Category: News

By Matt Wiley

Shoppers should be on their best behavior because there’s a new sheriff in Wesley Chapel. Well, not a new sheriff, but there is a new Pasco County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) substation now open at the Shops at Wiregrass Mall.

The 1,535-square-foot substation was constructed using inmate labor and will serve as PCSO’s District Office for southeast Pasco County.

“We saved thousands of dollars — taxpayer dollars — using inmate labor,” said Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco to the crowd of about 130 during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 26. “We were also able to use federal forfeiture dollars — drug money — to build this out. This was a shell before. The best part about it is we’re using drug dealer money to give something back to our community.”

The station also will be a resource center for volunteers, citizen support services and for fingerprinting.

“Crime prevention specializes in education, empowerment and equipping,” said Cpl. Alan Wilkett, addressing the crowd gathered around the station. “This new office will allow all of those tenets of crime prevention to be accomplished.”

Pasco County commissioner Ted Schrader and Pasco Clerk of Court Dr. Paula O’Neil also were in attendance, along with representatives from the Wesley Chapel, Central Pasco and Pasco/Hernando Hispanic Chambers of Commerce.

“We’re glad to be here and as of this day, we’re going to be open, we’re going to be functioning and we’re going to make a difference in our community,” Wilkett said.

The new substation is located next to Dillard’s in the mall, at 38239 Paseo Dr. The ribbon cutting ceremony took place at 11:30 a.m. Shoppers were able to interact with the Mounted Posse (PCSO deputies on horseback) and take a look at one of the Sheriff’s Office’s Crime Combat Vehicles.

“(The substation) was much needed out here,” Sheriff Nocco said. “Wesley Chapel is a growing area in our county and the intersection of S.R. 56 and Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. is a major corridor. We have hospitals coming in; we have businesses that are growing here. This is a major component of our community.”

By Matt Wiley

At first glance, it may be hard to believe that just a few years ago, Lawrence Miccolis, P.A., was flying CH-53E helicopters as a U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Colonel. Dressed in a professional business suit and seated in the lobby of the Intercontinental Hotel in the bustling Westshore district of Tampa, Miccolis has spent his time since retiring from the Corps practicing law across Tampa Bay, including the New Tampa area.Continue reading

By Matt Wiley

At first glance, it may be hard to believe that just a few years ago, Lawrence Miccolis, P.A., was flying CH-53E helicopters as a U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Colonel. Dressed in a professional business suit and seated in the lobby of the Intercontinental Hotel in the bustling Westshore district of Tampa, Miccolis has spent his time since retiring from the Corps practicing law across Tampa Bay, including the New Tampa area.Continue reading

Off to the Florida Supreme Court the Senate Redistricting map goes yet again. After being by the Florida House, the newly redrawn (again) Senate Redistricting map will head to the Supreme Court for 30 days so that the justices can review and decide if the map is constitutional and does not violate any new anti-gerrymandering laws.

The Senate map was redrawn after the initial map was rejected by a 5-2 vote from the Court on March 9. A special 15-day legislative session, which began on March 14, was ordered so that the Senate could try to once again come up with a redistricting map that the Court would approve.

In the initial Supreme Court report, 32 of the 40 Senate Districts were approved, but eight specific districts needed to be redrawn.

The Court voted unanimously (7-0) on the last day of the 2012 Florida legislative session to pass the Florida House district maps. This means that, as previously reported in Neighborhood News, Wesley Chapel will be in House District 38, which is now an all-Pasco- County district. New Tampa is now entirely within House District 63, along with the University of South Florida (USF) area and Old Carrollwood.

“We are very pleased that (the Supreme Court) validated our maps,” says District 38 (previously District 61) Rep. Will Weatherford (R – Wesley Chapel), whose district had included some Hillsborough residents.

Florida House, Senate and U.S. Congressional District maps are redrawn every ten years, after the national census is conducted. Districts are redrawn according to population shifts in the census data. A November amendment to the Florida Constitution (the “Fair Districts Amendment”) requires districts to be drawn without regard to political parties.— Matt Wiley

 

By Sheryl Young

Have you ever walked into a law office and felt very much at home? It may seem like an unbelievable concept, but at Johnson, Auvil, Brock and Pratico (JAB&P), walking through the door is like sinking into a plush, overstuffed chair. Anyone in need of legal assistance would immediately be put at ease — not only by the friendliness of the entire staff, but also by the comfortable setting of the old-fashioned, stand-alone building in Dade City.Continue reading