The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

Crabby Floyd: A hard worker with a quick wit

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“God needed another crabber, so he called out for Crabby Floyd.”

So reads the first sentence of “Crabby” Floyd DeForest’s obituary, published on the website of Loyless Funeral Home in Land O’ Lakes.

‘Crabby’ Floyd DeForest was a hard-working crabber, who loved his family, served his community and enjoyed sharing his opinions about politics. (Courtesy of Loyless Funeral Home)
‘Crabby’ Floyd DeForest was a hard-working crabber, who loved his family, served his community and enjoyed sharing his opinions about politics.
(Courtesy of Loyless Funeral Home)

DeForest, 63 of Lutz, died Feb. 20, after a battle with cancer.

He was a commercial fisherman, but after the net bans went into effect, he became a crabber, said Richard Ortiz, a long-time friend of DeForest.

“He was such a vibrant man,” Ortiz said.

“He’s the first person I met when I moved up here,” said Ortiz, who has lived in the area for about 20 years.

“As soon as I moved into the house, he came over and introduced himself, and we remained friends from that day on,” Ortiz said.

DeForest used to refer to himself as “a round man,” Ortiz added. “He’d say, ‘This little round man can move.’ ”

That was true, Ortiz continued.

“If I had to sit down and pick the hardest working person I’ve known, it would have to be Floyd,” Ortiz said.

When Ortiz went out in the morning to pick up his newspaper, he’d see DeForest pulling out of the driveway with his truck and his boat.

“I’d see him leaving before sun up, and I’d see him coming (home) after sundown. It’d be cold out. It’d be hot out. It’d be bad weather. If he could go, he’d go.

“For all of the time I ever knew that man, I can say that I never, ever, ever heard him complain about his job,” Ortiz said.

“He enjoyed life,” said Lorraine DeForest, Crabby Floyd’s wife of 42 years. “He always considered himself so fortunate because he worked at a job that he loved.”

DeForest was widely known as a crabber.

“Everybody knew what he did,” Ortiz said. “People would come up and knock on his door and ask for crab.”

Often, DeForest would stop and chat with Ortiz, as he headed out to work or on his way home.

“He was a very outgoing, jovial guy. He always had a joke for you,” Ortiz said. “He was very quick-witted. Very bright, too. He stayed up on politics.”

DeForest had plenty of opinions and was always ready to share them.

“You knew where Floyd stood,” Ortiz said.

He also was involved in the community.

He was on the boards for both Land O’ Lakes Police Athletic League football and the Land O’ Lakes Little League and volunteered for the Land O’ Lakes High School Girls’ Softball team.

“We became friends when we coached football together,” said Cary Williams, noting that was 22 years ago.

The men and their families became close, sharing holidays together.

Williams and DeForest used to fish and hunt together, too.

DeForest was the kind of person who would go out in the middle of the night to help someone who was out on the water having boat problems, Williams said.

“He was the type of guy you could count on,” Williams said.

“He was a very conservative man,” Williams added, and he was politically involved.

“He would take the time to call state, federal and local politicians and them his opinion,” Williams said.

Chris Carollo, who owns Shadow Solutions Firearms in Lutz, said DeForest used to come hang out at his gun shop to shoot the breeze with other patrons.

“He loved to tell old stories,” Carollo said.

He also was very helpful.

In fact, when Carollo was getting ready to open his business, DeForest pitched in to help paint the walls.

Friends honored DeForest in posts in an electronic guestbook created by Loyless Funeral Home. They praised DeForest’s work ethic, his devotion to family and his coaching.

One post also mentions his contribution to providing “tasty memories” for thousands of families.

Besides his wife, Lorraine, DeForest is survived by his son, Floyd R.; his daughter, Candace; his mother, Elba; his brother, Rick and his wife, Loretta; nephews, a great niece and other family members and friends.

Ortiz said DeForest is the kind of man who deserved to be remembered.

“There are people out there that do things every day, and they don’t go out looking for credit, and they don’t go looking for accolades. That’s just them. That’s the kind of guy that Floyd was,” Ortiz said.

“I’m going to miss him terribly. I already miss seeing him,” Ortiz said.

Memorial service for Floyd DeForest
7 p.m., March 5 at Loyless Funeral Home, 5310 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Floyd DeForest’s memory to Gulfside Hospice

Published March 4, 2015

From cow pasture to four-lane road?

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When motorists get to the end of State Road 56 at Meadow Pointe Boulevard, they’ll see cows grazing in an open pasture.

But Zephyrhills leaders are pushing for an entirely new view for that plot of land.

They envision it as the start of the first four-lane road to lead into their community.

A cow pasture sits at the end of State Road 56 in Wiregrass Ranch, but advocates of economic growth in Zephyrhills want to transform that pasture into the beginning of a four-lane road to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
A cow pasture sits at the end of State Road 56 in Wiregrass Ranch, but advocates of economic growth in Zephyrhills want to transform that pasture into the beginning of a four-lane road to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

And, they’re turning up the heat on state lawmakers and county officials to try to make that happen.

They presented their case at a town hall meeting on Feb. 23 with State Rep. Danny Burgess and State Sen. John Legg.

The four-lane extension of State Road 56 from Meadow Pointe Boulevard in Wiregrass Ranch to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills could serve as a catalyst for new business, and would make it easier for people to come and go from Zephyrhills. It also could serve as another hurricane evacuation route, according to city and business leaders.

The question is how to pay for it.

There are plans to extend State Road 56 from Meadow Pointe Boulevard to U.S. 301, but those plans call only for a two-lane road, and even that road is contingent upon securing land from adjacent landowners to make it happen.

Zephyrhills leaders made it clear that a two-lane road falls short of their expectations.

“This city deserves a four-lane highway coming into our city,” said Charles Proctor, who serves on the Zephyrhills City Council and has had a business in the city for more than two decades.

He said the community has been promised a four-lane road for years, and that residents have been under the impression that they were finally going to get one, in State Road 56.

It’s time for action, city leaders said.

“We need to get serious. We need to find a way. We can find it. It’s time,” said Vonnie Mikkelsen, executive director of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

“These folks deserve a little bit of attention,” added Mikkelsen, who also is involved in the Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition, made up by Pasco Economic Development Council, the Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, the City of Zephyrhills, the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, Main Street and businesses of Zephyrhills.

A four-lane road into the city, providing a connection with Interstate 75, is vital, leaders said.

It’s a wise investment for the region, Mikkelsen said.

It will help Zephyrhills make the most of its target market opportunities in the aviation industry, distribution, manufacturing and small business, she said.

Paying for the project is a major stumbling block.

Debbie Hunt, transportation development director for the Florida Department of Transportation, said there’s no money in the state’s budget to build a four-lane extension of State Road 56.

“DOT never intended or expected to build at any time in the near future. So, the fact that it was able to be advanced and we are doing the two lanes is exceptional. It allows traffic from Zephyrhills to be able to get over to the interstate, when it is completed.

“The additional lanes will be based on development, as it occurs. There is not an intention from the DOT to fund (lanes) three and four,” Hunt said.

If four-laning State Road 56 is funded, the money would need to come from not doing some other project that’s on Pasco County’s list, she said.

“There’s only so much money to go around,” Hunt said.

One option that’s been proposed calls for building all four lanes, with the state paying for all four lanes initially and developers repaying the state for lanes three and four.

That approach might work, Legg said, but he added he’s not aware of a current way, under the state’s statutes, that could be achieved.

“If we could find a statutory way to loan them the money that they would pay back, that may be an opportunity,” Legg said.

Legg agreed with Hunt that even the two-lane road from Meadow Pointe Boulevard to U.S. 301 had not been envisioned before former Speaker of the House Will Weatherford became involved in advocating for East Pasco’s transportation needs.

“Some of these things were not even on the map, but we had a Speaker of the House that kind of helped this area, helped carve an opportunity to get two lanes,” Legg said.

Legg and Burgess both pledged to keep pushing for a way to get the four-lane project done.

“We’re trying to use whatever kind of leverage we can to push those projects faster, to accelerate them,” Legg said. “The political process is trying to force opportunities.”

Former Mayor Cliff McDuffie said the most effective way to get action is to speak up.

“We need to be more politically involved to make sure your voice is heard. Don’t sit here in Zephyrhills and cry. Go to (Pasco) County Commission and cry,” McDuffie said.

“You have to show up. If you don’t show up, shut up,” McDuffie said.

Both Legg and Burgess said they understand the important role that transportation plays in economic growth.

“Pasco County is booming and (State Road) 56 is obviously just imperative,” Burgess said. “It’s a big piece of that puzzle in attracting future business owners, corporate opportunities and connecting them to our infrastructure and our resources in Zephyrhills, such as our airport, what an asset.”

Legg agreed: “The transportation, in my mind, is really going to shape the growth, or the lack of growth, or the type of growth that this community would like to have in the next 10 to 20 years.

“If this is the avenue that you want to go down, we will put our backs to the plow and try to make that happen,” Legg said.

Published March 4, 2015

Looking for a bargain? Check the Lutz flea market

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If you’re in the market for some used furniture, linens, lamps, china, pots and pans and other home goods, the annual Woman’s Club Flea Market at the Old Lutz School may be a good place to shop.

The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club puts on the sale every year to benefit a number of local charities. It is the club’s second-biggest fundraiser of the year.

This year, shoppers can check out the deals from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on March 6 and March 7.

 

Preventing broken hearts through better heart health

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As the director of marketing for Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point, Kurt Conover is constantly spreading the word about ways to prevent heart disease and keeping people informed about the medical center’s health care services.

Members of the staff and volunteers at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point gathered for a group photo on National Wear Red Day on Feb. 7. Even “Lucky,” the hospital’s therapy dog, got into the act. (Courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)
Members of the staff and volunteers at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point gathered for a group photo on National Wear Red Day on Feb. 7. Even “Lucky,” the hospital’s therapy dog, got into the act.
(Courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)

But the Land O’ Lakes man knows that despite his efforts, not everyone gets the message — or, even if they do, they don’t always listen.

That’s even true for family members, said Conover, who lost his brother, Gerrit Conover, to a heart attack on Aug. 25, 2011.

Conover said he became aware that his brother — who was being seen by a cardiologist — wasn’t keeping his appointments or filling his prescriptions on a regular basis.

Conover decided to use a gentle approach to get his 59-year-old brother to get back on track. Instead of confronting him, he encouraged Gerrit to swing by to see him, next time he went in to see the doctor.

But that never happened.

Instead, Gerrit, a retired military officer, collapsed and died of a heart attack shortly after returning home from a motorcycle ride with a friend.

In retrospect, Conover said he thinks he should have been more insistent with his brother — should have demanded that he go to see his doctor.

While they were growing up, he and Gerrit always had each other’s back, Conover said.

“We were real tight. My sisters used to always tease because whenever there was a fight taking place, it would always be us two against whoever it was. We’d be like a tag team.”

But when it came to life’s biggest battle, Gerrit didn’t tell his brother about the symptoms he was experiencing.

As it turns out, Gerrit was logging his symptoms, but no one saw the log until after he had died.

Gerrit was a Vietnam veteran and a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy. His survivors include daughters, Michelle and Kristen; brothers Wolf, Donald and Kurt; sisters, Mary Anne and Peggy; and other relatives.

He’s one of an estimated 460,000 who suffer a fatal heart attack each year, according to statistics reported by MedicineNet.com.

Most of the deaths from heart attacks are caused by ventricular fibrillation of the heart that occurs before the victim of the heart attack can reach an emergency room, the website adds.

The American Heart Association reports that heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Every year, one in every four deaths is caused by heart disease, according to the association’s statistics.

The numbers portray an even grimmer situation for women.

Since 1984, more women than men have died each year from heart disease and stroke, according to the American Heart Association. And, fewer women than men survive their first heart attack, the association reports.

Part of the reason for the higher rate of fatalities among women is that the symptoms of heart attack can be different in women than men, and are often misunderstood even by physicians, the association adds.

That’s why it’s so important to become educated, Conover said.

Even though his brother died more than three years ago, the pain of his loss remains fresh, said Conover, who hopes he can transform his loss into something good.

Those who think either they or a loved one are experiencing a heart attack need to call 9-1-1, Conover said.

Time is of the essence, he said. When emergency personnel arrive they can begin communicating a patient’s vital signs to the hospital, and the hospital can begin to assemble its cardiac team, Conover said.

The faster the treatment, the better the chance for saving heart muscle and having better medical outcomes, he explained.

The American Heart Association helps to raise awareness about these important issues by declaring February as American Heart Month.

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has arranged a series of Tuesday Tutorials over the course of several Tuesdays, covering various heart health issues.

One recent tutorial, “Intimacy and the Heart,” attracted 115 people, Conover said.

The hospital also celebrated National Wear Red Day on Feb. 7, with scores of employees and volunteers observing the day.

Symptoms of heart attack in men
Chest feel pain feels like “an elephant is sitting on your chest; the squeezing sensation may come and go, or may be constant and intense

  • Rapid or irregular heartbeat
  • Shortness of breath, you feel like you can’t get enough air, even when you’re resting
  • Dizziness, or feeling like you’re going to pass out
  • Breaking out in a cold sweat
  • Stomach discomfort, like indigestion

Remember, each heart attack is different, so your symptoms may not fit the cookie-cutter description.

Source: American Heart Association

Symptoms of heart attack in women
In a multicenter study of 515 women who had a heart attack, published in the journal Circulation, the most frequently reported symptoms did not include chest pain. Instead, women reported unusual fatigue, sleep disturbances and anxiety, with nearly 80 percent reporting at least one symptom for more than a month before the heart attack. Other symptoms more common in women include:

  • Unusual fatigue for several days; or a sudden, severe fatigue
  • Anxiety and sleep disturbances
  • Lightheadedness and/or shortness of breath
  • Indigestion or gas-like pain
  • Upper back or shoulder pain; possibly throat pain
  • Jaw pain or pain that spreads up to the jaw
  • Pressure or pain in the center of the chest that may spread to the arm

Stroke Warning Signs
Spot a stroke F.A.S.T, by looking for these signs:

  • Face drooping: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
  • Arm weakness: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
  • Speech difficulty: Is speech slurred, are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “the sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
  • Time to call 9-1-1: If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately.

Source: The American Heart Association

Published February 25, 2015

 

Yes, that really is Hambone Way

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Motorists driving past Hambone Way in Wesley Chapel may do a double take.

Is that road really named Hambone Way?

Indeed, it is.

William ‘Hambone’ Hammond has a street named in his honor in Wesley Chapel, a community the firefighter has served for about 15 years. Hammond accepted the honor with humility, thanking countless people in the crowd for helping him along the way. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
William ‘Hambone’ Hammond has a street named in his honor in Wesley Chapel, a community the firefighter has served for about 15 years. Hammond accepted the honor with humility, thanking countless people in the crowd for helping him along the way.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The road was christened during a ceremony on Feb. 20 with a moniker that pays tribute to William “Hambone” Hammond, a firefighter who has worked for 15 years at Station 13, in the heart of an area known as Angus Valley.

The road bears Hammond’s nickname — the only name that many firefighters and paramedics know him by.

During the formal naming ceremony, Hammond was clearly touched by the gesture.

As he looked out into the crowd, he saw his mother, Betty Hammond, his brother, Mark, and other friends and relatives.

Members of the Greater Wesley Chamber of Commerce were there, too, to do a ribbon cutting.

And, Hammond saw scores of his other ‘family,’ too, the men and women who work for Pasco County Fire Rescue.

As he accepted the honor, he kept calling out names of people in the crowd — and even some that weren’t there — to thank them for the lessons they’ve taught him and the loyalty they’ve shown.

“I don’t feel worthy. You all are more worthy than me,” said Hammond, who is still an active firefighter.

“I do love that my name is up there — my nickname — and it does belong here in the valley,” he said. “I had plenty of opportunities to go to other stations. I’m part of Wesley Chapel, part of Angus Valley. It’s where my heart is.”

Firefighter/paramedic J.J. Martinez, who helped organize the event, said Hammond deserves recognition for his dedicated service.

“When one hears this nickname, you would think of a guy on Harley, riding down the road with a long beard,” Martinez said, during the naming ceremony.

But when employees at Station 13 hear Hambone’s name, “we see a dedicated, hardworking firefighter that will do anything for his fellow firefighters,” Martinez added.

For some people, “Hambone was a firefighter who was there, in their time of need,” Martinez said.

“I came to serve this area six years ago, at Station 13, and I’m reminded every day what being a true firefighter is all about, because of my partner, Hambone,” Martinez added.

“Many times in this job, we lose sight of what is most important and that is the people we help every day,” he said.

Another speaker, Captain David Garofalo, said “when I think of Hambone, one word immediately comes to mind, and that is ‘genuine.’ That man never ceases to amaze me. He takes friendships to a whole new level.”

“This street has been the no-name street for many years, and Hambone has been a part of this community for almost 15 years,” Garofalo said, so it seems fitting to name the street in Hambone’s honor.

“So many times, buildings, statues and streets are named posthumously after someone in their memory. I am glad, that as we name this today, that Hambone will be able to know how much he is appreciated and be a part of this community for many more years to come,” Garofalo said.

Pasco Rescue Fire Chief Scott Cassin congratulated Hammond.

“There couldn’t be a better person to have their name on that sign,” Cassin said.

On the drive over to the ceremony, Cassin said he talking about how streets get their names.

“It’s usually the developer that will put names up, and they name them after their kids. They’ll name them after presidents, or they’ll have some sort of naming convention.

“This is one sign that I know every time we drive by it, we’ll know how that street was named.”

Published February 25, 2015

Browning expects technology problems during state testing

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Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning has notified the state education commissioner that most district schools are not ready to administer the state’s online tests.

Browning isn’t talking about the district’s students. He’s concerned about the readiness of the district’s technology to deliver the online test.

He voiced those concerns in a Feb. 18 letter to Florida Education Commissioner Pam Stewart.

“After performing a load test last week and assessing our overall readiness, the district is not comfortable in certifying that we can administer FSA (Florida Standards Assessment) without significant technological and logistical problems,” Browning wrote.

The district conducted a test on Feb. 2, between 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., of 8,622 student machines at the same time.

During the load test, only eight of the schools tested — representing 11 percent of those tested — reported no problems. Fifty-three schools, representing 73 percent of those tested, reported some issues and 12 schools, 16 percent, could not test because of significant issues. Ten schools that were tested did not report their findings.

Browning informed Stewart, “…if we were required to test today, a majority of our schools would experience a variety of delays and issues.”

Along with the letter, Browning attached a spreadsheet indicating a variety of technological issues encountered during the load test. Such problems included slow question load time, load timeout errors, launch failures, premature boots, error messages and a host of other technical problems.

Browning’s letter also notes that Pasco is the largest Apple device user in the state and because of that, technical difficulties become even more complicated because there are no other comparable districts to help the district with its setup, design and troubleshooting.

“I believe there are too many obstacles hindering our readiness to effectively administer the FSA, but I can assure you that our district will participate,” Browning wrote. “My signature does not certify that we are ready, but instead certifies that we will be participating in the examination.”

While Browning voices concerns about Pasco’s readiness to administer the state’s online test, all sorts of questions are being raised over Florida’s testing requirements and the amount of time teachers and students devote to them.

Gov. Rick Scott has already issued an executive order to eliminate the 11th grade standardized test in English.

Other proposals for change are expected during this year’s legislative session, scheduled to begin on March 3.

Published February 25, 2015

Construction begins on hockey arena in Wesley Chapel

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A 150,000-square-foot sports facility now under construction in Wesley Chapel is expected to become a major tourism draw.

Roughly 100 people attended the Feb. 24 groundbreaking ceremonies to celebrate the project.

The facility is expected to be popular with youth hockey leagues and to attract international hockey tournaments.

It’s a dream come true for Canadian-born Gordie Zimmerman, managing partner of Z Mitch LLC and former general manager at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon.

“I really love hockey,” he said. “We saw a lack of ice in the area. Kids can’t practice enough.”

The as-yet unnamed facility will open in fall 2015 at 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd., off Interstate 75 at the State Road 56 interchange in Wesley Chapel.

It will have four full-sized rinks including one Olympic-size hockey rink. There also will be a removable ice rink pad that can be converted for multi-uses including basketball, dog shows and graduation ceremonies.

Zimmerman also announced a 10-year partnership with Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. The hospital will be a major sponsor of the facility and will provide educational programs on sports and injury prevention.

Zimmerman and the hospital are sponsoring a contest to name the ice and sports complex. Suggestions can be made through March 10 at www.WesleyChapelIceCenter.com.

 

Schrader to discuss charter issue

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Pasco County Commission Chairman Ted Schrader will describe and discuss the issue of charter government in Pasco County at the Republican Club of Central Pasco’s meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 25.

The meeting is open to anyone who is interested in finding out more about a possible switch to a charter form of government in Pasco County that could lead to massive changes in the structure and operation of county government.

The meeting will be at Copperstone Executive Suites, 3632 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Mike Moore to discuss Bell Lake and Collier Parkway

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Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore will attend the Sable Ridge Homeowners Association meeting on Feb. 23 to discuss the Bell Lake and Collier Parkway intersection, according to an email the homeowners association sent to Sable Ridge residents.

The meeting will be from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway.

East Pasco transportation town hall on Feb. 23

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State Rep. Danny Burgess and State Sen. John Legg are hosting a town hall meeting on East Pasco transportation issues from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Feb. 23 at Zephyrhills City Hall, 5335 Eighth St., in Zephyrhills.

The forum will be informal and will those attending a chance to share their observations, concerns and ideas about State Road 54, State Road 56 and U.S. 301.

The Laker’s print editions published Feb. 18 reported the date the town hall was initially scheduled, but that date was subsequently changed.