ZEPHYRHILLS - Now Zephyrhills folks can do more than buy snacks and gasoline at the BP station. They can stock up on stamps, buy envelopes and mail letters. The U.S. Postal Service's new contract location is the Zephyrhills BP at 37130 Eiland Boulevard. A full line of postal products and services are available including stamps, special services, packaging products and much more. Postal customers may also deposit letter and parcel mail at the contract unit. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
"The addition of the Zephyrhills BP as a postal contract unit expands postal retail convenience," Zephyrhills postmaster Tom Testa said in a news release. "Customers pay our regular scheduled rates on all postal products."
The postal service has about 6,500 contract units that generate almost $850-million in revenue annually.
Trucks can be parked at home, says board
PORT RICHEY - The Code Enforcement Board on Wednesday handed Dolores Felske a victory in her struggle with the city's Building Department when it turned aside citations for dump trucks parked on her property.
Though her Leo Kidd Drive property is zoned commercial, city staff reasoned that its primary use is residential and therefore, the trucks had to go.
"You can't have it both ways," code enforcement officer Lou Barba said. But Felske, who thinks the citations are retaliation for complaints she previously lodged against the department - an assertion the city denies - pointed out that trucks are allowed in the C-3 zone.
"It has always been our understanding that we could live on our commercial property and our defense rests on the fact that these allegations are deficient in and of themselves," she said.
The Code Enforcement Board voted 3-0 to dismiss the city's action.
Also Wednesday, the board continued until July a hearing on three parking tickets issued recently in front the home of City Council member Dale Massad. The recipients are contesting the tickets, citing conflicts with city code.
Customers speak out against higher utility rates
NEW PORT RICHEY - Utilities Inc. of Florida wants to raise its water and sewer rates, but a handful of unhappy customers told the Public Service Commission on Thursday that company doesn't deserve another dime.
"The sulfur is so extreme, you can run the water forever before you can drink it or bathe in it," said Juanita Vaughn, a retiree who moved to Cross Creek at Summertree last year. "It burns your eyes in the shower, the chemicals."
The utility serves about 3,000 customers in west Pasco, including the communities of Summertree/Paradise Point, Orangewood, Buena Vista and Bartelt Sunshine. And only some of them have complaints; Arthur Kidder, an Orangewood customer, told the PSC his water is fine.
The utility says the proposed increases, between $2 and $4 a month for most customers, would help it recover its costs.
Three members of the PSC - Commissioners J. Terry Deason, Rudolph Bradley and Braulio Baez - listened to customers Thursday morning at a special hearing at Spartan Manor. The commissioners will take those comments into consideration when they vote on the proposed increases Nov. 25.
Angel Cabaret Theatre postpones play opening
NEW PORT RICHEY - The Angel Cabaret Theatre has postponed tonight's opening of Murder at the Howard Johnson's until May 30, said Angel owner Jimmy Ferraro.
One of the three actors in the show, George Cahill III, seriously injured his leg during rehearsals this week and will be out of commission for at least eight weeks. Director/producer Jimmy Ferraro has replaced him with Sarasota-based actor Robert P. Williams.
