The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

Business Digest 04/28/2021

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Lakeside Heating and Cooling has donated new air-conditioning units to cool the field house at Land O’ Lakes High School. From left: Richard Harrilal, Jason Parrent, Robbie Love and Anthony Farmer. (Courtesy of Krissie Marsh)

AC company helps cool down athletes
Lakeside Heating and Cooling has donated new air-conditioning units to the LOLHS Touchdown Club, which is the booster club for the high school football program. The units are being used to cool the field house at Land O’ Lakes High School.

Besides benefiting the high school athletes, the gift also benefits athletes from Pine View Middle School, who use the field house, too.

“Lakeside is a true supporter of our community and we are very grateful,” said Krissie Marsh, in a note to The Laker/Lutz News. Marsh, the social media director for the booster club, also pointed out that the field house has been without air-conditioning since it was built.

Ron Ierna, owner of Lakeside Heating and Cooling, is a 1994 graduate of Land O’ Lakes High School.

New chamber board members
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce has selected two new board members, Megan Miller and Sid Jarrett.

Miller is the executive director of AdventHealth Pasco County Foundation. She leads the fundraising efforts for Wesley Chapel, Dade City and Zephyrhills as part of the AdventHealth Foundation West Florida team. She has an extensive history in fundraising.

Jarrett is the general manager of Jarrett Ford Dade City. He has considerable experience in the car dealership industry. He is continuing what his grandfather, Dick Jarrett, began when he opened Jarrett Ford in 1978.

Board nominees sought
The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for its board through April 30.

The position serves a three-year term.

Board members must assist in helping the chamber attract new members.

They also must possess professional skills and expertise that can be drawn upon as a resource for the board. They must attend and support chamber events. They must be able to attend one board meeting a month, with meetings typically lasting about 90 minutes. They also must attend special meetings or retreats, as needed. And, board members must serve on at least one working committee.

Nominees must be a member in good standing, too.

For more information, call 727-842-7651 or 813-909-2722, or email .

Hotel hiring fair
CareerSource Tampa Bay is hosting an in-person hiring event for DoubleTree by Hilton on April 29 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at DoubleTree by Hilton/Tampa Airport-Westshore, 4500 W. Cypress St., in Tampa.

The hotel is seeking to fill 20 positions, in multiple departments.

Job seekers must register online at Employ Florida before attending the event. Salaries for this hiring event range from $11 to $14.50 per hour and include the following openings in these categories: Housekeeper, housekeeping supervisor, house-persons, laundry attendant, overnight security and cook.

For more information, visit CareerSourceTampaBay.com/jobfair, or contact Kahmeel Callahan at 813-397-2078 or ">.

Help with unemployment claims
The Pasco Homeless Coalition is seeking volunteers that can assist its clients with filing unemployment claims. The volunteers can be individuals or part of an agency.

Some of the coalition’s clients are having issues with renewing unemployment benefits/applications to get payments started again, putting them at further risk of homelessness.

Someone who can walk them through the process, or help them work out the kinks, would be beneficial, according to a coalition newsletter.

If you can help or if you know someone who can, email , or call her at 727-809-1249.

Primerica promotion
Primerica Inc., a provider of financial services, has announced the promotion of Christopher C. Daley to regional vice president.

Primerica representatives educate their clients about how to better prepare for a more secure financial future by assessing their needs and providing appropriate solutions through term life insurance and mutual funds, annuities, and other financial products.

Daley can be reached in Land O’ Lakes at 813- 846-9997.

Additional information about Primerica (NYSE: PRI) may be found on the company’s website, at Primerica.com.

Here’s an easy way to launch a book club, for free

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Maybe you’ve been interested in starting a book club, but didn’t know how.

Or, maybe it’s been a desire — but seemed to be too expensive.

Maybe you like the idea, but can’t decide what books to read.

Or, perhaps you already have a book club, but could benefit from a single source of books that you can borrow, instead of buying.

Book club readers have plenty of choices, with more than 200 titles to choose from for book club kits available to borrow from the Pasco County Library System. (Courtesy of Marie Gibson, Hudson Regional Library)

If any of those situations applies to you, you’re in luck. The Pasco County Library System has Book Club Kits designed to make it easy for people to run their own book clubs.

The Pasco County Library System has been operating book clubs at some of its branches for years and also works with community book clubs, said Angelo Liranzo, regional branch manager for the Hugh Embry Branch Library, in Dade City.

He explained how the system’s relatively new book club kit service works.

Patrons simply put in a request for a book club kit and use their library card to check it out, Liranzo said. Each kit has up to 15 books.

There are roughly 200 titles for book clubs to choose from — in all sorts of genres, and the kit can be checked out for eight weeks at a time.

The lengthy checkout period allows time to pick up the kit, distribute the books to club members, read the books, discuss them and return the kit back to the library.

Getting the kits is easy, too. A patron simply places an order and the kit is delivered to his or her  branch library — typically within three days.

The program was launched in June, during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But, the idea for the program hatched earlier.

He credited library system staffers Kathleen Rothstein and Catherine Seavey for being instrumental in getting the program rolling.

The library system’s branch-led book clubs typically are curated by the librarians at the various branches, Liranzo explained. The library system also is aware of about 20 community-led book clubs, he said.

Get lost in a book, then talk about it with friends — using one of the Pasco County Library System’s Book Club Kits. (Courtesy of Angelo Liranzo, Hugh Embry Branch Library)

The kits are assembled in bags, which some librarians, who are now retired, had ordered to use with the internal book clubs managed by the library system.

“They put the books in the bags and then they would send the bags around to the branches,” Liranzo said.

Discussions began internally, among the library system’s staff: “How can we get our book club kits into the hands of these book clubs? It would make it so much easier and organized, for them and for us,” Liranzo explained.

There’s no shortage of enthusiasm for book clubs, Liranzo said.

Some clubs like to stick with fiction. Others mix things up.

Some are into mysteries — but nothing too gory, please.

Book clubs have different personalities, too.

In some clubs, the attitude is: “Let’s sit down and talk about the book and not get distracted because we only have so much time,” he said.

Some clubs offer cupcakes and cookies.

There’s even one club that was meeting in a brewery, before the pandemic hit.

“I don’t think the people who go to the brewery necessarily get a beer. A lot of them are actually teetotalers They just get some iced tea,” he said.

In some places, the book clubs are seasonal.

“We have a heavy season and a lighter season,” Liranzo said. “Sometimes the winter brings some snowbirds, so the ones who go away for the summer, sometimes their book clubs go on hiatus.”

The book clubs can be energizing, as members share their thoughts.

And, they can be social, too, with people chatting before their session begins, and going out for some lunch, afterwards.

Even though the program began during the pandemic, Book Club Kits will continue to be offered, even after libraries open up again.

“This is now going to be a permanent service that we will have,” Liranzo said.

The program is well-stocked.

“Only about a third (of the kits) are in use at one time right now,” he said.

People who want to learn more about checking out a kit can call their local library branch for more information.

Or, they can visit PascoLibraries.org for details and to order a kit.

Published April 21, 2021

Celebrating a century in style

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Evelyn “Ev” Furman knows a thing or two about having changed-up birthday plans.

Ev Furman was in her glory, as family and friends gathered to celebrate her 100th birthday. (Courtesy of Debbie Storts)

After all, it was just last year when the big plans that her daughter, Debbie Storts, had made for Ev’s 99th birthday were derailed by COVID-19.

Debbie had planned a luncheon at Rusty Pelican, with family members flying in to attend.

A big luncheon birthday party was planned, too, with Debbie and Ev’s friends.

Those plans were scrapped, but that didn’t deter Debbie.

She switched things up and invited people to walk, drive or bicycle by to help Ev celebrate.

Debbie kept things safe.

She asked people to drop off cards or gifts at the edge of the driveway, where she picked them up and wiped them down, before giving them to Ev.

Debbie doled out treats from a 6-foot-tray to keep things socially distanced.

This year, Debbie was undaunted, as she began planning for Ev’s 100th birthday.

She booked a big room at Rusty Pelican, with plans for 100 guests at the party.

From left, back row: Gary Furman (son), Debbie Storts (daughter), Derrick Storts (grandson), Carol Ann Jones (niece) and Bonnie Bean (Gary’s girlfriend) Front row: Ev Furman (the birthday girl), and Darlene and Charlie Conville (daughter and son-in-law). The woman in the garage wearing pink is Christine Lynch, who dressed that way because she knows Ev’s favorite color is pink.

Just like last year, people were planning to fly in for the festivities.

And, just like last year, COVID-19 foiled the Rusty Pelican plans.

So, instead of having 100 people at a fancy party, Ev’s family regrouped and they had the party at Debbie’s house and in the nearby cul-de-sac in her Twin Lakes subdivision.

The party was a team effort of Ev’s daughters, Debbie and Darlene Conville; her son, Gary Furman; her grandson, Derrick Storts; and her niece, Carol Ann Jones.

Darlene and her husband, Charlie, traveled from Michigan to be there. Gary and his girlfriend, Bonnie Bean, came from Georgia. Derrick came over from Winter Springs, and Carol Ann traveled from Arizona.

Eighty-five people joined in for the festivities, which included Mexican meals from a taco truck and live music from Crossroads, a band that played Ev’s favorite tunes — ranging from Big Band numbers to ’70s songs.

Ten-year-old Stella Phillips, was there, too.

Mary Sawl made this quilted banner for Ev Furman’s 100th birthday.

After all, it’s a tradition for her to help Ev blow out the candles on the cake, Debbie said.

This year, Stella didn’t help to blow out the candles because of COVID-19, but the Roland Park Magnet School student arranged to be out of school, so she could be there on Ev’s special day.

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office was there, too. They came with sirens blaring, and they brought a bloodhound and a K-9 — which were popular with the guests.

The law enforcement officers also gave Ev a bouquet of flowers and a stuffed dog, too, to mark her milestone birthday.

And, she got a huge pile of presents and a giant stack of cards.

Last year, even though the celebration was completely different than originally planned, Ev didn’t mind a bit.

In fact, she declared “it was the best party I ever had.”

Turns out, she was wrong.

This one, she said, “was much, much better.”

And now, she’s looking forward to more birthdays — lots more of them.

“I’m going to live to be 200,” an exuberant Ev said, with a laugh.

Published April 21, 2021

Hillsborough Schools plans deep cuts to avoid state takeover

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Hillsborough County School Board members spent much of the day and evening of April 13 discussing the district’s need to make deep cuts to avoid losing financial control of the district.

“Hard decisions have to be made to protect this organization,” Superintendent Addison Davis told board members, and the public.

If the district doesn’t reduce its expenses, the Florida Department of Education will take over, and the cuts it makes will be less surgical in nature, Davis said.

The state will tell the district “what to do for every cent and dollar,” Davis said, essentially stripping the board and superintendent of their financial power.

Board members and Davis discussed the need to make more than $100 million in cuts during a board workshop in the morning and a board meeting in the evening.

Davis said he came to Hillsborough County with the mission of improving the district’s academic performance.

His 13-month tenure in the district, however, has been dominated by dealing with budgetary shortfalls.

“I didn’t know that Hillsborough was in any type of a financial deficit,” the superintendent said.

“We’re losing students, which is equivalent to losing leaders, teachers, district staff and support staff. That’s a reality,” Davis said.

Numerous speakers criticized the district’s planned reductions.

“As a career Hillsborough County educator, who loves this district, I am thoroughly disappointed and disheartened by where we stand today. These cuts are not good for students, schools, employees, or our communities,” said Rob Kriete, president of the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association.

“The cuts that you are going to bring are going to destroy what little morale is left,” another speaker said.”

Others questioned the district’s plans to cut its number of assistant principals and reduce staffing levels at individual schools.

“Don’t balance the budget on the back of our schools,” a speaker urged.

“There is a lot of talk about transparency, but there’s not a lot of evidence of this,” a speaker said.

Davis said if anything, he has over-communicated the district’s financial situation. “It hasn’t been a secret,” he said, noting he’s done media tours and given talks to numerous groups about the district’s dire financial straits.

He also told board members: “We gave every school a staff allocation model for their schools. We didn’t change anything that hasn’t historically been in Hillsborough County. We’re just implementing that model.”

The district’s plan, however, reduces the number of assistant principals.

That decision has prompted concerns about how the reduced staffing will affect student safety and behavior.

As one speaker put it: “Our already overwhelmed assistant principals are going to become even more overwhelmed, coming off a very difficult year.”

School board member Nadia Combs told Davis: “I do believe that we are top-heavy in this district. I do believe that the cuts need to come from the top and go down.”

The district needs to find a landing place for the assistant principals affected by the cuts, Combs said.

“When people are identified as an assistant principal, it’s because they’ve done a great job as a teacher. They’ve gone above and beyond, as a teacher.

“I strongly believe that we need to look at every single one of our assistant principals and make sure they have a landing somewhere.”

“Some of these assistant principals just found out on Friday that they are going to be let go. Some of them have been in this district for 25 or more years.

“We have 24,000 employees. I think we can find a place for those 50 people,” Combs said.

Davis responded: “I would love to guarantee every assistant principal a job.

“I have a contract that I have to follow. Teachers have the first right in that contract.”

Davis added that master schedule reviews will continue during the summer to determine how many positions can be regained, based on the newest enrollment projections.

He also noted that while the college and career counseling position may be eliminated, 23 of the district’s 28 career counselors are certified to be counselors and will move to those positions.

Of the remaining five, he said, one has retired and two have found new positions, leaving the district down to two.

School board member Jessica Vaughn asked if the district could use federal CARES Act money, to help address the shortfalls to give the district more time to find long-term solutions.

But, Ro Johnson, the district’s new chief financial officer, said the district should not use one-time money to support staffing because ultimately the personnel would need to be cut once that money ran out.

School board chairman Lynn Gray and school board member Henry “Shake” Washington said principals need to play a key role in deciding what happens at their schools — because they are in the best position to know what the school needs.

Davis told board members he understands the educational sacrifices that the district is having to make.

“As a superintendent, I would never make these decisions, if our back were not against the wall,” Davis said adding, “I don’t want to be one of the leaders that kicks this can down the road.”

Hillsborough County School Cuts
Hillsborough County Public Schools must make budget cuts to avoid being taken over by the Florida Department of Education.

Planned cuts include:

  • 1,000 positions (It is not known yet how many people the district will cut)
  • Furlough days: Each administrative position will be required to take furlough days
  • Fewer assistant principals: The district expects to trim about 47 AP jobs
  • Elimination of college and career counselors; those services will be provided by school counselors

Published April 21, 2021

Road projects get extra funding

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The Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization has approved changes to the fiscal year 2020-2021 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to include $6,161,504 in additional spending.

The money will be used to support these improvement projects:

  • U.S. 98, from U.S. 301 South to U.S. 301 North
  • U.S. 98/State Road 35/State Road 700, from the Polk County Line/County Road 54 to Old Lakeland Highway
  • U.S. 301, from U.S. 98 to the Hernando County line
Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey appreciates the Florida Department of Transportation’s recent $6.1 million in funding for additional work in Pasco County, but she thinks the money would be better spent toward completing the widening of State Road 52. (File)

The Florida Department of Transportation, which provided the additional funding, said the projects are designed to support economic development through the improved movement of goods, to provide better access to transportation facilities and major activity centers and to enhance safety, by reducing fatal and serious crashes.

The amendments to the Transportation Improvement Program will add preliminary design funding to develop concepts in conjunction with the project development and environmental (PD&E) studies, and to acquire a parcel from a willing seller that was identified during the PD&E phase for the project involving U.S. 98, from south of U.S. 301 to north of U.S. 301.

Carl Mikyska, executive director for the Pasco MPO, informed board members of the additional funding during an April 8 meeting.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey asked: “Do we have all of the money to widen (State Road) 52 all of the way across?”

Pasco County Commission Chairman Ron Oakley responded: “One section is not done yet, between (U.S.) 41 and Bellamy Road, is still not funded.”

Justin Hall, from FDOT’s District 7, told Starkey the target year for funding that section of State Road 52 is in fiscal year 2027.

“I am curious why we’re doing (U.S.) 301 ahead of (State Road) 52,” Starkey said.

Hall responded: “The TIP amendment that is before you is for some concept development, along (U.S.) 301 and (State Road) 98. This project is coming through a new program. It’s a rural arterial widening program.”

Starkey persisted: “I just wondered if we could use any of that money toward (State Road) 52.

Hall responded: “I don’t believe any of this money could be reallocated toward the (State Road) 52 project. There was a list of projects submitted to central office that met the criteria that they sent out to the districts. I believe this was one of two projects within our district that met all of the criteria.”

Starkey continued: “Do we know what the criteria was?”

Hall answered: “A big portion of it was the truck percentage, the truck traffic. U.S. 98/U.S. 301 corridor has a very high percentage of trucks per volume.”

Starkey observed: “I drive (State Road) 52 to come here and I can tell you, it’s full of trucks. It’s odd that we’re doing (U.S.) 301 ahead of (State Road) 52.

Substantial progress has been made in widening State Road 52, but one section — between U.S. 41 and Bellamy Brothers Boulevard has not yet been funded.

“But, thank you for the gift,” Starkey said.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said “the importance of that widening, that connection on (State Road) 98, the overall objective is to connect the west side of the state to the east side.”

It will enable the movement of goods without jumping to major highways, he added.

Zephyrhills City Councilman Lance Smith noted: “The current connection of (State Road) 98 to (U.S.) 301 is dangerous, to be honest with you — the way it angles, comes in there. This is going to alleviate that, and provide freight another route.”

Moore added: “It’s going to assist them, with all of the great things they’re doing in Dade City, as well.”

Smith also touched on the complexity of state road funding.

“It’s very complicated in my mind, the pots of money that are available for certain projects.

“The matrix is very complicated.”

New Lutz hospital specializes in rehabilitation services

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Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of North Tampa — a 50-bed hospital specializing in helping people recover from illnesses and accidents — opened earlier this month at 3840 Atmore Grove Road in Lutz.

“We are an inpatient rehab hospital,” said Chris Ballish, area business development director for the hospital, which is located in the general vicinity of Idlewild Baptist Church.

Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of North Tampa opened on April 6. It offers a variety of rehabilitation services. (B.C. Manion)

The facility provides a hospital level of care for acute rehabilitation, Ballish said, noting patients must meet specific criteria to be admitted.

For instance, they must require medical supervision by a physician and must be able to manage the recommended therapy.

They also must require around-the-clock nursing availability, Ballish said.

In general, the facility serves stroke patients, orthopedic patients, spinal cord patients, amputees, and patients with neurological disorders, he said.

Encompass Health is a national company, with 139 locations.

It has facilities in Spring Hill, Ocala and Altamonte Springs— but this is the company’s first new facility during the past five years in Florida, Ballish said.

When the facility is operating at its full capacity, it is expected to have more than 200 employees, he added.

Ballish said the company chose the Lutz location because of a need for its services, particularly in the rapidly growing area.

There’s a need for this level of care, he explained. “It’s about serving patients that need our services.

“Our mission is to get patients as independent as possible, and get them back into the community,” Ballish said. The average length of stay for this type of care is 10 days to 14 days, he said.

Patients are engaged in high-level therapy, undergoing therapy sessions, and receiving care from nurses and physicians.

“Our doctors that are attending are rehab doctors, rehab specialists.

“And then we have all of the consultants available. We have cardiology, pulmonology, neurology. All of the specialties are available,” Ballish added.

The 52,000-square-foot facility has 50 private rooms for patients.

The 52,000-square-foot facility also has the highest level of technology available to support the efforts of therapists, as they work with patients, he said.

“It’s astounding the type of technology that’s available,” Ballish said.

Therapy services outlined in a hospital brochure include:

  • Occupational therapy, which includes self-care skills for activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, eating and preparing foods. Therapists address cognitive (thought) and perceptual (visual) deficits.
  • Physical therapy: Focuses on such things as helping patients to walk; teaching wheelchair transfer techniques; and providing orthotic/prosthetic device evaluation and training
  • Respiratory therapy: Helping patients with respiratory muscle weaknesses or a susceptibility to respiratory difficulties
  • Speech/language pathology: Improves communications skills through basic cognitive retraining, increasing functional independence with decision-making, reasoning, memory and swallowing retraining.

The hospital also has a gym, with all sorts of equipment, to help patients in their rehabilitation. And, it has a room set up to mimic a patient’s home — providing them a chance to practice returning to the tasks of daily life, such as getting out of bed, using appliances, bathing and so on.

The North Tampa hospital serves a large market generally stretching from Wesley Chapel down to Riverview, over to Brandon and out to North Tampa, Ballish said.

As the facility ramps up to full capacity, the hospital intends to get involved with area chambers of commerce and to create partnerships with programs that prepare health care workers, Ballish said.

It also intends to offer a variety of support groups, such as stroke support groups, brain injury support groups and amputee support groups, he said.

Since opening, the hospital has enjoyed a warm reception, Ballish said.

“We’re very pleased and overwhelmed by the response of the community, so far,” he said.

Published April 21, 2021

Award recipient provides food for thought

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Alex Sink’s resume is lengthy.

She was Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, ran for governor in a tightly contested race with Rick Scott and was Bank of America’s Florida president for seven years.

That just scratches the surface of Sink’s life in the private sector, government, education and nonprofits.

She has extensive involvement on boards for such organizations as United Way Suncoast, Leadership Florida, Take Stock in Children, Hillsborough Education Foundation and the Nature Conservancy Florida Chapter.

Alex Sink is widely known for her work as Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, for her role as a banking executive and for her work on myriad nonprofit boards. Recently, she added to her list of accolades when she received the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce’s Women’s Distinguished Leadership Award. (Courtesy of North Tampa Bay Chamber)

She served for 25 years as a trustee at Wake Forest University and is now a life trustee, and she serves as board chair of Tampa Bay Wave, a tech startup accelerator.

The wide-ranging list of organizations she’s helped to shape, or guide or lead goes on and on.

Her list of accolades for her contributions is lengthy, too, and recently, she added another one.

The North Tampa Bay Chamber honored Sink with its Women’s Distinguished Leadership Award for 2021.

The chamber had planned to honor Sink as the 2020 recipient of the award, but those plans were thwarted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instead of having a big celebration, as planned, the event was called off and the chamber shifted gears.

The organization still is holding its breakfast meetings remotely, via Zoom, but it wanted to honor Sink, just the same.

So, the award was delivered to Sink, and she showed it off to chamber members via Zoom.

“Haven’t we all had quite a year behind us?” Sink said, via Zoom.

She went on to talk about the importance of chambers to their communities, explaining her involvement in chamber work goes back four decades — with experiences in Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville and Tallahassee.

“Florida is a state of small businesses. We’re not a big Fortune 500-state,” said Sink, who served on the board of Enterprise Florida twice, once as a banking executive, and again as the CFO of the state.

“I let my voice be heard, especially when I was the CFO. We were going through the Great Recession,” she said.

Historically, Enterprise Florida had been set up to recruit large corporations to move to Florida, she said.

But, she said what was missing was how Florida would support the growth of existing small businesses.

“Florida is a state of entrepreneurs.

“Just look around you, in North Tampa, the many, many small business owners that have struggled to survive in this past year,” Sink said.

“I’m sure the rest of you, like me, sat down and pivoted and said: ‘How can I support my small businesses?’ I learned how to do takeout and order on the internet,” she said.

She even switched over to workout sessions with her personal trainer, via Zoom, to keep them both safe. It’s worked out so well, she plans to keep it that way.

“We all have had to reinvent ourselves,” Sink said.

She also noted that government has been responding through the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans.

Without that kind of help, she said, “many, many, many of our small businesses and people would not have survived through the last year.

Chamber work is important
The chamber plays an important role, in representing and advocating for businesses, and their communities, Sink said.

For instance, infrastructure in a growing area is essential.

“You’ve got to keep advocating for roads,” she said, noting that traffic is already busy on Interstate 75, going north and south — and the pandemic hasn’t yet ended.

Good schools are essential, too.

“People are not going to move to your community unless you have a strong, good, public school system.

“I believe in charter schools. I believe in private schools. I believe in choice. But, at the end of the day, 85% to 90% of our kids are going to public schools and that’s what people are going to think about.”

Parks and green spaces are other important ingredients, when it comes to quality of life, she said.

“I hope that is a piece of what you’ve been working on,” she said, noting that the pandemic has attracted people to hiking trails and parks.

“I have never seen so many families outside, in my whole life,” she said, noting she recently spent time hiking a trail.

She also touched on the reason for her recognition, using it to talk about the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion.

“Women have been more severely impacted by this pandemic than any other group of people because we’re the caretakers,” Sink said, noting many have had to drop out of the workplace to take care of children.

She encouraged those listening to do what they can to support women in the workplace.

“Many of you know that I’m a third generation Asian American,” Sink continued.

“The thing that happened in Atlanta really brought to the fore, issues around Asian Americans. “Also, obviously, we’re in a big trial this week, so we’re thinking about issues around Black Americans,” she said, referring to the trial of Derek Chauvin, relating to the death of George Floyd.

With those as a backdrop, Sink encouraged the chamber crowd to do their part to become more aware of how they can be involved in what they can do to build better connections in the community.

Sink put it this way: “I have a little teacher in me, and I always like to lay down the gauntlet and give everybody an assignment, so my assignment for this audience would be: Look around your community. I’m sure you have Asian-owned businesses. I’m sure you have Black-owned businesses. Go talk to the people who own those businesses and kind of understand more of what they face, each and every day, and figure out how you can support your minority-owned businesses, and really practice diversity, equity and inclusion in all that you do.”

Published April 21, 2021

Pasco MPO has new executive director

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The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has a new executive director.

Carl Mikyska assumed the helm of the organization in March, and took part in his first MPO board meeting on April 8.

Nectarios Pittos, who had been serving as the interim executive director, shared some of Mikyska’s background with MPO board members before turning the meeting over to him.

Mikyska was selected after a lengthy search, said Pittos, who is Pasco County’s director of planning.

Prior to coming to the Pasco MPO, Mikyska was the executive director of the Florida MPO Advisory Council.

That job involved collaborating with the 27 MPOs in the state of Florida, he said.

Before that, Mikyska said he worked with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Chicago MPO and the Federal Highway Administration. His experience in the transportation field dates back to 1990.

He told the Pasco MPO board members: “I’m active in our national associations and hope to continue to do so, to represent the interests of Florida, particularly as we look at federal policy.”

Randy Stovall, of the Pasco MPO board’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC), told the board that at its meeting, BPAC was “most interested in the item of building some wildlife culverts under S.R. (State Road) 52,” which had been discussed by the board at its last meeting.

“Our ears perk up when we think: Is there an opportunity for some kind of a public use there? Some walking? Some bike riding? Whenever culverts come up, there’s an opportunity, perhaps,” Stovall said.

He also shared that information from the county, regarding the intention to build some restrooms at the junction of Starkey Trail and Suncoast Trail.

“Certainly, that’s very well-received. I think there’s a need there that will be served,” Stovall said.

He said that BPAC was informed of a strategy that involves building segments of the Orange Belt Trail — rather than waiting for all of the funding to be available before getting started.

“I thought that made a lot of sense,” Stovall said.

“We also received an update about the Hardy Trail here in Dade City and the Withlacoochee Trail to the north, and the (U.S.) 301 Trail to the south, and related to that, I’ll just say, some of us attended the groundbreaking here on Dade City, here on March 10, for the new bike hub

visitor center that’s going to be constructed about two blocks from here (Historic Pasco County Courthouse), in the center of the Hardy Trail.

“That will provide really a good stop for people. Bathrooms and other facilities if they wish to stop here, and go up and down the trail — particularly with those connections to the north and south,” Stovall said.

Kurt Scheible, Pasco County Public Transportation director, also updated board members on a few issues.

He told them his department is getting ready to purchase three more vehicles through the Florida Department of Transportation. By doing that, they’ll be able to pay $9,000 versus $90,000 a vehicle, he said.

He also reported: “We’re still seeing some of the effect of COVID, but we’re starting to see some of the numbers rise up. It looks like our ridership is starting to recover, slowly but surely.”

The county bus system also is planning to take a look at all of its service areas, through a route contraction/route expansion study.

As part of that, the department plans to look into adding some transit in Dade City, St. Leo/San Antonio and south of Zephyrhills in the Crystal Springs area, he said.

“We really haven’t moved the transit routes around in a long, long time,” Scheible said.

But, he noted that significant input will be sought from all stakeholders during that process.

The Pasco County MPO is the lead transportation planning agency in Pasco County that serves the following municipalities in Pasco: Zephyrhills, San Antonio, St. Leo, New Port Richey, Port Richey and Dade City.

According to federal and state laws, the Pasco County MPO is responsible for establishing a continuing, cooperative and comprehensive transportation planning process for Pasco County. Key responsibilities include the creation of the 20-year Long Range Transportation Plan, the five-year Unified Planning Work Program and the five-year Transportation Improvement program.

Published April 21, 2021

MPO approves work related to traffic counts

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Rapid growth in Pasco County has prompted the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization to approve spending over $29,000 to research where and how often traffic counts should be taken.

Knowing how many vehicles are traveling down a road is essential information for future planning of roads, developments and various services. Here’s a look at a backup of traffic heading east on State Road 54, waiting at a traffic signal at State Road 54 and U.S. 41. (File)

“Given the rapid change to Pasco County — and the need to have current traffic counts — we deem it necessary to go ahead and establish a methodology for siting county locations and frequency of those counts,” Carl Mikyska, executive director of the Pasco MPO told the board, during its April 8 meeting.

“This contract is to do that work, and then ultimately we will have a series, or a set of locations, for traffic counts and a schedule of how frequently those counts should be conducted,” Mikyska said.

Board members approved paying a lump sum fee for $29,076.68 to Tindale Oliver & Associates Inc., to complete the work. The company is a general planning consultant for the MPO.

Traffic counts — which quantify traffic volume along the roadway network — can be documented over a period of years and can identify locations of high growth areas that impact the transportation network, according to background materials in the MPO’s agenda packet.

Traffic counts are used for many purposes, including roadway planning, congestion management, development approvals, traffic operations and capital improvement planning.

The scope of services to be provided by Tindale Oliver includes:

  • A review of existing traffic count data collection by the MPO and its partners including Pasco County Departments and agencies such as the Florida Department of Transportation
  • A review of traffic count locations in Pasco County, and recommend and create updated traffic count locations
  • Develop a traffic count methodology

The project is expected to kick off in early May and be completed by Aug. 31.

Published April 21, 2021

The Bay Area Renaissance Fest sets up in Pasco

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The 43rd annual Bay Area Renaissance Festival has moved to a new location this year, operating at Withlacoochee River Park in Dade City.

Festival-goers can travel back to a 16th century European Village, where they can join the Villages of Fittleworth, and Queen Katherine Parr and her court.

A knight and rook battle it out on a large chessboard during one of the human chess match events at the Bay Area Renaissance Festival, when the event was held at MOSI. The event has changed locations this year. It will now take place at Withlacoochee River Park in Dade City. (File)

There will be more than 100 artisans selling their goods in the market, people will be able to interact with memorable characters, and spectators will be able to watch full-contact, live armored jousting, according to the festival’s website.

All stage shows and other entertainment are included with admission, while games, rides, food, and beverages are available at additional charges.

The festival operates on Saturdays and Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., rain or shine, according to its website. Tickets are non-refundable.

At the gate, tickets are $22.95 for adults, and $14.95 for children ages 5 through 12. Children age 4 and under can attend for free. There’s no charge for parking.

This year, the festival is partnering with Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources — an arrangement applauded by Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, during an April 7 board meeting.

“The Bay Area Renaissance Festival has been a mainstay at MOSI for a number of years, and the parks team did an excellent job of bringing that here to Pasco County,” said Moore, who is chairman of the Tourism Development Council, an advisory board to the Pasco County Commission.

The annual festival is big for tourism, Moore said.

“People actually travel from outside of the state of Florida to come to this,” Moore said.

Plus, he added: “It’s a pretty neat experience. It’s a lot of fun.

“They’re going to have four stages,” Moore said, with magicians, musicians, mimes and jugglers. There also will be food, drink available, and vendors, too.

“We’re happy to have it here in Pasco County,” the commissioner added.

The event has a theme each weekend. This year’s remaining theme weekends are: Pirates & Pups, Barbarian Brew, Shamrocks & Shenanigans, High Seas Adventure, and Wonders of the World.

As a precaution against the potential spread of COVID-19, masks are recommended for all guests and will be worn by all participants — employees or volunteers — who over age 5, when social distancing cannot be maintained, the website says.

Physical distancing is encouraged and temporary adjustments are in place to promote physical distancing, the website adds.

For additional information, call 800-601-4848, or visit BayAreaRenFest.com/faq.

Bay Area Renaissance Festival
Where: Withlacoochee River Park, 12449 Withlacoochee Blvd., in Dade City
When: Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., through May 23
Cost: At the gate, tickets are $22.95 for adults, and $14.95 for children ages 5 through 12. Children 4 and under can attend for free. There’s no charge for parking.
Details: Event-goers can step back in time to a 16th century European Village, joining the villagers of Fittleworth, and Queen Katherine Parr and her court. There will be more than 100 artisans selling their goods, people will be able to interact with memorable characters, and watch various acts and entertainers.
Info: Call 800-601-4848, or visit BayAreaRenFest.com.

Published April 21, 2021