Mike Camunas

Local softball player shines abroad

August 22, 2023 By Mike Camunas

Molly Blackwood, a senior infielder and power hitter at Academy of the Lakes in Land O’ Lakes, once again, competed in the European Championships for the Great Britain National Team in the Czech Republic.

Her team finished fifth in the competition.

Blackwood, a Bethune-Cookman College commit, who batted .393 with 10 RBI and homer in nine games (injury) in the 2023 season, finished the competition with a .325 batting average over 25 at bats, with eight hits, four RBI, a double, a triple and four runs scored.

Clash of the Bay Flag Football

August 22, 2023 By Mike Camunas

Registration is underway for Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation’s first-ever “Clash of the Bay,’’ a four-on-four flag football tournament that will showcase the region’s top talent.

The weekend-long tournament starts Oct. 7 and will offer bragging rights as the best of the bay in three divisions: women’s, recreational and competitive. All participants must be 18 or older. Games will be at the Skyway Sports Complex, 3901 George Road, in Tampa, and the SouthShore Sportsplex, 6110 Waterset Blvd., in Apollo Beach.

Cost is $200 per team and limited to 48 teams that will be grouped into north and south divisions. To register, visit tinyurl.com/48ncavxn.

For more information, contact Mike Russ at or 813-309-5686 or Rodney Jones at or 813-347-6592.

Pasco’s Angeline Academy begins its inaugural year

August 15, 2023 By Mike Camunas

JoAnne Glenn began ordering furniture months ago.

“That was the first thing I was doing once I got the job,” said Glenn, who is Angeline Academy of Innovation’s first principal.

First, it was about ordering furniture, then devices and equipment for the school and classrooms.

Angeline Academy of Innovation seventh-grader Gabrielle Laiso, 11, exits her parents’ car to enter Pasco County’s newest school in Land O’ Lakes on the first day of school on Aug. 10. The $52.7-million magnet school opened for sixth- through 10th-graders, but will be phasing in grades 11 and 12. JoAnne Glenn is the school’s first principal. (Mike Camunas)

“After those first two big purchases, it was then getting the books and then hiring the teachers, so it would all be ready for today,” Glenn said, as she and her staff of teachers, administrators, bookkeepers, secretaries and more welcomed hundreds of students to the county’s newest magnet school, which had its first opening day on Aug. 10.

The $52.7-million school, which ultimately will serve students in grades six through 12, is in the heart of the emerging community of Angeline, where Moffitt Cancer Research Center is developing its Pasco campus.

Before school started, cars lined the road out to Ridge Road as Glenn and Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning ushered in students through the front doors.

“The excitement for the teachers and students is palpable because we’ve spent months preparing for today,” Glenn said. “We finally have our students here, and you can’t beat (this feeling).”

The academy, at 8916 Angeline Way, is on an 18.8-acre site, which is south of State Road 52, north of the Ridge Road extension and west of Sunlake Boulevard.

Angeline Academy of Innovation Principal JoAnne Glenn welcomes students to inside Pasco County’s $52.7-million magnet school, which had its inaugural opening day on Aug. 10.

It is a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) magnet school that features four primary career academies at the high school level.

It will have a Biodesign Academy; a Computer Science and Applied Cybersecurity Academy; an Engineering and Applied Robotics Academy; and, an Entrepreneurship Academy. Students can pursue other pathways, which will enable them to leave school to become their own businesses and be their own bosses.

There are two primary magnet pathways at the middle school. They’re broad and intended to support the work in each of the high school pathways.

“I spent months interviewing and selecting teachers who believe in our mission about cultivating curiosity, encouraging students to explore,” Glenn said. “We’ve attracted students who are interested in technology, engineering, science, math — and to bring those two key groups together and get started, the sky’s the limit!”

Angeline Academy is the third school of this type in Pasco, joining its sister institutions: Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation in Wesley Chapel and Wendell Krinn Technical High in New Port Richey.

Angeline Academy of Innovation sixth-grader Isaiah Upshaw, left, and Pasco County eSchool Assistant Principal Erin Senior work on finding out the location of Upshaw’s first class on the first day of school on Aug. 10.

The school is expected to have strong partnerships with both Moffitt and with Pasco-Hernando State College.

Unlike its sister schools, Angeline Academy will, in fact, have athletic teams. The teams — named the Archers — will play on fields still being constructed on a parcel of land in front of the Land O’ Lakes subdivision, Tierra Del Sol, just off U.S. 41.

“That was actually one of the first calls I got,” Glenn admitted. “Our district was hearing from parents that they didn’t want their kids to have to choose between a magnet school or sports. I think sports are great for kids and I’m excited to have those athletic fields open, and it gives a little more importance to our colors and mascot — the Archers!”

Glenn — who was named Pasco County Schools’ Principal of the Year in 2019 and the 2020 Digital Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals — is ready to see what the school year brings.

“Literally, since November, I have been completely engrossed with the nitty-gritty,” said Glenn, who helped open Wharton High in 1997 and Pasco’s eSchool in 2009. “It was a lot of fun to look through it all, go over everything, from the equipment, to the teachers we wanted to hire.

“Kids here are going to be solving the world’s problems, I really believe that,” Glenn added. “I’m excited that my teachers, in this setting, will be able to use their time and expertise a little differently than in a traditional setting.”

Published August 16, 2023

Students of Angeline Academy of Innovation, also known as the Archers, make their way to their first class on the first day of school at Pasco County’s newest school in Land O’ Lakes.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning is all smiles as he welcomes students to the county’s newest school: Angeline Academy of Innovation in Land O’ Lakes.

Angeline Academy of Innovation is Pasco County’s newest magnet school. The $52.7-million school ultimately will serve sixth-graders through 12th-graders, but opened its doors for the first time this year with students in grades six through 10.

Angeline Academy of Innovation in Land O’ Lakes has its mascot: the Archers.

Angeline Academy of Innovation students head into Pasco County’s newest $52.7-million school in Land O’ Lakes.

Main Street Zephyrhills welcomes a new director

August 15, 2023 By Mike Camunas

Antwon Gildon is up in everybody’s business.

He’ll set foot in every single business on Main Street, or Fifth Avenue, in downtown Zephyrhills.

“I don’t feel like everyone knows Antwon, I feel Antwon has gotten to know everyone, ” said Gildon, who was appointed recently as the director and event coordinator for Main Street Zephyrhills.

He spends as much time as he can in Zephyrhills’ downtown district.

“Every time I look down (Main Street),” he added, “it looks different, so one thing can change everything here. One shop, one restaurant can change it all.

Antwon Gildon, the director and event coordinator of Main Street Zephyrhills, was named to that post in June, but had already been working in the position for some time. He also was already a member of the 501(c)(3) organization’s board of directors. In his leadership role, Gildon reaches out to local businesses, vendors and even individuals to help the city’s downtown district thrive and survive. (Mike Camunas)

“We’re a blank canvas and it’s exciting.”

Gildon served on the board of directors of the 501(c)(3) organization for three years before he was appointed director of the organization in June. During his tenure, there have been three other directors, but his experience on the board has given him a close view of the position and he’s ready to hit the ground running.

“I read an article in (The Laker/Lutz News) about the director at the time, Paxton (McCullough) and I thought, ‘Hey, you know what? I can help with whatever they’re trying to do,” Gildon recalled. “I didn’t know what Main Street was, didn’t know about downtown — I had passed through it, but didn’t know a thing about it, so I reached out to help, and they told me to come on down.

“When I joined,” he added, “I learned a lot about Main Street and that when your city has one, it’s a big benefit. That’s what led me to going to the board to help.”

Hitting the pavement
Originally from Mississippi, Gildon moved to Wesley Chapel more than 15 years ago. During that time, he has grown to love Pasco County, and Zephyrhills, in particular.

“I started coming out to Zephyrhills on the reg, and thought,” Gildon said, “‘Wow. There’s something up here that no one knows about, there’s all these restaurants and businesses that no one knows about,’ and back then, there were only so many choices.

“Right now,” he added, “we’re in a position where the city is growing. No city can grow if the downtown district is not reflecting that growth, but in Zephyrhills, you’ve had all these things built outside the (the downtown district), so now the focus needs to be on downtown.

“I believe in the city — that’s what attracted me to it.”

So did the Main Street concept.

Main Street Zephyrhills bases its plans and concepts on that of Main Street America, and the state’s Main Street program. But since every small town is unique, it’s up to Zephyrhills’ board to shape, mold or even transform its downtown district in its own way.

Main Street Zephyrhills emphasizes four main concepts: Economic vitality, design, organization and promotion. Each concept has its own committee.

Gildon headed the economic vitality committee before he was promoted to the director’s role. That committee seeks to address the economics of downtown through market research and business incentives.

Main Street, or Fifth Avenue, in Historic Downtown Zephyrhills, is the home of many local businesses, the Woman’s Club of Zephyrhills and The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce. It also is the site of the annual Founder’s Day Parade and numerous street vendor events throughout the year. (Mike Camunas)

The design committee focuses on arts-related public improvements — such as the city’s mural or park improvements or additions. The organization committee handles the behind-the-scenes work that keeps Main Street running, such as fundraisers and membership renewals; and the promotion committee works on Main Street Zephyrhills’ public image, ranging from community events to media promotions.

Main Street Zephyrhills also works with individual businesses and vendors to help put the word out about upcoming special events, to promote other activities and shares profiles and links on its website.

“How do I connect the residents, in town, in the district and outside of town, to the businesses in this district?” he said. “We have to figure out what the town wants, so they support it. We listen to the businesses and work with them to get the foot traffic they want and need.”

So far, Gildon’s main focus is on figuring out ways to increase foot traffic on Main Street — without the aid of a downtown-wide event. Street events, such as the monthly market every third Saturday, will continue to be held.

Main Street also is getting more involved with events, such as Summer Fest and Founder’s Day. Being a part of those events — which they haven’t in the past — will help in promoting downtown, Gildon said, adding “We’re not just event-focused, and I want people to see we’re more than just events. We can’t just spend all our time on the event side when we have so much more to promote downtown.”

Main Street business owners agree.

“The passion he has for Main Street is exciting because you don’t always see it, but you want to see it, especially as a business owner on Main Street,” said Shaun Sikat, owner of Winners on Main and Take Solace Studios. “Since coming in as director, he’s jumping into everyone’s business and it’s something we need though. He works to get people down here, and the more people down here is a win for everyone.”

Change of direction
Gildon expects to buck the trend of a rotating door for Main Street directors.

He wants his approach to the job to show his evident devotion.

The highlighted area on the map shows the downtown district of Zephyrhills. (Courtesy of Antwon Gildon)

“His vision, leadership and affable, outgoing personality will be instrumental in advancing the city’s mission for Main Street and our downtown area,” Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe said in a statement. “We look forward to the positive impact he will make on downtown.”

“He’s looking out for the local business, the little guy,” added Bella Rivera, whose parents own Seasons Farm Stand. “He helps my parents, and the business, by making sure we’re promoted as a downtown Zephyrhills business. Since we’re first-time business owners, that’s great.”

Gildon doesn’t take all the credit.

He points to the contributions of Linda Kerns, who is Main Street’s president and to members of the board. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why everyone in downtown Zephyrhills not only seems to know Gildon, but love him, too.

“There’s not been focus on the residents because Main Street is not just a city thing — it’s a district thing,” Gildon said. “It’s the businesses and the residents that reside in the downtown district.

“I’m not an outsider (to Main Street), though not that you always need that fresh blood, just the fact I’ve seen a lot of things that went through the directors and the area and some exciting things are going to happen.”

Main Street Zephyrhills
Where: 5344 Ninth St., Suite 105, in Zephyrhills
Details: The 501(c)(3) organization, using The Main Street Approach™, offers community-based revitalization initiatives with a practical, adaptable framework for downtown transformation. It creates a deliberate path to revitalizing and strengthening a downtown through four points: Economic vitality, design, organization and promotion. Main Street members and benefactors receive advance notice of special events, promotions and other activities. They also can promote their establishments through profiles and links on Main Street’s website.
Info: Email Antwon Gildon at , call 813-780-1414, or visit MainStreetZephyrhills.org.

Published August 16, 2023

Improvements aim to make it easier to get in Land O’ Lakes High

August 15, 2023 By Mike Camunas

Road, sidewalk and parking improvements at Land O’ Lakes High, 20325 Gator Lane, will make it easier for students, parents, teachers and others to navigate on the campus this year.

The improvements recently were completed — just in time for the start of the 2023-2024 school year, which began Aug. 10.

Gator Lane is just off U.S. 41, also known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

Improvements have been on the Land O’ Lakes High School campus, which is next to Pasco County Schools’ administrative offices. Gator Lane has been repaved, more space for vehicle stacking has been added near the culinary arts building, an additional lane offers more options for drivers near U.S. 41 and Gator Lane, and there is more parking and a new sidewalk. (Mike Camunas)

The project added a lane near the high school’s culinary arts building, to provide more stacking space for vehicles, according to Principal Ric Mellin.

An additional lane has been added to allow for left-turn, straight and right-turn movements for vehicles leaving the campus, Mellin said.

There’s also a new sidewalk in front of Building 4 that leads out to U.S. 41 and a new parking lot surrounding the tennis courts, adding approximately 95 spaces.

The first phase of the project was completed in late April.

The earliest work included the installation of a new irrigation well and electrical components within fenced areas near the existing district portables.

After the 2022-2023 school ended, the north lanes of Gator Lane were closed to all traffic while the south lanes remained open for temporary two-way traffic.

The roadway and surrounding areas then were prepared for the additional lanes, and the new parking lot was built.

The project is now entering its second phase, Mellin said.

The school district will be working with the Florida Department of Transportation on this phase, which includes a new traffic signal on U.S. 41 and relocating of the district’s monument sign.

The second phase is tentatively scheduled for completion in January 2024.

Published August 16, 2023

Lutz author writes children’s book about foster care

August 15, 2023 By Mike Camunas

Emily Mains took inspiration from Tom & Jerry cartoons.

The legendary cat and mouse duo inspired her to write, and illustrate, her children’s book “Arlo Helps A Friend.”

“I’ve always wanted to be a writer, ever since fifth grade,” the Lutz native, who graduated from Steinbrenner High School in 2021, said in an interview with The Laker/Lutz News. “From there, I found my passion for writing.

Emily Mains, a 20-year-old Lutz native, wrote and illustrated a children’s book called ‘Arlo Helps a Friend.’ The Steinbrenner High graduate is studying creative writing at Southeastern University. In her book, Lucia, who just entered the foster care system, is befriended by the cute creature, Arlo, who helps her feel better about being in the system and helps her make friends. (Mike Camunas)

“I mostly write young-adult fiction, but I have enjoyed writing children’s books because my style is a little more light-hearted. I also feel there’s a lot that kids need to hear and have not been told yet, so I just felt a calling to it.”

In “Arlo Helps A Friend,” Lucia is a young girl who has just entered the foster care system and doesn’t want to play with other children at her school. She’s worried about living with foster parents and living in a new house, which leads to her getting into trouble at her new school.

Then she meets Arlo, a cute creature who wants to help Lucia feel better. He tells her the story of how he was adopted through the foster care system and shares how he overcame the struggles he faced.

“They become friends, and he helps Lucia,” Mains said.

“Foster Care has always been something that has been in my heart,” Mains added. Mains’ mom is a Guardian ad Litem, which is a group of statewide volunteers who represent abused, abandoned and neglected children in court and the community.

“She has stood up for kids in court,” she added. “After hearing some of their stories, and what those kids needed, I was inspired to write something that would really help them.”

Mains, now 20, is a creative writing major at Southeastern University in Lakeland. She launched her book at her college on April 24 after spending about eight months getting published through Xulon Press.

She’s had some online book sales and said she’s seen plenty of interest in the book and its subject. She brought the book to display at the 28th Annual National Foster Care Conference in Orlando in early June.

She noticed some kids looking at it and “they really seemed to love it,” she said.

“I’ve been blessed with the sales so far,” she added. “I think we’re getting places with it and working on marketing it out there.”

The book began as a school project in a creative writing class at Steinbrenner and it took her a whole semester to write. However, Mains said she designed Arlo back during her sophomore year.

“He’s his own creature — he’s an Arlo,” she quipped.

“But it was just a fun project,” she added. “With the first design, my family fell in love with him and they thought he was adorable, so here he is now with his own book.”

As the young writer heads back to Southeastern to start the upcoming semester, Mains is currently working on a young adult fiction writing project.

Still, her heart remains with Arlo. She has no immediate plans for a sequel, but she knows Arlo’s story is far from finished.

“I think there is definitely more in store for Arlo and his friends. I foresee that.

“Because he’s Arlo, and I hope kids will love him.”

Arlo Helps A Friend
Details: Written and illustrated by Lutz native Emily Mains, Lucia is a young girl who has just entered the foster care system and doesn’t want to play with other children at her school. She’s worried about living with foster parents and living in a new home and she’s been getting into trouble at her new school. But then she meets a cute creature named Arlo. Arlo wants to help Lucia feel better, so he tells the story of how he was adopted through the foster care system and shares how he overcame the struggles he faced.
The book is available for purchase on Amazon, at tinyurl.com/3ad3wsvn.

Published August 16, 2023

A look inside the huddle

August 15, 2023 By Mike Camunas

Some say a football team is a family.

And Land O’ Lakes High coach Dan Goodspeed knows that a football family includes the moms, sisters, grandmothers and aunts. In the case of the Gators, specifically, the Women of Blue.

The Gators coaching staff and football team hosted nearly 65 women for its first ladies clinic, which is expected to become an annual event. The clinic is part of an initiative to include, and educate, women more about the game, by discussing topics such as play calling strategies, player safety, equipment, nutrition and hydration.

Goodspeed, a former NFL lineman who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when they won Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003, borrowed the idea from the Bucs, which has the Women of Red. That version does a similar event and also provides in-season exclusive content and team updates.

“I used to go speak at (The Women of Red Ladies Clinic), and (owner and president of Tampa Bay Buccaneers Foundation) Darcie Glazer (Kassewitz) always does a great job with it,” Goodspeed said. “It’s held in the Club Section at Raymond James Stadium, and the women would go from station to station, learning different aspects of the game.

“My station was describing the playbook,” he added. “We would show there’s rhyme and reason to what we do — like a chess game, that we’re not just out there trying to run into each other. We show the real reason why we play football.”

Land O’ Lakes High Football coaches spoke to the Women of Blue, at Stonewater Grill on Aug. 1. The coaches and team hosted a Ladies Clinic to speak to the moms, sisters, aunts, grandmoms and women of the football players or other women interested in learning more about the sport and game. Topics covered included player safety and play calling. (Courtesy of Dan Goodspeed)

Although Goodspeed set out to emulate the Buccaneers, his initial source of inspiration was his mom — especially because she was concerned about his safety when he began playing football in high school.

“It is a violent sport,” Goodspeed said. “She thought I would just get all crunched up, but we wanted to show that we make sure their boys are safe. They’re young adults, and we want them to make it through the season.

“Football is the greatest sport,” he added. “Many of these guys aren’t going to play football in college, but we feel (the clinic) lets (the players) be able to sit down with parents on the weekend and tell them exactly what they did or have a conversation about what is happening when watching games.”

The Gators had stations at its Ladies Clinic, but there was a heavy emphasis on player safety. Goodspeed and his staff brought in old and newer equipment — helmets and shoulder pads — to show how it has improved over time and how it will protect the players.

Additionally, an anonymous donor gave the team 85 guardians caps – the new padding that goes outside the helmet that is designed to cut down up to 12% of the force of a hit. The women also were invited to try on the equipment to find out how it feels inside the helmet.

Zaida Abel enthusiastically tries on football equipment at the Women of Blue event hosted by the Land O’ Lakes High football team.

“Honestly, my biggest take-away was feeling very comfortable that my child was in good hands,” said Lisa Campbell, whose son, Zach, is a junior tight end on the team. “We got to meet all the coaches and each was more caring than the next, so I know when I’m not there, they are in good hands, whether he’s 5 or a junior.

“So, you can see that they’re not all about win, win, win,” she added. “They care about safety and are concerned with making things better, and as safe as possible.”

Campbell said she enjoyed hearing coaches at the stations addressing various aspects of the sport, such as playcalling and designing plays with X’s and O’s.

She especially enjoyed the clap cadence drill, with the coaches trying to get the women to clap at the same time like in a huddle.

“They got all the moms, grandmoms, sisters, aunts, neighbors — all the women and gave us a run down on all the positions,” Campbell said. “They showed us that football is great and that they love it, but they love also developing the man, the full student, the full player — to become a good man. I think we were all very impressed.

“Many of the women were pretty comfortable in their knowledge of football coming in, but they then saw what we were trying to do on both sides of the ball,” Goodspeed added. “They’re very sharp and picked it up and understood it all very quickly, but still had plenty of questions. … As parents, when (the kids) get to high school, I think they know time is running out, and they’re going to go out on their own lives, so this really lets them still be a part of their lives, just on the football field.”

And that is important to Campbell, a bookkeeper at Sanders Elementary, who knows full well how quickly time at school can go. To her, she feels every team should have its own version of the Women of Blue.

“I don’t know if everyone could do it, but it is a real bonus,” Campbell said. “We’re appreciative of it and had a great time with it and learned why our boys are passionate about football. It gave us a real look of what happens behind the face mask.”

The Women of Blue listen in as Gators coaches go over the X’s and O’s of football play calling.

Land O’ Lakes High Football 2023 Schedule
Aug. 18 at Lakeland Victory Christian (preseason, 7 p.m.)
Aug. 25 at River Ridge
Sept. 1 vs. Anclote
Sept. 8 at Williston
Sept. 15 vs. Zephyrhills
Sept. 29 at Mitchell
Oct. 6 vs. Nature Coast
Oct. 13 vs. Springstead
Oct. 20 at Sunlake
Oct. 27 vs Wiregrass Ranch
Nov. 3 at Pasco

* All games start at 7:30 p.m.

Published August 16, 2023

Pasco youth influencing change

August 8, 2023 By Mike Camunas

The group became active because of inactivity.

Pasco County STAND Above the Influence, a youth-led coalition that takes on community initiatives such as underage drinking, drug abuse and more, has two divisions, with one on both the east and west side of the county.

East Pasco STAND recently reactivated, after COVID depleted its roster.

President of Pasco County STAND Above the Influence coalition Maddie Horn listens as a fellow member speaks during a youth panel at Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus on July 25. STAND will meet monthly to work on community-wide initiatives to address youth drug, alcohol and tobacco addiction, mental health and other issues. (Mike Camunas)

“We did a little recruitment to show (the kids) this is what we’re all about and to come out and see what we do,” said Bonni Snider, one of the four adult mentors and advisors to STAND. She’s been with the group since its formation in 2014.

“And now, we have about seven (members) back on East Pasco STAND.”

The group of middle school and high school members looks to inspire positive change, and cultivate safe and healthy communities. They focus on issues including youth drug use, mental health, underage drinking, impaired driving, tobacco and vaping use, safety, violence and bullying.

At the group meetings, which are typically once a month, the middle school and high school members choose priority initiatives and talk about what actions they want to take within the community.

Meetings typically begin at the start of the school year, Snider said.

The group generally chooses about three priority initiatives, she added.

“One thing we want people to understand about STAND and its youth is that it is entirely youth-led,” Snider said. “When we have our summit meetings, everyone gets together, and when we did, we passed around sticky notes and told them to write down what they wanted to focus on this year. Then, we take votes and narrow down to the top three.

Jaylynn Grady, STAND secretary, speaks at Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus in Wesley Chapel during a youth panel discussion for Pasco Alliance for Substance Addiction Prevention (ASAP).

“For example, the youth got together, then said what about all the people affected by COVID. Then they said ‘What about all those pets?’ So they did a fundraiser and donated it to a shelter and another one for needy families who needed food around Christmas.”

STAND president Maddie Horn said this year the group’s top three priority issues are youth and mental health; underage drug use; and, abuse and inclusivity.

Horn joined the group nearly five years ago as a way to become active in the community.

“We host summits for youth to come and learn about how to contribute to our initiatives,” Horn said. “We find that, at the beginning, (new members) can be, sometimes, soft-spoken or shy. But once in STAND, they find their confidence and their voice because we tell them that it matters what they do and say — it can and will make a difference.

“All they have to do is show up and be involved.”

STAND vice president Liam Moore agreed.

“Everything falls upon people participating and being active within this community because if you’re not active, how are we going to be able to do anything to make a difference at all?” Moore said. “Most people who join STAND, at the beginning, are very inactive, and what happens — they leave the group or disappear and we never see them again.

“We need teenagers and middle-schoolers to be as active as possible so we can maximize the impact we make in the community. The more kids that get involved with STAND, the more people are going to notice.”

Snider points to Horn as the best example of this.

Jamye Cardello-Peters, a Pasco County STAND member, speaks during a youth panel discussion at Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel.

When Horn joined STAND, Snider said, “I would have said she would have been a viable member, but our president? Back then, I wasn’t so sure.

“She came in and wasn’t sure she could do this,” Snider added. “Now, she’s the president of our STAND coalition and leading in the community and inspiring other members.”

Other members include Kiley Griggs, who has special needs and is passionate about STAND’s initiative regarding inclusivity.

“We need to educate on the intolerance of kids with special needs and disabilities and normalize it,” she said. “Thirty-five years after the ADA (Americans Disability Act) was established and those people, and kids, with special needs are still not normalized. It shouldn’t be that way.”

Snider said getting involved can make a difference, and added that STAND offers an easy way to do that.

“It is vitally important to join and be a part, to reach out, to show up, to be active (with STAND),” Snider said. “The idea as a youth, that they learn that being a part makes a difference, no matter if they have a direct connection (to an issue) or just feel passionate about being a part of something that works to help fellow youth and the community, that’s important as anything.

“And I think that people who join STAND already realize that or come to realize it.”

STAND Above the Influence
Details: STAND Above the Influence is a youth-led coalition that empowers youth to be agents of change by strengthening their voices and educating others to build a healthier community. Its members are made up of middle school and high school students who seek to embrace the voices of youth and to inspire innovative initiatives to address issues, and cultivate safe and healthy communities. The group’s priority issues include youth drug use, mental health, underage drinking, impaired driving, tobacco and vaping use, safety, violence and bullying.
STAND in Pasco County has two coalitions, one in East Pasco and one in West Pasco. The East Pasco Youth Advocacy Meeting is held every third Thursday of the month from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at YESS Office Space, 15029 14th St., in Dade City.
Info: Visit EmpoweredCommunities.org/stand/home/, or email advisor Bonni Snider at .

Published August 09, 2023

History, locked in for a stay

August 8, 2023 By Mike Camunas

Pick a room — any room.

It surely will be decorated with Dade City lore and history.

At the Locke Inn — the town’s newest Airbnb rental, event space and attraction — there are six rooms, all featuring a distinction unique to Dade City. The old brick building was built in 1892 and served as the Pasco County Jail.

The Locke Inn, at 37739 Robinson Ave., Dade City, once was the town’s original jail. Constructed in 1892, it operated until 1938. The two-story brick building has been completely renovated into a six-bedroom Airbnb. It can accommodate up to 12 guests and can be used as an event space for weddings, parties and other events. The Inn also has themed bedrooms. Besides The Clink, representing the building’s history, there are other rooms that reflect Dade City’s identity, including The Atlantic Coast Room and The Kumquat Room. (Mike Camunas)

The building hasn’t held prisoners for decades, but now is booking plenty of visitors as Dade City’s newest, and hottest, place to spend the night after Lori Patrick McCarthy and her partners completely renovated the place.

“There are already a lot of venues in Dade City, but also not many places to stay,” McCarthy said. “We promote it as a place to stay, when using the other venues, or for event space for small parties or even a micro wedding (about 50 people).

“But really,” McCarthy said, “I love themes. I love when something has a theme, so that’s what we have here at the Locke Inn.”

Locke Inn actually has several themes for its six rooms.

In the upstairs, there are three rooms, each having a theme linked to Dade City’s identity.

There’s the Atlantic Coast Line Room, honoring the rail company that came through the town in the early 1900s and built the depot (now the Dade City Heritage Museum) in 1912.

There’s the Kumquart Master room, which, of course, honors the town’s love affair with its official fruit.

And, there’s also the Cattle Ranch Room to honor the town’s farming, agricultural and ranching history.

Downstairs, guests spend the night in the slammer.

The Atlantic Coast Line bedroom at the Locke Inn embraces the train line that has a long history in Dade City, and continues to run through the town.

Three rooms are grouped together in The Clink: The Warden Master room, and Cell Blocks 1 and 2, while the bathroom used to be where prisoners were held in solitary confinement.

“I think everyone thinks that everything in here is going to be old — it just kind of looks old — but everything is also brand new,” McCarthy said. “We renovated it from the ground up.

“The history is cool — its niche, and there’s all this history, which we want to honor.”

Locke Inne still features its original steel bars on the windows, including the window where visitors would come talk to prisoners.

The structure also features the original red tile roof.

Besides being a jail, the building housed the sheriff and his family.

At the time when the jail was built, the sheriff’s wife would cook for those who were incarcerated.

An antique piano sits in the lobby of the Locke Inn in Dade City. Now an Airbnb, the structure was built in 1892 to serve as the town’s original jail.

Moonshine was often on the grounds, as well, left for prisoners that requested it, while many poignant African American hymn songs also were sung there.

Architect Francis Kennard, from England, designed the building.

Capt. Augustine Henry Ravesies, who settled in Trilby after the Civil War, built it.

The structure is considered to be the first masonry building in Pasco County.

Six hangings took place there from 1892 to 1917.

“The jailhouse was an ominous place where picnickers situated themselves on the grounds for the spectacle of pubic hangings and where at least one unauthorized lynching occurred after a prisoner was seized from the jail,” according to “A Haunted History of Pasco County,” by Madonna Jervis Wise.

The Clink makes up the bottom floor bedrooms at the Locke Inn in Dade City. The two bedrooms in this part of the Airbnb have a jail theme.

There were jailbreaks, too, according to the Tampa Morning Tribune.

“It was important to keep the history,” McCarthy added. “Dade City is an amazing town, and while I’m not from here, I have fallen in love with the people and the town.”

The building sat abandoned for years, until Robert E. Meyer Jr., from Atlas Group Inc., purchased the crumbling jail in 1980 for $20,000 and renovated it.

It has served as a storage facility, law offices and even an insurance agency, as Buddy Jones owned it for 28 years.

Thirty years ago, Joan Rees discovered the original cornerstone in 1993, and it features the names of the county commissioners at the time. The stone was donated to the West Pasco Historical Museum at Sims Park in New Port Richey.

Despite the history that’s known about the jail, questions do remain.

For instance, is the Locke Inn haunted?

“Well,” McCarthy said with a laugh, “it depends on who you ask or what you feel while in the building.

An old-time telephone is part of the décor in the Locke Inn in Dade City, which embraces the structure’s history as the town’s original jail.

“I haven’t seen or heard anything here, but we’ve had people stay, and one of those people, he was crying because he said he felt something, which is kind of exciting and scary.

“He wasn’t scared, more like really excited.”

There isn’t an abundance of sightings at the old jail, except for one story.

In 1984, Tribune reporter Rosemary Brown exposed a legendary tale from local Billy Stewart, a jail detainee who spent days staring out from behind the prison bars and died.

He has been said to be seen periodically staring out from the windows.

Haunted or not, the town is embracing the work put into restoring one of Dade City’s oldest buildings and bringing its history to life, McCarthy said.

“We’re one block away from Seventh Avenue — right in the heart of town — and the whole community is so excited about this,” she said.

“They were so supportive and loving that we just didn’t knock it down and rebuild or make it into something more modern.

“It’s truly a part of Dade City again.”

Locke Inn
Where: 37739 Robinson Ave., Dade City
Details: The historic two-story building, constructed in 1892, originally was the Pasco County Jail. The structure has been completely renovated into a six-bedroom Airbnb. It can accommodate up to 12 guests and can be rented for weddings, parties and other special events.
Info: Visit LockeInn.com.

Some noteworthy events at Locke Inn/Pasco County Jail (Courtesy of Madonna Jervis Wise)
1892 – The brick jail is constructed and the marker at the Pasco County Jail lists these county commissioners: B.C. Campbell, T.F. Williams, L.S. Bradham, W.H. Haager, J.W. Clark.
Feb. 5, 1901 – A mob killed two black men, Will Wright and Sam Williams, in the jail. About 30 to 50 men broke down the outer door, then opened fire through the steel bars, shooting both prisoners dead.
Dec. 28, 1917 – The second and final public hanging takes place at the Dade City jail. Edgar London, a black man convicted of murdering his wife at Ehren, is executed by Sheriff I.W. Hudson, who sprang the trap door. Hudson was said to be unable to sleep after this execution.
Nov. 14, 1926 – Three inmates escape from the jail by digging a nine-foot tunnel. Their escape was discovered by Sheriff J.W. Hudson while on his usual rounds of the jail.

Published August 09, 2023

The wheel deal

August 8, 2023 By Mike Camunas

Some might have had to switch chairs.

That was totally fine.

Shun Takashima works on his dribbling skills on July 29 during a Wheelchair Basketball Clinic at Rushe Middle School, in Land O’ Lakes. Takashima was one of nearly 20 wheelchair athletes taking part in the six hour-clinic held by the Pasco County Parks, Recreation, & Natural Resources Department. Paul Schulte, a Summer Paralympics medalist, ran the clinic. Athletes learned the fundamentals of not just wheelchair basketball, but the importance of keeping active when facing a sedentary lifestyle.
(Mike Camunas)

At the Wheelchair Basketball Clinic, held July 29 at Rushe Middle School in Land O’ Lakes, nearly 20 wheelchair and special-needs athletes had the chance to learn, first hand, the ins and outs of the sport and benefits of keeping active.

“Some of the people who came out today — it was their first time with the sport or even in a sports chair,” said Paul Schulte, two-time Paralympics wheelchair basketball medalist and point guard.

“(It) can be very special to watch, as they take the court, because their eyes light up as they realize it’s very different from a regular chair. They sit in it and it just starts moving, so it’s a very different experience.

“To do (sports) in your everyday chair is okay, but in a sports chair is way more fun, which is what many got to do today for the first time,” Schulte said.

The Pasco County Parks, Recreation, & Natural Resources Department and its Adaptive & Inclusive Recreation (P.A.I.R) program hosted the event. Scarlett Lawhorn, recreation leader at the Wesley Chapel District Park, organized it.

Schulte, along with fellow Team USA player Correy Rozzi and former collegiate player Lynn Pagano, coached the athletes of varying ages through drills, scrimmages and scenarios.

Schulte said the clinic was to teach participants about wheelchair basketball, but also adaptive sports equipment and the benefits of keeping active while living life from a wheelchair.

“We talk to them and tell them our stories (of how we ended up as para-athletes),” he said. “We also reinforce in them independence and the importance of staying active in what is essentially a sedentary lifestyle.

“Because a lot of times, honestly, parents or people can be wary of this because of injury by stubbing a finger or falling over, but really not doing this could be more damaging than that little injury.

“Getting in some cardio really is important.”

Published August 09, 2023