The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Pasco County Sheriff's Office

Pasco County projects axed by Gov. Scott

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Gov. Rick Scott signed an $83 billion budget for 2018 and used his veto pen to slash nearly $22 million earmarked for Pasco County projects.

In total Scott struck out nearly $410 million from local projects across Florida.

Gov. Rick Scott (File)

Pasco lost about $15 million for a new interchange to connect Overpass Road with Interstate 75, and $4.3 million for the Thomas Varnadoe Forensic Center for Education and Research.

The interchange would be a major link in providing more access to Wesley Chapel and east Pasco, where residential and commercial development is booming.

A groundbreaking and dedication ceremony was held in May for the Adam Kennedy Forensics Field, located in Land O’ Lakes, near the planned forensic center. The body farm and forensic center would become the seventh in the nation to study body decomposition as a tool in solving crimes, and identifying victims of murder or other trauma.

The forensic center is planned jointly with Pasco County, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, Pasco-Hernando State College and the University of South Florida’s Institute for Forensics and Applied Science.

Two budget items totaling nearly $1 million to clean out and repair the county’s culverts, and ease the threat of flooding are gone as well.

The Pasco County Fair Association also lost about $860,000 for proposed upgrades to the Pasco County Extension Office. And, Saint Leo University won’t get $4 million for a proposed Florida Hospital Wellness Center.

Scott had a joint press conference on June 2 with Speaker of the House Richard Corcoran, a Republican from Land O’ Lakes, and Senate President Joe Negron, a Republican from Stuart. The trio announced a funding deal had been reached following weeks of speculation that Scott might veto the entire budget. Instead, the governor wielded his veto power, and called legislators back for a three-day special session from June 7 through June 9.

The agenda will include increases to annual per pupil spending from kindergarten through 12th grade; creation of an $85 million Florida Job Growth Grant Fund; and, restoring funds to Visit Florida and Enterprise Florida.

Scott has said he will not veto a controversial education bill that Corcoran favored. It creates a School of Hope program that would subsidize charter schools in areas where public schools are considered failing.

There currently are no plans to include discussion of how to regulate medical marijuana. Voters overwhelmingly approved medical marijuana in a 2016 referendum, but legislators have been split on how many dispensaries to allow.

Scott also cut these Pasco projects:

  • $750,000 for Pasco Regional STEM School/Tampa Bay Region Aeronautics
  • $500,000 for a study of the Clinton Avenue Intersection Re-alignment at U.S. 98 and U.S. 301
  • $350,000 for U.S. 301/Re-imagine Gall Boulevard

Published June 6, 2017

Land O’ Lakes site aims to improve forensic research

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Pasco County had a dedication ceremony for a 5-acre field that will be used to advance forensic research and aid in criminal investigations.

The “body farm” is next to the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center, off U.S. 41. A separate forensics and training facility also is being planned near the body farm site.

A monument sign was unveiled on May 12 at a dedication ceremony for the Adam Kennedy Forensics Field. The ‘body farm’ is part of a project to build a forensics research and training center next to Pasco County’s jail.
(Courtesy of Pasco County Sheriff’s Office)

The field has been named the Adam Kennedy Forensics Field, in honor of the former principal of Crews Lake Middle School, who died in a car accident while driving to work in January.

His body was the first one donated to the body farm.

“There is so much bittersweet about this,” said Abigail Kennedy, the principal’s wife, as she spoke during a May 12 ceremony.

Officials from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, county commissioners, and Dr. Erin Kimmerle of the University of South Florida’s Institute of Forensic Anthropology & Applied Science (IFAAS) also were there, as the sign for the field was unveiled.

Adam Kennedy wanted to leave his body to science, Abigail Kennedy said, noting that before her husband died, the couple had discussed possible options, including donating to a medical school.

She said her husband wanted to do something “dedicated to making people’s lives better.”

She contacted USF about the plans underway for the body farm and forensics facility to ask if her husband’s body could be the first donation.

“All I could think was this couldn’t be more perfect,” she said. “This is so cool. This is so Adam.”

The campus of the Florida Forensics Institute for Research & Tactical Training, or F.I.R.S.T., is expected to become a national and international hub for research in the field of forensic science.

The body farm and forensics facility will be the seventh in the nation to study body decomposition as a tool in solving crimes, and identifying victims of murder or other trauma.

The University of Tennessee, in Knoxville, opened the first facility of this type during the 1970s.

The former principal’s body will be buried and later exhumed for research.

So far, about 30 people have preregistered with USF for body donations.

Project partners include the sheriff’s office, Pasco County, Pasco-Hernando State College and the IFAAS.

Kimmerle and USF are well-known for their work in identifying bodies found in unmarked graves at the former Dozier School for Boys in Marianna.

The forensics building at F.I.R.S.T. will be the Thomas Varnadoe Forensic Center for Education and Research. Varnadoe’s body was among those recovered and identified at the grave site at the Dozier school.

Pasco’s campus will include a laboratory, classrooms, a morgue and evidence storage. Virtual autopsies with 3-D scanning and chemical isotope analysis will be done. Other activities will focus on legal medicine, forensic intelligence, aviation reconstruction and cyber forensics.

A tactical training facility for the sheriff’s K-9 unit and the Pasco Unified SWAT team also is planned.

About $200,000 in funding for this facility is being aided through a local campaign spearheaded by the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel.

State funds of about $4.3 million for the forensics and research facility are included in the 2018 budget approved by Florida legislators. But, as of The Laker/Lutz News’ publication deadline, Gov. Rick Scott had not yet decided whether to sign the budget bill.

Scott has expressed displeasure with the budget and could opt to use his line item veto, veto the education portion of the budget or veto the entire budget.

The project will go forward whatever the decision, according to sheriff’s office officials. If the appropriation isn’t approved this year, another request will be made in the 2019 state budget or other sources of money will be sought, they said.

Published May 31, 2017

Pasco County begins budget review for 2018

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Pasco County officials anticipate an increase in property tax revenues, which in recent years have been on an upward trend.

But, that doesn’t mean the budget will be flush with money for fiscal year 2018.

Pasco County commissioners will be grappling with an $8.1 million increase in the Pasco County sheriff’s budget; a request to restore operating hours for libraries to 2008 levels; and, a parks system trying to keep up with population growth.

That’s a short list of anticipated budget requests.

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano
(Fred Bellet)

Commissioners got a preview of the tough budget decisions for fiscal year 2018 at a May 2 workshop in New Port Richey. Final figures on revenues and expenses are evolving.

The Pasco County Property Appraiser’s office is scheduled to provide tax valuation data in June. Commissioners are set to review the budget in July and to have two public hearings before final approval. The fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

At the workshop, county projections pegged property tax revenues according to three scenarios – a 4 percent increase, a 7 percent increase and a 9 percent increase.

Even with the rosiest of scenarios, the county’s property tax revenues for 2018 will be less than where the county was 10 years ago, said Bob Goehrig, the county’s budget director.

The county also will be facing the potential loss in 2019 of as much as $13 million in property tax revenues. Voters will decide in a 2018 referendum whether to increase the current $50,000 standard homestead exemption to $75,000.

“That will make our decisions more difficult,” said Pasco County Transition Manager Michele Baker.

Baker is retiring as county administrator. Her replacement is Dan Biles, who started his new job on May 1.

One of the biggest ticket items for 2018 will be the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. A requested increase of $8.1 million would be used for pay raises, equipment and new job hires. About $5.5 million of the increase is for the last phase of a 3-year pay raise plan for deputies.

A somewhat smaller amount of about $4.8 million had been anticipated, said Goehrig.

Several other departments made presentations requesting budget increases.

Over three years, library officials want to restore operating hours to 2008 levels of 40 hours a week at each library, and to hire eight full-time employees. The total cost over three years would be about $985,000.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey

In the first year, the Land O’ Lakes Public Library and Regency Park Public Library would add hours and staff at a cost of about $325,000. In later years, service would increase at the Hudson Regional Public Library, Hugh Embry Public Library, New River Public Library, Centennial Park Public Library and South Holiday Public Library.

“We should be doing this,” said Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley. “But, we’ve got to come up with a funding source.”

The county’s parks department needs about $15 million to pay for deferred maintenance and about $6.4 million to replace aging infrastructure. Based on a long-range master plan for parks, about $134 million is needed to provide amenities to meet population growth for the last 10 years and for the next 10 years.

At a prior workshop, county commissioners requested information on eliminating $2 parking fees at county parks, and $60 annual passes.

That would mean a revenue loss of about $332,000 a year, said

Kelley Boree, the county’s parks, recreation and natural resources director.

To cover the loss, general funds could be used or, Boree said, the county could end three programs – aquatics, horticulture at sports field and summer camp.

“I’m just totally against taking any money from parks,” said Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey.

But, Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano said he wants to see fees eliminated and suggested a higher tax rate would save programs from being cut. “You increase access and quality of life; I think that’s great advertising for the county.”

Published May 10, 2017

Raising awareness about child abuse

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Learning to recognize the signs of child abuse is a critical first step in knowing when to report suspected abuse.

Pasco-Hernando State College and Pasco Kids First Inc., hosted a child abuse awareness seminar on April 20 for about 30 people. The seminar was free and open to the community, students, faculty and staff.

Pasco-Hernando State College and Pasco Kids First., hosted a child abuse awareness seminar at the college. Among those attending were students, faculty and seminar presenters.
(Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

The “Stop the Abuse” seminar was part of the Summer 2017 Community Awareness Series. The next seminar will be on skin cancer awareness on May 24 from 11 a.m. to noon at PHSC’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, at 2727 Mansfield Blvd, in Building B, Room 203.

Staff members from Pasco Kids First child protection team and trauma therapy team discussed tools and resources to help victims of child abuse and how to recognize when child abuse is happening.

There’s no doubt that child abuse is an issue in Florida. A hotline to report suspected child abuse gets thousands of calls every year in the state.

Many of those attending the seminar are nursing students at the college.

“You’ll be faced with a lot of different scenarios,” said Natalie Epo, associate dean for academic affairs and retention services at the Porter Campus.

Data shows that children from birth to age 5 are at the highest risk of death from child abuse. Across the country, five children die every day from child abuse.

Telltale signs of abuse can be as obvious as a pattern of cigarette burns, or less so, such as bruising that is less noticeable and harder to categorize as abuse.

“If you see bruises on a child under age 5, those are the most concerning,” said Jon Wisenbaker, program manager for Pasco Kids First child protection team.

Pasco Kids First’s child protection and trauma teams work with the protection investigators at the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. They do assessments on physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and high-risk cases. Referrals are made by child protective investigators or law enforcement, but can’t be made directly by the general public.

Not every reported injury is due to child abuse, however.

“Kids do get accidental injuries all the time,” Wisenbaker said.  “That’s where we come into the picture to make that decision.”

The location and pattern of bruises can be telling, said Julie Nadkarni, pediatric nurse practitioner with Pasco Kids First’s child protection team.

Bruising, especially pattern bruising, on the inner thigh, upper arms, buttocks and sides of the face, ears and neck can be signs of abuse, Nadkarni said.

Bruises behind a child’s ear generally aren’t seen.

“When they fall, their ears don’t typically hit the ground,” she added.

Nadkarni showed slides of children with clear signs of abuse, including ligature marks, cigarette burns and scalded feet.

Bite marks, particularly by adults, are often associated with sexual abuse, she said.

Pasco Kids First also sees children suffering from neglect and malnutrition.

The mission of Pasco Kids First, however, is to keep families together, if possible.

“The goal is always to strengthen the family because overall that is where a child is going to do the best,” Nadkarni said.

Studies support that view, said Wisenbaker.

When children are removed, they are more likely to live with a relative or family friend than in a foster home, he said.

Helping victims and their families deal with abuse, and recover from trauma, is part of the mission at Pasco Kids.

Miranda Hager, trauma therapist with Pasco Kids First, counseled more than 280 clients last year. About 80 percent were victims of sexual abuse; 10 percent physical abuse; and 10 percent other types of trauma.

Children who have been abused can react to abuse by becoming aggressive or withdrawn. They make have difficulty sleeping, problems at school, increasing stomachaches and headaches and lack motivation.

Lexy, a survivor of child sex abuse, is one of Hager’s clients. She spoke at the seminar about her yearlong experience of abuse at age 15 by an older male friend of the family.

What happened over many months was a pattern of grooming, typical of sex offenders, Hager said.

Children are targeted over many months as the sexual predator tries to create a special friendship, giving them gifts and being available to them. “It’s a slow process of pulling the child away from friends and family,” Hager said.

For information, visit PascoKidsFirst.org.

To report suspected child abuse, neglect or abandonment, call the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-(800)-962-2873, or fax to (800) 914-0004.

Revised May 5, 2017

Safeguarding seniors against scams

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Awareness is key in protecting yourself against scams, according to Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater.

Atwater launched Operation SAFE (Stop Adult Financial Exploitation) in 2014 to help protect Florida’s elderly population from financial scams and fraud.

An Operation SAFE workshop, presented by the San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union, was held on Jan. 18 at Zephyrhills Cinema 10.

There, a group of mostly senior attendees learned about spotting fraudulent behavior, common scams that target seniors and ways to fight identity theft.

Savannah Sullivan, a communications specialist for the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS), counseled the dozens in attendance to first be wary of odd behavior. She said seniors should tread carefully if someone is “becoming a little too friendly” or “shows up out of nowhere and wants to move in.”

During the presentation, Sullivan pointed out senior women, typically, are more vulnerable than their male counterparts to becoming a scam victim.

“A lot of women are a little more trusting, nurturing, caring, and may find themselves in a position where they want to help somebody more,” she explained.

Those attributes, Sullivan said, makes them particularly susceptible to what’s known as a romance scam.

In romance scams, a con artist pretends to have romantic intentions to gain affection and trust, often claiming to be from another country. The scam artist will then begin asking for money, claiming it’s for airplane tickets, medical bills or other expenses.

Those scams, Sullivan noted, are becoming more prevalent with the rise of online dating sites.

It’s also becoming one of the most costly.

Sullivan said romance scams wound up costing older Americans about $82 million in 2014; the average cost was over $100,000 per person.

“It really does wrap people in it,” Sullivan said, “because it uses that place where we are at our weakest — our hearts and our love connections.

“If they’re asking for money, and you haven’t met them, it’s a bad sign.”

The overall rate of scams against seniors is staggering.

According to the AARP, 80 percent of fraud victims are 50 and older.

Moreover, one out of every five adults, 65 years and older, has been the victim of a financial scam.

One explanation: seniors control about 70 percent of the disposable income in the United States.

“(Seniors) have so much control over the nation’s wealth,” Sullivan said, “and that is why scam artists are targeting them.”

Yet many scam artists, surprisingly, aren’t even strangers.

About 79 percent of scams against seniors over 65 occur by a family member, a DFS report shows.

“It’s important to keep in mind that sometimes it’s the people you least expect,” Sullivan explained. “It’s often the people who are closest around and may have access to personal financial information…”

Det. Bruce Cohen handles economic crimes for the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

He said many scammers claim to be an authentic government agency, such as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and then proceed to ask for payment via a prepaid debit card.

Requests for green dot cards, he said, are one vital clue to filtering out a scam.

“No legitimate business or government agency will tell you fill out a green dot card; if you hear that, it’s a scam,” Cohen said.

Cohen also instructed seniors to never place mail in mailboxes for pickup.

Doing so creates an easy opportunity for criminals to access financial statements, like credit card accounts and bank statements.

“If you’re going to deal with mail, go to the post office and drop it off at the post office box inside,” Cohen said. “The red (mailbox) flag is just an indication to all the thieves to steal your stuff.”

Seniors, too, should be wary of various intimidation scams, like the jury duty scam.

Fraudsters, posing as courthouse officials or police, telephone in claims that jury duty was missed.

Because of that, scammers threaten you’re going to be arrested, unless a fine is immediately paid.

“It’s a doubly whammy,” said Zephyrhills Police Sgt. Reginald Roberts. “You’ve given them money and your (personal) information.”

Roberts noted those types of scams have also become more frequent because of spoofing, a technique where scammers manipulate the Caller ID feature to masquerade as courthouses or law enforcement agencies.

“They’ll use official names. They’ll use the names of judges, the sheriff, the police chief,” Roberts explained.

He continued: “Caller ID was the gospel at one time, but nowadays, there’s just too many spoofing apps that you really can’t trust that.”

If you suspect a sham call, Roberts advised, “hang up and call the jury clerk.”

Unfortunately, Roberts said, these types of scams, along with other fraud schemes, are constantly getting tweaked and fine-tuned by criminals.

It makes law enforcement’s job even tougher, he said.

“These scams are going to change daily,” Roberts said. “They’re going to try to find a way to get better.”

Yet, experts agreed that knowing the telltale signs of scams and applying common sense can help to avoid getting caught up in a money-draining plot.

“Scam artists are using information that you don’t know,” Sullivan said. “They’re banking on you not knowing something.”

For more information, visit MyFloridaCFO.com.

Common tactics used by scam artists

  • Phantom riches: The scam artist will dangle the prospect of wealth, perhaps a guaranteed monthly income, if you purchase a certain product.
  • Source credibility: The scam artist will make it appear that his or her company is reputable, or that they have special credentials or experience.
  • Social consensus: The scam artist will want you to believe that people you may know already have invested or purchased the product, such as your neighbors, or well-known community leaders.
  • False affiliation: Similar to source credibility, the scam artist works for a company whose name gives the appearance that they are a part of, or affiliated with a senior advocacy group, such as AARP, or a government agency to gain your trust.
  • Sense of urgency: The scam artist will try to get you to buy now by saying the offer is extended only to the next 10 people who purchase today.

Red Flags

  • The person uses broken English and/or poor grammar during the interaction.
  • The person requests money or personal information.
  • A stranger tells you that he or she knows you.
  • The person makes threats that you will be arrested or will be forced to pay a penalty, if you don’t pay a fee.

Ways to avoid being scammed

  • Practice safe internet use.
  • Protect your Social Security number.
  • Destroy private records.
  • Secure your mail.
  • Check your credit report for suspicious activity.

Published February 8, 2017

 

Mettler Toledo breaks ground for new plant

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Swiss manufacturer, Mettler Toledo, broke ground on a 250,000-square-foot manufacturing plant that will bring about 185 new jobs to Pasco County.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey was among dignitaries who attended the groundbreaking for Mettler Toledo’s 250,000-square-foot plant in North Pointe Village, off State Road 54 at Suncoast Parkway.
(Courtesy of Pasco Economic Development Council)

More than 300 people attended the ceremony on Jan. 14. Among those present were Viggo Nielsen, general manager of Mettler Toledo Safeline; Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey; Pasco County Planning and Development Administrator Richard Gehring; and, Bill Cronin, president of Pasco Economic Development Council.

Mettler Toledo is relocating its current facility from Town ‘N Country, in Hillsborough County, to Northpointe Village, off State Road 54 at the Suncoast Parkway.

The company is a global supplier of precision scales and services used in research, and the packaging and production of food and pharmaceuticals.

The new facility will be part of the product inspection division for Mettler Toledo Safeline.

Gehring said a substantial amount of work from Mettler Toledo and county staff members preceded the groundbreaking.

He updated the Pasco County Commission on the project at the commissioners’ Jan. 24 meeting in Dade City.

“It was a great performance to see the result and to see $25 million in (investment) is going into the ground,” he said.  “It’s a major, major, major effort. When you walk out there, and see smiling faces and kids of families who will work there, it’s a very positive reinforcement to that effort.”

In addition to the new jobs, the company anticipates about 320 current employees will transfer to the new site. Besides closing the Town ‘N Country location, Metter Toledo also will close a plant in Ithaca, New York.

Annual average salaries for all jobs created at Mettler Toledo are pegged at more than $51,000.

Dignitaries use golden shovels at the groundbreaking for Mettler Toledo’s new plant at North Pointe Village.

Gehring said Pasco officials rolled out a welcome mat recently for some of Mettler Toledo’s employees who plan to relocate.

Pasco EDC staff members organized guided tours, with introductions to community leaders at area chambers of commerce and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, as well as school district employees.

The county previously rolled out its own financial welcome mat to the company itself.

Pasco County commissioners approved a $7.6 million incentive package in September that includes a payout of about $1.9 million for creating nearly 500 jobs.

Mettler Toledo also will get a property tax break of about $1.7 million for 10 years, if 80 percent of its jobs are retained annually.

Pasco County will contribute about $3.5 million to build an extension of Northpointe Village Drive, through its Penny for Pasco program.

A reimbursement of about $1.2 million will be sought from state road funds. If that’s approved, the county’s incentive package then would be reduced to about $6.4 million.

Published February 1, 2017

Raising awareness about human trafficking

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A spotlight is being cast on the issue of human trafficking this week in Wesley Chapel.

A symposium, co-hosted by Pasco-Hernando State College and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, is set for Jan. 12.

Two days later, a 5k and 1-mile walk/jog, followed by a concert, are scheduled for Jan. 14.

Edie Rhea said she spent several years of her life as a victim of human trafficking, being sold for sex, from the time she was 10 until she was 17. She now leads Healing Root Ministry, which aims to help victims of human trafficking restore their lives. Rhea will be speaking at a symposium on human trafficking on Jan. 12 in Wesley Chapel.
(File)

The symposium will be held on Jan. 12, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at PHSC’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass, 2727 Mansfield Blvd. The gathering will be in the Conference Center, building B, room 303.

The symposium will feature Cpl. Alan T. Wilkett, of the Sheriff’s Office and Edie Rhea, of Healing Root Ministry.

Wilkett will cover the criminal enforcement aspects of the issue, and Rhea will share her personal story of being trafficked.

Wilkett has served as a chief deputy, captain, commander, and director of public safety in a public service career that spans 22 years.

During his career, he has handled a wide array of positions and developed specialties in such areas as property crimes, major crimes, cold case, narcotics, child abuse and more.

Rhea works to help restore the lives of fellow survivors. She works in crisis intervention for children and women going through the aftermath of sexual abuse and human trafficking.

She is the founder of Healing Root Ministry, a nonprofit organization advocating for victims of human trafficking and sexual abuse.

Those attending the symposium will be able to obtain information from a number of agencies that provide services involving this issue.

The event is part of the state college’s ongoing Community Awareness Series, and is open to students, faculty, staff and the general public.

Human Trafficking Symposium
What: Pasco-Hernando State College and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office are co-hosting a Human Trafficking Symposium in Wesley Chapel.
When: Jan. 12, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: Porter Campus at Wiregrass, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in the Conference Center, Building B, room 303.

What: Light Up the Night Radiant 5k and 1-mile race
When: Jan. 14 at 4 p.m.
Where: The race, which aims to shine the light on the problem of human trafficking, will start at 4 p.m., at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.
The race will be followed by a concert, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Shops of Wiregrass and will feature Shalyah Fearing of NBC’s The Voice 2016.
The 5k and 1-mile jog/walk are family friendly. Dogs are welcome, too. Strollers also are welcome.

Published January 11, 2017

Rally sheds light on risks of impaired driving

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For one drunk driver, it took going blind to finally see.

That’s the message Derrick Jenkins shared during A Rally to Prevent Impaired Driving, on Dec. 5 at John Long Middle School in Wesley Chapel.

Three years ago, Jenkins was just a “normal kid.”

But, the St. Petersburg resident’s life changed forever on Nov. 5, 2013.

Derrick Jenkins was the guest speaker during A Rally to Prevent Impaired Driving on Dec. 5. Jenkins lost his eyesight three years ago after an impaired driving accident.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)

Jenkins, then 21, attended a local car show with a few buddies. His intention was to get drunk. He did.

“Being 21, I was thinking, ‘Sweet, we can get trashed legally.’ That was my mindset at the time,” Jenkins said, addressing a group of parents and their children.

That November evening, an intoxicated Jenkins chose to ride his motorcycle home. He wasn’t wearing a helmet.

He did not make it far.

He trekked about a “a block down the road” before he and his motorcycle collided full-force into a stationary construction truck on U.S. 19.

The fallout was catastrophic.

“I hit the truck so hard my eyes literally popped out of my head,” Jenkins said, “My eyes were literally hanging on my cheeks.”

Jenkins, now completely blind with no eyes, had suffered a severe traumatic brain injury from the crash.

As a result, he now suffers from diabetes insipidus. It is a rare disorder that causes an imbalance of water in the body and is marked by intense thirst and heavy urination.

He is also unable to regulate his body temperature, and is stricken with short-term memory loss because of dead spots scattered across his brain.

“They all affect me on a daily, hourly basis,” he said of his existing medical problems.

The incident was a long time coming, Jenkins said, considering his proclivity to excessively drink at house parties since he was in high school.

“I’m surprised it didn’t happen to me sooner,” he said, candidly. “I let what other kids think of me affect my decisions.”

For Jenkins, the dangers of driving impaired serve as a constant reminder.

“It only takes once,” he said.

December is National Impaired Driving Awareness Month.

To spread the message, several organizations — the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP), and Safe Teens AgaiNst Drugs (STAND) — teamed up for a panel discussion on issues related to drug and alcohol abuse, especially involving youths.

Much of the 30-minute dialogue centered on causes and impacts of underage drinking and drug abuse.

Shawn Crane, a Pasco Circuit Court Judge, said curbing youth substance abuse starts with choosing the right friends.

“The people you surround yourself with are absolutely critical to remaining drug free and alcohol free,” Crane said, during the roundtable. “If you want to fit in with that group that goes to the house parties, that is going to be the root that brings you down.”

Alexis Escalante, a MADD program specialist, said children with self-esteem issues are more at-risk of being pressured into drug and alcohol use.

“Kids can fall into that trap when they have low self-esteem,” Escalante said, “and they are looking for acceptance…wherever they can.”

That’s why, Escalante said, parents need to talk to their children about substance abuse at an early age.

“We have found that kids start forming their own opinions about drugs and alcohol as early as 8 years old,” Escalante said, “so it’s up to the parent to determine whether or not they’re getting correct information.”

She added, “The earlier you start talking about it, the more manageable it’s going to be.”

Ariana Santillana, a freshman at Ridgewood High, agreed, noting youth are heavily influenced not only by their peers, but what’s presented in movies, music and television.

“Drug use and alcohol is being promoted everywhere,” Santillana said. “Youth are like sponges—they soak up all the information they get about drugs.

She added: “It seems like parents are scared to talk to their kids about alcohol and drugs, and the effects it can have on them.”

Those effects are multiple and long-term, panelists concurred.

Besides the risk of motor vehicle accidents, there’s a possibility of stunted brain function, said Christina Roberto, a master social worker at BayCare Behavioral Health.

“When you’re underage, your brain is still developing,” Roberto said. “It doesn’t stop until you’re 25 or 26 (years old), so when you add all these extra substances…it’s causing it to not fully develop.”

Incarceration is another possible outcome, even for those under 18.

Natalie Scruggs, an assistant state’s attorney for Florida’s Sixth Judicial Court, said juveniles can be charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) manslaughter, a second-degree felony equating to 15 years in prison.

“That stays on your record pretty much forever,” Scruggs said. “The consequences can be very, very horrible.”

Panelists also agreed that substance abuse—and impaired driving — could create significant financial hurdles, from legal fees and court costs, to exorbitant medical bills to skyrocketing insurance rates.

“The cost is really difficult to measure,” Crane said, “because it is so vast.”

Published December 14, 2016

Guiding Pasco County Schools is a big job

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As Kurt Browning begins his second term as superintendent of Pasco County Schools, he knows he’s got his work cut out for him.

He found that out during his first term.

The superintendent of Pasco County Schools poses in the livestock barn at the Pasco County Fair. (Photos courtesy of Pasco County Schools)
The superintendent of Pasco County Schools poses in the livestock barn at the Pasco County Fair.
(Photos courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

“I tell people, I have not worked as hard in my adult life as I have this past four years,” said Browning, who directs the daily operations of Florida’s 11th-largest school district.

The 58-year-old quickly added: “Although I’ve never worked this hard, I’ve probably never done anything as fulfilling.”

Elected without opposition, Browning oversees an organization with 88 schools, 73,340 students and 9,954 employees.

When he came on board, he said he assumed he’d be able to accomplish change faster.

“I’ve always been able to effectuate change pretty quickly,” said Browning, who previously served as Florida’s Secretary of State and Pasco’s Supervisor of Elections.

In Pasco County Schools, though, he found that change has been incremental, rather than sweeping.

He likens it to turning a big ship.

And, he acknowledges, it hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing.

Kurt Browning, superintendent of Pasco County Schools, bends his 6-foot-2 frame to get down to eye level with these children at Fox Hollow Elementary School.
Kurt Browning, superintendent of Pasco County Schools, bends his 6-foot-2 frame to get down to eye level with these children at Fox Hollow Elementary School.

For one thing, Browning said he also had to learn to work alongside the elected Pasco County School Board.

“That was a tough adjustment for me,” Browning said, adding that he hasn’t always been perfect on that score.

“I think there has been a board member or two who has pulled me aside and said, ‘You really need to communicate better. You need to keep us more informed,’” the superintendent said.

It’s a lesson he’s taken to heart: “I still make decisions, but I’ve got to remember that I’ve got a school board out there, and they’ve got a role,” he said.

When issues arise now, Browning aims to keep school board members in the loop.

For instance, the school board met in executive session on Nov. 15, so the staff could brief them on the impasse declared on Nov. 11 by the United School Employees of Pasco.

A learning curve of his own
The superintendent also had to develop a deeper knowledge of education issues.

“The first year and a half, it was a challenge,” Browning said.

Browning takes a Selfie during a graduation ceremony for Fivay High School. He never tires of ceremonies that honor students who have completed the necessary requirements to graduate.
Browning takes a Selfie during a graduation ceremony for Fivay High School. He never tires of ceremonies that honor students who have completed the necessary requirements to graduate.

Now, he can discuss educational issues facing the district and potential impacts on students, but said he’s no expert on education.

So, he said, he surrounds himself with “highly qualified, competent people — passionate people” he can turn to for the information he needs to make decisions.

The district faces big challenges.

“July 8th was not a good day for me. That was the day that the school grades came out. School grades dropped,” Browning said.

The district’s rank also dropped, from 33rd in the state to 39th.

“We’ve got to see some improvement,” Browning said. “We cannot continue to teach kids the same way we did 25 years ago, because it’s just not working.”

At the same time, it’s important to remember that good things are happening around the district, Browning said.

“You can go into kindergarten classrooms and see kids doing things independently that are just mind blowing,” he said.

He’s also impressed by the number of graduates receiving scholarships every year, and the schools the students plan to attend and their planned areas of study.

Browning understands that people judge schools by their school grade, but he said, it doesn’t tell the whole story.

Kurt Browning tours Quail Hollow Elementary, which was converted from an ‘open’ school to one with traditional windows, walls and doors.
Kurt Browning tours Quail Hollow Elementary, which was converted from an ‘open’ school to one with traditional windows, walls and doors.

“It doesn’t show all of the caring teachers, the caring administration. It doesn’t show all of the activities and the support that those folks give to the kids in those schools,” he said.

Still, it’s problematic when the district is drawing new school boundaries, Browning said.

At public meetings on proposed boundaries, it’s common for parent to resist sending their child to a school that has a lower grade.

That issue is likely to surface more often, as the district grapples to accommodate Pasco County’s burgeoning growth.

Work is now underway to recommend school boundaries for Bexley Elementary and Cypress Creek Middle/High School, which are set to open next fall.

As new subdivisions pop up across the landscape, the district will need more schools.

“We can’t build schools fast enough,” Browning said, pointing to the residential growth along the State Road 54 corridor, from Meadow Pointe Boulevard to Little Road.

But, the district doesn’t have the money to build more schools, Browning said.

A potential solution would be to raise school impact fees, which the superintendent favors.

That issue is expected to heat up in the coming year.

The Pasco County Commission sets the fees, which apply to new residential construction.

Social media is double-edged sword
Aside from its facility needs, another challenge facing the district is the pervasive misuse of social media.

Social media can be a great tool for sharing information, but its use can quickly spin out of control, Browning said. “It’s like a fire. You just can’t put it out.”

The consequences for misusing social media can be serious, and parents need to be vigilant about how their kids are using technology, Browning said.

“I have done everything but knocked on the doors of houses and said, ‘Know what your kids are doing.’ The last thing you want to have happen is for your kid to go and post something on Twitter about shooting up a school, blowing up a school.

“It’s going to be on the record for the rest of their life,” Browning said.

In reflecting on his first term, Browning said one area where the district has made considerable progress involves the expansion of educational options.

Four years ago, the district essentially had the International Baccalaureate program at Land O ‘Lakes and Gulf high schools, he said.

Now, it has an elementary magnet school at Sanders Memorial Elementary.

Pine View Middle School is an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme Candidate School.

The district has the Cambridge Program at Pasco Middle School and Pasco High School, and it has converted Centennial Middle and Bayonet Middle to S.T.E.M. magnet schools.

It also has added an Aviation Academy at Sunlake, Hudson and Zephyrhills high schools.

The district also is eyeing the possibility of bringing Cambridge to Paul R. Smith Middle, and Anclote High School and San Antonio Elementary. And, it is considering an IB elementary program at Pine View Elementary.

Browning’s days are busy. At any given time, he may be visiting a district school, discussing a budget priority at a school board meeting, or joining the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office at a news conference. He’s also been known to pose for a photo in the livestock barn at the Pasco County Fair.

Perhaps his favorite thing, though, is sitting on the stage during district high school graduations.

It never gets old, Browning said.

He looks out on the sea of “hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of graduates” and thinks about their accomplishments.

“These are all kids who have met their requirements,” the superintendent said.

“I’m sitting there saying, ‘Wow, really, this is good stuff.’”

Published November 23, 2016

Pasco property tax rates holding steady

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Property tax rates won’t go up in fiscal year 2017, though a more robust trend in property values could bring a slight boost in property taxes for some homeowners.

At a final hearing on Sept. 27, Pasco County commissioners approved a $1.3 billion operating budget that includes increases for the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, and 16 new business initiatives that give residents more services.

The fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

Mike Fasano
Mike Fasano

The final budget is about $80 million less than what was proposed in July, partly due to accounting adjustments in how unspent funds for capital projects are counted.

Tax rates remain the same as last year. A homeowner will be assessed about $7.61 for each $1,000 in property value for the county’s general fund, and about $1.81 per $1,000 for the fire district.

However, as the economy has improved, property values in the past year have increased. Tax bills also could tick up slightly.

On average, county officials anticipate an additional $6.89 on a tax bill for a home valued at about $106,000.

“Hopefully, most citizens are going to see some reductions in their taxes,” said Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader.

A request weeks earlier from Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano resulted in a one-time allocation of $100,000 to the elderly nutrition program.

The money will be held in a reserve account while county staff members provide details on how the money will be spent. Fasano told county commissioners he wanted the funds to reduce the waiting list of elderly residents who want to participate in the free meal program.

The money is from additional funds returned to the county from the tax collector’s office.

Dade City resident Amy Gant made a plea for money to repair the Dade City Little League concession stand at John S. Burks Memorial Park.

The 30-year-old structure is in dire need of repairs, she said.

Code violations include a leaking roof and broken plumbing.

An electrical fire happened recently, and critters crawl through broken windows, Gant said.

“The concession stand for our league is one of the biggest moneymakers,” she said. “I know that it’s expensive, and you probably can’t afford it, but I’m going to ask anyway.”

As a youngster, Gant said the Dade City Little League was a lifeline for her. She told commissioners she would be dropped off at the ballpark by her drug addicted mother, and picked up at the end of the day.

But, she said, “A lot of the character I learned was on that field from coaches that mentored me.”

While the county set aside about $1.5 million for park upkeep, the concession stand isn’t on the list. Gant did get some encouragement.

County officials will look into repairing the electrical outlets.

A 2015 parks’ master plan that included an overall needs assessment is in early stages of implementation.

“This is a story that is repeated all over our parks’ system,” said Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey. “We just don’t fund them enough.”

Budget highlights include:

  • A bus circulator route for Land O’ Lakes
  • A $6.3 million increase for the sheriff’s office to fund a second year of salary raises, 24 additional fulltime employees, and new patrol laptops
  • A fire rescue ambulance and crew for Fire Station 37 on State Road 54 at Ballantrae
  • A code enforcement initiative to clean up major corridors, such as U.S. 41 and U.S. 19

Published October 5, 2016