The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Staff Reports

Veteran builds motorcycle movement around mental health

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SAN ANTONIO – Throttle Before the Bottle is building a national network around mental health awareness, healthier outlets and conversations that are often hardest to begin. 

Army veteran Noah Gradillas founded the movement, which uses motorcycle culture as a kick-start for a broader message: People need something healthy to reach for before alcohol or other substances become the way they cope. 

“The bottle is a symbol. The choice is the point,” Gradillas said. “Your throttle may be a motorcycle, the gym, music, hiking, wrenching, creating or calling a friend. What matters is having something worth choosing.” 

Throttle Before the Bottle has assembled its Original 25 Founding Riders from communities around the country and grew to more than 1,500 Instagram followers during its opening weeks. Riders are invited to share their #WhyIRide stories and represent a culture built on encouragement and checking on one another. 

The organization is also building practical support around its message. Its website provides crisis direction and educational resources. 

Motorcycle gear company EKON has joined Throttle Before the Bottle as a founding partner and has offered product support for future community campaigns, giveaways and rides. Throttle Before the Bottle continues to pursue relationships with dealerships, veteran-serving organizations, mental health groups and other motorcycle brands. 

Throttle Before the Bottle publicly commits 20% of profits to mental health awareness initiatives and 90% of direct donations received to the mission. Its Giving Policy explains how those commitments work and how the remaining portion supports operations. 

“I want someone to see the message on a bike, a sticker or a shirt and realize it is OK to say they are not doing well,” Gradillas said. “Sometimes the first win is simply giving somebody a reason to start the conversation.”

 

Chick-fil-A Dade City gives back from the start

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Chick-fil-A Dade City makes a big donation to Meals on Wheels of Pasco. Photo courtesy of Chick-fil-A

DADE CITY – Chick-fil-A celebrated the opening of a new restaurant in Dade City on Sept. 2 by donating $35,000 toward local hunger-relief agencies. 

The restaurant donated $25,000 to Feeding Tampa Bay and $10,000 to Meals on Wheels of Pasco. 

Scott Amole has served as a Chick-fil-A local owner-operator since 2015. Amole now owns and operates both Chick-fil-A Dade City and Chick-fil-A Zephyrhills. The new Dade City restaurant will create about 80 jobs.

Since 2021, his Chick-fil-A Zephyrhills restaurant has supported Meals on Wheels of Pasco with surplus food through Chick-fil-A Shared Table. The program has helped provide nearly 7,000 meals, including more than 2,000 in 2026. 

Chick-fil-A Dade City will also participate in the program, allowing Amole to expand this support and help provide meals for homebound members of the community. 

“Over the years, I’ve learned that caring for a community starts with understanding how you can best care for its people,” Amole said. “It’s getting to know those we serve, showing up when there’s a need and finding ways our restaurant can help. Working with organizations like Meals on Wheels is one way we can provide food to neighbors in need, and I’m grateful this new restaurant gives us the opportunity to do even more for Dade City in the years ahead.”

Amole and his team surprised Meals on Wheels of Pasco volunteers with breakfast and a $10,000 donation to support their work.

“It takes a community coming together to make sure our neighbors don’t go without a meal,” said Beth Aker, executive director of Meals on Wheels of Pasco. “We’re truly grateful to have partners like Scott and Chick-fil-A who share that commitment and help us continue to make a difference in Pasco County.”

 

Hungry?

The new restaurant will serve guests Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., with extended hours until 11 p.m. on Fridays at 12645 U.S. 301. It offers dine-in, drive-thru, carry-out, third-party delivery and mobile pickup.  

 

PHSC gets $850,000 to train future health care workers

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Pasco-Hernando State College continues to receive investment from the Florida Legislature. Photo courtesy of PHSC

WESLEY CHAPEL – Pasco-Hernando State College will expand and update nursing and allied health programs after receiving an $850,000 appropriation from the Florida Legislature. 

This is the third straight year lawmakers have funded the Institute for Nursing & Allied Health Advancement, which was formed to close the region’s health care staffing gaps.

PHSC established the institute with a $1.5 million appropriation secured by Rep. Randy Maggard and Sen. Danny Burgess in 2024. With an additional $750,000 last year and $850,000 this year, the state has now committed roughly $3.1 million to the effort.

PHSC has begun directing the state’s investment into the following initiatives:

  • $800,000 to expand the college’s simulation center, providing students with realistic clinicals using advanced manikins, virtual reality and actors without risking real patient safety.
  • $150,000 to provide 12 additional seats for prospective students in a future dental hygiene cohort.
  • $300,000 to increase enrollment in nursing programs.
  • $5,000 in scholarships for 25 students in grades 6-12 to attend health care career camps at no cost to their families.

These initiatives will assist in training the people who staff the exam rooms, operating rooms and emergency vehicles across Pasco and Hernando counties: registered nurses, radiographers, surgical technologists, medical assistants and phlebotomists. Most finish training to graduate in two years or less and go to work locally.

“It is inspiring to come together with health care leaders from across our community, recognize the challenges we share and partner with an institution so deeply committed to workforce development,” said Sally Seymour, CEO of HCA Florida’s Bayonet Point Hospital. “Together, we are helping build the systems and talent pipeline needed to ensure our communities continue to receive the care they need for years to come.”

PHSC President Eric Hall said the state’s continued investment allows the college to respond to one of the region’s most pressing workforce needs. 

“By expanding access to high-quality nursing and allied health education, we are creating more opportunities for students to enter meaningful careers while ensuring our local health care providers have the skilled professionals they need to serve a rapidly growing community,” Hall said. 

 

Saint Leo University selected for Partners in Peace Initiative 

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New Honors course on 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate connects Saint Leo students with Tampa Bay’s Venezuelan community and the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo

ST. LEO – Saint Leo University’s Honors Program has been selected to join Partners in Peace, an initiative between the National Collegiate Honors Council and the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway.

Saint Leo is part of the third cohort of institutions to receive the distinction, joining about 50 universities in the United States and Europe selected from more than 700 eligible honors programs and colleges.

“Being named a Partner in Peace is an incredible honor for our Honors Program and places Saint Leo in prestigious company,” said Jim Burkee, president of Saint Leo University. “It strengthens our commitment to global engagement, reflects the kind of scholarship we want our students to pursue and reinforces the core values embedded throughout our academic programs.”

The university’s selection was based on a new Honors course, HON 361: Democracy, Technology, and the Nobel Peace Prize, proposed and taught by Dr. Dan DuBois, associate professor of history and international studies and director of the Honors Program. The course will be offered for the first time in spring 2027.

“The Partners in Peace designation brings formal affiliation with one of the most consequential international organizations in history to Saint Leo. Honors students are now positioned to engage in topics of global significance through a structured educational exchange with the Nobel Peace Center and with the backing of the National Collegiate Honors Council,” said DuBois. “As Honors Director, I am humbled to oversee this new partnership and grateful for the opportunity to embed the ideals of Alfred Nobel and the Nobel Peace Prize in the curriculum of our Honors students.”

Through Partners in Peace, participating honors programs develop curricular and co-curricular projects inspired by the work of Alfred Nobel and Nobel Peace Prize laureates. At Saint Leo, HON 361 will focus on 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado and examine the intersection of democracy, technology and civic resistance in her efforts to advance free and fair elections in Venezuela.

As part of the course, Saint Leo students will conduct a community oral history project with members of Tampa Bay’s Venezuelan diaspora, documenting firsthand accounts and perspectives that have shaped the region’s Venezuelan community. This work will allow students to put their study of democracy, civic engagement and political change into practice by connecting classroom concepts to lived experiences.

Saint Leo University will receive formal recognition as a Partner in Peace at the NCHC Annual Conference in November 2027, following the completion of HON 361 and its associated project.

Learn more about Saint Leo’s Honors Program at saintleo.edu/academics/honors-program.

Tampa Funeral Home plans Dolly Parton celebration

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TAMPA – Blount & Curry Funeral Home-Carrollwood is inviting the Tampa Bay community to celebrate the life, music and legacy of Dolly Parton at Dolly & a Cup of Ambition.

The free community celebration will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 25 at Blount & Curry Funeral Home-Carrollwood, 3207 W. Bearss Ave., Tampa. Guests are welcome to stop by anytime during the event. 

At the heart of the event will be Dolly Parton’s music. Guests can expect a fun, welcoming atmosphere to enjoy some of Dolly’s most memorable songs while celebrating the woman behind the music. Dolly’s music will set the tone for a morning filled with laughter, memories and a little Southern sparkle.

Guests can also enjoy Folgers coffee, inspired by Dolly’s famous “cup of ambition,” along with old-fashioned Southern banana pudding, a dessert inspired by Dolly’s childhood.

The celebration will also feature Dolly Parton trivia, fun facts, stories and memories, giving fans an opportunity to share what Dolly’s music and legacy have meant to them.

“We wanted to create something that is fun, welcoming and a little unexpected,” said Laura Holland, funeral director at Blount & Curry Funeral Home-Carrollwood. “Dolly’s music has brought joy to generations of people, and her story is one of perseverance, family, humor, generosity and following your dreams. We thought, what better way to celebrate Dolly than by filling the room with her music, enjoying a cup of coffee, sharing some banana pudding and having a little fun?”

 

Golisano gives $40M to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital

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Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital celebrated a $40 million gift. Photo courtesy of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
The hospital is scheduled to open in 2027. Rendering courtesy of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital

WESLEY CHAPEL – Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital announced a $40 million gift from Paychex founder Tom Golisano to support the construction of its new campus in Wesley Chapel. 

The gift is the largest donation in the 100-year history of Johns Hopkins All Children’s. In recognition of the gift, the new building will be known as Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Golisano Children’s Medical Center at Wesley Chapel.

The center also became part of the Golisano Children’s Alliance, a growing national network of 21 children’s hospitals advancing pediatric care.

“We are grateful to Mr. Golisano for seeing the promise of this investment, the strength of the Wesley Chapel and All Children’s communities, and the potential of what we can create together,” said Alicia Schulhof, president of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. “His generosity will be felt not only in the physical building, but in the young lives and healthier futures that unfold within it for generations.”

The five-story, 56-bed hospital is part of a more than $300 million investment on a 112-acre property near Interstate 75 and Overpass Road in Pasco County. The new campus is expected to open in fall 2027.

“As a father and grandfather, I’ve seen firsthand what it means for a family to have a great children’s hospital close to home in a difficult moment,” Golisano said. “My hope is that no family, no matter where they live or what they can afford, has to travel far or wonder if their child will get the best care available.”

Jenine Rabin, executive vice president of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, said the goal was to fund a large portion of the campus through philanthropy.

“This transformational donation is going to help accelerate the additional fundraising that’s needed to bring expert medical care to the Wesley Chapel area and surrounding communities,” Rabin said. 

Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Golisano Children’s Medical Center at Wesley Chapel will feature a 17-room emergency department, four operating rooms, an infusion center, sleep laboratory, gastroenterology procedures suite and inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services. The second floor will include 25,000 square feet of outpatient care space with 36 rooms. 

Construction on the campus began in 2025 and is currently on budget and on schedule to open in fall 2027. Exterior walls, windows and the roof are in place. Drywall, electrical work, plumbing and other interior work are underway. Johns Hopkins All Children’s has also started hiring staff for the new hospital.

“We will be able to weave the Golisano Children’s Alliance into the DNA of what we do in Wesley Chapel, and we are grateful that Mr. Golisano’s support will help us bring the pediatric expertise that this community needs,” said Joseph Perno, chief administrative officer for the new hospital. “We are excited to make the community and the Golisano organization proud.”

Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Golisano Children’s Medical Center at Wesley Chapel is part of a broader era of expansion for the organization. Other projects underway include a 28,000-square-foot expansion of the Emergency Center and surgery suites at the St. Petersburg campus, expanded urgent care services in Tampa, obstetrics and gynecologic care and additional outpatient care along Florida’s west coast.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra announces 30th anniversary winter tou

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001: Trans-Siberian Orchestra performs in 2025. Jason McEachern photo

 

TAMPA – The Trans-Siberian Orchestra will celebrate its 30th anniversary at Benchmark International Arena with two events Dec. 20, featuring a reimagined staging of “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve,” followed by a second set. 

Trans-Siberian Orchestra pairs an audio/visual experience that includes lasers, pyrotechnics and special effects with fan-friendly ticket pricing.

“Thirty years in, we never take a single person in that audience for granted,” said Al Pitrelli, music director and guitarist. “With the economy the way that it is right now, it shouldn’t be a mortgage payment for a family to come out to see us.”

Since its formation in 1996, Trans-Siberian Orchestra has grown into a multiplatinum progressive rock group, generating more than $1 billion in gross ticket sales and establishing its annual rock theater tour as a tradition. 

“The Ghosts of Christmas Eve” follows the journey of a runaway who breaks into an abandoned vaudeville theater on Dec. 24 to escape the cold. The teen is discovered by the theater’s caretaker, who uses the ghosts and spirits from the building’s past to turn her life around.

The rock opera features beloved songs originally created by the late Paul O’Neill and the group’s composers, including Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s signature hit, “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24.” The RIAA-certified triple-platinum track has amassed more than 300 million global streams. 

Other fan favorites include “Christmas Canon,” “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “Mad Russian Christmas,” “Wizards in Winter,” “Requiem (the Fifth)” and “This Christmas Day.”

At least $1 from every ticket sold benefits select local charities. Trans-Siberian Orchestra has distributed more than $20 million to charities all across North America.

 

The Warlock House Enchantment opens gates for Spookfest

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The Warlock House Enchantment will offer statuary tours on Tuesdays and Fridays in October. Photo courtesy of The Warlock House Enchantment

 

Artist Lewis VanDercar, known as the “Warlock of Wesley Chapel,” created a peculiar environment at The Warlock House Enchantment. Photo courtesy of The Warlock House Enchantment

WESLEY CHAPEL – Lewis VanDercar spent decades transforming his Wesley Chapel property into an unusual world of sculpture, statuary, artwork, unconventional architecture, gardens and peculiar creations. 

VanDercar was once known locally as the “Warlock of Wesley Chapel.” Halloween was part of family life at The Warlock House Enchantment during the 1970s, with costumes, tricks, treats and playful surprises. 

The family is opening the gates to a new generation, beginning with its first-ever Spookfest on Oct. 3 and continuing with statuary tours on Tuesdays and Fridays in October at 7 and 10 p.m.

Warlock Family Spookfest is a whimsical, family-friendly Halloween adventure at the historic property. Families will explore magical villages; meet playful characters; enjoy games, crafts, live entertainment, food and vendors; and discover art and local history.

Children will carry Warlock Apprentice Passports, collecting stamps through themed experiences including pirates, mermaids, herbology, bubbles, carnival games, broom decorating and storytelling. They can earn a special prize when they complete their adventure. 

Warlock Family Spookfest takes place from 2 to 6 p.m. Oct. 3 at The Warlock House Enchantment, 25950 Queen Sago Place, Wesley Chapel. 

Admission costs $15 for adults, $10 for children 10 and older, and free for children younger than 10. 

Costumes are encouraged. The experience is playful rather than scary.

Learn more at thewarlockhouse.com.

BayCare generates $13B in economic impact for Florida

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CLEARWATER – A new report by Washington Economics Group found that BayCare has a $13 billion impact on Florida’s economy each year, including supporting jobs for more than 66,000 residents.

Based on 2025 data, the economists found BayCare’s economic impact was up 30% since its last study based on 2022 data. The latest study found that annually BayCare:

  • Generates $4.8 billion in household income
  • Contributes $7.2 billion to Florida’s gross domestic product
  • Provides more than $1.6 billion in revenues to federal, state and local governments  

The economists noted BayCare’s impact is expected to grow. 

BayCare’s planned capital projects through 2030 will contribute an additional cumulative $6.6 billion in economic impact and an additional 30,871 jobs in the state. These include a new hospital in Manatee County opening in 2028, a new children’s hospital facility in Tampa opening in 2030 and expansion of its urgent cares, BayCare HealthHubs and freestanding emergency departments.  

“Health care is changing rapidly, and at BayCare, our disciplined growth also serves the region by providing high-quality care while supporting jobs, workforce development, research, community partnerships and investments that help strengthen Florida’s economy,” President and CEO Stephanie Conners said. 

The study details the impacts of BayCare’s 16 hospitals and in each of the five counties served.

Hillsborough and Pinellas County operations provide more than $4.1 billion and over $5.1 billion in total economic impacts, respectively. These are followed by Polk County with over $1 billion in total economic impact, Pasco County with $677 million and Manatee County with $88 million. Pasco grew by 71%, the highest percentage, in large part due to the opening of BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel in 2023.  

BayCare’s 16 hospitals provide the largest portion of economic impact at $8.7 billion. BayCare Medical Group grew by 154% to $1.9 billion.  

The economists also highlighted how BayCare’s Graduate Medical Education and workforce development programs benefit the state’s economic health. According to the study, 77% of the jobs supported are in higher-wage, knowledge-based services. 

BayCare provided $500 million in community benefit programs and health care services in 2025.

Read the BayCare 2026 Economic Impact Report at https://baycare.org/about-us/economic-impact#overview.

Custom homebuilder incorporates models into sales approach

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Construction is underway on the Westshore model, a four-bedroom, four-bathroom home with an elevator. It is expected to be completed in spring 2027. Photo courtesy of American Momentum Bank

TAMPA – AR Homes by Custom Craft is expanding its presence in Tampa Bay.

The custom homebuilder is taking a different approach to sales through a series of model and inventory homes designed to meet demand for high-end luxury homes. Included in the projects is a model storm-ready home in South Tampa that is designed for coastal and flood-prone areas.

The projects are being financed by American Momentum Bank. The bank has provided over $3.27 million in loans to finance the projects, which include a 4,068-square-foot inventory home in Odessa, a 3,824-square-foot inventory home in Lutz and a 4,785-square-foot model home in Tampa.

“Despite what’s happening in the overall market, the luxury home market in Tampa is strong,” said Adam Smith, president of Custom Craft Homes. “While it’s not common for custom homebuilders to be investing in inventory and model homes, it’s part of our overall growth strategy and will allow us to cater to our high-end clientele and deliver luxury homes quickly.”

Custom Craft Homes specializes in “on-your-lot” custom luxury homes in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties. It has built homes in the Avila Golf & Country Club subdivision in North Tampa, and the Skylake and Victoria Lakes communities in Lutz and Odessa, respectively.

Model homes are uncommon among custom builders, but leaders at Custom Craft Homes believe they play an important role in helping luxury buyers understand a home’s design, finishes, sight lines and livability before making a purchase decision.

“We believe that when people can see and touch a home and get a sense of your architectural style, they become more comfortable in their buying decisions,” Smith said. “This has been proven by the bigger builders, and it’s the reason we feel strongly about building a model luxury home.”

Custom Craft Homes was founded in 1988 and self-funded all projects, until it established a relationship with American Momentum Bank in 2025. The first loan was to build a four-bedroom, four-bathroom home in Odessa – the “Grandview” model in Victoria Lakes – which now serves as a model home open to the public seven days a week between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.

“American Momentum Bank has deep experience working with homebuilders in the Tampa Bay area, having financed the construction of hundreds of new homes across West Central Florida, including townhome, infill spec homes, and horizontal and vertical construction within small to mid-sized subdivisions,” said Valerie Girrens, senior vice president, senior commercial relationship manager at American Momentum Bank. “We remain committed to residential construction throughout various market cycles.”

The storm-ready model home, located at 210 S. Occident Street in Tampa’s Beach Park neighborhood, will be an elevated three-story residence that combines AR Homes’ architectural style with enhanced protection from potential flood risks. The first floor will feature a six-plus-car garage, with living spaces on the second and third floors.

The “Westshore” model is a four-bedroom, four-bathroom home with an elevator, a gourmet kitchen with Gaggenau appliances, 90-degree sliding glass doors that open to the outdoor living space, a pool, a sunken fire pit and a floating staircase. The home features impact windows and doors and a whole-home generator. Construction is underway and is expected to be completed in spring 2027.

Construction is also underway on the “Grayton” model in the Skylake community in Lutz. The four-bedroom, four-bathroom home includes a club room that can be used for recreation or a media room. The outdoor space also includes a custom-designed outdoor kitchen, pool and spa and a 659-square-foot cabana providing covered outdoor space for indoor-outdoor living. The home is available for purchase and expected to be completed in February 2027.

“What we are finding is that people want something they can move into within 90 days, whether they are relocating or just looking to upgrade their home,” Smith said. “Custom homes have a lengthy planning and completion process, so having inventory available gives buyers a faster path to ownership while still delivering the design, quality and craftsmanship they expect from us.”