Thursday, May 23, 2013
As our armed forces come home from the Middle East, the local Veterans Affairs benefits office is being stretched.
Our veterans are now facing a new enemy at home – long wait times for disability claims. The waiting times started increasing in 2010 when U.S. troops were withdrawn from Iraq, causing a dramatic uptick in first-time filers, according to the Center for Investigative Reporting. The data found that in most regional VA offices, not only did waiting times increase, but they vary dramatically by location: about a year and five months in Baltimore, Maryland compared to four months in Fargo, North Dakota. The national average now stands at about 11 months, which is dramatically higher than in 2009 when it was four months. The backlog of veterans at the St. Petersburg area office waiting on a disability claim to be reveiwed has increased from no …
A natural gas leak in the area has Pasco County deputies taking precautions.
Motorists traveling in the area of Sunray Drive and Grand Boulevard might want to consider a different route. The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office announced the closing of the intersection around 10:30 a.m. May 23 due to a natural gas leak. According to the sheriff’s office’s Facebook page, traffic is being diverted out of the area as the leak is addressed. Stay with New Port Richey Patch for updates as they become available.
But they aren't derailing a hearing at which they will consider putting a lien on the property.
New Port Richey City Council members are offering the owners of Walden Pond Mobile Home Park a chance to work out a deal concerning the $155,000 they owe the city. But city leaders are not holding their breath. They still intend to plow forward with considering putting a lien on the property at a hearing slated for July 9. Walden Pond, LLC, now owes the city $155,122.26, according to updated figures from city officials. That figure includes the costs of demolition, cleanup, administrative services and attorney fees. It also includes fines for months of unpaid utility bills. Those fines make up about half of the total money owed at this point. “I have a funny feeling that they’re not going to stroke a check for that amount, plus interest,” …
The animals, which included dogs, cats and rabbits, were abandoned, officials say.
Pasco County Sheriff’s deputies are sorting through the details of an animal abuse case that unfolded Wednesday in Holiday. Deputies are working in conjunction with Pasco County Animal Control after a call about a “strong smell” led them to a home at 1011 Hiawatha Place in Holiday after 6:30 p.m. May 22. A neighbor called about the smell coming from the house and “numerous flies that could be seen on the windows,” wrote Kevin Doll, sheriff’s office spokesman, in an email to media. Fearing for the residents inside, a deputy entered the home, Doll said. That deputy didn’t find a human in distress, however. Instead, the deputy uncovered about 40 unattended animals inside. The animals, which were described as “emaciated,” had been left …
Deputy Mayor Bill Phillips can hardly believe it.
What do you say when you learn you’ll likely have less tax revenue to work with in your upcoming city budget than you had this year? If you’re New Port Richey Deputy Mayor Bill Phillips, you question how officials measure taxable value in the city. New Port Richey’s property value took a 4.2 percent plunge below last year’s, and that translates to a loss of about $163,260 in tax revenue available for the upcoming budget year, which starts Oct. 1. Phillips said at Tuesday’s city council meeting he would like to understand how tax officials calculated the city’s taxable value. “I’m not happy with four-and-a-half,” he said, referring to the value decline. “I would like to see where the values are. How they extrapolated those out.” He wants to…
City council members want to talk about the idea, but Fire Chief Alex Onishenko has raised concerns about impacts on service and the city's insurance rating.
New Port Richey City Council members want to talk about a proposal to sell off the city fire station at 6121 High Street. New Port Richey Fire Rescue Chief Alex Onishenko, however, has concerns with the idea to sell the property. A big one: He said the station is still in use and is staffed 24/7. He said the idea would equate to “closing Fire Station 2.” “To close it down I think would be a bad idea to the community, increasing response time to all of those in need on the south side,” he said. Pasco County Community Development Manager George Romagnoli recently contacted Interim City Manager Susan Dillinger and told her the county was interested in purchasing the station with Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds. The idea is to raze …
Plan your weekend with Patch!
Friday Learn the fine art of hockey at the All Sports Arena starting at 6 p.m. The event is all ages, so you can bring the kids to learn how to check on the ice as well! Enjoy a night out at the Richey Suncoast Theatre and see A Chorus Line. One of the most famous musicals to run on Broadway, A Chorus Line is a PG-13 show, so use discretion with the kids. The show begins at 8 p.m. and tickets are $17. Saturday Don't miss out on the treasure hunt of the multi-family garage sale going on in Trinity. Know of an event we don't have? Let us know by adding it to the New Port Richey Patch calender or by commenting below!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Pasco County Commissioners want to explore the idea.
Pasco County Commissioners want to look into a proposal to allow backyard chicken coops in residential areas. Commissioner Kathryn Starkey brought the issue up to the commission Tuesday morning, and commissioners directed staff to return to them later with more information, according to the Tampa Bay Times. An online petition expressing desire for an amendment to code that would allow chicken coops in residential areas has been circulating since last year. It was started by Holiday resident Michelle Howard and has received 645 signatures so far. Should Pasco allow backyard chicken coops? Share your ideas in the comments.
Who’s NOT planning a BBQ this weekend? If the weather holds and you’ve got propane or charcoal, chances are, you’re grilling something with your friends and family. Here, new ideas for keeping your costs down. Sponsored by Home Depot.
Here at New Port Richey Patch, we like to be thrifty, so we talked to two barbeque experts and uncovered some really good ideas to help you save money on your next outdoor party. 1. Start with a marinade. This means planning ahead -- say, Friday. But it’s worth it, says Rick Browne, host of Barbeque America on PBS, because you can pass up that well-marbled ribeye steak and buy a less tender and less expensive choice to grill like a flank steak or chuck steak. Just marinate it or brine for one or two days and then cook long and slow on the barbeque grill to break down tissues but maintain moisture. “You need to include an acid in the marinade, perhaps juice, vinegar or soy sauce, but avoid cola which is so acidic it can turn meat into a …
You can use this gas price search engine to find the lowest price of the moment. Pro tip: Gas up early this week to save money.
Heading out to visit friends and family this long holiday weekend? Gas up early. Prices at the pump may rise, as the weekend draws near. (Click here for a full-screen view of the gas price map.) Look for local gas prices on Patch's quick search engine. If you do not see your neighborhood gas stations here – or if you want to check another location – take these easy steps: Here are some cheap options we found for New Port Richey: 1.) HESS, 6245 US HIGHWAY 19, $3.40 per gallon. 2.) SUNOCO, 5736 US HIGHWAY 19, $3.36 per gallon. Remember: Prices change daily. "If you can gas up today to prepare for your Memorial Day driving, do so," said Chuck Bonner, the lead analyst for GasPredictor.com. "Motorists this year are facing rising gas prices …
Wendy Gilmore
12:44 pm on Saturday, May 25, 2013
To all the veterans who have posted here and who have just read and not posted, please allow me to say thank you!. I am truly embarrassed by the way our gooberment has treated and continues to treat you. I know it is a small thing, but please know that there are millions of us who do strongly believe that without you OUR lives would be totally different. Thank you all and bless you. more ›