The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

David Beasley

Cost of owning condos in Florida soaring

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(The Center Square) – With rising insurance costs and homeowner association fees, the cost of owning a condominium in Florida has gone through the roof over the last several years, said Mark Friedlander, corporate communications director of the nonprofit Insurance Information Institute, in an interview.

“Going back to June 2021, when we had the tragic Surfside condominium collapse, that started the downward spiral of the condo insurance market,” Friedlander said. “Condo living in Florida has become extremely expensive over the last three years.”

Mack Reese/Unsplash

Master insurance policies for condo associations jumped in price after the Surfside collapse, he said. Those premiums are typically paid by individual condo owners through homeowner association fees.

Master condo policies in Florida have increased from 100% to 500%, Friedlander said.

“That has obviously weighed very heavily on the owners of the individual units,” he said.

There are new state guidelines on the amount of cash reserves that condo associations must have, Friedlander said.

“Condo owners not only have to pay for the insurance, but they have to pay into the capital reserves of the association,” he said.

The insurance for individual condo units that covers the area within the condo walls has also increased, said Friedlander.

The increases “are pricing a lot of people out of the market,” he said.

According to a report by the real estate company Redfin, the soaring costs are causing condo prices and sales to drop in Florida and sales to drop in major cities, bucking a national trend of higher condo prices.

“In the Jacksonville metro, for instance, the median condo price declined roughly 7% year over year in January, sales declined 27%, and new listings increased 32%,” Redfin says. “The story is similar in Miami, where condo prices fell 3%, sales dropped 9% and new listings rose 27%.”

The story is not the same for single-family homes in Florida, Redfin said. In Miami, for example, the median sale price of single-family homes “increased by double digits from a year earlier in January, sales rose 9% and new listings increased 13%,” Redfin said.

There have been some improvements recently in the Florida condo insurance market, which could help, Friedlander said.

He cited tort reform legislation passed by the Florida Legislature in 2023 placing new limits on lawsuits against insurers.

“It is improving slowly,” Friedlander said. “But Florida is a very litigious environment, even with new laws in place.”

Published March 06, 2024

Fun Easter gifts kids will love

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While bunny- and egg-shaped candies are always crowd-pleasing favorites during Easter, you can make the holiday extra special for kids with some less-sugary treats that can be enjoyed year-round. For a joy-filled celebration, get inspired with these fun and egg-cellent ideas for Easter baskets:

Gabe Pierce/Unsplash

Great Books
Books unlock new worlds and ideas, making them great gifts on any occasion. Easter is no exception. Use the opportunity to stock children’s shelves with fiction by favorite and new-to-them authors, as well as nonfiction books on subjects of interest to them. With the thoughtful gift of brand-new titles to discover, they’ll be well-prepared to stay engaged and entertained during the downtime of spring and summer vacation ahead. A few thematic ideas include, “The Good Egg: An Easter and Springtime Book for Kids” and “The Velveteen Rabbit.”

Cool Toys
Make children’s days tweet-tastic with VTech Gabbers, fluffy bird buddies that can be brought along on adventures by sliding a fabric-covered magnetic egg under one’s shoulder sleeve and perching the bird on top. Three different colored Gabbers: Jay Blue, Finch Pink and Owl White, all sing, make funny sounds and will repeat and tweet the things kids say in a funny voice! Whether you gift one bird, or all three, this will be a beloved and adorable addition to any Easter basket. Another cool idea that puts a spin on Easter eggs? Switch & Go Hatch & Roaaar Eggs. They open up to include all the pieces needed to build 2-in-1 dinosaur vehicles. The line-up includes a T-rex racer, pterodactyl chopper and more.

Inspiration and Gear
Another fun addition to Easter baskets is gear and tools that support kids’ hobbies, passions and talents. For example, if you’re shopping for a young artist, consider gifting them a watercolor set, crafting kit or kid-friendly knitting needles. For a child interested in the performing arts, you can get them started on their journey with a gift certificate for music, acting or dance lessons. Or, help get a budding athlete prepared for the spring and summer sports seasons ahead with a light-up baseball or softball, which will allow them to extend their game of catch into the evening, giving them a competitive edge.

With a few tweaks to your Easter basket routine, you can make the holiday fun and memorable for children.

-StatePoint

Published March 06, 2024

Be aware of text phishing scam

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The Pasco Sheriff’s Office (PSO) is encouraging citizens to be aware of the Noortimer text phishing scam, in which potential victims receive fraudulent texts impersonating Equifax attempting to collect personal and financial information.

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The scammer sends a text message alerting a person that their credit score is dropping. The message links to a website that says “Page Not Found,” and then redirects to an antivirus site. Victims purchase antivirus products, while the scammers collect their personal data, according to a PSO news release.

It should be noted that Equifax does not contact customers via text message, the release says.

In order to avoid falling victim to the Noortimer scam and other similar threats, the PSO shares these steps citizens can take:

Enable multi-factor authentication.
Do not read messages received from someone you do not know.
Contact Equifax using a verified number from its official website.
Monitor credit reports and financial statements regularly.

For more crime prevention tips to stay safe from scams, follow PSO’s social media channels or visit News.PascoSheriff.com.

Contact law enforcement immediately if you are the victim of a scam or fraud.

Published March 06, 2024

Review: Ordinary Angels

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“Ordinary Angels” is another polished, crowd-pleasing drama from Kingdom Story Company — the most successful faith-based production unit of the last several decades. Set in Kentucky in the 1990s, it tells the inspiring true story of Sharon (Hilary Swank), a Louisville hairdresser who, for reasons she can’t explain, decides to rally the community around Ed (Alan Ritchson), a widower struggling to make ends meet. One of Ed’s two young daughters is battling congenital liver disease, and as she languishes on the waitlist for a life-saving transplant, the medical bills outpace the income Ed earns as an independent roofer to such a degree that nothing short of a miracle will save him. Enter Sharon, who has problems of her own — estranged son, alcoholism — and who is in equal need of saving.

Hilary Swank as Sharon and Alan Ritchson as Ed in Ordinary Angels. (Courtesy of Allen Fraser)

One of the more refreshing things about “Ordinary Angels” is that a romance isn’t forced to bloom as it might in, say, your average Hallmark movie. Director Jon Gunn focuses acutely on the uncomfortable dynamics that emerge from this unlikely relationship, forged and held together by a shared sense of Christian duty. Sharon’s tenacity, which earned her the nickname “Sharon Brockovitch” among the film crew, becomes a simple yet effective example of the transforming power of loving your neighbor, while Ed’s reluctant acceptance of her help demonstrates the importance of receiving grace when it’s offered. The effective climax, shot largely in Winnipeg, takes place during the 1994 winter storm that froze the Ohio River.

The success of inspirational exercises like this one are largely contingent on the strength of the performances, and on that score, “Ordinary Angels” delivers. The dependable Swank gives a strong performance in the lead, handling a Southern accent with aplomb and showing the same pluck and courage that helped her win two Oscars. Ritchson, slightly slimmed down from his role as the titular character in Prime Video’s “Reacher,” plays Ed with hulking grace. His silent reactions to Swank’s unsolicited advice are priceless, and when she suggests that he divest himself of his real estate holdings, his answer (“I’m not selling”) momentarily transforms him into a Western hero. Nancy Travis and Tamala Jones provide solid support as Ed’s devoted mother and Sharon’s best friend.

The script spent years in development, with Meg Tilly and Kelly Fremon Craig working on individual drafts. The finished product feels worked over, its rough edges sanded smooth and flattened out. Ed’s mother’s kind admonishment (“Don’t lose your faith over this”) represents the extent of the film’s preachiness. Yet it’s this kind of soft sell, coupled with all-around professionalism, that is the Nashville-based Kingdom Story Company’s stock-in-trade. Their landmark distribution deal with Lionsgate yielded a string of consecutive successes with faith-based audiences — including last year’s “Jesus Revolution” — and shows no sign of reversing course. Originally slated for an October release, “Ordinary Angels” leapt out of the path of the Taylor Swift “Eras” juggernaut, and now seems poised for a soft landing amidst a slow season for moviegoing. It will warm your heart like a mug of cocoa on a cold southeastern night.

Published March 06, 2024

Leaping into life!

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(Courtesy of Martin Bahl/St.Joseph’s Hospital North)

This is Leap Year baby girl Lennox Mae born Feb. 29, at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz, with her parents Julien and Mercedez. Known as “Leap Day, ” Feb. 29 is considered the rarest birthday a person can have. Given that Feb. 29 occurs only once every 1,461 days, the likelihood of a baby born on Leap Day is quite low — roughly 1 in 1,461. So, will Leap Day and Year babies, or “leaplings,” like Lennox Mae celebrate their birthdays Feb. 28 or March 1? St. Joseph’s Hospital-North says celebrate both days! Why not? Who wouldn’t want two celebrations of their birthdays? Twice as much joy! Congratulations to this family and all families with a Leap Year baby in 2024!  The next Leap Day and Year happens in 2028.

Cypress Creek cheer team wins national title

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The Cypress Creek cheer team won the America’s Cheerleading Cup Championships at Universal Studios Orlando on Feb. 11.

The all-girls team faced off against 20 schools, winning the title after three days of competition.

The team is both a sideline and a competitive program, meaning they started in the summer and just completed their long season. It was Jennifer Catalanotto’s first year as head coach.

(Courtesy of Jennifer Catalanotto)

“It takes a lot of dedication with these kids. They have to be really committed, and this year they really bought into the vision — that we’re in this first season together — and they really dug deep and worked hard all year and it paid off,” Catalanotto said in an interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

“Being a new school, it’s been really awesome to watch it evolve,” she said.

The championship is sponsored by Nfinity, an athletics apparel brand, and invites schools from across the country.

Following the first two days of competition, judges combined the scores of the 20 competitors, and the eight leading teams advanced to the final round. The slates were then wiped clean and the remaining teams battled it out one more time to determine the winner.

The Cypress Creek champions showed off elite skills — full ups, switch ups, hand-in-hands, tumbling passes — executed with high-level precision and difficulty.

As winners, the Cypress Creek girls received rings and medals, and the team’s name will be engraved on the competition’s traveling trophy — a massive sterling silver cup that will be arriving for a week starting April 1. A celebration banquet is planned for when the trophy comes to town.

The championship win tops off a record season, with the team placing in the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) regional and state finals, and winning Best of Pasco in January, making it their most successful run since the inception of the program.

“They’ve had an incredible season,” said Catalanotto.

Published March 06, 2024

Little League opens with fanfare on Feb. 24

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The Land O’ Lakes Little League season kicked off on Feb. 24 with an Opening Day Ceremony.

The day was filled with family friendly activities, including raffles, a DJ, local vendors, a bounce house, concessions and a visit from DJ Kitty, the Tampa Bay Rays’ mascot.

The National Anthem was played by the Land O’ Lakes High Marching Gators, and a ceremonial first pitch for baseball and softball were thrown, officially starting the spring season.

Land O’ Lakes Little League offers baseball and softball for children ages 4 to 16, and volunteer opportunities for teens and adults. Visit www.lollittleleague.org for more information.

Tampa Bay Rays’ DJ Kitty shares the spotlight with Ben Aguillera, Little League umpire, on Opening Day. (Courtesy of Monica Woods/Land O’ Lakes Little League)
Land O’ Lakes Little League Minor D team the Chameleons enjoy the Opening Day Ceremony.
Members of the Land O’ Lakes Marching Gators took part in the Little League Opening Day.

 

 

What foot and ankle issues warrant a doctor’s visit?

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Most people have a foot or ankle problem at one time or another. So how do you know when to seek help?

Many symptoms — even those you can tolerate — require the professional attention of a foot and ankle surgeon to keep the underlying condition from worsening. According to Danielle Butto, DPM, FACFAS, a board-certified foot and ankle surgeon and a Fellow Member of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS), “It’s important to remember that foot health is an important part of your overall health. You need to take care of your feet, which includes going to the doctor when you have pain, sustain an injury or develop a condition needing professional evaluation and treatment.”

(c) natalie_board/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Here are five examples of when you should make an appointment with your foot and ankle surgeon:

  • When you have diabetes: Living with diabetes means being more prone to a variety of conditions that affect the feet, including foot sores and ulcers. At the same time, diabetic nerve damage makes it harder to detect when there’s a problem. Regular visits to a foot and ankle surgeon should be part of your holistic diabetes treatment plan. The doctor can screen for the loss of protective sensations in the feet, as well as diagnose and treat any structural issues leading to ulcers and wounds. Swelling, temperature and color changes in the feet, and calluses, are all telltale signs an ulcer may be around the corner and warrant a trip to a foot and ankle surgeon.
  • When children experience pain: When it comes to pediatric foot problems, early intervention is key to long-term successful treatment. As a parent, you may find distinguishing between growing pains and injuries or deformities difficult. But foot and ankle surgeons stress that pain isn’t normal, and if it lasts more than a few days or is severe enough to limit your child’s walking, it should be evaluated. Foot problems commonly experienced by children include flat feet, ingrown toenails, calcaneal apophysitis and plantar warts.
  • When you’re at risk for falling: Falls have become the leading cause of injury deaths among Americans 65 and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the reasons falls occur are numerous, painful foot conditions are a contributing factor, as they make it difficult to maintain balance and coordination. Fortunately, many such conditions are treatable. See a foot and ankle surgeon to alleviate pain and reduce your risk of a life-changing fall.
  • When you can benefit from medical advances: A loss of cartilage once meant a loss of functionality. Today, joint reconstruction surgery with cartilage regeneration offers real hope for long-term functionality, nurturing the body’s own ability to heal itself — with a little boost from technology and a knowledgeable surgeon. Likewise, new surgical techniques for ankle arthritis, including arthroscopic ankle surgery, total ankle joint replacements and bone or cartilage replacement, are helping people stay active. Finally, platelet-rich plasma therapy can promote the healing of bones, cartilage, blood vessels, tendons and tissue for many patients, and is associated with easier recovery than traditional treatments. If you suffer from a foot and ankle ailment, ask your health care provider about game-changing medical advances.
    • When pain is sidelining you: It’s important for athletes and fitness enthusiasts to rest and recover rather than push through foot and ankle pain caused by an overuse injury. If the pain doesn’t improve in three to seven days, however, it’s time to see a foot and ankle surgeon for evaluation and treatment.

With the highest level of education, training and board certification, foot and ankle surgeons are the leaders in surgical and nonsurgical foot and ankle care.

For more information, or to find a foot and ankle surgeon near you, visit FootHealthFacts.org, the patient education website of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.

-StatePoint

Published March 06, 2024

School Board approves $1.2 million settlement for student injured in 2006 school bus accident 

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Marcus Button was 16 in September 2006 when he caught a ride to Wesley Chapel High School and forgot his wallet. The decision to go back for it would forever change his life, as the compact car he was riding in crashed into a school bus that pulled into its path at State Road 54 and Meadow Pointe Boulevard. 

Button received serious skull fractures and brain injuries that he has never fully recovered from. In 2009, a trial jury found the Pasco County School District bus driver mostly at fault. But more than 17 years after the accident, Button’s mother, Robin, is still trying to get the bulk of the $1.6 million jury award to help pay for her son’s care and secure his future.

Last week, she got a step closer when the Pasco County School Board, without discussion, unanimously approved a $1.2 million settlement in the case. The settlement must still be approved by the Florida Legislature, where bills seeking relief for Marcus Button are making their way through the House and Senate. The legislative session is scheduled to end March 8.

Austin Pacheco/Unsplash

Robin Button, who now lives with her son in Hillsborough County’s Carrollwood area, described the school board’s action as “surreal.”

“It’s hard to take in because we’ve been waiting so long,” she said. “It’s not going to be enough to help Marcus throughout his life. But, hopefully, it will get him to be more independent and help him learn some sort of job.”

At-fault party claims sovereign immunity
Why has the payout taken so long? Florida’s sovereign immunity law generally limits payouts from local government agencies to injured parties to $200,000 per person, with a maximum of $300,000 per incident.

Also, the Pasco County School District’s transportation services were self-insured in 2006 — there was no commercial vehicle liability insurance coverage, so there was no third party to accept the claim.

Lance Block, a Tallahassee attorney representing the Buttons, said Friday he’s optimistic that state legislators will waive sovereign immunity in the Button case and approve the settlement.

“This bill’s got wings,” Block said. “I think the bill’s going to pass.”

Block said the school board’s action, coupled with the sponsorship of state Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, and state Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, is giving the bills traction where several previous legislative efforts — dating to 2010 — have failed.

School district spokesperson Corey Dierdorff declined to discuss what prompted approval of the settlement, citing the school board’s policy of not commenting on pending legal matters.  

Marcus Button, center, poses with his Tampa attorney, J. Steele Olmstead, and his mother, Robin Button, during a recent visit to the Florida House of Representatives in Tallahassee. The Buttons are seeking to collect $1.2 million of a 2009 jury award stemming from a Pasco County school bus accident. (Courtesy of Robin Button)

The details of the 2006 wreck and the Button family’s ordeal are spelled out in legislative bills introduced in January.

If the bills are approved, the state would require the Pasco school district to pay $1 million to a trust fund set up for Marcus Button’s care and $200,000 to his mother as compensation for damages incurred by both his parents. However, Marcus Button’s father, Mark, died a few years ago.

The Buttons received $163,000 from the school district after the 2009 lawsuit, according to a state hearing master’s report filed last week.

The report noted that school district representatives previously said the accident didn’t cause Marcus Button’s physical, cognitive and behavioral issues. However, the hearing master found that the young man suffered life-altering injuries, including cognitive impairment and vision loss, resulting from the accident. 

The report also refers to estimates that Button’s ongoing care will cost $6 million to $11 million, and his lost wages were calculated at $365,000 to $570,000.

Robin Button said her son has come a long way through years of rehabilitation, and he no longer requires round-the-clock care. But he still takes a dozen different medications a day, can’t walk for long distances, is blind in one eye, has impulse control problems and requires ongoing supervision. She wants the settlement to pay for education that can help her son hold a job and function better in social situations.

“That’s all I want for my son — to have a fighting chance in life,” she said.

In the Button case, there were no students on the bus at the time of the accident, and the drivers involved received only minor injuries. However, the school district’s failure to have commercial vehicle liability insurance coverage could have had worse consequences if more students had been involved.

“You get a school bus full of kids who get hurt, and they have to split $300,000,” Block said, adding that the limit would also apply to other motorists who may sustain damages if they’re struck by a school bus and the district is held liable.

District spokesman Dierdorff couldn’t say Friday whether the district’s transportation services remain self-insured or if any changes in insurance coverage are planned.

The state hearing master report indicated the district has a deficit of over $300,000 in its general liability fund. Dierdorff didn’t know what fund would be tapped if the $1.2 million settlement is approved. Pasco Superintendent Kurt Browning couldn’t be reached for comment.

Published February 28, 2024

Park renamed for celebrated city employee

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In honor of the City of Zephyrhills’ first African American employee hired in 1962, the Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Park recently was renamed the Ellis Harrold Park during a dedication ceremony, at 39508 Lincoln Ave., in Zephyrhills.

Ellis Harrold worked as a driver for the City of Zephyrhills Public Works-Sanitation Division for 34 years, before retiring in 1996. His contributions paved the way for increased diversity within the municipal workforce.

Harrold was known to support the children residing in the Lincoln Heights area, offering guidance, love and support, as well as clothing and food to those in need.

He and his wife, Doris, raised seven children and one grandson, and have 25 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren and 14 great-great grandchildren. Harrold celebrated his 90th birthday on Feb. 25.

The park boasts amenities including a basketball court, picnic shelters and a swing set. The new sign installed will be donated to the Harrold family as a keepsake once the city updates all park signage as part of a community-wide rebranding.

Published February 27, 2024

Ellis Harrold, second from right, sits among family and friends during a dedication for the park renamed in his honor. (Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)
This temporary Ellis Harrold park sign will be donated to the family once the City of Zephyrhills installs new signage as part of its rebranding.