The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Musunuru re-appointed to PHSC trustees board

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Dr. Rao Musunuru will continue his long service with Pasco-Hernando State College after Gov. Rick Scott announced he had appointed the cardiologist to another term on the school’s Board of Trustees.

Musunuru first joined the board in 1999, and has been its chair three times over the last 15 years. If confirmed by the state Senate, the doctor with Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point will serve through the end of May 2017.

Musunuru has worn many hats in both medicine and education over the years, including time as chief of medicine, chief of staff, and even chairing the board for Bayonet Point’s heart institute. He is a member of the Association of Community College Trustees, and was awarded a leadership award by the group last October for his work as a trustee for the school, formerly known as Pasco-Hernando Community College.

Musunuru has been an American Heart Association volunteer since 1979, and has a few places named in his honor including an art gallery at PHSC, a CARES senior citizen enrichment center in Hudson, and a conference center at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point.

Workshops planned for transportation, elevated toll road

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The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization has set dates to openly discuss its various transportation plans with the public, including the proposed elevated toll road along the State Road 54/56 corridor.

The series of workshops begin March 15 at The Shops at Wiregrass, and wind up April 10 during an MPO workshop in New Port Richey.

The primary discussion is focused on the 2040 Long Range Transportation Needs Plan, the blueprint Pasco County will use to determine what kind of transportation infrastructure is needed over the next 25 years, and where and when it should be built. That plan now includes the impact of a proposed elevated toll road from International Infrastructure Partners, which would connect a 33-mile stretch between U.S. 301 near Zephyrhills with U.S. 19 in New Port Richey.

A toll feasibility study is underway right now, and part of the long-range planning will include exploring alternatives to such a road, especially other east-west roads in Pasco County like State Road 52 to the north.

The complete plan for 2040 is expected to be finished by the end of the year.

Public workshops include:

March 15, 10 a.m to 2 p.m.
Fresh Market at Wiregrass
28211 Paseo Drive, Wesley Chapel

March 25, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
West Pasco Government Center, Lobby
8731 Citizens Drive, New Port Richey

March 26, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Alice Hall Community Center
38116 Fifth Ave., Zephyrhills

March 27, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Pasco County Recreation Center
3032 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes

April 10 at 10 a.m.
MPO board meeting workshop
West Pasco Government Center, BCC Board Room
8731 Citizens Drive, New Port Richey

For more information, visit www.Mobility2040Pasco.com, PascoMPO.net, or call (727) 847-8140.

In Print: Special Olympics, Sochi Olympics, trauma centers

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America is still taking a breath after a strong performance at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, last month, but locally, people still can’t get enough.

Asif Shaikh, a chaplain from Lutz, once again traveled overseas to take part in the Olympics, serving as a spiritual guide for athletes. It gave him a chance to not only see some of the medal-winning events for Americans, but also gave him a chance to wish his wife, Leaha, a happy Valentine’s Day on national television thanks to NBC’s “Today Show.”

SochiOlympics
Asif Shaikh, a chaplain from Lutz, pretends to hold up the Olympic rings. (Courtesy of Asif Shaikh)

This is his second Olympics, having attended the Summer Games in London in 2012. But while Shaikh provides a service to Olympians, he still must convince the right people to allow him to continue his services at future games.

“I’m trying to get established,” he told reporter B.C. Manion. “I think the next step would be, ‘How can I help, in the sense of volunteering my time.’ They don’t have any spiritual leaders. They don’t recognize that as something that’s important.”

A little closer to home, Wesley Chapel High School hosted the Special Olympics, which brought in hundreds of athletes from around Pasco County and beyond.

“I’m just glad to know that, not only are the parents supporting them, but they are embraced by the community,” Denise Peeks, whose daughter Tiffany competes in the games, told reporter Michael Murillo. “The business community and the volunteers come out and they get so much support that they so desperately need. I think it’s fantastic.”

Both Olympics are all about competition, but the kind of competition taking place between various hospitals in the region is much different. Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point opened a trauma center in 2011, and is now doing everything it can to keep it despite efforts by older trauma centers in Hillsborough County trying to take it away.

Dr. Scott Norwood, who runs Bayonet Point’s facility, says the more trauma centers there are, the better hospitals can treat those in accidents and other mishaps that require specialized care very quickly.

“Trauma is a time-sensitive disease,” Norwood told members of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce recently, as reported by Michael Hinman. “It’s just like heart disease or a heart attack, the quicker you can get to a facility to deal with the problem, the more likely you are to survive. And that’s reflective of what’s happening in Florida right now.”

But existing facilities like Tampa General Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital, see it differently, and feel too many trauma centers will instead be detrimental because it would dilute the quality of care, and the money needed to run the facilities.

Although one state senator has introduced a bill she hopes will address the problems, it looks like the legal battle between all these hospitals fighting for trauma centers will rage on for some time to come.

Finally, for our Zephyrhills and Dade City readers, the East Pasco edition of The Laker takes a unique look at the upcoming Founders’ Day celebration in the City of Pure Water. Michael Murillo has taken a trip into Zephyrhills’ past and shared it in a way only he could in his regular column, “Presenting the Past.”

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 find out where you can get your copy at (813) 909-2800.

Bellamy Brothers sing for Pasco High School

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When they attended Pasco High School, they were simply David and Howard. Nearly a half-century later, they’re back, but now as the popular country music duo The Bellamy Brothers, all to raise money for their alma mater’s sports programs.

The Bellamy Brothers will raise money for Pasco High School's athletic department in April.
The Bellamy Brothers will raise money for Pasco High School’s athletic department in April.

The Bellamy Brothers are the featured guests of Pasco High’s Reunion of the Decades taking place April 11 beginning at 6 p.m. at the school’s W.F. Edwards Stadium. The event is hosted by Pasco’s Class of 1974, and a $45 ticket includes a Chet Taylor barbecue dinner and reserved seating for the concert.

Proceeds cover various costs of the athletic department, including field paint, referees and safety equipment, among others.

For those wanting to eat ahead of time, general admission is $15 and reserved seating is $25. Tickets are available at a variety of places including Pasco High School, 36850 State Road 52; Dade City Animal Clinic, 13117 U.S. 301; Olga’s Bakery, 14117 Seventh St.; and the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, 14112 Eighth St.

The Bellamy Brothers first performed publicly at the Rattlesnake Roundup in Dade City in the late 1960s, and broke into the music scene with “Let Your Love Flow” in 1976. The brothers are currently on a world tour and working on a 40th anniversary album set for release in 2015.

The tour has The Bellamy Brothers in Texas for the beginning of March, but will later head to Switzerland March 21-23. The current tour wraps up Nov. 15 in Wendover, Nev. They continue to own a ranch in Darby, not far from where Interstate 75 and State Road 52 meet in Pasco County.

For more information and tickets, call (352) 524-5500.

Make sure that CPA is licensed

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The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation is warning Floridians of the danger of hiring unlicensed certified public accountants to assist in personal and business financial needs.

In Florida, CPAs are required to have a professional license.

“As tax season approaches, many Florida families and business owners are facing the arduous task of preparing their financials and may need to hire a CPA,” said Ken Lawson, secretary of DBPR, in a release. “There are many financial and tax professionals that can assist with various financial needs, but only CPAs are licensed by the state and can provide specific services.”

Licensed CPAs have successfully passed the Uniform CPA Examination, in addition to meeting the necessary education and experience requirements mandated by Florida law. CPAs are licensed to perform audit, reviews and compilations, as well as express opinions of financial statements that provide a level of assurance regarding the reliability or fairness of the financial information at hand.

CPA licensing can be verified online at MyFloridaLicense.com, or by calling (850) 487-1395.

HART offers students free rides during March

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Students will have a chance to travel anywhere they like in Hillsborough County for free on HART buses throughout the month.

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit says it will offer free service to middle and high school students with valid student identification during March as part of its Stay-cation program. Most students are scheduled to have spring break beginning March 10.

The service is available on HART Local, Limited Express, MetroRapid, In-Town Trolley and HARTFLex services.

HART’s Stay-cation program is now in its fifth year, and provided 56,000 free trips for students last year alone. The idea of the program is to allow kids to participate in sports, look for summer jobs, or do something relaxing during the annual school break.

It saves parents from having to be “taxi drivers,” saving gas and keeping additional cars off the road.

Students also are encouraged to use the smart phone app OneBusAway as well as Google Trip Planner to help figure out what buses are needed to get where they are going.

For more information, visit GoHART.org.

Tax collector’s office celebrates daily gift with license plate

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For many who have had to work with hospice at some point in their lives, they know that “every day is a gift.” And the Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office will honor that commitment this week as it promotes the “Hospice: Every Day is a Gift” specialty license plate through March.

The plate benefits the Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association, and is sponsored locally by Gulfside Hospice & Pasco Palliative Care, according to a release. Gulfside provides end-of-life care for those who have a prognosis of six months or less, as well as provide assistance for pain and symptom control with chronic illness at any age.

Purchasing the specialty tag requires a fee above the normal renewal cost for a license plate, an annual donation of $25. The tax collector’s office also is accepting cash donations beyond that to support the Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association.

“By purchasing the hospice specialty license plate, you help create awareness and access to care and service when our Pasco County residents need it most,” said Linda Ward, president of Gulfside Hospice, in a release.

“Hospice care is a vital and extremely important service that has touched the lives of nearly every individual or family in some way,” said tax collector Mike Fasano, in a release.

Specialty tags are available to purchase at the four tax collector office locations in Pasco County: Land O’ Lakes, Dade City, New Port Richey and Gulf Harbors.

For more information, call (727) 847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.

Suncoast, repaving projects create traffic delays

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As construction really picks up on the major north-south toll road in the region, Florida’s Turnpike is updating some of the traffic delays travelers may experience on the Suncoast Parkway and Veterans Expressway.

Single-lane closures can be expected on the stretch of Veterans between Linebaugh Road and Gunn Highway daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and bridge construction continuing at the bridges along the way that may also require additional lane closures.

In general, construction is taking place between 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., most days, with motorists needing to stay alert of construction vehicles entering and exiting the roadway. Lane closures may take place nightly beginning at 9 p.m. in both directions.

The conversion to all-electronic tolling is nearing an end for those who are traveling the Veterans Expressway on a regular basis.

General lane closures are expected each night from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. between Dale Mabry Highway and Gunn Highway. The southbound off-ramp of Gunn Highway will be closed March 12. The northbound off-ramp of Hutchison road will be closed March 2, March 4, March 12 and March 13, while the southbound off-ramp will be closed March 2, March 12 and March 13.

The Sugarwood area will have lane closures March 11 and March 12 along the mainline road.

The conversion phase is set to be completed in May, with the overall project slated to finish next summer.

The Florida Department of Transportation has released its hot spots for potential traffic delays for the coming week.

Daily lane closures continue weekdays on North Dale Mabry Highway between County Line and Brinson roads for repaving. There could be delays between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Repaving also could create intermittent daily lane closures on U.S. 98 between U.S. 301 and Oak Forest Drive during the week between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Repaving continues on U.S. 301 between Pioneer Museum and Mosstown roads, creating daily lane closures Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Night work is taking place on U.S. 301 between Geiger and Tucker roads, creating lane closures Sunday through Friday from 9:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.

For more information, call (813) 975-6060.

Sheriff’s office offering crime prevention course

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The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office is offering a free, three-day crime prevention course for community leaders, business groups and personnel from other civic organizations who would like to learn about crime prevention techniques, new crime trends and more.

The Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design course will run from March 18 to March 20 at Safety Town, 15325 Alric Pottberg Road, in Spring Hill. It is located a half-mile west of the Suncoast Parkway and State Road 52.

The course is designed to reduce the fear and frequency of crime, and improve the quality of life. It takes into account various neighborhood elements like design code, landscaping, lighting, traffic calming, territoriality, public amenities, and others.

With the increase in new home and business construction in the county, there also is the possibility of an increase in theft and burglaries related to these industries.

Space is limited, and registration is required. For more information, email Lt. Troy Fergueson at .

Sea lions arrive at Lowry Park Zoo Saturday

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Sea Lion Splash is making a splash at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo beginning Saturday and running through May 31.

Sea lions are coming to Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo beginning Saturday. (Courtesy of Dave Parkinson)
Sea lions are coming to Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo beginning Saturday. (Courtesy of Dave Parkinson)

The attraction features a colony of coastal sea lions, educational shows and an outdoor activity area. It also showcases a rotating group of three to five “aquatic ambassadors” representing both California and Patagonia sea lions.

While the sea lions charm the audience, guests will have a chance to learn about the variety of life along the coasts of Mexico and Central and South America, and conserving natural habitats for them.

“The sea lion educational program is designed to help us to better appreciate some of our nearest neighbors from the California coast to South America,” said Craig Pugh, chief executive and executive director of Lowry Park Zoo, in a release. “Up-close experiences with animals here at the zoo help make the far away more familiar, and keep us from taking for granted the wildlife that live in our own backyard.”

Sea lions are highly intelligent animals that can be trained to demonstrate natural behaviors on cue, according to the zoo. These particular sea lions are expected to entertain crowds with flips, barks and other specific behaviors.

Admission to Sea Lion Splash is $2 per person in addition to general zoo admission. Extra fees also apply for interactive sea lion photo opportunities. Admission to Lowry Park Zoo typically runs $24.95 for single-day adults, $22.95 for senior citizens 60 and older, and $19.95 for children ages 3 to 11.

Sea Lion Splash, which is owned and operated by Squalus Inc., is sponsored locally by Seal Swim School, Land Rover Tampa and Tampa Bay PowerSports.

Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo is located at 1101 W. Sligh Ave., in Tampa. For more information, visit LowryParkZoo.com.