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Dennis Ross

Local youth attends Trump’s address to Congress

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Like millions of other Americans, Colin Cagle viewed President Donald Trump’s first speech to a joint session of Congress on Feb. 28.

Unlike most, the 13-year-old Odessa resident, attended Trump’s speech in Washington D.C.

He was the invited guest of U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis.

Colin Cagle, left, was an invited guest of Rep. Gus Bilirakis during President Donald Trump’s first speech to a joint session of Congress on Feb. 28 in Washington D.C. The 13-year old Odessa resident is in seventh grade at Martinez Middle School.
(Courtesy of Sharri and Bill Cagle)

That fact is even more impressive, considering each member of congress was allotted just one extra ticket for Trump’s address.

Cagle, a seventh-grader at Martinez Middle School, was thrilled to receive the rare invitation.

“I was just extremely thankful, and I was in shock. I was so surprised,” Cagle, said.

Bilirakis first became aware of Cagle when his family requested tickets for President Trump’s Inauguration on Jan. 20. (Though Bilirakis’ office was out of tickets, Rep. Dennis Ross was able to pitch in.)

Cagle and Bilirakis have remained in touch, and the congressman became enthralled by the youth’s keen passion for politics.

That was furthered once Bilirakis’ office came across a 6 ½-minute NBC News feature on Cagle’s political interests and ideology.

Cagle, an unabashed Trump supporter, left the address content with the president’s remarks on strengthening the military and unifying the country.

“He put out plans that I know that both Democrats and Republicans can all stand behind,” Cagle said. “Overall, it was very presidential, and it was an amazing experience.”

The teenager’s visit to Washington D.C. also included tours of the U.S. Capitol Building, the Kennedy Center and the Library of Congress. “It was really awesome,” he said.

Though Cagle always has had an interest in politics, his curiosity peaked following the Feb. 2016 death of his 75-year-old grandfather, Lyndon Hooper.

During his visit to Washington D.C., 13-year-old Colin Cagle received tours of the U.S. Capitol Building, the Kennedy Center and the Library of Congress.

According to Cagle’s mother, Sharri, the youth’s grandfather was “extremely involved” in politics, assisting with numerous campaigns, including former Republican Congresswoman Katherine Harris.

Following his grandfather’s death, Cagle closely monitored the 2016 presidential race, heavily researching the hot-button issues.

Trump’s position on health care reform and immigration were two of many Cagle agreed with.

“I kind of formed my own opinions, and they happened to match up with President Trump’s,” Cagle explained.

He then put his conservative principles in action.

Prior to the election of the 45th president, Cagle volunteered at Republican call centers in Carrollwood, Brandon and Orlando.

He also attended three of President Trump’s campaign rallies in Tampa, Lakeland and Ocala.

Being such an open Trump supporter has come with some challenges, however.

Cagle’s mother acknowledged her son has received “a lot of backlash.”

Yet, he’s stood firm in his viewpoints.

“I’m proud of him,” she said. “I think that’s important to stand with your convictions, and not waver when you believe in something, and not change who you are depending on who you’re with,” he said.

She added: “I know how ugly politics can be. So, we try to use things as a learning experience for him, and he’s seen the good and the bad.”

Cagle said he hopes one day to make a difference in politics, perhaps as a senator or congressman.

“I’d like to work for a congressman when I’m in college, so that way I can get some hands-on experience,” he said. “I just like how all the congressman and senators are running to make a difference, to help our country be better.”

With plans to start a Young Republicans Club at Martinez Middle, his passion for government and politics doesn’t appear to be waning anytime soon.

“He spends so much time and effort learning the issues at hand, and trying to base his opinion on facts,” his mother said. “We just tell him to be open-minded, listen to both sides, and base your opinion on facts, and try not to engage in ugliness.”

Meanwhile, the young conservative remains pleased with President Trump, less than two months in office.

“Everything he’s said he’s going to do, he’s doing it,” Cagle said. “He’s not really backtracking. Obviously, he’s going to have to make some compromises, which is what he’s saying. But, he’s still sticking to the main principles of what he said he’s going to be doing.”

Published March 8, 2017

Freedom student is going to West Point

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A Freedom High student recently received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy in West Point.

Dean LaGattuta received word that he’d been accepted into the prestigious service academy on Jan. 20. He accepted the appointment on Jan. 31.

Ironically, LaGattuta, 18, was visiting the West Point, New York campus when he received the good news.

Freedom High senior Dean LaGattuta received his appointment to the U.S. Military Academy on Jan. 20. He accepted his appointment on Jan. 31. (Courtesy of Dean LaGattuta)
Freedom High senior Dean LaGattuta received his appointment to the U.S. Military Academy on Jan. 20. He accepted his appointment on Jan. 31.
(Courtesy of Dean LaGattuta)

“It was just complete disbelief. I really couldn’t believe that I found out while at West Point,” the high school senior said. “It was just a dream come true that I was appointed.”

LaGattuta will report to West Point on June 27, shortly before his birthday.

“I’ll be spending my nineteenth birthday getting my head shaved,” he said, with a chuckle.

LaGattuta also applied to the U.S. Naval Academy, but has yet to hear back about his appointment status.

However, he has always viewed the U.S. Military Academy as his top choice for post-secondary education.

“Just hearing from West Point so early, and then speaking with my admissions major, he’s the one that really sold me on West Point—that they really wanted me—and that’s what really encouraged me to go there,” LaGattuta explained.

The ambience of the campus and its rich history were two aspects that stood out to LaGattuta, as he was weighing his college options, which also included the University of Central Florida, the University of Florida, George Washington University and Georgetown University.

“I love the seclusion of the area. I love being by the Hudson River. It’s just an incredibly beautiful campus, surrounded by rolling hills—something we don’t have here (in Tampa),” he said.

“I was always a history buff, and it’s all the same architecture as it was 200 years ago. Even the new buildings they’re constructing—they’re matching the architecture to the previous buildings. I just love that feel that you’re not just in history, but you’re also becoming part of history,” he said.

To be considered for the service academy, LaGattuta underwent an application process that seeks to identify candidates who demonstrate leadership skills, have strong moral character, excel in academics and can surpass the required physical fitness standards.

In December, he was one of 14 students nominated for appointment to a United States service academy from the 15th Congressional District by U.S. Rep. Dennis A. Ross.

Eight Tampa area students were nominated, along with four from Valrico and two from Lakeland.

Appointments by service academies are usually made between January and April, and sometimes as late as May, according to Gary Clark, chairman of the District 15 Nomination Board.

Clark said a U.S. service academy (Military, Naval, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine and Air Force) typically accepts only between 1,000 to 1,200 applicants out of the 17,000-plus that are sent in from across the country.

Last year, the District 15 Nomination Board nominated 12 students. Seven received appointments.

A 2014 study by the U.S. News and World Report found the U.S. Military Academy to have a 9.5 percent acceptance rate — the fifteenth most selective among all colleges and universities in the United States.

Knowing that his college years will be spent at the U.S. Military Academy is a weight off of LaGattuta’s shoulders.

“I still have to focus on my (high school) grades, but having that uncertainty of where I’m going to be in the coming months gone, I’m so relieved. It’s just really a blessing,” he said.

The appointment means LaGattuta is obligated to spend at least 10 years in the military, including four years at the Academy and six years on active duty.

“This is really going to be the start of a long journey, and I hope for a long career,” he said. “I definitely see myself surpassing the required amount of years of service, and I’m really looking forward to the years ahead.”

While keeping his career options open, LaGattuta is intrigued by some professions within the military.

“Right now, I’m interested in doing…Army Intelligence or something with cybersecurity, because it’s such a growing necessity, especially in an increasingly technological world in warfare,” the high school senior said.

For now, LaGattuta will be busy for the rest of the school year and over the summer.

He’s currently on the Freedom High varsity tennis team, and is serving as chairman of Tampa mayor Bob Buckhorn’s Youth Leadership Council.

Over the summer, he’ll teach leadership classes at the council, serve meals to the homeless at the Trinity Café and work with underprivileged children at A Brighter Community, the oldest nonprofit preschool in Hillsborough County,

He’s also aware that he needs to take advantage of the time he can now spend with family and friends.

“For the next four years, there’s going to be a limited amount of time that I can see my family and friends once I go up (to West Point),” he said.

Published March 9, 2016

Student is military academy nominee

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Dean LaGattuta’s interest in attending a U.S. Service Academy first piqued when he was an adolescent and he learned his grandfathers, on both sides of his family, served in the Navy.

His interest in joining the service deepened through watching programs on the Military Channel and History Channel.

“The family legacy and then getting into military history really sparked my interest in serving in the military,” said LaGattuta, a senior at Freedom High School.

Dean LaGattuta poses for a photo with Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn while volunteering for the 2015 Tampa Bay Heart Walk. (Photos courtesy of Dean LaGattuta)
Dean LaGattuta poses for a photo with Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn while volunteering for the 2015 Tampa Bay Heart Walk.
(Photos courtesy of Dean LaGattuta)

LaGattuta is one of 14 students nominated for appointment to a United States service academy from the 15th Congressional District by U.S. Rep. Dennis A. Ross. He was nominated for both the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy,

Eight other Tampa area students were nominated, along with six from Valrico and two from Lakeland.

“It is one of the highest honors I have as a member of Congress to assist deserving constituents in seeking appointment to a U.S. service academy,” Ross said in a news release.

If students who’ve been nominated receive an appointment from one of the five U.S. service academies (Military, Naval, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine and Air Force), they have a 10-year obligation to the service, including the four years in whichever academy they attend and six years of active duty.

“We’re looking for young people who are committed to being military officers,” said Gary Clark, chairman of the District 15 Nomination Board. “We’re looking at that from a standpoint of being an ‘officer for life,’ whether they want to serve a career and retire, or if they just want to serve in the reserves or the guard.”

Dedicating at least 10 years of his life to the military wouldn’t be an issue for LaGattuta, who sees himself working in public service for a long time.

“The military academies offer an incredible opportunity to not only serve my country, but give back, too, through the opportunities that I’ve been lucky enough to have, because I was born in such a great country,” said LaGattuta, who is expected to hear about whether or not he’ll be appointed in the next few months. “Also, it helps me develop my leadership skills and potential, and further my love for service.”

To even be considered for a nomination from Ross, LaGattuta and the other students underwent an arduous, in-depth application process.

“You have to get specific teachers from your school to fill out certain forms and get recommendations from them,” LaGattuta said. “You have your cadet’s fitness assessment. For the U.S. Military Academy, I had three essays of 500 words, and for the Naval Academy I had one essay.

Dean LaGattuta, wearing No. 25, competes in a soccer game against Wharton High School.
Dean LaGattuta, wearing No. 25, competes in a soccer game against Wharton High School.

“It’s just incredible how lengthy the process is,” he added. “But, it’s well worth it, and I understand why they do it. They want to make sure the people who are appointed really want to be there.”

For those seeking a congressional nomination, the application process tries to identify candidates that demonstrate leadership skills, have a strong moral character, excel in academics and can surpass the required physical fitness standards.

“Somewhere in the neighborhood of three out of every four young people cannot qualify for military service because of physical capabilities, because of criminal records and being unable to pass the academic or aptitude standards,” Clark said. “So, we’re talking about a small subset within a smaller subset.”

Clark added, the nomination board reviews about 50 applications, narrowing the candidates down before conducting interviews and then making nominations.

Appointments by service academies are usually made between January and April, and sometimes as late as May, Clark said.

The odds of receiving an appointment based on a nomination are still relatively low, Clark said. Each service academy accepts between 1,000 and 1,200 applicants out of the 17,000-plus that are sent in from across the country.

“Last year, we nominated 12 (students), and we got 7 appointments.” Clark said. “So, if we can hit 50 percent, we feel pretty good that we’ve made some pretty good selections.

“The academies get the final say, which is why we try to put forward the very best (candidates) that we have to offer.”

LaGattuta appears to fit the bill as a desirable candidate, balancing academics, athletics and community service.

In addition to being a captain of both Freedom High’s varsity tennis and soccer teams, LaGattuta also serves as chairman of Tampa mayor Bob Buckhorn’s Youth Leadership Council, where his experience allowed him to be more informed about the probing issues within the Tampa community.

As part of the youth council, LaGattuta served meals to the homeless at the Trinity Café and also worked with underprivileged children at A Brighter Community, the oldest nonprofit preschool in Hillsborough County.

“It really grew and developed my passion for public service,” said LaGattuta, who’s surpassed 300 community service hours. “I love giving back to my community, and I think the most gratifying feeling a person can have is seeing they made a difference in someone else’s life, no matter how small it may be.

“And, all of these experiences have helped me build my application, build my file to hopefully make me a pretty good candidate (for appointment).”

Students not chosen for appointment by any of the five service academies could spend a year in college and reapply the following year, Clark noted. For some, it may serve as a blessing in disguise in terms of maturing enough to take on the rigors of service.

“That can go a long way towards developing their leadership and self-discipline, and things like that,” Clark said.

While the future of earning an appointment is still uncertain for LaGattuta at this point, the prospect of serving in the military is “all I see doing right now.”

“If I’m lucky enough to be appointed, I see myself making a career out of the military academy and public service, and serving my country,” he said.

Published December 30, 2015

 

Mixed local reaction to new defense spending bill

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The U.S. House passed the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act during a lame-duck session, but not all lawmakers are in support.

U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, said the bill presented a “troubling dilemma for me and my colleagues.”

“After speaking with local veterans and military leaders in my community, I cannot vote for reduced benefits and a reduction in a pay raise for our service members,” Ross said, in a statement. “There needs to be a proper balance of military compensation, training and equipment, but this NDAA does not meet that requirement.”

Instead, Ross said, it decreases the military pay raise Ross voted for earlier this year, and increases the cost of prescription drugs.

“We already ask our military to make incredible sacrifices for the security of our nation. We must look at other areas of the budget before we put more of a financial burden on our war heroes.”

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, however, highlighted the $7.7 billion that will go to MacDill Air Force Base. It also provides $26 million in additional funding for behavioral and psychological health programs and initiatives, specifically for special operations forces.

“We are concerned about higher suicide rates among special forces compared to (the) military overall,” the Tampa Democrat said in a statement. “Additional resources for behavioral and psychological health for special forces will build upon our community efforts to seek solutions in military and veterans suicides.”

The vote, which took place through a motion to concur on a amendment to H.R. 3979 written to address protections to volunteer firefighters and emergency responders. It passed 300-119, with 87 of the House’s 201 Democrats voting against it.

Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, the only other local Congressman in Washington, joined Castor in voting for the bill.

Local reaction split on president’s immigration plan

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The debate on whether President Barack Obama has the authority to enact his own immigration reform without the help of Congress extends beyond Washington, D.C., and is drawing both criticism and praise from lawmakers here at home as well.

But which side each congressman takes depends on what side of the aisle he or she is on.

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis waited until Obama’s presidential address from the White House Thursday night to speak out against the planned executive action that could leave up to 5 million illegal immigrants safe from deportation, if they meet certain criteria.

President Barack Obama works on his immigration speech with speechwriters Cody Keenan, left, and David Litt in the Oval Office ahead of the president's Nov. 20 remarks on immigration reform. (Courtesy of Pete Souza)
President Barack Obama works on his immigration speech with speechwriters Cody Keenan, left, and David Litt in the Oval Office ahead of the president’s Nov. 20 remarks on immigration reform. (Courtesy of Pete Souza)

“As a second generation Greek American, I have a firsthand understanding of the importance and power of the American dream, as well as the sensitivity and passion surrounding immigration reform,” the Palm Harbor Republican said in a statement. “There is no doubt our immigration system is broken, but President Obama cannot act unilaterally and refuse to work with Congress. In the president’s own words: ‘That’s not how our democracy functions.'”

However, in his address to the nation, Obama said he and Democrats have tried to work with Congress to pass reform, and a bipartisan bill actually made it through the U.S. Senate in 2013. But the bill never came to a vote in the U.S. House, and such reform has remained stalled ever since.

“It wasn’t perfect. It was a compromise,” Obama said, according to his prepared remarks. “But it reflected common sense. It would have doubled the number of border patrol agents while giving undocumented immigrants a pathway to citizenship if they paid a fine, started paying their taxes, and went to the back of the line. And independent experts said that it would help grow our economy and shrink our deficits.

“Had the House of Representatives allowed that kind of bill a simple yes-or-note vote, it would have passed with support from both parties, and today it would be the law. But for a year and a half now, Republican leaders in the House have refused to allow that simple vote.”

Obama got support from a fellow Democrat in Congress, Kathy Castor of Tampa.

“Republicans who control the U.S. House failed to act, failed to allow debate on the floor, and blocked a vote — even after two-thirds of the U.S. Senate voted to pass a bipartisan reform bill a year and a half ago,” Castor said in a statement. “Speaker (John) Boehner said many times that the House would act, but it never did.”

In order to qualify for protection from deportation under the executive action, illegal immigrants would have to meet a series of conditions, including having children here who are American citizens or legal permanent residents, have been in the country at least five years, pass a background check, and pay taxes.

“Most of these immigrants have been here a long time,” Obama said, according to his prepared remarks. “They work hard, often in tough, low-paying jobs. They support their families. They worship at our churches. Many of their kids are American-born or spent most of their lives here. And their hopes, dreams and patriotism are just like ours. As my predecessor, President Bush, once put it: ‘They are a part of American life.'”

But U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, believes Obama is taking the wrong approach, and had not “heard the voters’ message” who gave Republicans majority control of Congress during the mid-term elections.

“I have repeatedly stated that the best way to address immigration reform is with incremental steps, with the first critical step being to secure our borders,” Ross said in a statement issued ahead of Obama’s address. “Instead, the president is headed to Las Vegas to gamble away our national security by granting massive amnesty rights while failing to secure our border. The president’s go-it-alone attitude will cause irreparable harm to any effort to reform our immigration system, and ruin any chance of having a positive working relationship with Congress during his final two years in office.”

Obama, however, stood behind his claim that the reform he has proposed is not amnesty.

“I know some of the critics of this action call it amnesty,” Obama said. “Well, it’s not. Amnesty is the immigration system we have today — millions of people who live here without paying their taxes or playing by the rules, while politicians use the issue to scare people and whip up votes at election time.”

Bilirakis reminded the president that leaders like himself and others in Washington “have an obligation to preserve the promise of the American dream for future generations.”

“To do so, we must uphold the rule of law and ensure its equal application,” Bilirakis said. “This means that we must enforce current immigration laws, strengthen the borders, and ensure all visas are enforced properly. This is an issue that impacts all Americans, and we must unite to solve this problem.

“In doing so, we can ensure the American dream remains alive and well for future generations.”

Ross pushing forward controversial Ebola bill

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The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is against it, but that’s not stopping U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross from introducing legislation that would curb flights from countries with outbreaks of the Ebola virus.

Ross introduced his bill Wednesday known as the Contain Ebola and Stop the Epidemic — or CEASE — Act of 2014, which would prohibit certain flights from landing in the United States, and to prohibit the country from issuing visas to those areas.

“Now that the United States is free of the Ebola virus disease, we must begin implementing a process that will keep our country safe from a potential future outbreak,” Ross, R-Lakeland, said in a release. “Craig Spencer, a doctor who helped treat Ebola patients in West Africa, returned home to New York to find he had become sick with the virus.”

Spencer was successfully treated for Ebola. However, Ross said he was concerned about a statement from Ron Klain, the Ebola czar appointed by President Obama, who said that the United States could see “occasional additional cases of Ebola in our country.”

“Klain’s statement does not provide my constituents and I comfort,” Ross said.

By banning flights and visas with countries where Ebola has become an epidemic, he added, it would reduce the threat of an outbreak in the United States. However, CDC officials have said that while people should always be vigilant against deadly diseases, Ebola is one that has almost no chance of ever becoming an epidemic in the United States.

To date, only one person has died from Ebola in the United States, creating a death rate in the country of 1-in-300 million.

Dr. Thomas Frieden, the head of the CDC, wrote in an opinion piece last month that turning back planes from countries with Ebola problems would only worsen the situation here at home.

“When a wildfire breaks out, we don’t fence it off,” Frieden wrote. “We go in to extinguish it before one of the random sparks sets off another outbreak somewhere else. We don’t want to isolate part of the world, or people who aren’t sick, because that’s going to drive patients with Ebola underground, making it infinitely more difficult to address the outbreak.”

Frieden also noted that all outbound passengers from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone are screened for Ebola symptoms before they board an airplane. Unlike other communicable diseases, Ebola can only be spread once someone is symptomatic, and even then it has to be through direct conflict, like body fluids. It’s can be spread through casual contact like the flu can, nor is it airborne in that way.

Ross’ bill would stop commercial flights that originated or stopped in Ebola-affected countries from landing in the United States. It would also prohibit federal officials from issuing immigrant or non-immigrant visas to anyone whose travel originates in or includes a foreign country where there is an Ebola problem.

The travel and visa ban would continue until a country is “no longer experiencing epidemic levels of the Ebola virus disease.”

“Ebola is still devastating areas of Africa, especially in both Guinea and Sierra Leone, which is why we must keep our guard up,” Ross said, in defense of his bill. “Until the CDC can ascertain that Ebola has been contained and eradicated overseas, we must be vigilant in keeping Americans safe by being proactive instead of reactive.”

Incumbents keeping seats on Hillsborough commission

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Charlie Crist may not have been a winner in Florida, but another unrelated Crist will stay in elected office in Hillsborough County as Victor Crist won re-election to the county commission.

Crist defeated Democrat Elizabeth Belcher 56 percent to 44 percent to get another four years in Hillsborough. However, the race was a lot closer for Crist’s colleague, Al Higginbotham, who defeated Democrat Patricia Kemp 50.5 percent to 40.6 percent. Higginbotham had 3,000 more votes than his competitor, compared to a 12,000-vote win by Crist.

Higginbotham was just beyond the threshold that would’ve triggered a machine recount of votes, despite winning with less than a 1 percent margin of victory.

Joining the commission is Republican Stacy White, who easily beat a write-in candidate, to take Higginbotham’s old seat. Higginbotham will take over the county-wide seat formerly held by Mark Sharpe.

For state Rep. Shawn Harrison will return to Tallahassee after defeating Democratic incumbent Mark Danish 53 percent to 47 percent. James Grant will keep his House seat, however, beating fellow Republican Miriam Steinberg 61-39.

Hillsborough followed the rest of the state by overwhelmingly passing a state constitutional amendment that would help Florida conserve more environmentally sensitive land. However, the county also defeated medical marijuana and a change in how the governor can appoint state supreme court judges.

Hillsborough also was one of the few counties in Central Florida to support Charlie Crist for governor. Crist captured 48 percent of the vote in the county, while Rick Scott earned 46 percent.

In the congressional race, Dennis Ross won re-election against his Democratic challenger, former television personality Alan Cohn.

Local congressmen support president’s ISIL plan

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In a rare move, the U.S. Congress supported an initiative by President Obama Wednesday, voting to authorize limited military action against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or more commonly known as ISIL.

Despite the U.S. House approving the measure 221-192, the area’s two local Republican congressmen are still saying they’re not happy with how Obama is handling the conflict in Syria and Iraq.

“While I voted in favor of the amendment authorizing President Obama to begin facilitating Syrian rebel combat training, this was not my idea strategy for how to defeat ISIL,” said U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, in a statement. “This amendment is a step in the right direction, but the time has come to make the next move. Every day that President Obama does not take bold and aggressive action toward demolishing ISIL, is another day that our national security and American lives are in jeopardy.”

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, said he voted in favor of training “appropriately vetted” opposition forces to fight ISIL.

“This amendment will allow carefully vetted and scrutinized opposition forces to be trained to fight ISIL under the direction of American Special Forces,” Bilirakis said, in a statement. “That, in combination with the full weight of the United States Air Force executing air strikes, is an appropriate step at this juncture, given the immediate threat ISIL represents to both America and her allies.”

In a visit to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa Wednesday, President Obama laid out his strategy in fighting the terrorist militant group that has taken over parts of Iraq and Syria.

“Now going forward, as I announced last week, we’re going to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counterterrorism strategy,” the president said, according to a transcript of the speech. “And whether in Iraq or in Syria, these terrorists will learn the same thing that the leaders of al Qaeda already know: We mean what we say. Our reach is long. If you threaten America, you will find no safe haven. We will find you eventually.”

Local Congressional districts should remain unchanged

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Florida lawmakers are back in Tallahassee for a special session this week after a judge in Leon County declared the boundaries for two Congressional districts were unconstitutional.

Congressional districts in the Tampa Bay area will likely remain unchanged if a proposed redistricting map is approved.
Congressional districts in the Tampa Bay area will likely remain unchanged if a proposed redistricting map is approved.

The districts, located in the Jacksonville and Orlando areas, were deemed by Florida Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis to be illegal, and ordered those districts to be redrawn immediately. A proposed map from a select House committee, however, does not appear to significantly change any of the Congressional districts in Pasco and Hillsborough counties.

The fifth district is represented by Democrat Corrine Brown of Jacksonville, while the 10th district is represented by Republican Daniel Webster of Winter Garden.

The 10th district borders District 15, currently represented by Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, which dips into the northern parts of Hillsborough, including the Lutz area. The proposed revision does not appear to make any changes to the shared border between the two districts.

The House committee is led by Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, and met Thursday afternoon to draft a new map. Lawmakers are expected to meet again Friday, and possibly into next week, to finish redrawing the lines.

In a joint statement from Senate president Don Gaetz and House speaker Will Weatherford on Monday, lawmakers accused the court of trying to disrupt the current election process.

“Florida’s supervisors of elections have raised serious concerns over changing the elections process at this late date,” the two said in a statement.

The NAACP, they said, also expressed concerned, saying that the get-out-the-vote infrastructure would not be in place for the new districts once those lines are drawn. “Voters who face challenges to political participation — be it financial, job scheduling, transportation or other impediments — will be irreparably harmed by conducting the election at a time where that infrastructure does not exist,” the organization said, according to lawmakers.

Also more than 1 million absentee ballots already have been mailed both to Floridians and military service members overseas, Gaetz and Weatherford said. Those ballots were based on the district boundaries before the court’s ruling that they had to change.

“We intend to vigorously defend the integrity and validity of Floridians’ votes that have already been cast, and that will be cast in the upcoming election,” the two Tallahassee leaders said.

Creativity wins local kids trip to Washington, D.C.

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The trio jetted to Washington, D.C., to meet with a member of Congress, to hear remarks from the chief executive of an international company, and to take part in television interviews. And they are all still in elementary school.

Sophia Nobles, left, Catie Tomasello and Joey Santana have their picture taken with U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson while visiting the nation’s capital. The kids won the trip by placing second nationally in the 22nd annual Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision STEM competition. (Courtesy of Heather Tomasello)
Sophia Nobles, left, Catie Tomasello and Joey Santana have their picture taken with U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson while visiting the nation’s capital. The kids won the trip by placing second nationally in the 22nd annual Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision STEM competition.
(Courtesy of Heather Tomasello)

Joey Santana, Sophia Nobles and Catie Tomasello recently returned from a trip to the nation’s capital, and a whirlwind of appearances there. The Countryside Montessori Charter School students took the trip to receive their second-place honors in their age division in the 22nd annual Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision STEM competition, provided by the electronics company and the National Science Teachers Association. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The team, coached by Lorna Cohen, finished among the top eight in the country. The contest itself drew more than 4,900 entries, representing nearly 15,300 students and 550 schools across the United States and Canada, according to the contest website.

It is the world’s largest science and technology competition for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. It encourages them to develop problem-solving, critical thinking and collaboration skills.

Contestants are asked to imagine what technology might be like in 20 years. They work in teams to propose ideas for innovative future technology based on what already exists. They simulate scientific research to outline how they plan to test their idea, and they build websites to further illustrate and communicate their concepts.

For their entry, the Countryside Montessori students envisioned WateRenew, a concept that uses the technology of Wave Wings  — which are wings that sway back and forth in the ocean, creating mechanical energy that can be converted to electricity. That electricity would then be used to power a leading edge desalination plant, which in turn creates clean drinking water for homes and businesses.

Florida’s water shortages inspired the team to search for a solution, Nobles and Tomasello said. The team began meeting in September, and team members spent at least a couple of hours each week working on the project.

The team worked well together because they are friends and they respect each other, the girls said. The team divided the project into pieces, and each team member became an “expert” on one part of the project.

Nobles also noted that the team benefited from the help of Lee Marcum, of Clean and Green Enterprises, who took the time to talk to the team about his invention, the Wave Wing.

While in Washington D.C., team members met with U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, and went a tour of the Capitol Building led by staff members of U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis. Santana’s family also dropped by the office of U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, where they posed for photos.

The kids also took part in two television interviews with Bill Nye the Science Guy, and they participated in a science showcase. Other highlights included hearing remarks from Atsutoshi Nishida, chairman of Toshiba Corp., and doing some sightseeing.

Other winners in the competition also proposed creative solutions to challenging issues, according to the competition website. Third-grade students from Merion Station, Pennsylvania, developed a system designed to save people who are stuck in rip currents.

An entry from second-graders from Edmond, Oklahoma, aimed to save lives of babies, toddlers and animals left accidentally in a car. A team of fifth-graders from Locust Valley, New York, created an innovative plant power de-icing system for planes, while 10th graders from Toronto created a new technology that uses light signals to boost optical computing.

Besides the expenses-paid trip, the young students also each received a $5,000 U.S. Savings Bond.

Since its inception in 1992, more than 330,000 students have participated in the ExploraVision program.

Published June 25, 2014

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