Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Lightning strike deal to run public facility

By Kyle LoJacono

 

The Pasco County Commission has reached an agreement with the Land O’ Lakes Lightning swimming club to keep the public pool at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex open.

Commissioners and the county’s Parks and Recreation Department director Rick Buckman had all but decided to close the pool, along with another facility in Hudson, to help meet the county budget for the next fiscal year.

However, the Lightning reached a deal to take over much of the operating costs of the pool, pledging about $100,000 per year.

“That’s about what it takes to run a pool,” said club president Brett Ewald. “That’s a workable amount. We haven’t raised fees for our team and I know from doing this for more than a year we can handle that. I would stress that you need a team of this size to take on something like this. A 150-kid team does generate enough revenue to operate a pool. You need a big group.”

Ewald said the 16-year-old club has swimmers from Land O’ Lakes, Lutz, Odessa and as far east as Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills. Ewald didn’t want to see budget concerns drain away an opportunity for young swimmers, as well as those just looking to cool off.

“It started out as a way to keep it opened for our swim team and for the two high school teams that use it,” Ewald said. “It’s pretty important for all the neighborhoods around there to have the pool running. I’d hate to have seen it just disappear.”

The deal allows both Sunlake and Land O’ Lakes high schools to continue using the facility for practices and home swimming meets. Buckman said public use will also remain, but with an increase in admission costs from $2 to $3 for children and from $3 to $4 for adults per day. He added operating hours will likely be cut slightly.

“We’ll be doing the lessons now instead of the county, but other than that everything else stays intact,” Ewald said. “We will be handling the maintenance, water quality and repairs to the pool less than $2,500.”

The county will handle any repairs that cost more than $2,500.

The commission narrowly agreed to keep the Hudson pool open by a 3-2 vote, but there is no similar organization that has stepped forward to run the west Pasco site.

The parks department has already had to close two county pools in the last year, one in New Port Richey and the other, the Hercules Aquatic Center, in Zephyrhills.

The Zephyrhills Police Athletic League (ZPAL) agreed to run the east Pasco facility, but the county reversed that deal after the organization racked up thousands of dollars in debt.

Ewald said he has seen what the operating costs are and, along with funding from the county, will be able to keep the Land O’ Lakes pool open without the issues that arose in Zephyrhills.

Buckman said he is confident about the deal with the Lightning.

“We’ve learned a lot since what happened in Zephyrhills,” Buckman said. “We saw what happened there, and we’re going to do everything we can to make sure this is successful. Plus the Lightning are in a much better situation than ZPAL was a year ago.”

For more information on the Lightning, visit www.lollightning.org.

 

 

Even after Labor Day, it still sizzles here

By Eugenio Torrens

 

After every drill in practice, Academy at the Lakes football coach John Castelamare lets his students go to “heaven” and immerse themselves in it.

“Heaven” is the name for the 12 water fountains where players go for a respite from the grueling heat and demanding practices.

Castelamare, who is in his second year coaching the private school’s six-man team, tells his kids to do more than drink water. He tells them to wet everything.

“Most of the time, you keep drinking water, it’s not the greatest thing,” he said. “You wet yourself, wet your head, wet your shoulders. Just don’t get my helmets wet.”

Spending time in, let alone practicing in the unforgiving Florida heat can be dangerous. Castelamare, who has been a coach for 40 years and coached at Wesley Chapel from 1999-2009, knows it and advises his players accordingly. He had a nutritionist speak to the team who stressed the importance of being well-fed — not just hydrated.

Staying hydrated and well nourished, in addition to staying well rested, are a few of the steps people can take to protect themselves from Florida’s infamous heat and humidy.

Although the calendar has flipped to September and fall weather has started to take hold of northern states, it is just another summer month to Florida. The thermometer may creep down a couple of degrees during the day, but it’s hardly autumnal weather.

With schools back in session, this is the time when children can still work up a dripping sweat outside for fall sports or in physical education (PE) class.

What makes children and adolescents that much more susceptible to the heat is the fact they may not be aware of the damage that can be done or of the symptoms that the heat is taking its toll.

As effective as the buddy system is — having athletes or kids and their peers pipe up if they notice something wrong — a large burden of responsibility lies with the adults who are in supervisory roles.

And at schools, that means teachers and coaches play the role.

Sean Brock, supervisor of physical education for Pasco County schools, said general guidelines are sent at the beginning of each school year to every teacher who deals with outdoor activities. The guidelines include being aware of the heat, symptoms of heat illness and first-aid type procedures.

Most of it, Brock said, is a common sense approach: frequent water breaks, limiting outdoor exposure during the hottest part of the day and taking advantage of covered shelters.

As a former PE teacher and football coach, Steve Vanoer knows the perils of overdoing it in hot environments.

Now the supervisor of PE and health of the Hillsborough County schools, Vanoer said teachers are urged to modify lesson plans if the heat seems overbearing.

“If you’re doing a track and field unit and it’s 98 degrees and the humidity is high, then what you want to do is change that lesson plan or modify it so that students aren’t engaging in an activity that is already strenuous and compounded by warm weather.”

He said teachers are well aware of the heat, because they are the ones that spend more time in it. Elementary school kids typically spend 20-30 minutes outside. Middle and high schoolers may be outdoors for 50 minutes.  Teachers can be outside for up to seven hours.

Most PE students won’t necessarily suffer any serious heat-related injuries, but kids participating in after-school athletics run a greater risk. This is where the buddy system is especially effective.

“The coaches have a lot of kids they have to watch, so they have to inform their athletes,” said Melanie Cole, an exercise physiologist and radio host on www.healthradio.net.

Unfortunately, kids playing sports sometimes aren’t as upfront about fatigue as they should be. There can be added pressure when kids are competing for playing time.

“If he’s your star athlete, he’s your star athlete — but he needs to take a break too,” Cole said.

As more knowledge about the dangers of heat exertion sprouts up, there is more of a willingness to nip the problem in the bud.

Michael Bergeron, director for the National Institute for Athletic Health and Performance at Sanford in South Dakota, said the risk of heat-related illnesses depends on the preparation of those out in the sun. Acclimating to the heat is a huge factor. He pointed out how a majority of heat-stroke deaths in sports occur early in the practice season.

“Clearly, they’re doing too much too soon,” Bergeron said. “There’s a lot of professionalization of youth sports these days. These kids are not professionals. There’s no reason to work them that hard and push them like they’re going to be professionals.

“It doesn’t mean you can’t work hard, but you’re not training Navy SEALs.”

This means not to have kids who spend a lot of time indoors over the summer go out the first day and play like they’re in mid-season form.

Another vital factor is the humidity. Florida heat isn’t necessarily the same as Arizona heat for example.

The high levels of humidity in Florida prevent efficient methods for the body to cool itself, including sweating. More humidity means there is more resistance to evaporation. So rather than sweat evaporating and cooling you, it just gathers.

The worst condition — a familiar scene for Floridians — is a hot, sunny, still day with no breeze and high humidity.

The Florida Office of Vital Statistics reported 24 deaths in the state during 2009 from exposure to excessive natural heat. According to natural hazard statistics from the National Weather Service, the United States averaged 115 heat-related deaths between 2001-2010.

Things to watch for suggesting the heat is getting to someone is profuse sweating, muscle cramps, nausea and overall lowered physical performance. These are signs the person needs to stop, be taken to a shaded area and hydrated. More severe signs are lack of sweating and flush-red skin.

“That’s when it gets scary,” Cole said. “Their core temperature could be going up to 105 (degrees) or higher and if you don’t get them cooled down, things that could start to happen are nerve damage and brain problems, organ failure.”

This doesn’t mean kids aren’t safe outside.

“There is a lot of latitude that we give in essentially saying that healthy kids and adolescents can be safe, as long as the modifiable factors are modified,” Bergeron said. “You don’t want to push somebody to do something they’re not ready for.”

More information on heat-related illnesses and symptoms can be found at www.healthradio.net, www.cdc.gov, or www.sanfordresearch.org.

County may approve residential beekeeping

By Kyle LoJacono

 

The Hillsborough County Commission took a step toward approving residential beekeeping.

Commissioners voted to explore changing the county’s land-use plan, which would allow people with homes on a quarter-acre of land or less to have up to two beehives. Those with additional land could have more.

Gary Ranker, president of the Florida State Beekeepers Association, was pleased with the commissioners’ decision.

“I’m optimistic this whole process is looking forward to a resolution where people can put bees in their backyards and have a real nice hobby and also do something good for the county,” Ranker said.

Commissioners did say some measures would need to be added to the land-use change to make sure neighbors, especially those with young children, are safe from bees.

Jerry Hayes, chief of the apiary section of the Florida Department of Agriculture, said having more beekeepers could be a positive thing not only for those who crave honey, but also for the environment.

“Beekeepers raise European honeybees, not the more aggressive Africanized bees,” Hayes said.

Hayes explained European bees — which can have as many as 60,000 insects per hive — were domesticated hundreds of years ago, a process that breeds a very docile animal that produces a lot of honey.

District 2 Commissioner Victor Crist, who represents Lutz and much of northern Hillsborough, was especially concerned with how close the hives could be to neighbors.

“What if someone sprays the hive with something,” Crist said. “What could happen?”

Crist said he would like beekeeping to be limited to people who have at least 20,000 square feet of land, with the hives near the center to limit contact with other people. He also wants people in neighboring properties to be notified when bees are being kept near them.

Beekeeping proponents disagree with Crist’s proposal.

“Sizing the lot at 20,000 square feet would basically knock it out of most residential areas,” said association member Becky Weliczko.

Commissioners agreed to force those keeping bees in residential areas to register with the state and have their hives inspected, that is if they approve the land-use change. They would also have to keep beehives 25 feet from property lines, or just 10 feet if there is a 6-foot-high fence or hedge around the lot.

In neighboring Pasco, beekeeping can only be done in areas zoned for agriculture, according to county Extension Agnet BJ Jarvis. Ordinancies may change based on city governments.

Hayes said many people incorrectly believe all bees are overly aggressive, but only the Africanized variety have earned the nickname “killer bees.”

“Africanized bees originally lived in a portion of south Africa that had a lot of predators and other bugs that competed with them for food,” Hayes said. “Because of that, they are very, very aggressive.”

Africanized bees also produce much less honey because the colony eats more of the product to fuel their fast metabolism and aggressive behavior.

Africanized bees were first brought to South America in 1957 and later came to Florida via boats with fruit shipments, according to Hayes. The more aggressive variety, along with other environmental pressures, has effectively wiped out wild European bees.

“Having more people keeping European honeybees will give the Africanized bees competition, and that could keep their population in check,” Hayes said. “Also, if European drones (male bees) mate with queens from African hives, that could make them less aggressive. That might help bring some balance back and help pollinate natural and cultivated plants.”

Hayes said the number of beekeepers in the state has increased from 600 to 2,100 during the last five years, which produce 17 million pounds of honey annually.

County planners are asking for suggestions at a public hearing on Sept. 15. The commissioners would make a final vote at a Nov. 3 meeting.

Those interested in learning how to start their own beehives can find information on the Tampa Bay Beekeepers Association’s website, www.tampabaybeekeepers.com. Additional information is available at the state’s agriculture department’s website at www.freshfromflorida.com.

Holloway’s Farm Supply, 3030 US 41 in Land O’ Lakes, also has supplies to help people start beekeeping, as well as information for the novice honey enthusasit. For more information, call (813) 949-6809.

HiBrow Art Gallery offers special exhibit of Lanus’ work

By B.C. Manion

It has been nearly a quarter of a century since Alfred Lanus has put his work on public display.

But the impressionist, who lives in Dade City, will be making up for that in a big way this month when he puts on a one-man show at the HiBrow Art Gallery.

A meet-the-artist public reception is planned for Saturday, Sept. 10, from 7-10 p.m. at the gallery, a division of the Dade City Center for the Arts, Inc. The works will remain on display during normal gallery hours throughout the month of September.

Lanus, who used to routinely lunch with the surrealist Salvadore Dali when the artist was living in New York, was invited to display his works at HiBrow by Stuart Marcus, the gallery’s event director.

Marcus, who has a gallery at HiBrow, is a renowned wildlife photographer who has captured images of animals in the wild on all seven continents.

Marcus said his wife, Jeanette, an assistant tennis director at Lake Jovita, told him about Lanus.

Lanus told Jeanette: “I paint a little.” He invited the Marcuses to come see some of his work.

“I was absolutely floored,” Marcus said. “My honest feeling is what I see in the impressionistic style is as good as anybody in the 20th century and in the early part of the 21st, and he’s still painting today,” Marcus said. “I think as other people see it, it will move from our gallery to others.”

The last showing of Lanus’ work was in 1977 at the Bacardi Gallery in Miami. Before that, he had three exhibits at galleries in Manhattan, between 1960 and 1970.

Marcus said HiBrow is fortunate to be putting on the exhibit.

“I think it’s significant for this area. I think it’s significant for the Bay area. I think it’s significant, perhaps for the nation and perhaps in the art world.

“The man has traveled. He is a gentleman. He is an artist of the top flight,” Marcus said.

Lanus, 83, continues to create art in a studio area within his home and isn’t one to boast about his work. With the exception of Dali, Lanus said he never met an artist who proclaimed himself to be great.

Lanus said he uses his art to evoke a mood.

For instance, in the painting he calls “Rescue at Land’s End,” he shows a dramatic rescue effort amidst crashing waves. There’s a sense of wind and fury.

The scene was much different than the day he visited Land’s End, which is in England.

“It was a beautiful, sunny day and I did a sketch with Land’s End, with the lighthouse to the left. Somehow, I decided to make it into a storm. So, everything underneath all those waves is there as it would be. Physically, it’s all there, but it’s all covered up with the storm,” Lanus said.

He has painted scenes from around the world, in some cases, painting landscapes – in others, capturing action.

His interest in art dates back to his childhood days in Argentina.

“From school days, I was always sketching,” he said.

But his father, who was in charge of the Bank of London in Buenos Aires at the time, wasn’t keen on the prospect of his son pursuing a career in art.

So, Lanus found other ways to earn a living and continued honing his skills as an artist.

He initially came to the United States for a visit when he was 19 and then came back two years later because of political strife in Argentina.

He wound up living in Erie, Pa., where he took art classes from a professor named Joe Plavcaf. Lanus was impressed by the teacher’s ability to inspire good work from his students.

“He was teaching boys who came back from the war (World War II). You’d see a beautiful girl who would be modeling. Some of these soldiers would just make a square or a round thing with dots.

“But a year later, they were painting beautifully. They were doing wonderful work.

“I was very enthused. I went there every day. That’s where I really started my great interest in painting.”

He moved back to New York, where he struck up a friendship with Ernesto Fairhurst, an equestrian and portrait painter.

“The funny thing, his dad and my dad were heads of the Bank of London in Argentina,” Lanus said, but he didn’t meet Fairhurst until both of the artists were living in New York.

Fairhurst moved to London and Lanus decided to follow.

Lanus eventually returned to New York, where he lived on East 82nd Street for about 30 years.

While there, he got involved in the art scene.

Lanus said his style is inspired by the work of J.W. Turner, who created impressionistic works during the latter part of his career.

“I consider him the father of impressionism. He died 200 years ago,” Lanus said.

Because Lanus didn’t rely on his art for his income, he said he didn’t have to “give away” his works. He did manage to sell a number of pieces over the years, though.

He became acquainted with Dali through Mafalda Davis, a woman Lanus was involved with for a number of years.

“Every weekend, we’d go to see Salvador, at the hotel. Salvador was living at the St. Regis Hotel,” Lanus said.

The trio would have lunch and chat, Lanus said. Dali, a surrealist who gained worldwide acclaim, was infamous for his eccentric behavior.

He lived up to that billing, Lanus said. “He was something, I tell you. He was crazy.”

Lanus recalled an occasion when Dali hired a double-decker bus and took about 20 of his friends for a ride in Manhattan.

“He had the bus stop. We stopped at 57th and Park Avenue.

“He had buckets and buckets of champagne. He stopped all of the traffic,” Lanus said.

“The police didn’t do anything. He got away with it,” Lanus said.

Marcus said the gallery is an excellent venue to show off Lanus’ works.

It is an especially good setting, Marcus said, because it is outfitted with “full-spectrum and daylight temperature lighting, so the color rendering is superb.”

 

/glance box

The Dade City Center for the Arts’ HiBrow Gallery celebrates the beginning of its third year with an exhibit of Alfred Lanus’ work.

Meet the artist at a public reception from 7-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10

The works will remain on exhibit through September.

Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by appointment.

The gallery is at 14125 Seventh St., in downtown Dade City.

For more information call (352) 521-3823 or visit www.thehibrowgallery.com

By Kyle LoJacono

It’s a two-lane road that winds through the rural community, with only a few dim streetlights to help keep drivers on path and out of barns, horse fields and cow pastures.  There are no bike paths or sidewalks and only a few turn lanes to make travel easier. Mix in an increased number of drivers looking to get to and from work while avoiding the congested Suncoast Parkway/Veterans Expressway and I-275, and the combination becomes perilous for those who frequent Gunn Highway in Odessa/Keystone.

The Hillsborough County Planning Commission has been looking for ways to make Gunn safer for years and recently unveiled five options to make the country roadway a little less dangerous for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians.

The proposals were presented recently to the Keystone-Odessa Advisory Committee.

Three of the options leave Gunn virtually untouched, while instead improving the streets that feed into the highway, such as Van Dyke and S. Mobley roads. All three do add sidewalks, curbs and bike and turn lanes, but keep Gunn as a two-lane street.

Another proposal would widen the Suncoast/Veterans from four to six lanes, which would help with traffic flow and would likely make it a better option for those traveling through Hillsborough and Pasco counties, according to planning commission principal planner Pedro Parra.

The final option is to leave the area as it is.

Many in attendance said they wanted to leave the roadway alone to avoid the headaches that come along with road construction. Many also feel a more developed roadway will take away from the rural nature of the community.

“I kind of like the do-nothing approach,” said Sam Prentice, who has lived in Keystone for 35 years. “We like it rural; we want to keep it rural.”

Jim Swain, president of the Lake Keystone Property Owners Association, and one of those who helped write the Keystone-Odessa Community Plan, said that desire to “keep it rural” has been a big part of the association since its founding. He has in the past advocated to keep Gunn as it is, but has started to come around on the idea of updating the snake-like highway.

“There are pressing problems up here,” Swain said. “You can’t walk. There are no sidewalks. We have mobility issues. And with the county’s thirst for development, you just get traffic, traffic and more traffic.”

Swain said frequent traffic accidents, many that include pedestrians and bicyclists, are what have begun to change his thinking on the matter. He said he wants the county to enforce slower speed limits as well.

The planning commission is using the community’s reaction to the options as a way to decide what to include in a larger plan for the area.

“This plan in and of itself isn’t going to solve problems,” Parra said. “But you can use it as a tool.”

Money has not yet been designated for the project. No work would likely begin until sometime late next year, according to Parra.

Odessa/Keystone residents will get to vote on which option they like. Then after three public hearings this fall, the results will be included in the community plan for the area.