The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Lutz since 1964 and Pasco since 1981.
Proud to be independently owned.

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Port Richey

COVID-19 vaccinations in high demand

By

As the number of positive COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise, frustration is mounting among people eager to get vaccinated to protect themselves from the deadly virus.

So far, demand for vaccines is outpacing supply in both Pasco and Hillsborough counties — and when tickets are available to receive a vaccine, they are quickly snapped up.

Land O’ Lakes resident Jeff Cordover said he was finally able to get through, and he and his wife, Judy, were able to get their first dose of the vaccine.

Once there, the process went smoothly, Cordover said.

“The wait wasn’t bad. We had a 3 o’clock appointment, and we maybe waited 20 minutes or so,” Cordover said.

But his wife, Judy, said improvements are needed to make it less confusing to register for a vaccine.

“Getting the vaccine wasn’t the problem. The problem was getting into the computer to get the registration to get the vaccine,” she said.

The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County is offering vaccinations by appointment only to those age 65 and older.

Registering for the vaccine must be done through the department’s website.

Those wishing to obtain a vaccine are encouraged to check the website frequently for updates of when new registrations are being accepted. The sign-ups are based on vaccine supplies.

No new registrations were being accepted on the morning of Jan. 11.

Pasco County residence is not required, but snowbirds must remain in Pasco County for their second round — which is 28 days after the first appointment, the website says.

The health department’s current drive-thru vaccination clinic is at Sears in the Gulfview Square Mall, at 9409 U.S. 19 in Port Richey. However, efforts are underway to add a site in East Pasco, according to the health department.

To find out specifics for registering for a vaccine, check the website’s section on frequently asked questions.

Also, keep checking the website to find out if more vaccines have become available and more registrations are being accepted. The website is Pasco.FloridaHealth.gov.

Registration for vaccinations is free.

Pasco health department officials have issued a warning to make sure that people sign up on Eventbrite, using the link from the health department’s website.  Someone has set up a fake account, in an attempt to scam people, the website says.

Hillsborough County, in partnership with the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County, will begin a second round of COVID-19 vaccinations this week for residents age 65 and older. Hillsborough has allocated 9,000 doses of the vaccine to be administered at three distribution sites from Jan. 13 through Jan. 15.

Appointments will be scheduled online by CDR HealthPro™ portal and by phone on Jan. 12. Residents age 65 and older can only make their appointments during the designated time frame specific to their age group.

Residents can visit HCFLGov.net/vaccine for additional information and updates.

Hillsborough has been using four distribution sites.

The two closest to The Laker/Lutz News coverage area are at: Ed Radice Sports Complex, 14720 Ed Radice Drive in Tampa, and at the University Mall parking lot, 2200 E. Fowler Ave., in Tampa.

While vaccination efforts continue, concerns are rising over the increased spread of COVID-19, and the rising number of deaths.

The Washington Post reported last week that the United States had marked another milestone in the pandemic, recording more than 4,000 deaths in a single day. It also reported that research suggested that people who have no symptoms transmit more than half of cases of COVID-19.

CNN, reporting data from Johns Hopkins University, said it took about 90 days for the United States to reach its first 2 million cases of coronavirus in 2020; this year, it took just 10 days to hit 2.2 million cases.

While Americans were warned about avoiding indoor gatherings, officials said they did just the opposite during the holidays — gathering with friends or extended family, which has resulted in packed hospitals across the country, according to CNN’s report.

COVID statistics, available as of Jan. 11, 10:30 a.m.

United States: Positive cases – 22,102,069; deaths – 371,084
Florida: Total cases: 1,477,010; including positive residents, 1,450,620; Florida resident deaths, 22,912; non-resident deaths, 349
Pasco County: 24,712 positive residents; 230 positive non-residents; 406 deaths
Hillsborough County: 85,784 positive residents; 725 positive non-residents; 1,121 deaths
Pasco County Schools: 1,067 student cases (13,251 students impacted); 506 staff cases (1,153 employees impacted)
Hillsborough County Schools: 3,341 positive cases, including 1,265 employees and 2,076 students.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Florida Department of Health; Pasco County Schools and Hillsborough County Schools.

Published January 13, 2021

Dipping into serenity, beauty and fun

By

Science tells us if you want to live a longer, healthier life, get out into nature.

Take a walk, watch birds fly, reduce your stress by kayaking in tranquil waters – and leave your phone at home.

For a great escape, take off in one of many waterways in a kayak. (Karen Haymon Long)

Kayaking, even more so than walking, helps you escape, takes you into watery worlds – worlds far away from highways, noise and worries.

Take a kayak trip around here and you’ll likely see majestic great blue herons, bubblegum pink roseate spoonbills, cackling kingfishers, leaping dolphins and beauty beyond anything you normally see day to day.

We’re lucky, this part of Florida has it all – the salty Gulf of Mexico, mostly shallow and calm Tampa Bay, lakes galore, sounds, marshes and bayous.

If you don’t have your own kayak, you can rent one from local outfitters. And, you can choose from one-person or tandem varieties, use paddles or your feet on the increasing popular pedal kayaks.

You can fish, race or coast. You can explore canopied mangroves. Or, you can paddle along marked trails.

No matter which way you float, you’ll be exercising and mentally decompressing – far from phones, politics, crazy drivers and information overload.

Here is a look at five local places sure to be worth a kayak trip:

Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park, 8737 U.S. 19 N., Port Richey
This park offers 4 miles of Gulf coastline, inlets and bayous and many springs, including Salt Springs, where you can view dolphins, bald eagles, roseate spoonbills, red-tailed hawks, and all sorts of shorebirds and songbirds.

From the parking lot, a lengthy boardwalk leads to the kayak launch, so you must carry your own, which could be a hardship for some. The park does not rent kayaks.

Ranger-led tours are given the first Saturday of the month, starting at 10 a.m., at the kayak launch. You must have your own kayak and make reservations by calling (727) 816-1890.

This park also has picnic tables, restrooms, and nature trails through pine woods to springs. The trail to Salt Spring is a quarter of a mile long and is highlighted by a waterfall created by a spring that’s 351 feet deep.

Park hours are 8 a.m. to sunset daily; fee is $3 per car with up to eight people, and $2 for bikers and pedestrians.

For more information about the park, call (727) 816-1890, or email .

If you worked up an appetite kayaking or hiking and didn’t bring a picnic lunch, a variety of restaurants line U.S. 19. We like Whiskey Joe’s Bar & Grill, 7835 Bayview St., Port Richey, on the Pithlachascotee River, called “the Cotee” by locals. Call (727) 815-1178, or visit WhiskeyJoePortRichey.com, where you can make reservations.

Anclote Gulf Park, 2305 Baillies Bluff Road, Holiday
This 23-acre park straddles the Anclote River and the Gulf of Mexico, so it offers lots of watery beauty. You can launch a kayak from a sandy spot next to a fishing pier that’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and paddle the river and Gulf.

The park itself is open from dawn to dusk daily. On a recent visit, anglers caught mangrove snappers, a night heron stood guard next to the pier and chattering kingfishers dove into the Gulf. Two men said they had just spotted three dolphins in the Anclote.

For more information about this Pasco County Park, call (727) 942-4030, or visit PascoCountyFl.net.

Historic Tarpon Springs is close-by and offers many good places for lunch. Our favorites are Tarpon Tavern, at 21 N. Safford Ave., for pub food. Call (727) 945-1000, or visit TarponTavern.com; and Mykonos, at 628 Dodecanese Blvd., for Greek specialties. Call (727) 934-4306.

Dunedin Causeway, Pinellas County
Take Florida 586 (Curlew Road) west to Causeway Boulevard
You can drop a kayak just about anywhere into St. Joseph Sound from the causeway to see dolphins, shorebirds and manatees in the warmer months. People who fish from kayaks tend to stay on the more tranquil north side of the causeway, but others try their luck on the south side near a small bridge leading to Honeymoon Island State Park.

A woman kayaks back to shore after paddling in St. Joseph Sound.

Skilled kayakers can go farther afloat into the Gulf, or stay in the sound and paddle to Caladesi Island State Park, a barrier island in the Gulf that  has a marina and kayak trails. Kayak rentals are available for $25 for one hour to three hours, at the park’s cafe.

Sail Honeymoon on the south side of the causeway rents kayaks for $35 for two hours, $45 for four hours, or $60 all day. The outfitter also rents fishing kayaks and tandems. For details, visit SailHoneymoon.com/kayak-rentals, or call (727) 734-0392.

A word of caution: On weekends, the sound can be crowded with boats and big yachts, whose captains don’t always see kayaks, so wear bright colored lifejackets, carry a whistle, keep close watch and wave your paddle in the air if you face danger.

For good food and good vibes, eat lunch at Frenchy’s Outpost Bar & Grill, at 466 Causeway Blvd., Dunedin. Call (727) 286-6139, or visit FrenchysOnline.com.

Philippe Park, 2525 Philippe Parkway, Safety Harbor; and, Safety Harbor City Marina Area, 110 Veterans Memorial Lane, Safety Harbor
This Pinellas County park has a boat launch and lots of grassy, low-lying spots in picnic areas where it’s easy to slip a kayak into Old Tampa Bay.

A Roseate Spoonbill stands in the shallow waters off Old Tampa Bay, at the south end of Philippe Park in Safety Harbor. The Pinellas County park is a popular place to kayak.

You can tool around the bay as far as you’d like. Much of it is shallow and safe, and within sight of land. We’ve seen beautiful birds along the shore – spoonbills, herons, egrets, pelicans and even flamingos. Once, a huge manatee scared us by popping up for breath right next to our kayak.

Park hours are 7 a.m. to dusk; admission is free.

You can also launch kayaks into the bay at the city marina and, on weekends, you can rent them from Tocobaga Tours, across the parking lot from the marina. Ken Bambery, a teacher who owns the company, charges $20 per hour, $25 for two hours, or $45 for a full day. He’s not always there, so call (727) 389-8687 for reservations.

Just across the street from the marina, Barfly Saltwater Grill, at 100 Main St., has tasty Caribbean seafood and other fare. Call (727) 400-4790, or visit BarflySafetyHarbor.com.

Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park, 8001 Double Branch Road, Tampa
This park has one of the best kayak launches in the bay area. It’s a floating dock with bars you can hold onto to glide yourself into waterways that lead to Tampa Bay. Along the way, you’ll pass dense mangroves, salt marshes, pinewoods and thick hammocks.

Marked kayak trails lead the way to all sorts of wondrous sights. We once saw a dozen dolphins frolicking in the waters between the kayak launch and bay. Another time, we counted 27 roseate spoonbills in mangroves off the bay. It’s a wonderful place to see butterflies, and mullet, snook and red drum. Best of all, the waters here aren’t usually very crowded with boats, since it’s so shallow in most places.

The park rents kayaks for $25 for up to four hours. Other amenities include picnic areas, nature trails, a fishing pier and a nature center, closed now for renovations. Park hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fee is $2 a car.

For more information about this park, call (813) 855-1765, or visit HillsboroughCounty.org.

For a tasty lunch and good craft beer, head to nearby Tampa Bay Brewing Co., at 13937 Monroes Business Park, Tampa (off Race Track Road, south of Tampa Bay Downs). Call (813) 247-1422, or visit TBBC.beer.

These suggestions are just a small sampling of places for kayaking in the Tampa Bay area. So grab a paddle, launch away, and savor the silence.

By Karen Haymon Long

Published January 08, 2020

Neighbors object, but family housing OK’d

By

The Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County can move forward with plans to temporarily house homeless families in a building at the former campus of the Boys & Girls Club in Port Richey.

The coalition, with support from other social service agencies, also will open the Housing Services Center, which will administratively help families and individuals seeking permanent housing and other services.

A former Boys & Girls Club on Youth Lane in Port Richey will be renovated and opened as a temporary shelter for homeless families, and administrative offices for the Housing Services Center.
(File)

The Pasco County Commission, with Commissioner Jack Mariano dissenting, approved the coalition’s plan at its June 19 meeting in New Port Richey.

Commissioners also approved a 15-year lease agreement for $1 a year; and, a $190,000 contract to design renovations of two buildings at 8239 Youth Lane.

During the public hearing, many area residents who live near the site gave county commissioners the same unified message they’ve delivered before: They don’t want the coalition in their neighborhood, and they are voters.

Residents say they worry about crime, loss of property values, and safety.

“We deserve to be heard. We deserve to be listened to. We live and sleep here,” said Suzanne Greene Taldone, a resident in nearby Crane’s Roost. “You keep trying to put a square peg into a round hole.”

Supporters, including most county commissioners, say it’s overdue for Pasco to step up efforts to help the homeless population.

Data from the coalition puts the number of homeless people in Pasco County at about 2,500. Homeless families make up about 1,800 of those people and there are about 700 single adults.

Mary Ashcraft is pastor at Joining Hands Mission Church and opens the church to the homeless in cold weather. She supports the coalition’s project.

“There’s so many families out there,” she said. “I get phone calls, and I have nowhere to send them but Metropolitan Ministries. They go a great job, but they are full and packed.”

The county owns the land on Youth Lane and is providing at least $700,000 in grants, and other sources, to pay for building renovations.

“I think we’re going to do the right thing,” said Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey. “Sometimes, we just have to take a chance.”

The lease agreement has a 90-day written notice of termination clause.

Starkey said, “If it doesn’t go right, we’ll do something about it.”

Crane’s Roost resident Valerie Schaefer said the coalition’s programs would be like a magnet — attracting more homeless people and transients into the neighborhood.

“We taxpayers and voters will hold you commissioners responsible if you vote this through,” she said.

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano
(File)

Mariano shared concerns that the Housing Services Center could have people loitering in the area. He also thought spending available grants on Habitat for Humanity houses would be a better option.

“The issue is something we’re all sensitive to. It’s only primarily about location to the neighbors,” Mariano said. “I still don’t think it’s the right project.”

The programs approved by county commissioners were a change from the initial project to open a one-stop navigation center, with wrap-around services and a shelter for adult men and women.

Most supporters liked the shift in direction to help homeless families; while others still favored the original navigation center concept.

Under the amended proposal, the center will house four to eight families in the former teen center that’s on the site. They can receive services for up to 180 days, though coalition representatives say they expect most will be there about 45 days before transitioning to permanent housing.

No more than 36 people can stay there at any one time.

There also will be background checks, curfews, security cameras, and staff members onsite at the family shelter 24 hours a day.

Plus, the coalition will limit services available at the Housing Services Center, which will operate Monday through Friday office hours.

There will be no showers, emergency food or clothing, or health care services.

Those conditions convinced owners of an adjacent shopping plaza to support the coalition.

“This is not going to bring people out of the camps,” said Robert Lincoln, an attorney representing the plaza owners. “There’s not giveaways. It’s not going to be the anchor for bringing those people into the area.”

Chase Daniels, assistant executive director for the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, also voiced Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco’s continued support for the program.

The coalition will provide desk space for deputies working in the area. They can stop by and fill out their paperwork, Daniels said. “They will have a presence,” he added.

Published June 27, 2018

Review board recommends family homeless shelter

By

The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of a program to temporarily house homeless families in a former Boys & Girls Club building.

Planning commissioners reached that recommendation during a public hearing on June 6.

The Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County wants to operate the temporary shelter on Youth Lane in Port Richey. The coalition also wants to open administrative offices in a second building, designated as the Housing Services Center. Individuals and families would be able to receive a range of social services at the center, with a primary focus on housing for the homeless population.

About 50 people attended a public hearing to oppose a program from the Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County to operate a temporary shelter for families, and provide additional services at a Housing Services Center. (Kathy Steele)

The county owns the land, and has partnered with the coalition to get the program up and running.

About $700,000 in grants, and other funding sources, has been allocated for building renovations.

The Pasco County Commission is expected to make the final decision at a June 19 meeting in New Port Richey. Commissioners also will vote on an amendment to the county’s comprehensive land use plan to change the land use from open space/recreational to a public/semi-public use.

About 50 people attended the planning commission’s public hearing to show their opposition to the project. Most of the concerns, however, focused on the services available at the services center, not the temporary family shelter.

Area residents worried about increasing crime, a loss in property values, and overall public safety.

“The only good thing about this program is the good intentions,” said Suzanne Greene Taldone, who lives in the Crane’s Roost subdivision, off Little Road.

She thinks the coalition’s site will become a magnet for transients and will create “a cesspool of crime.”

Greene added: “Encampments flourish near these centers because they want to be first in line for services.”

The program was initially proposed in 2017 as a temporary shelter for adult men and women, with a focus on providing a one-stop center for social services and with a goal of placing people in permanent housing.

Amid strong opposition from residents, the coalition changed its purpose to instead help families only at the shelter. Coalition representatives also voluntarily limited the services that would be available at the Housing Services Center.

Under the proposal, the center would not have an emergency food pantry, clothes closet, showers, or scheduled visits for a mobile medical unit.

The coalition also agreed to other conditions.

Four to eight families would be housed temporarily, but no more than 36 people would stay at the shelter at any one time. The coalition estimates helping a minimum of 50 families annually.

Background checks would be done. There would be security cameras, and a curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Also, coalition staff members would be on-site 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Families could stay no longer than 180 days.

The goal, coalition officials said, would be for families to stay 30 days to 60 days, with most being placed in housing within 45 days.

“This is something that is very realistic,” said Don Anderson, chief executive officer of the homeless coalition.

Area residents remain skeptical.

Judith Bowes lives in the nearby subdivision of The Orchards of Radcliffe. She said more than 70 widows live there.

“They were scared. They had a lot of sleepless nights,” Bowes said. “The shelter that will house six to eight families is not the problem. The problem is (the Housing Services Center) will bring a lot of transients into the neighborhood. My neighbors are still having sleepless nights.”

But, Amina Ahmed said it made her sad to hear people making assumptions about people who are homeless.

“Not all of them are criminals,” Ahmed said. “People think if you’re homeless, you have to have a problem, which is not true. Let’s help people become valuable members of society.”

Attorney Robert Lincoln, who represents the owners of an adjacent shopping plaza, also spoke in favor of the coalition’s efforts.

The owners had found fault with the original plan but support the new direction, Lincoln said.

He said that eliminating such services as showers, medical care and clothes makes a difference.

“You take away those kinds of things, you take away the kinds of services that get people wandering in off the street,” Lincoln said.

Plus, he noted: “It’s much better to be working with (the coalition) and becoming engaged.”

Published June 13, 2018

Proposed homeless shelter for families stirs passions

By

Efforts to aid Pasco County’s homeless population are shifting from a homeless shelter for single adults to a shelter for families only.

The goal is to place homeless families in permanent housing as soon as possible. That is a significant change from the initial focus one year ago on a “navigation center” with wraparound services for single men and women.

The effort now has a new name, too. It’s no longer being called a navigation center. Instead, it will be called the Housing Services Center.

Whatever it is called, some area residents still don’t want any shelter in their neighborhood. Others are unhappy with the change in focus.

Don Anderson, chief executive officer of The Homeless Coalition of Pasco County (File)

And, some are ready to welcome the shelter as a first step in the right direction.

About 100 people attended a public meeting on May 16 in New Port Richey to learn more about the new concept, and to offer comments.

Cathy Pearson, Pasco’s assistant county administrator for public services, and Don Anderson, chief executive officer of The Homeless Coalition of Pasco County, led the discussion.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey also attended.

She said she came to listen and learn. “This is not a subject I know a lot about,” she said.

Anderson defended the decision to operate a families-only shelter.

“We believe families are highly motivated to get into housing because of the number of children,” said Anderson.

The shift also would save the expense of hiring 24/7 security guards, he said.

The goal would be to place families in permanent housing within 30 to 60 days, with an average stay at the shelter around 45 days.

An additional six to 12 months of services would be provided after families leave the shelter.

Families are defined as one or two adults, with at least one child under age 18.

A year ago, another public meeting was held to discuss the initial proposal for a homeless shelter for adults.

“We felt it was time to update our citizens,” Pearson said.

The shelter, if approved, would be housed in one of two buildings at 8239 Youth Lane, off Little Road in Port Richey. The second building would become the offices of the homeless coalition, which currently operates in a mixed residential and commercial neighborhood on Pine Street.

The Youth Lane address formerly was home to the Boys & Girls Club, which vacated the site in 2016.

The updated presentation included a video and a power point slide show. As many as 70 social service agencies and organizations are partners with the homeless coalition, and support the Youth Lane shelter.

Passions ran high
More than 40 people spoke during public comment.

Opponents who live near the shelter site said they worry about increases in crime and a loss of property values.

Ann Archer Corona found it troubling that the shelter plan seems to change “minute-to-minute. We all feel threatened. I find it to be a big threat.”

She said housing values would drop significantly, if the shelter was to open.

Some who supported the initial plan to aid single men and women objected to the new focus on families.

“We are losing out on all those opportunities for the chronically homeless who are at risk of dying on the street,” said Kassie Hutchinson. “We’re ignoring a huge part of our population. Once again, we’re reneging on something we promised.”

Anderson said the coalition and its partners planned to increase outreach efforts for homeless adults. While no single adults could stay at the shelter, he said efforts would be made to find housing resources for them. But, he added, “There are limits to what we can do.”

A two-building campus on Youth Lane in Port Richey is the proposed site for a homeless shelter for families.

Pearson said it is still a goal in the future to fund a homeless shelter for single adults. “They won’t be forgotten,” she said.

Other members of the audience supported the new concept as a step in the right direction.

“Housing is the only known cure for homelessness,” said Daniel McDonald.

Every homeless person is someone’s son or daughter, sister or brother, he said. Leaving people homeless, he added, costs taxpayers money for providing public services.

“This (the shelter) is a bargain for taxpayers,” McDonald said. “It’s money well spent.”

The homeless coalition’s new proposal also found support from a once skeptical source – owners of an adjacent retail plaza, anchored by Hobby Lobby.

Sarasota attorney Robert Lincoln, who represents the shopping center’s owners, said, “We’ve been concerned about the project since it started moving forward last year.”

The budget for the initial plan didn’t seem adequate, and the space at the site too small to handle up to 75 adult men and women, Lincoln said.

Housing families seems to address most issues, including public safety, he said. “We’re continuing to work with the leadership (at the homeless coalition) to make sure we know who the families are,” Lincoln said. “They have been very responsive. We will continue to work with them.”

Starkey said the county should be compassionate but also tough on some issues, such as panhandling.

“I have to bring a hammer and I have to bring a heart,” she said.

Anderson said the cost to remodel the two buildings on campus would be about $700,000. The coalition has about $680,000 from a federal neighborhood grant, with an additional $100,000 from Pasco County’s United Way.

Annually operating costs are estimated at about $350,000. All but $145,000 is already funded, Anderson said.

Additional grants and private donations will be sought, he added.

The Pasco County Housing Authority has pledged 50 housing vouchers, which can be used anywhere in the county as part of the Section 8 housing program.

Pasco has about 2,600 homeless people, based on the most recent count. More than 700 are individuals, with more than 1,800 in family relationships.

Shandi Vargas was among a handful of people who put a face to the plight of Pasco’s homeless population. She escaped an abusive marriage, but ended up homeless. She currently lives in a rented room and has found an internship.

She is working toward living again with her three children.

“I’m a single mom trying to fight for her children,” Vargas said.

A homeless shelter for families probably would have kept her family intact, she said.

Even as she struggles with her own situation, Vargas said she volunteers to help other homeless people, and people at risk.

“Let us come together and figure out a solution, and stop thinking all homeless are criminals,” she said.

The Pasco County Planning Commission, which makes recommendations on land use issues, will review the proposal on June 6 in New Port Richey.

The final decision is up to the county commissioners, who will hold a public hearing on the matter June 19, also in New Port Richey.

Published May 23, 2018

Labor shortage delays debris removal

By

Those piles of Hurricane Irma debris could be sitting near homes for as long as a couple of months, Pasco County officials have said.

That’s because there’s a shortage of work crews.

Pasco County homeowners may need to exercise patience, while they wait for debris from Hurricane Irma to be removed by subcontractors working for Pasco County. County officials say there’s a shortage of subcontractors available to get the job done. (Mary Rathman)

Officials hope that residents will be patient, as the county struggles to pull together enough work crews.

Pasco County Utilities, Solid Waste and Resources Recovery Department set the start of debris collection for Sept. 18. But, finding and keeping subcontractors who can do the work is proving difficult.

The problem is, Hurricane Irma took a swing through the entire state, stretching local government resources.

Financially, subcontractors are finding more lucrative contracts in South Florida, where Irma did the most damage. That has made it difficult for Pasco to secure and hold onto subcontractors.

“I’ve got a lot of complaints that we’re not getting anything picked up,” said Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano.

Working with the county’s consultant, Ceres Environmental Services, Pasco had hoped for 16 work crews. By Sept. 25, that number fell to eight. Then, one day later, the county could only count on four crews.

“There’s just not that many resources,” said John Power, the county’s solid waste facilities director. “At the rate we’re going now, we’re talking about a couple of months.”

Even as Pasco works to find its own crews to supplement county efforts, Power said other counties were calling Pasco to ask for manpower.

On Sept. 26, county commissioners approved inter-local agreements to allow Ceres Environmental Services to aid in securing cleanup services for Dade City, San Antonio and the Town of St. Leo.

Similar agreements are possible with New Port Richey and Port Richey.

Zephyrhills is the one city that has been able to do its own debris pickup.

Adding to Pasco’ cleanup task are suspicions that some residents are putting out more than storm debris curbside.

“A lot of people are using it for spring cleaning,” said Power, who said he was also waiting for debris at his home to be picked up.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore wasn’t so sure.

“We need to be careful about making determinations,” he said.

The furniture and other goods being tossed onto residents’ piles could be from actual storm damage, he said. “It’s a delicate situation.”

Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles said the county likely will follow with a second county sweep after completing the initial pickups over the next weeks.

Pasco County officials have issued guidelines for debris pickup:

  • All debris materials must be brought to the curb or roadside.
  • Do not block fire hydrants, mailboxes, electrical boxes or other structures.
  • Do not bag debris.
  • Contractor generated debris won’t be picked up.
  • Refrigerators should be empty, with the doors secured or removed.
Piles of debris from Hurricane Irma may be a common sight around Pasco County, possibly as long as a couple of months. The county is struggling with a shortage of work crews to remove the debris. (Kathy Steele)

Debris must be separated into the following categories:

Furniture: Mattresses; couches, sofas, chairs; dressers; lumber, if not pressure treated; particle board; laminated flooring; dry insulation (if wet, pile with construction); carpet and padding

Construction: Drywall, plasterboard, ceramic tile, concrete, lumber (pressure treated), wet insulation

Vegetation: Tree cuttings (must be no more than 5 feet in length, and all branches must be bundled)

White Goods: Appliances, metal furniture, metal shelving, bicycles, items that are more than 75 percent metal

Hazardous Waste – Delayed Pickup: Any household chemicals; oil, gas, flammables; lawn and garden chemicals; televisions; computer monitors, computer towers (CPUs)

Contractor-generated debris won’t be picked up.

Requests for debris pickup must be submitted to Pasco County Customer Service Center by emailing ">, providing the address where the debris is located.

Residents also can call customer service at (727) 847-2411.

Pasco County now has a map, an interactive tool to track hurricane-related storm debris pickup, available at arcg.is/2wSHdN5.

Yellow boxes on the map indicate the areas in which crews are working.

Published Oct. 4, 2017

New coach named for Wesley Chapel High softball

By

The Wesley Chapel High School varsity softball program, coming off its best season in school history, will look to continue its recent string of success under new leadership.

Bill Hoopes, who runs the Tampa Bay-based Florida Firecrackers U16 travel softball team, was recently named head coach of Wesley Chapel High School’s varsity softball program. (Courtesy of Florida Firecrackers)

Bill Hoopes, who runs the Tampa Bay-based Florida Firecrackers U16 travel softball team, last month was named the program’s head coach, replacing first-year coach Steve Mumaw.

In a public Facebook post dated Sept. 21, Hoopes wrote:

“This is an amazing school with a strong program that I look forward to building up even more over the years to come.

“Could not be more excited for this chance and opportunity to continue to make an impact on the game I love and helping these young ladies chase and achieve their dreams…”

A well-known name in the travel ball scene, Hoopes, also a teacher at Chasco Middle School in Port Richey, this past season guided the U16 Florida Firecrackers to a No. 3 ranking in the state and No. 67 in the nation, according to U.S. Softball Club rankings. Additionally, several of Hoopes’ travel players have landed scholarships and committed to Division I softball programs, including River Ridge High’s Jessica Bryson (University of Louisiana-Monroe) and Teah Steel (Alabama State University), and Mitchell High’s Alex Hare (Alabama State University).

Mumaw, meanwhile, guided the historically struggling Wildcats program to surprising feats in his lone season as head coach.

The 2017 Wesley Chapel varsity softball team achieved the program’s first winning season, going 19-7, with a 7-3 mark in district play. (File)

In 2017, the Wildcats achieved its first winning season, going 19-7, with a 7-3 mark in district play, and an appearance in the Class 6A regional semifinals.

The breakout campaign also featured a nine-game winning streak, including a shutout regular season victory over Land O’ Lakes High — the eventual Class 6A state champions.

In an email to the The Laker/Lutz News, Mumaw explained he decided to step down as softball coach, citing logistical issues between teaching at one school —Centennial Middle School in Dade City — and organizing practices at another — Wesley Chapel High.

Until Mumaw took over, the Wildcats softball program, which started in 2007, experienced years of futility, due to coaching instability and a dearth of talent.

In the program’s first five years, the Wildcats went 1-15, 2-20, 2-21, 1-22 and 2-21. Ensuing years were likewise taxing, as the program went 5-14, 0-24, 2-22 and 7-17.

Mumaw, also a former athletic director and baseball coach at Wesley Chapel High, credited the team’s rapid turnaround last season on its young, talented nucleus.

“It’s all the girls. When you have talent, it’s tough to mess that up,” Mumaw told The Laker/Lutz News in April.

Outside of one senior, the 2017 roster exclusively featured a collection of promising freshman and sophomores.

In addition to then-freshman ace pitcher/University of Central Florida commit Jordan Almasy (2.59 ERA, 130 strikeouts in 116.1 innings), the 2017 squad consisted of eight .300-or-better hitters.

Though many of those impact players are expected to return, some, however, have been redistricted to Cypress Creek Middle-High, which will force the new coaching staff to find added depth elsewhere.

One of those players certainly missed is catcher/Colorado State University commit Neely Peterson, arguably the Wildcats’ top all-around hitter last season.

Peterson, now a junior at Cypress Creek, paced the team in batting average (.443) on-base percentage (.566) and slugging percentage (1.207), and tied for the team lead in home runs (three) and RBIs (20).

Besides weathering key personnel losses, the new-look Wildcats have the ever-difficult task of again competing in District 7-6A, made up of perennial powerhouses Land O’ Lakes, coached by Mitch Wilkins, and River Ridge, coached by Kurt Goluba.

And, both programs are expected to compete at a high level again this season, with relatively minimal turnover.

Land O’ Lakes graduated four seniors — outfielder Jessie McCallister (.358 batting average), outfielder Lexi Turner (.293), outfielder/third baseman Justine Daniels (.280) and outfielder Maddie Burgett (.250) — while River Ridge graduated just one — catcher Brooke Vescey (.381).

The new Wildcats coaching staff will have an information meeting on Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in the school’s media center, for anyone interested in spring softball.

Most of the Wildcats’ 2018 schedule has been set:

Feb. 13: at Academy at the Lakes

Feb. 16: Sunlake High School

Feb. 20: at Land O’ Lakes High School

Feb. 22 River Ridge High School

Feb. 27: at Pasco High School

March 1: Zephyrhills High School

March 5: Mitchell High School

March 6: Anclote High School

March 8: Land O’ Lakes High School

March 13: at River Ridge High School

March 15: Pasco High School

March 20: at Zephyrhills High School

March 23: Palm Harbor Spring Break Tournament

March 24: Palm Harbor Spring Break Tournament

March 27: Anclote High School

March 28: York High School (Retsof, New York)

April 3: Academy at the Lakes

April 10: Wiregrass Ranch High School

2017 District 7-6A standings

  • Land O’ Lakes High (9-2; 29-3 overall)
  • River Ridge High (8-2; 16-9 overall)
  • Wesley Chapel High (7-3; 19-7 overall)
  • Pasco High (4-7; 7-11 overall)
  • Zephyrhills High (3-7; 6-15 overall)
  • Anclote High (0-19; 0-19 overall)

—Stats and information compiled using Maxpreps.com—

Published Oct. 4, 2017

Pasco County boosts its stormwater fee

By

Pasco County residents will be paying a higher stormwater fee, following a Sept. 19 vote by Pasco County commissioners to increase the rate.

Beginning in 2018, the annual fee will increase from $57 to $95 — a 67 percent increase.

A previous increase approved two years ago added $10 to the fee, raising the rate from $47 to $57.

Commissioners were divided over raising the fee during two workshops earlier this year, but they gave tentative approval to the increase to meet a deadline for providing tax information to the Pasco County Property Appraiser’s office.

There was some hope the increase wouldn’t be needed, or could be reduced, if state funds came through for several proposed drainage projects.

That didn’t pan out.

Only two projects, for a total of about $1 million, were included in the 2018 state budget, and both of those were vetoed.

So, the higher fees are intended to support projects that can ease the county’s chronic flooding issues.

There’s no doubt that Pasco residents have seen their share of flooding in the last two years, and most recently endured the wind and rain from Hurricane Irma.

County staff members previously told county commissioners of a backlog of 93 years of service and maintenance to clean drainage culverts. More projects for repairs and other services also would take decades. Total costs for all projects could add up to about $300 million.

The increased fee will give the county about $25 million for engineering and design of 10 priority capital projects, and for cleaning, replacing and maintenance of culverts and swales.

Southwest Florida Water Management District, known as Swiftmud, is being asked to contribute half of an estimated $38 million in construction costs for the capital projects.

Hurricane Irma is only the latest to add to Pasco’s flooding issues.

Tropical Storm Hermine in 2016 and torrential summer rains in 2015 caused extensive flooding to Pasco County homes. Much of the damage was in New Port Richey, Port Richey and Elfers, though some areas of central and east Pasco also saw flooding.

In separate votes, county commissioners also approved special assessments related to the purchase of two former golf courses in the Magnolia Valley and Timber Oaks subdivisions.

The purchases centered on easing flooding in those areas by creating additional drainage capacity.

However, Magnolia Valley and Timber Oaks residents through the special assessments will pay a share of the purchase prices.

Magnolia Valley residents will pay $28; Timber Oaks residents, about $61.

Magnolia Valley resident Judy Osteen spoke during public comment against the fee.

“You’ve selected a few people to pay for a project that the whole county is going to enjoy,” Osteen said. “That to me is the county dictating to a certain amount of people for a project they want done.”

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano said homeowners’ property values would benefit from the county’s efforts.

Published September 27, 2017

Navigation center gets funds; location upsets residents

By

Pasco County commissioners agreed to disperse federal funds for a navigation center that will work with the homeless population to find permanent housing, health care and jobs.

About $250,000 will be used to remodel the former Boys & Girls Club buildings on Youth Lane in Port Richey. Approximately $70,000 will be used to hire a staff member, possibly a program specialist, for the homeless program for adult men and women only.

Commissioners approved the funds at their Aug. 15 meeting in Dade City.

Pasco County officials want to remodel the Boys & Girls Club on Youth Lane in Port Richey for a navigation center to help the homeless population. (File)

Their vote came after a nearly two-hour public comment period where county commissioners heard from supporters and opponents.

It is the location, more than the concept, which is at the heart of the dispute. The county proposes to reopen the two-building campus at the end of Youth Lane, off Little Road. The site is adjacent to Ridge Plaza, which is anchored by Hobby Lobby and a Walmart Neighborhood Supermarket.

Crane’s Roost, a subdivision of about 90 homes, is on the opposite side of Little Road.

Residents say the navigation center will hurt property values, increase crime, and make them less safe.

“Our fears are not unfounded. We do have the right to feel safe in our communities,” said Valerie Schaefer, who has lived in Crane’s Roost about 20 years.

Advocates for the center say Pasco has been too slow in responding to the needs of more than 3,000 homeless people who live on the streets, in vehicles and within about 100 encampments across the county.

The Youth Lane site is located by bus stops, government offices and agencies that can provide needed services.

“A lot of them need help with jobs and help with moving on, on their own,” said Raine Johns, chief executive officer of the Homeless Coalition of Pasco County. “It has to be somewhere in the county. This is the perfect location for it.”

The coalition is slated to operate the center. County commissioners will be asked at a later day to transfer the site’s property deed to the coalition.

The goal is to relocate homeless people, one camp at a time. Adult men and women would temporarily live at a “low-barrier” shelter while case managers work to assess their needs, and find permanent housing.

Families wouldn’t be eligible.

Johns estimates average stays of 90 days or less.

The navigation center is expected to open by mid-2018.

Published August 30, 2017

Opening doors of hope for the homeless

By

The Pasco County Commission has approved funding to renovate a former Boys & Girls Club, and reopen the campus as a navigation center for the county’s homeless population.

An administrative building and a teen center, at 8239 Youth Lane in Port Richey, will be refurbished with about $600,000 in federal and state money.

The goal is to open the navigation center by mid-2018.

The center will serve as a “low-barrier” homeless shelter. Its larger purpose, however, is to find housing for homeless men and women, and deliver support services for job searches, job training, education and health care.

Pasco County will dedicate about $600,000 in federal and state grants to rehabilitate the former campus of the Boys & Girls Club on Youth Lane in Port Richey. It will be the site for a navigation center to help homeless people restart their lives. (File)

It will be the first time the county has opened a homeless shelter, and embarked on such a major initiative. The center is modeled after one in San Francisco.

“Navigation centers work,” Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore said. “This is a community effort. This is a people’s building. This is a citizen’s building. I need everybody to come together. Let’s pool resources together and get something done.”

Moore is chairman of the Homeless Advisory Board.

Commissioners heard from about a dozen people during public comment. Speakers were passionate, with most of them supporting the navigation center.

Suzanne Chicon has volunteered for the annual count of homeless people in Pasco. Among the people she met was a man who lost a good-paying job for health reasons, and a young woman who had aged out of the foster care program.

“Some of the things I witnessed horrified me,” Chicon said. “We need the (navigation) center as a focused area to help these people.”

But, the location of the center is raising alarm bells for some residents who live in the nearby subdivision of Crane’s Roost.

Valerie Schaefer told commissioners she had spoken with all but a handful of residents in the 89-home neighborhood. Most are worried about increasing crime, solicitations and lower property values, she said.

“No one in the neighborhood is against the humanitarian (purpose) of the navigation center,” Schaefer said. “But, they are concerned. They are very scared. They are very angry over this proposal…We have skin in the game. We live here.”

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey supports the navigation center but said, “I need a report in a year or two on how it’s going.”

Only Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano voted against the navigation center. He supports the concept, but not the location.

“I just don’t like the setup,” he said.

He backed off a previous suggestion that a hurricane shelter in Hudson would be a better site, agreeing that it would be too remote. But, he offered a new idea – building tiny houses on land with access to U.S. 19.

Starkey was willing to consider such a project, but only if the houses were dispersed through the county.

Pasco has more than 3,000 homeless people based on an annual count. About 500 are considered chronically homeless. Many of the homeless individuals live in about 100 camps identified by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office countywide.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco supports the center.

“The sheriff’s office cannot solve this problem,” he said. “It’s a health care issue, but unfortunately it falls on the shoulders of law enforcement. What the (homeless) coalition wants, we’re going to go with. I think the coalition is heading in the right direction.”

Commissioners gave initial approval to the funding and the location for the center on June 20 in New Port Richey. A final vote on the project is scheduled for July 11 in Dade City.

The funds would be dispersed after Oct. 1.

Commissioners will be asked in September to transfer the county property to the Homeless Coalition of Pasco, which will manage the navigation center.

The goal is to work with one camp at a time. Homeless individuals would live at the navigation center on average about 90 days, said Raine Johns, the coalition’s chief executive director.

They would be given “wrap-around” services, and personalized case management for about 12 months, through a coalition of partners, including United Way of Pasco and the Pasco County Housing Authority.

As many as 75 single adult men and women would be housed at the center. They would get help in finding jobs, job training, education and health care. Housing is a priority.

The county’s housing authority has pledged 75 housing vouchers to the program.

“There is such a big change in a person’s life when he does have a place to live,” Johns said.

Homeless people are living in cars and in the woods, she added. “You are creating a cycle of poverty because people don’t have a safe place to live.”

Published June 28, 2017