The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Clearing the way for clean water

By

Cleanup event aims to keep waterways clear of debris. (File)

The Pasco County community has pulled through and once again showed its commitment to protecting the county’s environment.

More than 1,200 volunteers took part in the annual Keep Pasco Beautiful cleanup event, picking up more than 46,000 pounds of trash and litter along roadways, public spaces and waterways, according to a news release.

Here is a roundup of the event, by the numbers:

  • 23.3 tons of trash and litter collected
  • 40 locations in Pasco County
  • 1,268 volunteers
  • 3,512 volunteer hours logged

“It’s estimated 80% of the trash in our water originates from land,” Kristen King, Keep Pasco Beautiful coordinator, said in the release.

“That means that we prevented 37,296 pounds of trash from traveling through rivers and stormwater systems into the Gulf of Mexico — which is amazing,” said King.

For more information, visit KeepPascoBeautiful.org.

Pasco’s ‘Ready Sites’ program is attracting companies

By

Pasco County continues to attract manufacturers seeking a place to set up shop, and is heading into a new fiscal year that will show an increased focus on supporting workforce development efforts.

Those were some key take-aways in a report delivered by Bill Cronin, president and CEO of the Pasco Economic Development Council (EDC), to the Pasco County Commission.

Cronin briefed the board on results from the Pasco EDC’s work during the 2021-2022 fiscal year, which wrapped up recently.

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Hospital Inc., is proceeding on a plan to expand its work on a campus in Pasco County. The project is expected to generate 14,000 jobs over time, including positions for people who have not even been born yet. The campus also is expected to become a global magnet for life science and research companies. Pasco already is working on ways it can be ready to meet the workforce demand. (File)

Overall, Pasco’s business recruitment and development efforts are going well, based on Cronin’s presentation.

“Our goal was 14 wins this year. We got 11.

“But if you look at the numbers — what came with that — our goal for capital investment was $100 million. We ended up with $240 million of new capital investment in Pasco County, and over 1,200 jobs.

“When I look around the state at some of the other counties and how they did, we’re trending with some of the big counties in South Florida. And, it’s really because we’ve got the product, we’ve got the people and we’ve got great leadership here,” Cronin said.

“Manufacturing still tends to be one of our leading sectors because we are still one of the only places that has land, and people. That is rare in Florida,” Cronin said.

Cronin said that the Pasco EDC’s Ready Sites program puts the county in a competitive position for attracting companies.

That program involves assessing, evaluating and certifying large tracts to prepare them for industrial development.

The Pasco EDC then markets those sites nationally at trade shows and conferences, as well as on the economic development organization’s website (PascoEDC.com).

The strategy appears to be working.

“We’re still continuing to get great looks on Ready Sites. This has become one of the programs that now has gotten the attention of the surrounding counties because they don’t have land.

“A lot of them (Ready Sites) are now coming to you, with projects attached. So, it worked. We needed the (site-ready) product,” Cronin said.

That program is just one example of Pasco EDC’s arsenal of tools.

“We’re still out calling on companies. We’re still hitting events. We’re still working with our partners, like AmSkills and workforce training partners,” Cronin said.

Other activities include attending conferences locally, nationally and internationally to not only pitch Pasco as a place to do business, but to share information about Pasco EDC programs, too, Cronin said.

The private nonprofit organization receives financial support from both private investors and from taxpayer revenues, through programs supported by Penny for Pasco.

It works closely with Pasco County’s Office of Economic Growth.

During the past fiscal year, Pasco EDC had 91 private investors and brought in $715,000 in private funding to help cover economic development expenses, Cronin said.

The return on investment from public spending on economic development is 146 to 1, he added.

“So that means for each public dollar you give Pasco EDC to put in programs, the gross county product that comes out of that is 146 times the amount of public funds going in,” he explained.

Cronin also offered a statistical breakdown of the project pipeline, by industry:

  • Advanced manufacturing: Five wins, 34 active projects, 20 leads
  • Logistics and distribution: One success, 12 active projects, 25 leads
  • Life sciences and medical technology: One success, 13 active projects, six leads
  • High Technology: Two wins, 16 projects, nine leads
  • Business and professional services: Two successes, seven projects, one lead
  • Aerospace aviation and defense: Seven active projects, two leads

In marketing the county’s strengths, Cronin said his team Is partnering more frequently with the county’s tourism staff.

“Quality of place has become very important, post-COVID, so, you’ll see us doing more things together,” he said.

Pasco also is looking toward trade missions and foreign-direct investments, Cronin said, as international efforts are becoming more active as people begin traveling again.

For instance, Florida Avenue Brewing in Wesley Chapel received a scholarship to go on a trade mission with Enterprise Florida to Panama, Cronin said. “We hope they get some sales.”

Pasco County Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey has a keen interest in international trade.

She told her board colleagues: “We’re talking about doing a Pasco International Day, and I’m thinking we’ll do something here at the board meeting in February. And then we’ll have an event the following Wednesday night with all of our international partners in the county.”

Cronin noted: “That will be business and culture, as well.”

The economic development leader also said he expects Pasco EDC’s efforts to continue strengthening in the area of helping employers meet their workforce needs.

“I think going forward for this next year, you’re going to see us really doubling down for emphasis on startups and emphasis on the talent pipeline.

The county still needs to come up with 14,000 jobs to work at Moffitt Cancer Center’s Pasco campus —some of whom haven’t even been born yet, Cronin said. “And, that’s just for the Moffitt piece of it.”

Published December 07, 2022

TV crime drama may emerge from local novelist’s book

By

Leonard Territo — a retired criminology professor and textbook author — really never expected to write a novel, or contemplated the idea of his book possibly being turned into a television crime series.

But now, an agent working for the former Saint Leo University and University of South Florida (USF) professor, is pitching the series in Los Angeles and Canada.

“They shotgun this stuff out, to see who’s interested,” said Territo, who lives in Land O’ Lakes.

“I would say right now that the LA project looks more promising than Canada. Since the LA people now have asked her (his representative) to write a pilot and an eight-week series, they’re probably more serious,” he said. So, she is going to develop it and submit it.

Leonard Territo, a retired criminology professor and a textbook author, is waiting to see if ‘Ivory Tower Cop,’ a novel he co-authored with George Kirkham, becomes the basis for a TV crime series. (Courtesy of Leonard Territo)

The series is based on a novel called “Ivory Tower Cop,” co-authored by Territo and George Kirkham, another widely known retired criminology professor.

If it gets developed, it will be called “Roth,” based on the book’s main character. That’s because the title “Ivory Tower Cop” was considered to be too long, Territo said.

“Ivory Tower Cop” is a suspense thriller inspired by the true story of Kirkham’s experience of leaving academia to work as a street cop.

It’s also loosely based on a serial rapist whose crimes created terror in Omaha, Nebraska, said Territo, who first learned about that case by reading a story published in a Tampa newspaper.

Territo and Kirkham, who became friends after meeting at a criminology conference, decided to join forces to write the novel.

They traveled to Nebraska to interview the investigators involved in the Omaha serial rapist case.

Territo said working with Kirkham was the perfect collaboration.

“He’s the creative writer and I’m the technician,” he said.

Territo provided the technical details of the crime scene, while Kirkham brought it to life.

“It was a perfect combination. I had skills that he didn’t; he had skills that I didn’t,” he said.

It took about 15 years from the time the idea came up for the novel, to its actual publication.

Territo said the reason it took so long to publish is because they didn’t have an agent. Ultimately, Territo reached out to someone he knew at Carolina Academic Press to work out a deal for publication, which occurred in 2009.

Obviously, considerable time has passed since then — which was long before the George Floyd incident.

To give the potential television series a more contemporary feel, Territo said, “we decided to tack on additional layers to Ivory Tower Cop, for the TV version, not for the book.”

The new material involves a retired police chief who comes from Chicago to work in Miami, and when he arrives there’s a scandal brewing involving a coverup of the death of a young black man who died as a result of excessive force.

This crime thriller involves the pairing up of a Berkely educated professor and a street-smart detective pursuing a brutal serial rapist.

While waiting to see what happens with the TV crime series, Territo is collaborating on a nonfiction work called “Ted Bundy: The Invisible Monster.”

The book is based on murders that Bundy committed in Tallahassee.

Territo was chief deputy in the sheriff’s office there, where Bundy was arrested.

The Land O’ Lakes man said he was involved in some of the strategizing in the early stages of the investigation.

Before he became a professor, Territo worked for the Tampa Police Department (TPD), holding various roles, include the investigation of rape and robbery cases.

That front line experience provides greater insight regarding the impact of crime, than is attainable from reviewing cases involving criminal behavior, Territo said.

“When you work with these victims — the survivors of felonious assaults or rape cases — it is very, very different than looking at that as simply a cold statistic on a paper, or reading a report.

“(With a report) You don’t see the emotion in their face. You don’t hear the trembling in their voice. You don’t see the injury. It’s a whole different dimension,” he said.

His shift from law enforcement to academia was financially motivated, he said.

He found out he could double his salary by leaving his job at TPD to go to work for St. Petersburg Junior College, and he didn’t hesitate.

While working at the junior college, he became an adjunct at USF, and then joined the USF faculty. After retiring from USF, he was bored and was encouraged by friends at Saint Leo University to join the faculty there.

“About six or seven years ago, I was working at Saint Leo, and I was doing a lot of stuff on sex trafficking and had written a number of books on sex trafficking, and was teaching a course on sex trafficking,” he said.

The university was contacted by someone at The Hilton Foundation that was seeking a Catholic University that had faculty members who had academic expertise in human trafficking because they wanted to develop classes for nuns in five African countries who were dealing with people who had been trafficked.

“I collaborated with the Vatican in Rome,” Territo said, regarding the project. He recalled talking to an Irish woman who impressed him because of her keen awareness of the horrible things that happen to people who are trafficked.

After the initial grant, the program was expanded to 17 African countries, Territo said, but he was no longer involved at that point.

Published December 07, 2022

“Kidpreneurs” taking the marketplace by storm

By

These kids mean business.

They are “Kidpreneurs” with self-owned startups selling homemade or resold products at marketplaces hosted by Tampa Children’s Business Fair (TCBF).

Ruby Medoza (or is that Jack-aline Sparrow?) smiles as she makes a sale on a treasure box filled with pirate booty and other fun items, during the Kidpreneurs event at the KRATE in Wesley Chapel. (Mike Camunas)

The TCBF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded with the sole purpose of empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs. They organize marketplaces featuring businesses created and launched by local children.

The Kidpreneurs set up shop at a local rec center or shopping district and try to turn a profit by finding out, firsthand, what it’s like to not only sell their wares, but themselves.

“They’re learning how to be a business owner in a fun, safe and supportive environment,” TCBF founder Danielle Cannon said, “even if they take a chance, a chance you might not be able to take as an adult when your life savings are involved.

Money in hand, Jennah Laktib happily makes a sale with her kid-owned jewelry business during the Tampa Children’s Business Fair on Nov. 29.

“And they’re so articulate and poised and mature and, honestly, much more brave than I was at that age,” she added. “I would have never had the confidence, in a million years, to do what these kids are doing and I don’t want my kids, or any of the Kidpreneurs, to be self-conscious like that.

“I want them to be confident in promoting themselves and their business and know it’s all right to fail at it. That’s an opportunity to learn, not a reason to stop.”

TCBF and its Kidpreneurs marketplaces are not even a year old and just held its third marketplace. This one was on Nov. 29 at the KRATE in Wesley Chapel, hosting more than 30 kid-owned businesses with booths in the outdoor shopping plaza.

Before that event even kicked off, it was so popular that Cannon had to schedule a second one at the KRATE for January.

McKenzie Toledo, left, makes a sales pitch on bath bombs to Tara Stoddard, right, during the ‘Kidpreneurs Take over the KRATE’ event hosted by Tampa Children’s Business Fair, a nonprofit organization that aims to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs. It offers marketplaces where kids and teenagers can learn how to sell their products, find out what it’s like to run a small business and, of course, make some money, too. More than 30 kid-owned businesses were set up at the outside shopping plaza in Wesley Chapel on Nov. 29.

Also, the next marketplace is Dec. 11 in Temple Terrace and features 100 Kidpreneurs, with several others wanting to join in, as well.

“I had to cut it off,” Cannon, a Land O’ Lakes native, said. “Kids want to do it that much.”

Cannon had the idea to start TCBF because the neighbor’s kids wanted to sell bracelets, but didn’t really know how. She thought of having a neighborhood kids’ market, as her two children wanted to sell stuff, too. The neighborhood kept having the market and it kept growing each time.

She formed the nonprofit to help the growing number of kids sell in a market setting, with the first TCBF back in December 2021.

TCBF doesn’t charge for Kidpreneurs to set up with nothing more than a table, a money box or card reader or Venmo account, and the organization relies on donations that go directly to supporting the kids.

At the KRATE market, an anonymous local donor matched donations up to $30,000.

While most Kidpreneurs are out to make money, some do it for philanthropic reasons. For example, Caylynn and Cece Hovan, twin freshmen from Steinbrenner High, donated their proceeds to St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital.

From left: Rachel Nellany, Riley Nellany and Delaney Diffenderfer sell some homemade jewelry and take in money during the ‘Kidpreneurs Take over the KRATE’ event hosted by Tampa Children’s Business Fair on Nov. 29.

“I just think it’s great to get some exposure and socialize and learn what it takes to run a business,” Lutz mom Samantha Haylock said, while watching her daughter, Sage, sell her artwork at the KRATE. “I really hope she gets into another marketplace in the future.”

Added Sage: “And I sold two of my paintings so far!

“I think it’s been really fun to meet customers and then see them buy your stuff. It’s awesome and feels really great to make a sale,” she added.

Fellow local Kidpreneur Stephanie Betancourt agrees.

Elias Dos-Santos shows off some healing crystals to a customer during a Tampa Children’s Business Fair outdoor marketplace.

“I did have a lot of fun coming out here and running a business,” she said. “I learned how to run a business and it takes a lot of work. You definitely have to be friendly and smile a lot.”

Her mother, Amarilys Rodriguez, added: “It was a good experience for her to know how to explain the items and give a good sales pitch and be friendly with customers. I think this is great for the kids and their businesses.”

That’s exactly what Cannon is aiming for: She wants the event to be more about collaboration and less about competition between the Kidpreneurs.

That way they can all get down to business.

“We want them to be supportive of one another and the businesses they bring,” she said. “And they are. You see that when they take the time to walk to the other tables and ask them about their business or products.

“And it’s so impressive to see how these kids grow their business. They come back with more products or say, ‘Next time, we’re going to launch our new design!’ — that’s so cute; I just absolutely love it!”

Tampa Children’s Business Fair
Details: The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization aims to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs with organized marketplaces featuring businesses that were created and launched by local children. The “Kidpreneurs,” ages 6 to 16, develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, plan the cost of goods and pricing, and then open for customers at marketplace events in Hillsborough and Pasco counties. The latest marketplace, held Nov. 29 at the KRATE in Wesley Chapel, featured more than 30 kid-owned businesses. Demand to feature a kid’s business was so high that the organization plans to host another marketplace event at the KRATE, in January. All donations to this organization are used to support the “Kidpreneurs” and host the marketplace events.
Info: Visit TampaCBF.org.

Next Kidpreneurs Marketplace
When: Dec. 11, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Temple Terrace Family Recreation Complex, 6610 Whiteway Drive

Published December 07, 2022

Steinbrenner High freshman Cece Hovan smiles as she speaks with a customer and hopes to make a sale. She and her twin sister, Kay Kay, have their own business.
Amarilys Rodriguez, left, looks on as her daughter, Stephanie Betancourt, tries to sell some of her homemade slime during the Tampa Children’s Business Fair outdoor marketplace.
Zahra Salar, left, and Hafsa Burhan sell stress-relief products that look like ice cream sundaes and yogurts, in a marketplace set up at the KRATE in Wesley Chapel.

At peace in their new homes

By

Rosco jumped up, balancing himself on his owner’s leg.

It was his new owner, Sonia Butler, who adopted the Chihuahua-Jack Russell mix.

“He’s super playful and very close to me,” Butler said.

“Oh, he follows her everywhere,” added her husband, Brian.

Sonia Butler, left, and Erin Crouch hold Chihuahua-Jack Russell brothers Rosco, left, and Freckles. The two dogs were adopted by their new respective owners after their former owner passed while in Gulfside Hospice care. Through Gulfside’s Pet Peace of Mind Program, once a patient passes, Gulfside will work to either relocate a pet with family or work to get the pet adopted by an outside party. (Mike Camunas)

Not too long ago, Rosco’s former owner passed away while in hospice care. The Gulfside Hospice patient left behind Rosco and his brother, Freckles. But thanks to Gulfside’s Pet Peace of Mind Program, the two energetic pups very quickly found forever homes, leaving them happy, healthy and loved.

And taken care of, in the true spirit of Gulfside.

“Freckles was a little more of the dominant dog of the two and more attached to the owner,” the dog’s new owner, Erin Crouch, said, “so he needed a little more time to figure out what was going on. After two or three days, he really perked up and figured out it was his new home.

“We tried to place him through a Jack Russell rescue, but we just fell in love.”

Through Pet Peace of Mind, Gulfside can provide in-home veterinary assistance, pet food and litter delivery, flea and tick and mobile grooming services, and also provide assistance finding the pet a forever home before or after the owner passes.

Gulfside also provides companionship volunteers, who come into the home and spend time with the patient and caregiver. And in that time, some volunteers get to know the pets, too.

Erin Crouch walks Freckles, a Chihuahua-Jack Russell mix, at The Rucki Hospice Care Center in Zephyrhills. Crouch adopted Freckles through Gulfside Healthcare Services’ Pet Peace of Mind Program, which helps hospice patients also receive care for their dogs, from volunteers bringing food and spending time with the pets, to Gulfside obtaining veterinary and grooming services to come to patient’s homes.

Crouch, a home health provider for Gulfside, met her new dog through Pet Peace of Mind.

“(Freckles’ previous owner) was a patient of mine that I saw every week, and I got to know her and the family and the dogs really well,” Crouch said. “It was a no-brainer to adopt him.”

Gulfside Patient Care Volunteer Manager Emilia Peguero says many times once Gulfside starts looking for forever homes for the pet, many of the Gulfside staff will end up as the new owners.

“Sometimes it’s not hard to get them adopted,” Peguero said. “I just know who on staff is going to want to adopt, but we ask the families if they have a back-up plan.

“We don’t want to break anyone’s heart, just as long as the pet has a new home and is cared for.”

Gulfside will create a flier to promote the pet’s adoption, as well as advertise it on social media. And it’s not just dogs that are helped. The program also works on getting cats, birds, fish, and any other kind of animals adopted.

“We’ve got a staff member that whenever we have birds,” Peguero said, “I know she’ll want to adopt them.”

Gulfside volunteer Margaret Griffith loads up pet supplies to take to a patient as part of the Pet Peace of Mind Program. (Courtesy of Emilia Peguero)

Gulfside takes and collects donations of animal supplies, then manages a team of volunteers who deliver them.

Dawn McCallus is one those volunteers.

Once she started working part-time, she was ready to devote time to helping Gulfside and its Pet Peace of Mind Program.

“Those pets are a comfort to the patient and caregivers, McCallus said. “I’m an animal lover. We have dogs, we feed stray cats,” she said.

It feels good to deliver food and other supplies, she said.

“To help the animals, it helps the patient and the caregiver, especially for the caregiver, where you’re taking that away from them — it’s one less worry for them.

“And they’re so appreciative — the caregivers are so very thankful,” McCallus said.

Pet Peace of Mind Program
This program, offered through Gulfside Healthcare, provides extra support to care for a patient’s pet through their end-of-life journey. Donations help provide veterinary care assistance, pet food and litter, flea and tick treatment, grooming care and even assistance finding the pet a new forever home through adoption.

To learn more or to donate to the program, visit www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/ODgxMTg. To volunteer for the program or with Gulfside, visit Gulfside.org/volunteer-with-gulfside.html.

Published December 07, 2022

Wesley Chapel woman hailed as ‘inspiration’ for others

By

There’s a point in Pasco County Commission meetings when the county board passes resolutions to support a cause, or recognize an individual’s contributions.

Commissioner Mike Moore, who left the board on Nov. 21, used his final resolution to draw attention to Brianna Somoano, an author and inspirational speaker, who also is a family friend.

The young woman, who was born on April 25, 2000, is a quintuplet — with siblings Alyssa, Cody, Dante and Evan.

Brianna Somoano, seated, is surrounded by family, members of the Pasco County Commission and county staff members, after the young woman was recognized for her inspiring impact on others. (Courtesy of Pasco County/Andy Taylor)

They were born 27 ½ weeks early and Brianna faced health complications early in life, according to the board’s resolution.

Brianna was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, which affected her gross motor skills — leading her to use a wheelchair and a walker.

When she was just weeks old, she developed a staph infection and became seriously ill. While fighting the infection, her lungs collapsed and she coded for 30 seconds, requiring life-saving measures, the resolution says.

Despite her physical challenges, “since childhood, Brianna has been known for her wisdom. She has always been a source of advice and counsel for her siblings, friends, and family,” the resolution notes.

When she was 15, she began hippotherapy, which is a form of physical, occupational, and speech therapy that uses equine movement to develop and enhance neurological and physical functioning by channeling the gait and movement of a horse, according to the resolution.

The therapy helped Brianna gain confidence and independence, and she began speaking at fundraising events for the Emerald M Therapeutic Riding Center, where she receives her therapy, the resolution continues.

Brianna is currently a motivational speaker, and last year, she decided to share her journey by writing a book called, “My Walk and Conversations with God.”

The book, published on Dec. 24, 2021, is available on Amazon.

It is described this way, on Amazon: “My Walk and Conversations with God is about Brianna Somoano’s walk of faith and her love for God. She touches on different seasons of her life, the ups, downs and moments in between that served to teach her great life lessons about God, herself, and those she loves. She will share different stories that shaped the importance of her faith with different inspirational takeaways: Love Hard, Be Intentional, Live Life to the Fullest, Purpose to Pain, and Let Go and Let God.”

After the resolution was read into the record, Moore told Brianna: “Everybody wanted to honor you and everything you’ve accomplished.

“I’ve known the Somoana family for 15 years now. I’ve had the opportunity to watch all of the quintuplets grow up, from what, probably age 7, on,” he said.

Moore said he wanted to recognize Brianna for her work to encourage others and let them know: “Hey, you can do anything. Anything you want to do. Nothing’s going to hold you back.”

Moore also noted that he was talking with Brianna’s parents, Jack and Kathy, one day and they were marveling about how Brianna’s book is inspiring readers across the country.

“So, you’re a blessing,” he told her. ““We’re so very proud of you. We want you to continue to inspire others.”

Brianna told board members she was honored by the recognition.

“It’s always my greatest joy to be able to inspire my community.

“I feel like that’s one of my main purposes in this world, to show other people that no matter what you go through, you can accomplish anything,” she said.

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey told Brianna: “I’m very proud you are a citizen in our county. Wow, really inspiring. Great job!””

Commissioner Ron Oakley told the young woman that she’s a source of inspiration, proving that people can do what they set their mind to do.

“My office is open to you, whenever you need help or direction in this county, I will be there to help you,” Oakley assured Brianna.

Published December 07, 2022

Simple steps can help prevent holiday fires

By

Here are some pointers from the National Fire Protection Association, to help you to keep the season merry and bright — and avoid the dangers of a holiday fire.

When decorating

  • Choose decorations that are flame-resistant or flame-retardant.
  • Keep lit candles away from decorations and other items that can catch fire.
  • Pay attention to the holiday lights you are using and where you display them: Some lights are for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.
  • Replace any string of lights that has worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections.
  • Follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding the number of light strands to connect.
  • Use clips, not nails, to hang lights to avoid damaging cords.
  • Keep decorations away from windows and doors.

When entertaining

  • Test your smoke alarms and tell guests about how to evacuate safely, in case of a fire.
  • Keep children and pets away from lit candles.
  • Keep matches and lighters stored high.
  • Stay in the kitchen when cooking on the stovetop.
  • Ask smokers to smoke outside. Remind smokers to keep their smoking materials with them to prevent young children from touching them.
  • Provide large, deep ashtrays for smokers. Be sure to moisten cigarette butts with water, before discarding them.

Before heading to bed

  • Blow out lit candles when leaving a room, or going to bed.
  • Turn off all holiday lights and decorations before leaving home or going to bed.

Reminder: Be very careful with candles
More than one-third of home decoration fires are started by candles. Nearly half of all fires involving holiday decorations occur because the decorations are placed too close to a heat source.

Pointers to prevent Christmas tree fires

  • Choose a Christmas tree with fresh, green needles that do not fall off when touched.
  • Cut 2 inches from the base of the trunk before putting the tree in its stand, to help it absorb water.
  • Be sure your tree is at least 3 feet away from any heat source, such as a fireplace, radiator, candle, or heat vent.
  • Make sure the tree is not blocking an exit.
  • Once you’ve placed the tree, add water to the tree stand. Be sure to add water daily.
  • When adding lights to the tree, be sure the lights are listed by a qualified testing laboratory. Pay attention to what type of lights you are using. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, while others can be used for both.
  • Pay attention to how many light strands can be safely connected (read manufacturer instructions).
  • Never use lit candles to decorate the tree.
  • Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.
  • Be sure to keep your Christmas tree watered through the holidays. After the holidays, dispose of it.
  • Remember that dried-out trees are a fire danger and should not be left in the home or garage, or placed outside against the home.

Published December 07, 2022

Recycle your tree for the environment

By

Pasco County once again will offer the Trees to Trails program for anyone interested in recycling their live Christmas tree after the holiday, according to Sarah Andeara, public information officer Pasco County, in an email to The Laker/Lutz News.

The trees are chipped for use in Pasco County parks, to mulch trails and plant beds.

The program is available Dec. 26 through Jan. 11.

Drop-off locations include:

  • Wesley Chapel District Park, 7727 Boyette Road. Call 813-345-3145.
  • Veterans Memorial Park, 14333 Hicks Road in Hudson. Call 727-861-3033.

As a general rule, all tinsel, lights, decorations and tree stands must be removed prior to drop-off.

Published December 07, 2022

Pasco bids adieu to tough litigator, after 20 years

By

She may not have been a household name around Pasco County, but Katherine “Kristi” Sims was a familiar face representing Pasco County at court hearings.

During her 20 years with the Pasco County Attorney’s Office, the senior assistant county attorney litigated nearly 6,000 ordinance violations.

But that’s just one aspect of the work she did, until retiring in October.

Her other accomplishments include the creation of the first local government ordinance in Florida to address “spice”/synthetic drugs, based on deficiencies in package labeling.

Her legal work also led to the county’s demolition ordinance, which requires demolition or repair of slum, blighted or dangerous structures. Ultimately, that led to nearly 1,000 structures torn down or repaired.

Katherine ‘Kristi’ Sims is congratulated for her 20 years of service to Pasco County. She’s joined here by her husband and by the county administrator, the clerk and comptroller, colleagues in the county attorney’s office and the county board. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

Sims also was a driving force in a county initiative known as the “High Return Enforcement” task force, which combined personnel from multiple agencies to collaborate on enforcement issues. Strategies they employed included filing nuisance lawsuits under state law and petitioning for a guardian to be appointed in hoarding situations.

Those are just a few of the creative investigative and legal approaches that Sims harnessed to enforce laws and improve safety for Pasco County residents, according to a resolution, adopted by the Pasco County Commission as an expression of the board’s appreciation.

Pasco County board members at that meeting lavished Sims with praise and County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder remarked that Pasco was fortunate to have someone with Sims’ background representing it in the arena of code enforcement.

Typically, litigators handle those types of cases for about five years and then move on to the other things, he said.

Sims didn’t move on, though, giving the county the luxury of being represented by a highly experienced and knowledgeable attorney to tackle those issues, Steinsnyder said.

Sims also was known for her willingness to share her institutional knowledge with her peers, regarding county laws and previous litigation.

She also served as counsel for the Pasco County Construction Board and the Pasco County Canvassing Board, and she drafted all orders issued during local states of emergency, the resolution notes.

Sims legal work, county board members said, improved life for Pasco County residents.

“Kristi, it goes without saying, you’re going to be missed. You’ve done a fantastic job and I certainly appreciate everything you did for Pasco County. You worked very hard. You were very successful, in what you do,” said Commissioner Ron Oakley.

Commissioner Jack Mariano added: “Kristi, you’ve been nothing but amazing. As far as a litigator goes — none better. Your passion has been phenomenal in making this county better. You have made a huge difference. You have helped this county in tremendous ways.

“You can hold your head high, you’ve made Pasco County a better place.”

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey lamented Sims’ departure.

“It’s just a huge hole for me. I just want to thank you for taking my calls, at all hours.

“Gosh, your dedication to your job and the challenges that we face here — immeasurable.

“When you said you were leaving, it was really hard to take. I’m very sad this day has come.

“You really have left your mark on this county, and I’m really going to miss you.”

At the podium, Sims addressed the board by first announcing herself: “Kristi Sims, senior assistant county attorney for the Pasco County Attorney’s Office.

“I just wanted to say that one more time,” she told the board, keeping her composure, but acknowledging that she was feeling emotional.

When she was hired and made her first appearance before the board, she said she kept her remarks to these six words: “Thank you, I will do my best.”

“I did,” she said.

“We did,” she added.

She acknowledged many others — including the county board, the county attorney, her peers on the county’s legal team, and both county and constitutional personnel — for helping her to succeed.

She expressed gratitude for being granted “creative freedom, support, respect … to do all of these things that I find to be important.

“Thank you so much, for five years ago recognizing that there was a path to do more than what we had been doing,” Sims said. “I’m proud of what was accomplished.”

The work required long hours away from family, Sims said.

As well as stress, Steinsnyder said.

But, as she and her family set off on the next chapter of her life, Sims summed up her time in Pasco this way: “It was all worth it.”

Published December 07, 2022

Pasco leaders cite safety concerns over blocked sidewalks

By

The Pasco County Commission has been weighing in on design standards for subdivisions for several months, and now they’re pushing for changes aimed at keeping sidewalks clear.

It’s a public safety issue, according to Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey, who shared photos of cars parked in driveways — blocking the sidewalks in front of homes.

“The kids were riding their scooters in the street because they couldn’t use the sidewalks,” Starkey said, during a recent board meeting.

“Same in my neighborhood,” chimed in Commissioner Ron Oakley.

Starkey continued: “I think we need to be looking at these driveway lengths and making sure this (blocking of sidewalks) doesn’t happen.

“I’ve talked to some developers already about solutions for this, but this is something that we need to get ahold of because we’re going to have children get hurt.”

Oakley added: “I think this happens often in (subdivisions of) 40-foot lots and 50-foot lots.”

Pasco County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder said: “Anywhere where you have a garage setback that’s 20 feet or less, you’re going to see this.”

Starkey said the issue falls under the jurisdiction of homeowner associations.

“So, if the HOA is not doing it, not doing their job, then we have to step in,” she said.

“I guarantee you, one of those cars is going to pull out and not see a little one riding her little scooter, or trike, because she can’t ride … safely in her neighborhood.

“I’m not OK with this,” Starkey said. “And, we need to address this, in my opinion, pretty quickly.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano said setbacks are an issue, not only for parking but also for installation of propane tanks and air conditioners on the sides of houses.

“Staff is struggling with all of this stuff.

“I think it’s time to do a workshop on this. What we don’t want to do is build homes like this where the kids can’t go on a sidewalk, they’ve got to in the street. It’s dangerous. It looks lousy, and it’s just not good for the long-term growth of this county,” the commissioner added.

“We need to pick what we want. Do we want to be a high-level premiere county? Or, do we want to allow that? Stuff like that,” Mariano said.

Oakley concurred: “We need to get rid of this.”

The discussion occurred during the portion of the meeting reserved for board comments, so no formal action was taken. However, since a majority of board members appear to think action is needed, the issue is likely to resurface at a future board meeting.

Published December 07, 2022