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False alarms could prompt hefty fines By Kathy Steele ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
Pasco County is considering fines ranging from $50 to $500 to help reduce the volume of false alarm calls that waste deputies’ time. Figures collected by the sheriff’s office reveal that deputies responded to more than 17,000 alarm calls from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015.
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Most of the calls came from residential alarms. Of the alarm calls received, nearly 80 percent of total calls to homes and businesses were false alarms, the data showed. “Most were caused by systems not being maintained,” said Chase Daniels, sheriff’s spokesman. At a Pasco County Commission meeting on July 12, Daniels told commissioners that Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco agreed
with a county initiative to craft an ordinance that creates a registry for alarm systems and approve fines for excessive alarm calls. Commissioners directed the county’s legal staff to draw up such an ordinance for future consideration. Of the more than 17,000 calls recorded in 12 months, about 13,500 were false alarms. Daniels said one business had 187 alarm See ALARMS, page 15A
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF DR. SUSAN A. MACMANUS
A bird’s eye view of the convention hall during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
A focus on Florida at the 2016 RNC in Cleveland By Dr. Susan A. MacManus Special to The Laker/Lutz News
By now, the Republican National Convention is “old news”—but to the 99 Florida delegates and their alternates—it will never be forgotten.To them, the convention was serious business, but a lot of fun, too. Here is a brief snapshot of their four days together.
LEAVING TAMPA: GOALS
From left, Steve Graves, Sandy Graves and Dr. Susan A.
On the plane headed up to MacManus, chat during the Republican National Cleveland, I asked some of the Convention in Cleveland. Steve Graves was an alternate Tampa area delegates what they Florida delegate, and Sandy Graves was a delegate. hoped would happen at the MacManus, is a political scientist who was at the conRNC. Leaving the convention as vention as an analyst for ABC Action News. MacManus a united party topped their lists. is a nationally known commentator, with deep knowlThey were well aware that a edge of Florida politics. fractured party makes it difficult to win Florida, and that the presidential race their time together in a city on the move — in Florida is already projected to be very still high from the NBA Championship close (nothing new). brought home by their beloved Cleveland They were hopeful that their nominee, Cavaliers. They knew attending breakfasts Donald J.Trump, would project a more seri- and events together throughout the week ous tone in his nationally televised would be an important step toward creating acceptance speech to assure wavering a strong well-organized statewide network Republicans and independents of his readi- of party activists. It is essential for conductness to be president. ing effective voter registration drives and Many also were anxious to learn more Get-Out-The-Vote efforts. about Trump’s vice presidential pick—Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana—believing it would FLORIDA DELEGATES GET give them a good indication of the kind of SPECIAL TREATMENT governing team Trump would put in place, Everyone on the political planet knows it if elected. See RNC, page 15A And, of course, they wanted to enjoy
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Pasco County commissioners want to extend an existing moratorium on the growth, sales and distribution of cannabis until the end of the year. The delay would give the county’s legal staff time to craft an ordinance to ban those activities in the future. As a backup, the county would approve regulations to restrict those activities to industrially zoned locations, with conditions. The ordinance also would update police powers in making arrests for illegal possession of marijuana — which is derived from cannabis. A one-year ban on cannabis production activities is set to expire on Sept. 2. But, a Nov. 8 referendum on medical marijuana, if approved, could quickly change the regulatory landscape both statewide and at the local level. State law currently permits, in some instances, a non-euphoric form of marijuana, known as Charlotte’s web, for medical use by patients with epilepsy, seizure disorders or who are terminally ill. Only one organization is approved to dispense the product so far, with the first delivery of medical marijuana going to a resident of Hudson. The state referendum proposes to broaden when medical marijuana is allowed and open the door for new dispensaries. No dispensing sites have been approved in Pasco, but county officials said they have received inquiries about future retail sites within the county. At a July 19 workshop in New Port Richey, the county’s attorneys sought guidance from commissioners on how to tackle the evolving marijuana issue. They offered several options, including a total ban on dispensaries, which some counties are choosing to do. The ban also would establish regulations as a backup to legal challenges. “I call it a dry county kind of option,” said Kristi Sims, senior assistant county attorney, in outlining Pasco’s choices. “You can expect probably some litigation. It does carry with it the obligation to defend it, if it is challenged.” Another option would allow dispensaries in commercial areas and calls for regulating them like pain management clinics.
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Pam Ingram was admittedly nervous as she waited to toss out the first pitch at Tropicana Field, when the Tampa Bay Rays took on the Baltimore Orioles. After all, she knew a big crowd would be watching — including her family and friends, and colleagues from Wesley Chapel High School. And, the English teacher would be the first to tell you that she doesn’t have substantial experience in throwing baseballs. But, she was up for it. Excited even. After all, she won the Honorary Bat Girl contest sponsored by Major League Baseball, which led to royal treatment by the Tampa Bay Rays. She and her husband, Keith, and their daughter, Abby, had the chance to spend some time on the field before the 1:10 p.m. game on July 17. Keith even took a few swings in the batter’s on-deck circle, waving the pink baseball bat engraved with Pam’s name and bearing the signatures of quite a few Rays’ players. The family also had the chance to pose
for photos with players. The big moment came, when a video played, featuring photos of Pam, along with a narration of her prize-winning essay. Her name was emblazoned in giant letters on electronic billboards and, as she made her first pitch, she showed up — much larger than life — on the Jumbotron. And, that was just the beginning. Following the on-field festivities, Pam and her family went into the stands where they joined up with a crowd of 104 people who had come out to the game to show their support and celebrate with Pam. The Rays, who are struggling this year, even broke an eight-game losing streak to defeat the Baltimore Orioles. The whole experience was overwhelming, said Pam, currently in remission from the cancer that began in her breast and spread to her bone. Her heart is full of gratitude for her family, for her supporters from Wesley Chapel High School where she has taught since 2000, and for her doctors. She discovered she had breast cancer in 2014, before she turned 40 — the age at which women are recommended to begin breast cancer screenings.
COURTESY OF PAM INGRAM
Alex Colome drops by to say hello to Pam Ingram before the game.
She’d been experiencing intermittent pain, and her husband advised her to get it checked out. The visit to her doctor’s office led to a See CANCER, page 15A