The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Mary Rathman

Shealina is loving and sweet

By

Five-year-old Shealina was adopted from Pasco County Animal Services a few years ago. She loves playing with her toys and lives with her proud parents, Frank and Nicole Magazu, in Land O’ Lakes.

Life lessons on display

By

This mama black-bellied whistling duck proudly showed off her babies — teaching them to swim and catch a few bugs along the way. Bonnie Caston said this is nature at its best in her backyard in Zephyrhills.

Piper likes the warmer weather

By

Piper is a pure-bred English Setter born in July 2023 in Maryland alongside a litter of six brothers and sisters. She officially moved to Florida in August 2023 with her human parents, and is looking forward to having warm-weather year-round. Piper’s interests include playing tug-of-war, chewing on her large collection of dog toys, snacking and napping. She hopes to someday be fully potty-trained, and wants to learn other commands when she gets older. Piper lives with her proud owner, Kevin Weiss, in Zephyrhills.

Not quite ready for prime time

By

This juvenile male Northern Cardinal was spotted by David Maynard in a San Antonio backyard. Juvenile cardinals look similar to adults in size and shape but lack red plumage until around November (some six or seven months after the breeding season). The tail usually turns red first.

Health News 10/25/2023

By

(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

Children’s camp receives donation
GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club President Elayne Bassinger, right, and Vice President Peggy Andrews, left, presented a $5,000 donation check to GFWC Florida President Linda O’ Toole, to benefit Camp Boggy Creek. The camp was founded in 1996 by Paul Newman and Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf for children with serious illnesses to safely enjoy a carefree camp experience at no cost. O’ Toole chose this charity for the statewide Florida Federation to support during her term in office.

Pasco health department moves
The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County (DOH-Pasco) is on the move. Its offices at 10841 Little Road in New Port Richey and 5640 Main St., Suite 100, in New Port Richey are moving to the Summit Professional Building at 7509 State Road 52 in Hudson. Services will start at the new location as follows:

  • Oct. 19: Healthy Start, Environmental Health
  • Nov. 20: Family Health Services (Clinical), Vital Statistics, HIV/AIDS
  • Dec. 4: Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Clinic

All services will still be provided at the health department’s Dade City, Wesley Chapel and Hudson offices. For more information, visit FloridaHealth.gov.

(Courtesy of Southport Springs Golf & Country Club)

All Children’s Hospital benefit
Southport Springs Golf & Country Club in Zephyrhills recently hosted a baked potato dinner (sit-down or take-out) to benefit Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Pediatric Cancer Units. The event included dinner, a raffle and a 50/50 drawing for 160 residents and guests. In addition to the $2,500 check (as seen in the photo), an additional $850 was raised at the door, for a total of $3,350. 

 

Chalk Talk 10/25/2023

By

Saint Leo welcomes Buffalo Soldier
Saint Leo University, 33701 County Road 52 in St. Leo, will host a Research Symposium on Oct. 26 at 11 a.m., at the Student Community Center, in the Greenfelder-Denlinger Boardrooms. The guest speaker will be 101-year-old U.S. Army veteran Roy Caldwood.

Guests can discover “living history” as Caldwood shares his journey of resilience and valor during World War II and later as a corrections officer at Rikers Island. 

U.S. Army veteran and Buffalo Soldier Roy Caldwood (Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

Those who cannot attend in person may attend via Zoom at SaintLeo.edu/caldwood.

RSVPs are required to attend Zoom and participants are asked to email .

Caldwood served in Italy during World War II as part of the renowned Buffalo Soldiers, the 92nd Infantry Division of the U.S. Army, named after the 19th century African American cavalrymen.

He holds the esteemed title of being the last known Buffalo Soldier in the state of Florida, recognized by the National Buffalo Soldier organization.

He also is a U.S. Army Bronze Star recipient and the author of the memoir, “Making the Right Moves: Rikers Island & NYC Corrections.”

Earlier this year, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor proclaimed April 5, 2023, as Roy Caldwood Day. He also received the New York City Department of Corrections Medal of Honor.

Signed copies of “Making the Right Moves: Rikers Island & NYC Corrections” will be available for sale at the event at Saint Leo University.

Requests for accommodations can be made by emailing . For more information, visit saintleo.edu/accommodations.

For more information, contact Dr. Janis Prince, chair of the Department of Social Sciences, at 352-588-7254 or .

Sunlake Ravenfest
Sunlake Academy of Math & Science’s PTSO (Parent Teacher Student Organization), 18681 Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz, will host a Ravenfest fundraiser on Nov. 4 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The fall festival will include inflatable games, vendors, bubbles, food trucks, lawn games, a goat petting zoo, raffle, and face painting.

Admission is $5; children age 2 and younger are free. 

For tickets, visit SunlakePTSO.membershiptoolkit.com/form/m/260279.

Robotics Rumblerama
Middle and high school robotic teams will battle it out with their bots at the 2023 Over-Under VEX Robotics Rumblerama Competition on Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Pasco-Hernando State College West Campus, 10230 Ridge Road in New Port Richey, in the gymnasium.

For information, contact Aaron Ellerman at 727-816-3259 or .

Health News 10/18/2023

By

This conceptual rendering provides a colorful view of what the new St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Tampa could look like. (Courtesy of BayCare)

New hospital facility
Baycare has announced its plan to build a new specially designed facility for St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital (SJCH) in Tampa by 2030, as part of a strategic effort to increase the region’s access to high-quality, state-of-the-art pediatric health care, according to a news release.

BayCare is the region’s largest provider of pediatric services and SJCH is the largest-volume pediatric hospital, the release says.

The new facility is part of BayCare’s comprehensive plan to enhance local pediatric expertise and to create a destination hospital for high-acuity pediatric services, research and medical innovation for West Central Florida and beyond.

BayCare also is planning to expand its pediatric graduate medical education programs, including teaching, research and training to fuel continued medical innovation and help to ensure the region continues to attract the best and brightest to practice medicine here, the release says. 

Most vaccinated states
The personal-finance website WalletHub released its report on 2023’s States That Vaccinate the Most.

In order to find out which states vaccinate most, WalletHub analyzed the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 16 key metrics, ranging from the share of vaccinated children to the share of people without health insurance to the flu vaccination rate among adults.

Florida ranked 38th overall, with these results (1=best; 25=average):

  • Seventh — share of children ages 19 to 35 months old living in poverty with combined 7-vaccine series
  • 44th — share of children under 6 years old participating in an immunization information system
  • 46th — influenza vaccination rate in children ages 6 months to 17 years
  • 47th — share of adults age 60 and older with Zoster vaccination
  • 48th — share of adults with tetanus vaccination
  • 48th — share of civilian noninstitutionalized population without health insurance coverage
  • 48th — share of teenagers ages 13 to 17 with Men ACWY vaccination
  • 49th — share of teenagers ages 13 to 17 with up-to-date HPV vaccination
  • 50th — flu vaccination coverage rate among adults

For a full report, visit WalletHub.com/edu/states-that-vaccinate-the-most/66237.

Dr. Neelam Patel

Chief medical officer named
HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital has named Dr. Neelam Patel as its new chief medical officer (CMO). Dr. Patel has served as a staff physician in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine for Level II and Level III trauma centers across the country. She also is a member of the core faculty for the University of South Florida’s Graduate Medical Education Internal Medicine Program.

The new CMO most recently served as medical director of the Intensive Care Unit and as Pulmonary and Critical Care staff physician at HCA Florida Trinity Hospital. 

 

Chalk Talk 10/18/2023

By

Lake Myrtle Elementary’s new mural by artist Britt Ford represents the school’s commitment to character education.
(Courtesy of Lake Myrtle Elementary School)

Taking the Turtle Pledge
Lake Myrtle Elementary School in Land O’ Lakes recently hosted an unveiling ceremony to showcase a mural in its cafeteria funded by The Tampa Foundation. The artwork represents the school’s commitment to character education through its daily Turtle Pledge.

The pledge is recited by the school’s students every day and embodies the principles Lake Myrtle strives to instill in every student:

  • I pledge to be a kid of character.
  • I’ll be worthy of trust.
  • I’ll be respectful and responsible, doing what I must.
  • I will act in fairness; I’ll show I care.
  • I’ll be a good citizen and do my share.

Three Florida colleges rank in top five
A study by the university ranking site Research.com analyzed more than 1,700 higher education institutions across America and its territories, looking at the average cost of their tuition and fees, room and board charges, and books and supplies.

The study was based on the universities that rank in the top 10% of Research.com’s Best Colleges ranking, to discover the institutions that offer high quality education at the most affordable price, according to a news release.

The University of Florida-Gainesville topped the ranking as the most affordable college — its average total cost for one year of $20,045 makes it the most affordable college in the country. Tuition is an average of $8,285, while average room and board charges are $10,950. The cost of books and supplies, at $810, is the lowest of all entries in the top five, the release says.

Tallahassee’s Florida State University offers the second most affordable high-quality college education. The average cost of books and supplies is $1,000, tuition comes in around $7,493, and room and board charges average $11,565 — all adding up to $20,058 for the university, which has a 37% acceptance rate.

In fourth place is the University of South Florida in Tampa. Its total average cost for the year is just $18 more than third place New Mexico State University, at $20,078. The tuition average is $6,410, room and board charges come to $12,568, and books and supplies are $1,100.

Purdue University in Indiana placed fifth.

Hispanic student scholarships
As Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations continue throughout Florida and beyond, the Duke Energy Foundation is committing $75,000 to the Hispanic Heritage Scholarship Fund to create educational opportunities for Hispanic students in central Florida, according to a news release.

The grant will help the fund provide college scholarships for local Hispanic students and expand the number of professional development workshops to support transitioning to the workforce. A large portion of the grant will be used to award eight additional scholarships, and the remaining dollars used for the fund’s annual scholarship award ceremony.

Since 2000, the scholarship fund and its partners have awarded 494 Hispanic Heritage Scholarships totaling more than $2 million, the release says.

For nearly a decade, Duke Energy Florida and its Foundation have provided about $230,000 in scholarships and sponsorships to support the fund.

Pasco Pathways
Pasco County Schools will host a Pasco Pathways Expo on Nov. 14 at Sunlake High School, for west county, and on Nov. 16 at Cypress Creek High, for central/east county. More information will be sent out in next month’s Pasco Post.

Holiday Card Lane
The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce is calling on local schools and artists to collaborate in reimagining its Holiday Card Lane for this and future generations. The cards adorn the paths of Sims Park in downtown New Port Richey throughout the holiday season and are sponsored by local Pasco County businesses.

The chamber is seeking creative ideas and expertise:

  • Material innovation: Looking for environmentally friendly materials to replace the heavy plywood traditionally used. The new materials should be sustainable, transportable and weather-resistant.
  • Artistic Expression: Looking for artists to infuse their unique styles and celebrate the spirit of the season while incorporating sustainable themes.
  • Community Involvement: This is an opportunity for schools and artists to gain exposure and engage with the local community.

Artists, schools or anyone who fits the bill should reach out to the chamber at 727-842-7651. Ideas, suggestions and contributions are welcome.

Fish art contest
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)’s annual Fish Art Contest is now open to students in kindergarten through 12th grade. In partnership with Wildlife Forever, FWC announced a second annual category for a Florida Native Fish Award, in addition to the national Fish Art Contest that students can qualify for by submitting a Florida native species from the specified list below.

Grade brackets awards will be kindergarten through third grade, fourth through sixth grade, seventh through ninth grade, and 10th through 12th grade.

Students can submit an original piece of physical artwork featuring any fish including one or more of these Florida native species from the same category:

  • Category 1: Freshwater: largemouth bass, striped bass, black crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, spotted sunfish, channel catfish, Florida gar, chain pickerel, bowfin
  • Category 2: Saltwater: snook, redfish, spotted seatrout, flounder, tarpon, mahi-mahi, Spanish mackerel, hogfish, queen snapper, black grouper

Digital artwork will not be accepted.

Students also must submit a piece of creative writing, no longer than one page, about the chosen species (required for grades four to 12) and a Florida State-Fish Art Contest entry form.

The deadline to enter is Feb. 28.

To enter, visit WildlifeForever.org/home/fish-art/fish-entry-forms/florida-entry-forms/.

Pearl and Henley are best friends

By

Pearl is a corgi and Henley was adopted from the Humane Society, but his parents just call him a mini golden retriever with a heart of gold. The two canines love playing together, chasing squirrels in the backyard and following their three ‘siblings’ around the house, just in case they drop a snack! Pearl and Henley live with the Hudson family — Derek, Aubrey, Maddox, Everett and Evelyn — in Land O’ Lakes.

Morning meal

By

Tom Hammen ‘snapped’ this photo of an alligator catching its breakfast, at the pond on 17th Street, off Lock Street, in Dade City. It appears to be a capybara caught in the gator’s jaws.