The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Mary Rathman

Park passes offered at public libraries

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The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Florida State Parks and its partners are advancing outdoor access for all Floridians through the Real Florida Reader Program.

Through a partnership with the Florida Department of State’s Division of Library and Information Services, public libraries across the state and the DEP, library patrons now can check out a Real Florida Reader pass at their local public library for free admission to one of more than 170 participating state parks, according to a news release.

The 2022 library summer reading theme is “Oceans of Possibilities.”

“A visit to one of Florida’s state parks goes hand-in-hand with a visit to the library,” said DEP Secretary Shawn Hamilton, in the release.

“We welcome all Floridians to read about our state’s diverse environment and culture, and then get outside and experience these natural wonders firsthand,” said Hamilton.

Floridians can use their public library card to check out a Real Florida Reader day pass, which provides free admission to state parks for up to eight people in a vehicle. The pass excludes Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Skyway Fishing Pier State Park and Weeki Wachee Springs State Park.

The promotion will run through Sept. 12.

Those without a library card can sign up at their local library to take part in the program.

Visit FloridaStateParks.org/RealFloridaReader for more details, park exclusions, and library guidelines and policies.

Published July 06, 2022

Health News 07/06/2022

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(Courtesy of AdventHealth)

Preventative screenings
AdventHealth Zephyrhills and Dade City teamed up with the Pasco County Department of Parks and Recreation to commemorate Juneteenth and hosted a community health event at the James Irvin Civic Center in Dade City.

AdventHealth in collaboration with Pioneer Medical Foundation provided free health screenings that included blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, and body mass index (BMI) tests.

“We are deeply committed to improving and saving the lives of the most vulnerable whether, they’re in an AdventHealth hospital or out in the community,” said Andrea Vogel, director of quality and patient safety, in a news release.

“By offering these no-cost health screenings, we are making it easy for everyone to see a provider and identify chronic conditions before they become life-threatening diseases,” said Vogel.

Letissa Gueits Carbone (Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

Nursing scholarship awarded
Letissa Gueits Carbone, a team member at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North and part of BayCare’s student nursing program, is the recipient of a $2,500 nursing scholarship through the St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation and the Adcock Financial Group.

Carbone, from Wesley Chapel, is studying at St. Petersburg College to become a registered nurse.

She formerly worked in the hospital’s admitting and registration department, but now is in a nursing apprentice position, as she transitions into her nursing career.

Carbone has been with BayCare for five years, and previously worked in food and nutrition services at St. Joseph’s Hospital’s main campus in Tampa before coming to the Lutz hospital about 2 1/2 years ago to work as a registrar.

She was surprised with the scholarship check presentation in front of team members and colleagues.

“I had that deer in the headlights look on my face when it happened,” Carbone said, in a news release. “I had no clue.

“I really didn’t know how much it (the scholarship) was going to be for. That really wasn’t the point when I applied for it,” Carbone said.

She said the scholarship will help out as she balances working, going to school, and raising two children.

Bucs Babies party
Three of the newest Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Luke Goedeke, Rachaad White and JoJo Ozougwu — joined more than a thousand attendees at the AdventHealth Training Center for the annual AdventHealth Bucs Babies birthday party.

AdventHealth babies born in the hospital system’s West Florida Division are eligible to be a Bucs baby.

Traditionally, the birthday party is to celebrate when a new “recruit” turns 1, but this year’s celebration included all recruits since the program’s inception.

The afternoon was filled with games, music, face painting, and gifts for the little recruits and their families.

AdventHealth is the exclusive hospital of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Chalk Talk 07/06/2022

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From left: William Shelton, Rishabh Kanodia, Andrew Domonkos and Allen Ho. (Courtesy of Council for Economic Education)

First-place honors
Students from Land O’ Lakes High School earned first-place honors in the final round of the National Personal Finance Challenge in New York City, a competition organized by the Council for Economic Education (CEE).

The team of William Shelton, Rishabh Kanodia, Andrew Domonkos and Allen Ho, coached by Andrew Camp, demonstrated a winning knowledge of personal finance that sets young people on paths to lifelong success, according to a news release.

“You don’t learn about managing your money just by wishing, or about making complex economic choices just by following the news. It’s tough to thrive if you don’t understand,” said Nan J. Morrison, president and CEO of CEE, in the release.

“The students from Land O’ Lakes and all the teams who competed this year demonstrated an extraordinary level of knowledge in part because their schools offer classes in these life-essential topics,” said Morrison.

Each student on the first-place team receives a $2,000 cash prize.

Student graduates

  • Andrea Renee Denton, Wesley Chapel: Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care, magna cum laude, Midwestern State University, Texas
  • Kyle Dontas, Lutz: Master of Business Administration, Quinnipiac University, Connecticut
  • Sydney Fleeman, Odessa: Dean’s List and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design, Valdosta State University, Georgia
  • Melissa Garcia, Land O’ Lakes: Bachelor of Arts in Pyschology, Flagler College
  • Tyler Heldt, Lutz: Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering, Marietta College, Ohio
  • Jasmine Jenkins, Lutz: Graduted from Troy University, Alabama
  • Angela Marshall, Wesley Chapel: Dean’s List and Master’s Degree from Harvard University, Massachusetts
  • Shea McCurty, Lutz: Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Physiology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
  • Madelaine Mejia, Land O’ Lakes: Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Communications/PR, Flagler College
  • Silvia Quezada, Land O’ Lakes High: awarded a full-tuition scholarship to Marian University E.S. Witchger School of Engineering, Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Rylind Breann Robinson, Wesley Chapel: Dean’s List and Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Shorter University, Georgia
  • Karyn Savage, San Antonio: Master’s Degree in Education Hearing Impaired, Flagler College

ABC Program
All five offices of the Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano will accept donations during July for the Pasco County School District’s ABC (Assist, Believe & Care) Program.

The program was created to provide financial assistance to students and their families who are experiencing economic hardship, especially when those needs interfere with the student’s ability to be academically successful.

Monetary donations go into a fund that teachers can use when they see or learn of a need a child may have.

For information and office locations, contact Greg Giordano, assistant tax collector, at 727-847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.

Dean’s List recognitions

  • Emersen Angel, Lutz: The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
  • Anthony Rocco Becht, Wesley Chapel: Iowa State University
  • Matthew Durrance, Lutz: South Dakota State University
  • Molly Flanagan, Lutz: Norwich University, Vermont
  • Angelica C. Gonzalez, Lutz: Iowa State University
  • Madeline Griggs, Odessa: The University of Alabama
  • Christian Hewitt, Odessa: The University of Alabama
  • Jack Houser, Odessa, The University of Alabama
  • Alexandra Jason, New Port Richey: Norwich University
  • Peter Katsaros, Odessa: The University of Alabama
  • Noah Kilpatrick, Lutz: The University of Alabama
  • Andrea Lefebvre, Odessa: Valdosta State University
  • Brianna Pearson, Lutz: The College of Saint Rose, New York
  • Leia Randall, Land O’Lakes: University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
  • Angelo Sardegna, Lutz: Curry College, Massachusetts
  • Christiana Till, Odessa: The University of Alabama
  • Allison Trask, Lutz: Harding University, Arkansas
  • Emily Ymiolek, Lutz: The University of Alabama

Note: Emily Leonard, of Wesley Chapel, has been named to the President’s List at Mercer University, Georgia.

New campus president
Dr. Larissa Baia of Lakes Region Community College has joined Hillsborough Community College (HCC) as the Ybor City Campus president.

She succeeds Dr. Ginger Clark who retired in fall 2021 and Dustin Lemke who served in an interim capacity.

Dr. Baia brings more than two decades of experience in higher education to HCC, having served in executive-level positions in higher education, including her most recent position as president of Lakes Region Community College in Laconia, New Hampshire.

She is a graduate of Brandeis University and the University of Florida, receiving her Master’s in Latin American Studies and Ph.D. in political science from the latter.

Dr. Baia will assume her position at HCC on Aug. 15.

Money tip for students
The Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) is encouraging students to become familiar with how credit scores work.

A credit score is a three-digit number that has a long-lasting effect on a person’s buying power.

Building a good credit score enables a person to tap into resources to buy a car or a house, or any other expensive need.

A bad credit score can make all transactions or loans more difficult and more expensive.

The most widely accepted scoring method comes from FICO, according to the KHEAA.

A FICO score ranges from 300 to 850 and is made up of these items:

  • 35% is based on payment history: Early payments will have a higher number than on-time payments, which will have a higher score than late payments.
  • 30% is based on outstanding debt: Outstanding debt is how much is owed on loans, mortgages, credit cards, etc. Having a lot of credit cards can hurt the score, expecially if it is near a borrowing limit.
  • 15% is based on the length of time a person has credit: The longer a person has been borrowing and making payments on time, the better the score.
  • 10% is based on new credit: Opening several new accounts will have a negative effect on a score. And the more inquiries that are on a credit report in a year, the lower the score will be.
  • 10% is based on the types of credit a person has: It helps to have a mix of loan types. If a person has a credit card, an installment loan will even out the credit.

For more information, visit KHEAA.com.

Taco loves to laugh

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Taco is a Laughing Kookaburra, a species from Australia, that hatched on June 16, 2016. Originally from Arizona, where he worked in educational animal shows, he moved across the country to Florida and is living in semi-retirement with a fellow Kook. Taco loves to perform flights, and eat all his favorite foods like mice and mealworms. He lives with his bird-nerd parents, Josh and Jenny Andress, in Lutz.

A menagerie on display

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Lisa Vaile lives in Oak Creek, in Wesley Chapel, but takes her boat out often to a little island where a lot of birds live, including pelicans, snake birds, snowy egrets, herons, cormorants and more. Here, a snowy egret is poised for a photo and a great blue heron tends to its baby.

 

Crested ‘royalty’

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D G Moore snapped this pair of regal pileated woodpeckers in her backyard, in Northwood Palms in Wesley Chapel. It appears to be a male and a female because of their cheek markings. These woodpeckers have loud calls and drum on dead trees in a deep, slow, rolling pattern.

Chalk Talk 06/29/2022

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Congratulating more 2022 graduates

Luke Romesburg is an Eagle Scout from Troop 12 and a graduate of Steinbrenner High School’s Class of 2022. He’s an avid fisherman and aspires to be a paramedic and firefighter. (Courtesy of Cindy Romesburg)
Camellia Moors graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University, with a bachelor degree from the School of Public and International Affairs. She is a 2018 graduate from Land O’ Lakes High School’s International Baccalaureate program. She plans to work in Washington D.C. (Courtesy of Christine Moors)
Jillian Marie Jasinski graduated cum laude with the Land O’ Lakes High School Class of 2022. She will attend the University of South Florida and will major in English Literature. She loves to read, write, and drive her friends to new restaurant hot spots. (Courtesy of Michelle Jasinski)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reading assessments
Fifty-three percent of Pasco County’s third graders passed the state’s reading test this year, a passing rate that matched the state average and was higher than all but one Tampa Bay area school district, according to a news release.

The statewide trend was a dip in scores this year, and Pasco was no exception.

Pasco’s overall passing rate last year was 56%.

State officials offered perspective on the overall decreases, pointing out that this year’s third-graders were first graders when the pandemic disrupted schooling.

“This group of third graders has had a lot to overcome,” said Pasco Superintendent Kurt Browning, in the release.

“I’m proud of them for holding their own and outperforming so many of their peers. We still have a lot of work to do, and I know our students and teachers are up to the challenge,” said Browning.

Trinity Elementary School posted an 83% passing rate, up from 69% last year.

Sanders Memorial posted an 82% passing rate.

Starkey Ranch K-8, which opened this year, posted a 76% passing rate, and Connerton Elementary posted an improvement of a 75% passing rate, up from 54% last year.

School district results can be found online at the Florida Department of Education website, at FLDOE.org, and click on Accountability and then Assessments.

Woman’s club awards scholarships
The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club announced its 2022 annual scholarships, awarded to nine students.

The Lutz Volunteer Fire Department Endowment Fund scholarships of $2,500 each were given to Luke Romesburg, Briana Macumber, Camilla Quiniero and Ian Beilfuss.

The woman’s club scholarships of $1,500 each were awarded to Cayman Nash Garcia, Emelina Brown, Dylan Mazard and Madison Stysly.

Little Women of Lutz member Ashlyn Turnage received the Club Special Achievement Award of $1,500.

From left: Luke Romesburg, Briana Macumber and Ian Beilfuss, and club president Elayne Bassinger. (Courtesy of Patricia Serio)
From left: Linda Mitchell, Ashlyn Turnage and club president Elayne Bassinger.
From left: Cayman Nash Garcia, Emelina Brown and Dylan Mazard, and club president Elayne Bassinger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saint Leo fills Cohn chair
The Saint Leo University Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies (CCJS) has appointed Rabbi David Maayan as its inaugural Maureen and Douglas Cohn Visiting Chair in Jewish Thought and assistant director of CCJS. Maayan will join Saint Leo in August, according to a news release.

The Cohn Chair is a two-year visiting appointment with the possibility of a third-year renewal as full-time faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences.

The chair also represents the establishment of Jewish Studies at Saint Leo University.

Maayan comes to Saint Leo from Boston College where he was a teaching fellow and instructor of Judaism and Christianity in Dialogue for the past academic year.

He graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in religion with a focus in Jewish mysticism from Oberlin College in Ohio, earned his master’s in Jewish studies from Hebrew College, and is a doctoral degree candidate in comparative theology at Boston College.

“I have always firmly believed in the importance of community educational opportunities, including the art of teaching which fosters spaces in which people can meet, discuss, and exchange ideas in a spirit of creativity and mutual understanding,” said Maayan in the release.

Free English/Spanish classes
ReDefiners World Languages provides free English and Spanish classes for parents and caregivers in Hillsborough County. All classes take place at the seven Children’s Board Family Resource Centers.

The program offers these language courses to develop skills critical to today’s workforce, and to enhance opportunities to foster and develop social and cultural competencies within families and communities.

Classes are now enrolling.

Participants can expect an eight-week series with classes meeting one time per week, for one-hour class periods.

All curricular materials are aligned with World-Readiness Standards for Language Learning, and the adult English curriculum aligns with standards for workforce development.

The classes are free, with funding from the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County.

To enroll, visit Redefinerswl.org/learn-in-tampa-florida, or call 813-530-2313.

Health News 06/29/2022

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Dr. Christopher Bucciarelli (Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

New leader named
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz has named Dr. Christopher Bucciarelli its new vice president (VP) and chief medical officer (CMO).

Dr. Bucciarelli also has been the CMO at St. Joseph’s Hospital-South in Riverview since August, and will continue in that role.

He succeeds Dr. Mark Vaaler, who has been the Lutz hospital’s VP/CMO since its opening in February 2010 and who currently is the first CMO of BayCare Hospital-Wesley Chapel, scheduled to open in 2023.

Dr. Bucciarelli will assist St. Joseph’s Hospital-North doctors in providing safe, effective medical care.

His responsibilities include training new physicians on the hospital’s policies and keeping staff current on health regulations. He also will provide clinical oversight to physicians, ensure regulatory compliance and evaluate quality of services.

Dr. Bucciarelli in addition will represent the hospital at BayCare and community meetings.

Medicare celebrates 57 years
July marks the 57th anniversary of Medicare, when Congress created Medicare in 1965 as Title XVIII of the Social Security Act under then President Lyndon Johnson, according to a news release.

Medicare became effective July 1, 1966, and is the nation’s most extensive health insurance program covering nearly 50 million Americans, the release said.

If you are eligible for Medicare at age 65, your initial enrollment period begins three months before your 65th birthday and ends three months after that birthday.

The SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) program of the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, operated through the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas, offers specially trained volunteers to assist with Medicare, Medicaid, and health insurance questions.

SHINE also provides one-on-one counseling and information.

The program’s Senior Medicare Patrols empower and assist Medicare beneficiaries, their families and caregivers, to prevent, detect and report health care fraud, errors and abuse, through outreach, counseling and education.

Individuals can schedule appointments at designated SHINE counseling sites or arrange to speak with a trained counselor by calling 800-963-5337.

For a list of SHINE counseling sites and upcoming enrollment events, visit FloridaShine.org.

Audio park tours now available

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Hillsborough County Conservation & Environmental Lands Management has created audio tours for 14 of the county’s most popular preserves and conservation parks, according to a news release.

Residents now can take a guided tour of select Hillsborough County locations, courtesy of their cellphone.

Lettuce Lake Park is just one of 14 parks and preserves throughout Hillsborough County that residents and visitors can explore through a new audio tour app. (File)

The Hillsborough FL Nature Tours app outlines each park’s popular features and amenities, and describes the flora, fauna, and points of interest specific to each property.

The app includes maps of the parks and preserves, and uses GPS to show visitors their current location. As a person approaches a specific area, the app brings up photos and an audio tour.

For example, at Lettuce Lake Park, the app includes photos and information from eight points of interest within the park, providing visitors details about everything from alligators and the observation tower, to roseate spoonbills and the ancient cypress trees.

There are three ways to use the audio tours: Download the app and listen at each stop; use the QR code provided on signs at each stop; or, go to the drop-down menu in the app for photos and text, which can be particularly useful for those who are deaf or hearing impaired.

The app is free through app stores.

Audio tours are available with these 14 parks and preserves: Alderman’s Ford Conservation Park; Alafia River Corridor South Nature Preserve; Apollo Beach Nature Preserve; Bahia Beach Nature Preserve; Bell Creek Nature Preserve; Blackwater Creek Nature Preserve; Edward Medard Conservation Park; Golden Aster Scrub Nature Preserve; Lake Frances Nature Preserve; Lake Park Conservation Park; Lettuce Lake Conservation Park; Lower Green Swamp Nature Preserve; Triple Creek Nature Preserve; and, Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park.

Published June 22, 2022