Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Kyle LoJacono

The project to improve W. Lutz-Lake Fern Road took another step forward when construction began to widen the street Sept 13.
The current job is widening Lutz-Lake Fern from a two-lane undivided road to a four-lane divided street from just east of the Suncoast Parkway to the Boulevard of the Roses, according to Hillsborough County project manager Edward Arnold. It will cost $9.9 million.

Construction to widen the road from just west of the Suncoast to where the second phase begins was finished in February. It is set to be completed around May 2011.
In addition a planned but unfunded project will continue the widening from the Boulevard of the Roses to 300 feet west of Dale Mabry Highway. The estimated cost for the three-phase project is $58.4 million, according to Hillsborough Public Works spokesperson Steve Valdez.
A few years ago the stretch of road in western Lutz was mostly traveled by residents going to and from their homes, but that changed with the opening of Steinbrenner High for the 2009-10 school year. Both McKitrick Elementary and Martinez Middle were already in the area, but the high school increased the daily traffic on the road nearly to the bursting point.
“Each day, we encounter new challenges as parents, student drivers and school buses mingle with those just trying to pass by on their way to some other location,” said Steinbrenner principal Brenda Grasso. “Closing lanes and changing traffic patterns on the road obviously slow the traffic down considerably. We encourage parents to have their sons and daughters take the bus, and we ask them for patience as the county continues this effort.”
Grasso said a winding road was added on the high school’s campus to get vehicles coming to the school off Lutz-Lake Fern to help with traffic.
The first phase of the widening stopped just to the west of the entrance to the three schools. That intersection currently does not have a traffic signal, but Arnold said one will be added to help vehicles navigate through the area.
Maxine Thompson has lived off of Sunlake Boulevard, in the future third phase of the project, for 10 years and has to drive on Lutz-Lake Fern to get almost anywhere.
“The traffic has really gotten bad since the high school opened, so it would be a lot better to have the bigger road to drive on,” Thompson said. “I’m worried that traffic will be 10 times worse when the construction gets this far east and I’m sure I’ll be cursing the county for doing it then, but hopefully it will get done sooner then later.”
Lutz residents further east could also see a wider Lutz-Lake Fern in the coming years. Valdez said the long-term plan for the road is to widen it all the way to where it stops at US 41 in the east.
Valdez stressed that no plans have been set for the expansion further east, but the most likely way to widen the road is to build land up on one side of the street all the way east and then on the other.
It “is a very winding road in that part of town, so it will be tricky to design,” Valdez said. “It will be needed though as Lutz continues to gain population and with more people coming to (Oscar Cooler Sports Complex).”
The county is seeking input from the community about their concerns and comments about the construction. To do so, call (813) 635-5400 or visit the www.hillsboroughcounty.org/publicworks and click on the “Contact Us” link.

By B.C. Manion

Whether it’s to avoid rip-offs, repair race cars, work on diesel engines or to get a good-paying job, students offer different reasons for taking part in the Automotive Technology Career Academy at Wesley Chapel High School.

When the students get to their classroom each day, they know the drill. They put on their mechanic shirts, grab their laptops and get ready to find out what Kurt Stonehouse, their instructor wants them to do that day.

Sometimes they’ll be learning new facets of automotive repair in a lecture setting; other times, they’ll be grabbing their goggles and going out back to get some hands-on practice of diagnosing what’s wrong with a car and figuring out how to fix it.

That’s what they did the other day, when they tracked down why a 1998 Ford Windstar wouldn’t start.

The academy takes students through a rigorous program to prepare them for careers as service technicians in the automotive industry. Instruction covers the ins and outs of why vehicles work or don’t work. Specific coverage areas include auto suspension and steering, engine performance, electrical and electronics, and brakes.

The required repairs are challenging to prepare students for an increasingly sophisticated field, Stonehouse said. “It’s getting to be highly technical.”

The challenge appeals to 15-year-old Brett Taylor. “I like the complexity of it,” he said.

Seventeen-year-old Daniel Brioso flat out enjoys working on cars. “Why not make a career out of that? What could be better than working with something you love?”

The program combines online computer instruction, class lectures and practical applications. The hands-on work involves diagnosing problems and making repairs.

Sixteen-year-old Vince Esposito enjoys the hands-on work – especially being able to go outdoors to work on vehicles instead of being stuck inside a classroom all day.

The program, now in its second year, has 98 students – up from 40 last year. Two of the students are females, Stonehouse said.

The program works closely with area dealerships to help ensure that the students completing the program will be well-prepared.

“With our dealership and our industry partners, we kind of look to them as to what they are looking for in a new employee,” Stonehouse said.

“We want to know what they want to see. They tell us that good strong electrical knowledge is what they want because of technology. They want them to know the Ohm’s law and the calculations and the way electricity works.”

“It’s that invisible knowledge with electricity that they see as a weakness,” Stonehouse said.

The instructor praises the dealerships for all of the help they have provided. “I went to them and they’re all 100 percent supportive. Most of them are on our advisory committee.

The academy had an induction ceremony at the beginning of the year and dealership representatives turned out in full force, Stonehouse said. “If you want to show how an industry supports a school, that was a perfect example.”

By using online instruction, in addition to classroom lectures, students can work at their own pace, Stonehouse said. Students must demonstrate the ability to diagnose and make repairs.

“Some will be ready to do tasks right away. Some need a little extra time,” he said.

Eventually Stonehouse wants to be able to set up a small repair shop at the school allowing customers to bring in their cars for certain types of repairs. There would have to be a disclaimer so the customer realizes the repairs are being made by students; and, the types of repairs would be limited to those which the students are prepared to tackle, he said.

That will come later, Stonehouse said.

For now, the class could use a few cars for practice, Stonehouse said. He invites anyone who wants to donate a car to get in touch with him at or to call him at (813) 794-8835 or (813) 794-8700.

Florida Hospital Zephyrhills brings in new emergency team

By Kyle LoJacono

Florida Hospital Zephyrhills took a step in achieving CEO and president Doug Duffield’s vision of reducing the wait time of all patients who come to the facility.

Florida Emergency Physicians (FEP) was brought onboard Oct. 1 to run the hospital’s emergency department. The company was chosen because all 15 members of the team are board certified in emergency care.
“That means we can treat anything that comes through the emergency room doors,” said Dr. Ramón Nuñez, leader of the new team. “People won’t have to wait for a specialist because we can handle anything. That should also reduce the fear of anyone coming in. No one wakes up planning to go to the emergency room. We usually see people on their worst day, so if we can make them feel more comfortable we find treatment is better.”
Nuñez, now the emergency department’s medical director, said some of the conditions they can treat include cardiac care, fractures and using ultrasounds to pinpoint problems.
“Cutting down the time is huge and I’m glad we can add to that trend at Florida Hospital Zephyrhills,” Nuñez said. “In emergency care, minutes matter.”
Hospital spokeswoman Lyn Acer said the facility decided to go with the new team over the former one because FEP can provide better care for the community for a variety of reasons.
FEP works with eight other Adventist Health System hospitals, the parent company for Florida Hospital Zephyrhills. Most of the facilities are around Orlando and the affiliation in Zephyrhills is the first in the Tampa Bay region.
HealthGrades, a national healthcare ratings company, gave FEP’s emergency department system in Orlando the Emergency Department Excellence Award in 2010. The top 5 percent of emergency departments receive the award nationally.
Nuñez said one of the keys to FEP’s success in treating patients is using the latest technology.
“We use technology and techniques hot off the presses,” Nuñez said. “That’s the real strength of working with Florida Hospital Zephyrhills is they are allowing us to get the latest tools for better care.”
Part of using the newest technology is creating an electronic medical record. This tool, which was put in place the day FEP took over at the hospital, will be mandated for all healthcare facilities in 2014, but Nuñez said they decided to get it going as soon as possible.
“It allows for standards to be set up across the country for various medical treatments,” Nuñez said. “It’ll make healthcare better for patients, so we wanted to get it going.”
Nuñez said he got into emergency medicine because he is excited about the science and also because he can help people.
“It really impacts people’s lives every day,” Nuñez said. “I love being able to help people and I get to do that every day.”

By B.C. Manion

Reviewers from the state Department of Community Affairs have objected to a proposed provision in Hillsborough County community plans that would allow individual property owners to “opt-out” of the plans.

Like Lutz activist Denise Layne, the DCA says that allowing single property owners to choose not to be included in the plan creates uncertainty and undermines the entire purpose of community planning.

Mike McDaniel, chief of the state’s Office of Comprehensive Planning, outlines those and other objections to the county’s proposed Seffner/Mango and Brandon community plans in an Oct. 1 letter to Ken Hagan, chairman of the Hillsborough County Commission.

The county must address the state’s objections to the plans when they resubmit them within 60 days.

While neither of these plans applies directly to Lutz, Layne has sounded an alarm that allowing the “opt-out” provision in any plan could set a dangerous precedent and work against efforts by local residents to have a greater voice about what happens in their communities.

The DCA agrees.

The opt-out provision “undermines the guidance for development established by the community plans and will negate their effectiveness in ensuring the long-range viability of these communities,” state planners found, in their review of the Seffner-Mango and Brandon community plans.

They also note that the provision does not meet a state law that requires comprehensive plans to be internally consistent.

In another observation, the reviewers note that the opt-out provision “renders these community plans not meaningful because the community plans are created in order to implement a vision for development in the community. Allowing certain properties to opt out of the community plans would lead to the development of incompatible land uses and defeat the purpose of creating the community plan. It would result in community plans which are not meaningful and predictable because assurance of the outcome of this planning initiative is uncertain.”

State reviewers have recommended the county revise its plans to remove the opt-out provision “in order to ensure that the implementation of the community plans achieve the land use form that furthers the vision of the citizens of the community.”

The Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission also had raised objections to allowing individual property owners to opt out. Layne also has warned commissioners that there is no case law to support the provision.

County commissioners are expected to take up the issue this month.

By B.C. Manion

Is it really possible to have a civilized divorce?
The answer to that is – yes – if both parties are willing to agree at the outset that they and their attorneys will work as a team to settle, not litigate, their divorce, said attorney Stu Webb.
Webb, an attorney from Minneapolis, Minn., is the man who started the collaborative approach to divorce two decades ago.
Webb said he came up with the idea after litigating family law cases for about 20 years.
“The litigating system takes a lot out of everybody,” Webb said. Parents and children aren’t the only ones who get stressed out, he said. Judges and attorneys do, too.
It got to the point that Webb thought about quitting, but upon further reflection decided there must be a better way.
“On Jan. 1, 1990, I declared myself a collaborative lawyer,” Webb said. At the time, he was the only one.
So, he began recruiting other attorneys who would be willing to try a new approach that would change the role that lawyers played in divorce cases.
It turns out, Webb said, the collaborative approach appealed to other attorneys, too. “I wasn’t alone in having that feeling that “I can’t do this anymore.’ ”
With Webb’s model, instead of battling each other, attorneys and clients agree to work together as a team to reach a settlement.
Each attorney is there to represent the interests of his or her client, but from the outset everyone is committed to settling the case, said Ron Ousky, an attorney from Edina, Minn., who, along with Webb, co-authored “The Collaborative Way to Divorce: The Revolutionary Method that Results in Less Stress, Lower Costs, and Happier Kids.”
If the settlement falls apart for any reason, both clients must find different attorneys to represent them in divorce court, Ousky said.
Ousky said he began practicing collaborative law because he had become increasingly frustrated by the damage done during traditional divorce cases.
Collaborative divorce is more than just being nicer to each other while working out a settlement, Ousky said. “It’s about getting higher quality agreements that will last over the years.”
Collaborative divorce also is completely different than mediation, added Pauline Tesler, an attorney based in Mill Valley, Calif., who is perhaps the most experienced trainer in the field of collaborative law.
Mediation uses a neutral third party, while each party has an attorney in collaborative divorce.
With collaborative divorce, “your lawyer is by your side at the core of the negotiation,” Tesler said. “You’ve got two trained problem solvers in the room,” she said, referring to the attorneys. “You get a lot of creative brain power.”
While still largely unknown to many people, the use of collaborative divorce is gaining acceptance, said Talia Katz, executive director of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, based in Phoenix.
Her nonprofit organization began with about 50 members a decade ago. It now has 4,300 members from 24 countries. The group’s annual conference, which will be held this fall in Washington, D.C., is expected to draw 700 practitioners.
Wesley Chapel attorney Don McBath has embraced the approach as an avenue to achieve a fair resolution for all.
The approach represents a total departure from McBath’s old attitude, when he gloried in a win-at-all-costs approach to gaining custody of children for his clients.

“I was a monster. I was notorious. I was one of the nastiest divorce attorneys in Tampa Bay,” McBath said. “Looking back, I helped gained custody for people who really shouldn’t have gotten custody and I feel bad about it.”
Now, McBath’s focus is on helping divorcing couples to end their marriage in a way that is fair to both parties and prevents children being used as pawns.
“Divorce is an emotional issue, no matter how you cut it,” Katz said. “It is much than just a legal event,” Katz said.
Collaborative divorce, she said, is essentially a “commitment to problem solve.” It’s also a decision to avoid a court-ordered decision, she said. “It’s all about client self-determination.”
Another advantage to the approach is that a settlement spells out exactly what each party can expect, Ousky added. “If you leave it up to a judge there is always a lot of uncertainty about what is going to happen.”
Besides the two attorneys and the divorcing spouses, the team can involve other members as well, McBath said.
Team members can vary from case to case, but generally include a mental health professional to help spouses manage their emotions, a child specialist to help the parents work out a plan for the children and an expert to help sort out the finances.
About 84 percent of the collaborative divorce cases handled by members of Katz’s organization involve families with children; of those, roughly 71 percent were families with minor children.
About 90 percent of the collaborative cases end in resolution, according to the organization’s internal study. In about 60 percent of the cases, the resolution was made within 12 months.
In collaborative divorce, the parties set the pace for the settlement, Katz said. “They’re not waiting on hearings, court dates.”
While conventional divorce generally is adversarial, collaborative divorce requires an ability to put aside hostility and to work jointly to resolve issues.
The option isn’t the best choice for everyone, McBath said.
If spouses can no longer agree to anything or are not even on speaking terms, they would not be a good fit for collaborative divorce, McBath said.
By creating one team, everyone is working together – to resolve issues, McBath said.
“There’s a pledge, from the very beginning, that we are going to settle this case,” McBath said.  “We’re not trying to beat each other up. It doesn’t become a battle of the experts,” McBath said.
“Everybody has got to be honest in this venture and has to be sincere about wanting to settle this thing fairly,” McBath added.  “It’s not going to work if you’ve got people who are selfish and who are thinking only about, ‘How can I get out of this thing and get the most that I can?’ ”

Is collaborative divorce right for you?

If these values are important to you, collaborative divorce is likely to be a workable option for you:

* I want to maintain the tone of respect, even when we disagree.
* I want to prioritize the needs of our children.
* My needs and those of my spouse require equal consideration, and I will listen objectively.
* I believe that working creatively and cooperatively solves issues.
* It is important to reach beyond today’s frustration and pain to plan for the future.
* I can behave ethically toward my spouse.
* I choose to maintain control of the divorce process with my spouse, and not relegate it to the courts.
Source: International Academy of Collaborative Professionals

by Shannon Edinger

Calling all crafters! Fall craft sales and festivals are ready to showcase local crafts throughout Lutz, Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel.

HOLIDAY BOTIQUE
The St. Timothy’s Women’s Club of St. Timothy Catholic Church, located at 17512 Lakeshore Rd. in Lutz, seeks participants for its Holiday Boutique.  It started out as a small craft fair in 1988, and has since expanded and changed its name.
Joanna Stomski, a member of the women’s club, has been in charge of the event two years in a row.  “We are looking for more handmade crafting such as quilting, knitted items, and floral arrangements,” Stomski says.  “We are no longer taking any more commercial items or homemade jewelry.”
Spaces cost $60 for a table and two chairs inside, and $50 for an outdoor space.  Proceeds go to non-profit organizations such as Metropolitan Ministries, Habitat for Humanity, and the Salvation Army.  There are 67 indoor spaces and 106 outdoor spaces.  So far, there have been 145 spaces filled this year.
The Holiday Boutique has a reputation for treating its vendors well.  “We have a lot of volunteers that help vendors unload their stuff, show them where to park, and even sit in a vendor’s space if he or she needs to get up for a little while,” Stomski says.  “Our volunteers are courteous and hospitable to our vendors.”
The Holiday Boutique will take place on Saturday, Nov. 13 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be about 150 craft and quality item vendors, a bake sale, a plant sale, a raffle for Bucs or Rays sports quilt, food, and music.  There is free admission and free parking.  For more information, call Joanna Stomski at (813) 909-4469, or e-mail .

OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY SHOW
Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, located at 2348 Collier Pkwy. Land O’ Lakes, will have a parking lot craft sale on Oct. 23 from 8 a.m. to noon.
Doreen Ward, a parishioner of the church, started the craft sale last February with her sister, Colleen, and will be in charge of sale again this fall.  “We eventually hope to have the sale twice a year in the fall and spring,” Ward says.
The most common craft at the sale is jewelry, but Ward hopes to get more holiday crafters and artwork this year for a variety of crafts.
Spaces are about the size of a parking space and are $10 per vendor and $5 for each additional space.  All profits will go to the Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Pregnancy Center.  Last year, Ward raised $800.  There will also be a truck from Gulfside Regional Hospice to collect any leftover donations after the sale.
“We want people to come out and see what we have,” Ward says.  “There are good prices for good quality stuff.”
For more information, call Doreen Ward at (813) 997-1045.

CRAFTOBER FEST
CrossRoads Community United Methodist Church, located at 26211 County Line Road in Wesley Chapel, will host Craftoberfest on Oct. 23 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
CrossRoads Community UMC has held fall festivals in the past, but this is the first year the festival will include craft vendors.  Randy Sawyer, a parishioner of the church, is in charge of the event.  He, along with 10 other parishioners, will use the money raised at Craftoberfest to buy supplies and go on a mission trip to Kabaale Village in Uganda this December.
Indoor spaces are $30, and outdoor spaces are $25.  Tables may be rented based on availability.  The church will prepare food and there will be 50+ volunteers helping out the day of the festival.
“There will be an array of crafts, including handmade jewelry, designer inspired purses, ornaments, rag quilts, clothing, Fine Chocolates from PattyCakes and specialty embroidered items from Sew Fortunate,” Sawyer says.
There will be a pumpkin patch and four large inflatables from Happy Jumping for the kids.  “It will be something the whole family can enjoy,” Sawyer says.  “It’s important to give the community something to do in their own backyard without breaking their wallets.”
For more information, e-mail Randy Sawyer at .

BRIDGEWATER FALL FESTIVAL
Bridgewater Fall Festival will take place Saturday, Oct. 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  The festival will be held in the Bridgewater Community Park on the corner of Masena Drive and Sotra Street in the Bridgewater Community off Wells Road in Wesley Chapel.
Lynne Tonte is in charge of the festival.  This will be the second year the festival takes place.  “We want to bring people into the community,” Tonte says.  “Bringing families out is the focus.”  There are four schools within a mile of the Bridgewater Community Park.
There will be a gaming bus from Games2u, a 4-D theater, hamster inflatable interactive balls, laser tag, a rock climbing wall, a giant slide, safety exhibits from the Sheriff’s office, food from Woody’s Pizza and Bagelicious, and many other vendors this year.
Tonte is looking for more crafters and home-based business vendors this year.
Parking is limited at the park, so additional parking will be at the nearby schools.  Hayrides from the parking lot to the festival will be available.
It is free admission, but there is a small fee for some activities in the festival.  All profits will benefit the Helping Hands Food Pantry.
For more information, e-mail Lynne Tonte at .

By Kyle LoJacono

For the third straight year Jarrett Ford Lincoln Mercury hosted the Drive One 4 UR School program to raise money for the athletic and extracurricular programs at Zephyrhills and Pasco high schools.
At the event, a record 577 people took test drives at the facility, 38300 Dick Jarrett Way in Dade City. Ford Motor Company and the Rotary clubs in both cities made donations to the school of the driver’s choice, resulting in $11,340 raised.

The checks were given to Pasco principal Pat Reedy and Zephyrhills principal Steve Van Gorden at the 9-Mile War, the annual meeting of the two football teams, Oct. 1 at Bulldog Stadium.
Of the 577 test drives, 301 were for Pasco and 266 were for Zephyrhills. The Pirates received $6,020 and the Bulldogs got $5,320.
“It’s incredible what they’ve been able to give the schools in this economy,” Reedy said. “I want to thank everyone for coming out and supporting us.”
Van Gorden said of the donation, “This will do a lot for our programs at the school. We wouldn’t be able to do everything we do now for the kids without this kind of generosity.”
Almost $40,000 has been given to the two schools during the first three years of the program.