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Local outlook brighter than in many other housing markets

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The housing market has its challenges, but Florida continues to enjoy a better situation than markets in many other parts of the country.

At least that was the message delivered by two experts at the Tampa Bay Builders Association 2019 Economic Forecast briefing on Jan. 23 at Tampa’s River Center at Julian B. Lane Park, in downtown Tampa.

Robert Dietz, chief economist of the National Association of Homebuilders, and Lesley Deutch, with John Burns Real Estate Consulting, shared their expertise on the outlook for the housing market, and discussed various factors that influence its performance.

Dietz focused on the national picture.

“Despite the fact that Florida is really kind of benefiting from strong population growth, the national market is slowing down,” Dietz said. “A lot of that has to do with higher interest rates, where we are in the economic cycle.”

The current growth cycle, which is 116 months old will exceed the record growth cycle of 120 months, which was achieved during the 1990s, Dietz said.

But, Dietz observed: “The thing that’s important to keep in mind, however, is Ben Bernanke, the former chair of the Federal Reserve, said ‘Economic growth cycles don’t die of old age. They’re murdered, and they’re murdered by the Federal Reserve.’

“Our forecast is for two (interest) rate hikes right now. Wall Street is saying zero for 2019,” Dietz said.

“The big macro risk is the labor market,” Dietz said. “The good news is that the unemployment rate is below 4 percent. We do think it’s going to rise later in 2020, when we hit that growth recession.”

Labor shortages result in wage growth, which generally is good for housing demand, he said.

However, he noted: “Keep in mind there’s two kinds of income growth in an economy. There’s income growth that’s generated by productivity growth. That’s fine.

“And then there’s wage growth that comes about as businesses are competing over an increasingly scarce labor pool. That’s inflation. That’s what the Fed is worried about. That’s why they’re trying to raise rates before that happens,” he said.

Dietz is projecting that the fixed-rate 30-year mortgage will be around 5.1 percent or 5.2 percent.

“That’s the good news. It’s not going to rise much higher than what we’ve already seen,” he said. Still, he added: “Given the current levels of pricing, a 5-percent mortgage interest rate is enough to stall the housing market. If you would have asked me five years ago where that point was, I would have, without hesitation, said 6 percent.”

While interest rates have an impact on demand, there are other considerations, too, including the ability to get a loan, Dietz said.

The increase in student loans and auto loans is crowding out the ability of younger households to get home loans, Dietz said.

There are 1.5 trillion student loans, which is up 136 percent since the Great Recession, he said.

In general, student loans can lead to degrees, which can mean a lifetime of higher income and the ability to buy a bigger house, he said.

“The problem is the 40 percent of four-year college students who go to college and drop out. No degree and $20,000 in student loans. That’s pure dead-weight loss,” Dietz said.

Auto loans are an issue, too.

“Car sales have done very well for the past four or five years. The problem is, seven-year car loans, no money down,” he said.

He also noted the increasing number of 25-year-olds to 34-year-olds who are living at home with their parents. Twenty years ago, that number stood at one in 10; now, it’s one in five.

Overall, however, the demographics are good.

“The demand for single-family housing is going to grow and grow and grow” because the peak age of millennials is about 28, and half of new homes are purchased by those between 35 and 55,” Dietz said.

Affordability is an issue
“The worst markets are the West Coast. In San Francisco and Los Angeles, fewer than 1 in 10 home sales are affordable for a typical family. For that reason, you are seeing population leaving California and going places like Idaho. Boise is now listed as unaffordable because of population demand,” he said.

The Tampa/St. Petersburg market is relatively affordable, Dietz said. It has been enjoying population growth, and in 2017, its population grew by 1.8 percent, compared to the national growth rate of 0.6 percent.

He’s projecting single-family construction in the Tampa region “to be better than the nation as a whole, but slower than what we’ve seen in the last few years.”

He also expects the size of single-family homes to continue to decline, and points to the 24 percent growth in townhome construction as an indicator of that trend.

Dietz also predicts that multifamily construction will be slightly negative because of tighter financing, and that remodeling will soften, too.

Deutch took a closer look at Florida, and the Tampa market area.

“Florida, as a whole, is much stronger than the rest of the country,” Deutch said.

“Tampa is a very, very solid — fundamentally solid — housing market,” she said.

“From a national perspective, Tampa is very, very affordable. From a local perspective, it’s getting a little bit more unaffordable. All of Tampa and all of the Florida markets are benefitting from (their) relative affordability,” she said.

However, she noted: “We’re not immune to what’s happening in the rest of the country.”

The biggest impediment to increased residential construction is affordability, she said.

“Home prices are way above the peak — 24 percent higher than the peak of new home prices and resale prices are getting up there, too.”

“It’s not just only builders increasing their home prices. The construction prices, labor costs, land costs, have all gone up. And, all of this is really constraining a faster pace of growth for Tampa’s market. This is what’s causing the slower home sales.”

Despite the challenges, companies can manage through them, she said.

The key is understanding the consumer, Deutch said.

Her company did a consumer survey of 25,000 new home shoppers across the country, dividing them into nine consumer categories: Young singles, single parents, mature singles, young couples, empty-nesters, active adults, young families, families plus and mature families.

“So, if you’re a home builder and you sold a home to an empty-nester, they’re going to be very happy to meet the warranty manager at 10 a.m., in the morning. They don’t really have a whole lot of things to do.

“But if you sold that home to a single parent, do you think they’re going to be sitting at home waiting for the warranty guy to come in at 10 o’clock in the morning?

“All of these people are going to act completely differently,” she said.

“You really have to understand who your buyer is. There is going to be more competition,” Deutch said. “They’re out there. There is demand, but how are you going to get them?”

Housing trends
John Burns Real Estate Consulting does monthly surveys with 350 builders across the country, asking the same questions each month, to get a pulse on the market.

Here are some questions and results:

“Where are home prices going? Month-to-month.”
In 2017: 31 percent said home prices are increasing; 65 percent said they are flat; 4 percent said they are declining.
In 2018: 5 percent said they are increasing; 72 percent said they are flat; 23 percent said they’re declining.

Where do you see single-family home sales over the next six months?
In 2017: 66 percent said they’re going to be good; 33 percent said they’re going to be fair; none said they were poor
In 2018: 24 percent said they’re good; 71 percent said fair; 5 percent said poor.

Published February 06, 2019

Lutz teen and her service dog are off to college

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Leigh Dittman knew she’d need some help when she got to college.

After all, the Lutz resident lives life from her wheelchair.

She was born with a rare genetic disorder called osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease.

The disease prevents her body from absorbing needed calcium levels due to a collagen deficiency.

Lutz resident and University of Tampa freshman student Leigh Dittman with her service dog, Nerf. Dittman suffers from a rare genetic disorder called osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease, which makes her bones weaker than normal and more prone to fractures. Nerf responds to more than 40 commands, including retrieving dropped items for Leigh, pulling her wheelchair, carrying her backpack, and other tasks that enable her to lead a more independent life. (Courtesy of Canine Companions)

Simply put, the condition makes her bones weaker than normal and more prone to fractures.

“It’s like a sponge,” Leigh said. “It doesn’t matter how much milk I drink; my body can only handle so much.”

The number of people affected with osteogenesis imperfecta in the United States is unknown.

Estimates range from as few as 20,000 and as many as 50,000, according to the Osteogenesis Foundation.

Throughout her school years leading to college, Leigh had a one-on-one aide who would help get her to and from class.

As she geared up for her freshman year at the University of Tampa, though, she wanted more independence.

Leigh put it this way: “With college, I’m training to be an adult, and I can’t be a successful adult if I’m relying on another adult.”

That’s where Nerf enters the picture.

The 3-year-old, black Labrador/golden retriever mix is a highly-trained service dog that responds to more than 40 commands.

He retrieves dropped items like pencils and water bottles for Leigh. He pulls her wheelchair around campus. He carries her backpack. He can even close doors, and turn light switches on and off.

In certain cases, Nerf doesn’t even need to be told what to do.

“He reads what I need,” said the freshman nursing student.

“At home, I’m notorious for dropping my socks when I put my clothes away, so at this point, I don’t even tell him to pick it up. He just sees it and he’s like, ‘I know what you need.’”

The bond between owner and dog goes beyond helping with everyday tasks.

Nerf is always there, at her side
Besides providing practical support, Nerf adds emotional support and companionship, too, when times are stressful, and when Leigh is feeling overwhelmed from her class load and final exams.

“He’ll curl up right next to me, and he’ll just stay there while I get work done; it’s just nice to reach over and have him sitting there,” she said.

Nerf came to Leigh by way of Canine Companions, a nonprofit organization that breeds, trains, and places assistance dogs for people with disabilities.

The organization provides dogs and related services free of charge.

It presently has more than 2,300 active graduate teams nationwide.

Fourteen of those teams — including Nerf and Leigh— are based in Hillsborough and Pasco counties.

Leigh came across Canine Companions a few years ago and decided to apply to the organization’s wait list.

Her family had never had a dog, let alone a pet of any kind.

Naturally, it took a bit of persuading to get the go-ahead from her parents for her to apply for the program. But, they eventually relented.

“I was like, ‘It’s a pet, but it’s a helpful pet,’” Leigh joked.

Since they were matched last summer, the two have been inseparable.

Leigh had to wait about three years after applying to be selected for a service dog.

Nerf and Leigh paired following a rigorous two-week training session at Canine Companions Southeast Regional Center in Orlando.

During training, Leigh learned all of Nerf’s commands and how to properly care for him.

She worked with several other dogs during the training stay, but Nerf proved to be the best to meet her unique needs.

Leigh recalls Nerf being goofy and energetic when they first met. At the same time, he was gentle and sweet, she said.

“I loved him from the beginning; he just fit,” Leigh said.

From the outset, even before training began, Canine Companions trainers had an inkling Nerf would be Leigh’s choice, said Jen Hanes, participant program manager at the Canine Companions Southeast Regional Center.

Hanes said Nerf had the ideal temperament and skills for someone with Leigh’s disability.

Nerf is calm, responsive and loves to work, yet isn’t so high energy that he requires more management on Leigh’s part, Hanes explained.

“There’s more than one dog that could work with Leigh, but we felt like Nerf was just the perfect match for her,” Hanes said.

The match has been life changing, Leigh said, noting it’s now impossible to imagine not having Nerf at her side.

Sometimes, the college student will leave Nerf at home to go to a concert or friend’s house. When she’s without him, she feels “very untethered” and “like part of me is missing.”

“It’s weird if don’t have him,” Leigh said. “I mean, it’s like as if I didn’t have my wheelchair; I don’t leave if I don’t have it.”

The bond they share goes both ways
Leigh depends on Nerf and Nerf depends on Leigh.

“He’s so well-trained and he can do so many things, but at the same time he is a pet. He does need to be cared for and loved, and made sure that he is healthy and things like that,” Leigh explained.

Nerf is a magnet for attention when the two are out and about.

People come up “all the time” to try to pet Nerf, as the two of them the University of Tampa campus, she said.

“I definitely had quite a few people in my classes last semester asking me questions,” Leigh said. “It can be a good conversation because it can be a good education for people that don’t have service animals.”

Meanwhile, Leigh doesn’t ask for special treatment from others.

“I never expect people to make accommodations or to treat me differently,” Leigh said. “I just may need to take the ramp instead of the stairs.”

She prides herself on being an achiever; poised to accomplish many of the same goals of able-bodied people.

At Gaither High School, Leigh graduated at the top of her senior class.

She played in the school’s Chamber Orchestra.

She was president of the American Sign Language Club.

She went to football games and enjoyed hanging out with friends.

“I was very active,”  Leigh said. “I had that drive and the attitude of, ‘I’m going to do well, therefore I will do well.’”

She’s taken that same approach with her to college, with a goal of becoming a neonatal intensive care unit nurse.

With Nerf at her side, of course.

Published February 06, 2019

Sex traffickers use social media to lure victims

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As the use and popularity of social media continue to grow — particularly among youths — they also are a go-to forum for human sex traffickers to lure potential victims.

At least that’s what panelists conveyed during a recent human trafficking awareness seminar at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, in Wesley Chapel.

About 300 people attended a recent human trafficking awareness seminar at
Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch. Much of the discussion focused on online recruitment tactics of sex traffickers. Panelists included Pasco County Superintendent Kurt Browning, Pasco Sheriff’s Office Cpl. Alan Wilkett, Paving the Way CEO Jan Edwards, Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking chair Liana Dean, and Christine Ashurst, a human trafficking survivor. (Kevin Weiss)

Pasco Sheriff Cpl. Alan Wilkett, who was one of the panelists, said his agency has a running list of about 40 websites, games and apps that can be used and exploited by sex traffickers for recruiting and grooming purposes, especially to reach minors.

“It used to be parks and malls, and playgrounds and ballfields,” Wilkett said, but now human traffickers are increasing the use of online tools.

He cautioned about using online video mobile apps, such as Meerkat, Periscope and Omegle, as well as free chat apps including  Kik Messenger — because each allows its users to interact with strangers.

“That’s where the danger is,” Wilkett warned.

Predators and traffickers also use the chat feature in Xbox and PlayStation games to find vulnerable youths, Wilkett said.

In those games, traffickers will pose as a teenager, then try to build a ‘friendship’ and set up a face-to-face meet with the target, he explained.

“Anywhere that there’s kids, the predator’s going to be there.

“If your kids have (games and apps) that have that chat feature in it, you’ve got problems, because now there is a door for them to come in and begin that recruitment process,” Wilkett said.

Wilkett also drew attention to bogus model auditions that are being used as a sex trafficking trap.

It works like this, Wilkett said: Sex traffickers will pose as a model agent for a large corporation and begin the grooming process by taking headshots. They methodically progress to bathing suit shots, and then more risqué poses.

In some of these cases, the grooming process will last a couple of weeks; in others, as quickly as 72 hours.

“They go in for their first headshot, and 72 hours later, they’re being trafficked,” Wilkett said.

He also mentioned free online dating sites, such as PlentyOfFish, where sex traffickers place ads to lure adults.

Panelist Jan Edwards, CEO of the antitrafficking nonprofit Paving The Way, advised parents to monitor their children’s online activity.

That’s important, she said, because children often accept friend and follower requests on all forms of media — even when they don’t know the person making the request.

It’s important to have access to all of their devices, Edwards said, because youths have discovered ways to hide online content on their smartphones and tablets. They use special vault apps, such as Calculator+, an app which seemingly looks and acts like a calculator.

“Know what they’re doing,” Edwards said. “Kids need to understand they’re the commodity, they’re the target.”

Panelist Christine Ashurst, a child sex trafficking survivor, reiterated those sentiments.

“Social media and the Internet has absolutely, in my opinion, proliferated the (human trafficking) problem so exponentially. It’s so insane right now.”

Human trafficking is a multibillion dollar industry that enslaves approximately 25 million people around the world, according to the Polaris Project, a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that works to combat and prevent modern-day slavery and human trafficking.

The United States leads all other countries in the demand for trafficked victims.

Florida ranks No. 3 in the volume of calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.

Meanwhile, Tampa Bay is “a hotspot” for human trafficking, said panelist Liana Dean, who chairs the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking.

“There’s different figures reported, but we definitely say that it is an issue in the Tampa Bay area and in Pasco,” Dean said.

It’s a crime that occurs in ‘plain sight’
Human trafficking is known as a “hidden crime,” she said, because there isn’t much awareness about it.

“It’s happening right in front of us, and because we don’t know what to look for, we don’t recognize that it’s happening in front of us,” Dean said.

“This is not a problem that one individual or one organization can solve. It takes an entire community,” she said.

Panelists agreed that having meaningful conversations about the problem is the first step toward combating it.

Edwards put it this way: “Human trafficking is so pervasive because we don’t want to deal with it, (and) we don’t want to talk about it.”

However, she continued: “The moment we actually open our mouths and have that dialogue with somebody, we can save a life. We can save a life just by sharing one benign fact, just by clicking ‘Share’ on something. That’s how we disrupt it — is we have the uncomfortable conversations with people and we start to get them comfortable in talking about it,” she said.

The seminar was part of PHSC’s ongoing community awareness series and co-hosted by the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking and the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking.

The event also featured a screening of Edward’s award-winning film, “Trapped in the Trade,” which shines a light on how children and teenagers can be easily and intentionally recruited into the world of sex trafficking.

Published February 06, 2019

Bring on the quilts, draft horses and antique cars

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If you enjoy stepping back to a simpler time, the Farm Fest & Quilt Show at the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village was probably your kind of gathering.

A small-pieced quilt catches the eye of Maya Clausen, who said she and her family made the trip over from Longwood to check out the work of the artistic quilters. (Fred Bellet)

Quilters showed off their works and draft horses demonstrated their strength during the event, which featured an array of activities designed to appeal to people of all ages.

Event-goers could peruse quilts made by local quilters, pick up some quilting supplies, or have their quilts appraised, for a fee, by Brenda Grampsas throughout the day.

There were opportunities to watch cane grinding and syrup making, check out some antique cars and take part in various children’s activities. There was live entertainment, too.

The draft horse pull competition drew a crowd.

Those attending were invited to bring their lawn chairs, to grab a pulled pork dinner or sandwich from the concession stand and to find themselves a spot to watch the mighty horses compete.

Matt Malnory waits with his team of draft horses for their next attempt at pulling thousands of pounds during the Southern Draft Horse Association horse pull competition. There are two weight classes: Lightweights (3,400 pounds and under) and Heavyweights.
While his grandmother, Valencia Salter, of Dade City, assisted at a food concession, Cedric Cochrane, 10, of Tampa, had it made in the shade with a bag of freshly popped popcorn and a great view watching horses pulling their weight in the horse pull competition.
Deacon Fred Wolfe of Zephyrhills sat on the porch of the historic Enterprise Methodist Church at the Florida Pioneer Museum and demonstrated the art of caning. He said he’s been pursuing the art for 10 years.
Audrey MacDonald, of Nova Scotia, Canada, lives in Dade City during the winter. Here, she looks over the colorful display of quilts at the competition. Many quilters offered their works for sale.

Pasco Fair designates smoking areas

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This year’s Pasco County Fair figures to largely be a smoke-free environment.

The Pasco County Fair Association recently announced it has teamed up with Tobacco Free Florida, to establish three designated smoking areas on the outskirts of the Pasco County Fairgrounds.

The policy will apply to the use of pipes, cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes and vapes.

The 72nd annual Pasco County Fair will have three designated smoking areas across the fairgrounds, in an effort to make the weeklong event largely smoke-free. (File)

The three smoking areas are as follows: the east side of Dan Cannon Auditorium near the men’s restrooms; the west side of the restrooms located at Gate 8 near the Albert A. Barthle Livestock Pavilion; and, the east side of the Joe Herrmann Greenhouse.

Those areas will be labeled with “Designated Smoking” signs, while the rest of the fairgrounds will have numerous “No Smoking” signs.

The designated smoking areas were also implemented at last year’s fair, according to David Loyd, vice president of the Pasco Fair Association.

Loyd was instrumental in creating the designated smoking areas with Tobacco Free Florida, an anti-smoking organization administered by the Florida Department of Health.

“Mainly, what we’re trying to do is create a better environment for our patrons that don’t smoke, concerning secondhand smoke,” Loyd said.

“We’re definitely not trying to turn away our patrons to smoke. We’re just trying to create a healthier, better environment for the patrons that don’t smoke. And, all we ask, is if you do smoke, go to the areas where it’s designated, and be courteous of the people that don’t (smoke).”

The 72nd annual Pasco County Fair will be Feb. 18 through Feb. 24, at the Pasco County Fairgrounds, 36722 State Road 52 in Dade City.

The fair’s primary purpose is to promote youth in agriculture, as they show their steers, hogs, plants and more. Throughout the week, the fair will feature one-of-a-kind shows and musical performances, as well as an assortment of midway rides, food, games and other entertainment.

The fair is expected to draw as many as 50,000 patrons this year.

Tobacco Free Florida will have signage and brochures about the dangers of smoking at ticket and information booths throughout the weeklong event. Representatives from the organization will also be on hand to assist anyone who may be looking to quit smoking.

Loyd noted, while he wasn’t made aware of public feedback from the fair association regarding the recent non-smoking policy, “I did have people come up to me and say they liked the fact that it was smoke-free.”

According to a 2016 report from Tobacco Free Florida, approximately 23.3 percent of adults in Pasco County smoke, which is compared to the state rate of about 16.8 percent.

For information, visit PascoCountyFair.com and TobaccoFreeFlorida.com.

If you go
Pasco County Fair
When: Feb.18 through Feb. 24 (Hours vary)
What: Rides, food, games, entertainment, livestock and exhibits
Where: Pasco County Fairgrounds, 36722 State Road 52
Cost: Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children 6 through 12; parking is free. Wristbands are available for purchase for unlimited rides. Parking is free. (On Feb. 24, one child is admitted free with each adult)
Info: PascoCountyFair.com

Published February 06, 2019

Political Agenda 02/06/2019

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Democratic Environmental Caucus
The Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida, Pasco Chapter, will meet on Feb 13 at the Heritage Park Community Center, 5401 Land O Lakes Blvd., in Land O Lakes. Networking starts at 6 p.m., with the meeting starting at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend. The group will be discussing its goals for 2019. For more information, email , or visit the group’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/DECFPasco/.

Kelly Smith files for State House District 38
Kelly Smith has announced her candidacy for Florida House District 38. She is running to fill the vacant seat created when former Rep. Danny Burgess left to accept an offer from Gov. Ron DeSantis, to become the executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs. For more information about Smith, visit KellyForPasco.com.  

Trinity Democrats
The Trinity Democratic Club welcomes guest speakers Monica Rousseau and Chrissie Parris from the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention. The political club meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month at Fox Hollow Golf Club, at 10050 Robert Trent Jones Parkway in Trinity.  Doors open at 5 p.m., for dinner and happy hour (self-pay) with food and beverages available for purchase throughout the meeting. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. 

For more information, call (415) 298-9155, or email . You can follow the club on Facebook or at PascoDems.com.

Republican Club of Central Pasco
The Republican Club of Central Pasco meeting on Feb. 25 will feature Walter Andrusyszyn.  In 2009, Andrusyszyn served as the deputy permanent representative to NATO, while advising the President of the United States on his first visit to Europe. He is a recipient of several national and international awards, including the Secretary of State’s Award for Heroism in 1996 for helping to negotiate the release of an American journalist in Serbia. In September 2001, he was named the Director of the Task Force on Terrorism in response to the Sept. 11 attacks. Andrusyszyn’s distinguished appointments with the National Security Council, at the State Department and around the globe are too numerous to mention. 

The meeting is open to the public. The club meets at Copperstone Executive Suites, 3632 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes. The social begins at 6:30 p.m., and business meeting starts at 7 p.m. For more information, call (813) 996-3011.

Health challenges don’t dim this boy’s optimism

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Eric Piburn’s cheerful demeanor and active nature are not what one would typically expect from someone who has lived the bulk of his life — in and out of hospitals.

Though he’s a lively 12-year-old who enjoys running, jumping and playing with toys — he was born with two congenital heart defects.

Physicians did not expect him to live beyond infancy.

Eric spent his first three years living at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg,  unable to walk or talk.

Eric Piburn loves to show off his race car track, one of his many toy collections. Despite health complications, the 12-year-old enjoys keeping active and having fun. (Brian Fernandes)

“When we first brought Eric home, my husband and I were terrified,” his mother, Randi Piburn, recalled.

Randi and her husband, Dave, already were caring for Eric’s older sister Alex — who also had congenital heart defects, although Eric’s were more severe.

He lived longer than expected, and his health complications have increased, over time.

His body could not properly break down sugars and starches, and he began to suffer from acute renal failure.

He has breathing difficulties, too, requiring the use of an oxygen mask and tank at all times.

He has survived four open heart surgeries.

His mother prepares his daily medication involving fluid and syringes. They both know the drill.

“This is his norm,” Randi said.

“Wearing oxygen is not an issue for him. Being on breathing treatments is not an issue for him,” she added.

Eric also must wear a backpack that pumps his medication into his chest through a tube, and his nutrition follows a daily regimen, too.

He drinks most of his water in the morning. He eats pureed food in the afternoon and evening.

He samples solid food, on rare occasions, but when he does, the portion is only about half the size of a grain of rice, Randi said.

Still, it’s  a long way from the days of a liquid-only diet passed through a feeding tube into Eric’s intestines.

Years of medical treatment have inspired Eric to desire a career as a cardiologist – like the one who looks after him.

“When I grow up, I want to be just like him so I can work on surgeries, do appointments and check-ups,” he said.

He has spent much of his life being treated at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, which has led to developing friendships with the hospital’s staff.

Birthday party will raise money for expenses
Randi, a former respiratory therapist, gave up her job to care for Alex.

Dave is a full-time nurse.

Finances are challenging for the Wesley Chapel family.

“When you don’t know if you can pay your bill, it’s really scary,” Randi said.

“It’s hard to just buy groceries half the time.”

On top of that are the costs of medications, medical equipment and medical supplies.

An oxygen tank, for example, lasts only a week.

Plus, Eric has been denied for certain health benefits and doesn’t qualify for government assistance.

Dave’s employer covers some expenses, but not others.

Throughout the trials, though, Randi said she’s learned valuable lessons.

“I am giving the best world I can to him (Eric). He is then, in turn, giving back to me love, joy, [and] compassion that he shows people,” she said.

For instance, Eric’s party on Feb. 3 exemplifies his caring spirit, she said.

His birthday was in December, but he wants to have a party so the community can join in.

Eric said the party is for other kids, as much as it is for him.

He empathizes with the challenges that other kids face with health issues.

Going to the hospital can be scary, he said, but he reassures other kids that the staff is there to help them get well.

“As soon as you feel better, the sooner you can go outside, run, play, swing, have fun and be a kid,” Eric said.

And, despite continuing challenges, Eric remains optimistic: “It’s a tough nut to crack, but I’m sure I can crack it in a snap.”

The party will help pay for his medical expenses, but the home-schooled boy sees other benefits, too.

“First of all, I want to be kind to the world and, second, I like presents,” he said.

Eric’s Birthday Party
Where: Old McMicky’s Farm, 9612 Crescent Drive in Odessa
When: Feb. 3 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: $10 per ticket for those ages 2 and up
Details: Eric Piburn is inviting the community to celebrate his most recent birthday. There will be pizza, drinks, activities and a visit from superhero characters.
Info: Email . Tickets can be purchased online at tinyurl.com/yarpcmna.

Published January 30, 2019

Pasco supports legalizing hemp as a crop

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The Pasco County Commission has unanimously approved a resolution backing the legal cultivation of hemp in Florida.

The issue came up for discussion at the board’s Jan. 8 meeting, but was delayed for two weeks to give Commission Chairman Ron Oakley the chance to learn more about the issue.

When Commissioner Jack Mariano brought up the issue again, commissioners quickly approved it.

Board members had discussed the issue extensively during their Jan. 8 meeting, when Mariano encouraged his colleagues to support the resolution, noting that it will give farmers another crop option.

The passage of the U.S. Farm Bill changed everything, Mariano said. “It’s now going to allow local people to actually grow it and do something with it, as opposed to large corporations. This is like a monumental step forward.”

Hemp can be used to make CBD oils for people’s pain, rope, plastics and other materials, Mariano said.

“Farmers struggle, losing their orange groves – this just creates a huge market for Florida, itself.

“It puts the state in a great position,” Mariano said.

Unlike medical marijuana, which must be cultivated indoors, in controlled conditions, hemp can be grown outdoors, Mariano said.

“With all of this open farmland that we have, you can actually grow the hemp. Florida, especially in our area, we can actually get three crops year out of it. That could be a huge boon for us, to go stimulate agricultural, stimulate maybe some manufacturing,” Mariano said.

Joseph Heinzman, representing the Florida Sustainable Agriculture Coop, explained the difference between hemp and marijuana during the Jan. 8 discussion.

“Because they did go ahead and pass it at the federal level, several of Florida’s laws are going to have to change over the next six months to a year,” Heinzman said.

“As it stands right now, medical marijuana dispensaries are the only companies that can grow hemp in Florida. That’s causing, for lack of a better word, a monopoly at the moment.”

Heinzman’s organization is working to change state laws so farmers can grow hemp without the fear of it being considered marijuana.

He explained that hemp can be used for fiber and other products.

Commissioner Mike Wells spoke in favor of the shift.

“I was in Georgia a couple of weeks ago and they’ve got hemp farms there. I know the freeze kills it. We need it. It’s coming,” he said.  “I think we need to lead this. It would be a cool thing for the east side of the county for those farmers who can’t have citrus anymore. They can harvest that.”

Commissioner Mike Moore noted that it’s possible today to go into retail stories to purchase clothing, handbags and other items made using hemp fibers.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey also talked about various uses of hemp, including for birdseed, bedding for animals, and the manufacture of oil-based paints, and creams, moisturizing agents, cooking and plastic.

“I don’t doubt that this going to get fixed by the Legislature,” Starkey said. “I think if our state waits a long time, it puts our state at a disadvantage.”

Published January 30, 2019

Commissioners spar over choosing rec center design firm

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The Pasco County Commission has selected Wannemacher Jensen Architects Inc., and Harvard Jolly Inc.,  as the top-ranked firms for design services for an indoor recreation center at the Wesley Chapel District Park.

It also authorized county staff to negotiate with Wannemacher Jensen, and if an agreement can’t be reach, to conduct negotiations with Harvard Jolly.

Mike Wells

Commissioners approved the action on a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Mike Wells dissenting, and following a clash between commissioners over whether to proceed with the process, or reject all of the proposals and start over.

Wells advocated starting the process over.

“I don’t know if any of you have looked at it. I do have some concerns,” Wells said. Specifically, he questioned why there was such a large discrepancy in points awarded to various proposals, and the lack of written comments to explain those differences.

He made a motion to reject all proposals and to begin the process again “and that the evaluation process be more thoroughly documented.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano seconded Well’s motion.

But, Commissioner Mike Moore told his colleagues: “I’ve got citizens waiting for this project to happen in that area. We’ve worked hard on this. I want to hear from staff.”

Stacey Ziegler, the county’s purchasing director, told the board: “We followed the process that we’ve been following the last six months, since we updated our purchasing manual.

“There were no actual comments that were written down specific to the evaluation committee members, but, if you listen to the tape, they did have full discussion.

“We feel like we’ve done our due diligence and that our recommendation should stand,” Ziegler said.

Moore said starting over would delay the project for months.

“They’re already scheduling for these new leagues to be inside. We need this to happen on the timeline we told them it was going to happen,” Moore said.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey asked: “Did we have anybody protest the selection?”

Mike Moore

Ziegler responded: “No.”

Then Mariano weighed in about the county’s evaluation process, in general.

“I don’t like the way that these committees are set up. I’d like to have a commissioner sit on it,” Mariano said. “A local firm didn’t even make the top nine, and I think the competency was there.”

That’s why he supported Wells’ motion, Mariano added.

Commissioner Starkey rejected Mariano’s suggestion. “I 100 percent disagree with putting a commissioner on an evaluation like that. There’s a lot of political pressure,” she said, adding she’s aware of commissioners who have wound up in prison because of improprieties.

“There is a reason why our county attorney has strongly recommended that commissioners stay off those kinds of committees,” Starkey said.

Wells said this is only the second time he’s pulled this type of recommendation.

“I’m not trying to disrespect our team,” he said.

“What’s concerning to me is the point spread. The way this process works is that each individual person scores it and then they go to the meeting and they discuss it.

“Sometimes it is hard for me to understand how they scored it, when there are no notes,” Wells said.

He reiterated his call for starting over.

“I think this is the fairest way to do it,” Wells said.

Starkey disagreed: “I feel we have competent staff who pick competent companies based on the criteria that are in front of them.

“At the end of the day, I trust our staff, and I feel time is of the essence and we should move forward,” she said.

Moore asked what the county would gain by going through the process again.

“If it goes out for bid again, and they write their comments down, and it ends up in the exact same order, what do we get out of it?” Moore asked.

Mariano noted that Spring Engineering was the only local company and it didn’t make the top four.

“We’re trying to push local companies, local jobs,” Mariano said, adding perhaps there was some bias relating to some other work done by the company in the past.

County Administrator Dan Biles responded:  “The evaluation committee can only evaluate the packet that is before them.”

County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder told the board: “You clearly do have the right to reject all bids.”

But, he noted: “You’ve got a series of qualified folks. You’ve got a short list before you. “Rejecting all proposals. You may not get the same group of people proposing.”

Starkey warned her colleagues: “I think we open the door for trouble, if we’re going to throw this out, because there weren’t any notes.”

Moore urged commissioners to act on staff’s recommendation.

“This facility was supposed to be part of the park many, many years ago.

The basketball leagues play outdoors.

“For one thing, it’s very hot to play on cement. There’s no covering out there,” Moore said. Plus, “they get rained out, constantly.”

He also noted that there’s no place for boys and girls to play volleyball.

“They’re literally going to New Tampa to play volleyball. Or, they travel over to Land O’ Lakes,” Moore said.

“You’re looking at almost a 1,000 kids that are going to be put off a season,” Moore said.

When it appeared the board was heading for a vote, Mariano pulled his second. He said he didn’t want to delay the project.

But, Wells maintained his opposition. “It’s about picking the most qualified person. I don’t feel we did that,” he said.

Mariano also asked county staff to find out whether other counties have a commissioner on their evaluation committees.

Starkey retorted: “Start with Broward County, you’ll have to go to the prison to interview some of them.”

Published January 30, 2019

State grant supports Pasco business park

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Pasco County has announced the receipt of a $3 million state grant to support the development of the Overpass Business Park.

The business park is intended to promote economic development in Pasco County.

The county received a grant for $3,088,580 from the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, according to a news release from the county.

The grant will support the creation of the Overpass Business Park project.

At its completion, the project will be home to 2.2 million square feet of industrial and office development, and will support between 4,000 and 5,000 jobs, the news release says.

“Overpass Business Park represents another realization of Pasco County’s ongoing commitment to strategic, robust economic growth, and we sincerely thank the State for its partnership in moving this critical initiative forward,” Pasco County Economic Growth Manager David Engel said, in the release.

The 100-acre, shovel-ready economic development site overlooks Interstate 75 and is 1.5 miles north of State Road 54. It is just south of the proposed new connection at Overpass Road and I-75.

The project design is in its final stages.

By 2022-2023, the site improvements will be completed and Overpass Business Park will be ready for development, the release says.

The Florida Job Growth Grant Fund was established in 2017 by Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature. It provides $85 million for improving public infrastructure and enhancing workforce training in Florida, the release says.

For more information about the Pasco County Office of Economic Growth, visit bit.ly/PascoEconomicGrowth.

To stay abreast of the Overpass Business Park Project progress, visit bit.ly/OverpassBusinessPark.

Published January 30, 2019