The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Mary Rathman

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.

Meet Mr. and Mrs.

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Lonna Vizzari has named these cranes, Mr. and Mrs., as they have been coming to her home for many years. She thought the female might be too old to have babies, but this year they were blessed. Vizzari enjoys watching them at her home on Lake Stemper, in Lutz.

Health News 05/18/2022

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(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

‘Pirates’ lead the way
Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, together with its teen-sponsored club, GFWC Little Women of Lutz, participated in the annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life fundraiser. This year’s team theme was ‘Pirates of the Cure-ibbean.’ Despite torrential downpours during the event, more than $1,200 was raised to benefit reserarch to find a cure for cancer. For more information, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org or its Facebook page.

Thunderbug visit
The Tampa Bay Lightning recently celebrated with the nursing staff at AdventHealth Tampa during National Nurse’s Week. The team’s mascot, ThunderBug, stopped by the hospital ahead of a playoff game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, to cheer on the nurses and thank them for their ongoing care and compassion to the community.

The hospital spent the week highlighting the ongoing commitment of the nurses, as they work to care for patients who need them most.

AdventHealth is the Official Health and Wellness Partner of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Chalk Talk 05/18/2022

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From left: Sophie Biddle, Laney Stoss-Cordeiro, Michael McKnight, Michaela Cordeiro and Lex Cordeiro attend the Tampa Bay Homeschool Inclusive Prom. (Courtesy of Denise Mestanza-Taylor)

Inclusive prom fills a need for many
A group of local homeschooling parents banded together to create Tampa Bay’s Homeschool Inclusive Prom, the first of its kind in the area that welcomed LGBTQ+ teens and allies, according to a news release.

Denise Mestanza-Taylor, founder of the prom, saw a need and wanted to make a change.

“As a homeschooling parent of an LGBTQIA+ teen, I wanted to create a safe, welcoming, and affirming space for all teens to formally dress as they identify. Through word of mouth, other homeschool parents stepped up to build something beautiful for our teens,” Mestanza-Taylor said in the release.

Local businesses donated services, too, including event space provided by Metro Inclusive Health; music and entertainment provided by the Rose Dynasty Foundation; and photography by Elizabeth Dugan Creative.

About 100 area homeschool students attended the “Starry Night” prom.

A group of students from Learning Gate Community School took a field trip to Lake Park to help bluebirds. (Courtesy of Joni Hartzler)

Young birders learn about bluebirds
Students from Learning Gate Community School in Lutz recently took a field trip to Lake Park and met with bluebird handlers and monitors, Joni Hatzler and Gary Krotz of Tampa Audubon.

Led by teacher Jim McGinity, students were able to help with the bluebirds’ nesting habits and install a new nest box, adding to the 25 boxes that currently are maintained and monitored at the park.

They also helped by prepping the inside of the new box, installing a predator guard, and securing the box at the needed height and location on a pole.

Tampa Audubon is an active chapter whose mission is to conserve and restore ecosystems, focusing on birds, wildlife and their habitats through education, advocacy and community involvement.

To learn more about Tampa Audubon, visit TampaAudubon.org.

Open house
Fundamental Minds Education Services, 26809 Tanic Drive, Suite 102, in Wesley Chapel, will host an open house on May 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Academic services are offered for kindergarten through 12th-grade students, including tutoring, test preparation, foreign languages (Spanish, French and Chinese), life skills, and elective classes (art, coding/computer science, STEM, and more).

Classes are taught by a certified teacher in a private or small group setting of up to eight students, both in person and virtually.

Summer classes include Academic Preview/Review; Coding; Financial Literacy; Arts & Crafts; and Spanish.

For information, visit FundamentalsMinds.com, or call 813-618-3559.

Parent forum
Lift Up Pasco!, Pasco Advocates PTSA, and Gary Cucchi LLC Florida Educators Insurance will sponsor “Lift Up Pasco! Parents Speak Up” on May 23 at 7 p.m., via Zoom.

The forum will provide information and answers to parents’ questions about the school board’s Aug. 23 ballot referendum, according to a news release.

The referendum, which was approved May 3 by the Pasco County School Board, asks voters to allow the board to increase property tax millage by up to one mill with proceeds going exclusively to increase non-administrative employee pay. It would be effective July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2027, unless extended by voters, and the school district would be required to report annually to the public on its expenditures, the release said.

Representatives from Lift Up Pasco!, the political action committee led by school district retirees and established to educate the public about the referendum, and school district experts will present details of the proposal and take questions submitted to the moderator.

Participants need to complete the Pasco Advocates PTSA Google form, at tinyurl.com/yckpcrec, to be admitted into the meeting.

Transfer student info
Saint Leo University welcomes prospective transfer students who recently received their associate degrees from Pasco-Hernando State College.

Saint Leo’s East Pasco Education Center will host a virtual Transfer Student Information Session on May 26 at 6 p.m., for those interested in pursuing a bachelor degree.

Registration is online at tinyurl.com/4hvwwe9w.

For information, contact Matthew Lenihan, center director, at or 352-588-7451.

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.

Degree awarded
Kaylyn Burr, of Lutz, received a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Minnesota State University-Mankato. Burr graduated summa cum laude.

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.

Food drive aims to help ‘stamp out’ hunger

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This spring on May 14, the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive returns in full effect, as the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) works together with Metropolitan Ministries, the campaign’s official 2022 Florida benefiting nonprofit for Hillsborough County.

For 30 years, NALC has conducted the largest one-day food drive in the country, collecting nonperishable food donations along postal routes, according to a news release.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, efforts over the past two years took a different approach, utilizing online fundraising strategies to ensure the needs of communities were still met as best it could.

The local NALC has named Metropolitan Ministries as this year’s benefiting local nonprofit for the food drive, stating, in the release: “The decision to partner with Metro was an easy choice. Keeping the food in our community and being a big part of Metro’s wonderful work in the Tampa Bay area is important to us.”

“This food drive could not have come at a better time,” said Metropolitan Ministries President and CEO Tim Marks. “After providing two years of COVID relief and a demanding holiday season our shelves are nearly bare, and we need the community’s help to feed hungry families in the Tampa Bay area.”

As mail is delivered on May 14, letter carriers will collect the donations that residents leave near their mailboxes

People are encouraged to leave a sturdy bag containing nonperishable foods, such as canned soup, canned vegetables, canned meats and fish, pasta, rice or cereal next to their mailbox before the regular mail delivery on Saturday.

All food donations stay in each community and go to help local residents.

Published May 11, 2022

Military discount extended for Rec Cards

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Tampa Parks & Recreation has announced that as of May 1, it has officially extended a military discount for all annual Rec Cards, both individual and family passes, in recognition of Military Appreciation Month, according to a news release.

The military discount of a recreation card is similar to the department’s senior discount and will reduce pass fees by 50%, regardless of residency status, the release says.

Qualified individuals simply need to show military ID, and the discount will extend eligibility to all family members in the household.

A Rec Card is required to participate in most Parks & Recreation programs and activities throughout the city.

An active card entitles the holder to the use of open gyms, fitness rooms and computer labs at any City of Tampa Parks & Recreation community center, as well as open swim sessions at City of Tampa aquatic facilities.

Participants should note that camps, clinics, lessons, leagues, classes, lap swim sessions, membership materials and supplies may not be included.

Only family members using the amenities or registering for programs need to have a Rec Card.

Rec Cards are not mailed to patrons, but can be printed out upon request at one of the facilities.

Individual military Rec Cards are $15 per year, and family military Rec Cards are $50 per year.

For more information, visit Tampa.gov/parks-and-recreation, click on “Online Registration,” and scroll down to “Rec Cards.”

Published May 11, 2022

Health News 05/11/2022

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(Courtesy of Shantel Meyers)

Recognizing moms, on their special day
Members of the GFWC Wesley Chapel Woman’s Club handmade a sign and wrote Mother’s Day cards for the ladies at Orchid Cove nursing home in Dade City. The nursing home staff gave the cards, with a flower, to the moms in their facility. The woman’s club wanted all the moms to know that they were thought of on their special day. From left: Nancy Stikes, Linda Jenkins, Roberta Millard, Shantel Meyers, Liz Chavez and Marie Ambrosino.

Donate to CARES
Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s five offices will feature CARES (Community Aging & Retirement Services) as its charitable organization for the month of May, and accept donations.

CARES provides services to vulnerable seniors who need meals, home health care, home maintenance, and help with pet care.

“Your kindness will help families in Pasco County who need in-home health services, adult day care and assistance for family members who need a break from the stressful demands of caregiving,” said Jemith Rosa, CARES president and CEO, in a news release.

“Your generosity will help frail elderly people in Pasco County, who are facing illness, hunger, and isolation. Additionally, the family members and caregivers need help as well,” said Rosa.

All proceeds from this promotional effort wil benefit the CARES We Help campaign.

For information about CARES and its services, call Jemith Rosa at 727-863-6868, or visit CARESFL.org.

For more about the promotional and charitable giving programs at the tax collector’s office, call Greg Giordano at 727-847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.

Hospital certified ‘green’
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North’s energy efficiency is good for the environment and the hospital, according to a news release.

The Lutz hospital has received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council, a certification that is a globally recognized symbol of environmental sustainability, the release said.

In addition, the hospital also received an Energy to Care Award from the American Society for Health Care Engineering, for energy consumption reduction.

The hospital’s Facilities Department submitted a report summarizing St. Joseph’s significant energy reduction from May 2015 to October 2021.

Highlights of the report include:

  • The hospital reduced energy use by 20% over that time. The energy reduction happened despite the hospital adding more than 100,000 square feet from an expansion that was completed in March 2020.
  • The hospital reduced carbon dioxide use by nearly 13,000 metric tons.
  • Greenhouse gas avoidance by the hospital during the period was the equivalent of removing 2,673 cars from the road; 1,157 homes off the energy grid; and eliminating 68 railcars of coal.
  • Cost savings to the hospital from reduction in electricity and natural gas was more than $1.3 million.

John Young, the hospital’s facility manager, said in the release: “Efficiences in air conditioning played the biggest role in the energy reduction.

“In areas that were unoccupied or were in non-peak usage, we are able to ramp down the air conditioning in those spaces. Air conditioning is the highest energy consumer,” Young said.

Another significant energy savings was the use of LED lighting in the visitor and team member parking lots for the hospital and physician office building. LED lights also are economical and better for nighttime safety.

“The Green Hospital design allows St. Joseph’s Hospital-North to not only be a leader in health care technology and services, but to also be a good neighbor and community partner,” said Tom Garthwaite, hospital president, in the release.

Cultural center receives grant
The Carrollwood Cultural Center will increase accessibility for blind and low-vision patrons using $15,000 awarded through the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay Competitive Grant for the fiscal year 2022.

The center will use the grant money to purchase a new assistive listening system.

The grant also will enable the center to train people who will offer live audio description services to audience members who are blind or have low vision.

Audio description is a live narration of the visual elements of a performance, such as lights, costumes, actions, textures, and scenery.

The new system also will enable hard-of-hearing patrons to tune into a high-quality audio stream through the center’s wireless network. The patron then can access the frequency through an application on their cellphone.

The center plans to start offering audio descriptive services during the final two shows of its 2021-2022 theatrical season, with Roald Dahl’s “Matilda, the Musical” July 15 to July 24, and “First Date” Sept. 16 to Sept. 25.

The Carrollwood Cultural Center is a nonprofit organization with a mission of creating culture throughout community, and community through culture, a news release said.

Chalk Talk 05/11/2022

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(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

Showering teachers with tokens of appreciation
The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club has always prioritized education, and supports the local teachers and schools often. Club member Sabrina Scott, center, recently visited the Lutz K-8 School to deliver snacks and treats to PTA representatives, which were distributed to the teachers as small tokens of the club’s gratitude and in commemoration of Teacher Appreciation Week. Similar gifts of appreciation were delivered to the teachers at Connerton Elementary and Miles Elementary, as well. The woman’s club has supported these three schools for many years.

Eighth USF president named
Florida’s Board of Governors has confirmed Rhea Law as the University of South Florida’s (USF) eighth president. Law spent the past eight months serving as interim president, and is the first USF alum to fill the role, according to a University News post.

“Under her leadership, the university recently experienced the most transformational legislative session in USF history, with record-setting investments in operations on all three USF campuses. She also led the effort to complete USF’s new five-year strategic plan, created a collaborative working group to develop a more transparent budget model and has fostered greater communication and collaboration across campuses,” the post said.

Law also is a founding member of the Board of Directors of the USF Law Alumni Society, served as a member of the USF Research Foundation Board, and was named a 2018 Distinguished Alumna by the USF Alumni Association.

Planet Fitness offers pass
Planet Fitness will offer a High School Summer Pass program from May 16 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.

Ukulele for home-schoolers
The Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, 12118 Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa, will host a Ukulele Basics class for home-schoolers on May 17 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Participants can learn the basics during this hands-on workshop, presented by Candy Otte of the Tampa Bay Ukulele Society.

Ukuleles will be provided, but home-schoolers can reserve a ukulele to play at home later.

Masks are recommended, but not required.

Registration is a must, online at PascoLibraries.org.

College prep seminar
The Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, 12118 Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa, will present “Preparing for College: Academically, Socially and Financially,” on May 17 at 4:30 p.m.

High school and middle school students and families can attend, to learn about the importance of preparing early for college. Topics also will include how to gain acceptance and how to fund the college of your choice.

Registration is online at PascoLibraries.org.

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.

Citizens of the Month
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce has named 13 students as Citizens of the Month, for March and April.

Students are chosen by the teachers and administrators of their individual schools for exemplary effort, achievement and contribution to their school, family and community.

These students received recognition: Ivani Sharrock and Nicholas Dester, Academy of Spectrum Diversity; Jordan Reed, The Broach School; Parker Dixon and James Spivey, Chester Taylor Elementary; Evelean Grantham and Lazaro Martin, Heritage Academy; Gissel Garcia-Romero and Lacy Ferris, West Zephyrhills Elementary; Mackenzie Gavin and Nathaniel Fuller, Woodland Elementary; and Annalyse Guash and Brooke Lea, Zephyrhills High.

Student inductions
Rebecca Moore, of Odessa, and Alex Kiester, of Lutz, have been inducted into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi at Florida Southern College.

Saint Leo awards degrees
Saint Leo University will host a doctoral hooding ceremony on May 13, for more than 40 students receiving degrees in business administration, criminal justice, and education.

Two in-person commencement ceremonies will take place on May 14, at which time degrees (doctoral, master, bachelor and associate) will be awarded to more than 1,200 students.

Kylie Culver will be honored as the Class of 2022 valedictorian, and will deliver the official “farewell.” Culver will graduate summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in history, and minors in Spanish and world politics.

The salutatorian is David Pacheco, who will graduate summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in computer science, information assurance.

For details on the times and ceremony locations on campus, visit SaintLeo.edu.

To access a livestream, visit the school’s website, where a link will be posted the day of.

Best high schools ranked
U.S. News & World Report has named the best high schools in the Tampa area, as well as national rankings, according to its website, USnews.com.

The top 10 high schools were ranked as follows:

  • Plant High, No. 1 in Tampa; No. 632 in National Rankings
  • Steinbrenner High, No. 2 Tampa; No. 742 National
  • Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High, No. 3 Tampa; No. 790 National
  • Newsome High, No. 4 Tampa; No. 903 National
  • Palm Harbor University High, No. 5 Tampa; No. 985 National
  • Osceola Fundamental High, No. 6 Tampa; No. 1,326 National
  • Robinson High, No. 7 Tampa; No. 1,351 National
  • St. Petersburg Collegiate High, No. 8 Tampa; No. 1,354 National
  • Sickles High, No. 9 Tampa; No. 1,367 National
  • Land O’ Lakes High, No. 10 Tampa; No. 1,380 National

Other area school rankings in Tampa included Wiregrass Ranch High, No. 12; Mitchell High, No. 14; and Sunlake High, No. 15.

Hillsborough Virtual School came in at No. 19 in the Tampa area.

Loki lives up to his name

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Loki is a 2-year-old Boston Terrier. He is obsessed with playing fetch and running in the waves on the beach. Loki puts up with his mom dressing him up in silly costumes, for his own Instagram account. Loki lives with Christa Boyle and family in Land O’ Lakes.

Out for a family swim

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A maintenance crew recently mowed a drainage pond in a neighborhood village in Zephyrhills. But after 2 inches of rain, resident Barbara Tabor woke up to find a mother duck with her brood in the pond. She wondered if the ducks had been there before the rain, and how did they all get there? She is still trying to figure out the mystery. Tabor said it was hard to count the ducks, as they kept moving, but she counted 16!