B.C. Manion

Sales tax holiday means savings

August 12, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Families gearing up for a new school year can get a little help from the state of Florida, during the 2015 Back-to-School Tax Holiday.

During the tax holiday, which runs through Aug. 16, shoppers can purchase scores of items without paying state sales tax.

Greg Lenners, general manager at The Shops at Wiregrass, said that shop operators were expecting a good back-to-school shopping season. He said the state’s sales tax holiday is a plus. (File Photo) — Greg Lenners, general manager at The Shops at Wiregrass, said that shop operators were expecting a good back-to-school shopping season. He said the state’s sales tax holiday is a plus.
(File Photo)

For example, no Florida sales tax will be collected on sales of certain clothing, footwear, and certain accessories with a selling price of $100 or less per item. No sales tax will be charged on certain school supplies selling for $15 or less per item. And, no taxes will be charged on the first $750 of the sales price for computers and certain computer-related accessories, when they are being purchased for noncommercial home or personal use.

Greg Lenners, general manager at The Shops at Wiregrass, said he expected an increase in mall traffic as stores and shops offer back-to-school sales, and special promotions to attract customers.

The tax-free holiday is a plus, Lenners said.

While he didn’t have hard statistics, he said shop owners told him that sales were going well.

Craig Shearman, a spokesman for the National Retail Federation, said sales tax holidays, in general, tend to motivate shoppers.

“From what we’ve heard from our member companies, sales tax holidays have been tremendously successful at getting customers into the store and putting them in the frame of mind to shop,” Shearman said.

“Consumers are smart. Consumers know a sale is 25 percent off, or 50 percent off,” he said.

If retailers told consumers that they’d be offering a sale with everything being 7 percent off — the sales tax rate in Pasco and Hillsborough counties — shoppers would laugh at them, Shearman said.

Not so, when it comes to a tax holiday, Shearman said.

“There’s a psychological appeal that goes far beyond the amount of money involved,” the retail expert explained.

“Americans have hated taxes back to the Boston Tea Party, so a sales tax holiday feeds into that very same sort of thinking,” he said.

Sales tax holidays began in the mid-1990s, Shearman said.

There are now 18 states with sales tax holidays, according to the Federation of Tax Administrators.

Retailers will have back-to-school sales with or without a sales tax holiday, Shearman said.

So, he said: “The sales tax holiday, from a retailer point-of-view, is sort of icing on the cake.”

For consumers, though, the tax savings can make a real difference, Shearman added.

The tax holiday helps families, he noted.

“There are still a lot of families who are struggling to make ends meet and trying to stretch the dollar.

“There are families out there this time of year who are worried about where are they going to come up with the money that it takes to equip their children to go back to school in the fall and get their education.

“School clothing, backpacks, all of that — can be a stretch for some families.

“The savings from this (tax holiday) can be significant,” he said.

His organization’s Back-to-School Spending Survey, conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, found that the average family — with children in kindergarten through grade 12 — plans to spend $630.36 on electronics, apparel and other school needs. That’s down from $669.28 last year.

With that in mind, savings from a tax holiday can be significant.

“For a lot of families, this is more than just psychological appeal or more retail sales, this can make the difference in giving their children what they need,” Shearman said.

In adopting the sale tax holiday, the Florida Legislature provided specific details about what is tax-free and what isn’t, during the tax-free period.

The Florida Department of Revenue provides detailed information on its website about what’s exempt and what isn’t. For more information on the sales tax holiday, visit DOR.MyFlorida.com.

Published August 12, 2015

Volunteers help Sanders gear up for first day

August 12, 2015 By B.C. Manion

A group of volunteers showed up at Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet School last week, eager to help the school gear up for its first day of classes as Pasco County’s first magnet school.

The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce sent out a call for volunteers, and people responded.

Lots of volunteers turned out to pitch in at a volunteer day organized by the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce. The crew included neighbors, parents, chamber members and a school board member, too. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos) — Lots of volunteers turned out to pitch in at a volunteer day organized by the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce. The crew included neighbors, parents, chamber members and a school board member, too.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

There were chamber members, parents of children who will be attending the school, community residents and other community volunteers.

Pasco County School Board member Cynthia Armstrong was among those ready to get to work.

“We’re so excited about this school opening. It’s a long time coming, to have a magnet school in Pasco County,” Armstrong said.

“Seeing the outpouring of support for it — the number of students that applied to go to this school — just really lets us know that’s what the parents want, and we’re here to make sure that we offer the educational opportunities that they want for their students,” Armstrong added.

Sandy Graves, a member of the Central Pasco Chamber and a Land O’ Lakes resident, has a special place in her heart for Sanders.

That’s where she went to school for all but one year of elementary school, Graves said.

She said she’s excited about the opportunities awaiting children who will be attending the school, which will focus on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.

Some parent volunteers were at the workday, too.

Nicole Bradshaw said her 5-year-old daughter, Emily, is just starting kindergarten.

She said her daughter has attended a voluntary kindergarten program that had a STEAM approach to education, and she’s thrilled that she’ll able to continue that approach to education.

Krystin Leonard was helping to sort and pack student planners. She said her daughter, Brielle, is in voluntary prekindergarten, and she hopes she’ll be able to attend Sanders next year.

“I like the immersive learning,” she said, noting that children are learning about the same themes, through different subject areas.

“When I saw they (Pasco County Schools) were opening a STEAM school, I jumped on it,” said Bradshaw, who lives near State Road 52 and the Suncoast Parkway.

She also likes the hands-on approach to learning.

“They need to get their hands dirty. They need to touch stuff and not just be learning from a book, or being recited to. They need to be in there and doing it,” she said.

Debra Wheeler and her 10-year-old daughter, Madison, were also there to volunteer.

Madison will be a fifth-grader and is excited about going to a new school.

It was a difficult choice, Debra Wheeler said, noting her daughter has attended Connerton Elementary until now.

“It was a big decision for us, because so many years we’ve been going to the same elementary school,” she said. “So, that was the debate: Do you stay with something consistent, or do you try something new?

“When we saw what Sanders was offering — you can’t pass that up,” she said, noting all three of her children will be attending new schools this year. One will be Sanders, another at Pine View Middle School and another at Land O’ Lakes High School.

During the work session, volunteers were scattered about the school, helping to sort and deliver student planners; stapling maps of the school together to help parents find their way around; putting on laptop covers, to protect the laptops; and helping to assemble shelves and sort books.

There was a sense of camaraderie, as the volunteers pitched in.

Sanders Principal Jason Petry welcomed the help.

“When Sandy (Graves) called me, she was very adamant about getting out here,” Petry said. “I love it.

“We came up with a list of things that could be done that could take a lot of stress off of us,” he said.

“It’s good for the community to be involved in the school,” he added, noting that Sanders has been in Land O’ Lakes since 1948.

Dan Paasch, a district aide for U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, was pitching in during a volunteer work session at Sanders Memorial STEAM Elementary School. He was helping to sort and deliver student planners.

The school has been closed for five years. The school district had planned to renovate and reopen it sooner, but the economy tanked and those plans were put on hold.

As the school reopens this year, it looks like a brand new school and is equipped with the latest in technology, has bright furniture, and is designed with teachers and students in mind.

Assistant Principal Kelly Edwards is excited about being at Sanders.

The school has many special features, including collaboration areas which are designed to foster collaboration in learning.

“It looks like you stepped into MOSI (the Museum of Science and Industry),” Edwards said. “It looks like you stepped into 2030,” she said.

School board member Armstrong is delighted by the community’s enthusiasm for Sanders.

“STEAM, all the way!” Armstrong said.

Sanders Open House
What: Open House
Where: Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet, 5126 School Road, Land O’ Lakes
When: 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., on Aug. 20
Why: To give people a chance to tour Pasco County Schools’ first magnet school, and to see the school’s new buildings and renovated existing buildings.

Published August 12, 2015

New PHSC president drafts game plan for success

August 5, 2015 By B.C. Manion

As a very young boy, Tim Beard would walk a mile each way to buy a newspaper at the store so he could devour stories about his beloved St. Louis Cardinals.

He admired such players as Lou Brock, Joe Torre and Bob Gibson — and delighted in reading about their pursuits.

Tim Beard is dressed casually during a summer day at his office at Pasco-Hernando State College. But the new president of PHSC is anything but casual in his ambitions for the college. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos) — Tim Beard is dressed casually during a summer day at his office at Pasco-Hernando State College. But the new president of PHSC is anything but casual in his ambitions for the college.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

He recalled that he was only 5 or 6 years old when he was making those treks to the store.

Literacy and athletics were twin loves in his life, until Beard decided he would spend less energy on athletics and give his full attention to education.

He grew up in poverty in the Panhandle town of St. Joe — and now he leads Pasco-Hernando State College.

Before becoming president of the college on July 1, he served as a vice president at the college for eight years.

He claimed the role vacated by Katherine Johnson, who retired after a decade at the helm.

Beard is clearly excited about the possibilities.

As an internal candidate for the post, Beard said he had the advantage of understanding the college and knowing its pulse.

“I know the institution. I know the flow. I know the community,” Beard said.

As PHSC’s new leader, he’s already starting to carry out his game plan.

He’s identified key focus areas. Those include increasing student retention and degree completion rates, expanding partnerships, and securing more funding to support programs.

To help retain students, Beard is launching an initiative called Retention Behavioral Inventory, or RBI, for short.

He plans to have weekly conference calls with PHSC administrators to keep the goal of improving student retention and degree completion rates at the forefront for the college’s leadership team.

Together, they’ll review the data to see how the college is doing. And, they’ll discuss the numbers, talk about why students withdraw and examine if there is anything they could have done to prevent the withdrawals.

“The big piece is going to be a referral piece,” the college president said. “If we find out that a student withdrew because of finances, can we find a financial source within scholarships or other sources that would have helped this student stay in school?”

Over the years, he said he has observed that most of the time when a student withdraws, there is some type of problem in a personal relationship or a difficulty in paying tuition. Sometimes, students are struggling academically.

“We want to have a referral source, or sources, to make sure these students are receiving the kind of support they need to stay in school,” Beard said.

The college has a fund established by a donor that is specifically intended to help students, who for whatever reason, are not performing well, Beard said.

He wants to find more sources of additional funding for the college.

That could be in the form of private contributions, or through other opportunities available at the state, regional, national or international level, he said.

For instance, he said he recently served as a panelist at a conference for the National Association for Equal Opportunities.

While there, he met some federal officials and learned about some money that might be available for colleges with rural campuses. He plans to pursue that possibility.

He’s also talked with John Hagen, president and CEO of the Pasco Economic Development Council.

Beard said Hagen told him that “the federal government is coming into an agreement with some major companies across the world that want to relocate in the United States. They are talking about community two- and four-year colleges really being around the table to develop curricula and design programs to help meet their work force needs.”

PHSC facts Pasco-Hernando State College has: • A fall enrollment of about 12,000 credit and 4,000 noncredit students • Approximately 550 faculty and staff, plus about 200 adjunct staff members • An operating budget of about $48 million • Campuses in New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel, Dade City, Spring Hill and Brooksville — **PHSC facts**
Pasco-Hernando State College has:
• A fall enrollment of about 12,000 credit and 4,000 noncredit students
• Approximately 550 faculty and staff, plus about 200 adjunct staff members
• An operating budget of about $48 million
• Campuses in New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel, Dade City, Spring Hill and Brooksville

That fits in nicely with the kind of work the college is accustomed to doing, Beard said.

During the Great Recession, there was national recognition that college’s like PHSC can play a vital role in helping people learn new skills that equip them for today’s job market, Beard said.

“Our certification programs, our social science degree programs, are designed just for that. To take workers, retrain them, and get them back in the work force within a year,” Beard said.

Besides helping to train people who are in the work force or returning to the work force, the college also wants to help prepare young people for future careers, Beard said.

PHSC wants to partner with the Pasco and Hernando county school systems to begin working with students at a younger age.

“We want to start establishing career pathways with students as early as middle school,” Beard said. And that means making connections with the families of those middle school students, he added.

The idea is to start early, so students graduating from those counties can achieve a degree or certification by the time they’re 21, he added.

Partnerships are essential — to supplement and maximize the college’s resources, Beard said.

“We used to be state-supported, now we’re more state-supplemented. We’ve got to have greater partnerships — with private corporations, with manufacturers,” Beard said.

He also wants to get faith-based groups involved, to provide additional support for students.

Since assuming his post, Beard has been meeting with bankers, manufacturers, faith-based groups and civic organizations.

And it won’t stop there.

“We’re not limiting our connections to just local people, but also regional, state and national,” he said.

He is hopeful that making these connections will bear fruit, and he’s optimistic, too.

“We have some major prospects. So, you stay tuned,” Beard said.

Tim Beard bio
Tim Beard:

Holds a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree and a PhD from Florida State University
Has been married to his wife, Wendy, for 29 years; they have two daughters, Briana, 20 and Sierra, 17
Joined what was then Pasco-Hernando Community College in 2007
Became Pasco-Hernando State College’s new president on July 1

Fun facts about Tim Beard
Some fun facts about the new president of Pasco-Hernando State College, Tim Beard:

Enjoys peach cobbler and banana pudding
Calls intense cardio workouts his “getaway,” and says washing his car and mowing the lawn are “therapeutic”
Says a “church mother” gave him the best piece of advice he’s received. She told him: “Regardless of what you do in life, don’t be a hypocrite. Be real.”

(Courtesy of Lucy Miller, executive director of marketing and communications for Pasco-Hernando State College)

Published August 5, 2015

Pine View aims to become IB middle school

August 5, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Pine View Middle School has begun a quest to become the first school in Pasco County to offer a Middle Years Programme, under the auspices of the International Baccalaureate Organization.

While the school is launching its candidacy for the MYP designation, it also has ended its stand-alone program for academically gifted students.

Those decisions have sparked some pushback from parents who shared their concerns with the Pasco County School Board.

Administrators for Pine View Middle School are excited about leading the first school in Pasco County seeking to be designated as a Middle Years Programme by the International Baccalaureate Organization. Shown from left to right are Pio Rizzo, assistant principal; Jennifer Mathews-Crosby, principal; and Kyle Ritsema, assistant principal. (Courtesy of Pine View Middle School) — Administrators for Pine View Middle School are excited about leading the first school in Pasco County seeking to be designated as a Middle Years Programme by the International Baccalaureate Organization. Shown from left to right are Pio Rizzo, assistant principal; Jennifer Mathews-Crosby, principal; and Kyle Ritsema, assistant principal.
(Courtesy of Pine View Middle School)

Some said they didn’t want to lose the stand-alone gifted program.

Others complained about a lack of buy-in by stakeholders before going down the MYP path.

Principal Jennifer Mathews-Crosby acknowledged the pushback from parents, but said she’s excited about the opportunities the Middle Years Programme will offer.

Some people may have the wrong idea about what MYP is all about, she said.

“There is a misconception that when you have an International Baccalaureate program that it must be for those high-rigor type students,” Mathews-Crosby said. “We really needed to break through those perceptions. The whole premise behind the Middle Years Programme is about the whole child.”

The beauty of the MYP is that it celebrates the uniqueness of students, said Pio Rizzo, an assistant principal, whose children attended a Primary Years Programme in Manatee County.

“IB celebrates the fact that all students are different. They learn in different ways and different styles, and IB focuses on that,” added Rizzo, who also taught mathematics in an IB school. “We love the fact that it is for everybody, that everybody can benefit from this IB philosophy,” he added.

Parents of academically gifted students may be worried that their children will lose educational opportunities, but Mathews-Crosby believes those students will benefit from the MYP approach.

She also noted that obtaining the MYP designation doesn’t happen overnight.

“It is a multi-year journey. That journey for most schools is three years,” Mathews-Crosby said.

“There’s going to be some reflection and some learning for us, as we go through this,” she said.

“We’re going to be open-minded to people who maybe don’t necessarily agree with the direction that we may be going, and hear their thoughts,” Mathews-Crosby added.

Not every MYP operates in the same way, she noted. “We have visited other schools in the state, and they are very different in a lot of ways.”

To get things started, the entire staff at Pine View Middle will be trained in the MYP philosophy on Aug. 14.

Teachers will be building their unit plans with the global perspectives of the MYP.

Mathews-Crosby believes the program will expand learning opportunities for all students.

“It really takes it deeper and wider,” she said.

It takes what teachers are already teaching, but makes broader connections, she explained.

Kyle Ritsema, a new assistant principal at Pine View Middle, said he’s glad to be a part of the new program.

“It’s a challenge, and it’s an exciting opportunity that is not available anywhere else in the county right now,” Ritsema said.

To help parents gain a better understanding of the MYP, Pine View will be sending out an electronic newsletter monthly to showcase what the school is working on that month.

“Right now, the focus is on the task at hand,” Mathews-Crosby said.

But she’s optimistic.

“We are fired up. We’re excited. I think the sky’s the limit, honestly,” she said.

Published August 5, 2015

Summer Sing 2015 showcases worship through art

August 5, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Hundreds of children and adults spent a recent week at Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church in a summer camp that combines a love for the arts, with the expression of Christian values.

Kaitlyn DeTuccio belts out a number during a rehearsal at Summer Sing, a weeklong summer camp at Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church, which was jammed with fun stuff for kids. Also in rehearsal are Alexis Davis, in yellow, and Meghan Reilly. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos) — Kaitlyn DeTuccio belts out a number during a rehearsal at Summer Sing, a weeklong summer camp at Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church, which was jammed with fun stuff for kids. Also in rehearsal are Alexis Davis, in yellow, and Meghan Reilly.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The camp began as a singing camp several years ago and has morphed into a full-scale arts camp.

There were sessions on everything from etiquette, to playing percussion tubes, to scrapbooking and violin.

Singing, acting, harp lessons and choreography were a few other choices for the camp, designed for kids who have completed second grade through fifth grade.

Kids were busy making high heels and minions in the cake-decorating class during one recent morning. Others tried their hand at origami, or had the chance to sing a Broadway tune. Some picked up pointers on fishing. Others helped build a theatrical set. Some strummed on guitars.

The campers come from all over to the camp in Lutz, including some from as far away as Orlando, said Susan Raabe, a camp volunteer.

Summer Sing is run by teenagers, who are helped by adult volunteers. Sheila Goskie is the camp director.

Campbell Middlebrooks teaches Calvin Montgomery, left, and Oliver Crawford, right, a few of the finer points of fishing. (Courtesy of Idlewild Baptist Church) — Campbell Middlebrooks teaches Calvin Montgomery, left, and Oliver Crawford, right, a few of the finer points of fishing.
(Courtesy of Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church)

In the words of 8-year-old Joshua Barnes: “It’s really fun.”

To find out more about next year’s camp, go to Idlewild’s website at Idlewild.org.

Published August 5, 2015

Health care reforms pass House, onto Senate next

July 29, 2015 By B.C. Manion

The House of Representatives has passed legislation that could pave the way for more treatment options for people who are ill, and the bill’s bipartisan support bodes well for its passage in the Senate, said Congressman Gus Bilirakis, who has taken a leadership role on this issue.

The 21st Century Cures Act passed the House by a vote of 344-77 on July 10.

Ashleigh Pike, left, looks on as her mother, Beth Pike, describes the impacts that Ashleigh’s illness has had on the young woman’s life. (File Photo) — Ashleigh Pike, left, looks on as her mother, Beth Pike, describes the impacts that Ashleigh’s illness has had on the young woman’s life.
(File Photos)

“Now, we’re waiting on the Senate to pass a bill,” Bilirakis said, and he’s confident that will happen, perhaps by the end of the year.

Passage can’t come soon enough, Bilirakis said, noting the legislation offers hope to people who are desperate for new treatment options.

The Senate’s version of the bill will likely have fewer provisions, Bilirakis said.

To help protect provisions he believes are important, Bilirakis has sponsored stand-alone bills, as well.

One of the stand-alone bills he has introduced is called the Orphan Product Extensions Now Accelerating Cures & Treatments Act (OPEN ACT). That calls for giving drug makers and innovators incentives to “repurpose” major market drugs for life-threatening rare diseases and pediatric cancers.

The aim is to open the door to the development of hundreds of safe, effective and affordable treatments for rare disease patients, Bilirakis said.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, of Utah, has co-sponsored that bill in the Senate.

Bilirakis said he doesn’t care whether these provisions are adopted in the overall legislation or his stand-alone bill. He just wants action on these issues.

A panel of health care providers discusses ways to improve health care delivery to patients. Reducing bureaucracy, increasing funding and encouraging innovation are some of their suggestions.

While legislators were drafting the 21st Century Cures Act, roundtables were held around the country to give stakeholders a chance to discuss issues being faced by patients and providers.

Bilirakis convened roundtables in Lutz, Land O’ Lakes and Carrollwood, where he listened to hours of testimony from patients, patient advocates, doctors, researchers, makers of medical devices and other stakeholders.

The settings for the sessions were comfortable meeting rooms, but the testimony delivered dealt with issues of life and death, and was often poignant and dramatic.

At a session in Lutz, patients told Bilirakis about difficulties in getting a proper diagnosis and finding effective treatments.

Ashleigh Pike was one of those patients.

Before she became ill, she was a vibrant young woman who delighted in teaching elementary school children. Now, she lives life from a wheelchair and requires full-time care.

“On the outside, I look fine,” the former teacher told Bilirakis. But, she added: “My quality of life has been greatly compromised.”

Pike suffers from a form of dysautonomia, a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system. That system controls automatic functions of the body, such as heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, kidney function, temperature control, and dilation and constriction of the pupils, according to Dysautonomia International’s website.

At another session, health care providers told Bilirakis about a variety of roadblocks that frustrate their work.

Dr. David Morgan, the chief executive of the University of South Florida’s Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute, told Bilirakis the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s patients must improve. About one in five people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s do not have the disease, Morgan said.

The disease can be accurately diagnosed with PET — positron emission tomography — scans, but those are expensive and generally not covered by insurance, Morgan said.

Proper diagnosis is important not only for treatment of patients, but also to ensure that clinical trial results are not skewed by including patients in the trials who do not have the disease.

Reforms also are needed in the way clinical trials are conducted, Morgan said, noting the current approach takes too long and costs too much.

At that same session, Dr. Richard Finkel, chief neurologist at Nemours Children’s Hospital of Orlando, told Bilirakis that the focus must be greater on patient-centered cures.

“Patients are willing to accept different levels of risk. But the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) doesn’t look at it that way,” he said. “They are very risk averse.”

Medical device makers face other obstacles, Lisa Novorska, chief financial officer for Rochester Electro Medical Inc., told Bilirakis.

Her company can know how to improve a device, but can’t pursue those improvements because of the costs to comply with FDA requirements. The FDA plays a valuable role in protecting the public, but it also creates paperwork nightmares for small businesses, she said.

Bilirakis said The 21st Century Cures Act addresses many concerns raised during the roundtable sessions, and provides an $8.5 billion increase for the National Institutes for Health.

Published July 29, 2015

Their crime-fighting careers inspire crime novels

July 29, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Diane and David Munson, two authors from Tampa Bay, draw from their law enforcement careers to create crime thrillers.

In addition to her private practice work as a lawyer, Diane worked as a federal prosecutor.

David was a special agent with what is now known as NCIS (Naval Crime Investigative Service), and also did undercover work for the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Local authors Diane and David Munson recently gave a talk at a luncheon meeting of the Lutz Rotary Club (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Local authors Diane and David Munson recently gave a talk at a luncheon meeting of the Lutz Rotary Club
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

They are the co-authors of nine novels and are in the midst of writing another.

Their most recent release, “Embers of Courage,” involves Eva Montanna, a federal agent, whose task force teammate is captured by militants during a CIA operation in Egypt.

Montanna risks her life to defeat tyrants oppressing Christians, and is plunged into a daring rescue mission.

The Munsons also wrote “The Camelot Conspiracy,” which deals with John F. Kennedy’s assassination, and “Stolen Legacy,” which involves World War II and the Monuments Men.

The couple recently spoke at the Lutz Rotary Club luncheon meeting at Heritage Harbor.

They shared their backgrounds and talked about how that experience comes in handy, when they were creating fictional accounts that involve courtroom drama and investigations to track clues to unravel mysteries.

“We like to say that Dave nailed them, and I jailed them,” Diane told those gathered.

She said the most popular question the couple gets is: “Is the NCIS show realistic?”

It is, in a lot of ways, she said. But in real life, investigations and convictions occur at a much slower pace.

As she introduced her husband, she talked about the risks he encountered as an undercover agent.

“Dave really did face danger,” she said, noting he worked on undercover operations that yielded high-level arrests.

David talked about the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and about information the couple gleaned in researching their novel, “The Camelot Conspiracy.”

He brought along some props, too, including photographs of Dealey Plaza, in Dallas, Texas, where JFK was shot.

While he didn’t take a position on whether Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, he noted there are many interesting questions involving the case.

It doesn’t take much to create a conspiracy, David said.

Essentially, a conspiracy occurs whenever there are two or more people who agree to commit a crime, and one of the co-conspirators commits an overt act, he said.

“Most of the investigations at the federal level involve conspiracies,” he said, noting he was once involved in a case that had 40 co-conspirators.

The ideal way to crack a conspiracy case is to infiltrate the group as an undercover agent, he said, noting that’s precisely what he did when working for the DEA.

In one case, David arrested four associates of former Panamanian President Manuel Noriega, who then testified against the dictator.

Published July 29, 2015

School supply drives aim to help kids, teachers

July 29, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Chambers of commerce, businesses, civic organizations, churches and community groups are busy collecting items that students will need once school begins.

Some efforts are broad outreach programs, and others involve individual churches.

Efforts are underway to help students who need supplies for the coming school year. (File Art) — Efforts are underway to help students who need supplies for the coming school year.
(File Art)

Some seek to help teachers fill their supply cupboards so they won’t have to dig into their own wallets to pay for supplies their students need.

Others give the items directly to children and families in need.

There is an ever-growing list of efforts, but here are some of the ongoing or planned efforts to date:

The First National Bank of Pasco is collecting school supply and monetary donations for its Stuff the Backpack Drive, through Aug. 7, at any of its three branches in Zephyrhills and Dade City. Monetary donations will be used to purchase additional school supplies. Items needed include liquid soap, Ziploc bags, crayons, highlighters, backpacks, rulers, folders, index cards and more. For locations, visit FNBPasco.com.
Gulfside Hospice & Pasco Palliative Care is collecting school supplies, through Aug. 8, at all five of its thrift shops. Anyone who donates will receive a voucher for 25 percent off a single item (sale items and furniture excluded) that is valid for one week after the donation, at any thrift shop location. Supplies needed include backpacks, colored pencils, crayons, erasers, folders, glue sticks, markers, notebooks, paper, pencil cases, pens, scissors and yellow pencils. All supplies will be distributed to needy children in Pasco County through the Kiwanis Club of Greater West Pasco. For a list of shop locations, visit GHPPC.org.
Children’s Home Society of Florida, 1515 Michelin Court in Lutz, is collecting backpacks and school supplies, through Aug. 11. To arrange a drop-off or pickup, or for information, call Rachelle Duroseau at (813) 428-3832, or email .
Sharpline Investigations is hosting a school supply drive, through Aug. 21, with local drop-off locations in Wesley Chapel and Lutz. Supplies needed include backpacks, pencils, pens, spiral notebooks, composition books, binders and notebook paper. The supplies will be distributed to students in Hillsborough and Pasco counties that are at risk in attendance, academics and behavior. For information and locations, visit SharplineInvestigations.com/giving-back-to-the-community/.
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce is collecting school supplies, from July 31 to Aug. 2, for the Stuff the Bus for Teachers program. Some of the school items needed include mechanical pencils, pens, scissors, pink erasers, dry erasers, dry erase markers, hand sanitizer, rulers, copy paper (white and colors), spiral notebooks, folders (3-prong and no prong), and colored pencils. For information and donation sites, email .
Cobb Theatres Grove 16, 6333 Wesley Grove Blvd., in Wesley Chapel is hosting its seventh annual Back to School Bash on Aug. 15. The event, themed “Fantastic Four,” will take place from10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Festivities will include activities such as face painting, games, haircuts, health screenings and school supply giveaways.

The theater is still seeking sponsors. Anyone interested in becoming a sponsor or partner, call Demene Benjamin at (813) 948-5445, or email ">.

The United Way of Pasco County will host the 5th Annual Stuff the Bus for Teachers, July 31 to Aug. 2, at various Walmart and Publix locations, and is looking for volunteers.

There are three-hour shifts available: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

To sign up, visit tinyurl.com/stuffthebus2015 or UnitedWayPasco.org.

For information, call (727) 835-2028.

C1 Bank and Goin’ Postal are collecting school supplies, and donations will be given to local schools for on-campus personnel to distribute to students in need. Goin’ Postal locations are:
14247 Seventh St., Dade City
27221 State Road 56, Wesley Chapel
28500 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel (inside Walmart)
38439 Fifth Ave., Zephyrhills
7631 Gall Blvd., Zephyrhills (inside Walmart)

C1 Bank, 7435 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills, also is collecting supplies and will host the Back-To-School Community Party Aug. 21 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be a limited number of drawstring bags with school supplies, and drawings for gift cards, as well as games and puzzles, chalk art, coloring contests, a dance contest and more.

For information, call Shelly Brantman at C1 Bank at (813) 715-4700.

Published July 29, 2015

Fresh faces on school campuses

July 29, 2015 By B.C. Manion

As students head back to school this fall, they may see a few unfamiliar faces.

Pasco County Schools has transferred or appointed new administrators at several school campuses across the district.

In some cases, administrators are being promoted from another position, are returning to a campus where they worked before or are being elevated where they already work.

So, here’s a rundown on some of the recently appointed principals and assistant principals in schools serving Central Pasco and East Pasco schools:

Angie Stone, principal at Zephyrhills High School
Jeff Wolff, principal at Pasco Middle School in Dade City
Kim Anderson, principal at San Antonio Elementary School
Kara Smucker, principal at Quail Hollow Elementary School in Wesley Chapel
Jason Petry, principal at Sanders Memorial STEAM Elementary in Land O’ Lakes
Phillip Bell, assistant principal at Sunlake High School
Deborah Collin, assistant principal at Dr. John Long Middle School
Trudy Hartman, assistant principal at Lake Myrtle Elementary School
Eric McDermott, assistant principal, Zephyrhills High School
Kyle Ritsema, assistant principal at Pine View Middle School
Shannon Schultz, assistant principal at Land O’ Lakes High School
Scott Davey, assistant principal at Wesley Chapel High School
Nena Green, assistant principal at Pasco Elementary School
Timothy Light, assistant principal at Wiregrass Ranch High School
Heather Ochs, assistant principal at Sunlake High School
Pio Rizzo, assistant principal, Pine View Middle School

Students in the Pasco public school district will begin their first day of classes on Aug. 24.

Besides new administrators, there are a few other new things in store.

For one thing, the district is opening its first magnet school, which is located at Sanders Memorial Elementary and will focus on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics. The school building has undergone a massive renovation, which has included remodeling some buildings and constructing new ones. When it opens, the school will feature the latest in technology and will foster a collaborative learning environment for students and teachers.

Wiregrass Ranch High School also will experience some major changes this year, as the school adopts a 10-period day. The arrangement is aimed at managing a student enrollment that is expected to approach 2,500. By having more periods, the school can stagger student starting times to limit the number of periods when the entire student body is on campus.

Quail Hollow also will begin the school year with an entirely remodeled building, complete with classrooms that have doors and windows. It also will be equipped with updated technology.

Published July 29, 2015

Cindy Oelke feels ‘called’ to help Haitians

July 22, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Cindy Oelke’s home in Lutz is comfortable and spacious, but step into a back bedroom and you’ll see piles of clothing and shoes all over the room.

Oelke has been collecting the items to prepare for an upcoming trip to Haiti.

These Haitian children seem to enjoy posing for a picture. (Photos courtesy of Cindy Oelke) — These Haitian children seem to enjoy posing for a picture.
(Photos courtesy of Cindy Oelke)

This will be her third mission trip to the island nation to help provide basic necessities for people who are still recovering from a devastating earthquake there.

“The first year, I took maybe 100 pieces. Last year, I took 1,200 pieces,” she said. This year, she’s expecting to take around 2,000 items.

On previous trips, she also has pitched in on projects organized by her church — Grace Family Church, which is located on Van Dyke Road, not far from her home.

“The first year we went, we painted one of the new churches and schools. Last year, they helped build an addition on to the mountain school. This year, we’re going to be working within all of our orphanages,” she said.

She’ll also take on a new role.

Despite difficult living conditions, it is quite common to see Haiti children, like this one, smiling, says Cindy Oelke, a woman from Lutz who makes mission trips to Haiti. ‘The children are very, very happy.’

“They’ve asked me to go and teach the mommas how to sew. So, I’m taking a lot of fabric, so I can teach the moms how to sew for their children,” she said.

She also will be leaving fabric behind that they’ll be able to continue to use.

And, passing along four donated sewing machines to Haiti.

Oelke, who works part-time, believes she’s been called to do God’s work in the impoverished country.

It all began rather simply.

“I said a prayer one day. I prayed for a sewing machine and a bicycle. And, within a week, I received both. I figured, well, I need to listen to the Lord more.

“The second week, I was also given another sewing machine.

“At that point, I really felt like God was talking to me, so, I just asked, ‘What do you want me to do?’ And, he said, ‘Sew for children.’ ”

Cindy Oelke carries containers of food in Haiti. Someday, she’d enjoy seeing Europe. For now, she feels called to do God’s work in Haiti.

She wasn’t sure what would become of the clothing, because she knows how expensive it is to ship packages overseas.

But one day, as she was getting ready for Bible study, she felt a prompting, she said. “The Holy Spirit sort of said to me, ‘Don’t forget your promise to Haiti.’ ”

Then she recalled how she and her husband had visited Haiti as part of a cruise years ago, after a huge storm had hit the country. They saw the devastation.

“We took a bus trip around. The children, the adults — they were just standing on the road. They were just trying to survive.”

When she got back on the bus, she felt sick.

“I just said a silent prayer, ‘Lord, help these people.’ I told my husband, ‘I will come back here and help the children,’ ” she said.

Years passed and life got busy, and the idea faded.

But after she began sewing the clothing, she began thinking about joining a church trip to take it to Haiti.

Many Haitians live in primitive living conditions, such as this house, says Cindy Oelke, a Lutz woman who is traveling to Haiti in August to help women there learn how to sew.

She inquired about going on the next church trip to Haiti, but was told it was already full.

She said her Bible leader mentioned to someone, “You know, Cindy has really sewn her heart out for Haiti.”

And a short while later, someone cancelled, and she was invited to fill the opening.

Still, she wasn’t absolutely certain she should make the trip. So, she prayed for a clear sign.

A really clear sign.

She asked God to put two animals in her backyard, so she’d know she was meant to go.

“The next morning, I got up. I went over to my bay window, and I started screaming for my husband to come. There, right in front of the window, were two doves. Just sitting there,” Oelke said.

That happened in April of 2013. She took her Haiti mission trip that August.

This year, the group will be leaving on Aug. 15 and returning on Aug. 22.

Oelke said her solicitation — in The Laker/Lutz News and elsewhere — has yielded good results, with people donating items to help.

“I had asked for slightly used clothes, for boys and girls, and shoes.

“I got a lot of both, but I also got a lot of winter clothes.”

“I’m thinking, ‘Why are people sending me winter clothes for Haiti? “Haiti is hot year-round,” she said.

As she thought about it, it occurred to her that people often ask her why she doesn’t do more to help local people.

“So, I just know, I’m supposed to help the homeless,” she said.

She plans to store the winter clothes and give them to the homeless when colder weather arrives.

So, instead of being involved in one ministry, it seems that Oelke is involved in two.

You can help
Here is Cindy Oelke’s wish list:

New or slightly used spring or summer clothing for boys and girls, from age 2 to 16; new or slightly used shoes for the same ages
Fabric, preferably cotton, for making clothes
First-aid kit items, such as Wet Ones, bandages and gauze
Suitcases to carry donations and to leave them with Haitians, for them to store their clothing

For additional details, call Cindy Oelke at (813) 963-7541.

Published July 22, 2015