The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Kevin Weiss

Solid haul

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(Courtesy of John Medvid)

Joe Felice, left, and Jim Felice teamed up to win first place at the South Pasco Bassmasters August tournament, hauling in five fish for a total weight of 15.25 pounds at Lake Hernando. Their haul included a 9.51-pound bass, which earned them Trophy Catch honors, a state-run incentive-based conservation program for anglers who catch-and-release largemouth bass more than 8 pounds, in Florida.

The duo caught their fish using plastic mag trick worms in shallow waters around isolated grass.

The next South Pasco Bassmasters tournament is set for Sept. 21 at Lake Panasoffkee. For information, visit SouthPascoBassmasters.com.

These kits can help save lives

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A safety measure has been added to Pasco County high schools that’s aimed to help save lives during a mass casualty or active shooter situation.

The schools now have bleed control kits — designed to help prevent victims from bleeding out before emergency responders arrive.

Pasco County Schools and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office are participating in the ‘Stop the Bleed’ campaign, a national initiative that aims to train and empower civilians to act swiftly and effectively in trauma situations, such as active shooter incidents. As part of the campaign, the sheriff’s office and emergency personnel trained school nurses to use bleed control kits and other measures in initial trauma management. (Courtesy of Pasco Sheriff’s Office)

The kits contain items such as tourniquets, blood-clotting dressings and casualty extraction litter, CPR mask, disposable gloves, trauma shears and a bleeding control instruction card. The kits are assembled using military grade components and based on the standards established by the American College of Surgeons.

The vacuum-sealed kits are stocked in a LIFE Station, or a surface-mounted storage cabinet strategically located throughout schools, similar to AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) and fire extinguisher cabinets.

Pasco County Schools, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, Pasco Tax Collector’s Office and Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point recently partnered on a fundraising drive to bring LIFE Stations and bleed kits to each public high school and technical school countywide.

Enough donations were raised for each school to receive one LIFE Station, which holds up to five kits, according to the sheriff’s office.

The initial cost for stations and kits was $250,000. Each kit costs approximately $600 to $700.

The school district and sheriff’s office are now requesting donations to purchase more kits for the county’s 83 middle and elementary schools. Efforts are also being made to bring them to places of worship and other public spaces.

Someone can die from bleeding out in 30 seconds to 45 seconds, so the effort is aimed at saving lives, Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said, during an Aug. 13 media conference on the bleed kits initiative.

The bleed kits go beyond the scope of a shooting or other violent attack, the sheriff said.

Pasco County Schools’ high schools and technical schools have been stocked with bleed control kits to help stem the flow of blood in urgent situations. The kits are housed in a LIFE Station container, or a surface-mounted storage cabinet similar to AEDs and fire extinguishers. Shown here is a LIFE Station that sits inside the nurse’s office at Land O’ Lakes High School. (Courtesy of Pasco Schools)

“It’s not just about active shooters,” Nocco said. “It could be about a traffic crash. It could be somebody fell, and it hurt them and it cut them badly. Those are the types of things that we want to make sure we get out there, that this isn’t just because of that worst-case scenario, this could be about some injury that occurred any day.”

“Just having one (station) in each facility may not be enough, you may need multiple ones,” he said.

Before the school year began, the sheriff’s office and emergency personnel trained school nurses to use the kits and other life-saving measures in initial trauma management. The training was part of a broader “Stop the Bleed” national initiative, which aims to train and empower civilians to act swiftly and effectively in trauma situations, such as active shooter incidents.

Pasco School District nurses will be training other school employees how to use the kits, officials say.

Meanwhile, the sheriff’s office also is creating a bleed kit instruction video for students.

“It’s like teaching a child to call 911. Now, we’re going to teach them to stop the bleed,” Nocco said.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning said the LIFE Stations and bleed kits create “another layer of protection in the horrible event of something going on in our schools.”

Browning emphasized the urgency in such situations: “It’s a matter of seconds before an individual could bleed out, and we want to make sure that we have the tools there to help prevent loss of life.”

Since the Parkland school shooting claimed the lives of 17 students and faculty members in February 2018, the Pasco school district has bolstered its safety protocols through hiring armed safety guards, requiring stricter identification protocols, and installing more secure door locks, among other procedures.

“We work hard in keeping all of our children safe in this district,” Browning said. “I will say, we have been in a leader in the state where other districts have looked at us and said, ‘We want to do it very similar to the way you’re doing it.’”

He added, “Parents are just naturally concerned about the safety of their kids when we put them on our buses in the morning and get them to our schools, and they expect them to be safe, and I expect our kids to be safe.”

For more information, visit PascoSheriffCharities.org/stop-the-bleeding-2/.

Published August 21, 2019

Zephyrhills presents draft budget, appropriations requests

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The City of Zephyrhills has unveiled its proposed budget for fiscal year 2019-20 — totaling more than $67 million.

The $67,043,615 draft budget is based on a tentative tax rate of 6.35 mills previously approved by the Zephyrhills City Council. The draft budget was shared during an Aug. 12 council meeting.

The City of Zephyrhills’ $67 million draft budget is based on a tentative tax rate of 6.35 mills. A budget workshop is scheduled for Aug. 26. Public hearings on the proposed budget are scheduled for Sept. 9 and Sept. 23. (File)

Based on the 6.35 millage rate, the total budget for the new fiscal year will be roughly $16.4 million for the city’s 16 departments (city council, administration, economic development, finance, human resources, planning, information technology, police, dispatch, fire, building & code enforcement, library, equipment maintenance, storm water, streets, parks & facilities).

Remaining money necessary for the 2019-20 budget will come from other funding sources, including state revenues, county shared funds franchise fees, utility fees and grants.

The draft shows the city’s police department has the largest departmental budget at over $3.9 million, followed by the fire department at roughly $2.8 million.

A budget workshop is scheduled for Aug. 26. Public hearings on the proposed budget are scheduled for Sept. 9 and Sept. 23.

Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe shared budget highlights during the meeting, including these items relating to employee benefits and compensation:

  • Total employee health care costs increased 9.7%
  • A proposed pay increase of 3.5% for all employees
  • An increase in cost of 15% for worker’s compensation costs
  • An increase in cost of 11% for property casualty expenses
  • Tuition reimbursement up to $2,500 annually, up to a maximum of $15,000 in total, for city employees

Big ticket items in the budget include:

  • Six fully equipped police vehicles totaling $310,000 funded through Penny for Pasco
  • A $300,000 side-loader truck for sanitation
  • A $267,000 final installment for a new fully outfitted fire truck, which has a total cost of $457,000

With talks ongoing with Pasco County regarding the possible consolidation of the Zephyrhills Fire Department into Pasco County Fire Rescue, the city manager told council members the new fire truck will be part of those broader negotiations, possibly to help offset MSTUs (Municipal Service Taxing Unit) levied through any merger.

“The budgets were prepared as if the (fire) department is staying,” Poe said. “We don’t know which direction we’re going this moment, so it was budgeted to purchase that truck and that will be part of the conversation with the county. They’re aware of it, so we’ll continue that conversation.”

Councilman Alan Knight told Poe the fire truck “ought to be a real strong thing in our negotiation” with the county.

“We contracted it. We put our name on it. We’ve got it. We’re going to have to eat that, so we’ve just got to understand that that’s going to be part of our negotiations,” Knight said.

Councilman Lance Smith said he’s pleased that the budget has more funds allocated toward employee education.

“I am glad to see more money put into training employees,” Smith said. “I mean, I think that’s something really important. I think that’s something we haven’t been doing, and I think the more educated an employee is, I think the more productive they’ll be.”

A push for more police training
Along those lines, Council president Ken Burgess questioned whether the Zephyrhills Police Department allocated enough funding for more advanced, hands-on training.

Zephyrhills Police Chief Derek Brewer said his department has invested in instructor training within his department and is able to offer more in-house training.

The draft budget shows $22,000 for police training programs.

“I bring it up every year about the police training. Especially in light of recent events, I want to make sure that in our training, we do more than just get on the computer and click a few buttons,” Burgess said.

“There’s a lot of things that can happen that we don’t want our officers to experience that for the first time in real life,” he said.

Zephyrhills Police Chief Derek Brewer pointed out training opportunities are often trust funded or free, but said the issue is more about being able to manage overtime associated with training.

The department has sent a handful of sworn officers to receive instructor training, so it is able to offer more in-house training programs, the chief said.

“Whether it’s advanced, in service or online or whatever it is, I can tell you we’ve been actively trying to send people to as much as we can,” he said.

Brewer also told the council the police department is considering participation at an active shooter response training center in Arizona.

“We were looking for something a little closer, but, of course, if that’s what we’ve got to do then that’s what we’ll use,” Brewer said.

In other action, the council approved the submission of three appropriations requests for projects to be sponsored by State Rep. Randy Maggard and State Sen. Wilton Simpson in the Florida Legislature:

  • $2 million septic to sewer project to a residential subdivision and homes along Sixth Avenue and Armstrong Street, and decommissioning existing septic tanks. The project will affect 67 existing properties with potential for expansion to additional properties in the future.
  • $1.2 million for an indoor/covered tennis facility at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center site. The indoor facility would also be used for other sports, such as soccer, and banquets and ceremonies.
  • $2 million for the purchase of roughly 1.3 acres of land at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport for the extension of runway 01-19. The cost also includes relocating Skydive City’s existing RV parking east of Skydive Lane.

The city also is considering a fourth appropriations request for $2.5 million, to be used for U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road intersection improvements. Those improvements would involve the relocation of a traffic signal that is currently located at Merchants Square and Townview shopping centers to a new location, at the intersection at Pretty Pond Road.

Council members discussed that topic at length. The aim of the improvements would be to speed up potential commercial development in the area.

Published August 21, 2019

Local teen’s rare disease sparks legislation

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After more than three years of fighting for their medical coverage for their son’s rare disease, a Land O’ Lakes family has seen some progress in their quest.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Patient Saving Act on June 12, which includes language requiring the state insurance plan to provide enteral formula coverage, regardless of age, condition or intake method.

Stephanie Walls, whose son Remington suffers from Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE), called the legislative victory “absolutely amazing.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Patient Saving Act in June. Included is language requiring the state insurance plan to provide enteral formula coverage, regardless of age, condition or intake method. Stephanie and Remington Walls stand on the far right. (Courtesy of Stephanie Walls)

The rare EoE disease, which is incurable, causes food to deteriorate in his esophagus.

Remington, who was diagnosed at age 4, has lived a life without regular food or drink.

His only source of nutrition since then has come via a hypoallergenic amino acid-based liquid formula, called Neocate EO28 Splash. He consumes roughly 18 to 22 of the eight-ounce juice boxes per day.

Through it all, 19-year-old Remington has never let his life-threatening food allergy disease block him from pursuing his goals.

He is a former varsity baseball standout at Land O’ Lakes High School.

He’s a published author, and he has earned a volunteer assistant/team manager position at Valdosta State University’s Division I baseball program.

In 2016, his family learned that its insurance no longer covered the liquid formula required for sustenance. Without the insurance, the formula costs about $26,000 per year, Stephanie said.

The alternative was a feeding tube. But, with Remington’s active lifestyle, that was never an option, the family says.

So, Remington and his mom have been pushing for state and federal legislation for enteral formula coverage for medical nutrition — sharing their story with lawmakers and anyone who would listen.

The new law only impacts state employees, but still it is a move in the right direction and will help families like theirs who are struggling, Stephanie says.

“This is just a baby step, to the bigger steps that are going to be taken,” added Stephanie, an eighth grade language arts teacher at Cypress Creek Middle High School in Wesley Chapel.

“We’re still trying to get federal legislation,” she said. “It has to be broader. It has to have a wider span.”

Remington agrees with his mom: “Our goal is to get federal legislation passed, but it’s just a work in progress. We just take it one day, one step at a time.”

He added, “Honestly, our whole goal going into this was, whether it benefits us or not, we want to make a difference. We just knew that if this is happening to us, then it’s happening to other families.”

Getting help and helping others
At the state level, the Walls’ cause was picked during the legislative process by Sen. Kelli Stargel, a Republican from Lakeland, and Rep. Ardian Zika, a Republican from Land O’ Lakes. They sponsored enteral formula legislation, which ultimately led to an amendment to the state health bill.

As it stands now, “it only covers state employees,” Zika said. “My goal is I hope to see federal legislation addressing this issue .. .so we have comprehensive coverage for such a condition.”

He went on, “For me, this was an opportunity to be a voice for the voiceless. When I reflect back on my public service, this is going to be one of the highlights for me.”

Zika learned of Walls’ story before his election in 2018 to represent District 37 in the Florida House of Representatives.

“It was really heartbreaking,” Zika said. “I said, ‘Wow, this is something that I would be very passionate about because it’s life-changing for individuals.’”

The freshman lawmaker added, “Remington has overcome so much adversity. No one should go through what they’ve (the Walls) gone through. I’m just happy to be at the intersection in their life and do my part, but there’s much more work to be done.”

Remington and Stephanie addressed several committees in Tallahassee along the way, including the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee, House Market Reform Subcommittee and Government Oversight Committee.

Stephanie acknowledged the work was tiresome, but she said it also was empowering to be a voice for other families who are in the same boat.

“Our belief and our philosophy has always been that we need to help the people that come behind us,” she said. “Regular, everyday people can make a difference, but people have to understand that. It’s just about everybody making that difference.”

Seeing her son pick up the cause made the efforts all the more worthwhile, too.

Stephanie put it like this: “It is so rare to find an 18-year-old, at the time, meeting with legislators. He knew in his heart that this was the right thing that he needed to be doing. A lot of it he was kind of thrust into it, but he chose to continue.”

In November, Remington and Stephanie co-wrote “Homeplate: A True Story of Resilience,” a 118-page book that delves into a foodless life and insights on coping with a rare esophageal disease.

The project gained momentum to the point where Remington and Stephanie were called to speak at multiple events, including the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED) Conference in Washington D.C. The Walls also presented to over 200 athletes at an Atlanta-based event organized by ACES Nation and All-In FC (Futbol Club) at Sugar Hill.

Meanwhile, Remington has big plans ahead. The college sophomore plans to try out for the Valdosta State baseball team this fall. He’s also studying communications as he considers a career in public speaking.

He hopes his story can inspire others facing similar challenges.

Determination is important, according to Remington.

“If you set your mind to it, you can do it. The only person that can stop you is you,” he said.

Published August 21, 2019

Lutz softball continues to fine-tune its offerings

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Following a successful spring campaign, Lutz Softball is gearing up for another season of fastpitch softball next month — with a number of recent additions and upgrades.

Formerly known as the Lutz Leaguerettes, the ages 4 to 18 recreational girls softball organization has expanded its fastpitch offerings since scrapping slowpitch play altogether a few years ago.

The league has introduced a five-on-five, infield-only 6U division to guide younger players through basic fundamentals, including the shift from T-ball to coaches’ fastpitch.

The Lutz Softball recreational fastpitch girls softball league featured about 200 players across 17 teams last spring. Those numbers are expected to remain steady in the fall season. (Courtesy of Jennifer Parry)

The new division had a test run last year for the first time — to beneficial results, said Jennifer Parry,  league president.

“It’s been pretty successful, so we’re going to do it again this season,” she said. “The girls that maybe have a shorter attention span, they stay more involved, they learn the basics of the game and hitting.”

The league also is finding ways to cater to more experienced players.

Lutz Softball implemented Xtreme Fastpitch divisions in conjunction with its parent program, Babe Ruth League, which is designed for higher-level players to have more organized competitive play against other Babe Ruth teams throughout Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties.

Parry said the Xtreme league “is for the girls that are either trying to get a little better for high school or that just are a little better than most, they can play there and kind of fine-tune some of those skills that they may not get to practice on a regular rec league.”

Introduced last year, Xtreme Fastpitch has helped “bridge the gap” between recreational and travel ball play as a more affordable option for families, the league president said.

She noted some former Lutz Softball players who previously left for travel leagues have since returned to participate in the league’s Xtreme divisions.

“It’s been pretty successful,” Parry said. “Travel ball really decimates rec ball, so it’s really kind of a step in the right direction to kind of keep girls locally, playing with the girls they go to school with and not put so much pressure on the parents to travel all over.

“We’ve had some girls that went to travel and where they might be girls that get more play in our Xtreme division, (but) in their travel team they don’t play or they maybe play one inning. “They’re all good players, but there’s just a difference in playing time and the community and who you’re playing with, friends with school,” she said.

Lutz Softball transitioned solely to fastpitch play in 2016. Dwindling registration figures forced the league to drop slowpitch, after 37 years. They were the last recreational league in the county to offer that style of the sport.

Parry acknowledged the drastic move to fastpitch has been challenging, particularly in terms of training players the methods of pitching and catching.

So, this season the league is offering free pitching lessons to all registered players, including clinics for beginners and advanced.

Parry put it like this: “It was a big change, especially for some of our older girls who had been pitching for a couple of years because the motion is different, and so we’re still trying to get through that transition. …I think still our biggest hurdle is just getting those girls trained in that area, because when you don’t have a pitcher or a catcher, those games can get really rough, because they’re just walking girls around. It was our biggest struggle in the transition and continues to be our biggest struggle.”

That aside, Parry said Lutz Softball’s registration numbers have been on the increase since the move to exclusively fastpitch.

The league is believed to be the county’s second-largest girls recreation softball league, behind FishHawk .

The Lutz league featured about 200 players and 17 teams in the spring — up from about 160 players a few years ago. Parry expects those numbers to remain steady for the upcoming fall season then “go up a little bit” next spring.

To generate more interest this season, the league is offering a $50 registration discount to families that bring new families and players to the league.

Said Parry, “We’re just trying to get some new families to our parks. We find that once they get there, they really enjoy it. We have a very family like atmosphere and try to include everybody.”

Performance-wise, Lutz Softball is coming off a spring season that saw three of its all-star teams compile strong showings in postseason play.

Its 8U team finished second in districts, third in regionals and fifth in states; 12U placed second at a Babe Ruth all-star warm-up tournament in FishHawk; and 16U won the FishHawk warm-up tournament and finished second at districts.

Besides on-the-field play, the league’s home base at Oscar Cooler Sports Complex in Lutz is witnessing a makeover. The county’s parks and recreation department recently leveled and re-sodded the complex’s three softball fields with Bermuda grass; side field bullpens, parking lights and a new playground are some other additions.

Said Parry, “This will be our first season playing on the new sod. It’s looking good. Gone are the days of dirt patches and things like that.”

Player registration closes Aug. 24 for the fall season. The season runs from September through November.

For more information, visit LutzSoftball.com, or email .

Published August 21, 2019

Golfers named All-American Scholars

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Saint Leo University men’s golfers Nilo Sanchez and Simon Knutsson have been named 2019 Srixon/Cleveland All-American Scholars.

They were among 540 student-athletes to earn the honors in 2018-19 and just two of 10 Sunshine State Conference golfers this season.

Sanchez, a Lutz native, played in 10 tournaments for 30 rounds of golf, with a scoring average of 76.30.

Knutsson played in 10 tournaments with a scoring average of 74.27, where he tied the team low round of 66 during the season. He also captured two top-10 finishes, including one top-five finish.

The duo helped the Saint Leo men’s golf team earn the Golf Coaches Association of America Outstanding Team Academic Award last month.

Simon Knutsson (Courtesy of Saint Leo University Athletics)
Nilo Sanchez

Pasco Sheriff’s employee earns statewide honor

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A longtime Pasco Sheriff’s Office civilian supervisor has earned a statewide honor from the Florida Sheriffs Association (FSA).

Gina Youmans has dedicated her career to helping crime victims and their loved ones, as a supervisor of the Pasco Sheriff’s Office Victim Advocates Unit.

The 28-year veteran of the law enforcement agency is being recognized for her work.

Youmans is the recipient of the inaugural FSA Civilian of the Year award. This award, sponsored by the Florida Sheriffs Risk Management Fund, “recognizes exemplary service above self by a civilian employed at a Florida sheriff’s office.”

Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco, left, congratulates Pasco Sheriff’s Office Victim Advocates Unit supervisor Gina Youmans, right, for being the recipient of the inaugural Florida Sheriffs Association Civilian of the Year award. This award ‘recognizes exemplary service above self by a civilian employed at a Florida sheriff’s office.’ (Courtesy of Pasco Sheriff’s Office)

Youmans was officially named the 2019 Civilian of the Year at the FSA Summer Conference banquet in Tampa; she was nominated for the award by the sheriff’s office command staff.

Youmans said winning the award was “humbling,” adding it was also nice to see the agency’s victim advocates unit recognized as a whole.

“I’m just proud of the agency. It’s a big deal,” Youmans said.

“I can’t be happier. It’s a wonderful thing,” she said.

Youmans took a circuitous route into the criminal justice field and victim advocacy.

A native of Long Island, New York, Youmans followed her family to Florida shortly after graduating college.

She originally planned to work in banking or as a paralegal, but a friend told her the sheriff’s office was hiring civilian staff for the 1990 opening of the Land O’ Lakes jail.

“I was like, ‘All right,’ because I wasn’t able to find anything,” Youmans recalled.

Youmans was hired as a receptionist at the jail in 1991.

Within a year, Youmans was transferred to the agency’s fugitive warrants unit, where she worked for the next dozen or so years, handling the paperwork and logistics for extraditions, processing inmates and so on. “It was actually really cool,” Youmans said.

In 2005, Youmans transferred to the agency’s victim advocates unit at the behest of a co-worker, who put a request in for her for an open advocate position. Youmans worked her way up to unit supervisor in 2015.

Youmans admits she wasn’t really familiar with the unit beforehand. “I was like, I don’t even know what that is,” Youmans said of victim advocacy. “I read the description and was like, ‘Oh, that sounds interesting.’”

Helping people at difficult times
Youmans later learned she beat out 100 other applicants for the role.

To this day, she still recalls one question during the hour-and-a-half interview for the job that stuck out: “Could you hold a dead baby?”

It’s those types of difficult circumstances victim advocates must navigate regularly, Youmans said.

The victim advocates unit assists in major cases — homicide, suicide, sexual assault, domestic violence, robbery, burglary, and crimes against elderly, among others.

They’re on-call 24/7.

Generally, advocates offer victims information, emotional support, and help finding resources and filling out paperwork. Sometimes, advocates go to court with victims and speak on their behalf.

Pasco Sheriff’s Office Victim Advocates Unit supervisor Gina Youmans, right, and Pasco Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Sgt. Michael Rosa speak to a child as part of a crime investigation. Youmans is the recipient of the inaugural Florida Sheriffs Association Civilian of the Year award for her work in victim advocacy. She is a 28-year veteran of the law enforcement agency.

So, say there’s a homicide in the middle of the night, the unit responds “to be there” as liaisons for the decedent’s survivors, Youmans said.

“We form a rapport and help them, and let them know that if they need us — to reach out and we’re here,” Youmans said.

Advocates guide victims through the investigation process, too.

Youmans explained: “We’re there to explain why forensics is there, why the detectives are there, why the medical examiners are there, shield them from the media, but explain to them why the media is there, explain the entire process that is going on and accessing their needs the whole, entire time.”

Youmans said the toughest part of the job is death notifications — the delivery of the news of a death to another person, usually a family member or spouse.

Of the thousands of cases the unit responds to each year, suicides are the most common call out for the unit, Youmans said.

Youmans put it this way: “Like you see on television, you ring the doorbell, knock on the door, and you know as soon as they open the door, they’re going to know. People know when they open the door and they see a uniformed person and another sheriff’s office member there,” Youmans said.

“Anytime you deal with citizens and victims, they will guide you in the direction of where you go. There’s no certain way to deliver the message on death notifications or anything else, they guide you in the direction of where you go next,” she said.

Youmans supervises a six-member unit, which includes five other advocates and a victim services technician. She also oversees two unit volunteers and interns throughout the year.

Youmans said soft skills are a must for advocates, more so than formal education credentials.

“Approachability is so important. That’s what counts in the end,” she said.

She added, “It takes a unique person to do this position and I’ve always known that. A special kind of person has to do it, and I have six really special people that are truly passionate about it, and leaders in their own right, and hungry and want to learn.”

Through her own experience and early mistakes on the job, Youmans has a list of what she calls her ‘Do Not Says’ for her unit when they’re responding to victims and families of traumatic events.

They go like this:

  • Do not say, ‘Hi, how are you?’
  • Do not say, ‘I know how you feel.’
  • Do not say, ‘Time will heal.’
  • Do not say, ‘It’ll be OK.’

Instead, Youmans said, “It’s just reading situations and reading people. That comes from my experience of doing it. Some victims are good with the closure words. Some aren’t. It depends. Most aren’t. There’s no closure to them.”

The victim advocates unit supervisor acknowledged the job can be emotionally and physically taxing, at times.

But, a passion to help others keeps her going. That — and a Metallica heavy metal playlist has helped, too — she said, in jest.

“For myself, I’m just doing what I love,” she said. “I truly feel blessed to have been placed in this position.”

Her fellow advocates also keep morale up, when times get stressful.

“We are like family. I’m not trying to be cliché, but we’re truly there for each other. It’s an amazing thing to see,” Youmans said.

Published August 14, 2019

Fall football preview: Hillsborough County

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With the 2019 high school football season just mere weeks away — preseason classics begin Aug. 16 and regular season kicks off Aug. 23 — we take a look at how Hillsborough County teams in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area stack up.

Next week, we’ll preview Pasco County teams.

Hillsborough County schools (2018 records)

  • Carrollwood Day School Patriots: 6-6 overall, 2-2 region
  • Freedom High School Patriots: 4-6 overall, 2-4 district
  • Gaither High School Cowboys: 7-4 overall, 4-2 district
  • Steinbrenner High School Warriors: 6-5 overall, 4-2 district

Players to watch from each team

  • Reidel Anthony Jr., Carrollwod Day, senior athlete
  • Tawfiq Thomas, Freedom, sophomore defensive tackle
  • Chance Coleman, Gaither, senior linebacker
  • Aidan Bitter, Steinbrenner, senior receiver

A closer look at each team

Carrollwood Day School Patriots: 6-6 Overall, 2-2 Region (Courtesy of Carrollwood Day School Athletics)

Carrollwood Day School Patriots
Head coach: Mark Jones (fourth year)

Carrollwood Day is coming off its best season in the Mark Jones era, going 6-6 and reaching the Class 2A region semifinals. However, the Patriots have big shoes to fill with the graduation of one of the area’s most prolific quarterbacks in Chris Butash (now at Division I Holy Cross) and the transfer of do-everything athlete Shelton Quarles Jr., to Calvary Christian in Clearwater.

Breaking in a new quarterback, the Patriots will look to rely heavily on senior athlete Reidel Anthony Jr., the son of former Tampa Bay Buccaneer wideout Reidel Anthony.

Schedule
at St. Petersburg Catholic (Aug. 23, 7 p.m.)
Northside Christian (Aug. 30, 7 p.m.)
Seffner Christian (Sept. 13, 7 p.m.)
Admiral Farragut (Sept. 20, 7 p.m.)
Lake Highland Prep (Sept. 27, 7 p.m.)
at Calvary Christian (Oct. 4, 7 p.m.)
Trinity Catholic (Oct. 11, 7 p.m.)
Cambridge Christian (Oct. 18, 7 p.m.)
at St. John Neumann Catholic (Nov. 1, 7p.m.)

Freedom High School Patriots: 4-6 Overall, 2-4 District (Courtesy of Freedom High School Athletics)

Freedom High School Patriots
Head coach: Chris Short (first year)

The Freedom Patriots will have its third coach in as many years, as Chris Short takes over for Henry Scurry (2018), who took over for Floyd Graham (2016-17).

Short, who also coaches girls flag football and was named the sport’s 2018-2019 Hillsborough County’s Western Conference National Division Coach of the Year, will look to translate that to a Patriots program seeking its first winning season since 2014.

Working in his favor is a seemingly manageable 2019 slate with just three teams who went above .500 last season. The Patriots, however, must find a way to replace the offensive and defensive backfield production of several of last year’s seniors, including Division I talent Jeremiah Ashe, who signed with Florida Atlantic University.

Schedule
at Steinbrenner (Aug. 23, 7:30 p.m.)
Robinson (Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m.)
Spoto (Sept. 13, 7:30 p.m.)
at Wharton (Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m.)
at Land O’ Lakes (Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m.)
Middleton (Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m.)
at Fivay (Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m.)
Alonso (Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m.)
Gaither (Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m.)
at Leto (Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m.)

Gaither High School Cowboys: 7-4 Overall, 4-2 District (Courtesy of Gaither High School Athletics)

Gaither High School Cowboys
Head coach: Kirk Karsen (third season)

Gaither seems poised to build off back-to-back 7-4 seasons and playoff appearances with a roster that has no shortage of playmakers. Key among them is the return of accurate and efficient signal-caller Tony Bartolo and Division I-caliber prospects in cornerback Jordan Oladokun (offers from Florida International and Southern Miss) and linebacker Chance Coleman, a University of South Florida commit.
Buoyed by a balanced offensive attack last season, the Cowboys look for someone to fill the shoes left behind by Jeromy Reid, who tallied more than 1,000 scrimmage yards in both his junior and senior campaigns.

Schedule
at Jefferson (Aug. 23, 7:30 p.m.)
Plant (Aug. 30, 7:30 p.m.)
at Plant City (Sept. 6, 7:30 p.m.)
East Bay (Sept. 13, 7:30 p.m.)
Fivay (Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m.)
at Chamberlain (Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m.)
Land O’ Lakes (Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m.)
at Tampa Bay Tech (Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m.)
at Freedom (Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m.)
Armwood (Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m.)

Steinbrenner High School Warriors: 6-5 Overall, 4-2 District (Courtesy of Steinbrenner High School Athletics)

Steinbrenner High School Warriors
Head coach: Andres Perez-Reinaldo (eighth season)

After a disappointing 2-7 campaign in 2017, the Steinbrenner Warriors bounced back with a respectable 6-5 mark last season, closing the year with four straight wins.

Expect that positive momentum to continue again this year, as the roster, like Gaither, features a lengthy list of Division I prospects, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.

Among them are incumbent starting quarterback Haden Carlson (Florida International commit), wide receivers Aidan Bitter (Iowa State commit) and Dean Patterson (Southern Miss offer), tailback Deon Silas (offers from South Alabama, South Florida, Southern Miss) and offensive lineman Matthew Adcock (offers from South Alabama, Southern Miss), among others.

Another overlooked bonus comes on special teams, with the return of All-State punter Cameron Brown and reliable kicker Trevor Haire.

Perhaps the biggest impediment to the team’s success is a relatively difficult slate that includes Tampa Bay perennial powerhouses in Hillsborough and Plant, as well as Chamberlain and Sickles high schools. Regardless, the Warriors figure to be an exciting team, with plenty of high-scoring outputs.

Schedule
Freedom (Aug. 23, 7:30 p.m.)
at Sickles (Aug. 30, 7:30 p.m.)
at Spoto (Sept. 6, 7:30 p.m.)
Alonso (Sept. 13, 7:30 p.m.)
Hillsborough (Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m.)
at Plant (Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m.)
at Blake (Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m.)
Palm Harbor University (Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m.)
at Wharton (Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m.)
Chamberlain (Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m.)

Published August 07, 2019

Dade City sets tentative millage rate

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Dade City residents will not see an increase in their property tax rate for the coming year.

Dade City Commissioners unanimously voted 5-0 on July 23 to set the tentative millage rate at 7.14 mills — the same rate as last year.

Under state law, once a tentative millage rate has been set, the city cannot raise it before the start of the fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. The commission does, however, have the option to reduce the rate before then.

The Dade City Commission set the 2019-2020 tentative millage rate at 7.14 mills, the same property tax rate as last fiscal year. (File)

At the tax rate of 7.14 mills, ad valorem tax revenues in the city’s general fund are anticipated to decrease by $40,850 for the 2019-2020 fiscal year, according to Dade City Manager Leslie Porter.

Because of that, Porter recommended the commission choose a higher tentative tax rate “to allow us the flexibility as we see what comes into the budget.”

The recommendation included the rollback rate of 7.3297, which Porter said would result in a $50,000 swing and thus increase ad valorem revenues in the general fund by about $10,000 compared to 7.14 mills.

The rollback rate is the millage rate that would collect an equivalent level of ad valorem taxes in the next fiscal year as in the current fiscal year.

Traditionally, the commission has voted to use the rollback rate as the proposed millage, while instructing city staff to set a lower rate for the fiscal year.

However, that was a non-starter for commissioners, who pointed out residents have already seen increases in water and sewer rates, along with a stormwater fee assessment.

“I think we just need to work within the budget and make the cuts where we need and see how it rolls out,” Commissioner Jim Shive said. “I think residents in Dade City are paying more than enough in taxes. …I talk to constituents every day about taxes and a lot of them are very concerned with the amount of taxes we have to pay.”

Other commissioners concurred.

“I think we need to live within the means that we have,” Commissioner Nicole Deese Newlon said. “I don’t want to give us the opportunity to try to make 7.3297 (mills) work. I would rather stay within 7.14 (mills) and if things have to be cut to stay within 7.14 then they have to be cut, so I do not want to raise taxes.”

“We’re going to have to make it work,” added Mayor Camille Hernandez of setting the tentative 7.14 millage rate. “I think we’re all hearing every day from citizens and we’re just responding to what we are hearing out in the community.”

A budget workshop preceded the city commission meeting. Discussions focused on some reorganization, specifically creating a development services department and related additional staffing changes. Major general fund capital requests included several new vehicles (four police vehicles, shop truck, safety services truck, grapple truck), rehabbing the city’s old police department building, Hardy Trail improvements and Morningside Drive extension studies.

With some of those projects and initiatives on the docket, Commissioner Scott Black warned concessions may have to made with a 7.14 millage rate.

“We do need to keep in mind we do have some basic needs here in the city that need to be met,” Black said, noting the city’s millage rate hasn’t changed in “probably seven or eight years.”

“A lot of those things that we’re saying that we need to do, they’re going to have to be funded somehow.

“We’re not waving a wand with our budget. If we want certain things, there’s going to be some disappointment I think in some things we’re indicating that we would like to see happen,” Black said.

In other business, Dade City is still searching for a finance director since Leslie Porter was officially promoted to the role of city manager in May.

In addition to city manager duties, Porter is still serving as acting finance director until a full-time replacement is found.

She told commissioners the city may elect to use a temporary personnel agency to fill the vacancy and then re-advertise the job posting.

“We really have not been receiving a response to the ads, so we’ll keep moving forward,” she said.

Elsewhere, city officials have targeted a location for a bike-share hub/splash pad/pavilion recreational project that’s been in talks the past few years.

Porter said the property is centrally located in the downtown area, near The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce on Eighth Street.

Porter said city officials plan to enter negotiations over the next month with the property and local business owner Otto Weitzenkorn.

The Pasco County Tourist Development allocated $250,000 for the recreational project.

Published July 31, 2019

Lutz teen selected as Shriners ambassador

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Zoe Spanos doesn’t let her physical challenges define her, but manages to thrive instead.

The 15-year-old Lutz teenager, who has cerebral palsy, lives life like many teens.

The rising Steinbrenner High School sophomore is a straight A student and a dedicated member of JROTC and HOSA-Future Health Professionals.

Zoe Spanos (Courtesy of Shriners Hospitals for Children — Tampa)

She’s also a fitness buff — into cross training, weightlifting and nutrition.

Lately, she’s tried her hand at golf — a game introduced to her by her grandparents. She’s set her sights on making the Steinbrenner girls golf team this season.

Due to her physical limitations, Zoe employs an unconventional golf stance and swing, which focuses more on generating power from the right side of her body. She takes weekly lessons with local golf instructor Andrew Dawes.

“My follow-through sometimes may look a little different, but I mostly just change everything a little bit so that works for me,” Zoe said.

“I just try to push my mind and body as far as it can and see where that takes me,” Zoe said.

The method seems to work, as Zoe confidently says, “I definitely have more power than a lot of 15-year-old girls, even with my different things.”

Zoe appreciates golf’s psychological challenges.

“No matter the physical part of it, I think it’s definitely more mental than anything,” she said.

The young woman has a lifetime of experience of overcoming difficulties.

At only 10 days old, Zoe developed encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain. The brain swelling resulted in seizures and two strokes, and she was technically diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

“There was a point (doctors) didn’t know if she was going to survive,” recalled her mother, Michelle Spanos. “I was always asking the specialists, ‘What can they expect?’ and they said they really don’t know…”

The cerebral palsy caused a loss of muscle control that affects the left side of Zoe’s body, mostly in her foot.

Lutz teenager Zoe Spanos, who has cerebral palsy, is an avid golfer. The 15-year-old Steinbrenner High School student has been named one of 22 patient ambassadors throughout the country to represent the Shriners Hospitals for Children at the 2019 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, an official PGA Tour event in Las Vegas this October.

With her condition, Zoe wears a specially molded prosthetic AFO (ankle-foot orthosis) brace provided by Shriners Hospitals for Children — Tampa. It’s a necessity for her left foot and ankle when doing any type of physical activity.

“When I walk, my brain doesn’t tell my foot to lift up,” Zoe explained, “so this brace basically forces my foot to do something.”

She added of the brace, “It limits mobility a little bit, but I just walk around and it’ll tilt my foot in or out a different way or move it back a little bit; it definitely helps if you walk and run.”
The brace resembles something someone with a broken leg or fractured ankle might wear.

Zoe’s mother credits Shriners Hospitals for helping her daughter over the past decade, since 2008 to be exact.

For many years, Zoe would visit the hospital as many as three times a week, receiving physical, occupational and speech therapies, and providing custom braces as she’s grown up. Zoe now visits roughly every six months for checkups.

Zoe’s efforts have inspired her mom.

“She’s always just been really driven. She’s always been tough. Nothing ever stopped her. Ever. She’s really never complained,” her mom said.

Shriners has played a big role, too, she said.

“They’ve provided every brace she’s needed, every evaluation. They’ve actually really gone over and above with the brace,” Michelle said.

While  Zoe’s family appreciates what Shriners has done for Zoe, the organization thinks highly of Zoe, too.

She has been selected as one of 22 patient ambassadors throughout the country to represent the hospital network at the 2019 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, an official PGA Tour event in Las Vegas this October.

During the Oct. 3 to Oct. 6 tournament at TPC Summerlin, Zoe will serve as a standard bearer throughout the weekend, carrying the scores of professional golfers as they compete in the tournament. It provides a rare inside-the-ropes opportunity at a PGA Tour event, as well as the chance to share how Shriners Hospitals have helped transform her life.

As part of her participation in the tournament, Zoe’s story and photo will appear in the tournament program, and her information will be shared with the Golf Channel, which will televise the tournament nationally, to be used during the broadcast.

The teen will also partake in a pro-am event the day before the PGA tournament officially begins, getting to spend the day with a PGA Tour pro, who hasn’t been announced yet.

Always looking to improve her game, Zoe said she wouldn’t mind picking up a tip or two from her pro golfing partner.

But, more importantly, she said, “I’m just excited to show what Shriners has done for, not really just me, but everyone in the country and people that have it way worse than me.”

For more information, visit ShrinersHospitalsOpen.com.

Published July 31, 2019