The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Mary Rathman

Basking in the sunlight

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Amber Fly spied this softshell turtle during a walk through the Morris Bridge Wilderness Park in Thonotosassa. The diet of the softshell turtle usually consists of snails and fish, but these creatures have been known to eat waterfowl such as ducks and even small herons.

Health News 09/01/2021

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(Courtesy of networkofcare.adventhealth.com)

Back pain in children
The growing number of books, notebooks, folders and other items needed for school unknowingly can place children at risk for back pain, according to an AdventHealth news release.

How a child wears his or her backpack can even play a part, and to decrease the risk of back injury, a backpack should be worn as it was intended.

To encourage correct use, select a backpack that’s comfortable – usually one made of lightweight material with cushioned straps and a back panel.

To get an A+ in backpack safety, AdventHealth offers these tips:

  • Carry only necessities leaving everything else at home or in a locker. Keep the load light.
  • Wear both shoulder straps.
  • Wear waist belt if present.
  • Keep all straps snuggly fastened but not overly tight.
  • Keep heavier items closer to your back.

A heavy backpack can alter the natural curvature of the spine, placing abnormal stress on spine structures.

Over time, this awkward posture can cause a student to develop pain.

Good posture and proper body mechanics are key factors to maintaining spine health.

When lifting more than five pounds, a student should get down close to the backpack, keeping the neck and back in line, bend at the hips, and lift with the legs and buttocks while tightening the abdominal muscles. A student should refrain from reaching for or twisting to pick up the heavy load.

New physicians
Florida Orthopaedic Institute (FOI) has added Dr. Jeffrey T. Kannen and Dr. Spencer S. Smith to its organization.

Dr. Kannen is fellowship trained in primary care sports medicine, and cares for all musculoskeletal conditions in pediatric and adult populations.

As a primary care sports medicine and orthopedic physician, he does not perform surgical procedures. His interests are in overuse injuries of the upper and lower extremities, extreme sports injuries, diagnostic ultrasound, and regenerative medicine treatments.

Dr. Smith received his fellowship in adult reconstruction, and performs hip and knee replacements. He also takes care of failed or infected joint replacements.

Dr. Kannen will see patients at the FOI Citrus Park, North Tampa and Palm Harbor offices.

Dr. Smith will be at the North Tampa, Riverview and Wesley Chapel locations.

For information, visit FloridaOrtho.com.

Chalk Talk 09/01/2021

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Sheriff’s office dives in on first day of school
The Pasco Sheriff’s Office (PSO) helped to welcome students back to school.

School crossing guards, traffic control officers and school resource officers (SROs) greeted students and offered words of encouragement.

PSO deputies and detectives increased patrols in school zones to ensure everyone’s safety.

The first week of school was packed with celebrations and introductions, as the SROs participated in “get to know you” projects; handed out goodies, school supplies and backpacks; and, celebrated birthdays and the grand opening of a new school.

A smiling Cpl. Brandy Bors opens the gate for students at the new Starkey Ranch K-8 School. (Courtesy of Pasco Sheriff’s Office)
Cpl. Marvin Keys offers the Wiregrass Ranch High ‘Bulls’ sign to welcome students back to school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lake Myrtle awarded grant
Lake Myrtle Elementary students and staff aim to focus on kindness, as the 2020-2021 school year begins.

Lake Myrtle is one of 82 schools nationwide awarded funding by the Choose Kindness Foundation, a philanthropic organization founded earlier this year, according to a news release.

Together, Lake Myrtle and the foundation will begin an active partnership to teach and celebrate kindness, with the intention of creating a welcoming, inclusive and caring school environment.

The $6,500 grant honors the commitment to kindness the school has made over the years, and was based on Lake Myrtle’s demonstration of a systematic, evidence-based approach to developing pro-social behaviors for at least three years.

Through grant funding, online resources and training, the foundation works with recipient schools to engage all students in a consistent effort to learn and practice kind behaviors that are shown to increase academic, social, emotional and behavioral competence.

New administrators
Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) has named Marcia Austin, Ed.D., as senior vice president of technology and distance education, chief information officer; and Reginald Wilson as provost of the North Campus in Brooksville.

Austin had served as PHSC’s dean of workforce development, career and technical education since August 2018.

Prior to that, Austin was employed with Hernando County Schools for 28 years, serving as a mathematics instructor, principal, interim assistant superintendent and, most recently, as the district supervisor of secondary programs where she served as a liaison administrator for dual enrollment programs between Hernando County Schools and PHSC.

She was an adjunct professor at PHSC for more than seven years.

Wilson served as acting provost of the North Campus, and the associate dean of academic affairs and retention services for nearly one year.

Prior to his employment at the North Campus, Wilson served as an assistant dean of student affairs at PHSC’s West Campus.

Lighting donation
The Pasco-Hernando State College Foundation received a $480,000 donation from Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative Inc. (WREC), for baseball field lighting at the college’s West Campus in New Port Richey, according to a news release.

Through the donation, state-of-the-art lighting will be installed at the field, enabling games to take place in the evening.

PHSC student-athletes will not be the only benefactors of the donation. Field lighting will increase PHSC’s opportunities to further engage the community by providing a premier sports recreation venue for youth programs, community outreach and fundraising events, and campus and student events.

Installation of the lighting is expected to be completed this fall.

For information on how to support PHSC athletics, visit Foundation.phsc.edu, or call 727-816-3410.

Performing arts fundraiser
In celebration of the upcoming 50th anniversary of Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC), the PHSC Foundation will host a fundraiser on Sept. 9, at the Instructional Performing Arts Center, 8657 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel.

The foundation’s goal is to raise $1 million to help students with scholarships.

During the 2020-2021 academic year, the PHSC Foundation has assisted nearly 950 students with $1.2 million in scholarship funding.

The presenting sponsor for the event is the Musunuru family. Dr. Rao Musunuru has been serving as a member of the District Board of Trustees for PHSC for the past 22 years.

For information, contact Lisa Richardson, associate vice president of alumni and college relations/executive director of the PHSC Foundation, at or 727-816-3410.

(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

Providing for students
Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club collected a large amount of school supplies to assist students at three local schools: Connerton Elementary, Miles Elementary and Lutz Elementary. Faith Sincich stands alongside one of three SUVs filled with school supplies. The club for decades has supported education, local schools and libraries. For membership opportunities or information, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org, or its Facebook page.

A day to remember, a story to tell

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Weddings are usually joyful celebrations.

The wedding day of Dianna and Les Vickers, however, was one of sadness, joy, concern, elation, fear and relief.

Before the ceremony was set to begin, the couple was posing for photographs on their wedding day on July 16, 2011, at Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz.

Les and Dianne Vickers at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, 2021. (Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

Les mentioned he was feeling lightheaded due to his diabetes.

But before the wedding party could retrieve a chair for Les to sit on, he fell backward and hit his head on the floor.

EMS was called and Les was transported to the hospital, where the couple hoped for a quick treatment — to enable Les to head back to church for the wedding.

Unfortunately, Les had suffered a brain bleed and could not be released.

Because they were planning a traditional wedding, Les initially had not seen Dianna in her gown.

“The story I like to tell is that when I saw her for the first time in her wedding dress for the pictures, I was so swept off my feet that I fell straight down and banged my head,” Les said.

When asked what he wanted to do about the ceremony, Les said: “Today is supposed to be my wedding day and that’s what I want to do. We’re going to get married right here in the hospital.”

Dianna returned to the church, where she walked down the aisle and the pastor performed the preliminary parts of the wedding service.

Then, Dianna and her bridesmaids, along with 40 guests, motorcaded to the hospital where she and Les were married while he laid in his emergency room bed.

The guests waited in the emergency room area to congratulate the couple.

Les eventually spent five days in the ICU before being discharged.

Les and Dianna have celebrated their anniversary day for the past nine years by having lunch in St. Joseph’s Hospital-North’s Twigs Café.

Dianna has been at the hospital much more frequently during the past three years, helping out as a volunteer.

Occasionally, she said, she runs into team members that remember or have heard about her wedding day back in 2011.

It was not what one would call a traditional wedding day, but a decade later, Dianna and Les are still going strong.

Published August 25, 2021

Library system honored for taking on a NASA Challenge

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Science ‘sprouted’ earlier this year at the Hugh Embry Library in Dade City, as Pasco County Libraries took part in a NASA challenge. (File)

Pasco County Libraries is ‘over the moon’ with a win in the Best in Show for Evaluation of Results category, in NASA’s Plant the Moon Challenge.

The Institute of Competition Scientists issued the challenge — in collaboration with the University of Central Florida’s Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science (CLASS) Exolith Lab, which, in turn, provided the lunar soil simulant to conduct the experiment.

Earlier this year, the library’s team of ‘scientists,’ the MoonRakers, embarked on the 10-week task to examine how vegetation grows in lunar soil. The team collected data to help determine ways to use lunar soil to grow crops for future space missions.

After the growing period, which took place at the Hugh Embry Library in Dade City, the MoonRakers submitted its findings and showcased them at a virtual symposium in April, with NASA scientists and other researchers.

As a result of the team’s efforts, its data will be used in NASA’s Artemis Program, the new initiative to return to the moon.

You can learn more about the challenge on Hugh Embry Library’s Facebook page.

Published August 25, 2021

Liezel is sweet & smart

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Liezel is a beautiful 8-year-old Pomeranian. She is a registered therapy dog and has won awards for her work. Liezel lives with her proud owners, James and Judith Sota, in Land O’ Lakes.

A family outing

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Nick Marek has lived at Eagle Island in Lake Padgett Estates East, in Land O’ Lakes, for 25 years. He loves the variety of wildlife that comes through the area.

New physicians

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Florida Orthopaedic Institute (FOI) has added Dr. Jeffrey T. Kannen and Dr. Spencer S. Smith to its organization.

Dr. Kannen is fellowship trained in primary care sports medicine, and cares for all musculoskeletal conditions in pediatric and adult populations.

As a primary care sports medicine and orthopedic physician, he does not perform surgical procedures. His interests are in overuse injuries of the upper and lower extremities, extreme sports injuries, diagnostic ultrasound, and regenerative medicine treatments.

Dr. Smith received his fellowship in adult reconstruction, and performs hip and knee replacements. He also takes care of failed or infected joint replacements.

Dr. Kannen will see patients at the FOI Citrus Park, North Tampa and Palm Harbor offices.

Dr. Smith will be at the North Tampa, Riverview and Wesley Chapel locations.

For information, visit FloridaOrtho.com.

Chalk Talk 08/25/2021

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Rebecca Urbonas (Courtesy of Allan and Pamela Urbonas)

Local student aims high
Rebecca Urbonas, Sunlake High School Class of 2018 valedictorian, graduated from Florida Atlantic University (FAU) with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, summa cum laude, after three years, at the age of 19.

She also received recognition for achieving Max Planck Honors for her research and defense of her undergraduate thesis in the area of neuroscience.

Urbonas was one of 67 students, out of more than 6,000 applicants, to be admitted into the medical school at the Charles Schmidt College of Medicine at FAU, to continue her studies to become a medical doctor.

She was inducted on Aug. 6 into the FAU medical school at the annual White Coat Ceremony for the Class of 2025, where she received her white coat as an M1, at the age of 20.

Vocational center
Hope Services will host a grand opening ribbon-cutting of a Vocational Training Center on Aug. 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Wesley Chapel Recreation Center Complex, 7727 Boyette Road in Wesley Chapel.

There will be inflatables, food trucks, games, music, sports clinics, refreshments and more. The first 750 people will receive a free goodie bag.

For information, email .

Intro to Acting
The Live Oak Theatre Company will offer an Introduction to Acting program on Aug. 30, Sept. 13, Sept. 20 and Sept. 27 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the Carol and Frank Morsani Center for the Arts, 21030 Cortez Blvd., in Brooksville. The program is for ages 7 to 18.

Topics will include basic acting skills and the principles of acting; theater terminology; theater etiquette; the use of humor; and memorizing and delivering monologs.

Tuition is $40 for the four-day course.

To register, call 352-593-0270, or email .

Performing arts fundraiser
In celebration of the upcoming 50th anniversary of Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC), the PHSC Foundation will host a fundraiser on Sept. 9, at the Instructional Performing Arts Center, 8657 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel.

The foundation’s goal is to raise $1 million to help students with scholarships.

During the 2020-2021 academic year, the PHSC Foundation has assisted nearly 950 students with $1.2 million in scholarship funding.

The presenting sponsor for the event is the Musunuru family. Dr. Rao Musunuru has been serving as a member of the District Board of Trustees for PHSC for the past 22 years.

For information, contact Lisa Richardson, associate vice president of alumni and college relations/executive director of the PHSC Foundation, at or 727-816-3410.

Adopt a Classroom
Pepin Academies Foundation is hosting its second annual Adopt a Classroom campaign to help equip teachers and students with needed school supplies.

Individuals and businesses can participate by sponsoring or adopting a classroom, with the option to donate to one Pepin Academies campus or support all three of its Tampa Bay-area campuses.

Teachers will have the opportunity to identify their own classroom needs, which is an important step in granting schools the flexibility to adapt teaching practices to suit the individual needs of the students.

Adopt a Classroom donations can be made online at tinyurl.com/y34hzd72.

Board reappointments
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the reappointment of Dr. Rao Musunuru and Alvaro Hernandez to the Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) District Board of Trustees (DBOT).

Dr. Musunuru, current vice chair, PHSC DBOT, has been a board member since 1999.

He is a cardiologist affiliated with Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point since 1981, and over the years, has served as chief of medicine, chief of staff, and chair of the board of trustees for the center’s heart institute.

Dr. Musunuru is a past recipient of the Southern Regional Trustee Leadership Award from the National Association of Community Colleges.

Alvaro Hernandez is a market vice president for Humana.

He is a past member of the PHSC DBOT and serves on the boards of the Behavioral Health Community Council, the Starting Right Now Foundation, and Humana’s Bold Goal Community Brain Trust.

Hernandez earned his bachelor degree and master degree in international business from Nova Southeastern University.

Both Dr. Musunuru and Hernandez have been reappointed for a term through May 31, 2025.

Shoe & sock drive
The Two Good Soles Shoes and Socks Drive is underway through Oct. 22, with the Pasco County government and constitutional offices working together to collect footwear for kids in Pasco County schools.

Last year’s drive yielded 1,746 pairs of shoes and 5,773 pairs of socks.

Social workers will distribute the items to Pasco County Schools students at the end of October. Drop-off locations/collection boxes are at the offices of the Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller, the Pasco County Property Appraiser, and the Pasco County Tax Collector.

Future leaders in the making

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(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club recently helped its affiliate teen club, Little Women of Lutz, during a cleanup of its sponsored roadway, Lutz Lake Fern Road. The woman’s club sponsors and mentors this group of young women who hope to become our future leaders and community service volunteers. From left: Ashlyn Turnage, Pam Blumenthal, Lyndsey Turnage and Jasmine Doering. For information and membership opportunities, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org, or its Facebook page.