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DECEMBER 22, 2021
Omicron variant is spreading rapidly
By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
The Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been spreading rapidly and nearly every state had been touched by it as of Dec. 20 when The Laker/Lutz News went to press. It has not yet been determined how dangerous Omicron is, and despite its rapid spread, the Delta virus remained the main variant circulating in the United States as of
early this week, according to experts from the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control. Omicron was first detected in specimens collected on Nov. 11 in Botswana and on Nov. 14 in South Africa, according to the CDC’s website.The first confirmed Omicron case in the United States was detected on Dec. 1. An interpretive posting on the CDC’s website said:“We don’t yet know how easily
it spreads, the severity of illness it causes, or how well available vaccines and medications work against it.” Meanwhile, the rapid spread and uncertainty of Omicron’s impacts have hit at the height of the holiday travel season. In a Dec. 14 posting, AAA predicted that more than 109 million people would travel 50 miles or more between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2 See OMICRON, page 7A
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‘Tis the season for a bit of good cheer Regardless of your faith tradition, chances are you’ve seen some of the holiday displays across the region. We’re sharing some of those sights in these images captured around The Laker/Lutz News coverage area. Best wishes to you for a happy holiday season, and good health and good fortune, in 2022. Above, David Vargo, left, of New Tampa, uses a pair of spoons to play percussion, as guitarist Craig Baldwin, of Palm Harbor, plays a selection of Christmas songs on center stage at The Shops at Wiregrass. In addition to live performances, the mall draws big crowds with its annual Symphony in Lights show, featuring thousands of lights synchronized to holiday tunes. The light show runs through Dec. 31. For more photos, see page 1B.
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A Sago palm becomes a Florida Christmas tree in a dazzling display within the gated community of Ivy Lakes Estates in Odessa.
Above, 4-year-old R.J. Hans, of Winter Haven, has an up-close and personal chat with Santa Claus, also known as Ross Wilder, of Tampa. R.J., along with his dad, Robert, and his grandfather, Bob, spent the day at the Florida Pioneer Museum and Village. On the way back to Winter Haven they spotted Santa and had to stop for a visit. Mrs. Claus, also known as Janet Wilder, had her and Santa’s chair on the front lawn of the Lowman Law Firm during the Dade City Christmas Stroll.
Pasco takes step toward No such thing as a banning retail sale of rabbits typical day for this award-winning leader
By B.C. Manion
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
In this monthly video series, Trevor and Nicole of our marketing team recap some of our top stories from each month. These videos are published on our Facebook page AND website at the end of every month, so be sure to check it out!
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The Pasco County Commission has directed county staff to come back to the board with a recommendation regarding banning the retail sale of rabbits. Pasco County outlawed the sale of kittens, puppies, cats and dogs from pet stores last year, and now animal advocates want a similar ban on the sale of pet rabbits. Commissioner Jack Mariano said the board should consider a ban, and he and his colleagues voted to have county staff bring something back to the board on the issue. The action followed emails received by commissioners and requests during the public comment portion of a meeting in September and also in December. During the Dec. 7 meeting, Dr. Betsy Coville, a veterinarian from Lutz, told commissioners that rabbits are the third most-surrendered pet. “They require higher maintenance than dogs or cats and can live 10 to 12 years. “Frequently dumped outside, when the rescues are full, they starve, become prey for coyotes, or are hit by a car. Bunny mills are consistently the source for these bunnies that become unwanted. They’re “no different from the puppy mills that we recognize as inhumane,” she said. “There are currently three locations in
By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Florida that have placed bans on retail sales of rabbits: Orange County, Desoto County and Key West. “They have all placed rabbits, along with dogs and cats, in their retail sale ban.
Melissa Musselwhite, the director of student support programs and services, often begins her day around 6 a.m., and wraps it up around 7 p.m. But those are on days when there’s not some sort of crisis going on, because in her role in Pasco County Schools, she’s on the front-end of dealing with crises. During the midst of COVID-19, for instance, she’s been immersed in Pasco County Schools’ efforts to deal with the disruptive virus. Beyond that, she leads a department that has roughly 400 employees. Her performance recently led to her recognition as Pasco County Schools’ District Administrator of the Year. She received word of the honor last month during a visit by the district’s “Surprise Patrol” made up of Superintendent Kurt Browning, Pasco School Board members and Stacey Capogrosso, the executive director of the Pasco Education Foundation. The nomination submitted on Musselwhite’s behalf, reads in part:“Melissa has been the face of the COVID response
See RABBITS, page 7A
See LEADER, page 7A
COURTESY OF MEAGAN RATHMAN-URENA
This bunny lived in a loving home and was well taken care of from the age of 6 months; unfortunately, rabbits often are ‘impulse buys’ and are abandoned on the streets shortly after their purchase, say some animal advocates who want to ban the retail sale of rabbits at pet shops.