Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Kyle LoJacono

Summer has begun and Hillsborough and Pasco county departments want to help people protect their pets as the temperatures rise.

“We see a lot of problems each year with people calling us about their pets suffering from the heat,” said Hillsborough Department of Animal Services director Bill Armstrong. “Really, it’s rather simple to keep pets healthy and happy during the summer.”

Pasco Animal Services education director Rosemary Lyons agreed with Armstrong: “It’s just a   matter of taking the right precautions just like you would with your children or yourself if you’re going outside in the heat.”

Both said it is important to have plenty of fresh, clean water available to dogs, cats and other pets at all times. Keeping them in cooler parts of the home will also help preserve their health.

Other tips from the departments include:

–Make shade available.

–Use caution when exercising dogs, even in the morning and evening.

–Limit outdoor exposure for older and younger pets, or those with heavy coats.

–Never leave a dog alone in a car for any length of time on warm days.

Even on mildly sunny days, cars can quickly become heated deathtraps for unattended dogs, according to Lyons. When the air is 85 degrees outside, a car can become 102 in just 10 minutes and can soar to 120 in 30 minutes.

Lyons added it is illegal to leave any animal in a car for any length of time. Cats can also suffer from heatstroke, but it is more common in dogs as they tend to be more active. Heatstroke can be fatal and requires immediate veterinary attention.

According to the American Animal Hospital Association, signs of heatstroke include panting, staring, anxious expression, refusal to obey commands, warm and dry skin, high fever, rapid heartbeat, uncontrolled drooling, vomiting and collapsing.

If an animal is suffering from heatstroke and needs immediate attention:

–Submerge their body in cool, not icy, water or spray it lightly with a hose. Focus on cooling the head and neck area.

–Bring the animal inside an air-conditioned building.

–Do not force them to drink water, but offer it to them.

–Bring the animal to a vet as soon as possible.

For more information on protecting pets during hot summer months, visit the Hillsborough department’s website, www.hillsboroughcounty.org/animalservices, or call (813) 744-5660. For Pasco, visit portal.pascocountyfl.net or call (813) 929-1212.

WHAT’S IN A NAME

By Kyle LoJacono

This week will look into how Fort Broome, Gall Boulevard, Gower’s Corner and Jessamine got their names.

(1) FORT BROOME in Dade City was named for former Florida Gov. James E. Broome, who served from 1853-1857. It was built at the end of the first Seminole War to protect the only town in what is now east Pasco County. All the settlers had to live in the fort when the second Seminole War began.

This fort was located on the south line of the farm of W. C. Brown about halfway between Wire and Richland roads, about two miles south of present Dade City. Close observers can see where the wood cabins from the first settlers stood by the discoloration of the soil under the oak trees now growing there. Those who lived around the fort were said to have called the area Fort Broome.

(2) GALL BOULEVARD is what US 301 is called through Zephyrhills. It is named for Walter R. Gall, who was able to influence the state to run the highway through the east Pasco County city. Gall’s son Owen, was a prominent resident of Zephyrhills who died in 2008 at age 96.

(3) GOWER’S CORNER is named after W. A. Gower, who once owned all four corners of the intersection of US 41 and SR 52 in the mid-1920s. Grower had been superintendent at the Aripeka Sawmills at Fivay in west Pasco County until the timber ran out and the mills closed. Gower bought 80 acres of the then-bare land for himself, including corners of the intersection.

Gower also owned a portable sawmill that he moved from place to place, removing whatever timber was still left and marketable. He built a grocery store on the southeast corner of the intersection, which he eventually turned over to his son Ralph. The store later became a filling station run by Joseph Chapman, but was demolished in the summer of 1984. Today a shopping area known as Chapman Square stands in its place.

(4) JESSAMINE is located in Dade City and includes the area around Jessamine Road between Blanton, Lake Lola and St. Joe roads, including Jessamine Lake. In 1887, businessmen Walter Pike and William Ellsworth moved to Pasco County and were intent on starting a seed and plant business. They moved into an old cabin on the edge of what is now Jessamine Lake, about five miles southwest of Trilby.

The two began clearing the woodland and became so impressed with the pleasant smell of a certain wild flowering vine that they named their company Jessamine Gardens and their community Jessamine. They later started growing citrus under the name Jessamine Groves.

For additional information on these areas and how they got their names, visit www.fivay.org.

*The Laker and the Lutz News series on how historic places were named will continue throughout the summer. Information is provided by interviews with Pasco County historian Jeff Miller of Fivay.org and the West Pasco Historical Society. See how Lake Jovita and Land O’ Lakes got their names next week.

By Kyle LoJacono

Pasco residents suffering through the summer’s heat will likely have fewer locations to cool off, if budget projections are correct.

Pasco County budget director Mike Nurrenbrock said the county will be able to avoid major layoffs and closing any of its libraries, but must stop operating the last two public pools to do so. The remaining facilities are at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex on Collier Parkway and at Veterans Memorial Park in Hudson.

The county’s Parks and Recreation Department’s director Rick Buckman said the decision to recommend the closings was a hard one.

“We stopped operating two pools last year and here are the last two,” Buckman said. “We don’t want to close the pools, but we’ve learned more people use the parks instead of the pools. We’d rather close facilities that aren’t used as much.”

Last year’s budget would have forced the county to close Hercules Aquatic Center in Zephyrhills if it had not been transferred over to the Zephyrhills Police Athletic League (ZPAL). Financial concerns made the county reverse the deal and the facility at 38110 CR 54 in Zephyrhills has remained closed since January.

Pasco is giving the property over to the school district, which owned the land in the 1980s.

“We are looking into what the best options are for (the land),” said Chris Williams, the school districts’ director of planning. “We could operate it as a pool for the high school swim teams, but the savings there won’t offset the operating costs.”

The Grove Park Pool in New Port Richey was also closed last year.

The remaining two pools made about $39,000 each year, but cost about $328,000 to operate. The decision was made easier for Buckman and the department as the remaining two facilities need about $100,000 worth of repairs. The parks department has lost more than 30 percent of its budget during the last three years, a total of $1.8 million slashed.

“If we don’t close the pools this year, it will take away from the entire parks system,” Buckman said. “We can’t justify putting the money in to fix the pools and then maintain them at the cost of closing several other facilities.”

Pasco County Administrator John Gallagher agreed with Buckman at a recent board meeting.

“Back when we had this great idea to build all these pools, (other options) really weren’t there,” Gallagher said. “It was a good public service.”

Gallagher explained the large number of people with pools or access to ones run by neighborhoods and groups like the YMCA has reduced the demand for county-run facilities.

“People are more affluent now,” Gallagher said. “Back when we had the great idea to build these pools, you didn’t have that.”

Families may have more ways to beat the summer heat, but high school swimming and diving teams have limited options. Both Sunlake and Land O’ Lakes use the Land O’ Lakes pool, while Hudson and River Ridge use the Veterans site.

Pasco County athletic director Phil Bell said it, “Would be disappointing if it happens. We would have to scramble fast to find places for those teams to compete. I’m not sure if there is a backup plan right now.”

Zephyrhills’ teams had used Hercules Aquatic, but have already worked out a deal to use the pool at the East Pasco Family YMCA in the city, according to Bulldogs athletic director Bruce Cimorelli.

There is less certainty in central Pasco.

“(We have) no plan at this time,” said Land O’ Lakes athletic director Karen Coss. “It is my understanding that if the pool closes, it will be in October. The good news is we don’t have any home meets in October. The bad news is, we still won’t have a place to practice. Hopefully something will be available, but it will certainly put us in a tight spot.”

Sunlake athletic director Russ Schenk said the situation is similar with the Seahawks.

If approved, the pools would close in October. The commission could find a nonprofit group, such as the YMCA, interested in operating them.

Tampa Metropolitan YMCA officials have said they are not interested in managing Hercules Aquatic, but would consider allowing public access to its pool at the YMCA in Zephyrhills. There is no YMCA facility in Land O’ Lakes or Lutz, but there are ones in Trinity and Northdale.

 

 

 

 

By Zack Peterson

For years, Plantation Palms Golf Club, a rolling green surrounded by marshy wetlands, stout cypress trees and blossoming reed willows, has been under the control of Plantation Palms Homeowners Association.

Now, Plantation Palms Golf Club is under the ownership of MJS Golf Group, a collective of three Native American business owners looking to give the course a new and highly defined profile.

Mitch Osceola, Jayson Ray and Steve McDonald bought the property from the homeowners association recently after years of searching for a suitable course. The purchase price was not disclosed.

“Our business had been looking for years for a golf course,” McDonald said. “But nothing fit until Plantation Palms. When we saw how well maintained everything was, we knew it was the one we wanted to go after.”

According to McDonald, the homeowners association put the course on the market because “gold course ownership wasn’t their specialty.”

The MJS business trio’s history travels much further back though.

All were raised within their respective tribes, with Osceola a native Seminole in Florida; Ray part of the Klamath Modoc tribe in the Northwest and McDonald growing up with the Prairie Band Potawatomis in the plains of Kansas. Despite their differences, the men ultimately found golf to be their life’s passion.

After years of involvement with the sport, McDonald and Osceola met in 1997, introduced to one another by Osceola’s brother, Max, a member of the Seminole Tribal Council.

Later in 2002, McDonald and Osceola met Ray, and the ideas for business collaboration began to brew.

“We kind of all had the same aspirations and dreams of entering into a business together,” Ray said. “The tough part was scrapping up the money to be owners.”

But before the MJS business trio that came together in 2005, Ray founded the First Nations Golf Association nonprofit organization in 2002.

Described as “a golf association for Native Americans” by McDonald, the foundation of the FNGA provided some of the initial business experience the trio would later need to use with Plantation Palms.

Throughout the years, the trio hosted multiple tournaments, traveling across the entire country to do so.

“We’ve hosted events in Washington, Arizona, New Mexico, Minnesota, California, Mississippi and Oklahoma,” McDonald said. ‘We’ve been everywhere.”

McDonald explained that across the four corners of the country, there are 463 federally recognized Native American tribes.

“Of those 463 tribes, 220 own casinos, and of those 220 casinos, 60 own golf courses that are associated with casinos known as ‘destination resorts,’” McDonald said.

What makes Plantation Palms so special, according to McDonald, is that “Plantation Palms is the first individually owned golf course by three independent business men, not casinos.”

But, as members of Native American tribes, MJS intends to use the support of the nearby Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino as a “market advantage” to attract more gamers.

“We’ve got big ideas for Plantation Palms that will help the HOA (Homeowners Association) grow as well,” Ray said.

So far, the MJS business trio has reshaped particular aspects of the course to make it more player-friendly.

“We’ve changed the fairways by making them narrower, smoothed it out. We’re growing the rough up, and we’re taking out a couple of bunkers,” Ray said.

McDonald explained he, Ray and Osceola go out and make modifications to the course during the workday.

“We’re a real hands-on ownership,” McDonald said. “What people may not realize is that Mitch, Jayson and I are going out there and helping with the changes to the course.”

“We’re not afraid to get our hands dirty or our feet in the mud.”

For now, the owners look to connect with the community by offering a series of benefit memberships, Golf Associations and quality golf instruction.

But the future is fair game.

“Right now our goal is to offer a fun golf experience that is all about ‘family, fun, food and golf’ coupled with customer service and superior playing conditions. We couldn’t be happier,” McDonald said.

“We’ve only owned Plantation Palms for six weeks, but eventually we’ll host celebrity tournaments, Pro-Ams and senior tournaments. Any business that wants to have a great tournament or outing, we’re there for you,” McDonald said.

 

By B.C. Manion

It was hot and loud, but no one was complaining.

Indeed, hundreds of hands — in all shapes and sizes — were busy packing rice, soy powder, dried vegetables and dried vitamins into small plastic bags, destined to feed hungry people in other parts of the world.

The volunteers, estimated at more than 200, took part in a Change This World meal-packaging event coordinated by Wesley Chapel Toyota.

Those helping out on Sunday, June 26, included dealership employees, vendors and customers as well as area residents and volunteers from community groups, schools, churches and local businesses.

Change This World is a nonprofit organization based in Orlando that aims to provide meals to those who are malnourished or dying of starvation. It partners with groups across the United States to package meals that are distributed around the world.

Eric Johnson, director of corporate and community relations for Wesley Chapel Toyota, was ecstatic about the turnout.

“There are lots of things that people can do on a Sunday afternoon, but they chose to come here,” Johnson said. “We have a lot of families here, working together. A lot of community groups. They know they’re going to make a difference.”

The event’s goal was to pack 40,000 meals, and when Johnson announced the group had reached the midway point, a cheer erupted.

Scott “Scooter” LaVancher, a sales associate at the dealership, was among those pitching in.

“This is awesome,” said LaVancher, who kept busy lugging 50-pound bags of soy powder from table to table, replenishing bins that were being quickly emptied by the volunteer meal-packers.

“I put this up on my Facebook page,” he said, which spurred several of his friends to come out and help.

One of those was 8-year-old Lauren Kelly of Spring Hill, who accompanied her mom to the event. The girl did her part by scooping soy powder from a 50-pound bag into a plastic bin on a table.

Charlene Heckenbach and her husband, Roland, of Wesley Chapel, said they bought a car at the dealership in April and wanted to do their part.

Leo and Karen Thaler of Chancey Road Christian Church in Zephyrhills said they read a notice about the event in the newspaper and were motivated to come out and help.

Alicia Nolan, who works at the dealership, said she was inspired to get involved by her faith. “I wanted to help bless others,” she said.

Chris Tanner, one of the organizers of the event for Change This World, said the turnout was impressive.

“We have more than we need for volunteers,” Tanner said. “That’s always a good thing. The people here are awesome,” he added. “Very enthusiastic.”

Tanner also noted that it is unusual for a business to take the leadership role in arranging a meal-packing event. Typically, a church or school is the primary sponsor, he said.

Kalee Taylor, another organizer from Change This World, commented on the obvious can-do attitude and team spirit among volunteers.

“Everybody wants to take part. Everybody just kind of picked out their own job and stuck to it,” Taylor said.

Among the volunteers was a group of more than two dozen administrators and staff members from Wesley Chapel High.

Marcy Maxwell and Principal Carin Nettles were at the end of that table’s assembly line – busily packing the meal packets into boxes.

“We’re in partnership with Wesley Chapel Toyota,” Maxwell said. “We thought it would be a great way to help the community.”

Patrick Abad, the dealership’s general manager, sponsored the high school’s table, Johnson said, noting the dealership had to raise $10,000 to put on the event. It did that by seeking sponsorships from dealership vendors, local businesses and others.

Even before Sunday’s event had concluded, Johnson was already thinking about having another meal-packing event.

Next time, he wants to pack 80,000 meals.

“For the next one, I’m going to look for schools and churches to partner up with us,” he said.

And, Johnson doesn’t plan to stop there.

“My vision, my goal, is that I’m going to do a container event. It’s going to take the whole weekend, but we would do 200,000 meals.

“We fill a container with boxes, and then ultimately travel overseas with it and deliver it to the people — actually go to Africa,” Johnson said.

New alignment shifts Odessa and Keystone to a sprawling district that reaches Ruskin

By Kyle LoJacono

Odessa and Keystone residents will have new representation once the newly unveiled Hillsborough County districts take effect in 2011.

The Hillsborough Commission voted 6-1 in favor of the new alignment, with only Democrat Kevin Beckner voting against it. Les Miller, the only other Democrat on the board, sided with the five Republicans.

Lutz, Odessa and Keystone had been within county District 2, but commissioners had to split the northwest Hillsborough communities because of growth in the area. Odessa/Keystone were moved into District 1, which stretches into south Tampa and the South Shore area.

U.S. Census data show the former District 2 had to lose about 23,000 residents to approach a total population of about 300,000. Hillsborough has about 1.2 million people and each district must have nearly the same amount according to the county’s charter.

The new district map was drawn by commissioner Mark Sharpe. His District 7 does not represent any one area and is instead voted for by all county citizens.

“It wasn’t easy to draw up the districts,” Sharpe said. “We supported the Fair District Amendments and had to make them equal in population. In the end I think we did the best we could.”

One of the arguments against the old districts was a portion of southern Hillsborough that normally votes heavily Republican was within District 1, which also represents south and east Tampa. That area retained its snake-like portion of South Shore.

Sandra Murman is the District 1 commissioner. Sharpe said residents in South Shore “like the representation” they have received from Murman and wanted to stay under her jurisdiction.

District 2 Commissioner Victor Crist said he would have liked Odessa and Keystone to remain with Lutz, but understood the population numbers would not allow it.

“Culturally Lutz and Odessa/Keystone are very similar,” Crist said. “It will be a change for those people I think, but it couldn’t be helped.”

Patrick Manteiga, a Democrat and the publisher of the weekly newspaper La Gaceta, was at the meeting when the districts were announced and was less than pleased with the results.

“That’s the most Republican vote I’ve ever seen,” Manteiga said. “I think the Republican Party did a good job of communicating with its members.”

Manteiga took special exception to District 1 and its extension to the south. Murman did not comment on the new map except to say she approved it with five of the other commissioners.

Beckner voted against the new districts because of the odd shape of District 1 and because he said, “It does not address the concerns of the Hispanic population within the county.”

Beckner, whose District 6 is also at-large like Sharpe’s, created his own map, which he said drew support from Hispanic groups in the area.

Beckner called his version “The People’s Map,” which would have united the southern portion of District 1 with the rest of South Shore. It would have also included much of west Tampa, which has a high percentage of Hispanics, in Murman’s district. Those moves would have made District 1 nearly 36 percent Hispanic instead of the 32 percent from the new districts.

Miller, who represents District 3 including central Tampa, said he voted for the new district because it did not reduce the “black voting power in my district.” He added that he knew neither his nor Beckner’s map had a chance of passing.

District 3 was set up as a minority district by the Voting Rights Act and must maintain at least 58 percent minority population to be in compliance.

The new districts will remain in place for 10 years when the next Census numbers reveal changes in population. To see the new district lines, visit www.hillsboroughcounty.org/redistricting/data.cfm and click on map H.

By B.C. Manion

Jennifer Cleary was with some colleagues at the Starbucks near Collier Parkway discussing plans for a Fourth of July celebration at Willow Bend Community Church when a man sitting nearby overheard the conversation.

When he heard them mention music, the man introduced himself and offered to help.

It turns out that this chance encounter at Starbucks involved Daniel Rodriguez, a former New York City police officer who gained national attention for his rendition of “God Bless America,” after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Rodriguez, known to many as “The Singing Police Officer,” is the same man who has performed at the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, at such events as the Indianapolis 500 and the World Series and on virtually every national talk show including The Tonight Show, The Today Show, Late Show with David Letterman and Oprah.

He performs on stages throughout the world and has trained with Placido Domingo.

Rodriguez has an apartment in New York, but frequently visits Land O’ Lakes because his mother lives here.

The tenor said he generally performs at a couple of community events every year because he enjoys sharing his blessings.

Cleary said Willow Bend Community Church is delighted that Rodriguez will be presenting a 5:30 p.m. mini-concert during its first 4^th of July Family Fun Fest.

The public is welcome to the fun fest at 2541 Henley Road in Lutz.

Festivities, which will be from 2-8 p.m., will feature carnival-like games for kids, a bounce house, and entertainment. Refreshments also will be available for a nominal charge, said Cleary, director of the Children’s Church at Willow Bend Community Church.

The idea is to give families a chance to enjoy the Fourth of July and to conclude the event in plenty of time for families to go watch fireworks elsewhere, she said.

In addition to that performance, Rodriguez also will be appearing during the 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. services on July 3 at Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church, 18371 N. Dale Mabry Highway.

The public is welcome to the services, which will have a “highly patriotic flair,” said Nikki Somerville, an assistant to Ron Upton, minister of music and worship at Idlewild.

The service also will feature remarks from Capt. Scotty Smiley, the Army’s first active-duty blind officer and its first blind company commander.

 

Fourth of July weekend events

July 3

Patriotic church services at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. at Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church, 18371 N. Dale Mabry Highway. The services will feature patriotic music and appearances by “The Singing Policeman” Daniel Rodriguez and Capt. Scotty Smiley.

 

Lutz Fourth of July “Home Sweet Home” Celebration

July 3

Volunteer help at Train Depot, 2-4 p.m. (volunteers needed)

Cake entry drop off: 3-5 p.m., Lutz Fire Department Board Room, 124 W. Lutz-Lake Fern Road

July 4 (Events take place near the intersection of Lutz-Lake Fern Road and US 41)

7:30 a.m.: Cake registration deadline

8 a.m.: 5K, 1 mile and family walk

9 a.m.: Flag-raising ceremony

9:30 a.m: Race trophies presented

10 a.m.: Lutz community parade begins

11 a.m. Lutz Volunteer Firefighters Association barbecue chicken sale

Cake bake auction, parade trophies and New Guv’na Inauguration following the parade.

(Volunteers are still needed to help with breakdown after festivities conclude.)

 

4^th of July Family Fun Fest

Willow Bend Community Church, 2541 Henley Road, Lutz, off SR 54

2 pm-8 pm. Event includes carnival-like games and a bounce house for kids, live entertainment and food for a nominal charge.

Daniel Rodriguez, “The Singing Police Officer,” will perform in a mini-concert at 5:30 p.m.

 

Sparklebration: A 4^th of July & Fireworks Celebration

Pasco County Fairgrounds, 36722 SR 52

Gates open: 4 p.m.

Event includes a Pie Eating Contest, Hot Dog Eating, Watermelon Eating Contest, Watermelon Seed-Spitting Contest.

Live entertainment and food.

Fireworks begin at 9:15 p.m.

By Zack Peterson

It was 45 minutes to work and 45 minutes back.

Since taking a job in Hernando County last year, Tim Urban would spend 90 minutes a day on the road, a grind that he has decided to give up. Urban, 44, is planning a move to Hernando, meaning he will have to surrender his seat on the Zephyrhills City Council.

It all started last November when Urban took the job in Hernando County. The former assistant principal at Zephyrhills High took a job as manager of professional development for Hernando County Schools. Then came the long commutes back and forth, forcing Urban to stretch his resources between two counties.

Finally, Urban choose between the two, knowing he couldn’t continue on with both.

“For about a year and a half, I was a council member,” Urban said. “I represented the people of Zephyrhills when it came to setting policy and when it came to approving programs for the city.”

However, Urban felt it was necessary to live in the Hernando County community for his new position because of “the nature of the work.”

As the manger of professional development for Hernando County, Urban will oversee training in the education system there.

“I enjoy my new position; it’s going to be a new challenge,” Urban said. “It was a tough decision, but it’s going to be a new chapter in my life.”

Urban’s resignation will take effect July 1. The city will hold a special election to replace him.