The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Feds approve Overpass Road interchange on I-75

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The Federal Highway Administration has given a green light to the new Interstate 75 interchange that will be built on Overpass Road, not far from Wesley Chapel District Park.

“This is a huge accomplishment, as all new interchange requests along the interstate system go up to Washington, D.C., for approval,” Florida Department of Transportation District 7 secretary Paul Steinman told Pasco County commissioners Tuesday, according to a release.

The Overpass Road interchange will provide additional access in the Wesley Chapel area, which has experienced a large population growth, as well as East Pasco County, where several developments have been approved or are in various stages of planning or construction, such as Pasadena Hills.

The new road will help divert traffic from existing interchanges on State Road 54, State Road 52 and State Road 56.

The county will have eight years to get the interchange ready to go, or the approval process would have to be reinitiated, county planning and development director Richard Gehring told commissioners, according to a release. The county would have to dip into mobility fees, Penny for Pasco, as well as “special contributions” from the Villages of Pasadena Hills, to get it going.

The initial cost estimate of the new interchange is $55 million.

See the July 16 edition of The Laker/Lutz News for more details on the new interchange.

 

Mental health tune-ups for Pasco County residents

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NTBHMain
Spend a few minutes with Jim Harris, CEO of North Tampa Behavioral Health in Wesley Chapel (NTBH), and you’ll catch his enthusiasm. He and his staff are committed to providing the very best care and support for people experiencing mental health issues.

“Sometimes the challenges of life can overwhelm us,” says Jim. “Many of us will experience a mental health issue at some point in our life – grief, loss, loneliness, depression, addiction. We’re here to help people work through their mental health concerns.”

North Tampa Behavioral Health provides a non-institutional environment on 16 acres of wetlands and forest off of State Road 56, east of The Shops at Wiregrass. The campus offers peace and quiet without urban distractions.

“We want to set the standard for the treatment of behavioral health and addiction disorders,” says Jim. “We have a unique half-day, partial hospitalization program and an intensive outpatient program for the treatment of adults and seniors with mental health and substance abuse conditions.”

NTBH is more than just a productive member of the community. They are making their facilities available for various support group meetings. The National Alliance on Mental Illness currently provides free support group meetings on the first and third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m., for families experiencing mental health issues or who have friends receiving mental health care.

“We currently have 143 employees contributing to the economic health of the region,” says Jim. “The resources we use come from the local community as much as possible. We are also a provider working to enhance mental health awareness and wellness of the citizens of Pasco County.”

“Our treatment focuses on the whole person,” says Jim. “We believe that physical health and nutritional health play a role in mental health, and we address that daily here.”

They have an indoor gym with stationary bicycles, workout bags and a basketball court. They also host yoga classes in the gym. Outdoors they have a basketball court, a walking path and spaces to relax, read and converse. There are also a number of spacious community rooms and a cafe with a selection of nutritious foods available during all meals.

“Our goal is to bring together mental and physical health approaches to psychiatric therapies founded on the most current principles of patient safety,” says Jim. “We are a progressive facility. For example, there are no mechanical restraints for patients, which is rare for a psychiatric hospital. Suggestions from our patients are continually improving our facility.”

All programs are group-oriented and developmentally appropriate to the client. Inpatient care is short-term. Outpatient care may go on longer depending on the client’s needs. The partial hospital program is 5 days per week for 5 hours per day. The intensive outpatient program is 3 days per week for 3 hours per day.

They became a Baker Act facility in February 2014 and have since been working closely with law enforcement and local hospitals to treat involuntary patients who are deemed a threat to themselves or others due to mental health or substance abuse issues.

North Tampa Behavioral Health has been very successful to date. They are continuing to develop relationships with local hospitals, independent practitioners, clinics, colleges and chambers of commerce. They are in the process of starting an alumni group for people who have been treated at the facility as another way to further support the community. Call them for an assessment or referral.

They are located at 29910 State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel, and can be reached at (813) 922-3300. Their website is NorthTampaBehavioralHealth.com.

– Mike Matthew

This story is a feature of the advertising department.

 

In Print: Don’t miss Fourth of July, we have pics

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What did you do on the Fourth of July? Well, hopefully you didn’t stay home, because there were plenty of options, which as a regular reader of The Laker/Lutz News, you already knew about.

Bridget Richwine, second from right, helped her sons get into the Fourth of July spirit with hats she made for C.J., 11, at right, and Ben, 5. Grandmother Chloie Adkins, far left, looks on. (Photo by Michael Hinman)
Bridget Richwine, second from right, helped her sons get into the Fourth of July spirit with hats she made for C.J., 11, at right, and Ben, 5. Grandmother Chloie Adkins, far left, looks on. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

The Shops at Wiregrass kicked things off with its annual Fourth of July celebration July 3, complete with bicycle decorating contests, watermelon eating and Miss and Mr. Firecracker. It continued Friday morning in Lutz with its annual Fourth of July parade, which had large crowds lined up along Lutz Lake Fern Road leading into the Lutz Depot.

And if that wasn’t enough, the fun continued Saturday in places like Avalon West and Connerton, with booths, games and fireworks.

Want to see some of the great images from those events? Well, you can find them right now in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News. If you don’t have a newspaper in front of you, you can see all the picture in our free e-edition by clicking here.

Also, a Lutz News reader, Tracy Gaschler, submitted some of her own pictures from the Lutz parade. You can check those out on our Facebook page by clicking here.

If you were at any of those Fourth of July events, then there’s no doubt in your mind that we’re in the middle of summer, and it can be hot. But how do you enjoy the sun and fun, without ending up in the emergency room?

Three local doctors from places like Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel and St. Joseph’s Hospital-North shared some advice on how to stay safe while celebrating summer whether it’s on the road, in the water, or in the outdoors.

But it’s not just about keeping yourself safe, but children, too. And they require constant vigilance, especially when they are in the water.

“Don’t take a break to get on the phone,” Dr. Javier Gonzalez, assistant medical director of the emergency department at the Zephyrhills hospital, told reporter B.C. Manion. “I hear that all the time, ‘I just went out for a second to speak to somebody or to  pick up the phone.’ Before they know it, two minutes have passed by and the child is dead at the bottom of the pool.”

Another key safety tip is to stay hydrated, and not just when you’re in the heat — but drinking plenty of water before you go out is essential too.

“You’re losing water with every breath you take, you’re losing water with the heat itself,” said Dr. Michael Longley, medical director of the emergency department at the Wesley Chapel hospital. “You’re losing water with sweating and you’re losing water with the activity that you’re doing. It’s compounded and there’s just no way to keep up if the tank isn’t full to being with.”

To see what else these doctors, along with Dr. Katrina Cordero, has to say about summertime protection, check out the print edition of this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, or you can read it for free in our e-edition by clicking here.

Finally, Pasco County sheriff Chris Nocco learned Tuesday that the first draft of the county’s budget for the next year will include more than $5 million he’s requested in additional funds to help stave off the departure of deputies to neighboring counties. But what is the long-term plan for the sheriff’s office?

Probably the biggest thing on the drawing board is creating a fourth district for deputies, based out of the Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel area.

“we are going to need many more deputies, and we’re going to need a fourth district in the (State Road) 54 corridor,” Nocco told reporter Michael Hinman. “We need to have a stronger presence in the Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel area. Deputies who serve that area right now are based out of Dade City, and there has to be something much closer to serve those needs.”

However, many of those plans will require money — something Nocco believes Pasco County commissioners are supportive, since public safety is a key factor to continued growth and happy residents.

“We are not wasting taxpayer dollars,” Nocco said. “Instead, we are very efficient. I know our commissioners are being pulled in a thousand different directions, but I also think they realize that public safety is a priority.”

You can read more about Nocco’s plans in the print edition of The Laker, or you can read our free e-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.

Cindy Perkins ‘elected’ Lutz Guv’na for 2014

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In the end, Cindy Perkins proved she could win an office — for a price.

The Lutz chiropractor topped four other candidates in charity fundraising efforts over the Fourth of July weekend, to succeed Suzin Carr as the new Lutz Guv’na.

Cindy Perkins, a Lutz-based chiropractor, is sworn in as the new Lutz Guv'na for 2014. (Photo by Suzanne Beauchaine)
Cindy Perkins, a Lutz-based chiropractor, is sworn in as the new Lutz Guv’na for 2014. (Photo by Suzanne Beauchaine)

Perkins, who originally hails from a small town in Minnesota, told the Lutz News last month she enjoys the small-town feel that Lutz provides. The long-standing Guv’na event shows that while Lutz might be part of a growing, larger metropolitan area, it hasn’t forgot about its roots.

“It really appeals to me that the money that’s raised through the Guv’na campaign goes back to local schools or local nonprofits or the library,” Perkins said before the “election.”

Joining Perkins in seeking the Guv’na office were Liane Caruso of Limelight Marketing, Susan Gulash of Gulash Graphics, Lutz Volunteer Fire Association president Jay Muffly, and Soccer Gemz director Jerome Smalls.

 

 

Job fair kicks off Wednesday

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Looking for work? Then Land O’ Lakes High School is exactly where you need to be Wednesday for a job fair.

Pasco County Schools is partnering with county agencies and local chambers of commerce for a fair July 9 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the high school, 20324 Gator Lane, in Land O’ Lakes.

The fair will include the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, county government offices, the clerk of court and tax collector, as well as some other businesses to talk to people looking to return to the job market, or step up from their current jobs.

Some of the positions the agencies are looking for at the fair include clerical and administrative support, accounting and finance, bus drivers and assistants, information services, food services, law enforcement and corrections, maintenance and skilled trades, and instructional and child care.

For more information, click here.

Main Street Zephyrhills earns national accreditation

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Main Street Zephyrhills Inc. has received accreditation from the National Main Street program after meeting commercial district revitalization performance standards set by the National Main Street Center.

To become accredited, Main Street Zephyrhills had to meet 10 standards of performance. They include:

• Have broad-based community support for the commercial district revitalization process, with strong support from both the public and private sectors.
• Has a comprehensive Main Street work plan.
• Possesses an historic preservation ethic.
• Has a paid, professional executive director.
• Reports key statistics.
• Be a current member of the National Trust Main Street Network.

The National Main Street Center is a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The National Main Street Center launched last year, using principles they say have been used in 2,000 communities, producing $59.6 billion in investment, creating nearly 503,000 jobs, according to the organization’s website.

Main Street Zephyrhills’ performance will be evaluated each year by Florida Main Street. In the past seven years alone, there have been 444 public and private, new or rehabilitation projects completed within the Main Street Zephyrhills district, totaling more than $2.6 million, officials said. The district also has seen a net gain of 308 jobs as well as more than 15,000 hours of volunteer service.

Main Street Zephyrhills also has worked with city officials on its Facade Beautification Grant Program.

“Downtown Zephyrhills is the focal point and heart of the community and its economic health, whether perceived or actual, plays a large part in the impression people have the area,” said Gina Granger, executive director of Main Street Zephyrhills, in a release.

Eastern equine encephalitis found in Pasco horses

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Two horses in Pasco County have tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis, posing a risk to humans, according to the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County.

The encephalitis is rare, and is caused by a virus spread by infected mosquitoes that can cause brain inflammation.

While disease transmission does not occur directly from person to person, it can be transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. Those at highest risk are people who live in or visit woodland areas, people who work or participate in outdoor recreational activities where there is greater exposure to potentially infected mosquitoes.

Mosquito-borne infections in people can cause headache, fever, dizziness, confusion, movement disorders and coma, health department officials said, in a release.

Protecting from mosquito bites means following the “Five Ds,” officials said.

• Dusk and Dawn — Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are seeking blood.
• Dress — Wear clothing that covers most of the skin.
• DEET — When the potential exists for exposure to mosquitoes, repellents containing up to 30 percent DEET are recommended. Other effective repellents include picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, and IR3535.
• Drainage — Check around the home to rid the area of standing water, where mosquitoes lay eggs.

Elimination of breeding sites also is key to prevention, officials said. That means it’s best to:

• Clean out eaves, troughs and gutters.
• Remove old tires or drill holes in those used in playgrounds to allow drainage.
• Turn over or remove plastic pots, and pick up all beverage containers and cups.
• Check tarps on boats or other equipment that may collect water.
• Pump out bilges on boats.
• Replace water in birdbaths, animal dishes and plant trays at least once a week.
• Change water in plant trays, including hanging plants, at least once a week.
• Remove vegetation or obstructions in drainage ditches that prevent the flow of water.

There is no vaccine to protect humans from this form of encephalitis, but horse owners can contact their veterinarian for information on vacations of horses against mosquito-borne diseases.

For more information, call (352) 521-1450 and select Option 6, or click here.

Check out charities before making a donation

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The Better Business Bureau is using July 4 as an opportunity to shine some light on the various charities the organization supports.

“The freedom of choice, to support causes we care about, reminds us of the spirit of the July 4 holiday,” said H. Art Taylor, president and chief executive of BBB Wise Giving Alliance, in a release. “But whether the charity advocates for issues related to civil rights, immigration, the environment, animal welfare, health care, veterans, military service members or other issues, verify if the charity meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability by visiting Give.org.”

BBB offers the following tips when giving to charities:

• More than a charity name. Don’t assume the nature of the advocacy charity’s programs based solely on its name. Review the organization’s website to better understand its position and activities.

• Be wary of overly emotional appeals. Watch out for charity appeals that seek to stir your passions for an advocacy issue, but don’t tell you what the charity is specifically doing to address the matter.

• Many voices for each cause. For any advocacy issue, there are a variety of charities seeking to address the matter in their own way. The charity soliciting is not the only option to consider. Many charities that carry out program services such as health care research, education, veterans assistance and the like also are engaged in advocacy activities related to their mission.

• Accountability is more than finances. It would be a mistake to overemphasize charity finances when assessing a charity. BBB Wise Giving Alliance reminds donors that its broad standards address many other aspects of accountability, such as governance, effectiveness reporting, appeal accuracy, website disclosures, donor privacy and other matters.

• Deductibility verification. Don’t assume that all advocacy organizations are tax exempt as charities. If deductibility is important, see the advocacy appeal references whether the organization is tax exempt as a charity.

The BBB Wise Giving Alliance produces reports on more than 1,300 nationally soliciting charitable organizations, and local BBBs report on another 10,000 local and regional charities. The alliance does not rank charities, but rather seeks to assist donors in making informed judgments by providing objective evaluations of national charities based on 20 standards that address charity governance, finances, fundraising, appeal accuracy and other issues.

For more information, visit Give.org.

Stay safe in the water this holiday weekend

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The Pasco County Department of Health is reminding residents the potential dangers of water activities during the Fourth of July holiday weekend, and is suggesting tips to keep people safe.

“When you make plans for this patriotic holiday, be sure to discuss water safety,” said county health officer Mike Napier, in a release. “Water activities are a great way to stay active, but they can come with hazards. Planning ahead and taking precautions can help keep our families safe.”

Napier says the first thing families should do is designate a water watcher when children are around water.

• Assign an adult to watch the children at all times.
• If the assigned adult needs to leave, assign the responsibility of watching the children to another adult.
• Never leave children alone in or near water, even for a moment.
• Use barriers to block children from the water area like four-sided fencing that’s at least 5 feet high, self-closing and self-latching gates, doors and window alarms.
• Be prepared by learning CPR, keeping rescue equipment and a phony in the pool or water area.

Additional steps when around open water include:

• Set specific swimming rules for each individual or group based on swimming ability. For example, those who cannot swim 200 yard on the water’s surface should wear a properly fitted life jacket.
• Read and follow all rules and posted signs.
• Never swim alone.
• Designate a water watcher.
• Swim only in designated areas.
• Never combine alcohol and water recreation.
• Take frequent rest breaks on land.

To precent recreational water illnesses, which can result from swallowing or being exposed to contaminated water:

• Don’t swim when you have diarrhea.
• Don’t swallow the water you swim in.
• Parents of young children should take children on bathroom breaks every 60 minutes. Check diapers every 30 to 60 minutes.
• Avoid water-related activities in warm freshwaters, hot springs and around power plants. Particularly during periods of high water temperature and low water levels.
• Hold your nose shut or use nose clips when you swim in bodies of warm freshwater, such as lakes, rivers and hot springs.
• Avoid digging in or stirring up the sediment in shallow, warm freshwater.

For more information on water safety and the water watcher program, click here.

Free admission July 4 for military personnel

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The Museum of Science & Industry, 4801 E. Fowler Ave., in Tampa, is offering free admission for all military personnel on July 4.

It’s open to active duty, veteran and retired military personnel for them and up to five family members.

Open exhibits on Independence Day include Disasterville, The Amazing You, as well as the BioWorks Butterfly Garden. Visitors also have a chance to check out MOSI’s newest exhibit, 3-D Printing the Future.

Those eligible include branches like the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. National Guard and Reserve, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps.

The offer excludes Imax films and Sky Trail Ropes Course & Zip Line.

For more information, call (813) 987-6000, or visit MOSI.org.