The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

Class of 2020: Graduations delayed

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The public school districts in Pasco and Hillsborough counties have announced delayed graduation ceremonies to help seniors mark their rite of passage during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hillsborough County public school graduations will be held in July, according to a district announcement.

Pasco County graduations will be held in August, Pasco County Superintendent Kurt Browning said, during the Pasco County School Board’s April 21 virtual meeting.

“We know that students and parents are anxious to know what these plans are,” Browning said.

“As soon as the dates are set in August, we will push those dates out to moms and dads, and the students and the school administrators,” he said.

The superintendent also said that a virtual celebration is being planned, in the interim.

“We believe it’s important to mark the final week of school with a celebration, so staff is working on a virtual celebration leading up to the last week,” Browning said.

School Board Chairwoman Colleen Beaudoin said, “I really want to thank the superintendent and staff for sharing their plans for graduation, because I have gotten quite a few phone calls and comments from people in our community, and everyone is very concerned about recognizing our seniors. And, I know all of us and all of you share that angst.”

Board member Megan Harding said she wanted to let seniors know that she understands “how heartbreaking” the news was, that students would not return to campus and that graduations would be delayed.

“I want to remind them to finish strong and know that we’re cheering you on, and we are going to be creative and find ways to honor the Class of 2020,” Harding said.

The revised Hillsborough public school graduation dates are listed on that district’s website. As of this time, here are the dates and times set for high schools that are in, or near, The Laker/Lutz News coverage area are:

  • Freedom: July 18, 9 a.m.
  • Gaither: July 15, 9 a.m.
  • Steinbrenner, July 16, 8 p.m.
  • Wharton, July 17, 12:30 p.m.
  • Sickles, July 20, 4 p.m.

All of the Hillsborough County ceremonies are scheduled to take place at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall.

Published May 06, 2020

Florida takes first step to reopen

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis began the first phase of reopening the state this week — after ordering all but essential businesses and activities to close down on  April 3.

The new “Safe. Smart. Step-by-Step” order institutes a phase one reopening throughout the state, except in  Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Gov. Ron DeSantis

Under phase one, schools will remain in distance learning through the end of the school year, and no visitors will be allowed to long-term facilities — as has been the case.

But, the first phase does allow:

  • Elective surgeries
  • Outdoor dining at restaurants, with 6 feet between tables; and indoor dining, at 25% capacity
  • Retail shopping at 25% capacity, and businesses must follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention distancing guidelines

The first phase of the governor’s order does not allow reopening of movie theaters, gyms, bars or hair salons.

The state is taking deliberate steps in reopening, DeSantis said, in a televised news conference.

“It will not be like turning off a switch,” he said.

He expects the state to move from one phase to the next, in a matter of weeks not months, unless the data indicates otherwise.

“If we’re making progress, we need to continue to put people back to work in a safe, smart and step-by-step way,” DeSantis said.

“The government needs to protect health, but we should not go beyond what is necessary to do that,” he said.

“This current crisis has impacted — one way or another — all 21 ½ million Floridians in life-changing ways,” the governor said.

He said some small businesses have seen their life’s work “practically devastated overnight.

“Working parents have had to juggle the new reality of distance learning, all the while trying to put food on the table.

“Our kids have not seen their friends from school for at least six weeks. School sports and plays and activities have gone up in smoke — depriving kids of some of the best times in their lives.

“Traditional graduations have been cancelled, and so have senior proms. These moments, will be forever lost.

“And, of course, our kids haven’t been able to see their grandparents,” he said.

DeSantis urged those most vulnerable to protect themselves.

“If you’re 65 and up, if you have a significant underlying condition, you need to avoid crowds, avoid close contact with people outside your household. Stay home as much as you can,” he said.

He asked others to help protect them, too.

“The most important social distancing we can do is to distance the most vulnerable from those who are not. Because if you’re not vulnerable, you may be a carrier of this and not have symptoms or not know it, and you have a risk to pass it along,” he said.

In general, social groups should remain 10 or fewer, he said.

The governor also recommends that individuals wear face masks, when they are in face-to-face interactions and when they cannot maintain a safe social distance.

Pasco County reopenings
The Pasco County Commission is following the governor’s guidelines, in slowly reopening county locations, with limited services.

Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles

“The county, as a whole, is in a good place to get ready to start cracking back open,” County Administrator Dan Biles said during an April 24 virtual town hall meeting, hosted by Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey.

The county has already opened some areas for recreation and plans to use a phased approach for reopening libraries, Biles said.

“Our customer service counters are probably going to stay the way they are for a while.

“Whether you come in and drop something off, and we come and then we come pick it up. Or, drive-thru only, like our utility service areas.

“Operationally, we have probably a quarter of the county, to a third of the county, working from home, right now, and they stay working from home, until we get to a phase two or phase three,” Biles said.

The arrangement is working so well for some staffers that they may be able to continue working at home, even after the restrictions are lifted, Biles said.

The county already has reopened the West Pasco Resource Recovery Facility, the East Paco Transfer Station and the standalone recyclables drop-off locations for residential waste and recycling disposal. The change restores services that previously limited residential drop-offs, between April 4 and April 25.

Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s offices re-opened on May 4 for in-person lobby services.

Hours of operation will be Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Gulf Harbors and Wesley Chapel offices will be open on Saturdays beginning May 9 from 8:30 a.m. to noon, for Pasco County residents only.

Each office will maintain social distancing standards, such as limiting the number of individuals allowed in the office at one time.

Dealers may drop off and pick up work through the VIN check/drive-thru Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon. No over-the -counter dealer work will be permitted.

To protect themselves and those around them customers are requested to wear face masks if at all possible. For more information, visit PascoTaxes.com.

Emergency leaders in Hillsborough County also have announced they will align the community’s COVID-19 recovery with the governor’s plan, and will not take more restrictive actions.

Keep yourself safe
Pasco County continues to encourage individuals to follow the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention and Florida Department of Health (DOH) guidelines and best practices. Those include:

  • Avoid social gatherings in groups of more than 10 people
  • Practice social distancing of at least 6 feet
  • Use online service options, when available
  • Stay home if you feel sick, and contact your medical provider
  • Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, using soap and water. When that’s not available, use hand sanitizer.
  • Wear cloth face coverings in public, when social distancing is difficult

Published May 06, 2020

Helping businesses succeed in difficult times

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The economic meltdown accompanying the emergence of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has left many businesses scrambling.

Although it has changed its mode of operations, the North Tampa Chamber of Commerce continues to serve its members through networking sessions and webinars.

Last month, it co-hosted a webinar with Entravision Communications, called “How Your Business Can Succeed in Difficult Times.”

The webinar focused on:

  • Understanding the current business landscape
  • How a short-term crisis can yield long-term opportunity
  • Focusing on the positive to overcome negativity
  • The importance of empathy and giving back to the community
  • Strategies for driving sales and reaching consumers
  • Understanding new consumer behaviors and media consumption
  • Simple marketing strategies to help your business during uncertain times

Camilo Calderon, Jeanne McGuinness and Adriana Rosada, of Entravision, shared their expertise, taking the pulse of the virtual crowd, and focusing on the importance of maintaining brand awareness and reaching consumers.

McGuinness reminded those tuning in that “short-term crisis can yield long-term opportunity.

“As leaders of our companies and businesses, it’s important that we remain productive and we overcome negativity with positivity,” she said. “Negativity can just take on a life of its own.”

So, in the midst of this disaster, she said, “what can we do?”

“We can only focus on the things that we can control.

“Right now, it is time to invest in your business.”

Business owners need to ask themselves: “What are things that I can fix, that over the past couple of years I’ve said, ‘Oh, we need to make time to do that.’”

Maybe that means freshening up your social media, updating your contact lists, developing a new inventory system or spending time on training, she said.

“What are the top three things you need to take care of to be more successful?

“Those are the things you need to focus on now,” she said.

“If you’re a sales organization, does the playbook need updating?” she asked.

“A lot of our products go through a lot of changes and we don’t necessarily take the time to train on the best ways to express those benefits to our consumer,” said McGuinness, who is senior vice president of integrated marketing.

Businesses also need to ask how they can continue operating in this changed environment.

They may need to consider implementing online appointments, for example.

Often, she said, a company’s first response in a crisis is to cut marketing and advertising.

But, she said: “This might be the perfect time for you to take steps to do marketing and advertising.

“Because building and maintaining a brand that consumers recognize and trust is one of the best ways to reduce risks.

“We are in risk management right now,” she reminded the audience.

“What’s happening right now is that there is a lot of marketing opportunity available for you, probably extremely discounted. Marketers can help you with a reassuring tone in your message. Inform the community if there’s something that you’re doing out in the community.

“Talk about steps you are taking, in this new normal,” she said.

It’s also important to be sure to take care of existing relationships, the experts said.

Calderon, who also works in integrated marketing for the company, said “It is vital for business owners to stay active and to maintain their advertising and marketing efforts as close to normal, if not even more than they were doing before.”

“Now is not the time to cutback or change your marketing strategy in a negative way,” he said.

“Only six months of absence can nearly make you lose 40% of your whole brand awareness that you’ve created in the past few years,” he said.

“Thinking about cutting your marketing might sound good for your current business plan. It’s important to think of how this is going to affect you in the long-run.

“If you feel that you need to cut your expenses, advertising should not be your first option. At least that’s what we recommend,” he said. “You still need to bring customers, whether that’s through your website or by other measures.”

It’s better to reduce your ad spending, rather than cutting it all together.

It’s also important to reach consumers where they are spending the majority of their time, and during this pandemic there has been a substantial increase in television viewing and online media consumption — as people are stuck home all day, he said.

Rosado, who is Entravision’s digital manager, said: The question should not be should I advertise, but how do I continue to engage with my audience, my customers in these changing times?”

For instance, restaurants need to let consumers know they have home delivery or takeout options, she said. And, attorneys need to let clients know they can do virtual consultations.

As McGuinness put it: “Consumers are still purchasing. The purchasing process has changed.”

“Consumers are still there. How do you get yourself in front of them to keep your business going — is the question.”

Rosado added: “Knowing the behavior of your audience is truly key in unlocking the best way to cater to them and their needs in this time.”

It’s also important to be sure to take care of existing relationships, the experts said.

Succeeding in difficult times: Key takeaways:

  • Remember, all crisis is temporary. There’s zero room for negativity, among leaders.
  • Focus on creating a stronger relationship with your existing customers
  • Understand your target audience, and new consumer behaviors
  • Analyze and track all campaigns to yield best return on investment
  • Don’t cancel or drastically cut your marketing budget because it could potentially affect you in the long-run
  • It’s OK to test, tweak or change your message to yield stronger results

Source: Presentation by Entravision Communications

Published May 06, 2020

Pasco assessing COVID-19’s fiscal impacts

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Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles said the county is working through how it will respond to negative economic effects caused by coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

“We’ve had a pretty tremendous revenue impact to us — across several different funds. We are working through now, how we are going to make sure that we still stay solvent through the rest of the fiscal year, in light of the revenue impact,” Biles said, during an April 24 virtual town hall meeting hosted by Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey.

Those decreased revenues “will impact things across the general fund — which are libraries, parks, the transport piece of our rescue, and some of the other general services we provide.

“We’ve not yet seen a downtick in building permits, but we also haven’t seen the April data yet. March was a strong month for building permits, but we haven’t seen April, and I’m not sure how much March was just on cruise control,” Biles said.

“We don’t have data yet on impact to sales tax, although we have some very obvious indications where those are going, but we obviously haven’t seen the revenue impacts yet,” he said.

Biles’ comments came after previous remarks he made during the Pasco County Commission’s first virtual board meeting on April 21. At that meeting, he indicated the county was being smart about not hiring for every vacancy and evaluating how to proceed with spending.

Biles said “furloughing or laying off people” would be last on his list.

The administrator also noted that even when things start opening up again, the county will continue to feel the effects of the pandemic for some time.

“We aren’t going to be past the impacts of COVID-19 any time soon, because there still is work to be done in treatment, and work to be done in vaccines, so it probably won’t be resolved for quite a while,” he said.

The county will need to continue to observe guidance from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, he added.

“Even if we do open up, that doesn’t mean that the risk is not there,” Biles said.

Published May 06, 2020

A closer look at coronavirus statistics in Pasco County

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Pasco County’s percentage of positive coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) cases compares favorably to the state’s percentage of positive cases, according to Mike Napier, health officer for the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County.

Napier’s comments came on April 24, during a town hall virtual meeting hosted by Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey.

Napier said the health department’s epidemiologists work with hospitals, long-term health facilities, urgent care centers, and other medical and testing facilities to identify, monitor and track all positive COVID-19 cases.

Once a positive case is identified, the health department’s epidemiology team contacts the individual and asks about their activities and the people they’ve come in contact with.

“Based on that information, follow-up calls are made to those possible contacts. Information is gathered and recommendations are provided to those individuals, as well.

“A tracking system is used to compile this information and determine trends in our community.

“Normally, this is a 24/7 operation, manned by four staff in the health department.

“However, in the last few weeks, we’ve ramped up and have a total of 25 people working on contact tracing.

“As we know, contact tracing is a huge component in resolving our COVID-19 cases,” Napier said.

“Before we had the self-isolation, you  may have been to a neighborhood barbecue. You may have been to your children’s school event. I may have 40 to 50 people.

“Contact tracing is important.

“We contact our positives within the first 24 to 48 hours of the lab getting back to us. Many times, we’re contacting them before the doctors call them.”

“The amount of work is reduced because of the isolation, and the spread is reduced because of the isolation.”

Napier put Pasco County’s percentage of positive cases at 5% of those tested, compared to the state average of 10%.

“Today (April 24), we’ve had nine positive cases; in the past, we’ve been doing pretty well, with four or five cases,” he said.

Of 229 cases, 174 people have been removed from isolation, he said.

As of April 24, Pasco had its highest daily positive count on the first three days of April. The counts on those days were 15, 12 and 16, respectively.

“For this past week, we’ve averaged five cases, so we’re making progress,” he said.

Early on, most of the county’s cases were related to travel from known hot spots.

Then, the positive cases were from exposure to known cases, with a large percentage being from household contact, such as spouses, children and siblings, he said.

He said the health department provides priority testing, based on first responders and health care workers.

He said BayCare also has stepped up with drive-thru testing at its Gulf Harbor location and now at Gulf High School in New Port Richey.

“BayCare has tested more than 2,000 residents that met the screening criteria. I can’t emphasize the importance of the screening criteria — fever, cough, shortness of breath,” Napier said.

The focus has been on testing people who are symptomatic, he said.

The testing will be provided through the first week of May at Gulf High School, said Napier, who also gave a shout-out to the principal, for accommodating the testing.

“These efforts have allowed us to identify and slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community,” Napier said, adding that social distancing is working to reduce the spread of the potentially deadly virus.

When employers can find ways for employees to work at home, that helps to limit the spread, he said.

“Pasco County, in general terms, has done very well with the COVID response and has seen less cases and less deaths, compared to similar counties,” Napier said.

He attributes some of that to the health department’s efforts to fight back the Hepatitis A problem that has plagued the county for the past year.

He explained: “COVID-19 messaging is similar to Hep A, in that good hygiene is the No. 1 best way to avoid infection.

“Our hospitals, long-term care facilities, community partners and you, our residents of Pasco County, are making a difference and the data shows. Continue to follow CDC guidance, watch for updates for the governor and when Pasco County begins to get back to business, following their guidance,” he said.

“The Department of Health is working with Pasco County to provide data on case counts and other related information, so that they can make informed decisions on opening the county for business,” Napier added.

He also offered these simple reminders: “The basics of infection control continue to be good hand hygiene.

“Remember,” he added, “the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus.”

Published May 06, 2020

Don’t forget to fill out your census form, officials urge

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While headlines about coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) dominate media coverage,  something else that’s very important — the U.S. Census — is barely getting a mention, Pasco officials say.

Maj. James Mallo, of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, spent a few minutes talking about the census during an April 24  virtual town hall meeting, hosted by Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey.

“The census has taken a backseat,” Mallo said, and added that it’s vital that Pasco County gets an accurate count to be sure that it gets its fair share of federal tax dollars.

“The last I looked at it, we were at about 53% (participation). We definitely want to see as close to 100(%) as possible.”

“We have to do a better job,” Mallo said.

“It’s never been quicker. It’s never been easier. You can do it by phone. You can do it by Internet. You can do it by paper,” he said.

“It took me about 3 minutes to complete mine,” he added, emphasizing the ease of the process.

He also assured those listening: “The U.S. Census keeps your information safe and confidential.”

Mallo said he can’t overstate the importance of everyone being counted.

“It controls $675 billion of federal funds,” he said.

Census data is used to divvy up federal money for health, education, housing and infrastructure, he explained.

The data helps assign funding for things such as school lunches, special education programs, Medicaid, and Head Start. It also helps determine the need for roads, hospitals, schools and other types of public infrastructure.

“It directly impacts the safety and security of our county,” added Mallo, noting that he’s keenly interested in ensuring that protection.

Besides providing useful information for government leaders, census data is important to private business owners because it can help to guide their decisions.

Census data also plays a role in government representation. It determines how many representatives a state has in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“The thing is, we only get one shot every 10 years, so I really, really want to stress the importance of everybody just doing one simple thing,” Mallo urged listeners.

“If people realized how many things it will affect for so long, people would run to fill out the census. It’s just that important,” he said. “We deserve our fair share of federal funding.”

Commissioner Starkey agreed: “We can’t stress that enough.”

If you have questions about the census, visit 2020Census.com, or call (844) 330-2020.

Published May 06, 2020

99-year-old says celebration was  her ‘best party’ ever

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The threat of the spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) killed Debbie Storts’ original plans for celebrating her mom’s 99-year-old birthday.

The original birthday plans for Evelyn ‘Ev’ Furman’s 99th birthday had to be canceled, so her daughter, Debbie Storts, came up with a Plan B to mark the day. (Courtesy of Debbie Storts)

“Family was supposed to fly down and we were going to go to the Rusty Pelican for a lunch on April 4. So, that was canceled,” Debbie said.

“I was also going to do a luncheon prior to that for her friends and my friends. So, we scratched that, as well,” she added.

Instead of coming to a luncheon, neighbors and friends walked up — or rode by in cars or on bicycles to wish Evelyn “Ev” Furman a wonderful day.

The party, in the Twin Lakes subdivision of Land O’ Lakes, was held on April 9, Ev’s actual birthday. It lasted from 10 a.m. until noon.

There also were people from North Pointe Church in Lutz, and Hand and Foot card-playing friends from the Land O’ Lakes Recreational Complex in Land O’ Lakes.

Some of Debbie’s friends from Pine View Middle were there, too. The middle school was Debbie’s last stop before retiring from a 26-year teaching career in Pasco County Schools.

The party attenders kept an appropriate distance — at least 6 feet away — from Ev.

Decorated cars drove by and people walked by to wish Evelyn ‘Ev’ Furman a happy 99th birthday.

Debbie served up cookies and candy, from a 6-foot-long tray.

When people brought presents, Debbie had them leave them at the end of the driveway.

“I let them sit there,” Debbie said, and then after retrieving them, she wiped them down.

“She did quite well. She got a lot of stuff,” Debbie said.

Ev had a ball.

Her first present, she said, “was a beautiful orchid.”

She received about 75 cards, but not all of them came from the party.

“I look through them, and it’s just wonderful to think —  I’m 99 and holding,” Ev said.

“I’ve had a good life,” said the woman, who taught fourth grade for 31 ½ years and loved doing that.

Lots of folks showed up to help Evelyn ‘Ev’ Furman celebrate her 99th birthday.

One highlight from those years was a friendship that began during her very first year of teaching, with a student named Pat Owen, who kept in touch.

“I still hear from her. In fact, her birthday is this Friday, so I’ll be calling her,” Ev said.

Over the years, Eve said she’s enjoyed traveling and has been to such places as Europe, Alaska and the Panama Canal.

She said she’s never experienced anything like the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s very sad. To think, people are out of work and they don’t have money for the food.”

But, Debbie didn’t let the pandemic ruin her mom’s birthday.

Even though Ev’s son, Gary Furman, from Georgia; her daughter, Darlene Conville, from Michigan; and her grandson, Derrick Storts, from Winter Park, couldn’t be there — the birthday girl said she still had a grand time.

Next year, when Ev turns 100, the party will be in a big ballroom, Debbie said.

But, topping this year’s celebration might be a challenge.

“It was the best party I ever had,” Ev said.

Published April 29, 2020

Diane Breinig, left, and her mom, Anna Martindale, came ready with their party horns to help make the day fun.
Debbie Storts delivers goodies to well-wishers who attended her mom’s birthday drive-by and walk-by party. Ev Furman turned 99 this year.

Election supervisors seek more flexibility

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The Florida Supervisors of Elections — an organization representing all 67 county election supervisors across the state — is seeking greater flexibility regarding how elections are conducted during the remainder of the 2020 election cycle.

The organization has asked that Gov. Ron DeSantis issue an executive order granting more flexibility, in light of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Brian Corley said county supervisor of elections across the state are asking Gov. Ron DeSantis to grant more flexibility in how elections are conducted during the remainder of the 2020 election cycle. (File)

The request asks that the executive order modify current Florida Elections Code to allow for more flexibility in meeting the challenges of staffing the polls, securing polling locations, and providing additional voting methods, according to Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley.

The goal is to lessen the impact to in-person voting due to worker shortages and fewer polling locations, Corley said.

To that end, supervisors of elections across the state are asking that they be allowed to designate additional early voting sites, extend the early voting period to 22 days prior to and up until 7 p.m. on election day, and the flexibility of consolidating polling places and/or relocating them to early voting sites.

Now, early voting across the state ranges between eight and 14 days, Corley said.

The additional flexibility being requested is important, Corley said.

“Going into the Presidential Preference Primary, back on March 17, we had some immense challenges,” he said. “We had several hundred poll workers that respectfully bowed out, because of concerns about their health.”

“Our poll workers are generally senior citizens. They’re concerned for their health and their safety. Couldn’t blame them at all,” he said.

When that happened, Corley said he reached out to Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles, Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning and Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco for help.

“Due to schools being closed, we got a tremendous response from teachers and school-related personnel, and others,” Corley said.

Additionally, at the last minute, he said, “we lost polling places.”

So, polling sites had to be consolidated.

“We limped through the PPP (Presidential Preference Primary).

“We’re looking ahead toward the fall, and if we have a similar situation, or fear of a similar situation, we’re going to have a serious issue with adequate poll workers,” Corley said.

“We’re being proactive as the state association of supervisors of elections, basically saying to the governor — ‘We need some flexibility.’”

“I’ve had people say, ‘Why don’t we just do all mail ballots?’

“I’m not opposed to that. I think that would be a great solution, however you can’t flip a switch and make that happen. It takes about a year,” Corley said.

Flexibility is needed because Florida is diverse.

“What Miami-Dade needs is not the same as what Pasco needs. What Pasco needs is not the same as what Clay County needs,” he said.

“Vote by mail right now is about a third of the vote,” he said, but predicts it will increase to about 60%.

“The reason we’re asking for Early Voting is because they are larger facilities. We can control some of the safety, as far as the protocols for social distancing.

“Having larger facilities would incorporate our model to get voters in and out, expeditiously and safely,” he said.

“You could see a model where you don’t have your traditional election day polling places,” he said.

Rather, there could be 15 to 20 early voting sites that are larger facilities that would take the place of election day, neighborhood polling places.

“The problem is, you can’t just decide mid-October to do X,Y and Z. You have to plan for it now,” Corley said.

“Quite frankly, all options are on the table.

“We know this, we have to have an election. It’s in the constitution. You can’t just defer the presidential election in November. It’s going to happen, and we’re going to make it work. We just have to be a little innovative on how we do it,” Corley said.

Vote-by-Mail ballots
If you would like to vote by mail, go online to PascoVotes.gov, call (800) 851-8754 or send a handwritten request to Brian E. Corley, P.O. Box 300, Dade City, Florida, 33526-0300. Handwritten requests must include your signature and date of birth.

Florida voters have had the option for no-excuse voting by mail and utilization has increased exponentially since its inception.

Requests for vote-by-mail are accepted daily and can be made for up to two election cycles. Ballots are mailed approximately 40 days prior to any election, and per Florida Law, are due back in the Supervisor of Elections’ Office by 7 p.m. Election Day.

Published April 29, 2020

School remains in session, online

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Students aren’t returning to campus, but leaders in the Pasco County school district are encouraged by the progress students are making online.

The district went to online learning on March 31, after Gov. Ron DeSantis closed school campuses until at least April 15, due to concerns about the threat of the spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

DeSantis has since announced that school campuses would remain closed for the remainder of the school year.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning said that he supports keeping the campuses closed because he could not “in good conscience” reopen the campuses.

Still, the district remains engaged in online instruction, the superintendent said during the board’s April 21 meeting.

Vanessa Hilton, chief academic officer for the district, shared some statistics from the district’s foray into distance learning.

“We definitely have some trends in the data,” she told school board members, and those listening in on the meeting.

“Monday engagement is always higher for each week so far,” Hilton said.

But, she also noted: “We do have students engaged throughout the week. Even on Saturday and Sunday, we average 20,000 to 36,000 participation, which are actions of engagement.

“Overall, in Week 3, we had about 98% engagement of students,” she said.

School board member Alison Crumbley responded: “Wow — to those numbers you shared. Ninety-eight percent engagement is unbelievable to me.”

The school board member said that Pasco County’s efforts are vastly different than what’s happening around the country.

She said she recently listened to a call-in show, which involved people from around the country.

“Many kids have no devices. Some districts aren’t even doing anything,” Crumbley said.

Hilton also told board members that the district is in the process of issuing hot spots to some families to enable Internet access.

“Those will be prioritized initially for some of our homeless families and families that really are away where there would be infrastructure for Internet,” she said.

“Since Day 1, I wanted to let you know that we have had over 43 million page views and access of files, and just under 15 million modules of units of study.

“We had 7,278,753 assignments submitted; 4,438,379 engagements in discussions; and, 1,214,552 announcements — which are direct communications between teachers and leaders to the students and families, that we miss so much.”

Kevin Shibley, assistant superintendent for administration, provided an update regarding device distribution to students.

“We are just shy of 18,000 computers that we have issued to students, to aid them in distance learning. We are continuing to have schools enter devices that they have distributed to students, so I expect that number to continue to creep up in coming weeks,” Shibley said.

Hilton also told board members that the district is issuing hot spots to some families to enable Internet access.

Hilton also noted that some changes have been made.

“Through feedback of families and students — students themselves, very resourceful students themselves, and staff — we have made adjustments, particularly to our elementary workload, to minimize stress and ensure that learning continues,” Hilton added.

The district also has been creating weekly parent newsletters, teacher newsletters and periodic secondary student newsletters, she said.

Plus, she noted, “our teachers also have their own collaborative space on Facebook. It’s incredibly impressive, impressive evidence of their sharing and learning together across the district.”

Finally, she reported that on April 20, students submitted 111,150 assignments.

“We had almost 66,000 users working across the day, and at the peak time — which is about midday for us — almost 21,000 students were learning at the same time together,” Hilton said.

School board members heaped praise on the efforts of district staff, teachers and parents, grandparents and guardians.

Board chairwoman Colleen Beaudoin said she’s seen the collaboration taking place among teachers, and she recognized that the volume of student assignments being completed also means that a significant amount of grading is being done by teachers.

She also added: “I have seen our school-based teachers and leaders, and they are extremely creative in the ways they are connecting with the students and each other.

“Our principals and our teachers are really going all out. Their posts have been entertaining, inspiring, innovative and heartwarming.”

Marcy Hetzler-Nettles, assistant superintendent for middle schools, gave a shout-out to Rushe Middle School students who had been planning to put on the play, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”

When the show was cancelled because of COVID-19, a student put together a video of cast members singing the song, “Happiness,” which he sent to drama teacher Jeff Roush.

Also, Tom Schimmer, author of “Grading from the Inside Out,” made a surprise pop-in visit during a Zoom book study group meeting of teachers, Hetzler-Nettles added.

Monica Isle, assistant superintendent for high schools, told the board about an act of generosity made by seniors from Sunlake High School. They made a donation to Keystone Community Church’s Second Serving program, after their trip to Grad Bash was canceled. They had raised the money to pay for buses to Grad Bash.

Isle also mentioned the band from Mitchell High School will be doing a virtual concert series.

David Scanga, assistant superintendent for elementary schools, told the board that elementary school principal Todd Cluff has been doing nightly readings for students from “Little House on the Prairie.”

Scanga added: “I thought that was an excellent book to choose, in terms of a family that’s rather isolated and dependent on themselves to entertain and survive.”

Scanga also observed that “teachers and administrators are finding fun ways to engage,” which he thinks offers a good way to build connections with families.

Board member Megan Harding also expressed appreciation for the dedication of the district’s teachers and to the help provided by parents and guardians.

She said she’s attended some teacher Zoom meetings with their students.

“I’ve been blown away,” Harding said. “Those students are engaged. They are excited to be there.

“They miss their teachers, their teachers miss them.”

Harding also praised the parents and guardians.

“I know this isn’t something that they signed up for. They’re trying to work from home and to try to help their child be academically successful, and they’re also trying to keep their household afloat while ensuring their children are doing their schoolwork. I want to thank them for their partnership. I want to  thank them for doing their best to balance it all,” she said.

Published April 29, 2020

Lifting spirits in all sorts of ways

By

(Courtesy of Blaise Ryndes)

Spreading joy through bubbles
Blaise Ryndes, of Land O’ Lakes, attracted national attention when he took his bubble-making skills to America’s Got Talent.

Now, during a time of a global pandemic, the performer decided to take to his neighborhood streets, to help spread joy during a time of social isolation.

He recently put on a one-car bubble parade for his neighbors.

“To abide by social distancing, everyone stayed in their own yards and we went house to house spreading fun bubbles around, or as I like to call them, little orbs of happiness and cleanliness,” Ryndes reports, in an email to The Laker/Lutz News.

He described his act as “an effort to relieve the angst of quarantine.”

And, based on the photos, it looks like his mobile “Spheres Bubble Show,” was a hit.

AdventHealth staff is joined by volunteers, including Pasco County School Board member Allen Altman, after the meals are delivered to the Dade City hospital. (Courtesy of Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey)

Helping two groups, at the same time
When Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey heard about an effort to show appreciation to front-line workers during the global pandemic, she latched onto it — immediately.

The initiative — launched by Liz Bernich, of Chatham, New Jersey, and Gina McGuire, of Madison, New Jersey – is called the Frontline Appreciation Group (FLAG) 2020.

They wanted to show appreciation to front-line workers, and help restaurants at the same time.

So, they began raising money that they spent to help feed front-line workers.

When Starkey heard about the initiative she launched a Pasco chapter, which is known as FLAG2020Pasco.

As of last week, a total of 105 meals had been delivered, with 64 going to AdventHealth Dade City, and 41 to BayCare’s North Bay Hospital in New Port Richey. Another delivery was planned for the evening of April 24 at AdventHealth Zephyrhills.

So far, restaurants that have participated include Boulevard Beef & Ale and Rose’s Bistro Off Main, both in downtown New Port Richey, which provided meals for North Bay Hospital; and, Green Door on 8th, which provided meals for AdventHealth Dade City.

Donations supporting the efforts so far have come from citizens, as well as county officials including Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley, Pasco County School Board member Allen Altman, Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning and former Pasco Clerk & Comptroller Paula O’Neil.

When she saw the initiative on the news, Starkey said she wanted to get involved because it is innovative and smart.

To help, send donations to:

Venmo: @FLAG2020Pasco

PayPal: PayPal.me/FLAG2020Pasco

Those donating $100 or more will get a sign to place in their yard, which Starkey has purchased as a show of appreciation to contributors.

Make a veteran’s day brighter!
As nursing homes remain off-limits to visitors, the Friends of the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home have launched a project aimed at brightening veterans’ days.

The project is called Operation FAV (For Any Veteran) and it seeks to enlist the help of anyone who wants to get involved to help overcome social distancing requirements by writing a note or sending a card to residents at the nursing home.

Organizers of the effort note, “this Land O’ Lakes nursing home has, like nursing homes throughout the world, been closed for visitors, leaving the residents there somewhat isolated.”

The great thing about this project is that anyone, of any age, can get involved.

All you have to do to is make up a card, note or letter, and address them:

For Any Veteran

Baldomero Lopez State Veterans’ Nursing Home

6919 Parkway Blvd.

Land O’ Lakes, FL 34639

The staff will make sure your cards and notes are distributed to the veterans there who haven’t had visitors in a while. Cards also can be sent in bulk to the same address.

A unique way of reaching out
While acknowledging that a swimming pool is not the most important necessity in life, Glenn Simpson, of GPS Pool, is offering a free chemical pool service to those age 60 and older. For many people, swimming in their pool is the only activity they have during this time of pandemic, Simpson says, in a blurb about his offer. Call (813) 948-9091 for details.

Gerry Ackley and Yvonne Wassman stand on one side of the truck loaded with food, while Steve Graves and Sandy Graves stand on the other. The food goes to help the hungry and is being supported through a donation by the seniors at Sunlake High School. (Courtesy of Lisa Kamps)

Sunlake High seniors step up
When Pasco 2020 Grad Bash was canceled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, seniors from Sunlake High School decided they wanted to do something worthwhile with the money they’d raised to pay for the event’s buses. They decided to make a big donation to Keystone Community Church’s Second Serving program. That program provides food for the homeless, operates a food pantry and helps people with other essentials, during their time of need.

The church is immensely grateful, said Lisa Kamps, of the Second Serving program.

“The most important thing, I think, for the senior class was to reach out in the Lutz, Land O’ Lakes area, because we don’t have as many opportunities here to assist families in need.

“They wanted to be sure that we were reaching people in this area,” Kamps said, noting that not all of the money will go for food. “We have to see what the need is, and meet it.”

Monica Isle, assistant superintendent of high schools for Pasco County Schools, gave kudos to the Sunlake seniors during the April 21 school board meeting.

“I think it just speaks to our graduating class that we have — of how much they’re thinking of how they can give back to the community,” Isle said.

Coty Darmoth is one of the chefs at Nabruzzi Trattoria. (Courtesy of Dana Nabruzzi)

Serving meals, in show of gratitude
It’s not uncommon for a restaurant to have a special, but Nabruzzi Trattoria has taken its Wednesday night specials to an entirely new level.

It is delivering free hot meals to people who serve the community.

“Every Wednesday we’re going to pick somebody in the area that has put themselves at risk, that are out there every day,” said Massimo Sabetti, the chef/owner of Nabruzzi Trattoria at 6062 Van Dyke Road in Lutz.

The restaurant was closed for about two weeks, before deciding to reopen for take-out and curbside, only.

When it reopened, Sabetti and his wife decided: “We have to do something for the community during this time,” he said.

After all, the community support is the reason the restaurant has done well.

So, on April 8, a meal was delivered to support the workers at Publix, and then another delivery was made that night to support the emergency room staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North.

On April 15, the restaurant delivered a meal to Hillsborough County Rescue Station 34, on Van Dyke Road, and then, on April 22, it delivered a meal for workers at Magnolia Manor Assisted Living Facility.

“We pick a place every week, I call, coordinate, what time is good for them? I get my chefs to make it and we bring it to them,” said Sabetti said.

He’s giving back to a community that has been very good to him, he said.

“The neighborhood has been very, very supportive. I’m very fortunate.”

Tell us about acts of kindness
If you know people who are going out of their way to make life easier for others during this time of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, please let us know by emailing .

Published April 29, 2020