The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Ray Gadd named to state task force

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Ray Gadd

Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent for Pasco County Schools, has been named to a state task force seeking solutions to address mental health and substance abuse issues.

Gadd told members of the Pasco County School Board, at their Oct. 5 meeting, that he had been appointed by Senate President Wilton Simpson to serve on the Senate Commission on Substance Abuse and Mental Health.

“It’s made up of people that represent education and community mental health from all across the state. We meet about once a month for the next two years,” Gadd said.

The task force has high hopes for improving the coordination of efforts by school systems and community mental health organizations in taking on these problems, rather than using a silo approach, he said.

“I’m hopeful that some really good things will come out of that task force,” Gadd said.

He also invited board members and district staff to bring issues to his attention that he can present in task force discussions.

Published October 13, 2021

New camping rules in effect on SWFMD properties

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New camping rules are now being enforced on lands within the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (SWFMD) jurisdiction.

The rules became effective on June 23, but were not enforced until Oct. 1.

The updated rules provide more fair opportunities for all users and create greater consistency with the other water management districts, according to a new release from SWFMD.

Changes include:

  • Reservations must be made at least 24 hours before the start of the camping permit. No same-day reservations will be accepted.
  • Campers may arrive no earlier than 3 p.m., on the first day of their reservation.
  • Campers must depart by 11 a.m., on the final day of their permit.
  • Camping is limited to no more than seven consecutive days and 30 total days per calendar year. Attempts to circumvent the seven-day maximum or 30-day total annual length of stay are prohibited.
  • Permittees can hold no more than two active camping reservations simultaneously.
  • The quiet period is 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., at all campsites.

The district may revoke a camping permit if the permittee fails to comply with the rules.

An updated mobile emergency contact phone number is required on each reservation.

More information about camping on district lands is available at WaterMatters.org/Recreation.

Published October 13, 2021

Take a fantastical trip into the surreal, at the Dali

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Few art museums in Florida – or most anywhere outside of New York City – rival the allure of the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg.

The Salvador Dali Museum building, with its distinctive glass dome exterior, has been called rational and fantastical. (©2021 – Salvador Dalí Museum, Inc., St. Petersburg, FL)

On the southern end of downtown, on the waterfront, it boasts the largest collection of Dali’s art outside of a museum he founded himself in his hometown of Figueres, Spain.

Housed in what’s been described as “one of the top buildings to see in your lifetime,” the collection includes 2,400 works spanning Dali’s long career. Here, you can see his oil paintings, watercolors, drawings, books, book illustrations and manuscripts, prints, sculptures, photos, textiles and documents.

Dali, who died at 84 in 1989, was a prolific artist and a pioneer in Surrealism, known for his flamboyant personality as much as for his mind-bending art. Some called him a mad genius.

Many know him for his soft, melting clocks and watches, his self-portraits and his obsession with his wife, Gala. Others know him for his gigantic paintings, some with hidden images or imbedded mysteries.

Showcased in the Dali Museum, one titled, “Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea,” depicts his nude wife staring into the sea within a cross surrounded by brown squares. Step back and squint, or put on sunglasses, and you’ll see a portrait of Abraham Lincoln.

‘Daddy Longlegs of the Evening-Hope!’ reflects Dali’s Surrealistic style. Oil on canvas, 1940 (Collection of The Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg, FL (USA) 2021; Worldwide ©Salvador Dalí, Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí, (ARS), 2021; In the USA © Salvador Dalí Museum, Inc., St. Petersburg, FL, 2021)

It’s one of the most popular – among many – of his works in the museum.

It takes several hours to walk through the museum to see all the art and to read descriptions of each piece. To learn more, it’s a good idea to download the Dali Museum app and take a self-guided tour.

In addition to the permanent collection, special exhibits are hosted regularly. Currently on display through Jan. 2, 2022, is “The Woman Who Broke Boundaries: Photographer Lee Miller,” featuring her work in photojournalism and portraiture.

Visitors can see some of her self-portraits, and her photos of Dali and Gala, as well as her portraits of other artists and writers associated with Surrealism, including Man Ray and Pablo Picasso.

Another exhibit, “At Home With Dali,” features photos by five photographers of Dali and Gala at home in Spain in the 1950s and ‘60s.

From Jan. 29 to May 22, 2022, the museum presents “Picasso and the Allure of the South,” which will depict southern Europe’s influence on Picasso’s work. Many works he created in northern Spain and on France’s Mediterranean coast will be shown for the first time in the U.S.

A spiral staircase in the Dali Museum circles like a seashell, with views of Cafe Gala below and blue skies overhead. (Courtesy of Karen Haymon Long)

The museum building is a work of art itself, with its geodesic glass bubble enveloping parts of the exterior, and a spiral staircase winding gracefully upward inside.

Looking around you sometimes feel like you are within a Dali painting, or a seashell, especially while walking up the circular staircase and looking up at the blue sky and billowing white clouds or out to Tampa Bay.

The museum website says the building “combines the rational with the fantastical,” and that’s certainly true.

The fantastical continues outside, too, in the “Avant-Garden,” a green space that includes a ficus called the “Wish Tree,” dangling with strings of colorful admission bracelets marked with wishes of those who have left them, for health, love, world peace and even fame.

This photo of Salvador and Gala Dali, taken by Lee Miller, is among Miller’s works now on exhibit in the Dali Museum. (Copyright Lee Miller Archives 2021)

Dali, always the self-promoter and fantastically popular, would have liked that. In his autobiography, “The Secret Life of Salvador Dali,” he said, at 7, he wanted to be Napoleon. “And my ambition has been growing steadily ever since.”

In the garden, also, is a bench that appears to be melting, with a melting clock on it, and a huge Dali mustache sculpture that visitors like to stand in front of for photographs.

Due to COVID-19, the museum is not offering its usual docent-led tours, but it still offers private tours for groups fewer than 10, for a fee above admission.

The Dali museum store and Cafe Gala are both open. The store is filled with everything Dali – from jewelry to books, posters, melting clocks and clothing. The cafe features Spanish tapas.

Some have said Dali’s Surrealism is not their taste, so they haven’t visited the world-renowned museum. But Dali’s art is diverse and there’s probably something here for everyone. And who could resist the fantastical works of a mad genius?

Salvador Dali Museum
Where: One Dali Blvd., St. Petersburg
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., except for Thursdays, when it closes at 8 p.m.
Tickets: Advance-purchase, timed tickets are required. Order at TheDali.org.
Cost: Ages 18 to 64, $25; 65 and older, as well as educators, law enforcement and military, $23; students 13 and older, $18; ages 6 to 12, $10; 5 and younger, free.
For self-guided tours and Dali facts, download the Dali Museum app and take headphones or buy ear-buds at the museum.
Covid update: Masks are required indoors, regardless of vaccination status.
Contact: TheDali.org; 727-823-3767

By Karen Haymon Long

Published October 13, 2021

Pasco wins prestigious tourism marketing honor

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From left: Cathy Pearson, Kathryn Starkey, Mike Moore, Adam Thomas, Ron Oakley, Christina Fitzpatrick, Jack Mariano and Dan Biles. Pearson is the assistant county administrator for public services, Thomas is the county’s tourism director and Biles is the Pasco County administrator. The others are members of the Pasco County Commission. (Courtesy of Ryan Hughes/Pasco County)

Pasco County’s Destination Management Organization, known as Florida’s Sports Coast, won a 2021 Flagler Award at the annual Florida Governor’s Conference on Tourism, held by Visit Florida. The honor came in the Resource/Promotional Material-Consumer category for development and marketing of the Sports Coast Pilsner with Escape Brewing.

In an appearance before the Pasco County Commission on Sept. 15, Adam Thomas, the county’s tourism director, expressed his gratitude to his department’s staff, the county board, the county’s executive team, the Tourist Development Council board, to Elizabeth Blair of the county attorney’s office and to Escape Brewing.

Thomas said all of them have played a role in the county’s tourism success.

Besides congratulating Thomas, in a separate agenda item, the county board approved an item that supports the county’s tourism efforts.

The board approved a request to amend the county’s consulting services agreement with Downs & St. Germain Research Inc., to extend the research firm’s services for another year. The contract is for $48,000 for fiscal year 2022.

Published October 13, 2021

Starkey named state committee chair on federal issues

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The Florida Association of Counties (FAC) has reappointed Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey to serve as the chairwoman of the organization’s Federal Policy Committee, according to a county news release.

The appointment is for the 2021-2022 fiscal year.

“It is my honor to serve another term as chair of the federal policy committee,” Starkey said, in the release.

Starkey also noted that the FAC “does an excellent job of uniting local voices across the state to develop a federal advocacy program to share with national leaders and lawmakers.”

As committee chair, Starkey will assist the FAC in leading the development process of policies that will guide the formation of the FAC’s agenda for the 2022 legislative session.

“Commissioner Starkey has demonstrated remarkable insight into counties’ needs, as well as a broad understanding of the various challenges facing Floridians today. Her voice is guaranteed to bring much-needed improvements for our communities this upcoming legislative season,” Ginger Delegal, FAC executive director said in the release.

“Having watched her commitment and service over the years, FAC is delighted to welcome her as a key player for rallying behind local voices,” Delegal added.

The statewide organization has represented the diverse interests of Florida’s counties for 85, with an emphasis on the importance of protecting home rule – the concept that government closest to the people governs best.

Published October 13, 2021

Want to grow veggies quickly?

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Short on time and space but you really want a vegetable garden?

A variety of fall vegetables can easily be grown in containers if you keep a few considerations in mind.

You don’t need a big garden to grow broccoli. You can use a container. (Courtesy of the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences)

The container can be made of most anything that’s wood, plastic or metal, but it needs to be at least 18 inches deep to provide space for root growth.

For pressure-treated wood containers, ensure there’s enough room to keep the plants 6 inches to 8 inches from the edge of the container.

The container should be food grade for vegetables and have drainage holes in the bottom, which you may have to carefully drill, depending on the container material.

Remember: The larger the container, the heavier it’ll be when full of soil, so choose containers you can move around easily, if the need should arise.

Use a pre-mixed and sterilized potting soil blend purchased in bags from garden centers.

Want some fresh lettuce? Trying growing some, in a container.

Avoid using soil out of the landscape due to the weed seeds and nematodes, which can harm the roots. Pre-mixed potting soil blends contain a balance of water-holding media and more course materials, which helps to aerate the soil and to provide adequate drainage.

Place containers where the plants get at least six hours of full sun each day and plan to water them every one day to three days, depending on the temperature.

A liquid fertilizer, mixed at the label rate for vegetables, applied every 10 days to 14 days, will help keep your plants productive.

Purchase your plants that are healthy and uniform in color from reputable sellers.

Kale, kohlrabi, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, cabbages, Brussels sprouts, onion, radish, spinach, and Swiss chard will do very well in containers through fall into winter.

If temperatures drop below 45 degrees Fahrenheit at night, move the containers so that the plants are covered or carefully place a lightweight sheet over the plants to protect from frost. Be sure to remove the cover early in the morning to keep from burning the plants.

Fall vegetable gardens are extremely productive in Florida, but timing is important.

Plant transplants anytime from Halloween to the new year.

Growing fall vegetables in containers provides a great way to get exercise, enjoy the great weather and save money on the grocery bill.

For more information on vegetable gardening, please visit https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/VH021.

By Whitney C. Elmore

Dr. Whitney C. Elmore is the UF/IFAS Pasco County Extension Director/Horticulture.

Published October 13, 2021

Avalon Applauds David Castro

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Congratulations to David Castro, a senior at Zephyrhills High School, for being applauded by Avalon Park Wesley Chapel.

Castro is a shining example of a young adult making a positive impact in his local community. His passion is to help educate and train younger kids about two sports he loves — tennis and billiards.

Castro began playing tennis in fifth grade when his parents won a certificate for a reduced price for tennis lessons at a local park. Even though Castro loved the sport, he wasn’t able to continue, as he didn’t know any other tennis players to play with and couldn’t afford private lessons. Castro ended up focusing on baseball and football until his sophomore year when he was able to play tennis for his high school.

“This is when I reignited my passion for the game and became hungry for more,” says Castro.

This was during the time when the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center opened. Castro was offered the opportunity to become one of the inaugural student ambassadors for the center’s foundation.

As an ambassador, Castro assists with afterschool programs at local elementary and middle schools as a tennis coach, to introduce the sport to young kids who might not normally get the chance to play.

“The most rewarding part is seeing the kids I coach share my passion for the game and improve their skills,” says Castro.

It’s Castro’s responsibility to represent the foundation by performing well in competitions and upholding its five pillars: education, character, community, positive role model and physical well-being.

“David continues to impress me with his proactive approach to solving problems and helping others,” says Nick Walton, director of operations at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center.

Castro also is a part of the nonprofit Shooting for the Future, which helps grow the sport of billiards through coaching, publicity and recruitment. He was one of the first players for the nonprofit, and also was a junior coach to help younger players improve their game.

“I enjoyed watching other students slowly fall in love with a sport that I already enjoyed,” says Castro.

Castro says coaching for the tennis foundation and nonprofit helps to give local kids a healthy alternative to sitting at home watching TV or playing video games.

After graduation, Castro hopes to pursue a career as either a pilot, or professional tennis and/or pool player.

“I don’t know what I’ll be doing, but I do know I’ll love every second of it,” says Castro.

Castro’s plan is to earn his associate degree from Pasco-Hernando State College and then earn enough scholarships to transfer to Embry Riddle Aeronautical University to earn his bachelor degree.

Bring The Family To The 10th Annual Paulie Palooza Music Festival

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Saturday, Oct. 16 from noon to 9 p.m., in downtown Zephyrhills

Paul Correia was introduced to Gulfside Hospice back in 2008 when a friend, Kymberly Corkum, asked him to play with his musician friends at the annual Ride for Hospice — an event she helped organize with the Pasco Sheriff’s Mounted Posse to raise money for the nonprofit.

Crowds sit in front of the stage on Main Street Zephyrhills at the 2019 Paulie Palooza Music Festival.

“That was my first experience with hospice, and I learned how important this organization is to our community,” said Correia, co-owner of Sunstate Aluminum in Zephyrhills. “My job was to ask other local musicians to donate their talent and perform at the event, and we had so much fun, we continued to play every year.”

In 2010, the benefits of hospice became very personal to the Correia family, when their 93-year-old father became a patient of Gulfside Hospice during the final two weeks of his life.

“After dad died, I was even more thankful for hospice and became more involved in the fundraiser. Then in 2012, when the Sheriff’s Posse needed to step back its involvement, I decided to relaunch the event as tribute to my father, and we changed its name to the Paulie Palooza Music Festival,” said Correia.

“I’m proud that this year is the 10th Paulie Palooza Music Festival, and we’re hoping it will be our biggest fundraiser yet,” he said.

The all-day music festival takes place on Sat., Oct. 16 from noon to 9 p.m., on Main Street Zephyrhills (Fifth Avenue and U.S. 301). The daylong event features live music by local musicians; vendors; food trucks; an auction; prize drawings; and much more family fun. A $5 donation gives all-day access to the entire event.

Paul Correia, founder of the Paulie Palooza Music Festival

A change this year is the October date for the event, which previously was held in the spring. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, this past March Paulie Palooza went virtual for its ninth annual event, which makes next month’s festival its 10th anniversary.

“We are happy to be moving back to our signature event schedule, and look forward to seeing everyone in person this October on Main Street Zephyrhills,” says Leesa Fryer, fundraising & event planning specialist for Gulfside Hospice. “There are so many other community events in March for people to choose from, we decided to move Paulie Palooza to October so more people can attend.”

Fryer is in charge of overall planning for Paulie Palooza, and has limited spots still available for vendors, food trucks and sponsors. Vendor fee is $75, and sponsorships are available starting at $200, and include a vendor spot along with additional benefits. More information is available online at PauliePalooza.org, or by contacting Fryer at 727-845-5707 or .

Current event sponsors include Rockstar Sponsors O2 Solutions and Michels & Lundquist Funeral Home; Crooner Sponsor Norm & Sons Tire & Auto Repair; Roadie Sponsors DeliverCareRX, Medfleet and Right at Home; Groupie Sponsors ABC Supply Company Inc. and Ryman Construction of Florida Inc.; and Super Fan Sponsors Bahrs Aluminum & Construction, Bahr’s Propane Gas & AC Inc., Heister Automotive Performance, Sunstate Aluminum, and SouthState Bank. The Laker/Lutz News is the media sponsor.

Proceeds from Paulie Palooza benefit Gulfside Hospice. Since its founding, the festival has raised more than $71,000 to benefit Gulfside Hospice, which provides patient care and bereavement services to more than 650 patients and families every day in our local community.

About Gulfside Healthcare Services:
Gulfside Healthcare Services is a nonprofit organization serving the community for more than 30 years. Its three lines of business include Gulfside Hospice, offering care for patients at end of life; Gulfside Palliative Care, providing treatment options for those with chronic illness; and Gulfside Home Health, helping patients stay independent through skilled nursing and rehab at home. For more information about Gulfside Healthcare Services, visit Gulfside.org, or call 800-561-4883.

Published October 06, 2021

Grand opening festivities offered countless fun options

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Kids competed at Hula-Hooping, checked out the new gymnasium, played some outdoor hockey and had a chance to enjoy other activities, at the grand opening celebration of the Wesley Chapel District Park Recreation Center, at 7727 Boyette Road.

Seven-year-old Reagan Peal, of Land O’ Lakes, concentrates on keeping her Hula-Hoop spinning during one of many games and events at the grand opening of the new facility. She was with her 10-year-old sister, Kendal, and her mom, Samantha. (Fred Bellet)

The atmosphere was festive — from the archway of balloons that greeting those arriving at the rec center, to the free cupcakes doled out to those wanting one.

The celebration also included inflatables, games, music, ball hockey clinics and food trucks.

Children had a chance to play and adults could find out about the various programs that will be offered in the new center.

The new 17,800-square-foot gymnasium and activity rooms have been added to the 144-acre park, making it the largest indoor/outdoor county park in Pasco County.

Many classes will be offered there, including ballet and jazz, boxing, chair yoga and cheerleading, according to the district park’s Facebook page.

Youth ball hockey players honed their skills in a rink outside the new recreational center.

According to previously published reports in The Laker/Lutz News, Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore has long advocated for an indoor recreation center to be built at the district park.

He knows how hot it gets at the park: He coached flag football, baseball and soccer there for years, when his three children were younger.

This is a look at the exterior of the new Wesley Chapel District Park Recreation Center, at 7727 Boyette Road. Grand opening festivities drew hundreds. This was one of those times when the cliché, ‘and a good time was had by all’ appeared to ring true.

As designed, the center can accommodate basketball, volleyball, pickleball, summer day camp, toddler activities and community events.

The new facility features a gymnasium with a regulation-size basketball court that can be converted into two smaller courts, two volleyball courts or four pickleball courts.

There are restrooms and showers, too.

Multipurpose areas will accommodate a range of activities for groups, such as the Rotary Club, community associations, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts.

The district park already is packed with outdoor sports activities, including several athletic fields for youth and adults, a lighted soccer field, basketball and tennis courts, and picnic tables and grills for barbecues.

It also is home to the county’s only universal playground — designed specifically to enable all children — regardless of their physical capabilities — to be able to enjoy time at the park.

Note: Those wishing to participate in the district park’s programs must purchase a yearly membership for $10 per person, which applies to everyone over age 13. All memberships must be purchased at the district park’s front desk. Membership sales began on Oct. 4. For more information, call 813-345-3145.

Published October 06, 2021

Eight-year-old Saraya Mercado, of Wesley Chapel, takes a shot during the ball hockey clinic.
Five-year-old Eliel Leibovici munches on a cupcake at the grand opening of the Wesley Chapel District Park Recreation Center. The child was there with mom, Cynthia Leibovici, and grandmother, Lila Manzana, both of Wesley Chapel.
An inflatable dinosaur looms in the background, as Phyllis Olsen, of Tampa uses an umbrella to shield herself from the hot morning sun. She was waiting for her granddaughter, 9-year-old Claire Olsen, who will be taking part in the youth soccer program at the park.
What’s a party without balloons? Stephanie Salimbene, of Wesley Chapel, enters under an archway of balloons in the new recreation center, pushing her 2-year-old son, Lorenzo, in the stroller and holding her 3-year-old son Andrew’s hand. Salimbene said they are frequent visitors to the park.
The writing literally was on the wall, as visitors to the new recreational facility search informational leaflets to find out about the diverse programing offered at the center.
Wideline Joseph of Zephyrhills decorates cupcakes with sprinkles. Sponsor Hope Services made it possible for cupcakes to be offered to each visitor at the new recreation center building.
University of South Florida National Champion cheerleaders Bri Wilson, left and Jason Brooks, right, of Tampa, show off their championship rings. They will be among the instructors for cheerleading classes, which begin Oct. 6.
While a little too young to join cheerleading classes, 1-year-old Jaylen Jean-Francoise, of Wesley Chapel, will have a lot of fun watching his 9-year-old sister, Aaliyah, right take cheerleading classes at the new recreation center. Their 6-year-old brother, Justin, was checking out other classes offered, along with their mom, Brandi Jean-Francoise, of Wesley Chapel.

 

Groups sending mailings to Pasco voters

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Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley has announced that The Voter Participation Center (VPC) and the Center for Voter Information (CIV) were expected to begin sending voter registration application mailings to Pasco County voters last week.

In a news release, Corley said that in the past these mailings have confused and angered Pasco voters who received them for family members who are deceased, persons no longer residing or whom never resided in their household or the state of Florida, and even for their pets and underage children.

The mailings also often arouse suspicion from already-registered voters who believe their registration has in some way been compromised, according to Corley’s release.

“After many years of lobbying by myself and my fellow supervisors, the legislature passed a bill, which was signed by Governor DeSantis that allowed Florida to join the multi-state compact known as the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC),” Corley said, in the release.

“This allow us to compare the voter rolls with many other states to ensure the integrity of our voter rolls. Also, it allows the State of Florida to identify Eligible But Unregistered (EBU) persons, and last September over 2.2 million Floridians were notified with information on how to register to vote. This historic initiative makes the VPC/CVI mailings even less necessary.”

Corley continued: “Unfortunately, our experience has been that VPC & CVI tactics further erode voter confidence at a time when the security of our elections is in the forefront.”

Corley went to explain that the organizations sending out the mailing are in no way affiliated with his office.

He also assured Pasco voters that there are reliable tools in place for Pasco citizens to register to vote, update their voter registration, and to check their voter registration status.

To register to vote or update your voter registration address using the online voter registration form at https://registertovoteflorida.gov/en/Registration/Index.

To check your voter registration status, go to https://registration.elections.myflorida.com/CheckVoterStatus

Or, call 800-851-8754 for assistance.

For grievances regarding the mailing, contact the VPC, using the information provided on the mailing, the news release advises.

Published October 06, 2021