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Steeplechase raffle benifits range of groups

By TIMES WIRES
Published December 21, 2006

The Little Everglades Steeplechase is extending the reach of its charity arm with a new raffle drawing benefiting several community groups. Tickets cost $10, and winners will be drawn at the March 11 steeplechase. Prizes include a sunset cruise on a yacht, a diamond watch, a steeplechase lawn box, and a football and jersey autographed by Buccaneer Ronde Barber. Charity groups will keep $2.50 of every ticket they sell. They include Downtown Dade City Main Street, Saint Leo University athletics and the Pioneer Florida Museum. The steeplechase - part cocktail party, part equestrian affair - has drawn thousands to the Little Everglades Ranch north of Dade City, owned by Bob and Sharon Blanchard, since the event's 2000 inception. For information or to sign up a group for fundraising, call 1-866-770-5954.

Appraisal may lower policy costs

Feeling like Citizens Property Insurance Corp. is charging you too much? State Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, says the answer might be a new appraisal. State-run Citizens sometimes sets the value of insured property too high, he said, causing rates to go up more than they should. Fasano said consumers could obtain a certified appraisal, and if it's lower than Citizens' value for replacing the house, rates could be lowered accordingly. In one case, it saved a man hundreds by having the replacement cost set $45,000 lower, Fasano said in a letter to lawmakers and staffers Wednesday.

Lien is break in midst of big fines

It's not often that a $15,000 lien is a break, but it was Tuesday for David Lorentsen of Hudson. That's because he racked up $586,800 in fines and interest thanks to building code violations dating back to 2000. Construction of small additions and repairs got done as required by 2003 - but the fines continued to pile up at $100 to $200 a day with interest. Lorentsen blamed the problems on an architect. So he asked the County Commission for a break. His attorney, Stephen Booth, described him Tuesday as destitute, living on disability payments and needing a loan to cover any fine. County staffers said they put in 300 hours on the case averaging $50 an hour. So commissioners, noting the waterfront property is valued at $380,000, decided that a $15,000 lien made sense - this time without interest.

[Last modified December 21, 2006, 07:06:01]