The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Mary Rathman

Milo loves the holidays

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Milo, a Shih Tzu, came from a sweet elderly lady who was no longer able to take care of him. Kaitlyn Walrath, of Lutz, said Milo has blessed her home for two years now and brings her joy and companionship. Milo loves spreading Christmas cheer in his many themed outfits and loves walking the neighborhood scoping out the decorations.

Chalk Talk 12/28/2022

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(Courtesy of Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce)

Student Citizens named for December
The East Pasco Chamber Foundation in partnership with The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce recognized nine students as Student Citizens for the month of December. Students are chosen by the teachers and administration of their individual schools for exemplary effort, achievement and contribution to their school, family and community. These students received the honor: Landon Bevell, Academy of Spectrum Diversity; Megan Kelley, The Broach School; Emily Ortiz, Chester W. Taylor Elementary School; Tristan Geist, East Pasco Adventist Academy; Aaron McClamma, Heritage Academy; Paola Linares, Raymond B. Stewart Middle School; Taylor Mertz, West Zephyrhills Elementary; Mo-Nayia Carter, Woodland Elementary; and Destini Harden, Zephyrhills High.

Student achievements

  • Isabel Ellison, of Odessa, was initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society, at Florida Gulf Coast University.
  • Lindsay Ugast, of Wesley Chapel, received a Master of Business Administration from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.
  • Kevin Spillane, of Odessa, was named to the fall Dean’s List at Berry College in Rome, Georgia.
(Courtesy of Linda Mitchell)

Brightening up the holidays
Alexis and Alyssa Mitchell of the GFWC Little Women of Lutz, along with Linda Mitchell and Pam Blumenthal, advisors to the Little Women club, delivered their annual Christmas dinner bags filled with treats and the necessities for a holiday meal, to Kim Torres of Lutz K-8. In addition, the club selected the requested gifts to put under the tree of its Christmas Angel recipient family (a single mom with four children). The Little Women are young ladies, ages 12 to 18, who work community service projects in order to meet requirements for school service hours. For information, call Linda Mitchell at 813-389-2910.

Telemedicine launched
Pasco County Schools is partnering with Premier Community HealthCare to launch “The Hub,” so Premier can provide health services via telemedicine, according to a news release.

The first launch was on Dec. 14 at Gulfside Elementary, with a traditional ribbon-cutting, as well as a tour and a hands-on demonstration of the telemedicine equipment.

The initiative is an innovative and proactive approach to school-based health services that makes health care convenient, accessible and affordable, the release said.

The program was established at Gulfside with plans to expand to several other Pasco County schools.

Parents can make appointments for their student to visit virtually with a health professional while at school. A school nurse will assist in the process.

“This initiative is cutting edge and convenient and will provide tremendous benefit to our students and families,” said Superintendent of Schools Kurt Browning, in the release.

“We all know that children learn better when they are healthy, and Premier Community HealthCare is going to help us keep our students healthy without even having to leave campus,” Browning said.

Free STEM boot camp
Saint Leo University, 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo, will host a free STEM Boot Camp for Young Women workshop on Jan. 6 and Jan. 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., for graduating high school students.

The camp will introduce the participants to science, technology, engineering, math, data analysis, potential careers, and the university.

The special guest at the workshop will be Russell Goodman, sports analytics expert and a professor of mathematics at Central College in Pella, Iowa.

Participants in the boot camp also will explore the university’s anatomage table, cybersecurity lab, and robotics lab, among other activities.

For more information or to RSVP, email Dr. Jacci White at .

School choice opening soon
The Pasco County Schools school choice application window will open on Jan. 9 at 8 a.m., and close on Jan. 20 at 4:30 p.m.

At that time, the Pasco Pathways Innovative Programs and School Choice application will be available for parents via the myStudent parent portal.

The application window will be for all school choice options, including STEM and STEAM magnet schools, Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, Wendell Krinn Technical High School, Angeline Academy of Innovation, International Baccalaureate (IB), and the Cambridge Programme.

Mark your calendar with these important dates:

  • Pasco Pathways Application Window – Jan. 9 to Jan. 20
  • Notification and Acceptance Window – Feb. 27 to March 8

To learn more about Pasco Pathways and school choice, visit PascoSchools.org/schoolchoice.

Scholarship applications
There are more than 100 scholarships available for university, college and trade school programs, through the Pasco Education Foundation.

The application window is now open for 2023 high school seniors and will close on Jan. 31.
Interested students should apply at PascoEducationFoundation.org.

Photo calendar for sale

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‘Grand Ave Lights’ by Noriko Buckles (Courtesy of Gulfside Hospice)

Gulfside Hospice’s annual 15-month calendar is now for sale at all its thrift shop locations.

The calendar features photos taken exclusively in Pasco County to highlight the area that the organization serves and its communities.

The calendar is a product of a photo contest that include 140 submissions of events, places, landmarks and wildlife.

This year’s cover features a special tribute to Gulfside’s patient-centered care, one of Gulfside’s three core values.

The cost of the calendar is $5, and all proceeds help to support Gulfside patient care and bereavement services.

All five Gulfside thrift shops are open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For addresses and phone numbers, visit Gulfside.org.

Chalk Talk 12/21/2022

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(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

Gifting some holiday cheer
Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club have been busy delivering Christmas bags  filled with gifts to Lutz, Denham Oaks and Miles elementary schools, as well as two additional schools, to provide extra cheer to selected families who are in need at this time of the year. The woman’s club also  creates holiday projects and makes deliveries to local senior centers, Meals on Wheels, and assisted living facilities, among others. Sabrina Scott and Ellen Brayton are shown as they deliver gift bags to Lutz K-8. For more information on this volunteer organization, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org or its Facebook page.

Useful holiday break tips
Saint Leo University professor of pyschology Dr. Tammy Lowery Zacchilli is offering parents these useful “Holiday Break 101” tips, according to a news release:

  • Keep the kids busy. Kids get bored when they are home all day. There are many opportunities for winter break camps related to arts and crafts, music, dance, sports, and more. Local aquariums, zoos, and amusement parks also may offer camps. Visit Fun4TampaKids.com/camps/winter-break-camps/.
  • Start a family tradition. Holiday traditions are important to families, so start one such as baking cookies, volunteering, riding a Christmas train, or starting Elf on a Shelf.
  • Emphasize gratitude. Parents need to start teaching children gratitude at an early age. It can be difficult, but gentle reminders before a party to say “thank you” can be helpful regardless of the child’s age. Parents also can consider donating gifts through a Giving Tree or preparing boxes for Samaritan’s Purse to help children learn the true meaning of the holidays.
  • Prepare relatives for your visit. Children have different personalities and respond to situations in different ways, such as being uncomfortable with hugs. You know your child’s personality and behaviors, so it can be useful to have a conversation with relatives before you arrive.

Second student graduates
Victory High School, the first Recovery High School in the Tampa Bay area, celebrated the graduation of its second student, on Dec. 7.

The student started with Victory High in November 2021 and has graduated with honors at the age of 16.

The graduate had a 96% attendance rate and a GPA of 3.93.

Crisis negotiations course
Saint Leo University’s Center for Alternative Pathway Programs (CAPP) and F1RST, Florida’s Forensics Institute for Research Security & Tactics, will offer a Crisis/Hostage Negotiations Course beginning on Jan. 5.

Crisis/Hostage Negotiation Level I is the first in three successive courses that addresses the fundamental tasks of a successful crisis negotiator, to prepare participants to work as part of a coordinated negotiating team, and to handle situations including those involving hostage takers, barricaded subjects, and potential suicide victims.

The course is designed for sworn law enforcement and corrections employees, non-law enforcement members of negotiations teams, and mental health, social work and clergy members who support law enforcement in crisis situations.

It is approved as a full credit basic course toward a 120-hour CSM Certificate of Proficiency.

Crisis Systems Management LLC will present the course on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Jan. 5 through Feb. 2.

For more information, email , or call 877-815-4996.

Free STEM boot camp
Saint Leo University, 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo, will host a free STEM Boot Camp for Young Women workshop on Jan. 6 and Jan. 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., for graduating high school students.

The camp will introduce the participants to science, technology, engineering, math, data analysis, potential careers, and the university.

The special guest at the workshop will be Russell Goodman, sports analytics expert and a professor of mathematics at Central College in Pella, Iowa.

Participants in the boot camp also will explore the university’s anatomage table, cybersecurity lab, and robotics lab, among other activities.

For more information or to RSVP, email Dr. Jacci White at .

School choice opening soon
The Pasco County Schools school choice application window will open on Jan. 9 at 8 a.m., and close on Jan. 20 at 4:30 p.m.

At that time, the Pasco Pathways Innovative Programs and School Choice application will be available for parents via the myStudent parent portal.

The application window will be for all school choice options, including STEM and STEAM magnet schools, Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, Wendell Krinn Technical High School, Angeline Academy of Innovation, International Baccalaureate (IB), and the Cambridge Programme.

Mark your calendar with these important dates:

  • Pasco Pathways Application Window – Jan. 9 to Jan. 20
  • Notification and Acceptance Window – Feb. 27 to March 8

To learn more about Pasco Pathways and school choice, visit PascoSchools.org/schoolchoice.

Scholarship applications
There are more than 100 scholarships available for university, college and trade school programs, through the Pasco Education Foundation.

The application window is now open for 2023 high school seniors and will close on Jan. 31.

Interested students should apply at PascoEducationFoundation.org.

Quiche has Christmas spirit

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Even Kathy and John Draper’s little boy, Quiche, loves the magic of the holidays! Quiche lives with the Drapers in Land O’ Lakes.

Good morning!

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This dragonfly appears to be smiling at Meagan Rathman-Urena as it sits on a fence post at her home in Lutz.

Postal Service shares plans for the holidays

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Since Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on a Sunday this year, the U.S. Postal Service will observe the holidays on the Mondays following those holidays.

That means post offices will be closed and there won’t be residential or business deliveries on Dec. 26 and Jan. 2, as those are the days the federal holidays will be observed, according to a news release.

Priority Mail Express will continue to operate, since it operates in select locations for an additional fee, 365 days a year.

Some Post Offices may have extended hours leading up to the holidays, while others may limit their hours on Dec. 24. Currently, there are no plans to limit hours on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31.

Customers are advised to always check with their local Post Office for hours of operation.

Blue collection boxes with final collection times before noon will not be affected by an early closing on Dec. 24.

Customers who are unable to mail items before the scheduled collection box pickup times on Dec. 24 should visit the online Postal Locator, at tools.usps.com, to find a Post Office that may be open late.

Blue collection boxes are not serviced on Sundays or holidays.

For more information on ship-by dates and more, visit USPS.com.

Published December 14, 2022

Don’t end up on the naughty list

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The holidays are a time for joy and celebrating, and with those celebrations comes a lot of extra waste.

Pasco County wants to remind residents about recycling, but to be mindful about what is tossed in the bin.

These items are on the “nice” list for recycling: wrapper paper; holiday cards and envelopes; cardboard boxes; plastic bottles and jars; small plastic containers; and aluminum steel and tin cans.

On the “naughty” list are: batteries; holiday lights, garland and tinsel; plastic wrap and bags; bubble wrap and styrofoam; plastic party cups and plates; and Christmas trees.

For more information, call 727-847-2411, email , or visit MyPasco.net.

Published December 14, 2022

‘Building’ holiday spirit, one bear at a time

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Cindy Ross, of RP&G Printing in Wesley Chapel, knows the importance of every child experiencing the joy of the holiday spirit.

For the last six years (2016 to 2022), Ross has been hosting a Build-A-Bear fundraiser — donating all the stuffed animals to the ABC Program to be distributed to local underprivileged students.

Guests were invited to visit the Build-A-Bear store at The Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel, choose an animal, have it stuffed, pick an outfit and even give it a name. The store’s staff then printed out a ‘birth certificate’ for the child recipient. Monetary donations also were collected, which were put toward building more bears.

The total haul this year for the ABC Program was 161 stuffed animals, said Ross.

Audra Krause, Lisa Moore and Jennie Yingling were happy to ‘build’ stuffed animals to donate to the ABC Program fundraiser, at Build-A-Bear in Wesley Chapel. (Courtesy of Cindy Ross)
Cathy Dileo and her daughter, Olivia, chose several different animals to have stuffed and clothed for the ABC Program fundraiser, at Build-A-Bear in Wesley Chapel. (Cindy Ross)
Fred, left, and Charley were two of the numerous bears chosen, stuffed, clothed and donated to the ABC Program fundraiser at Build-A-Bear, at The Shops at Wiregrass. Participants had the choice to give their animal a name, which was printed on a ‘birth certificate’ for the child recipient. (Mary Rathman)
Barbara Beals has her arms full as she participates in the annual Build-A-Bear fundraiser for the ABC Program for underprivileged students. (Cindy Ross)

Clearing the way for clean water

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Cleanup event aims to keep waterways clear of debris. (File)

The Pasco County community has pulled through and once again showed its commitment to protecting the county’s environment.

More than 1,200 volunteers took part in the annual Keep Pasco Beautiful cleanup event, picking up more than 46,000 pounds of trash and litter along roadways, public spaces and waterways, according to a news release.

Here is a roundup of the event, by the numbers:

  • 23.3 tons of trash and litter collected
  • 40 locations in Pasco County
  • 1,268 volunteers
  • 3,512 volunteer hours logged

“It’s estimated 80% of the trash in our water originates from land,” Kristen King, Keep Pasco Beautiful coordinator, said in the release.

“That means that we prevented 37,296 pounds of trash from traveling through rivers and stormwater systems into the Gulf of Mexico — which is amazing,” said King.

For more information, visit KeepPascoBeautiful.org.