Special to The Laker/Lutz News

 

 

By B.C. Manion

 

The Pasco County Commission expects to select a new county administrator by the end of May to replace the retiring John Gallagher.

The details haven’t been worked out completely, but commissioners indicated at their April 10 meeting they’d like to narrow the field of candidates to eight before selecting finalists to interview.

Bob Murray & Associates, of Tallahassee, is conducting the national search for Gallagher’s replacement.

When they sought proposals from search firms, the board made it clear it wants a robust effort to come up with candidates, not a rehashed list used in similar searches.

The board called for “a far-reaching recruitment that will capture a fresh list of the best candidates from throughout the country, including high performers in other jurisdictions that may not be actively seeking new employment.”

Commissioners have asked for backgrounds on the top eight candidates, which they will narrow down to finalists for interviews. They also plan to arrange a county tour and host a social so candidates can mingle with the public.

They have set tentative dates of May 14 to shortlist the candidates, May 23 and May 24 for interviews and a social and May 28 for naming a new administrator.

Gallagher, who had planned to retire in April, has agreed to stay on until June 1.

 

After two decades of service, the pastor takes his leave

 

By B.C. Manion

When the Rev. Gilbert Kuehn arrived at Holy Trinity Lutheran nearly 20 years ago, there was just a small church with 13 parking spots on a grassy plot on Leonard Road in Lutz.

The pastor, however, could picture the potential.

He knew the area was destined to grow and he sensed “the need that they had matched my gift package,” he said.

Coming to the area was not a difficult choice, Kuehn said.

“I lived in Buffalo for 13 years,” Kuehn said. “When they interviewed me, it was February. I had shoveled my driveway, and I had scraped off the ice from my windshield. … We got off the plane — my wife and I — and the sun was shining and there were palm trees. That’s obviously an attraction.”

Throughout his life as a minister, which began in the late 1960s, Kuehn has remained committed to “proclaiming a changeless Christ for a changing world.”

As popular culture changes, the church must make an effort to stay tuned into the people it serves, doing whatever required to reach them, Kuehn said.

For instance, when Kuehn was beginning his ministry he used skills he had developed during high school as a door-to-door Fuller Brush salesman.

The techniques he developed came in handy when he went door-to-door in massive subdivisions, inviting people to come to his church.

Churches today must develop a social media presence using technology to reach out to their flocks, Kuehn said.

It’s important, too, for a church to have a sense of direction that is obvious to the congregation, Kuehn said.

The Bible says that, “Without a vision, the people perish,” Kuehn said.

So, during his tenure, Holy Trinity Lutheran has always had a plan it was working to complete, he said. When it finished one five-year plan, it would begin working on the next.

Throughout the years, it created the Little Lambs Preschool, expanded the church building three times, added a classroom building, built an activities center and commercial kitchen, expanded its parking area and brought in a building for its youth program.

Little Lambs began with six children. Now, it serves more than 100 a week.

The activities center has provided a venue for community outreach, Kuehn said. When people go there for Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce gatherings to cast their ballot on Election Day or to attend an event, they become aware of the church, which is not in a high-traffic area.

The church has grown under Kuehn’s leadership.

When he arrived, the average Sunday attendance was about 80 people. At its peak, it was at about 240. Now, it’s around 210.

Some of the slip in attendance may be related to people moving out of the area during the housing market collapse, Kuehn said.

During the course of his ministry, the 70-year-old Kuehn said societal changes have had an impact on churches.

When he was growing up, for instance, the church often was at the center of people’s lives. Now, people’s energies are scattered. For many, church is just one item on a long list of demands.

People in the past also had a tendency to stick to the same denomination when they moved to a new locale. Not so anymore, Kuehn said.

“Churches, today, are much like grocery stores. People visit all of them, and they pick the one they like,” he said.

Kuehn said his decision to devote his life to the ministry was influenced by the Rev. Carl Knorr, who was his pastor and mentor while he was growing up in Milwaukee, Wis.

When Knorr suggested the possibility of life in the ministry, Kuehn said he gave it some thought and decided it “was a call of God, so to speak.”

Throughout his career, Kuehn said the most important aspects of his spiritual work have remained the same.

“Your ministry is to share the gospel, sharing the message of Jesus to people,” he said.

But the challenge goes beyond merely attracting people to church on Sundays, he said. It involves helping people to understand the urgency of using their gifts to serve the Lord in their daily lives.

Kuehn conducted his final worship service on April 14, which was followed by a retirement celebration at the church.

In an interview a few days before that event, Kuehn said it was time to turn the reins over to a new leader who will bring fresh ideas to the church.

The pastor said he’s ready to retire. He’s looking forward to spending more time with his wife Jean, their children and grandchildren. The Land O’ Lakes couple has been married for 45 years. Their son Andrew and his wife Mary Ellen live in Buffalo. Their daughter Jennifer Spohn and her husband David have two children and live in Raleigh, N.C.

Kuehn said he looks forward to seeing his children and grandchildren more often, but has no intention to move back north: “I buried my snow shovel, and there’s no resurrection.”

 

Steinbrenner senior drawn to very different pastimes

 

By Kyle LoJacono

 

Jessica Brewer is a paradox.

The senior spends at least 12 hours each week building her speed and perfecting her form in the long jump, triple jump and 4×100-meter relay, the events she competes in with the Steinbrenner track and field team.

“I love the track meets because I don’t have to think about what I look like, and it’s really just relaxed,” Brewer said. “I like being able to just not wear makeup and go run.”

The mindset is completely opposite from the way Brewer spends much of the rest of her time — modeling.

“I’m such a girly girl,” Brewer said. “I love my makeup, my clothes, my shoes, everything.”

She goes in for photo shoots for Bealls that appear in the company’s print advertising a few times each month, sometimes for an hour and sometimes for the entire day.

Brewer said she enjoys both track and modeling for what they offer on their own, but also because they are very different and require completely opposing mindsets.

“I like having the opposite feel of track and modeling,” Brewer said. “For track, you have to be very determined, and modeling is very fun and relaxed.

“For track, I do have to get myself mentally ready to compete,” Brewer continued. “Running and jumping, you have to think about all the little things that they tell you at practice and put them into your event. … Modeling, that’s like my safe haven where I can just relax and let loose. A lot of people are stressed out when they do it, but it’s just very relaxing to me.”

Brewer began modeling at age 5 after her mother Lynn had professional photos taken of her. She began working with Bealls when she turned 7.

“That was my first job,” Brewer said. “I was the size 10 model, and now I’m the junior model and getting into the misses.”

Brewer took to track much later.

Her first sport was gymnastics, which she picked up when she was 3 or 4 years old. She won vault and all-around Level 5 state championships at age 11.

Brewer continued with gymnastics for 11 years, but gave up the sport when she entered high school.

“I was going through some mental blocks on the balance beams,” Brewer said. “I was going through a big growth spurt, and I was having some problems on the uneven bars. I just thought I should try cheerleading because I still loved tumbling.”

The 5-foot-7 Brewer was on the first Warriors cheerleading team when the school opened in 2009 and helped the squad finish as the Class 2A medium division state runner-up in 2012 and place third in 2A larger division in February.

Brewer was also on the inaugural Steinbrenner track team.

“My mom (Lynn) was always a runner,” Brewer said. “She would run half marathons all the time, and I was never really into it. She just told me I should try it.”

Warriors track coach Ladd Baldwin said Brewer’s enthusiasm and ability helped the squad grow into one that has claimed district championships the last two years while finishing as a regional runner-up last season.

“Sometimes you have to work to get kids involved with track and give them a little bit of time to adapt and commit to it,” Baldwin said. “Jessica has committed to it since the beginning. She’s shown a lot of excitement. Even when she’s doing cheerleading she’ll come by and say like, ‘Two more weeks until track.’ She’s excited for the track, which makes it nice for me as a coach. … I feel there’s always this positive energy with her.”

Brewer tried several events, including the hurdles, 400, 800 and even the pole vault before finding her way to the jumps and 4×100 full-time as a junior. She said the long and triple felt very familiar from her days as a gymnast.

“The vault was my best event, and I think that’s why I’ve gone to the long and triple jump because of the runway,” Brewer said. “I just felt really comfortable on the runway, and I liked the actual jumping because it’s different from just running.”

Brewer won a district championship in the long jump last year and reached the 3A state meet.

A right Achilles tendon injury suffered in the Charles Johnson Invitational early this year has limited her jumping this year, but Brewer said she doesn’t plan on letting that stop her as the season’s final meets approach.

“It’s something that I’ve had to baby, and now I just have to get over it and give it my all because it’s my senior year,” Brewer said.

She plans to attend the University of Florida as a predental major. She has no immediate plans to compete with the Gators in track or cheerleading, but Brewer said she doesn’t want to give either of the two, or modeling, up while in college.

Brewer and the Warriors will compete at the Class 3A-District 8 meet at Gaither April 17, followed by regionals at Leto April 24 and states at the University of North Florida May 3.

—Follow Kyle LoJacono on Twitter: @Kyle_Laker

 

 

 

By Jeff Odom

 

After further review, it’s a champion after all.

The gigantic Laurel oak tree, which sits in a drainage easement next to 18306 Swan Lake Drive inside the Windemere subdivision in Lutz, was nominated to be a Florida Champion Tree by Hillsborough County environmental code enforcement officer and certified arborist Lori Moreda.

Workers discovered the tree’s enormous size while clearing out heavy brush from its surrounding alleyway earlier this year, and Moreda decided to take a quick measurement to see if it could qualify.

However, Charlie Marcus of the state’s forestry service came out to establish the official measurements of the 80-year-old oak, and initial results concluded it was the largest in the county but just a few points shy of being a standalone champion tied between two others in Florida.

Moreda, a 28-year veteran of the county, was disappointed in the results, but wasn’t about to settle for second place.

On March 28, Moreda and her team went back to the location to see if they could do another independent measurement just to make sure there weren’t any flaws on the official measurements.

Marcus originally estimated the tree’s height at 75 feet through his clinometer, but that measurement was off by about seven feet.

Moreda wanted to be absolutely sure of the height, so she had Richard Cervi of Cervi and Associates climb the tree to measure it directly.

“(His) measurement was 82 feet,” Moreda said. “Then, Eric Hoyer, longtime certified arborist and forester, visually measured the tree at 84 feet tall with his clinometer. … (The tree) is now the certified new state champion tree.”

The champion tree program was created by the American Forests organization in 1940 to recognize the largest known tree of each species in the United States. Florida has the most national champion trees with 111.

Moreda said Davey, the company that first discovered the tree and was on hand to witness the second measurement, is considering assisting in the preservation of the oak by offering routine maintenance to the surrounding area, mulch and a possible fence to ensure protection.

In an interview with The Laker/Lutz News last month, Moreda said she had never seen a tree that could withstand the beatings of the state’s ever-changing climate and yearly threat of hurricanes and tropical storms.

“I was amazed at how big she was, because laurels don’t typically get that big,” Moreda said. “She’s a real beauty, and it’s unbelievable to see she’s survived all of the hurricanes and storms that we’ve had over the years.”

For more information on Florida Champion Trees or to nominate a candidate, call (850) 921-0300 or visit www.floridaforestservice.com.

 

 

By Don Trello

The Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

 

Sunlake weightlifting coach Matt Smith has developed the Seahawks into one of the premier boys lifting programs in Tampa Bay.

Smith’s squad, which has won four straight Sunshine Athletic Conference titles, finished in fifth-place in Class 2A state weightlifting competition last season.

This year, Sunlake has seniors Jack Holloway, Eddie Burgos and Raymond Busbee competing in states April 19 and 20 at the Kissimmee Civic Center.

Smith’s success was recognized earlier this season when he was named National Federation of State High School Associations (NFSHA) 2012 Florida Coach of the Year.

“Coach Smith is a blessing,” said Seahawks athletic director Russ Schenk. “He’s really turned some kids around. He has great rapport, and does a great job for the kids and Sunlake High School.”

Smith was Hernando’s football coach for three years and spent 11 seasons as the school’s wrestling coach before joining the staff at Sunlake when the school opened in 2007.

“It’s a great honor anytime you receive an award like that,” Smith said about the NFSHA recognition. “It shows the amount of work the kids put in. … A lot of things play a factor (in the program’s success). The entire football staff works out, and that sets an example.”

Weightlifting has been a part of Smith’s life going back to his days as a student at Springstead, where he lifted and played guard on the football team.

“I’ve been involved with weights for 25 years,” Smith said. “I think weightlifting teaches a lot of self-confidence and self-esteem.”

Self-confidence served Smith well after he was seriously injured in an accident in high school.

“I had a bad motorcycle accident my junior year right after football season,” Smith said. “I spent 56 days in the hospital with a broken arm and leg.”

Smith came back from the injury and resumed lifting and playing football his senior year. He went on to Culver Stockton College in Canton, Mo. where he was a nose guard.

The Sunlake lifting program is filled with football players, but there is growing interest among all students.

“We had 51 lifters this year. That’s the most I’ve ever had, and all of them got at least one meet. I was happy to build a program when I came here. Other schools have a hard time getting a full lineup,” said Smith, who is also the defensive coordinator and offensive line coach for the Seahawks football team.

“There are a few things I try to do,” Smith added. “I have a good approach with my workout plan, and I jump in there and demonstrate to them. We pretty much do a full-body workout. Competing against the coaches is a big motivation. It’s a fun environment.”

Holloway, who competes in the 129-pound class, credits Smith for getting him involved with lifting as a freshman.

“I had a weightlifting class in P.E., and I liked it; it drew me in,” Holloway said. “Coach Smith pretty much will do anything for us. He definitely works us, but he’s a really good guy.”

Burgos was a running back and Busbee a linebacker on the football team. Burgos lifts in the 183-pound and Busbee in the 238-pound class.

“I got thrown into lifting competition last year, and I liked it,” Burgos said. “People think lifting is an individual sport, but everybody has to push each other to the max. … Coach Smith works on technique and pushes us from the bench. He’s a real good coach that doesn’t yell. He tells us calmly what to work on.”

Sunlake graduates 14 lifters, but Smith said his squad will be competitive as ever next season as his 22 freshmen develop.

“We graduated 15 kids off of last year’s team,” Smith said. “I try to get so many freshmen to come out. I have many of my lighter kids in class, and they have potential to be strong. … Jack weighed 106 pounds when he was a freshman, and I encouraged him to come out. He moved up in weight, and now has a good shot to be on the podium at the state finals this year.”

Smith credits football with creating much of the growth in weightlifting.

“I believe we got started because every football coach wants to prevent injuries and make their team stronger,” Smith said. “It’s a big part of the way we coach at Sunlake. I encourage the kids and try to keep them motivated. I’m proud of them and want them to improve as athletes and students.”

 

 

 

By B.C. Manion

 

Eighteen-year-old Justin Zloty knows a thing or two about websites.

The senior in Land O’ Lakes High School’s International Baccalaureate program designed his first one — with the help of his brother, Joshua — when he was in third or fourth grade.

And when he learned that the Pasco County Medical Mobile Unit needed a website, Zloty stepped right up to fill that need.

Zloty, who plans to be a surgeon, said he considered the project as a way he could combine two of his greatest interests: medicine and helping others.

He met with Pasco Commissioner Pat Mulieri, a huge backer of the mobile health unit, to find out what the website should include.

Then, he went to work.

About 50 hours and a few consultations later, the mobile medical unit website was born.

The medical unit travels throughout the county tending to the health needs of the homeless and the uninsured.

The website describes the medical unit’s mission, includes a schedule of its planned stops and offers information on how others can help. Notes about the unit’s staff and articles are also posted.

While the website provides practical information for those wanting to find out where it will be headed, it is also a place where potential supporters can learn more about it.

“One of the main reasons Commissioner Mulieri wanted me to do it is because they don’t get any government funding,” Zloty said. “They rely on donations and grants. A website gives them a greater presence, which allows them to look more official to the grant agencies and donors.”

Zloty maintains the website, posting calendar updates and fresh content. He also fixes problems, such as broken links.

For him, developing the website was fairly simple.

After all, this is the same young man who has created computer games and iPhone apps.

When he’s not tinkering on the computer, he’s playing classical piano, doing research for school, tutoring mathematics or volunteering in the community.

Zloty lives in Land O’ Lakes. His parents are Martin and Colleen Zloty and he has three brothers, Joshua, 20; Weston, 14; and, Daniel, 11.

He was honored on Feb. 19 by the Pasco County Commission for creating the website.

Commissioners adopted a resolution commending his efforts, which heaped high praise on the young man.

Zloty “implemented a website with more complexity and originality than was expected,” the resolution reads. “His diligence, hard work, innovative ideas and high-level skills resulted in a final product that was outstanding. … His professionalism sets him apart from other teenagers.”

The resolution goes on to state, “Justin is an amazing young man who cares deeply about others and does not hesitate to be of service to the community. He had already surpassed the required community service hours needed for his IB Diploma, but still donated his time to work on this additional project.”

Zloty, who plans to attend Cornell University, said he was surprised by the recognition he received for creating the website: “For me, it was just a little project.”

 

To find out more information about the mobile medical unit, visit www.pascomobilehealth.org.

 

He’s willing to do more

If you are involved with a nonprofit organization that needs help developing its website, Justin Zloty said he’s willing to help. You can reach him at .

 

 

 

By B.C. Manion

 

Work is under way to develop academic programming for Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, the new Pasco-Hernando Community College (PHCC) site now under construction at SR 56 and Mansfield Boulevard in Wesley Chapel.

The $57 million campus is expected to begin offering classes next January, and plans call for the college to launch two new bachelor’s degree programs by the fall of 2014.

The college is already on the path to obtaining necessary approvals for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and a Bachelor of Applied Science, said Randy Stovall, provost at the college’s East Campus in Dade City.

There’s a need for both degree programs, Stovall told a meeting of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development committee.

“Most hospitals want to have BSNs,” Stovall said. “That’s what they want nationally. That’s what the demand is.”

There’s not enough access to BSN programs to produce the number of nurses that hospitals need, he said.

The college’s program will be a two-plus-two program, Stovall said. During the first two years, the student can become a registered nurse and can continue for another two in order to get a bachelor’s degree.

The plan is for the BSN to be an online degree so people can go to work and take classes at their convenience.

Stovall said the Bachelor of Applied Science degree, with a major in management supervision, is likely to appeal to people in the business arena or public service roles.

For instance, people working for fire departments and law enforcement agencies may be interested in promotions but may need to broaden their skill set beyond the technical abilities they use in the field.

They need to know about management, budgeting and supervision, Stovall said. So, they can add a Bachelor of Applied Science to help them round out their skills.

In addition to adding the bachelor’s degrees, the college also plans to add two new Associate of Science Degree programs, Stovall said. One will be in accounting services and the other in financial services.

When the Porter campus opens, it will be PHCC’s fifth location. There are currently two each in Pasco and Hernando counties.

As PHCC pursues the right to offer bachelor degree programs, it is also contemplating a name change, Stovall said. The words “community college” have the connotation that the institution does not confer bachelor’s degrees, he said.

The college’s board of trustees is expected to select a new name this summer with the change pending approval of the bachelor’s degree programs.

May 2 Employment Fair

The Greater Dade City Chamber is partnering with Congressman Gus Bilirakis, Career Central and Pasco Hernando Community College to host an employment fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the East Campus gymnasium of Pasco-Hernando Community College, 36727 Blanton Road in Dade City.

Employers who would like a free booth should contact Steve Wilson at (352) 200-3027 or email .

 

Lutz attorney honored

Daniel N. Burton, of Lutz, is one of 221 Florida Bar members who earned legal board certification in civil trial or tax law in 1983. Burton has civil trial emeritus specialist status, meaning he no longer practices law but is recognized for his past and continuing contributions in the advancement of the specialty area through other career activities.

“Maintaining board certification for 30 continuous years is a significant professional accomplishment,” said Florida Bar president Gwynne A. Young of Carlton Fields in Tampa, in a release. “These individuals are leaders by example in Florida’s legal profession and we salute their commitment to excellence and professionalism in the practice of law.”

 

Realtor Nationwide Open House

Homebuyers in Hillsborough County will have the opportunity to jump start the buying season on April 20 and April 21 as real estate agents will have open houses all weekend as part of the Realtor Nationwide Open House Weekend.

During the event, open houses across the country will help bring attention to the benefits of home ownership.

“Forty-five percent of recent buyers used open houses as a way to find their dream home,” said Janet Swilley, president of the Greater Tampa Association of Realtors, in a release.

To find an open house in your area, visit www.MyFloridaHomesMLS.com and click on the open house area to the right.

 

Tampa leads state in job creation

Gov. Rick Scott recently announced the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) led all metro areas during the last year in job creation in the state, with a gain of more than 33,000 jobs.

The metropolitan area also experienced a 2 percent decline in the unemployment rate during the same time period, down to 7.4 percent.

Additionally, since December 2010 the metro area’s unemployment rate has declined 4 percent, dropping from 11.4 percent to 7.4 percent. Pasco County’s rate dropped 2.6 percent, from 10.8 percent down to 8.2 percent. Hillsborough County’s rate decreased 1.8 percent, from 9 percent to 7.2 percent, and Pinellas County’s declined 1.8 percent, from 9.1 percent to 7.3 percent.

 

Ashton Woods nears closeout in New Tampa

Ashton Woods Homes is approaching closeout of its home sites at Grand Hampton on Dunham Station Drive off County Line Road just west of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in New Tampa.

Grand Hampton features a community clubhouse with multi-use aquatic center, tennis and basketball courts, excessive conservation areas, a park and lakes.

 

Oak Hill imaging receives ACR accreditation

The American College of Radiology (ACR) has accredited the Imaging Department at Oak Hill Hospital. The ACR, headquartered in Reston, Va., awards accreditation to facilities for the achievement of high practice standards after a peer-review evaluation of the practice.

 

Nicola’s Donuts has new home

Nicola’s Donuts, a 30-year-old bakery serving donuts, cupcakes and other pastries, has recently opened at 15006 N. Dale Mabry Highway, about a mile from its previous location.

The new Nicola’s Donuts shares the space with The Yogurt Spot currently operating at that location, allowing the popular yogurt shop to sell all of Nicola’s goodies.

 

Department of Labor launches Business Center

The U.S. Department of Labor has launched the Business Center, a suite of online resources for employers looking to recruit, train and retain a skilled work force through the department’s CareerOneStop website.

The site offers access to local training and educational institutions, a catalog of occupational certifications and a tool to help employers translate the military training and skills of returning service members into specific civilian occupations. The CareerOneStop Business Center is available online at www.careeronestop.org/business.

 

New startups wanted

The Pasco County Economic Development Council (PEDC) is looking for companies that want to start up in the Tampa Bay area.

A new business incubator will be starting up soon at the Dade City Business Center, 1500 Citrus Country Drive Suite 103 in Dade City.

The business center has office, light manufacturing and warehouse space.

The PEDC is also seeking a manager for the incubator. For more information, contact John Walsh at or (813) 926-0827 ext. 223.

 

Leadership Pasco ‘Taste of Pasco’

Leadership Pasco will have the third annual Taste of Pasco fundraiser from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on May 11 at the Rotary Pavilion at the Concourse, 15323 SR 52 in Land O’ Lakes.

The event will help NAMI Pasco, a local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, furnish its new base of operations in Land O’ Lakes.

Attendees at the Taste of Pasco will get to sample food and beverages from local restaurants while enjoying entertainment and police K9 unit demonstrations. There will also be a silent auction.

Tickets are available online through tasteofpasco.eventbrite.com and by calling (866) 783-1122.

 

Industry of the Year nominations

The Pasco Economic Development Council recognizes outstanding companies each year for their contributions to the local economy. Businesses are recognized on their job creation, increased capital investment and contributions to the community through civic involvement.

Industry awards are presented in these categories: manufacturing and processing companies, service and distribution companies, technology and research companies and entrepreneurs and exporting companies.

For more information, contact Krista Hakes at (813) 926-0827 ext. 227.

 

Oak Hill associates of the month

Oak Hill Hospital in Spring Hill has announced that Jessica Kekovich and Judith Radke were its Star Associates of the Month for March.

 

The Pampered Chef adds consultant

Jennifer Thomas, of Central Pasco County, has joined The Pampered Chef as an independent consultant. The Pampered Chef is a direct seller of items for cooking and entertaining at home.

If you would like to host a cooking show or purchase products, contact Thomas at (813) 469-2227 or visit www.pamperedchef.biz/cookwithjen.