Pasco's Explorer Post 916 No. 2 in state competition

By Times staff writers

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 7, 2000

Pasco's Explorer Post 916 came in second place, just behind a post from Clearwater, at the annual state Explorer competition in West Palm Beach last week.

The team had five members, all of them high school students or recent graduates: Lt. Samantha Allee, Sgt. Dustin Roy, Sgt. John Eanes, Sgt. Lisa Jones and Sgt. Justin Libecap.

"They put in a lot of work this summer," said Sheriff Lee Cannon. "There are just hundreds and hundreds of people competing in these things."

The Pasco Explorer team came in 13th last year, Allee said. This year, the team competed against 35 other posts in eight events from June 25 to July 1.

In addition to its second-place overall finish, the team earned awards in four other categories: first in burglary-in-progress, second in search-and-arrest, third in first aid, and fifth in bomb threat.

Man who died near road had heart-problem history

ZEPHYRHILLS -- The elderly man who collapsed and died while working beside a road in Zephyrhills on Wednesday had a history of heart problems, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office said.

The Sheriff's Office on Thursday identified the man as Stanley Buch, 75, of 38929 Tall Drive in Zephyrhills.

Buch was using a weed trimmer around noon to clean up a ditch along Otis Allen Road, near 16th Street, when he collapsed. Rescue crews were unable to revive him.

An autopsy was not performed because Buch had long suffered from heart problems, including bypass surgery in 1989, reports said. The Sheriff's Office classified the case as a natural death.

Manslaughter defendant allowed move to Georgia

DADE CITY -- A judge on Thursday said he won't block a man charged with manslaughter from moving to Georgia while he awaits trial.

Circuit Judge Wayne Cobb said he saw no reason to block former Zephyrhills Correctional Institution psychologist Thomas Straight, 60, from moving out of state while he is free on $50,000 bail awaiting trial.

Straight is charged with the May 5 killing of 36-year-old David Charles Hood, a man he said he thought of as a son.

Pasco County deputies said Straight originally told them Hood shot himself, but later told them Hood insisted the weapon was empty and dared him to pull the trigger. The blast killed Hood on the spot.

Straight's attorney, Robert Norgard, said Straight wanted to live with his daughter in Georgia but would return for all required court appearances.

Norgard also told Cobb that Straight has lost his job and had no money to pay for experts to review evidence before trial. He asked the judge to order the county to pay the costs.

Prosecutor Phil Van Allen objected, noting that if Straight had the ability to post a $50,000 bond but not the money to pay for his defense, he should surrender himself to the jail and use the money for experts.

Cobb said he would review Straight's finances and decide if a hearing should be held.

Straight has pleaded innocent to a charge of manslaughter.

Menicola to keep vow: Clean Port Richey streets

PORT RICHEY -- City Council Member Joe Menicola this weekend will keep a campaign promise to clean up Port Richey streets by rounding up volunteers to go around and pick up trash and garbage, he said Thursday.

Menicola, elected to the council in April, said he will use some of his campaign workers and anyone he can recruit Saturday and Sunday to clean the city's streets from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Menicola said anyone wanting to volunteer can call 842-5400 for the place to meet.

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