What's Tampa Bay Saying?

Should Texting While Driving Be Banned in Florida?

Are you in favor of such a law? Do you think it goes too far, or not far enough?

Florida could soon join 39 other states that have banned texting while driving. A bill filed last week by state Rep. Doug Holder, R-Sarasota, would make texting while driving a secondary offense under which a driver can receive a citation, but only after he or she is pulled over for a primary offense such as speeding or reckless driving, TBO.com reports. The bill doesn't prohibit all use of handheld devices while driving, as some state laws do, and cell phone calls would still be permitted. "If you are texting while driving, you are 23 times more likely to have an accident," Holder told TBO. "I think the timing is right. I think we are going to get something passed." Are you in favor of such a law in Florida? Do you think it goes too far, …

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State Wants Drivers to Plan for the Worst

Florida has an emergency contact database for all driver’s license and state ID holders. Officials are urging Land O' Lakes residents to sign up.

Would rescue workers know who to contact if you were involved in a serious accident or had a medical emergency? That’s a question Florida officials want all Land O' Lakes residents to ask themselves. To make sure the question is answered in the affirmative, the state has declared the first week of October as Register Your Emergency Contact Information Week. “Keeping our loved ones safe is something all Floridians can relate to,” said Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater in a media release. “It is equally important to plan ahead in the event of a serious accident. Registering your emergency contact information for our law enforcement agencies across the state helps ensure that our loved ones can be informed as soon as possible.” …

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Drowsy Driving Prevention Week Under Way

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and the Florida Department of Transportation are teaming up with lawmakers and safety advocates during the first week in September to get out the message of the dangers of drowsy driving.

A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found 37 percent of Americans admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel. Sleepiness slows reaction time, decreases awareness, impairs judgment and increases the risk of crashing. That is why the Florida Legislature designated the first week of September every year as Drowsy Driving Prevention Week. Gov. Rick Scott signed a formal proclamation this year for the week of Sept. 1–7, which includes the Labor Day holiday. AAA projects 33 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more from home during the 2012 holiday weekend, and 2.6 percent more Floridians will travel this year. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and the Florida Department of …

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Letter to the Editor: 'Disrespectful' to Call Target Murder a Lovers' Spat

Michelle Crowder-Soellner of Sunrise of Pasco County responds to a recent story on Land O' Lakes Patch.

Though the details surrounding this tragedy are unclear, the fact is that two people are dead. Based on what has been reported so far, we are to believe that a person killed his partner because she no longer wanted to be involved with him. It seems unfair and disrespectful to call the death of two people a lovers spat. To call something so serious a lovers spat almost seems to suggest that it is justifiable to kill someone you love because you have a disagreement. Tragedies like this one are a stark reminder that we still have a long way to go to achieve a community with violence-free relationships. In 2011, Pasco County law enforcement responded to over 9,000 domestic and sexual violence-related calls. We must recognize that any violent …

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Sheriff Wants to Explore Consolidating Agency Dispatches

The sheriff’s office met with county officials Wednesday for early discussions about the idea.

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office is talking to county fire rescue about crafting a proposal to merge the agencies’ emergency dispatch and communications services, Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said Wednesday. “We can enhance the safety of our citizens, law enforcement officers and firefighters by consolidating,” Nocco said. The sheriff’s office met with county officials Wednesday for early discussions about the idea, with members of municipalities’ public safety agencies invited to watch the discussion. Right now, discussion is in the early stages. The meeting was just a first step. Nocco said a plan likely wouldn’t be ready by Oct. 1, the beginning of the county’s fiscal year. Officials first need to hammer out a plan that the …

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Drug Detection Dog Fetches Reward for Pasco Sheriff's Office

Missy the malanois and her handler brought in more than 350 pounds of drugs and thousands of dollars in drug money.

Missy is a drug detection specialist who sniffs the mail in search of illegal drugs. She is also a dog in the Pasco County Sheriff's Office's K-9 unit. When she does her job well, she gets a reward, like praise or a rolled-up towel. Last week, the sheriff’s office also got a reward for Missy’s hard work.  The U.S. Postal Inspection Service presented the agency with a check for $13,122 in return for the agency’s work detecting and seizing mailed drugs and drug money. “When they (dealers) try to use tricks, we have our own secret weapons in the K-9 unit,” said Sheriff Chris Nocco. Between November 2011 and June 2012, Missy, who is now 6 years old, and her handler, narcotics Detective Scott Grant, found more than 350 pounds of drugs in the …

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Former Spice User Speaks Out Against the Sale of Synthetic Drugs

Though the drugs were purchased legally, a young man says he is still plagued by hallucinations and paranoia three months after he stopped using them.

He saw demons everywhere he went. Paranoid, he stayed up all night, watching and waiting. Eventually, he lost everything he had, now he wants others to know just what those drugs on the convenience store shelf can do. The Pasco County Sheriff's Office recently teamed up with community leaders and activists to help spread the word about the dangers of synthetic drugs such as Spice and bath salts, which are made up of a combination of toxic chemical and often sold at convenience stores.  Despite a state bill passed that banned certain chemicals, the manufacturers of the drugs continue to change the chemical makeup of the products to skirt the law, Sheriff Chris Nocco said during a ceremony Friday to unveil a new program that identifies …

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