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Local groups help federal workers

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Organizations around the region are stepping up to help, as workers and their families struggle during the nation’s longest partial federal government shutdown.

The help has come in various forms.

“The key is to take off some of the pressure from these folks (so they can) worry less about where their food is coming from,” explained Greg Giordano, assistant tax collector of Pasco County.

Adele Richoll packs paper bags with food at Father and Son Love Ministries on Jan. 18. Her organization is one of many that are providing help to federal workers who have been furloughed, or are working without pay, during the partial federal government shutdown. (Brian Fernandes)

The federal government partially shut down on Dec. 22, in the midst of a budget battle between President Donald Trump and members of congress, over funding for a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico.

Over the past weekend, Trump offered a deal that would include money for the border wall, while granting some immigrants protection for three years. But, Democrats were not moved by Trump’s offer.

The impasse affects about 800,000 federal employees, including some who are not working during the shutdown, and others who are working without pay.

The U.S. Coast Guard is one group of federal employees who are working without pay.

Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano was inspired to specifically help those troops.

The five branches of the county’s tax office intends to distribute donations to the troops and their families.

“Mr. Fasano supports our men and women in uniform,” Giordano said. “He wanted to do something to show that this community is behind those individuals.”

On Day 1 of collections, Tom Kliebert was at the tax collector’s office to offer support.

“I’m always looking for things I can do to help out the military,” the Vietnam veteran said. “I really appreciate what they do to protect our country.”

The Wesley Chapel resident went directly to the grocery store to purchase donations when he learned online about the tax collector’s effort.

Debby Palmer, also of Wesley Chapel, received the notification through email and also wanted to help.

“I feel like I’ve been very blessed in my life, so I try to contribute where I can,” she said.

She brought in four bags of groceries to her local tax office.

Tom Kliebert wasted no time buying and donating food to his local tax office in Wesley Chapel. His contribution is one of many that will go toward members of the U.S. Coast Guard and their families. (Courtesy of Greg Giordano)

he tax collector’s five branches began collecting donations on Jan. 16 and accumulated more than $2,300 in cash, 91 bags of groceries and more than a dozen gift cards within the first two days. (For addresses of branches, go to PascoTaxes.com).

“Obviously this has touched a nerve in the community,” Giordano said. He characterized the community’s generosity as being “incredible.”

Father and Son Love Ministries, at 24156 Foggy Ridge Parkway, in Lutz, also is offering a helping hand.

Pastor C.J. Johns heads the Lutz church, which has opened its doors to federal workers and their families every Friday.

Church staff and volunteers, from noon to 3 p.m. on Fridays, will give out bagged lunches, plus supplies of food for a week, for those requesting it.

The church also understands that some families won’t be able to afford to drive to the church, so it is willing to deliver food boxes to homes if they provide 48 hours’ notice, the pastor said.

Before the shutdown, the church was already operating a food drive and now has prepared for a larger turnout.

“We’re committed to helping our community,” Johns said. “It’s a need that has risen, and we’re going to do whatever we can to help ease the turmoil.”

Publix has supported the church’s efforts, Johns said, noting the grocery chain recently donated surplus items from the holidays.

Besides providing food, the church also offers free clothing and personal hygiene items.

It also understands that children need relief, too, so the church will make toys, birthday cakes and cupcakes available, the pastor said.

The church plans to keep the drive open 30 days after the government reopens to help workers get back on their feet.

Restored Hope, at 13703 17th St., in Dade City, also is committed to assisting federal workers for as long as necessary.

The nonprofit organization welcomes workers to stop by its center on Mondays, Wednesdays or Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Federal employees are asked to bring identification or their last pay stub to verify their status.

The organization’s pantry room is filled with nonperishable items and clothing.

Many items were leftover donations given by Metropolitan Ministries over the holidays, said Doreen Kennard, bookkeeper of Restored Hope.

Knowing there was surplus in storage, she thought: “Perfect timing, we’ll offer it to the government employees.”

Kennard added that the organization will do what it can to help workers pay past due bills.

During the federal government shutdown, Pasco County Utilities also is working to help federal employees, who are also PCU customers, develop an action plan to ensure continuation of services.

Pasco County Utilities will waive late fees and provide extensions for utility bills due by any federal employee who is on furlough or is required to work without compensation, as long as supporting documentation is provided.

Customers in need of assistance should call (813) 235-6012 during regular business hours.

Other acts of kindness can be seen throughout the Tampa Bay Area.

Tampa Bay Salvage, at 37832 Meridian Ave., in Dade City, is accepting donations of food and personal hygiene items at its Dade City and Palm Harbor offices.

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay is offering pet food to support furloughed workers who have pets. The donations are available on weekdays from noon to 7 p.m., and weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Verification is required.

The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is connecting federal employees of Tampa International Airport with community resources.

Feeding Tampa Bay also has set up a food bank for TSA workers, and TECO is offering payment extensions on electric bills.

The Florida Aquarium in Tampa will also offer a day of relaxation with one free admission to federal workers.

These organizations are providing help to federal workers who are either off the job, or not being paid during the partial federal government shutdown:

  • Pasco County Tax Collector Offices (Land O’ Lakes, Dade City, Wesley Chapel, Gulf Harbors, New Port Richey); Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Restored Hope, 13703 17th St., Dade City; Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call (352) 437-4815.
  • Father and Son Love Ministries, 24156 Foggy Ridge Parkway, Lutz; Fridays from noon to 3 p.m. Call (813) 846- 9993.
  • Tampa Bay Salvage, 37832 Meridian Ave., Dade City; Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (352) 437-5231.
  • The Florida Aquarium is offering one free admission to federal workers with identification.
  • Pasco County Utilities will help customers that are federal employees who are not receiving pay, or are furloughed, to ensure continuation of services. Documentation is needed. Those needing assistance should call (813) 235-6012.

Published January 23, 2019

Congressional aide offers dialogue on veteran issues

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Rob Fleege, veterans liaison for U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, recently updated members of American Legion Post 108 and other veterans about what the congressman is doing to address issues facing former soldiers.

And, he gave the veterans a chance to share what was on their minds, during a Jan. 12 session at the Harvester United Methodist Church in Land O’ Lakes.

Fleege, a veteran himself, briefed his fellow comrades on a number of issues being tackled by Bilirakis.

Rob Fleege, veterans liaison for U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, spoke to former servicemen on Jan. 12 at the Harvester United Methodist Church, in Land O’ Lakes. His talk covered what the congressman is doing to address veterans’ issues. (Brian Fernandes)

One of the congressman’s chief efforts involves finding ways to prevent veteran suicide, Fleege said.

“We’ve created a congressional working group whose sole purpose is to figure out veteran suicide,” he added.

The group is made up of mental health experts from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) who have served in the military and can understand those they treat.

The first part of the process is analyzing the Transition Assistance Program and what improvements could be made there.

The program’s goal is to help returning troops to reintegrate back into civilian life.

According to Veterans Affairs, anywhere from 11 percent to 20 percent of soldiers returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder during any given year.

Bilirakis wants to help these individuals, but his office is equally invested in those who served in conflicts decades past – such as the Vietnam War.

“Why are older veterans killing themselves?” Fleege asked.

The congressman also is making efforts to pass the Blue Water Navy Act.

The bill would grant health care and disability benefits to naval officers exposed to the Agent Orange toxin during the Vietnam War.

The bill passed in the House last year, but failed to pass in the Senate.

Bilirakis remains hopeful that there is bipartisan support to address veteran concerns, Fleege said.

Attendees also had the chance to comment or ask questions about issues important to them.

One issue that came up involved the current federal government shutdown.

Hunter Knight Anstine is a former member of the U.S. Coast Guard and current commanding officer of American Legion Post 108.

His son currently serves in the Coast Guard and is personally feeling the consequences of the shutdown.

“There’s something fundamentally wrong when the fifth branch of the military, people who can’t just call in sick, are not getting paid,” the veteran said.

Other members in the audience raised concerns about affordable housing and finding work.

Fleege said Bilirakis is working with the Department of Urban Development — to address the housing concerns through the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program.

This not only assists veterans in getting stable homes, but also pinpoints the issues that lead to homelessness, such as mental illness and substance abuse.

“We’re going to have another job fair,” Fleege added. “This is a continuing initiative we have every year to get all the veterans in one spot and get services with companies that are hiring.”

The liaison also noted that through a veteran advisory committee, Bilirakis is seeking jobs for veterans that offer livable wages.

When asked about the veterans who don’t qualify for VA services, Fleege mentioned the Mission Act.

The act, passed in 2018, assists veterans in getting adequate medical care through a civilian market when it is not provided by the VA.

Fleege’s passion for assisting fellow veterans stems partially from personal experience.

He served 18 months in Iraq as a sergeant, and has had personal experience with PTSD.

He went back to school and received a master’s degree in public health and a master’s degree in social work, specializing in mental health.

“I needed to figure out what happened to me,” Fleege said.

“Getting this background in mental health started to peel back the layers of why I was crying in inappropriate times,” he said.

Fleege decided to dedicate himself to working with other veterans to help them achieve a healthier life, and after he worked in Veterans Affairs for nine years, Bilirakis offered him the opportunity to advocate for former soldiers in the 12th congressional district.

As the meeting concluded, Fleege invited anyone with questions or concerns to reach back to him.

He also urged anyone struggling with PTSD to seek help from mental health organizations, such as the Veterans Alternative in Pasco County.

Finally, he reminded his comrades: “We have charged ourselves, as veterans, to take care of our brothers and sisters.”

Published January 23, 2019

Mother of twins dies after casino boat fire; donations sought

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A GoFundMe account has been set up to aid the children of Carrie Dempsey.

The 42-year-old woman, who lived in Lutz, died Jan. 14, hours after a fire engulfed a casino shuttle boat ferrying about 50 passengers to a casino ship in the Gulf of Mexico.

She was the sole fatality among about 15 passengers who needed medical attention, according to news reports.

Carrie Dempsey
(Facebook.com)

Dempsey leaves behind 12-year-old twins, Chad and Megan. Dempsey’s husband, Joseph Dempsey II, died in 2011, at the age of 33, according to an obituary.

The children are being cared for by their grandparents.

“We are reaching out to raise funds for Chad and Megan’s care and education, that their grandparents may not have been financially prepared for,” according to a written statement on the GoFundMe page. “Chad and Megan are two kind-hearted, athletic and academically gifted children who deserve a bright future. They have incurred so much loss and heartache in their short lives.”

Bridget Verrecchia is listed as the fund’s organizer. She is vice president of the ways and means committee of the PTA executive board for McKitrick Elementary School, according to the school’s website.

Segal Funeral Home is handling funeral arrangements.

According to an obituary, Dempsey moved to the Tampa Bay area in 1985 from Cleveland, Ohio.

She will be “remembered for her sense of humor, quick wit and infectious laugh, but mostly as a devoted and loving mother,” the obituary states.

Graveside services are scheduled for Jan. 25 at 2 p.m., at Gan Shalom Cemetery, 3527 E. County Line Road in Lutz. In lieu of flowers, a college fund will be established for Dempsey’s children.

The cause of the fire aboard the Island Lady is under investigation, according to a spokesman with the U.S. Coast Guard.

About 50 people were aboard as the shuttle, operated by Tropical Breeze Casino, steered toward the gulf, and a casino ship in international waters.

The boat’s captain noticed the engine was overheating, and prepared to return to shore when a fire broke out, according to news reports.

The reports said the captain ran the shuttle aground in the Pithlachascotee River, about 100 yards from shore in Port Richey.

Passengers and crew had to jump into chilly waters. Rescuers included nearby neighbors, Port Richey police, Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, Pasco Fire Rescue, and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The boat burned down to its hull, reports added.

For information, visit GoFundMe.com/the-dempsey-family.

An online guestbook is available at SegalFuneralHome.com.

Published January 24, 2018

La Yuma dishes Cuban cuisine in Lutz

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Chef Pepe Diaz keeps a close eye on what goes on in his kitchen.

The Cuban dishes that pass from the kitchen to the dining room at La Yuma restaurant are authentic to his native country.

But, Diaz also has recipes uniquely his own.

His back story in itself is not the typical path to culinary success.

Chef Pepe Diaz, left, his wife, Tania Diaz, his daughter, Thania Diaz Clevenger, and son-in-law, Ashley Clevenger, stand outside their new Lutz restaurant – La Yuma.
(Courtesy of Kathy Steele)

As a political prisoner of Fidel Castro, his job in jail was to take scant food staples and turn them into meals for himself and other prisoners.

Later exiled from Cuba, Diaz went first to Spain, and then, to Miami and Key West, where he nurtured a dream of becoming a restaurant entrepreneur.

Patrons of his Key West restaurant in Mallory Square – El Meson de Pepe – have been dining on Diaz’ cuisine for more than 30 years.

Now his daughter and son-in-law, Thania Diaz Clevenger and Ashley Clevenger, are bringing the family recipes to Lutz and Tampa Bay.

Ashley Clevenger is general manager; Thania Clevenger is in charge of marketing. Family matriarch, Tania Diaz, is helpmate to her 76-year-old husband, and overall consultant.

It’s a family-rooted business for five generations.

“But, nobody gets to be chef,” noted Thania Clevenger, except for her father.

La Yuma restaurant opened in Lutz in January, at 16411 N. Florida Ave., south of the apex linking U.S. 41 and Florida Avenue.

The establishment replaces a series of bars that never quite caught on, including The Lutz Area Hangout and Twisted Rooster Bar & Grill.

The bar atmosphere is gone.

La Yuma offers fine casual dining wrapped in a family centric environment.

Murals on the walls depict the journey of Cuban refugees to America, and for some — their new lives in Ybor City.

Pepe Diaz gather at a table at La Yuma restaurant, in Lutz. The family opened the Cuban restaurant in January.

The restaurant’s name, “La Yuma,” is from the street lingo that Cubans use as a stand-in for the United States.

Some believe the term comes from a classic western, “3:10 to Yuma.” The movie, first made in 1957, had a remake in 2007.

“The whole idea was not to tell just our family’s story, but all Cubans’ story,” said Thania Clevenger.

An outdoor patio taps into island leisure. A banquet room will host weddings, parties and special events.

Latin bands perform live on Fridays and Saturdays. Cigars by Tampa’s J.C. Newman cigar company can be enjoyed with Cuba libres, Pepe’s Homemade Sangria and cocktail specialties.

The menu offers tapas, or small plates, including Cuban nachos and Camarone Al Ajillo, a pan-seared shrimp with garlic, parsley and white wine sauce.

Entrees include Cuban favorites, such as Rope Vieja and Picadillo Habanero, as well as combination platters and Paella de La Pepe. A children’s menu includes a Cuban steak platter, hamburgers and chicken fingers.

But, La Yuma isn’t by any means a replica of Diaz’ Key West restaurant. It’s a plan, years and generations in the waiting.

“We kept envisioning a different restaurant we wanted to get to do,” said Thania Clevenger. “We’d sit and daydream about it.”

Thania Clevenger is a civil and human rights attorney who grew up helping out in her father’s restaurant. She earned her law degree from Stetson University.

Ashley Clevenger is a former firefighter and U.S. Coast Guard veteran.

They moved to Tampa Bay in 2007, and to Lutz in 2011. They have one son, 5-year-old Dean Sergio, and another child due in August.

They like the area’s small town.

Ashley Clevenger said his hometown in Illinois had 850 residents. He graduated in a class of 18 students.

“It’s all about family,” he said.

This family legacy is founded on activism and dreaming.

“He essentially lost everything,” said his daughter, of her father’s journey from Cuba to America.

He met his wife Tania, also a Cuban refugee, when they both worked at a Miami restaurant. The move to Key West followed.

El Meson is still family owned and operated.

And, now, La Yuma represents another beginning.

“Once it’s in your blood, it’s always in your blood,” said Thania Clevenger.

La Yuma is open Tuesday-Thursday, and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., on Friday and Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

For information, visit LaYuma.net.

Published April 26, 2017

A time-honored tradition to remember those who served

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The four men came to Lutz Cemetery on a Saturday morning, with a cool breeze stirring the trees, and the sun shining brightly in the clear blue sky.

They got to work quickly, each grabbing a supply of American flags and staking out a segment of the cemetery.

Bill Garrison, commander of American Legion Post 108, marches through Lutz Cemetery, surveying gravestones of military veterans to decorate with an American flag in honor of Veterans Day. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Bill Garrison, commander of American Legion Post 108, marches through Lutz Cemetery, surveying gravestones of military veterans to decorate with an American flag in honor of Veterans Day. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The men — Bill Garrison, Ray Mason, Richard Fernandez and Jim Evans — worked their way through the rows of gravestones, looking for those marking the final resting place of men and women who served to protect American freedom.

While Garrison, Mason and Fernandez surveyed areas closer to U.S. 41, Evans checked out the rear section of the cemetery. Each time they found a veteran’s gravestone, they solemnly planted a flag at the edge of the gravestone.

Marking the grave with a flag is an act of remembrance, and of respect. It’s something members of American Legion Post 108 do at Lutz Cemetery every Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Veterans Day.

The flags remain until a day after Veterans Day, when the men come back to recover them.

The flags honor veterans from World War I, World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War. There’s even a grave of a Civil War soldier and another of a Spanish-American War soldier a soldier, Mason said.

The ritual of remembering men and women who served has been going on for close to 30 years, said Mason, the post’s adjutant.

Each time, they post about 200 flags. “We used to do more cemeteries, but membership dwindled,” said Garrison, the post commander.

As World War II veterans die, the post’s membership has declined. Now, the post — which draws its members from Lutz and Land O’ Lakes — has 97 members, Garrison said.

There are around 200 veterans buried in Lutz Cemetery, he said.

“There’s a lot of sacrifice here,” said Garrison, who served in the U.S. Air Force as a code breaker.

Fernandez, a past commander and the current financial officer for the post who served in the U.S. Coast Guard, said he takes part in the flag postings to honor those who have courageously served this country.

“Unfortunately they don’t get the honor and respect that they deserve,” Fernandez said.

Respect for veterans has improved, however, said Mason, who served in the U.S. Navy.

“Every once in awhile I wear my hat out, and I can’t believe the number of people who come up and say, ‘Thank you for your service,’” he said.

That’s a far different response than the one he received when he first finished military service.

“When I got out in ’65, everybody was against the war, all of that anti-Vietnam stuff,” said Mason, who did not serve in Vietnam.

He was surprised by the negative reception.

“I was taken back,” Mason said.

Evans, who served in the U.S. Army during Vietnam and during the first Gulf War, said posting the flags at the cemetery provides a sense of satisfaction.

“It gives you a nice feeling to have them remembered,” he said.

The men do the best they can to ensure they honor each veteran buried there. They look at the gravestones for any indication of military service.

“Sometimes it is just a little notation on there,” Evans said.

To make sure he didn’t miss any, Garrison kicks leaves off of graves, and scrapes off dirt. The other men made close inspections, too.

“I hate to miss one,” Evans said. “It really hurts me if I miss a veteran. We always make an extra sweep, and we always find some that we missed.”

Evans estimates he’s posted flags at the cemetery about 20 times. Sometimes, the work is easier than others. During the recent posting, conditions were pleasant.

But the heat can be brutal during the Memorial Day and Fourth of July postings, or sometimes it’s pouring rain.

“There have been times after a heavy rain where you almost sink,” Garrison said. “We slop through the mess.”

On the upside, though, “there’s no problem with putting them (the flags) in,” he added.

After they post the flags and complete their sweep, the men conclude by playing “Taps,” — a final tribute for those who served.

Published November 12, 2014

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In Print: Playoffs kick off Friday for Sunlake, Zephyrhills

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Are you ready for the playoffs? Are the Sunlake Seahawks, or the Zephyrhills Bulldogs?

Well, someone needs to be, because the state football playoffs begin Friday, with Zephyrhills on the road to the Panhandle area, while Sunlake is hosting a tough team from Ocala.

Sunlake High School head football coach Bill Browning looks on with concern as his team trails Zephyrhills, 22-7, last Friday. The Seahawks lost to the Bulldogs in the final game of the season, pitting together the two area teams heading to the playoffs. (Fred Bellet/Photo)
Sunlake High School head football coach Bill Browning looks on with concern as his team trails Zephyrhills, 22-7, last Friday. The Seahawks lost to the Bulldogs in the final game of the season, pitting together the two area teams heading to the playoffs. (Fred Bellet/Photo)

“The farthest we’ve gotten is the second round in the playoffs,” Seahawks coach Bill Browning told reporter Michael Murillo. “That our goal now, to go farther than any Sunlake team has.”

Sunlake will face Vanguard High School, which finished 4-5 on the season, but was able to claim a playoff spot as the runner-up in Class 6A-District 5. Yet, the Knights were 1-4 on the road, and gave up an average of nearly 47 points in their five losses.

Zephyrhills will have a bit of a tougher time. The Class 5A-District 6 runner-up has a long drive ahead of them Friday to Live Oak, just south of Interstate 10. If that wasn’t enough to worry about, the team from Suwannee High School also is known as the Bulldogs — and they have an impressive 9-1 record, losing only the final game of the season.

“You feel really good for a short time, but you know you’ve got to get back to work and start over,” Zephyrhills head coach Reggie Roberts said. “Our objective is not just to get there. It’s to perform once we get to the playoffs.”

How are both teams preparing? Find out in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, available on newsstands now. Or read it for free in our online e-edition. Get the Zephyrhills version of the story here, with more details on Sunlake here.

Also, check out LakerLutzNews.com Friday night for results from both games, and find complete coverage in the Nov. 19 print edition of The Laker/Lutz News.

It’s great having a chance to celebrate football and other sports. But when we do, we should stop to thank a veteran.

Tuesday was Veterans Day, and just ahead of a day filled with events, one group of veterans do what they do for every holiday honoring those who served — they remembered those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for those freedoms.

Last weekend, four members of American Legion Post 108 visited the Lutz Cemetery to place flags on the gravestones of soldiers.

“There’s a lot of sacrifice here,” Bill Garrison, a former code breaker with the U.S. Air Force, told reporter B.C. Manion.

“Unfortunately, they don’t get the honor and respect that they deserve,” said Richard Fernandez, who served in the U.S. Coast Guard.

The men and others visit the cemetery every Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Veterans Day. The come bearing small American flags, which they will then collect the day after the holidays, honoring veterans from all the major wars.

To learn more about this solemn service provided by these American Legion members, check out this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, or read our free online e-edition by clicking here.

The elections are finally over after months and months and months of campaigning. While Pasco County had a turnout of more than 50 percent, turnout for the mid-term elections overall across the country were at the lowest levels since World War II.

Many local candidates — including those running for county commission and for an office in Tallahassee — touted local jobs and local money to help grow Pasco’s economy. Yet, none of the candidates really spent a lot of time trying to provide their own influx of cash to local businesses.

In fact, in just three races — two county commission races, and the election battle between Danny Burgess and Beverly Ledbetter for Will Weatherford’s state House seat — more than $324,000 was sent out of the county. That’s 71 percent of the total money raised by all six candidates involved.

What do the candidates have to say about it? We’re not sure. Many wouldn’t address it, but Ledbetter — who lost to Burgess in the House race — did talk about where money in her campaign was spent.

“Our campaign bought local services when available, such as some printing supplies and materials,” Ledbetter told reporter Michael Hinman in an email. “I used a local Dade City printer for some work, and a local company for the T-shirts.”

Yet, despite those efforts, Ledbetter spent just $3,000 in Pasco — less than 10 percent of the total amount she raised. Burgess wasn’t much better, however, spending $35,000 — less than 27 percent — of the money he raised locally.

Find out what all this outside spending means to local businesses in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, or read it online right now for free in our e-edition by clicking here.

And finally, photojournalist Fred Bellet has some great pictures to share from a recent work day at the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce in Land O’ Lakes, turning the headquarters a vibrant tropical blue. See it online by clicking here.

All of these stories and more can be found in this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, available in newsstands throughout east and central Pasco County as well as northern Hillsborough County. Find out what has your community talking this week by getting your local news straight from the only source you need.

If The Laker/Lutz News is not coming to your door, call us to see where you can get your copy at (813) 909-2800, or read our free e-edition by clicking here.

Florida nation’s most veteran-friendly state?

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What does it take to become the most veteran-friendly state in the nation? Just follow Florida’s example.

At least that’s what Florida TaxWatch, a nonpartisan advocacy group on how taxpayer money is spent, is sharing as the state honors its veterans.

“Florida is proud of the brave servicemen and women who have chosen to build their lives and raise their families in the Sunshine State,” Dominic Calabro, president and chief executive of Florida TaxWatch, said in a release. “Our Legislature and Florida’s governor have recognized the importance of giving back to those who have sacrificed for us, and their commitment has resulted in Florida becoming the most veteran-friendly state in America.”

Florida does have 1.6 million vets living here, accounting for one in every 12 adult veterans. That includes 250,000 disabled veterans, both the third-largest nationally. Florida also has more World War II vets than any other state, and almost half of its veterans are older than 65.

So what makes Florida so special when it comes to veterans?

It all starts with the Florida “G.I. Bill,” Calabro said. That includes a number of veteran-friendly services like property tax exemptions, reductions in professional license fees, education benefits, obtaining driver’s licenses, and employment.

Property Tax Exemptions
A veteran with at least a 10 percent service-connected disability may be entitled to a $5,000 exemption on any property he or she owns. Those with service-connected total and permanent disability, or are confined to a wheelchair, could qualify for total homestead exemption — a benefit that also can carry over to the surviving spouse.

Veterans who are disabled, older than 64, and owns homestead property may qualify for a property tax discount based on their percentage of disability.

Current or former members of the military, reserves, U.S. Coast Guard or Florida National Guard, may receive an exemption for his or her homestead if deployed during the last calendar year outside of the United States. The exemption is equal to the percentage of the year the person was deployed.

The Fallen Heroes Family Tax Relief Act allows a surviving spouse of a veteran — as well as first responders — who died from service-connected causes to be granted a total exemption on their home. Also, any person serving in the U.S. Armed Forces may rent the homestead without abandoning the claim to the homestead exemption.

Professional License Fees
Fees related to professional licensing may be waived for veterans who have been honorably discharged within 60 months prior to applying for the license. Spouses also qualify for the waiver.

Also, members of the military, spouses and veterans who have retired within 24 months who apply for a professional license in the insurance industry are exempt from the application filing fee.

Education
Out-0f-state fees are waived for honorably discharged veterans who attend a state college, state university, career center, or charter technical career center. Also, $1.5 million is provided annually to fund tuition scholarships and book stipends for Florida National Guard members that participate in the Educational Dollars for Duty program.

Florida also waives undergraduate-level tuition at state universities and community colleges for Florida recipients of the Purple Heart and other combat-related decorations. Tuition benefits also are provided for dependent children and spouses of deceased or totally disabled veterans and children of service members who are missing in action or prisoners of war.

Driver’s licenses
Military members who are on active duty outside Florida — and their dependents — receive an automatic extension of their driver’s license without re-examination.

Non-resident active duty military service members stationed in Florida are exempt from the requirements to obtain a Florida driver’s license when his or her children enter a Florida public school. The service member’s spouse also is exempt if the spouse begins employment, or enrolls in a school in the state.

Employment
All government employers in Florida are required to grant employment preference in hiring and retention to veterans, spouses, parents and legal guardians, as well as National Guard members and the U.S. Reserve Forces. Private sector employers are authorized, but not required, to establish a veterans preference process for honorably discharged veterans and certain spouses.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity offers a range of services to veterans including recruitment, training grants, and links to federal programs offering certain employer incentives for hiring veterans. The Hiring Florida’s Heroes initiative works with employers to connect them with veterans possessing needed skills.

The newly created Veterans Employment and Training Services, or VETS, program will help connect veterans and employers, and will contract with at least one university to administer entrepreneurship initiative programs for veterans. It also creates a grant program for businesses to provide funding for training veterans to meet a business’s work force-skill needs.

For more on Florida TaxWatch, visit FloridaTaxWatch.org.

 

Pasco Schools to honor veterans Tuesday

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Pasco County Schools are hosting a variety of events on Veterans Day Tuesday to honor those who risked or gave their lives for America’s freedoms.

The day starts off at Wesley Chapel Center for the Arts with a Veterans Day presentation beginning at 8:30 a.m. It will include Superintendent Kurt Browning as well as Pasco County elections supervisor Brian Corley, and will honor and celebrate veterans, as well as encourage students to participate in the Vote in Honor of a Veteran program.

“This is the greatest country in the world, and we owe that to generations of men and women who have gone to war to protect our values and beliefs,” Browning said, in a release. “There is no better place for students to learn about the sacrifices and contributions of this nation’s veterans than in our schools.”

The arts center is located at 30651 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel.

Corley will join outreach ambassadors from his government office to conduct voter registration at all high schools in the county from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. On top of that, several schools will host Veterans Day programs. They include:

• Salute a Veteran at Fox Hollow Elementary School, 10 a.m. — The entire student body will have a part in honoring local veterans. Each grade level at the school, 8309 Fox Hollow Drive in Port Richey, has taken time to learn the chorus of a branch of service, and to study their assigned branch.

• Veterans Day parade at Odessa Elementary School, 10:15 a.m. — Students at the Odessa school, 12810 Interlaken Road in Port Richey, will gather to honor veterans by witnessing a patriotic musical performance by their chorus, brass quintet, sax quartet, and Mitchell High School’s color guard. Retired Lt. Col. Alan Klyap will serve as guest speaker with a parade following.

• Veterans Day program at Taylor Elementary School, 10:30 a.m. — Taylor, 3638 Morris Bridge Road in Zephyrhills, will present a program that will include the Junior ROTC from Zephyrhills High School, as well as the high school’s jazz band. Guest speaker will be Browning.

• Second Annual Salute to our Veterans at Cotee River Elementary School, 10:30 a.m. — Cotee River studeents will hear from retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Michale Cheetam, commander of the Ridgewood High School Naval Junior ROTC, as well as Daniel Gosonda from the U.S. Coast Guard, at the school, 7515 Plathe Road in Port Richey. Cheetam’s cadets will perform, and the Cotee River chorus will give a patriotic performance.

• Schrader’s Tribute to Our Veterans at Schrader Elementary School, 2 p.m. — The fifth grade students have invited parents as well as veterans to hear patriotic songs and speaking parts that honor the men and women who work every day to protect freedom. It will take place at the school, 11041 Little Road in New Port Richey.

Free admission July 4 for military personnel

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The Museum of Science & Industry, 4801 E. Fowler Ave., in Tampa, is offering free admission for all military personnel on July 4.

It’s open to active duty, veteran and retired military personnel for them and up to five family members.

Open exhibits on Independence Day include Disasterville, The Amazing You, as well as the BioWorks Butterfly Garden. Visitors also have a chance to check out MOSI’s newest exhibit, 3-D Printing the Future.

Those eligible include branches like the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. National Guard and Reserve, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps.

The offer excludes Imax films and Sky Trail Ropes Course & Zip Line.

For more information, call (813) 987-6000, or visit MOSI.org.