Mary Rathman

Lutz ER gets new manager

April 18, 2018 By Mary Rathman

The Medical Center of Trinity has appointed Bernadette Melendez as manager of its new ER 24/7 in Lutz.

Melendez began her career in corporate accounting and human resources until 2006 when she began her nursing career.

She received an Associate of Science in Nursing in 2006 and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2012, from Ohio University; and went on to get a Master of Business Administration in 2017.

Melendez comes from Mease Countryside Hospital in Safety Harbor, where she served as CN II in the emergency room and assistant nurse manager of PCU.

She has extensive experience in emergency management having served as preceptor, charge nurse and magnet champion for a 42-bed Level II trauma center, and charge nurse and preceptor for a free-standing emergency room

Chalk Talk 04/18/2018

April 18, 2018 By Mary Rathman

President emeritus honored
Pasco-Hernando State College honored Robert W. Judson Jr., Ed.D., PHSC president emeritus, with a Pasco Proud award during the Black History Month celebration at its East Campus in Dade City.

The award recognizes an African-American citizen of Pasco County who has made an impact in the community.

Judson holds the distinction of being named the first African-American president of a Florida community college in 1994 and served in that role for 11 years.

Under his leadership, the expansion of the West Campus in New Port Richey was completed, which included the opening of a child care center.

Judson also launched new programs, including radiography, drafting and design, and the first four-year degree program through a partnership with the University of South Florida and Hodges University.

Top Dogs recognized
The Pilot Club of Zephyrhills honored Top Dog students from Stewart Middle School. Through the program, students are recognized for academics and their leadership roles in the school.

The third quarter recipients were Cassidy Thompson, Jacob Smith, Natalie O’Donovan, Dayanora Ortega, Nic Batto, Lillian Rapp, Jacob Cruz, Ariana Stone and Chiara Antonucci.

Each student received a certificate and a gold dog tag at a Hungry Howie’s luncheon.

Student art exhibit
Pasco-Hernando State College’s Rao Musunuru, M.D. Art Gallery will exhibit “A Student Showcase” April 18 to May 16, at its West Campus in New Port Richey.

The annual event highlights diverse talent achieved without influence from staff or faculty. Visitors can experience completed works of photography, drawing and mixed media, from past and present art students.

For information, call (727) 816-3231, or visit PHSC.edu.

Friendship Walk
The Best Buddies Club of Dr. John Long Middle School in Wesley Chapel will participate in the Friendship Walk on April 21 along the Tampa Riverwalk.

For information and to register, visit tinyurl.com/yabt7qhv.

The event is free, but donations can be made when registering.

Scholarship benefit
The Amelia Foundation Benefit Concert will take place April 21 at 6 p.m., at Blanton Baptist Church, 17351 Hyland Lane in Dade City.

The cost is $10. All proceeds will go toward scholarships for graduating Pasco High School seniors.

Tickets will be available at the door.

For information, call The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce at (352) 567-3769.

Pancake fundraiser
The Land O’ Lakes High School FFA will host a pancake breakfast fundraiser April 22 from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., at the Wilderness Lakes Beef O’ Brady’s, 7040 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Suite 108.

The cost is $7 per person, and includes pancakes, scrambled eggs and bacon served by the school’s FFA members.
Tickets can be purchased at Beef O’ Brady’s or through the LOLHS FFA.

For information or to make a donation, call (813) 230-2254.

College planning workshop
Thrivent Financial will offer a College Planning Strategies Workshop April 24 at 6:30 p.m., at the Oakstead Clubhouse, 3038 Oakstead Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

This is a 90-minute presentation designed for parents and students in seventh grade and higher, to learn about academics, admissions and financial strategies to help save money on college.

There will be tips on the FAFSA; what COA, OOP and EFC are; timelines for taking the SAT/ACT; and, strategies for selecting a college.

Admission is free. Space is limited.

To RSVP, call (813) 626-5489, or email .

Essay contest
Gary Joiner, Pasco County property appraiser’s office, will accept entries, as part of the Clerk & Comptroller Paula O’ Neil’s Constitutional Officers Essay Contest, through April 27.

The contest is for Pasco County eighth-grade students of public/charter, private, parochial, nonpublic and home-schools.

Students must answer the question, “What are the effects property taxes can have on schools?” and submit essays to their principals.

Students in private, parochial, nonpublic or home-schools can email submissions to .

Essays must be 500 words or less, and should include the student’s name, school, grade and contact information.

The winner will be notified by phone on May 18.

Teacher of the Year nominations
U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis is accepting nominations for his annual Teacher of the Year awards, to honor the outstanding educators of Florida’s 12th District.

Teachers and educators from all schools, and all grades, in District 12, are eligible.

Nominations should be emailed to , and include the name, school and contact information of the nominee.

The deadline is April 27.

An awards ceremony will take place in May.

Health News 04/11/2018

April 11, 2018 By Mary Rathman

Rasmussen launches new program
Rasmussen College, in New Port Richey, hosted a surgical technologist associate degree program launch and open house, in March. Participants were able to tour the surgical suite that allows students to get hands-on experience in a simulation lab, before completing the required practicum in a real-world health care environment. The laparoscopic video tower and laparoscopic simulator was just one piece of equipment in the suite, which looks and feels like an operating room.

Bilirakis receives award
U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis was given the Champion Award by the National Association of Community Health Centers, in recognition of exemplary and continuous legislative leadership and advocacy on behalf of 25 million patients who utilize the Community Health Centers throughout the country.

Bilirakis has a long history of championing common-sense health care solutions, and ensuring that the centers remain a viable option in which the insured, uninsured and underinsured can get high-quality primary care, mental health and dental care.

Health care advocates presented the award for his efforts on Capitol Hill on March 15.

A great day to go for a walk
Florida Hospital celebrated National Walking 2018 at its campuses in Tampa, Carrollwood and at Connerton Long Term Acute Care. The hospital encouraged everyone to get in 10,000 steps.

Chalk Talk 04/11/2018

April 11, 2018 By Mary Rathman

Saint Leo aims to make a difference
Saint Leo University is focused on helping others and saving the planet – one plastic cap at a time. The school recently collected and shipped about 15,000 pounds of bottle caps for recycling, for the Caps of Love program.

The proceeds from the effort are used to purchase new and refurbished wheelchairs for children with mobility issues.

Students, faculty and staff were joined by local organizations, schools and businesses in the collection of plastic lids. The tops from bottles of soft drinks, laundry soap, shampoo, prescriptions, peanut butter jars, yogurt cups and more were among the boxes loaded onto a truck and shipped to Commercial Recycling in Tampa.

The Caps of Love organization, which will change its name to Chariots of Love, has presented 79 wheelchairs to children over the years.

Books by the Beach
Students from both River Ridge High School New Teacher Academy and Hudson Elementary School will take part in a “Books by the Beach” scavenger hunt and walk on April 13.

The walk to Hudson Beach and back, for a philanthropy project, will start at the Healthy Families Pasco-Hernando office and include multiple book breaks to collect books on the way to the beach. Each stop will be an adventure.

Along the walk, students will write questions about safety on the sidewalk, share signs to encourage students to read all summer, and create passport-type logs for the students to remember their stops.

Area groups, including Pasco Retired Educators, United Way Pasco, and On the Road for Safety, will join in the event to man the tables along the way.

Each Hudson Elementary student will leave with a backpack filled with summer reading materials.

Charter school information session
Union Park Charter Academy, set to open in August in Wesley Chapel, will have an information session April 17 at 6:30 p.m., at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

A team will walk through the plans for the academy and will answer questions.

The school will educate students in kindergarten through eighth grade, and will have only students in kindergarten through sixth grade for the 2018-2019 academic year.

For information, visit UnionParkAcademy.org.

Student art exhibit
Pasco-Hernando State College’s Rao Musunuru, M.D. Art Gallery will exhibit “A Student Showcase” April 18 to May 16, at its West Campus in New Port Richey.

There will be an opening reception sponsored by the PHSC Student Government Association April 18 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the gallery.

For information, call (727) 816-3231, or visit PHSC.edu.

Teacher of the Year nominations
U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis is accepting nominations for his annual Teacher of the Year awards, to honor the outstanding educators of Florida’s 12th District.

Teachers and educators from all schools, and all grades, in District 12, are eligible.

Nominations should be emailed to , and include the name, school and contact information of the nominee.

The deadline is April 27.

An awards ceremony will take place in May.

Scholarship opportunity
Saint Leo University is offering an academic scholarship opportunity for students who are intent on starting an MBA program this summer, have the undergraduate grades to prove they can do serious work, and the commitment and discipline to study online all the way through to degree completion.

For those who qualify and apply by April 20 for admission to the summer semester starting April 30, the MBA tuition per credit hour will be reduced.

The per-credit scholarship represents a savings of $6,000 throughout the course of the 36-credit-hour program.

For information about the scholarship, visit SaintLeo.edu/mba-online-scholarship-form.

For additional details, email , or call (800) 707-8846.

The American flag, in all its glory

April 4, 2018 By Mary Rathman

As part of its Florida Conversations series, the Tampa Bay History Center will host “Finding Our Fabric: Old Glory,” taking a look at the history of the United States flag.

Sponsored by the Bank of America, the exhibit, “American Flags: The Stars & Stripes in American History & Culture,” is based on one of the most comprehensive collections of American flags in the country, collected by Dr. Peter J. Keim. Keim has collected flags for more than 40 years, and has exhibited in museums across the country.

The showcase features textiles, artwork and memorabilia exploring the history and context of the American flag.

(Courtesy of the Tampa Bay History Center)

The flag’s history includes iconic moments of revolution, union, war, protest and patriotism, and was an ever-evolving symbol that reflected the growth of the nation prior to 1960.

It wasn’t until 1960 that the standardized American flag — with 50 stars and 13 stripes —appeared.

The exhibit has more than 20 original flags on display, some dating back to the 1790s, and a 27-star flag signifying Florida’s admission into the Union.

Also included will be original artwork, such as Andy Warhol’s print, “Moonwalk,” and “John’s Flag” by Jasper Johns; and photography from the 1960s and Sept. 11, 2001 that illustrated the symbolic power of the Stars and Stripes.

Leading up to the show, Dr. Keim will present a lecture on April 11 at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free.

The history center is at 801 Old Water St., in Tampa. The exhibit will run through July.

For information, visit TampaBayHistoryCenter.org, or call (813) 228-0097.

Published April 4, 2018

Pasco health drops in rankings

April 4, 2018 By Mary Rathman

The 2018 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps tools released by the University of Wisconsin and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation highlights the many community factors that influence health and uses established data, which is available on FLHealthCHARTS.com.

Pasco County ranks 38th in Florida for overall Health Outcomes in the 2018 County Health Rankings.

Mike Napier, health officer, said in a release, “It is disappointing to see Pasco drop three spots in the rankings. However, we are not discouraged, as it takes more than one year to register impacts related to improve access to care, Healthy Start, and the many other areas being worked on in our Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP).”

The health improvement plan is designed to address specific opportunities for improved health that have been identified by the community itself.

Through CHIP, Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources is working toward implementing healthier concession stands at Pasco County parks, using “Fun Bites” guidelines.

Pasco’s department of health also has launched a “Move More” countywide initiative that aims to increase awareness of and access to physical activities throughout the county.

The county’s Tobacco Prevention Program works with Tobacco Free Florida and other community partners to promote tobacco-free living by using multiple strategies, including education, implementing smoke-free and tobacco-free policies at work places and colleges, and promoting the “Quit Your Way” campaign.

In addition to the aforementioned programs, Pasco also offers the Florida Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, which gives free or low-cost breast and cervical screenings for eligible women, ages 50 to 64, who reside in Pasco County.

And, the Healthy Start program offers free services to all pregnant women, and children ages 0 to 3 years, to educate new moms in everything from preconception and childbirth to parenting skills.

For information on all programs and services, visit Pasco.floridahealth.gov.

Chalk Talk 04/04/2018

April 4, 2018 By Mary Rathman

(Courtesy of Leanne Starnes Ring Fuller)

Students move on to national competition
Land O’ Lakes Christian School’s high-school students participated in the Sunshine State Association of Christian Schools state fine arts competition in the categories of the Bible, art, music, academics and speech. There were 146 different entries, and Land O’ Lakes Christian placed first, second or third in 57 of those entries. The students pictured will be competing at the National Fine Arts Competition in Greenville, South Carolina. There will be a presentation of a selection of the winning entries and an art show April 20 at the school.

Proposed fee adjustment
Pasco-Hernando State College’s District Board of Trustees will consider approving a proposed adjusted course-related fee at its meeting on April 17 at 6 p.m., at the West Campus, 10230 Ridge Road in New Port Richey.

Fee adjustment proposals are reviewed and approved for board consideration by PHSC’s Council of Academic Affairs.

In this case, one course adjustment will be reviewed: a reduction of fees for Adult Nursing Clinical I for paramedic students from $34 to $0.

For information about proposed fee adjustments, justification for the fees and fee implementation dates, visit Policies.PHSC.edu.

For those who qualify and apply by April 20 for admission to the summer semester starting April 30, the MBA tuition per credit hour will be reduced.

The per-credit scholarship represents a savings of $6,000 throughout the course of the 36-credit-hour program.

For information about the scholarship, visit SaintLeo.edu/mba-online-scholarship-form.

For additional details, email , or call (800) 707-8846.

Lutz Elementary gets extra help
Members from the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club worked at the Lutz Elementary Annual Olden Days Celebration.

Each year, the women have registered attendees and assisted the students with numerous crafting projects at the event.

Lutz Elementary is just one of the local schools that the woman’s club supports in various ways.

For information, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org.

Leadership seminar
Registration is open until May 31 for the 2018 Florida Student-Athlete Leadership Seminar, which is slated for Aug. 1 at West Port High School in Ocala.

The event will include keynote addresses, breakout sessions, a student-athlete panel, and presentations in competition, leadership, social media and other topics.

The first session will begin at 8 a.m., and the seminar will last until 2:45 p.m.

All registrations take place through GoFan, FHSAA’s digital ticketing provider.

The cost is $30 per student, and includes a shirt, lunch and a commemorative gift.

The seminar is open to the first 100 student applicants.

Schools may register students at tinyurl.com/y82b42yr.

For information, visit tinyurl.com/yc4tgrvx.

Clean Tech Competition
The Center for Science Teaching and Learning (CSTL) announced the launch of the 2018 Spellman High Voltage Electronics Clean Tech Competition, a worldwide research and design challenge for pre-college youth.

The competition encourages scientific understanding of real-world issues and the integration of environmentally responsible energy use. It also is designed to foster a deeper understanding of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) related concepts, recognize outstanding talent, and prepare the next generation of globally competitive innovators.

This year’s theme is “Solving Climate Change.”

Teams are challenged to identify and analyze specific problems associated with climate change in detail before designing a clean technology solution to mitigate the negative impacts, help reduce the carbon footprint, and create a solution for overcoming the challenge they identified.

Free applications are currently being accepted by CSTL from high schools representing teams of one to three students between the ages of 15 and 18, from the United States and abroad.

The final competition will take place July 12 at Stony Brook University in New York.

Monetary prizes will be awarded to a total of 10 finalists, with $10,000 to the winner, $7,000 to second place and $5,000 to third place.

For information, visit CleanTechCompetition.org, or call (516) 764-0045.

Close encounters with manatees on the rise

March 28, 2018 By Mary Rathman

Chances of a close encounter between Florida manatees and boaters increase in the spring.

That’s when manatees leave their winter refuges and travel along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and through inland waters.

For boaters, it is the time to be especially vigilant to avoid colliding with these large aquatic mammals.

From April 1 through Nov. 15, seasonal manatee zones require boaters to slow down in certain areas to prevent manatees from being struck by motorboats or personal watercrafts.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s enforcements officers will be on patrol in state waters to remind boaters of the seasonal manatee speed zones and take enforcement actions when deemed necessary.

Underwater manatees can be difficult to detect, so operators of boats and personal watercrafts can help by following these tips from the FWC’s Manatee Management Program:

Wear polarized sunglasses to help spot manatees.
Look for large circles in the water, also known as manatee footprints, indicating the presence of a manatee below.
Look for a snout sticking up out of the water.
Follow posted manatee zones while boating.
Report an injured, distressed, sick or dead manatee to the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at (888) 404-3922.

Manatee zones and maps are available at MyFWC.com/Manatee, by selecting “Protection Zones” for links to the county maps.

Published March 28, 2018

Creating harmony in the hospital

March 28, 2018 By Mary Rathman

Florida Orchestra members played several classical selections, including Beethoven, to a crowd of about 200 people at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North.

The Mallah Garden Atrium at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, in Lutz, was transformed into a concert hall when The Florida Orchestra gave a free performance on March 16.

Approximately 200 people — patients, staff and visitors — filled the atrium to listen to the classical music presentation. The performance was broadcast to patient rooms for those who could not attend.

Guest conductor Joseph Young led the orchestra through musical pieces from some of history’s greatest composers, giving an overview of each selection’s history.

Conductor Joseph Young acknowledges the audience after leading The Florida Orchestra performance at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North. (Mary Rathman)

Compositions included Ludwig Beethoven’s “Coriolan Overture” and “Symphony No. 1,” Claude Debussy’s “Petite Suite,” and Franz Haydn’s “Symphony No. 82 ‘La Poule’.”

There also was a variety of Bela Bartok’s Romanian Folk Dances.

This was the orchestra’s third appearance at the hospital as part of its health and wellness concert series, aimed at bringing comfort and healing through the power of music.

St. Joseph’s also provided free valet parking, and refreshments and hors d’oeuvres.

Published March 28, 2018

Health News 03/28/2018

March 28, 2018 By Mary Rathman

‘Breast Friends’ raise money for Moffitt
Caliente Resort and Spa hosted a fundraiser for the Moffitt Cancer Center Foundation. ‘Breast Friends Forever’ organized the event and donated $41,800 specifically earmarked for breast cancer research and treatment. Participating in the presentation were Kim Norman, Judi Miller, Courtney Ryals of the Moffitt foundation, Polly Honor, Hilda Holt and Sharon Levand.

Hospital appointments
Three hospitals have recently announced appointments, promotions and new staff members.

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has appointed Carlie Thomas as its new program director for the hospital’s Regional Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine. Thomas comes from Seven Rivers Wound Care Center in Crystal River, and brings with her expertise in sales, marketing and hospital administration.

Oak Hill Hospital welcomed Dr. Richard Chlouber to its medical staff. Chlouber is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology, and practices at Suncoast OB/GYN and All Women’s Midwifery in Spring Hill. He received his medical degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

Oak Hill has also promoted Robert Linares as vice president of Cardiovascular & Critical Care. Linares previously was administrative director of clinical operations, and has worked in the HCA system for nearly 13 years.

The Medical Center of Trinity appointed Sally Seymour as chief operating officer. Seymour replaces Ken West, who was promoted to chief operating officer at Regional Medical Center in San Jose, California. Seymour has served as the director of physician relations for several years. For the past two years, she has been COO at Fawcett Hospital.

Crisis Center launches pilot program
The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay has been awarded a $285,000 grant from the Florida Blue Foundation to launch an innovative new community paramedicine program in Hillsborough County.

The program will focus on frequent users of local EMS and hospital emergency room services by connecting patients to medical and mental health resources. Many of these individuals have both medical and behavioral health needs that require a specialized form of nonemergency care. The pilot program is designed to holistically care for the medical, behavioral and social needs of these patients.

Through its TransCare Medical Transportation division, the Crisis Center will have two community care coordinators, who are paramedics, dedicated to patients after they are discharged from the emergency room due to both a physical and behavioral health need. The coordinators will work with emergency room staff or insurers to identify which patients may benefit most from additional one-on-one assistance.

The Crisis Center, a nonprofit agency, offers a range of programs designed to meet community needs, including:

Gateway Contact Center (2-1-1: suicide prevention, crisis counseling, and information and referral services)
Corbett Trauma Center (trauma counseling and sexual assault survivor services)
TransCare (9-1-1 emergency and mental health ambulance services, medical van transportation)

For information, visit CrisisCenter.com.