The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Bank brings financial course back to local schools

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Nearly 100 local high schools will have a chance to participate in Dave Ramsey’s Foundations in Personal Finance Course this year, thanks to help from Fifth Third Bank.

This is the fifth consecutive year the bank has sponsored the program, which has helped educate more than 500,000 students, according to a release. The bank expects to add 133,000 more to that number this fall, including more than 3,300 in Tampa.

“Fifth Third Bank is committed to improving lives in the communities we serve,” said Brian Lamb, the president and chief executive of the North Florida division of Fifth Third Bank, in a release. “Improving lives begins with educating high school students about how the economic world functions. We sponsor Dave Ramsey’s course at an important juncture — as these teens embark on their first jobs, college planning, and expenditures independent of their parents.”

Local schools participating include Steinbrenner High School and Central Academy.

Foundations in Personal Finance is designed to be taught by local teachers with help from Ramsey through video lessons. The program includes more than 100 activities focused on providing personal finance knowledge and skills in a student-centered, competency-based approach to learning.

Pipe break causing delays on State Road 54

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Travelers trying to get from central Pasco County to the interstate might have to plan a little extra time.

Traffic continues to be tied up a bit on State Road 54, about a quarter-mile west of Interstate 75 in Wesley Chapel. That’s because a contractor his a force main on Wednesday, forcing Pasco County crews to have to come and repair it. Those crews are preparing the road for asphalt replacement, according to county spokesman Doug Tobin, and should happen by Thursday afternoon.

The line breach has forced one lane to be closed in each direction of State Road 54 near its interchange with I-75, but is not directly affecting the State Road 56 interchange a couple miles south, which might make a good alternate route for travelers.

All of the work is expected to be completed Thursday evening, with the lanes re-opening on Friday.

Commission applauds CVS for removing tobacco products

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The Pasco County Commission publicly commended drugstore chain CVS Health Tuesday for removing tobacco products from its stores around the country.

In a resolution, the commission cited a January surgeon general’s report that said smoking kills 480,000 people annually, and sickens millions more. It also costs the nation more than $289 billion in health care expenses and economic costs each year.

CVS had announced earlier this year it would remove tobacco products from its stores, but then decided to do it a month earlier than planned. That move, commissioners said, represents the “bold action needed from all segments of our society to accelerate progress against tobacco, and make the next generation tobacco-free.”

As part of its plan to remove tobacco products, CVS launched a campaign called “OneGoodReason,” where it invites customers to share their personal stories on how smoking and tobacco use has affected their lives, and why they now live tobacco-free.

Locally, the Pasco County Health Department promotes the “Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids,” and applauded the CVS move, saying that it will reduce the availability of tobacco products, and sends a message to all Americans — especially children — that tobacco use is uniquely harmful and socially unacceptable.

CVS operates more than 7,700 stores, including 11 in The Laker/Lutz News readership area east of the Suncoast Parkway.

HCC picks up federal grant to help create technical jobs

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Hillsborough Community College is picking up a $350,000 economic development grant that federal officials say will help create a new training initiative for jobs in both the transportation and diesel technologies sectors.

The grant comes from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration, and will specifically fund renovations for 7,800 square feet of existing space that will house HCC’s new Diesel/Marine Diesel/Transit Training Center.

“The Tampa Bay community must stay focused on boosting higher wage jobs,” said U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, in a release.

“The grant will help continue to build a sustainable workforce for our community,” said HCC president Ken Atwater. “Transportation and logistics is an imperative component of our region’s economic vitality. Programs such as the automotive, welding, and a future diesel mechanic program will help fill the need for local highly trained workers.”

The Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation’s 2014-15 report projects the need for qualified technicians and mechanics for aircraft, automobiles, buses, trucks and other diesel vehicles at approximately 2,000 annually for the Tampa Bay region, according to a release. That same report also projects a mean salary of $19 an hour for bus and truck mechanics, as well as diesel engine specialists.

“In the Tampa Bay area, there are more than 130,000 commercial vehicles with diesel engines, and at some point, they all need to be serviced,” said Oscar Horton, chief executive of Sun State International, a local full-service truck dealership, in a release. “The industry is running out of the very people we need to fulfill these very important needs.”

In Print: Cancer struggle chronicled in unique art exhibit

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It’s on television and the movies all the time, but we don’t ever expect to experience it in real life. A doctor sitting down behind his desk, a grim look on his face, to give you bad news: You have cancer.

Jan Tucker took a unique route to chronicle her struggle with breast cancer, and that record will be on display during an art show to benefit cancer charities in October.
Jan Tucker took a unique route to chronicle her struggle with breast cancer, and that record will be on display during an art show to benefit cancer charities in October. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

Jan Tucker lived that nightmare when she learned she would need a bilateral mastectomy to help battle breast cancer.

“When I picked up the phone, I hear her say, ‘I’m sorry,'” Tucker told reporter B.C. Manion about her conversation with her doctor. “I hear her voice crack. Then she starts with the doctor jargon.”

She knew it would be a difficult journey, and she didn’t want to forget it. So she turned to her brother, Paul Phillips, to help her chronicle it in an amazingly artistic way.

Tucker eventually went through the mastectomy, and later reconstructive surgery, chronicling each step in ceramic torso busts. But she never expected to ever make it public. But she was convinced to do just that, and it will be on display at the Alchemy Art Lounge and Hard Bodies Yo gallery in Tarpon Springs Oct. 9.

“There really is no better way to illustrate the story than that,” Tucker said. “I am a different person today because of this.”

Proceeds from the event will benefit cancer charities. To learn more about Tucker’s struggles with cancer, and to see the artwork that will go on display in a couple weeks, check out this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, or you can read it online for free right now by clicking here.

Every few years, swimming takes the spotlight in the sports world as we cheer on the United States in events like the Olympic games. It’s a lot of hard work, and takes tremendous skill. But it’s doubtful any of those swimmers faced the challenge of one young competitor at Zephyrhills High School.

Taylor Sanders took to the pool recently in Land O’ Lakes, and competed against Sunlake in the 50-meter freestyle. Yet, just weeks before, she spent months in a body cast following surgery to help correct some issues created by cerebral palsy.

In fact, Taylor was never even supposed to walk, let alone swim. But she never let that stop her.

“We had a No. 1 rule. The ‘C’ word was not allowed in our house, and that’s ‘can’t’ or ‘cannot,'” Taylor’s mother, Vanessa Sanders, told reporter Michael Murillo.

“I’ve always loved swimming since I was little,” Taylor said. “And I have a very competitive attitude, so competing while I’m doing something I love is just amazing.”

Fans can see Taylor in action throughout the swimming competitive season for Zephyrhills, and read more about her in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, which is now available in driveways and stores everywhere. Or you can stay at your computer and check out our free online e-edition by clicking here.

Finally, you might have driven by a bunch of construction on State Road 54 near the Suncoast Parkway and wondered what was up.

Newland Communities, the developer of popular large-scale communities like FishHawk Ranch in Brandon, unveiled details of what it is doing on the Bexley Ranch site, including new retail stores, office space, and some 1,700 homes in its first phase of development.

“We’ve got our plans in review at Pasco County right now, and we think we’ll break ground in March or April next year,” Newland vice president Tom Panaseny told a small crowd who gathered near the work site to learn more about the project. “We haven’t even announced any of the builders yet. But the builders really almost come in last, once we develop the community and figure out what type of homes that we want to build.”

But how much will homes cost there? And what can potential buyers expect from this new community, that will help get Tower Road built east and west across the county? Read reporter Michael Hinman’s story in this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, or get all the details right now through our online edition by clicking here.

All of these stories and more can be found in this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, available in newsstands throughout east and central Pasco County as well as northern Hillsborough County. Find out what has your community talking this week by getting your local news straight from the only source you need.

If The Laker/Lutz News is not coming to your door, call us to see where you can get your copy at (813) 909-2800, or read our free e-edition by clicking here.

Pet vaccines available for World Rabies Day on Wednesday

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Wednesday is World Rabies Day, and Pasco County Animal Services is teaming up with Gentle Care Pet Hospital to provide one-year rabies vaccinations for low-income families.

The first 150 low-income pet owners who qualify at events held Wednesday and Thursday will receive the vaccination for their dog or cat. The first clinic is at the county shelter, 19640 Dogpatch Lane in Land O’ Lakes, while a second clinic will run Sept. 27 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Gentle Care Pet Hospital, 21515 Village Lakes Shopping Center Drive, in Land O’ Lakes.

To qualify for the free vaccine, pet owners must bring a valid photo identification and one of the following: a Medicaid card, food stamps card, WIC identification card, proof of supplemental security income, or proof of unemployment.

The event does not include a free county license, and a license is required for all dogs in Pasco County. License fees are $10 for dogs that have been spayed or neutered, and $35 for those that have not. Licenses will be available for purchase at the event.

Organizers are asking that all cats be transported in carriers, while dogs need to be on a 6-foot leash, or in a carrier.

Rabies is ever-present in wildlife, which can put pets and people at risk, shelters officials said. It is estimated at nearly 40,000 Americans are exposed to rabies each year. Officials recommend people vaccinate all animals that have regular contact with humans.

Founded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control, the World Rabies Day initiative aims to address rabies prevention and control, according to a release.

For more information about World Rabies Day, visit WorldRabiesDay.org. For information about the free rabies vaccination clinics, call Joya Coen with Gentle Care Pet Hospital at (813) 949-4416, or email her at .

Pasco boasts semifinalists for National Merit Scholarship

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Five local students are among eight in Pasco County who have been recognized as National Merit Scholarship semifinalists, and will join hundreds of others in the state to the national semifinal round.

The National Merit Scholarship Corp. recognizes high school seniors with the highest scores on the preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, who met published program participation requirements. The semifinalists are now eligible to compete for one of 8,000 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $35 million.

Local students recognized include:

• Brendan Foley of Pasco High School
• Lisa Goldsworthy of Sunlake High School
• Veronica Grady of Land O’ Lakes High School
• Olivia Sunna of Wiregrass Ranch High School
• Emily Suvannasankha of Land O’ Lakes High School

Other county semifinalists were Juliana Cavallaro from Mitchell High School, and both Mackenzie Marques and Jaquelyn Nagy from Gulf High School.

“I am very proud of our students for achieving such a distinguished honor,” said Pasco County Schools superintendent Kurt Browning, in a release. “Their success is a direct result of their dedication to academic excellence and the rigorous instruction provided by our outstanding teachers.”

To be considered, students must submit a detailed scholarship application that includes their academic record throughout high school, participation in school and community activities, demonstration of leadership abilities, and honors and awards received. Students also must be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn an SAT score that confirms the earlier performance on the qualifying test.

Finalists are selected based on exceptional skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

The National Merit Scholarship Corp. is a not-for-profit organization established in 1955 to conduct the National Merit Scholarship program.

Wesley Chapel chamber honors businesses, leaders

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The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce honored its top businesses and leaders during its annual banquet last week at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel.

The awards, according to chamber officials, acknowledge the accomplishments of small businesses, large businesses, volunteers, civic organizations, and business leaders, for the contributions they make to the regional economy.

The business awards were reviewed and scored by a panel of peers based on their demonstrated commitment to the advancement of the business community.

Winners included:

• Business Leader of the Year — Stanley Giannet, Pasco-Hernando State College.
• Large Business of the Year — Parks Ford of Wesley Chapel
• Small Business of the Year — The New Tampa/Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News
• Civic Group of the Year — American Cancer Society
• Volunteer of the Year — Kelly Mothershead, A Focus on Fitness

In addition those awards, Wendy Bechtelheimer was presented the president’s award for her contribution to the organization, while Jeff Novotny of American Consulting Engineers was named the board member of the year.

The event was presented by Parks Ford of Wesley Chapel.

 

School district to meet with families about Sanders magnet school

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Pasco County Schools will host a community meeting on the new Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet Elementary School Sept. 23 at 6 p.m., in the Land O’ Lakes High School gymnasium, 20325 Gator Lane in Land O’ Lakes.

STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Scheduled to attend are school superintendent Kurt Browning, members of the school board, architects from Williamson Dacar Associates, and contractors from Ajax Building Corp. All are expected to share preliminary information with parents about the school, as well as the timelines and requirements for hiring the principal, teachers and staff members. There also will be discussion about magnet school application timelines, and options for transportation.

Sanders has been closed since 2010, and reconstruction began last month on the new school buildings at 5126 School Road in Land O’ Lakes. They will include what the district describes as state-of-the-art architecture and furnishings, labs, collaboration areas, traditional classrooms, and outdoor classrooms.

Sanders will be the district’s first magnet school, and will not have an attendance boundary.

For more information, call (813) 794-2717, or (813) 361-8349.

Another steep drop sends gas prices closer to $3

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It’s good news for travelers this week as the price of gas fell another 6 cents per gallon this past week, hitting its lowest point since February, and making that elusive sub-$3 mark look even more realistic.

Part of that continued decrease in price could come from what refineries have to do every year: switch from summer blend to winter blend fuel.

“Winter blend gas is cheaper to produce, because it does not require the additives necessary in summer blend,” said AAA spokesman Josh Carrasco, in a release. “Also, here in the U.S., we continue benefiting from historic domestic oil production. Both of these factors continue placing downward pressure on gas prices.”

But the price for a barrel of oil did go up this past week 14 cents, allowing it to close at $92.41. Part of that was caused by oil supply reductions from OPEC. At the same time, Libya shut down its largest oil field due to escalating tensions in the area there, AAA said, while Saudi Arabia announced its largest reduction in oil exports in 18 months.

OPEC, the group said, supplies about 40 percent of the world’s oil.

“Right now, domestic oil supply is outpacing demand,” Carrasco said, “Geopolitical tensions and supply cuts caused oil to increase this week, but looking ahead, it will be challenging for OPEC to cut production to the point that it has significant impact due to high crude production in the U.S.”

The price of gas in Florida was $3.29 a gallon, down 3 cents from last week, and 13 cents from the year before. It’s also a nickel cheaper than what it was a month ago.

Four gas stations in Land O’ Lakes reported gas at the area’s lowest rate of $3.17, according to GasBuddy. That includes a 7-Eleven, RaceTrac, Citgo and Marathon. The most expensive was reported at the Shell station on State Road 54 and State Road 56, where gas was selling for $3.29.

Sam’s Club continues to remain the cheapest in Wesley Chapel at $3.15, while the Shell station at Bruce B. Downs Boulevard near State Road 56 was the highest at $3.29.

In Lutz, gas prices ranged form $3.16 at two Citgo stations, to $3.39 at two Shell stations. Zephyrhills once again offered the cheapest gas in the area, with the Marathon station at Eiland Boulevard and Geiger Road offering gas at $3.13 per gallon, while the Cumberland Farms at State Road 54 and Morris Bridge Road was reported at $3.21.