The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Not so lovable lovebugs

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By B.J. Jarvis
Pasco Extension Horticulture Agent
Dr. Norman Leppla
UF Professor/Integrated Pest Management Coordinator

It’s September, the kids are back in school and all is right with the world until SPLAT!  A small black bug gets smeared across your windshield. Well, actually it’s two bugs.  Yes, it is lovebug season again.

The larger female is on the right of the mating pair. (Photo courtesy of the University of Florida)

Lovebugs, which scientists call Plecia nearctica, are adult flies that fly around in pairs after mating. The larger of the two is the female and females are the pilot for the team, dragging her smaller mate around for most of the day.
Perhaps starting just after a good rainfall in late summer, the black and red insects emerge from the soil surface, climb high up on vegetation and take flight. They don’t bite or sting, but their smashed bodies smear windshields and can mar your car’s paint. Making matters worse, they seem attracted to heat and the smell of exhaust, so look out for an invasion at the fuel pumps and on the highways during the day.
Although some are out throughout the warmer months, the onslaught occurs only twice per year. The little critters emerge from the ground after feeding on decaying matter with siblings that number up to 600. The juveniles have spent about half a year feeding before emerging in May and again in September as adults.
So where did lovebugs come from? The tiny insects migrated from Central America more than 50 years ago, hitching a ride on shipped goods. They have since spread throughout the warmer portions of the Gulf Coast states.
Extermination is not an option. An attempt to spray highways in the 1960’s not only proved ineffective, but probably killed beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies.
The two different lovebug seasons last for four weeks. Here are a couple of ways to live with them:
–Start the lovebug season with a good coat of car wax. The slick surface can make it easier to remove those you hit.
–Wash your car regularly to minimize pitting of the paint, preferably within 24 hours.
–Install a screen or bug deflector on the car.
–Lovebugs love the daytime heat so, when possible, drive at night.
–Looking for a good excuse to put off that home improvement project? Don’t paint now, as the smell of fresh paint actually attracts the insects that then stick to the newly painted surface.
Look on the bright side. Lovebug juveniles are helpful decomposers of dead plant material. While that might not be much consolation, for the month of September, slow down, keep the hose and scrubber handy and try to keep a healthy dose of patience to survive the unlovable lovebug season.
For more information about living with lovebugs, visit edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/IN/IN69400.pdf. In addition, the University of Florida’s integrated pest management website, ihttp://ipm.ifas.ufl.edu.

-B.J. Jarvis is horticulturist and extension director for Pasco County Cooperative Extension Service, a free service of the county and the University of Florida. For more information, visit the extension website at www.pasco.ifas.ufl.edu.

The connection between mothers and daughters

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By Diane Kortus
Publisher
Labor Day weekend held new meaning for me this year. Instead of looking forward to a weekend at the beach, I looked forward to the arrival of my daughter, Rachel, who came home for the first time since she left for college in mid August.

My house has been exceedingly quiet since Rachel left for Stetson University in Deland. While I have enjoyed the time for myself, coming home to two dogs and a cat is a lot different than coming home to a teenager.

Rachel asked me not to plan anything special for the holiday weekend. She said all she wanted to do was “to chill with her pets and hang.”

And that made me happy because that is all I wanted too — to have my daughter around the house doing what she does best — “hang.”

Being the mother of a daughter is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Rachel arrived after her brother Andy and like most mothers I know whose first-born is a son, I wanted a daughter the second time around.

Sonograms were not routine when I was a young mother and I did not know the sex of my children before they were born. Although I dearly loved my rambunctious 3-year-old boy, I wanted my second child to be a girl so much that I requested only frilly girl things for my baby shower, as if getting little girl dresses assured me of a daughter.

Silly as that logic was, it worked.

My little girl could not have been more different than her brother. Where Andy was gregarious and loud, Rachel was quiet and reflective. Andy couldn’t wait to try new things while Rachel insisted on taking beginner tumbling three sessions in a row.

Andy went to bed without prompting and was up early, even as a teenager, to get started on a day of pre-planned activities. Rachel stayed up past her bedtime most nights finishing a book or listening to a Harry Potter tape for what seemed like the hundredth time. She never woke before 10 a.m. without a fight, and still doesn’t.

When Rachel was an infant, I imagined a mother-daughter relationship where I would extol my wisdom on her so that she could avoid the mistakes I had made during my 37-year head start on life.

But I was wrong about who would be teaching whom. As most parents come to know, we learn more from our kids than they from us.

To those of you who are mothers of both sons and daughters, you will understand when I say the connection I have with my daughter is different than that with my son. I love both my children unconditionally with a depth that every parent feels. But there is an added dimension in the relationship I have with Rachel because we are both women.

Being women greatly affects how we perceive the world. And it is a dimension that will continue to grow closer as Rachel graduates from college, begins a career, gets married and becomes a mother herself.

In her 18 years Rachel has shaped who I have become as much as I have shaped her.
I can’t wait to see what the next 18 years holds as Rachel and I continue on our paths that will forever intersect as mother and daughter.

Skip the bread and get a box at Benedetto’s

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By Samantha Taylor

This is the fanciest restaurant I have reviewed so far, so you are in for a treat.
The owner and head chef, Chef Ben Pumo, enlightened me on just how custom his restaurant is. First I have to say, “What a nice guy.”
He has created a really awesome atmosphere – cozy, classy and romantic.  I love how the lights are dim, with candles on the table and a pianist from 6-9 p.m.

Primavera pasta with vegetables

Be aware: Italian restaurants tend to offer calorie-laden meals, so order smart. Each night, the chef offers a low-calorie option. After talking with Ben, we picked the healthiest options for you.
First is shrimp primavera pasta with vegetables. You can substitute chicken if you don’t prefer shrimp; I selected crab.  To eat this, or any meal, for health and weight loss, portion control must be practiced. Order the dish with the whole wheat penne pasta.  I don’t prefer “al dente” pasta, which is firm; so if you also like your pasta softer, tell them you don’t want it “al dente.”
Ask them to replace the clam sauce with a little olive oil and garlic.  Once you see the size of this dish and their delicious salad, you will realize that you can take two-thirds of this pasta home and still be full.  Their house dressing is one of the best dressings I have ever eaten, with about 10 grams of fat in a serving — and if you dip your fork in the dressing then put the fork into your salad, you will only use half of it.
I got croutons on the side, but used only the brown ones – whole grain bread.
Since bread with butter is too many calories to eat with the meal, tell your server you don’t prefer to have it.
The other meal you can order is spaghetti and meatballs using whole-wheat penne pasta. Yum!  The trick is to eat only one meatball and save the rest for another day. This is how you can have this meal and still reduce fat consumption.
The same idea applies here: eat the salad, one-third of the pasta dish with one meatball and observe how satisfied you will be. Another way they customize meals is if you are gluten intolerant and have special pasta, you can bring that in and they will cook it for you. Enjoy a pasta dish or lean filet steak at this fancy, elegant restaurant that embraces you with the warmth of a family place.  I love it!

For more information on healthy ordering at Benedetto’s and other area restaurants, visit Samantha’s blog at www.thisisfit.com.

Steinbrenner girls golf embarks on year two

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By Kyle LoJacono

Last year Steinbrenner High girls golfers reached the regional tournament as a team and the Warriors have higher aspirations for the second season.

“We came in third in the district tournament last year, which sent us to the playoffs,” said second-year Steinbrenner coach Mark Mann. “This year I think a district title is within reason. I’m not predicting we will win districts, but that’s a realistic goal for us.

“We have five returning players and five new freshmen who will get to learn from the older players,” Mann continued. “We have a good mix of talented and experienced players and younger players willing to listen and learn the game. I feel very good about what we can do this year.”

Mann coached girls golf at Sickles High before coming to Steinbrenner. Four players from the Gryphons team came with Mann to the new school when it opened. One of those players is Sara Bair, a junior, who has loftier goals for the season.

Sara Bair

“I want to make states as a team this year,” said Bair. “I want to get to states to show people Steinbrenner golf is one of the best programs in Florida.”

One Warrior familiar with the state tournament is Alex Milan, a senior who also played at Sickles, who has made the event as an individual the last two years. In 2008 she finished ninth in the Class 2A tournament and took eighth place in 1A last year.

“This year I want the whole team to get to states to see what it’s like,” Alex said. “For myself I want to take that next step and win a state championship. It’s my last chance to do it and I’d love to win the first state title for the school.”

Alex Milan

Alex has been playing competitive tournaments around the southeastern United States during the summer to get better.

Alex is also one of Steinbrenner’s top students. She has a 5.92 weighted grade point average, the second highest at the school. She has narrowed her choices of schools to the University of Central Florida, Florida State University and Wake Forest University. Alex plans to play golf while studying businesses and minoring in Spanish.

Alex is not the only Milan playing for the Warriors this year. Her younger sister Andi, a freshman, joined the squad this season.

“I picked it up from my sister,” Andi said. “I saw how much fun the team had last year and wanted to give it a try. I’ve watched her play for so long and I wanted to do something with her.”

Andi did not play the game much before this summer. She said her best sport is softball and plays first base and is a pitcher.

Another player who has improved her game during the summer is Marlena Gumpher, a sophomore. She started playing golf last year.

“I took lessons during the summer (at Heritage Harbor Golf and Country Club) and I’ve taken camps so I could work on my game the whole day,” Gumpher said. “Plus it’s just a good time to come out and practice with the team. We have great chemistry together and all really like each other. Now we have more players and it’s like that good chemistry is just spread around more.”

The Warriors play their home matches at Heritage Harbor in Lutz. They won their first match 167-205 against Freedom High Aug. 31, setting a new program record for lowest score. The squad followed that with a 165-167 loss to Plant Sept. 2.

Steinbrenner has started the season off 1-1 and the players are happy to have Mann running the show.

“When I knew I was coming here last year I was like I don’t want to play golf unless he comes with us,” Bair said. “He’s a great coach. He knows how to make us better and also how to tell us so we listen.”

Zephyrhills volleyball reloads in 2010

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By Kyle LoJacono

The Bulldogs lost six seniors, including both team captains, from the 2009 team that reached the playoffs, but coach Dan Muir is confident they can make it back to the post season.

“The best part about the young players who moved from (junior varsity) is they went 11-1 last year, so they have a lot of chemistry and work well together,” said Muir, who is entering his third season as Zephyrhills’ coach. “We lost very good players, but we still have a very solid team.”

The three biggest losses from last year’s squad that went 18-6 are team captains Taylor Willis, a middle hitter, and Lindsay Arnold, a setter, along with Lacey Cook, an outside hitter. All three signed athletic scholarships, Willis for volleyball at Flagler College, Arnold for track and field at the University of South Florida and Cook for softball at George Washington University.

“They weren’t just leaders, but also our biggest hitters up front and the most athletic players,” Muir said. “We won’t be as athletic this year, but what we lack in athleticism we’ll more than make up with on court communication. They talk a lot out there and always know where to be.”

One of the call-ups from the junior varsity (JV) squad this year is junior Erica Kinsman. She is not only adjusting to playing varsity volleyball, but also to replacing Arnold as one of the team’s setters.

“I don’t really think about that,” Kinsman said. “I just try and get better so I don’t let my teammates down … We’re very close from playing on JV, but we’ve also been friends with the players on varsity. Lindsay and I were very good friends and I hope I can do as good a job as she did.”

From left are Kaitlyn Blount, Kaylee Gaskin and Chellsey Barnett. Each will make a difference on the Bulldogs front line this year.

One of the players moving into the void on the front line is middle hitter Kaylee Gaskin, senior team captain.

“I’ve tried to be more of a leader in summer workouts and in preseason practices,” Gaskin said. “Losing so many good players from last year is obviously a hard thing to come back from, but everyone has been at most of the summer workouts and have been working hard going into the season.”

“I think we have a great chance to get back to the playoffs,” Gaskin continued. “Our goal is to go a long way in the playoffs and hopefully get to the final four and win a state championship.”

Gaskin had 85 kills and 56 blocks last season. The only returner with more kills last year is Kaitlyn Blount, who had 93 while adding 11 blocks and 26 aces.

Other players who will play up front are Morgan Beaulieu, Chellsey Barnett, Maya Clark, Maddie Marshellsea and Kristen Deck, who moved to Zephyrhills from Orlando.

“She’s about 6-foot-2 and her height will really help us this year blocking in the middle,” Muir said of Deck. “I wasn’t sure who was going to play that position with so many players graduating, so thank goodness we have her.”

Muir’s daughter, Danielle, will be the Bulldogs other setter. Running the backline will be libero Sierra Bahr, a junior, who had 308 digs and 39 aces in 2009.

“I really like playing libero because the ball always gets hit to me first, that is if everything works out right for us,” Bahr said with a laugh. “If I’m not the first getting the ball then I might have to hit it over and that usually means a free ball for the other team.”

Bahr’s first year on the squad was also the first for Muir as coach. She has seen the team and her own growth as volleyball players under his teaching.

“He’s done a great job as our coach,” Bahr said. “He was a big part in us getting good enough to make the playoffs last year and if we listen to him, we should get back there this year.”

The Bulldogs have gone 2-0 through the first two matches, beating both Central High and Citrus High in three sets. The team had a match Sept. 7 at River Ridge High, but results were not available at press time. Zephyrhills will play against Pasco at home Sept. 9.

“I think it’ll be a very fun team for people to come out and watch,” Muir said. “They have a lot of fun out there and will put on a good show for the community to come out and watch.”

GAME OF THE WEEK

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Seahawks start season with blowout win against Bulls

By Kyle LoJacono

The Sunlake High football team was able to run up and down the field en route to a 43-6 road win against Wiregrass Ranch High.

The Seahawks (1-0) scored on the opening drive of the year and never let Wiregrass Ranch (0-1) get closer than two points.

“We got up early and were able to control the clock by running,” said Sunlake coach Bill Browning. “The defense shut them down after they scored on their first drive and really everyone did just what they needed to do for us to win.”

Sunlake coach Bill Browning talks to his team after beating Wiregrass Ranch.

Before the season Browning said the Seahawks would be more have a more balanced offense after relaying on the run last year, but that did not take place in the first game. Sunlake ran the ball on 47 plays while throwing just 13.

The Seahawks scored touchdowns on their first three drives, including a two-point conversion on the first drive of the season. The Bulls scored on their opening drive, but missed their attempt at two points.

“We’ve got to get a lot better,” said Wiregrass Ranch coach Jeremy Shobe. “Sunlake did a great job and I give them a lot of credit. I wish them luck in their district because it’s a tough one. They’re strong and they executed while we turned the ball over and didn’t play very fundamental defense.”

Shobe said he saw his team start playing better on defense in the second half sacking Sunlake quarterback Jacob Jackson twice, but by then it was too late. Wiregrass Ranch also lost two fumbles and turned the ball over on downs on an attempted fake punt and going for it on fourth down in the second half.

The number of possessions for Wiregrass Ranch was reduced thanks to the effectiveness of the Sunlake rushing attack. Every touchdown for the Seahawks was a rushing score, including three for junior running back Rashaud Daniels.

“It was a team effort,” Daniels said. “We came out with a mindset of winning and that’s exactly what we did. We’ve worked so hard this summer and it made us closer as a team.”

Daniels finished with 103 rushing yards. The running back had to fight through cramping that forced him to go in and out of the lineup to stretch his legs all night.

“It was bad, but I couldn’t let my teammates down,” Daniels said. “I had to go out there and step up and fight through it.”

Browning said of Daniels, “He showed a lot of heart out there tonight. The offensive line was able to open some big holes and gave Jacob (Jackson) time to work in the pocket.”

Also making big contributions in the running game was senior fullback Craig King, who had rushing scores of 21 and one yards. He had never scored a touchdown before.

“It’s awesome man,” King said. “We’ve never beaten this team and this is the greatest feeling in my life right now … The offensive line had a lot to do with our running attack being so good. They are so big and strong and make it easy to pick up big chunks of yards.”

The last Seahawks score was on an 18-yard run by junior Jerome Samuels. Sunlake had 279 rushing yards against the Wiregrass Ranch defense.

Bulls senior quarterback James Tringali started the game off efficiently, completing six of seven passes for 38 yards in guiding his offense 80 yards on Wiregrass Ranch’s first drive. He capped off the drive with a three-yard touchdown pass to senior running back Nick Lomba.

Tringali and the offense could not muster much more on offense in the first half, going three and out on the next three drives.

It is first time the Seahawks have won a season opener in program history. Sunlake has a bye next week before playing at Hudson High Sept. 17.

Kickball Society moves to Oscar Cooler Sports Complex

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By Kyle LoJacono

The expansion of Oscar Cooler Sports Complex in Lutz has not only created more space for children to play sports, it is also allowing adults to play kickball closer to home.“We wanted to offer our players more options and when we got the opportunity to bring one of our leagues to Lutz we loved the idea,” said Rosemary Curtiss, one of the Kickball Society of Tampa Bay’s founders. “We had a lot of people from Lutz and Pasco County playing and we thought moving further north would allow more people from southern Pasco to play.”The society’s Sunday night league, the Kickers, is moving from Northdale to Lutz. Games will be played on the new soccer fields at 770 W. Lutz-Lake Fern Road from 6:30-7:30 p.m. The eight-week fall season starts Sept. 19 and will end with a championship tournament before Thanksgiving.

Steve Koenig with his son Steve Jr.

One of the players who has participated in the Kickers league the last three seasons is Land O’ Lakes resident Steve Koenig.“I’m pretty happy with the move,” Koenig said. “It’ll be a new year with new teammates and new fields.”Koenig’s son Steve Jr., 7, watches the games and says he looks forward to going to the contests each week during the season. The younger Steve played spring baseball at the complex.“We’re familiar with the fields and it’ll be very nice playing closer to home,” Koenig said. “I think the move to Lutz will get more people from around Pasco to join and that will allow me to meet new friends, which is the main reason I keep playing in the league.”Koenig’s team was eliminated in the second round of the Kickers’ playoffs. Shaun Fowler and his wife Maggie, of Lutz, were members of team Return of the Kick Me that came through as the Sunday night champion.  “Our whole team are a bunch of friends and acquaintances who all like kickball,” Fowler said. “We saw the signs on the side of the roads that talked about adult kickball, so we decided to all give it a try. We are actually very competitive. We like having fun, but we also like to win.”That competitive drive is evident in the team’s record. Fowler’s team started in the spring of 2009 as Kick Me and went undefeated in winning the title. They reformed with the new name last spring and again went perfect.In addition to the new location, the Kickers will most likely have two divisions, one for competitive and one for recreational players. Curtiss said it will happen if there is enough interest for the dual divisions. While Fowler’s team is on the competitive side, he said he most likes how easy the game is for anyone to play.“It’s so inclusive,” Fowler said. “The league is co-ed and people in their 20s can play with and against people in their 50s and 60s and I can play with my wife too. It’s not like me going to play ice hockey where my wife stays home with my son for three hours. The games are only 45-50 minutes and it lets us adults go and blow off some steam.”Fowler said he picked up ice hockey after moving to Florida from Massachusetts. Koenig on the other hand competed in decathlons while in high school while playing baseball and football. He may have been a top-notch athlete in his youth, but most of the society’s players have little to no competitive athletic experience.“It’s for the average person to those who played sports all through high school and in college,” Curtiss, of Lutz, said. “That’s why it attracts so many people.” The league had 615 people registered for last spring season among its three leagues, which include the Kickers, the Northdale Champs and the Temple Terrace Busch League. Players in that season were from Lutz, Odessa, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Dade City and New Tampa. Players must be at least 21-years-old to play and Curtiss said there are those in their 50s who have participated.Curtiss started the Kickball Society with her husband Wayne more than a year ago with their longtime friend Kermit Kauffman. In addition to weekly games, there are other events that happen during the season, including field goal kicking contests and theme nights like tie-dye, 80s and various movie themes. Registration for the fall season is underway and will run through Sept. 6 at a cost of $60. People can either sign up as teams or as individuals who will be placed on a team. The society has videos on its website for people to see the games for themselves before signing up. For more information, call (813) 454-1178 or visit www.kickballsociety.com.

Alex Milne commits to the University of Central Florida

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By Kyle LoJacono
Gaither High junior pitcher Alex Milne has verbally committed to the University of Central Florida. He will sign his scholarship during his senior year.

Alex Milne
“I really like the coaches there,” Milne said. “It has a nice facility. Also UCF has been following me since my first college showcase so I knew they were very serious about me going there.”
Milne, a 6-foot-1 left-hander, has started for the Cowboys since his freshman year. He throws a curveball, changeup and a fastball in the high 80s.
“He started so young for us and he also plays a lot for good club teams, so he has a lot of mound presence.” said Frank Permuy, who has coached at Gaither since the school opened in 1984. “Last year as a sophomore he looked like a senior. Also he’s a pleasant kid to coach. He listens and never has a problem with his grades, so I don’t have to worry about him.”
Zach Jackson, a senior, has played with Milne at Gaither for two years.
“His freshman year we were a very young team and his pitching helped us go deep in the playoffs,” Jackson, a right fielder and pitcher, said. “I remember his first game against Bloomingdale (High). He had nine strikeouts and he’s been nothing but great for us since then.”
Milne has also played in American Legion Summer League baseball with the Cowboys, where he went 5-0 this year.
Milne thanked his father and mother, Andy and Chris, and his sister Cailin for supporting him at home. He also thanked coach Permuy, his travel club coaches Geoff Geotz and Jerry Stanley and all his teammates at Gaither.
“I love baseball,” Milne said. “I’ve never really played other sports and it’s great to know I’ll be able to play in college.”
-All stats as recorded to Maxpreps.com by coaches. Reach Kyle LoJacono at .
Alex Milne’s Gaither stats and awards
13-2 record with 2 saves
3.27 earned run average
62 strikeouts
.251 opponent batting average
Gaither rookie of the year in 2009
Gaither pitcher of the year in 2010

Spreading holiday cheer doesn’t happen overnight

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Volunteers working to provide for military personnel overseas are already ramping up for the holidays

By B.C. Manion

While most people are thinking about whether they’ll barbecue chicken or ribs for Labor Day, efforts are already revving up to bring a bit of holiday cheer to the nation’s troops.
The goal is to collect 140,000 bags filled with snacks or toiletry items, said Bob Williams, of Support The Troops, Inc., a 501(c)3 charitable group based in Wesley Chapel.

BobWilliams holds a goody bag full of snacks. Tens of thousands of these bags will be sent to service men and women overseas. (Photos by B.C. Manion)

This year, organizers are even more ambitious than they were last year when the effort resulted in sending 135,000 individual goody bags to 19 bases and two ships in forward deployed areas, Williams said. The bags were delivered by chaplains to service men and women on Christmas Eve, Williams said.
Karin King, founder of Treats for Troops, put the holiday drive for goody bags this way: “We’ve made our list and checked it twice.”
“If there are 5,000 guys on their ship, we want them to have 5,000 bags. If there are 2,000 guys on the base, we want them to have 2,000,” Williams said. “It’s a big morale boost.”
Williams and King are united in their efforts to recruit help from Sunday school classes, civic organizations, businesses or any other group that can help them provide a bag of goodies or toiletries for each service man or woman.
The bags can contain just about anything, King said. “Anything you go to the store for, they don’t have it either,” she said.
The snack bags can have items such as candy, gum, pretzels, chips, cracker, popcorn and cookies.
The toiletry bags can have body lotions, deodorant, sunscreen, lip balm, eye wash, body wash, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouth wash, hand sanitizers, baby wipes, soaps and more.
The items should be packed in one-gallon Ziploc bags.
Tampons can be particularly useful to soldiers in combat, King said. If a soldier is wounded, the tampon can be inserted into a wound. Tampons come wrapped individually, in sanitary packaging. A tampon absorbs blood, expands and can be easily removed, she explained.
Either toiletry bags or snack bags are welcome, but toiletry items and snack items should not be mixed together in the same bag, King said.
The rush is on to collect the filled goody bags, she added. “We need to have these bags by Halloween,” she said, in order to have them reach the troops in time for the holidays.
While Williams and King focus on gearing up the goody bag effort, members of Lutz Patriots also are preparing to make two large shipments of care packages before the end of the year. One shipment will be sent later this month. The other will be sent in November.

Thank you notes and photographs cover a wall at the warehouse where volunteers for Support The Troops, Treats for Troops and the Lutz Patriots pack care packages for military service men and women.

Bruce Hockensmith of the Lutz Patriots, said his group is always looking for donations for the 50-pound to 60-pound care packages they send to troops about four times a year.
The group is planning a packing party at the Support The Troops warehouse on Sept. 18, he said. The other shipment will be sent in time for the holidays, Hockensmith said.
The Lutz Patriots seeks to specifically send care packages to service men and women with ties to the Land O’ Lakes and Lutz areas, Hockensmith said. He encourages people in the local community to let his group know about their friends and family in the military overseas by e-mailing the group at
Like Williams and King, his group can use assistance.
“We’re always looking for donations,” Hockensmith said, noting his grassroots group has no outside source of funding. “Our soldiers really look forward to that mail call.”
In addition to the holiday goody bags, Williams and King also are involved in year-round efforts to send care packages to troops overseas.
Williams operates a warehouse, where he collects donations from companies, organizations and individuals used to fill 69-pound boxes that are routinely sent to U.S. military units in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Qatar and Kyrgyzstan. Hundreds of volunteers pack the boxes.
Donations pay for the $40.25 postage charge for each box, but getting those donations is the biggest challenge, Williams said. Shelves in the warehouse are full of items that could be sent immediately to help the troops, but the organization doesn’t have enough money to cover the shipping costs, he said.
King, who started out by herself just baking a few dozen cookies, now has about a dozen women helping with the cause. The cookies they make are packed into Williams’ care packages.
King’s husband, Jim King, also is involved. He runs Operation Pocket Change, an organization that collects spare change from patrons at sporting events to help cover the cost of postage for shipping the military care packages.
All of the various efforts are important, King said, but the push is on now to get those goody bags filled and packed, to ensure delivery in time for Christmas.
“It just lets them know that people care,” Williams said.

Reach B.C. Manion at .

How To Help

For more information on how you can help, please contact:

Support The Troops, Inc. at (800) 367-3591 or (813) 991-9400
Treats for Troops and Operation Pocket Change at 813-746-1517
Lutz Patriots at ">

New year brings renewed growth in Pasco

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Roads, parks and public safety top improvements list

By Kyle LoJacono

The new fiscal year for Pasco County begins Oct. 1 and the list of capital improvements for the year is dominated by projects to improve transportation, parks and public safety.
The total price tag for the county’s 2010-11 capital improvements, which was recently released as part of the 2011-15 capital improvement plan, is $400 million, while the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will pump in another $65.3 million for roads during that time. County commissioners hope these projects will help change Pasco.
“With the development of our strategic plan and our business plan, we are hoping to transform Pasco from a bedroom community to a place where residents can live, work and play,” said county commission chairwoman Pat Mulieri. “Pasco is definitely positioning its self to bring opportunities home as our slogan says.”
Mulieri represents Pasco District 2, which covers Land O’ Lakes, most of Wesley Chapel, Grower’s Corner and Shady Hills.
The county projects from next year will be paid for by a combination of impact fees, Penny for Pasco funds, gas taxes and money from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
TRANSPORTATION
The big ticket road project in east Pasco next year is the $14.8 million to finish the widening of SR 54 from I-75 to Curley Road in Wesley Chapel. This is not a new project, but rather what was part of the $28 million contract signed last year.
The continuation east of that highway’s widening will also start next year at a cost of $650,000 from FDOT, impact fees and Penny for Pasco money. The money will go to design the widening of SR 54 the nine miles from Curley to Morris Bridge Road in Zephyrhills and also for right-of-way acquisition of land. The actual widening will happen in later years.
This SR 54 project seems to be already helping the economy of Pasco.
“When I asked T. Rowe Price, who is bringing 1,600 jobs to the area, why they chose Pasco they mentioned the building of needed infrastructure,” Mulieri said. “As important as (SR 54) is to bring jobs and businesses to Pasco, widening of 54 will most importantly relieve the stress for present Pasco residents who commute out of the county each day.”
Another road that will connect Zephyrhills and Wesley Chapel is the future Zephyrhills Bypass.
The project will start where SR 54 turns south at Curley. It will build a four-lane highway through the planned New River Town Center and Harrison-Bennett commercial development in Wesley Chapel and two lanes through the more rural areas to the east. The job also includes building a bridge and will connect with Handcart Road in Zephyrhills.
The total cost of the Bypass is $17.3 million from gas taxes and impact fees, with $2.4 million already spent, $2.6 million to be spent next year and $12.3 million to finish the job in 2014.
Improvements to the intersection of SR 52 and Prospect Road in San Antonio will be done to make the area safer and improve traffic flow. The project will cost $2.9 million from Penny for Pasco money.
A $650,000 study from impact fees will also be conducted this year in part to see if Overpass Road in Wesley Chapel should be widened from I-75 to the east.
Like Mulieri, John Hagen, Pasco’s president of economic development, said he also sees the advantage to the county from road projects.

John Hagen

“We’ve been pushing for easier ways to connect Zephyrhills, Dade City, Wesley Chapel and the rest of east Pasco with areas to the west,” Hagen said. “They have some great things in east Pasco, like the Shops at Wiregrass and any way we can reduce the travel time to drive across the county will help business.”
In addition to those projects, the county will spend $5.4 million from gas taxes to resurface roads throughout the county.
PARKS AND ENVIRONMENT
The John S. Burks Memorial Park in Dade City will be expanded to meet increased demand from the community at a cost of $2.2 million from parks and recreation impact fees and a grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
There will be two new soccer/football fields while concession, restroom and storage buildings will be constructed. New parking spaces will also be added.
“Its expansion will let more people in east Pasco enjoy the park,” said Pasco Parks and Recreation Department director Rick Buckman. “The main thing is there will be more room for the soccer program there. By the end of the year the fields are mainly dirt, so more fields will improve the playing surface.”
In addition, $23 million will be spent to improve the Boyette Road reclaimed water reservoir in Wesley Chapel. Castoff water is collect and treated at such facilities and used for nonconsumption uses throughout the county.
PUBLIC SAFETY
The third most expensive portion of capital improvements plan is public safety. Many new fire rescue, emergency medical service and law enforcement vehicles will be added or to replace older units across the county.
Flooding has also been an issue in Zephyrhills and a $1.2 million project will help reduce the potential for such a disaster around Lake Zephyr. A variety of flood control measures and also water quality projects will be paid for by the county and the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
GOVERNMENT
Improvements will also be made to the election process in the county next year. The Pasco Supervisor of Elections will have a new data center in Dade City after the completion of the $12.4 million project. The new center will be better able to process the votes from the increasing population in Pasco.
The entire Pasco capital improvement plan for 2011-15 can be viewed at portal.pascocountyfl.net in the county budget tab.

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