The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida • 2

2 THE PASCO TRI1UNE FRIDAY. MARCH 7.2008 A SECTIOfc OF THE TAMPA TRIBUNE TB0.COm EDITORIAL FOUNDERS' DAY Port Richey Needs To Reverse Vote On Collecting Crash Fees until 5 p.m. For Wilma Eshenour, trii parade is a big deal, She an8-her husband, John, are activities co-directors at Winters Mobile Home Park. That park won first runner-up honors for its float in last year's parade and has taken home first place status in the past. Although work on this year's entry is still ongoing, Eshenour" said residents can count on" Winters having a presence.

-s "I was proud to have done it for three years and am doing it again this year," she said. "I love to do it." Although Eshenour creating a float takes a lot of work, the fun makes up for it, she said. Welcher said the community participation helps make Founders' Day what it is. "It's something that a lot of folks in town really look forward to," she said. "We're excited about it" clude a Historical Homes Tour Hay Ride, staged by the Abbott Station 4-H Club.

The Zephyrhilis Historical Association will provide information on the homes included in the tour. More details and ticket information will be available during the event. The second Zephyrhilis Spring Sprint Triathlon takes center stage Sunday at 8:30 a.m. The event kicks off at the East Pasco Family YMCA, 37301 Chapel Hill Loop, just off Eiland Boulevard. The triathlon features a 300-yard swim, 11-mile bike race and 5-kilometer run.

Registration starts at 6 a.m. The triathlon is sanctioned by USA Triathlon and all participants must be members. A one-day membership is $10. Registration is $65 for individuals and $105 for relay teams. After the run, the carnival will reopen at noon and run Unless Port Richey City Council wises up and reverses a vote from last week, the small city will become known as the most insensitive and unforgiving municipality in Pasco County.

The reason: The council has given initial approval to a cost-recovery program that aims to recoup the costs of city emergency services from insurance companies and nonresidents who cause automobile crashes in the city. If an insurance company refuses to pay, a company that would be hired by the city would seek reimbursement directly from nonresidents who were at fault in crashes. Such an arrangement, if given final approval, would send a terrible message to visitors, passers-through and tourists. All three groups would be wise to stay clear of Port Richey and spend their money elsewhere. Not only could they be financially liable in more ways than one for a crash they may inadvertently cause, but they also may become victims of discrimination in a city that apparently doesn't care about the constitutional right to equal protection under the law.

The ordinance wouldn't apply to city residents. Make no mistake; this is very much a cruel crash tax that should never see the light of day or the glare of streetlights at night The city should not be in the business of charging insurance companies and nonresidents to recoup money spent on services that a governmental entity has the responsibility of providing to all people, regardless of where they live, in times of emergencies. If a motorist deliberately rams a vehicle into a person, building or another car, city police have every right to pursue criminal charges and prosecution, which more than likely would include restitution for the victims. And if a motorist or someone else leads the police or fire department on a wild goose chase based on lies, the city would have every right to seek reimbursement for valuable time wasted. But what is it about an accident that city officials don't understand? Based on this ordinance, the city wants to charge insurance companies and nonresidents for simple mistakes, and that's wrong.

City council needs to continue funding emergency services for all and let insurance companies and individuals sort out who should pay for car crash damages, claims and repairs. This cost-recovery proposal needs to be scrapped. It really has grown nicely. yi With the 2 amount of people coming; the enthusiasm is electrifying KATHY DUNKLEY Chamber of Commerce executive director, of the expo Other restaurants paring in Taste of the Town will be Silver Ring Cafe, Golden, Inn Chinese Restaurant, Huh-r gry Harry's Marble Slab Creamery, Villa, Publix, Shane's Rib Shack, Steve's Fountain View Restaurant, Ukulele Brands and Week's Deli. The Tampa Tribune is a media sponsor of the expo.

Reporter Geoff Fox can be reached at (813) 948-421 7 or gfoxtatnpatrib.com. BUSINESS EXPO Continued From Page 1 day of the event. Taste of the Town tickets are $1, or $5 for six tickets. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Miss Central Pasco Scholarship Fund. "The Miss Central Pasco contestants will be there selling their root beer floats again," Dunkley said.

"You have another chance this year to win a $1,000 savings bond. You just have to have to visit the booths with die hot air balloons and be in the drawing." As he did last year, Ben Pumo, owner of Benedetto's Italiano Bistorante, will have a cooking exhibition Saturday. "He's doing sea bass with champagne sauce over fresh baby spinach," Dunkley said. "He'll teach you to do it' and how to do cannoli. Plus, he'll be in the Taste of the Town and probably put on a big splash." Don't Be A Deadbeat; Try To Take Your Health To Heart February, the heart month, has come and gone, but heart disease hasn't gone anywhere.

It remains the No. 1 killer of both men and wdm- en in die United States. About every minute, an American dies from a heart attack, and every three to four minutes, someone dies of RAO MUSUNURU Continued From Page 1 down, the celebration will continue with the Merchant Mall, the Zephyrhilis Women's Club quilt show, the Kiwanis fish fry, the Rotary Club chicken dinner, Seminole Indian displays, pioneer re-enactments and more until 4 p.m. Carnival rides will again be available until 10 p.m. at Village Inn.

Saturday's other offerings will include pony rides, craft booths, festival food and live entertainment The Easter Bunny will make an appearance from noon until 4 p.m., courtesy of Go in' Postal Zephyrhilis. Parents may bring cameras and take photos at no charge. The weekend will also in CYPRESS CREEK Continued From Page 1 plete by this summer. The Shops at Wiregrass, at S.R. 56 and Bruce B.

Downs Boulevard, could be open by October. Last monui, Jacobs and Sierra paid Pasco County $4,000 in fines for violating county stormwater-man-agement rules. Also, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers blocked the developers from building on 54 acres of filled wetlands on the property. The developers have giv en the corps plans showing how they will avoid future pollution discharges, but the corps has yet to lift its ban.

Along with its fine, Swift-. mud drdered Jacobs and Sierra jo restore the damaged wetland within the next nonth by removing the mud left behind by January's iond mishap. The Developers also must explauj when they plan, to have their retention system complete to prevent future erosion problems. The developers can appeal the fine to Swiftmud's governing board. It was unclear Thursday whether they intend to do that.

"We are reviewing the consent order and plan to discuss our comments with the district before making any decisions," said Deanne Roberts, spokeswoman for the developers. Reporter Kevin Wiatrowski can be reached at (813) 948-4201 or kwiatrowski tampatrib.com. irr: Imc" 4 Providing Homeless Service Programs for Men, Women Families Sat, 9AM-5PM Heart disease is an i equal opportunity killer it does not discriminate. bers (blood pressure, blood sugar and blood cholesterol). It may hot sound that easy, but it shouldn't be that difficult, considering the life or liberty at risk from heart attack or stroke.

What each one of us needs is a little TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Change). The writer, a physician, is a member of tlte Advisory Council for tlie National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in Bethesda, and the National Leadership Committee of the Clinical Cardiology Council of the American Heart Association. He practices cardiology at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point in Hudson. TAMING THE WOLF AT THE POOR An information box was left off a story about foreclosures in Sunday's Pasco Tribune. Here are some contacts that may be helpful to homeowners.

For help avoiding foreclosure, call the Pasco County Community Development Division at these numbers: New Port Richey, (727) 834-3445 Dade City, (352) 521-4274, Ext 3445 Land O' Lakes, (813) 996-7341, Ext 3445 Search online at www.fha.gov or www.fha.govfhasecure. Call Consumer Credit Counseling Services at 1-800-741-7040 or go to hopenow.com or www.cccsfl.org. tt Shows in many Evening Appointments are available for eye exams with Rachael D. Streeter, OD MY VIEW heart disease are obesity, smoking and "wishful thinking." Obesity is particularly dangerous, as it contributes to or leads to other risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, such as diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and inactivity. All these risk factors cause clogging up of blood vessels over the years because of plaque buildup.

These risk factors also cause a rupture of the same plaque, suddenly causing a heart attack or sudden death. The incidence of obesity is on the rise. About 60 percent of Americans are overweight. Nearly a third of our nation's children and adolescents are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. Excess calorie intake (current eating habits), along with decreased calorie expenditure (modem lifestyle), remain the most common causes of obesity.

Smoking is the single most common cause of preventable deaths, causing not only heart and vascular problems but also cancers and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Passive smoking, in the house or at the workplace, is almost as bad as active smoking. Up to two-thirds of people with diabetes die of cardiovascular complications. Every other person is likely to die from cardiovascular disease. But everyone always believes it is going to be the other person.

"No way is it going to be me" wishful thinking. We all have to take responsibility. First and foremost, each person has to be accountable for his or her actions and health. Then, there are so many other social responsibilities, like parental (family), physician (health care system), employer (workplace), political (both judicial control of human behavior and economic support of health-conscious programs) and philosophical. The estimated direct and indirect cost of cardiovascular diseases in the United States for 2008 is $448.5.

billion. We don't need to wait for next New Year's Day or next February to make resolutions and find solutions. Tomorrow is a new day a perfect day to start taking responsibility for our own health and life. Eat less, walk more, don't smoke and check the num- LtralTliioriBatcitiesj mak 1 tern Imctiti with Amerfca Pro shop and Clearance Center Monday-Saturday 9:00 5:30 PM mm Tarpon Springs Squar ivtwimi neaa a stroke in the United States. Heart disease is an equal opportunity killer it does' not discriminate between men and women, young and old, black and white, or rich and poor.

During the month of February, all of us read many newspaper columns, saw many television programs, heard many announcements, noticed a lot of billboards, and purchased "Go Red" items from various manufacturers and department stores. One hopes that raised awareness of this deadly disease, especially among women. Even though "becoming aware" is the first step to prevention and treating a disease or illness, it does not achieve any positive results unless an action follows. In February we also heard that the incidence of mortal-: ity from heart disease has come down over the past several years. This positive achievement is mostly because of advancements in treatment of heart disease (both acute intervention and chronic management) rather than prevention of the disease, as the incidence of risk factors did not decrease to desirable levels.

That tells us that the incidence of heart disease is only going to increase in the future. Most of the risk factors, both for men and women, are preventable or treatable high cholesterol, especially low-density lipoprotein (LDL for lousy); high blood pressure; diabetes; smoking; being overweight; inactivity; and depression. Typically, women develop heart disease 10 years later in life than men because of the protective effect of the natural estrogens at a younger age, but they do much worse once they manifest the heart disease. In my mind, the top three reasons for this epidemic of 4 i each tup CHIPPERS 43309 US Hvvy 19 727.938.2020 StLtikcsEyc.com mm "'1 wma stiunga-aiidyau tookimin." HRlO HYBRIDS 299.2 Each 20 Off All Golf Bags Golf Shoes Excluding Yellow Tag Specials Tour Edae 14-Wav DIVIDER $EA99 BAG FREE Installation s-n 99 WITH GRIP purchase II Each Up GREAT Package Deals Irons, Woods, $4 QQ99 ruuei, oay, oiu. MimM ft Monti IHtfif Rottf up County Road 64 Support Our Mission By Visiting Our Thrift Stores RIDGE MANOR STORE Sunrise Plaza 31170 Cortez Blvd.

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