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Historic election comes to a close By Kathy Steele ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
Votes will be counted on Nov. 8 to determine which candidate will be the next president of the Unites States – Donald J. Trump or Hillary Clinton. But, voters also will choose candidates running for state and local office in Pasco and Hillsborough counties. Absentee and early voting ballots already are being stockpiled in election offices. On election day, both counties will offer free bus rides to people who can show a valid voter information card. In Pasco, early voting began on Oct. 29 at eight locations around the county. Voters can cast ballots from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., at any
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Yards and rights-of-way are filling up with Trump and Clinton for president signs.
of those sites until early voting ends on Nov. 5 (Saturday) at 7 p.m. “We’re seeing a good, strong turnout,” said Brian Corley, Pasco’s supervisor of elections. “We’re seeing a lot of energy and enthusiasm, which is what we expect in a presidential election.”
More than 336,000 people are registered voters in Pasco, with nearly 131,000 registered as Republicans, nearly 108,000 as Democrats, and nearly 98,000 as no party or minor party. See ELECTION, page 13A
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Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey, center, digs into the dirt at a groundbreaking for a reclaimed water project at 4G Ranch. Standing next to Starkey are William Ted Phillips Sr., ranch owner (in light blue shirt); and, his son Teddy Phillips Jr. (next to Phillips Sr.).
Man-made wetlands replenish thirsty Central Pasco County By Kathy Steele ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
An approximately $13 million reclaimed water project is under construction on pastoral lands of a working cattle ranch in Land O’ Lakes. In the next year, 15 man-made wetlands will be created on about 237 acres at 4G Ranch, owned by the Phillips family.The system is expected to be operational in 2018, and will provide the county with up to 5 million gallons of reclaimed water a day. Pasco’s residences and golf courses are among those expected to benefit from the project.The wetlands also will be a resource in times of drought, along with the county’s 500-million gallon reclaimed water reservoir on Boyette Road. It is a one-of-a-kind environmental experiment to turn dry uplands into wetlands that will help restore natural habitats that
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were degraded from years of well pumping during drought.And, the wetlands eventually will help recharge the Floridan aquifer. On Oct. 24, officials from Pasco County, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (Swiftmud), and members of the Phillips family had a groundbreaking for the Central Pasco County Beneficial Water Reuse Project. “It was one of the most exciting projects I’ve ever been involved in,” said Randy Maggard, governing board chairman of Swiftmud.“I think this will set the standard from here on out.” Reclaimed water for the wetlands will flow from an existing county water main near 4G into a network of pipes that will deliver the water to each of the 15 wetland “cells.” Each cell will be of different size and capacity, and also landscaped. “We control the water level on each cell
County officials took a tour of the 4G Ranch, where construction of man-made wetlands is underway.
independently,” said Jeff Harris, Pasco’s staff biologist and project manager. In addition to the project site, Harris said about 2,000 surrounding acres will be rehydrated. The 4G ranch, he added, is ideally situated between the Cross Bar well fields and the Cypress Creek well fields. In June, Pasco County commissioners approved a 25-year lease agreement in a public/private partnership with the land See WETLANDS, page 13A
SwampFest gearing up for community-based fair By B.C. Manion
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SwampFest
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SwampFest, hosted by the Land O’ Lakes High School Athletic Booster Club, gives kids and adults a chance to have fun — but also helps raise money to benefit the high school and other local organizations. This year, the event will feature a new carnival company, said Doug Hutchinson, SwampFest coordinator. “It’s going to be Arnold Amusements. They’re a family oriented, family owned, carnival company. Right now, they’re doing the Hillsborough County Fair down in Brandon,” Hutchinson said. “Last year, we had a little disappointment because the operator that brought the rides, brought just the rides.We didn’t really have a full complement of games … where it makes it more like a fair,” Hutchinson said. Arnold Amusements will bring a full Midway, with games, rides and amusements. The event will last four nights, from Nov. 3 through Nov. 6. Highlights include 24 rides, a magic act, and performances by Stonegrey, Vincent Randazzo, Nunes at Night, DJ Carlos, Nicole’s Dance Center, Show on the Road Tampa and Suncoast Dance. Hutchinson said the organizers talked to teenagers to find out what they’d like, and they suggested a DJ because they want to dance, Hutchinson said. The event will be at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. SwampFest is an offshoot from Flapjack Festival, a popular Land O’ Lakes event that shifted to Dade City, and then was suspended. After the Flapjack Festival moved, a group got together to organize SwampFest,
WHAT: A community festival featuring games, rides, entertainment and food WHERE: Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. WHEN: Nov. 3 through Nov. 6 (See LOLSwampFest.com for more details) COST: Free admission; pre-sale unlimited ride armbands, $15; on-site unlimited ride armbands, $25.
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SwampFest will feature 24 rides, a magic act, bands, a DJ, other entertainers, food and carnival games. It’s a local event that offers fun for people of all ages, said Doug Hutchinson, SwampFest coordinator.
said Hutchinson, who was the coordinator for the Flapjack Festival in Land O’ Lakes. “We started having it the same weekend as Flapjack used to be. It’s not as big. Our goal is to try to make it more of a community-based fair,” he said. The event raises money for the Land O’ Lakes High School Booster club, but it also raises money for other groups who sell presale tickets. Pre-sale armband tickets for unlimited
rides are $15 each. On-site armband ride tickets are $25. Locations selling the pre-sale tickets are: Land O’ Lakes High School cheerleaders, Sunlake High School (guidance office), Sanders Elementary School, Pine View Middle School, Sugar and Spice Daycare and Beef O’ Brady’s at Village Lakes, Wilderness Lakes and Sunlake. The event has free admission, and generally attracts between 2,000 and 3,000 people, Hutchinson said. This will be the second year that the event will be at the upgraded Land O’ Lakes Community Center Park. Hutchinson can’t wait until the park gets its stage, which will be in time for next year’s SwampFest. “It’s not easy getting some of the entertainment to come out there and play under a tent,” he said.With the stage, it will be easier to persuade musicians to come out to play. The event was initially held at Land O’ Lakes High, but the community park offers a greater degree of visibility, creating a better opportunity to attract people who are travSee SWAMPFEST, page 13A