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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Commissioners approve Connected City

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A champagne toast and tethered hot-air balloon rides heralded the groundbreaking for a 7-acre manmade Crystal Lagoon that — when finished — will be large enough for six football fields, end to end.

In the background, construction workers stirred dust and hammered nails into model homes for the first master-planned community in Epperson Ranch, along the Connected City corridor. The Crystal Lagoon is the splashy jewel at the center of Epperson.

Connected City, if successful, could become Pasco’s economic jewel.

Pasco County commissioners voted unanimously on Feb. 7 to approve the framework to establish the Connected City, as a state-approved 10-year pilot program to foster a technology-based “city of the future.”

Dignitaries picked up shovels and tossed dirt at a ceremonial groundbreaking for Crystal Lagoon, a 7-acre, manmade lagoon at Epperson Ranch.
(Courtesy of Cole Media Productions)

At its 50-year build out, the Connected City is expected to have more than 96,000 residents within multiple neighborhoods; 37,000 homes and apartments; as many as 7.2 million square feet of employment facilities; and, a role-model reputation for technology innovation.

But, for now, all eyes are on Epperson and the Crystal Lagoon in northeastern Pasco, at Curley and Overpass roads. The mammoth swimming pool, with clear blue, see-through waters, is a global phenomenon, with locations in Chile and Cabo San Lucas in Mexico. Pasco’s Crystal Lagoon will be the first in the nation.

“It’s like swimming in a bottle of Zephyrhills water,” said Greg Singleton, president of Metro Development Group. “It’s so incredibly clear.”

It took more than two years of planning, workshops and negotiations to reach the groundbreaking at Epperson on Feb. 2, followed by the Connected City vote nearly a week later.

“It was worth the time. I say congratulations to everybody,” said Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore. “I think we’ll see great things for our neighborhoods. All eyes are going to be upon us now. People will be coming to Pasco County, to follow suit.”

State lawmakers carved out about 7,800 acres in northeastern Pasco, in 2015, for a special development district. The boundaries are Interstate 75, State Road 52, and Curley and Overpass roads.

State law, and now county approval, set in motion a 10-year pilot program to encourage mixed-use development projects and master-planned communities built from the ground up with cutting edge technology.

“At the end of the day, I feel it’s the right thing for the county,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells. “It comes down to job creation for me.”

Still, the excitement level created by Connected City isn’t shared by everyone.

Resident Jennifer McCarthy has been a frequent critic of Connected City at prior meetings. She and her husband, Chris McCarthy, attended the final hearing on Feb. 2, but neither spoke during public comment.

They both remain worried about property rights of residents who have lived in the area for decades. Increased traffic is another issue, especially on Kenton Road where they live.

They also aren’t convinced that the area can become another technology-heavy Silicon Valley.

“This isn’t California,” said Jennifer McCarthy.

Resident Nancy Hazelwood worries about preserving the rural character of the area.

She objected when county commissioners voted to carve out a portion of the Villages of Pasadena Hills, and to add it into Connected City boundaries.

County commissioners said that made sense because the state-drawn boundaries overlapped into one of the Villages’ neighborhoods.

It was the third time, Hazelwood said, that the county gave up rural land to accommodate urban development.

“You keep taking things from what we were given at one time,” she said.

Change is coming.

Metro Development Group anticipates completion of the lagoon in 2017, with the opening of model homes in late 2017 or early 2018.

Metro Development Group is working in a public-private partnership with Pasco County on the initial development within Connected City. The development company controls about 35 percent of the targeted area.

A second community – known as Mirada – is planned by Metro Development Group, along with a second Crystal Lagoon of more than 10 acres.

In return for meeting more than 50 development criteria, the county is offering mobility fee credits and a faster-than-usual review process to Connected City projects.

Technology is the premier feature in what is expected to entice high-paying jobs to Pasco.

The vision is for the entire area to become a northern gateway into the Tampa Bay region, with links to commerce and education centers to the south, including the research-oriented University of South Florida.

“I am doing everything I can to hook them up with tech companies,” said Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey.

Published February 15, 2017

Ranch Days offered many ways to have fun

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Ranch Days offered a weekend of entertainment at the Little Everglades Ranch.

Wayne Waxing performs in the band Hymn for Her, at Ranch Days at Little Everglades Ranch.
(RIchard K. Riley)

There were tethered hot air balloon rides, tours of the ranch, a high-wire act, a snake show, live music, a petting zoo and other ways to have fun.

People could grab a bite to eat, and sit back and relax, or they could be more adventurous.

They could watch a chainsaw artist turn a piece of wood into a work of art, they could learn about birds of prey, and they could stick around to see a hot air balloon glow.

Over the years, people have visited the 2,100-acre ranch, owned by Bob and Sharon Blanchard, for all sorts of events, including Savage Races, Steeplechase Races, equine events, track meets and other activities.

This was first time that tours were offered of the property, at 17951 Hamilton Road in Dade City.

Published February 15, 2017

Tino Wallenda performed on the high-wire for four shows during the weekend. He reported that most of his family that were in the Sarasota Circus accident last week are in good shape, but some are still hospitalized.
A Hot Air Balloon Ride Co. of Orlando (yellow/blue balloon) and American Balloons of Wesley Chapel (red/white/blue balloon) provided tethered balloon views from the Ranch Day site on the Little Everglades Ranch.

 

Appreciating life, one moment at a time

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Roslyn Franken doesn’t take life for granted.

She understands its precarious nature.

Her father was a prisoner of war in Japan, surviving the Nagasaki atomic bombing.

Her mother was a Holocaust survivor, and later, a cancer survivor.

And, in 1994, the then 29-year-old Franken also survived cancer.

Roslyn Franken, the author of ‘Meant To Be: A True Story of Might, Miracles and Triumph of the Human Spirit,’ spoke at the Hugh Embry Library on Jan. 24.
(Courtesy of The Mitchell Group)

She shares what she has learned through her book, “Meant to Be: A True Story of Might, Miracles and Triumph of the Human Spirit,” and through inspirational talks.

She spoke on Jan. 24, in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, at the Hugh Embry Library in Dade City.

Franken, who lives in St. Petersburg, delivered a clear message: Take life as it comes, and be grateful for every blessing received.

“As we’re going through our lives, it’s so easy to just coast along,” Franken said.

“A lot of us are on automatic pilot, just so busy trying to get everything done on our to-do list that we neglect things that are most important and meaningful.”

She offered guidelines to members of the audience, to help them live fulfilling lives. She advised them:

  • Choose to be happy now
  • Stop being a victim of past events and circumstances
  • Be grateful for what you have
  • Make the best choices you can everyday

Her personal battle with cancer, along with her parents’ experiences in captivity, give her perspective regarding the challenges of daily life.

“Things happen,” she said, “but, we can all find a way to keep going.”

Perhaps the most remarkable element of Franken’s presentation was the retelling of the story of her mother’s survival of the Holocaust in Nazi-occupied Europe.

Franken’s mother, Sonja, was 15 years old when she was forced from her family’s home in the Netherlands and taken to the first of 11 different concentration camps.

One of those camps was Auschwitz, arguably the most notorious extermination camp built and operated by the Third Reich.

It was there where Sonja was tattooed on her left arm. The numbers read “78491.”

“The living conditions were brutal,” Franken told the audience. “For people who weren’t killed in the gas chambers, they would die of starvation, malnutrition, infectious diseases, individual executions, or horrific medical experiments.

“It was one of the most streamlined, mass-killing centers ever created in human history,” Franken said.

Yet, Sonja survived Auschwitz.

She, too, survived the poisonous gas chambers — three separate times.

“There was either a malfunction in the gas supply, or, they had put so many people through that day that they had run out of gas,” Franken explained. “Every time, before they fixed the problem, she was being shipped to another camp.

“It’s a miracle that she survived.”

In 1945, Sonja was liberated by the Swedish Red Cross.

The adversity didn’t stop there, however.

More than four decades later, Sonja was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer – primary peritoneal carcinoma, which affects the lining of the abdomen.

Her physician gave her two years to live.

Sonja made it 31, despite her cancer coming back five times.

“It would have been so easy for her to play the victim and feel sorry for herself, and to want to give up,” Franken said. “Not my mother.”

The story of Franken’s father is inspiring, too.

John Franken was 18 when he was conscripted to the Dutch Navy Air Force in 1940.

Just months later, he became a Japanese prisoner of war. He was held captive for 3½ years in Makassar, Indonesia and Nagasaki, Japan.

He experienced torture, starvation and brutal winters, Franken said. He saw death and murders of fellow POWs.

Yet, he found ways to survive. He applied his trade skills, like welding, to become an asset as a slave laborer.

One day, he volunteered to work in the Japanese coal mines.

It ended up saving his life.

During the Nagasaki bombing attack, he was mining coal several hundred meters underground.

Franken’s father was liberated in 1945, by the United States.

Like Franken’s mother, her father’s adversity didn’t end with the war.

He underwent a quintuple bypass surgery in 1981, following a massive heart attack.

One surgeon predicted he might live another 15 years. But, he nearly doubled that, living for another 27 years before dying in 2016.

Franken said her father’s secret to longevity was “appreciating every moment.”

Having an optimistic outlook on life, the author said, also helped her to overcome her own bout with cancer.

She drew strength from her parents’ example.

“As I started the treatments and the ugly side effects of it, I started to think about my parents and everything they went through.

“They didn’t just sit around, and wait for and pray for a miracle. They believed they had their own active role to play in their fate,” Franken said.

Franken said her parents’ experiences, and her own survival, serve as a constant reminder.

“Never forget how precious life really is, and how things can change on a dime,” Franken said.

To learn more about the author, visit RoslynFranken.com.

Published February 8, 2017

Middle/high school offers new possibilities

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Principal Carin Hetzler-Nettles sees countless possibilities for students who will be taught at Cypress Creek Middle/High School, now under construction off State Road 52.

Students aren’t the only ones who will have new opportunities, Hetzler-Nettles said. She believes the experience will be invigorating for her faculty and staff, too.

The school is slated to begin operation in the fall, beginning with students in grade six through 11, and adding a senior class the following year.

Carin Hetzler-Nettles, former principal at Wesley Chapel High, will lead Cypress Creek Middle/High School. She has experience at both the middle and high school levels.
(B.C. Manion)

Attendance boundaries for the school were adopted on Jan. 17 by the Pasco County School Board, but the boundaries are being challenged.

The Pasco County School Board and Superintendent Kurt Browning were scheduled to meet in a closed session with school board attorneys to discuss pending litigation regarding those boundaries. That meeting was set for the morning of Feb. 7, or as soon thereafter as possible.

Meanwhile, construction continues at Cypress Creek Middle/High School.

The physical setup keeps middle school and high school students in separate areas, Hetzler-Nettles said. There will be separate physical education classes, with separate locker rooms for the age levels and genders.

There’s also a screen in the gym that will descend, to separate middle school and high school physical education classes.

Students will ride the bus together, but there will be rules, Hetzler-Nettles said.

“Middle school students will sit in the front. High school students can sit in the last 10 rows,” she said.

That practice is already being used on buses carrying middle school and high school students to other district schools, she said.

Cypress Creek Middle/High will have a high school band and a middle school band, as well as a high school orchestra and middle school orchestra.

“There might be some performances together. That will be the beauty of that school,” Nettles said.

“There is going to be a lot of awesome possibilities in terms of student mentoring,” Hetzler-Nettles said. “I can easily see ninth-graders mentoring in sixth-grader classes.

“Collaboration amongst the teachers is going to be amazing,” she added.

The school is planning to have academies in Criminal Justice, Entrepreneurship, and Engineering and Robotics.

There also will be opportunities for middle school students who have advanced skills to take academic courses at the high school level, Hetzler-Nettles said.

The principal said she has heard some concerns regarding the impact that the lack of a senior class could have on athletic programs.

She thinks it will serve as an advantage for some underclassmen.

“Your juniors will be your leaders. That’s definitely going to offer up some opportunities,” Hetzler-Nettles said.

The principal is looking forward to being able to give tours of the new school.

“The campus is just beautiful,” she said.

She also noted the quest to secure funding for a performing arts center on the campus.

“It’s a collaborative effort between Pasco County School Board and PHSC (Pasco-Hernando State College),” Hetzler-Nettles said.

The middle/high school will open with offerings in dance, theater, orchestra, band and chorus, she said.

“I think those programs will just explode, with the building of that performing arts center,” Nettles said. “PHSC is going to have classes there. It’s going to give our kids an opportunity for dual enrollment within the area of fine arts. That’s exciting.

“It’s going to be a community theater, maybe even renting it out for events,” Hetzler-Nettles said.

The principal began her teaching career as a middle school teacher at River Ridge. She has been at the helm of Wesley Chapel High School for several years.

She’s looking forward to working with both middle and high school students.

“I know that parents are worried about that combination of middle school and high schoolers, but I really see it as such a benefit,” Hetzler-Nettles said.

“Kids are kids. They’re awesome. They’re fun. I’m excited to translate what we do here at Wesley Chapel High School down into a middle school arena,” she said.

She also wants to alleviate worries that parents may have.

“I’m available for questions at any time. If they have concerns, they certainly can reach out to me,” Hetzler-Nettles said.

She can be reached at .

Published February 8, 2017

Efforts continue to extend Ridge Road

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It’s been two decades and Pasco County is still waiting on a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to extend Ridge Road — but, a push is on to try to speed things up.

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis is seeking to take advantage of President Donald Trump’s recent executive order to accelerate reviews of “high priority” infrastructure projects.

Gus Bilirakis

The extension of Ridge Road, which would create another east/west evacuation route, has long been considered essential by Pasco County government officials.

In an effort to help move things along, Bilirakis sent a letter on Jan. 25 asking President Trump and the Chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality to grant priority status to the project.

The congressman also plans to reach out to Gov. Rick Scott, who has strong ties with Trump. While no formal meeting is scheduled, Bilirakis anticipates a personal appeal, as well, to Trump on Ridge Road. He counts Reince Priebus, Trump’s chief of staff, as another potential contact on the matter.

Pasco County commissioners are pressing the issue through Washington D.C.-based lobbyists. They also sent a letter to the governor requesting his support for the project.

“This is a priority for me because it’s a priority for our community,” said Bilirakis. “It’s really a nonpartisan issue. We’re talking about public safety.”

In his letter, Bilirakis cited Hurricane Hermine, which damaged 2,672 homes in Pasco County and, in total, caused $89 million in damages to Pasco County.

A favorable decision on the permit could come from U.S. Army Corps in mid-March, Bilirakis said.

But, if the permit is denied or delayed further, Bilirakis said, “The executive order overrides that.”

Trump’s executive order cites infrastructure projects that “have been routinely and excessively delayed by agency processes and procedures.”

A decision on a project’s priority shall be made within 30 days by the chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, according to the executive order.

However, the council, which was created by President Richard Nixon, currently doesn’t have a chairperson. It’s not known when the Trump administration will appoint someone to fill that position.

Pasco County submitted its application for an 8-mile extension of Ridge Road in 1998. The road dead-ends at Moon Lake Road in New Port Richey. The extension would link to U.S. 41, with a connection to Suncoast Parkway in Land O’ Lakes.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issues permits based on regulations within the Clean Water Act.

About 58 acres of the 6,000-acre Serenova Preserve are at issue. The land was set aside years ago to mitigate wetlands lost during construction of the parkway. For permit approval, federal law requires a minimum of damage to the environment.

Pasco County had one application rejected for insufficient data.

Dawson & Associates helped county officials with a second application, which is awaiting a final decision.

The county’s budget, for several years, has included about $42 million for the first phase of the project, if approved.

“The good people of Pasco County deserve for this (project) to happen,” Bilirakis said.

Published February 8, 2017

Business community buoyed by Trump administration

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The business community is mostly bullish about the Trump administration and Trump’s plans to cut taxes and roll back regulations, according to Mark Vitner, managing director and senior economic advisor for Wells Fargo.

The Pasco Economic Development Council featured Vitner as guest speaker at its annual Economic Forecast Luncheon at the Florida Hospital Center Ice on Feb. 3.

President Donald Trump is shaking up the old way of doing business, Vitner said. “It’s a 180 degrees from policies we’ve been following and not what most people expected to be following.”

But, Vitner said the business community generally likes Trump’s rapid-fire issuance of executive orders that are delivering on his campaign promises.

Bill Cronin, president of the Pasco EDC, agreed.

There has been an uncertain climate in past years with road blocks in getting loans to invest, particularly to build on speculation, he said.

“The president said a lot of things during the campaign, and now he’s starting to do those things,” Cronin said. “Now it gives predictability and certainty in the market place. Whether you agree with him or not, you want certainty before you invest.”

Vitner said tax cuts, fewer regulations and better trade agreements are “very, very good for growth.”

He expects the Gross Domestic Product to rise 2.3 percent in 2017. The GDP is based on the total value of goods produced and services provided nationwide in one year.

Some cities, such as San Francisco and Houston, are outpacing the nation’s growth, increasing their local GDP faster than the rest of the country.

Florida also has a growing economy “from Pensacola to Key West,” Vitner said.

He anticipates about 4 percent job growth in Pasco County, up from about 3.6 percent in 2016.

But, Vitner also cautioned against expecting too much, too soon.

“It takes time to formulate policies,” he said. “It takes time to impact the economy.”

One of Trump’s campaign promises was to spend $1 trillion over the next decade on infrastructure. But, Vitner said, “I don’t think dirt will move for two to three years.”

He anticipates court challenges that could delay those types of projects.

The economy likely will see more immediate results from deregulation, he added.

“The thing I’m most positive of is rolling back regulations,” Vitner said. “And, regulations are strangling small businesses.”

Unemployment ticked up slightly from 4.7 percent to 4.8 percent. That’s technically full employment, but Vitner said employment remains a problem.

“There are a whole lot of people not fully employed,” he said.

Some people may only work a few hours at an online job, or drive for Uber part-time, but still are counted in employment data, he said.

But, some people have dropped out of the labor market or maybe don’t feel secure in the jobs they have, he added.

The recent holiday season also was telling.

Vitner said brick-and-mortar retailers hired fewer seasonal workers “because they knew they were getting strangled by online.”

Technology and energy will be economic drivers for the country, Vitner said.

He also expects reforms to the Dodd-Frank law, which enacted financial reform following the economic meltdown in 2008. Vitner said changes likely will make it easier for people to qualify for loans.

“Regulations are well-intentioned,” he said. “But, there are unintended consequences.”

February 8, 2017

East Pasco Rocks plays hide-and-seek

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East Pasco County residents are having a rockin’ good time – with hide-and-seek painted rocks.

On a recent Sunday, members of a new club, East Pasco Rocks, packed a pavilion at Zephyr Park in Zephyrhills for their first group painting party.

They brought art supplies, creativity and – rocks.

Afterward, children gathered up the pretty stones, hidden for a treasure hunt in the park.

Wesley Chapel resident Marlo Sue Johnson, a member of East Pasco Rocks, painted cartoon-style animal faces onto rocks. The group enjoys hide-and-seek treasure hunts to find painted rocks. The social-media driven hobby is a nationwide trend.
(Courtesy of East Pasco Rocks Facebook page)

“There’s nothing grander than sitting down and watching kids find rocks,” said Renee Crum, founder of East Pasco Rocks.

Her daughter painted a rock with a Pokemon character. Later, a friend’s daughter found the rock.

For 15 minutes, Crum said, “All she did was hear this girl squealing (with joy). It’s a giant game of hide-and-seek.”

The group has nearly 600 members, brought together largely through Facebook.

Members live in Zephyrhills, Land O’ Lakes, San Antonio and Dade City.

A few, who frequently visit east Pasco, live in Lakeland and Plant City.

Many have never met their rock-painting buddies in person.

East Pasco Rocks plans a second painting party on Feb. 11 from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Hobby Lobby, at 7325 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

The club is part of a growing national trend. Members often meet up on Facebook or Pinterest.

First, comes the arts and craft part. Rocks are painted with colorful designs or a written message.

“There is nothing specific about what they have to do or how they do it,” said Crum. “Sometimes we write a word – hope or love.”

But, mermaid tails, penguins or pretty patterns also are popular.

The finished artworks are hidden, but not too well because it’s the discovery that counts.

A rock found is a rock that can bring delight, or at least a smile, to someone who stumbles upon something unexpected, pretty and a bit mysterious.

Crum started painting rocks when a friend in Missouri suffered the loss of her son. The friend painted a rock in his honor.

Renee Crum, founder of East Pasco Rocks, painted a Florida gator on one of the rocks she hid in Zephyrhills.

About the same time, Crum also saw a Facebook page about a group in Lakeland.

She started Zephyrhills Painted Rocks in November, beginning with a few members, and a Facebook page.

She quickly heard from residents in Wesley Chapel, Land O’ Lakes, San Antonio and Dade City who wanted to find out how to start their own clubs.

Turns out it was easier to expand Crum’s group and rename it East Pasco Rocks.

“This started as a community project, but it has grown to a multi-community effort,” said Crum. “It’s a good way to bring east Pasco together so we can share with each other.”

It’s a pretty free-wheeling pastime.

Anyone who finds and keeps a rock is expected to paint and hide two replacement rocks.

If a rock is put back in its hiding place, a Facebook posting of the rock or better still, a selfie, is appropriate.

But, Crum said safety also is paramount.

Don’t hide rocks in parking lots, for instance, or in grassy areas where a lawnmower could kick up a hidden rock.

The Facebook posts can bring attention to area businesses where rocks sometimes are left, Crum said.

A couple of businesses have asked not to be included, Crum said. But, overall, she added, “It’s a win-win for everyone.”

For information on joining East Pasco Rocks, visit Facebook.com/groups/1218099624929213/.

Published February 8, 2017

Foundation considers its future path

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The Heritage Park Foundation is figuring out its future.

The foundation, which formed decades ago, has essentially met its major goals of bringing improvements to the park — including a stage, which is now under construction.

Dirt flew during the groundbreaking ceremony last year for construction of a stage at the Land O’ Lakes Community Park. The stage is expected to be completed in coming months, and is envisioned as a venue for concerts, plays and other activities at the park.
(File)

So, the group met on Feb. 1 to discuss whether the foundation should continue to exist, or should disband.

Sandy Graves, a prime mover in the quest to get a stage for the park, told board members that if the foundation dissolves, it would be difficult to attain a nonprofit status (501c3) for another organization.

By having the nonprofit status, however, money can be raised that can be spent at the Land O’ Lakes park, she explained.

Kurt Conover, who has been involved since the inception of the foundation, agreed that establishing another 501c3 would be difficult.

Over the years, the vision for what should happen on the park land has changed, Conover said.

But, the idea has always been to foster a greater sense of community, Graves said.

The stage will help make that happen, Conover said.

“It will be a whole different atmosphere, once you have the stage,” he said.

The stage project was made possible through a partnership of the foundation, community businesses, Pasco County, Pasco County Schools and a $250,000 grant from the state.

Construction must be completed by this summer to comply with terms of the state grant, said Brian Taylor, the county’s Parks and Recreation manager.

The completion of the stage follows other significant upgrades to the park, which has resulted in making it a popular place among athletes.

In the future, the foundation may serve as a conduit to help raise money for additional improvements at the park, but it is not clear how that will work yet.

One idea would be for a fee to be imposed to those using the stage, with those fees going to the foundation. The foundation, in turn, could contribute that money for improvements at the park.

Taylor said he needed to do more research on the issue.

Discussion on the issue will continue at the board’s next meeting, expected to be held next month.

Published February 8, 2017

Safeguarding seniors against scams

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Awareness is key in protecting yourself against scams, according to Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater.

Atwater launched Operation SAFE (Stop Adult Financial Exploitation) in 2014 to help protect Florida’s elderly population from financial scams and fraud.

An Operation SAFE workshop, presented by the San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union, was held on Jan. 18 at Zephyrhills Cinema 10.

There, a group of mostly senior attendees learned about spotting fraudulent behavior, common scams that target seniors and ways to fight identity theft.

Savannah Sullivan, a communications specialist for the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS), counseled the dozens in attendance to first be wary of odd behavior. She said seniors should tread carefully if someone is “becoming a little too friendly” or “shows up out of nowhere and wants to move in.”

During the presentation, Sullivan pointed out senior women, typically, are more vulnerable than their male counterparts to becoming a scam victim.

“A lot of women are a little more trusting, nurturing, caring, and may find themselves in a position where they want to help somebody more,” she explained.

Those attributes, Sullivan said, makes them particularly susceptible to what’s known as a romance scam.

In romance scams, a con artist pretends to have romantic intentions to gain affection and trust, often claiming to be from another country. The scam artist will then begin asking for money, claiming it’s for airplane tickets, medical bills or other expenses.

Those scams, Sullivan noted, are becoming more prevalent with the rise of online dating sites.

It’s also becoming one of the most costly.

Sullivan said romance scams wound up costing older Americans about $82 million in 2014; the average cost was over $100,000 per person.

“It really does wrap people in it,” Sullivan said, “because it uses that place where we are at our weakest — our hearts and our love connections.

“If they’re asking for money, and you haven’t met them, it’s a bad sign.”

The overall rate of scams against seniors is staggering.

According to the AARP, 80 percent of fraud victims are 50 and older.

Moreover, one out of every five adults, 65 years and older, has been the victim of a financial scam.

One explanation: seniors control about 70 percent of the disposable income in the United States.

“(Seniors) have so much control over the nation’s wealth,” Sullivan said, “and that is why scam artists are targeting them.”

Yet many scam artists, surprisingly, aren’t even strangers.

About 79 percent of scams against seniors over 65 occur by a family member, a DFS report shows.

“It’s important to keep in mind that sometimes it’s the people you least expect,” Sullivan explained. “It’s often the people who are closest around and may have access to personal financial information…”

Det. Bruce Cohen handles economic crimes for the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

He said many scammers claim to be an authentic government agency, such as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and then proceed to ask for payment via a prepaid debit card.

Requests for green dot cards, he said, are one vital clue to filtering out a scam.

“No legitimate business or government agency will tell you fill out a green dot card; if you hear that, it’s a scam,” Cohen said.

Cohen also instructed seniors to never place mail in mailboxes for pickup.

Doing so creates an easy opportunity for criminals to access financial statements, like credit card accounts and bank statements.

“If you’re going to deal with mail, go to the post office and drop it off at the post office box inside,” Cohen said. “The red (mailbox) flag is just an indication to all the thieves to steal your stuff.”

Seniors, too, should be wary of various intimidation scams, like the jury duty scam.

Fraudsters, posing as courthouse officials or police, telephone in claims that jury duty was missed.

Because of that, scammers threaten you’re going to be arrested, unless a fine is immediately paid.

“It’s a doubly whammy,” said Zephyrhills Police Sgt. Reginald Roberts. “You’ve given them money and your (personal) information.”

Roberts noted those types of scams have also become more frequent because of spoofing, a technique where scammers manipulate the Caller ID feature to masquerade as courthouses or law enforcement agencies.

“They’ll use official names. They’ll use the names of judges, the sheriff, the police chief,” Roberts explained.

He continued: “Caller ID was the gospel at one time, but nowadays, there’s just too many spoofing apps that you really can’t trust that.”

If you suspect a sham call, Roberts advised, “hang up and call the jury clerk.”

Unfortunately, Roberts said, these types of scams, along with other fraud schemes, are constantly getting tweaked and fine-tuned by criminals.

It makes law enforcement’s job even tougher, he said.

“These scams are going to change daily,” Roberts said. “They’re going to try to find a way to get better.”

Yet, experts agreed that knowing the telltale signs of scams and applying common sense can help to avoid getting caught up in a money-draining plot.

“Scam artists are using information that you don’t know,” Sullivan said. “They’re banking on you not knowing something.”

For more information, visit MyFloridaCFO.com.

Common tactics used by scam artists

  • Phantom riches: The scam artist will dangle the prospect of wealth, perhaps a guaranteed monthly income, if you purchase a certain product.
  • Source credibility: The scam artist will make it appear that his or her company is reputable, or that they have special credentials or experience.
  • Social consensus: The scam artist will want you to believe that people you may know already have invested or purchased the product, such as your neighbors, or well-known community leaders.
  • False affiliation: Similar to source credibility, the scam artist works for a company whose name gives the appearance that they are a part of, or affiliated with a senior advocacy group, such as AARP, or a government agency to gain your trust.
  • Sense of urgency: The scam artist will try to get you to buy now by saying the offer is extended only to the next 10 people who purchase today.

Red Flags

  • The person uses broken English and/or poor grammar during the interaction.
  • The person requests money or personal information.
  • A stranger tells you that he or she knows you.
  • The person makes threats that you will be arrested or will be forced to pay a penalty, if you don’t pay a fee.

Ways to avoid being scammed

  • Practice safe internet use.
  • Protect your Social Security number.
  • Destroy private records.
  • Secure your mail.
  • Check your credit report for suspicious activity.

Published February 8, 2017

 

Lutz gardener cultivates generosity

By

Eighty-five-year-old Elaine Pittman’s love affair with gardening began 7 1/2 decades ago.

“My father gave me my first piece of a garden on Long Island when I was about 9 years old.

Eighty-five-year-old Elaine Pittman has never sought attention for the contributions she makes to Christian Social Services, from proceeds derived from her plant sales. She likes to help that group because it feeds the hungry.
(B.C. Manion)

“Every spring, I would go to all of the neighbors around the block and ask for the little seedlings that they didn’t want. I had snow-on-the-mountain and bachelor buttons, and you name it,” said Pittman, who lives in Lutz.

She can barely remember a time since then when she wasn’t getting her hands dirty.

Deliberately.

Throughout her life, she spent spare time digging in soil and coaxing beauty from the earth.

Now, gardening is part of her daily life.

And, in Florida, she can do it year-round.

Behind her house, she has a potting shed, where she has stacks of pots, a sink and potting soil — in an assembly line of sorts.

“I do have a sink full of water here. Certain plants require clean pots. I just soak them (pots) in bleach and detergent here,” she said.

She takes plants that others discard, or pass along to her, and she divides them into smaller plants, which she then tends in her backyard.

She’s nurturing all sorts of plants, including begonias, amaryllis, coonties, crotons, kalanchoe, maple leaf hibiscus and crown of thorns.

She was in her shed, one recent day, putting her skills to work.

Maple leaf hibiscus ‘looks like velvet,’ Elaine Pittman says. ‘This one tends to get a little leggy, so you have to cut it back a lot,’ she adds.

She picked up a leather-leaf fern – a scraggily looking thing, but Pittman saw its potential.

“I always tell people I’m one of these idiots, something breaks, I can’t throw it away. I have to put it in dirt,” Pittman said.

After eyeballing the leather-leaf fern, she decides it will make three or four smaller plants.

She prepares a pot for the first cutting.

“I use coffee filters in the bottom of the pot. It keeps the dirt from washing out,” Pittman explains. She picks up the filters at The Dollar Tree to keep down her costs.

When a pot has a tiny hole, she uses a clump of dryer lint to keep in the dirt.

Then, she takes the first cutting from the leather-leaf fern. She holds it over the pot and begins adding potting mix. She holds the cutting in the center of the pot until she’s added enough soil in the pot to support it.

Next, she adds a “teensy” bit of systemic insecticide, then more soil, and then a small amount of fertilizer.

“I don’t believe in using as much fertilizer as they tell you. They want to make money,” Pittman said. Plus, she notes, too much fertilizer isn’t good for the environment.

Elaine Pittman tends to begonias with red, white and pink blooms in her backyard. These are some of her red begonias.

At her age, Pittman said, she’s not able to make her own potting mix.

“I can’t do my own hard work because the body is too old,” she said. And, she added, “Arthur is not a good friend,” Pittman said, referring to her arthritis.

So, she enlists help.

“I have some young friends that are strong,” she said, and they make her potting mix for her.

And, while she can’t move as fast as she used to — she still manages to grow and sell hundreds of plants every year.

Her prices generally range from $2 to $6, with a few exceptions. “The most I’ve ever charged for one of my plants was $15,” Pittman said.

She sells most of her plants at a booth at the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club yard sale and at two flea markets held at the Old Lutz School each year. The club’s yard sale is scheduled for March 3 and March 4, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., on both days, at the Old Lutz School, 18819 U.S. 41 N., in Lutz.

Proceeds go to the woman’s club, which, in turn, donates the money to Christian Social Services, which operates a thrift store and food pantry in a building that looks like a red barn, at 5514 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

In recent years, Pittman has sold $1,000 in plants a year to provide donations. She said she likes to help Christian Social Services because they feed people who are hungry.

Pittman provides the labor, and the space to cultivate the plants, but she said the work she does relies on the generosity of others.

“People give me plants all of the time when they redo their yards. They’ll bring me the extras. “When my daughter cuts her hibiscus, she brings me the cuttings,” she said.

It’s also not uncommon for her to find plants, pots and other supplies left — anonymously — in front of her garage.

She takes those offerings and puts them to good use.

Pittman has never sought attention for her efforts to create beauty, and to help the poor.

But, it’s a project that seems to align nicely, with a quotation by an unknown author that the Lutz woman finds inspiring: “If there is any hope for the world, it can only be found in personal kindness.”

Published February 8, 2017