IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN: Make sure you’re prepared for hurricane season
JO BARSH PHONE:
ADDRESS:
In
Of course, no one wants to think about this right now. We’re just getting into spring, so we should have a few months before we have to worry about — gulp! — hurricane season.
And although it’s still early, at least one organization is expecting the 2025 season to be busier than normal.
Colorado State University on Thursday, April 3, released its first extended-range forecast for the upcoming season, which begins June 1 and ends Nov. 30.
CSU researchers are predicting 17 named storms, with nine expected to become hurricanes. Of those, CSU predicts four could reach Category 3 (winds of at least 111 mph) or higher.
Most Floridians know the drill: Stock up on water, canned goods, flashlights. Get a generator if you so choose, and make sure it works. Have propane in case you need to cook on your grill.
However, local State Farm Insurance agents Jo Barsh and Bryan Fifer also advise homeowners to have a preparedness checklist completed for their homeowners insurance policy. Doing so will help speed up the claims process — and alleviate stress and worry should a catastrophic event occur at your property.
Here are three steps you should take now to ensure a smooth process in the future.
1GET AN INSURANCE CHECKUP
When you purchased your home, you also purchased an insurance policy. But it could be years since you looked at that document, and now is the time to revisit it to understand your coverage. You need to make sure you have adequate coverage and also understand any hurricane deductibles in your policy. Also, make sure you review coverages for other property, such as cars and boats. Your insurance agent should be able to go over these steps with you and help you understand some of the intricacies. With State Farm agents such as Barsh and Fifer, that help is just a phone call away.
Who needs a resort when your happy place is right in your own backyard?
in a catastrophic loss. Moreover, creating this inventory beforehand takes one item off your plate in a time of disaster, Barsh says.
3
PROTECT IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
This is an often-overlooked but crucial piece of hurricane preparedness. These documents should include birth certificates, Social Security cards, passports, property titles and insurance documents and policy paperwork.
Although much of this is available online — and you should make sure you have your insurance provider’s app downloaded and signed in on your phone — in a disaster area, power and internet service often are issues. Having a hard copy of these documents will enable you to begin the claims process as quickly as possible. To protect these documents, store them in a protected, waterproof container.
2TAKE INVENTORY OF YOUR HOME
“Having a documentation of your personal property will speed up your claim and allow you to provide proof, if needed, to your insurance carrier,” Fifer says. Fifer and Barsh advise doing this with both photos and video. Go through your home, room by room, and document everything of value. This includes furniture, electronics, appliances, clothing, etc. It also is a good idea to record model and serial numbers when applicable, as well as estimated values of some the items. Should you have to file a claim, this documentation can ensure you receive the proper amount to replace the items destroyed
Having a documentation of your personal property will speed up your claim and allow you to provide proof, if needed, to your insurance carrier.”
— Bryan Fifer State Farm Insurance
BETTER PRODUCTS, BETTER RESULTS!
WHO WE ARE
Here at J.S.J. Unlimited, LLC, we have the products, knowledge, and equipment to transform any property’s exterior. As a local family owned business, we invite you to stop in and browse our selection of high quality landscape products.
WHAT WE DO
We specialize in sod replacement, installation, seeding, delivery and providing the finest outdoor living products to contractors and homeowners. Options include sod, rock, mulch, soils and landscape supplies. Many sod varieties available: Bermuda, Seville, Zoysia, Bahia, St. Augustine, Bitter Blue, Palmetto and more.
Authorized distributor of all COMAND products and a dealer for Earth & Turf Topdressers and Mulch Mate Trailers.
Locally owned and operated since 2011
American Dream, fulfilled
RE/MAX real-estate adviser Carmelo Nuccio came to the United States with nothing. And as he has built his business in Winter Garden, he’s also done his part to give back to the community he adores.
Just like the names “Shaq,” “Tiger” and “Elvis,” if you mention “Carmelo” in Winter Garden, most people know exactly whom you’re talking about.
RE/MAX real-estate adviser Carmelo Nuccio is a bonafide local celebrity. If you don’t know him personally, you likely have seen his vehicle — a fully souped up, lifted and customized Toyota Land Cruiser FJ80 he’s affectionately dubbed the “RE/MAX Mobile.”
And if you’re looking to buy a home in Winter Garden, you’re probably going to be taking a few rides with Nuccio in his custom 4x4.
Although some might see the RE/MAX Mobile and think it is a bit much, for Nuccio, it’s the culmination of an American Dream fully realized.
Born to an Italian father and Venezuelan mother, Nuccio emigrated from Venezuela at age 22. Eventually, he landed an entrylevel job with a title company in downtown Orlando.
Later, he joined Midtown Realty, where he worked with broker Aida Martin to revitalize Church Street. He then joined RE/MAX under Michael Kara, who taught him more about foreclosures and investment properties.
All the while, Nuccio called Winter Garden home, and after the Great Recession, he began focusing on the potential in his adopted hometown. After all, it’s where his family established other businesses, including Liberty Tax Service on Dillard Street and a liquor store.
Throughout his career spanning two decades, Nuccio has fueled his business through his commitment to serving the community he loves. He’s active in his church, Mosaic Church, and supports a plethora of local charities and organizations, including Matthew’s Hope Ministries, Habitat for Humanity and many more.
“I came from nothing,” he says. “Winter Garden adopted me, and I am so blessed and grateful to my adopter.”
OFFICE ADDRESS: 2630 Edgewater Drive, Orlando
PHONE: (321) 441-6951
FACEBOOK: @CarmeloNuccioRealtor
INSTAGRAM: @carmelonuccio
So, when future Winter Garden residents ask Nuccio to help them find their dream home, at first, Nuccio doesn’t pick them up in the RE/MAX Mobile. Instead, he opts for his golf cart and heads to Plant Street, where he shows them the Rosalie Cafe and Axum Coffee. He tells them stories of the owners of these staple businesses. He tells them about the town’s citrus history — and even about when the town was known as “Winter Garbage.”
“I want them to know the roots of Winter Garden, of 34787,” he says. “I take them to the (Winter Garden Heritage Museum) because I want to educate them a little bit.
“A house is just four walls,” Nuccio says. “I want them to understand that when they come to Winter Garden, they’re coming into a community. They need to see it. They need to feel it.”
Eventually, homebuyers do find themselves in the RE/MAX Mobile, which Nuccio uses to find the perfect home for each client. And following the sale? Nuccio remains as a trusted adviser.
“I’m sometimes a psychiatrist, sometimes a marriage counselor,” he says, laughing. “I remember birthdays, anniversaries. I’ve helped people move. I’ve been a handyman at midnight.”
And although Nuccio likely could increase his profits by adding agents to his roster, he’s decided to remain a one-man operation.
“I’m the only solo, local agent,” he says with pride. “I have no team. I do everything by myself, 100%. Buying a home is 100% emotional. It’s scary, and a customer needs to know he or she is heard and understood.” Nuccio says the vast majority of buyers or sellers do not remember their agent’s name. He wants to buck that trend.
“I got to see Winter Garden (and how it has changed) in the past two decades,” Nuccio says. “I’m very proud of my town. This is my town. Let me make it yours, too.”
“
I got to see Winter Garden (and how it has changed) in the past two decades. I’m very proud of my town. This is my town. Let me make it yours, too.”
— Carmelo Nuccio, RE/MAX
CARMELO NUCCIO
Let’s face it: No one likes picking up after their dog. It’s gross, menial and, yes, a tad demeaning.
And according to The Poop Bandit owner Michael Wright, it’s not all that uncommon for dog owners to just let the waste sit in their yards.
However, Wright says that can cause myriad problems in and around your home. So dog owners, take note: Here are four reasons why you shouldn’t leave your furry friend’s mess in the yard.
HEALTH RISKS
Dog waste contains a smorgasbord of bacteria and parasites, including roundworms, salmonella, E. coli, giardia, leptospira, parvovirus, coliform bacteria and cryptosporidium.
And yes, those can be transmitted to you or your family through indirect means, such as insects making contact with the waste and then contacting you, Wright says.
Moreover, stepping on dog waste that contains parasite eggs or hookworm larvae also can make a person sick, he says.
Families with children who like to play outside are particularly susceptible to these risks.
IT’S FERTILIZER, RIGHT?
Put simply: No!
“It is not a fertilizer,” Wright says. “It is toxic, and it is killing your yard. It’s also attracting bugs, mice and rodents.”
Wright says dog feces is far too acidic for grass. Moreover, it isn’t financially sensible to try to compost it to turn it into a usable fertilizer. The same pathogens that can harm you and your family need to be killed to keep the compost safe, and that process is too labor-intensive and expensive for it to make sense, Wright says.
“Your compost heap will need to maintain a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit for five days,” he says. Furthermore, even if you did achieve that temperature, it still wouldn’t be safe to use on plants that yield food.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
Dog waste contains pathogens, including bacteria and parasites, that are harmful to the environment. And, when left to rot in your backyard, the waste can find its way into the groundwater or into storm drains.
Once there, the waste has a direct route to nearby streams, rivers and other bodies of water, Wright says. If the amount of waste is high enough, it can cause algae to grow, which, in turn, can kill fish and affect the ability to use bodies of water for recreational purposes.
IT’S JUST GROSS
—
In the end, a clean, waste-free yard is more pleasant than one with land mines scattered about. And a more pleasant yard means more enjoyable time in it. That means more backyard use, more barbecues and more parties. It also means you won’t have to watch where you step or risk tracking in an unwanted mess into the home.
Owner
oldest son, Lucas, earn money for car insurance and gas. Lucas grew the company to eight clients, but after he graduated and enlisted in the Marines, the company remained stagnant.
Then, when COVID-19 stopped the world in March 2020, it also stopped the growth of Michael Wright’s main businesses — high-end executive recruiting firms. And after a few months, he realized something critical: The Poop Bandit was pandemic-proof.
“We still had clients, and someone had to do the work,” he says. Since then, The Poop Bandit has become the market leader in the pooper-scooper industry in West Orange and Southwest Orange. The business has a warehouse, operates five trucks and has seven employees. Wright’s goal: $1M in sales this year.
Photos courtesy of EM Agency/The Local