The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Activities picking up as residents head back to Grand Horizons

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The summer months continue and activities are starting to pick up. They are still going strong with the many card games, bingo, dominoes, mahjong and much more.

In a short time, art, pinochle and other activities also will be on the agenda.

Annmarie Shackewyc painted doorstops to look like little girls in a recent craft class. (Courtesy of Annmarie Shackewyc)
Annmarie Shackewyc painted doorstops to look like little girls in a recent craft class.
(Courtesy of Annmarie Shackewyc)

The summer months bring so many of the people from Grand Horizons to the pool to cool off and refresh themselves. We had a pool party a little while ago, and that was a huge success. From what I heard, they had Wii Bowling in the community center after the party.

They also are continuing taking the photos of the residents to put in the new directory that will be coming out shortly. They took several photos during the summer months, and from what I understand, they will be taking more in the following months. So, for the people who have gone elsewhere during the summer, your chance is coming. Do not despair, as you will also get an opportunity to have your picture taken and put in the brand new telephone directory.

They still have the lunch connoisseurs once a month, and for the month of August they went to the Olive Garden. Bill and Pidge Elliott were the host and hostess for this gathering, and they did a superb job.

I spoke to Bill and he mentioned that while they were there previously, they knew what to ask for in the seating so people could be comfortable and, therefore, get to mingle with everyone else. So, they ended up having several booths with about 26 people altogether.

Everyone had a good time. I have gone to the Olive Garden before and they have delicious dinners.

On Aug. 10, there was an ice cream social. We have those several times in the winter months, but it seems like it is always on the calendar for the summer months. And I am so glad, as I understand the weather is so hot, humid and sticky they need something like this to cool off and look forward to.

I spoke to Judy Ellsworth, and she mentioned that it was a very rainy day, so not as many attended as had originally signed up. But they still had a nice turnout of 37 residents. I think that sounds like a good number to me.

There was lots of ice cream and homemade hot fudge for all. Just writing this, I can taste the ice cream and the toppings. Yum.

Bill and Judy Ellsworth, and Steve and Nancy Lay hosted the social with Mim and Terry Gardner helping out. So, our thanks go out to everyone who pitched in. It definitely was appreciated.

As previously mentioned, Grand Horizons has a craft class, hosted by Cheryl Leone, once a week. Recently Annmarie Shackewyc stated that in the class, they painted back paver doorstops and most everyone did them as animals. Annmarie created them as cute girls. Two girls were in pink while a third was in blue. The three girls standing together created a nice contrast.

By Helene Rubenstein

Published September 3, 2014

Free breakfast for all at nearly 50 schools

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Free breakfast is now available to all students in nearly 50 schools in Pasco County for the 2014-15 school year.

Reduced and free meals are typically available to lower income families. However, these schools have 60 percent or more of their students eligible for free or reduced price meals and also are part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Provision 2, according to Julie Hedine, director of food and nutrition services.

The schools now offering free breakfast for all students include:

• Anclote Elementary School
• Anclote High School
• Athenian Academy
• Baycare Behavioral Health
• Bayonet Point Middle School
• Calusa Elementary School
• Centennial Elementary School
• Centennial Middle School
• Chasco Middle School
• Cotee River Elementary School
• Crews Lake Middle School
• Fivay High School
• Fox Hollow Elementary School
• Giella Elementary School
• Gulf Highlands Elementary School
• Gulf High School
• Gulf Middle School
• Gulf Trace Elementary School
• Gulfside Elementary School
• Hudson Elementary School
• Hudson Middle School
• Hudson High School
• Irvin Education Center
• Lacoochee Elementary School
• Locke Elementary School
• Marchman Technical Education Center
• Marlowe Elementary School
• Moon Lake Elementary School
• Moore Mickens Education Center
• Northwest Elementary School
• Pasco Middle School
• Pasco High School
• Richey Elementary School
• Ridgewood High School
• San Antonio Elementary School
• Schrader Elementary School
• Schwettman Education Center
• Seven Springs Elementary School
• Smith Middle School
• Stewart Middle School
• Sunray Elementary School
• Taylor Elementary School
• West Zephyrhills Elementary School
• Woodland Elementary School
• Zephyrhills High School

For more information on the program, call Julie Hedine at (813) 794-2439, or email her at .

E-cigarettes can kill … your pet

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There is a lot of debate over how safe — or unsafe — electronic cigarettes are to people. But one organization says it’s important to make sure those same people think about their pets, too.

The Pet Poison Helpline says there is no debate on how such nicotine-delivering devices can hurt animals, to the point of poisoning a dog or cat. And the biggest problem, they say, is that many pet owners don’t realize it.

The helpline group has had a spike in recent calls concerning nicotine poisoning in pets that ingested e-cigarettes or liquid nicotine refill solutions. In fact, those calls have doubled over the past six months, reflecting what the organization believes is increasing popularity over the cigarette alternative.

Although dogs account for the majority of cases coming into the helpline, nicotine in e-cigarettes and liquid refills can be toxic to cats as well, the group says.

“We have handled cases for pets poisoned by eating traditional cigarettes or tobacco products containing nicotine for years,” said Ahna Brutlag, an associate director of veterinary services at Pet Poison Helpline, in a release. “But, as the use of e-cigarettes has become more widespread, our call volume for cases involving them has increased considerably.”

E-cigarettes are another way of delivering nicotine. They are designed to resemble traditional cigarettes, however the battery-operated devices atomize liquid that contains nicotine, turning it into a vapor that can be inhaled. The most recent craze is flavored e-cigarettes, which are available in an array of flavors from peppermint to banana cream pie, helpline workers said.

The aroma of liquid nicotine in e-cigarettes can be alluring to dogs, and flavored e-cigarettes could be even more enticing. The issue is the amount of nicotine in each cartridge — between 6 milligrams and 24 milligrams.

Each cartridge contains the nicotine equivalent of one or two traditional cigarettes, but the purchase packs of five to 100 cartridges multiply that amount many times over, posing a serious threat to pets that chew them.

For example, helping official said, if a single cartridge is ingested by a 50-pound dog, clinical signs of poisoning are likely to occur. But if a dog that weighs 10 pounds ingests the same amount, death is possible.

Dogs of any weight that ingest multiple e-cigarette cartridges are at risk for severe poisoning, and even death.

In addition to the toxicity of nicotine, the actual e-cigarette casing can result in oral injury when chewed, and can cause gastrointestinal upset with the risk of a foreign body obstruction.

Some e-cigarette users buy vials of liquid nicotine solution for refilling cartridges. The solution is commonly referred to as “e-liquid” or “e-juice.” The small bottles hold enough liquid to fill multiple cartridges, meaning they contain a considerable amount of nicotine, officials said. Pet owners should be very careful to store them out of the reach of pets.

Nicotine poisoning in pets has a rapid onset of symptoms — generally within 15 to 60 minutes following ingestion. Symptoms for dogs and cats include vomiting, diarrhea, agitation, elevations in heart rate and respiration rate, depression, tremors, ataxia, weakness, seizures, cyanosis, coma and cardiac arrest.

Because nicotine poisoning can happen so rapidly following ingestions, prompt veterinary care can mean the difference between life and death for a pet. Home care is not generally possible with nicotine exposure, officials said, due to the severity of the poisoning, even in small doses.

Owners should take action immediately by contacting a veterinarian, or calling the Pet Poison Helpline at (800) 213-6680.

In Print: A day on the links? Or maybe a good book to read?

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There has been a lot of bad news about golf courses lately, especially when it comes to places like Plantation Palms Golf Club in Land O’ Lakes — and more recently, some financial issues at Scotland Yards in Dade City.

GolfCourseIPBut are golf courses on the way out? Or is this simply a correction in the market?

“Golf was in its heyday 20 or 30 years ago, when that was the thing to do, both socially and sports wise,” Laura Sanderson, a pro at Meadow Oaks Golf & Country Club in Hudson, told reporter Michael Hinman. “Everyone built a bunch of golf courses because, back then, we could keep them full. But now people’s interests have changed, especially the younger generation. People just have better things to do with their time and money.”

But that doesn’t mean golf courses are down and out. In fact, the courses that survive and thrive will be the ones who adapt to the new realities, Sanderson said. And you can read all about it in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, available on your local news racks or maybe even on your front doorstep right now.

If you can’t pick up a physical copy of the paper, you also can read our online e-edition for free. Just click here.

Every month, reporter B.C. Manion takes you on a journey with her Worth the Trip feature, exploring things that are beautiful and fascinating. This week, she takes readers to the only bookstore you’ll probably ever need — and it’s just a stone’s throw away.

But what if you just wanted to go somewhere inexpensive? Reporter Michael Murillo made a name for himself a few years back with a column known as “Cheap Date.” While that feature has been retired, there are still many low-cost outings people can take, and Michael explores that in a new column known as “On the Cheap.”

His first stop is the Capitol Theatre in Clearwater, where the price of a double feature harkens back to the good ol’ days when bank loans weren’t needed to buy a movie ticket.

“Why sit at home, when for $7, you could take a friend or a loved one to a historic theater and see something you know you’ll enjoy?” Murillo writes. “Two somethings, actually. It’s a double feature, remember? That’s a great deal, and cheap enough that it justifies a little drive time to get there.”

Find out more on why this is such a great low-cost outing in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, or you can simply click here to read it in our free online e-edition.

Finally, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis has become a champion for veterans causes, especially in the mess that has become the Veterans Affairs health care system.

Good news, however, is coming for local veterans after President Barack Obama signed a bill that includes a Bilirakis provision that would add a consolidated full-fledged VA medical clinic in Pasco County.

But where will it open? The tug-of-war seems to be between New Port Richey, and east toward Land O’ Lakes or even Zephyrhills.

Lauren Price is an Iraqi war veteran who is one of the founders of the VeteranWarriors advocacy group. She joined nearly 100 other veterans last week in New Port Richey to share her thoughts on where a clinic should go, and what should be offered with it.

“Most people, especially disabled veterans, have financial problems, and transportation is a huge factor in their lives,” Price said. “We have some limited mass transit here in West Pasco, and there is much more minimal mass transit that gets out to Trinity. And before someone offers all that real estate out in Dade City or Zephyrhills, I will remind them that the only mass transit out there are the mud swamp runs.”

How will this turf war be solved? Get details in this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, or read it online by clicking here.

Oh, and are you ready for some football? We wrap up more than a month of local gridiron previews this week from reporter Michael Murillo with the Freedom Patriots.

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.

And see The Laker XL with our brand-new video!

Cash tolls go obsolete on Veterans Thursday

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The future is here … at least when it comes to the Veterans Expressway.

One of the primary roads that helps take many Pasco County residents to jobs south will phase out its final cash booths beginning Sept. 5.

The conversion process requires construction crews to work overnight as they remove and demolish all cash tollbooths and coin baskets at the Sugarwood mainline toll plaza, as well as ramp toll plazas at Gunn Highway and Hutchison Road, according to a release.

By Friday, the conversion to all-electronic tolling will be complete, with motorists able to pay tolls using either SunPass or the state’s Toll-By-Plate system. Both will allow tolls to be collected without having to stop or wait in line.

As the conversion continues, drivers going both north and south on Thursday night should be on the lookout for overnight detours, beginning at 8 p.m., between Ehrlich and Hutchison roads. Northbound traffic will be diverted off the roadway at Ehrlich, and should use the posted detour to rejoin the Veterans at Hutchison.

Southbound traffic will be diverted at Hutchison, and should follow the posted detour to rejoin the Veterans at Ehrlich.

There will be some delays at the ramps, officials said, and all tolled ramps at Gunn and Hutchison rill remain open during the process. However, anyone using those ramps should be set to pay with either SunPass or Toll-By-Plate, as cash options will not be available.

The detours will end by 5 a.m. on Friday, officials said. This will create a new traffic pattern for motorists as they travel through the Sugarwood toll plaza. The removal of the toll plaza is expected to take several months.

Following the conversion to all-electronic tolling, all traffic will continue to flow through the deactivated tollbooths for some time. Motorists are asked not to stop, but they also should not exceed the 25 mph speed limit through the booths.

By 5 a.m., Friday, September 5, the detours will be lifted.  Motorists should be alert for a new traffic pattern as they travel through the Sugarwood toll plaza.  Complete removal of the toll plaza structure at Sugarwood is anticipated to take several months.

The Toll-By-Plate program photograph’s a vehicle’s license plate as it travels under the overhead toll gantry, and mails a bill for the tolls incurred. A $2.50 administrative charge per invoice is assessed, and those invoices will be mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle.

Multiple transactions are bundled in a monthly invoice, so customers should only receive one invoice and one service charge per month.

Florida’s Turnpike officials estimate that up to 84 percent of drivers on the Veterans and Suncoast Parkway already use SunPass. More than 150,000 motorists use the Veterans each day.

The conversion is part of the $380 million widening of the Veterans. It’s the first major construction project on the Veterans since it opened in October 1994.

Gas higher for summer, but not for long term

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Drivers probably were not happy to see gas prices jumping up just ahead of the Labor Day holiday, as they typically do when demand is higher, but they should be happy that it was still the cheapest Labor Day weekend gas in four years.

More than 29.7 million families gassed yup for a road trip on the weekend, according to AAA, with average prices nearly 19 cents cheaper than last year in Florida.

“There’s no doubt that low gas prices helped convince many Americans, who were on the fence about traveling, to take a trip during the holiday weekend,” said Mark Jenkins, a AAA spokesman, in a release. “Prices may get even cheaper in the coming months.”

That will come because of a mixture of higher domestic production in the fall, and lower demand, Jenkins said. In fact, he is expecting to see gas prices fall to below $3 a gallon before the end of the year. However, things that could spoil that would be refinery outages, or a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico.

Barrels of oil were trading at $97.88 at the beginning of August, but finished the month at $93.86, helping to push the national average gasoline pieces down 9 cents. That included a 6-cent drop in Florida, as well as 8 cents in Georgia and 7 cents in Tennessee.

Right now, Florida is averaging $3.37 per gallon, 3 cents more than last week, but down a nickel from a month ago.

As of Monday, the cheapest gas in Land O’ Lakes, according to GasBuddy.com, was at the Mobil station at State Road 52 near the Suncoast Parkway, where regular unleaded was listed at $3.19. The most expensive was at a Shell station on the corner of State Roads 54 and 56, with a price of $3.37.

In Wesley Chapel, gas prices ranged from $3.18 at Sam’s Club on State Road 56 near Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, to $3.38 at a Shell station at State Road 54 and Oakley Boulevard. Lutz saw prices as low as $3.26 at a Sunoco in State Road 54 and Collier Parkway, and as high as $3.39 at the Shell station at Van Dyke Road and Lakeshore Drive.

The cheapest gas in Zephyrhills as of Monday was at the Marathon at Eiland Boulevard and Geiger Road at a cost of $3.25. The most expensive was reported at Citgo at Wire and Otis Allen roads at $3.40. Dade City gas prices ranged from $3.26 at the RaceWay at U.S. 301 and McDonald Road, to a cash price of $3.39 at the BP station on U.S. 98 Bypass and Church Street.

 

Weapon report put Sunlake High on lockdown

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The beginning of the holiday weekend was a stressful time for the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and administrators at Sunlake High School after a reported student carrying a weapon put the campus on lockdown Friday morning.

Sunlake principal Steve Williams worked to keep the public informed what was happening throughout the morning through Twitter, and posted on the school’s Facebook page later that while an unidentified student was taken into custody by deputies, no weapon was found on campus.

“In an abundance of caution, we began a thorough search of the campus to ensure the student did not give the weapon to another student, or attempt to hide it on the campus,” Williams wrote on Facebook. “Once we were sure that the campus was safe, we moved out of lockdown and finished the day.”

Earlier in the day, a student reported to a school staff member that another student was in possession of a weapon. That immediately put the school into lockdown, and administrators brought in the sheriff’s office, which started an investigation, Williams said.

Although safety precautions were made, Williams emphasized to parents that there was no evidence that a weapon was actually at the school, and that everyone “remained safe throughout the situation.”

“I wish to commend the students, staff and parents of the Sunlake community for their patience and professionalism during this stressful situation,” Williams wrote. “In addition, I want to thank the Pasco sheriff’s office for their efforts today. They were highly professional, and we appreciate our partnership with them.”

Classes are expected to resume as normal on Sept. 2, and no Friday night or weekend events were affected by the lockdown, Williams added.

Land O’ Lakes woman wins $1 million scratch-off

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After a few winning scratch-off tickets were sold locally, yet another local resident can call herself a millionaire this week after a big win through the Florida Lottery.

However, unlike other recent tickets, this one was bought in Tampa.

Loida Emmons, 46, of Land O’ Lakes, claimed a $1 million prize in Florida Lottery’s 50X the Cash Scratch-Off game. She chose to receive her winnings in a one-time, lump-sum payment of $733,560.

Emmons purchased her winning ticket from Neighborhood Food Mart, located at 11620 N. 22nd St., in Tampa. The retailer received a bonus commission of $2,000 for selling the $1 million winning ticket.

Tickets for the game costs $10, and offers more than $164 million in cash prizes, including 16 top prizes of $1 million, according to a release. Seven top prizes remain, with the game’s overall odds of winning at 1-in-3.46 million.

The game is part of a series multiplier-themed games offered by the lottery, ranging in price from $1 to $25.

They are part of the lottery’s portfolio of games, comprising approximately 64 percent of ticket sales, and generating more than $640 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund in 2013-14.

Tampa Bay Water funding nonprofit conservation projects

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Tampa Bay Water is offering $20,000 worth of mini-grants to help fund projects and events sponsored by local community groups, non-profit groups, schools and universities that help promote protection of the region’s drinking water sources.

The deadline to apply for the grant is Oct. 31. To qualify, applicants need to provide a plan for a project or event that is related to source water protection in the Tampa Bay Water service area. The program grants funds from $2,000 to $10,000 for community-based activities, including but not limited to, river cleanups, stormwater nature walks, and educational field trips.

“The mini-grant program helps those who are dedicated to protecting our region’s drinking water sources, and it ensures that our ecosystems remain healthy and functioning now and into the future,” said Paula Dye, mini-grant program manager for Tampa Bay Water, in a release. “

Last year, the agency awarded four $5,000 mini-grants that funded projects and events managed by Lowry Park Zoo, Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, Keep Pasco Beautiful and Friends of Brooker Creek.

Keep Pasco Beautiful ran a poster contest for elementary students that focused on educating them about the importance of protecting drinking water sources. Its Tampa Bay counterpart used its grant to fund its environmental program, which included interactive and educational presentations for elementary through high school students throughout Hillsborough County.

Lowry Park Zoo raised its outflow structure to reduce the amount of wastewater discharge during heavy rain events, playing a role in keeping a Hillsborough River tributary clean.

Friends of Brooker Creek built an exhibit at the Brooker Creek Preserve in Pinellas County. The hands-on exhibit illustrated the elements of the water cycle and how surface and groundwater flows move through the watershed.

Mini-grant applications will be reviewed, with winners notified before the end of 2014 for funds that will be available in 2015.

To apply, visit tinyurl.com/TBWMiniGrant. For information, call Paula Dye at (813) 996-7009.

Vehicle registration fees drop Sept. 1

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Motor vehicle registration fees will return back to their pre-2009 levels next week after better economic times no longer required the higher fees instituted during the Great Recession.

Gov. Rick Scott, who is now set to face off against his predecessor, former Gov. Charlie Crist in November, said drivers will save between $17 and $25 when renewing their registration, depending on the size of their vehicle. The move, Scott said, would cost the state about $400 million, which was additional revenue the Legislature passed at the time to help close budget gaps.

By rolling back to the original registration fees, motorcycles will save a little more than $17, vehicles less than 2,500 pounds will save $18.55, vehicles between 2,500 and 3,500 pounds will save $21.55, and vehicles at more than 3,500 pounds will save just over $25.

The reduction will apply for vehicle registrations renewed on or after Sept. 1.

In March, Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano encouraged drivers who were renewing registrations to only do it for one year instead of two, so that they would have a chance to realize the savings that took effect Sept. 1. While the bill would help motorists in reducing their tax burden, it did not address the 750,000 vehicle owners who typically renew in two-year increments, Fasano said.