The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Mary Rathman

Chalk Talk 06/01/2022

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Cambridge recognition
San Antonio Elementary School has been recognized by Cambridge Assessment International Education (Cambridge International) as a Demonstration Center, an honor that means it can serve as a model for the prestigious program, according to a news release.

Demonstration Centers are qualified to host showcase events for teacheres, school administrators, and district leaders from around the nation who are interested in learning about Cambridge International.

Cambridge International is dedicated to helping schools deliver the best education possible by providing comprehensive support, including teacher professional development and training, classroom resources, and membership of a global learning community, the release said.

“This is a huge honor for San Antonio Elementary School and for our entire school district,” said Kurt Browning, Pasco superintendent of schools, in the release.

“This speaks volumes about the quality of our teachers and the leadership here. The opportunity this provides our students is incredible,” said Browning.

Pasco Middle School also has been honored as a Demonstration Center.

Visit CambridgeInternational.org for more information.

Finance Challenge
Land O’ Lakes High School is one of the top four teams in the United States for essential skills in personal finance, after winning the Florida state championship and national semifinal rounds in the National Personal Finance Challenge, according to a news release.

The team scored an all-expense-paid trip to New York City on June 5, to compete with three other teams in the national finals.

Organized by the Council for Economic Education (CEE), the Finance Challenge allows high school students to demonstrate mastery of earning, spending, saving, investing, and managing credit and risk.

Only 24 states require students to take a course in personal finance to graduate, according to the CEE and its 2022 Survey of the States.

The Land O’ Lakes team includes Andrew Domonkos, Allen Ho, Rishabh Kanodia and William Shelton, coached by teacher Andrew Camp.

Summer meals program
Pasco County Schools Summer Food Service program will begin on June 6 and continue through July 29.

Breakfasts and lunches will be provided Monday through Thursday to anyone age 18 and younger, at various West Pasco, Central Pasco and East Pasco schools.

Students attending PLACE or Extended School Year programs will receive meals on campus while attending the program.

For school locations, visit Connectplus.pasco.k12.fl.us/summerfoodpasco/site-locations/.

Additionally, buses will be available at these locations, also Monday through Thursday:

  • Hilltop Landings Apartments, 37611 Colina Drive, Dade City
  • Resurrection House Park, 37124 Lock Street, Dade City
  • Trilby United Methodist Church, 37504 Trilby Road, Dade City
  • Zephyrhills YMCA, 37301 Chapel Hill Loop, Zephyrhills
  • Crystal Springs Community Center, 1655 Partridge Blvd., Zephyrhills

For questions and information, email .

Student achievements
• Roland Anthony Chacon, of Lutz, earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Mars Hill University, North Carolina.
• Tyler Jacob Lala, of Odessa, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Mars Hill University.
• Madison Nichols, of Odessa, was named to the Dean’s List at Nazareth College, Rochester, New York.
• Dylan Schaffer, of Lutz, earned a spot on the Dean’s List at Rockhurst University, Kansas City, Missouri.

Award recipients
Pasco-Hernando State College announced the recipients of the annual NISOD (National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development) Excellence Awards.

The 2022 honorees include: Julie Hendrickson, associate professor and department chair, biological services; VickieAnn Laubach, Ed.D., assistant professor, nursing, and simulation coordinator, health and nursing programs; and Curtis Scaglione, professor and program director, information technology.

NISOD’s awards recognize men and women each year who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment and contribution to their students and colleagues.

“Recognizing those individuals who have contributed to student success and their colleges’ mission is something we look forward to doing each year,” said Dr. Edward J. Leach, NISOD executive director, in a news release.

The NISOD membership organization is committed to promoting and celebrating excellence in teaching, learning and leadership at community and technical colleges.

For information, visit NISOD.org.

Health News 06/01/2022

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The Structural Heart Team and physicians at HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital celebrate the completion of their 100th Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair (TEER). (Courtesy of HCA Healthcare)

A hospital milestone
HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital’s Structural Heart Team, and Dr. Keshav Ramireddy and Dr. Rami Akel recently completed their 100th Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair (TEER), according to a news release.

TEER is an innovative procedure that has significally reduced the risk of heart failure in the patients who have undergone the treatment, the release said.

As technology and experience has grown, recent studies have demonstrated excellent outcomes after the TEER procedure and proven efficacy in reducing the mitral valve regurgitation.

In TEER, a clipping device is used. This is a minimally invasive approach through the femoral vein to treat the leakage of the mitral valve without having to conduct open-heart surgery.

After transcatheter valve repair, patients typically recover in the hospital and go home the next day.

HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital is one of only four programs in the Tampa area to have completed 100 TEER procedures, the release said.

31Hospital achieve an ‘A’
All AdventHealth hospital locations in Highlands, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties have achieved an “A” patient safety grade by the Leapfrog Group, according to a news release.

The safety grade is awarded based on a hospital’s performance in preventing medical errors, injuries, accidents, infections, and other harms to patients in their care.

AdventHealth implemented and enhanced several division-wide processes to keep patients safe, including elevating best practices in bar code scanning as a safety net to assure that the right patient receives the right medication every time. This effort is just one of many initiatives in place to ensure patient safety.

The hospitals in the West Florida Division to receive an “A” include: AdventHealth Carrollwood, AdventHealth Dade City, AdventHealth Lake Placid, AdventHealth North Pinellas, AdventHealth Sebring, AdventHealth Tampa, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and AdventHealth Zephyrhills.

Enhanced mental health help
Through a partnership with AdventHealth, BayCare, Tampa General Hospital, the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, and USF Health, and supported by the Hillsborough County Commission, Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, and Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation, Tampa Bay Thrives announced new access points for individuals seeking short-term appointments for their mental health, according to a news release.

The Let’s Talk line, launched last year, provides the first step in helping callers figure out what support they might need for their mental health.

This new extension to service now has several additional options to connect directly to help. This includes:

  • short-term telehealth bridge counseling for individuals facing long wait times to get into their first appointment. This service is provided by the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay and the University of South Florida Department of Psychiatry.
  • an appointment at one of 10 local AdventHealth Express Care at Walgreens locations, where a staff member will assess needs and provide referral to a telehealth counselor for additional support
  • a referral to a licensed counselor at Tampa General’s Urgent Care powered by Fast Track on Water Street in Tampa, to help navigate next steps
  • a connection to a licensed clinical social worker at Northside Behavioral Health Center who will provide in-person help to pave the path to feeling better

All of these options are available by calling Let’s Talk at 844-YOU-OKAY. The confidential support for mental health is free and available 24/7.

A celebrity, in name

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Leslie is almost 7 years old. Her owner, Jim Spencer, rescued her from a wooded area in his backyard. One of the many things that makes this cat special is her name, as she was named in honor of Leslie West of the band Mountain, famous for the song ‘Mississippi Queen.’ West had wild hair back in the day, and so does Leslie, so it was a perfect fit! All of Spencer’s cats have been named after rock-and-roll stars. Leslie lives in San Antonio.

A striking duo

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This male cardinal and male painted bunting opted to share the bird feeder in Lillian Cucuzza’s yard, in Land O’ Lakes. The birds’ colors are equally striking and really complement each other.

Health News 05/25/2022

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Dr. Chetan Khamare, cardiologist at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North (Courtesy of BayCare Health System)

Innovative procedure performed
St. Joseph’s Hospital is performing Shockwave Intravascular Lithotripsy (IVL), an innovative minimally invasive procedure for coronary artery disease, a leading cause of death in the United States, according to a news release.

Shockwave lithotripsy, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2021, uses ultrasonic pressure waves to break up calcium buildup in heart arteries. The procedure may eliminate the need for open-heart surgery, in some cases, the release said.

Candidates for IVL may have a significant narrowing of the heart or substantial heart muscle weakness.

As people with coronary artery disease get older and the disease advances, calcium in the arteries hardens and restricts blood flow. This makes it difficult to install stents (tiny metal scaffolds that can open blocked arteries).

In the shockwave technology, a catheter is placed in the artery and inflates a balloon at low pressure. Shockwave then transmits ultrasonic pressure waves that delicately break down the calcium deposits. After the calcifications are broken, the balloon is expanded to prepare the artery for stenting, to restore blood flow.

The IVL is the second recent, newer cardiovascular procedure now being performed at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North. The hospital announced last year that it also performs TCAR, a surgery for carotid artery disease.

From left, Natalie Milanovic, Allan Reimann, Dr. Chetan Khamare, Jessica Schoonover and Rebecca Anderson — the group is involved in performing shockwave lithotripsies at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North. (Courtesy of BayCare Health System)
A depiction of a shockwave catheter in an artery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mental health services
AdventHealth has announced the expansion of its mental health focus outside of the primary care setting, during a press conference with Tampa Bay Thrives and additional community partners, according to a news release.

The health system will expand its care to provide same-day access to a mental health clinician at 10 AdventHealth Express Care at Walgreens locations across Tampa Bay, via telehealth.

“Mental health is a crisis and because it’s so important to meet the people where they are to provide both physical and mental health care, we’ve embedded immediate telehealth mental health services within our own teams and with the communities we serve,” said John Johannessen, senior executive officer of Non-Acute Care, AdventHealth West Florida Division, in the release.

Currently, AdventHealth physician practices at AdventHealth Care Pavilion New Tampa connect patients with expert mental health clinicians to receive same-day behavioral health treatment, via phone or video visit, from the privacy of their home.

Stroke awareness
May is Stroke Awareness Month, and the Department of Health-Pasco County (DOH-Pasco) wants the public to know the risk factors, symptoms, and how to prevent a stroke.

Timely treatment for a stroke is to know and understand the warning signs, as described by the B.E. F.A.S.T. acronym.

  • Balance: Is the person suddenly having trouble with balance or coordination?
  • Eyes: Is the person experiencing suddenly blurred or double vision or a sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes without pain?
  • Face: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
  • Arms: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
  • Speech: Is speech slurred, is the person unable to speak, or is the person hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, such as “The sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
  • Time: If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 911 and get the person to the hospital immediately.

Risk factors for stroke that can be changed, treated or medically managed include: High blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, unhealthy diet, high blood cholesterol, lack of exercise, excessive alcohol use, and excessive weight.

DOH-Pasco recommends routine checkups for blood pressure and make overall health screenings a top priority.

Chalk Talk 05/25/2022

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Kylie Culver, Saint Leo University Class of 2022 valedictorian, addresses graduating students on May 14. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

Saint Leo awards degrees
More than 1,200 students earned degrees from Saint Leo University, during two commencement ceremonies on May 14, according to a news release. Doctoral, master, bachelor and associate degrees were awarded.

Kylie Culver, of Tampa, served as valedictorian of the Class of 2022. In her commencement address, Culver noted how the graduates successfully completed their degree programs through a global health crisis.

“The Class of 2022 has been through a lot,” said Culver in the release.

“Not only did we have the regular challenges that come with being college students – making sure we got good grades, making friends, managing our time, and social lives, but we also have the additional challenge of living through a pandemic,” noted Culver.

Salutatorian for the class was David Pacheco, of Brentwood, New York.

Free summer program
The City of Zephyrhills will present the 2022 Free Summer Recreation Program from May 31 to July 7, Mondays through Thursdays, from 8 a.m. to noon, at Stewart Middle School, 38505 10th Ave., in Zephyrhills.

The program is limited to 120 students who have completed any grade in kindergarten through fifth grade, in 2021-2022.

For information and to register, visit www.ci.zephyrhills.fl.us/225/Summer-Recreation-Information.

Student achievements

  • Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society, welcomed new initiates from 78 universities. These local students were inducted: Jenna Boudrea (Lutz), University of South Florida; Madelynne Eash (Odessa), Jacksonville University; Hannah Everich (Lutz), University of South Florida; Dylan Gellett (Lutz), University of South Florida; Andrew Nissensohn (Lutz), Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia; and Zachary Rashas (Lutz), University of South Florida.
  • Andrea Denton, of Wesley Chapel, was recognized to the President’s List at Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, Texas.
  • Timothy Elko, of Lutz, earned a Master of Science from the University of Mississippi Graduate School. Elko majored in sports analytics.
  • Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee, has recognized Danielle Frances and Jenna Freligh, both of Lutz, to the Dean’s List.
  • Wolfang Louk, of Lutz, and Faith Quinn and Grace Quinn, of Wesley Chapel, were named to the Dean’s List at Benedictine College, Atchison, Kansas.
  • Southern New Hampshire University named these local students to its President’s List: Jennifer Nalley, Odessa; Masum Rahman, Odessa; and Allie Ungerecht, Lutz.
  • Madison Nichols, of Odessa, earned a bachelor degree in psychology, at Nazareth College, Rochester, New York
  • Sean Saccomanno, of Land O’ Lakes, was recognized to the Dean’s List at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin.

Kids Tag Art fundraiser
Hillsborough County Tax Collector Nancy Millan presented the results of its first ever Kids Tag Art Program to the Hillsborough County School Board. The inaugural event raised $33,769, and will provide $1,200 for art supplies and materials to each participating eleentary school, according to a news release.

The Kids Art Program is a creative fundraiser that gives Title I, fifth-grade elementary school students the opportunity to showcase their artistic abilities by designing front license vanity plates in art class.

The plate designs are printed on metal plates, and then sold to family, friends and to the public.

Proceeds from the plate sales and sponsorships go back to the participating schools, to help support their arts program.

Humanitarian Awards
High school students throughout Pasco County recently were honored during the Florida Holocaust Museum’s 2022 Anne Frank Humanitarian Award event.

The award recognizes the outstanding humanitarian actions of high school juniors who have worked to better the lives of others at their schools and in their communities.

“These students are already leaders, being honored for their acts of kindness and for making a difference in our community,” said Superintendent Kurt Browning in a news release.

The winners in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area, are: McKenna Yingling, Cypress Creek High School; Aross Adhikary, Land O’ Lakes High; Johana Morales, Pasco High; Benjamin Borton, Sunlake High; Angelica Chirino, Wesley Chapel High; Kate Niehoff, Wiregrass Ranch High; and Jamarius Giles, Zephyrhills High.

Fee adjustment meeting
Pasco-Hernando State College’s (PHSC) District Board of Trustees (DBOT) will consider approving proposed adjusted course-related fees at its board meeting on June 21 at 6 p.m., at the North Campus.

Fee adjustment proposals are reviewed and approved for DBOT consideration by PHSC’s Council of Academic Affairs, a committee that includes representation by administrators, deans, academic department chairs, program directors, faculty and staff.

Many fee adjustments relate to vendor increases for workforce courses, laboratories, and program testing. Some fees may be covered by financial aid, scholarships and grants.

For details regarding proposed fee adjustments, justification for the fees and fee implementation details, visit Policies.phsc.edu, and click on Policies and Procedures, Public Disclosures.

Planet Fitness offers pass
Planet Fitness is offering a High School Summer Pass program through Aug. 31, for all high-schoolers ages 14 to 19.

Students will be able to work out at no cost, at any Planet Fitness location.

The fitness center aims to help teenagers stay physically and mentally fit over the summer, by providing a way to exercise for free while school is out.

The program, which used to be called the Teen Summer Challenge, first launched in 2019, and more than 900,000 teens signed up.

To encourage teens to take advantage of the program, all participants automatically will be entered into a sweepstakes awarding one person, in each state, with a $500 scholarship.

Additionally, one grand prize of a $5,000 scholarship will be awarded at the end of the summer.

The scholarships can be used for academic or athletic activities, or other programs.

Teens can preregister for the program online at PlanetFitness.com/summerpass.

Sea turtle released

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The Florida Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center has released myriad sea turtles over the years. (File)

A juvenile loggerhead sea turtle named Palmer made its return to the open ocean following rehabilitation at The Florida Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center.

Palmer was stranded in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, as a result of a cold-stun event and was initially triaged at the New England Aquarium. The turtle then was flown, along with three other rescued loggerheads, in a private airplane to Tampa, by volunteers from the nonprofit organization, Turtles Fly Too.

Palmer received a regimen of antibiotics and supportive care at The Florida Aquarium until its release back to the open ocean on April 21.

Franke loves his treats

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Franke (pronounced Frank-ee) is a 10-year-old Boston Terrier and the companion dog of his owner, Jeff Fruth, of Zephyrhills. He was named by his grandma after Frank Sinatra (‘ole blue eyes’). Franke truly loves people, children and other dogs. He a natural runner, even in his advancing age. Franke has slowed down a bit and enjoys his naps. Franke craves Milk-Bones and can’t seem to get enough of them.

A protected species

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This gopher tortoise lives underneath the front ramp at Karen Cole’s house in Zephyrhills. Every time Cole mulches, the tortoise burrows under, again. Since gopher tortoises are protected, Cole feels privileged to have this one stick around.

Mocha is a sweet fur baby

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Mocha is 1 year old and the sweetest beagle you will ever meet. She loves to play with a soccer ball, likes to find and carry sticks, and to walk around the neighborhood to say hello to anyone that passes by. She can be shy at times, but once she sniffs you out, her little personality shines. Mocha lives in Wesley Chapel with Fabiola Reyes.