The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Kevin Weiss

Conference champs!

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(Courtesy of Tia Grogan)

The Land O’ Lakes High School varsity wrestling team took first place overall at Pasco County’s Sunshine Athletic Conference championship meet, at Anclote High School in Holiday. Participating Land O’ Lakes wrestlers included Brandon Austin, Collin Bogle, David Dzuibek, Devyn Clearly, Tristan Grogan, Cole Henderson, Ryan Lebsack, Zayden Matthews, Elijah Newman, Morgan Ray, Isaac Tavo, Isaiah Tavo and Jarod Wright. The team is coached by Eddie Marley and Danny Miller.

1,000-point club

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(Courtesy of Carrollwood Day School Athletics)

Carrollwood Day School senior forward Aryana Dizon eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for her varsity basketball career. The 6-foot-2 Dizon, who guided the Patriots to a state title during the 2019-2020 season, is a University of Vermont commit.

Pasco County tourism decreased in 2020

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Tourism in Pasco County came back to earth in 2020 — following a record year the year before,  which saw the area surpass the million-visitor mark for its first time.

An informational presentation from Experience Florida’s Sports Coast — the county’s branded tourism arm — reveals some sobering facts and figures in a fiscal year impacted largely by the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

Adam Thomas, director for Pasco County’s tourism brand, Experience Florida’s Sports Coast (File)

Pasco attracted 959,700 visitors in fiscal year 2020, down 7.6% from fiscal year 2019 when it drew 1,038,700 visitors, according to an analysis by Downs & St. Germain Research Inc., consultants to the county.

Other tourism economic impact indicators registered noticeable reductions across the board for the county when compared to the previous year:

  • Room nights generated — 1,069,849 (12.1% decrease)
  • Direct expenditures — $391,642,500 (15.3% decrease)
  • Total economic impact — $552,216,200 (15.3% decrease)
  • Jobs supported by tourism — 6,790 (13.7% decrease)
  • Wages paid by tourism — $149,461,500 (11.1% decrease)
  • Tourist Development Tax (bed tax) — $2,639,427 (13.2% decrease)
  • Taxes supported — $51,789,400 (14.8% decrease)

County tourism manager Adam Thomas shared these annual findings and other details during a Pasco County Commission meeting last month.

The 113-page visitor report shows that about one in four visitors to Pasco came to visit friends and family, while one in 10 visitors traveled to attend or participate in a sporting event.

The areas within the county attracting the most visitors were New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel, Port Richey and Lutz, according to the report.

Perceptions of Pasco based on coded, open-ended tourist responses generally found the area as a friendly and pleasant place, with tropical Florida weather, and lots to do.

In the way of visitor satisfaction, Pasco earned an 8.3 rating, out of a possible 10, as a place to visit or vacation in 2020, with 95% of respondents saying they plan to return to the county.

Pasco County’s tourism brand, Experience Florida’s Sports Coast, places an emphasis on its state-of-the-art athletics facilities and outdoor recreation opportunities. County visitation decreased 7.6% in 2020 from 2019, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

About 85% of all visitors drove to Pasco in 2020, while 11% flew in through Tampa International Airport.

Florida made up the bulk of the county’s visitation, with 51% of all visits, followed by the rest of the Southeast (16%), then Northeast (12%) and Midwest (12%) regions of the country. Six percent of visitors were international, while 3% came in from the West.

Relatedly, 60% of all the visitors to Pasco were from 10 states.

Besides a majority of Florida-based visitors, roughly 5% of tourists came in from Georgia and New York. Smaller subsets were from Michigan, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Tennessee; top origin markets were Tampa Bay (29%), Orlando (6%), Atlanta (4%) and New York City (4%).

Another notable data point is that length of stays were shorter during the past year, according to the report.

A typical visitors length of stay in Pasco measured an average of 4.8 nights in 2020, down from 5.7 nights in 2019. The reduction is believed to be a result of the pandemic.

Despite reversing course in fiscal year 2020, Pasco’s tourism efforts have spearheaded in recent years, following a shift in philosophy to emphasize youth and amateur sports and recreation opportunities.

The Experience Florida’s Sports Coast branding efforts highlight the county’s growing list of modern athletics venues, including AdventHealth Center Ice, the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center and the Wiregrass Sports Campus of Pasco County. Tourism efforts also showcase the county’s myriad outdoor activities that include golfing, saltwater fishing, skydiving and scalloping.

The county’s day-to-day tourism efforts are under the direction of Thomas, a former minor league baseball pitcher who led the Citrus County Visitor and Conventions Bureau before being hired to Pasco in September 2017.

Bullish on tourism future
Following the annual report presentation, county commissioners commended Thomas and his tourism staff for the work they’ve done of late, and expressed optimism of a rebound — figuring the depressed 2020 was a temporary setback and anomaly because of COVID-19.

Commissioner Mike Moore, who chairs the Pasco County Tourist Development Council, highlighted how the tourism agency achieved national recognition throughout the past year.

Pasco County’s 10-day bay scallop season in July could help boost tourism efforts in 2021.

Experience Florida’s Sports Coast won three Telly Awards, including gold, for its scalloping promotional video. The Telly Awards is recognized as the premier award honoring video and television across all screens. It received over 12,000 entries from all 50 states.

The tourism department also claimed two silver Flagler Awards in 2020 for its website design and meeting planner guide. The Flagler Awards serves to recognize outstanding tourism marketing in Florida.

Continuing on the positives, Moore pointed out bed tax collections actually increased in September 2020 compared to September 2019, despite the pandemic.

Moore gave Thomas kudos for “amazing, amazing work,” to lock in enough amateur and recreational sporting events to make that happen.

Others on the dais also voiced strong approval for Thomas and his tourism staff’s varied efforts.

“I don’t remember what it was like before, but since you’ve been here, it’s really been booming, even with COVID,” Commission Chairman Ron Oakley said of Thomas. “It’s a great team.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano noted Thomas was hired at an ideal time for the county almost four years ago, as projects like AdventHealth Center Ice and the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County were on the ramp-up.

Mariano also noted more tourism options on the county’s west side are taking shape, with seawall plans for Hudson Beach and improvements to SunWest Park — the latter of which could pave the way for some major sand volleyball and wakeboarding events in the future. “It’s going to be real exciting times coming forward,” Mariano said.

Commission Vice Chair Kathryn Starkey, too, acknowledged the staff of eight at Experience Florida’s Sports Coast has done a solid job.

As for what more can be done to make the county an attractive tourism destination, however,  Starkey turned to the county’s current slate of nature and parks offerings.

She referenced a point in the report’s visitor surveys that indicated those features generally fell below expectations. Moreover, about 43% of polled visitors desired more outdoor activities, despite the county boasting over 24 miles of coastline to the west, hilly terrain to the east, and more than 100,000 acres of wilderness to explore in between.

Upgrades in these arenas should be on the way, Starkey noted, thanks to a recently approved bond issue. “We haven’t had the money to make all of our parks as premier as we’d like them to be, but it’s coming,” she said.

Published February 17, 2021

Dade City to permit alcohol sales on Sunday mornings

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The phrase, “Bottoms Up!” may begin a bit sooner on Sundays in Dade City.

Consumers in Dade City will soon be able to purchase alcoholic beverages on early Sunday mornings  — if an amended citywide ordinance is approved on a second and final reading.

Under the proposed change, Dade City businesses with liquor licenses would be permitted to start selling alcohol at 7 a.m., on Sundays — four hours earlier than currently allowed.

The City of Dade City is set to permit alcohol sales at 7 a.m., on Sundays, earlier than the 11 a.m., blue law restriction that remains in place.

If adopted, the measure would create uniform alcohol sales hours all seven days of the week in Dade City — from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m., the following morning.

The proposal to change the alcohol sales hours passed on a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Scott Black dissenting.

A second and final reading is expected on Feb. 23.

The ordinance mirrors a recent ruling enacted by the Pasco County Commission, which voted unanimously in November 2020 to change the county’s “blue law,” which had outlawed alcohol sales before 11 a.m., on Sundays.

A blue law generally refers to a state or local law that restricts certain commercial activities on Sunday for religious reasons, in order to observe a day of worship, or rest.

Other nearby municipalities also have repealed their respective blue laws in recent years, including the cities of Tampa, Lakeland and St. Petersburg. The City of Zephyrhills repealed the restriction on early Sunday morning alcohol sales more than a decade ago.

The call for the change in Dade City came at the behest of multiple Dade City establishments as a way to remain competitive, and as a way to avoid confusion for patrons.

In addition to retail packaged alcohol sales at local grocery or liquor stores as early as 7 a.m. Sunday, the ruling also would allow restauranteurs’ wish to sell alcoholic beverages on Sunday mornings, such as mimosas, Bloody Mary’s and so on.

Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez spoke in favor of relaxing the ordinance, reasoning that it is a “business friendly” measure intended to create “a level playing field” with the rest of the county.

Hernandez said the issue seemingly came to a head during Super Bowl Sunday, when many local shoppers — who were preparing for Game Day festivities — were informed it was too early to purchase alcohol at various grocery stores and other establishments within city limits.

“It’s not so much about drinking a mimosa at certain hours of the day, but having the opportunity to come into a grocery store or other establishment and being a convenience item to be able to do that one-stop shop,” the mayor said.

She also noted that if those shoppers ventured to Wesley Chapel or slightly outside limits, they’d have been able to make those one-stop shop alcohol purchases, which therefore discourages commerce in Dade City.

“People don’t want to go elsewhere,” Hernandez said, but, “if they’re not going to get it here, they’re going to go support other businesses that are outside of the Dade City limits.”

Hernandez also pointed to the city’s reputation as a fun place to shop and dine.

And, that’s likely to get a boost once a new downtown events and entertainment venue called The Block opens up on Seventh Street later on this year.

“We are trying to support businesses in our community and trying to help them with what they need to continue to survive and flourish in our area,” Hernandez said.

The mayor also noted that the Dade City Police Department has not expressed opposition or raised any “red flags” regarding passage of the proposed change.

Published February 17, 2021

Locals athletes ink with colleges on National Signing Day

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Dozens of local high school athletes earlier this month signed their letters of intent (LOI) to various colleges and universities as part of National Signing Day.

It’s a special day held annually on the first Wednesday in February where thousands of athletes nationwide can sign a binding letter of intent with a member school of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

From The Laker/Lutz News coverage area alone, Wharton High registered the most signings with nine, followed by Cypress Creek and Steinbrenner high schools that each reported six apiece.

Academy at the Lakes, Freedom High, Gaither High, Land O’ Lakes High, Sunlake High, Wesley Chapel High, Wiregrass Ranch High, Zephyrhills High and Zephyrhills Christian Academy also were well-represented as part of signing day festivities.

Locals inked to play at the next level for the following sports — beach volleyball, baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, volleyball, softball, swimming and track.

Here is a closer look at some notable area athletes who signed on the dotted line and are expected to make significant contributions at the next level.

Jared Hammill, Wharton, cross-country/track (University of Tampa)
Jared Hammill turned in a banner performance at the 2020 FHSAA state cross-country championships, finishing third overall in the 4A meet — clocking a 15:51.9 (5:06-minute per mile pace).

His time and placing represented was tops among local cross-country runners from all classifications in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area. (Meanwhile, the only two runners faster in all of 4A were Rheinhardt Harrison (15:26.9) and Anderson Ball (15:43.5), both teammates at Nease High, in Ponte Vedra Beach.)

The state showcase wasn’t Hammill’s fastest time of the year, however.

That came at the Hillsborough County Championships in October, where he set a new school 5K record — posting a 15:34 to win the meet, besting Tre Rivers’ 15:45.7 mark set in 2018.

Hammill now looks to end his prep running career on an even higher note with the forthcoming track season, likely to compete in the 800-meter, 1600-meter and 3,200-meter runs, as well as some relays. His personal-best in the 800-meter is 2:00.06, 1600-meter is 4:31.91 and 3,200-meter is 9:41.52.

Kiael Kelly, Gaither, football (Ball State University)
Kiael Kelly, a dual-threat quarterback, wasted no time in his lone season at Gaither — transferring in from Tampa Jesuit for his senior year.

Gaither High standout quarterback Kiael Kelly is headed to Ball State University, in Muncie, Indiana. (Courtesy of Gaither High School)

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound athlete steered the Cowboys to an 11-1 record and 6A regional final —  completing 63% of his throws for 1,594 yards, 16 touchdowns and four picks, plus 399 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.

Kelly also is a member of the renowned Team Tampa 7-on-7 all-star team, which has won multiple national championships since its formation in 2010.

A consensus three-star recruiting prospect, Kelly also received Division I scholarship offers from Bethune-Cookman, Bowling Green, Coastal Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, Liberty, South Florida and Syracuse.

One doesn’t have to look far to see where Kelly’s athletic bloodlines originate.

His father is Kenny Kelly, a former starting quarterback at the University of Miami, who also played Major League Baseball for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals in the early 2000s. The elder Kelly also was a four-sport letterman at Tampa Catholic High School in baseball, basketball, football and track.

Lilly Kiester, Freedom, softball (University of Tampa)
Lilly Kiester first hit the big stage back in 2015, when her Team Tampa U12 travel ball softball team ventured to Sacramento, California, to compete in the Amateur Softball Association national championship for that age group.

She’s come a long way since advancing to the prep ranks.

The speedy centerfielder was en route to another strong season as a junior— before the COVID-19 pandemic cut everything short — posting a .452 batting average through eight games, adding eight runs, four RBIs and two extra-base hits.

Kiester was no slouch her prior two years on varsity, either, hitting .365 as a sophomore and .333 as a freshman.

Her career numbers thus far stack up this way: In 52 games played, Kiester has a .366 average, .428 on-base percentage, 64 hits, 51 runs, 24 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. Defensively, she has a .941 fielding percentage, 66 putouts and 14 outfield assists during that time.

Meantime, the Freedom Patriots during that time have gone a combined 38-15 with two regional playoff appearances.

Expect more of the same, and maybe then some, this spring.

Academy at the Lakes swimmer McKenna Smith has signed a scholarship with Duke University, in Durham, North Carolina. (Courtesy of Academy at the Lakes Athletics)

McKenna Smith, Academy at the Lakes, swimming (Duke University)
McKenna Smith soon will venture into the competitive NCAA Division I swimming ranks after wrapping up a decorated prep career as a seven-time state medalist — which includes recent third-place finishes in the 50-yard free (23.15) and 100-yard free (50.34) at the 2020 Florida High School Athletic Association 1A championship meet.

This goes along with claiming more than a dozen individual regional and district titles combined over her varsity career, plus countless other events and invitationals won.

The sprint freestyler, too, has earned a multiple high school All-American nod for her junior cuts in the 50 free and 100 free. Her personal-best time (in yards) in the 50 free is 23.05, 100 free is 50.11, and 200 free is 1:51.65.

Besides her work in the pool for Academy at the Lakes, Smith swims year-round for Florida Elite Swimming, a club team based in Land O’ Lakes.

A volleyball player as a youth, Smith didn’t begin swimming competitively until the sixth grade.

The watersport has become a family affair, however.

Smith’s younger brother, Nate, an AATL freshman, competed in his first state swim meet this past year, finishing 22nd in the 1A 100-yard free (49.65).

Lilou Stegeman, Steinbrenner, volleyball (University of Albany)
Lilou Stegeman, a 6-foot-2 middle blocker, wrapped up an impressive final campaign as a key cog in Steinbrenner’s 17-8 record and 7A regional semifinals berth.

In 55 sets played this season, Stegeman registered 136 kills, 73 digs, 44 blocks and 18 aces, en route to earning All-County honors.

Stegeman also competes for the Orlando Tampa Volleyball Academy, regarded as one of the top clubs in the country.

Stegeman also is an accomplished track athlete — a team captain who was a state finisher in the 100-meter hurdles in 2019. She also ran the 300-meter hurdles, high jump, 4×100-meter and 4×400-meter relays and 200-meter dash for Steinbrenner.

This coming fall, Stegeman will join a University of Albany volleyball program that won the 2019 America East title — its first since 2011, and sixth conference championship, overall.

Albany head volleyball coach Josh Pickard said the following of Stegeman’s athletic skillset, in a Signing Day release: “Lilou brings great size and presence in the middle. She has competed for a great club and will bring a great knowledge of the game to our squad. She has a great background in multiple sports, which helps her excel in her chosen sport of volleyball. Her upside in volleyball is huge due to her short time in the sport and we are excited to see her grow as a Great Dane.”

Peyton Petry, Cypress Creek, baseball (Saint Leo University)
Peyton Petry has established himself as one of the area’s most productive two-way players — a right-handed pitcher and outfielder —twice earning first team All-Conference honors.

A quartet of Cypress Creek High varsity baseball players signed their National Letters of Intent with various colleges and universities. From left: Peyton Petry (Saint Leo University), Anthony Menendez (Thomas University), Zach Beulk (Thomas University) and Nolan Jamison (Mars Hill University). (Courtesy of Kellie Petry)

Before the COVID-19 pandemic terminated the 2020 campaign, the 6-foot-4 Petry had a  .464/.531/.678 slash line with 12 runs, 9 RBIs and four extra base hits through 32 plate appearances in seven games, paired with a 3.50 earned run average and 27 strikeouts through 12 innings pitched.

Petry’s full sophomore run was likewise noteworthy, with his arm and his bat.

On the mound, Petry fired 36.1 innings to the tune of a 1.35 earned run average, 34 strikeouts, and a 4-1 win-loss mark. At the plate, he posted a .333/.413/.333 line, with five runs and seven RBIs, in 19 games played.

Petry also has garnered widespread recognition around prep baseball circles —  ranked among the top-500 recruits in the nation, according to Perfect Game, the world’s largest baseball scouting service.

In addition to Cypress Creek, Petry plays for the Ostingers Baseball Academy travel ball team, where he’s earned multiple All-Tournament team selections and helped the program win the 2020 Perfect Game 17U Florida World Series in Fort Myers.

Saint Leo head baseball coach Rick O’Dette said this of Petry, as part of a Signing Day news release: “We saw him early as a low to mid 80’s strike thrower who we anticipated in becoming an immediate arm. That has happened even sooner than we have thought. He is now an upper 80’s arm who can throw any pitch at any time. The ceiling is extremely high for him. His work ethic and love to get better is extremely contagious. His future is bright.”

Petry’s younger brother, Ethan, also is a talented ballplayer showing high-level collegiate potential. The Cypress Creek junior third baseman/pitcher is a University of South Carolina commit.

Here is a roundup of all known high school athlete signings in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area:

Academy at the Lakes
Baseball
Alex Carmichael — Upper Iowa University (Fayette, Iowa)

Football
Sean Saccomanno — Saint Norbert College (De Pere, Wisconsin)

Softball
Vanessa Alexander — Brown University (Providence, Rhode Island)

Swimming
McKenna Smith — Duke University (Durham, North Carolina)

Cypress Creek High School
Baseball
Zachary Buelk — Thomas University (Thomasville, Georgia)
Nolan Jamison — Mars Hill University (Mars Hill, North Carolina)
Anthony Menendez —Thomas University (Thomasville, Georgia)
Peyton Petry — Saint Leo University

Softball
Emma Coon — Lander University (Greenwood, South Carolina)
Hailey Vasquez — Ava Maria University

Freedom High School
Softball
Lilly Kiester — University of Tampa
Erica Wilton — Miami-Dade College

Land O’ Lakes High School
Softball
Emily Proctor — College of Central Florida
Gracie Stanley — Pasco-Hernando State College

Steinbrenner High School
Beach Volleyball
Rebecca Bach — Missouri State University

Football
Brycen Lowe — Carthage College (Kenosha, Wisconsin)

Lacrosse
Matthew Wyatt — Belmont-Abbey College (Belmont, North Carolina)

Softball
Mykayla Parise-King — Mars Hill University (Mars Hill, North Carolina)
Ashley Sholl — Concordia University-Chicago (River Forest, Illinois)

Volleyball
Lilou Stegeman — University of Albany (Albany, New York)

Sunlake High School
Baseball
Dominick Albano — Warner University
Dylan Broderick — Saint Leo University
Trevor Mannarino — Lake Sumter State College

Gaither High School
Football
Nick Bartalo — Charleston Southern University (Charleston, South Carolina)
Kiael Kelly — Ball State University (Muncie, Indiana)
Jordan Oladokun — Samford University (Birmingham, Alabama)
Ricky Parks — University of Utah

Wesley Chapel High School
Football
Matt Helms — Warner University

Wharton High School
Baseball
Zach Ehrhard — Oklahoma State University
Dylan McDonald — Saint Leo University
Frank Micallef — University of South Florida
Michael Rivera — Hillsborough Community College

Basketball
Candice Green — Webber International University

Softball
Tieley Vaughn — University of South Florida
McKayla Velasquez — Ave Maria University

Cross-Country/Track
Jared Hammill — University of Tampa

Lacrosse
McKenzie Watson — Newberry College (Newberry, South Carolina)

Wiregrass Ranch High School
Football
Grady Clower — University of Central Florida
Larry Gibbs Jr. — Warner University
Gabe Thompson — Army West Point (West Point, New York)

Zephyrhills
Football
Mike Barber — Luther College (Decorah, Iowa)

Zephyrhills Christian Academy
Football
Nicholas Novo — Apprentice School (Newport News, Virginia)

Published February 17, 2021

PHSC panel seeks solutions on racial equity, social justice

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Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) is leveraging its community connections to foster meaningful discussion on matters related to social justice and racial equity.

Pasco-Hernando State College hosted summit titled, ‘Equity and Advancement of Minority Males in America.’ The daylong Feb. 1 virtual event featured a panel discussion and breakout sessions related to social justice and racial equity issues. (File)

As part of ongoing Black History Month programming, the local college organized a virtual summit titled, “Equity and Advancement of Minority Males in America.”

The Zoom event on Feb. 1 included breakout sessions with educators and professionals on topics such as leadership and mentoring; politics, policing and civic responsibility; life skills; and, mental health and spirituality. The summit’s keynote speaker was Dr. John Montgomery, Humana’s vice president and medical officer for its Florida commercial markets.

The daylong summit kicked off with a 45-minute panel discussion made up mostly of college students, and moderated by Emery Ailes, an adjunct humanities instructor and LIFE coordinator at PHSC.

Boosting graduation rates
The diverse panel first pondered ways to improve graduation, success and retention rates for Black and other minority students at colleges and universities.

Dorian Howell is president of PHSC’s Student Government Association.

The student leader believes it’s important to identify at-risk minority students early on in their college experience, then pair them with a mentor or counselor to closely monitor and support them throughout their college years.

He pointed out some students immediately get discouraged with college when they have trouble navigating digital access codes and connecting to online course materials.

Dorian Howell is president of Pasco-Hernando State College’s Student Government Association. (Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

Others, meanwhile, are unaware of the myriad financial aid and scholarship resources readily available to them, he said, which could keep vulnerable students in school.

“It’s really about identifying the people at-risk and educating them on the tools we have, step by step,” Howell said.

He also emphasized the importance of getting involved in student-led clubs or extracurricular organizations. Those, he said, can foster academic success and accountability among one another.

“I found that my friends, a lot of them didn’t feel supported, but when they joined a club they connected with the community in the college, it helped them stay with it, it motivated them to stay with the courses,” he said.

St. Petersburg College (SPC) student Ericka Jones expressed similar sentiments regarding ways to improve minority student success rates.

Jones — set to earn a business degree in December — correlated her academic achievements to involvement with SPC’s Badeya Club, a Black student organization that aims to create a sense of community and respect among all students.

“If it wasn’t for them, I would’ve given up. I’m telling you, it’s so important to have a support system,” said Jones, who now serves as political action director of the college organization.

Jones brought a unique perspective to the panel — she’s raising a Black son while trying to earn a college degree.

“I can’t teach him all the things that a Black male is able to teach him. I believe in what this (summit) stands for. We need to uplift our Black males and our family in this society,” Jones said.

Dana Hind is a representative from Black Coalition of Hernando County.

She said more robust and accessible mentorship opportunities are needed before minority students get to college — perhaps throughout their high school years.

“To actually get kids driven into getting into college, we have to start earlier, and it’s been a challenge for me as a parent,” Hinds said. “You should have someone there to advocate for you as you’re going through, to make sure you get those scholarships, to make sure you get all those opportunities.”

Countering negative stereotypes
The conversation then turned to negative media portrayals of young and adult Black males and other minorities — and seeking ways to reverse promulgated views.

Demarvion Brown is a freshman men’s basketball player at Pasco-Hernando State College. (Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

Panelist Demarvion Brown said such meaningful change must first come through Black families fostering nurturing childhood environments and identifying positive role models.

“It starts at home,” said Brown, a freshman men’s basketball player at PHSC.

“Some people have good households, and some people don’t, but to change that, to turn that into a positive way is to stand out in front of everybody and become a different person and become a role model. Most people don’t believe in role models, but I think we need more of them to make the world a better place.”

Xavier Edwards is a student at Eastern Florida State College, in Cocoa.

He said one way to eradicate the media’s negative portrayals of Black men is to create new channels of communication.

Edwards, who is studying digital television and media production, suggested Black leaders and entrepreneurs venture to create their own newsletters, new stations, social media sites and  YouTube pages, focusing on “pushing out more positive images of Black people graduating, minorities getting scholarships…

“It’s about trying to get people who have the power to change the narrative of the image of Black and brown men. It might take us creating our own news (outlets),” he said.

Howell concurred with the idea of developing alternative news outlets highlighting inspiring Black figures and experiences, such as former President Barack Obama, Dr. Ben Carson and PHSC President Timothy Beard.

“We can use those as role models of changing the image to a positive image of, ‘OK, there’s doctors, there’s presidents that are all role models,’” Howell said.

The student body leader also called for boycotting news and entertainment outlets that portray  Black males and others in a negative light.

“If the media is perpetuating this negative image, hit ‘em where it hurts, stop supporting the media, don’t share the media that’s showing this negative image,” he said.

Resolving economic inequalities
The panel also broached the nation’s inequities in wealth.

Eastern Florida State College student Xavier Edwards is studying digital and media television production. (Courtesy of Eastern Florida State College)

Various reports point out that Black-owned businesses and individuals historically have been at the mercy of loan denials and subprime lending practices, Howell said.

He referenced one study that a Black-owned businesses get about 10 cents for every dollar that a white-owned business receives from a bank, a situation he characterized as “sickening.”

Howell called for a more equitable lending system and he encouraged individuals to simply inspire people to support Black-owned businesses.

“For us as individuals, we see a minority-owned business or restaurant or whatever, support it with our dollars, buy from them,” Howell said.

It also would be helpful to have more financial workshops led by Black business leaders, to encourage and educate others on stocks, saving, and general money management tips, Howell said.

Edwards also called for increasing efforts to educate minorities about how to acquire loans and start their own businesses.

Giving Black employees opportunities for advancement in their professions also can have broader implications, Edwards noted.

As more Black individuals earn senior management positions, they can slowly amass  generational wealth for their families and communities, he said.

“It’s not that it can’t change, it’s just going to take some work, but it just starts with more minority people being able to get to those high positions,” he said.

Published February 17, 2021

Pigz in Z’Hills festival set for April 10

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A scaled-down version of the annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest has been set for April 10.

The festival, being held for the 11th year, will take place at the Zephyrhills Community Venue, 5200 Airport Road, directly across from the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. Event hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Melonie Monson, executive director of Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce Director (File)

Unlike previous years, activities will be staggered throughout the day, to accommodate health and safety protocols related to the coronavirus pandemic.

A drive-thru BBQ meal pickup line will be in place from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., followed by a live blues concert from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., with select food vendors, such as gourmet French fries and kettle corn, as well as alcohol sales and more barbecue options.

Other happenings include an all-day cornhole toss tournament and free tours of the Zephyrhills Museum of Military History, to get look at refurbished wartime planes and other unique memorabilia.

Tickets are expected to be made available for purchase within the next couple weeks.

Various packages will be sold separately for the drive-thru meal and concert, plus cornhole tournament entry fees.

The popular food and music shindig has been twice postponed already — pushed back from scheduled dates in January and February.

A socially distanced live music concert will be among the happenings at the 11th annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest. Chuck Riley’s All-Star Band will be one of the lead acts, among other performers.

This latest reboot is all but set in stone, however.

The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and the Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Committee recently came to a consensus with how to proceed with a setup, taking into account various COVID-19 protocols.

Working in the festival’s favor is an anticipated increased rollout of coronavirus vaccines by springtime, plus a venue of more than a dozen acres, Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce Director Melonie Monson told The Laker/Lutz News in a recent interview.

“We just kept building and formulating, and we really felt, ‘Let’s go forward with this. This event is really important to Zephyrhills, so we wanted to do it,” Monson said.

“It was a relief to finally come up with a plan of action, and to be able to find a way that we could put this on safely and still really just showcase our community. Now comes the hard work though of making sure we put it all together, but we’re excited about this format, and we’re kind of really thrilled to see where it goes.”

While this year’s Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest will be pared down amid the COVID-19 pandemic, there’ll be a variety of barbecue options to go around for all attendees.

Noticeably absent from this year’s makeshift event is the prized BBQ cookoff contest that often attracts more than 60 competitive teams, plus a slew of judges and countless volunteers.

The BBQ showdown often draws professional grilling teams who travel to barbecue events all over the United States.

Monson said it was “a hard decision” among stakeholders to remove the hit cookoff competition from this year’s festival, but “we knew we could not do that safely in a COVID environment, so unfortunately, that had to go away this year.”

Other elements, such as a classic car show, a business expo and a kid’s fun zone won’t be part of the festivities this year either, according to Monson said.

With a date, time and location locked in for Pigz In Z’Hills, organizers and volunteers are working diligently to get the logistics all in place over the next two months.

This includes finalizing a full music lineup.

One of the confirmed headliners is Chuck Riley’s All Star Band, a longtime festival act.

As for other performers, Monson teased, “I think everybody’s going to be shocked when they see who all is going to be there.”

Here’s how the concert will be laid out for attendees:

  • Spots are reserved by purchasing a 10-by-10 foot grid, good for up to six people.
  • Price points will be based on vicinity to the music stage, with prices ranging from $40 to $100.
  • Concert-goers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets.
Between all the grub and tunes, a daylong cornhole toss tournament figures to be a popular spot at this year’s Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest.

For individuals or families just looking for a hearty BBQ meal, the drive-thru option will offer a choice of pulled chicken or brisket, plus an assortment of sides. Cost for that is $15 per person, though there is expected to be family meal option, too.

Meantime, the cornhole tournament will be broken into a recreation and competitive divisions, with a $500 prize to the winning team.

Entry fees are expected to be $20 and $40 per team, based on division.

Pigz in Z’Hills is not just a community entertainment tradition, but a major fundraiser for student scholarships, and about a dozen nonprofits and community organizations, such as Boy Scouts, East Pasco YMCA, and Relay for Life of Zephyrhills.

To help make up for anticipated funding shortages from this year’s pared down event, the local chamber this month launched a campaign called “Love Your Non-Profit” which showcases different organizations and solicits public donations for each.

“Being able to give scholarships to our youth here in Zephyrhills is a big deal, and we just need to do it. They don’t need to suffer. They’ve already been through enough,” the chamber director said.

For more information, call 813-782-1913, or email .

Published February 10, 2021

Seniors keep active at East Pasco Family YMCA

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The East Pasco YMCA in Zephyrhills is a welcoming community center for all ages — but some of its most robust activities are designed with the region’s ever-growing senior population in mind.

Helen Spearman of Wesley Chapel has been working out for the past 5 1/2 years at the East Pasco Family YMCA taking part in water aerobics as well. (Fred Bellet)

Step into the facility any weekday mid-morning and you’re bound to find dozens upon dozens of seniors getting fit — and enjoying themselves, too — simultaneously, through pickleball, Silver Sneakers and water aerobics classes.

Pickleball is by far the most popular activity among seniors, East Pasco YMCA officials say. At any given time, three dozen players or more are competing in the indoor gymnasium, at 37301 Chapel Hill Loop.

Pickleball is a paddleball sport combining many elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong.

Jane French spends part of the year living in Florida, and she spends some of that time taking part in the Silver Sneakers program at the East Pasco Family YMCA.

Using a smaller badminton-sized court and a slightly modified tennis net, players use a paddle and a plastic ball with holes, in either singles and doubles format.

Compared to conventional tennis, pickleball players serve underhanded, the ball has less bounce and there’s no double alleys — whereby singles and doubles players are played on the same-size court. Moreover, there’s a 7-foot no-volley zone on each side of the net to prevent spiking.

In simpler terms, pickleball represents a relatively seamless transition for aging tennis players who maintain hand-eye coordination and competitive drive, but no longer have quite the footspeed to cover as much ground as they could in their younger years.

Gregory Bartlett, of Zephyrhills, credits the water aerobics class for helping to keep him alive. He has several medical conditions. He’s been a member of the water aerobics class for nearly nine years.

Like many of her elder peers, San Antonio resident Carol Hatfield can be found playing pickleball at the YMCA at least five days a week.

The 74-year-old enjoys the fitness and fellowship components of the sport, playing alongside locals and snowbirds alike.

“It’s just good exercise,” said Hatfield, who picked up the game about five years ago.

“I’m a tennis player, too, but I enjoy the exercise and friendly people. We’ve met a lot of people from the north.

“I think the older I’ve gotten, I play more pickleball than tennis. I just enjoy the pickleball. The game’s quick,” she said.

Pickelball enthusiast Rodger Brown, of Dade City, says he’s been playing pickleball for a year. Here, the winter resident from Michigan returns a shot to the opposing team of Joyce Fisher and Shirley Burnham.

East Pasco Family YMCA membership and wellness experience director Ryan Pratt is regularly awestruck in the way the center’s aging players get after it on the court, demonstrating their mastery of the fast-paced game.

“It’s quite impressive,” said Pratt, himself a former Division I college football player at Eastern Michigan University, during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

“You see the way they move in there, the agility that some of these seniors are displaying. They keep begging me, ‘You gotta come in and play with us,’ and I think they’ll put to shame if I were to go in there,” he said.

Like other Florida-based gyms and fitness centers, the local YMCA was shut down from about mid-March through mid-May due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It was during that period Pratt realized the significance of social interaction for all members, seniors included.

“We’re so focused on health and wellness and getting your exercise in, but most people said they missed seeing their friends. I think we really downplayed the effect of social isolation that’s going on right now still,” he said.

The YMCA administrator jested when the recreation facility finally reopened to members, “I think we had more conversations than exercise going on, but that tells you what was needed, besides the exercise. They just needed to get back and see each other, and have a conversation.”

Kim Womack, who teaches the water aerobics class, shows participants how they should be moving their immersed bodies in the water of the East Pasco Family YMCA pool. The class size varies from eight participants to 30 participants. Womack has been with the Y for 13 years.

Seventy-five-year-old Dade City resident Barb Gerrish, for one, was chomping at the bit to resume her daily Silver Sneakers classes amid the COVID-19 shutdown.

The facility’s Silver Sneakers program offers a variety of full-body exercises for seniors designed to increase muscular strength and motion. Handheld weights, elastic tubing, a ball and chair are used for resistance.

In lieu of these organized classes, Gerrish opted to walk in her neighborhood after every meal to keep active.

But, Silver Sneakers offers more apt movements to help her arthritis — also in a fun, socially distanced setting.

“I like the whole thing,” Gerrish said of Silver Sneakers, noting the Y has multiple instructors who each bring their own flair to classes.

A social butterfly herself, Gerrish makes a point to greet every participant either before or after class. “I have a lot of friends here, and I like it that way,” she said.

She also encourages others in her age range to partake in Silver Sneakers programming, no matter their fitness level or physical limitations: “Anything’s better than nothing. Just give it a try. You don’t know until you’ve tried.”

Glenda Iliev, of Wesley Chapel, right, makes some waves in the water aerobics class at the East Pasco Family YMCA. Cindy Daigler, of Zephyrhills, far left, and Annie Hermecz, of Dade City, center, follow along as instructor Kim Womack leads the class.

Other seniors like Greg Bartlett can be found getting their fitness fix in the local Y’s seven-lane heated outdoor pool.

The 62-year-old Zephyrhills resident has been a regular in the facility’s water aerobics classes for nearly a decade.

He joined the water exercise program to get healthy and to keep his weight in check.

A diabetic on disability with back and neck ailments, Bartlett is unable to partake in traditional cardiovascular exercises on land, he said.

Instead, the water is his safe haven for a fulfilling yet low-impact workout.

“To do things like the treadmills and stuff is just too rough on me. Here, you don’t have all the impact, and I can exercise hard in the water,” explained Bartlett.

The aqua classes have been a lifesaver for Bartlett, literally.

“I really, honestly believe I wouldn’t be alive today if I wasn’t doing this, because I’ve got so many health conditions, and my weight and all that,” he said.

When the YMCA closed in the spring, Bartlett was at a loss for what to do and how to cope.

“I put on weight during the pandemic and it really hurt,” he said. “I think they should’ve never closed down this type of stuff. Lack of exercise, for people like me, you start reversing and getting back where you have problems breathing and stuff like that. I mean, it’s easy enough to keep separated, in the pool especially, and you’re also in chlorinated water.”

Rosey Ward, of Zephyrhills, returns the ball in a game of pickleball, to Ron Enriquez, a newcomer to the game. Ward has been playing the game for three years at the East Pasco Family YMCA.

Bartlett likewise missed having a place to go and hobnob with his aqua classmates. “I consider all these people my friends down here,” he said.

Exercise classes are energizing
Keeping Bartlett and many other seniors in shape is Kim Womack, a longtime exercise instructor who’s worked at the East Pasco YMCA for going on 14 years.

The experienced fitness teacher brings an upbeat and energetic attitude as she organizes water aerobics, Silver Sneakers and other group exercises.

Womack gets a kick out of seeing her elder pupils complete a fulfilling workout session — and seeing their enjoyment through it all.

Womack put it like this: “I just love the way that it makes the members feel. They feel good, they feel energized.”

It’s satisfying, she said, to know “that they’re getting a good workout, they’re enjoying it and they’re having fun. It’s just nice seeing them being so active.”

When the pandemic initially touched down, Womack worried for her older clientele, not just for traditional health reasons, but the possible effects of social isolation and inactivity.

“A majority of the people who love doing group exercise classes kind of need those people around, and it just makes the day a lot easier for them,” Womack said. “It was quite a shock to see how you miss being around people and talking to them, and seeing how they’re doing.”

For more information, call 813-780-9622 or visit TampaYmca.org/east-pasco-family-ymca/about.

Published February 10, 2021

Drug overdoses increasing in Pasco County

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During the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, there’s another alarming issue surging in Pasco County  — rising fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses.

The Pasco Sheriff’s Office has reported 1,491 overdoses (and 268 deaths) from January 2020 to December 2020 — representing a 71% increase from 2019.

This includes a single-month high of 168 overdoses (39 fatal) in May, agency data shows.

Most recently, the month of December proved one of the most troublesome months in the past year — with 135 reported overdoses and two deaths. The trend continued in 2021, as the first weekend in January recorded 19 overdoses, with three deaths, according to the sheriff’s office.

Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco

Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco says the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the county’s substance abuse and mental health problems because more people are dealing with job and financial losses, loneliness, homelessness and other personal struggles.

“We’re definitely seeing an extremely high spike since COVID hit with mental health and substance abuse, and especially the overdoses. There is an absolute correlation there,” Nocco recently told The Laker/Lutz News.

Overdose survivors have told deputies that “they feel like they’ve lost human connection with people,” Nocco said.

Instead of finding solace in faith, Nocco thinks many turn to substance abuse, and that, he said, is creating major issues.

During the midst of a pandemic, there are mental health issues occurring that won’t be healed with a vaccination, he said.

“People right now, they’re constantly on edge,” Nocco said.

These overdoses, Nocco said, are mostly related to heroin and other drugs laced with fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid analgesic similar to morphine but believed to be 50 times to 100 times more potent.

Said Nocco: “Heroin and fentanyl are the main two killers. When you’re seeing overdoses, it’s fentanyl. It’s sad. When you have an overdose and people pass away, it’s probably more likely than not that it’s fentanyl.”

Nocco noted the agency has even witnessed instances of carfentanil — an analogue 100 times stronger than fentanyl and most commonly used as an elephant tranquilizer.

Aside from its users, fentanyl and carfentanil offshoots pose a threat to the public and to first responders, as they can be absorbed through the skin or through accidental inhalation of airborne powder.

These substances are coming in from overseas, with stronger and stronger variations being discovered on the streets, Nocco said, adding, “It’s a very dangerous situation we’re dealing with.”

The overdoses predominantly are occurring in the western part of Pasco County, along the U.S. 19 corridor, Nocco said, but there are also pockets of activity in Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills.

A nationwide problem
Rising drug overdoses are trending across the nation.

Over 81,000 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in the 12 months ending in May 2020. That’s the highest number of overdose deaths ever recorded in a 12-month period, according to recent provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

While overdose deaths already were on the rise in the months preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, the latest numbers suggest an acceleration of overdose deaths during the pandemic, the CDC reports.

This graphic shows fatal and non-fatal overdoses in Pasco County for each month in 2020. Absent is the month of December, which yielded 135 overdoses and two deaths. (Courtesy of Pasco Sheriff’s Office)

“The disruption to daily life due to the COVID-19 pandemic has hit those with substance use disorder hard,” CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield said, in a December news release. “As we continue the fight to end this pandemic, it’s important to not lose sight of different groups being affected in other ways. We need to take care of people suffering from unintended consequences.”

According to the CDC, synthetic opioids (primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyl) appear to be the primary driver of the increases in overdose deaths, increasing 38.4% from the 12-month period leading up to June 2019 compared with the 12-month period leading up to May 2020. During this time period:

  • 37 of the 38 U.S. jurisdictions with available synthetic opioid data reported increases in synthetic opioid-involved overdose deaths
  • 18 of these jurisdictions reported increases greater than 50%
  • 10 western states reported over a 98% increase in synthetic opioid-involved deaths

More troubling trends
While overdose figures were substantially higher in 2020 compared to 2019 and some previous years in Pasco, the sheriff’s office’s intelligence-led policing unit likewise found a steady increase each year since 2017, which, of course, predates the pandemic.

This may result from lasting effects of Florida’s opioid prescription pill epidemic, Nocco said, with many users who initially got hooked on prescription pills turning to heroin, meth and other substances to get their fix.

“We’re still dealing with it. It’s not over,” the sheriff said of the statewide pill crisis. “You’re looking at individuals that would’ve never used hard drugs such as meth or heroin, but because they were prescribed Roxys (Roxicodone), Oxys (Oxycodone), Xanax for minor things like a minor surgery, a tooth issue, something like that, they then became addicts, and so those people with those addictions, they’re still suffering right now.”

Seeking solutions
To tackle these various substance abuse and related mental health issues, the local law enforcement agency is continuing to leverage its community-based health partners such as BayCare, Chrysallis Health and Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse and Prevention, and others.

The sheriff’s office has a rolodex of health care agencies that can provide help with a range of issues, including mental health, substance abuse, homelessness, youth and family services, autism, suicide, and veterans and post-traumatic stress. More details on resources can be found on PascoSheriff.com/MENTALHEALTH.html.

“We want to get to people before they get to that crisis stage,” Nocco said, adding, “and if people are starting to feel depressed, if they’re starting to feel issues and concerns, please reach out to those resources immediately.

“If those health care issues are dealt with very early on, they don’t turn into criminal justice issues,” he said.

The CDC also has made recommendations that can help curb drug overdose epidemic in local communities:

  • Expand distribution and use of naloxone and overdose prevention education
  • Increase awareness about and access to and availability of treatment for substance use disorders
  • Intervene early with individuals at highest risk for overdose
  • Improve detection of overdose outbreaks to facilitate more effective response

On a related note, the sheriff’s office is working to make positive lasting impressions on the younger people, to help get a grip of at-risk mental health and substance use issues.

The agency has partnered with the Pasco County Council Parent Teacher Association (PTA) on a mental health initiative titled, “You Matter,” which mainly focuses on suicide prevention among juveniles. Part of the effort involves distributing magnets with upbeat reminders that can be attached to cellphones and wallets, and other places.

The sheriff said his agency is trying to get this message out to teenagers and young adults: “You matter in life.”

The fact is that many of these kids are isolated, Nocco said.

“They’re on their phones and they don’t feel like they’re engaged with what’s going on.
“I understand a lot of people go on social media and walk away depressed thinking about what they read or if somebody put a negative comment on there,” he said.

He wants to spread the word, to help people realize their value.

“It doesn’t matter what somebody wrote about you, you matter to somebody else, and your life is important.

“We don’t want to see people harm themselves or get an addiction over a comment made on social media by somebody who could live a couple of thousand miles away,” Nocco said.

Published February 03, 2021

Renowned educator discusses racial equity

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When it comes to race relations in America, many meaningful advancements have been made over the last several decades — but there still is a long way to go in the name of equity.

At least that was the message put forth by Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, a nationally recognized authority on racial issues in America. She was the featured guest speaker of Pasco-Hernando State College’s 36th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. commemorative event.

Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum was guest speaker of Pasco-Hernando State College’s Jan. 21 virtual presentation discussing racial equity issues in America. Tatum is former president of Atlanta’s Spelman College and author of the best-selling book, ‘Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?’ (Courtesy of Beverly Tatum)

The Jan. 21 virtual event was organized by the college’s department of global and multicultural awareness.

A clinical psychologist and sought-after leader in higher education, Tatum is president emerita of Atlanta’s Spelman College and author of several books, including the best-selling, “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?”

The speaker also is the recipient of numerous honors, including the Carnegie Corporation of New York’s Academic Leadership Award in 2013 and the American Psychological Association’s Outstanding Lifetime Contributions to Psychology in 2014.

Tatum opened the conversation by emphasizing the racial progress the United States has made since her birth in the early 1950s.

She shared a story about her own family’s prior struggles.

She detailed how her Black father, Dr. Robert Daniel, was unable to attend Florida State University in 1954 and obtain a doctorate in art education because it was a segregated institution, for whites only.

Rather than simply allowing Tatum’s father to attend FSU, the state of Florida instead opted to pay for his transportation costs to another institution out of state — Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania.

Tatum observed: “Today that sounds ridiculous, right?  It sounds like, ‘Why would the state do that?’ and yet that was the reality then. The fact that today Florida State is quite a diverse institution, certainly no longer whites only, all of that lets us know there has been progress.”

Pushback against progress
Despite gains, compared to the 1950s and 1960s, Tatum said there has been nationwide resistance following these periods of social progress — particularly around the turn and throughout the 21st century.

It was evident even during the President Barack Obama years, Tatum said, when a provision of the Voting Rights Acts of 1965 was struck down by a 2013 Supreme Court ruling. That decision allowed nine states, mostly in the South, to change their election laws without federal oversight.

Some states, in recent years, also have reversed various affirmative action measures.

California voters approved Proposition 209 in 1996, which says the state cannot discriminate against or grant preferential treatment on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, specifically in the areas of public employment, public contracting and public education.

This decision, Tatum said, dramatically decreased the African-American student population and other minorities at California State universities.

Tatum also criticized decision-making policies surrounding incarceration, anti-drug efforts and the so-called War on Drugs, which she claimed has yielded a dramatic increase in the incarceration of people of color, particularly Black men and women.

The speaker suggested many of these drug policies “were racist by nature,” giving examples of disparate prison sentences for a non-violent Black individual in possession of crack cocaine, compared to a white individual caught with powder cocaine.

Pasco-Hernando State College’s department of global and multicultural awareness hosted a virtual presentation titled, ‘Where Do We Go From Here? A Conversation about Racial Equity with Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum.’ The event was part of the college’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration programming. (File)

Tatum underscored the negative impacts this “racial bias in the justice system” has caused for many Black communities and families: “What happens to you if you come out of jail and you’ve served your time, and you can’t rent an apartment and it’s hard to get a job?”

Tatum also took aim at discriminatory housing and lending policies to Black families, which she said is still felt today even after the Fair Housing Act of 1968 officially made real estate redlining illegal.

Over the years, Black families — even those with high-quality credit ratings — oftentimes received loans with less desirable terms than white families with similar incomes, credit and purchase power, she said.

This all came to a head during the 2008 recession, Tatum said: “Many of those unfavorable loans were coming due and when the economy tanked, those loans tanked, and many people who had been given those loans found themselves in (a) position of having their houses underwater, so to speak.”

When asked what the civil rights leaders of the 1960s would think about the country today, Tatum responded: “Maybe need to revisit some of the questions they were asking and try to use that inspiration to push forward again.”

An optimistic outlook
As for where the country is headed, Tatum expressed optimism with the election and swearing in of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

She commended several of the new administration’s moves, such as reversing travel bans on Muslim countries; pausing deportations for certain undocumented immigrants; extending the federal moratorium on evictions; and extending the pause on federal student loan payments and collections, and keeping their interest rate at 0%.

“I am encouraged by some of the things that our new president already has done through his executive orders,” Tatum said.

But, much more needs to be done, from the speaker’s viewpoint.

The push for a living wage is “a really critical issue” to help uplift more Black families out of poverty, Tatum said.

The problem has persisted even since Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee, when he was fighting for economic justice as part of the city’s sanitation workers’ strike.

Tatum put it like this: “If you are working very hard at the minimum wage in your locale, you are going to be poor, because you cannot sustain yourself and your family on such low wages.

“I am of the opinion that if a job is worth doing, it needs to be paid at a wage that allows you to sustain yourself with dignity,” she said.

Not resolving that issue, she said, “is a strategic error, not just because it’s bad for the people who are trying to make a living — but it’s also bad for all of us to have a significant portion of our population unable to sustain itself.”

She also pointed out that the coronavirus pandemic has had a disproportionate effect on communities of color, putting them at greater risk, because of poverty, concentrated living situations and limited access to high-quality health care.

Many people in these communities also are part of the so-called essential workforce, driving buses, working in grocery stores “and doing things that put you in harm’s way, without sufficient protection, during a dangerous pandemic,” she said.

The distinguished educator also called for increased opportunities for robust and affordable education opportunities.

She acknowledged there are available federal government programs, such as Pell Grants, to help close the gap for disadvantaged students. But, she said: “Tuitions have risen at institutions all across the country because the state funding has been insufficient to cover the costs.”

The burden of the additional costs is passed onto individuals and families, and the dilemma comes back to how much people are paid.

The median income of an African-American family is around $40,000 annually.

“You cannot afford a college education if your family income is $40,000 per year. It’s just not possible, so how do we meet the need of young people who want to be able to pursue a college education? Lots of communities are asking this question.

“We as a nation have to decide if we want to invest in the next generation. I don’t think we have made that decision in a way that is clearly visible. We really need a national initiative that says, ‘We want to invest in the next generation,’ regardless of race, understanding that if we want to be successful as a nation, we have to have access to affordable education, at a level that this post-industrial economy requires.”

Pasco-Hernando State College President Timothy Beard offered some observations regarding the current state of America’s racial issues during a recent virtual event focusing on racial equity.
“First, I want to acknowledge that we’ve come a long ways, yet we have a long ways to go,” said Beard, the second African-American to serve as president of the college.

“Race is a topic that most individuals still try to steer away from, but I think it’s a discussion that we must continue to have as a nation.

“I do believe in Dr. King’s words when he said we are a nation of ideals and we’re still progressing as an institution to become that more perfect union.

“In order for that to happen we have to be able to deal with those topics that might not be convenient, and the only way to get better is to continue to confront those things that you can change. If you don’t confront it, perhaps you can’t change.

“It is just an awesome opportunity for us to make progress as we deal with this topic of race inequality. As we look to the future, we do want to acknowledge we have what it takes for us to be successful, as chaotic as it has been the last eight, nine, 10, 11 months or so, we’re still looking for opportunities for us to be successful, and because you don’t assume, you participate, you’re being engaged in a conversation, I want to say that it’s a sign of progress.”

Published February 03, 2021