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‘Never a more exciting time to be in Pasco,’ appraiser says

October 18, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County Property Appraiser Mike Wells recently shared an informative look at the county’s broadening tax base, during a gathering of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce.

“I’ve got to be honest. There has never been a more exciting time to live in Pasco County, to be part of Pasco County,” said Wells, who served on the Pasco County Commission before being elected to his current post.

His comments came during a Sept. 20 luncheon, well before Hurricane Ian caused untold damage to communities in southwest Florida and continued its path of destruction across the state and into South Carolina.

Pasco Property Appraiser Mike Wells said Pasco County’s property base has been diversifying in recent years, as the county attracts more employers. (File)

Wells provided a brief recap of how Pasco has been evolving, and how it has become part of the discussion when companies consider moving to the Tampa Bay region.

“The team of commissioners and myself did a great job for six years to help the landscape get where it is today, quite frankly.

“We used to be a bedroom community. That’s all we were. All we did was build houses, quite frankly,” Wells said.

The vast majority of Pasco’s developed parcels remain residential, but companies are increasingly aware of what Pasco has to offer, he said.

Pasco needs a diverse tax base to generate the taxes necessary to provide the services its residents need, Wells said.

In recent years it has been making progress on that front, with an influx of new companies and commercial development, Wells said.

“The companies are coming here. They know we’re open for business. A lot has to do with us working together as a region,” he said.

He thinks much of that is due to a shift in attitude about regional cooperation.

“Eight years ago, we really weren’t a team.

“When I took over commissioner in 2014 — it wasn’t ‘us,’ it wasn’t ‘we,’ — it was ‘I, Pasco County’ against Hillsborough County, against Pinellas County — trying to poach.

“Now, we actually work together as a team — what a concept, with the EDCs (economic development councils), with the chambers.

“We can all do more together — with Moffitt (Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned Pasco campus) — being an example.

“We’re close to the port, we’re close to the airport. Why would somebody not want to come up here to Pasco County? The cost of living is less,” Wells said.

Pasco has 300,000 parcels and a population of roughly 600,000, Wells said.

“Our growth is among the fastest in the state,” he added.

The county’s preliminary just value for 2022 is more than $66 billion, an increase of nearly 17%, he said. New revenue to Pasco County was roughly $90 million.

There are “exciting new projects and there’s plenty in the pipeline for years to come,” he added.

He shared a breakdown on Pasco’s businesses.

The vast majority — 86% — have 25 or fewer employees, he said.

Nearly two-thirds have been in business for more than 10 years and 43% of Pasco businesses are owned by county residents.

Future prospects look bright, too, he said. About 36% of businesses expect to add employees within the next three years.

Also, slightly more than one-third of Pasco businesses are expanding at locations within the county, or are building on new Pasco sites, he added.

Wells is a big proponent of small businesses and of local businesses, too.

It used to bother him greatly when a Pasco company would lose out to a larger business from outside the area because it had a bigger footprint and could offer to complete the work at lower costs.

The county board addressed that issue by passing a local vendor preference policy to help local companies be more competitive when vying for county business.

As Pasco moves forward, it expects to attract more employers, the property appraiser said.

He pointed to 47-million square feet of planned development in the pipeline, and 78,500 jobs.

“We have enough pre-approved permits for 75 years’ worth of houses, so they’re coming,” Wells said.

Consideration of requests for future development in the county must take into account how the projects will affect the balance Pasco is trying to achieve, Wells said.

“Every decision we make for the next acre of land is important,” Wells said.

Tampa Premium Outlets, the Simon Real Estate-owned outdoor mall located at 2300 Grand Cypress Dr., in Lutz that opened in 2015, ranks No. 2 in Pasco County, in terms of its property value, at about $84.4 million. (Mike Camunas)

Apartment construction bolsters Pasco’s tax base
Wells said he’s aware the topic of multifamily development has been controversial, but he noted: “Multifamily leads the way on new construction value for 2022, as it did last year.”

He’s aware that his former colleague Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore championed a temporary moratorium on such development.

Moore sought the temporary measure to give the county time to gather information to make sure the multifamily market isn’t being overbuilt. He warned his colleagues about the potential negative consequences in the long-term, if that happens.

The multifamily moratorium is now over, but Moore continues to push for job-generating uses, rather than apartments.

Wells said, in general, he’s not in favor of moratoriums.

“I’ve always been a proponent of the market decides — not me,” he said.

The property appraiser also noted Pasco is attracting more health care development.

“We’re seeing exciting growth, as you know in Wesley Chapel, with Orlando Health, BayCare expanding,” he said.

He also expects the county to become more competitive in attracting industrial growth.

Its access to the interstate system and to rail — along U.S. 41 and U.S. 301 — provide an advantage that not all counties enjoy, he said.

He’s particularly enthused by what lies ahead in the development of Moffitt Cancer Center’s Pasco County campus.

Moffitt’s planned 775-acre campus, larger than the footprint of downtown Tampa, is in the heart of a developing community, which will be known as Angeline, Florida.

The scale of Angeline, which is south of State Road 52, near the Suncoast Parkway, is massive. At build out, it will have tens of thousands of residents, who will live in a community that is focused on providing the latest in technology and having an emphasis on wellness.

Plans call for the ‘city’ of Angeline include high-speed internet connectivity and an extensive trail network that will enable people to get where they want to go, without having to jump into a car.

Plans call for schools, research clinics, health care facilities, a community farm and thousands of residences, ranging from apartments to luxury homes.

Moffitt’s Pasco cancer center is expected to become home to leading-edge cancer researchers.

“This will be a global center of innovation. A huge asset to our region,” Wells said.

Pasco Top 10 properties, by value
HCA Health Services of Florida: $103,156,579
Tampa Premium Outlets: $84,376,243
Lantower Seneca Tampa LLC: $81,445,912
PAC Wiregrass Ranch LLC: $79,178.815
FRMF Odessa LLC: $71,994,778
Odessa Apartments LLC: $71,477,965
Pasco Cypress Creek DST: $62,152,747
Trinity Lakes Apartment: $61,732,459
Lantower Asturia Tampa LP: $60,055,988
Addison at Sunlake LCC: $58,377.067

Top five Pasco County taxpayers
Duke Energy Florida: $513.5 million
WREC Electric: $331.4 million
HCA: $137.2
Frontier: $106.8 million
Pasco Ranch: $102.5 million

Source: Pasco County Property Appraiser Mike Wells

Published October 19, 2022

Pitching in to help victims of Hurricane Ian

October 11, 2022 By Mike Camunas

Before the rain and wind stopped, the calls started.

Before the water began receding, people were rising to the occasion.

They shared social media posts and then shared their unused supplies.

Stephanie Francis, right, and her daughter, Siena Bracciale, load up a U-Haul with generators, cases of water, food and other supplies on Sept. 30, at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, for delivery to MidWest Food Pantry in Fort Myers. Many local citizens, neighborhoods, churches, schools, businesses and organizations in Pasco County have organized donation drives and supply runs. (Mike Camunas)

They banded together to respond to fellow Floridians in need after Hurricane Ian decimated the towns of Fort Myers, Port Charlotte, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, Sanibel and other communities on Sept. 28.

Locals citizens from across Pasco County sprang into action, donating what they could.

They organized drives, and filled cars and trucks to the brim.

They transported the supplies for the victims of the Category 4 storm that leveled homes, business, bridges and the normally tourist-filled beach towns, just a few hours south of Tampa Bay.

“I couldn’t sit back and watch — I had to help!” Wesley Chapel resident Esmeralda Morales said. “I’m new to Florida, I’ve been here for two years, and helping folks is my passion. I’ve never been down to Fort Myers and don’t know anyone there, but I know when other humans need my help.

Victoria Hawkins, of Trinity, tapes up and labels a box of supplies that was donated and taken down to Fort Myers for the victims of Hurricane Ian. (Mike Camunas)

“Watching the devastation on the news inspired me to take on this journey.”

Morales’ journey began by reaching out to her community, Union Park, to “collect whatever I could fit in my car.”

Morales and others drove down on Oct. 1. It took more than 3 ½-hours because parts of Interstate 75 had been closed, due to flooding.

When she arrived in Fort Myers, it was “heartbreaking,” she said.

“I volunteered at the ‘Safe Camp’ run by The Cajun Navy in North Fort Myers,” Morales said. “I’d walk over to cars in a 2-mile-long line and ask them how they were doing. So many said they were starving, and folks just wanted to tell their stories.

“Some simply cried and held my hand, others showed pictures of what was once their home, now a lot filled with debris. Many told me stories of how they had to swim to safety with their young children and even grandchildren.

David Steinberg, of Land O’ Lakes, organized a donation drive, and with the help of his employer, Orthopediatrics, raised $15,000 to buy 20 generators to take down in a U-Haul to Fort Myers. (Mike Camunas)

“Others,” she added with sadness, “shared that they’ll never forget the images of floating bodies they’d observed.”

By midafternoon, the donations had run out, but the need had not.

“People were crying and pleading with us for anything,” Morales said.

In the northern Land O’ Lakes community of Asbel Estates, Timothy Dowd reached out to neighbors just mere hours after it was obvious that Pasco would avoid Ian’s devastation.

Dowd rounded up 16 cases of water, 10 gallons of water, shampoo/conditioner, bars of soap, children’s clothes, linens, snacks, four bags of dog food, two bags of cat food, trash bags and Clorox wipes.

Dowd delivered the donations — which all came from Asbel Estates — to Fort Myers on Sept. 29.

“We didn’t have anything else going on and figured we might as well help with what we could,” Dowd said. “We could’ve just as easily been put in that situation and hoping for someone to bring some supplies.”

David Steinberg, who lives in the Land O’ Lakes neighborhood of Lake Padgett Estates, also pitched in. With the help of his employer, Orthopediatrics, he helped raise $15,000 to buy 20 generations to deliver in a U-Haul to Fort Myers.

Timothy Dowd, of Land O’ Lakes, collected 16 cases of water, 10 gallons of water, shampoo/conditioner, bars of soap, children’s clothes, linens, snacks, four bags of dog food, two bags of cat food, trash bags and Clorox wipes, all which were donated from citizens that live in Asbel Estates, in Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Timothy Dowd)

Stephanie Francis, a Plantation Palms resident, co-coordinated the effort with Steinberg. They set up a “donation center” in the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex parking lot on Sept. 30, and received donation after donation from nearby neighbors and residents. Those contributing brought everything from leftover water cases, extra food, clothes, batteries, and paper and baby products.

“We reached out through Facebook, a little through NextDoor, and the people from the neighborhoods and beyond just kept coming up,” said Francis, who was helped loading the truck by students in the Sunlake High Key Club and players from the Florida Premier Football at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex. “We put a sign up on Collier (Boulevard) and the neighborhoods really came together and were very generous.”

Steinberg said it only took about four hours to raise the money for the generators.

“People reached out and donated without hesitation,” he said.

Esmeralda Morales, of Wesley Chapel, filled up cars to the brim with donations from her neighborhood, Union Park in Wesley Chapel. She then made the 3 ½-hour drive to Fort Myers. (Courtesy of Esmerleda Morales)

Elsewhere, others set up supply drop-offs during the week through Oct. 7, such as Sunlake Academy Math and Science in Lutz.

The school’s principal, Dr. Judy Moore, is a member of the Land O’ Lakes Rotary Club, and its district had a Hurricane Ian relief drive. The donations collected at Sunlake Academy piled up high in the school’s front lobby.

“We chose to encourage our parents to participate in a drive-through donation drop-off in our morning car line,” Moore said. “Our drive ran through (Oct. 7) and we will put it with the rest of the rotary districts collections and (drove) them down south on (Oct. 8).”

Other schools, such as Pasco High and Sunlake High, had similar weeklong drop-offs, as well.

In addition to these drop-offs, churches and businesses also held collections. Grace Family Church Land O’ Lakes had a supply collection during it services on Oct. 5, while the car dealership, Jarrett Ford in Dade City, had a “Fill The Truck” drop-off and sent it down on Oct. 6.

However, it was the Pasco County citizens that put aside both their own responsibilities and concerns to band together, and help anyway they could.

The everyday neighbors from Land O’ Lakes to Lutz, from Dade City to Zephyrhills and into Wesley Chapel all joined together to make a difference.

“They are going to need more, and now it’s going to be clean-up supplies and equipment,” said Francis, who dropped off her donations to the MidWest Food Pantry in Fort Myers.

Items still needed include “work gloves, shovels, rakes, detergent to scrub houses that took in stormwater, etc.

They anticipate the next big need will be hygiene products.

“But my hope is to do this all over again, she added. “Get another truck full and down there with community help. Because it’s the right thing to do, as their neighbors.”

Published October 12, 2022

Bring on the boos, in Brooksville

October 4, 2022 By Mike Camunas

Haunted houses spring up everywhere in October.

They’re decked out for the Halloween season and feature actors in costumes seeking scares — but they’ll be gone well before Thanksgiving.

So, why not visit what docents claim is a real haunted house?

When it comes to being haunted, some believe the attic of the May-Stringer House is the most haunted of the 14 rooms in the house built in 1855. (Mike Camunas)

Take a drive up to Brooksville and visit the May-Stringer House.

It’s the home of the Hernando Heritage Museum — oh, and also two dozen spirits — according to the people who run the place.

Whether you believe it or not, this house is widely considered one of the most haunted places in Florida.

“We’ve seen shadow figures. We’ve seen spirits walking around. Heard them talk. Smelled certain smells when we shouldn’t, so we are most definitely haunted,” the house’s volunteer coordinator Karolyn Bonnell said. “We have 23 spirits here at the house.

“Oh, and one ghost cat, too.”

So enter, if you dare, the nearly 200-year-old, four-story, seven-gable, gingerbread trim, 14-room “Painted Lady” Victorian-era home, and perhaps you’ll see a ghost.

But even if you don’t, it’ll still be Worth The Trip.

Haunted history lesson
In 1855, John L. May built the house, originally with four rooms. He lived there with his wife, Marena, and their daughters, Matilda and Annie.

John succumbed to tuberculosis three years later.

As the Civil War came and went, Marena remarried. This time to Frank Saxon.

This is the room of Jessie Mae, the child of Marena May and Frank Saxon. Marena died while giving birth to Jessie, and Jessie died three years later. It’s said their spirits haunt the house, especially Jessie. House docents and patrons have said that they have felt Jessie grab their hands or have sensed her presence.

However, Marena died giving birth to their daughter, Jessie Mae. And, Jessie Mae died, just three years later, of unknown causes.

Marena and Jessie were buried on the property, as were John and Frank and Marena’s infant son.

A small graveyard out back, is believed to be a significant source of the rumors that the May-Stringer House is haunted.

“Oh, this place is absolutely haunted,” volunteer docent Emma Dowd said.

“Sometimes, people don’t know it’s haunted,” Bonnell said. “I have to tell them before the tour. … and then some people will just leave after I tell them that.”

Both docents have seen the spirits or had some sort of encounter.

Bonnell says she’s heard Jessie Mae talk to her teddy bear in her room on the second floor.

“‘Tell me a story’ she’ll tell the bear,” Bonnell said. “While other guests have said they’ve felt like a little child grabbing their hand while in that room.”

Things in the house also seem to move on their own, such as sheets being ruffled on a bed in the master bedroom.

Many spirits have been confirmed by the Brooksville PIT (Paranormal Investigation Team), including one thought to be a former servant named Molly, and another spirit, James, who hung himself in the house.

Frank Saxon himself has been said to have been sighted, walking on the second floor balcony and smoking his pipe, as he was known to do.

“Sometimes you’ll smell the pipe smoke,” Bonnell said.

But it’s the attic that is the most haunted.

Up the stairs
All the way at the top of the house, sits the attic, at the end of a steep, winding staircase. Inside the attic, like the rest of the house, are dozens of local artifacts. In fact, there are 10,000-plus artifacts that have been donated to the museum.

However, one particular artifact stands out as being creepier than the rest.

The Trunk.

This particular item is said to be haunted itself and brought a spirit into the home. Docents call this spirt “Mr. Nasty” because of his tendency to be rude and demanding.

“Not sure if it was that particular spirit, but I have been scratched here in the house,” Dowd said. “I didn’t even realize it until later and, sure enough, it happened on a tour.”

Some other items, such as some dolls and Brooksville artifacts are considered to be haunted, but The Trunk is the item that’s seen the most paranormal activity.

In fact, it was even featured on the Travel Channel show, Kindred Spirits, during the show’s fourth season in 2020.

“Mr. Nasty, he’s usually up there in the attic,” Bonnell said.

A small graveyard sits in the back of the May-Stringer House, with Marena and Jessie Mae, as well as John May and the infant son of Frank Saxton and Marena, are buried. The graveyard helps to fuel rumors of the house being one of the most haunted places in Florida.

Ghostly gathering
The May-Stringer House has rooms devoted to specific themes such as an Elegant Dining Room, Victorian Bedrooms, Military Room, an 1880s Doctor’s Office and a 1900s Communication Room, all containing those thousands of artifacts.

The doctor’s office comes from its other long-time owner, Dr. Sheldon Stringer, who used the estate for his medical practice.

After the death of the Stringers, the house passed from one owner to another until Dr. Earl Hensley and his wife Helen sold it to The Hernando Historical Museum Association in 1980.

In 1997, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

So if you visit the house, don’t be surprised if you have a ghostly encounter.

Maybe it’ll be Mr. Nasty in the attic. Or Jessie Mae trying to hold your hand. Or maybe you’ll see Marena wandering the halls to check on guests, or Frank Saxon meandering on the balcony, with his pipe.

Tour the house, listen to the stories, and perhaps, as you leave you can ask yourself: Is this place really haunted?

That’s not for me to say.

You be the judge.

May-Stringer House
Where: 601 Museum Court, Brooksville
When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays
Details: Visit, if you dare, one of the most haunted places in Florida. The May-Stringer House was built in 1855 and is a four-story, Victorian-era home overlooking the City of Brooksville. It is said to be the home to 23 spirits, as well as one ghost cat. Enjoy a 45-minute tour that includes the history of the house and more than 10,000 local artifacts on display. Ghost tours at night are available, too, as well as late-night group investigations.
Cost: $8 for adults, children 12 and under $5, 6 and under free.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.hernandohistoricalmuseumassoc.com/may-stringer-house

Other places with ‘haunting’ reputations
Dade City Heritage and Cultural Museum
Sulphur Springs Water Tower, Tampa
Plant Hall at the University of Tampa
Tampa Theatre
Don Cesar Hotel, St. Pete Beach
Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club
Fort Cooper State Park, Inverness

Published October 05, 2022

Hurricane Ian slams Florida; Tampa Bay region escapes wrath

September 27, 2022 By B.C. Manion

In the days leading up to Hurricane Ian’s landfall, local officials and weather experts feared a potential worst-case scenario for the Tampa Bay region. Predictions of hurricane-strength winds, record storm surge and heavy rainfall set the stage for concerns that there would be destruction of historic proportions in the Tampa Bay region. Instead — just like Hurricane Charley in 2004 — Hurricane Ian shifted to the south.

It made landfall at Cayo Costa Island at 3:05 p.m. on Sept. 28, a a Category 4 hurricane, with an estimated wind speed of 150 mph.

Footage from national and local television coverage reveals the destructive forces of Hurricane Ian, as it traveled through areas including Punta Gorda, Fort Myers, Cape Coral and other places to the south of the Tampa Bay region, and headed across the state of Florida, before it was expected to enter the Atlantic Ocean and then head toward South Carolina.

In areas within Hurricane Ian’s path, boats were carried out of marinas.

Cars and trucks floated down streets.

Roads turned into rivers.

High winds tore through mobile home parks.

Flood waters filled up houses. High winds sheared off roofs.

Trees toppled.

Those toppled trees damaged homes, cars and other properties.

At one point, millions across Florida were in the dark, as a reult of high winds that snapped utility poles and downed trees. Transformers exploded, too.

The toll that Ian took on human life was not yet known in the early afternoon hours of Sept. 29.

Locally, officials expressed gratitude that the region, for the most part, was spared.

At the same time they expressed empathy for Floridian communities that are dealing with Hurricane Ian’s destruction, and pledged to send support to help other communities reeling from the storm’s devastating impacts.

Pasco County Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey shared this message in a newsletter from her office: “I am grateful the storm did not impact our County (Pasco County) like forecasted and am glad we were prepared. My thoughts and prayers are with our friends to the South. The County will be sending crews to assist with cleanup to help those who have been impacted by Ian.”

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and Hillsborough County Administrator Bonnie Wise expressed similar sentiments during their briefings.

By the morning of Sept. 29, evacuation orders were lifted in Pasco and Hillsborough counties and the city of Tampa.

Although residents were free to return to their home, officials urged them and anyone else out on the roads to be cautious and be aware of their surroundings.

At intersections where the signals aren’t working, they reminded motorists to treat them as a four-way stop.

They also urged residents to steer clear of downed power lines and to be sure to report them to the local utility company.

Regarding power outages, officials urged patience.

They also reminded anyone who is using a generator to be sure to place it outdoors and in a well-ventilated space. Inhaling fumes from a generator can be lethal.

Pasco County officials also announced that storm damage reports be made through the county’s online tool, available at MyPasco.net or click on this direct link: mypas.co/ReportDamage.

Reports can involve structural damage to homes or businesses; storm debris, including downed trees and branches; or, human needs, including food, water, clothing and shelter.

Pasco also announced that it is waiving tipping fees for storm debris through Oct. 8, at these locations:

• West Pasco Resource Recovery Facility, 14606 Hays Road, Spring Hill

• East Pasco Transfer Station, 9626 Handcart Road., Dade City (yard debris limited to three bags per household.)

Pasco sandbag disposal sites also are open to properly dispose sandbags:

• Magnolia Valley Golf Course: 7223 Massachusetts Avenue, New Port Richey

• Wesley Chapel District Park, 7727 Boyette Road, Wesley Chapel

If you have questions or concerns, contact Pasco County customer service , at 727-847-2411 or chat with us online at MyPasco.net.

Meanwhile, Pasco County Schools has announced that it expects classes to resume, as usual, on Oct. 3.

Revised September 29, 2022

Pining to express creativity

September 20, 2022 By Mike Camunas

Bringing in pine needles from the outside — some might call that person crazy.

Perhaps, a basket case.

Evelyn Sivelle, of Wesley Chapel, selects just the right pine needles needed to keep working on her basket during a class at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church of Zephyrhills. Sivelle has been doing this arts and crafts activity for about three years and while the process of making baskets and other items can be time-consuming and meticulous, all it requires is some string and just regular pine needles from trees or the woods. (Mike Camunas)

But not for these crafty locals. They gather them to create baskets made of nothing more than everyday pine needles and colorful string.

They’re learning how to create their crafts from Rocky Boyett who teaches pine needle basketry, twice a week, free of charge, in Dade City and Zephyrhills.

“At first, it is hard, because it’s a different concept than people are used to getting their hands wrapped around,” said Boyett, a 76-year-old Vietnam veteran, who has been teaching the classes for about eight years now. “Even then, for people who have been doing craft work for years, they may catch on a little quicker than most, but still there will be a lot of trial and error.

“All I want to do is pass along how to make baskets,” Boyett added. “I’m not selling anything, I’m not making them to make money, either.”

Rocky Boyett cracks a smile as he threads string to bind a very large basket he is constructing, while teaching pine needle basketry classes at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church of Zephyrhills.

Boyett says it takes time to learn how to stitch together pine needles with just string and a sewing needle, but there’s no right or wrong way to do it.

He teaches the basic, most commonly used “V stitch.”

The class offers step-by-step instructions.

“It does take a long time,” Boyett said. “You can’t come here for a two-to-three hour class and go home with a finished basket. It will take days, weeks, maybe even longer depending on the size of the basket.

“And it takes two stitches to make a V, and baskets, depending on the size, will have thousands of stitches,” he said.

The classes are free and some supplies are provided, but participants also need to bring some of their own materials, including sewing needles, string and, of course, lots and lots of pine needles.

“Obviously the longer the pine (needle) the better,” Boyett said. “But everyone gets it from their yards or from someone they know who has pine trees. Usually it’s best to just take them right from the tree and let them dry out, so it makes for a fairly inexpensive art form.”

Pine needle baskets are made with exactly what one thinks — pine needles, found either in the woods or taken off trees, and sometimes washed and then dried out until time for use.

Boyett’s students don’t limit themselves to making baskets. They’ve also produced pot holders, coasters, jewelry and other items.

Like Boyett, many students choose not to sell their creations. They may give some as gifts, but it turns out participants often just can’t part with their baskets.

“It is hard to let go of them,” said Wesley Chapel resident Evelyn Sivelle, who has been attending the classes for about three years. “You put in 60-plus hours of work, but it must be the satisfaction of completing one, all the time it took and how it finally looks finished that makes you just not want to sell it.”

“It’s hard to sell them,” Boyett added, “not just because of attachment, but to get a right price for it, considering how much work goes into making even the smallest of baskets. I even offered (Evelyn) $200 for one I really liked, and she won’t take it because she likes it too much.”

Others, who just started the classes and are still working on their first basket, are aware it requires patience to create something so simple, yet so intricate.

“Some people think they can come in here and learn everything in one day — nope!” new student Jan Wilson said. “I’ve been doing it just over a month now, but it took time. Finally, at one point, I turned it over and I was like, ‘Oh, I’m doing it right!’”

Pine Needle Basketry classes
When: Mondays and Thursdays at 10 a.m.
Where: On Mondays at Dade City Senior Center, 13853 15th St.; On Thursdays at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church of Zephyrhills, 5855 16th St.
Details: Rocky Boyett, aka Dr. Sticks, teaches, free of charge, anyone who wants to learn pine needle basketry. The craft involves hours and hours of learning to sew and bind pine needles. Boyett also teaches how to make customized walking sticks and canes from outdoor branches.
Info: Call Rocky Boyett at 706-676-8318.

Published September 21, 2022

Vicky Brush, of Dade City, is all smiles as she works on a pine needle basket during a class at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church of Zephyrhills.

Rocky Boyett, aka Dr. Sticks, helps Jan Wilson with the right technique in making a pine needle basket during a class at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church of Zephyrhills. Wilson has been coming to the classes for about a month and has quickly gotten the hang of creating pine needle baskets, using thick sewing string.

Pine needle basketry classes meet twice a week: on Mondays at Dade City Senior Center and on Thursdays at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church of Zephyrhills.

Rocky Boyett teaches the ‘V Stitch’ technique at his pine needle basketry classes. These baskets were sewn together with colorful string.

Asha Maida, of Zephyrhills, meticulously inspects the start of a pine needle basket: the bottom ring.

Pine needle basketry is a meticulous and intricate craft that requires hours and hours of handiwork, even to create the smallest of baskets.

Lois Jones, of Zephyrhills, threads a needle through some tightly packed pine straw during a class at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church of Zephyrhills.

Proposed land use change sparks debate

September 13, 2022 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County Planning Commission has rejected an argument that the county should preserve two lots along Ridge Road for industrial use, rather than allowing them to be converted for commercial development.

The 3.47-acre plot at Galen Wilson Boulevard and Ridge Road in Port Richey has been discussed as being converted to commercial use, but Pasco County Planning Commission rejected that idea on Sept. 1. (MIKE CAMUNAS)

The county’s planning staff had recommended denial of the proposed land use change, but the planning board dismissed rationale used by planners and recommended approval, instead.

The 3.47 acres at issue are east of Galen Wilson Boulevard and south of Ridge Road, according to information in the Pasco County Planning Commission’s Sept. 1 agenda packet.

Planners said the request is inconsistent with policies within the county’s comprehensive plan. They argued that the current light industrial designation should be preserved because it has the prospect of producing more and higher-paying jobs, than commercial uses would generate.

An email from David Engel, the county’s economic growth director, is included in the planning board’s agenda packet. Engel says the industrial designation has the potential to generate 41% more jobs, and that industrial jobs, in general, pay more.

But planning board member Jon Moody was skeptical.

Moody said he takes issue with the information provided.

“There’s nothing to back it up,” Moody said. “These are nebulous statements.”

Moody questioned the reasoning that industrial uses are big job generators.

The numbers don’t bear out that industrial creates more jobs than commercial, Moody said, noting that Pasco’s “second-largest employer is Publix.”

Planning board chairman Chuck Grey raised objections, too.

“We’ve got blinders on, in this particular instance,” Grey said, explaining he’s familiar with the applicant who has assembled 20 acres of light industrial.

“He’s asking for two acres,” Grey said.

The chairman also asked planners: “Where’s all of the industrial, if there’s such demand?”

Grey went on: “We’re really involved in the Ridge Road development, personally, on the business side. I don’t see any demand for industrial development in that corridor. I haven’t got one question for it. Not one phone call. It’s all retail.”

The planning board chairman also noted there are a number of other nearby commercial uses.

The recommendation for denial, Grey said, “seems very subjective to me.”

Attorney Steve Booth, representing the applicant, told the planning board: “We have to look at the forest, rather than the trees, on this. Everything around there is commercial.

“The frontage, right on Ridge Road, is really only appropriate for commercial,” Booth said.

“Quite frankly, with due respect to staff, it’s laughable when we talk about economic issues with two small lots,” Booth added.

With the current industrial designation, support commercial uses would be possible, but the list of potential uses in that category doesn’t mesh with the demand, Booth said.

“I would respectfully request that you look closely at the map we have here, that shows the actual uses of property surrounding it, and would say it’s totally appropriate for these two lots.”

His client wants to be able to market it to get something that’s more reasonable, Booth said.

Moody also noted that before the meeting began, he checked to see how much activity was happening in the area.

“There’s only one active permit application and it’s by the applicant himself,” Moody said.

“I can tell you as a practicing engineer in the area, I’ve done a dozen layouts in that center and none of them have come to fruition yet. So, right now, the center’s not generating any jobs,” he said.

Pasco working to preserve industrial land
Nectarios Pittos, the county’s director of planning and development, said an analysis on industrial land by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council has identified sites of 20 acres or more as a good size to target for industrial uses.

“To parcel them off, well, that’s what Pasco County has done in the past. And that’s what we’ve been directed not to continue doing,” Pittos said.

The county board wants to preserve sites that are deemed for employment-generating uses, such as light industrial, heavy industrial and employment centers, Pittos said.

In this case, though, no one on the planning board stepped forward to support the planners’ position.

About 3.47 acres of land at Galen Wilson Boulevard and Ridge Road in Port Richey has been designated for industrial use and is located across the street from Chasco Elementary and Chasco Middle. (MIKE CAMUNAS)

“Personally, I think the location just makes sense for commercial uses, especially for a parcel this size,” said planning board member Jaime Girardi.

Peter Hanzel, also on the planning board agreed: “Ridge Road is a major road. I can’t see why those two lots can’t be commercial. In fact, that’s what they should be. You’re on a major road.”

But Pittos countered: “Pasco is seeing a higher interest in industrial land development. We recently completed the Ridge Road connection to the Suncoast Parkway, and I would say in a number of years, there will be a connection all of the way to U.S. 41, so Ridge Road is going to connect with the strategic intermodal system for Florida. And so, when we have established LI (light industrial) … the default position that we’re going to take is to preserve them.”

Pittos also noted the current plan says that this particular segment of Ridge Road should be an employment-generating area.

David Goldstein, chief assistant county attorney, also told Moody the issue isn’t just the quantity of jobs.

“As a general rule, industrial (jobs) are higher-paying jobs than a Publix,” the attorney said.

Goldstein also noted that the county’s comprehensive plan considers not only current circumstances, but future need, as well.

Goldstein said the planning board cannot approve a request that is inconsistent with the comprehensive plan’s policies. However, he said the board could approve it, if it determined the request is consistent.

Ultimately, the board members passed a motion declaring the request does not violate the county’s policies, and voted to recommend approval.

The request now goes to the Pasco County Commission, which has final jurisdiction in land use and zoning issues.

Published September 14, 2022

Solving school discipline issues a ‘sticky wicket,’ superintendent says

September 6, 2022 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County public school district continues to search for an effective way to handle discipline problems. (MIKE CAMUNAS)

It’s not a new problem, but as the 2022-2023 school year gets underway, the Pasco County public school district continues to search for an effective way to handle discipline problems — particularly at the elementary school level.

The issue came up during the Pasco County School Board’s Aug. 30 meeting.

Board member Megan Harding raised concerns about school teachers not feeling the support they need form the school district, when students create disruptions.

Harding said she’d heard from teachers who didn’t understand how the district’s No Tolerance Behavior Plan applies to elementary schools.

Pasco County School Board member Megan Harding wants to be sure that the school district has the backs of elementary teachers when it comes to disciplining students who disrupt their classrooms. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

“I think that there’s not a lot of clear expectations on what that looks like,” Harding said. “When I’m asked that, I don’t really know what that looks like in elementary.

“They (elementary school teachers) don’t understand what that looks like and that the district has their back. I honestly can’t blame them for their frustration,” Harding said.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning told the school board: “That is a sticky wicket.

“We continue, as a staff, to work on the discipline issue and how we address elementary kids.”

The district has a plan for its secondary students. In serious cases, it can remove students from a regular school campus and the student can attend an alternative school.

It doesn’t have that option for elementary school students.

However, there are a small number of elementary school students who create havoc on school campuses, committing what the district defines as Level Two and Level Three offenses.

According to the district’s Student Code of Conduct, examples of Level Two offenses include: disruptive behavior, physical aggression, lying to a staff member, cheating, fighting, leaving a class or school grounds without permission, defacing property, gambling, and showing gang signals.

Examples of Level Three offenses include fighting that results in injuries; physical attack; using, selling or distributing controlled substances; bomb threat; false fire alarm; extortion, robbery; sexual harassment; theft of property; possession of dangerous objects (box cutters, pocket knives, look-alike weapons, etc.); major disruption on campus; and, sexual contact.

Both levels contain a longer list of offenses.

At the Aug. 30 school board meeting, Browning said there are instances, “where you have kids that are literally beating kids to the ground, bloodying them up and causing them to have to go the hospital because of the injuries they’ve caused. That’s the Level Twos and Level Threes, I’m talking about.

“The last thing I want to do is expel kids from school,” the superintendent said.

“I don’t want to expel kids, but I also want to make sure that the other 24 or 26, 28 kids in the classroom that aren’t fighting, have an opportunity to get an education. That’s what I want.

“That’s what we, as a school district, have a responsibility to ensure,” Browning said.

While the numbers of offenders are low, their impact can be sizable, he added.

“They will disrupt and create chaos either in a classroom, or across an entire school campus,” Browning said.

Harding said there are situations “where our teachers feel they are not being supported.”

“I have been in classrooms where there’s chaos going on, not because there’s any fault of the teacher, but because there are a few students that aren’t making good choices and they are being Level Two, and the teacher isn’t feeling any of that support.

“The learning is being impeded by other students. So, we do, at some point, need to be sure there are consequences for that,” Harding said.

She also cited an instance she’d reported involving a teacher who had been bitten.

“Our elementary teachers need that support just as much as our secondary teachers,” Harding said.

Browning responded: “And, I would agree. The one particular case that you are referring to, I have inserted myself in … I have spoken to the principal.

“I don’t buy the premise that the teacher should not feel supported. When the superintendent gets involved with something, that should send a pretty strong message,” he said.

“We continue to work on the discipline issues in this district. They are out of control. Not just in this district, but across the state of Florida, and quite honestly, across the United States,” Browning said.

“Ms. Harding, you have my word, you have my assurance that we will continue to work on the discipline issues,” Browning said.

While pledging to work on the issue, Browning noted that the problem of disruptive behavior begins long before students arrive on campus and extends far beyond the classroom walls.

“I will say this, until I walk out the door, and that is, ‘Parents have a responsibility to have discussions with their kids about what appropriate behavior is, in schools.’

“We’ve got to partner with them. They’ve got to set those expectations at home, so that they know when they come into school, what those expectations look like and what they need to do in a civilized society — and that is, behave.

Superintendent Kurt Browning said his staff continues to work on ways to deal with the challenges of disciplinary problems in elementary schools. (File)

Superintendent’s message to parents
Superintendent Kurt Browning reminded parents they “play a crucial role in promoting safety on our school campuses,” in a letter he wrote that’s included in the school district’s Student Code of Conduct for the 2022-2023 school year.

The superintendent’s letter says: “Preventing bullying and harassment is vital to establishing the safe, caring, respectful environment necessary for teachers to teach and students to learn. Please review with your student the definitions of bullying and the different types of harassment, as well as the consequences students could face if it is proven that they have engaged in such behavior.

“I want to eliminate uncivilized, disrespectful behavior in our schools, but I need your help to make sure students understand that the schools will not tolerate bullying, harassment or uncivilized behavior.

“We also need your help reinforcing with your student the consequences they face if they make a threat against a school. This issue is an increasing problem with more students on social media.

“Threatening violence against a school is never a joke; it always is taken seriously, and the consequences could include felony charges and expulsion from school. A new Florida law that went into effect on Oct. 1, 2016, makes threatening violence with a firearm a second degree felony.”

Published September 07, 2022

These girls just want to have fun — with their dads

August 30, 2022 By Mike Camunas

Wesley Chapel resident Anthony Delavilla is all smiles dancing with his young daughter, Antonella, at the first-ever Father-Daughter Dance , at the Wesley Chapel Recreation Complex, on Aug. 19. (Mike Camunas)

Fathers were dressed up and their daughters were, too, for an adorable date night in Wesley Chapel.

The couples came from across Pasco County on Aug. 19, for the first-ever Father-Daughter Dance at the Wesley Chapel Recreation Complex, 7727 Boyette Road.

Little girls donned party dresses — and some even wore tiaras — as they danced across the gym floor with their dads.

Gelled lights, smoke machines, a disco ball and music set the stage for fun and touching moments at the dance.

The couples showed off high-energy moves to songs including “YMCA” and “The Electric Slide,” and then things slowed down for “Dance with my Father.”

There were light refreshments and some raffle contests, too.

Organizers were pleased with the turnout — of nearly 100 attendees — for the event that had a “Rolling Out The Red Carpet” theme.

They also hope to make the Father-Daughter Dance an annual tradition.

Published August 31, 2022

Gelled lights help to create a special effect, as fathers and daughters from across Pasco County enjoy moving to the music at the inaugural Father-Daughter Dance, at the Wesley Chapel Recreation Complex on Aug. 19. Here, couples show off their dance moves to the song, ‘YMCA.’

New Port Richey residents Stephen Jackson and his daughter, Danielle, seem to be having a great ‘date’ night at the Father-Daughter Dance on Aug. 19, at the Wesley Chapel Recreation Complex.

Madeline Wardle enthusiastically dances to ‘YMCA’ at the Father-Daughter Dance on Aug. 19, at the Wesley Chapel Recreation Complex. Madeline was there with her father, David, and nearly 100 others. Dads and daughters danced the night away and enjoyed some light refreshments.

Briella Dimaculangan, of Odessa, enjoys some popcorn that her dad, Von, gave to her during the Father-Daughter Dance.

Rod Amador holds his daughter, Chloe, close during a slow dance on Aug. 19 at the Father-Daughter Dance.

Todd and Katelyn Hensley, of Wesley Chapel, enjoy a touching moment during the playing of ‘Dance With My Father.’

Kevin McIntire, of Wesley Chapel, has a fun dance with his daughter, Rilynn.

Malia Londono, of Wesley Chapel, wearing a frothy yellow outfit, looks up to her dad, Jaime, at the Father-Daughter Dance.

Zephyrhills resident Chris King and his daughter, Olivia, move to the song, ‘Dance With My Father.’

Firestorm of controversy halts incinerators in Lutz

August 23, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Opponents — both residents and elected leaders alike — vowed to go to the wall to prevent a set of commercial incinerators from setting up operation in Lutz.

But in the end, they didn’t have to: The applicant retreated.

Louis Geraci LLLP has dropped the request for state permits to operate two Air Curtain Incinerators (ACIs), at 1225 Crystal Road.

That action came after the opposition’s full-scale attack.

But the story is more complicated than that.

Essentially, the applicant had been pressing on through the process to obtain a permit for the two ACIs, in what amounts to an administrative action at the local level.

The county’s Environmental Protection Commission (EPC)’s staff was handling the air permit application — under a contract with the state to perform such reviews.

Due to the nature of the request — and its “potential to generate smoke and dust from the burning,” the EPC declared the application one of “heightened public concern” and notified nearby property owners and registered neighborhood organizations of the request. The EPC staff also scheduled a virtual community meeting for Aug. 23.

When word of the request got out, opposition erupted.

More than 600 people registered to attend the virtual meeting and hundreds bombarded the Hillsborough County Commission, which also sits at the EPC board, urging them to kill the project.

The EPC board took up the issue at its Aug. 18 meeting, but before it began its discussion, it listened to 45 minutes of public testimony during its normal public comment period at the beginning of the meeting.

So many people signed up, the board limited each speaker to 2 minutes each, instead of the normal 3-minute limit.

Speakers cited potential health hazards for children playing outside, which is a normal course of affairs in Lutz.

They said residents of senior living facilities should be able to go outdoors to enjoy some fresh air.

They raised objections about potential negative impacts for people who have asthma or other respiratory ailments.

They said the operation would reduce their quality of life, damage their property values and pose a threat to the area’s wetlands and wildlife.

“I don’t understand why an application like this wasn’t immediately rejected,” said Bryan Flynn, a Lutz resident. “This application is considering allowing an amount of toxic materials to fall back down to earth in this well protection zone, and have the ash wash directly into wetlands and waters connected directly to the aquifer that we drink from.”

Lutz resident Jen Messer wanted to know: “Is it safe to have all of these extra dump trucks hauling waste through our community, where kids stand waiting on the street for buses every morning?”

Dr. James Costello, a professor at Moffit Cancer Center and a professor at the University of South Florida, who lives in Lutz, raised concerns about the emission of cancer-causing toxins.

State Sen. Janet Cruz, whose district includes Lutz, said neighbors were in the dark about the project until a few days before.

“They’ve (the applicants) been quietly clearing the land and preparing for this, and the residents had no idea. They’re flabbergasted. Once more residents see what’s happening, I think you’ll see an army of folks here,” she predicted.

After the morning’s public comment session ended, Commissioner Ken Hagan weighed in — excoriating the proposed incinerators.

“The notion of building and operating commercial incinerators on a permanent basis in a residential area is outrageous.

“By now, we’ve all received an avalanche of contacts. I think, over 400 emails; 1,500 individuals signed a petition from the greater Lutz community expressing opposition, frustration, disbelief and concerns about the possibility of having two massive fire pits operating in such a diverse and populated area.

“They are turning to us to protect them and their families.

“Candidly, I’ve represented this area for a long time. I cannot recall another issue in Lutz that has generated so much opposition. I think you probably have to go back to the ‘80s when the East-West road … was proposed to go through the Lutz community and there was a significant uproar about that,” Hagan said.

He made a motion to direct EPC staff to halt the process, and for the EPC board to voice the board’s objections to the secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, to the governor and to the Hillsborough County legislative delegation.

Hagan acknowledged the action could prompt legal action against the board, but he said some things are worth taking that risk.

His board colleagues unanimously agreed to kill the project, but debated the best way to achieve that.

Ultimately, the board voted unanimously to support Hagan’s motion.

Additionally, Commissioner Stacy White suggested asking county staff to prepare a county-initiated rezoning “based upon the health, safety and welfare concerns we’ve heard today” and to research whether that action could trigger a zoning in progress.

He made that motion to do that, which the board supported unanimously.

Now that the incinerators application has been dropped, it appears the publicly initiated rezoning won’t be necessary.

Board members did indicate that they want to discuss the rezoning process and how they can prevent similar situations in the future. The issue is expected to come up at the board’s Aug. 25 land use meeting.

Published August 24, 2022

Voters set to make big decisions in Primary Election

August 16, 2022 By B.C. Manion

All registered voters in Pasco and Hillsborough counties are eligible to select school board members, decide the fate of proposals for higher property taxes, and choose judges, too, during the Aug. 23 Primary Election.

The Pasco County School Board’s ballot initiative ask voters for a yes or no on the question of levying an additional tax, not to exceed 1 mil, beginning July 1, 2023 and ending no later than June 30, 2027.

Craig Latimer, supervisor of elections for Hillsborough County, holds an ‘I Voted’ sticker. He hopes to distribute a larger number than normal of these stickers to Primary Election voters. (Courtesy of Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer)

The proceeds, according to the ballot question, will be used “for essential operating expenses to maintain salaries competitive with the market, attract and retain high-quality teachers, bus drivers and other non-administrative school support employees.”

The Hillsborough County School Board also is asking local voters for more support. The proposed 1-mil tax increase would last for four years, unless extended by voters, according to the district’s website.

At least 75% of the proceeds would go for increased compensation for teachers, counselors, media specialists, bus drivers and transportation assistants, classroom assistants, and other non-instructional support staff.

Other tax proceeds would be used to protect and expand art, music, physical education and workforce education.

Regardless of Primary Election results, changes are coming to leadership on boards in both counties.

Allen Altman, a longtime member of the Pasco County School Board, decided not to seek another term.

Candidates Al Hernandez, Stephen A. Meisman and James M. Washington are vying to fill Altman’s District 1 seat. One of those candidates must attain 50% plus one vote, or the race will be decided in a run-off in the General Election on Nov. 8.

Two Pasco School Board incumbents face opponents.

In District 3, incumbent Cynthia Armstrong is squaring off against challenger Matthew Geiger.

In District 5, incumbent Megan Harding faces Charles Philip Touseull.

The Pasco County Commission will have at least one new board member, as Mike Moore steps away after two terms.

On the Republican primary ballot, candidates Troy F. Stevenson, Seth Weightman and Christie Zimmer are vying to fill Moore’s District 2 seat.

Also, on the primary ballot, incumbent Republican Christina Fitzpatrick faces challengers Gary Bradford and Shannon Wittwer for the District 4 seat.

Changes could be coming to Hillsborough County’s leadership, too.

Three school board seats are being contested. Plus, six of the seven county board seats are up for grabs during the 2022 election cycle.

In Hillsborough’s school board race for District 2, Demaris Allen is challenging incumbent Stacy Hahn.

In District 4, Hunter Gambrell, Patricia “Patti” Rendon and Danielle Smaller each are vying to join the board.

And, in District 6, incumbent Karen Perez is facing challengers Roshaun Gendrett and Alysha “Aly Marie” Legge.

In races for the Hillsborough County Commission, Gwen Myers was unopposed and has won reelection to her District 3 seat.

In District 4, Noelle Licor is facing Michael Joseph Owen. Since they are the only two candidates for this race, the seat will be elected during the primary and all registered voters are eligible to weigh in.

In District 7, Republicans Chase Harrison and Joshua Wostal are squaring off to be their party’s representative in the General Election, where the winner will face Democrat incumbent Kimberly Overman.

Across Florida, Democrats will be choosing who they want to represent the party in the statewide elections in November, for governor, attorney general and agricultural commission.

Congressional and state house seats are on the Primary Election ballot, too.

Signs like these will help voters find their polling places on Primary Election Day, which is Aug. 23.

Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley said turnout for primary elections in Pasco tends to be about 50% of registered voters.

“Any pocketbook issues generally increase turnout,” Corley added, noting he’s projecting a turnout in this primary at somewhere between 55% and 60%.

Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer said he doesn’t make projections about turnout. Historically, about 25% of Hillsborough voters participate in primary elections, Latimer said.

“Primaries are kind of low turnout. I don’t understand why,” Latimer said, noting that primary voters will determine the outcome of six ballot issues in Hillsborough this year.

Both supervisors of election are confident that measures are in place to guarantee a safe and secure election. They also point to audits that are done to ensure the accuracy of the vote count.

The election supervisors advise voters who plan to vote on Primary Election Day to be sure they’ve checked their voter card to know where they need to vote. Some changes have been made since the last election

“If you vote on Election Day, you have to go to the polling site in your precinct. You can’t just go anywhere. Sometimes, people sometimes don’t understand that,” Latimer said.

Both supervisors of elections said historically about one-third of voters cast their ballots on Election Day, with about one-third voting by mail and the other third voting early.

However, they both said, in 2020 because of the pandemic, a greater percentage of people voted by mail. In Pasco, that figure stood at about 45% and in Hillsborough, around 47%.

Corley said he’s not sure what will happen in this election.

Latrimer thinks more people will come to the polls than in 2020 because people are feeling a bit safer about going out.

Early voting in Pasco County began on Aug. 13 and concludes on Aug. 20. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Early voting in Hillsborough County began on Aug. 8 and ends on Aug. 21. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For specific locations and other voting information, check www.Pascovotes.gov in Pasco and https://www.VoteHillsborough.gov, in Hillsborough.

Pasco County

Pasco County School Board, nonpartisan, all voters
District 1
Al Hernandez
Stephen A. Meisman
James M. Washington

District 3
Cynthia Armstrong
Matthew Geiger

District 5
Megan C. Harding
Charles Philip Touseull

Pasco County Commission, Republican voters
District 2
Seth Wightman
Troy F. Stevenson
Christie Zimmer

District 4
Christina Fitzpatrick, incumbent
Gary H. Bradford
Shannon J. Wittwer

Hillsborough County

Hillsborough County School Board, nonpartisan, all voters
District 2
Damaris Allen
Stacy Hahn

District 4
Hunter Gambrels
Patricia “Patti” Rendon
Danielle Smaller

District 6
Roshaun Gendrett
Alysha “Aly Marie” Legge
Karen Perez

Hillsborough County Commission
District 4 (Universal primary, all voters)
Noelle Licor
Michael Joseph Owen

District 7, Republican voters
Chase Harrison
Joshua Wostal

Published August 17, 2022