Pasco Disaster Recovery Center opens
The State of Florida and FEMA are operating a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Pasco County to provide one-on-one help to people affected by Hurricane Idalia. The center is at the Fasano Regional Hurricane Shelter, 11611 Denton Ave., in Hudson. The hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., daily.
No appointment is necessary to visit a Disaster Recovery Center. Residents are welcome to visit any open DRC — you don’t have to reside in that county.
Disaster Recovery Centers provide disaster survivors with information from Florida state agencies, FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Survivors can get help applying for federal assistance, learn about the types of assistance available, learn about the appeals process and get updates on applications.
In addition to visiting a center, people can apply by going online to DisasterAssistance.gov, using the FEMA mobile app, or calling 800-621-3362, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., ET every day. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. The deadline to apply with FEMA is Oct. 30, 2023.
Disaster Recovery Centers are accessible to people with disabilities. They have assistive technology equipment that allows disaster survivors to interact with staff. Video Remote Interpreting is available and in-person sign language is available by request. The centers also have accessible parking, ramps and restrooms.
FEMA Individual Assistance can help with temporary lodging expenses, basic home repairs and other essential disaster-related needs.
New leader of development services
The Pasco County Commission has confirmed the appointment of Roy Mazur to serve as the county’s assistant county administrator for development services. Mazur previously worked in that department but left the county.
County Administrator Mike Carballa recommended Mazur for the post, saying he has a good mixture of private and government experience, as well as solid technical skills.
Commissioner Ron Oakley raised objections to the selection and furnished the clerk with a copy of Mazur’s previous resignation letter, which he asked Nikki Alvarez-Sowsls, the county’s clerk and comptroller, to read into the record.
Other county board members either offered support for Mazur’s selection, or supported Carballa’s right to choose his own administrative team.
Mazur said he believes he can be a catalyst to help county developments to create collaborative relationships to lead the county to the next level.
Mazur’s start date is Oct. 9 and his annual salary is $189,000.
Warby Parker Shops opens
Warby Parker, a vision care company, opened its 15th location in Florida at The Shops at Wiregrass on Sept. 30. Warby Parker Shops at Wiregrass expands the company’s access for customers with vision care needs. It offers eye exams, eyeglasses and contacts.
It is located at 28249 Paseo Drive, Suite No. 100, at The Shops at Wiregrass, which is at the intersection of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard and State Road 56, in Wesley Chapel.
ISI Elite Training to set up
ISI Elite Training will be opening in downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, according to news announced by Avalon Group/sitEX. The fitness center, expected to open in early 2024, is owned by Mark and Tamara Henderson, their daughters Kyrah and Kaylah and their son-in-law EJ McCallum.
The fitness center is committed to providing personalized training in a group setting, utilizing state-of-the-art equipment like the InBody Scanner to help clients achieve their fitness goals. Nutritional guidance, group/team accountability, and fostering a strong sense of community are integral parts of its offerings.
For more information about ISI Elite Training and its services, visit ISIEliteTraining.com.
For more information on Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, visit AvalonParkWesleyChapel.com.
Business banking
Learn about banking essentials — accounts, financing, risk management — for entrepreneurial success. The free session is on Oct. 11 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the SMARTstart Grove Entrepreneur Center, 6013 Wesley Grove Blvd., Suite 202, in Wesley Chapel. The speaker is Michael Anselmo of 5/3 Bank. To register go to SmartstartPasco.com, and click on the events tab.
Free SCORE webinar
Pasco/Hernando SCORE member Bill Gelbach will share pointers on “How to really start your own business” during a free Oct. 10 webinar, from noon to 1 p.m. The webinar will review the basics of starting a business including such topics as business structure, establishing a business name, cash flow, and financing. Visit SCORE.org to find the Pasco/Hernando chapter to register for the webinar.
