Special to The Laker/Lutz News

An estimated $60 million shortfall creates tough decisions

By B.C. Manion

All of the easy ways to cut Pasco County Schools’ budget have already been done as the district grappled with steep funding shortfalls in recent years, said Joanne Hurley, chairwoman of the school board.

This year, as the district faces potential cuts of $60 million, board members have few options, Hurley said. In essence, as they make their cuts they must decide: “What is the least-worst?” Hurley said.

Whatever decisions they make, the chairwoman knows: “Every single thing that we do is going to be painful to someone.”

The $60 million shortfall is a ballpark figure, Hurley said.

It could grow or decrease, according to actions taken in Tallahassee by Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature.

Pasco County Commissioners also could affect how much money the district has available to repay bonds for building 11 schools during recent years to accommodate growth.

County commissioners are considering cuts that would reduce school impact fees by 50 percent or more. If that happens, the district stands to lose about $4.5 million in revenues, said Summer Romagnoli, school district spokeswoman.

Capital funds don’t affect the funding for day-to-day operations directly, but if the district falls short of capital funds, it must dip into its operating budget to repay the bonds, Romagnoli said.

Pasco County Commissioner Pat Mulieri favors cutting school impact fees in half, an issue the county commission is slated to consider at an April 19 public hearing.

The board wants to reduce all impact fees, effective March 1, 2011 to Jan. 31, 2012, Mulieri said in an email, in an effort to stimulate job creation. Pasco’s unemployment stands at more than 12 percent, she noted.

Mulieri also noted that impact fees cannot be used for salaries or the daily running of schools.

While the county grapples with the challenge of stimulating the local economy and reducing unemployment, layoffs in the school district are a virtual certainty as the district faces a $60 million shortfall.

Eighty-six percent of the district’s operating budget goes for salaries and benefits, Romagnoli said. The other 14 percent covers things like fuel and utilities, which have costs that are beyond the district’s control.

“Our board has an enormous task in front of them,” Romagnoli said.

To help them in making their decisions, individual board members are holding town hall meetings across the county.

The meetings are intended to provide a forum where people can offer budget-cutting suggestions and express their opinions about what the district’s budget priorities should be.

They also provide an opportunity for board members to explain how the budget process works, Hurley said.

Sometimes people suggest budget cuts that cannot be accomplished because they involve state-mandated programs or are tied to state funding requirements, she said.

The town hall meetings help people develop a greater understanding regarding areas in which the board has discretion and areas in which it doesn’t, Hurley said.

Chances are, most of the suggested budget cuts will be controversial.

For instance, School Board member Steve Luikart suggested shortening the school week to four days, but Superintendent Heather Fiorentino does not favor that budget-cutting approach.

The superintendent is concerned about potential negative impacts on student achievement, Romagnoli said.

She’s also concerned that a 20 percent pay cut for bus drivers could make it harder for the district to retain and attract drivers. The district already has a shortage of drivers and the superintendent doesn’t want to make it worse, Romagnoli said.

Hurley isn’t keen on the shorter week, either.

“I think that children are better off when they are in school,” Hurley said.

Still, Hurley appreciates Luikart’s willingness to explore different ways to cut the budget.

“I applaud people for bringing forth ideas,” the school board chairwoman said.

Town Hall Meetings

Here are the meeting times and places for town hall school budget meetings:

6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 14, hosted by Joanne Hurley, in Room 102 of Rushe Middle, 18654 Mentmore Blvd., Land O’ Lakes

6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 18, hosted by Allen Altman, in the cafeteria at Cox Elementary, 37615 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 20, hosted by Alison Crumbley, Center for the Arts at River Ridge, 11646 Town Center Road, New Port Richey

By Tammy Sue Struble

When Melinda Lu donated her hair to Locks of Love the first time, she was in eighth grade.

The high school next to her Indiana middle school was holding its first Locks of Love Drive and, Lu said, “I knew it was something I could do.”

She went with a classmate and had her long, dark tresses cut.  Then, Lu donated her hair again when she was a sophomore. Shortly after, Lu moved from Indiana to Florida because her dad got a new job.

At Wiregrass Ranch High, where Lu attends, seniors are required to complete a final project. For her, the decision to promote Locks of Love was easy.

Locks of Love is a nonprofit organization that accepts hair or money donations. Wigs or hair prostheses are made for children in need who have lost their hair due to a medical condition.

Lu was put in touch through connections at her school with cosmetologist and Look Good Feel Better volunteer for the American Cancer Society, Mary “Mud” Lane Huckins of Zephyrhills. Lu  traveled to Sarah and Company beauty shop, where Huckins works, to meet her mentor.

Lu told Mud that she was interested in doing a Locks of Love event and Mud suggested they have it at a Relay for Life event.

At the Wiregrass Ranch Relay For Life event on April 29-30 at Wiregrass Ranch High, Lu and Huckins will set up and cut hair for Locks of Love.

“Every little bit will help, and anything is always appreciated,” Lu wrote in a plea for supporters last month. “We can make a difference starting right here in our own community. Let’s unite together behind this great cause and show the world we care.”

Donors must have at least eight good inches of hair to donate. Lu intends to donate again at the end of this summer.

“I’m waiting for it to get longer, so they have more inches to work with,” she said.

The topic of cancer and helping cancer patients has been on Lu’s mind since that eighth-grade donation. As part of the her senior project, Lu did a research paper on Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Children.

On Valentine’s Day, Lu and Huckins fed 78 people at the Hope Lodge for cancer patients and their families near the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. Lu is on three teams for the upcoming Wiregrass Ranch Relay For Life: Student Council Team, National Honor Society Team and Kincaid’s Team.

“It’s all about the fight against cancer,” Lu said of the Relay.

For more information on Locks of Love go to www.locksoflove.org

. To donate your hair at Lu’s event, go to the Kincaid Team campsite at the Relay For Life at Wiregrass Ranch High on April 29 from the hours of 6-10 p.m.

By B.C. Manion

It’s not slated to open until 2013-14, but the Pasco-Hernando Community College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass is already stirring excitement in Wesley Chapel.

The new campus will create an opportunity for Wesley Chapel children to attend kindergarten through college, noted J.D. Porter, whose family owns Wiregrass Ranch and donated the 60-acre tract for what will become PHCC’s fifth full-service campus.

When it opens, it is expected to be the college’s busiest campus based on population trends, according to Lucy Miller, director of marketing and public relations for the community college.

It also will be PHCC’s first completely LEED-certified campus. The acronym stands for Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design. LEED designations are awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The new campus is in a good location, Porter noted, pointing out its proximity to The Shops at Wiregrass, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass Ranch High and local businesses.

PHCC already offers dual enrollment courses at Wiregrass Ranch High, but the proximity may create even more educational opportunities for students.

Laura Miller, president of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, said the college would create a substantial number of jobs in the community — both during and after construction.

The local economy will benefit during construction as crews eat at local restaurants and buy goods from local retailers, she noted. But the long-term employment picture will brighten, too, she said, as the college hires teachers, administrators and support personnel to teach classes, administer programs and maintain the campus, she said.

The college expects to have about 30 employees at the campus, which will have an estimated enrollment of an equivalent of 700 full-time students.

A cost estimate is not yet available for the project, but college officials said the building will be a multi-story structured designed to be compatible with existing and planned development nearby.

Florida Architects Inc. designed the building, incorporating suggestions from a 20-member design committee appointed by PHCC. The committee included administrators, faculty, staff and a student representative.

Campus programs will combine the latest in high-tech trends along with a traditional focus on teaching and learning, college officials say. The curriculum is designed to prepare students to enter the workforce, continue their postsecondary education or both.

The project’s funding will not be affected by budget cuts, but the final appropriation may be delayed which may impact the opening of the college by about four month, college officials say.

Construction on the project is expected to begin this summer.

Porter said his family was pleased to donate the land for the campus.

“It’s going to be a nice addition,” he said. “Education has always been extremely important to everyone in our family.”

Kickball game raises awareness of illness

By Kyle LoJacono

The inaugural Pride of the Parkway kickball game between staff at Pine View Elementary and Middle schools raised $1,000 to fight juvenile diabetes and brought out 400 spectators.

The second rendition is Friday, May 6 at Pine View Middle’s track, 5344 Parkway Blvd. in Land O’ Lakes, at 4:30 p.m. and will raise awareness of and money for research to fight a lesser known condition, eosinophilic esophagitis (EE).

“We picked it because we have a fifth grader at Pine View Elementary named Remington (Walls) who has it and his mother (Stephanie) is a teacher at the middle school,” said Karen Turman, a physical education teacher at Pine View Elementary. “It’s a great cause and it’s a learning experience for everyone. Most people know what diabetes is, but not many know about EE.”

EE is a condition that begins with an increase in a certain kind of white blood cell called eosinophils in the esophagus, the throat. Those blood cells attack any food a person swallows and then continues to damage the esophagus, according to the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED).

The disease has made it impossible for Remington, 11, to eat any solid food. He instead has 14-18 drinks per day that have the vitamins, minerals and the nutrition he needs.

Unfortunately for Remington, the drinks do not taste very good. He said they start out tasting like orange mixed with pineapple, but have a bad aftertaste. An added irritation is they need to be kept refrigerated.

“It’s been too long since I tried to eat solid foods,” Remington said. “I don’t remember what it’s like to eat food. … I just remember getting bad pains in my chest after I ate.”

Along with the pain, other common EE symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty swallowing, loss of appetite, anemia, difficulty sleeping, weight loss and stunted growth. The symptoms are not specific to EE and vary widely, so most people are misdiagnosed as having acid reflux or other diseases. There is no accurate estimation of how many people in the United States have the disease.

Stephanie said EE has created its different challenges for the family.

“The little things most people do around food are different for us,” Stephanie said. “We can’t have a traditional family dinner, so Rem brings his drinks to the table with us.”

Pine View Middle teacher Beth Neri has known the Walls for several years.

“You wouldn’t know Remy had a problem,” Neri said. “He looks like a normal, healthy kid. He has a lot of inner strength.”

Turman, who has taught Remington, said she does not think she would have been able to handle the challenges Remington faces each day.

“It would be very hard to go to lunch with everyone and not eat with them,” Turman said. “Then you have birthday parties when kids have cupcakes. The kids accept him though and treat him like everyone else.”

Remington plays several sports, but his favorite is baseball. He plays second base in the Land O’ Lakes Little League. While he will not play in the kickball game, he will be rolling out the first pitch.

All money raised at the event will go to APFED. The cost is $2 for adults, $1 for kids. There will also be children’s games for $1 and concessions sold. Families are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to watch the game, which has more than just bragging rights on the line.

The winning team will get a street sign reading “Pride of the Parkway” to display in front of its school. The middle school won 6-1 in 2010.

“We’re already tossing some thoughts between the schools,” Neri said. “We don’t want to have to dig up the sign and see it over there all year.”

Turman sees it as a good way to create ties between the schools.

“It’s building team spirit between the teachers,” Turman said. “Also, the principal of the losing school has to do lunch duty at the other school one day. We have a new principal (Judy Cosh), so we have pressure to keep her from paying up.”

Cosh, who will play in the game, is hoping beginners luck will be on her side.

“Our goal is to get the sign,” Cosh said. “It’s a great idea to raise some money for a good cause. Our kids have been very accepting of Remington and you wouldn’t know he had any problem. Hopefully the game will teach more people about it.”

People or businesses can donate to the cause by calling Neri at (813) 794-4800. For more information, call Turman at (813) 794-0600.

More information about EE can be found at www.apfed.org.

Second annual Pride of the Parkway

When: May 6 at 4:30 p.m.

Where: Pine View Middle’s track

Address: 5344 Parkway Blvd. in Land O’ Lakes

Admission: $2 adults, $1 for children

By B.C. Manion

Eve Johnson had an early introduction to the world of botanical beauty.

“When I was a child, we lived about 15 minutes away from the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. They had a beautiful display of bonsai,” she said.

Her parents would take her to the garden and drop her off, and she would help there for the day. She was 8.

Johnson’s love of art also began when she was small.

“My mother was an art teacher, so I learned how to do pottery at a very young age. We had our own kiln and potter’s wheel,” she said.

When she was young, however, she had no idea she would combine those interests to create Eve’s Garden Inc., a company that has a retail garden and gift shop in Land O’ Lakes and sells wholesale nationwide to nurseries, gift shops, large grocery chains including Publix and Winn-Dixie, drugstore chains including Walgreens and CVS and to Disney, including the Chinese and Japanese pavilions at Epcot.

Patrons dropping by at the retail shop at 5602 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. will find bonsai specimens and lucky bamboo plants, as well as gift items such as wind chimes, incense, scented candles, plant containers, vases, bonsai kits, fountains and garden benches.

To the uninitiated, the art of bonsai may seem intimidating.

But Johnson said it’s easy to learn. And, she’s quick to share her love for this ancient art, which uses shaping, trimming and wiring to develop a plant specimen that is a miniature version of what’s found in nature.

“You want the bonsai to look like a natural tree in the landscape,” Johnson said. “The more it looks like a tree in the natural landscape, the more value it has.”

Eve’s, which has one of the largest bonsai nurseries in the nation, offers customers an enormous selection.

Indeed, with so many choices it may be difficult to decide which bonsai is the best one to buy.

Johnson offers her customers this advice: “Walk out there, look around for the tree, see what catches your eye.”

Choosing a bonsai is strictly a matter of personal preference, she said.

For the uninitiated, caring for bonsai may seem a bit intimidating.

Johnson said there’s nothing to fear.

She offers this advice for trimming a bonsai: “Envision yourself sitting under your tree and looking at the shape and the style of the bonsai, and then you can trim away.”

For those who want to learn more, the shop offers demonstrations on Saturdays and employees are always willing to answer questions posed by customers, Johnson said.

Bonsai lovers can derive enormous satisfaction from the same plant for decades, said Johnson, noting that as a tree ages, its value increases.

“In ancient traditions, bonsai were passed down from generation to generation,” Johnson said.

Items at her gift and garden shop range from a dollar for a stalk of lucky bamboo to $15,000 for a Chinese juniper bonsai that’s more than 100 years old.

“When people think of bonsai, they (often) think of the Japanese juniper,” Johnson said. That’s a simple specimen to manage because it only requires water and light.

Beyond junipers, she offers golden dewdrop, gardenia, cherry blossom, bougainvillea, star cypress and ponytail palm bonsai, to name only a few.

The shop also offers lucky bamboo, in single stalks or in arrangements.

“Lucky bamboo came to this country because in the Orient they would give lucky bamboo as a gift of good luck and good fortune,” Johnson said. The plant was often bestowed at the birth of a child, at a wedding or other special occasion.

Caring for lucky bamboo is very easy, she said.

“If you have a room that’s very dark, it’s almost impossible to kill,” she said. “All it needs is water.”

Besides a wide variety of plants, the shop also has a huge selection of containers – with or without plants.

“We have over a thousand different shapes and styles,” said Johnson. “I design all of my own containers and my own arrangements.”

She makes prototypes of the containers and sends pictures of them to her manufacturer in China.

Sometimes, the design she intends to produce gets lost in translation. So Johnson sends it back to China, for another attempt. That process continues until she is satisfied with the result.

The plants and gifts aren’t the shop’s only attraction, Johnson said.

“We have a beautiful koi pond,” Johnson said. “We have a gazebo, where people can sit. Sometimes we’ll have people sit and have their lunch there. Or, they’ll sit and read a book.

“It’s very serene.”

For more information about Eve’s Garden Inc., call (813) 996-5012 or visit www.evesgardengifts.com

Customer Appreciation Day

When: Saturday, May 7, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What: Event will include informational sessions on bonsai and lucky bamboo, free food, free drinks, free gifts.

Why: The event aims to thank existing customers and to welcome new ones.

Where: Eve’s Garden Inc., 5602 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

For more information: (813) 996-5012 or visit www.evesgardengifts.com