The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Pasco commissioner named to national board

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Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey will represent the county as a member of the board of directors for the National Association of Counties. (File)

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey has been appointed to a one-year term on the board of directors for the National Association of Counties (NACo).

“I’m humbled and honored to represent Pasco County and the State of Florida on NACo’s board of directors,” Starkey said, in a Pasco County news release.  “I look forward to exchanging ideas with colleagues across the country and bringing Pasco County’s interests to the table when discussing the wide range of issues.”

The NACo board governs the strategic goals and priorities of the association, as well as oversees the association’s policies and business.

Board members are elected and appoint county officials from active NACo member counties.

Starkey was appointed to serve on three NACo committees in 2021.

NACo seeks to strengthen America’s counties and create healthy, safe and vibrant counties across the country, the news release says.

The association serves nearly 40,000 county elected officials and 3.6 million county employees.

Published March 15, 2023

A budding business on the grow

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Chris Fennell is a kid who actually likes to eat his vegetables.

The 11-year-old enjoys growing his vegetables, too.

“I like these vegetables!” the sixth-grader at Pine View Middle admitted freely. “They just taste great and they were pretty easy to grow — so I like eating these ones.”

Land O’ Lakes resident Chris Fennell, 11, tends to his crops of microgreens, as he sells them roadside in his neighborhood, Wilderness Lake Preserve. Fennell, a sixth-grader at Pine View Middle, decided to start growing microgreens as a do-it-yourself project, especially since he liked how these vegetables taste. Then, he decided to create a small business, BabyGreens. With his entrepreneurial spirit, he’s thought of everything — from creating a website, to promoting the business on social media. (Mike Camunas)

He also loves selling the microgreens he grew himself for his now budding business, BabyGreens. It started as just a do-it-yourself project thanks to YouTube videos. But Fennell, who lives in Land O’ Lakes, turned it into a small business — complete with a website, a logo, business cards and even promoting himself on social media.

“Before this,” his mom, Amber, said, “I didn’t even know what a microgreen was, so I had to do a little research of my own, and then come to find out they’re easy to grow and very healthy and surprisingly tasty.”

Selling the veggies was her son’s idea.

“But we were very surprised by him coming to us with the whole business plan,” she added. “He made a website, business cards, a logo, had a business plan, wanting to get a credit card machine that worked on the phone — he had everything done and ready, like he was pitching it to an investor.

“And he figured that out all on his own.”

Microgreens are “baby” versions of certain vegetables and contain 40% more nutrients. Not to be confused with sprouts or shoots, they are harvested very soon after sprouting, rather than after the plant has matured to produce multiple leaves.

Chris Fennell grows all the microgreens himself, out on the patio of his Wilderness Lake Preserve home in Land O’ Lakes (Courtesy of Chris Fennell)

They are used as a nutrition supplement, a visual enhancement, and a flavor and texture addition. Microgreens are used to add sweetness and spiciness to foods, such as salads, soups, sandwiches, burgers and pizza.

Fennell grew microgreens of broccoli, radish and sunflower, then set up shop in the back of Wilderness Lake Preserve for potential customers to sample and buy.

Using a two-tray watering and growing system, it took Fennell about two weeks to grow his first batch.

“I saw some videos about growing them and thought it was really cool, and I knew they tasted really good, so I was thinking about growing them just to eat them,” he said. “But I also saw that people were selling them and making a lot of money, so I came up with the idea and asked my mom and started a business.”

The sixth-grader is a straight-A student, interested in science (he’s thinking about becoming a marine biologist, one day), so he’s always looking to experiment with new projects. He’s even in accelerated science classes, so when he starts high school, he’ll already have a high school credit.

Chris Fennell, 11, meticulously trims the microgreens he grew himself. He then weighs them and packages for the small business he established, by himself. It’s called BabyGreens. (Mike Camunas)

He embraces the healthy lifestyle, especially as a kid who has undergone two major surgeries before he was even 5 years old. He had open-heart surgery at age 2 and brain stem surgery at age 3.

“He’s more into books and science and learning and always has been,” Amber said. “As an A student in advanced classes, he’s just killing it and absolutely making his mother proud.”

Fennell’s first business display on Feb. 18 went well, with several residents stopping by to taste samples and some purchasing a container of BabyGreens. 

“People are really interested,” he said, “and a lot of people want to know what they are and how they taste on certain things.

“Everyone definitely likes trying them!”

People can give the tiny veggies a taste on April 1, when Fennell will be one of the vendors at Rosebud Continuum’s Spring Plant Sale. Fennell says there are more than 100 microgreens that can be cultivated. His next crop will include corn, peas, salad mix, arugula and wheatgrass.

He expects them to be a hit.

“I think once people try them, they’ll like them,” he said.

“It just takes one sample.”

BabyGreens
Where: Wilderness Lake Preserve neighborhood in Land O’ Lakes
Details: Chris Fennell grows microgreens sprouts and sells them out of his house or on special side-of-the-road displays on the weekends. Fennell, 11, next will be at the Rosebud Continuum’s Spring Plant Sale, 22843 Hale Road, in Land O’ Lakes, April 1 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring various local vendors.
Info: Visit BabyGreens.my.canva.site, call 727-687-0753, or email . Follow BabyGreens on social media on TikTok: @BabyGreens_business or on YouTube: @BabyGreens5.

Rosebud Continuum’s Spring Plant Sale
When: April 1, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: 22843 Hale Road, in Land O’ Lakes
Details: Fruit trees, fresh herbs and vegetables, local honey produced by bees at Rosebud, free tree grafting demos and more will all be on sale and display at this event featuring various local vendors.
Vendor space still available.
Info: Email or visit the Facebook event page at www.facebook.com/events/595648001932925.

Published March 08, 2023

Pasco school board member is pushing to expand school choices

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Pasco County School Board member Colleen Beaudoin is asking the superintendent’s staff to consider adding more school choices in Central Pasco.

“I’m a big supporter and believer in neighborhood schools and we have fantastic neighborhood schools across our county. But families want choices,” Beaudoin said.

Pasco County School Board member Colleen Beaudoin wants to increase choices for students in Central Pasco, by adding some new options for some schools within the area. (File)

“As we start planning for our summer budget meetings, I’d just like to ask staff to please explore the feasibility of adding some Cambridge Programmes, a fine arts magnet and/or some other advanced academic opportunities in our Central Pasco elementary schools.

“I want to reiterate that I am hearing from people in our community that are looking for these opportunities for their elementary children.

“Parents are going to be given more and more choices, and I believe public schools — Pasco public schools — are the best choice and we have the opportunity to expand on the great work already being done,” Beaudoin said, during the school board’s Feb. 21 meeting.

In essence, the Cambridge Programme is a rigorous academic program that uses an international curriculum and seeks to develop learners who are reflective, confident, engaged, responsible and innovative. It is already offered at some schools in East Pasco and West Pasco.

School board member Alison Crumbley said she was glad that Beaudoin raised the issue because she, too, supports expanding the Cambridge Programme into some Central Pasco schools.

On another topic, Megan Harding, the board’s chairwoman, asked Superintendent Kurt Browning to continue working to address behavior issues by elementary students who are disrupting classrooms.

“I’m still getting messages and phone calls every day about extensive behaviors that are occurring at the elementary level,” Harding said.

For instance, she said, “It’s hard when a child throws a water bottle and then they’re brought back into the classroom. The teacher doesn’t feel supported.

“I know that we have zero tolerance at the secondary level, but maybe we need to talk about that tiered plan at the elementary level, that we mentioned before,” Harding said.

“I just hope that we can continue those conversations,” Harding said.

Published March 08, 2023

Pasco-Hernando State College president announces retirement

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Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) President Timothy L. Beard has announced his retirement, effective Jan. 31, 2024.

The college also has launched a national search for Beard’s successor.

Beard is stepping down from the post after a 17-year tenure at the college.

When he departs, he will have held the college’s top post for nearly nine years.

Jamal Roberts became the first student to graduate from Pasco-Hernando State College with a bachelor of applied science in supervision and management. He took advantage of one of PHSC’s two four-year programs. Roberts received his diploma from Dr. Timothy Beard, the college’s president, in December 2015. (File)

Before that, he was vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management for eight years, according to a college news release.

The search for Beard’s successor is being led by Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting, in collaboration with a committee made up of community stakeholders and PHSC faculty, staff and students, the news release says.

The new president will take over leadership of an educational institution that is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

In reflecting on the college’s history, during a previous interview with The Laker/Lutz News, Beard recounted PHSC’s humble origins.

“We were known as ‘College without Walls.’ We didn’t have a building. All we had, for the most part, was a dream and an idea.”

Classes would be held wherever the college could get space and recruiting for students was done everywhere, including back alleys, Beard said.

Over time, the college transitioned from Pasco-Hernando Community College to Pasco-Hernando State College.

It now has six locations, serving nearly 10,000 students each year.

It has a $69 million operating budget, and a workforce of roughly 1,000 employees — including  nearly 550 full-time faculty and staff.

The college also has expanded its programs, now offering about 100 career program options. It has two bachelor’s programs and bestows associate’s diplomas and assorted certifications.

Under Beard’s leadership, the college’s operating budget has increased by nearly 40%, the release says.

At the same time, PHSC Foundation assets increased more than 60%. Beard personally has raised several hundred thousand dollars to establish and fund scholarships.

During his time at the helm. PHSC constructed the $18 million Instructional Performing Arts Center (IPAC), located in Wesley Chapel.

The Pasco-Hernando State College’s Instructional Performing Arts Center, also known as IPAC, is a teaching facility, but also a venue for community events and performances. The project, on Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel, was completed during Dr. Timothy Beard’s tenure as president of Pasco-Hernando State College.

It also is currently collaborating with Pasco Fire/Rescue to construct a new $5 million Burn Center and Fire Academy training center at PHSC’s East Campus in Dade City.

That campus also houses the future STEM Student Success and Community Engagement Center.

Meanwhile, in Hernando County, PHSC is establishing a Corporate College at the Dr. Dennis Wilfong Center for Success, at the Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport, according to the release.

The Corporate College, in collaboration with industry partners, will provide career and technical training for in-demand, skilled, higher-paying positions within the region.

Beard is PHSC’s fourth president, following Katherine M. Johnson, who followed Robert W. Judson, who followed Milton O. Jones.

In the release announcing his retirement, Beard shared these sentiments: “Serving as PHSC’s president has been the crowning achievement of my career.

“The college has made exceptional progress, thanks to the guidance of our trustees and the dedication of our administrators, faculty and staff.

“I remain in awe of the transformative power of education. To greet students as they enter PHSC, often unsure of their potential, and watching them grow, graduate, pursue successful careers and join the college’s more than 60,000 alumni, is gratifying. 

“Most of our graduates choose to work and reside within our district and contribute to our vibrant, growing communities.

“The decision to retire after nearly 40 years in higher education has been difficult, but the time is right to pass the baton to a new leader,” Beard said.

The college’s board of trustees also issued a statement regarding Beard’s performance, as he prepares to step away from the post.

“The board has been impressed by Dr. Beard’s steadfast dedication, his tireless service and student-centered leadership,” John Mitten, chair of the PHSC’s nine-member District Board of Trustees (DBOT), said, in the statement. “The sincerity, warmth and enthusiasm he brings to the presidency continuously forges strong stakeholder relationships, enhances the college’s image locally and throughout the state and garners support for the college and our programs.

“His leadership will be missed by the trustees, faculty, staff, students and the entire community,” Mitten said.

The college’s board of trustees expects to introduce the college’s fifth president to the community September 2023.

Information on PHSC’s presidential search, including details about the application and nomination process, is available at MyersMcrae.com.

Information about presidential search also is available at PHSC.edu/about/leadership.

Published March 08, 2023

Proposal aims to create Odessa Town Centre plan

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Pasco County is engaging in a process aimed at providing a cohesive approach to future development on about 81.5 acres at the southwest corner of Gunn Highway and County Road 54.

County planners began working about two years ago with a consultant to create what is now being called Odessa Town Centre.

The site is within Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey’s district and she advocated for a  county-initiated land use change to try to prevent piecemeal development of the property.

The county board had been set to vote on transmitting the proposed plan to state agencies for review, during its Feb. 21 meeting. That action was delayed because the plan area had been  expanded, requiring additional public notice before the board could consider the request.

The county board is now set to vote on the issue at its March 21 meeting, during its 1:30 p.m. session at the government center at 8731 Citizens Drive, in New Port Richey.

At the county board’s Feb. 21 meeting, Starkey provided background to her colleagues: “This is Gunn (Highway) and (State Road) 54, where the old flea market used to be.

“We were very worried that it was going to be piecemealed … People were swirling all around it, wanting to buy it.

“They all want to put (in) multi-family, and, there’s great job potential there, if we do it right,” Starkey said.

The Pasco County Planning Commission has already heard the issue and recommended unanimously to transmit the request for state review.

The proposed plan includes areas designated for light industrial, business park, mixed-use office and retail, and high-density residential.

Transmittal of the plan for state review is a preliminary step before it can come back before the county board for a final vote.

At the planning board’s meeting, Planning Commissioner Jon Moody said he wanted to make sure that none of the current property owners — regardless of how much land they own  — get left behind.

David Goldstein, chief assistant county attorney, said a condition could be included in the comprehensive plan’s sub-area policies, to ensure that property owners within the area would be able to pursue a master-plan development, regardless of property size.

The plan doesn’t preclude current property owners from continuing their current use, or pursuing another one that’s within their current zoning.

If they wish to rezone, however, they would be subject to the rules of the new Odessa Town Centre plan.

Nectarios Pittos said a primary aim of the Odessa Town Centre plan is to designate land that would be appropriate for job-generating uses.

Attorney Joel Tew, who represents a mixed-use developer from Miami, said his client is currently seeking an MPUD to develop about 20 acres on the western portion of the Odessa Town Centre area.

His client embraces the need for a master plan for the area, Tew said.

“We think it’s a great vision. It’s a great plan.

Gerald Speer, who lives on Blissfield Road, said he’s one of the “small guys” within the proposed Odessa Town Centre.

“I have one-third acre. I have the smallest amount of property of the 27 people that’s in this. I am the one who’s going to suffer badly,” Speer said.

If Blissfield is widened, as shown on the conceptual plan, Speer said when he steps out his front door, he’ll be stepping into the street.

“My house is 1,800 square feet and there’s nowhere else in this town where I could move that I would like better than where I am now. Where I’m at now, I’ve got hospitals, I’ve got grocery stores, I’ve got everything.

“I’m almost 70 years old, and I’m kind of stuck, because it’s going to be very hard for me to move.”

Speer said he’s already dealt with dirt being kicked up into his house from nearby construction activity and that he’s seen traffic increase substantially on Old Gunn Highway.

“The road is terribly overburdened, and wait until they build the Lowe’s (which is going on the old flea market site). It’s going to be even worse,” he said.

“What have I got to look forward to? Where am I going to find an 1,800-square-foot house?

“I’m going to lose this. I know I’m going to lose this,” he said.

Virginia Loe has property on Interlaken Road, sought assurances that she’ll be able to continue with her plan to have a log cabin on her land.

Planning Commission Chairman Charles Grey said the proposed land use change would not force her to change her plans.

“You can still use the property,” Grey said. “You’re not compelled to do a commercial or industrial use there. You can do what you had planned.”

Moody responded to Speer’s comments.

“I understand. I’ve been here since I was 6 years old,” Moody said. “The corner of Gunn (Highway) and  Highway 54 (State Road 54) — it was cows. But that’s not what it is today.

“I’ve been here 50-plus years, too.

“State Road) 54 is not what (State Road) 54 was when I was a child.

“There’s nothing we’re going to do to stop this, and I’d rather have a good plan and a cohesive plan rather than for us to repeat some of the sins of the past that happened along U.S. 19, along the west side of the county.

“In this one, I’ve got to give credit where credit is due, this is some good planning,” Moody said.

Published March 08, 2023

Seniors in Service live up to their name: Serving seniors

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Chris Noble recalls when an 82-year-old woman approached him at an event, with tears in her eyes. 

She asked him: “Can I be one of those people you call?”

Lily Nichols, Patricia Anguiano, Dana Marroquin and Roy Smith were among the morning volunteers for Seniors in Service. (Courtesy of Pam Plager)

The woman was referring to calls made through a telephone reassurance program called Telepals.

It’s one of the programs offered through Seniors in Service, a nonprofit dedicated to providing solutions to community challenges by engaging volunteers ages 55 and older to help others in need.

Telepals began during COVID-19 to help keep people socially connected, to combat the issue of isolation and loneliness among the elderly.

Participants can choose between long weekly social calls, or short-and-sweet daily check-ins. 

Noble is the community engagement manager for Seniors in Service.

Seniors in Service volunteer Ed Datz engages a student with some one-on-one time. (Courtesy of Chris Noble)

As he was talking to the woman who approached him, he learned that the woman’s husband died a couple years ago and was having a tough time connecting with people.

During that conversation, Noble also learned that the woman’s husband was under hospice care, and she had nothing but great things to say about the service he received. 

Plus, he found out the woman had experience working in a nursing home.

He suggested they meet at a local hospice, and when they did, she filled out an application.

The hospice workers took it from there.

Fast-forward six months, when Noble gets a call from the woman.

“She said, ‘I want to call and thank you so much for encouraging me to volunteer because it snapped me out of the funk I was in. I made some nice friends, and I have a little more sense of purpose now,’” he said.

Success stories like this one are so rewarding, said Noble, who lives in Dade City.

He firmly believes that volunteering helps others, as well as the volunteers themselves.

“Being engaged and being part of the community and having that camaraderie and that sense of connection with people… it makes you feel good,” Noble said.

When Seniors in Service was founded in 1984, it had 17 employees and about 450 volunteers. Now, it has 34 employees and close to 1,400 volunteers serving Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. The nonprofit helps disadvantaged children, frail elders, overwhelmed caregivers, disabled adults, struggling veterans, hungry families and others.

“We primarily began our journey by working with seniors and getting them to go into the public schools to be teacher aides. We called the program ‘Foster Grandparents,’ and it’s still around today,” Noble said. 

Just in Hillsborough alone, Seniors in Service has between 200 and 300 volunteers for Foster Grandparents. 

Over the years, Seniors in Service has applied for grants, enabling it to broaden its scope and reach more people in need.

Initially, the nonprofit provided help in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. But four years ago, it secured a grant and has branched into Pasco County.

Noble came onboard Seniors in Service when it came to Pasco and was the one to spearhead the Pasco RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) program.

Noble and his team have connected with people in Pasco who are “55 and better” and are looking to give back, and introduce them to Seniors in Service’s community partners. 

“We go out into the community and say, ‘Hey, do you have a couple hours to give? We will find you a place to volunteer with one of our community partners who works with other seniors. We will find the right place for you to serve around your schedule and availability,’” Noble said. 

Another program Seniors in Service offers is ‘Health Buddies,’ which helps an individual with a chronic illness manage that illness. 

“We do it through a medicine called companionship,” Noble said. “We have somebody over a 12-week program provide companionship three to four times a week. They have someone to share that burden with. It has been very powerful and effective.”

Seniors in Service
Where: 1306 W Sligh Ave., Tampa
Details: Seniors in Service, which was founded in 1984, connects volunteers, ages 55 and older, to meet the needs and challenges of at-risk seniors, veterans and children in the community. The nonprofit serves Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties and helps more than 2,500 individuals annually through community service.
For more information or to volunteer, visit SeniorsInService.org, or call Chris Noble at 813-492-8916.

Published March 08, 2023

Pasco proclaims its first International Trade and Tourism Day

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Pasco County recently celebrated its first International Trade and Tourism Day, and plans to make it an annual tradition.

The Pasco County Commission adopted a resolution on Feb. 21 to recognize relationships between Pasco and its partners around the world and the increasing role that global trade is playing in the county’s economy.

The increasing interactions between Pasco and other parts of the world have boosted Pasco’s gross regional product and have resulted in thousands of local high-skill, high-wage jobs, the resolution says.

A delegation, including Pasco County staff, trade and tourism representatives and the mayor of two towns in Belize, joined with the Pasco County Commission to celebrate the county’s first International Trade and Tourism Day. The county intends to make this an annual tradition to highlight the positive impacts the county derives from international trade and tourism. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

Setting aside a special day to celebrate each year is intended to highlight the benefits derived from global partners through their direct-foreign investments, and their contributions to Pasco through job creation and capital investment.

The resolution notes these activities by international partners “are made possible through strong partnerships with international resource partner organizations; the Association of Bi-National Chambers of Commerce; Foreign Consular Offices; the United States Department of Commerce; and Global Tampa Bay, a regional partnership between Pasco, Pinellas, and Hillsborough Counties that increases international business opportunities for local companies and markets the region globally as a top business destination.”

The resolution adds that the Pasco county board “and local trade and tourism companies continue to work together to connect with future generations, build the next generation of skilled trade and tourism employees, take charge of the public image of trade and tourism, and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the whole industry.”

Earl Trapp, who is the mayor of two towns in Belize, joined a delegation representing trade and tourism interests at the county board’s Feb. 21 meeting to accept the resolution.

The group also had its photograph taken with the county board.

Trapp told the county board: “We are very much humbled and privileged to be here this morning, at this historical moment. I want to congratulate you on your great strides in developing this International Trade and Tourism Day, something of what I believe will bring economic development to your area.

“I’m very much amazed at the many developments that have taken place over the past 20 years.

“I am sure the transformation, through your leadership, had to have come with vision, with enthusiasm, proper planning, unity and of course, had to come through support of the community.

“I’m hoping this visit today will be the beginning of building relationship among common interest for both regions, and something that will bring mutual benefits for all of us.”

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, who advocated for the new day set aside to honor tourism and international trade, said “We are so excited that you are first visitors on our International Trade and Tourism Day.”

Adam Thomas, executive director of Florida’s Sports Coast, said that as the county’s tourism marketing becomes more sophisticated, it is telling the county’s story in an international marketplace.

“Central America is a key market for us. We are very honored and appreciative of the partnership we have with the TDC (Tourist Development Council), as we continue to tell our story to the global market,” Thomas said.

Published March 08, 2023

Pasco breaks ground on jail expansion project

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Pasco County has broken ground on a 608-bed expansion on a 28.5-acre site at its Pasco County Corrections Center, 20101 Central Ave., in Land O’ Lakes.

Officials held a groundbreaking on Feb. 23 to celebrate the start of the project, which includes new inmate housing, a virtual visitation center, medical and mental health areas, inmate intake and release areas, kitchen and laundry facility improvements, and other features.

This sign is on the current campus at the Pasco County Detention Center, at 20101 Central Ave., in Land O’ Lakes, just off U.S. 41. A project is underway to add 608 beds, as well as other new and updated facilities, at the jail. (File)

Voters approved general obligation bonds for the $145 million expansion project in November 2018.

During the groundbreaking, officials offered remarks about the project in interviews that were videotaped and disseminated by the county’s communications team.

“We’re overcrowded in the facility,” County Administrator Mike Carballa said. “We can’t just go and put a ‘No Vacancy’ sign up, right? We have to house these folks.”

Stacey Jenkins, Pasco’s chief correctional officer said: “The expansion is going to allow us a better opportunity to classify our inmate population, so with that, it’s going to improve the safety of our staff.”

Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman added: “This is a great win for our corrections officers. As we move in the modern policing, this facility will be a fantastic and modern workplace for our corrections officers, and hopefully it gives them a new, clean, safe environment to work in.”

Jack Mariano, chairman of the county board, talked about improvements the expansion will offer.

Elected county leaders, county staff and other dignitaries fling shovels of dirt on Feb. 23 to signify the official groundbreaking of the Pasco County Detention Center expansion. The project, which will add 608 new beds and other improvements, is expected to be completed by Summer of 2025. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

“There’s going to be better visitation, where people can do it remotely, safely — taking a lot of stress and strain off the system, as well,” he said.

Mariano added: “The voters spoke very clearly in 2018 … They voted for it. They wanted to see it happen. It’s going to be a great benefit for Pasco County.”

Mike Tippy, a project executive, noted there will be challenges because the expansion is being added next to an operating jail. So, for example, “the kitchen still has to run, even though we’re putting a new kitchen in. The laundry still has to operate, even though we’re moving to new laundry facilities.”

Chief Correctional Officer Jenkins said the expansion will enable the county to provide more programs for current inmates.

It also will provide new opportunities for “inmates who have medical conditions and mental health conditions,” she said.

Moss & Associates is spearheading the construction work on the project, which is expected to be completed by the Summer of 2025.

John Bowden, of Moss construction, said: “This is a big project, very exciting, a large project. We’ve assembled an A-plus team. We’re very excited about what we’re going to deliver over the next couple of years. “

County Administrator Carballa expressed confidence in the county’s staff and the contractor.

“Our team is up to the challenge. I appreciate the hard work and the professionalism of the complete design/build team and our partners there,” the county’s chief executive said.

“This is truly a heavy lift for the organization, but in the end, the juice is worth the squeeze,” Carballa added.

Pasco County Detention Center expansion
New and updated facilities include:

  • 608 additional beds
  • Kitchen and laundry updates
  • Medical and mental health areas
  • Inmate intake/release areas
  • Staff support and administrative offices
  • Pre-trial hearing area
This is a rendering of what the Pasco County Detention Center expansion will look like, at completion. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

Access to inmate booking photos
Pasco County has announced that the county now offers access to basic inmate booking information, including photos, for inmates at Pasco Corrections Center in Land O’ Lakes.

Just visit the Pasco Corrections webpage, PascoCorrections.com, and click on either the In Custody or Past Arrests links to access the searchable databases.                       

Give the system a few moments to load booking photos, then simply click on the photo to download. To request a booking photo that doesn’t appear on the website, email Pasco County Customer Service at .

Requests for additional information about arrests must be directed to the arresting agency.

Published March 08, 2023

Watch out for door-to-door scammers

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The City of Tampa Utilities department has issued a consumer alert after a customer reported being targeted by a man posing as a water department employee, according to a news release from the city.

The imposter reportedly knocked on the customer’s door and threatened to shut off water service unless he received payment immediately. The customer did not pay, and the imposter left, the release says.

The water department wants to remind customers that all notices, including notices for overdue balances and shutoff notices, are sent in writing through the mail or via email for e-bill customers.

Customers also may be contacted over the phone regarding overdue bills, the release adds.

Authorized payment methods are listed on the back of the utility bill.

“We’ve seen different types of scams pop up over the years, preying on people’s fears,” Eli Franco, director of water operations, said in the release. “We want residents to know that we do not send city employees to knock on people’s doors to perform collection activities. We also remind residents that they can always contact our office directly to confirm that they are speaking with a city employee.” 

Water department employees are required to show proper identification and operate vehicles that display the city logo and other official markings.

Any contractors working on behalf of the department also are required to display identifying credentials, the release says.

Water department officials urge customers to report similar incidents, or verify their account status, by calling 813-274-8811.

Anyone who believes they have fallen victim to this scam should contact the Tampa Police Department by calling 813-231-6130.

Published March 08, 2023

Choose to eat healthier, all year long

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This year’s theme for National Nutrition Month — “Fuel for the Future” — aims to promote a healthy vegetarian and/or plant-based diet.

While March is designated as National Nutrition Month, the West Central Florida County Health Departments, including Pasco and Hillsborough, are encouraging everyone to make informed food choices and develop sound eating and physical activity habits that can be followed throughout the year, according to a news release.

The National Library of Medicine indicates a high-sugar, high-fat, processed food diet has contributed significantly to obesity and chronic disease, the release said.

Americans consume fewer daily servings of fruits and vegetables and they consume a large quantity of red meat and poultry each year — creating a much higher daily intake of calories and protein than required in a healthy diet.

Making healthy eating habits doesn’t require a drastic lifestyle changes and a good eating pattern isn’t a ‘one-size-fits-all’ endeavor.

Registered dietitians can offer advice on ways to fine-tune traditional recipes, provide alternatives to cooking methods and how to incorporate family favorite foods into everyday meals.

The local health department also can serve as a valuable resource on getting started on expanding your own food horizons.

To reach the Department of Health-Pasco, call 727-619-0300. For Hillsborough, call 813-307-8000.

For more about nutrition and National Nutrition Month, visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at EatRight.org.

Published March 08, 2023