The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Florida’s 2022 Election—a Red Tsunami

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Governor and Cabinet
Gov. Ron DeSantis beat Democrat Charlie Crist by nearly 20 points. The last Republican candidate to win a gubernatorial race by that much was Jeb Bush in 2002. The race was tight in 2018: DeSantis beat Democrat Andrew Gillum by just 0.4%, necessitating a recount.

For the first time since Reconstruction, Republicans now control all statewide elective executive positions — the governor and the Cabinet (attorney general, chief financial officer, and commissioner of agriculture and consumer services). The governor’s coattails were long: All of the Cabinet members won by double-digit margins.

U.S. Congress
Republican Marco Rubio beat Democrat Val Demings by almost 17 points, becoming the first Republican U.S. Senator from Florida to serve three terms.

Florida Republicans won 20 seats in the U.S. House, and Democrats won eight. Before redistricting and the addition of a seat due to the state’s population growth, the delegation was 16 Republicans and 11 Democrats. The Republican’s four-seat pickup helped Republicans to flip control of the U.S. House from Democrat to Republican. (The new map currently is being challenged in federal and state court.)

Dr. Susan A. MacManus, who lives within The Laker/Lutz News’ coverage area, is widely known for her deep knowledge of Florida politics. She is a retired University of South Florida distinguished professor. (File)

State Legislature
Republicans gained four seats in the Florida Senate and seven seats in the House. The Senate now has 28 Republicans and 12 Democrats; the House has 85 Republicans and 35 Democrats.

Republicans now have a supermajority in each chamber making it easier to control debate and dictate procedural rules. A supermajority is two-thirds of the members in each chamber (27 in Senate; 80 in House). The last time Republicans had a supermajority in both houses was during the 2010-2012 session.

Local School Board Races
For the first time in Florida’s political history, nonpartisan school board races in many counties became political. Controversial school policies related to curriculum (critical race theory; sexual and gender identity), parental rights, and health issues turned parents into activists. Moms For Liberty groups (founded by a Florida mom) supported DeSantis’ call for “Education, not indoctrination.”

In a first, gubernatorial hopefuls made endorsements in some of those races.  Of the 30 candidates endorsed by DeSantis, 25 won election. Of Crist’s seven endorsements, three won. (Tyler Kingkade, NBC News).

How did Florida Republicans win so handily?
It all began with an aggressive registration plan adopted by the party after the 2018 election. Nonstop knocking on doors (2 million) focused on registering new voters and persuading current registrants to switch parties.

In November 2020, there were 134,242 more registered Democrats than Republicans. But by Nov. 20, 2022, Republicans outnumbered Democrats by 305,590. Between Aug. 23 (the primary) and Oct. 11 (book closing), Republicans registered nine new voters for every one Democrat. (Man, Sun Sentinel).

During the Pandemic, 393,800 new voters moved to Florida  (3% of all current registrants) — 46% Republicans, 23% Democrats, and 29% independents (Renfro, Florida Politics.com). Many came here to escape mandatory mask and vaccine rules, lockdowns, and distance learning for schoolchildren.

More than 555,000 Floridians (4% of registrants) changed their party affiliation between January 2021 and Sept. 30, 2022. More of those who switched left the Democratic Party (42%) than the Republican Party (24%). Among those who were No Party Affiliation (NPA) registrants but became affiliated with a party, 62% became Republicans, but only 38% switched to the Democrats. (MacManus, sayfiereview.com).

More Floridians than ever (27%) turned their backs on both major parties and registered as NPAs.  Millennials and Gen Zers (40%) were the most likely to do so compared to 17% of Florida’s two oldest generations. NPAs are viewed as the state’s “swing voters.” In 2022, more NPAs (52%) voted for Republican than Democrat candidates (NBC exit poll).

Winning rural, suburban and urban counties

DeSantis won the rural (70%) and suburban vote (58%), both typically Republican, and the urban vote (56%). Large urban counties that had voted Democrat in 2018 turned red in 2022: Duval (55%), Hillsborough (64%), Palm Beach (52%), Miami-Dade (55%) and Pinellas (55%). Turnout was low in these urban areas among young and Black voters — key Democratic constituency bases, plus the Latino vote shifted significantly to Republicans.

Crist won only five counties (Alachua, Broward, Gadsden, Leon and Orange) — far fewer than the 13 counties won by Andrew Gillum, the Democratic candidate for governor in 2018.

For the first time in 20 years, Republicans won Miami-Dade County — the state’s largest with a majority (70%) Hispanic population. The result drew national attention.

Getting Out the Vote (GOTV)
Turnout actually went down from 63% in 2018 (the previous midterm) to 54% in 2022. The falloff rates were higher among Democrats particularly in heavily populated metropolitan areas. Democratic turnout problems were first evident in the August primary when the party’s turnout rate was 31% compared to Republicans’ 33%, in spite of Democrats having a competitive gubernatorial primary while Republicans did not. The lagging turnout among young (11%), Latino (16%) and Black (27%) Democrats was a sign of what was to come in November.

Getting a potential supporter to actually vote depends on four M’s: the right Message and messenger, the right Means of communication, Microtargeting to key demographic groups, and sufficient Money. Florida Republicans were better at each.

Marketing research in 2022 advised that a message be clear, delivered by ordinary people, and frequently changed. The DeSantis TV commercials were far more effective than the Crist and Demings ads. According to AdImpact, Crist and Demings ads continued to focus on abortion (airing 28,000 times), even when polls showed that Floridians’ priority was economic, especially inflation. Their ads also featured the candidates themselves and ran for long periods. By contrast, DeSantis’ ads featured everyday Floridians, with a different theme every week or so. The most impactful ad for DeSantis featured his wife Casey describing how he cared for her during her fight against breast cancer.

Democrats failed to mobilize two key voting blocs — the young and voters of color. The party relied more on broadcast television and mailers than on different social media platforms and influencer networks. They trailed the DeSantis campaign in micro targeting Latinos via social media and radio, and failed to generate enthusiasm among Black voters, particularly younger ones.

It’s Back to the Drawing Board for Florida Democrats
In 2022, Democrats got the worst drubbing in more than 100 years. Party officials blamed national Democratic groups for drastically reducing contributions to help local parties engage in aggressive year-round registration efforts. National Democratic donor groups sent Florida Democrats just $1.8 million in 2022, down from $55 million in 2018.

They also pointed fingers at over reliance on political consultants from outside Florida, failed efforts at recruiting strong candidates, and poor messaging especially to younger and Latino voters.

In a tweet, Kevin Cate, a political consultant for Democrats, wasted no words: “At the rate Florida is going, an NPA candidate for governor may have a better shot than a Democrat in 2026. It’s that bad. Complete collapse. We either reset or go extinct.”

David J. Bonanza and Anthony A. Cilluffo contributed to this report

Published November 23, 2022

Pepin Academies forms partnership with Pasco County Schools

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Pepin Academies is planning a new charter school on the campus of Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, between the magnet high school and a new public Kirkland K-8 planned on that site.

The Pasco County School Board approved a contract with Pepin Academies during its Nov. 8 meeting to seal the deal on the unique partnership.

Pasco Schools Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd told the school board: “Today, the board is doing something that’s never been done in the state before.

“We are going to support the building of a charter school, Pepin Academies. “We’ve met with them. You have a contract on your agenda today,” Gadd said.

The deputy superintendent described Pepin Academies as “an independently owned charter school that specializes in working with kids that are unique, relative to their abilities, very talented kids.”

He also noted that “Pepin has an incredible reputation throughout the Tampa Bay area.”

Gadd is obviously enthused about the new venture.

“I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to have this kind of partnership, and to be working with the kind of people that are involved with these children at Pepin Academies.

“This is an exciting partnership — a lot of learning ahead of us to figure out how to navigate some of the rules and regulations that the state puts on us, relative to our relationship, but really looking forward to it,” he said.

Jeff Skowronek, executive director of Pepin Academies, stepped to the podium to address the board, and the audience.

“Thank you for your vision, Mr. Gadd. Thank you all for your support,” Skowronek said. “I think fitting today, for Election Day, we are electing to choose and vote for collaboration over competition, and students over division.

“And I couldn’t be more excited, more honored and more humbled to lead Pepin Academies into Wesley Chapel and see where it goes from there,” the executive director added.

Background materials in the board’s agenda packet call for Pepin to operate a charter school for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, at the Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation campus, at 9100 Curley Road, in Wesley Chapel.

The goal is to open the new Pepin school in 2024.

Background materials in the board’s agenda packet say that Pasco County Schools staff has determined “that it is in the best interest of the district to facilitate the construction of this school.”

The school construction must meet all state requirements, and Pepin and the school board have agreed to fund the construction of the school using impact fees.

The school board approved a memorandum of understanding, as well as step-in agreement for the district to take over the school, should the charter school cease operations.

Pepin Academies are full-time exceptional student education day schools that offer a standard diploma option for students with learning and learning-related disabilities in grades three through 12, according to Pepin’s website.

Pepin Academies operates a Pasco campus in New Port Richey, one in Tampa and one in Riverview.

Pepin provides individualized instruction, focused on providing academic and social achievement, its website says.

In other action, the school board is considering changes to a district policy that’s  intended to raise the level of respectful behavior — both from parents and from district staff — when disputes arise on school buses, on school campuses and in district offices.

The board received significant pushback regarding the proposed policy from speakers during its Nov. 8 meeting.

Numerous speakers described the policy as a violation of the constitutional right to free speech and said it is intended to stifle critics who are dissatisfied with the school system’s operation.

They also said that provisions within the proposed policy are subjective and vague, and pressed the board to provide more precise definitions regarding what constitutes a violation.

School board members told Superintendent Kurt Browning that language that pertains to social media posts should be stripped from the proposed policy changes.

Board members told the audience it is not their intention to stifle feedback or free speech.

Rather,  they said, they are trying to protect bus drivers, school secretaries and others who are being subjected to verbal attacks by people screaming at them.

Browning told board members that amendments will be made to the policy before it is brought back for board action, expected in December.

At that point, the board will accept additional public comment before taking a vote on the policy, according to Cynthia Armstrong, the school board’s chairwoman.

Published November 16, 2022

Florida monitoring above average cases of RSV

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The Florida Department of Health (Department) is monitoring an above average number of cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in Florida communities, according to a news release.

This common respiratory virus may cause a higher number of pediatric emergency department visits compared to previous years, the release says.

RSV is an infection of the lungs and respiratory tract with symptoms similar to a common cold. Mild case symptoms can include congested or runny nose, dry cough, low-grade fever, sore throat, sneezing, and headache. In severe cases, RSV symptoms may include fever, cough, wheezing, rapid or difficulty breathing, or bluish skin color.

The health department recommends these steps to help protect yourself and others from respiratory illness:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
  • Stay home if you are sick and keep children home if they are sick.
  • Cover your mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hands.
    Infants are the most affected by RSV.

Symptoms of severe cases in infants are short, shallow, and rapid breathing, struggling to breathe, cough, poor feeding, unusual tiredness, or irritability, the release says.

Most children and adults recover in one to two weeks, although some might have repeated wheezing. Severe or life-threatening infection requiring a hospital stay may occur in premature infants or in anyone who has chronic heart or lung problems.

For more information, please visit the Florida Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Published November 16, 2022

Kings and queens dance the night away

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It was a night to remember.

The Zephyrhills Lions Club, in collaboration with Meals on Wheels, held the inaugural Senior Prom on Nov. 5.

Residents, age 50 and older, donned formal attire, enjoyed a lovely buffet and had some fun “gambling” before dancing “One Enchanted Evening” away — all in the name of raising money for charity.

Mary Gagmon holds her husband, Joe, tight during a romantic slow dance at the first-ever Senior Prom, held at the Zephyrhills Lions Club and presented by Meals on Wheels. (Mike Camunas)

“We were thrilled with the turnout,” said Beth Aker, the event organizer. “Who says raising money can’t just be a fun evening?”

Men in tuxedos and women in formals arrived at the Zephyrhills Lions Club, 5827 Dean Dairy Road, with nothing more on their minds than having fun.

At the same time, they were raising money for Meals on Wheels.

Aker said she would be “thrilled to raise $5,000” with proceeds coming from ticket and raffle sales, a cash bar, other donations, as well as “gambling,” with players using “funny money” on Blackjack, Roulette, Texas Hold ‘Em and more.

About 125 people attended the event, which featured lively music for dancing, a cake walk, giveaways and a crowning of a Prom King and Queen.

After a series of fun questions, the crowd cheered to signify whom they favored to be named the evening’s Prom King — which turned out to be Larry Wills, and Prom Queen, which turned out to be Joan Lawrence.

Aker was encouraged, and gratified, by the crowd’s enthusiasm.

“People were already asking about (prom) for next year,” Aker said. “I really hope we can make this a yearly thing because people are clearly having a great time and, maybe, we can get even more to come to prom next time!”

Published November 16, 2022

Randy Jones, left, rolls the dice as his wife, Paula Jones, left, and Sunny Gebhardt, middle, cheer him on in the hopes he rolls a hard seven and wins some “funny money” while “gambling” during the inaugural Senior Prom at Zephyrhills Lions Club.
Denny Mason dances happily with his date, Helen Druidi, for “One Enchanted Night,” at the inaugural Senior Prom held at the Zephyrhills Lions Club on Nov. 5. The fundraiser brought in money for Meal on Wheels.
Mary Gagmon, left, has a blast dancing with her husband, Joe Gagmon,during the inaugural Senior Prom on Nov. 5 held at the Zephyrhills Lions Club. “One Enchanted Evening” was hosted by the Lions Club and Meals on Wheels, with proceeds going to Meals on Wheels. The 50-and-older event included raffles, funny-money gambling and dealers from Seminole Hard Rock Casino.
Domenic Martucci holds his wife, Barbara, close during a slow dance at the inaugural Senior Prom, held at the Zephyrhills Lions club for “One Enchanted Evening” on Nov. 5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senior Prom Queen Joan Lawrence, middle, tries to decide whether to double down or hold during a game of Blackjack, as Marcie Baker, left, and Denise Oatley-Hall, wait to see if Lawrence will win more “funny money” during some “gambling” at the Senior Prom.
Diane Shelton, left, rolls her eyes to a Prom Court question posed by Senior Prom organizer, Beth Aker, that will help determine if she will be crowned Queen at the Nov. 5 fundraising event.
Mia Clark dances like nobody’s watching. She was accompanied by her husband, Bob, at the inaugural Senior Prom.
Amy and Terry Wilson are thrilled to have Blackjack while “gambling” at the first-ever Senior Prom held on Nov. 5. Proceeds from the event went to support Meals on Wheels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roxanne Haack, left, smiles at her husband, Joe Haack, during a lovely dance for “One Enchanted Evening” at Zephyrhills Lions Club.
Barbara Martucci gets down as funky music plays during the Senior Prom at Zephyrhills Lions club on Nov. 5.
Senior Prom attendees partake in a little “gambling” with “funny money” but with actual dealers from Seminole Hard Rock Casino, with Meals on Wheels being the real winner from the event.
Mia and Joe Clark are having fun on the dance floor at the Zephyrhills Lions Club during the Senior Prom’s “One Enchanted Evening” on Nov. 5.

Nicole first November hurricane to hit Florida in decades

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Hurricane Nicole had weakened to Tropical Storm status by the time it reached the Tampa Bay region, but not before it made history as the first hurricane to hit Florida in November in almost four decades.

Hurricane Nicole was a Category 1 storm when it slammed into Florida, about 3 a.m. on Nov. 10, near Vero Beach, according to national weather reports.

National news outlets showed footage of huge Atlantic Oceans swells, eroded beaches, splintered piers and houses toppling into the ocean in Nicole’s aftermath

Nicole made a rare November landfall, becoming just the third hurricane to make landfall in Florida since 1935. The last time it happened was in 1985, according to Scientific American.

While Tampa Bay escaped widespread damage, it did not avoid substantial disruptions.

The region experienced persistent rain, high winds and power outages.

Perhaps the biggest impacts locally came from schedules that were suddenly shifted to avoid Nicole’s potential threat.

Both Hillsborough and Pasco’s public-school districts closed on Nov. 10. School buses can’t operate in high winds, Superintendent Kurt Browning said, when he announced the Pasco district would be closed on Nov. 10.

It’s not a move the district wanted to make because officials recognize the difficulty of making up the time lost to closure.

Schedules also were disrupted at local colleges.

Pasco-Hernando State College closed on Nov. 10; Saint Leo University also closed its campus in St. Leo that day. Hillsborough Community College and the University of South Florida went remote on Nov. 10.

The City of Tampa, Pasco County and Hillsborough County closed government offices on Nov. 10.  All Pasco County Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources events and activities scheduled for Nov. 10 were canceled, as well.

Trash collection and recycling services were suspended in the City of Tampa, and Pasco County noted that possibility in the county on Nov. 10, too. Pasco residents were advised to put out their trash on their next regularly scheduled pickup up and to contact their trash hauler, if they had questions.

Hillsborough County also announced that its solid waste facilities would be closed on Nov. 10 and that there would be no residential pickup that day.

The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) suspended bus services on November 10, in Hillsborough County, as did GoPasco, in Pasco County.

The state Department of Health in Pasco County also closed on Nov. 10, so staff could work in special needs shelters.

Meanwhile, Veterans Day programs also were disrupted.

Hillsborough County’s Consumer & Veterans Services department and the Veterans Council of Hillsborough County cancelled the 58th annual Veterans Day Tribute, which had been scheduled for Nov. 11 at Veterans Museum, at 3602 N. U.S. 301, in Tampa. Organizers hope to schedule a tribute at a later date.

The Zephyrhills Battle for Veterans event, scheduled for Nov. 11 through Nov. 13, at 5200 Airport Road, was cancelled because of the weather, according to a news release distributed by the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

Published November 16, 2022

Voters make choices known in Election 2022

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Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis cruised to re-election in the 2022 General Election, and Republican Marco Rubio won another term in the U.S. Senate.

Other Florida candidates winning statewide seats include Wilton Simpson, a Republican from Trilby, who is Florida’s next Commissioner of Agriculture; Republican Ashley Moody, who won another term as Attorney General; and Republican Jimmy Petronis, who was re-elected to Chief Financial Officer.

State lawmakers who secured the most votes include Danny Burgess, a Republican from Zephyrhills, in District 23 of the Florida Senate; Republican Randy Maggard, who won the District 54 seat in the Florida House of Representatives;  Kevin M. Steele who won the House district 55 seat; and, Traci Koster, who won the district 66 seat.

Al Hernandez will be joining the Pasco County School Board, replacing Allen Altman who stepped away from the board after 16 years. (B.C. Manion)

At the federal level, Incumbent Republican Gus Bilirakis was re-elected to represent Florida’s 12th congressional district by a commanding margin.

In Hillsborough County, Republican challengers defeated two Democrat incumbents on the Hillsborough County Commission.

Kimberly Overman lost her bid for re-election to Republican challenger Joshua Wostal. Democrat Muriel Smith was defeated by Republican challenger Donna Cameron Cepeda.

Democrat incumbent Harry Cohen won by a thin margin over Republican challenger Scott D. Levinson.

Republican incumbent Ken Hagan also won another term on the Hillsborough County board by a significant margin, defeating Democrat challenger Angela Birdsong.

In Pasco County, Al Hernandez defeated James M. Washington in the nonpartisan race for District 1 on the Pasco County School Board, which was vacated by Allen Altman, after 16 years on the board.

Hernandez joins school board members Cynthia Armstrong and Megan Harding, who won re-election during the Primary.

On the Pasco County Commission, Republicans Seth Weightman and Gary Bradford will be new faces on the five-member board.

The outcome for both of those seats was known before the General Election.

Weightman replaces Mike Moore, who steps away from the board after two terms. Bradford replaces Christina Fitzpatrick, whom he defeated in the Primary.

Besides making choices for elected leaders, voters in Pasco and Hillsborough counties made their voices known on a local referendum on each ballot.

Pasco voters overwhelming approved a 15-year extension of Penny for Pasco, a 1-cent surtax that is divvied up between Pasco County, the Pasco County School Board and the six municipalities within the county.

This Penny For Pasco sign on Fifth Avenue in Zephyrhills wants to make sure that voters realized that the referendum is the last item listed on the ballot. (Mike Camunas)

Hillsborough County, voters rejected a proposed tax to pay for transportation improvements. The transportation referendum had been challenged, was ruled unconstitutional and was the subject of an appeal, when voters cast their votes.

A legal issue also popped up in the Pasco County School Board District 1.

Hernandez initially was disqualified by a judge, after allegations arose claiming that he did not meet the residency requirement.

Hernandez challenged that ruling and won his appeal.

He spent much of Election Day on Nov. 8 holding a political sign outside the polling place at Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, and chatting with people passing by.

He said he could not let the disqualification stand.

“I care about my integrity,” Hernandez said.

Voter Michael Faust, who lives in Land O’ Lakes, came to the polling place at the recreation complex on his way home from work.

Participating in the political process is important to him.

“A lot of people in the world don’t have a chance to vote. A lot of people don’t have a say. I think it’s important, as Americans, to make our opinions known and to ensure the continued existence of our free country,” he said.

While generally not a pro-tax guy, he said he supported Penny for Pasco.

“I do think it’s important to give back to the community. I think it’s a good thing.”

He said his main motivator in this year’s election was to show his support for Florida’s incumbent governor.

“I just wanted to keep Ron DeSantis in,” he said.

Based upon Election Day results, that’s a sentiment widely shared across the state.

VOTER TURNOUT
Hillsborough County: 52.36%
Pasco County: 54.71%

KEY LOCAL RACES

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
Hillsborough County Commission

District 1
Scott D. Levinson: 49.66%
Harry Cohen: 50.34%

District 2
Ken Hagan: 56.58%
Angela Birdsong: 43.42%

District 5
Donna Cameron Cepeda: 52.73%
Mariella Smith: 47.27%

District 7
Joshua Wostal: 52.38%
Kimberly Overman: 47.62%

Hillsborough County Referendum (Transportation)
Yes: 48.72%
No: 51,28%

PASCO COUNTY
Pasco County  School Board, District 1
Al Hernandez: 64.85%
James Washington: 35.15%

Penny for Pasco referendum
Yes: 64.71%
No: 35.29%

 KEY FLORIDA RACES
Governor
Ron DeSantis: 59.38%
Charlie Crist: 39.96%

Attorney General
Ashley Moody: 60.59%
Aramis Ayala: 39.41%

Chief Financial Officer
Jimmy Patronis: 59.98%
Adam Hattersley: 40.52%

Commissioner of Agriculture
Wilton Simpson: 59.31%
Naomi Esther Blemur: 40.69%

State Attorney, 6th Judicial Circuit
Bruce Bartlett: 58.84%
Allison Miller: 41.16%

Florida Legislature
State Senate
District 21
Ed Hooper:  64.76%
Amaro Lionheart: 35.24%

District 23
Danny Burgess: 63.19%
Mike Harvey: 36.81%

State House of Representatives
District 54
Randy Maggard: 61.62%
Brian Staver: 36.11%

District 55
Kevin M. Steele: 77.52%
Charles “C.J.” Hacker Jr: 39.67

District 66
Traci Koster: 60.12%
David Tillery: 39.88%

Statewide Referendums

(Note: Constitutional Amendments require approval of 60% or more to be adopted)

Constitutional Amendment 1: Limitation on the Assessment of Real Property Used for Residential Purposes
Yes: 57.26%
No: 42.74%

Constitutional Amendment 2: Abolishing the Constitution Revision Commission
Yes: 53.87%
No: 46.13%

Constitutional Amendment 3: Additional Homestead Property Tax Exemption for Specified Critical Public Service Workforce
Yes: 58.67%
No: 41.33%

KEY FEDERAL RACES
U.S. Senate
Marco Rubio:  57.69%
Val Demings: 41.26%

U.S. House of Representatives
District 12
Gus Bilirakis: 70.38%
Kimberly Walker: 29.62%

District 14
Kathy Castor: 56.9%
James Judge: 43.1%

District 15
Laurel Lee: 58.55%
Alan M. Cohn: 41.45%

*Sources: Unofficial results from the websites of the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections, the Pasco County Supervisor of Elections and the Florida Division of Elections.

Published November 16, 2022

Voice of The Voter

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The Laker/Lutz News Staff Reporter Mike Camunas caught up with some voters to ask them what motivated them to head to the polls for the 2022 General Election. We share their thoughts here:

  • Maria Cuebas, Zephyrhills: “It’s my duty to vote and I try to regularly vote. … This was one of the most important midterms in a long time. It was important that everyone was heard this time around. Penny For Pasco — it’s going to serve its purpose.”
  • Rolanda Avila, Zephyrhills: “We need to vote and be heard — especially with the way this country has been going. People need to get out and be heard, and voting is the right way to do that. We got to make sure that we turn this around as much as we can and we use every tool that we got to help people that are struggling.”
  • Tiffany Musak, Wesley Chapel: “I just want to make sure that we stay free, because I like our state the way it is — it was an important midterm. I voted for Penny For Pasco because it’s for Pasco. It’s right in the name.”
  • Tammy Loomis, Wesley Chapel: “Yeah, I think (as a teacher), it’s pretty obvious I voted for Penny For Pasco (laughs). I mean, it helps out everyone, our classrooms, especially, and I look at it that way, obviously, because all the teachers need help, but you always want to thrive in our community and that is an important way to make sure that we continue to thrive.”
  • Phillip Fields, Land O’ Lakes: “It’s always important to vote — no matter how long the line is, it’s important to vote at every election. As far as I’m concerned. … It was an important one for our state, but our area, too.” (He also mentioned he voted for Penny for Pasco.)
  • Noel Garcia, Land O’ Lakes: “Well, certainly, I think the governor’s race was really important this time around, but I also think that it’s important to vote (at midterms) to keep control of the House and the Senate, no matter your (party) affiliation. It was important to vote on the school board (members) because those are important for our schools and kids and teachers. I voted to retain Penny For Pasco, because my wife, (and) my mother-in-law, are both teachers, and that, in part, but also so we don’t lose all the funding that goes to the rest of the county, too.”
  • Jessica Powser, Land O’ Lakes: “It’s always important to vote because every vote matters — every voice matters. It’s what makes this country great — that you can vote and matter. … There were a lot of things that we needed to vote for here in Pasco, and I’m glad I did and hope everyone who could did, too.”

Published November 16, 2022

These families stick together — when it comes to seeking votes

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Nick Burgess has been working elections since he was a freshman in high school.

That’s when his brother, Danny Burgess, Jr., decided to run for a seat on the Zephyrhills City Council.

Danny was 18 at the time; Nick was 14.

Ever since Danny’s first election, Nick has been stumping for votes for his brother.

Ken Hagan Sr. spent nearly all of Election Day camped out at Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library, at 2902 W. Bearss Ave., holding a campaign sign to support his son, Ken Hagan, who was re-elected to another term on the Hillsborough County Commission. (B.C. Manion)

This year, on Nov. 8 —the day of the 2022 General Election — Nick was hopping from precinct to precinct.

“I was over in Connerton and then (the) Church of God on (U.S.) 41, there,” Nick said.

“My dad — Dan Burgess, Sr. — he’s at the back of this parking lot,” he said, referring to the election polling place at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex at 3032 Collier Parkway.

Nick said his dad told him: “Man, this precinct hasn’t stopped flowing people in here.

“I said, ‘OK, let’s tag-team it together.

“So, he’s got that entrance,” Nick said, pointing across the large parking lot, “and, I’m taking this one on.”

Other family members were in on the effort, too, Nick said.

Earlier in morning, Danny’s children were waving political signs on their dad’s behalf at Alice Hall, a polling place, at 38116 Fifth Ave., in Zephyrhills, just off State Road 54.

Nick beamed with pride, as he displayed photos on his phone — showing Danny’s children waving signs for their dad.

This year, besides supporting his brother, Nick also was holding a sign to seek votes for Wilton Simpson — the father of Nick’s best friend.

Both of Nick’s candidates won.

Nick Burgess, of Zephyrhills, has been working elections for years, to show his support for his brother, Danny, who was re-elected on Nov. 8 to another term in the Florida Senate.

Simpson, a Republican from Trilby, served as President of the Florida Senate from 2020 to 2022. He will be Florida’s next Commissioner of Agriculture.

Nick’s brother has won another term in the Florida Senate, and will be representing District 23.

Nick is proud of his brother’s accomplishments, and a big believer in the political process.

“No matter who you are voting for, it’s about getting your voice heard. And, it’s what you believe,” Nick said. “If you don’t vote, I feel like you can’t complain, ya know?

“You’ve got to get out, you’ve got to get your voice heard. That’s what’s beautiful about where we live. You have the right to vote for whoever you want to vote for — and, that’s a beautiful thing.”

In his view, local elections have a greater impact on daily life.

“It’s the government that’s closest you that has the biggest effect — city council races, things like that, county commission,” he said.

He enjoys heading to polling places on Election Day.

“You always come in very optimistic, and hopeful,” Nick said.

While the Burgess family was out waving signs for their favorite candidate in Pasco County, Ken Hagan Sr. was doing the same thing for his son, Ken Hagan, a Republican, who was first elected to the Hillsborough County Commission in 2002.

The elder Hagan camped out for nearly the entire Election Day at Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library, a busy polling place in north Tampa, at 2902 W. Bearss Ave.

He held his son’s political sign and, then directly above it, another sign, which proclaimed “My Son,” with a red arrow pointing down to his son’s campaign sign.

Like the Burgess family, the Hagans had something to celebrate, once the votes were tallied.

Candidate Hagan successfully fended off Democrat challenger Angela Birdsong, to win another term on the Hillsborough County Commission for District 2, which encompasses many communities, including Lutz.

Published November 16, 2022

Banded together, for the birds

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The birds are calling — and these kids are answering.

At Learning Gate Community School in Lutz, students have been participating in bird banding.

The work is led by environmental resource teacher Jim McGinity, who uses mist nets to capture birds and band them with tiny tracking nodules. For five days a month each fall and each spring, McGinity and some volunteers take students, of all grades, out into the 30 acres of woods on the campus, at 16215 Hanna Road, to look for birds in the nets.

Learning Gate Community School first-graders Jocelyn Stewart, left, and Sadie Kruz smile but also lean away from a common yellowthroat bird that teacher Jim McGinity holds out for them to observe after banding it. McGinity has set up safe nets for 11 years to catch birds on the school’s 30-acre wooded campus. He then bands them to track migratory patterns. He also brings out students from kindergarten through sixth grade to show them actual fieldwork. (Mike Camunas)

They’ll collect the birds, bring them back to a small learning center, band the birds and then safely release them.

Over a dozen years of doing this project, McGinity has banded more than 900 birds.

The exercise provides a unique opportunity for students to witness, first-hand, how real scientists conduct fieldwork.

“It is hard to measure the value of the students seeing science in action,” McGinity said. “They can read about science in a book, but to watch it live is something completely else and, usually, they learn more this way.

“The hands-on — to an extent — experience of seeing the entire process of actual fieldwork is perfect for them, and, as they get older, we’re recapturing some of the birds from a couple years ago or even four years ago, so tracking the migratory patterns — it’s working! It’s proving the fieldwork is working.”

McGinity emphasized the birds are not harmed in any way, nor do the students handle the birds out of the net or when they’re banded.

McGinity is a fully licensed and trained bander, which required substantial training and experience to become completely certified to run the program and handle birds.

Learning Gate Community School first-graders Norianna Marquez, left, and Ava DiPallo closely examine an indigo bunting that environmental resource teacher Jim McGinity just banded and soon will release.

“We are one of hundreds of banding projects in the country, but also one of the few, if maybe the only one that is a bird-banding project on a school campus,” McGinity added.

Once a bird is safely removed from a net, McGinity will identify its species, measure it, weigh it, determine the gender if possible, and band it.

The wooded area on campus is a stopping area for the birds during migration. During the fall, the birds are headed even farther down south and to other countries.

“We’re contributing to the greater knowledge of the migration of these birds,” he said.

The information is valuable, but the teacher said there’s a low percentage of birds that return. Of the thousands of birds he’s banded, only two of his have been found — at a different location where McGinity bands (Dunedin). One was found in Massachusetts and another in Minnesota.

However, at Learning Gate, it’s a well-received, extremely fun project for the students, especially when they hike out into the woods to search the nets.

Learning Gate Community School environmental resource teacher Jim McGinity holds up a common yellowthroat to show to students, after he banded the bird.

“I really like bird banding because you get to learn about new birds,” fourth-grader Yza Blanco said. “It’s just really fun, and we get to spend time with our nature teacher (Mr. Jim).”

“Sometimes,” added fellow fourth-grader Kealan Cooke, “the birds go to one place and then go back to the same place they were before, and they keep repeating that over and over again.”

In the end, the students are more than happy to release the birds back into the trees. In fact, it’s their favorite part, one meticulously supervised by McGinity who places the bird on students’ outstretched hands, allowing the birds to happily fly away.

They fly away — back and banded — to the call of nature.

“(I’ve learned) that when they migrate, they have to rest in order to keep going to Brazil or Mexico, and that you have to be a professional in order to touch a bird,” Blanco said.

“My favorite part is releasing the birds,” Cooke said, “and I got to release one back in kindergarten!”

Published November 09, 2022

Lincoln Maynard, left, and Jude Elliot prepare to release a common yellowthroat as environmental resource teacher Jim McGinity looks on. The teacher had just banded the bird after catching it in nets set up in the woods on Learning Gate Community School’s campus in Lutz.
First-graders Rae Oates, left, and Liam Graham take a close — but not too close — look at an indigo bunting as part of Learning Gate Community School’s bird-banding program that has been tracking migratory bird patterns for 11 years.
Jim McGinity has just placed a small band on a common yellowthroat, to track the bird’s migratory patterns.
Jim McGinity measures the length of the wing of a tufted titmouse. He also will try to determine the gender of the bird and to weigh it.

 

Zephyrhills addresses exponential growth needs

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As Pasco County’s largest municipality, the City of Zephyrhills has been experiencing rapid expansion. That’s why city officials already are working to try to stay ahead of area growth, which has doubled in the past 30 years.

During an Economic Summit at City Hall, City Planning Director Todd Vande Berg addressed previous, current and upcoming work in Zephyrhills.

This map shows the City of Zephyrhills, with a population topping 18,000 — making it Pasco County’s largest municipality. The dotted lines show the city limits in 1990, while the blue areas show how the city has expanded. (Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

The city planning director addressed how the city population more than doubled in a 30-year period, from 1990 to 2020.

The current population is estimated at slightly more than 18,000.

Zephyrhills also has expanded its city limits, especially in the north and to the west.

Abbot Square, the city’s largest new residential development, has more than 700 units. It’s just off Simons Road.

In total, the city has added 3,000 residential units, Vande Berg said, characterizing that as being “a lot for us, especially our community.”

The city’s residential growth is in keeping with a trend across both Pasco County and the state, the planning expert said.

Since 2010, Zephyrhills has seen a 61% increase in the total acreage of land of the city that is residential, with 2,995 acres dedicated to it.

To go along with the residential expansion, Vande Berg said 364,400 square feet has been added for industrial and commercial use.

That expansion includes new industrial spaces, expansion of Zephyrhills Municipal Airport and the development of the historic downtown area.

Downtown changes include new businesses and buildings. There are a number of other projects, too.

Making it safer and easier for people to get around
As it grows, the city also has been and will continue to seek ways to improve traffic flow, and enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety.

Significant roadway improvements, include:

  • A roundabout at Wire and Pretty Pond roads
  • A traffic signal at Simons Road and Eiland Boulevard
  • An extended right-turn lane on Fort King Road and Eiland Boulevard
  • Improvements to the intersection at County Road 54 and 12th Street, next to Zephyrhills High
  • An extension of Dairy Road to Kossick Road
  • An extension of Kossick Road to Wire Road
  • An alignment of Simons Road

Vande Berg said other measures have been discussed, such as identifying traffic “hot spots,” an additional extension of State Road 56, and improvements to U.S. 301.

“We’re going to look at all the areas in the city that might be considered problematic and call them out, and address those with a solution, whatever that might be,” the planning director said.

The city also has allocated $1 million of the 2022-2023 budget to improve sidewalks. All new development and redevelopment projects are required to build sidewalks adjacent to their sites.

“This will provide a safer haven, a better environment for kids to get to school and onto better sidewalks,” Vande Berg said.

Meanwhile, the city continues to grow.

Its population is expected to exceed 22,600 by 2035.

To address that growth and its needs, the city is updating its Comprehensive Plan, which aims to chart a vision and set policies for future growth through 2035.

An artist’s rendition of The Back Yard, a $250,000 open-air park at the southwest corner of Eighth Street and Sixth Avenue that will feature covered seating, metal storage containers as vendor spaces, and food truck and event space.

The city continues to accept public input, as it works on that plan.

It also is looking to “encourage smart growth,” which will concentrate on building within the city “compact, walkable urban areas to avoid sprawl,” Vande Berg said.

In essence, the city wants to encourage new development and redevelopment in downtown, rather than at its outer limits, he said.

“We can expand and develop what we have downtown and into the residential areas that are there, and that just makes the most financial sense,” Vande Berg said.

Some plans already have been identified, including The Back Yard, an open-air park at the southwest corner of Eighth Street and Sixth Avenue. It will feature covered seating under teepee-like structures, repurposed metal storage containers as vendor spaces, a stage, lighting, an event screen, plus service from food trucks.

That $250,000 project is tentatively expected to begin construction in late February 2023.

Other developments include more tennis courts at the tennis center, plus The Well, a 34,000-square-foot apartment development that can provide long-term housing for up to 90 students and families.

Other projects include a $5.4 million enhancement of Hercules Park, next to Woodland Elementary; additional expansion to the airport; a distillery being planned at an old bank on Gall Boulevard; and, more residential developments, with a variety of housing types.

“Avoiding overuse for residential land has to be key, with a better balance between that and commercial use for a sustainable economy,” Vande Berg concluded. “There is no magical formula, but it’s important not to get too oversaturated with residential.”

Published November 09, 2022