by the Parent Teacher Student Association to benefit the school in various ways.

Safe walk to school day

All Children’s Hospital will sponsor a Walk to School day at Woodland Elementary on Wednesday, Oct. 5 in honor of International Walk to School Day.

These locations have been identified as a meeting place to help assist in staffing volunteers. Teachers, volunteers and All Children’s staff will be at Zephyrhills First Christian Church on the corner of North Ave and Eighth Street or Zephyrhills First Nazarene Church on the corner of Henry Dr. and 12th Street.

The focus of the event is to emphasize bicycle and pedestrian safety, physical activity, improving air quality and ensuring there is a safe, walkable community.

The groups will be walking in shifts, with the first group leaving at 9 a.m. and the last one leaving at 9:20 a.m.

All students that participate will receive a prize and refreshments.

Students all over the world will be participating in the same time in the international wall. For more information, visit www.walktoschool.org

ACT says college and career readiness improving

College and career reading improved slightly among ACT-tested U.S. high school graduates, according to ACT’s yearly report, The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2011.

The findings also reveal that there is still substantial room for improvement.

Test results show that 25 percent of graduates in the class of 2011 who took the ACT exam met or surpassed all four of the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks, suggesting they are ready to succeed academically in specific first-year college courses (English composition, college algebra, introductory social science and biology) without the need for remediation. This compares to 24 percent last year, marking the third consecutive year that overall college-and-career readiness has increased.

This year, 45 percent of test takers (compared to 43 percent last year) met or exceeded the ACT College Readiness Benchmark in math, while 30 percent (compared to 29 percent last year) met or exceeded the benchmark in science. In comparison, 66 percent and 52 percent met or surpassed the benchmarks in English and reading, respectively, both unchanged from last year.

Nearly three in 10 test takers (28 percent) in the 2011 graduate class failed to meet any of the four ACT College Readiness Benchmarks, unchanged from last year.

This year’s pool of ACT-tested graduates is the largest and most racially diverse in the 52-year history of the exam. More than 1.62 million 2011 graduates — 49 percent of the entire U.S. graduating class — took the ACT, an all-time record for the seventh year in a row. The proportion of African American and Hispanic/Latino test takers has grown from 19 percent in 2007 to a high of 26 percent in 2011.

By Kyle LoJacono

 

Ryan Wegener is one of many who is addicted to the latest trend in drug use — prescription pain pills.

Nationally in 2008, 12.2 percent of all crimes committed were related to prescription abuse, an all-time high, and 1,150 people in Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties died last year from overdosing on the medications, a state record.

Ryan, of Land O’ Lakes, became addicted to prescription drugs around age 19 while doing construction work.

“I was really sore the first two weeks and I got with a couple guys who were a little older,” Ryan said. “I said, ‘Man my back is really killing me,’ and they were like you know we got something to take care of that and the drugs are legal too. I said, ‘What’ve you got?’”

Ryan was given several pills of Rocicet, commonly called Roxys, a painkiller that contains acetaminophen and Ocycodone.

“So I took it,” Ryan said. He then added, “After a couple weeks of every other day taking them, my back wasn’t hurting anymore. I didn’t need the pills to go to work, but I still wanted it.”

Ryan said after a while, one pill wouldn’t satisfy the addiction. He needed two or three to subside his craving for the medication. As his addiction grew he started injecting the pills, a common practice for hardcore users to get a stronger high faster.

Ryan would go on benders where he would use 100-200 pills in three or four days and fall out of contact with his family. Parents Chris and Diane saw changes in his behavior but never suspected he was an addict.

“It was humiliating,” Diane said. “What did I do wrong?”

Chris added, “We weren’t in denial in that he dabbled in drugs or tried alcohol, but to find out that he was addicted to drugs — that was devastating. When he said he had an addiction, I think that kind of blew us away.”

The addiction drove off Ryan’s childhood friends.

“It hurt, and I slowly started moving on to a new crowd of friends,” Ryan said. “These were the friends that you could pass out with your mouth open drooling out with your eyes closed scratching yourself, because that’s what you did because you have real bad itches. Those were the friends you wanted to be around, because they had no problem with you being high.”

His abuse also cost him his girlfriend.

“She was the best,” Ryan said. “I could look her in the eyes every day, and she would look me in the eyes and say ‘You are high. I can tell you are high.’ I’d lie and say ‘No I’m not,’ but she knew how I was. We’d been together for five years. She tried so hard to get me off of these pills.

“I couldn’t go through the withdrawals,” Ryan continued. “I did one week with her without taking a pill, and I seriously almost died. Then I got back on it, because I couldn’t take it anymore. Sooner or later she caught back on and it came down to either the addiction or her. I wasn’t physically strong enough to say I want to be with you. I’m going to get off of this. I ended up throwing away the best thing that I had for an addiction.”

A price to pay

Ryan was always looking for ways to pay for his drug problem.

“Constantly trying to find somebody to steal from; to con out of money to get some way to get your high,” Ryan said. He then added, “Going in your mom’s purse taking $20-$30; going in your dad’s wallet taking $20-$30 and then going in your girlfriend’s purse, just anyone’s purse or wallet that’s just laying around and taking when no one is around.”

He even stole from drug dealers.

“If you rip off the right drug dealer you can get away with it, but if you rip off the wrong drug dealer you make sure you hide,” Ryan said. “You make sure you’re not in contact with anyone that knows that person because those people are serious about $800, $1,000 that they made off these pills. If you go and take it away like that, they have no problem telling someone they will give them 50 pills to go knock this kid off.”

Diane said dealers would come to her door looking for Ryan. Despite the risk of overdosing and from drug dealers looking for him, Ryan said there was little fear of dying.

“When you’re doing it, it doesn’t really scare you because you’re high at the time,” Ryan said.

An awakening

Six deaths finally woke up Ryan.

He had two friends who overdosed and died two days apart from each other, and another friend and his son also died a few months later.

Another of his friends and his older brother died a few months apart, and it was at the second funeral where Ryan saw how the abuse can devastate a family.

“I saw one of my friend’s mother and father crying at his funeral,” Ryan said. “They couldn’t stop crying, and I knew the people pretty well. Just to see how bad his mother was hurt. Those were her only two kids, and they both ODed within three months of each other.

“I just wanted to find some way to get away from that,” Ryan continued. “If I didn’t cut this (stuff) out, my parents were going to walk into the bathroom and find me ice cold and not breathing with a spoon, a lighter and a needle hanging out of my arm.”

Ryan told his parents on Christmas 2010 he was addicted to prescription drugs and wanted to quit. The Wegeners decided to make a documentary, called “Obsessed,” to assist other families struggling with prescription abuse and also to help Ryan get well.

The film helped Ryan for a short time, but he suffered a relapse three weeks after its filming. He has relapsed three times since.

“It was the last thing that I really wanted to do,” Ryan said. “It definitely wasn’t the best option. To be honest with you, I don’t know why I returned to it. It was really something stupid that happened, but I just thought to myself if no one is going to believe that I’m sober then I might as well not be sober.

“That’s what is so scary about this, is there are a thousand different triggers that can make you to the point where this is why I choose to go get high again,” Ryan said. “That’s exactly what a relapse is. Mine was just not having trust.”

Sober again

Ryan, now 22, has been sober for six months. He spent three months in a court-ordered rehab program, and has spent the last three pulling his life together.

“It’s a long-term disease, and I’m definitely not out of the woods yet with this,” Ryan said. “I’m grateful to be as far as I am, but I would definitely say that this is a lifelong disease that I have got caught up in. A lifelong addiction I got caught up in, because I couldn’t go around my old friends right now. If I saw them partying and doing some pills I could not tell you definitely I would not do them. … A relapse could happen any day.”

“Obsessed” includes interviews with Jose and Carolyn Aviles, who lost their son to a prescription drug overdose, as well as Ryan’s struggles with his addition. It also offers advice for those looking for help.

The Wegeners’ goal is to have the documentary shown in local high and middle schools to help steer students clear of prescription drugs.

“If I can save one life, that’s what it’s all about,” Diane said.

 

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Drug addiction signs, sources and solutions

David Holtz is a drug rehabilitation counselor who has seen a big shift in substance abuse during the last decade.

Years ago, the majority of deaths from drug use were caused by either cocaine or heroin, but today it’s legal prescription pills that have risen to the top. Holtz said the problem is how addictive opiate painkillers are.

“From the 17 year old in high school to the 83-year-old grandmother who’s got her hip replaced,” Holtz said. “This is what we’re seeing in our rehabs today. We’re seeing that everyone who starts this drug in a short period of time becomes physically addicted and then can’t get off the drug.”

Holtz said many of the people he has worked with mistakenly think the prescription pills are safer than street drugs because they are a “pure form” that won’t hurt them.

“However, there are just as many deaths from Oxycontin as from heroin,” Holtz said. “The fact is if you do too much, you’re going to die.”

Holtz said the other problem is doctors overprescribing the medications to people who don’t need them at all. He said this “pill pushing” becomes so extreme that pharmacies will open near such doctors to boost profits.

“I actually had a talk with my doctor, my own personal doctor, and he went into how it was the greatest (thing) since sliced bread,” Holtz said. “I mean this was my own doctor; my doctor telling me it’s a wonder drug, and I started thinking no wonder if the doctors all believe this.”

Holtz said that 12.2 percent of all arrests during 2008 in the United States were prescription drug related, an all-time high.

The Tampa Bay area has become one of the epicenters for the drug abuse problems in the country. The Florida Medical Examiners Commission’s statistics show that of the 2,710 deaths attributed to prescription drug abuse last year, 1,150 were from people in Pasco, Hillsborough or Pinellas counties.

Joe Stimac, a corporal with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, said he has seen many people’s lives ruined by prescription drug use. He told a story about a 15-year-old kid he knew who was “by all measures a good young man.” Four years later he got a call from someone about her 19-year-old grandson who had stolen everything.

“He’d robbed her blind, and it was the same kid,” Stimac said.

The kid had already been thrown out of his parents’ house for stealing and was eventually arrested for stealing from his girlfriend.

Holtz said there is no one sure way to get off prescription drugs.

“Different types of treatment programs work for different people for different reasons,” Holtz said. “So it’s important that you seek out professional advice when finding a treatment center.”

Holtz said there are many ways to treat the addiction, but the most important step is getting help as fast as possible. He said in most cases people should call their local law enforcement agency and report the abuse. From their people can get court-ordered rehabilitation, which is usually more successful than individuals trying to kick the addiction on their own.

 

Symptoms of drug abuse

–Weight loss

–Skin problems

–Money problems

–Constantly in emergency situations