Local News

Post office renamed for Hernando County hero

June 18, 2024 By Mary Rathman

(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_Star_Medal)

A bill authored by Congressman Gus Bilirakis and co-sponsored by every member of Florida’s Congressional Delegation was passed by the House of Representatives earlier this week. It will rename the United States Post Office, at 207 E. Fort Dade Ave., in Brooksville, as the Specialist Justin Dean Coleman Memorial Post Office, according to a news release.

During his first tour of duty with the 10th Mountain, 32nd Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army in July 2009, Spc. Coleman of Hernando County was killed in action while patrolling a residential area of Nuristan Province in Afghanistan. He was only 21 years old, the release says.

Coleman’s platoon conducted patrols of a local village, going house to house checking for Taliban combatants. During the patrol, Coleman provided security outside one of the houses and received direct fire from an enemy combatant, fatally wounding him.

By drawing fire away from his platoon, the soldier’s actions allowed his comrades time to take cover, locate the enemy and successfully counterattack.

Because of his sacrifice, Coleman earned the Bronze Star.

Published June 19, 2024

County officers outline budget needs for upcoming fiscal year

June 18, 2024 By Joe Potter

Four of Pasco County’s constitutional officers made their budget needs known to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) during a June 11 workshop in New Port Richey.

The offices of the Clerk & Comptroller, Sheriff, Supervisor of Elections and Property Appraiser made the requests for the upcoming fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1.

The budgets of these four offices will be adopted on Sept. 17. They will become effective on Oct. 1 and will fund county offices and services through Sept. 30, 2025.

Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles is requesting $9,250,747, or an increase of 11% in her budget for fiscal year 2025 (FY25). The main increase of $688,396 is being requested for board services provided by her office. An additional $240,848 is needed for the highly sophisticated computer program, Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS), which enables people to search records maintained by the Clerk & Comptroller’s Office.

“These increases are the result of legislatively mandated employee retirement costs, increased information technology expenses, inflationary impact on goods and services, 5% merit pay raises and adding two new positions within the Board Records (1) and Treasury Management & Capital Assets (1) divisions,” Alvarez-Sowles wrote in her budget request.

“Also represented in this request is $1,024,069, representing the BOCC’s unpaid balance to reimburse the clerk & comptroller for the BOCC’s prior years multi-agency CJIS obligation. The county’s obligation was absorbed by the clerk & comptroller in the amounts of $671,465 (FY22) and $352,604 (FY23). This remaining balance is currently the subject of settlement negotiations related to the Florida Second District Court of Appeal’s recent appellate decision (Fla. 2d DCA Case No. 2D23-0305),” her budget request said.

Sheriff Chris Nocco is requesting $164,476,541 for the Pasco Sheriff’s Office (PSO) for FY25. That is an increase of 9% over the $150 million the PSO is receiving for FY24 that expires on Sept. 30.

Most of the $14,476,541 increase Nocco is asking for is the $8.93 million that will be needed to cover the salaries and other costs of 40 new deputies he hopes to be able to hire in FY25.

The county has been giving the PSO 40% of the new property taxes it receives due to its growth for the past few years and has been offered 10 new deputies each year. But Nocco told commissioners he needs to hire 40 additional deputies during FY25 because of the explosive growth Pasco County has been experiencing.

Part of the remaining additional $5,546,541 Nocco is seeking is to cover salary increases for PSO’s employees, which are needed “to ensure our agency remains competitive with surrounding agencies,” Nocco’s budget request said. Money is also needed to pay for capital expenditures, including armored vehicles, which currently are not budgeted by the sheriff’s office.

Even if the 9% increase is approved, staffing of the PSO won’t be keeping up with the county’s growth, Nocco said, and should be a high priority to commissioners.

Supervisor of Elections Brian E. Corley is requesting $6,256,432 for his office for FY25. This is a decrease of $645,922, or 9.36% from the $6,902,354 that Corley’s office receives for FY24.

This decrease is possible, Corley said, because there is only one election during FY25 for which his office requires funding. That will be the general election on Nov. 5.

The amount of money the Supervisor of Elections’ office requires varies from year to year depending upon the number of elections that it is responsible for overseeing, according to Corley. There was a Presidential Preference Primary on March 19, and there will also be a Primary Election on Aug. 20 for candidates running for offices including sheriff, superintendent of schools and county commissioners for Districts 1, 3, 4 and 5.

The cities and/or towns in Pasco County that will hold Municipal Elections in April of 2025 are each responsible for covering the costs of those elections, according to Corley.

Property Appraiser Mike Wells is requesting $7,761,214 for FY25. This is an increase of $501,370, or 6.9%, from the $7,259,844 his office is currently receiving. Part of the reasons for the requested increase is due to employee salary increases and two new employee hires, Brendan Fitterer told commissioners. He is the chief administrative officer for the Property Appraiser’s office and attended the workshop because Wells was unavailable.

It also was announced that the current budget for the Pasco County Tax Collector’s office is $13,459,190 — but the budget for FY25 needs to be determined later this year after information is received from Florida’s Department of Revenue.

Published June 19, 2024

Florida officials track effects of new laws on state revenues

June 18, 2024 By Andrew Powell

(The Center Square) — Florida officials have examined several bills signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis to determine how they’ll affect the state’s revenues.

Officials analyzed several bills during a revenue estimating conference that are tied to House Bill 5001, the state’s fiscal 2024-2025 budget, and HB 5003, which is the measure that implements it.

(Florida Senate Majority Office/Facebook )

HB 1301 will authorize the Florida Department of Transportation to retain interest earnings on funds appropriated to implement the Moving Florida Forward Plan. The funds will be held in reserve; any interest earned on transferred funds must be used by the department to implement the plan. Analysts found that the change will have no impact on the General Revenue or State Trust funds.

HB 1285 will amend Florida statutes to allow Miami Dade College, Polk State College and Tallahassee Community College to charge an amount of $290 per credit hour for nonresident tuition and fees for distance learning. The institutions will be able to phase in this fee by degree program.

Analysts stated that if the three colleges immediately implemented the maximum fee, the total fiscal impact for FY 2024-25 would have been a loss of over $4.6 million. However, institutions plan on phasing in the program. If 5% of non-Florida residents participate, the total impact will be reduced by $234,897.18.

HB 7073 has a proposed change that specifies if a discretionary sales tax has been collected but not expended by a county, municipality, school board or other entity that those proceeds must be transferred to the Florida Department of Revenue within 60 days from the date of final adjudication. These funds must then be held in the Discretionary Sales Surtax Clearing House Trust Fund in reserve for appropriation.

Senate Bill 994 will change how school traffic zone violations are collected and disbursed. If a violation is enforced by a school bus infraction detection system, the $25 fine would go to the participating school district, rather than into the Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund of the Florida Department of Health. Analysts stated that the change will have an indeterminate impact on the state budget.

HB 1425 would eliminate the minimum-risk nonresidential commitment level for youth. Previously, the court would order a parent to pay a cost of care fee of $1 per day. The Department of Juvenile Justice stated that courts will likely order probation instead, also at $1 per day. Analysts anticipate no impact on the budget.

Published June 19, 2024

Kennedy on Florida presidential ballot as Reform Party candidate

June 18, 2024 By Steve Wilson

(The Center Square) – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will appear on Florida ballots as the Reform Party candidate after the Florida Division of Elections recertified its party status on June 7.

“We’re thrilled to give Floridians an independent option this November,” said Reform Party of Florida Chairwoman Jenniffer Desatoff in a news release. “We’ve been eagerly waiting to collaborate with the Kennedy campaign here in Florida and make history together.”

The party’s national committee nominated Kennedy and his running mate Nicole Shanahan two weeks ago to be their candidates.

More importantly, the move allows the third-party candidate to raise more money.

Now that he has a party nomination, the party can raise an additional $41,300 from donors previously limited to $6,600 each.

Ross Perot supporters founded the party in 1996. The party said in the release it has spent $15 million on a ballot access operation to ensure Kennedy and Shanahan will appear on ballots in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia.

The ticket is officially on the ballot in nine states – Utah, Michigan, California, Delaware, Oklahoma, Hawaii, Texas, South Carolina and Florida — and has collected enough signatures for ballot access in nine other states.

Published June 19, 2024

Pasco County wants to hear from residents

June 11, 2024 By Mary Rathman

The Pasco community is being asked to provide feedback on Pasco’s climate vulnerabilities, such as flooding. (File)

The Resilient Pasco Project is a planning initiative aimed to promote countywide resilience and sustainability planning around vulnerabilities to climate hazards, such as flooding, storm surge, sea level rise and extreme heat.

Pasco County will host public workshops for residents to learn about the results of the countywide vulnerability assessment and to provide feedback. All workshops are from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided.

Workshop 1: June 18, at CARES Elfers Senior Center, 4136 Barker Drive, New Port Richey
Workshop 2: June 20, Hudson Regional Library, 8012 Library Road, Hudson
Workshop 3: June 24, PHSC East Campus, 36727 Blanton Road, Building A, Room 240, Dade City
Workshop 4: June 26, Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway

For more information, visit MyPasco.net/resilience.

Published June 12, 2024

DeSantis asks residents to buy hurricane supplies during sales tax holiday

June 11, 2024 By Andrew Powell

(The Center Square) — Gov. Ron DeSantis urged Florida residents to take advantage of the state’s sales tax holiday for hurricane supplies.

DeSantis announced during a recent news conference in Fort Myers that many items will be sales tax-free to help residents prepare for potential disastrous weather events. Hurricane season started on June 1 and runs through Nov. 1.

“We are gonna be prepared,” DeSantis said. “We have put a lot of emphasis in this state on recovery and response. I know when Ian came, millions and millions of people were restored to power across the state within a matter of 48 hours.”

DeSantis said that this was the fastest restoration after a major hurricane in American history and added that local and state responders worked hard to get supplies and get major lifelines like bridges up and running again.

“There’s certain things that your local government will need to prepare for and execute and then, of course, the state, we have a role and we try to lead,” DeSantis said. “We don’t typically depend on the federal government for anything because we figure that’s not a place you wanna be.”

DeSantis said that individual Floridians have a role to play in ensuring they are prepared and emphasized the importance of having a sound preparedness plan. DeSantis added that they now recommend that households have at least seven days of food, water and fuel.

“We’re not just saying do this; we’re actually helping people make this happen,” DeSantis said. “We are now in the midst — and this goes till June 14 — of our disaster tax preparedness holiday for sales tax.”

Sales tax-free items include portable generators, power banks, batteries, flashlights, pet items, toys, tarps, water, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, carbon monoxide detectors and portable radios for less than $50.

DeSantis said that they have also added pet evacuation supplies to the disaster preparedness tax holiday. These include wet and dry cat and dog food, cat litter pans, water bowls, pet waste disposal bags, collars, muzzles, leashes and pet beds and carriers.

A second disaster preparedness sales tax holiday is slated to begin during the peak of hurricane season from Aug. 24 through Sept. 6 so residents can replenish supplies. DeSantis said it’s important for people to get what they need now.

Published June 12, 2024

U.S. Postal Service releases dog bite rankings

June 11, 2024 By Mary Rathman

Incidents involving dog attacks on U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employees rose to more than 5,800 cases last year. Florida ranks No. 7 in the nation for dog bites, with 193 dog attacks on postal service employees in 2023, according to a news release.

As part of the USPS’ 2024 National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign, which ran from June 2 to June 9, the organization offers information on how dog owners can be good stewards for safe mail delivery and ensure the safety of the postal employees. This year’s theme was “Don’t let your dog bite the hand that serves you.”

Letter carriers are exposed to potential hazards every day, including canine encounters. (Courtesy of U.S. Postal Service)

Dog owners can help with safe mail delivery
Letters carriers know all dogs can bite, even those perceived as nonaggressive. Dogs are generally protective of their turf and dog owners have a responsibility to control them.

Most people know the approximate time the letter carrier arrives every day, so dogs should be secured before the carrier approaches to minimize potential dangerous interactions.

Owners should keep dogs inside the house or behind a fence; away from the door or in another room; or on a leash.

Pet owners also should remind children not to take mail directly from the letter carrier, as the dog may view the carrier as a threat to the child.

Consequences of a dog attack
According to the most recent information available from the Insurance Information Institute, the average cost per insurance claim for a dog bite is $64,555, the release says.

When a postal employee suffers an injury, the owner could be responsible for medical bills, lost wages, uniform replacement costs, and pain and suffering.

Stay focused on deliveringLetter carriers are trained to observe an area where they know dogs may be present, be alert for potential dangerous conditions and to respect a dog’s territory. Carriers are trained to:

Make a non-threatening noise or rattle a fence to alert a dog if entering a yard
Never startle a dog
Keep their eyes on any dog
Never assume a dog will not bite
Never attempt to pet or feed a dog
Place their foot against an outward swinging door to prevent a dog from escaping

If a dog does attack, carriers also are trained to stand their ground and protect their body by placing something between themselves and the dog — such as a mail satchel — and to use dog repellent if necessary.

The letter carriers also have a dog feature on a handheld scanner to remind them of a possible dog hazard. Dog warning cards must be used during mail sorting to alert carriers to addresses where a dog could interfere with delivery.

Holding the mail
When a postal carrier feels unsafe, mail service can be stopped. Until the carrier feels safe enough to restart delivery, the pet owner will have to pick up their mail at the local post office.

2023 dog attack rankings by city
The top five cities in Florida reporting dog attacks are: Miami, 21; Saint Petersburg, 15; Jacksonville, 10; Orlando, 9; and Tampa, 6.

Published June 12, 2024

Pasco Habitat for Humanity affiliate recognized for contributions

June 11, 2024 By Mary Rathman

Habitat for Humanity of East and Central Pasco County has received the Malachi 3:10 Award, in recognition of the organization’s generosity, having contributed more than $500,000 in lifetime tithes to support the mission of Habitat for Humanity in a developing country. This milestone underscores the affiliate’s unwavering commitment to fostering global community development and improving lives through sustainable housing solutions, according to a news release.

From left: Habitat staff Jere Ferguson, program manager; Crystal Lazar, president/CEO; Terena Jones, CFO; John Mezzei, construction operations manager; and Jennifer Healey, AmeriCorps VISTA. (Courtesy of Melissa Parks/Habitat for Humanity of East & Central Pasco County Inc.)

A tithe is “the tenth part of agricultural produce or personal income set apart as an offering to God or for works of mercy, or the same amount regarded as an obligation or tax for the support of the church, priesthood, or the like,” according to the dictionary.

The Habitat Pasco tithes have been directed to Habitat for Humanity Macedonia, where they have played a pivotal role in funding housing projects, supporting local economies and empowering families to build a better future, the release says.

The award, named after the biblical verse that encourages tithing and generosity, is a testament to the affiliate’s dedication to making a meaningful impact beyond its immediate community. Malachi 3:10: “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that it may be food in my house. Test me in this and see if I do not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

“We are incredibly grateful for this recognition and the opportunity to make a difference in Macedonia,” said Crystal Lazar, president/CEO of Habitat Pasco, in the release.

“Our commitment to tithing reflects our belief in the importance of supporting global communities and sharing our blessings. We hope our contributions inspire others to give generously and help transform lives through the power of decent, affordable housing,” said Lazar.

The volunteers and donors of the Habitat branch in Dade City, to date, have built 162 affordable homes in East and Central Pasco County.

For more information on how to get involved, visit HabitatPasco.org, or email .

Published June 12, 2024

Florida officials seeking public input on proposed energy rebate programs

June 11, 2024 By Andrew Powell

(The Center Square) — Florida officials are seeking feedback from the public about the Florida Energy Rebate programs currently under development.

The program still awaits approval from the U.S. Department of Energy. Florida has been allocated $346 million to assist residents in reducing energy costs by improving their home’s energy efficiency through qualified upgrades, retrofits and high-efficiency appliances.

Brooks Rumenik, the director of the Office of Energy at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, said during last month’s meeting devoted to the implementation of Florida’s Energy Rebate Program that it is designed to help businesses and individuals cope with rising energy costs.

“In today’s challenging economy, it’s important we provide opportunities for individuals and businesses to save on their energy costs,” Rumenik said. “Florida’s energy rebate programs will provide a unique opportunity to save money through increased energy efficiency.”

Rumenik added that the energy programs are designed to provide financial incentives that can lead to actual savings and the meeting’s objectives included engaging with stakeholders during the development of the programs, as well as the implementation process and aggregating and considering all feedback.

“The goal of Florida’s energy rebate program is to enhance energy savings for Floridians, while accelerating the transition to more affordable, efficient and resilient homes,” Rumenik said.

The programs will run until all the funds are exhausted or through Sept. 30, 2031, whichever comes first.

Deputy Director of the Office of Energy Tony Morgan said that they are still designing the specifics of the two programs and are waiting for guidance from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Morgan explained that the first of the two programs is the Whole Home Efficiency Rebate, which is a performance-based rebate opportunity for single-family or multi-family households that requires a minimum energy savings.

However, Morgan pointed out that the rebate amounts are low and might work better with other incentives. Eligible upgrades include heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, heat pump dryers and weatherization, and must increase efficiency by at least 20%.

The second program is Home Efficiency Appliances & Electrification. It is income-restricted, and only specific appliances, including insulation and air-sealing, electric load service, ventilation, and electric wiring qualify for the rebate.

The programs allow a maximum rebate of $14,000, including up to an $8,000 rebate for heat pumps.

For more information, visit fdacs.gov/Consumer-Resources/Florida-Energy-Rebates.

Published June 12, 2024

Pony up

June 11, 2024 By Randall Grantham

He’s a one-trick pony
One trick is all that horse can do
He does, one trick only
It’s the principal source of his revenue.
-Paul Simon, “One-Trick Pony”

My parents moved out to Lutz from Tampa in the early 1950s and bought a little one-room “honeymoon cabin” on Lake Hobbs to start a family. They built onto the house as the family grew and they bought a few acres of grove across the road from the house and made it into a pasture and garden.

Growing up in Lutz was a wonderful experience and I feel sorry for kids today who are being raised in a time when they are taught not to talk to any strangers and are not let out of their parents’ sight.

Randall’s sister Melinda with Cleve in 1968. (Courtesy of Grantham Family Archives)

While growing up in Lutz was different than growing up in other areas, just growing up in that era was different from now but remarkably similar across the country.

Going through some old pictures the other day, I came across a photo of me sitting in a little cowboy outfit on a pony. I have seen similar pictures on Facebook and other sharing sites of other people, from other areas, as children, sitting on what could have been the very same pony and it made me think — what was up with the kid on a pony gig?

Turns out itinerant photographers would co-opt a pony and go from neighborhood to neighborhood and from house to house taking pictures of the local kids sitting on the pony and sell the photos to the parents. They usually even had a suitcase full of cowboy outfits to dress the kids up for their big moment. This was a nationwide occurrence. You can find these pictures going from Michigan to Texas to Florida and beyond, and dating back decades before my experience.

They probably had better luck in the metropolitan areas than they did in rural farm country, as many countrified homes had pastures and animals, including sometimes horses and ponies of their own.

We mainly had cows and chickens but we did have a pony for a while. His name was Cleve and he was one ornery animal. He would bite you if you got too close to the front and kick the slop out of you if you got too close to the rear.

We would ride him, bareback sometimes, and I even rode him to “Downtown” Lutz a couple of times. On one such trip, as my next-door neighbor Cheryl and I cut through the groves where the Lutz ballfields stand now, Cleve decided he was going to take a dust bath. He plopped down to his knees and I realized what was about to happen. So, as I scrambled off of him and away, I grabbed Cheryl, pulling her with me, “saving her life,” as he began rolling around on his back in the sand.

At least that’s what I felt I had done, but there was no parade or celebration for my brave deed.

Another time, my entrepreneurial instincts got the better of me and I was charging kids at the little ball field that used to be behind Old Lutz Elementary to ride Cleve around the bases. He only threw off one kid and he didn’t really get hurt, but when my mom found out what I was up to, I couldn’t comfortably sit on that pony for a while.

Turns out there was something called “liability” that could have cost my parents big money.

I guess I could have taken Cleve from house to house and taken pictures of kids on his back with my little Instamatic camera, but after learning about that liability thing, I decided to become a lawyer instead.

Published June 12, 2024