Mary Rathman

Lunch companion

February 9, 2021 By Mary Rathman

Lillian Cucuzza, of Land O’ Lakes, spotted a Northern Harrier at Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland. This one caught a lizard and perched right in front of her to eat it. The harrier is a bit different from other hawks as they have a white band where its tail begins from the body, and they have a face that almost resembles an owl.

Health News 02/10/2021

February 9, 2021 By Mary Rathman

New appointment
Premier Community HealthCare has announced that Jennifer Lineburg has joined its executive team as chief human resources officer.

Lineburg joins Premier from Raymond James in St. Petersburg, where she served as a human resources director, a position in which she supported internal client groups and coached leaders on organizational design and effectiveness.

As the new chief officer, Lineburg has extensive experience with selection processes, employee relations, conflict resolution, training and development, coaching teams and individuals for success, and improving human resources processes.

She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of North Florida, and a master’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology from Walden University.

“I was instantly drawn to the mission and dedication of this organization,” said Lineburg, in a news release. “I look forward to continuing the good work of talent acquisition and creating a culture of excellence and engagement for all Premier employees.”

Premier Community HealthCare opened its doors in 1979, and now has more than 200 employees among 12 locations in Pasco and Hernando counties.

The employees care for approximately 37,000 patients each year.

For information, visit PremierHC.org.

Oncology staff moves
Advanced Cancer Treatment Centers has announced that its radiation oncology staff has moved to 15211 Cortez Blvd., in Brooksville, just east of the Suncoast Parkway on State Road 50.

These providers are seeing and treating all patients at the new location:

Dr. Clayton Alonso, radiation oncology
Dr. Peter Zavitsanos, radiation oncology
Dr. Aaron Denson, hematology oncology

For information, visit ACTCHealth.com.

Chalk Talk 02/10/2021

February 9, 2021 By Mary Rathman

Students of the Month
Twelve students from three schools were honored as the Greater Zephyrhills Students of the Month.

Staff from The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce visited the schools and delivered certificates and goody bags to the students, in lieu of an in-person ceremony, due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

The students were chosen by the teachers and administration of their individual schools for exemplary effort, achievement and contribution to the school, their family and their community.

The chamber has recognized students with this program each month of the school year for 22 years.

These students received honors for the first nine weeks of school: Alyssa Hanson, Lemuel Owotoki, Grace Corlee and Tai Lynch, of Heritage Academy; Alyssa Rojas, Brady Hinsz, Dylan Fleshood and Marjiana Brown, of Stewart Middle School; and, Clarence Strong, Riley Hutchinson, Kayvon Naughton and Taylor Sampson, of West Zephyrhills Elementary School.

Not all students were available for a photo.

St. Anthony open house
St. Anthony Catholic School, 12155 Joe Herrmann Drive in San Antonio, is scheduled to open a new VPK program in August. Enrollment for new families will begin on Feb. 23.

St. Anthony is a private K-8 school founded in 1884 and dedicated to providing students with quality and Christ-centered education that addresses a child’s needs spiritually, academically, socially, emotionally and physically.

For information and to learn more about the school’s VPK program, K-8 openings, or to schedule a tour, call 352-588-3041, or visit StAnthonySchoolFl.org.

Academy at the Farm
Academy at the Farm, 9500 Alex Lange Way in Dade City, is open for enrollment through Feb. 28.

The charter school is “designed to meet the needs of all students by promoting academic excellence, developing productive citizens through character building, and incorporating the advancement of technology in the curriculum,” according to its website.

The academy serves preschool through eighth grade.

For more information and to apply, visit AcademyAtTheFarm.com.

Student achievement
Clare O’ Keefe, of Lutz, was named to the Dean’s List at Endicott College, Beverly, Massachusetts, for the fall semester. O’ Keefe is majoring in sports management.

Early release days
During the second semester, Pasco County Schools will implement a two-hour early release day every month, each day falling on a Wednesday. There will be no early release day in May.

The early release days, which were implemented for the first time last school year, provide teachers with an opportunity to complete professional development and experience training that will help increase effective instruction and ultimately will benefit students.

Students who are registered in the district’s PLACE program will be able to stay the extra two hours with no additional charges. School buses will operate two hours earlier during early release days. The routes and bus stops will not change.

Upcoming early release days are March 3 and April 7.

The bell times, including the early release times for each school, can be found at Pasco.k12.fl.us/site/pcs_bell_schedule, or on the Pasco County Schools’ Facebook page.

SAT School Day
The District School Board of Pasco County will provide the SAT School Day free of charge to all juniors on March 24, according to the Pasco County Schools Facebook page.

The district will register all juniors for the test; it is not necessary for students to register on the College Board website.

For more information, students should contact their respective school counselor.

Friendly rivalry

February 2, 2021 By Mary Rathman

Ahead of Super Bowl LV, pitting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Kansas City Chiefs, Mary Eberhard of The Laker/Lutz News (left), and Karen Carr, building manager of Copperstone Executive Suites, support their favorite teams by wearing their respective game gear. Super Bowl Sunday is Feb. 7.

Show your local library some love

February 2, 2021 By Mary Rathman

Libraries provide so much more than a place to borrow a book, music and movies — they also provide a place to do research, a quiet space to study, exhibit art displays for local artists, provide hands-on activities and offer preservation services. These institutions are celebrated in February, designated as National Library Lover’s Month.

Libraries offer a variety of services. Check out a book, music or a movie, or take part in arts and crafts or virtual story times. Staff members of The Laker/Lutz News delve into some books and newspapers — just a small sampling of the types of materials that can be found at the local library. From left: Kelli Carmack, Diane Kortus, Mary Rathman and Katie Fernandez. (Kelli Carmack)

There are 9,225 public libraries across the United States, though may states have seen library closings, according to the American Library Association.

A struggling economy has cost libraries some funding, as some municipalities cannot afford to keep libraries open, while other establishments are taking steps to make libraries more popular in the digital age.

Many libraries have increased their offerings beyond traditional books to include free music and e-Book downloads, and free wireless internet connectivity. Services also can include hosting club meetings, increasing children’s programs, and offering DIY curbside-pickup crafts and virtual story times.

Here are several ways patrons can contribute to their local libraries:

Nominate your library as your community, school or corporate organization’s project for the year.
Buy your library a subscription to a popular magazine.
Honor a friend or relative’s birthday with a book for the library.
Donate a book (or a whole shelf of books) to the Friends of the Library book sale.
Remember your library in your estate planning.
Donate to your library’s foundation/friends group.
Give to the library through a company matching program for charitable giving.
Give the gift of a library card to a friend or loved one.
Volunteer to read stories to children or help with library visits, or to work at the library bookstore or book sale.
Attend local government meetings to urge city and county legislators to invest in libraries as a vital community resource and a necessary public service.

Pasco County libraries in The Laker coverage area include:

Hugh Embry Library, 14215 Fourth St., Dade City. Call 352-567-3576.
Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway. Call 813-929-1214
New River Branch Library, 34043 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel (currently closed for renovations). Call 813-788-6375.
Zephyrhills Public Library, 5347 Eight St. Call 813-780-0064.

In Hillsborough County, libraries in the newspaper’s coverage area are:

Austin Davis Public Library, 17808 Wayne Road, Odessa.
Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library, 2902 W. Bearss Ave.
Lutz Branch Library, 101 Lutz-Lake Fern Road (temporarily closed)
New Tampa Regional Library, 10001 Cross Creek Blvd.

Contact Hillsborough libraries by calling 813-273-3652.

Health News 02/03/2021

February 2, 2021 By Mary Rathman

Bringing warmth and cheer
The residents of a local nursing home had a special and festive Christmas, thanks to the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club. Members of the club provided large gift bags filled with treats, along with requested and needed items, to bring cheer to or to keep the residents warm and comfortable. Twenty-five residents who may not have had friends or family able to visit over the holidays during the pandemic lockdown were provided for. Note: Residents agreed to photos, but their names and the facility’s name were not to be released.)

Blood drive yields 20+ pints
Ierna’s Heating, Cooling & Plumbing in Lutz started the new year off with a curbside blood drive in partnership with OneBlood on Jan. 5, which yielded more than 20 pints of whole blood.

Each donor received a T-shirt, a restaurant voucher, a $20 gift card, and a wellness checkup that included a COVID-19 antibody test.

Ierna’s also handed out its own swag, including custom hand-sanitizer pens.

According to the American Red Cross, one blood donation can potentially save up to three lives. Less than 38% of the population is eligible to give blood or platelets, which makes volunteer donors important.

Donation appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are open to the public.

Follow Ierna’s Heating, Cooling & Plumbing on social media to be notified about its next blood drive, scheduled for April 1.

Women’s Choice Award
AdventHealth Zephyrhills has been named one of America’s Best Hospitals for Heart Care by the Women’s Choice Award. The award signifies that AdventHealth Zephyrhills is in the top 1% of 4,542 hospitals in the United States offering heart care services.

The methodology used to select the hospital as one of America’s best involves evaluations of:

The number of cardiac/vascular services offered. Recognized hospitals must offer at least six of the following services: Cardiac Catheter Lab, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Cardiac Surgery, Carotid Stenting, Coronary Interventions, Electrophysiology, Vascular Interventions, Vascular Surgery and Coronary Intensive Care (CCU).
30-day mortality and readmission rates for heart attack and heart failure
Patient recommendation ratings on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey
Primary research about women’s health care preferences

For information about America’s Best Hospitals for Heart Care, visit WomensChoiceAward.com/best-hospitals-for-heart-care.

New staff member
Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute has welcomed Dr. Jessica Stine, oncologist, to its staff.

Dr. Stine will care for patients at Florida Cancer’s New Port Richey location, 8763 River Crossing Blvd., and in Wesley Chapel at 2391 Oak Myrtle Lane.

She earned her medical degree from the University of Miami, and completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where she served as administrative chief resident. She was then awarded a fellowship in gynecologic oncology from the University of North Carolina Hospitals in Chapel Hill.

Dr. Stine has worked as a proctor and speaker at da Vinci Surgery, and as an associate professor for the obstetrics and gynecology residency at Brandon Regional Hospital.

She is an advanced robotic surgeon, and has an interest in fertility sparing approaches. She also is one of the few physicians trained to perform a radical trachelectomy for young cervical cancer patients who wish to preserve their ability to conceive.

Chalk Talk 02/03/2021

February 2, 2021 By Mary Rathman

John Mitten (Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

Board reappointment
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the reappointment of John Mitten to the Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) District Board of Trustees (DBOT). His term will run through May 31, 2023.

Mitten, of Brooksville, is the franchise owner of Chick-fil-A in Spring Hill and a former chairman of the Hernando County Commission.

He is active in his community with the Greater Hernando Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Hernando County, YMCA of Hernando County, Hope Children’s Home, and Jericho Road Ministries.

Mitten earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Florida State University.

“We are very pleased with the reappointment of John Mitten as a board member and look forward to his continued leadership and commitment to higher education in our communities,” Dr. Timothy Beard, PHSC president, said.

The reappointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

Upcoming early release days are Feb. 3, March 3 and April 7.

The bell times, including the early release times for each school, can be found at Pasco.k12.fl.us/site/pcs_bell_schedule, or on the Pasco County Schools’ Facebook page.

Student achievements

Christina Carroll, of Lutz: Bachelor of Science in Nursing, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
Trevina Jason-Vikram, of Wesley Chapel: Dean’s List at Normandale Community College, Bloomington, Minnesota
Weiman Jiang, of Lutz: Dean’s List at Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York
Elijah Johnson, of Odessa: Master of Public Health, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
Kelly McDermott, of Lutz: Bachelor of Arts in Communications & Information Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
Joshua Oldenburg, of Odessa: Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta

Vaccines for school employees
Pasco County Schools is partnering with the Pasco County Department of Health and the Pasco Department of Emergency Management to provide COVID-19 vaccines to school district employees who are age 65 and older, according to a news release.

The first of the two vaccine doses is scheduled for Feb. 7. A second dose is scheduled for March 7.

The vaccinations, which are by appointment only, will take place in New Port Richey and in Land O’ Lakes.

Due to a limited supply of vaccines, the state has made it a priority to vaccinate Floridians age 65 and older. Additionally, the Pasco Department of Health has made the vaccine available to the school district’s medical first responders.

The vaccinations will be administered by teams of nurses from both the Department of Health and the school district.

Federal loan tip
Students who will borrow money for college using federal student loans must complete entrance counseling, if they are borrowing for the first time, according to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA).

Entrance counseling helps students understand the financial commitments they agree to when they receive their loan.

The U.S. Department of Education requires borrowers to complete the counseling before students can receive loan funds. The counseling will teach users how to borrow responsibly without taking out more loans than are needed.

The department offers online counseling at StudentAid.gov, under the Complete Aid Process tab. Counseling should take between 20 minutes to 30 minutes.

Borrowers should check with their college to see if the federal counseling session is accepted, as some schools have alternate counseling program requirements.

The KHEAA is a public, nonprofit agency established in 1966 to improve students’ access to college. It also provides information about financial aid and financial literacy at no cost to students and parents.

For more about KHEAA services, visit KHEAA.com.

St. Anthony open house
St. Anthony Catholic School, 12155 Joe Herrmann Drive in San Antonio, is scheduled to open a new VPK program in August. Enrollment for new families will begin on Feb. 23.

The school will host an open house on Feb. 4 from 9 a.m. to noon. Small tours will be given due to the current COVID-19 health and safety circumstances.

For information and to learn more about the school’s VPK program, K-8 openings, or to schedule a tour, call 352-588-3041, or visit StAnthonySchoolFl.org.

SAT School Day
The District School Board of Pasco County will provide the SAT School Day free of charge to all juniors on March 24, according to the Pasco County Schools Facebook page.

The district will register all juniors for the test; it is not necessary for students to register on the College Board website.

For more information, students should contact their respective school counselor.

Reba is a sweetie

February 2, 2021 By Mary Rathman

Reba McKenzie is a 1-year-old toy poodle. She is as sweet as she is cute. Reba has a fun personality and is smart. She loves to play with her big sister Sweet Pea, a 10-year-old toy poodle. Reba loves to carry a stick or golf ball on her daily walks around the neighborhood. Reba lives with Gina Kriegisch in Land O’ Lakes.

A striking presence

February 2, 2021 By Mary Rathman

Theresa Sierra, of Land O’ Lakes, said this painted bunting every year comes by her bird feeder at her home in Lake Thomas. The male bunting is vividly colored and the female is mostly green with a hint of yellow. People used to capture the males and keep them in bird cages to be sold, but that practice now is illegal.

Shedding light on human trafficking

January 26, 2021 By Mary Rathman

The Human Trafficking Foundation raises awareness to educate communities about the perils of men, women and children enslaved through human trafficking. This form of modern-day slavery involves the exploitation of vulnerable persons through commercial sex, forced labor or involuntary servitude.

(Courtesy of The Human Trafficking Foundation)

On a local scale, according to national human trafficking hotline tips and complaints, Florida ranks as third in the proliferation of human trafficking, with the Tampa Bay area being second in the state.

The David Maus Foundation will sponsor the annual Light Up the Night Human Trafficking Awareness Event scheduled for Jan. 30, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel.

The free, family friendly event will take place at the shopping center’s parking garage, upper level.

There will be live music by Brooke Robertson; intermission music hosted by Northwest Community Church; a performance by Vine Church’s Dunamis Dance Ministry; a Kids’ Zone; a teen area with games; educational speakers; and, a candlelight ceremony to conclude the event.

To learn more about the Human Trafficking Foundation, visit HTFoundation.us.

If you think you have come into contact with a victim of human trafficking in Pasco, Hillsborough or Pinellas County, call the National Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline at 888-373-7888.

Published January 27, 2021