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Hillsborough County

Annual Hiking Spree features new trails, challenges

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Hillsborough County’s annual Hiking Spree is back, with some new twists, turns and challenges.

The hiking extravaganza, now in its fourth year, encourages people to exercise, explore the outdoors, and experience nature through the county’s numerous parks and preserves.

The 2020 Hiking Spree trail list features 24 trails at 21 locations throughout the county.

Five of those parks sit within The Laker Lutz News coverage area: Carrollwood Village Neighborhood Park, Lake Conservation Park, Lettuce Lake Conservation Park, Upper Tampa Bay Trail— Lutz Lake Fern, and Brooker Creek Headwaters Nature Preserve.

Lettuce Lake Conservation Park is included in this year’s Hiking Spree. It is one of 21 parks and 24 trails people are encouraged to try out this fall and winter. (File)

The Hiking Spree is designed to offer something for everyone from hiking rookies to seasoned outdoor enthusiasts. Hikers can walk paths near their homes, but also are encouraged to explore new terrain throughout the county.

Here’s how it works: Hikers who complete at least eight trails between Nov. 1 and March 31, 2020 can earn a patch, a medallion for a walking stick or a dog tag. Hikers may repeat any trail twice for credit provided they occur on different dates. Participants may hike on their own, with a dog, with others or on guided park staff hikes.

Most trails range from less than a mile to more than 4 miles, labeled from easy to strenuous.

To captivate more daring hikers, lengthier trails ranging from nearly 7 miles to over 9 miles are new this year — at Alafia River Corridor Nature Preserve North and South locations in Plant City and Lithia, and Lower Green Swamp Nature Preserve in Plant City.

Incorporating some longer trails was requested by Hiking Spree participants last year, said Hiking Spree program coordinator Chris Kiddy, who also works for the county’s conservation and environmental lands management division.

Said Kiddy: “We’ve introduced a lot of people to hiking over the last few years with this, and some of the feedback we were hearing from last year was, ‘Hey, I love this, but I’d really like some longer hikes.’”

The Hiking Spree has shown to be a hit since introduced in 2016 by the county’s parks and recreation department.

About 1,000 people participated in the inaugural year, growing to about 3,700 participants in 2018-2019. County parks and recreation officials this year are hoping for as many 5,000 participants.

Kiddy has witnessed the surge over the years, as he gets trails ready each year and participates in the hiking challenge himself.

He put it like this: “What we hear more than anything from people is that they’re just amazed by how many opportunities that they have to see nature in Hillsborough County. We have over a million people in this area and you kind of think that it’s just this huge, urban area, (but) we have these little hidden places all over the county that are just places you can go to escape and get in touch with nature.”

While most parks and preserves and trails are rotated in and out of the Hiking Spree each year, a few locations are constants because of their popularity.

That includes Lettuce Lake, one of the county’s most visited parks, at 6920 East Fletcher Ave., in Tampa.

More than half of the park’s property lies in the natural floodplain of the Hillsborough River, consisting of a hardwood swamp forest. The remainder of the park consists of hardwood hammocks and pine flatwoods plant communities.

Within the park is a 1.25-mile paved exercise trail and 3,500-foot boardwalk with an observation tower that provides scenic views of the Hillsborough River and the opportunity to see all sorts of wildlife, from wading birds and songbirds, to alligators.

Kiddy said of the spot: “Pretty much everything you can possibly see in nature you see right there in that small area, I think that’s why people enjoy that so much.”

Another hiking favorite is the 1.25-mile Singing Bluffs Trail at Edward Medard Conservation Park, 95256 South County Road 39 in Plant City.

“That’s another one where you see a lot of wildlife,” Kiddy said, “and that one is also really cool and unique because it uses some old phosphate mines as part of the trail, so there’s some elevation changes on that trail that people seem to really enjoy.”

Organizers this year also have added a new adventure challenge called “Trail Magic.”

Each week, hikers will be given clues and directions on the county’s social media accounts to locate a hidden “Trail Magic” spot on a trail and then become eligible for a free prize.

The hidden spot will rotate between each of the designated Hiking Spree trails and will have signs showing off the giveaway you could win, once you locate it. Giveaways will range from hiking supplies to massage gift certificates.

Kiddy said the concept derives from thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail to describe an unexpected act of kindness or goodwill that lifts a hiker’s spirits. In that environment, it’s often something as simple as being offered a snack or drink by a passing hiker or an onlooker offering a hot meal and a shower at their cabin.

“We just kind of wanted to play on that and approach providing some ‘trail magic’ of our own for the hiking spree,” Kiddy said.

This year’s Hiking Spree will be celebrated with a kickoff party on Nov. 9 at 9 a.m., at Upper Tampa Bay Park, 8001 Double Branch Road in Tampa.

The event will include games, nature arts and crafts, outdoor workshops, and classes on orienteering, knot tying, how to make your own hiking stick, and more. A variety of hikes will be offered, including a plant ID hike, birding hike, bug walk, and kids hike.

Registration for the Hiking Spree is available at hcflgov.net/hikingspree. Cost is free, though there is a $2-per-vehicle fee to enter some parks.

Also of note: The county is seeking volunteers to join its new Trail CATS (County Associated Trail Stewards) stewardship program, to help county staff maintain existing trails and explore new trail opportunities. Duties may include blazing and trimming trails, inspecting trails, installing signs, and other trail-related tasks.

For more information, email Chris Kiddy at .

Here is the list of parks and trails for the 2020 Hiking Spree:

Neighborhood Parks and Recreation Centers — short, paved, trails with water and facilities

  • All People’s Life Center: All People’s Fitness Trail (0.4 miles)
  • Branchton Neighborhood Park: Gray Fox Fitness Trail (0.75 miles)
  • Carrollwood Village Neighborhood Park: Laurel Oak Fitness Trail (1 mile)
  • Dover District Neighborhood Park: Arrowhead Fitness Trail (1.2 miles)
  • Jackson Springs Neighborhood Park: Conejo Fitness Trail (0.5 miles)
  • Ruskin/Baudette Neighborhood Trail: Quiet Pines Fitness Trail (0.5 miles)
  • Stephen J. Wortham Park: Bluestem Hiking Trail, Sand Pine Trail (3.1 miles total)

Conservation Parks — mid-range, well-maintained paths and trails

  • Alderman’s Ford Conservation Park: Two Rivers Loop, Rivers Edge Trail (2.2 miles total)
  • Edward Medard Conservation Park: Singing Bluffs (1.25 miles)
  • Eureka Springs Conservation Park: Peaceful Paths Trail (0.75 miles)
  • Lake Conservation Park: Tortoise Trail (3.2 miles)
  • Lettuce Lake Conservation Park: Limpkin Loop, Cypress Dome (2.2 miles total)
  • Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park: Bobcat, Eagle, and Otter Trails (1.7 miles)
  • Upper Tampa Bay Trail—Lutz Lake Fern: Robin Trail (3.3 miles)

Nature Preserves— No facilities, subject to daily conditions

  • Alafia River Corridor Nature Preserve-North: Old Mine Trail (7 miles)
  • Alafia River Corridor Nature Preserve-South: Chito Branch Trail (6.7 miles)
  • Alderman’s Ford Nature Preserve: Riverbend Trail (3.5 miles)
  • Brooker Creek Headwaters Nature Preserve: Ramblewood Trail (3.6 miles)
  • Camp Bayou Nature Preserve: River Ramble Trail (2 miles)
  • Lower Green Swamp Nature Preserve: Cone Ranch Trail (9.5 miles)
  • Wolf Branch Nature Preserve: Salty Trail (2 miles)

For information or to register, visit hcflgov.net/hikingspree.

Published October 30, 2019

Prep football midseason review

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The 2019 Florida high school football regular season has reached the midway point. Here’s a closer look at how teams and players are faring from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

The Gaither Cowboys are off to a blistering 5-0 start and are ranked among the state’s top 10 teams in Class 6A.
(Courtesy of Gaither Athletics)

Perfect performers
At the midway mark, there are three programs sporting undefeated records — Academy at the Lakes, Gaither and Steinbrenner. What do each have in common? Potent offenses backed by efficient, veteran quarterback play.

  • Academy at the Lakes is averaging over 39 points per game. Junior quarterback Jalen Brown, a fourth-year starter, has completed 55% of throws for 785 yards, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s also the team’s leading rusher (445 rush yards, six touchdowns).
  • Gaither is averaging over 38 points per game. Senior quarterback Tony Bartalo, a two-year starter, has completed 63% of throws for 1,320 yards, 19 touchdowns and three interceptions. He currently boasts multiple Division I offers.
  • Steinbrenner is averaging over 48 points per game. Senior quarterback Haden Carlson, a three-year starter, has completed 64% of throws for 783 yards, 12 touchdowns and one interception. He is a FIU (Florida International University) verbal commit.

Also notable: Wiregrass Ranch (5-1) has received stellar quarterback play from sophomore Rocco Becht, who’s posted a 56% completion rate, 936 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Land O’ Lakes Gators went 7-3 last year, but have struggled much of this season with a 1-5 mark thus far. (File)

Surprising struggles
Entering the 2019 season, Land O’ Lakes and Zephyrhills were expected to build off winning seasons and compete for a playoff spot in their respective classifications. But early season struggles has all dampened those hopes for both teams.

  • The Gators finished 7-3 last season — its first winning campaign since 2013. But, they’ve hobbled to a 0-5 start before finally securing a 44-0 win over Freedom last week. A team thin on seniors and an anemic running game has magnified the struggles.
  • One of the most consistent and dominant programs in Pasco County in recent years, the Bulldogs haven’t lost four or more games since 2012 and haven’t missed the postseason since 2013. But after losing 22 seniors from last year’s 11-1 squad, the Bulldogs have shown less bark this season. They lost their first three games, but have begun to show life with recent road wins against Wesley Chapel and Tarpon Springs, respectively.

New coaches finding their way

  • Sunlake has jumped to a respectable 3-3 mark under first-year head coach Trey Burdick, holding his own in assuming the role previously held by one of the county’s winningest coaches in Bill Browning. Under Burdick, the team is on pace to surpass the 4-6 mark the program has had each of the past two seasons. Better yet, Burdick, a longtime assistant under Browning, steered the Seahawks to a 34-23 victory over crosstown rival Land O’ Lakes in the annual ‘Butter Bowl’ showdown.
  • New Pasco head coach Jason Stokes already has led the struggling program to as many wins as it did all of last season. And while the 2-4 mark doesn’t seem all that great, the Pirates have battled hard in one possession losses to Sunlake and Springstead, respectively. With that, this year’s “9-Mile War” rivalry game against Zephyrhills should provide some more intrigue; Zephyrhills has won the past four contests. Stokes is no stranger to being a head coach in the Tampa Bay area — he steered Gaither to three playoff appearances between 2011 to 2016, and also had stints at Bloomingdale and Middleton, respectively.

Stat stuffers
Here’s a look at a top statistical performer from each high school in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area:

Hillsborough County

  • Reggie Johnson II, Carrollwood Day, junior defensive end: 15 tackles, three sacks
  • Hussein Hafiz, Freedom, senior linebacker: 12 tackles (five for loss), three sacks
  • Deveon Knighton, Gaither, senior receiver: 28 receptions, 431 yards, six touchdowns
  • Deon Silas, Steinbrenner, junior tailback: 828 all-purpose yards, 11 touchdowns

Pasco County

  • Adrian Leverette, Academy at the Lakes, junior tailback: 379 scrimmage yards, five touchdowns
  • Jack Miller, Bishop McLaughlin, freshman receiver: 19 receptions, 502 yards, three touchdowns
  • Jehlani Warren, Cypress Creek, senior quarterback: 57% completions, 515 passing yards, five touchdowns, three interceptions
  • Ethan Forrester, Land O’ Lakes, senior quarterback, 39% completions, 790 passing yards, seven touchdowns, four interceptions; 336 rushing touchdowns, five touchdowns
  • Gabriel Barnes, Pasco, junior linebacker: 49 tackles, 20 hurries, three sacks
  • Mark Anderson, Sunlake, junior receiver: 475 all-purpose yards, three touchdowns
  • Brenden Maddox, Wesley Chapel, senior fullback/linebacker: 269 rush yards, four touchdowns; 45 tackles (six for loss)
  • Keith Walker, Wiregrass Ranch, senior receiver: 735 all-purpose yards, 10 touchdowns
  • Tyler Davis, Zephyrhills Christian, senior tailback: 616 rush yards, six touchdowns
  • Zyree Roundtree, junior tailback: 483 rush yards, four touchdowns

Schools in Laker/Lutz News coverage area (and their current 2019 records)

Hillsborough County:

  • Carrollwood Day School Patriots (0-5 overall)
  • Freedom High School Patriots (1-4)
  • Gaither High School Cowboys (5-0)
  • Steinbrenner High School Warriors (5-0)

Pasco County:

  • Academy at the Lakes Wildcats (eight-man) (4-0 overall)
  • Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Hurricanes (1-5)
  • Cypress Creek Middle High School Coyotes (2-3)
  • Land O’ Lakes High School Gators (1-5)
  • Pasco High School Pirates (2-4)
  • Sunlake High School Seahawks (3-3)
  • Wesley Chapel High School Wildcats (2-3)
  • Wiregrass Ranch High School Bulls (5-1)
  • Zephyrhills Christian Academy Warriors (3-2)
  • Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs (2-3)

Published October 2, 2019

Ridge Road permit coming soon, administrator says

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A permit to clear the way for the construction of the Ridge Road Extension is expected to be granted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers within the next four weeks to six weeks, Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles said.

That would signal the end of a two-decade effort to secure the federal permit needed to create a new 7.6-mile east-west connection from Moon Lake Road in New Port Richey to U.S. 41, in Land O’ Lakes.

The only way for the county to be absolutely sure it will receive the permit is for the Corps of Engineers to issue it, Biles said.

Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles
(File)

“They won’t ever tell you that you’re going to get the permit until they sign the letter on the permit, giving you the permit. They’ll never tell you, ‘Yea, you’re going to get approval on the permit’ until then. That isn’t the way the Corps works,” the administrator said.

That being said, it appears that everything is lining up toward the county obtaining the permit, Biles told those gathered at Sept. 17 breakfast meeting of The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce at Scotland Yards Golf Club, on U.S. 301 in Dade City.

While the county awaits the permit, it is preparing to move ahead with the project.

The first phase of the project, which is funded, is from Ridge Road in New Port Richey to the Suncoast Parkway. The second phase of the extension, not yet funded, will provide a link between the Suncoast Parkway and U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes.

Biles told the breakfast crowd: “The construction project is actually on the street today, so we can bid that and start work the day I get the call from the Corps.

“We’ve got it set so that, I get the call from the Corps, I call public works, I call the project manager. They get our consultant out there and start removing the gopher tortoises off the right of way.

“Our surveying crew is already working on surveying the right of way,” Biles added.

The contract includes three milestones, with bonuses available to the contractor if the work is completed within certain timelines.

The Pasco County Commission approved the approach.

“It’s pretty unique. It took a lot of work in the county attorney’s office to set it up,” Biles said.

The first milestone involves providing a secondary access to River Ridge High and River Ridge Middle, before the school year begins in August 2020.

To achieve that, Biles said he would need the permit in hand, and a contractor notice to proceed, by Dec. 1.

“That’s a goal to hit that, and we can do it,” Biles said.

The second milestone is to have two lanes of Ridge Road open to the Suncoast Parkway, and to have the interchange operational before Hurricane Season 2021, Biles said.

“So, we’re going to get there, open up two lanes, we’re going to breathe and relax for about 30 seconds, then they’re going to finish the other two lanes, finish the project by the next hurricane season,” the administrator added.

Biles said he wants to get the first two lanes open as quickly as possible, to get traffic onto it to the Suncoast Parkway.

That will provide another hurricane evacuation route, and will open up the west-central area of the county to within a “commutable distance” of downtown Tampa, Biles said.

It also would be good timing, in conjunction with a new $191 million expansion campus that Moffitt Cancer Center wants to create in Pasco County.

Moffitt recently announced it would be asking the state Legislature to increase Moffitt’s share of the state’s cigarette revenue from 4% to 10% to support an expansion of its facilities in Hillsborough County, and to provide for a new campus in Pasco County.

The project would allow Moffitt to meet future demand for cancer therapies, create a research park that would be a magnet for biotech partners, and expand its services in the Tampa Bay region, according to information provided by Moffitt.

Published September 25, 2019

New sports complex expected to attract national events

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With concrete footers poured and steel beams heading vertical, the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex is a step closer to its much-anticipated opening.

The $44 million sports complex is targeted for a mid-July 2020 soft opening — more than two years after a celebrated groundbreaking ceremony that marked the beginning of construction at 3211 Lajuana Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Once completed, the 98,000-square-foot indoor space will feature a multipurpose sports layout that accommodates up to eight basketball courts or 16 volleyball courts, plus a separate competitive cheer and dance studio, fitness and athletic training center, and other amenities.

Concrete footers and steel beams represent construction progress on the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex. The 98,000-square-foot facility is anticipated to be a regional and national draw for youth and amateur sports. (Courtesy of RADD Sports)

Besides primarily basketball, volleyball and cheer offerings, the Pasco County-owned facility also will be able to accommodate martial arts, wrestling, gymnastics, curling, badminton, soccer, lacrosse and pickleball.  Secondary uses of the complex will include conventions, banquets, exhibits, concerts and so on.

Originally, the facility was expected to open later this year.

But, the project experienced some delays.

“That goes with a major development project like this,” said Richard Blalock, president and CEO of RADD Sports, the private sports management company tasked with operating and managing the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex.

Those delays included inclement weather, permitting issues and redesigns of the facility to make it hurricane-resistant, Blalock said.

“When you’ve got as many moving parts that’s involved in this project, it’s just a matter of getting all the contracts lined up, and the contractor online and bids opened,” he said.

The facility is being promoted as a regional and national attraction.

The indoor gym on weekdays will operate as a community-based sports center where local youth, adults and seniors will be able to practice and play.

Weekends, meanwhile, will be set aside to play host to national travel tournaments, competitions and other events to generate hotel stays and tax revenues for the county.

The facility’s first weekend tournaments aren’t expected to be booked until around October 2020, Blalock said.

The target is scheduling roughly 25 to 30 weekend events during the first full year and then grow it from there, Blalock said.

He mentioned RADD Sports already has received numerous inquiries from youth and amateur sports organizations asking about the facility’s availability.

“We’ve got ‘em lined up now, wanting to sign,” Blalock said.

The complex also will host a series of weeklong sports camps each July or August, which Blalock said otherwise is a slow period in the travel sports marketplace.

Those camps would allow for local school sports teams to get advanced instruction and match up against teams from all over the country, Blalock said.

“They’re not going to have to travel very much and we’re bringing all the competition in, so it’ll be a good marriage,” he said.

Not unlike nearby AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel, the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex figures each year to draw hundreds, if not thousands, of youth and amateur travel sports teams and their families.

The $44 million Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex is scheduled to open in mid-July next year.

Officials are excited about the prospects for Pasco County tourism.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, who chairs the county’s tourist development council, suggests the facility will be “a huge boon for the local economy.”

Said Moore, “People travel from all over the nation to go these tournaments and these facilities. They all have to stay in hotels, they’re all eating in restaurants, they’re all buying the gas.”

Moore said projections show the facility will generate annual revenues of roughly $4 million to $4.5 million each of first five years or so in operation, not including additional hotel and retail tax revenues generated.

The commissioner emphasized that it’s key for those traveling visitors to stay overnight locally instead of heading to Hillsborough County. It’s something he’s assured will happen, pointing out the county already has 38 hotels “with more coming.”

Moore explained: “Previously, when there’s a lot of tournaments that came into the county, a lot of the families were staying in Hillsborough County, so a lot of the local businesses didn’t see that revenue. Well now, we can handle those families, we can handle these tournaments.”

To take it another step further, Moore said the county’s tourism department is developing a marketing campaign to encourage the myriad sports travel teams and visitors to explore the county’s other offerings, outside the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex. The county’s tourism arm officially rebranded itself as “Florida’s Sports Coast” earlier this year.

Said Moore, “We want them to take the day and maybe go rent a boat and go kayaking or go fishing with one of our guides, or hit some of the islands. That’s another benefit for the families coming — great activities outside of the sports or watching their kids play.”

Outdoor offerings on tap, too
The Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex will be more than just an indoor space.

The complex eventually will include seven outdoor sports fields, an amphitheater with an event lawn, walking trails, pavilions and a playground. There also will be an adjacent 128-room Marriott Residence Inn built with private funds by Mainsail Development Group.

Many of those features are expected to be finished in Phase II of the project, about a year or so later, officials say.

The entire complex is being built on 80 acres of land donated years ago by the Porter family, developers of Wiregrass Ranch.

Several proposals for some type of sports facility on the land fell apart over the years, including one for a baseball complex in 2015.

But, with the mix of indoor and outdoor components, the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex provides “the biggest bang for our taxpayers’ buck,” Moore said.

“It’ll be a really big thing for the area,” the commissioner said. “When you think about the area, there’s really nothing like this around here at all. And, if you see how well similar facilities do, this is going to be strong.”

He added: “It’s nice to obviously see the progress that’s being made. It won’t be long. It’ll be done before we know it. It’ll sneak right up on us.”

Meanwhile, the complex adds to a growing list of premier sports offerings in the East Pasco area — with construction underway on a multi-million tennis center in Zephyrhills and preliminary plans for a multi-million outdoor aquatics center in Land O’ Lakes. Even Cypress Creek Middle High, in Wesley Chapel, with its a state-of-the-art rubberized running track and field space has been highly regarded for hosting events.

Blalock underscored what all that could mean for the county’s quest to position itself as a sports tourism destination: “For the most part, we’ll be able to run any type of Olympic event in a short radius, and it’s crazy. There’s nowhere I’m aware of in the southeast, or anywhere in the country really, that can really do that.”

He also posited this: “If everyone in the community pulls together and we work together, and all the facilities work together, it could really, truly become an amateur sports destination that equals nowhere else.”

Published September 25, 2019

Hillsborough residents can weigh in on stormwater fees

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A public hearing is set for Sept. 5 regarding a proposed stormwater fee increase in Hillsborough County.

The public hearing is set for 10 a.m., in the second floor board room at Frederick B. Karl County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., in downtown Tampa.

Any changes approved by the Hillsborough County Commission would be reflected on the 2019 property tax notices, according to a Hillsborough County news release.

The stormwater fee is paid by property owners in the unincorporated area of the county. It does not apply to residents in Tampa, Temple Terrace or Plant City.

Revenues generated by the stormwater fee is used for maintenance, rehabilitation and construction of the public stormwater pipes, pumps, storage systems, and other structures to help reduce roadway flooding and improve water quality, the news release said.

County officials say the proposed fee structure more equitably separates most residential properties into tiers based on different sizes of impervious area (roofed, paved, or similar surface).

Properties with less impervious area pay less and properties with more impervious area pay more, under the proposal.

The county’s news release explains:

  • Most single-family residential properties are placed into a tier based on their total gross area building footprint, provided by the Property Appraiser. This approach avoids having to individually calculate the impervious area for more than 220,000 residential properties, which would be impractical.
  • Properties with exceptionally small building footprint areas, such as condominium units, townhomes and mobile homes are billed flat rates.
  • Nonresidential properties and very large single-family properties are billed per square foot of impervious area.
  • A new proposed assessment structure will utilize an “Equivalent Residential Unit,” or ERU, as the basis for most assessments. The average single-family residence in the County includes 4,267 square feet of impervious surface (roofed, paved, or similar surface), which equals one ERU.
  • The 2019 proposed assessment for one ERU is $92.41.

More information about the proposed Stormwater Fee is available online or by calling (813) 635-5400.

Published August 28, 2019

You, too, can help reduce plastic pollution

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Hillsborough County and Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful (KTBB) are inviting residents and business owners to join in the worldwide movement to reduce waste from single-use plastics.

It’s much better to do this with your plastic beverage bottles than to allow them to end up in streams, rivers, bays and other bodies of water. (File)

According to the Ocean Conservancy, six of the top 10 contributors to marine debris are single-use, or disposable, plastic products, which include common food service ware, such as food and beverage container caps and lids; beverage bottles; plastic bags; food wrappers; cups, plates and cutler; and drinking straws.

When these items are littered, or caught by the wind, they can be washed into stormwater drains that empty into streams, rivers, bays and other water bodies.

The partnership between Hillsborough County and KTBB has launched a community education initiative to inform residents, visitors and businesses about the environmental impacts of single-use plastic products and ways to combat the problem.

Individuals can show their support for ending plastic pollution by taking an online pledge to do one or more simple actions, including:

  • Taking reusable shopping bags to stores
  • Skipping plastic straws
  • Carrying a reusable cup, mug or water bottle
  • Using reusable takeout containers
  • Raising awareness by sharing tips on social media

Businesses can be recognized as a Businesses for the Bay partner by sharing what they are doing, or pledge to do, to reduce the use of single-use plastics; and, as partners also have access to educational materials for their customers. There is no cost to participate.

New online resources can be found at ReduceYourUseTampaBay.org.

To learn more about the Ocean Conservancy and its mission, visit OceanConservancy.org.

Published May 08, 2019

Early voting begins in Pasco, Hillsborough counties

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Voters will head to the polls on Nov. 6 for the 2018 Mid-Term Elections, but a significant number won’t be waiting until then.

A good portion of voters decide who they want to represent them while filling out their ballots in the comfort of their own living room, and dropping them into the mail.

Early voting has begun for the 2018 Mid-Term Elections. There are various early voting places in Pasco and Hillsborough counties. (File)

Another part of the electorate streams to various polling places, taking advantage of early voting options. Of course, there are also those who prefer the tradition of voting on Election Day itself.

Whatever method they use, those casting ballots have the opportunity to weigh in on races and issues, ranging from who will be Florida’s representatives in Congress, to who will occupy the state’s governor’s mansion, to who will make local decisions affecting everything from job creation, to road congestion, to the quality of local schools.

Pasco and Hillsborough voters also will decide the outcome of 12 constitutional amendments or revisions.

In Pasco, voters also will decide the fate of four general obligation issues to pay for a jail expansion; additional fire protection; enhanced libraries; and, enhanced parks. The bonds would be repaid through increased property taxes.

In Hillsborough, voters will decide the fate of a referendum to raise the local sales tax to support transportation improvements; and, another referendum to raise the local sales tax to support air conditioning and other capital improvements in public schools.

Here’s a recap of key races on the 2018 ballot within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area; a listing of local early polling places; and a reminder of what voters should bring with them to the polls.

Key races

Federal
U.S. Senate: Rick Scott vs. Bill Nelson
U.S. Rep. District 12: Gus Bilirakis vs. Chris Hunter

State
Governor: Ron DeSantis vs. Andrew Gillum
Attorney General: Ashley Moody vs. Sean Shaw
Chief Financial Officer: Jimmy Petronis vs. Jeremy Ring
Commissioner of Agriculture: Matt Caldwell vs. Nicole ‘Nikki’ Fried
State Senate District 20: Kathy Lewis vs. Tom Lee
State Senate District 10: Michael Cottrell vs. Wilton Simpson
State Representative District 37: Tammy Garcia vs. Ardian Zika
State Representative District 38: Danny Burgess vs. David “TK” Hayes
State Representative, District 64: James Grant vs. Jessica Harrington

Local
Pasco

Pasco County Commission
District 2: Mike Moore vs. Kelly Smith
District 4: Mike Wells vs. Brandi Geoit

Pasco School Board
District 5: Megan Harding vs. Tara M. O’Connor

Hillsborough
Hillsborough County Commission
District 5: Victor Crist vs. Mariella Smith
District 7: Todd Marks vs. Kimberly Overman

Hillsborough School Board
District 1
William Henry Person vs. Steve Cona

District 6
Karen Perez vs. Henry “Shake” Washington

Sheriff: Chad Chronister vs. Gary Pruitt

 Early Voting Places (located within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area)

Pasco County: Through Nov. 3, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

  • East Pasco Government Center, Lobby, 14326 Sixth St., Dade City
  • Alice Hall Community Center, 36116 Fifth Ave., Zephyrhills
  • New River Branch Library, 34043 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel
  • Florida Hospital Center Ice, 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd., Wesley Chapel
  • Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes
  • Utilities Administration Building, 19420 Central Blvd., Land O’ Lakes

Hillsborough County: Through Nov. 4,  7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

  • Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library, 2902 W. Bearss Ave., Tampa
  • Keystone Recreation Center, 17928 Gunn Highway, Odessa
  • New Tampa Regional Library, 10001 Cross Creek Blvd.

What Voters Should Bring
Florida law requires voters to present both signature and photo identification. This can be achieved with one form of identification, such as a Florida driver license or U.S. Passport, or two separate forms of identification, such as a membership card with your photo and second form of identification with your signature. If you don’t bring your ID, you may vote a provisional ballot.

For more information, visit PascoVotes.com and VoteHillsborough.org.

Published October 24, 2018

Hillsborough County files ‘opioid’ lawsuit

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Hillsborough County has filed a lawsuit in the 13th judicial circuit court in Hillsborough County against 14 manufacturers and distributors alleging they have played a role in the opioid epidemic in the county.

The county has hired a national team of lawyers to represent them in the lawsuit, with attorney Mike Moore as the lead litigant. Moore, a former Mississippi attorney general, is now handling a number of similar suits on behalf of local and state governments nationwide.

Hillsborough County Commission Chairwoman Sandra Murman

The list of defendants in the county’s lawsuit includes Purdue Pharma, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, McKesson Corporation, CVS Health Corporation, Walgreens and nine others.

At a news conference announcing the lawsuit, Hillsborough County Commission Chairwoman Sandra Murman said, “Today is an important day, but today is just like every day in Hillsborough County. There’s a baby being born that’s substance exposed because the mother was on drugs. We have many children every single day being removed from their homes, put in foster care because their parents are substance exposed and addicts.

“We have young people every day that are dying of opioid overdose,” Murman said.

The county’s lawsuit “alleges that manufacturers of these drugs misrepresented the risk of opioids and marketed the drugs for chronic pain, when in fact, there’s not one single valid scientific study that supports the use of opioids for treatment of long-term chronic pain, Murman said.

The county intends to prove that drug distributors shipped excessive amounts of pain pills into the community, flooding county streets with pain pills, the commission chairwoman added.

The opioid epidemic is widespread, crossing socioeconomic boundaries, she said.

“It affects our seniors. It affects adolescents. Children. Families,” she said.

There have been 1,072 opioid overdose deaths in Hillsborough County since 2012, Murman said. The county also has seen a 24 percent increase in opioids over a period of five years.

“That’s a direct result of the fraudulent marketing of the drugs and the excessive amounts of drugs shipped into our county by these defendants,” Murman said.

“Hillsborough County is leading the state in the number of babies born addicted to opioids,” Murman said. “That is totally unacceptable.”

There were 579 cases of babies addicted to opioids reported in Hillsborough County in 2015, she said.

“For me, it’s personal.,” Murman said. “My sister, who was addicted to painkillers, committed suicide.”

At the news conference, Moore said he was involved in helping to resolve the BP oil spill.

“What we have here is a pill spill,” Moore said. “Close to 40,000 people in your county are opioid addicts.”

Moore characterized the problem as a “ticking, ticking time bomb.”

“We want these companies to pay to clean the pill spill,’ Moore said.

Moore challenged a perception that some may have about the types of people who die from opioid abuse. It’s not just a problem faced by people who live on the streets, he said.

“It’s somebody’s 19-year-old college student.

“It’s a 35-year-old lawyer.

“It’s a housewife,” Moore said.

State attorney Andrew Warren, who also spoke at the news conference, agreed: “It’s a public health crisis. It does not discriminate.”

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, weighed in, as well. He put it like this: “We must dry up the supply. This is not an epidemic we’re going to arrest our way out of.”

Hillsborough’s lawsuit follows a national trend for local governments to fight against the distributors and manufacturers of opioid medications.

The Pasco County Commission voted in January to become one of several plaintiffs in litigation that seeks to replicate the kind of payouts attorneys won in the late 1990s against the tobacco industry.

Pensacola-based Levin Papantonio is representing Pasco County. The law firm is part of a consortium that is pursuing lawsuits in several states including West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky.

In 2016, Pasco County had 165 drug overdose deaths, and 120 were related to opioids.

Published August 22, 2018

Raises unlikely this year in Pasco County Schools

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Pasco County School Board members have expressed a desire to give teachers a raise, but according to Superintendent Kurt Browning, there’s no money available to make that happen.

Browning’s remarks came during a budget workshop last week in the board room at the district’s headquarters in Land O’ Lakes.

Olga Swinson, the district’s chief financial officer, provided a run-through of budget numbers for board members — noting that these numbers will change before the board’s next budget workshop, which is set for July 24.

However, based on what the district knows now, there’s a projected deficit of about $1.2 million, she said.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning
(Randy Underhill)

Based on that, the district will have to find cuts to balance the budget before the board takes its first vote on the budget July 31, Browning said.

“I think what we’re all looking for here is where we can find money for teacher raises because we all said that was a priority for us,” said board member Colleen Beaudoin.

Swinson responded: “Obviously, we didn’t get enough money for salary raises.”

Beaudoin noted: “I’m concerned that we’re losing good people.”

The district needs to look at such issues as how much it costs to hire, onboard, train and support new staff when it loses current employees, Beaudoin said.

“What’s our risk/reward? What’s our return on investment?” the school board member asked.

The district also needs to consider issues such as “the time it takes to get someone to their peak performance,” Beaudoin continued. “Not increasing salaries is hurting us in other ways.”

Board vice chairwoman Alison Crumbley agreed: “It has a snowball effect.”

Browning said: “I would love to find money for salary increases for instructional, SRPs, administrators, everybody.”

But, the superintendent said the state did not provide enough money to make that happen.

He noted that Hillsborough County’s school district is providing large salary increases, but it is cutting hundreds of jobs to cover the costs.

“I, as a superintendent, am not ready to make a recommendation to this board that we start cutting positions, critical positions in the schools, to give raises to remaining staff,” Browning said.

“We’re not cutting positions this year. Everybody, and I’ll just say it, ought to be thankful they have a job, based on the funding we received from the state.

“It’s unfortunate that they did not provide the dollars that we needed in order to continue to improve salaries,” the superintendent said.

State lawmakers claim that they provided record funding for school districts, Browning said, “what they stop short of saying is they’re also telling you how to spend it.

“If you look at that, almost $4 million is going to the safe school allocation and the mental health,” he said.

Plus, about $5.3 million of the state funding is going to charter schools.

Browning said the district’s salaries have improved in recent years, but the funding is not there to improve them again this year.

But, he acknowledged Beaudoin’s and Crumbley’s concerns.

“We know we’ve got to get our salaries competitive. I know that,” Browning said.

Published June 27, 2018

Wesley Chapel road study looks for traffic solutions

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Pasco County is moving forward with efforts to find consensus on easing traffic congestion in Wesley Chapel and building road connections between Pasco and Hillsborough counties.

About 100 people attended a public meeting to discuss the draft of the Wesley Chapel Road Connection Study.
(Kathy Steele)

Consensus appears elusive, however, on the proposed linkage between Mansfield Boulevard, in Pasco County and Kinnan Street in Hillsborough County.

Pasco residents don’t want more traffic whizzing down a boulevard that already is gridlocked at peak hours.

But Hillsborough residents want a more direct route to shops, restaurants, churches and jobs just across the county line.

About 100 people attended a public meeting on May 22 at Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus to discuss a 450-page draft of the Wesley Chapel Road Connection Study.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore and consultants with AECOM presented an executive summary of the study’s findings.

The study looks at the pros and cons of four alternatives for road connections, without making a recommendation. A no-build option also is included.

“We don’t have any bias in this study,” said Ali Atefi, a transportation engineer with the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization. “We looked at it objectively.”

The choices are no-build; linking Mansfield Boulevard with Kinnan Street; linking Mansfield and Kinnan, as well as extending Meadow Pointe Boulevard to Hillsborough County; and the final option calls for linking Mansfield and Kinnan, extending Meadow Pointe Boulevard and extending Wyndfields, also to Hillsborough County.

Moore said he favors the Meadow Pointe extension, which would link to a future road in K-Bar Ranch.

A count of residents’ preferences from a 2017 public meeting showed that road project had strong support.

“I’ve got to be concerned about my residents here in Pasco County,” Moore said.

Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera, who attended the May 22 meeting, said all three connections are necessary. His constituents in New Tampa especially want Mansfield and Kinnan connected.

“I understand it’s not a black and white issue,” Viera said. “It’s gray. But, that is a real potential game changer. Hillsborough County is a stakeholder in this.”

Hillsborough County commissioners in 2017 approved $250,000 toward linking the two roads.

There could be one point of agreement on Mansfield and Kinnan, which currently dead-end at the county line — roughly 30 feet to 40 feet apart.

A gate could be installed that would provide access to emergency vehicles only. The cost would be about $7,000 for each county.

But, the Mansfield and Kinnan connection remains a hard sell for many Pasco residents.

“Adding traffic is what I’m worried about now,” said Ray Kobasko.

The Meadow Pointe extension makes more sense, he said. “It’s been planned all along, All the people who bought over there were told that,” he said.

Mike Hanna also opposes a Mansfield-Kinnan link.

“Connections have to be made but not all three of these,” he said. “A lot of people drive Mansfield every day and have accidents now. I’d not be in favor of more traffic coming up there.”

Residents can comment on the study through June 15. A final study will be released in August or September.

A citizens’ survey also is planned in coming months, giving residents a chance to weigh in on potential projects. The MPO is scheduled to make its recommendation in October.

Pasco County commissioners will have the final say on which, if any, of the alternatives are selected for construction.

Published June 6, 2018