Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Zack Peterson

 

Some would-be stars packed their guitars and headed for Nashville this summer along with PrinWall Entertainment, a development and management company run by Susan Craig and her business partner, Marianne Prinkey.

“I wanted to be on the other side. I had done my performing, and been there, done that,” Craig said, explaining her decision to go into talent management. “It also helped me tremendously to have been a performer to understand the talent I was handling because I could be a little more caring and understanding when they come to me with a problem.

“We’re a little more attuned to that, because I know that I have heard the same responses as a singer.”

Together, Craig and Prinkey have a combined 60-plus years of experience in entertainment, music, theater, print, television, fashion and production fields.

According to Craig, “when you put all that together, it makes some qualities that are good for a manager.”

At PrinWall, Craig and Prinkey provide development and artist development alongside vocal training from Prinkey, who has been a vocal coach for more than 20 years.

More so, the contacts the two have built up from years in the business have allowed them to promote their clients in a successful manner to connections in New York, Nashville, Los Angeles and throughout Florida.

“We help them open doors,” Craig said.

This summer, a group of PrinWall’s talent had the opportunity to travel to Nashville and work with some country music professionals on singing, recording, writing and performing. Here is a look at some of Prinwall’s talent from the area.

 

Kathleen Blanco, Gaither High

When Kathleen Blanco first started singing with PrinWall five years ago, she was a silent muse.

“I was really shy and I hated performing in front of people,” Kathleen admitted.

Now Kathleen says that singing just comes “naturally” and has since worked to develop further proficiency in music.

“This year I started playing guitar and just a little bit of piano,” Kathleen said.

Kathleen also claims she has no specific artist influences, because the passion in music itself was enough to inspire her.

“I just really enjoyed singing and I love music,” Kathleen said. “It’s just fun.”

Kathleen was one of the Nashville travelers who experienced everything from performing in a bar with a backing band, to classes on writing.

“It was such a great experience seeing everything,” Kathleen said.

For now, Kathleen plans to work with an afterschool program known as Showcase at Gaither where participants work on live performances.

“In the future I just want to keep performing and doing what I love to do,” Kathleen said.

 

Samantha Blanco, Villa Madonna

Samantha Blanco, Kathleen’s 11-year-old sister, first started working with PrinWall when she was 7 years old, because she was inspired by her sister’s involvement.

Samantha is involved in many facets of show business, and has started singing, tried dancing and worked on acting.

When she had the opportunity to travel to Nashville she found the most fascinating portion of the trip to be performing at the Nashville Palace with all of the talent there.

But for Samantha, one of the advantages of singing and participating in the performing arts is working with her sister.

The two have sung duets with one another in the past. One moment Samantha recounts was the duet the two worked on together at Kathleen’s middle school graduation.

Currently, the two are collaborating again on a duet to a song entitled “Me, Myself, and Time” by Demi Lovato.

In the future, Samantha hopes to continue to grow as an artist and learn guitar. But for now, she is content to experiment with dancing, practice her singing and pursue further involvement in acting.

 

Hannah Knight, Centennial Middle

Although Hannah Knight only began working with PrinWall two years ago, she has been playing guitar for the past three. She first got started because she “listens to music a lot and really loves singing too.”

While at a talent show auditioning for Prinwall’s management, she first captivated her audience and became a part of its local talent.

“After that they came up to me and said, ‘We’d like to work with you,’” Knight recalls.

She has continued to work on improving as a musician as well as acting and dancing.

For the most part, Knight draws her inspiration from pop stars such as Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez and believes the best way to draw an audience’s ear is to get it involved.

“You’ve got to smile and get them to tap their leg and sing along,” she said.

So far, Knight has performed with fellow PrinWall talent, Makenzie Raye, at the Osceola County Fair and at various other venues like the Orange County Festival and at The Shops at Wiregrass for a festival.

In the future, Knight wants to pursue a career as a singer-songwriter. Thus far, she’s written five songs and likes to write the most about her “friends, family and everyday life.”

 

Makenzie Raye, King High

The first thing to know about Makenzie Raye is that she finds fairytales to be misleading.

A performer and a country singer at heart, Raye says she enjoys singing Rascal Flatts’ songs, and has written her own song, “Dang Fairytales,” which she had the opportunity to sing and record in Nashville when she traveled there this summer.

The inspiration for the song actually came while Raye was in a layover at the airport and coming from Nashville on a separate occasion. She happened to spot a little girl with her mother reading The Little Mermaid.

“Seeing that just reminded me that that stuff never happens!” she exclaimed. “So I just wrote ‘Dang Fairytales.’”

Never one to be a shy person, Raye has been singing since the age of 3 or 4 she says but decided to be managed by PrinWall four years ago.

“When I’m singing I can really just be myself,” Raye said. “When I’m out on stage I enjoy it so much.

“It’s all so exciting,” Raye said. “It’s so different actually being there.”

Even if professional singing doesn’t work out, Raye wants to be involved in music for the rest of her life.

 

Contact PrinWall Entertainment at (813) 385-0634.

By Kyle LoJacono

 

In 1988, registered nurse Carol Springer founded Gulfside Regional Hospice as a way to help treat people with end-of-life care in New Port Richey.

The fledgling organization was lucky to help 50 people a year in the early stages, but today the nonprofit treats 300 patients a day — more than 15,000 a year — from all corners of Pasco.

Gulfside’s efforts were recently recognized by the Pasco County Commission with a special resolution honoring it as one of the top charitable groups in the area.

“By winning this award, we hope hospice awareness in the community will increase,” said Gulfside chief executive officer Linda Ward. “Our team and staff are dedicated end-of-life professionals providing very essential care to all of our patients and their loved ones.”

Pasco Commissioner Jack Mariano presented the resolution to Gulfside.

“It’s a special group,” Mariano said. “All they do is help people in their hardest time. I congratulate them for everything they do.”

Ward said she was “overjoyed” with the resolution.

“The interdisciplinary approach to hospice is the core of what we do,” Ward said. “Our doctors, and nurses, and chaplains, aids, volunteers and everyone work together. The mission is to serve patients who have chronic illness and life-threatening situations. The crux of hospice care is to alleviate pain and provide comfort while assisting in the quality of life. Everyone here believes in that and it’s a very heart-felt approach to serving our population.”

The care extends past the patient.

“It’s the family and loved ones as well,” Ward said. “It’s a holistic approach and it takes a lot of coordination to handle all that. Listening to all the needs and alleviating stress and pain so they can spend the rest of the time they have left with the people they love. It’s really wonderful to watch.”

Ward has been with Gulfside for seven years and has seen the organization grow into what it is today.

“When I started we had just 50 patients and just the New Port Richey center,” Ward said. “At that time, hospice really started to grow as did our understanding of everything it takes to help our patients. People needed more training to understand those clinical approaches we use. We started partnering with the hospitals and nursing homes and then started building our own free-standing in-patient facilities for intense care.”

The newest free-standing site was the Zephyrhills location, which opened in February 2010. Today, Gulfside has six locations for hospice and bereavement services, along with five thrift shops designed to raise money to pay for care provided.

 

Ward said it’s the more than 250 employees and 550 volunteers who make Gulfside’s efforts possible.

“It’s not always easy working in hospice care,” Ward said. “My job is to nurture our staff because there are days when we may have 10 deaths, but on the other end there are the people they help each day.”

Ward said the future of Gulfside is learning how to continue offering end-of-life care in a changing healthcare industry.

“The goal is to keep the hospice industry stable because a lot of things are changing with new regulations starting up,” Ward said. “We’re at a really crucial time. We’re being audited and looked at very strictly by all the Medicare and Medicaid services. Some of the scrutiny is getting more intense, so we’re preparing for the future of care. The second goal is to continue to partner with more and new hospitals and retirement homes to offer more people this kind of care.”

For more information about Gulfside Regional Hospice, call (727) 845-5707 or visit www.GRHospice.org.

 

By Kyle LoJacono

Breastfeeding infants may be healthy for both mother and child, but many new moms find mastering the technique somewhat daunting.

Pasco County Health Officer Dr. David Johnson said breastfeeding is very natural, but is a learned behavior and not something that comes instinctively to mothers.

“Support is a major component of successful breastfeeding and helping mothers to overcome obstacles creates a strong foundation for a baby’s health,” Johnson said. “Current research shows that when mothers receive help and support from those surrounding them, including their family, employer and healthcare providers it ultimately leads to a more successful breastfeeding experience.”

August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month and the state health department is offering support to help mothers, especially new ones, through its county chapters. It has created a program called Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to offer additional support for breastfeeding.

One mother in Pasco who has received help from WIC is Miriam Gatian, who has a 4-month-old daughter named Alyssa. Her consultant, Teresa Del Negro, helped remove any doubts in her mind about the benefits of breastfeeding while teaching proper techniques.

“I am so thankful for the (WIC) breastfeeding peer counseling program,” Gatian said. “I have gone through some pretty rough times in the beginning with breastfeeding where I was doubting myself and really needed to talk to someone about breastfeeding. Being able to talk to Teresa Del Negro really gave me the boost I needed to have the confidence in my ability in being a good mom to my baby.”

Breastfeeding moms who participate in WIC receive face-to-face meetings with a trained lactation specialist, peer counseling and breastfeeding support groups.

In Hillsborough, the county health department has partnered with St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital to raise awareness about breastfeeding.

“We will have educational materials available, including the Hillsborough County Task Force’s Resource Guide for new moms and families who might be interested in breastfeeding support,” said Walter Niles, manager of the Hillsborough County Health Department’s Office of Health Equity.

St. Joseph’s lactation specialist Jessica Gordon adds, “Breastfeeding can be one of the most enjoyable experiences for a new mother, and the health benefits are significant in both mother and baby.”

Gordon said most of the benefits happen if a child is breastfed exclusively for the first six months of life.

Benefits include:

–Breastfeeding encourages the best brain growth and development in babies and helps babies reach their full intellectual potential.

–Breastfed babies are one-third less likely to die of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS.

–Breastfed babies have fewer illnesses, are less likely to be hospitalized in the first year of life and have milder effects when illness does happen.

–Breastfed babies are less likely to develop respiratory infections, ear infections, childhood diabetes and certain types of cancers.

–Breastfed babies are less likely to grow into overweight children.

–Breastfeeding helps to reduce the risk of breast and ovarian cancer for women.

–Breastfeeding provides a bonding connection for mother and baby.

–Breastfeeding releases the hormone prolactin, which decreases anxiety and helps people feel calmer.

–Breastfeeding an infant during a natural disaster reduces the potential risk for feeding contamination from toxic materials.

Women interested in more information on local WIC programs should call (877) 942-2329 or visit www.FloridaWIC.org.

To learn more about Hillsborough’s program, call (813) 307-8000 or visit www.hillscountyhealth.org. For more information on St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital’s services for breastfeeding mothers, call (813) 879-4730.

 

 

 

By B.C. Manion

 

The Pasco County school district is betting that a $6 million investment at its Land O’ Lakes High campus ultimately will be the special ingredient that contributes to thousands of students finding their niche in life.

When a new school year rings in Aug. 22, the district will launch its Academy of Culinary Arts, a four-year program that aims to prepare its graduates to work in nearly any aspect of the food service industry.

The district wants academy graduates to be able to ply their skills in all sorts of settings, from neighborhood bistros to high-end restaurants, said Rob Aguis, director of Community, Career and Technical Education for Pasco County Schools.

The academy seeks to prepare its graduates to enter the workforce seamlessly, to continue their education or both, he said.

District officials want students to be thoroughly schooled in the art and science of food.

“We want them to understand heat and gases, and things like that,” Aguis said.

When students complete the four-year program, they’ll be ready to handle all sorts of industry roles, said Rich Batchelor, an assistant principal at Land O’ Lakes High who is overseeing the academy.

The 18,000-square-foot center includes three kitchens. It also has a 60-seat theater-style classroom with a demonstration station. And, there are video technology feeds throughout the building, enabling students in different parts of the center to watch the same demonstration simultaneously.

Other features in the building include a baking oven that is big enough to stand in, a walk-in freezer, a cooler, an ice-sculpting room, areas for shipping and receiving, a secure room for knives and equipment and a dining room that is slated to have restaurant-style furniture. (The tables and chairs had not yet arrived last week).

The center’s largest kitchen is designed for beginning students. A smaller, more specialized kitchen is intended for more advanced students. A third kitchen — equipped with special temperature controls, as well as marble and wood counters — is intended for training bakers and pastry chefs.

Having a separate baking kitchen makes a difference, Batchelor said.

“You’d be surprised how the smell of a meat can get into a piece of bread because they’re cooked in the same kitchen,” he said.

The center’s design was based on recommendations from industry experts and from research gathered by visiting other culinary arts centers, Aguis. The idea was to learn from the experience of others regarding what to do, or what not to do, he said.

The district will welcome visitors to observe what they’re doing, too, Aguis said. “Our doors will be open to any school district, any business, any community member who wants to come visit, to see what we’ve done, to see what we’re doing.”

While the academy is intended for the education of the district’s students, it’s also meant to play a role in the community, Aguis said.

Students will be able to earn culinary industry certifications, potentially saving them substantial amounts of money. Beyond that, though, the academy will also help set students on any number of career paths, Aguis said.

The curriculum covers the ins and outs of the restaurant industry, Batchelor said. Students will work in the front of the house and the back of the house.

They’ll be trained on all sorts of equipment, so they’ll be able to feel at home if they’re working at Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, or at Bern’s Steak House, Aguis said.

They’ll learn important skills such as how to manage inventory and how to set up catering events, as well as practical skills such as how to work a hostess station, how to bake pastries and how to work as a line cook.

The culinary classes will be infused with academic content, Batchelor said. For example, culinary academy students will take agriscience instead of a general physical science class.

Plans call for having a herb garden and to grow a variety of fruit trees, although judging from the fruit trees that have been planted, it may take awhile for the trees to yield fruit.

Learning the science behind the foods will help students understand how to marry flavors, when combining ingredients to prepare a dish, Batchelor said.

Fifty-one students make up the inaugural crop of freshmen in the four-year academy. They gained admission to the program, via an application process.

About 150 other students at the high school are expected to take advantage of the academy’s sophisticated cooking and instructional technology. There will be two culinary arts teachers at the program’s launch.

“We’re doing a soft opening for this first year,” Batchelor said. “We wanted to work all of the kinks out, make sure the academy is exactly how we want it. We then will roll in about 100-125 (freshmen) for the following year. Within four years, this building will be housing 400-500 students.”

The beauty of this type of program is that students get to apply what they’re learning, which helps them gain a deeper appreciation of what they’re learning and why they’re learning it, Aguis said.

While officials are confident the center has the ingredients to prepare students a world of new opportunities, they also note that this is only the beginning.

They expect to tweak the program as they go along — adding this, subtracting that — always with an eye toward improvement, kind of like what old cooks do, to perfect a recipe.

Teachers are already back and students return Aug. 22-23 to schools in Hillsborough and Pasco counties

 

By B.C. Manion

 

As students head to their first day of classes at schools across Lutz and Land O’ Lakes, they’ll find plenty of changes afoot.

The first day of classes in Pasco County Schools is Aug. 22 and school begins in Hillsborough County Public Schools the following day.

Some changes the students will encounter are countywide. For instance, public school students will be learning science from new textbooks in Pasco County. Meanwhile, their  Hillsborough County counterparts will be getting out of school an hour earlier on Mondays to give teachers time for planning.

On the Hillsborough County side of Lutz, a new charter school called Lutz Preparatory begins operation this year at 17951 N. US 41, in the former home of Berean Academy. Lutz Prep will serve pre-kindergarten through fifth-graders initially, but eventually plans to serve students through high school.

Berean ceased operations last year, but some Berean families have formed the nucleus of a new school, called Trinity Preparatory School, which is set to begin classes in September at 125 Country Club Drive in north Tampa.

Learning Gate, another charter school in Lutz, plans to expand its program into high school, beginning with a freshman class this year.

Along those lines, it has leased a building at 15316 N. Florida Avenue, where it will house grades seven through nine this school year. In the coming years, it plans to add a high school campus.

Plenty of changes also are happening in Land O’ Lakes, where construction has begun on the new Imagine School at Land O’ Lakes at 3020 Sunlake Boulevard. The school, which opened in 2008, is slated to operate at 17901 Hunting Bow Circle until mid-year when school officials expect to make the move to the school’s new 43,000-square-foot home.

Meanwhile, at nearby Charles S. Rushe Middle School, 18654 Mentmore Blvd., students will see a new face on campus, as Assistant Principal Ron Bruno joins the administrative team led by Principal David Salerno.

Rushe officials are emphasizing the need to stay positive, despite an economy that’s been tough on families, said Assistant Principal Ron Michalak. “We’re trying to keep as upbeat as we possibly can.”

The pressures are real, Michalak said. “You can feel it in the air.”

The school wants to do its part to counter the stress.

“We’re trying to keep as upbeat as we possibly can,” Michalak said.

Academy at the Lakes, a private independent school on Collier Parkway for pre-kindergarten through 12^th grade, expects to have a record attendance this year – with an anticipated enrollment exceeding 400.

Meanwhile, Connerton Elementary at 9300 Flourish Drive in Land O’ Lakes, will continue its quest to embed the use of technology in its daily delivery of instruction, said Principal Anna Falcone.

The kids love it, she said.

“The students are very savvy,” she said.

In fact, they are so tuned in that when a substitute teacher doesn’t know how to use a particular technological device, the kids often step in to help.

On another front, the school is eager to open its new playground this year, Falcone said.

At Pine View Elementary, 5333 Parkway Blvd., more students will get a chance to become Student of the Month this year, said Principal Judith Cash. This year, each teacher will get to name a student of the month.

The school also is launching a new Patriot Pride program, which recognizes students for exhibiting the character traits of being positive, respectful, inspired and dedicated to excellence.

And, the school plans to have a Principal Pride Wall, honoring students for excellence in academics, social behavior and work habits.

Pine View Elementary students will probably have a bit more fun this school year, too, as new cement squares have been poured – to accommodate hopscotch and four square.

At Pine View Middle School, 5334 Parkway Blvd., teachers will benefit from a technology upgrade, said Principal Jennifer Crosby. “We put in new overhead projectors.”

In Odessa, on the Hillsborough side of the community, Walker Middle School has been transformed into Walker Middle Magnet for International Studies, where enrollment is based on a lottery system.

The school, at 8282 N. Mobley Road in Odessa, is working toward gaining authorization as an International Baccalaureate Studies Middle Years Program, a process that takes three years.

Not too far away, students at Odessa Elementary in Trinity will be studying the habits of ospreys, said Principal Theresa Love. A pole has been installed and the ingredients of a nest have been collected in an attempt to entice an osprey to locate there. She thinks the project could turn out to be very educational for children.

Meanwhile, as children gear up for the first day of classes, Jason Petry, the new principal at Lake Myrtle Elementary is eager to experience being in the leadership role in a new school year.

Petry said his excitement has been growing daily, as teachers return to the school and share their ideas with him. He said he is fortunate to have followed an excellent principal.

“There’s an awesome culture at this school. It’s a family-oriented culture,” Petry said.

Across the county, when Pasco Middle School students return to school next week, they’ll be heading back to a campus that has a brand new feel, thanks to a massive makeover.

The reconstruction project, funded by Penny for Pasco, has involved renovating existing classrooms, constructing a new main building and courtyard and making wide scale improvements, said Kim Anderson, principal of the school at 13925 14^th St. in Dade City.

The auditorium, which has been closed during construction, has been renovated and is available now for school and community use.

Anderson said everywhere she goes around the community she runs into people who are excited about her school’s new look, and the reopening of the auditorium.

Pasco High, at 36850 SR 52, also is putting on the final touches in a total renovation of the campus, said Principal Patrick Reedy. It, too, was paid for with Penny for Pasco funds.

The high school also is initiating a new program aimed at helping ninth-graders make the transition into high school. The program is called “Navigating the Ninth-Grade Nation,” Reedy said, noting it helps students feel at home.

“It’s a tough year, moving from middle school to high school,” Reedy said.

The high school also has added a program that aims to help students who are “kind of on the bubble of being” in honors programs, Reedy said. That program is called Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) and it seeks to help students build self-confidence and to develop skills they need to be successful in honors programs.

The school, known for doing a good job of preventing high school dropouts, also will continue to emphasize the need to engage students in activities outside of the classroom Reedy said.

When that happens, students tend to be motivated to perform better academically, he said.

“We push a connection,” Reedy said, whether it be through athletics, agricultural, or other programs.

Reedy said he appreciates the extra efforts of his staff.

“I have so many people (staff members) who are involved on so many levels,” Reedy said.

Pasco Middle and Pasco High are just two of many schools throughout the community where public school students will encounter changes as they return to school in Pasco County Schools on Monday.

At Rodney B. Cox Elementary, Principal Yvonne Reins said the school will continue to emphasize the development of its students’ writing skills.

The school has been successful with its students, which Reins said is a result of professional development for teachers at every level, starting in kindergarten.

“We do a lot of analyzing of the students’ papers,” Reins said. After analyzing the papers, the teachers have conferences with students and give them feedback on their writing.

There’s a new leader at the helm of San Antonio Elementary, with Principal Kay Coe assuming that role.

The principal said she plans to focus on grade-level collaboration and also will encourage students to take advantage of the school’s new walking trail. “We’re instituting a walking club.”

Coe said she’s pleased to be working at a school, where the community is so welcoming.

At West Zephyrhills Elementary, students will be working with new technology, said Principal Emily Keene.

The school was retrofitted over the summer, creating a much greater potential for integrating technology with daily instruction, Keene said. Now, teachers have the world at their fingertips, when it comes to tapping into a rich supply of educational materials that can help bring lessons to life.

At Chester W. Taylor Elementary, another Zephyrhills school, a “Boo Hoo” breakfast will be held on the first day of classes for parents and their children who will be attending their first day of school.

The idea is to help make that separation a bit easier for them, said Assistant Principal Kathy Kaburis.

The principal at Woodland Elementary, another Zephyrhills school, is initiating a new them this year with an emphasis on preparing students for college.

“Every one of my students, regardless of what their current situation is now, they can go to college. It is possible,” said Principal Kimberly Poe.

Roughly three-quarters of her students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches.

She wants to make sure they know that they, too, can go to college.

It’s never too early to begin exposing children to that possibility, said Poe, who was the first in her family to graduate from college.

There’s no need to wait until middle or high school to begin talking up college, Poe said.  “I think it starts now.”

Zephryhills High, which remains under the direction of Principal Steve Van Gorden, will be initiating a dropout prevention program that provides intense help to a group of about 60 students.

At the other end of the spectrum, the school continues to aggressively push its Advanced Placement program, Van Gorden said.

Additionally, it will increase its emphasis on helping ninth-graders make the transition into high school, by assigning them to teams.

Research has shown that students are more successful in school when they learn in an environment that fosters stronger relationships.

The school also is expanding its health academy to include an emergency medical responder component, in addition to its certified nursing assisting program.

The idea is to help students get a head start and to increase their earning power throughout their career, he said.

“We’re really being aggressive in our AP program. We have a 2-3 year plan.”

The school also plans to expand its weight room.

At Wesley Chapel High, still under the direction of Principal Carin Nettles, the business and Diversified Cooperative Training programs were cut because of a lack of student interest in the programs.

The school’s highly acclaimed television production classes and its automotive classes are popular choices with students, Nettles said.

Wiregrass Ranch High is adding an Academy of Medical Professions, which will include the Certified Nursing Assisting Program and the Emergency Medical Responder program.

The Pasco-Hernando Community College campus which will be built next to Wiregrass High and the Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, now under construction, are expected to open the door to many new possibilities for students when those facilities are opened.

 

 

By B.C. Manion

 

Chris Jordan thought he was pretty good at playing  “Family Feud,” after all he did rack up five wins and his family walked away with a brand new car.

Of course, that was when he was playing the Wii version of the game in his Land O’ Lakes home.

When the family played on the actual game show, taped at Universal Studios in Orlando, the outcome was a bit different.

“We did two shows. We won the first game and lost the other,” Jordan said.

“We won $149,” Jordan said. That’s a $1 a point.

“We missed the grand prize by two questions,” said Jordan, who, of course, would have loved to win big, but enjoyed himself just the same.

The game show pits two families against each other in a quest to see which has a better pulse on America’s answers to a series of survey questions. Contestants can win up to $100,000 and a new car, too.

It’s easier to play on Wii than in real life, Jordan said.

For one thing, the game gives players more time to answer than they get on the actual game show, he said.

There’s also a lot more riding on the outome, he said.

“You are kind of nervous. “What can it be? What can it be?” You don’t think about the obvious thing.”

The Jordans’ appearance on “Family Feud” started with an email that Jordan sent in response to an announcement on the show that it was seeking families to audition.

The family was selected to audition and then chosen again for the show.

“We were nervous at the audition,” Jordan said. But the show’s staff put them at ease.

“It was very informal. It was in a hotel conference room,” he said. At that point, it wasn’t about winning or losing, it was more about chemistry. Show personnel was scouting for families that have charisma and are cohesive, said Jordan, team captain.

Members of Team Jordan consisted of Chris, an insurance agent who served in the Air Force; his wife, Marisa, a healthcare administrator; his sister, Chrystal, a customer service manager; his mother, Rosetta, a customer service manager; and his sister-in-law, Tosha.

When the family auditioned for the show, Chris and Marisa were living in Land O’ Lakes, and Marisa was six months pregnant. The rest of the family competing on the team lived in Columbia, S.C.

By the time the show was taped, Marisa was nine months’ pregnant, Jordan said.

Both shows have aired, one as recently as Aug. 9, but the shows didn’t air consecutively or in order, Jordan said. Because of that, family members and friends didn’t know the Jordans won a game on the show.

Jordan said the people at the “Feud” told him they don’t control the television stations’ run dates.

Besides winning their cash prize, the family also had their travel expenses paid by the show, Jordan said.

Perhaps best of all, they got to chat with Steve Harvey, one of the original Kings of Comedy, the “Family Feud’s” host.

That was cool, Jordan said.

By the way, the Jordan Family has a new member, now. William Chancellor Jordan.

Who knows, maybe he’ll be the next generation in the family to give it a go on the game show.

By Kyle LoJacono

 

The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) 20X express route has been a way for Hillsborough Lutz riders to travel across the region and a recent change will let more Pasco residents do the same.

The 20X route had originated at First Baptist Church of Lutz on Crystal Lake Road, but now begins at the Target Superstore on County Line Road in Lutz.

HART spokeswoman Marcia Mejia said the route was extended north in July based on increased demand. The growth also allows HART to plan for future linkage with Pasco County Public Transportation (PCPT).

“This now gives riders a Pasco connection on the west side of I-75,” Mejia said. “51X provides a bus connection into Pasco County on the east side of I-75.”

Michael Carroll, Pasco public transportation manger, said PCPT and HART have been looking for ways to use each other’s services for some time to help increase connections between the neighboring counties. He said there are no definite plans to stretch Pasco routes into Hillsborough, but PCPT already has routes that connect with the HART lines that come north of the county line.

The 51X express route starts at Victorious Life Church in Wesley Chapel, with several stops in the Pasco town and New Tampa.

PCPT route 33 has a stop at the end of the 51X line that takes people east as far as Zephyrhills. Residents can also take lines north to Dade City and other east Pasco communities.

Mejia said HART’s board looks at adding new stops on its routes, even if that takes the buses into neighboring counties, to best help alleviate traffic and improve public transportation. She added if the need arises, the 20X route could be taken even further north into Land O’ Lakes and other central Pasco communities.

“We always look at how to make the service better,” Mejia said.

For more information on HART, visit www.gohart.org. To learn more about PCPT, visit portal.pascocountyfl.net.

By Kyle LoJacono

 

The Pasco Commission has outlined how it plans to spend $915.6 million toward making a better county.

The plan of attack was approved by commissioners in the capital improvements proposal for the next five years, which includes hundreds of millions of dollars to upgrade the county.

In total, the 93-page plan includes 292 projects from 2012-16. Of the $915.6 million that is scheduled to be spent, $312.2 is slated for next year.

“We’ve got a lot of things planned to continue Pasco’s growth,” said Commissioner Pat Mulieri.

Capital improvements are considered as one-time projects that designed to improve the county for several years. Generally, such jobs include buildings, parks, streets, utilities and land and equipment purchases. They must also cost at least $50,000 in total and have “an anticipated useful life of at least five years.”

The majority of the projects for 2012 in central and east Pasco will go toward road construction, with smaller amounts for land purchases and public safety equipment.

ROAD CONSTRUCTION

The plan calls for $5.67 million to be spent on six road projects in east and central Pasco, with most of it going to finish the job on Clinton Avenue in Dade City.

It is projected to take $5.03 million to complete the last two stages of the project, which is in part widening Clinton between Pasadena and Fort King roads. It is also realigning the curves on Clinton from west of Meigs Lane to east of Pasadena to make the stretch of road safer.

The job is fully funded by Penny for Pasco money and includes all right-of-way land acquisition and design costs.

Another project to improve the intersection of Curley and Old St. Joe roads in Dade City will cost $7,650, part of the $627,394 to finish e the job. It is scheduled for completion in 2014-15. It is also fully funded by Penny for Pasco.

The project is eliminating the curved intersection by reconstructing a T-shaped meeting of the two roads and their turn lanes. The goal is to make driving on the roads safer, according to Pasco chief project manager Robert Shepherd.

“It’s one of several similar jobs to make intersections safer that we are doing in the coming years,” Shepherd said.

The county is also contributing $162,500 for the future widening of SR 54 in Wesley Chapel to the edge of Zephyrhills.

The future widening will take SR 54 from two to four lanes from Curley Road to Morris Bridge Road, a stretch of 4.55 miles. So far, $650,000 has been contributed for the project, paid for with a combination of gas taxes, Florida Department of Transportation grants, impact fees and Penny for Pasco money.

Shepherd said the widening is still “a ways off” and wouldn’t start until the current widening of SR 54 between I-75 and Curley is finished.

Also in Wesley Chapel, Pasco will spend $75,293 to add turn lanes on Old Pasco Road, while also extending the turn lanes on Quail Hollow Boulevard. The project is funded by Penny for Pasco money and is meant to make the area safer to drive.

Another $1.02 million will be contributed to the project from 2013-14 before it would begin.

The remaining money, $396,490, will finish paying for the job to improve the intersections of SR 52 and Prospect/Happy Hills Road. It is currently adding turn lanes and resurfacing the roadway.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Pasco is buying mobile data terminals for emergency service use and 34 rugged laptop computers for fire prevention vehicles. The total for the purchases is $546,515, paid for completely by Penny for Pasco.

The terminals will let emergency service units have and update data maps of fire hydrants within the county, including the shortest route while checking water supply.

The laptops will replace old units in 11 fire prevention vehicles throughout the county. The old models are described in the plan as “old” and “out of warranty.” The plan also states it would cost more to repair the older computers than to buy new ones.

LAND PURCHASE

Pasco will spend $8.3 million in 2012 to buy land for environmental purposes throughout the county.

While no specific locations have been chosen, the majority of the land will go to connect various wetlands, such as linking Starkey and Cross Bar nature preserves. Last year, Pasco purchased part of Morsani Ranch north of SR 52 on US 41 to help with such passages, according to county assistant administrator Michele Baker.

“This land was identified in our updated regional environmental strategy in 2000 as one of the critical linkages between preserves,” Baker said. “The strategy recommends connecting these areas to protect the environment in the county. It is one of seven critical linkages we want to eventually buy and make into preserves.”

For more information on the capital improvement plan, visit portal.pascocountyfl.net.

 

Lines would shift from west Pasco to follow population growth

By Kyle LoJacono

 

When the current Pasco County districts were created 10 years ago, the population base was in the west, but booming numbers in Land O’ Lakes, Lutz and Wesley Chapel are forcing a shift east.

Current Pasco districts, including 3, 4 and 5, are based west of the Suncoast Parkway, but that will change once the new alignments are finalized.

County Administrator John Gallagher has come up with four redistricting options, all of which stretch the three west Pasco districts east of the Suncoast while reducing the size of District 2, which includes Land O’ Lakes, Lutz and Wesley Chapel. Pat Mulieri has represented District 2 since 1994.

“Pat picked up all that new growth of the last 10 years,” Gallagher said. “We need the districts to be as even as possible, and the best way to do that is take some of the population from her district and move it to others.”

The latest U.S. Census data shows Pasco has 464,695 residents, so each district should have close to 92,939 citizens.

“There has been a lot of growth in my district,” Mulieri said. “I’d like to continue to represent the people who have elected me to represent them for the last 17 years, but in a way this is a good thing.”

Mulieri went on to explain as more people in the central Pasco are represented by several commissioners, the larger number of representatives who will be looking out for the communities in the county’s interior.

All four options extend District 3, represented by Commission Chairwoman Ann Hildebrand, from the coast in Holiday all the way to Bruce B. Downs in Wesley Chapel. The proposed district would be relatively thin, staying south of the SR 54/SR 56 corridor.

Hildebrand, who lives in New Port Richey, said she has no problem representing a new group of people.

“I’ve only represented Holiday, New Port Richey, Trinity and Odessa before, but I spend a lot of time in the east too,” Hildebrand said. “It will be an honor to represent all of those people.”

Other major changes are offered up in Options 1 and 3. The first option puts sections of western Land O’ Lakes into District 5, represented by Jack Mariano of Hudson. It also lumps in a large portion of the county north of SR 52 between the Suncoast and I-75.

Currently Mariano represents all of Hudson and sections of New Port Richey and Port Richey along the coast.

“If that happens it would be a big difference,” Mariano said. “I’ve represented these communities close to the coast. A lot of those new sections are more than 30 minutes from the Gulf.”

Option 3 keeps District 5 similar to its current alignment, and instead shifts portions of western Land O’ Lakes into District 4 under the representation of Henry Wilson of New Port Richey. Wilson was elected last November and is the newest of the county’s commissioners.

Option three also slides sections of the county north of SR 52 between the Suncoast and I-75 into District 1, which is represented by east Pasco resident Ted Schrader.

One issue that complicates the realignment process is commissioners must live within the district they represent. For that reason, District 2 must include a small section of the county north of SR 52, which includes Mulieri’s Gower’s Corner neighborhood.

Along with the district realignment, Pasco is also redrawing the lines for the school board’s five districts, which exactly match those of the county government.

For the most part, the same principles for the county’s government districts apply for the school board’s, according to Gallagher.

The county commissioners and school board members will continue to have public meetings to discuss the four options. Gallagher said the goal is to have the districts finalized by the time the new fiscal year starts on Oct. 1.

For more information on Pasco’s redistricting process, visit portal.pascocountyfl.net.

 

By Kyle LoJacono

Pasco Regional Medical Center in Dade City has introduced a new diagnostic technique to test for heart problems.

Tharen Leesch, cardiac catheterization lab director, said the procedure uses inhaled nitric oxide to help identify proper medications for various degrees of pulmonary hypertension, a form of high blood pressure.

“The nitric oxide study is to determine if a certain type of drug will help bring the pressure down,” Leesch said. “If it doesn’t reduce the pressure, then these certain drugs won’t either. So it’s a good way to test the effectiveness of a type of treatment.”

Leesch said nitric oxide is nothing like nitrous oxide, or laughing gas.

“They act very differently in the body,” Leesch said.

The first such procedure done at Pasco Regional was on July 27 by Dr. Chirag Shah.

“We put a mask on that delivers the amount of gas that is prescribed by the physician,” said Becky Young, Pasco Regional director of respiratory therapy. “It’s on for about five minutes.”

It is done during a right heart catheterization.

“Right heart caths aren’t done as much as they used to be 10-15 years ago,” Leesch said. “That’s because we can do a lot of measurements with ultrasounds now, but this is the gold standard. We can go in with a cath into the right side of the heart into the pulmonary vein and it checks the total pressure on the lung side of circulation. Then the nitric oxide is introduced and we see if the pressure comes down.

“The way it works is arteries and veins have smooth muscle along them,” Leesch continued. “The nitric oxide will let those muscles relax.”

Leesch said the right side caths are not what most people think of when they talk of cardiac catheterization.

“Standard cardiac catheterizations people hear about are on the left side,” Leesch said. “That is more coronary issues and heart attacks. With right side it’s more about the pressure with the lungs and pulmonary vein.”

The pulmonary vein and artery are what bring blood to the lung and then back into the heart to be pumped throughout the rest of the body. The nitric oxide treatment does not directly relate to lung function, but many people with pulmonary hypertension have shortness of breath. That is what makes identifying the problem somewhat of a challenge, according to Young.

“They haven’t been able to pin it down as a lung issue or a pulmonary issue,” Young said. “These people have gone through and tested their lungs and they seem to be fine, but they’re still very short of breath especially with exercise. This helps us also determine if it is lung function, heart function or a structural issue.”

If it is a structural issue causing the high blood pressure, such as an overly tight valve, the nitric oxide will not help. Leesch said that helps doctors and patients find the best treatment options without wasting time.

If untreated, pulmonary hypertension can lead to heart failure. Leesch said the condition can be genetic.

“It also depends on the kind of exposures they have that can cause reaction,” Leesch said. “It’s kind of like asthma where it can be genetic, but there are things in the environment that can lead to people developing it. They may have worked in some construction zone or been exposed to some toxic chemical. We’re still trying to identify exactly what causes it, but there doesn’t seem to be a group that suffers from it more.”

Young said nitric oxide has been used for years in pediatrics and with other diagnostic tests.

“It’s extremely safe,” Young said. “I searched a great deal of the literature to see if there were any safety issues that we might need to address and be prepared for, and I couldn’t find anything that said it could be dangerous in any way. As with any therapy and medication there can be rare side effects, and that is why we have a respiratory therapist in the room during the study just to be sure.”

Leesch said the nitric oxide study is not currently being done at many other area hospitals.

“I believe the only other two hospitals in the Tampa Bay area are Tampa General and the VA in Tampa,” Leesch said.

Leesch added, “I think it’s a bit unusual for a community of this size to have this kind of tool. It’s not available in all cath labs, so we’re delighted to be able to offer this option to the community.”

For more information on Pasco Regional, visit www.pascoregionalmc.com or call (352) 521-1100.