The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Say ‘aah’

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(File)

Volunteer Deanna Okun, left, administers a medical exam inside the Medical Detainment room, to student Jyles Morales, during a living history simulation at McKitrick Elementary. The children were learning about Ellis Island. Christine Holtzman was awarded a second place in the feature story category and a second place for this particular photo from the series that accompanied a Laker/Lutz News story, at the Florida Press Association Weekly Newspaper Contest on July 16.

Avalon Applauds The Stano Foundation

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Congratulations to The Stano Foundation, a nonprofit in Wesley Chapel, for being applauded by Avalon Park Wesley Chapel.

The Stano Foundation is an organization dedicated to supporting troops of all branches, both active duty and veterans. It was founded by Paula Stano in 2015, two years after her son, Jordan Viches, joined the Marines at age 17.

“It was through my son that I learned that not everybody is supported in the military, not everybody has family,” says Stano.

While she initially only sent care packages to Viches when he was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, Stano began putting on drives to be able to send Viches’ friends — and eventually other troops — basic necessities.

Before Stano knew it, the foundation had a group of dedicated volunteers who would meet up once a quarter at the Rotary Club of Zephyrhills, where they filled the packages — which roughly consists of 48 items.

“We truly put the ‘care’ into care packages,” says Stano.

When someone applies or nominates someone else to receive a package, they are asked on the foundation’s website for the top five things from home they miss. Stano and her team try to incorporate those requested items into the care package.

Stano says she’s incredibly grateful for the impressive growth the nonprofit is having. In its first year, The Stano Foundation sent out 64 packages. Now, the total packages sent to date is 5,339.

“This is kind of my way to not only give back, but feel connected to my son even though he wasn’t here at the time,” says Stano.

There’s multiple ways you can support The Stano Foundation.

Monetary donations can be mailed to The Stano Foundation, P.O. Box 7811, Wesley Chapel, FL 33545. They also have an Amazon wish list for highly requested items, (https://tinyurl.com/59374kye), that will be sent to the nonprofit.

For people who can’t make a monetary donation, but still wish to support the foundation, Stano says she always needs handwritten thank you cards to include in the active duty members’ care packages. All she asks is that you don’t have glitter in the letter, and address the letter with “Dear Troop” or “Dear Hero.”

If you’d like to volunteer, head on over to the nonprofit’s Facebook page, The Stano Foundation, as all volunteer opportunities are listed there.

New retail popping up along busy highway corridor

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Total Wine & More kicked off its grand opening at Cypress Creek Town Center in celebratory fashion — with giveaways, a live band and a festive atmosphere.

The wine and beer emporium is the newest retail at the expanding town center, off the Interstate 75 interchange at the State Road 54/State 56 corridor.

The commercially vibrant corridor is a magnet for economic development in the heart of Wesley Chapel and Land O’Lakes, stretching over through Odessa to Trinity.

Retail and restaurants are chasing the booming rooftop construction — with residential growth in Pasco County breaking records.

Total Wine & More is now operating out of a space formerly occupied by Earth Fare. The atmosphere was festive during the store’s grand opening. (Kathy Steele)

As the pandemic recedes, established residents and newcomers alike are eager to be out and about.

And, they’re finding plenty to do.

Plus, more options are on the way.

County permits, signs planted on the roadside and company websites provide a snapshot of what’s under construction and what’s on the future horizon.

An ale house, a fitness studio; fast-food and dine-in restaurants; a Krispy Kreme; and two specialty car washes are among the new and coming attractions.

Established shopping meccas such as the Tampa Premium Outlets, The Shops at Wiregrass, and Cypress Creek Town Center are expanding their store directories, as new tenants take up residence.

Total Wine & More slipped into a spot at Cypress Creek Town Center that was once occupied by the specialty grocer Earth Fare.

Troy Rice, chief operating officer for Total Wine & More, said the former grocery store space was a good fit for his company.

The plumbing and electrical work had been done, and Total Wine knew it had a gap in its coverage area, Rice said.

An appreciative crowd of wine and beer aficionados packed the store’s grand-opening festivities.

Other new developments coming to Cypress Creek Town Center include Carrabba’s Italian Grill, and new apartments that will be built near the Hyatt Place hotel.

A Harley-Davidson dealership is coming to the area, too. It will be on Wesley Chapel Boulevard, across from the town center’s entrance at Pondside Drive.

Meanwhile, there’s new activity at the Tampa Premium Outlets.

Miller’s Ale House is coming to an outparcel along the Wesley Chapel Boulevard entrance into the mall. And Zaxby’s Chicken Fingers & Buffalo Wings, and Chicken Salad Chick will settle into parcels bordered by Wesley Chapel Boulevard and Sun Vista Drive.

Fazoli’s Italian Restaurant is among the shops that will be settling in, at the Shoppes at Cypress Creek, on State Road 54, west of Cypress Creek Town Center.

The Shops at Wiregrass, near the intersection of State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, has recent new tenants that include Sephora, Optimal Wellness, Perfume Palace and Gold Mine jewelers.

The mall’s coming-soon list includes JABZ, a boxing gym; Sky Jewels; Spirit, a Halloween costume store; and Fresh Produce Market, a produce stand in the parking lot of Dillard’s.

A shopping center next to Florida Avenue Brewing — at State Road 56 and Arrowgrass Drive — has attracted Green Market Café; Fyzical Therapy & Balance Center; and Lufka, an environmentally friendly health and beauty shop.

New development is coming to Land O’ Lakes, too.

Grand openings aren’t planned yet for the Shoppes at Cypress Creek, but construction is underway on State Road 54 next to the Circle K convenience store, west of the town center and outlet mall.

Signs tout Fazoli’s Italian Restaurant and Woodie’s Wash Shack at 24749 State Road 54. Additional tenants are anticipated.

Woodie’s car wash promises a “fun and funkie” experience, according to a marketing video. The beach-themed car wash acquired 11 sites in the Tampa Bay area, with expectations of turning on all its washing spigots by the end of 2021.

Beach vibes, coconut smells and a light show inside the car wash add up to family fun, with a final touch of vacuuming and sweeping out car trash at “Muscle Beach.”

Heading west along State Road 54, Krispy Kreme has planted a sign in a vacant parcel, just west of Camp Indianhead Crossings shopping center. So far, though, no permits have been filed.

The Shoppes at Ballantrae — west of State Road 54 and U.S. 41 — is expanding its commercial offerings, with a Valvoline shop on Aprile Drive, and another Woodie’s Wash Shack at 17322 State Road 54.

Santander Consumer USA and Rasmussen University are locating in the space previously occupied by the Super Target store, at Suncoast Crossings, off State Road 54.

On a vacant parcel opposite from the Shoppes at Ballantrae, there’s an Aldi sign staked in the ground.

Matt Thon, Haines City division vice president for Aldi, didn’t provide details on the chain’s plans in Land O’ Lakes.

However, in a written statement, he reported that Aldi has “secured property in Pasco County with hopes to service more customers in the area.”

First Watch, Starbucks and AutoZone are settling in, near the intersection of State Road 54 and Sunlake Boulevard.

Starkey Ranch Business Park, which opened last year with fare such as The Wicked Pour, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, and Encore Nail Salon, is adding Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop and Butcher’s Mark Fresh Meat & Marinades, at State Road 54 and Heart Pine Avenue.

The sandwich chain’s website currently shows no restaurants in Florida.

The Preserve Marketplace at South Branch and State Road 54 will add Chipotle Mexican Grill and Lin China restaurant. The shopping center is anchored by Publix GreenWise, and last year opened with tenants that included CVS Pharmacy and Panera Bread.

Suncoast Crossings, which lost an anchor store when the Super Target closed more than four years ago, is undergoing a revival.

First Watch and Starbucks have new locations, near the intersection of State Road 54 and Sunlake Boulevard.

The approximately 115,000-square-foot building is being remodeled for two tenants – Santander Consumer USA and Rasmussen University.

Santander anticipates adding about 875 jobs. Rasmussen will bring in hundreds of students.

Shoppes at Crossings Boulevard is a new strip mall built on outparcels of Suncoast Crossings shopping complex.

Tenants will include Touch Nail Spa; Beyond 2020 Vision Specialists; PT Solutions, a physical therapy clinic; Jimmy John’s Sandwich Shop; Smoothie King; and Hot Worx, an infrared/sauna fitness studio.

Hot Worx, set to open July 15, is a new venture for Debbie Upright, a former pharmaceutical representative and her husband, Scott, a retired dentist.

The infrared-heated fitness studio will be open 24/7. Memberships and walk-ins are welcome for a variety of isometric workouts, yoga, Pilates and spinning.

Upright said she and her husband considered various sites, but said the area’s robust activity was a key consideration, in selecting where to set up shop.

“This is a prime location,” she said.

By Kathy Steele

Published July 21, 2021

Code complaints can no longer be anonymous

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Pasco County Code Enforcement can no longer investigate anonymous code violation complaints, including anonymous non-emergency animal complaints, because of a new Florida law that took effect on July 1.

Those wishing to make complaints can do so, but must now provide their name and address, under the new law, according to a Pasco County news release.

To report a complaint, go to the MyPasco app. There, you can upload photos and indicate problem areas on a locator map, the news release says.

Or, you can contact Pasco County Customer Service at 727-847-2411 or online at bit.ly/PC-CustomerService to report issues such as:

  • Yards being used as a storage area for junk or debris
  • Inoperative/unlicensed vehicles
  • Illegal dumping
  • Noise violation

Code Enforcement handles most complaints within 7 to 10 business days and often is able to resolve issues, without issuing a citation, the release says.

Answers to the most frequently asked code compliance questions can be found at bit.ly/Code-FAQs.

For more information about Pasco County Code Enforcement, visit bit.ly/PascoCode.

Published July 21, 2021

Rule change affects redacting of court records

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A new state law says that Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers are “not required to identify and designate information as confidential” in small claims, county civil and most circuit court documents, according to a news release shared with The Laker/Lutz News by the office of Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles.

The Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers (FCCC) sent out the release to alert the public about a recent amendment made by the Florida Supreme Court, regarding the review and redaction of confidential information contained in certain court documents.

Beginning July 1, filers became solely responsible for ensuring that any confidential information contained in court records filed with the clerk is appropriately identified for redaction in these cases, the FCCC news release says.

A filer is defined as anyone who submits official court documents with the clerk to start or support a legal action, the news release says.

If a filer drafting a document believes it contains confidential information, he or she should: Exclude the information if it is not necessary; or complete a Notice of Confidential Information Within Court Filing form before filing.

Filers are required to identify the precise location of all instances of confidential information within the document – including page numbers and attachments, appendices and exhibits.

The amended rule affects small claims, county civil, and most circuit civil court cases, except for Jimmy Ryce civil commitments, cases stemming from sexual assault, medical malpractice filings and family law cases, the release adds.

Clerks around the state are exploring options across county offices to address the amendment’s broad implementation. Clerks strongly suggest attorneys, legal professionals and self-represented litigants review the amendment and become fully familiar with the rule change.

To help filers prepare and reduce the risk of confidential information becoming public record, FCCC is developing a communications campaign to help educate attorneys, self-represented litigants, and legal professionals on the rule change.

Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.420 outlines 23 categories of information automatically confidential in court records, such as Social Security numbers, health records, bank account numbers, addresses of domestic violence victims, and juvenile delinquency records.

Previously, clerks would independently review all filed records to further identify and redact confidential information protected by the rule, the release says.

In accordance with the amendment, clerks no longer are required to perform this review and are obligated to protect information in civil and small claims cases only when notified by filers, by court order, or when the case itself is confidential under law, the release adds.

See Supreme Court Opinion No. SC20-175 for the full text of the Florida Supreme Court’s amendment.

For more information on the rule change, visit FLClerks.com/ConfidentialRuleChange.

Published July 21, 2021

Worth the Trip

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Explore the ways of the West
The West isn’t nearly as far away as you think. Spend a few hours at The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art and you’ll feel you’ve landed in the heart of western life.

You’ll see paintings, life-size sculptures, sketches, jewelry, photos and etchings depicting Native Americans, cowboys and cowgirls. You’ll see sultry landscapes, stampeding horses, and life as it was, and still is, in the West.

The Introductory gallery showcases majestic landscapes of the American West and some of the diverse peoples who have called these places home. Figurative bronze sculptures seemingly bring to life 19th century Native leaders. (Courtesy of The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art)

The museum building is artistic itself, with mesa-like sandstone walls inside and out, evoking western landscapes. Featuring 350 artworks and 100 pieces of jewelry, the permanent collection is one of the largest of its kind on exhibit in the country.

Art on display is just a sampling of 3,000 pieces owned by collectors and museum founders Thomas A. James and Mary James. For years, some of their art was exhibited at Raymond James Financial headquarters in St. Petersburg, where Thomas James served as CEO for 40 years and is chairman emeritus.

Now, the art is available for all to see in the museum that opened in 2018, thanks to the James’ $75-million initial investment.

On the first floor are larger-than-life sculptures. Visitors are lured upstairs by a bronze sculpture called “The Wild” of frontiersmen Kit Carson and John Fremont riding a canoe through roiling waves. Vast galleries feature paintings by Charles Russell, Frederic Remington, Ernest Blumenschein and others. There’s also Native American pottery, paintings and sculptures; contemporary Western paintings and more.

A glass room called The Jewel Box features Mary James’ Native American concho belts, rings, necklaces and bracelets. Another gallery is filled with wildlife paintings and sculptures of animals from around the world.

The museum gift shop sells books, jewelry and other items. The Canyon Cafe is temporarily closed.

Museum membership offers rewards. The biggest reward, though, is being able to see some of the best of the West, slightly more than an arrow shot away from Tampa Bay.

The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art
Where: 150 Central Ave., downtown St. Petersburg. Parking is on Levels 3 and 4 of the South Core Parking Garage at 101 First Ave., S. The first hour is free; $1 an hour after that.
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily, except Tuesdays, when hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Cost: adults, $20; seniors, active military and students, $15; ages 7 to 18, $10. Discounts given on Tuesdays. Tickets can be purchased at the door or at TheJamesMuseum.org.
Covid-19 restrictions: As of mid-July, masks are not required for vaccinated visitors but are required for unvaccinated visitors. The museum is temporarily not accepting cash. Canyon Café is closed, but free tea and coffee are available. Please check to see if there are any changes to these restrictions.
Info: 727-892-4200;

By Karen Haymon Long

Note: This is an edited and updated version of a story that originally appeared in The Laker/Lutz News on Jan. 15, 2020.

 

Visit a ‘palm paradise’ in St. Petersburg
Tom St. Peter, a volunteer at Gizella Kopsick Palm Arboretum in downtown St. Petersburg, has always been attracted to plants and trees.

When he was in the corporate world, he often spent his lunch hour buying plants in local nurseries. The palm park is a special place, he said.

Foxtail palms, natives of northern Australia, are rare and protected. (Karen Haymon Long)

“It’s like my cathedral. There’s an aura about it.”

The 2-acre park once was a city-owned miniature golf course that closed due to increased costs.

In 1976, resident Elva Rouse suggested a palm arboretum for the spot overlooking the bay. The St. Petersburg City Council agreed and Gizella Kopsick, a longtime palm admirer, contributed stock to establish the park.

It began with 60 palms, representing 10 species. Now it has 500 palms and cycads, totaling 150 species apiece, and every palm species is native to Florida.

Volunteers and city workers maintain the park.

Volunteer Phil Stager, who leads free tours, said he’s not aware of another place like it in the Western Hemisphere, even though palms are nearly universal.

“Palms are native to every continent, except the Antarctic,” he said. “Cycads are native to every continent except Europe and the Antarctic.”

Cycads, he said, are the oldest seed-bearing plants on the planet. They go back about 300 million years, while palms are about 60 million to 65 million years old. Sago palms and other cycads are labeled by green signs in the park; palms are designated by gray ones.

Tours are just one way to enjoy the park. Some visitors exercise there, push baby carriages along the winding paths, take pictures, or merely sit on benches to enjoy the tropical views.

When Sager moved to Florida, he recognized two types of palms – coconut palms and all others. Then he planted a few palms at his home and joined a local chapter of the International Palm Society.

“That’s the best way,” he said, “to learn about palms.”

Gizella Kopsick Palm Arboretum
Where: 901 North Shore Drive, N.E., St. Petersburg
When: Open daily 30 minutes before sunrise to 11 p.m. for self-guided tours
Cost: Free admission, parking and volunteer-led tours
Info: For volunteer-led tours, make reservations at 727-893-7441; more details at StPeteParksRec.org.

By B.C. Manion

Note: This is an edited and updated version of a story that originally was published in The Laker/Lutz News on April 19, 2017.

 

Stop by for beauty and tranquility at Sunken Gardens 

Birds chirp, as breezes stir through trees. Beauty abounds around every bend in this tranquil place, so different from outside its walls just off busy Fourth Street. There’s plenty to take in at Sunken Gardens, which dates back more than a century.

Described as St. Petersburg’s “oldest living museum,” the botanical gardens boast waterfalls, meandering paths, demonstration gardens and more than 50,000 tropical plants and flowers, some of the oldest in the region.

Live pink flamingos, not the plastic ones found in many Florida yards, make their home at Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg. (Courtesy of Dwayne Biggs/Sunken Gardens)

Where else within walking distance of a busy downtown can you see flamingos, koi, tortoises, orchids and palms all in one place?

Here, moms push strollers, or walk along, clinging to small children’s hands. Friends chat as they make their way through. Couples, families, photographers and nature lovers share the experience, too.

Sunken Gardens dates to 1903, when George Turner Sr., a plumber and gardener, bought the site that included a shallow lake 10 feet below sea level. He drained the lake to form his private sunken garden and grew papayas, citrus and exotics in the rich soil.

By the 1920s, he had opened a nursery and sold fruit, vegetables, roses and other plants. He charged a nickel to stroll through his gardens. In the fall of 1935, he fenced his gardens off and upped admission to a quarter.

Over time, Sunken Gardens became one of Florida’s most popular attractions. Turner’s sons, Ralph and George Jr., carried on after he died in 1961. Ralph’s sons sold the attraction to the City of St. Petersburg in 1999.

Today, near a bench made of fossilized limestone rock, known as the Sunken Gardens Growing Stone, a sign proclaims: “Legend has it that, ‘He who sits upon the ancient stone shall be granted tranquility, inner harmony and the talent to make things grow.’”

Sunken Gardens
Where: 1825 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg
When: Open Mondays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Sundays, noon to 4:30 p.m. Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Cost: adults, $12; seniors 62 and older, $10; children 2 to 17, $6. Parking is free.
Info: 727-551-3102
Covid-19 update: As of mid-July, no events or programs were scheduled. Call the gardens to find out the latest news.

By B.C. Manion

Note: This is an updated and revised version of a story that originally was published in The Laker/Lutz News on Aug. 8, 2018.

Published July 21, 2021

AmbuBus helps streamline emergency response

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(Courtesy of Hillsborough County)

With a fresh coat of paint, a new logo and an interior revamp, an old Hillsborough County school bus has been converted into a new AmbuBus, according to a Hillsborough County newsletter.

The vehicle was funded solely through donations and grants from the Hillsborough County School District, and the Tampa Bay Health and Medical Preparedness Coalition.

The interior of the bus has been outfitted with supplies, cots and stretchers. It can carry 12 to 20 patients and paramedics at a time, and will be used for large-scale emergencies, such as hurricanes.

The bus will be equipped with all of the necessary medical equipment that is included in regular ambulances and will be used to free up other vehicles that are needed to respond to different locations.

Published July 21, 2021

Pasco health grant will help with return of students to school

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The health department in Pasco County recently received a $12 million grant from the Florida Department of Health, that is intended to help with the return of students to school, according to Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent of Pasco County Schools.

“This is a very broad grant,” Gadd said, during a school board meeting last month. “It’s allowing us to purchase canopies, picnic tables and various supplies that will help us kind of separate kids during lunches and cafeteria time, to help mitigate the impact of COVID in the new school year.

The grant will support more health professionals, nurses and other personnel — allowing district nurses to focus on their nursing duties, which involve screenings and of other activities with students, Gadd said.

“Also, as part of this grant that we have with the department of health, we’ll be continuing to offer testing services to kids and staff, although the department of health will be running those testing programs.

“They’ll be doing it with a mobile bus on the east and the west side of the county. We’ll still have this location here, in the center of the county, but the department of health will be running it, as opposed to the school system.

“In addition, we are offering vaccinations through Health Heroes, and this is strictly voluntary,” Gadd said. That program provides free vaccinations for youths age 12 and older.

Published July 21, 2021

In Loving Memory Kayla N. Garabedian

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In Loving Memory of Kayla N. Garabedian

March 27, 1994–July 16, 1996

Memories

If I could have a lifetime wish

a dream that would come true

I’d pray to God with all my heart

for yesterday and you.

 

A thousand words can’t bring you back I know because I’ve tried

Neither will a thousand tearsI know because I’ve cried.

You left behind my broken Heart and happy memories too

But I never wanted memories I only wanted you.

 

Loved & Missed 25 Years by Daddy & Family

 

Published 7/21/21

In Loving Memory of Michael Francis Montalbano

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Michael Francis Montalbano, Sr. 69, of Tampa, Florida, passed away on July 8, 2021. He was born in Rome, New York, and moved to Florida in 1980.

Michael served in the United States Navy.

Michael loved his family, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren beyond measure! He lived a full life surrounded by his family and friends, friends who would later become family.

Michael was an avid reader, who loved Elvis and old westerns. He will be remembered as a non-judgmental and respected man.  Michael will be greatly missed by all.

He is survived by his loving wife of 50 years Suzanne Montalbano; son, Michael (Shannon) Motalbano Jr.; daughters, Angelita Rodriguez and Melissa Springstead; brothers, Joe Maloof, Frank (Joyce) Montalbano, Phil (Ascenza) Montalbano, Max (Starr)Montalbano; sister, Maggie (Don) Beckwith; five grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

The Funeral will be held July 23, 2021, from 4 pm to 6 pm, at Loyless Funeral Home 5310 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.  LandO’Lakes, FL 34639. Flowers and condolences can be sent to the funeral home.

Published 07-21-21