The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Mary Rathman

Cleanup a success, amid pandemic

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Small teams made for mighty results during this year’s socially distanced version of the annual International Coastal Cleanup, presented by the Rotary Club of New Port Richey and Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative, according to a Pasco County news release.

Olivia O’Malley, of Land O’ Lakes, holds a trash bag open, as her father, Michael, throws away a decaying trash bag that was found on the side of Parkway Boulevard, during last year’s coastal cleanup. O’Malley and her dad also found a piece of a car bumper. (File)

Volunteers worked throughout Pasco County to pick up nearly 40,000 pounds of trash and litter along roadways, public spaces and waterways.

Here’s a breakdown from the cleanup:

  • 19.52 tons of trash and litter
  • 36 locations in Pasco County
  • 922 volunteers
  • 3,248 volunteer hours logged

“We always strive for a year-over-year increase, but not all success is measured in numbers,” said Kristen King, Keep Pasco Beautiful coordinator.

“Even during the pandemic, we had a volunteer turnout that we are extremely grateful for, and we’re consistently welcoming a younger generation who cares about the environment and will ultimately create lasting behavior change,” King said.

The Pasco County Department of Public Works assists with trash pickup from the cleanup, and it manages the Adopt-a-Road program for volunteers who are interested in additional efforts.

For information, visit KeepPascoBeautiful.org.

Published November 04, 2020

Another Gronk for Tampa Bay

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(Courtesy of ZooTampa at Lowry Park)

ZooTampa announced that its baby Indian rhino will be sharing its name with Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ tight end Rob Gronkowski, also known as ‘Gronk.’ The announcement came from Gronkowski himself, via video chat, to help welcome baby Gronk to the Tampa Bay area. ZooTampa celebrated by hosting a baby shower at the Indian Rhino habitat. The shower included football ice cakes, a Bucs-themed boomer ball, Bucs decorations, and a watermelon Gronk Smash.

Sydney loves kids!

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Sydney is a 4-year-old Australian shepherd that loves her family, her tennis ball, and swimming in her pool. Sydney was adopted while her family was stationed at Fort Stewart in Georgia. She now resides in Lutz with the Cahill family – Nicole, Darby, Patrick and Colin.

A startling sight, to some

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Ralph Soto saw this star spider at the Blue Jay Mobile Home Park in Dade City. Also known as a spiny-backed orb weaver, spiny orb weaver or spiny spider, this species is mostly harmless. Usually the spider’s large web will startle and annoy people, but the spiders pose no serious health risks. The spiny orb weaver spider lives on the edges of woodlands and shrubby gardens. They frequently live in nurseries, as well as citrus groves. The species is found in many parts of the world and is seen along the southeast coast of the United States and in California.

Health News 11/04/2020

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Donate Life license plate
Gov. Ron DeSantis has enacted into law HB1135, which authorizes the creation of a specialty license plate to promote the need for lifesaving organ and tissue donors.

The specialty plate was requested by Donate Life Florida, a nonprofit coalition of Florida’s organ, eye and tissue donor programs.

The legislation requires Donate Life Florida to presell 3,000 vouchers toward the purchase of a new license plate within a 24-month timeframe, before production can begin.

Donate Life Florida has launched a virtual campaign to bring awareness and promote the new specialty plate.

Sales of the vouchers started on Oct. 16. The cost of the specialty plate is $25, plus $8 in state and local fees.

Residents can schedule an appointment at their local tax collector or driver license office to purchase the voucher.

For information on the plate or to register to become an organ donor, visit DonateLifeFLorida.org.

Adolescent outpatient program
Medical Center of Trinity’s Behavioral Health Center has opened an Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program, for ages 13 to 17.

The program includes 12 hours of therapeutic group activities per week on a variety of topics, including personal triggers, cravings, family issues and depression/anxiety.

It also offers:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • Co-Occurring Diagnosis Therapy
  • Expressive Therapy
  • Educational Group Therapy
  • Medication Management
  • Family Systems Therapy

And, treatment for:

  • Psychiatric Disorders/Co-Occurring Disorders
  • Crisis Situations
  • Depression and/or Anxiety
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Grief/Loss Issues
  • Relational Conflict
  • Mood Swings
  • Inability to Sleep
  • Trouble Focusing or Completing Tasks
  • Difficulties at work/school

“With our new Outpatient Services for adolescents, we have more opportunities to ensure our community receives the care they need, when and where they need it,” said Kevin Sullivan, director of behavioral health services, in a Medical Center of Trinity news release.

“It is our hope that teenagers who are not sure which path to take, will choose the path to wellness,” Sullivan said.

For information, visit MedicalCenterTrinity.com.

Be a SHINE volunteer
The SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) Program is a statewide volunteer program that offers seniors, adults with disabilities, and their caregivers, free, unbiased counseling on Medicare, prescription drugs and other health insurance matters.

The SHINE SMP (Senior Medicare Patrol) Program educates beneficiaries on how to protect, detect and report suspected Medicare fraud, waste and abuse.

Individual volunteers complete professional training by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the local Area Agency on Aging; serve the community by educating others on an individual basis and through outreach events; and, gain knowledge about Medicare to benefit themselves and loved ones.

In order to participate, a volunteer application and online orientation must be completed.

To learn more, call (727) 217-8111, or visit FloridaShine.org and click on the Join Our Team link.

Chalk Talk 11/04/2020

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(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

Stitching for students and staff
Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club’s Education/Libraries Committee delivered 250 hand-sewn masks to Miles and Shady Hills elementary schools, to help to protect all students and teachers. The club also donated a supply of gym shorts for the children. From left: Pat Wagner, Faith Sincich and Roseann Lange. For information about the woman’s club, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org, or visit its Facebook page.

Paying for college
The Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative will offer these free online programs:

  • Nov. 5 at 6:30 p.m.: How to Pay for College. This workshop is for families with students planning for a higher education, and includes an overview of the Bright Futures Scholarship Program and financial aid.
  • Nov. 12 at 6:30 p.m.: Choosing the Best Financial Fit for Your Family. This program, for teens and adults, will offer tools to help find the best fit based on a student’s aspirations and budget.

Register for the online programs through the calendar feature at HCPLC.org.

Small business webinar
Saint Leo University will present a free webinar to aid small businesses on Nov. 5 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The webinar is entitled, “Business Re-imagined: Set Your Course for Survival with the 13-Week Cash Flow Model.”

Presenters will be Dr. C’Lamt Ho, assistant professor of accounting at Saint Leo University, and Dr. Ruediger Mueller, president and senior partner of TCMI Inc.

The program will focus on cash flow and why it is more important than profit or loss in difficult times. It will walk participants step-by-step through the construction of a cash flow model that can be used to monitor cash , as well as requirements for the near and intermediate future.

Participants also can learn how to budget tight cash resources, how to survive on existing cash and projected cash streams, when to seek additional funding, and how to obtain financing.

The 13-Week Cash Flow model is one of the most popular and commonly used tools of turnaround- and restructuring-experts today.

Small businesses and the community can attend online at tinyurl.com/y5qjpae5.

Two Good Soles a success
The fifth annual Two Good Soles Shoes and Socks Drive yielded more than 7,500 pairs of shoes and socks for kids in Pasco County schools.

A drive-thru donation event took place on Oct. 27 at Wendell Krinn Technical High School in New Port Richey.

This year’s drive resulted in 1,746 pairs of shoes and 5,773 pairs of donated socks.

Since 2016, Two Good Soles has collected 9,314 pairs of shoes and 30,510 pairs of socks, which social workers distribute to Pasco students.

New governance model
The Board of Trustees at Saint Leo University made a decision on Oct. 23 to no longer recognize the United Faculty of Florida Union at the school and approved the creation of a new, shared governance model, according to a Saint Leo University news release.

In keeping with the university’s Catholic Benedictine identity, the board made the decision in the spirit of helping the university maintain its strong values-based community, innovate, and be more agile in the fast-moving world of higher education, the release said.

“The time has come to chart a new path at Saint Leo University,” said Jeffrey Senese, university president. “We are excited about having the faculty side-by-side with us to make important decisions about academic standards, working conditions, compensation and benefits, and strategic planning.”

Under the shared governance, the university will have a guiding Faculty Handbook and will create a new faculty body with various committees, based on the interest and needs of the elected faculty and administration members.

Each committee will utilize the shared experiences of the faculty and administration to ensure equal representation.

Reach-Out Program
The Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) College Reach-Out Program (CROP) is accepting applications.

The PHSC CROP is a state-sponsored educational program established by the legislature to increase the number of low-income, educationally disadvantaged students in grades six to 12 who, upon high school graduation, are admitted to and successfully complete postsecondary education. The PHSC program serves students in Hernando and Pasco counties, and involves academic enrichment, social/behavior workshops, field trips and university residential visits.

Additional program criteria includes: students who would benefit from structured motivational programs; prospective first-generation college students; and students meeting a minimum of one, preferably two, in each category of the guidelines listed below.

  • Academic: Low GPA and FSA scores, dropout prevention, grade retention, expulsions and high absenteeism
  • Economic: Reduced or free lunch eligible; wages participant; public assistance recipient

An application for CROP is online at Equity-services.phsc.edu/programs. Click on the “Pre-Collegiate” link.

The grant program is funded by the Department of Education through the Office of Postsecondary Education Coordination.

For information, contact Ronteryl Black at (352) 340-4809 or .

New program aims to alleviate hunger

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The Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger (TBNEH) has launched a new Holidays On Wheels program, to deliver a full holiday meal and toys to transportation-disadvantaged and homebound families with children in Tampa Bay, during the months of November and December.

The program was developed in partnership with Metropolitan Ministries, to help ensure that every family has a nutritious and joyous holiday celebration.

This season, the TBNEH will be helped by more than 300 volunteers to deliver to families that have no access to a working, or reliable vehicle.

For families who have transportation, Metropolitan Ministries again will host its annual drive-thru Holiday Tent.

Registration for the Holidays On Wheels’ program is open now to all households with children that are transportation-disadvantaged living in Hillsborough, Pasco or Pinellas counties.

Households that qualify include: those with children 0 to 18 years of age who are not able to get a ride from household members or others for life-sustaining trips; medical, grocery, work, job-related training/education and other vital services (or do not have access to their own working or reliable vehicle); and/or households led by an adult with a disability or illness, with children 0 to 18 years of age. The head of the household must pass a background check and someone must be home to receive the delivery.

The Holidays On Wheels’ deliveries will take place on Nov. 17 (Thanksgiving meal ingredients) and Dec. 16 (holiday meal ingredients and toys for children) between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The deadline to register for the Thanksgiving delivery is Nov. 5, and the deadline to register for the holiday delivery is Dec. 7, online at NetworkToEndHunger.org/holidays.

To volunteer, visit NetworkToEndHunger.org/volunteer. Driving routes for volunteers will take about an hour to complete.

To make a donation to the hunger network, visit NetworkToEndHunger.org, or call (813) 344-5837.

Published October 28, 2020

Chalk Talk 10/28/2020

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From left: Dr. Judy Moore; Eric Stommes of the American Heart Association; and physical education coach Sabrina Lucas. (Courtesy of Sabrina Lancaster)

Challenge raises more than money
The Kids Heart Challenge is an event that teaches students about the heart itself, while helping others by raising money for the American Heart Association.

The program aims to promote awareness of heart issues, and to prepare children for success through physical and emotional well-being.

Sunlake Academy of Math & Science in Lutz took part in the challenge and collected $10,858.57, more than triple the average from a charter school, for the organization.

Caught in action, third-graders Rebekah Ostojic, left, and Emilio Cervantes take part in the Kids Heart Challenge.
Hope Lancaster, left, jumps rope with Evan Littler, both third-graders, to help raise money for the American Heart Association.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Small business webinar
Saint Leo University will present a free webinar to aid small businesses on Nov. 5 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The webinar is entitled, “Business Re-imagined: Set Your Course for Survival with the 13-Week Cash Flow Model.”

Presenters will be Dr. C’Lamt Ho, assistant professor of accounting at Saint Leo University, and Dr. Ruediger Mueller, president and senior partner of TCMI Inc.

The program will focus on cash flow and why it is more important than profit or loss in difficult times. It will walk participants step-by-step through the construction of a cash flow model that can be used to monitor cash , as well as requirements for the near and intermediate future.

Participants also can learn how to budget tight cash resources, how to survive on existing cash and projected cash streams, when to seek additional funding, and how to obtain financing.

The 13-Week Cash Flow model is one of the most popular and commonly used tools of turnaround- and restructuring-experts today.

Small businesses and the community can attend online at tinyurl.com/y5qjpae5.

Reach-Out Program
The Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) College Reach-Out Program (CROP) is accepting applications.

The PHSC CROP is a state-sponsored educational program established by the legislature to increase the number of low-income, educationally disadvantaged students in grades six to 12 who, upon high school graduation, are admitted to and successfully complete postsecondary education. The PHSC program serves students in Hernando and Pasco counties, and involves academic enrichment, social/behavior workshops, field trips and university residential visits.

Additional program criteria includes: students who would benefit from structured motivational programs; prospective first-generation college students; and students meeting a minimum of one, preferably two, in each category of the guidelines listed below.

  • Academic: Low GPA and FSA scores, dropout prevention, grade retention, expulsions and high absenteeism
  • Economic: Reduced or free lunch eligible; wages participant; public assistance recipient

An application for CROP is online at Equity-services.phsc.edu/programs. Click on the “Pre-Collegiate” link.

The grant program is funded by the Department of Education through the Office of Postsecondary Education Coordination.

For information, contact Ronteryl Black at (352) 340-4809 or ">.

College & university rankings
The personal-finance website WalletHub has released its 2021 Best College & University Rankings report, in addition to separate rankings for colleges and for universities.

WalletHub compared over 1,000 higher-education institutions across the United States based on 30 key measures grouped into seven categories, including Student Selectivity, Cost & Financing, and Career Outcomes.

The data set ranges from student-faculty ratio to graduation rate to post-attendance median salary.

The top 10 colleges and universities in Florida are, in order from No. 1 to No. 10, are: University of Florida, Florida State University, University of Miami, Florida Polytechnic University, University of South Florida, University of Central Florida, Florida Southern College, Florida A&M University, University of West Florida and Florida International University.

To view the full reports, along with accompanying video, visit Wallethub.com/edu/college-rankings/40750/ and Wallethub.com/edu/best-colleges-in-the-us-ranking/40748.

Holly likes belly rubs

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Holly is a very loving 6-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She likes to go for walks to greet the neighbors. She also likes cookies, which is the reason she is now on a diet. Holly lives with her owners, Lee and Beverly Gonzales, in Lutz.

Health News 10/28/2020

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(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

Embracing the needs of survivors
Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club donated enough supplies to make two deliveries to the Sunrise of Pasco County Domestic Violence Shelter, for the benefit of the women and children residents. October is Domestic Abuse Awareness Month and the woman’s club has long-supported this shelter. Included in the donations were personal and hygiene goods, children’s items, snacks and treats, sanitizers, club-made face masks for the kids, a check for $200, and a requested high chair. From left: Sabrina Scott, a shelter staff member and Nancy Swanton stand alongside the donations. For information on the club, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org.

Safety tips for trick or treating
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers these steps to take when trick or treating:

  • Avoid direct contact with trick-or-treaters, and keep your distance. Stay at least 6 feet away from others who do not live with you. Indoors and outdoors, it is more likely someone can get or spread COVID-19 when in close contact with others for a long time.
  • Give out treats outdoors, if possible.
  • Set up a station with individually bagged treats for kids to take.
  • Wash hands before handling treats. Bring hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol) with you and use it after touching objects or people. Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds when you get home and before you eat any treats.
  • Wear a mask: Make your cloth mask part of your costume. A costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask. Do not wear a costume mask over a cloth mask, as it can make breathing more difficult. Masks should not be worn by children under the age of 2 or by anyone who has difficulty breathing.

For more information, visit CDC.gov/coronavirus.

Stroke center certification
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has received certification from DNV – GL Healthcare as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, recognizing the highest level of competence for treatment of serious stroke events.

The certification is based on standards set forth by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association, and affirms that the medical center addresses the full spectrum of stroke care — diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and education — and that the center establishes clear metrics to evaluate outcomes.

Medical staff announced
Advanced Cancer Treatment Centers, opening soon at 15211 Cortez Blvd., in Brooksville, has announced its medical staff:

  • Radiation oncologists: Dr. Clayton Elliott Alonso and Dr. Peter Zavitsanos
  • Hematologists and medical oncologists: Dr. Aaron Denson and Dr. D. Alan Kerr II
  • Nurse practitioners: Amy Morgan and Elizabeth Morgan

The 21,000-square-foot facility will include an infusion room, medical oncology, examination rooms, radiation oncology exam rooms, treatment vault, in-house full laboratory, and the latest in radiation oncology treatment systems and diagnostic equipment, including CT scan and mobile PET.

For information, call Toni Martin at (352) 616-0698 or .

Safety upgrade for ambulances
AdventHealth has deployed expanded use of Aeroclave in all of its ambulances and has acquired 10 units of the disinfecting system.

Aeroclave is an aerosol disinfectant that creates a fine, dry mist that covers the entire inside of the ambulance, providing decontamination for COVID-19 and other viruses, after each patients is transported to a facility.

AdventHealth West Florida Division ambulances are able to be disinfected and returned to service in less than 30 minutes.

Aeroclave reduces staff and patient exposure to viruses, such as COVID-19, and provides a faster turnaround process, which doesn’t delay patient care.

Published October 28, 2020