The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Toys For Tots gearing up for holidays

By

Toys for Tots Central Pasco is gearing up for the holidays.

It is recruiting businesses that would like to have a box for a toy collection in their office or building, to collect toys for the coming holiday season, according to a news release.

If you’d like to help, call 813-803-2040.

It also is registering local families to receive the gifts that are collected.

The collection boxes will be dropped off on Nov. 14 and Nov. 15, and then collected on Dec. 14 and Dec. 15.

Toys collected in the Land O’ Lakes region will stay within the community for local families.

Central Pasco/Land O’Lakes will have a Toys for Tots distribution day on Dec. 17, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration is required in advance by calling 813-803-2122.

Families will be given a time slot to pick up toys. Organizers ask that only adults pick up the toys, if possible, with the goal of preserving the magic of the holidays for children.

Pickup will be at the Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park community center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

Schools in the community have been notified.

Toys for Tots serves children from ages 1 to 12. Registration is open and ends on Dec. 1.

If you or your organization would like to give a donation to help purchase toys, please call 813-803-2122 and someone will be in contact with you. You can also reach the organization by emailing ">.

Published October 26, 2022

A pumpkin big enough for a carriage

By

A group of children from Steps to Maturity, an Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County provider, was the first to experience Florida’s largest pumpkin on Oct. 12, at Bearss Groves, 14316 Lake Magdalene Blvd. The children watched as the 969-pound pumpkin was transported by tractor and placed in front of the farm stand. The children, ages 3 and 4, participated in an immersive sensory activity as they explored the insides of a pumpkin. (Courtesy of Bearss Groves)

Bearss Groves, a family run farmers market at 14316 Lake Magdalene Blvd., has once again become home to Florida’s largest pumpkin.

Two years ago ,after putting a nearly 1,000-pound pumpkin on display right before Halloween, Bearss Groves welcomed a 969-pound pumpkin from Michigan on Oct. 12, encouraging locals and nearby residents to come gawk at and pose with the large fruit. The pumpkin display is in addition to the farmers market pumpkin patch, as well as its large Live Oak Tree that is estimated to be more than 400 years old.

Seeing the large pumpkin is free of charge, pets are welcome and the market is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Published October 26, 2022

A Sense of Hearing

By

The human body has five senses—sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste—and each one of them diminishes as we age.  Only one of them—hearing—can be restrengthened through digital technology.

“Hearing is an extremely sophisticated, complex, and individual process of the human anatomy,” Dr. Judith L. Reese explains. “The natural ear includes a series of bones, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, membranes and nerves that convert sound waves into electrical impulses. These impulses are sent to the brain and then translated into recognizable sounds, as in speech, all in microseconds.” Reese has been an audiologist for nearly 30 years, and has served thousands of patients at her clinic, JC Audiology, in Lutz. “When such an intricate and complex sense begins to diminish,” she continues, “it can affect an individual’s entire brain function, including their memory and sense of balance.”

Dr. Judith Reese and her husband, Charlie

Dr. Reese has studied the science of hearing and hearing loss for decades, and her research has been lauded by national journals as the best in the nation. She also has studied extensively on the new technologies that emerge for treating hearing loss. As a private practice, independent dispenser of hearing devices, she can make recommendations to patients that are free from the incentives manufacturers place on many franchise dispensers. This unbiased approach serves the patients she sees well, and her recommendations are based on what devices she knows will be best for the patient first, and not some corporate office elsewhere.

With hearing aids now being offered over the counter, Dr. Reese feels this will enable many people to begin trying hearing aids earlier than they might have previously. “The earlier you address your hearing loss,” she explains, “the better it is for your overall quality of life, emotional well-being and cognitive health.” There are caveats to self-treating hearing loss, however. Dr. Reese said that over-the-counter solutions are limited, and are intended to help those with a mild hearing loss who can self-adjust their devices to the amplification they desire.

The more significant a hearing loss is, she says, the more attention you should spend on a comprehensive hearing test and professional calibration of devices to better match your individual loss. “Your hearing and hearing levels are a part of that sophisticated auditory system,” Dr. Reese continues. “It’s not a place most people want to take a shortcut on.”

In addition to testing hearing levels and calibrating devices to match in a more natural way to individual hearing levels, Dr. Reese stresses the importance of proper maintenance of hearing devices. “We service more than 150 devices in our clinic every month. These devices are little computers that are worn upwards of 16 hours per day in a humid ear canal where the temperature is 98 degrees. They need specialized maintenance care and, at times, additional professional care.” Dr. Reese said that her “Hearing Aid Hospital” is busy every day, with many devices coming in needing complete revitalization.

Dr. Reese offers complimentary hearing aid consultations at her clinic, JC Audiology, 1519 Dale Mabry Highway, Suite 105, in Lutz.  For appointments, call 813-949-1331.

Little efforts helping in a big way

By

(Courtesy of Judith Moore)

Students of Sunlake Academy Math and Science in Lutz collected dozens of donations and supplies through a weeklong drop-off during the school’s morning drive. See our full feature story on how the community pitched in to help the victims of Hurricane Ian.

School board members share joy over Kirkland opening

By

During board member comments at the Oct. 4 Pasco County School Board meeting, Allen Altman expressed his appreciation for the dedication ceremony held last month at Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation.

School board member Allen Altman said this photo of Kirkland Academy of Innovation, at 9100 Curley Road, in Wesley Chapel, perfectly captures the nature of the special celebration to dedicate the new high school. The school is designed to prepare students in an array of current and emerging technical and career fields. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

The new high school, at 9100 Curley Road, in Wesley Chapel, has an emphasis on preparing students for a wide range of technical careers, in both current and emerging fields.

Altman, who is retiring from the board, has persistently pushed to increase opportunities for students living on the east side of Pasco County, which for years lagged in programming options behind other parts of the county.

Altman asked that a photo taken during the evening be shared with those attending or viewing the board’s meeting.

He praised Andy Dunn, a multimedia specialist for the district, for the excellent quality of the photograph.

“I thought this was an artist’s rendering when I first saw it, but it is an actual photograph,” said Altman, referring to a photo showing the school set against a stunning sky.

The school board member said the photo aptly recorded the special nature of the celebration.

“It was a tremendous night. The weather could not have been any more spectacular. Great turnout. Room was full.

“Everything was wonderful.

“We had some business partners that were there, that were in the tours, that have already reached out to us about participating and partnering in some other programs.

“So, it was well-received and very well done.

“So many students that were there that we heard just tremendous stories from, and what their intentions are and how motivated they are,” Altman said. “I’m really, really, really excited about this.”

School board member Allison Crumbley, who attended the dedication ceremony as well, said that Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation “is  such a beacon for the future for so many students.

“The school is beautiful.

“It’s truly a gem in our school district,” said Crumbley, adding that like Altman, she’s excited about what this school will do to support students’ futures.

Published October 12, 2022

First Dade City Art Walk a success

By

Artist Jayde Archbold at Lighthouse Books, at 14046 Fifth St., in Dade City. (Courtesy of Jasmine Wright)

The weeklong, first-ever Dade City Art Walk, featuring 22 local artists, was well-received by those checking out the displays, and by shop owners in the area.

The Dade City Center for the Arts and the Dade City Merchants Association featured artistic displays in shops along historic downtown streets, including Meridian Avenue and Seventh Street.

The event kicked off on Sept. 17, at the Florida National Guard Armory, and ended on Sept. 24, at Dade City Brew House. The final event featured live music, the Pre-Casso Kid craft area, and the release of a special beer made to “pair” with an art piece by Mark Hannah.

“It was just a nice way to tie a tidy bow on the end of the art walk,” said Jasmine Wright, who is an Arts Center board member, Art Walk organizer and the owner of Treehouse Mercantile.

Published October 05, 2022

Artist Katie Sutton at Treehouse Mercantile, 37834 Meridian Ave., in Dade City.
Artist Keith Martin Johns at Lowman Law Firm, at 14206 Fifth St., in Dade City.
Artist Kaitlyn Muldez at Arts Eclectic, at 14115 Seventh St., in Dade City.

Keeping an eye out for healthy food options, at school and events

By

If you’re like most adults, you likely remember school lunches.

Maybe it was an encounter with ‘mystery meat.’ Or, perhaps, a serving of nachos and cheese.

I remember in school, during the ’90s, the lunch line would have Snickers ice cream bars.

Those days are gone, much to the dismay of many kids.

Foods served in today’s schools must comply with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) “Smart Snacks” standards.

Those changes were adopted in the 2014-2015 school year. The standards include:

  • A grain product with 50% or more whole grains by weight, with whole grain listed as the first ingredient
  • Foods that have a fruit, vegetable, dairy food or protein food, listed as the first ingredient
  • Combination foods with at least ¼ cup of fruit and/or vegetable
  • Total 200 calories or less for a snack; 350 calories or less for an entrée
  • Have 200 mg or less of sodium for a snack; 480 mg or less for an entree
  • Contain 35% of calories or less for total fat, in snacks and entrees; nuts are exempt from this rule
  • Contain 10% or less of saturated fat for snacks and entrees
  • Have 0 grams of trans fat for snacks and entrees
  • Contain total sugars for snacks and entrees of 35% or less, by weight
  • Milk must be unflavored or flavored fat-free milk; flavored low-fat milk; unflavored low-fat milk, and milk alternatives
  • Juice must be 100% fruit or vegetable juice

Outside of school hours, however, the rules are different.

The Pasco School Wellness Policy suggests 50% of concession food follow the Smart Snacks standards, but that is not mandatory.

So, what should spectators choose to eat when they’re out watching their favorite athlete?

Concession sold at many events is similar to what is found at a county fair or festival. Those foods tend to be high in calories and low in nutritional value.

So, foods sold at school concession stands — and concession stands, in general — often run counter to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

There’s one initiative that soon will be arriving at select Pasco County parks.

This initiative, called Fun Bites, will create healthier options at sporting events.

The Pasco Department of Health is working to bring this to Pasco parks, following a similar initiative pursued by the Pinellas Department of Health a few years ago.

It isn’t about removing current choices from concession menus; rather, it’s about adding healthier options to give consumers more options.

The initiative also aims to ensure that the healthier options are not more expensive.

The standards for Fun Bites products are based on the USDA Smart Snacks guidelines, listed above.

It was quite well-received in Pinellas.

In fact, at one aquatic center in Largo, after implementing the healthier concessions food options, revenues rose 40%.  A Little League park in Clearwater reported a 20% boost in revenue, after adding some of the “Fun Bites” approved foods.

Before the Fun Bites program was implemented, surveys were conducted in six Pinellas locations.

A total of 119 people responded to a question asking them how much they value healthy eating. Of those, 88 reported they value it highly.

Survey respondents reported the three main barriers to eating healthy at concession stands are: a lack of selections, cost of the items and dissatisfaction with the options.

The Fun Bites project addressed these issues and made nutritious food more accessible at parks and recreation events.

So, if you like the idea of having healthier options available, keep an eye out because some Pasco parks soon will be offering good nutritional choices to their concession menus.

By Shari Bresin

Shari Bresin is the Family & Consumer Science Agent for the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension Pasco County.

Published October 05, 2022

Local youth create art for festival

By

(Courtesy of Dade City Garden Club)

The Youth Group from St. Rita’s Catholic Church in Dade City helped create some artwork that will be featured during the upcoming Monarch Butterfly Festival, hosted by the Dade City Garden Club and Dade City Youth Council. The festival will be held Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Polly Touchton Park, between Fifth Street and Seventh Street, and Bougainvillea Avenue and Southview Avenue, in Dade City. This art project was arranged by Lee Taylor out of Out of Our Hands Gallery, a home and garden gift store, at 14245 Seventh Ave., Dade City. For more information about the festival, visit tinyurl.com/3dmru69d.

Compass Concierge Helps Increase Your Home’s Value

By

True Story: Recently a homeowner was offered $595,000 for their home from a national online iBuyer service. They promised less hassle, no showings, no waiting or worry. The homeowner chose to list his home with an agent instead, and after just four showings, the agent executed a contract for $694,000 – $100,000 more than the iBuyer company had offered.

Would you show your house four times to earn an extra $100,000?
Many times, a homeowner will choose to utilize an iBuyer service so that they can sell their home in “as-is” condition. Homeowners may not have liquid cash assets for required repairs or updates before selling. That is where Toni Hedstrom, PA and Compass come into the picture.
Compass Concierge allows you to tap into your home’s equity with an interest-free loan that you will pay back at closing. Invest a little upfront with interest-free money to have a much greater return on your home sale.

Here are examples of how the money can be used to increase your home’s value or make your move experience simple and stress-free:
·   Painting
·   Staging
·   Replace appliances
·   Update light fixtures
·   Replace countertops
·   Replace flooring
·   Update landscaping
·   Decluttering service
·   Professional cleaning
·   HVAC replacement
·   Window replacement
·   Paying for movers
·   Moving materials
·   Trash removal
·   Pay for a storage unit
·   Down payment for assisted living or retirement home
·   Short-term housing
·   Dog walkers during showings
·   Post-inspection repairs
·   Replace knobs & hardware
·   Replace faucets & shower heads
·   Deep clean carpets
·   Replace roof
·   Resurface pool
·   Fix or replace pool equipment

Options are endless as the money can be used for any purchase that supports the sale!
Use any vendor you choose and use any of the following three methods to pay them: Concierge Capital Debit Card, check payment sent directly to the vendor, or cashout to your bank account to pay vendor via cash, Venmo, PayPal, etc.

For more information, call Toni Hedstrom at 813-830-8664, or email .

These Can’t-Miss Events Are Coming Up At Avalon Park Wesley Chapel

By

As we head into the final months of the year, Avalon Park Wesley Chapel — a premier master-planned community in Pasco County — has tons of fun events in the works for the local community.

From movie nights, a spooktacular Halloween event, community yard sale and so much more, check out what’s coming up at Avalon Park Wesley Chapel.

Jazz Under The Starz
During this event, guests can enjoy live music, art and poetry, and check out different vendors and food trucks.

The next Jazz Under The Starz takes place on Oct. 29 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person, which can be purchased at JazzUnderTheStarz.com. Kids ages 12 and under are free, and pets are allowed as long as they aren’t aggressive and the owners are cleaning up after their furry friends. Concert guests also can bring lawn chairs and coolers.

Movie Nights
This fun-for-all-ages event gives families a chance to watch a hit film under the stars. All movies start at dark.

Here is the movie line-up for the remainder of the year:

  • Oct. 14: “Zootopia” & “Hocus Pocus” — Avalon Park Wesley Chapel will have a Disney double-feature as they play Walt Disney’s “Zootopia,” a comedy-adventure set in a city of anthropomorphic animals; and Disney’s “Hocus Pocus,” a classic Halloween movie about a trio of diabolical witches.
  • Nov. 11: “Brave” — Disney and Pixar’s “Brave” is about Princess Merida determined to carve her own path in life, which results in chaos to her kingdom. She must use her bravery and archery skills to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late.
  • Dec. 9: “The Grinch” — The 2018 animated version of the classic Christmas tale, The Grinch plots to ruin Christmas for the village of Whoville.

Community Yard Sale
Avalon Park Wesley Chapel’s fall community yard sale will take place this year on October 22 from 8 a.m. to noon. If interested in participating, you can contact Avalon Park Wesley Chapel at or call 813-783-1515.

Spooktacular
On Oct. 22, Avalon Park Wesley Chapel will host its annual Spooktacular event, a spooky fun-filled Halloween Celebration! Festivities will include trick-or-treating prizes, a haunted house, food trucks, vendors and more. Come out to play, and be sure to bring your best costume. The event, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., is free and open to the public.

Avalon Aglow
Join Avalon Park Wesley Chapel for its annual fun-filled holiday celebration, Avalon Aglow. The festivities kick off on Dec. 10 starting at 5 p.m. There will be pictures with Santa, REAL snow, vendors, live music, and a complimentary bounce park, followed by a spectacular fireworks show. This event is free and open to the public.

Vendors Wanted!
With all of its festivities coming up, Avalon Park Wesley Chapel is looking to add more vendors and performers to its list. If interested, contact Marielle Fernandez at M or 813-783-1515.

Published September 28, 2022