The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Urban garden possibilities grow

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Urban gardening — think of rooftop container gardens, vertical plant walls, communal veggie plots — is growing in popularity.

Vertical plant walls are gaining popularity as a way for residents to grow an urban garden.

It turns out that Tampa is one of the top cities in the country for urban gardening, according to LawnStarter.

The organization compared the 200 largest U.S. cities based on four categories, broken down into 12 metrics, looking for cities with easy access to gardening space and supplies, an ideal climate, and a big gardening community, according to a news release.

According to the key stats, the top 10 cities best for urban gardening, ranked from first to 10th, are: New York, New York; Atlanta, Georgia; San Francisco, California; Portland, Oregon; Tampa; Seattle, Washington; Miami; Austin, Texas; Pasadena, California; and Orlando.

New York boasts the most community gardens with 775. By comparison, Atlanta, the second-highest, had 120.

To view rankings on community gardens, growing seasons, yard square footages, nurseries and gardening supply stores, and gardening clubs, visit https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/studies/best-cities-urban-gardening/#rankings. 

Only two states, Florida and Illinois, have “Right to Garden” laws on their books, the release said.

Residents should check local ordinances or homeowners association rules to see if there are any restrictions for on-property gardening.

Published April 12, 2023

A closer look at the cost of eggs

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Eggs, peanut butter and beans traditionally have been an affordable source of protein.

They are high in nutrition and low in price, so families have relied on these as a protein option that’s more affordable than meat.

But egg prices have been in the news lately — with volatility in prices that’s been noticeable at the grocery store. 

In early March, I noticed quite a price range at Aldi.  

Egg dishes, such as egg fried rice, offer a tasty menu choice for households. The price of eggs has been volatile, largely due to the highly pathogenic avian influenza. Looking forward, though, the U.S. Department of Agriculture expects egg prices to drop this year. Even at $4 a dozen, eggs offer an affordable source of protein. (Courtesy of Shari Bresin)

One weekend, a dozen was $2.31 — cue the excitement that the price was finally coming down. Then, the following weekend, it was $4.91 a dozen — cue the disappointment.

Now that we’re in April, I thought I would ask my coworker, who works in livestock and agriculture, what exactly happened and what we can expect going forward.

She shared these insights.

Egg prices have created quite a bit of sticker shock at the grocery store during the past year.

Egg prices in 2022 were up 138% for the year. 

Agricultural economists explain that it’s a supply and demand issue.

Egg production has been reduced, with the avian influenza (HPAI – highly pathogenic avian influenza) cited as the major source for the reduction.

This highly contagious disease is carried by wild birds from place to place. 

Wild birds often show no signs of the disease; domesticated birds, such as commercial turkeys and chickens, are highly affected. 

The best practice for commercial poultry producers is to follow very strict biosecurity protocols. 

This includes disinfection of shoes and equipment coming into poultry houses; no visitors in barns; and securing barns and feed storage areas to prevent wild animals from having access.

More than 50 million birds were lost in 2022 due to the disease — which requires flocks to be depopulated (slaughtered) to prevent further spread of the virus. 

There was a “perfect storm” over the holidays — a large drop in egg supply due to significant farm depopulation in the fall matched with larger demand during the holiday baking season.

Inflation also impacts production costs for farmers. 

Egg producers are faced with higher feed costs, while at the same time they’re paying more for fuel to transport eggs and operate their farms.

There may be some bright news in sight, however.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture expects that wholesale egg prices will decline this year.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the food index for eggs fell 6.7% in February. 

The drop in egg prices will depend on how much flock depopulation occurs and how quickly farms can recover. 

It requires a little more than 20 weeks for hens to lay eggs from the day they are hatched, so it takes a bit of time for egg supply to stabilize.  

Meanwhile, chicken for meat consumption hasn’t seen such price hikes.  

These chickens, called broilers, don’t have as long of a life cycle (only about 5.5 weeks to 9 weeks, versus 2 years to 3 years for egg producers).  

This shorter life span gives the virus less time to spread.  

Plus, broilers are of a different breed, which happens to be less susceptible to the virus.  

There were some impacts, and price fluctuations, caused by the avian flu, but to a lesser extent.

At the end of the day, if eggs cost $4 per dozen, each egg costs 33 cents. 

So, eggs are still a bargain for a high-quality, nutrient-dense food, including protein, vitamin B12, biotin, iodine, selenium, choline, riboflavin (vitamin B2), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) all 9 essential amino acids, and more.  

As for the cholesterol? Yes, you will find cholesterol in eggs. 

But recent research has found that dietary cholesterol (such as from egg yolks) doesn’t have much influence on total blood cholesterol; instead, it’s the saturated fat and trans fat that has more influence.  

Most cholesterol comes from our liver, not from our diet.

Saturated fat in the diet can cause your liver to make excess cholesterol, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

It’s still a good idea, though, to practice moderation. The average healthy person can have up to seven eggs per week without any harmful effects, but of course, keep in mind your overall diet and how much saturated fat you consume. 

Those with heart disease should limit egg consumption to just a few per week.

There are various ways to prepare eggs, of course and they can make a good ingredient in various dishes — such as fried rice, for example. Here’s a recipe for you to try, from MyPlate.gov.

Shari Bresin is the Family & Consumer Science Agent for the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension Pasco County. Pasco County Extension Laura Bennett, Livestock Agent for Pasco County Extension contributed to this column.

RECIPE

Egg Fried Rice

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs (beaten)
  • 3 1/2 cups brown rice, cooked (or white rice)
  • 1 cup chicken breast, ham or pork, cooked (and chopped)
  • 1 cup mixed vegetables, cooked (and chopped)
  • 2 green onion (sliced)
  • soy sauce or hot sauce (optional, to taste)

Directions

  • Wash hands with soap and water.
  • Heat pan. Add 1 teaspoon of oil. Add eggs and scramble.
  • Remove cooked eggs and set aside.
  • Add the rest of oil (2 teaspoons) to the pan. Stir-fry (cooked) rice, breaking up lumps by pressing rice against the pan.
  • Add cooked meat and/or vegetables. Stir-fry until heated.
  • Add green onions, reserved eggs and sauce to taste. Serve hot.
  • Cover and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Published April 12, 2023

Prospect of new state law prompted avalanche of case filings

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In the days leading up to HB 837 becoming law, the number of civil case filings surged in Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Avlarez-Sowles’ office.

During the month of March of 2022, the clerk’s office received 911 civil case filings, compared to 3,572 during March of this year, according to clerk office figures. That represents a 292% increase.

“I don’t think anyone could have anticipated that law firms had so many cases pending that weren’t filed yet,” Alvarez-Sowles said.

She doesn’t think anyone — the legislators, the governor, the clerks or judiciary — would have expected that “there would have been such an influx of cases” in anticipation of the legislation becoming law.

“The numbers are astronomical,” Alvarez-Sowles said.

Nikki Alvarez-Sowles said a flurry of civil case filings is likely to create delays, until a solution can be found to address the unexpected backlog.

A legislative analysis of HB 837 describes it as tort reform, which will have impacts in numerous areas. Those impacts include: Reducing the statute of limitations for negligence actions from four years to two years; providing for distribution of proceeds where two or more third-party claims arise out of a single claim, exceeding policy limits; limiting applicability of provisions relating to attorney fees in certain actions against insurers; and, other changes.

The avalanche of filings occurred, as attorneys took actions to preserve rights that were enshrined in the previous law.

Even after the initial surge, delays are expected as the new cases generate pleadings and result in an uptick in trials, the clerk said.

Processing these cases as they work their way through the system is expected to create too much work for existing staff to handle.

She’s already tapped into her overtime budget and there’s a limit to how much is available, she said.

“With a circuit civil case, the lifespan is usually two to five years. So, this amount of cases coming in, in a brief period of time, is going to impact not just my office, but also the judicial system,” Alvarez-Sowles said.

“Once the case is created and the case moves on, there’s going to be a lot of pleadings that are going to be filed in that case. That’s going to create additional work, as the case moves through, to conclusion. So that workload is going to last for the next two to five years.”

“It’s a lot larger of a workload than we typically see,” Alvarez-Sowles said.

On average, her office typically gets about 12 circuit civil filings a day. But during the recent surge, on one day alone, there were 828 filings.

Beyond having her employees work overtime, the clerk said she’s also looking at the possibility of redeploying staff within her office.

“We can utilize and move teammates from our criminal department and from our records department and train them on the civil processes to docket subsequent pleadings, and that’s something that we are talking about as a team, in my office,” Alvarez-Sowles said.

But that, too, has its limits.

“That has a domino effect,” she explained, noting care must be taken to avoid creating backlogs elsewhere.

Clerks across the state, as well as the judiciary, are facing the same problem, she said.

She said she understands the chief judges have met to talk through the situation.

“They won’t feel it just yet, because my office is the one creating the case, but they’re going to feel it really soon.

“We only have a certain number of civil judges and those cases will be divided amongst those judges, and their workload will probably be too much for each one to manage, until those cases run their course, in our system,” she said.

She said the judiciary and clerks are going to need to work together to determine what the influx of cases means throughout the system, and how it can be addressed.

“It’s kind of too early to tell, just yet, what the impact is on all of our offices. “We’ve got to do a little legwork (to do) on our end, first,” she said.

The clerks and judiciary faced a similar situation when there was a flurry of filings during the foreclosure crisis, Alvarez-Sowles said.

“When we had the foreclosures, they brought in senior judges — which are judges who are retired — and they brought them in to process some of those foreclosure cases.

“We may need to seek appropriations from the state — (for) maybe hiring some temporary employees to help us process these cases through the system,” she added.

The judiciary may need extra funding, too.

She expects the clerks and judiciary to work together to seek a solution.

“We’ll be able to show what it is that we’re going to need, and I think the legislators and the governor are going to be very supportive of that,” Alvarez-Sowles said.

Alvarez-Sowles said she’s not sure what to expect next because the new law also reduced the statute of limitations in these civil cases from four years to two years.

It’s too early to know how that change will affect the volume of cases, she said.

The Pasco clerk said her primary message is a request to the public to be patient, as efforts are made to resolve this issue.

“We’re working through it,” Alvarez-Sowles said. “But delays are going to be inevitable, at least until we can get a handle on everything.”

Published April 05, 2023

Dade City to add splash pad in budding park

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A new amenity is on its way to Dade City.

The Dade City Commission on March 28 approved the designs for a splash pad that will be featured at the start of the Hardy Trail, next to the town’s visitor center.

City Manager Leslie Porter told The Laker/Lutz News construction will begin in mid-April for the fun and family friendly splash pad, which is expected to be completed by next January.

The Dade City Commission voted on March 28 to approve the final design for the splash pad (rendering shown here) that will be built next to The Spoke Visitor Center at 37800 Church Ave. (Courtesy of City of Dade City)

“I am thrilled to see the splash pad moving forward,” Porter said. “This is a great opportunity to provide a family friendly activity. It’s vital the city provides avenues for children to engage with each other and have fun in a safe environment.

“Currently, there are limited opportunities in Dade City for youth to expend their energy,” she added. “The community looks to neighboring areas for similar amenities and soon this will be right next door.”

The splash pad will be located next to The Spoke, Dade City’s Market Place and Visitor City, which sits at the start of the Hardy Trail, at 37800 Church Ave.

The splash pad project is budgeted at $1.2 million, using American Rescue Plan Act funding.The projected cost of the splash pad is $800,000, while $557,720.16 has been earmarked to build the adjoining restroom/mechanical room.

The Hardy Trail is a paved, multi-use recreational trail in Dade City. The mile-long path is 12 feet wide. It follows the alignment where a portion of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad line ran through Dade City. (Mike Camunas)

At roughly 2,500 square feet, the project will be built by Borregard Construction and include such water features as Aqua Dumping Bucket, Aqua Water Castle, aqua features such as jellyfish, a crab and butterfly and even an Aqua Kumquat Tree, as a nod to the city’s fruit — celebrated in its annual festival.

Prior to a final design, the City Commission asked residents to vote on water features.  

“We placed display boards in the lobby of City Hall for voting,” Porter said. “Over one hundred second graders from Pasco Elementary voted as part of a field trip. The overwhelming favorite features are the dump bucket and the crab.”

Porter said she expects the splash pad to get a more formal name — and possibly a sponsorship.

She said care was taken in choosing where the splash pad should go.

“This location was chosen because of its proximity to downtown and the Hardy Trail,” Porter said. “The park is large enough to accommodate the splash pad, inclusive playground, amphitheater and more.

“The splash pad will be the first of several new amenities the city plans to build in the new park in the future to create an active community space,” she added.

“But the splash pad has been an anticipated amenity for many years here in Dade City and we are very excited to see it finally come to be.”

Published 05, 2023

Taking a deeper look at causes of traffic deaths in Pasco

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When the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization discussed new performance standards for safety in February, they asked staff to bring back a more detailed look at traffic-related fatalities.

That’s exactly what happened at the board’s meeting in March.

Tina Russo, active transportation planner for the Pasco MPO, detailed causes for crashes in Pasco County, based on information gleaned from long-form crash reports completed by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) and local police departments.

Lane departures, distracted drivers, drowsy drivers, speeding, lack of seatbelts and other factors contribute to the number of serious injuries and deaths that arise from traffic crashes in Pasco County, according to statistics gathered by Tina Russo, who works for the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization. Collisions also frequently occur at intersections. (File)

The idea was to take a closer look at who is being killed on Pasco County roads, who is using the roads and what can be done to prevent crashes, Russo said.

The analysis also took a close look at crash types.

It’s important to know how the crashes are happening, to help prevent them from occurring, she explained.

Russo refuses to call the collisions “accidents,” instead referring to them as crashes.

Increased vigilance and changes in behavior are needed to reduce the death toll on Pasco roads, she said.

The data reveals that Pasco’s crash rate is higher per capita than the state average and higher per capita than in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, too, Russo said.

Pasco County’s population in 2020 was 561,000 in 2020 — nearly 100,000 more than it was a decade before, Russo noted. “Of course, we’re higher than that (now),” she added.

The crash reports show that most of the collisions are occurring on major roads — such U.S. 19, U.S. 301, U.S. 98 and Interstate 75.

“Little (Road) is becoming very similar to (U.S.) 19, unfortunately,” Russo said.

Pasco County Commissioner Gary Bradford cited an inherent problem with information contained on the long-form crash reports.

“There are five law enforcement agencies in the county. Do they all get the same training in filling out these forms? Yes.

“Would I absolutely 100% trust these forms? Absolutely not,” Bradford said. “You have to look at them, sometimes, with a jaundiced eye.”

Russo told the MPO board that while FHP and the local police departments fill out the long-form crash reports, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office does not.

She also detailed the types of behaviors that are killing motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists in the county.

The largest number of crashes in 2022 occurred at intersections, according to the report. There were 4,486 wrecks at intersections, resulting in 308 serious injuries and 33 deaths.

Lane departures are a significant cause of crashes, Russo said. The report shows 3,246 crashes involving lane departures, resulting in 236 serious injuries and 45 fatalities.

“Half of that number is someone driving off the road, with no seatbelt on, hitting a fixed object,” Russo said.

Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman said he’d like to see data involving the safety of roundabouts.

A memorial has been created on State Road 52 near Land O’ Lakes. (Mike Camunas)

Russo offered this observation: “We do know there are less fatalities and serious injuries at roundabouts because of lower speeds. There may be more crashes, but they’re at much lower speeds.

“As a cyclist, I love roundabouts,” she added.

The age of drivers also plays a big role in Pasco’s crashes.

It may not be all that surprising that teenagers were involved in 1,504 crashes in Pasco in 2022, resulting in 104 serious injuries and 12 deaths, according to the Pasco MPO’s report.

But the numbers for aging drivers were even higher, with 2,624 crashes, resulting in 207 serious injuries and 23 deaths, the report shows.

Reducing traffic-related fatalities also involves changing behaviors, she said.

“It’s a scary trend to think that people aren’t wearing their seatbelts again,” Russo said.

Just two changes would result in far fewer deaths from traffic crashes, she added.

“If people wore seatbelts and helmets, our fatality rate would probably drop 50%,” Russo said.

Resolving traffic safety issues takes a collaborative commitment — involving traffic operations, project management, planning and public education, among other things, Russo said.

Improving safety also requires a shared effort by everyone who travels through the county — in vehicles, on bicycles, on motorcycles and by foot, she said.

“Our No. 1 goal is saving lives,” Russo said.

The Pasco County MPO is the lead transportation planning agency for the county and is made up of elected leaders from Pasco County, Zephyrhills, Dade City, New Port Richey and Port  Richey.

Published April 05, 2023

Pasco EDC will host its first BizBlast event

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The Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., will host its inaugural BizBlast this week — offering an array of resources aimed at helping businesses of all sizes to be more successful.

The event will be on April 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Baymar Solutions, 1515 Gunn Highway, in Odessa.

BizBlast is organized to give Pasco business professionals an opportunity to visit 21 resource partner stations — allowing those in attendance a chance to learn more about resources that are available that may be helpful to them.

These partners may be able to assist with funding, help establish long-term talent pipelines, create new talent connections, assist with new business programs, offer upskilling opportunities, provide business connections, and more, according to a Pasco EDC news release.

The participating resource partners, in no particular order are: SMARTstart, WorkforceCONNECT, Baymar Solutions, Pasco County Schools, Spherion Nature’s Coast, Rasmussen University, Florida SBDC at the University of South Florida (USF), USF Corporate and Professional Training, Hope Services and Arc Nature Coast.

Other participating partners are: AmSkills, BayCare – Employer Solutions, Boley Centers, Ultimate 3D Printing Store, JMI Resource, Keiser University, Pasco-Hernando State College, Pridestaff, Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, Saint Leo University and CareerSource Pasco Hernando.

Businesses of all sizes are invited to send representatives to find out what resources are available and to plug into existing programs.

Attendees can come and go as they please, throughout the event.

Those planning to attend are encouraged to pre-register by going to PascoEDC.com, and clicking on the events tab.

Published April 05, 2023

Lutz author wants to preserve stories of industrial America

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Jim Kissane began writing stories decades ago, but he didn’t publish his first book until last year.

Now, the Lutz man is wrapping up a second book and is planning to write a total of 13 books in his independently published series called “The Story of Industrial America, 1850s to 1950s.”

The first book, “Railroad Stories Volume One,” is a collection of short stories covering a broad range of topics.

(Courtesy of Jim Kissane)

The accounts range from the exploits of a gentleman train robber, to the creation of Swanson TV dinners.

He shares poignant stories. One tells the tale of a young mother and her baby, who froze to death after getting off at the wrong stop. Another shares the desire of a repentant criminal who wants to return to his mother, but can’t because law enforcement is looking for him.

The historical fiction book is arranged by stand-alone chapters.

The stories offer a human touch — while mixing in facts from the news of the day. Many stories provide descriptions of equipment found on trains and in rail yards and paint a picture of the overall role trains have played in moving people and freight.

One story offers a detailed account in the crucial role the milk trains played in bringing fresh milk to market. Another describes the meticulous nature of the work of a trail walker — who walked miles each day seeking out any potential hazards to keep the tracks safe.

Kissane said the stories aim to preserve a part of history he doesn’t want to be forgotten.

His planned series of books on Industrial America is also motivated by keeping alive stories that he heard in his youth from relatives and family friends, who often did dangerous work in railroads, mining, steel mills and construction.

He plans to include 13 books in his industrial America series, plus another book on America’s westward expansion.

He’s loved railroads since he was a kid
Kissane grew up in Elmira, a city in upstate New York that was a hub for five major railroads.

His dad worked for the Delaware Lackawanna & Western (DL&W) and his grandfather worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR).

They took Kissane to visit the rail yards, giving him an up-close view of the railroad life.

Because of his dad and grandfather’s connections, Kissane enjoyed rides in the cabs of steam and diesel locomotives, and got to ride in cabooses. He met conductors and brakemen on the trains, and hobos in the rail yard.

One of his early jobs involved working for the General Railway Signal Company, a 100-year-old manufacturer of railroad signaling and switching equipment — used by all of the railroads.

Later on, as a volunteer with the Railway Historical Society, he had a chance to help restore vintage locomotives and rolling stock.

He was involved, as well, in the restoration of an abandoned rail line running through the heart of Pennsylvania’s historic Oil Creek Valley, which culminated with the creation of the Oil Creek and Titusville Railroad (OC&T).

Plus, he and his wife, Nancy, served as conductors on steam locomotive excursions, helping people to enjoy a railroad experience that in today’s world, is not easy to find.

All of this serves as a backdrop, to explain Kissane’s deep desire to preserve the history of those early railroad days, as well as share stories about other industrial sectors that influenced the shape of America.

He began working on his books before he realized what he was doing.

“I’m a first-time author. I really didn’t know what it was that I was setting out to do,” Kissane said.

Nevertheless, when the pursuit began to publish a book, he’d already written hundreds of stories.

“Several years ago, I started writing a little collection of anecdotes and short stories, and I felt this was information that was too important to let pass after my lifetime,” he said.

“I wanted to record it for posterity, exposing some of the amazing and interesting people and events and ideas that occurred during that period, 1850s to the 1950s,” Kissane said.

Of course, writing the accounts was just a start.

The work also involves editing and rewriting, deciding which stories should go in which book, additional research and so on.

He praised his wife, Nancy, for being vital in his writing pursuits.

He expressed that gratitude in the introduction to Volume One, when he wrote: “I could not have created this book without her guidance, encouragement and assistance in editing it and putting it together.”

He credited Robin Moore, a self-publishing consultant, who helped put him on the pathway of publishing for a worldwide readership, on the Amazon platform.

The twin goals of Kissane’s work are to share history and to create human connections.

He said he wants his stories “to make you laugh, or cry, or make you say, ‘Oh, my!’” 

He also hopes to stimulate readers’ imagination, encourage conversations and activate people to talk about things they hadn’t realized before, he said.

The accounts he writes welcome readers into a bygone era — revealing what people were like at that time, and offering a look into what they were doing.

“A lot of this is based on the stories that are still very memorable to me, that I heard when I was younger,” Kissane said. Other stories involve people he’s met along life’s path, or that he learned about during his research.

If you want to be a writer, write
Kissane is new to publishing, but he’s no stranger to hard work.

He belongs to a writing accountability club — where writers help each other keep focused. He estimates he writes 4,000 words  to 6,000 words every week.

When it comes to marketing though, well, he put it this way: “I will be the first person to admit, I am the world’s worst marketer.

“This is a whole new venture for me. I am just throwing myself on the mercy of the market and hoping that by word of mouth, people want to have me show up for museum events, or historical societies, or things of that nature,” Kissane said.

His measure of success won’t be the number of books he sells.

“I have had in my heart the desire to have my work published, ever since I was a kid,” Kissane said.

“I’ve always wanted to be a storyteller. I always wanted to write a book.”

If it’s not the number of books he sells, how does Kissane define success?

“It is the reality that I undertook something that’s been sitting on my heart for a long time, and I accomplished it and I did it well,” he said.

Author Jim Kissane is engaged in writing a series of books about Industrial America, from the 1850s to the 1950s. He set about the task because he was worried this history would be forgotten and lost forever, and he wants to do his part to be sure it isn’t.
The series is titled “The Story of Industrial America, 1850’s – 1950’s.”
The first volume, (Railroad Stories, Volume One) is available on Amazon.com. It costs $15 for paperback and is also available on Kindle.
Kissane is  planning 12 other books in this series, plus one about America’s westward expansion.
Kissane welcomes the opportunity to share stories about Industrial America, about his path to independent publishing, or both, for clubs or organizations seeking a guest speaker.
You can reach him at .

Published April 05, 2023

Should future Pasco transportation planning efforts include ‘Vision Trails?’

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The Pasco County Metropolitan Area Planning Organization’s transportation planning needs tend to focus mostly on needed roads and on ways to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety.

But at the board’s meeting last month, discussion turned to a potential way to better plan connections between trail systems.

Pasco County already has a Vision Roadway map, which indicates where the county may want to build new roads, to link parts of the existing network, or extend existing roads to establish better connections.

Pasco County already has a fair number of trails, but elected leaders would like to see better connections between trails, and to communities nearby. (Mike Camuans)

Now, the Pasco MPO board is talking about the value of creating a similar “vision” map for trails.

This particular focus would be on “stand-alone” trails because trails already are included as part of the plan for new roads.

Carl Mikyska, the transportation planning organization’s executive director, prompted the discussion about trails at the board’s March 9 meeting.

As the county works on its comprehensive plan update, it will be charting its course for the future, he noted.

“We have vision roads, currently. Do we want to expand that concept to other transportation facilities, whether it be trails, transit, or so forth?” Mikyska asked the board.

The idea would be to identify and protect corridors the county may need in the future, he explained.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey — who is a passionate advocate for trails — consistently pushes developers to either include trails through their developments, provide ways to link up to existing trails, or both.

Obviously, she likes the Vision Trails idea.

Commissioner Ron Oakley supports it, too.

He’s especially interested in expanding links to equestrian trails, particularly in the Northeast Rural Area.

“We want to be sure that those are included in that map, so that can go out to the Green Swamp and those areas, so they can be used by horseback riders, and (for) all, not just for walkers,” Oakley said.

He added that people who are riding horses or pedaling bicycles should be able to connect to other parts of Pasco County.

Dade City Commissioner Scott Black said there should be a checklist to make sure that trails are being considered, as part of future transportation plans.

Starkey said the stand-alone trails ultimately need to connect to other parts of the network.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Jack Mariano threw in his support for developing a Vision Trails plan, too, characterizing it as “a great idea.”

Besides taking a break from everyday routine, a hike along a trail through the woods can yield glorious views of the marvels of nature.

In other discussion relating to trails, Starkey urged the county’s road planners to provide more space along roadsides, to allow trails to meander, instead of being stuck up right next to the road.

She also asked transportation planners to plan for trees, between the trail and the road, which would provide shade and help protect trail users.

“My problem with that is that there’s no room for any plantings to shade a trail, to shade a path,” Starkey said.

“The other thing that a tree will do, if you put it between the street and the path, is protect you if a car goes off,” she said, reminding her colleagues of the deaths that occurred when a couple riding a tandem bicycle was killed when a vehicle went off the road.

“Most counties are putting much more space between their curb and the multi-use path,” Starkey said, listing Leon, Sarasota and Manatee counties as examples.

“I think we could do much better,” Starkey said.

Black said Starkey’s suggestions make sense.

Besides providing additional safety for users, adding trees along the trail would make them more attractive for users, he said.

Mariano noted that care must be taken, if planting trees next to the street and the trail — to prevent future root damage from the trees.

Black agreed: “I understand, you do have to be careful about that.”

Pasco board members also said they’d like to explore whether it makes more sense to put 12-foot trails on both sides of a road, instead of a 12-foot-wide trail on one side and a 5-foot trail on the other.

If it’s not considerably more costly, the board may want to make that its new policy, Mariano suggested.

Staff members said it would take some time to research the costs and other details. They plan to bring a report back to the board.

Published April 05, 2023

Helping veterans to stand tall

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One Community Now will host its free veterans-only event, Operation Stand Down, from April 21 to April 23, at The Concourse Rotary Pavilion, 11919 Alric Pottberg Road in Shady Hills.

The annual event offers free services, workshops and resources to help homeless and at-risk veterans overcome the barriers they face.

Providers will be on site on April 21 and April 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with services that include: legal advice; housing assistance; VA benefits/SSDI/SSI; education/trades; gift cards/donations; dental/dentures; medical/immunizations; personal hygiene/haircuts; food stamps; employment opportunities; hot meals, and more. Workshops focusing on whole health and community resources will be offered from 2:15 p.m. to 5 p.m., followed by dinner.

Transportation and overnight accommodations will be provided for veterans in need.

One Community also is seeking these donations for Operation Stand Down:

  • Gently used items: towels/washcloths; men’s jeans and shorts, sizes 30 to 44; and men’s and women’s T-shirts, all sizes. All clothing items need to be clean and free of stains or holes. No dress clothes will be accepted.
  • New items: packaged men’s boxers, size small to 3XL; and packaged women’s underwear, size small to 2XL
  • Miscellaneous items: $5 to $10 gift cards to fast food restaurants, Walmart, Wawa or grocery stores; bike locks, bike lights; solar-powered phone chargers; glasses; backpacks; and sleeping bags.

Donations can be dropped off at the One Community office, 5841 Main St., in New Port Richey, Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

For information, call 727-849-4724, email , or visit OCNStandDown.org.

Published April 05, 2023

A new church has been planted in Odessa

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A new church has been planted in Odessa, and Pastor Tony Owens has faith that it will grow into a flourishing place for worship, spiritual growth and community involvement.

Church Experience Odessa has been operating for about a month, through small get-togethers in the pastor and his wife’s apartment.

Efforts have begun to find a larger meeting place, so the church will be able to accommodate those joining the church, as it continues to create a new worship experience in the area, Owens said.

Currently, Church Experience Odessa meets on the first and third Saturdays of the month at 7 p.m.

Owens expects to continue operations as they are for about the next year, but then expects to have  a big grand opening for the church.

The church isn’t just about a worship experience, Owens said.

“Sometimes, we’ll have a movie night or a game night, just different small events,” he said.

It also will get involved by volunteering in community projects, he said.

Owens said he was involved in planting a church in Brandon and also has been involved in advising church planners and other pastors.

Church Experience is based in Dunedin, but has churches that are affiliated with it in Florida, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, he said.

He said he belonged to the church in Dunedin, helped with the church planting in Brandon and then came back to the central church in Dunedin.

Next, he and his wife moved to Orlando, but then returned to the Tampa Bay area.

“I felt the tug by God to plant a church in Odessa,” he said.

The church’s goal “is to help more people experience a full life in Jesus, not just a Sunday worship experience.”

To find out more about Church Experience Odessa, you can reach out to the pastor by calling 813-474-0665 or emailing .

Published April 05, 2023