Commercial Truck Insurance in Tarpon Springs, FL

TARPON SPRINGS — Whether city commissioners authorize use of eminent domain to acquire privately-owned Cocoris Park, on the southern corner of Cross and Hope streets, will largely depend on if voters authorize the purchase of another property on Roosevelt Boulevard at the Sponge Docks during a Nov. 7 referendum.

It will also depend on how many commissioners agree with Commissioner John Koulianos that “this is an extreme overreach of government.”

On Oct. 17, commissioners tabled an eminent domain hearing to acquire the small irregularly shaped property, just under an acre in size with many stately trees.

Commissioner Panagiotis Koulias urged commissioners to wait until the referendum before they make their decision.

“That’s going to be a big statement from the residents of Tarpon Springs about how they feel about the city purchasing property,” he said. “It will give us a guide to have this discussion a little bit further.”

Koulias said he was also concerned about the potential for litigation and the ensuing cost.

Koulianos said “this is an extreme overreach of government. … Eminent domain was used throughout the building of our country for highways, the railroad, and in Tarpon a hospital or Live Oak. It was used where it had a collective benefit to the city; a collective benefit that helped with commerce or safety.”

Koulianos noted “maybe they want to really keep their property. Maybe they want to keep it for their family. For whatever the reason is. This is an overreach.”

He said the city has parks and doesn’t need the small parcel.

Vice Mayor Craig Lunt said at first he thought eminent domain was a heavy-handed way to deal with a subject like this.

“I can’t support this. I still do not believe this is the right way to take someone’s property. … I think the justification that we need more park space, because we’re deficient, is not an adequate reason.”

Commissioner Michael Eisner said without cutting down a lot of trees he doesn’t know how well the city can utilize the property. He, too, said he would like to wait until after the referendum to decide.

During public comment, former Mayor Anita Protos said she also takes issue with the approach.

“This is America and if people don’t want to sell their property, they shouldn’t be made to give it up to eminent domain,” she said.

In speaking directly to Mayor Costa Vatikiotis, the former mayor said, “You and I for a long, long, time have talked about eminent domain and right now you have flipped over, and I find that hard to believe.”

In his comments, Vatikiotis said the city’s Comprehensive Plan identified a deficiency of mini-parks and this would serve that purpose.

The mayor added, “I want to remind some people in this room that eminent domain was exercised in putting Live Oak Street in 25 years ago, and that road would not be in unless eminent domain took place on those properties. Also, the downtown library would not be there if we didn’t exercise eminent domain.”

He added, “There’s a purpose for eminent domain. It’s a tool. You use it on a case-by-case basis, and you use it when there’s a need, not just because you want land. This particular case, I believe there is a need for this particular property.”

Earlier this year, City Manager Mark LeCouris told commissioners an appraisal found the property has an “as is” value of $160,000.

During a Jan. 24 meeting, LeCouris told commissioners he has pursued the property for several years.

“I wish the 30-year agreement we had for the park didn’t end,” he said. “I remember when it ended, (the property owners) were not willing to sell it to the city. Ever since that time we’ve been trying, making overtures to try and get that property.”

At that time, LeCouris told commissioners the property has zero density, is in the high-water hazard area, and not worth $2 million initially asked by the owner. The city shared its appraisal of $160,000 with the Sagonias Trust and offered 125% of the appraised value, or $200,000.

In updating the commission earlier this year, LeCouris advised the trust alleged that the city changed the property to have a zero-density. However, LeCouris said it’s been zoned that way for “30 or more years.”

The city had no control over changes to the Coastal High Hazard area, he added.

In a 3 to 2 vote to table the question until after the Nov. 7 referendum, commissioners Koulias, Eisner and Mayor Vatikiotis voted for, with Vice Mayor Lunt and Commissioner Koulianos voting against.

In the heart of Tarpon Springs, where the river meets the sea, a tradition as old as the town itself is thriving.

On the waters of the Anclote River, Captain George Billiris is the custodian of the last remaining sponge tour boating business. The St. Nicholas Boat Line is 100 years old.

"When people come, you know, that's what they see," explained Captain Billiris of the St. Nicholas Boat Line. "They see that culture of the sponge docks, the sponging industry, and it’s still here."

His grandfather started the family business back in 1924, during the off-season for sponge diving.

"He bought several boats and began operating them in 1924. He was doing sponge diving tours. They were doing fishing tours, a lot of different things at the time," Captain Billiris said.

His family has been traveling these waterways for a century.

"Just about everybody in the first generation is a captain. We had to start off with my grandfather," shared Captain Billiris. "My father, all of my uncles. The cousins, we had probably about eight or ten family members that were captains at one point."

The captain was just a kid when he started.

"I was doing it from the time I was about ten years old. I used to work on the boats here. I grew up through high school, and then when I went to high school, I actually went away to college and kind of disappeared for a while," he stated.

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Now he's back telling tales of yesteryears.

"Now, all these boats you see to my left, are working commercial sponge boats," said Captain Billiris added. "It's more of a historical representation of what we, how we used to work with the diving gear and all. And, it gives you a lot of history about the sponge industry."

Families aren't just on a tour but are part of a legacy.

"A lot of people coming up as older people now, bringing their grandkids to come onto the boat because of, they just remember how it used to be," he said.

Guests get to experience first-hand what it was like to be a sponge driver.

"I hope they leave with a little bit of knowledge of, of about our culture, about our history, how things used to work here in the old days. And just a good, pleasant idea of what Tarpon Springs was all about," Captain Billiris said.

The tour is the second-oldest attraction in Florida and it runs every day.

The tour leaves from 693 Dodecanese Blvd, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689

Call (727) 942-6425 for more information.

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — When John Lulias looks back on his upbringing in Tarpon Springs, he remembers feeling like he lived in a Greek village.

What You Need To Know

“Wherever you went, everybody spoke Greek,” he said. “The vegetable man would come around in his truck to your house, we delivered bread to the homes — it was those kinds of things you had in Greece.”

Lulias, a second generation Greek-American, still sees the close-knit, unique town he grew up in as he walks through Tarpon Springs today.

“Of course it’s changed,” he said. “But every place has and we try to keep part of the old spirit of Tarpon Springs, especially with some of these religious celebrations.”

One of the town’s oldest traditions is Epiphany. For more than a century, crowds have descended on Tarpon Springs every January for the celebration. Epiphany is a constant in Lulias’ life. He’s been participating since he was just two years old and is now the choir director at Saint Nicholas Cathedral.

“It’s also a homecoming,” Lulias explained. “Many people come back to Tarpon Springs on Epiphany day to see friends that have moved away and things like that, so it’s a wonderful thing for families to get together and celebrations all over town.”

To Lulias, the meaning behind the festivities is the most important part. In the Greek Orthodox faith, Epiphany commemorates the baptism of Jesus Christ. The day begins with a mass at Saint Nicholas Cathedral, followed by a procession down to Spring Bayou, where thousands of spectators gather for the cross dive.

“It’s a symbolic thing where they throw the cross and boys dive in and the one who retrieves it, it’s supposed to bring them luck for a year,” Lulias explained. “To many of the boys who have caught it, it’s changed their lives.”

One of those boys is Lulias’ older brother, Nikitas. He retrieved the cross 50 years ago and is now the Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain.

Lulias has watched Epiphany in Tarpon Springs grow and transform over the decades. What started as a small gathering in the Greek Orthodox Church has grown into the largest Epiphany celebration in the Western Hemisphere, attracting up to 20,000 people each year.

In some ways, though, Epiphany feels the same as when Lulias was a kid.

“A lot of it hasn’t changed,” he said. “The services are the same, the choir, the priest, the Archbishop coming every year — because this is where it’s sort of the official celebration of epiphany in the United States, so the Archbishop of the United States comes here to celebrate.”

As Epiphany continues to draw in curious spectators, Lulias hopes people hold on to the true meaning. He looks forward to keeping the beloved tradition a staple in his life for years to come.

Lulias’ brother, Archbishop Nikitas, will be returning to Tarpon Springs for the 118th Epiphany celebration, in honor of his 50-year anniversary of retrieving the cross.

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — When Chloe Kotis joined the choir at the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Tarpon Springs, the teen had no idea she would be chosen as dove bearer for the Epiphany celebration years later.

“I actually didn’t know that you had to be in choir to be a dove bearer. Which is crazy,” she said. “I just did it because my sister was in choir.”

What You Need To Know

Her sister, Fotini Sisois, 25, was chosen as dove bearer in 2016 and Kotis, 17, will be following in her footsteps for the 118th annual Epiphany celebration, which is the largest in the Western Hemisphere.

“I’m super excited and I’m honored,” she said. “It’s just really traditional and it’s a blessing.”

Kotis will carry a live dove in her hands, which represents the holy spirit, during a procession from the church to Spring Bayou on Jan. 6.

“I’m obviously going to have to be really aware that it’s like a live bird in my hands,” she said. “I don’t want to hold it too tight because I’m going to be nervous. I don’t want to let it go.”

Once they reach the water’s edge, the cross divers, as many as 70 young men, will enter the water and wait on dinghies preparing to dive. The Archbishop of America will read a gospel, and that’s when Kotis releases the dove to signify the descent of the holy spirit.

“During the reading, it’ll say ‘the holy spirit in the form of a dove,’” she said. “Which is exactly what I’m doing is holding the holy spirit in the form of a dove and then I’ll let it go right when he says that and it’ll fly away.”

The Archbishop then casts a cross into the bayou and the young men try to retrieve it. The ceremonial cross dive commemorates Christ’s baptism. It’s a tradition that runs deep in Kotis’ family.

“It’s been in my family for a long time. My grandfather, Vasil Kotis, caught the cross in 1956,” she said. “Which just being here representing my sister, my grandfather and my mom, (she) has one of her boats out here. She passed away in 2018.”

Kotis said while being surrounded by the holy spirit, she’ll likely feel her mom’s presence too.

The Epiphany celebration is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. and Spectrum News always carries the cross dive live on the air.

Landmark Nursery has been in the same spot on Eastlake Road for about 40 years. “My cousin purchased the property back then as a worm farm,” said Stephen DuQuesany. The DuQuesany family that owns it said nothing like this has ever happened before.

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — Landmark Nursery has been in the same spot on Eastlake Road for about 40 years.

“My cousin purchased the property back then as a worm farm,” said Stephen DuQuesany.

The DuQuesany family that owns it said nothing like this has ever happened before.

“I was distraught. You feel like your personal space. Why would somebody? What reason,” Stephen said.

There is damage all over the property.

“It looks like a mixture of just smashing and throwing,” said general manager Sabrina Kelly.

There are broken pots and pottery and smashed windows on the Bobcats and trucks.

“We found plants thrown down on top of each other,” said Kelly.

And spray paint everywhere.

On trees, plants, rocks, and even the cactus.

“We all take pride in what we do here. And we all care about the plants, and we all care about our purpose here,” said Kelly.

The owners say the vandalism happened early Thanksgiving morning.

They know that because some of the destruction was caught on a security camera.

“You see them spray painting. And it looks like they might have alcohol in their hands. Kind of stumbling around,” said Kelly.

The crew here has been working to restore Landmark to its pristine condition. They’ve even had offers from customers to help with the cleanup.

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is still open and active.

If the vandals are caught, the owners have an idea of a suitable punishment.

“You know they can bag soil for eight hours. Money is one thing, but these kids need to learn a lesson. They need to learn you can’t go to hurt other people’s property. You’ll affect the property. Money is one thing. But it affects our pride and the whole community,” said DuQuesany.

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