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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Pasco’s opioid task force will help shape funding priorities

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The Pasco County Commission has determined what the makeup will be for the county’s opioid task force.

The appointed board will serve to advise commissioners, regarding expenditures of funds the county will receive from a settlement involving national prescription opiate litigation.

Forming the advisory body is a necessary component for the county to qualify for a portion of the settlement proceeds.

The group will develop an abatement plan that identifies strategies currently being utilized to respond to the opioid epidemic, and will present the plan to the county board by Dec. 1.

The membership of that board will include:

  • The Pasco County Fire Rescue fire chief or designee
  • The Pasco County superintendent of schools or designee
  • The Pasco County sheriff, or his/her designee
  • The Pasco assistant county administrator for public services, or designee
  • A representative from New Port Richey and Zephyrhills, who will alternate
  • The director of the Florida Department of Health Pasco County, or designee
  • A person with subject matter expertise in public health or addiction, who is employed by a provider of opioid-related services in Pasco County, who is nominated to the task force by the county administrator and approved by the county board
  • The chief judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit or designee
  • A representative from Pasco Alliance for Substance Addiction Prevention (Pasco ASAP), or its designee
  • A person with subject matter expertise in public health or addiction, who is retired, who is nominated to the task force by the county administrator and appointed by the county board

The biggest point of contention was whether or not a member of the county board should serve on the task force.

Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick advocated for having a commissioner on the task force and that she would like to serve in that capacity.

Commissioner Mike Moore was adamantly opposed, saying the task force should be made up of professionals in the field.

“I don’t think any commissioner should be on it. We need to leave it to the doctors, the nurses, the licensed mental health counselors, the psychiatrists, the psychologists, somebody from the sheriff’s office because they have somebody that’s dedicated to this issue, probably somebody from fire rescue, as well, that treats this on a regular basis, that deals with this on a regular basis. Let them bring this back to us, then we’ll make the decisions from there,” Moore said.

But Fitzpatrick said: “I would like to be on that board. I have been involved with ASAP and substance-exposed newborns since 2012.”

Moore, however, prevailed when he made a successful motion to ensure no board members were named to a seat on the advisory board.

Initially, the county’s assistant county administrator for public services, or designee, will chair the task force. After that, the task force will select its own chair. Seven members of the task force must be in attendance, for the group to have a quorum.

Published September 01, 2021

Pasco and Hernando work out joint funding for road improvement

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Pasco and Hernando counties have approved an interlocal agreement relating to improvements on County Line Road and the intersection of Waterfall Drive/Winding Oaks Boulevard.

The total estimated cost of the project is $645,198.00.

The intersection improvements are programmed and funded for construction in Pasco County’s fiscal year 2021 capital improvements program, according to materials in the Pasco County Commission’s Aug. 24 agenda materials.

“Since these improvements also benefited Hernando County, they shared the cost of preparing the design plans, which were completed by Coastal Design Consultants Inc., and will be sharing in the cost of construction of the project,” the agenda materials say.

“The scope of work for the project will include the construction and construction engineering inspection for a new traffic signal on County Line Road and Waterfall Drive/Winding Oaks Boulevard, signal interconnection conduit and fiber along County Line Road from East Road/Cobblestone Road to the Waterfall Drive/Winding Oaks Boulevard intersection, street lighting along County Line Road within the project limits and a new right-turn lane on Waterfall Drive at County Line Road (CR 578).

“The request for this new right-turn lane on Waterfall Drive at County Line Road is being made by Hernando County and will be fully funded by them, the agenda materials say.

The project costs will be split 50/50 between Pasco and Hernando, except for the cost of the right-turn lane being paid for by Hernando.

Hernando will pay Pasco its share of the costs at the commencement of the work.

The Hernando County Commission had already approved the interlocal agreement, subject to approval by the Pasco County Commission.

Published September 01, 2021

Browning named best FACTE superintendent in Florida

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Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning has been awarded the top honor among Florida superintendents in the arena of career and technical education.

The award — long delayed because COVID-19 and shipping complications — was delivered to Browning during the Pasco County School Board’s Aug. 17 meeting.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning

Rob Aguis, director of Fred K. Marchman Technical College, bestowed the award to Browning, on behalf of Marsan Carr, executive director of the Florida Association for Career and Technical Education, known as FACTE.

Aguis told board members that Browning originally was set to receive the award during FACTE’s summer 2020 conference. But that was delayed because of COVID-19.

The conference was held in the fall, but that happened virtually, Aguis said.

Initially, when the trophy was shipped, it arrived in pieces. Then, it was sent listing the wrong county.

But the third time was the charm, and Aguis was finally able to hand it off to Browning.

In doing so, he cited letters of support for Browning, written by Colleen Beaudoin, a school board member and Vanessa Hilton, chief academic officer for the district.

They said, “Mr. Browning’s vision includes providing opportunities for every student to earn industry certification, in addition to providing multiple ways to earn college credit.”

They also noted that under Browning’s leadership, Fred K. Marchman Technical Education Center underwent a $15 million transformation to became Fred K. Marchman Technical College.

Another high point of Browning’s leadership was the conversion of Ridgewood High School into Wendell Krinn Technical High School, a choice school for students who want to earn industry certification, college credits, and be ready to work.

The district also has broken ground on Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation will deliver highly advanced career and technical education programs, to give students a head start on rewarding careers.

In essence, according to Beaudoin and Hilton, Browning, “desires his district to provide a world-class education that ensures each student is a full-option graduate,” with the freedom to choose any path for the future.

In accepting the honor, Browning observed: “Oftentimes, the leader of the district gets recognized for the great work of the district. I will tell you, that it has very little to do with the superintendent of the district, but of the people that make this district what it is today.”

He then went on to reiterate his commitment as the district’s leader.

“I am fiercely dedicated to making sure that each one of our students is prepared for college, or career and life,” he said. “It doesn’t happen by accident. You have to be intentional and you have to be deliberate when you do that.”

He concluded his remarks by expressing enthusiasm for the district’s career, technical and education programs.

“Great days are ahead for us in CTE,” Browning said.

Published September 01, 2021

More changes are coming to Central Pasco

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The Pasco County Commission has cleared the way for more changes to come to the central part of Pasco County.

The county board voted on Aug. 24 to approve changes to a master plan unit development (MPUD) on the west side of U.S. 41, between Roaches Run and Causeway Boulevard. The changes allow a maximum 275,000 commercial retail square feet and create a land use equivalency matrix, to expand the types of uses.

Those additional uses are office, medical office, health care-related, light industry distribution, multifamily residential, single-family attached residential, senior retirement/assisted living/aggregate home and public institutional uses.

The request was filed by Hagman Groves Inc., and RS Roach LLC, who were represented by attorney Barbara Wilhite.

The county board also approved a request to change the name from Causeway Center Commercial MPUD to Causeway MPUD, to better reflect the potential uses.

The commercial retail square footage shall be a minimum of 100,000 square feet.

Residential uses will only be allowed on the parcels abutting U.S. 41, if they are part of a vertically mixed-use integrated building.

Commissioners also approved a variance to reduce the number of required parking spaces in the development. And, they granted a deviation from the county’s standard platting procedure, for this specific project.

Brad Tippin, the county’s manager for development review, explained what the county is trying to accomplish with the platting deviation.

“One of the things that we’re doing — the development services branch and public infrastructure branch — are working together to try to reduce the overall timelines to market for some of these types of projects. So, one of the things that we’ve included in here is a deviation from our standard platting process,” Tippin said.

“We only are doing this in this particular project and we can only do it upon your approval of this particular set of conditions that would actually allow us to do that. We’re going to give it a trial run, see how it works,” Tippin said.

He added: “Some other jurisdictions are doing something similar.”

The county hopes this approach will help shorten its timelines, Tippin said.

Wilhite, representing the applicants, told commissioners: “I think we’ll come up with something that will bring this project to market quicker.”

In other action, the county board:

  • Approved a request by Pulte Homes to rezone the southwest corner of Lake Patience Road and Perdew Drive to allow 240 single-family detached homes on approximately 80 acres.

Attorney Clark Hobby, representing the applicants, noted the density “is roughly one-half of the density that would otherwise be permitted on the site.”

He added: “Every property that’s adjacent to the site, running for approximately six miles, have MPUDs or large-scale developments to the west.”

In other action, the board:

  • Established the Connerton East Community Development District, east of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, West of Ehren Cutoff, and South of State Road 52. The district covers 1,274.6 acres.
  • Approved a text amendment to the county’s comprehensive plan to allow a broader array of uses to be considered on the Paw Materials property, on the north side of State Road 52, about one-quarter mile west of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard. The policy previously contained the word “support” when referring to commercial and retail entitlements. Removing the word “support” expands the list of potential uses.

Published September 01, 2021

Zephyrhills to receive over $8 million in COVID-19 relief funds

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The City of Zephyrhills will receive about $8.24 million in federal grant funds — direct monetary relief related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funding is part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), signed into law in March by President Joe Biden to speed up recovery from economic and health impacts due to the pandemic.

The $8 million-plus figure is based on the city’s resident population.

Zephyrhills is considered a non-entitlement city, so it will receive its ARPA allocation from the state’s Florida Division of Emergency Management rather than the federal government directly, according to a staff report from Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe.

All available information suggests there will be two allocations — one year apart — with the first allocation anticipated sometime after Oct. 1 of this year, Poe said.

Funds will be disbursed to the city within 30 days of the state receiving the funds from the federal government. They are to be used to cover expenses incurred by the city before Dec. 31, 2024.

The funding can be used to respond to the following:

  • Public health and economic impacts
  • Premium pay for essential workers
  • Revenue loss
  • Investments in infrastructure

Poe further explained how the relief funding could be deployed down the line, while addressing the Zephyrhills City Council during an Aug. 23 regular meeting.

“It’s pretty clear you can spend it on water or wastewater and broadband infrastructure,” he said. “There’s also an argument that you can spend it on parks and open areas; I just haven’t figured out exactly how they’ve made that argument, and so we’re looking at that, as well.”

Additional meetings will be scheduled to discuss and approve the allocation of funds to the appropriate projects, Poe said.

The city council unanimously approved the ARPA coronavirus local fiscal recovery fund agreement, and authorized the city manager to electronically sign the necessary documents.

Published September 01, 2021

Zephyrhills sets legislative priorities

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The City of Zephyrhills has solidified three legislative projects to present to the Pasco County legislative delegation at its annual meeting.

The session is set for Sept. 1 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Zephyrhills City Hall, 5335 Eighth St.

The public, and representatives of various interest groups and local governments are invited to present their requests to the delegation before the 2022 Legislative Session begins.

The City of Zephyrhills is seeking a $5 million state appropriation for myriad improvements to Zephyr Park, 38116 Fifth Ave. Shown here is a draft concept from a park master plan. (Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

With that, the Zephyrhills City Council unanimously approved a staff recommendation to seek funding for the following multimillion dollar projects, during an Aug. 23 regular meeting:

  • Sewer main extension/water main extension — Kossik Road and Fort King Road ($3.48 million)
  • Zephyrhills Municipal Airport — taxiway, two box hangers, fixed-base operator/terminal ($5.33 million)
  • Zephyr Park improvements ($5 million)

The next step was for representatives from the city to ask state Rep. Randy Maggard and state Sen. Danny Burgess to sponsor the projects on its behalf, during the delegation meeting.

Here’s a closer look at the priority projects, which also were outlined in a report prepared by Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe.

Sewer main extension/water main extension — Kossik Road and Fort King Road
This $3.48 million project calls for connecting sewer lines along Kossik Road from U.S. 301 to Fort King Road, then from Fort King Road north to Phelps Road and south to Simons Road.

It also includes a water main along Kossik Road, from Greenslope Drive to Fort King Road.

The sewer main portion will allow for the decommissioning of existing septic tanks along the route and will accommodate proposed development.

The water main portion will create a loop in the system, allowing for redundancy by being able to service the area from different directions.

The comprehensive project, Poe said, “will help to create a loop for the water system and install a sewer main that’ll open up our system, kind of in the northwest corner of our city.”

Zephyrhills Municipal Airport — taxiway, two box hangers, fixed-base operator/terminal
This Zephyrhills Municipal Airport improvement project is three-pronged, with each portion combining to total $5.33 million, if funded in its entirety.

The first piece calls for two box hangers on the southern infield — totaling slightly over $1.9 million — to house larger aircraft and boost economic development opportunities in coordination with the extension of Runway 1-19.

The housing of aircraft at the airport also will help to increase turbine operations, therefore beneficial for future FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) funding, officials say.

The second portion — totaling $725,000 — would be the construction of the parallel taxiway, from Runway 5-23 north to Taxiway Bravo to allow aircraft housed in the proposed hangers to access both runways 5-23 and 1-19.

The project’s third component is to construct a new fixed-base operator terminal — costing $2.7 million — to offer better service to pilots that fly in and out of the airport.

Poe said the airport project can be split into separate parts, but advised the entire package be submitted to the delegation, “and then let the state say, ‘Hey, we would only like to fund half of that, or a portion of it.’”

The airport is located at 39450 South Ave.

Zephyr Park improvements
For the past several years, the city has conjured up various ideas on how to spruce up the 34-acre Zephyr Park, at 38116 Fifth Ave.

It presently features Alice Hall Community Hall, lighted tennis courts, handball, fishing, picnic pavilions, barbecue grills, horseshoe pits, playground equipment and a lakeside trail.

But the Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) envisions the community park to be much more — a place within walking distance to the city’s downtown core, intersecting recreation, fun and art.

Redeveloping the space into a blended urban natural park would provide a connection from downtown to the west of the CRA district, officials say, while promoting the economic development of surrounding neighborhoods and expansion of the downtown area.

The city organized a community open house back in May 2016 to gather input on what enhancements residents would like to see at Zephyr Park. A Zephyr Park master plan also was completed shortly afterwards, by project consultant Kimley-Horn and Burkhardt Construction Inc.

A draft concept shows an event lawn, family fun zone, wedding lawn, dog park, history garden, splash pad, fitness zone, bandshell, and pedestrian bridges, boardwalks and terraces surrounding Lake Zephyr, among other frills.

Should Zephyr Park gain state funding — is requesting $5 million— Poe acknowledged that staff will revisit and likely refine some of the park’s drafted redevelopment plans “because it has been several years,” since those talks took place.

The city manager put it like this: “We’ll look at it, talk about it, tweak it, because, you know, maybe the interest of the community has changed from the time when we originally did the plans, so we’ll look at all that.”

Published September 01, 2021

Pasco identifies spending plan for ‘American Rescue’ dollars

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The Pasco County Commission has approved a plan for how the county will spend $107.6 million in federal money intended to help local governments respond to impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.

County Administrator Dan Biles presented proposed projects and initiatives that would be supported by the funds, which the county board approved at its Aug. 24 meeting.

The plan also must be approved by federal authorities.

The county is proposing that about $98 million of the money be spent on these projects:

  • Acquisition of the Lindrick Utility system. Using the federal money will enable the county to acquire the system with a zero rate increase for county ratepayers as a whole, Biles said.
  • Wesley Chapel Library: This will build the next library that is needed in the county’s master plan, on land it already owns, in the fastest-growing area of the county, Biles said.
  • Jail construction: Will pay for changes to the design to address the issue of infectious diseases, not just COVID-19, but infectious diseases, as a whole, Biles said. This expense is in addition to the money that has been set aside from the general obligation bond, which was approved by county voters.
  • A super park at the Villages of Pasadena Hills. This is the highest priority on the county’s parks master plan, now that Starkey Ranch District Park is effectively done, Biles said. This will provide a significant source of money for the project.
  • A park project in Magnolia Valley.
  • Funding for dredging work.

The county also identified $5.5 million in expenditures for:

  • COVID-19 mitigation/prevention
  • Treatment and medical services

And, under the category for public safety and county operations, it includes an estimated $4 million in spending for:

  • Premium pay for county workers
  • County facility maintenance/upgrades
  • Cyber security upgrades
  • Technology improvements

Biles said the list totaling $98 million has some built-in room for price changes due to market conditions.

At the suggestion of Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, and the consensus of other board members, the county added another category to its list. The money will be earmarked to support economic development efforts in the U.S. 19 corridor.

Biles told commissioners that the county spent a lot of time in webinars, on telephone calls and researching how jurisdictions around the nation and state were using the American Rescue Plan Act funds.

“Ultimately, we focused, really, on the revenue recovery piece,” he said.

Based on the model that the county used, it will be getting less revenue than it lost. However, Biles added, “ultimately, there are fewer reporting requirements based on that.”

Treasury wants to know what the county plans to spend the money on, but reporting requirements are different.

The money will be disbursed in two payments, one in fiscal year 2021 and the other in fiscal year 2022. It must be spent, with a few exceptions, by Dec. 31, 2022, Biles said.

He also noted that changes can, and most likely will, be made to the plan as time goes on.

Published September 01, 2021

Just in time for Labor Day, labor-saving tools for the kitchen

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Labor Day — a holiday devoted to workers — celebrates strides that have been made to reduce harsh working conditions.

Remember, the 8-hour workday and 40-hour workweek weren’t always standards.

Breaks during the workday weren’t required, either.

While workplace requirements have eased, there’s still a fair amount of work that goes into preparing, serving and cleaning up after meals.

It’s not just a matter of the work you do at home to prepare meals, there’s also menu planning, a shopping list and putting away your groceries — before you even start to prepare your meals.

The electric pressure cooker is versatile and also can act as a rice cooker, slow cooker, yogurt maker, and more, plus has lots of programmable and automatic features that make it easier to use. However, stovetop pressure cookers cook faster. (Shari Bresin)

A U.S. Department of Agriculture study, done through the Economic Research Service, revealed that in 2014 it took 51 minutes for the average American adult to prep and serve a meal, then clean up after it.

That varies, too, based on the demographics. Those without children spend 50 minutes on average, and those who are employed, spend 45 minutes.

Those with children spend 74 minutes, and those who are unemployed or retired spend 72 minutes, on average.

Men tend to spend less time, 37 minutes a day, while women spend 66 minutes a day, prepping meals.

Those surveyed who said they purchased carry-out, delivery, prepared foods, and so on, said they saved about 30 minutes a day in meal preparation.

Of course, there’s a price for that convenience.

There are tools you can use that can reduce the work you do in the kitchen — while stretching your food budget, too.

Here’s a look at some of those tools:

  • Pressure cookers: These trap the steam, creating pressure, and increase the temperature beyond the boiling point (212°F). This higher temperature shortens the cooking time.

Electric pressure cookers (think Instant Pot), are widely popular. However, stovetop pressure cookers, another option, cook faster because they reach even higher temperatures and pressure.

The electric ones automate many of the steps and, for that, many find them easier to use.

  • Slow cookers: These can be used to make meals that are assembled into the cooker, then cooked slowly over a period. (I will usually make a slow cooker dish early in the week so I can prep for it on a Sunday and then make it Monday or Tuesday. I add in extra food to get a second dinner out of it later in the week.)
  • Electric vegetable chopper: Chopping foods to prep them for dishes, to cook in the pressure cooker or in a slow cooker, takes a considerable amount of time. The electric vegetable chopper is much smaller and less complex than a food processor and chops foods much faster than doing it by hand.

If you don’t want an electrical vegetable chopper, you can use veggie dicers, which work manually, as another option.

Another way to save time is to use a meal-planning calendar.

That will help you to know what you need to prep in advance and you can do prep work in batches.

When planning meals, always start with taking inventory of what’s currently in your fridge and pantry. Also, check the weekly grocery ads to  help in planning.

You can get the kids involved, too, so they have a say in the meals. They also can remind you of events, such as a baseball game, that can help you in your planning.

A weekly template for meal planning can be found online from Iowa State University Extension: https://spendsmart.extension.iastate.edu/plan/menu-planning/.

By Shari Bresin

Shari Bresin is the Family & Consumer Science agent for the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension Pasco County.

Recipe
Here’s a recipe for honey garlic chicken you can try, using your electric pressure cooker. It’s from the Mississippi State University Extension Service:

Honey Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:
⅓ cup honey
1 teaspoon onion powder
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
½ cup no-salt ketchup
½ teaspoon oregano, dried
2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
2 Tablespoons sesame seed oil (or vegetable oil)
4–6 chicken thighs, bone-in and skinless
Salt and pepper to taste
½ Tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted (for garnish)
Green onions (optional, for garnish)

Directions:
Wash your hands with soap and water.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the honey, onion powder, minced garlic, soy sauce, ketchup, oregano, and parsley. Mix until well-combined and set aside.
Heat your pressure cooker in sauté mode. Add the sesame oil to the pot.
Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, and arrange so they are close but not touching in the cooker.
Wash your hands.
Cook the chicken thighs for 2 minutes to 3 minutes per side.
Add the prepared honey garlic sauce to the pot; cover and lock the lid.
Cook in poultry mode for 20 minutes.
Turn off the pot and allow it to release the pressure about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken thighs to a serving plate and spoon the sauce over the chicken. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and green onions.

Published September 01, 2021

Pasco MPO plans to launch to three planning studies

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The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization plans to embark on three studies aimed at improving opportunities for the county to attract state and federal funding.

One will focus on Pasco County’s Freight Transportation Plan, a second will zero in on d the Zephyrhills Multiuse Path and the third will focus on the U.S. 19 corridor in West Pasco.

Carl Mikyska, executive director of Pasco MPO, described the importance of the freight study this way: “We are a county that has a number of great opportunities. I want to use that freight plan to not only improve freight access and mobility, while preserving the quality of life for our residents, I want to use it as an economic attractor tool — to grow, to develop in a manner that’s careful, but increases our tax base.”

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano also seized on the potential: “That spur up in Lacoochee should be a part of that study.”

Pasco County Commission Chairman Ron Oakley also reiterated comments he’d made previously about the potential for the Lacoochee area.

Mikyska also talked about the need — when conducting corridor studies — to consider a variety of perspectives.

When looking at the U.S. 19 corridor, for instance, the examination must go beyond traffic and congestion, he said.

Corridor studies define the conditions of the route, what options may be available to address safety, congestion, or other mobility needs and what limitations may be present, according to the MPO board’s Aug. 12 backup materials. Examples of limitations might include environmental conditions that should be avoided and/or the need to purchase right-of-way.

Planning studies are used to determine which transportation alternatives may be advanced and which alternatives may be eliminated from further consideration. Planning-level studies of corridors also help to more carefully define anticipated improvement project costs, the backup materials say.

Besides approving the proposed corridor studies, the transportation planning board also agreed with Mikyska’s suggestion to join MetroPlan Orlando in its efforts to extend its Transportation System Management & Operations (TSM&O) system.

MetroPlan, which is the MPO organization for Orlando, has been working on its system for years and seeks to extend it from Daytona Beach, on the Atlantic Coast over to the Tampa metro region on the Gulf Coast.

The TSM&O approach involves using technology to improve the performance of the transportation system rather than through more expensive options, such as roadway widening, according to agenda backup materials.

Examples of TSM&O include dynamic message signs on the interstate warning of traffic congestion ahead, traveling in a corridor at the speed limit with consistent green signals, and cable infrastructure to assist with broadband connectivity, the agenda materials say.

The idea is to use those strategies, in a coordinated fashion, to keep traffic flowing.

The Pasco MPO board approved Mikyska’s request to participate, with the only expected cost to be the expenditure of staff time.

On another item, the MPO board approved a scope of work for a study at the intersection of State Road 52 and Adair Road.

The Pasco MPO, in cooperation with the City of Dade City and the Florida Department of Transportation has identified the need to evaluate implementation of traffic control measures at the intersection, where additional traffic is expected because of increased residential development nearby.

Federal Transportation Planning Grant Funds will be used to pay for the $29,345.01 study.

Published September 01, 2021

Charity aims to put food on the table for kids

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The featured charity for the Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office in September will be One Community Now’s annual Hunger Walk.

“I applaud One Community Now and the organizers of the Hunger Walk for their commitment to fighting hunger and food insecurity for students in our county,” said Tax Collector Mike Fasano, in a news release.

“Since its inception, we’ve been blessed to field a large team of staff and friends of our office to be a part of ‘Team Tax Collector’ to raise funds for this important charity. We encourage members of the community, who are already so generous in their giving to our charitable programs, to consider donating to this important program as well,” Fasano said.

The Hunger Walk is scheduled for Oct. 2 at 10 a.m., at Sims Park in New Port Richey, and directly funds The Pack-a-Sack 4 Kids Program — the keystone of the food relief efforts of the One Community Now organization.

Children who live in danger of not having food on their dining room table are given a backpack full of healthy meals each Friday, to ensure that they have food to eat over the weekend.

The students return the empty backpack to their school on Monday, at which time it is then refilled for the following weekend.

It is estimated the Pack-a-Sack 4 Kids Program feeds more than 1,600 children each weekend. Since the advent of Covid, the number of kids in need has grown to the point where one out of four Pasco children does not have enough to eat, according to the release.

A majority of those students also qualify for the federal free and reduced lunch program.

To donate to the Hunger Walk or to join Team Tax Collector, visit OneCommunityNowHungerWalk.org/taxcollector.

For more information about the charitable giving programs at the Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office, call Greg Giordano at 727-847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.

For details about One Community Now’s Pack-a-Sack 4 Kids Program, call Executive Director Patti Templeton at 727-900-6280, or visit OneCommunityNow.com.

Published September 01, 2021