The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Too much water spells trouble for lawns

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By B.J. Jarvis, Pasco Cooperative Extension Horticulture Agent and Director and
Jack Tichenor, Manatee Extension Service Horticulture Agent

August marks the peak of Florida’s rainy season with 3/4 of the year’s rainfall occurring during the summer months. This can be a blessing and a curse.
The good news is rainfall replenishes thirsty lakes and underground water reservoirs, but it can be too much of a good thing for our landscapes. Gardeners can make this even worse if the automatic irrigation system is still operating routinely.
Is the lawn soft, spongy and “squishy” when you walk across it? If so, your lawn is probably suffering from too much water. Excessive water promotes thatch, weeds, fungus and root decline. While gardeners can’t control the rain, we can effectively manage our irrigation systems to minimize over-watering. Following are a few practical tips to help prevent mismanaging water in the landscape.

More water is not better for lawns. (Photo courtesy of the University of Florida Entomology Department)

Rain gauges cost less than $5 and pay for themselves in no time. How often have you been unsure how much rain fell at your place after a downpour? A cheap rain gauge can help you see if your garden got the downpour or if it is thirsty.
In-ground irrigation systems must have a functioning rain sensor shut-off, as it is mandatory on any system installed after 1993. These gadgets are designed to prevent automatic irrigation systems from operating during and after a rainfall. Such sensors are cheap at around $25 and will pay for itself quickly. Research has shown they will save 17 to 24 percent of irrigation water with a functioning rain sensor.
Also, check existing sensors to assure they are adjusted to the 1/2-inch setting. Then test it to verify the irrigation system will not run when water is poured over it.
Irrigation controllers need to be set for the right day and the correct duration. Currently Pasco County irrigation restrictions limit watering lawns to a once-per-week schedule, but keep in mind that just because “it’s my day” doesn’t mean the lawn and landscape plants need to be watered. Set systems to off during the summer rainy season since frequently watered landscapes can go a week or two without running the system if Mother Nature spaces rainfall nicely.
As for the length of watering, most Florida soils need about 3/4-inch of water to moisten a one-foot root zone.  However, irrigation controllers use minutes, not inches for setting the zone run times. This dilemma is easily solved with 6-10 tuna or other straight-sided cans to determine how long it takes to apply this amount. Just place the cans randomly in a zone and run the system on the normal cycle. If cans hold more than 3/4 inches, then cut down the run time. Repeat for all zones.
Too little water can be just as bad as too much; make sure enough is flowing. Watering the top few inches of soil will encourage shallow, sensitive roots. In general, zones using spray type sprinklers usually need between 20-30 minutes while rotor type sprinklers can take 60 minutes or more to deliver this amount application.
Water management is critical even in sub-tropical west-central Florida. Applying just the right amount along with the right timing means the difference between a well-adapted landscape and one that is prone to fungus, thatch and loaded with weeds. These few simple monitoring efforts will pay big dividends this summer.
Additional information about irrigating turf can be found at the University of Florida’s electronic database at edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/AE/AE14400.pdf.
-B.J. Jarvis and Jack Tichenor are University of Florida horticulture experts from Pasco and Manatee counties respectively. Jarvis can be reached at .

Composite bats banned in high school baseball

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Local coaches do not foresee much change

By Kyle LoJacono

The National Federation of State High School Associations has banned composite bats for next school year, but many local coaches do not believe the change will alter the game in Pasco County.

Wesley Chapel baseball player Matt Wynne takes batting practice.

“We knew the ban was coming so we didn’t buy any composites for team to use last year,” said Wesley Chapel High baseball coach Chuck Yingling. “We never used them in practice and I don’t think any of the kids used them in games.”

Pasco High baseball coach Ricky Giles said on the ban, “It’s something the players will just have to get used to, but I don’t think it will do that much.”

Both Giles and Yingling have been teaching the game in high school for more than 15 years.

Composite bats are made from several materials, but usually include carbon, glass and Kevlar fibers within a plastic resin. They are usually lighter than aluminum bats which creates greater bat speed and therefore more powerful swings.

The reason for the ban is data created at the Baseball Research Center showed balls hit with composites travel faster than with wood or aluminum bats. The research was sparked after a California high school pitcher, Gunnar Sandberg, was hit in the head during a game. Sandberg had to have part of his skull temporarily removed because of the swelling.

Those in the federation felt Sandberg might have been able to catch or block the ball if it were moving slower.

Not only are composites lighter, the federation also found many players “roll” bats, which means placing it between to rollers that apply pressure. This breaks down the materials and makes the bat more flexible. When a ball hits a rolled bat it causes it to flex in, which causes a catapult affect with the ball and generates more power. It also creates a bigger “sweet spot,” which is the area of the bat that transfers more power into the swing.

“Rolling the bat gives it a higher performance,” said Elliot Hopkins, the federation’s liaison to the baseball rules committee. “It can significantly increase the performance and that’s huge in our game.”

The federation created a four-page document placing a moratorium on composites until more evidence on the safety of the bats can be better determined. The ban does not apply to bats with composite handles and tapers, only those with such barrels.

The ban will not affect softball bats. Florida High School Athletic Association softball director Jamie Rohrer said the federation felt the composites were not used as much in softball and the rolling process was not being as abused in the sport.

Giles has not seen much difference between how the ball travels off a composite versus aluminum bat.

Cole Stancil, of Pasco High, takes a swing during the district playoffs last year.

“It flies off them both,” Giles said. “I’ve been coaching for going into 19 years at Pasco and I’ve never seen something bad happen, thank goodness. If they tell me it’s safer, I’ll believe them.”

Yingling sees possible positives from the ban.

“In the long run, it’ll make the game more competitive in Pasco County because we’ll be using the same equipment,” Yingling said. “Aluminum bats have a smaller sweet spot, so you need to have a better technical swing. We were in a couple wood bat tournaments this summer and use wood a lot in practice to force the kids to have better swings so they don’t get cheap hits.”

While the Wildcats use wood bats to train the players to have better swings, Yingling does not think a move to only wood bats is possible.

“The metal is more of a financial thing now,” Yingling said. “When you buy an aluminum bat you can use it for years. You can break a wood bat a couple times a week and kids can’t afford to keep buying new ones.”

Giles said like most things, it will just be a learning process.

“Those boys who used composites will need to get used to it because we’re all using the same rules,” Giles said. “Can’t argue if the playing field is level.”

John Isner rising up the world tennis standings

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Professional calls Saddlebrook his home court

By Kyle LoJacono

During the professional tennis offseason and between ATP tournaments, John Isner travels to Saddlebrook to improve his game.

John Isner

The 6-foot-10 Tampa resident’s work has paid off as he has raised his professional ranking to No. 19 in the world, the second highest for an American man behind only No. 9 Andy Roddick.

“Really I’ve just been putting in a lot of hours to get fitter, faster and stronger,” Isner said. “Those are kind of the keys for me. I want to be a better athlete because I feel pretty good about my technique. My coach has been putting me through some intense workouts to do that.”

Craig Boynton has been his coach for the last 17 months. The 15-year veteran coach travels with Isner for all his tournaments.

“John had been at Saddlebrook working with other coaches, so I knew him before I became his coach,” Boynton said. “At some point we started talking and we decided to start working together.

“Because of his size, he needs to be the one dictating the point,” Boynton continued. “He needs to be on the offense and making his opponent react to what he’s doing. He’s made slow and steady improvement with that. I have a vision of how he can maximize his talents and he’s gotten much closer.”

Craig Boynton

Isner’s most recent claim to fame was when he won the longest match in professional tennis history 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7), 7-6(3), 70-68 at Wimbledon against Nicolas Mahut. The match stretched across three days and lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes.

“It wasn’t a surprise to see him battle through it,” Boynton said. “He competes harder as the points get more important. I’ve seen that for a long time, but it was great for the world to get to see him.”

After the match Isner, 25, said nothing like that would ever happen again.

“It just kept going on and on,” Isner said. “I thought I had it won a couple times and he would just come back. It was actually more mentally draining than physically draining.”

Isner went no further in the tournament after winning the marathon and Wimbledon, but the tall, 245-pounder has continued to improve his game in preparation for the next major tournament — the U.S. Open at the end of August.

“He’s got a big serve, which is really good for hard surfaces like at the U.S. Open,” Boynton said. “He tops out in the mid to high 130s (mph), but it’s more the angle it comes down on you that’s really tough. He’s so tall that it’s like the ball is coming down right on your head.”

Isner was born in Greensboro, N.C. and went to school at the University of Georgia. The Bulldogs were the NCAA runner-up in Isner’s junior year in 2006 and took home a national championship the next year. His team was also undefeated during his senior season.

Isner turned pro in June 2007 after he graduated and debuted at No. 839. His highest ranking was No. 18 earlier this year.

Isner’s best finishes in major events include fourth round appearances in the 2009 U.S. Open and the 2010 Australian Open. He also has reached the third round in the French Open and the second round at Wimbledon.

His first professional singles title was at this year’s Auckland Open, a hard court event. He also has two doubles championships. Isner has a 73-58 career singles record, according to the ATP’s website at www.atpworldtour.com.

Isner’s other highlight in 2010 was reaching the finals of the Atlanta Tennis Championships July 25 where fellow Saddlebrook member Mardy Fish took him down 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(4).

During the next few weeks Isner will enter a few tournaments in preparation for the U.S. Open, mixing in several trips to train at Saddlebrook.

“Traveling on the tour is cool, but it’s also nice to get back home to train for a while too,” Isner said. “It’s a great place for young players to learn the game and for me to get better.”

Sunlake High softball has new leader

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By Kyle LoJacono

For the first time in Sunlake High history someone other than John Dawkins will coach the softball program.

Seahawks athletic director Russ Schenk confirmed the change July 27.

John Dawkins

“Sunlake High School principal Mr. (Garry) Walthall has hired Ms. Jami Finan as softball coach,” Schenk said. “Coach Finan will be a Sunlake teacher and head softball coach.”

Finan will be in the physical education/drivers education department next season. She was unavailable for comment by press time.

Schenk would not elaborate on why Dawkins was replaced.

“Our (athletic director) has decided that I do not have the passion for building the

softball program here at Sunlake, so they are replacing me,” Dawkins said.

Dawkins will remain at Sunlake as a business teacher. The Seahawks went 16-11 two years ago and followed that up with a 15-10 record last season.

Sunlake did not make the regional tournament during Dawkins’ three years coaching the team, but the players seemed to enjoy playing for him.

“He’s a good coach,” said pitcher Meghan Durbin during last season. “He’s helped everyone learn the team is more important than anyone by themselves.”

In the last month Sunlake has also brought Mark Hall and Kacy Kane on board as boys basketball and junior varsity (JV) volleyball coaches respectively.

Hall takes over for Bob Marinak, who was the only person to lead the Seahawks basketball team. Hall last coached JV basketball at Seminole High.

Both Kane and Hall will teach in the math department next season. Marinak will remain a teacher in the social studies department at Sunlake.

Saddlebrook Resort shines in tennis and leisure

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Training facility top choice for several professionals

By Kyle LoJacono

Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel is a place for the everyday person looking for a day of recreation, but several professional tennis players have picked it as their No. 1 training facility.

The tennis program lists five current ATP professional players who use the facility for training. Tampa resident John Isner is the highest ranked player at No. 19 as of July 29.

“It’s a great place to train,” Isner said. “I’ve played at a lot of places and the facilities at Saddlebrook are some of the best I’ve been on.”

James Blake

Also using the facility are professionals and Tampa residents Mardy Fish and James Blake and Wesley Chapel residents and No. 3 men’s doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan.

The tennis facility opened in 1986 and has 45 courts, which include clay, grass and hard surfaces. The tennis program has adult clinics, junior camps and a tennis academy.

“Saddlebrook is a Class A place to learn how perfect your tennis game,” said Saddlebrook tennis program director Howard Moore. “That’s apparent by the number of professionals who come and train here … We also have something unique with our preparatory school.”

Saddlebrook Preparatory was founded in 1992 in conjunction with the Pasco County School Board, but has since become a private institution. It is a full-accredited college preparatory school that has around 100 students in third to 12th grade from 20 countries. The students get a traditional education while improving their tennis and golf skills.

“They get the best training to further their skills while going to school,” Moore said. “We’ve had a lot of kids grow up with the program now and soon you’ll be seeing them on the professional tour.”

Saddlebrook has 45 tennis courts. Some are clay, grass and hard surface.

The golf at the resort includes two 18-hole courses — the Arnold Palmer and Saddlebrook courses. Other attractions at the resort include a half-million gallon swimming pool, five restaurants, a spa and room for meetings.

“Saddlebrook was built as a meeting resort, therefore, our primary business is hosting meetings and conferences,” said Saddlebrook’s director of marketing Alberto Martinez-Fonts Jr.  “We host small board meetings of 10 people and large conferences of up to 1,000 people. These meetings are (for) corporations and associations throughout North America.”

The golf courses, spa, pool and restaurants are open to the general public. The resort, which opened in 1981, has 540 hotel rooms. It is located on SR 54 about one mile east of I-75.

Saddlebrook Resort

  • Main resort www.saddlebrook.com (813) 973-1111
  • For meetings www.saddlebrookmeetings.com
  • Saddlebrook tennis www.saddlebrooktennis.com
  • Saddlebrook Prepatory www.saddlebrookprep.com

Former Pasco High standout’s MLB debut

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Former Pasco High standout’s MLB debut
Domonic Brown spent his first three years of high school at Pasco High and is the second player from the school to make an MLB roster.

Domonic Brown
Brown, 22, was called up to the Philadelphia Phillies July 28 and played in his first game that night in right field against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
He wasted little time getting his first big league hit, smacking a double to right center field to drive in a run. Brown went 2-3 with two RBI and two runs scored in his debut.
The only other player to attend Pasco and make an MLB roster was Gene Nelson, who played parts of 13 seasons on six different teams.
Brown was born in Zephyrhills in 1987 and also played in the Dade City Little League. The call up also means he is the first player to play in the city’s Little League majors division to make an MLB roster.
After spending his first three years as a Pirate, Brown moved to Stone Mountain, Ga. for his senior season. In high school he was also a left-handed pitcher who could throw faster than 90 mph. He was drafted in the 20th round in the 2006 MLB draft as an outfielder.
Current Pasco baseball coach Ricky Giles was also the team’s skipper during Brown’s time with the school.
“He’s a great talent and a very hard worker,” Giles said. “I’m not surprised he did so well in his first game because of how he works. He’s a great young man and I’m very proud of him.”
In addition to playing baseball, Brown was also a football player and turned down scholarships to play the sport when he was drafted.

Commentary

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By Randall Grantham

Community Columnist

As you know, we spent a week at the Georgia cabin last month and I told you about the good times — the T-shirts, the motorcycle rides and the trout catching, among other things. But I didn’t tell you about the hard times or the scary times. Of course, we all thought of Dad and missed him, but it was more than that.

Like the fact that when my brother got there a few hours before Mom and me, he found a 3-½ foot timber rattler stretched across the front step, sunning on the river rock slabs my parents had laid.

Alan apparently had not read my previous column about the decimation of venomous vipers around the world because, after missing the thing four or five times at point blank range with a .357, he beat it to death with a stick.

I also didn’t mention, in the earlier article, the fact that when he turned on the water valve under the house for the first time of the year, it looked like one of the scenic waterfalls that dot the mountains. The house is an A-frame perched on the side of a mountain and water flowed freely everywhere you looked under the place.

Now I’ve had my fair share of experience with flooded houses. We’ve flooded the one here in Lutz at least four times. Those weren’t from frozen pipes like what happened in Georgia but from a toilet handle sticking and the water continuing to run until the drain field overloaded and the water had no place to go except onto the bathroom floor and then throughout the house.

The first time years ago, it happened after Ginny got up and I had slept in. When I woke up and swung my legs over the side of the bed … kersplash … my feet went right into an inch of water on the bedroom floor.

We replaced the drain field then, but oak tree roots have a way of finding nutrients and re-infiltrating the line. So it happened again. This time the water went throughout the house, into both bathrooms, two bedrooms, the hallway and even the dining area and kitchen. At least it was clean water.

After promising ourselves it would never happen again because we would watch those toilet handles like a hawk, it happened two more times, both times on Ginny’s birthday a few years ago. Once slightly after midnight as her big day arrived, and then again, slightly before midnight less than 24 hours later. I blame our inebriated birthday guests.

So we moved the drain field away from all the oak trees and figured we were good. We never expected our place in Homosassa to flood. It’s a doublewide on stilts, 15 feet off the ground. If it flooded, we’d need an ark, we figured. But we didn’t figure on squirrels.

You may remember the article I wrote about that. My neighbor happened to notice water flowing out from under my house after the rodents chewed a hole in the bathtub supply line.

The flood in Georgia was kind of like that one. But instead of a flow, it was cascades of water. From everywhere!

Luckily, all the pipes that broke were downstairs and mostly under the house, so there was no damage to the interior. It was inconvenient, to be sure.

The first night, we had only hose water to fill buckets to flush toilets or put in bowls. The second day we were able to restore running water to the house, but only cold water. And if you’ve spent any time in the mountains, you know that their cold water gives new meaning to the word “cold.” The showers we forced ourselves into on the third day were …“brisk” doesn’t do it justice. “Take-your-breath-away cold” comes close, but still falls short of the mark.

We got it fixed and now it’s better than before, with the new freeze-resistant pipe. But it took up a lot of our time and attention. It was emotionally draining and at one point Mom said maybe she should just sell the place. “Maybe it’s a message from Dad,” she said.

With a history of dealing with similar situations, I was able to put some perspective on the situation. Darn right it was a message from Dad, I told her. He was saying get those pipes fixed and let’s go out there and catch some trout!

Helping a hero

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By Suzanne Schmidt

An injured war veteran living in Wesley Chapel needs the community’s help to stay in his home.
The Meet Jose fundraiser is set for Saturday, Aug. 7 at Weck’s American Grill in Lutz.
Alex Altenhoff, co-owner of Weck’s, said from the moment he met Pequeno he knew he wanted to help him.
“We wanted it to be a nice backyard shindig where whole families can come and eat together,” Altenhoff said. “This is not about whether you are pro- or anti-war. Jose made his decision to fight for America and he needs support. We wanted to keep it simple so that everyone from the family can come out and just have a good time.”

Marine Staff Sgt. Jose Pequeno with his mom Nellie Bagley and Alex Altenhoff, co-owner of Weck’s American Grill. The Meet Jose fundraiser will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 7 at Weck’s in Lutz. (Photo by Suzanne Schmidt)

Altenhoff said he was inspired by the strength and determination he sees in Marine Staff Sgt. Jose Pequeno, 36.
It has been more than four years since he returned to the states after that fateful day in Iraq when a grenade was thrown into the Humvee he was riding in. He suffered a severe brain injury along with a number of other injuries. Since then he has had 21 surgeries and spent a total of 34 months in the hospital.
The day his mother, Nellie Bagley, received the call he was injured is one she will never forget. It was March 1, 2006 when her whole life turned upside down.
“They told me that my son had been in an accident, but they wouldn’t give me details,” Nellie Bagley said. “When that happens, you imagine the worst. When you get a call like that you lose a piece of yourself. That phone call is always in the back of my mind. They said they didn’t think he was going to make it.”
Pequeno either damaged or lost 50 percent of his brain on the left side. Bagley and her daughter Elizabeth Bagley traveled to the Navy National Medical Center in Maryland to see him as soon as he got back to the states.
“When we were allowed to see him, we took our gloves off and touched his shoulder in the only place we could,” Nellie Bagley said. “We looked at him and told him that we care for him and that if he wanted to let go he can. We said if he wants to stay and fight that we will be there for him. We told him he will never be alone.”
His mother and sister have kept that promise by taking care of him everyday since he cannot take care of himself and he still cannot speak. Up until the last year and a half, they stayed with him while he was in and out of several hospitals. Since December 2008, they have been living with him in a home in Wesley Chapel. Now it is time to buy the house they have been renting, but they do not have the money.
“I started looking for a rental house that would allow me to fix the bathrooms and install ramps and widen the doors,” Nellie Bagley said. “The goal was to get him into a house and out of the hospital so he could get better. I found someone who would let me rent the home and we had all of the modifications done but I had to sign a contract stating I would buy the house in a year.”
Heroes to Hometown with The American Legion did all of the $60,000 worth of modifications to the home but now the family is struggling to be able to buy it. The contract to buy the home was up in October.
“Over a year has gone by and we haven’t had any success in raising money for the house,” Nellie Bagley said. “Being out of the hospital is the best thing for him. No medication can replace the love and attention of a family around him. If we get the house secured that would be one big weight off my shoulders. We have to keep the house, because Jose has to stay out of the hospital. The difference in him since he has been out is unbelievable.”
Elizabeth Bagley was a college student at the time of his injury. She gave up school and everything in her life to be there for her brother and her mom.
“At first it was very scary because of the condition he was in,” Elizabeth Bagley said. “Seeing the improvement he has made has been very rewarding. Being able to bring him home was the best thing for him. Ever since he got out of the hospital, he has been more relaxed and less depressed. It gives him something to look forward to.”
She said she knows her brother understands what is going on around him.
“We are typical brother and sister,” Bagley said. “I will give him a hard time about the outfit he is wearing and he will make a growling noise or make a face as if he is retorting. It may take time but I have no doubt in my mind one day he will communicate with us down the line. He is already communicating with us through facial expressions and moans and groans.”
Bagley said she is very proud of her son.
“When you have a child and they get hurt you kiss it and put a Band-Aid on it,” Nellie Bagley said. “I wasn’t able to be with him when he was hurt. I will never leave his side. His sister and I have been by his side every day 24 hours a day. If he didn’t want to live, he had plenty of opportunity to let go. He is a fighter and he wants to live. I am proud of him, everyday he fights for his life.”
He has been improving thanks to the physical, speech, occupational and pool therapy he has been doing five days a week and to the love and support of his family.
“We have been helping him to keep his muscles in shape and keeping him strong physically and mentally,” Bagley said. “We take him to the movies, to the beach and to restaurants. He eats what we eat. I put it all in a blender and put it in the feeding tube.”
For more information or to donate, call (813) 948-1615 or visit www.wecksamericangrill.com.

How you can help Jose at Aug. 7 fundraiser
By Suzanne Schmidt

The Meet Jose fundraiser will raise money for Marine Staff Sgt. Jose Pequeno with food, drinks, raffles and a silent auction at Weck’s American Grill, 18450 US 41, Lutz, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 7.
Alex Altenhoff, co-owner of Weck’s American Grill, said meals of Johnsonville brats and pulled pork barbecue sandwiches with a side of red bliss potato salad will be served, along with Blue Bunny ice cream, Budweiser beer and Sprecher’s root beer – all donated.
“The outpouring of support from the community has been amazing,” Altenhoff said. “We are getting a 32-inch flat screen TV from Buddy’s, a necklace from Keifer’s and memorabilia from stars. The Florida Aquarium will be donating park packages.”
Altenhoff said he is still accepting donations.
“We are asking for local businesses to donate goods and services,” Altenhoff said. “Everyone who donates will be on our website permanently. The overall goal is to do something nice for our neighbor who is in need to show our gratitude for the ultimate sacrifice he made for our freedom.”
Pequeno’s three children Mercedes, 15, Alexandria, 13, and Gaige, 12, will attend along with his constant caregivers, mom Nellie Bagley and sister Elizabeth Bagley. The event will also draw a lot of military icons and some celebrities, Altenhoff said.
“He is looking forward to meeting people,” Nellie Bagley said. “He is aware of his surroundings. He understands what is happening around him. He knows everything that is going on, he is just trapped within himself. It means a lot to me to know the community cares and supports him. That is bigger than anything else. I think it means a lot to him too.”
The money raised will go to the Aleethia Foundation, a nonprofit organization, for the Jose’s Place fund. For more information visit the foundation’s website at www.aleethia.org.

City, state divided on plans to one-way 301

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Traffic is driving the state plan, but locals question the need

By Kyle LoJacono

Zephyrhills City Councilman Tim Urban knows from experience what one-way roads can do to a small city like Zephyrhills and is among those who want to see US 301 stay open to two-way traffic.
He moved to Brooksville in 1974, before US 41 was turned into a one-way street through the city in 1993.
“It shut businesses down,” Urban said of the change to 41. “It lets people drive through the town faster, but in the end it hurts the city. It also took away from the ambiance of the small town.”
Zephyrhills city manager Steve Spina did not give his own opinion, but said he is working to keep 301 two-ways because that is what the city council wants.
“Right now the FDOT has jurisdiction over the road and we’re trying to get it turned over to the city,” Spina said. “If that happens then we’d give the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Sixth and Seventh (streets) to use for the traffic going through the city.”
Sixth and Seventh, both one-way roads, are directly next to and parallel to 301 through the city. Sixth goes south while Seventh runs north.
“We’re in a holding pattern right now while they look at our proposal,” Spina said. “FDOT said it could take up to a year from now while their engineers check the design. They are also looking at the permitting.”
Spina said he first heard of FDOT’s plan in 2001 and added the city has had the same opinion on the project since then.
Gordana Jovanovic, FDOT’s project manager for 301, said the original plans were to convert the road to one-way traffic between where it splits with SR 39 in the south to CR 54 in the north. The highway would allow people to travel north while southbound traffic would be diverted to Sixth. The plan also includes widening both 301 and Sixth to three lanes.
“The traffic is bad on 301 through the city and making it a one-way street would help with that problem,” Jovanovic said. “Sixth Street already is one-way, so it makes sense to do the same thing with 301. When we looked at the engineering, the cultural impact and the economic impact we found that it was the best plan.
“We also had numerous public meetings in the city over the last few years and the majority of people said they thought it was the best plan,” Jovanovic continued.
Jovanovic added that Sixth would be given to FDOT’s jurisdiction regardless of which plan is used. This would not affect access to Florida Hospital Zephyrhills as it is north of CR 54 where 301 would remain a two-way road.
The city council members drafted a resolution last November making their objections known to the department and have not backed off from that opinion.
“Clearly the community doesn’t want to see one-way roads through Zephyrhills,” Urban continued. “It wouldn’t benefit the community economically.
“People have approached me and said they don’t support 301 going one-way,” Urban said, “That’s even before I joined the council (in April).”
It seems Urban has an accurate read of those in the city. The Laker asked 20 Zephyrhills residents in Zephyr Park and Betmar Acres if they were for or against converting 301. Of those, 18 said they were against changing the road while two said they were not sure.

Tim Urban

“It would make driving harder and more confusing,” said Zephyrhills resident Judy Thomas.
Thomas went on to say she always gets lost because of one-way streets when she is in larger cities like Tampa.
Neukom Groves’ packing facility has been located on 301 just north of Fifth Avenue since 2001. George Neukom III owns the groves and has lived in Zephyrhills his whole life. While he does not think his business would be affected by a possible conversion of the highway, he sees how it could hurt others.
“I’ve heard how other towns have lost business when they start putting one-way roads through them,” Neukom said. “If you’re a large enough business people can see you going either way, but the small businesses that only face one way lose half the drive-by traffic.
“I’m for improvements though,” Neukom continued. “I’m for anything that makes Zephyrhills more accessible. I’m always for growth and improvement over staying the same as long as it’s done right.”
Urban also said he supports enhancements to the road.
“Both the city manager and Mayor (Cliff) McDuffie are looking into ways to make the traffic flow better,” Urban said. “They’ve been working with FDOT on the proposal and hopefully everything works out in the best interest for our residents and businesses.”

Lutz lawmaker pushes Arizona-style immigration law

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Primary opponent wants it too, but calls push a publicity stunt

By B.C. Manion

State lawmakers didn’t take up the Arizona-style immigration law being proposed in Florida at their special session last week, but the issue is far from over.
Indeed, it is just heating up.
Rep. Kevin Ambler, a Republican whose district includes Lutz, filed three measures aimed at making it easier for law enforcement officials to identify illegal immigrants and harder for those without proper documentation to secure public benefits or state jobs.
Since state lawmakers didn’t deal with the issue last week, Ambler said the push will continue when the legislature convenes for another special session, expected in August or September.
The issue is too important to put off until the legislature meets in regular session next year, said Ambler, who is engaged in a tough Republican primary battle for state Senate District 12, which covers portions of Pasco and Hillsborough counties.
“People are demanding something get done,” Ambler said.
“I certainly know about the fiscal costs, as well as the criminal justice costs, associated with illegal immigration,” said Ambler, chairman of the Public Safety & Domestic Security Policy Committee in the Florida House.
The Arizona law directs law enforcement officers to question people about their immigration status during traffic stops or other law enforcement actions if they have reason to suspect the person they’ve stopped is in the U.S. illegally.
With its wide-open coastline, Florida is especially vulnerable, Ambler said, estimating the number of illegal immigrants in Florida is more than twice as many as in Arizona.
Some Arizona law enforcement officials object to the law passed there, but Pasco County Sheriff Bob White wants an Arizona-style immigration enacted law in Florida.
He outlined his rationale in a prepared statement.
“Thrusting a transient and unsupported immigrant population on an already struggling economy with high unemployment and debt creates an unacceptable and unnecessary burden on taxpayers and on the quality of life in our communities,” White observed.
“When the federal government fails to protect the states, then the states must protect themselves,” the sheriff asserted.
Margarita Romo, executive director of Farmworkers Self-Help, based in Dade City, has a much different view about enacting an Arizona-style law here.

“We’re supposed to be a compassionate country, but I don’t see too much compassion going on these days,” said Margarita Romo, executive director of the Farmworkers Self-Help Inc. of Dade City.

“I am very much opposed to it. I think it’s wrong. I don’t disagree that we have to fix our borders, but I do disagree with the way they are doing it.
“The farm workers only do what other people are not willing to do,” said Romo, who favors creating a system that would allow a path toward citizenship for illegal immigrants.
“We’re supposed to be a compassionate country, but I don’t see too much compassion going on these days,” Romo said.
Local residents offered a variety of views on the topic.
Harry Farner, 67, of Zephyrhills and Linsey Gregg, 27, also of Zephyrhills, were relaxing at an ice cream stand when they offered their opinions.
Farner thinks laws regarding illegal immigration should be decided at the state level – contrary to a federal lawsuit challenging Arizona’s law on the grounds that it illegally usurps federal authority.
“Not every state is the same,” Farner reasoned, so laws should be tailored to address the particular issues faced by individual states.
Gregg said illegal immigration is a complicated issue.
“I’m very torn because I feel that everybody has a right to be here – but everybody has a right to be here if they’re paying taxes,” she said.
Gregg also has doubts over whether the issue should be handled at the state or federal level. On one hand, it might be better left to state authorities, she said. On the other hand, they might not want the responsibilities of enforcement.
Vladinka “Vicky” L-Paunovic took a brief break from folding laundry at a coin laundry in Zephyrhills to offer her perspective.
She said she moved to the United States from Yugoslavia about 14 years ago, and now works two full-time jobs: at the laundry and at Walmart.
“I think we ought to take care of the people who are already here,” the 56-year-old said.
However, she thinks there should be a system that would allow illegal immigrants to work legally in the United States and earn their way to citizenship.

Harry Farner

She envisions a system that would link Social Security numbers with work permits. After three years of working and paying taxes, without tapping into government benefits, those holding such the permits could get green cards and pursue citizenship.
“If they’re not working, send them back. If they don’t pay taxes, if they use government money, send them back,” she said.
Hillsborough County Commissioner Jim Norman, Ambler’s opponent in the upcoming Republican primary for state Senate, criticized Ambler for not taking a stand on illegal immigration sooner.
He characterized Ambler’s recent call for action on the issue as a “political stunt.”
“If Ambler was really serious about wanting to deal with illegal immigration earlier, he would have done it in his previous years in office,” Norman said. “When I’m in the Senate, I will file legislation on it that will be heard. I’m very strongly in favor of the Arizona law.”