The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Ridge Road extension hits another snag

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By Kyle LoJacono

The extension of Ridge Road has been in the works for 12 years and a recent move by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will ensure more waiting for the project.
The engineers put the brakes on the plan in part because of cattle owned by landowner Ted Phillips. Pasco County plans would have allowed Phillips to continue hunting and herding the animals on his land, 4G Ranch, in the project area.
Spokesman for the engineers Chuck Schnepel said the loss of wetlands in the project area would be too great as currently planned without converting the ranch into a preserve.
Southwest Florida Water Management District spokeswoman Robyn Felix said it is the county’s responsibility to mitigate the impacts to the wetlands.
“Under their current permit application, they are proposing to convey 221 acres of floodplain wetlands along the Pithlachascotee River to the district for preservation,” Felix said. “They are proposing to purchase an 804-acre conservation easement on the 4G Ranch, which would provide a critical wildlife corridor between the district’s Conner Preserve and the Cross Bar/Albar Ranch.”
The current proposed cost is $77 million, but that number will likely change to reduce the impact on the wetlands. Felix said extension would be a huge impact on the area’s environment.
“The extension is expected to permanently impact 44 acres of wetlands and temporarily impact 3.5 acres of wetlands,” Felix said. “The Suncoast Parkway interchange with Ridge Road is expected to impact 12 acres of wetlands. Because this is a very large project there a variety of different types of wetlands, forested wetlands with cypress heads, isolated marshes and scrubby wetlands, that will be impacted ranging from low to high quality.”
Pasco District 2 Commissioner Pat Mulieri said Phillips, “Was willing to give a conservation easement, but wanted to be able to hunt and or run cattle on the land. The corps graciously has given the county one year to renegotiate the mitigation with the owner of the 4G Ranch.”
If that one year expires, the county will have to submit new plans for the extension.
Mulieri, whose district includes all of Land O’ Lakes, expressed some irritation with the engineer’s ruling.
“Two years ago there was a belief that if we did certain things the issuance of the permit was eminent,” Mulieri said. “However, that did not happen. It has been frustrating because it appears that when staff accomplished what is asked for, something else is added.”
The project is the oldest job under review by the engineers in Florida. It is designed as an evacuation route to in part allow Land O’ Lakes and other central Pasco residents easier access to the Suncoast Parkway in the event of a disaster.
The plans are to extend Ridge Road from where it ends in New Port Richey west to the Suncoast in the first phase while adding an interchange, and later take it to US 41.
“This road is critical,” Mulieri said. “If there is a hurricane it will move people to the Suncoast. It is not just needed for hurricane evacuation, but movement of vehicles after any accident or disaster that would shut down US 41, (SR) 54 or (SR) 52.”
Critics of the project say it is only to way to open more development.
“An important aspect is that it will be a limited access road similar to the Suncoast,” Mulieri said of that criticism. “The board supported this concept a number of years ago to allay the concerns that this was just being built to open up more land for developers.”
While the road seems unable to open additional development, it would have a side benefit. It would provide a faster link between central and west Pasco, including easier access to Pasco-Hernando Community College’s (PHCC) New Port Richey campus located on Ridge Road.
“The road would definitely be a plus for PHCC,” Mulieri said. “Also Connerton and the commerce park would benefit.”

AMVETS Post 550 celebrates move with grand opening

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Story and photo by Tammy Sue Struble

The local Zephyrhills AMVETS Post 550 found a bigger location and made the move to 4645 Airport Road in Zephyrhills. The Post had previously been located at an older, smaller facility at 4822 Gall Blvd.
During a guided tour, Post Finance Officer Tony Baker proudly pointed out that, “Each division has an office.” That’s something the old facility was not able to accommodate: an office for the Auxiliary, Sons, Officers of the Post and an office for the Post Commander Jim Marshall.
The members seemed extremely happy to have a larger dance floor and nice stage. The building, formerly the Zephyr Palms Event Center and before that the Senior Center on Airport Road, will also be convenient for a USO event sponsored by the AMVETS, slated for the same weekend as the Bivouac and Barracks at the Zephyrhills Airport. Bivouac and Barracks will be Feb. 18-20.

Dec. 11 marked the grand opening and Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting ceremony at the AMVETS of Zephyrhills’ new location at 4645 Airport Road. The AMVETS had previously been located at 4822 Gall Blvd.

When an ‘Eagle’ helps the troops

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By Kyle LoJacono

For every 100 children who participate in Boys Scouts of America (BSA), only two ever reach the rank of Eagle Scout. Add Land O’ Lakes resident Sam Edley to the list.
The 17-year-old Sunlake High student earned the award Nov. 20 with a less-than-conventional final project. Instead of the traditional ideas of building, cleaning or replacing something, Sam decided to collect thousands of dollars worth of supplies for U.S. troops serving overseas.

Sam Edley gives a check for $500 to Bob Williams of Support Our Troops to help pay for postage.

“I got the idea when we did a service project with Mr. (Bob) Williams with Support Our Troops in Wesley Chapel,” Sam said. “We folded sheets that were sent to the troops because they didn’t have any clean ones and he told us they’re always looking for donations.”
Sam gave bags with flyers listing desired items to neighbors, relatives and members of his church, Our Lady of the Rosary in Land O’ Lakes. He was able to collect $19,000 worth of goods for the troops and an additional $500 to help pay for the shipping.
“I think it was a very good idea,” said Dave Edley, Sam’s father. “I didn’t realize what a lot of the troops overseas go without and this helps them be a little more comfortable.”
Dave’s father and Sam’s uncles on both sides of his family served in the armed forces.
Sam started getting thank you letters from those who received his care packages a few weeks after they went out. Williams even gave him an American flag that was flown on a plane overseas that was sent back by some of the troops.
“I wasn’t expecting anything like that,” Sam said. “That was very special to get.”
The Edleys put the flag in a glass case displayed in their living room.
Sam first joined scouting while in third grade. After graduating from Cub Scouts, the youth program of BSA, he joined Troop 33 in Land O’ Lakes. In all, he earned 34 merit badges.
“Scouting teaches you how to deal with many different kinds of people.” Sam said. “You also learn to check to make sure everyone did their job. You need to make sure the people who were supposed to buy the food for a campout did or you’re not going to eat for the weekend. It teaches you how to grow up.”

Some of the $19,000 worth of donations Sam Edley collected for the troops for his Eagle Scout project.

Maria Edley, Sam’s mother, has also seen the benefits of the program.
“The biggest change was in that first year,” Maria said. “They go from Cub Scouts where the parents do most of the planning to Boy Scouts where the boys run everything. It teaches them responsibility and each year he became more and more of a leader.”
For more information on scouting in the Tampa Bay area, visit www.boyscouting.com.

To help Support Our Troops
Support Our Troops is always in need of volunteer help to pack the supplies in boxes, for money to ship the boxes and for supplies to fill the boxes. To help, visit www.ourtroopsonline.com or call either (800) 367-3591 or (813) 991-9400. Checks can be mailed to Support Our Troops Attn: Bob Williams P.O. Box 7560 Wesley Chapel, FL 33544.
Letters to Sam

Sam,
Thank you for the care package with all the goodies and personal hygiene items. It is very much appreciated. Your package went to a health clinic that provides walk-in/outpatient medical care to soldiers and civilians who work at Kandahar Air Field. The clinic is made up of doctors, physician’s assistants, medics, supply, tech support, mechanics, mental health and command staff. We put the candy in containers that we also share with patients while they are waiting for
treatment.
I appreciate that you understand what it’s like for us soldiers. Most people go about their daily lives and forget we are here enduring long deployments away from family and friends, risking our lives, working very hard. We just sort of fade into the background. These care packages mean everything to us, not just because of the creature comforts they provide, but because they send a message we have not been forgotten.
Elaine Belson
Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan

Sam,
Thank you for the package of coffee, cookies and crackers. We really do appreciate the support from back home. We are a Navy expeditionary squadron in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. We are deployed to Al Asad Airbase, Iraq. We have about 180 personnel out here and appreciate all the goodies that you guys have been sending through Support Our Troops. We provide tactical warfare air support to troops on the ground.
Appreciate all the support and have attached picture of our entire squadron and a few of us chiefs. I’m in the middle holding the squadron flag.
Sean Webb
Al Asad, Iraq

Sam,
My name is Nick Amico and I am the team leader of an engineer military training team stationed at Joint Security Station India on the northern edge of Mosul, Iraq. We are a part of the 779th Engineer Battalion, which is a National Guard unit from Tallahassee. Our battalion’s mission is to provide construction support, conduct route clearance operations and partner with the Iraqi Army. Our team mission here at India is to mentor, train and partner with the soldiers and leadership of the second Iraqi Army Division’s field engineer regiment. Our goal is to help our Iraqi Army counterparts become completely self-sufficient for both combat/security operations and construction efforts. It has been a great experience working with the people here, learning their culture and helping develop their unit and capabilities.
I would like to thank you for your support of our soldiers deployed in Iraq. A couple of your packages were delivered here at India base by a resupply convoy last week. All of the members of my team greatly enjoyed the cookies and the little taste of home. Your show of support means a lot to the soldiers over here. Being separated from friends and family by nearly 7,000 miles for 12 months can, at times, be discouraging, but support from people like you helps to keep our spirits high. In contrast to most other bases in Iraq, JSS India is a very small facility lacking most of the amenities that we have grown accustomed to in the states. Despite this, we really enjoy being here and being an integral part of the final phase of ensuring a strong, sovereign Iraq.
Congratulations on the completion of your Eagle Scout service project. That is a tremendous achievement and shows your personal commitment and dedication. Considering all of the membership since 1910, only about 2 percent of Boy Scouts can claim the honor of Eagle Scout. Great work and congratulations. Thank you for all of your support.
Nick Amico
Mosul, Iraq

Children’s book by local author promotes the value of self-acceptance

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By B.C. Manion

Chances are you’ve never heard of Ivan, a giraffe who teaches children the importance of self-acceptance.
If Wesley Chapel author Linda Rossetti Brocato has it her way, though, copies of her book, “Ivan Becomes a Hero,” will one day be in the hands of children around the globe.

Linda Rossettti Brocato poses with a copy of her first book, “Ivan Becomes a Hero” (Photo by B.C. Manion)

“I want to get it wherever there is a child whose heart can be touched by Ivan,” Brocato said.
She thinks the book delivers an important message.
“In this day and time, when there is so much bullying and unkindness, I want children to know that they are fearfully and wonderfully made, even if they’re different,” said Brocato, who based the book’s central theme on Psalm 139, Verse 14.
The verse reads in part: “I am wonderfully and fearfully made.”
“I want them (children) to see that they are a treasure. It’s not an accident the way they are made,” said Brocato, a former Sanders Memorial Elementary school teacher, who just completed a recent book tour in Mississippi.
Brocato said she came up with the idea for her book 12 years ago, while visiting a wildlife refuge in California. When she saw a baby giraffe at the refuge, she jotted down the first words of her book onto a napkin.
She didn’t give the scribbled note any more thought until after being forced away from the classroom by multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow.
Brocato went through chemotherapy and stem cell transplants in her battle against the disease at the Centers of Excellence in Little Rock, Ark.
“I had a lot of time alone. I couldn’t teach,” Brocato said. Nor could she continue the ministry that she had her husband, Frank, had done for more than two decades.
During that solitary time, she said: “I heard in my heart, “But what about Ivan?”
That’s when she realized that Ivan’s story was divinely inspired, Brocato said.
Besides being a potential source of encouragement for children, the book also helped Brocato as she coped with the dark days of her illness.
“Ivan was my beacon of light,” she said.
The book tells the tale of a little giraffe who is mocked and scorned and treated unkindly, but who ultimately succeeds in his journey of self-acceptance.
The book was written for children ages 3 to 12, but has appeal for all ages, she said.
“Everybody has been wounded and everyone has been rejected, so they can identify,” she said.
Going from a mere idea for a story to a completed manuscript to a published book has been an adventure, Brocato said.
She was shepherded through the process by Linda J. Hawkins, her publisher from Heart to Heart Christian Books, who served as a consultant and helped Brocato to find the book’s illustrator, copy editors and designer. ‘She mentored me throughout the process.”
“My biggest prayer was for the illustrator not to be ordinary,” Brocato said.
The project’s original illustrator quit, but then another highly respected illustrator became available to do the job.
“The timing was perfect,” Brocato said, praising the skill of the illustrator, Donna Brooks. “She helped make Ivan come alive.”
Brocato decided to pay to publish the book rather than shopping it to various publishers. She said she wanted to retain control over the book’s design and content, as well as to own the copyright.
The author said everybody in her family supported her efforts, especially her husband. “I feel like he’s Ivan’s daddy,” she said.
She sees the market for her book as “anyone who wants a good book with a life message for children.”
If the book succeeds, she plans to use the proceeds to pursue publication of four additional books, including one about her mother and a sequel about Ivan.
Brocato has done some book signings, but welcomes the opportunity to speak at local bookstores, at club meetings and will even do author signings in private homes.
For more information about the author, her book, or her availability, go to www.lindarossettibrocato.com or call (813) 973-3039.w]ww

Piccola Italia offers up a little slice of Italy

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By B.C. Manion

From its Italian maps and colorful murals to its pictures of Italy and Italian place mats, it is easy to see that the owners of this cozy restaurant pride themselves on their heritage.

Antonietta D' Eroma (left), Robert Pullo and Maria Pullo take pride in the food they serve in their family-owned restaurant, which will celebrate its silver anniversary next year. Sergio Pullo, another owner, is not pictured here because he was out running some errands.

For nearly 25 years, the family-owned restaurant Piccola Italia Italian American Restaurant has been serving up its hearty fare to feed the locals of Zephyrhills and the city’s abundant winter residents.
Restaurant owners Antonietta D’ Eroma and Sergio, Maria and Robert Pullo take pride in the homemade sauces, pasta and soups they serve.
Sergio handles myriad chores at the restaurant. He makes the pasta and pizza dough. He also fixes just about anything that needs a repair, family members said.
The restaurant evolved out of the women’s love of cooking. When other mothers would send cupcakes to school functions, they would send pans of lasagna, said Robert, who is Maria’s son.
The menu tells patrons what to expect: “Good Italian cuisine cannot be rushed,” the menu proclaims. “Please be patient while your order is being prepared.”
The restaurant’s offerings include appetizers such as fried mushrooms, fried eggplant, fried zucchini and shrimp cocktail.
If you like spaghetti, you can get it topped with meat sauce, marinara sauce, meatballs or sausage, butter sauce, garlic and oil, garlic and mushrooms, a la shrimp scampi and with seafood sauce.
Other dishes feature veal, chicken, seafood and pasta, including stuffed shells, fettucine alfredo and lasagna. Other menu choices include pizza, calzones, sides, salads, soups, desserts, beer, wine and soft drinks.
There’s also a children’s menu and senior citizen’s menu.
And, there are daily specials, too.
Eating dinner at Piccola is “the equivalent of having a home-cooked meal, without being at home,” Robert said.
In the beginning, it was a struggle, Antonietta said. Over the years, however, the restaurant has had staying power because the owners realize being successful required more than simply serving good food.
Customers don’t go out for dinner just to eat a good meal, Robert said. They also want the pleasure of being served.
Customers also like to feel a personal connection to the people who are preparing and serving their food, Antonietta said.  “We mingle with everyone,” she said.
Al Kirk, a restaurant regular, definitely feels the connection.
He dropped by Piccola one recent afternoon and took his place at the head of the table, right next to the kitchen.
“Every day that I can make it, I’m here,” he said. One of the reasons he comes so frequently is because he enjoys chatting with Antonietta and Maria.
The one reason is that he enjoys the food.
His favorite is the pasta pomodoro. “You have to try it,” he said. “I think it’s delicious. I could live on it — that’s how good it is. When you order it, that’s when they make it. I think that’s the touch, right there.”
Antonietta said there’s a secret to treating customers properly.
“No matter what they do. No matter what they say — smile,” she said.
Maria and Antonietta said they want their patrons to be happy. If a mistake occurs, they want to make amends, they said.
They also enjoy the camaraderie that builds over time with customers.
It’s quite common for diners to poke their head through a window into the kitchen just to say hello, Antonietta said.
Maria offered this tip for getting the most flavor from a plate of spaghetti: “You’ve got to mix it up,” she said. That allows the spaghetti to absorb some of the sauce, allowing diners to taste the flavor in every bite.
Maria and Antonietta said they want their patrons to be happy when they’ve finished their meal, and if a mistake occurs, they want an opportunity to make amends, they said.
Besides serving diners, the restaurant handles catering and sells bottled sauce at the restaurant and online.
As it approaches its silver anniversary, it is planning to branch out — by distributing its bottled sauce to specialty markets. One day it hopes to have shelf space at large supermarket chains, such as Publix and Sweetbay, Robert said.
The restaurant also plans to celebrate its 25th year by doing something special.
They haven’t ironed out the details yet. When they turned 20, they rolled back the price on their spaghetti dinner to what it was when they opened.
They might do something similar in March, or celebrate some other way.
Stay tuned.

For more information
Piccola Italia Italian American Restaurant, 37502 SR 54, Zephyrhills
(813) 782-2856
www.piccolaitaliarestaurant.com

Who is watching the watchmen?

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Video killed the radio star
Video killed the radio star
In my mind and in my car
We can’t rewind, we’ve gone too far.
-The Buggles

By Randall Grantham

I’ve been an outspoken advocate of videotaping all police/citizen encounters for a long time now. For better or for worse, it provides an unbiased version of the incident. And with digital technology and cutting-edge forensics now available to the government, more and more police and their cars are equipped with more and better video equipment.
Some have cameras that are running all the time and capture individual stops from start to finish and from several different vantage points. They often show date, time, direction of travel and even GPS pinpointed location.
While law enforcement agencies are all in favor of this technology when it helps their case, some seem to have a different point of view when it is them shown on film doing something that is not quite SOP.
Sometimes it’s their own camera that captures a less-than-flattering interaction between the officers and the public. Do you remember the incident in Miami where the cops’ camera shows them concocting a story about how a woman’s cat jumped out of her car window causing him to hit her as she swerved in front of him, when actually he had rear-ended her simply because he was not paying attention?
Years ago, the local sheriff’s office videotaped a “dynamic entry” by the SWAT team to execute a search warrant in a drug case. That was the first, last and only time they did that. Once I introduced that as evidence, the judge didn’t appreciate the discrepancies between it and the way the cops had testified the raid went down and threw out all the evidence.
Then there were the Polk County cops caught on tape playing Wii at the their drug suspect’s home on his home surveillance cameras
And now, there are videos everywhere. They’re all throughout every major retail outlet and even scan the parking areas at Walmart, Busch Gardens and other spots. They’re at ATMs and gas stations. And most threatening of all, they’re in citizens’ hands on nearly every cell phone sold today.
It may surprise you, but cops do not like being the subject of video taping when they are confronting a member of the public. They will actually arrest you for trying to film them in action.
Cops in Maryland recently raided a home to seize evidence and arrest a man for violating the state’s wiretapping statute. His crime was posting on YouTube a helmet-cam recording of his traffic stop where the unmarked officer drew down on him for no apparent reason. He faces up to 16 years in prison because he had the audio recording with the video.
Another woman in that state was recently arrested for filming police responding to a noise complaint in her apartment complex. According to her arrest report, she “confessed” to recording the encounter for the purpose of showing cops harassing people. She also recorded audio and video.
Now, some states have actually criminalized filming police in action. In Florida it is a crime to record audio of people who don’t consent to be recorded, but there’s no law on the books prohibiting a video-only recording of events taking place in public. So, usually the charge is trumped up to obstructing an investigation, or disorderly conduct, or, in one case where the officer blocked the camera, battery on a law enforcement officer.
Last year a model was arrested in Boynton Beach for videotaping an encounter between her teenage son and police in a movie theater. Prosecutors had the good sense not to file charges, but the ACLU is suing the police department for the arrest.
The president of the national Fraternal Order of Police defends these arrests, saying that filming cops on duty “can intimidate officers from doing their job.” Of course he also says that cops don’t lie.
I’m not saying cops lie. All I’m saying is that a video recording of something is more reliable and unbiased than having one or more parties give their version of what happened. There are bound to be omissions, exaggerations and personal spin there that would not be present with a video.
What’s good for the goose should be good for the gander and people, whether they be witnesses or participants, shouldn’t be intimidated or threatened out of preserving that kind of evidence. And criminalizing this type of thing just reminds me too much of those news feeds you see from Communist China or the like. It’s just un-American!

Randall C. Grantham is a lifelong resident of Lutz who practices law from his offices on Dale Mabry Highway. He can be reached at . Copyright 2010 RCG. To comment on this or anything else, e-mail the editor at and for past columns go to lakerlutznews.com.

Talk about scary movies — ordering at the theater

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Many of us will be shopping this week for Christmas and a nice break from the hustle and bustle is to go see a movie, so that is exactly what I did. But what do you do when you are hungry and you walk in and smell all the aromas like buttery popcorn that seems to “go with” the movies? You better be prepared! I honestly never used to go to the movies without gorging on a large popcorn, chocolate covered peanuts and a large soda to the tune of 2,493 calories!
I used to use it as an excuse to ‘pig out’ until one day I saw a woman during the previews, stuffing her face full of popcorn and she probably would have been done before the movie even started — just like me. I realized that was just an excuse to gorge and I needed to change my habits. I first learned how to walk into a theater and breathe through my mouth and not through my nose, so I didn’t even smell the popcorn. I remember the first day I ever watched a movie without eating anything and it was like a miracle!
Recently, I visited the Cobb Theatre over in Wesley Chapel. I didn’t have time to stop and grab some dinner before the movie (which is what I normally do so I am not tempted) so I found something to eat there. We all know there aren’t the most nutritious things to eat at a movie theater. I didn’t feel like eating popcorn since I eat air-popped popcorn all the time at home, so I got a pretzel. Yes, “Miss Eat Whole Grain” wherever you can but there was no option for whole grain, so you do the best with what you have, right? It was 583 calories and 14 grams of fat including the small side of nacho cheese sauce. I used some discipline, consuming only half of the cheese sauce. I sometimes use mustard but I didn’t. I eat so healthy most of the time that you need to let yourself have stuff like that every once in a while. For you avid moviegoers who enjoy eating popcorn at the movies, let’s look at the calories:
-Small popcorn with NO added butter: 225 calories and 11 grams of fat (Best choice)
-Small popcorn with added butter: 630 calories and 50 grams of fat! (Whoh momma)
-Medium popcorn with NO added butter: 434 calories and 20 grams of fat (Not too bad)
-Large popcorn with NO butter: 664 calories and 31 grams of fat (Pretty high)
-Large popcorn with butter: 1,640 calories and 126 grams of fat (Yikes! Run away)
The other challenge with popcorn is the salt, which can make you retain lots of water, hence, more weight gain. If you must have something to drink, grab a water or do I like I did and get the hot tea with honey. That helped get my mind off munching on food while watching the movie “Tangled” (which, by the way, was a great movie)

Keep it simple in the garden

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By Jeannie Hayes and BJ Jarvis

At the end of the year, life is very hectic running around decorating, shopping, visiting with friends. We all need to shorten our “to do” lists not just at the holidays, but also during the rest of the year. Here are a few things that can help make gardening a little simpler.
Gardeners can’t help wanting to add more garden gems to the landscape only to realize later there isn’t enough time to establish them or keep up with weeding. Sometimes, plants may not even make it into the ground.
It is time to step back and find some ways to make garden life easier. Here are a few simple and inexpensive ideas from Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ to keep our landscapes looking good without further stress:
–Plant groundcovers that generally require less fertilizing, mowing and maintenance once established.
–Add instant garden color by sinking an entire pot of colorful annuals into the ground. When plants start to fade, just pull out the inner pots and replace. When chrysanthemums fade, plant cheerful poinsettias.
–Mount rain gauges at eye level for easy reading. Mailboxes and fence posts are ideal.
–Add a rain barrel at your roof downspout to collect water for container plants when it is dry. No guttering? Just place an open barrel at the valley where two house sections meet. Rainwater usually gushes down there. Make sure the barrel has a screen on the top to prevent mosquitoes and a spigot at the bottom for easy access to water.
–Container plants in the sun dry out fast and may need daily watering. Cut the maintenance time by adding wetting agents, such as hydrogels, to your planting mix. Many major brands offer potting mixes with moisture holding gels.
–Stop the spread of invasive weeds by vacuuming the seeds with a dust buster or shop vacuum. These work well to collect desirable wildflower seeds too. Clean the unit well between uses.
–Strips of old carpeting two-foot-wide for instant weed-free garden walkways. Turn carpeting over with the backing on the top for a more natural look.
–Piles of utility mulch from the power company have many uses besides suppressing weeds and moderating soil temperatures. Create an instant berm that can become a holding area for container plants by sinking the pots. The containers will not blow over and require less watering. Use it to make compost on a big scale for your veggie garden. If you have children or grandchildren, running over mulch piles is a great way for children to run off some of that candy-driven energy.
If you find yourself with a few extra minutes this holiday season and aren’t sure what exactly to do in the garden, visit the University of Florida’s gardening calendar. It is broken down by region and Pasco County tasks can be found in central Florida section at http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/lawn_and_garden/calendar/.
-BJ Jarvis, horticulture agent, and Jeannie Hayes, Florida yards and neighborhoods assistant are a part of the Pasco Cooperative Extension, a free service of the University of Florida and Pasco County government. Jeannie and BJ can be reached at (352) 521-4288 or .

Shawn Brown helps rally Wesley Chapel girls basketball

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By Kyle LoJacono

A few weeks ago it was uncertain who would lead the Wesley Chapel High girls basketball team, but new coach Shawn Brown has brought the team together despite having no summer workouts or preseason.

Hannah Noble

“We didn’t know what was going on with the program,” said senior Hannah Noble. “We were lucky to get such a good coach so late in the game.”

The Wildcats (5-4) reached back-to-back regional finals the last two seasons with Karim Nohra as coach, but he was not retained after the season. He is currently coaching at Academy at the Lakes.

Stepping in for Nohra is Brown, who is the sports and camp director at the East Pasco Family YMCA. He has also coached the Orlando Magic’s youth basketball camps since 2005, but this is his first head coaching position in high school.

“It’s pressure right off the bat,” Brown said of taking over a successful program. “The girls expect a lot and want to continue to win. Part of the challenge was a lot of girls transferred to other schools. We basically have just one player who played in significant game action last year in Hannah. I commend her for staying her senior year when others left.”

For Noble, the choice to stay was easy.

“This is my school and I thought it would be like me betraying my school to go somewhere else,” Noble said. “I’ve grown up here and played middle school basketball at Weightman (Middle), so this is the only place I wanted to play my senior year.”

Brown said Noble will be leaned on a lot this year.

“She has to be our leading scorer every night for us to be successful,” Brown said. “That’s a lot of pressure, but then she also has to be our leader as well because she’s the only one with any experience. She’s already shown she’s able to do both.”

Noble has been a point guard for most of her playing career, but has moved to shooting guard this season to free her up to score. Now running the point for the Wildcats is Tiffany Echevarria, a sophomore. She has played point guard since the fifth grade and learned a lot from watching Noble play last season.

“When I watched her last year calling the plays I wanted to be like her,” Echevarria said. “I’ve learned so much from her.”

It was a little daunting running the offense, but a talk with Noble before the season let Echevarria know she could do it.

“She told me we were in this together,” Echevarria said. “It made me feel like I wasn’t alone in the backcourt. I know we can rely on each other.”

The Wildcats will be a guard-oriented team because they do not have a lot of height. The tallest player is 5-foot-11 junior center Brittany Byrd, who almost did not play this season.

Brittany Byrd

“I’d decided I didn’t want to play to focus on volleyball, but I went to a game at the start of the season,” Byrd said. “I was sitting in the bleachers watching them play and it just hit me that I should be playing with them.”

At first glance Byrd does not seem like the kind of player who would like the rough and tumble action near the net, but when asked about playing the position her eyes lit up.

“I love playing down in the post,” Byrd said. “I’m not the kind of girl who likes playing guard and shooting from on the perimeter. I love being down there and fighting for rebounds and blocking shots. It’s why I love basketball.”

Down by the net with Byrd is sophomore forward Sara Hordges. She missed the end of last season with a slight tear to her ACL, but she is nearly 100 percent.

“Really it’s just trusting my knee,” Hordges said. “It’s basically healthy and coach just said I have to believe I can stop and change directions without having a problem.”

Hordges has been working with Brown to get her knee strong again and she believes his training is the reason she has been able to return to the court so fast.

Another player who enjoys Brown’s presences is Sapharianece Reynolds. She said she believes in staying positive even when things are not going her way.

“If I put my head down because I’ve missed some shots, then I’m not thinking about the game,” Reynolds said. “… I learned that from my mom. I always try and keep the rest of the team positive even when we’re down and so does coach. He has that same belief in staying positive.”

Wesley Chapel had a game against Nov. 14 at Ridgewood High, but results were not available by press time. The Wildcats next play at Sunlake High Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m.

Two Gators teams win PPAL super bowls

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By Kyle LoJacono

The Land O’ Lakes Gators  were well represented in this year’s Pasco Police Athletic League (PPAL) super bowl, sending four of their five teams to the event and claiming two championships.

Keith Walker was named the offensive MVP of the flyweight Gators super bowl victory and the squad’s regular season.

The Gators mighty mites and junior varsity teams reached the title games, while the flyweight and varsity squads took home PPAL crowns.

For the flyweights (13-0), it was the second straight championship.

“Last year I was really excited because I didn’t think we’d win,” said tight end and corner back Grant Henderson, a co-captain. “This year I knew we’d be great because of all the good players we have.”

Both flyweight titles came with Ed Campbell as the coach.

“At the start of the season I never thought we’d go through undefeated,” Ed said. “Quickly I saw the boys had something special, but not just because of their play and ability to listen to the coaches. Football is like a brotherhood and that’s what they became. They stuck together and wouldn’t let one kid get picked on in a game. They truly came together.

“Football is different from every other sport in that way,” Ed continued. “After going through all the heat and pain in practice and games, you have to come together as one.”

Ed’s son Hunter is a guard, fullback, defensive end and special teams player for the Gators. While he enjoys playing all the different positions, what he really loves about playing with the team is spending time with his family and friends.

“I get to be with all my team each week and have fun,” said Hunter, a co-captain. “My dad can be tough as a coach, but he does it to make you a better player.”

The offensive MVP for the flyweights, which is for players 7-8 years old, was running back Keith Walker. The co-captain scored 22 total touchdowns in the 13 games, including 19 rushing, two interception returns and a kick return for a score. He gained 935 yards rushing as well.

“We have a lot of guys who couldn’t be stopped in games,” Walker said. “We have players who can do special things at any time.”

Walker was also the offensive MVP of the Gators 37-7 super bowl win against West Hernando. Taking home the

Mason Matzke took home the defensive MVP award for his performance in the PPAL Gators flyweight super bowl win.

defensive MVP honor in the title game was linebacker Mason Matzke, who had an interception in the final contest.

“It was a hard game,” Matzke said of the super bowl. “It wasn’t that close, but it was a hard game to win. Our coach really helped us all year and did a great job in the super bowl.”

Joining Matzke in the linebacking core was co-captain Jimmy Sandifer, who is also a center. Playing two of the roughest positions on the field does not faze him.

“I like the hitting,” Sandifer said. “I get to do it every play.”

The last of the co-captains is fullback Dawson Place.

“It’s been a lot of fun being a captain,” Place said. “You have more to do. … The season has been even better than last year because we never lost.”

All players received trophies and other gifts at the end of the year event at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, but one player was given a special award. Last year, Jalen Williams was right at the 100-pound weight limit for the flyweight division. Ed said he expected him to be more than the limit at this year’s weigh in, but Williams put himself on a diet and running program and made the squad.

“We gave him the Warrior Award for doing that,” Ed said. “That takes dedication for a young kid to go on a diet and work hard to make weight like he did.”

Ed thanked the flyweight cheerleaders for always easing his tension during games with their routines. He also thanked the parents of the players for allowing him to coach the boys and his wife Lisa, who he said is the, “glue of the team that made everything happen.”

Players on the Gators come mainly from Land O’ Lakes and Lutz. For more information on PPAL, visit www.pascopal.org.