The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Pasco has new director of building, construction services

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The Pasco County Commission has confirmed the appointment of Roy Mazur as the county’s new director of building and construction services.

In his new role, which takes effect on April 19, Mazur will receive an annual salary of $125,000.

A national search was conducted before Mazur was selected for the post, according to an agenda memo in the board’s backup materials.

“I’m ecstatic to be here. This is the opportunity of a lifetime. I just can’t wait to get going.” Mazur told the board.

Sally Sherman, assistant county administrator of development services, pointed to Mazur’s credentials and experience as key reasons he will be a good fit for the job.

She said the position is critical.

“We’re being presented with an unprecedented amount of work that is coming to us, as a branch,” Sherman said.

At the same time it is responding to greater demand, it also is trying to improve service delivery, she said.

Mazur has held positions at WRA Engineering, Southwest Florida Water Management District, Hillsborough County and Autodesk.

He is a Florida professional engineer, a certified planner and he holds bachelor’s degrees from the University of South Florida and from Florida State University, according to the agenda packet.

There’s no doubt the county’s building and construction services department has been busy.

Sherman pointed to some statistics contained in the agenda backup, as evidence of the amped up activity.

In calendar year 2020, the county had 5,741 residential single family permits, A 32% increase over the previous year.

It had 581 new commercial permits in 2020, a 16.7% increase over the previous year.

Published March 24, 2021

Kumquat Festival set March 27

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The 24th annual Kumquat Festival will take on more of a spring feel, among other twists and turns due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The popular event traditionally held the last Saturday in January is instead set for March 27, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in downtown Dade City, around the iconic Historic Pasco County Courthouse; the original event date was pushed back due to COVID-19.

The 24th annual Kumquat Festival is set for March 27, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in downtown Dade City. (File)

The Kumquat Festival is organized each year by The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce in coordination with other community stakeholders.

And, it’s all in the name of celebrating, of course, kumquats — a tiny, tart citrus fruit native to Southeast Asia, but grown in Dade City.

The festival features all things kumquat, including such specialties such as kumquat ice cream, kumquat pie and kumquat beer. You might also find some non-edible items such as kumquat lotions, balms and body butters.

As in previous editions of the festival, downtown Dade City will be transformed into an open-air marketplace featuring local businesses, hundreds of specialty vendors and dozens of partner sponsors.

Other happenings throughout the day include:

  • “Kumquat Growers” series to learn about and purchase kumquats
  • Farmer’s Market
  • Kid’s Corral with a variety of activates for children of all ages
  • Quilt challenge
  • Car and truck show

Some of the more interactive live entertainment options have been pared down from prior years, however, out of COVID-19 health and safety precautions. There won’t be shuttle services to remote parking lots, either, because of COVID-19.

Admission is free. Self-parking will be available throughout the city limits and downtown, including private lots, church lots and street parking. Masks will be required by all vendors and attendees.

The festival — which puts Dade City at the regional fore for the day — otherwise epitomizes the locale’s “iconic, old Florida, down home sort of feel,” chamber Executive Director John Moors told The Laker/Lutz Newspaper in a recent interview.

“I think the whole fact that it’s kumquats is kind of a funny thing,” Moors said. “There’s lots of strawberry festivals, blueberry festivals, all sort of other things, but this is the only one we’re aware of that actually features kumquats and a lot of folks aren’t even sure what a kumquat is, so it kind of lends itself to that quirky, kind of fun, sort of entertainment day that you don’t find at the wonderful theme parks that Florida offers.”

Scaled back, but still lots to see and do
The event will showcase around 250 vendor booths — each spaced about 12 feet apart instead of side-by-side as in previous years.

Due to physical distancing requirements, organizers had to cut back on about of a third of vendor booths from prior years.

While forced to scale down overall, organizers felt it important to still put on the family friendly event for the community, Moors said.

“This year, we just really wanted to have an event because there isn’t a lot going on and so many things have been canceled and we just thought, ‘Well, if we can do this safely, let’s just give it our very best shot and try to keep everybody safe,’” Moors said. “It’s going to be different, and maybe not as convenient as it has been in the past, but hopefully we have a successful day and a successful event, and then next year we’ll be back to something a little different, maybe a little more extensive.”

In the way of attendance prognostications, Moors acknowledged he’s “really not sure what to expect,” considering the date change and ongoing pandemic concerns. Simply, “We’re hoping for a good event,” he said, then adding “the safety of our volunteers, attendees, our vendors is at the forefront.”

Moors asked those attending to exercise some patience: “We know it’s going to be a little different and it’s not going to be the same, but come out and enjoy it, have some fun and take a deep breath, and we’ll all get through this together.”

Meanwhile, festival-goers also will have a chance to land a sneak preview of The Block, downtown Dade City’s newest event and entertainment center located at 14313 Seventh St.

Walk-in tours of the facility will be offered, to let visitors check out the progress so far, with updates on the project’s brewhouse, CrossFit gym, wedding venue and other amenities.

The facility’s entrance corner will have an assortment of tents with a live band, and food and drinks during the Kumquat Festival, too.

While technically separate from the Kumquat Festival, Moors said having coinciding activities at The Block are “a fabulous addition” to festival day.

The Block is a new take on two existing buildings, totaling 21,000 square feet that run together with an outdoor patio with seats, tables and string lights hanging above.

The premises has an extensive history as a car dealership, going back for decades.

The renovated space, conceptualized by local real estate developer Larry Guilford, takes on some influences from the Tampa Heights neighborhood’s popular Armature Works.

The Block will include a wedding and event venue, outside bar, brewery, catering business, space for food trucks, CrossFit gym and more. It is slated to open this spring.

For more information about the Kumquat Festival, visit KumquatFestival.org, or call The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce at 352-567-3769.

24th annual Kumquat Festival
When: March 27, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Historic downtown Dade City, near Meridian Avenue and Seventh Street
Cost: Free admission, free parking
Details: Festival-goers have a chance to get a taste of Old Florida, in a community known for its hospitality and charm. There will be loads of vendors, places to purchase food and drink, activities for kids, and a car and truck show, among other things.

Published March 24, 2021

County transfers funds for park improvements

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Pasco County has transferred funding from its engineering services division to its parts, recreation and natural resources division to pay for land needed for a roads project.

The transferred funds, totaling $329,500, will pay for park improvements at the Samuel W. Pasco Recreation Complex, to include new sidewalks and an Americans with Disabilities Act accessible parking expansion, and the Wesley Chapel District Park T-Ball Field to include lighting and grading of that field.

The Pasco County Commission approved transferring the funds from engineering services to parks and recreation to purchase 6.59 acres, which was previously part of the Wesley Chapel District Park.

The land was needed to accommodate a northbound off-ramp from Interstate 75 and to widen Overpass Road, between I-75 and Boyette Road. The land will be contained in the right of way of the road project. The cost for the land was $50,000 per acre.

Published March 24, 2021

Celebrate women’s history month — with a cookie

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You may have already heard that a woman invented the recipe for the ever-popular chocolate chip cookie, but have you ever heard the back story?

Well, since it’s Women’s History Month, it seems an opportune time to share it — while at the same time celebrating women’s achievements in the arenas of food science, food safety, food technology — and myriad accomplishments in other fields, too.

The chocolate chip cookie, originated by Ruth Graves Wakefield, had its start in New England, during the 1930s.

The story of the chocolate cookie begins in the 1930s, when Ruth Graves Wakefield and her husband, Kenneth, ran the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts.

Ruth was in charge of making meals for the guests, and she quickly became well-known for her impressive baking skills. In fact, travelers came from all over New England to enjoy her bakery items.

Her go-to dessert to serve was chocolate butter drop do cookies, a popular recipe from colonial times.

On one particular day, in 1938, she went to bake them, as she normally would.

It’s not entirely clear what happened next.

One story says that Ruth lacked the baker’s chocolate she needed, so she took a piece of a Nestle semi-sweet chocolate bar and used an ice pick to chip off pieces of chocolate into the batter, thinking they would blend throughout the cookie dough and melt.

Of course, they held their shape — turning gooey and soft instead.

Another story says it wasn’t baker’s chocolate that she was lacking, it was nuts. So, instead of serving plain butter drop do cookies, she decided to add pieces of chocolate to substitute for the nuts.

There’s another theory, too — that one says that Ruth planned to make the chocolate chip cookies all along.

After all, she did have a degree in household arts, and worked as a food lecturer and dietitian.

Some say she had been experimenting with new desserts with a friend, Sue Brides, and that the cookies were a result of her meticulous recipe development.

Whatever the case, the new cookies became a guest favorite.

She called them Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookies, and regularly made them  for visitors.

Their popularity grew throughout the Northeast.

She had originally published a recipe book in 1931; she added the chocolate chip cookie recipe in a 1939 reprint edition.

The recipe was then featured in the Boston Herald, and was later promoted on the radio show “Famous Foods from Famous Eating Places,” hosted by the brand character Betty Crocker, according to the New York Times.

After that radio show, the cookies became nationally known.

Nestle’s sale of chocolate bars skyrocketed.

Ruth sold the rights to Nestle to print her recipe, in 1939, and the company later hired her to be a consultant on future recipes.

It’s said the best perk of her job was free chocolate for life.

Nestle also started selling “chocolate morsels” — commonly called chocolate chips — that same year.

The company printed the recipe for the cookies on the back of its packaging.

In fact, that’s where you can still find it today — with a few changes to make it current.

Ruth and her husband sold the Toll House Inn in 1966.

The inn caught fire in 1984 — a sad ending to a place where culinary history had been made.

Still, the name lives on, through the recipe for a cookie that’s become a favorite for many.

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
Original NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-ounce package) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts (Optional. If omitting, add 1 to 2 Tbsp. of all-purpose flour.)

Directions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375° F.

Step 2: Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Step 3: Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Recipe and cookie image courtesy of NESTLÉ®. NESTLÉ® NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® are trademarks of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vevey, Switzerland.

Published March 24, 2021

Pasco County supports youth program

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The Pasco County Commission has approved a two-year lease to Youth Entrepreneurial Services Inc. (YES), for office space at the Stallings Building, at 15029 14th St., in Dade City.

The lease term begins on March 1 and ends on Feb. 28, 2023. Terms also include two additional one-year renewal options.

The YES program focuses on serving youths and young adults, between the ages of 11 and 25, to help them develop innovative thinking and entrepreneurial skills.

The lease covers 140 square feet of space, plus non-exclusive use of classroom 1, common parking and common areas.

In addition to the rent charge of $1 a year, the organization also will pay its pro-rata share of the utilities in the annual amount of $240.

Published March 24, 2021

Pasco County’s budget forecast looks bright, budget director says

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Pasco County’s taxable assessed values are expected to increase 7% to 10% for the coming budget year, according to Robert Goehig, the county’s budget director.

He delivered that forecast during the Pasco County Commission’s March 9 meeting.

The budget director gave board members an overview of impacts from COVID-19 on the county’s economy, and the way looking forward.

“When the coronavirus and the pandemic first came upon us, we experienced the economic recession, which is defined, of course, as two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth,” he said.

The recession was much deeper than the Great Recession experienced from 2007 to 2009, but it was much shorter, too — lasting just two economic quarters, Goehig said.

“We’re expecting the economy to move along at kind of a very slow pace, until a substantial portion of the population is vaccinated, whether that be April, May, June, whatever that is. “Once we have that substantial portion of the population vaccinated, we expect the economy to grow at a very fast pace.

“Luckily, we’re in an area that’s expected to see growth even above the national average.

“If we’re expecting a national growth rate of 8%, we’re expecting the Tampa rate to be higher than that,” Goehig said.

Industries expected to have the most growth are construction, financial services and other services, which include repair and maintenance, personal care services and social advocacy, according to slides in Goehig’s presentation.

“We have some evidence to point toward the fast-growing Tampa region,” he said, noting that Tampa Bay startups raised $180 million in 2020, compared to $129 million in 2018.

He also noted that Tampa leads the nation in small business job growth.

Plus, more corporations from the northeast region of the country are relocating to Florida. And, more residents are moving here, too, he said.

All of this is having an impact on the region’s housing market.

“The existing home price in the past year or so took a sharp spike,” he said, which indicates a shortage in existing homes for sale.

“This partially explains the reason that so much new construction is happening in our region,” Goehig said.

Regional home values are on the rise, in both the resale and new construction market.

There has been a price appreciation of 8% for resale homes and 9% for new homes, while at the same time there’s been a 7% increase in new home sales.

Goehig offered evidence of Pasco’s hot market by noting “two of the top 50 planned housing communities in the United States, two of those best-sellers are right here in Pasco. That’s Starkey Ranch and Bexley,” the budget director added.

“Of course, all of this growth does come at a price, and that is inflation. Our area is more than double the national average in inflation,” he said.

Demand for construction materials is causing the price to go up, and the county is expected to feel the effects of inflation, in particular, during construction of roads and buildings, he said.

During fiscal year 2021, the county was very conservative because of the pandemic, and didn’t bring on much new spending, Goehig said.

This year, with a brighter outlook, the county can invest in some new initiatives, he said.

Plus, Goehig said the county will be waiting for guidance from the treasury department before recommending how to spend any funds coming from the recently passed federal stimulus bill.

Meanwhile, on the local front, construction of single-family homes has kicked into high gear.

“At the end of the year, we were seeing single-family home permits coming into the building department at record levels, at 600 homes per month.

“We thought we were at the peak, we can’t possibly get any higher. And, then we turned the calendar in January, had almost 900 single-family homes in January.

“So, we expect this to continue,” he said.

The permit value for commercial construction also is significantly higher, too, the budget director said.

Plus, the county is benefiting from tourism — as visitors pay bed taxes and spend money in the local economy.

Goehig noted that “with the exception of the gas tax, revenue is on an upward trajectory.”

The county expects to receive information about its preliminary taxable values from the property appraiser on June 1 and the final assessed values on July 1.

The county is expected to set its tentative tax rates on July 6, which are reported in Truth in Millage (TRIM) notices mailed to property owners.

Once the TRIM notices go out, the board can choose to lower the rates, but cannot raise them, when adopting its final budget.

Published March 17, 2021

New welcome center coming to Dade City

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Andy Taylor, legislative aide to Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore; Camille Hernandez, mayor of Dade City; and, Adam Thomas, tourism director for Pasco County for Destination Management Organization, all take part in a groundbreaking ceremony at the new welcome center in Dade City. (Courtesy of Experience Florida’s Sports Coast)

Dade City is pushing ahead to make the Roy Hardy Trail more tourist-friendly. Officials gathered on March 10 for the groundbreaking of a new visitor’s information welcome center, to be located on the south side of Church Avenue, near the Hardy Trail multi-use trailhead.

The building, which is expected to open this summer, will include two family bathrooms that meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

The center will feature an open interior floor plan — allowing for vendor operations, area attractions, museums and art exhibits to host mobile displays.

The welcome center is part of a larger exterior space concept that envisions a bike-share hub with stations for parking, minor bicycle repairs and public resting areas for cyclists, and exercising pedestrians.

The visitor’s information center is being funded with the help of a $250,000 grant from the Pasco County Tourist Development Council.

Published March 17, 2021

This sign lets people know that Dade City’s new welcome center will be opening this summer. A groundbreaking celebration was held on March 10. (Courtesy of Andy Taylor)

Will the COVID-19 pandemic end soon?

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It’s been a year since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shocked the United States and the world, but brighter days are seemingly ahead, thanks to the ramp up of vaccinations combined with other established health and safety protocols.

Dr. Javier Gonzalez, a board-certified emergency department medical director with AdventHealth Dade City and AdventHealth Zephyrhills, for one, is cautiously optimistic that a sense of normalcy could arrive by summertime.

Dr. Javier Gonzalez, AdventHealth Dade City and AdventHealth Zephyrhills board-certified emergency department medical director (Courtesy of AdventHealth)

That’s assuming that surging COVID-19 virus variants don’t “get crazy” and force the population to get revaccinated, he said.

“Hopefully we’ll get through this in July when we’re supposed to be majority vaccinated, so hopefully this won’t last long and we’re in the final stretch,” Gonzalez said. “As soon as we can get everybody vaccinated, the easier it will be for all for us to go back to a normal time again.”

Gonzalez was the featured guest speaker during The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce March virtual business breakfast meeting.

Gonzalez — also certified as a diplomate with the American Board of Toxicology — spent the bulk of his 45-minute informational talk discussing the various COVID-19 vaccines available and the science behind them.

The health care leader explained the “whole goal” of the vaccines is not necessarily about not getting COVID-19, but rather to mitigate or prevent serious complications or death from the virus.

He put it like this: “People think the goal of the vaccine is, ‘I don’t want to get the disease.’ No, the purpose of the vaccine is not getting the complications. So, the endpoint really should be, ‘Am I going to get sick enough that I’m going to go to the hospital, or am I going to die from COVID-19?’ That’s what you’re trying to prevent, just like the flu vaccine. Most people can get the flu even if you’re vaccinated, but you don’t want to die from the flu, you don’t want to get the pneumonia complications.”

Gonzalez detailed how vaccines are designed to introduce some of the viral genetic material into the body so antibodies can be developed, “which is the key to help you fight the virus in the future.”

He shot down myths that the authorized COVID-19 vaccines may somehow change or interact with a person’s DNA in any way, explaining how the vaccine is delivered into cell’s cytoplasm, not the nucleus.

Said Gonzalez, “I know a lot of people are concerned it’s messing with our DNA. It doesn’t; it stays outside the nucleus of our cells, so it doesn’t go into where our DNA is…”

He touched on the efficacy of the various types of available vaccines, too.

He mentioned both the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines have shown to be about 95% effective in preventing COVID-19 infections for the general population, while the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson viral vector vaccines have come in at 72% and 70%, respectively.

For comparison, the annual flu shot is about 40% to 50% effective in preventing influenza, he said.

The notable piece, Gonzalez emphasized, is the four COVID-19 vaccines are proven 100% effective in preventing hospitalizations and deaths related to the virus.

“Don’t be discouraged by these (efficacy) numbers,” he said. “Look at the flu vaccine. We get it every year, and it’s only 40% to 50% effective, but (lack of) hospitalization and death is the important factor here. I don’t care if I get COVID, as long as I don’t die from it.”

Saint Leo University hosted the first COVID-19 vaccine distribution in East Pasco County back in mid-January, at its campus in St. Leo. (File)

With that, he encouraged people to go ahead and get the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, if eligible to do so.

Said Gonzalez, “Is Johnson & Johnson weaker? Yeah, it’s weaker for you not to get COVID, but it’s going to prevent me from going to the hospital and dying from it, so if you are eligible to get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, then by all means, please get it.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis expanded the groups eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Florida, as of March 15, to include those age 60 or older.

Eligibility continues to evolve, so be sure to check for the latest information on state or local health department websites.

Gonzalez, who’s been vaccinated himself, acknowledged experiencing some pain in the injection site.

He knows others have experienced headaches, fatigues and muscle aches for 24 hours to 48 hours — not dissimilar to flu shot symptoms.

He recommended taking Tylenol for relief post-injection. “When you get a side effect from the flu vaccine, most likely you’ll probably get it from COVID-19 (too),” Gonzalez said.

Serious side effects like anaphylaxis are rare, with less than a 0.1% reported, he said, adding, “We haven’t seen any deaths from people getting COVID vaccines.”

Meantime, as others wait to get vaccinated, Gonzalez emphasized continuing proper mask-wearing in public spaces.

He underscored how it reduces risk of transmission or spread of respiratory droplets containing viruses, whether through breathing, talking, coughing or sneezing.

The medical professional admitted, like others, he doesn’t particularly enjoy wearing a mask, but illustrated the bigger picture at play: “I know it’s cumbersome, (but) it doesn’t take that long, you’re helping your neighbor, you’re helping yourself, so, it’s just easier to wear one, whether you believe in it or not, it doesn’t take much from somebody to wear a mask. Just cover your mouth and cover your nose, and be a good citizen with everybody else.”

Improved COVID-19 treatment options
From an encouraging standpoint, inpatient and outpatient COVID-19 treatment options have improved greatly since the pandemic’s onset, Gonzalez observed.

Inpatient hospital care options include anti-virals like remdesivir, similar to Tamiflu to fight influenza; steroids like decadron, given to patients with low oxygen saturations; and convalescent plasma injections, whereby COVID-19 survivors’ antibodies are transfused into sick COVID-19 patients.

In the way of outpatient COVID-19 management, AdventHealth Dade City and AdventHealth Zephyrhills were some of the first hospitals in the health care system’s West Florida division offering monoclonal antibody infusion, Gonzalez said.

This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. (File)

With monoclonal antibody infusion, synthetic antibodies created in a pharmaceutical laboratory are used to limit the amount of virus in the body, treating COVID-19 positive patients and preventing progression to more severe cases and symptoms.

The therapy requires an IV infusion at the hospital and takes about three hours, Gonzalez said.

“We got a lot of good feedback from patients that have received this,” he said, noting his parents and fellow physicians have received therapy at both facilities. “Within 24 hours they were miraculously better.”

Gonzalez pointed out this treatment was actually used to help President Donald Trump recover from the coronavirus, administered at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, in Bethesda, Maryland.

Don’t ignore other health care issues
Even amid the pandemic, Gonzalez strongly advised people to not put other non-COVID-19-related health care issues on hold, or simply ignore new or persistent symptoms.

Hospitals have taken extreme measures to make sure that people with COVID-19 are held in separate locations, he said, so there shouldn’t be fear of visiting facilities to take care of other medical conditions — whether it’s diabetes, hypertension, or routine cancer screenings.

“Please keep your appointments for chronic disease management, especially if you’re taking medications,” he said.

The speaker noted how hospitals are reporting fewer heart attacks and strokes amid fear of COVID-19 —worrying doctors that patients are avoiding visits for health issues that require prompt care.

“Timing can be the difference,” he said. “If you wait too long (to seek medical care) you’re going to get more comorbidities and more risk for mortality or death.”

A seasonal virus?
At least one lingering question is whether COVID-19 will become a seasonal virus, like the flu.

Gonzalez said it’s “really a debatable question,” adding, “at this time, there’s no data suggesting it will be seasonal.”

However, the medical director explained because COVID-19 is virally enveloped, it’s more apt to survive and travel in cold weather.

Moreover, because sunlight is less intense in the wintertime, there’s less UV radiation light to kill the virus, he said.

Other concerning factors of the virus perhaps spreading more in the wintertime, he said, is a byproduct of people congregating in enclosed indoor spaces more often. There’s also risk of weakened immune responses as people have less Vitamin D amid less sunlight, he said, so supplements are recommended in wintry months.

Symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Symptoms can range from mild to severe, and appear two days to 14 days after exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19.

  • Fever/chills
  • Shortness of breath
  • Dry cough
  • Loss of smell/taste
  • Muscle aches
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea

Note: Seek medical care immediately if someone has emergency warning signs of COVID-19.

  • Trouble breathing
  • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
  • New confusion
  • Inability to wake or stay awake
  • Bluish lips or face

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Five mistakes to avoid with your mask

  • Not washing your hands
  • Not covering your nose and mouth
  • Touching or adjusting mask
  • Masking too late, removing it too soon
  • Reusing old/dirty masks

Source: Akron Children’s Hospital

COVID-19 general prevention measures

  • Avoid sick individuals
  • Socially distance at least six feet
  • Wash hands for at least 20 seconds
  • Disinfect high-touch and high-transit areas, such as elevators and stairwells
  • Wear a mask in the community

Published March 17, 2021

Lutz neighbors oppose commercial rezoning

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Residents of the Meadowbrook Estates and Sierra Pines subdivision, in Lutz, are banding together to fight a proposed commercial rezoning at the entrance of their communities.

Kiddie Campus University Inc., is seeking to change residential zoning to general commercial on a 1.67-acre site, on the southwest corner of State Road 54 and Meadowbrook Drive.

Area residents who oppose the change were represented by Todd Pressman, a private consultant, during a March 4 meeting of the Pasco County Planning Commission.

Pressman cited a report by a private planner, commissioned to review the request. The planner raised issues with the compatibility of a commercial use — in an area characterized by residential development.

“A request came through for this property for a day care and preschool in January ’11. That was denied 7-0, by this board. The same request came through one year later, for preschool, and that was denied,” Pressman said.

“This request would allow a gas station operating on this property. That would be nothing less than devastating for this community,” said Pressman, who presented petitions signed by 140 people against the request.

Residents from Meadowbrook Estates and Sierra Pines voiced objections, too.

They said a driveway from the proposed commercial site would have access onto Meadowbrook Drive —  a street they claim is too narrow to handle the traffic a commercial project would generate.

One opponent also raised concerns about the potential long-term environmental damage — from droplets of gasoline that seep into the ground — if a gas station is allowed to locate at the site.

The communities rely on private wells for drinking water.

Other residents pointed out the problem of delivery trucks having a hard time getting out of the neighborhood, if they make a wrong turn, because the streets are so narrow.

Despite those objections, county planners have recommended approval of both a land use change and a rezoning. Both changes are needed to clear the way for a commercial use.

If the land use change is approved, the applicant will have to meet buffering requirements that exceed those normally required by the land use code, county planners said.

Barbara Wilhite, an attorney representing the applicant, noted that the site is at a signalized  intersection, on a six-lane arterial highway, three-quarters miles east of the Suncoast Parkway.

“I think the neighbors are clear that they will object to any use other than residential,” Wilhite said, but given the site’s location at the intersection, on a six-lane arterial highway, she added, “this is absolutely not the place for a residential use.”

Wilhite also noted that the county board has adopted a comprehensive plan that specifically directs where it wants commercial land uses.

“This application strictly complies with that direction,” Wilhite said.

Charles Grey, planning commission chairman, said “I try to always put myself in the position of both property owners. The residents and the person who wants to develop the property. It’s always a balance of property rights.”

“I’m a strong proponent of property rights.

“I do think we need to provide some type of protection for the residents who live in that area. They are very, very close to this property.

“I certainly wouldn’t want people walking back and forth, from a 7-Eleven, for example, to my home, walk across my property. I know how that gets. I deal with that all of the time,” Grey said.

Planning commissioner Peter Hanzel said he would prefer to see a less intense commercial use.

“When you go to a C2 (general commercial), you open a large variety of facilities that can go there. Perhaps that’s what the residents are concerned about, going to a C2. Is there a possibility that it could go to a C1,” he said, which would limit the potential list of uses.

Wilhite responded: “My answer to that is that they opposed the day care. They clearly said today that they want it to remain a residential use. This is not a place to underutilize property.”

Planning commission Chris Poole asked about what type of use was planned.

Wilhite said a gas station is one of the permitted uses in the requested zoning district.

Grey wanted to know if the planning commission could see the buffering plan before voting on the request.

Brad Tippin, the county’s development review manager, said buffering is typically determined during the site plan review process — after the use of the site is known and the orientation of the building, parking lot and other elements are known.

In this case, because of the land use requirement, a greater degree of buffering would be required, Tippin said.

But, Grey said he would like to see the actual plans.

Tippin said creating the buffering plan before sufficient details are known could result in a less-effective plan.

Poole suggested voting on the land use plan, but delaying the zoning request until more details are available on the buffering.

Wilhite said she would be happy to work with the county on a buffering plan, and could include language that would provide flexibility to adjust the plan, if necessary.

A board majority voted to recommend approval of the land use change. The board continued the rezoning request until April 1.

Published March 17, 2021

Education is the best weapon against scammers

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Dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic has caused challenges in nearly every aspect of life — including how to avoid being scammed.

The office of U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis recently conducted a webinar called Consumer Protection Forum: Fighting Fraud and Scams.

“Millions of Americans have been forced to isolate,” said Bilirakis, who represents the 12th congressional district in Florida, and is the ranking member for the Consumer Protection and Commerce subcommittee.

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis represents the 12th congressional district in Florida, which includes all of Pasco County and portions of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. (File)

“Unfortunately, scammers are continuing to find new ways to exploit vulnerable Americans during COVID-19. Bad actors, unfortunately, continue to exploit consumers — their fears and confusion,” said Bilirakis, whose district includes all of Pasco County and parts of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

Fake stimulus checks, fraudulent loans for small businesses and knock-off personal protection equipment are just a few of the scams that have arisen during this time of COVID-19.

“With people remaining locked in their homes, many have logged online for social interaction. That’s understandable. The bad guys, however, know this. And the FTC has already found that people are increasingly falling victim for scams through social media platforms.

“In just the first six months of 2020, for example, scams originating from social media tripled, resulting in $117 million in losses. With more consumers tuning in to these platforms, scammers create fake profiles, offering connection, friendship or economic relief, only to steal information and hard-earned dollars,” Bilirakis said.

Panelists from federal and state agencies shared their knowledge about how to avoid scams and legitimate places to turn to, for help.

Ronald Loecker, from the Tampa field office of the IRS, told listeners: “Education, quite simply, is the most powerful tool we have to prevent fraud and protect consumers.

“Scammers are looking to cash in. Fraudsters never stop,” he said.

He said the IRS will not send text messages asking taxpayers to provide bank account information, under the promise of receiving the Economic Impact Payment.

It also won’t call to threaten you with arrest or a lawsuit, he said.

“If you get a similar call, just hang up,” Loecker said.

“If someone contacts you via text message or email on social media, claiming to be from the IRS, it’s a scam, plain and simple,” he added.

Help is available for housing relief
Lisa Schifferle, a senior policy analyst with the Office of Older Americans, in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, offered advice regarding housing relief options.

When consumers are struggling with paying their mortgage or rent, they can turn to ConsumerFinance.gov/housing, she said.

“It’s basically a one-stop shop for anyone who needs to find accurate information about housing relief options, available during the pandemic,” Schifferle said.

She also offered this advice: “Never pay someone upfront if they say they’re going to stop your foreclosure. Paying upfront is a red flag for a mortgage relief scam. It is illegal for them to charge you upfront.”

She added, be wary: “If the company guarantees it will get your mortgage changed, or if they guarantee that you won’t lose your home. Also, if they tell you to send your payment to someone other than your mortgage company or servicer, or tell you to stop paying your mortgage.

“You can find free help from certified HUD housing counselors.”

There are sources of legitimate help, she said, but people need to seek it out.

“If you are having trouble paying your mortgage or paying your bills, you are not alone. A lot of people are having trouble right now. The important thing to know is to reach out to your lenders, loan servicers and other creditors. They can’t help you, unless you reach out to them,” she said.

She added: “When you are looking for settling your debt and working out a payment plan, be skeptical of debt settlement companies, also called debt relief companies. They charge you a fee upfront in order to renegotiate your debts. Sometimes, if you work with one of them,  you may end up deeper in debt than when you started.

“We encourage you to consider working with a nonprofit credit counselor, or negotiating directly with a creditor or a debt collector yourself,” she said.

Complaints way up, at FTC
Colleen Tressler, a senior project manager with the Federal Trade Commission, explained the FTC’s role.

“The FTC works to stop unfair, deceptive or fraudulent practices in the marketplace. We conduct investigations, sue companies and people that break the law, and alert consumers and businesses about scams we’re seeing, as well as educate them about their rights,” she said.

“In 2020, the FTC took in more than 4.7 million reports. That’s up from 3.2 million in 2019.

“Total fraud losses in 2020 were $3.3 billion, up from $1.9 billion, in 2019.

“In 2020, people filed nearly 1.4 million reports about identity theft, more than double the number in 2019.”

Reports to the FTC were wide-ranging, with cyber criminals filing unemployment claims using other people’s personal information; identity theft involving federal economic relief payments; romance scams; online shopping scams; people falsely claiming to be the government, a relative in distress or a tech company, and so on.

“More people reported problems with online shopping in April and May in 2020, than in any other months on record, and more than half said they never got what they ordered,” Tressler said.

“Reports show that early in the pandemic, shady sellers began putting up websites, offering hard-to-find products, like PPE and household cleaners and disinfectants. When customers asked about their orders, scammers said the pandemic was causing shipping delays and then stopped responding, all the while, billing people for things that didn’t get delivered, wasn’t what the customer ordered, or was a cheap knock-off.

“The phone is still the top way that scammers are reaching us, both through phone calls and text messages. In fact, it was a sharp increase in the number of callers saying that scammers contacted them by text message, and not surprisingly, many of these text messages were related to the pandemic.”

Rick Kimsey, director of consumer services for the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, said his office received about 300,000 calls — and processed about 40,000 consumer complaints last year.

The complaints yielded more than $3 million in direct consumer refunds, he said.

“We continue to see fraud in the area of facemasks, gloves, hand sanitizers and disinfectants.

“As previously mentioned, face masks and gloves are usually products that just never arrived to consumers.

“The department assists consumers in contacting sellers and trying to finalize those purchases or refund the consumers’ money.

“We’re the consumer clearinghouse for the state of Florida. If you feel you’ve been a victim of a scam, or if you’re need of assistance, information, on any consumer-related issue, you can please contact us,” he said. The numbers to call are 1-800-435-7352 (English) and 1-800-352-9832 (Spanish).

For more information, or to watch the virtual forum, which was recorded, visit Bilirakis.house.gov.

Protecting yourself from fraudsters

Be wary of these scams:

  • Phishing schemes: Schemes that use fake phone calls, texts, emails or social media in an attempt to secure personal or financial information
  • Fake donation requests for individuals or groups heavily affected by COVID-19
  • Sophisticated scams asking for investments in companies developing COVID-19 vaccines or treatments, while promising that the company will dramatically increase in value as a result
  • Anyone promising a deal too good to be true

IRS scams

  • Text messages asking taxpayers to provide bank account information, under the promise of receiving the Economic Impact Payment
  • The IRS will never call and threaten you with arrest or a lawsuit. If you get a similar call, just hang up.
  • If someone contacts you via text message or email on social media, claiming to be from the IRS, it’s a scam, plain and simple.

Protect yourself

  • Avoid responding directly to unsolicited emails, text messages and phone calls. If you don’t know who is calling, let the caller leave a voicemail, so you can decide if you want to call back.
  • Seek information from trusted sources, such as the county health department or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  • Verify sources of solicitations.
  • Pay with a credit card, if you can, especially online — credit card companies often provide extra consumer protection measures.

Avoid vaccine scams

  • Check with state or local health departments, health care providers or pharmacists to learn when and how to get the covid vaccine.
  • Don’t pay to sign up for the covid vaccine. Anyone who asks for a payment to put you on a list, make an appointment for you, or reserve a spot in line, is a scammer.
  • You can’t pay to get a vaccine. That’s a scam. On Medicare, you don’t have to pay to get the covid vaccine. Only scammers will ask you to pay.
  • Ignore sale ads for the vaccine. You can’t buy it anywhere. It’s only available at federal and state approved locations.
  • Nobody legitimate will call, text or email about the vaccine and ask for your Social Security, bank account or credit card number. That’s a scam.
  • Buy PPE (personal protective equipment) from a reputable seller. Lots of companies are popping up online and offering to sell these products to you. Be careful who you buy from.

Helpful websites:
MyFloridaLegal.com
ConsumerFinance.gov/coronavirus
FTC.gov/coronavirus
FDACS.gov

For more information
U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis’ office: 727-232-2921; Bilirakis.house.gov

Published March 17, 2021