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Cyber threats on the rise, expert says By Kevin Weiss
kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
The global impact of cyber crimes is likely to skyrocket over the next several years, Sri Sridharan, a cyber security expert predicts. Sridharan, managing director and chief executive officer of the Florida Center for Cybersecurity at the University of South Florida, was the keynote speaker during the Cybersecurity Symposium at PascoHernando State College, on Oct. 11. Hacking, he said, continues to be a “serious problem” in the realm of cyber security. “It’s a huge crime that’s taking place on a daily basis,” Sridharan said.“There’s lots of people wanting to steal your personal infor-
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mation, and steal intellectual property.” The latest statistics related to cyber crime are staggering. According to a recent study by Juniper Research, the global impact on cyber crimes was about $400 billion in 2015. By 2019, the market research organization projects the impact will be approximately $2.1 trillion. “In my opinion, that number is going to be even higher,” Sridharan said.“Every second, at least 22 records are breached.That’s about 2 million (records) per day.” Sridharan said hackers often focus on high-value industries — healthcare, manufacturing, and financial services — to access and modify information. See CYBER, page 11A
COURTESY OF FLORIDA CENTER FOR CYBERSECURITY
Sri Sridharan is the managing director and chief executive officer of the Florida Center for Cybersecurity at the University of South Florida.
Marine Corps League Detachment forms in Land O’ Lakes By B.C. Manion
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
A new Marine Corps League Detachment has formed in Land O’ Lakes. The Marine Forever Detachment No. 1440 has received its official charter, and the organization now meets on the third Monday of the month, at 7 p.m. at the Beef O’ Brady’s in the Village Lakes Shopping Center, 21539 Village Lakes Shopping Center Drive in Land O’ Lakes. The formal presentation of the detachment’s official charter took place at the Beef O’ Brady’s on Sept. 26. The League detachment is open to active duty, reserve and honorable discharged veterans of the U.S. Marine Corps and Navy FMF Corpsmen and Chaplains who live in Land O’ Lakes, Lutz, Odessa,Wesley Chapel and surrounding areas. L. David Kirk, of Lutz, the commandant of the new detachment, led the quest for its formation. He also organized the Marine Forever Veterans Group LLC, a social group of Marine Corps veterans and their wives, that has been meeting at the same Beef O’ Brady’s for dinner for the past four years. That group, which is primarily social in nature, will continue to meet for dinner on Monday evenings at 6 p.m., Kirk said. Unlike the social group, the League detachment will have a 501-c4 status, meaning it can raise money for charitable causes, such as helping veterans in need, providing money for education and other endeavors, Kirk said.
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF L. DAVID KIRK
Members of the newly created Marine Forever Detachment No. 1440, pictured, from left, with Florida Commandant Ron Ashley. Detachment members are Danny Newman, Norm Keith, Jesse Garland, Bill Montgomery, Hal Howard, Henry Foshee, Johanna O’Brien, John Heaney, Sue Kirk, Tom Repetti, Ryan O’Conner, Lester Osteen and David Kirk, detachment commandant.
David Kirk, commandant of the Marine Forever Detachment No. 1440 signs a document to make the new league detachment official.
The Land O’ Lakes detachment was needed because the closest one was 15 miles away, or more, Kirk explained, in a previous story published in The Laker.
By Kathy Steele
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
While the committee recommends the boundaries, the Pasco County School Board has the final word on where the lines should be drawn. Elementary B is expected to open in the fall, for the 2017-2018 school year. It will have a capacity of 878 students, and is expected to have 706 students. Oakstead, which had 1,095 enrolled students is expected to have 765 students, under the proposed boundaries. Odessa, which had 1,000 students, is expected to have 780, and Lake Myrtle, which had 587 students, is expected to have 616. A parent meeting has been scheduled for Nov. 1, from6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the cafeteria at Oakstead Elementary,11925 Lake Patience Road. At that meeting, staff for Pasco County Schools, will explain the proposed boundaries and will invite those attending to ask questions and provide feedback. While the school district needs to draw boundaries for new schools, the issue is typically controversial. Some parents complain that they deliberately moved into the area because of the school they believed their child would attend. Others are happy with
Tourism in Pasco County is on a launching pad, as county officials prepare for what they hope to be an explosion of visitors — sampling the county’s shops, malls, restaurants, hotels and future sports complexes. County commissioners are reviewing proposals for a sports complex at Wiregrass Ranch, with about an $8.5 million investment. Florida Hospital Center Ice is expected to open in early 2017, and to become a draw for local, state and national sports competitions. Bed tax revenues are estimated to push past the $1 million mark in 2016.And, under a tourism master plan, county officials anticipate the 2 percent bed tax rate to increase to 5 percent by 2019, with revenues reaching nearly $3 million. To tackle upcoming challenges from this record growth, Pasco is looking to reorganize the tourism office, and hire a tourism director. “It’s growing to a pretty big operation,” said Richard Gehring, the county’s strategic policy administrator.“We’re going to be on another plateau as we compete in the Tampa Bay region.This is the next step up.” Two to three candidates were identified and interviewed. County officials now are making an offer, and negotiating salary and benefits. The issue came up at the County Commission’s Oct. 11 meeting. Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells expressed surprise at the creation of a new
See BOUNDARIES, page 11A
See TOURISM, page 11A
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B INSIDE, PAGE 1B
This is an exterior view of what Elementary B will look like when construction is completed. The school is expected to open next fall, for the 2017-2018 school year.
Boundaries recommended for Elementary B B.C. Manion
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
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See MARINE, page 11A
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Besides being more convenient, it’s also less expensive to belong because it doesn’t take as much gas to get to meetings, Kirk said. Now that the new detachment is established, existing league members can transfer their membership. So far, the detachment has 24 members, but Kirk expects about a half-dozen new members to join this month. This isn’t the first time that Kirk has served as commandant. He previously served in that capacity at the Angus R. Goss Detachment in Tampa. The Marine Corps League was founded in 1923 by World War I hero Major Gen. Commandant John A. Lejeune, and its congressional charter was approved by an act of the 75th Congress, which was signed and approved by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on Aug. 4, 1937. The league’s mission calls for its mem-
A boundary committee has recommended boundaries for a new elementary school being built in Bexley, a new subdivision being built in Land O’ Lakes, off of State Road 54. The committee has selected an option that would include Ballantrae, Suncoast Meadows, Suncoast Pointe, Hayman/Fuentes, Meadowbrook/Sierra Pines, and all of Bexley, which are east of the Suncoast Parkway. The new elementary also would include Swan View Townhomes, Ivy Lake Estates and Toscano at Suncoast, which are west of the Suncoast Parkway. The proposed boundaries would reduce crowding at both Odessa and Oakstead elementary schools, and would provide additional students for Lake Myrtle Elementary. Students that would be shifting from Oakstead to Lake Myrtle live in these areas: Morsani, Woodville Palms, Cambridge/Lake Linda, Oakstead Area South, Cypress Cove/Village on the Pond, Meadowview/Country Close and Foxwood/Lake Heron.