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Ron DeSantis

Omicron cases continue to soar across United States

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Cancellations are starting to occur more frequently, as COVID-19 cases continue to climb across the United States.

Health care experts say the surge is being driven by the Omicron variant of the virus.

An interpretive analysis published on The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s website estimates that Omicron may account for approximately 95% of cases.

There were 5,705,264 new cases reported across the U.S. on Jan. 5, more than doubling the January 2021 peak, according to a CDC report.

“The entire country is now experiencing high levels of community transmission. Hospitalizations are also on the rise,” the CDC report says.

Based on current knowledge about the Omicron variant, the CDC recently updated its quarantine and isolation recommendations for the public.

Those coming into close contact with someone with COVID-19 should quarantine if they are in one of these groups:

  • Age 18 or older and have completed the primary series of recommended vaccine, but have not received a recommended booster shot when eligible
  • Have received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine (completing the primary series) over two months ago and have not received a recommended booster shot
  • Are not vaccinated or have not completed a primary vaccine series

The CDC also says that those confirmed or suspected of COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, should stay home and isolate from other people for at least five full days.

They also should wear a well-fitting mask when around others at home and in public for an additional five days.

Testing may be used to help determine when to end your isolation period, the CDC says.

As of Jan. 5, the current seven-day moving average of daily new cases (586,391) increased 85.7% compared with the previous seven-day moving average (315,851).

A total of 57,898,239 COVID-19 cases have been reported in the United States as of Jan. 5, according to the CDC.

Health experts are advising those who need to be tested to go to a local pharmacy, an urgent care center or a public testing site — not to a hospital emergency room.

Hillsborough County has three free COVID-19 testing sites, they are located at:

  • Hillsborough County Community College Brandon campus, 10451 Nancy Watkins Drive, in Tampa. It is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily for residents who want to receive free COVID-19 testing. This is a drive-thru site, and no appointments are needed.
  • Progress Village Park, 8701 Progress Blvd., in Tampa. This is a walk-up COVID-19 testing site open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily. No appointments are needed.
  • West Tampa Community Resource Center, 2103 N. Rome Ave., in Tampa. This is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily. It is a walk-up site that offers free COVID-19 testing, vaccinations, Pfizer pediatric vaccines, booster shots for those who are eligible, and monoclonal antibody therapy treatment. No appointments are needed for most of the services, but residents wanting monoclonal antibody therapy treatment must make an appointment. They can make an appointment at PatientPortalFl.com.

Children ages 5 to 11 who are accompanied by their parent or legal guardian can receive the COVID-19 Pfizer pediatric vaccine at the West Tampa Community Resource Center site. The child must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to verbally confirm the child’s age.

For all services, proof of medical insurance is recommended and should be presented at the time of the visit. People without medical insurance will still be tested, vaccinated, or receive monoclonal antibody therapy treatment for free.

Meanwhile, according to a report by The Center Square, an online news outlet, Florida’s Republican Congressional delegation has entered into the state’s ongoing rift with the Biden administration over access to monoclonal antibody drugs.

The state’s two senators and 11 of its congressional members sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra arguing the administration’s distribution policy regarding the monoclonal antibody therapy “continues to be shortsighted and burdensome on states and health care providers.”

Their letter comes after Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo accused the Biden administration of “actively preventing the effective distribution of monoclonal antibody treatments in the U.S.,” according to The Center Square report.

The Center Square also reported that Florida seniors who live in assisted-living facilities and nursing homes will receive 1 million rapid COVID-19 tests in an effort by the state to prioritize safety for those at high risk to serious illness.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the distribution during a visit at the Rehabilitation Center of the Palm Beaches, where he met with leaders in the senior care industry.

When to seek emergency medical attention
If you experience any of these signs, or someone you know is showing these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:

  • Trouble breathing
  • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
  • New confusion
  • Inability to wake or stay awake
  • Pale, gray or blue color skin, lips or nail beds, depending on skin tone.

Source: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

COVID-19 statistics
Statistics from Jan. 9:
Pasco County: Community transmission rate, High; Cases, 6,247; positivity rate: 30.05%.
Hillsborough County: Community transmission rate, High; Cases: 22,110; 30.2% positivity rate.
Florida: Community transmission, High; cases: 410,713; positivity, 25-plus%

Statistics from Jan. 7:
Pasco County Schools: 196 student cases; total of 6,793 student cases for the school year
Pasco County Schools: 31 employee cases; total of 1,273 employee cases for the school year
Hillsborough County Schools: 2,398 employees cases for the year; 12,751 student cases for the year

Note: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises everyone in Pasco County and Hillsborough County to wear a mask in public, indoor settings.

Sources: Pasco County Schools, Hillsborough County Schools and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Published January 12, 2022

Special session set for Nov. 15

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The Florida Legislature will meet in special session beginning on Nov. 15 and will conclude its session by no later than Nov. 19, under a proclamation issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis last week.

The session is intended to “provide protections for Floridians who have lost their jobs or are having their employment threatened due to vaccine mandates,” according to a posting on the governor’s web page.

DeSantis announced, in a news conference on Oct. 28, that the state had filed a lawsuit against the federal government — challenging the Biden administration’s authority to impose a vaccine requirement on federally contracted workers.

“We are not going to deny people the ability to earn a living, based on their decisions about an injection,” DeSantis said, during that news conference.

During the special session, DeSantis expects legislators to pass laws to protect Florida jobs and protect parents’ rights when it comes to masking and quarantines,” the website posting says.

The governor is calling on state legislators to address vaccination issues on a number of fronts.

According to the governor’s web page, those include considering legislation to:

  • Protect current and prospective employees against unfair discrimination on the basis of COVID-19 vaccination status
  • Ensure that educational institutions and government entities are prohibited from unfairly discriminating against current and prospective employees, students, and residents based on vaccination status
  • Appropriate enough funding to investigate complaints regarding COVID-19 vaccination mandates and to take legal action against such mandates, including mandates imposed by the federal government
  • Clarify that the Parents’ Bill of Rights, Chapter 1014, Florida Statutes, vests the decision on masking with parents, not government entities, and that schools must comply with Department of Health rules that govern student health, including rules that ensure healthy students can remain in school

In the website posting, DeSantis said: “The health, education, and well-being of our children are primarily the responsibility of parents. As long as I am governor, parents in Florida will play a strong role in determining what their kids are learning and how they’re treated in school.”

During his Oct. 28 news conference announcing the state’s lawsuit against the federal government, DeSantis said, “We want to protect people who are working now in the state of Florida. These people have been workin’ the whole doggone time, and now, all of a sudden they’re goin’ to get kicked to the curb? Give me a break.”

He added: “In Florida, we believe these things are choices based on individual circumstances. There are physicians that will recommend one course of action or another, based on your health history.”

DeSantis told those at the news conference: “We cannot have the federal government coming in and exceeding their power.

“They’re really rewriting contracts, and they’re transforming normal contracting into basically public health policy and that’s not anything Congress has ever authorized,” he said.

At the same news conference, Attorney General Ashley Moody said President Joe Biden has overstepped his authority.

“It is a complete and gross overreach of the federal government, into the personal autonomy of American workers,” Moody said.

The state attorney general also described the action as an “unlawful mandate” and added, “we will not back down.”

While issues involving COVID-19 vaccinations will play out in the state legislature and the courts, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Oct. 29 authorized the emergency use of Pfizer for children ages 5 through 11.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to take up the issue this week and must grant authorization before vaccines can be distributed.

Published November 03, 2021

Roadway connectivity is key to Zephyrhills’ economic vitality

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The Zephyrhills area has experienced burgeoning activity in the way of residential growth and commercial development.

Pasco County Commission chairman Ron Oakley has witnessed it firsthand, since being elected in 2016.

“Zephyrhills has been a very good, working city,” said Oakley, who represents District 1, which covers areas in East and Central Pasco.

“Economically, they’ve done very well over the years, and I mean, it just didn’t start here lately, it’s been that way.

Pasco County Commission chairman Ron Oakley was a featured guest speaker during the fifth annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit in October, at Zephyrhills City Hall. (File)

“They have a good council here, and they have good planners and others,” the county board leader said.

But Oakley is especially enthused about the forthcoming roadway connectivity in and out of the city limits — which he detailed as one of the featured speakers at the fifth annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit held last month, at Zephyrhills City Hall.

The Oct. 13 event was organized by the City of Zephyrhills, Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition, Main Street Zephyrhills, Pasco Economic Development Council (Pasco EDC), and AdventHealth Zephyrhills/Dade City.

These were among the finished or active projects that Oakley highlighted:

  • State Road 56 extension, from Meadow Pointe Boulevard in Wesley Chapel to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills
  • Wire Road pavement rehabilitation
  • County Road 54, east to 23rd Street, which includes traffic signals, turn lanes, and multi-use path
  • U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road, which includes traffic signals and median improvements

“Those are great things happening, because that’s going to help everybody move around better,” Oakley said.

Some countywide roadway upgrades also will benefit the municipality, too, Oakley noted.

That includes the $33.6 million diverging diamond interchange at Interstate 75 and State Road 56, which is expected to be completed in summer 2022.

Oakley put it like this: “What good is a diverging diamond to Zephyrhills? Well, economically, it helps people get in and out of the area, and it helps them get here, and then also to get out of here.”

There’s also the $64 million interstate interchange on I-75 at Overpass Road, south of State Road 52, scheduled for completion in late 2022 or early 2023.

“That’s going to help divide that traffic up from (State Road) 56, to Overpass to (State Road) 54 and then (State Road) 52,” Oakley said.

By spreading the traffic out, “your movement will be much better,” he explained.

Oakley was quick to point out that these big-ticket roadway infrastructure projects would not be possible without the mobility fees paid by surrounding growth and development.

“None of this happens without the fact that we’re doing a lot of residential development that brings in impact fees (mobility fees) and school impact fees that builds schools, and also pays for the roads that you see,” he said.

Large developments are in progress
Oakley also told the crowd about some of the large-scale developments that he said, “are cropping up everywhere around the city.”

He directed attention to Two Rivers, a master-planned unit development (MPUD) zoning off State Road 56, between Morris Bridge Road and U.S. 301.

Roadway infrastructure improvements — such as the Overpass Road connection with Interstate 75 — were a key theme during the fifth annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit.

The project is substantial.

The county has approved up to 6,400 residences, more than 2.6 million square feet of office and industrial, and 630,000 square feet of commercial uses.

The 3,405-acre property’s southern boundary is on the north side of County Line Road, and its northern boundary is on the north side of State Road 56.

The Two Rivers development also includes a site for an elementary school, middle school and high school, an 80-acre district park and a public safety site.

“All these developments are going to bring more people into the economy of Zephyrhills; very important for that economy,” Oakley said. “Those people coming in will be really helping a lot of businesses here in Zephyrhills.”

The speaker acknowledged the possible strain on services and utilities such as water and sewer, but assured local citizens that the county is well-prepared.

“There’s nothing wrong with good, planned growth,” Oakley said.

The commissioner also shared his vision and standards for new residential developments popping up in East Pasco.

These large developments, the commissioner said, should entail “good architectural views, good landscaping, and a place you’d be proud to live in.”

In the same breath, he pushed back on small-lot housing subdivisions.

“I honestly believe that we shouldn’t have 40-foot lots,” he said. “We have some, and they work, I guess, somewhere, but they’re really too small.”

He continued, “We want to build a whole residential development that’s more of a community, and not houses right beside each other, with no landscaping. We want something to be proud of in Pasco.”

Elsewhere, Oakley mentioned the county is working on plans to help small businesses, in the way of zero-interest loans, grants and other assistance programs.

“They’re pretty much the backbone of our community, when you think about all the small businesses,” said Oakley. “We have the big businesses, and they’re a different source themselves, but small business is very important.”

State Rep. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills

Burgess bullish on Zephyrhills armory
State Rep. Danny Burgess, R- Zephyrhills also participated in the economic summit, speaking virtually from his Tallahassee office.

His remarks focused on the forthcoming Florida National Guard Armory coming to Zephyrhills that is set to be located near the city’s municipal airport.

State lawmakers earmarked $25 million for the construction of the project during the past legislative session.

Burgess described the project as “a first-of-its kind, state-of-the-art armory.”

He said it will employ many full-time Army officers during the week, plus hundreds of soldiers and service people visiting on weekends.

The legislator views the armory as “a big economic driver” for the city, where soldiers and service members “work and eat and stay and play in our community.”

“It’s not just a military installation, it’s not just a home for the National Guard,” Burgess said. “It’s going to be really good, and it’s moving fast, so we should hopefully have some great direction here soon.”

What makes the project even more special, Burgess said, is that Zephyrhills is a community that has deep military roots and a record of support for the armed forces.

The city was founded by Civil War veteran Capt. Howard B. Jeffries, as a retirement area for union soldiers.

The city’s airport property was used by the U.S. Army in the 1940s as a training airfield for combat pilots.

“We should all be very, very proud of this,” Burgess added of the armory.

Burgess went on to praise the city’s windfall in the latest state budget, which included several appropriations, including $6.5 million for water and wastewater improvements on Handcart Road; $4.6 million for improvements to the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center; and $3 million for improvements to the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport.

Said Burgess, “It’s a testament to our community, to the things that are happening in our community, to the businesses in our community and our community leaders.”

As a sign of the municipality’s wave of progress, back in June Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appeared at Zephyrhills City Hall for a state budget-signing ceremony— penning into law a record-setting $101.5 billion budget for fiscal year 2021-2022.

The invite-only press conference drew several dozens of area residents, business owners and government officials, in a standing-room only affair.

Burgess also credited Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson (R-Trilby) for his continuous support of Zephyrhills at the state level.

“He has always looked out for that community, and he sees the value in our location geographically and from an infrastructure standpoint, and he just wants to see us succeed,” Burgess said.

Other featured presentations during the summit came from Zephyrhills Planning Director Todd Vande Berg; David Waronker, CBD Real Estate Investment president; Randy Stovall, Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition chairman; and Tom Ryan, Pasco Economic Development Coalition director of business development.

Zephyrhills is now Pasco’s biggest city
The City of Zephyrhills has surpassed New Port Richey as Pasco County’s biggest city, based on data collected in the 2020 U.S. Census.

The Pasco County Commission discussed the shift during its board meeting on Oct. 26, noting that it will have to make some new appointments to boards that include a representative from the county’s largest municipality.

Census data reports that Zephyrhills had a population of 17,194 on April 1, 2020. Its population was 13,288 as of April 1, 2010.

New Port Richey’s population was 16,728 on April 1, 2020, compared to 14,911 on April 1, 2010.

Census figures for local jurisdictions include:

Jurisdiction                             April 1, 2020               April 1, 2010
Pasco County                          561,891                       464,697
Zephyrhills                              17,194                         13,288
Dade City                                7,550                           6,437
New Port Richey                     16,728                         14,911
Hillsborough County               1,459,762                    1,229,226
Tampa                                     384,959                       335,709

Pasco County Commissioners discussed Zephyrhills’ shift to become the county’s largest city, noting that it will mean that some appointments will need to change next year because certain boards require representation from the county’s largest city.

Published November 03, 2021

Gov. DeSantis calls for special session of the legislature

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Gov. Ron DeSantis has called for a special session of the Florida Legislature to take aim at a federal plan to force businesses of 100 employees or more to require their workers to be vaccinated.

“We have a situation in our country now, where very much, the federal government is trying to use the heavy hand of government to force a lot of these injections,” the governor said, during a news conference in Clearwater on Oct. 21.

“And, you have a lot of folks that actually believe that decision should be theirs, and believe in having basic medical freedom and individual choice, and that your right to earn a living should not be contingent upon COVID shots,” he continued.

“And so, attorney general (Ashley Moody) and I — we are working — we want to contest that contractor mandate in court, as well. We’ve got to make sure we’ve got the right plaintiff, in terms of what we can do. You know a lot of these contractors probably aren’t going to do it themselves because they know there will reprisals, if they do it.

“But that has an impact on thousands and thousands of people in the state of Florida.”

“We’re also, when it comes out, going to contest the mandate they’re going to impose on hospitals through CMS, where they’re basically saying, ‘If you don’t do forced injections, then you lose Medicare/Medicaid funding.

“Well, none of these health care providers would be able to even function, particularly in a state like Florida, where most of their patients are on Medicare.

“So, we think that’s illegal, that’s wrong,” DeSantis said.

“We’re also going to be taking legislative action to add protections for people in the state of Florida. “That’s something that cannot wait until the regular legislative session next year.

“It needs to happen soon. So, we will be calling the legislature back for a special session,” the governor announced, and when he did, those gathered at the news conference cheered.

During this special session, the governor is asking the legislature to provide protections for employees facing termination because of COVID-19 vaccine mandates and to reaffirm that government entities including school districts may not fire any employee based on COVID-19 vaccine status, according to a news release on the governor’s website.

“Violating government entities should be held accountable. Employers’ broad liability protections should also be reevaluated if they harm employees through vaccine mandates,” the posting says.

The governor also is asking the legislature to provide greater protections to parents to manage the health care decisions of their children, including the freedom to opt their children out of mask mandates, the website posting adds.

In response to the governor’s call for a special session, Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson and Speaker of the House Chris Sprowls issued a joint statement.

“Across the country, hard-working employees and business owners trying to make a living are being threatened by the Biden Administration’s reckless one-size-fits-all approach to COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Meanwhile, the rights of parents are being trampled on. Florida will respond to this gross overreach by the federal government,” their statement says.

“In the coming days, we will review the governor’s specific proposals as well as discuss our own ideas for legislative action, including whether now is the time for Florida to withdraw from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and establish our own state program. We believe that by doing so, Florida will have the ability to alleviate onerous federal regulations placed on employers and employees.

“We stand with the dedicated health care workers, law enforcement, first responders, military service members, and all workers across the country who never got a day off and couldn’t work from home during the pandemic. Too many of our esteemed heroes are facing termination thanks to heavy handedness at all levels of government. During the upcoming special session, our goal is to make our laws even more clear that Florida stands as refuge for families and businesses who want to live in freedom,” the joint statement concludes.

Published October 27, 2021

Pasco School Board wants in on redistricting talks

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Pasco County is in the midst of its redistricting process and the school board is interested in being involved.

On Oct. 5, the school board asked its attorney, Dennis Alfonso, to reach out to the county to let them know of their interest.

The request came after Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent, said he’d had some discussions with members of the Pasco County Commission and learned “they are actively involved in redrawing those boundaries.”

Redistricting occurs every 10 years, following the completion of the United States decennial census.

Changes to district maps are made based on changes to the population, but the way the lines are drawn in redistricting can have a significant influence regarding whom is elected to a particular office. So, those interested in the political process tend to keep a close eye on redistricting.

When the redistricting issue surfaced at the school board meeting, Alfonso noted: “Just to remind the board that we’re not bound by whatever redistricting is done by the county, but as a historical practice, it’s been practical for the board to just accept those districts.

“It’s not required by law, so the board, could in fact, draw its own boundaries, if it chose to do that.

“Either way, I’ll at least reach out and speak with the county attorney’s office to say, ‘Hey, we’re aware of this and we want to know whether or not we’re invited to participate in the discussions,’” Alfonso said.

School board chairman Allen Altman responded: “We went through that process 10 years ago. We cooperated together,” and noted that historically that’s been the case.

Altman told Alfonso: “If you would reach out to them on behalf of the board, let them know that we’d like to see what they are working on and participate in the process.

“My understanding is that they are the recipient of the (U.S. Census) information, and that it flows through them. And, we have heard nothing, so communication would be appreciated,” Altman said.

School board member Alison Crumbley added: “As I recall, 10 years ago, we had a co-meeting with them.”

Altman responded: “We did. So, we will go to work on that.”

Superintendent Kurt Browning announced that the district just completed its reaccreditation process, which occurs every five years.

It will be receiving the full report in coming weeks, but the district has been informed that it will recommend a continued system accreditation, Browning said.

“It is all about continuous improvement, how we become a better district,” he added.

In his remarks to the school board, Don Peace, president of the United School Employees of Pasco, noted that negotiations continue between the union and the district.

“We are hoping to be able to finalize the $1,000 payments to those employees who are not covered by the state (Gov. Ron DeSantis’ COVID-19 bonus plan) very soon,”  Peace said.

The union also hopes that negotiations will include how the district can move toward “addressing longtime teachers and raising the ceiling on teacher salaries, as these are the leaders and role models we desire to keep in front of our students.”

The union also is interested in lessening the amount of required paperwork.

“Let’s work together to streamline data where we can,” Peace said.

On another topic, the board approved additional spending for extra instructional time to help close achievement gaps for students and to help support students who are below grade level.

In keeping with the grant requirements, the program targets students who are performing below grade level in one or more academic areas, according to agenda background materials.

The extra instruction will be provided from Oct. 18 to March 11.

The elementary extended school day program will focus on reading and mathematics. The secondary extended day program will focus on core content courses.

A total of 11,500 instructional hours will be devoted to elementary students; 2,628 for middle school students and 9,824 hours for high school students.

On another issue, board member Colleen Beaudoin reminded parents that the district’s school choice program, known as Pasco Pathways, will be hosting virtual expos soon to familiarize parents with the various education options available in the district.

The virtual expo for West Pasco is scheduled for Nov. 15 and the virtual expo for East Pasco is set for Nov. 18. Each expo is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Beaudoin said she wanted to draw attention to the expos, to help ensure parents will be able to take advantage of them.

“I frequently have parents say they didn’t know there were certain programs available at schools,” she said.

“I would like to encourage parents to please attend the (virtual) expos and then you’ll learn all of the things that are offered at the different schools, and then you make informed decisions for your students for the year.

“Pasco Pathways is talking about all of the different pathways that your students can take to go through our schools, pre-k through 12. That is school choice.

“That’s a chance to learn about the programs, the opportunities that we have.

“And then, the window to apply for school choice, is Jan. 6, 2022 to Jan. 20,2022, which will be here before you know,” Beaudoin said.

The expos provide a tremendous opportunity for parents to find out about their options, Altman agreed.

“They (school district staff) did an outstanding job putting it (expos) together last year,” Altman said.

The notification and acceptance window for the district’s choice program is Feb. 23 to March 4.

For more information, visit the school district’s website and then go to the Pasco Pathways page.

Published October 13, 2021

Florida changes COVID student quarantine protocols

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Florida parents now have the power to decide whether a healthy child should be taken out of school because of exposure to COVID-19.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran joined together on Sept. 22, to announce that the Florida Department of Health issued a new rule, empowering families to make that decision.

The new emergency rule, which became effective on Sept. 22, prevents the unnecessary exclusion of healthy students from in-person schooling; safeguards the rights of parents and legal guardians and their children; provides health protocols for symptomatic or COVID-19-positive students; and provides opportunities for parents and legal guardians to choose which protocols to implement when their student has had direct contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19, according to a news release posted on the governor’s web page.

“Parents have the right to have their healthy kids in school,” DeSantis said, in the release.

“In-person education is important for students’ well-being, their educational advancement, and their social development. The idea that schools are somehow a big problem when it comes to the spread of the virus has been refuted yet again. Not only is the forced quarantining of healthy children disruptive to a student’s education, but many folks in Florida are not able to work from home. With this rule, we are following a symptom-based approach to quarantining students in Florida.”

The state’s new surgeon general added: “The governor and I share a similar vision of weighing the costs and benefits of public health policies – and our new rule today is an example of that,” Ladapo said, in the release.

“We must make sure that we are doing what is right for parents and for students. There’s not a single high-quality study that shows that any child has ever benefited from forced quarantining policies, but we have seen demonstrable and considerable harm to children. It’s important to respect the rights of parents.”

Corcoran also commented: “What we did over the past year was nothing less than amazing – we gave parents in our state the option to send their children to school for face-to-face instruction with more students, over a longer time than any state in the nation – but we did see massive quarantining,” said Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, father of six kids who missed over 100 days of school last year due to quarantines.

“If you take the number of kids that had to quarantine, and added up the days they missed in school, in the education arena, we would call that a chronic absenteeism pandemic. Now we have the data telling us that factually 98% of those children who quarantined never became symptomatic. That’s why the previous policy didn’t make any sense. This is a brilliant change, and I’m so thankful for this new common-sense rule.”

On another COVID-19-related issue, DeSantis announced that Florida has secured 3,000 doses of monoclonal antibody treatments directly from GlaxoSmithKline, after the Biden Administration cut the supply.

“We should be doing everything we can to get patients monoclonal antibody treatments, not cutting allocations of treatment like the Biden Administration has done,” DeSantis said, in a release on his web page.

Florida has been aggressive in making this treatment available.

Meanwhile, on the issue of Pfizer booster shots, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that these groups of people receive Pfizer booster shots, six months after their initial series of shots:

  • People 65 years and older, and residents in long-term care settings
  • People aged 50 to 64 years with underlying medical conditions
  • People aged 18 to 49 years with underlying medical conditions, based on individual benefits and risks
  • People aged 18 to 64 years who are at increased risk of COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting

According to the CDC, many people now eligible to receive a booster shot received their initial vaccine early in the vaccination program and will benefit from additional protection.

“With the Delta variant’s dominance as the circulating strain and cases of COVID-19 increasing significantly across the United States, a booster shot will help strengthen protection against severe disease in those populations who are at high risk for exposure to COVID-19 or the complications from severe disease,” according to information on the CDC’s website.

The CDC also will evaluate available data in the coming weeks to make additional recommendations for other populations or people who got the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines, the website says.

COVID Numbers

Pasco County Schools*
Student cases: 5,317
Employee cases: 900

Hillsborough County Schools*
Student cases: 9,145
Employee cases: 1,520

*Cumulative for school year, as of Sept. 24

Sources: Pasco County Schools and Hillsborough County Schools

Pasco County*
Cases: 1,851
Positivity rate: 13.8%

Hillsborough County*
Cases: 3,841
Positivity rate: 9.7%

*Week of Sept. 17 to Sept. 23

Source: Florida Department of Health

Published September 29, 2021

School funding issue highlights Pasco legislative delegation

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More than 30 citizens and civic leaders made their voices heard on various hot-button issues during the annual Pasco County Legislative Delegation meeting at Zephyrhills City Hall.

Refining funding for area schools was among the key themes at the Sept. 1 gathering.

The annual event allows residents, elected officials, representatives of city and county governments, and civic organizations to speak directly to their legislators prior to the start of the next legislative session.

The Pasco County Legislative Delegation annual pre-session meeting took place on Sept. 1 inside Zephyrhills City Hall. More than 30 citizens and civic leaders made their voices heard on various hot-button issues, including education, criminal justice, health care, small businesses, nonprofits, environmental and municipal infrastructure. (Kevin Weiss)

Pasco’s delegation includes State Reps. Amber Mariano, Ardian Zika and Randy Maggard; and State Sens. Wilton Simpson (current Senate president), Ed Hooper and Danny Burgess, respectively. Maggard was absent at the delegation meeting.

Pasco County School Board member Colleen Beaudoin opened the conversation on education — addressing the delegation on virtual school financing inequities.

Beaudoin asked state leadership to consider an amendment that would strike language from a Florida statute that puts Pasco’s virtual program at a disadvantage to the Florida Virtual School (FLVS) program.

Current law limits Pasco eSchool to earning full-time equivalency (FTE) funding during the 180-day school calendar, while the state’s virtual school can record FTEs throughout the summer,  Beaudoin explained.

This situation hurts students who wish to take online classes during the summer — whether that’s to meet graduation requirements or accelerate their learning, she said.

She also noted that Pasco eSchool offers more than 50 courses that are not available from FLVS, including high-interest electives, dual-enrollment, Advanced Placement, and career and technical courses.

“We want every opportunity to provide choice for our students and families,” said Beaudoin, a University of Tampa math instructor and department of education chair.

Beaudoin put forth three instances of funding being denied students to take district virtual classes.

“Please allow for the same funding that you provide for FLVS.”

United School Employees of Pasco president Don Peace stepped in to raise concerns about the state’s “formulation and categorical restrictions in the teacher salary increase allocation.”

The union leader said he agrees with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ plan to raise the floor on salaries to recruit new teachers.

But, Peace said there needs to be some accommodations for more experienced teachers, particularly regarding salary compression.

The first 15 years of teacher salaries have been compressed in Pasco — meaning that a 15-year teacher makes the same salary as a teacher fresh out of college, Peace said.

Peace suggested altering the state’s teacher salary allocation guidelines. Currently, it calls for 80% of funds to be used for increasing the base salary, with 20% for those already above the base salary.

He suggested that it should be split 50/50, which would allow school boards the ability to raise the ceiling on salaries to recognize long-term employees.

Peace also urged legislators to improve salaries for bus drivers, custodians, food and nutrition services workers and other support staff.

Tammy Rabon-Noyce is the executive director of CLASS Pasco, a nonprofit organization that represents the interests and advocacy for over 260 school principals, assistant principals and staffers.

She emphasized the need for legislators to involve school administrators and organizations such as CLASS Pasco in the drafting of education policies and funding.

She also asked the state to give local districts more freedom in spending decisions.

“We need autonomy over those (state) funds that you all so generously provide to us, and we ask that you consult with us — let us talk you through the implications of policies that you are considering, and tap our expertise,” Rabon-Noyce said.

Other topics included criminal justice, health care, small businesses, nonprofits, environmental and municipal infrastructure.

There was even talk about how the Sunshine State can better position itself to attract more film and television productions.

Tampa-based actor Ray Watters spoke on behalf of Film Florida, a statewide not-for-profit entertainment association.

The longtime professional actor underscored the potential economic windfall if Florida was able to attract more film and production companies.

“It’s really, really disheartening for me to know that Florida is the only state in the southeast, and one of 16 states throughout the U.S., without a program to compete for film and television projects, which puts us at a major competitive disadvantage,” he said.

Watters claimed that Florida has lost out on close to 100 major film and television projects that would’ve equated to over $1.5 billion spent statewide, 125,000 cast and crew jobs, and 250,000 hotel room nights.

A handful of passionate speakers called upon the legislative delegation to institute a statewide anti-tethering law.

Lutz resident Betsy Coville, a veterinarian for over three decades, said anti-tethering legislation promotes public safety and gives law enforcement additional tools to impede dog fighting.

Dog fighting, Coville added, is linked to illegal drugs and money laundering.

She also described the inhumane treatment endured by dogs who are tethered to a stationary object outdoors for lengthy periods.

“A dog on a chain has a very small, lonely world. They eat, sleep and live in the filth where they urinate and defecate,” Coville said.

“They’re at the mercy of rain, cold, heat, and sitting targets for biting insects and predators, both human and animal. They are not a part of a loving family, and rarely have appropriate food, shelter or veterinary care.

“Dogs are social animals and, over time, a lack of companionship and attention leads to fearful, anxious and often aggressive animals.”

Although four hours had been allotted for the legislative delegation meeting, speakers concluded their remarks within two hours.

Each guest speaker had been given three minutes to make their points and requests.

“Believe it or not folks, Pasco County has showed how you do a delegation meeting,” said Burgess the delegation chair, referring to the meeting’s efficiency.

The Florida Legislature kicks off the 2022 regular session on Jan. 11. The fall interim committee meeting schedule began Sept. 20 and runs through early December.

Published September 29, 2021

Governor wants to end Florida’s high-stakes testing

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Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced a legislative proposal that will eliminate the Common Core- based, end-of-year Florida Statewide Assessment (FSA), according to a news release from his office.

Instead, the governor is proposing a new accountability measure known as the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (F.A.S.T), which will monitor student progress and foster individual growth, according to the Sept. 14 news release.

By creating F.A.S.T., Florida would become the first state in the nation to fully implement progress monitoring, instead of end-of-year standardized testing.

“Florida’s education focus should be students’ growth and how we restore the conversation between parents and teachers in support of students’ growth,” DeSantis said, in the release. “In this final step to eradicate Common Core from our assessments, our administration is implementing the lessons learned from progress monitoring both during the state’s recovery and from our districts and schools that were already showing how we can better support students reaching their own unique growth goals.”

DeSantis made this announcement with Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, and was joined by several teachers and students from High Point Elementary School who have already benefited from utilizing the progress monitoring approach.

“Each year, Governor DeSantis’ administration has been committed to a data-driven approach to constantly improving how Florida provides supports to its teachers and turns the focus of education to how we impact our students, especially those representing achievement gaps,”  Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran said, in the release.

The new approach calls for:

  • Minimizing the stress of testing to three much shorter tests in the Fall, Winter and Spring that will inform students, teachers and parents about students’ growth.
  • Reducing testing time an average of 75% through progress monitoring, increasing time for teaching and providing more timely, usable feedback to help students reach their unique goals.

At the Pasco County School Board’s Sept. 14 meeting, Don Peace, president of the United School Employees of Pasco, applauded DeSantis’ push regarding state testing.

“Earlier today, we did get some good news delivered by the governor. The Department of Education has decided that this will be the last year for the high-stakes FSA testing.

“This will go a long way of relieving teachers of the stress that has been born for years, related to these tests.

“This is something that educators and unions have advocated for, for many years.

“Other methods of assessment will be in play, so there will still be accountability, but this is a historic event in Florida education,” Peace said.

Published September 22, 2021

Women’s Hall of Fame finalists named

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Susan A. MacManus, of Land O’ Lakes, is among the list of 10 finalists for the 2021 Florida Women’s Hall of Fame. (File)

Susan A. MacManus, of Land O’ Lakes, is among the list of 10 finalists selected by the Florida Commission on the Status of Women for the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame, according to a news release.

The list has been sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who soon will select up to three women to be the 2021 inductees.

The distinction recognizes and honors women “who, through their works and lives, have made significant contributions to the improvement of life for women and for all citizens of the state of Florida,” the news release says.

The nominees “exemplify the great diversity of women’s contributions to Florida life,” the release says.

MacManus is a political scientist and distinguished professor emeritus from the University of South Florida.

Other nominees are:

  • Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, of Tampa
  • Mayor Jane Castor, of Tampa
  • Judge Virginia Covington, of Tampa
  • May Mann Jennings, formerly of Brooksville
  • Sen. Arthenia Joyner, of Tampa
  • Barbara Nicklaus, of Palm Beach
  • Senator Kathleen Passidomo, of Naples
  • Lilly Pulitzer, of Palm Beach
  • Beverly White Yeager, of Palm Beach

“Each year it is more difficult to choose 10 finalists to send to the governor because of the many superb nominations we receive,” Commission Chair Karin Hoffman said, in the release.

This year’s inductees will be honored at a ceremony on Oct. 19.

Published September 15, 2021

Mask ruling has no immediate impact in Pasco schools

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Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper has deemed unconstitutional the state’s order to ban local school districts from imposing mandatory facemasks.

Cooper explained his decision in a two-hour announcement from the bench on Aug. 27.

Cooper ruled that school districts can impose mandatory mask mandates, and if challenged, must be granted due process to demonstrate their mask requirement is reasonable.

Taryn Fenske, communications director for Gov. Ron DeSantis, issued this reaction to the ruling: “It’s not surprising that Judge Cooper would rule against parent’s rights and their ability to make the best educational and medical decisions for their family, but instead rule in favor of elected politicians.

“This ruling was made with incoherent justifications, not based in science and facts – frankly not even remotely focused on the merits of the case presented. We are used to the Leon County Circuit Court not following the law and getting reversed on appeal, which is exactly what happened last year in the school reopening case. We will continue to defend the law and parent’s rights in Florida, and will immediately appeal the ruling to the First District Court of Appeals, where we are confident we will prevail on the merits of the case.”

Locally, Judge Cooper’s ruling will have no immediate impact in the Hillsborough or Pasco public school districts.

Hillsborough already has adopted a temporary facemask mandate in its schools which remains in effect through Sept. 17.

The Hillsborough board took that action, despite the governor’s executive order, and subsequent actions taken by the Florida Board of Education and the Florida Department of Education.

DeSantis has stood firm in his position that parents — not local school boards — have the authority to determine whether a student wears a mask in school.

Hillsborough school board members took emergency action to impose a temporary mandatory mask order, with a medical opt-out provision.

In doing so, they joined a number of school districts that defied that order and faced potential financial sanctions.

Cooper enjoined the state from imposing those penalties.

Shortly after Cooper’s ruling, Pasco County Schools issued this statement: “We are aware that Leon County Circuit Judge John C. Cooper has determined that Governor DeSantis’ order banning mask mandates is unconstitutional. At this time the ruling has no impact on Pasco County Schools’ mask-optional policy.

“The Governor’s order remains in effect until the final order is submitted. At that time, the Governor is expected to appeal the decision.

“To summarize: Today’s ruling has no immediate impact on Pasco County Schools. Masks remain optional for students and staff.”

So far this school year, Pasco County Schools has had a combined total of 2,481 student and staff cases, as of the evening of Aug. 27.

As of the same date, that figure stood at a combined total of 5,500 for students and staff in Hillsborough County Schools.

In other pandemic news, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted full approval on Aug. 23 of the Pfizer vaccine for those age 16 and older. The vaccine has emergency use authorization for those age 12 and older.

Experts have said the FDA’s approval could encourage people with vaccine hesitancy to go ahead and get vaccinated.

The pronouncement also could prompt more employers to require employees to get vaccinated.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor has announced that city employees have until Sept. 30 to become vaccinated. Those who do not will need to wear an N95 mask and show weekly results from a COVID test.

Pasco County has decided to use a different approach. It is offering $500 in premium pay to every employee who becomes fully vaccinated by Nov. 1.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to recommend that everyone age 12 and older get vaccinated to lessen the chance of becoming infected. While people may become infected, medical experts and scientists have said they are at much lesser risk of hospitalization or death.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 transmission rate remains high in Florida. Experts attribute that to the infectious delta variant of the disease, which they say is highly contagious.

In the week between Aug. 20 to Aug. 26, Florida recorded 151,749 new COVID-19 cases, with a positivity rate of 16.8%, according to the Florida Department of Health’s website.

Pasco County had 4,433 new cases, with a positivity rate of 21.2%.

Hillsborough County had 11,800 new cases, with a positivity rate of 18.9%.

AdventHealth West Florida Division continues to see an increase in COVID-19 cases at its facilities across West Florida and continues to experience a peak of COVID-19 patients, according to an Aug. 27 news release. To date, more than 600 COVID-positive patients are currently hospitalized in the West Florida Division’s 10 hospitals.

AdventHealth Carrollwood, AdventHealth Dade City, AdventHealth North Pinellas, AdventHealth Sebring, AdventHealth Zephyrhills have paused all non-time sensitive and non-emergent procedures.

The hospital chain also has limited visitors at numerous locations, including these in and near The Laker/Lutz coverage area: Dade City, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills, Tampa and Carrollwood. Specifics are available by visiting each hospital’s website.

In other COVID-19 related news, Hillsborough County has issued a news release to inform its water customers that they may notice a temporary change in the taste and odor of their drinking water.

Tampa Bay Water temporarily changed its water treatment process beginning Aug. 26 at its Lithia Hydrogen Sulfide Removal Facility, due to a lack of liquid oxygen deliveries to the facility.

Water provided to Hillsborough County Public Utilities customers will continue to meet all local, state, and federal regulations for drinking water, the news release said.

While consumers may notice a change in taste and odor, the treatment change will not alter the quality of the drinking water, according to the news release.

There is a delivery driver shortage caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and the need for available supplies to be diverted to local hospitals, the release explained.

“In addition, Tampa Bay Water is adjusting the regional blend of water sources to accommodate the change in available deliveries of liquid oxygen in the taste and odor,” the release said.

COVID Statistics: Week of Aug. 20 to Aug. 26

Florida
New cases: 151,749
Positivity: 16.8%

Pasco County
New cases: 4,433
Positivity rate: 21.2%

Hillsborough County
New cases: 11,800
Positivity rate: 18.9%

School cases
Cumulative cases, 2021-2022 school year*

Pasco County  Schools
2,350 student cases; 491 staff cases

Hillsborough County
4,563 student cases; 947 staff cases

*As of the evening of Aug. 27

Published September 01, 2021