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LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM
EAST PASCO EDITION
M AY 4 , 2 0 1 6
Panhandling off-limits in Pasco By Kathy Steele
Commissioners were unmoved, and on April 26 unanimously approved the total ban. The ordinance is similar to ones in Hillsborough County and the City of St. Petersburg. It bans “soliciting or attempts to solicit employment, business, contributions, donations, or sales or exchanges, of any kind from the driver or an occupant of a motor vehicle, or distributing or attempting to distribute any goods or materials to the driver or an occupant” of the motor vehicle. Data presented to commissioners reported 173 pedestrian-related crashes in 2015,
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
“Bayfront Health saved my heart. And my life.”
Pasco County commissioners have approved a ban aimed at preventing street-corner panhandling in the county. That action came despite pleas from those who had been selling newspapers in the county on Sundays. By adopting a total ban, the county would cost workers’ wages and jobs, opponents said. “I’m begging you, please understand you are affecting so many people,” said Renee Contreras, who oversees workers who sell newspapers on Sundays in the Wesley Chapel area.
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See PANHANDLING, page 11A
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KEVIN WEISS/STAFF PHOTOS
Dade City Police Chief Ray Velboom addresses the crowd at the annual Law Enforcement Memorial Service at the Historic Courthouse in Dade City.
Fallen officers honored at memorial service By Kevin Weiss
kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
Dozens of citizens, along with well over a hundred Pasco County law enforcement officers, joined together at the Historic Dade City Courthouse to honor fallen officers — both past and present. Fallen officers, both locally and nationally, were honored during a 90-minute ceremony at the annual Law Enforcement Memorial Service on April 29. During the solemn occasion, several speakers — including Lt. Gov. Carlos LopezCantera — discussed the importance of law enforcement, commemorating those that have fallen, and those who presently serve the community. Lopez-Cantera highlighted the state’s 2015 crime rate dip, saying,“We talk about how great it is to live in Florida and we talk
More than a hundred law enforcement officers and dozens of citizens were present for the memorial service.
about how many people are moving to our state, but don’t think for one second that we don’t always remember and recognize that we would not have these communities, these businesses moving to Florida if we did not have a 44-year low in our crime rate. “We do not forget that these men and woman protect our families, protect our business and even protect those that level meritless criticism against them,” Lopez-
Cantera added.“We say,‘thank you’ to those that have served, currently serve and their families.” Dade City Police Chief Ray Velboom told the crowd he hopes “some year we could come to these services to remember those that have only lost their lives in the line of duty in the past, and we would have no new See MEMORIAL, page 11A
Cleaning up Zephyrhills’ neighborhoods By Kevin Weiss
kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
When Gail Hamilton was hired to lead the Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency about a year ago, she noticed an unsettling trend while patrolling the older, traditional city neighborhoods. Scattered across several homeowners’ lawns were old appliances, rolled-up carpets, debris and fallen trees. “I think nobody had done anything in a long time,” Hamilton said, regarding the condition of the historic Zephyrhills neighborhoods. “The first thing when you start redeveloping an area is you look to clean it up,” she added. To do so, Hamilton collaborated with several other city departments — Code Enforcement, Public Works, Police and Fire Departments—to create a so-called “Clean Team.” The “Clean Team” organizes neighbor-
Neighborhood Clean-up event WHEN: May 21 from 8 a.m. to noon WHERE: Meeting place is 5016 Eighth St. (Corner of Eighth Street and First Avenue) WHAT: City-supplied dumpsters will be available for Zephyrhills residents to remove yard debris and other trash. No hazardous items will be accepted. Hot dogs and drinks will be provided for participants. For more information, call the Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency at (813) 780-0202.
hood cleanups every other month, pinpointing a different geographical area within the city limits for each event. The program offers an opportunity for city residents to get rid of unwanted junk, with public works crews and community
volunteers lending a helping hand. “We go in there...and clean up anything people can get out into their alley or curbside, because we don’t go onto private property and pick anything up,” said Shane LeBlanc, Zephyrhills Public Works director. “A lot of people will have roll-off construction dumpsters outside.A lot of people drop stuff off to us.” “You can get rid of your junk, and you don’t even have to bring it to the site,” Hamilton said. “We have crews that are going up and down the alleyway within the area that we’re cleaning, and if you can just get it to the alley, we’ll pick it up. So for people that don’t have a truck or the means to get it to us, we’re trying to help them as much as we possibly can, so there’s no excuse that you don’t clean up your property.” The third neighborhood cleanup, on Feb. 27, was labeled as the “most successful” yet, according to Hamilton.The cleanup encomSee CLEANING, page 11A