Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Kyle LoJacono

 

Mikhail Reece stands out from the crowd no matter where he is thanks to his 6-foot-5, 245-pound body, but his mind and leadership abilities are what truly separate the Gaither senior from others.

Reece currently has a 5.8 weighted grade point average (GPA), putting him on pace to be the Gaither salutatorian. His grandmother Nell instilled in him a thirst for knowledge, which endures to this day.

“My mom (Jaclin) would be working, so my grandmother taught me how to read and about math,” Reece said. “I knew my times tables at the age of 5 because of her. She gave me that extra push to get started. Now it just comes natural, and when I’m engaged in a class I want to do the work.”

Reece is also thankful for the free education offered in the United States. He was born in Kingston, Jamaica, a country where people have to pay $500-$600 a year just to attend basic schooling. Throw in money for uniforms and books, and most people on the island nation are not financially able to get a high school equivalent diploma.

“I know that it’s a blessing to have free schooling here through high school, and if you excel enough they will pay you to go to college,” Reece said. “It’s not like that in Jamaica or basically everywhere else, so I want to jump on that and take advantage of the education here.”

Reece came to the United States around age 4. He has gotten two Bs on his high school GPA, one in physical science while in eighth grade and another in English I.

“I didn’t know the science would count because I took it in middle school, but it did,” Reece said. “In English it was borderline and I didn’t turn in one worksheet. I still think about that B in English, and after that I told myself I wasn’t going to get a B again.”

Reece’s academic focus became apparent to teachers early in the school year. Danielle de Gregory teaches Reece Advanced Placement psychology and African-American history. She has only seen his work in the classroom for about a month, but already understands why he has been able to post such a high GPA.

“The bell rings and he starts his work,” de Gregory said. “We all have bell work in every class. Mikhail starts his work immediately. He doesn’t finish talking with someone or stand in the hall for a few more seconds. The bell rings and he knows it’s time to get down to business.”

Reece is also a defensive end and team captain on the Gaither football team. Cowboys coach Jason Stokes said he brings that same “down to business” approach to the gridiron.

“As soon as we blow the whistle he’s all business,” Stokes said. “When he sees kids in practice not focusing, he’ll say something before the coaches. He’s one of those special kids you don’t get to coach very often.”

Reece had 12 tackles, two passes defensed, one sack and one forced fumble last football season. Stokes said he believes he will have a huge impact as a senior.

“He has all the measurables to be a big-time player,” Stokes said. “He’s very coachable and puts in the work to get better. Plus he understands concepts very quickly and can see what other teams are trying to do to him.”

Reece isn’t just a brain. He also has leadership qualities as apparent as his intelligence.

“I met Mikhail last year because as student government advisor I had to pick four juniors to take to the West Point Leadership Conference,” de Gregory said. “Mikhail was a perfect person because they wanted student leaders and leaders on sports teams, and he is a leader on the football team and academically.”

When de Gregory was working to find the right juniors to bring on the trip, she asked student government members who they believed should go.

“They all said Mikhail Reece without thinking about it,” de Gregory said. “So not only do his teachers rave about him, but the kids think the same way about him. … I couldn’t find a more upstanding kid than Mikhail Reece. He is a fine young man.”

Reece’s efforts in the classroom and on the football field have one of the most prestigious Ivy League universities interested in him. He was officially given a scholarship offer to play at Yale.

“When I got the Yale offer, it’s an honor, but I know that I have the ability because both sides of my family have people who are very strong academically,” Reece said. “I have a cousin who went to Dartmouth, another Ivy League school. Then my father (Patrick) grew up very poor, like in tin houses, but he went to school and is an engineer. So I know if I don’t do well it’s only because I didn’t put in the effort.”

Reece thanked Gaither offensive line coach Jeff Ditman for helping him get noticed by Yale. Ditman attended the Ivy League school and also played football for the Bulldogs.

“I think it’s the perfect fit for him,” Ditman said. “I have to watch myself because I don’t want it to seem like I’m pushing him to go there, but looking at it objectively he’s a great fit. I know they like him athletically, and I think he can succeed there as a football player. Academically I know it’s a great opportunity for him, and I think his personality would fit perfectly there. I’ll support whatever he does, but it would be good for him and for Yale to have him.”

While Ditman never directly coached or taught Reece, he has still seen his intelligence shine through on the field.

“He plays intelligently and he understands what he needs to do and what the other team is trying to do to him,” Ditman said. “I communicate that to my offensive linemen how much of an assist that is, and of course we have to deal with him in practice. We can’t outsmart him. It’s hard to fool him because he sees things in a different way.”

Reece said he is most interested in math classes and would like to become an engineer like his father —if things don’t work out with football.

“If I could go to the (NFL), that would be a dream,” Reece said. “That would be the ultimate goal and after that I could do a lot of other things with my mind if it happens.”

–All stats as recorded to Maxpreps.com by coaches.

Experts worry some will miss deadline

By B.C. Manion

 

An earlier deadline for enrolling in Medicare plans could result in people missing out, experts say.

This year’s Medicare annual enrollment dates are from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. That means the enrollment period is beginning a full month earlier than it did last year and ending three weeks earlier.

Volunteers who help people navigate the bureaucratic maze of Medicare say they’re concerned that people who are not paying attention will try to enroll too late.

That’s why they’re putting an emphasis on outreach programs – to get the word out and to provide assistance, said Randy Caldwell of Land O’ Lakes, who volunteers for the Serving Health Insurance Needs for the Elderly (SHINE) program.

“People just don’t understand the bureaucracy. It can be intimidating and confusing,” Caldwell said. “The need is so great,” he said, and they don’t always realize that help is available.

That’s where SHINE volunteers come in.

“We’re available. We have outreach programs with churches, social organizations,” Caldwell said. They also can provide one-on-one assistance.

SHINE volunteers realize it can be difficult and confusing to enroll in Medicare plans, to keep up with changes and to compare plans that are available, said Jan Rauer of Lutz, a volunteer who trains SHINE volunteers.

When helping people navigate the system, SHINE volunteers focus on helping people find plans that are suitable for their needs by presenting various options and explaining the differences.

The idea is to present information, not to advocate particular plans, Caldwell said.

To prepare for the enrollment period, individuals should ask themselves:

–Have your health needs changed?

–Are your drugs covered by the plan you are considering?

–Does your doctor accept the plan you are considering?

–Does your plan fit your budget? Be sure to compare all costs, including premiums, copays, deductibles and coinsurance.

Those who are approaching age 65 should also be aware that enrollment in Medicare is not automatic, Rauer said. There is a seven-month period for initial enrollment into Medicare, she said. That includes the three months before an individual turns 65, the month of the individual’s birthday and the three months following it.

Additional information, individual appointments and requests for public speakers can be made by contacting the local Area on Aging office at (800) 963-5337.

By Kyle LoJacono

In the Florida Shuffleboard Association’s (FSA) 83-year history, only one woman has ever scored 1,000 career points. Zephyrhills resident Joan Cook plans to soon make it two.

Cook has amassed 895 points since she started playing 16 years ago. Players earn points for finishing near the top of state-sanctioned events and Cook is likely to crack the 1,000-point mark in two years, especially considering how dedicated she is to the game.

“Other than shuffleboard, I don’t do a whole lot,” Cook sad. “It’s my life.”

The Betmar Acres resident takes a break from the sport each summer, but is a regular sight at the RV park’s shuffleboard courts. There is something about the strategy, clanging of the discuses and spirited nature of the game that keeps her coming back.

“I started because I thought I’d be good at it,” Cook said. “As it’s turned out, I have been. I’ve always been competitive, so I want to play something that I can win at. I love sports, and it’s a good way to stay active.”

Cook grew up playing baseball and bowling. She was born in Ontario, Canada and first came to Zephyrhills 25 years ago. She never expected to come anywhere near 1,000 points when she first picked up a shuffleboard cue.

“The goal wasn’t to get to 1,000 points,” Cook said. “It was to get to 200 points to get into the state hall of fame, which I did (in 2003). … There is the social part of it, but mostly I love to win. It certainly isn’t about the money, because it costs more to travel to the tournaments than you can get if you win.”

Cook has played in the state masters tournament, for only the top eight men or women in the state, 10 times and won it three times. She has also claimed eight national and three international championships.

Two of those titles came with Earl Ball, whose 15 national titles are tied for the most all time.

“We won two mixed doubles national championships in Hendersonville, N.C.,” said Ball, who lives in Betmar. “We also won the only two mixed doubles state tournaments two years in a row, and no other team has ever done that. So that makes four state championships. I’d say we were very successful together.

“She’s dead serious and a hard worker,” Ball added. “She expects the very best out of herself. If she isn’t playing well, everyone knows about it too. She doesn’t accept mediocre.”

Ball said Cook has benefited from playing in so many mixed doubles events.

“She comes and plays with and against men often, so her game is tailored to a man’s style of play,” Ball said.

Ball explained women shuffleboard players tend to focus on hitting their opponent’s discus out of the way. Men usually employ several game plans to win, such as setting up blocks or working to put people in the kitchen, the section of the court that deducts 10 points from their score.

“That means she has a lot of different ways to win when she plays against women,” Ball said. “They don’t know what to do when she has more tricks up her sleeve.”

Cook is back on the fast track toward 1,000 points, but personal heartbreak almost derailed her chance. Her husband Richard Cook died in 2009.

“That was the saddest thing that could have happened to me because he was my biggest supporter,” Cook said. “I took a year off after that, or I probably would have already had the 1,000 points.”

Cook said she and her husband played shuffleboard a lot.

“I actually got him into it,” Cook said with a laugh. “I had to teach him how to play. We played as a team together in amateurs and never won anything. He was the typical man doing whatever he wanted on the court. I’d get so mad at him sometimes because we’d have a match won, and then he’d do whatever he wanted, and we’d lose it in the end. He drove me nuts, but as soon as we were off the court, we’d love each other again.”

Once Cook gets to 1,000 points she said her focus will shift toward helping others improve their own shuffleboard game.

“Once I get the 1,000 points, I’ll help people get into the hall of fame,” Cook said. “I’ll team with some of those who are close and try to help them win enough points to make it.”

By Kyle LoJacono

 The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) set a new bus ridership record this year.

HART spokeswoman Marcia Mejia said 12.5 million passengers have ridden on the agency’s buses during the current fiscal year, already besting the previous record of 12.3 million set in 2010. HART’s fiscal year ends on Sept. 30.

“This year, more people are recognizing the value of public transit,” Mejia said. “We appreciate the trust our new and long-time customers have demonstrated by getting onboard in such record numbers.”

Ridership in August rose 11 percent compared to the same month last year despite HART cutting back some routes because of budget reductions. Despite those small cuts, Mejia said the agency has made several large capital improvements, as well as subtle changes to produce a better product.

“For instance, about every four months HART updates its route schedule to ensure transit service matches current and projected ridership demands,” Mejia said.

Mejia then added, “There is now one shelter for every seven bus stops, compared to one in 15 just a few years ago. Moreover, in August 2011 the HART board approved a contract for 41 new shelters throughout Hillsborough County over the next two years. With inclement weather conditions endured by this area, shelters are extremely important to protecting customers from the elements, and makes public transit easier and more convenient to use.”

HART also has changed its farecard program, where people buy passes good for a month of bus fare. Previously, the cards expired at the end of a month regardless of when it was bought, but now they are good for 31 days.

Mejia said the agency has several plans to improve service during the next few years to account for the record number of riders. One is MetroRapid North-South, which is designed to quickly take large numbers of people from areas around Nebraska and Fletcher avenues in northern Hillsborough into downtown Tampa. 

“MetroRapid North-South will feature transit signal priority technology, which will hold green lights longer and shorten red lights for HART MetroRapid buses at signalized intersections,” Mejia said. “This will provide for more frequency of service, travel-time savings and better reliability. In addition, MetroRapid includes passenger amenities, such as enhanced passenger shelters with real-time schedule information and ticket vending machines at major stops.”

MetroRapid is scheduled for completion in early 2013.

Mejia said while millions use HART’s services every year, many people may be “overwhelmed” trying to find the right routes and times. Those who want more information about HART can visit www.gohart.org. People can also read testimonials from others who use public transportation at http://www.gohart.org/ihearthart/.

By Eugenio Torrens

 

In March, Heidi Bernaldo saw a blog on the Girl Scouts of the USA website that piqued her interest. The blog mentioned how after Sept. 11, 2001, Girl Scouts in Japan had sent over cranes to Girl Scouts in the United States. The blog was asking for the favor to be returned in light of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan on March 11.

Bernaldo, the troop mom of Girl Scouts Senior Troop 457 in Wesley Chapel, passed along the blog to one of her scouts, Dana Lawson, and suggested the troop make and send cranes.

The girls were interested, Bernaldo said: “They all agreed to do it, no problem.”

Lawson, 14, is one-fourth Japanese and has family in Sendai, Japan. She was in her first period history class when she her teacher told the class there was an earthquake in Japan. She didn’t learn the extent of the disaster’s damage until later that day.

“I thought it was a really good idea, making the cranes,” Lawson said. “I know how much the idea of making 1,000 cranes as an expression of goodwill toward someone and how much that’s valued over in Japan.”

She also was unable to establish any contact with her family in Sendai. She still hasn’t been able to firmly see if the dozen members of her family in Japan is OK, though she believes they are.

“It’s been hard since so many people are uprooted and we haven’t heard from my family in a while before the quake,” Lawson said.

She went to Temple Terrace to get the origami paper in approximately 20 colors. The money came from funds raised last year by selling cookies. The rest of the money is aimed toward a senior trip for the troop, whose six members are all in high school.

“Girl Scouts worldwide are sisters,” Bernaldo said. “When they heard about the disaster that their sister troops had had in their country, they wanted to make something to make them feel better.”

The girls took to YouTube to learn how to fold the origami cranes. The folding started in June, with the magic number at 1,000 cranes.

“Apparently 1,000 cranes is good luck in Japanese,” Bernaldo said. One thousand cranes, divided by six girls meant each troop member would have folded 166 cranes. Every meeting, the troop would spend the first 15-20 minutes in a crane-making session.

“Girls took paper home and made cranes at home, also,” said Bernaldo, who tried to make a few cranes, but left it to the pros.

“They could whip them out really quick,” she said. “I would find my daughter up at like 1:30 some mornings making cranes.”

Bernaldo said all 1,000 cranes are accounted for and she is just waiting to hear for an address to send them to.

 

By Kyle LoJacono

 

The extension of Collier Parkway past Hale Road has made travel easier for residents in the surrounding Land O’ Lakes neighborhoods, but soon after its opening Pasco County started getting complaints.

The problem was drivers did not seem to know what to do at the new four-way intersection of Collier and Hale. Pasco Chief Engineer Jim Widman said when the $2.5 million, 1.8-mile long extension of Collier opened earlier this year the county opted to make the newly formed crossing a four-way stop.

“We evaluated the amount of traffic that moves through the area while the construction was going on, and we found it too low to warrant adding a traffic signal,” Widman said. “When traffic volumes are low, a light isn’t needed, and it can actually slow down the people who are driving through if they get caught by the light.”

Widman said the county is monitoring the number of vehicles that pass through the intersection to see if levels increase to the point where a traffic signal is necessary.

Widman said people called and complained because many people traveling on Hale were not stopping at the new intersection. Widman said that confusion probably resulted from the way the roads were formally constructed.

Collier had ended at Hale before the extension opened and travelers had to stop at a stop sign to turn either left or right. Drivers on Hale did not have to stop where Collier ended, and Widman said those who had gotten used to that traffic pattern probably had been oblivious to the new four-way stop.

“It made a dangerous situation,” Widman said. “We’ve taken steps to add more signage to make the stop more visible to all drivers.”

Widman said the county also removed tree limbs and other plant growth that was blocking drivers’ view of the upcoming intersection.

There had also been complaints about drivers traveling in excess of the posted speed limits. Widman said the county monitored motorists for several weeks and found people were driving near the legal limits.

“People wanted speed bumps and other traffic control measures put in, but we couldn’t find much abuse of the posted speed limits,” Widman said.

For more information on the intersection improvements, call the Pasco Engineering Department at (727) 847-8140.

Homegrown sale benefits Zephyrhills hospice program

By B.C. Manion

 

Visitors to this Wesley Chapel home might feel a tad bit disoriented if they’ve never been there before.

From outside, it appears to be like any other well-kept suburban home in the Country Crossing subdivision.

But step inside and you’ll find thousands of books and VHS tapes, all neatly arranged on shelves in the hallway, the living room and the dining room.

Welcome to Barbara Todaro’s book sale, an event she holds to raise money for Gulfside Regional Hospice Inc.

It began small, as these things often do.

She enjoys reading and wanted to buy some books, but found that the prices in bookstores were a bit steeper than she wanted to pay. An idea popped into her head.

What about collecting books and selling them to help Gulfside Hospice?

It began as a sale on her front yard. Then it moved into the garage.

Now, it takes her entire hallway and two full rooms – which she has devoted exclusively to the cause. She and her mom, Jeanette Tatro, who is a volunteer for Gulfside, work together to sell the books.

They hold the sale about every 6-8 weeks, and all of the proceeds go to Gulfside Center for Hospice Care in Zephyrhills, which is one of the places where Tatro works as a volunteer.

So far, they’ve raised about $1,000.

The two-day sale is on Fridays and Saturdays, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day.

Both women said they owe a debt of gratitude for the kindness bestowed on Edmund Tatro – Jeanette’s husband and Barbara’s father – as he was approaching death.

“They took such great care of my dad,” Todaro said.

“They helped bathe him. They talked to him about death, helped prepare him for death. They helped us, too,” Tatro said.

Sandy Keezer, a volunteer who works in Gulfside Hospice’s thrift store, dropped by to pick up a few books from the sale.

She brought along her friend, Marie Nelson of Zephyrhills. She was thrilled by the selection and prices.

Children’s books cost a quarter, paperbacks are 50 cents and hardbacks are $1, Todaro said. Videotapes are a quarter and textbooks are $3. There are some specially marked items that are more expensive because of their special nature, she said.

But she’s open to bargaining, and anyone who spends at least $3 gets a free children’s book.

Todaro also accepts book donations, but is not in the market right now. A man named Frank Menendez from Tampa recently donated 1,800 books.

He told Todaro that he had found out about the book sale online and wanted to help a good cause.

To find out the dates for the next book sale call the organization’s thrift store in Zephyrhills at (813) 788-5461.

Pasco High graduate struck while evacuating others

By Kyle LoJacono

 

Hours after celebrating his 21st birthday, Pasco High graduate and Dade City resident Justin Inversso was fatally struck by lightning while at Adventure Island water park on Sept. 10.

Justin was working as a lifeguard supervisor and was trying to clear guests off the Key West Rapids water slide in anticipation of severe weather coming through the area. He was standing in 2-3 feet of water when the strike happened at about 11:45 a.m., according to a Tampa Fire Rescue incident report.

The report states other employees pulled Justin out of the water and tried to perform CPR. He was taken to University Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Justin’s father is Sgt. Frank Inversso, a bailiff supervisor with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

“He was a strong young man, conscientious of living his life according to the ways of the Lord,” Frank said. “He was a true lifeguard. He was committed to being a true life preserver and soul preserver.

“He is at peace,” Frank continued. “He would be celebrating his life as a victory.”

Justin graduated from Pasco in 2009 and from Pasco-Hernando Community College this spring. He had just started his junior year at the University of South Florida as an engineering student. Frank said Justin had hoped to be part of an engineering program at Busch Gardens, which would help pay for his tuition while giving him experience in the field.

Frank said Justin was an honors student while at Pasco, where he also was a captain of the Pirates swimming and diving team. He also played on the Dade City school’s basketball team as a sophomore.

The park was in the process of closing the ride and other attractions because of the approaching storm when Justin was hit, according to the fire rescue incident report. It added that rain had not yet begun to fall when the strike happened.

Jim Dean, president of Busch Gardens and Adventure Island, said it is the first time anyone has been hit by lightning at the park since it opened in 1980.

“Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our employees and guests,” Dean said. He added the park is constantly monitoring the weather in case of any approaching threat.

Dean said their investigation has shown the lightning hit the tower that helps hold up the 700-foot-tall water slide. The electricity traveled through the metal and the water surrounding Justin before entering his body.

Ray Yeakley, spokesman for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, said it is “amazing no one else was hurt” because of the lightning strike that killed Justin.

“Because there is so much water, anyone else standing in the water would have likely been badly hurt or killed too,” Yeakley said. “Everyone else must have been able to get out before it happened.”

Yeakley said people need to be extra cautious when severe weather is approaching, because it doesn’t have to be raining for a deadly bolt to strike.

“The best thing to do is get out of any water as soon as you hear any thunder or see lightning or dark storm clouds,” Yeakley said. “The lightning can pass all the way through even the biggest pools. You also need to stay away until a storm has completely passed over.”

Yeakley added people should come down from any high elevations and avoid metal objects during a storm.

As for Justin, his family laid him to rest last week.

“He’s in heaven now,” Frank said. “He got to go to heaven for his birthday, and there is no better place to be.”

 

By Kyle LoJacono

 

Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco last month asked for help from the county commissioners in the fight against the prescription drug abuse epidemic, a request that was personal for two board members.

Commissioners Pat Mulieri and Henry Wilson have seen the worst possible outcomes caused by such abuse. Mulieri’s brother died 16 years ago to a drug overdose.

“He was a respected law enforcement officer, but he died of an overdose,” said Mulieri almost overcome with emotion. “He was a drinker and he was taking Valium at the same time. A doctor kept writing him prescriptions for 100 pills at a time.”

Wilson lost a teenage nephew to the same addiction just days after hearing Nocco’s request. He said he knew prescription drug abuse was a big problem, but the loss struck the first-term commissioner.

“It just hit home for me,” Wilson said.

The problem has also hit home for hundreds of families in Pasco during the last year. The Florida Medical Examiners Commission reports that the Pasco/Pinellas area led the state in deaths caused by prescription drugs last year.

The two counties combined for 750 deaths related to prescription drug abuse, 28 percent of the total fatalities in Florida. The examiners commission does not separate the deaths between the two Tampa Bay area counties.

“It’s in our own back yards, it’s in our schools, it’s in the neighborhoods where we least expect it to be,” said Commissioner Ted Schrader.

Mulieri and Wilson, along with the other three commssioners, unanamiously approved Noccos’ request for a $1.6 million increase in the Pasco Sheriff’s Office budget, up to $83.3 million, for the new fiscal year to hire 23 new empoyees. It took just 30 minutes of deliberating to come to the agreement.

The new staffers will incude 10 detectives and two sergeants to create two new squads to battle drug abuse, eight nurses for the Land O’ Lake Detention Center to help with inmate drug issues and three to form a new intelligence-led policing unit.

Intelligence-led policing is a new concept introduced by Nocco, where the team identifies places where crimes are more likely to happen to better allocate the office’s resources.

The only person who advised against the increase was county budget director Michael Nurrenbrock, who questioned the long-term fiscal feasibility of adding 23 new employees to Pasco’s payroll.

Nurrenbrock said the only reason the county can afford to hire the new workers this year is the state manadated all government workers to contribute 3 percent of their salaries toward their own pension plans, saving Pasco $7.7 million.

“The reason you have this flexibility is because those pension rates have changed, and there’s no guarantee of what will happen next year,” Nurrenbrock said. He added the county’s revenue problems are not getting better as property values continue to drop.

Nocco assured Nurrenbrock he would look into the finacial future of the sheriff’s office at the start of the new year when he creates its five-year strategic plan.

Pasco’s new $1.1 billion budget goes into effect