The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Christmas Toys Past and Present

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Randy-Grantham-MUG

Want a plane that loops the loop
I still want a hula hoop
We can hardly stand the wait
Please Christmas, don’t be late.

— “The Chipmunk Song,”  Alvin and the Chipmunks

By Randall Grantham

Community Columnist

Ah, the holiday season is upon us. I knew it was true when the Christmas specials started showing up on TV again.

You know them by heart, probably. Charlie Brown’s Christmas, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (with the timeless and unmistakable voice of Burl Ives), The Grinch, as well as the celebrity feature shows we’ve all grown to know and love.

We saw a good one the other day. Dennis Leary, the caustic comedian, had his own special on The Comedy Channel.

Judging by Leary’s reputation and the name of the show, “Merry F#@*x!% Christmas,” you can probably guess that it wasn’t the kind of show to give you the warm fuzzies. But he had a segment that rang true and brought back memories of Christmas past.

In the feature, Leary ranted about the wimpy nature of toys children get these days and how the old toys were not only more fun, but also served to “thin the herd” in a survival of the smartest kind of way.

His examples were BB Guns (with their obvious safety concerns), the vibrating football game (with small plastic players that “pose a choking risk”) and a Creepy Crawler Factory that used a 110-volt hotplate to melt and cook plastic goo into …well, creepy crawlers, what else?

I had every one of those given to me as a Christmas present when I was a boy. Although I shot one of my friends with the BB gun and I know I burnt myself more than once with the Thingmaker version of the Creepy Crawlers, those were great toys!

I don’t know who would be stupid enough to eat a plastic football player, but my “incidents” were learning experiences in the what-doesn’t-kill-you-makes-you-stronger sense of the word. I’m still alive (don’t worry, so is my BB’d friend) and a little wiser to boot.

Not that I’m dissing today’s way-cool computer game toys and electronics, but it does seem that most of the other stuff these days is just … well, weak. BB guns were real. I actually killed a rattlesnake with BB’s when I was growing up.

I had both the Thingmaker and a Vac-U-Form, and I can vouch for the fact that those suckers were sizzling hot. So were the metal molds and the plastic thingies you were making, even after you took them off the heat. Learning experiences!
I recently read that a version of the Vac-U-Form is being re-introduced and it uses “safe” light bulbs instead of the sizzling 110-volt hotplate. What fun is that? But it did get me to thinking, why are these plastic factory toys not even manufactured anymore? Is it because those pesky lawyers filed so many frivolous lawsuits that legitimate businesses were bankrupted? Too many stupid kids eat the plastic pieces or put their tongue on the heating element?
Surprisingly, in my superficial research and fact-checking on the internet, I didn’t find a single report of any lawsuits or serious injuries from these hotplate toys. I guess manufacturers like Mattel are just going soft.

So, this year I’ve placed my order for Christmas toys for my nephews with a company called Mainway Toys, named after company president Irwin Mainway. I’ve ordered a “Johnny Switchblade: Adventure Punk” doll for the older one and the tried-and-true “Bag O’ Glass” for the younger one. That just screams Christmas, doesn’t it?
(Apologies to Saturday Night Live.)

Randall C. Grantham is a lifelong resident of Lutz who practices law from his offices on Dale Mabry Highway. He can be reached at . Copyright 2009 RCG

Toys for Tots of East Pasco brings joy to needy children

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Foundation helps thousands each year

By Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

PASCO COUNTY — Bob Loring is known as the head elf for Toys for Tots of East Pasco.

“It’ll ruin my Christmas if we can’t help these needy children,” Loring said. “One year we ran out of toys and had to turn some parents away in Dade City. That crushed me to watch those parents not have presents for their kids. I don’t want that to ever happen again.”

Loring has been the EPTFT coordinator since 1999. He moved to Zephyrhills from Miami in 1996 after retiring from Florida International University.

The Toys for Tots Foundation was founded by the U.S. Marine Corps in 1948 to collect unwrapped presents and distribute them to needy children during the holidays.

EPTFT was founded in the early 1990s. Last year, it distributed presents to 3,300 children and wants to do the same this year.

While EPTFT focuses on Pasco County children, Loring said families in north Hillsborough County zip codes that cross into Pasco are not turned away.

All toys will be distributed on Dec. 19 at five locations, one of which is at Wesley Chapel Elementary. Anna Fulk is the captain for the Wesley Chapel distribution.

“After parents register with us they get to go shopping for their children at our tables,” Fulk said. “The tables are set up in a circle I call ‘the circle of life.’ Each table has toys for different ages of children.”

Fulk said the distribution will be from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Parents will be able to select one large and two small presents, plus all the stocking-stuffers and stuffed animals they want.

“Barns & Noble has given us a cases of books donated by customers for parents to pick from, and Bob Williams with Support Our Troops donated about 1,000 toothbrushes to give out too,” Fulk said. “We tell the parents that it’s just like shopping, but there is no cashier at the end. That always surprises them because unfortunately many people in need are used to having things just shoved at them without getting to pick. We let them have their choice of the toys.”

EPTFT collects toys all year, but sets up extra drop-off locations in east and central Pasco in November to increase donations during the holidays. J.Joseph Salon in Land O’ Lakes was one of those locations this year.

“We had a good year in a recession and wanted to find a way to give back to the community,” said Roy Naccour, J.Joseph owner. “Lots of people have been bringing in presents and asking us about the program. The community reaction has been great, and I want to thank them for it. It’s important that every kid has something special at this time of year.”

Loring said EPTFT will be collecting toys until Dec. 18 for this year.

“When I started with Toys for Tots I was told that half the kids in Pasco are on some sort of assistance, like free or reduced lunches at school,” Loring said. “I don’t know the exact numbers, but it must be higher after the economy went bad. My phones are ringing off the hook with parents wanting to register for toys.”

To qualify for help from EPTFT a child must be receiving some financial assistance. To help the most underprivileged children, Loring asks the public schools to select the students that are most in need.

“What is great to me is we are as grass roots as it gets,” Loring said. “Each community in Pasco takes ownership of the needy kids in their area and the great thing is any community can get in on the program. When I started we had just one distribution location. Now we have five.”

For more information on EPTFT, e-mail Loring at , call him at (352) 588-4230 or visit www.toysfortotspasco.org.

Distribution Locations for Toys for Tots of East Pasco

  • Alice B. Hall Community Center, 38116 Fifth Ave., Zephyrhills
  • Wesley Chapel Elementary, 30243 Wells Road, Wesley Chapel
  • Pasco-Hernando Community College, 36727 Blanton Road, Dade City
  • New Life Assembly, 38012 Trilby Road, Trilby
  • Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes

Developers leave Connerton project

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Operations have shut down, but that should have little immediate impact on residents and businesses, community leaders say.

By Ashley Reams Dunn

News Editor

LAND O’ LAKES — Just weeks ago, Ron Levondosky, owner of Amalfi Pizza & Pasta could count on at least $1,000 in business every month from Connerton.

Levondosky’s restaurant is located in Arbor Square, the shopping center in Connerton. Levondosky catered parties and other functions that Connerton would organize. He would also see Connerton employees in his eatery for lunch about three times a week.

But he won’t be getting that business anymore — at least not for a while.

On Dec. 4, Connerton’s developer, Terrabrook, ended operations at its offices and welcome center and laid off six full-time and four part-time employees. It announced Dec. 8 that it would be leaving the entire project. Developers are now in the process of trying to sell Connerton to an investor.

“It’s regrettable,” said County Commissioner Ann Hildebrand, “… I’m optimistic that it will come back.”

Connerton is a 4,800-acre mixed-use community in Land O’ Lakes on US 41. It encompasses an area bordered by SR 52 to the north and Ehren Cutoff to the south and east.

Developers envisioned that the community would be self-contained with homes, businesses, a hospital, schools and recreation opportunities. County officials even gave the project its own category called “New Town” in the county’s long-range plan. The state designation of New Town is a planned urban community created in a rural or undeveloped area and designed to be self-sufficient with its own housing, education, retail, government, recreation and commerce. It is designed to encourage development that is compact, mixed-use, pedestrian oriented, environmentally sensitive and provide a balance between housing and employment.

In total, approximately 8,500 residential units and more than 3 million square feet of commercial space for office, retail and industrial uses were planned.

Terrabrook received its first approvals for construction in 2003. Homes were priced from the $130,000’s to the millions.

There were going to be five villages, and homes in the first village, the Arbors, were nearly sold out. Homes in the second village, the Gardens, were up for sale. Before the housing market slumped, Connerton developers expected to sell 700 to 800 homes each year. Little more than 200 homes have been sold so far.

University Community Hospital opened in March in Connerton Commerce Park, the development’s industrial, office and service complex.

“We don’t anticipate any problems or interruptions,” said CEO Debi Martoccio.

UCH draws patients from Pasco, Hillsborough, Hernando, Polk and Citrus counties. The hospital has 76 employees and has doubled its amount of patients since Nov. 1.

Three schools were planned for the community. The first, an elementary school, is under construction now and on track to open in August 2010, according to Chris Williams, the Pasco school district’s director of Planning. There is also land for a middle school at the same location and another elementary school at another location in Connerton, but the district has no immediate plans to build those schools, Williams said.

Connerton has it’s own recreational activity center, Club Connerton, which opened recently and cost $8 million. Hildebrand said that the greatest impact on Connerton residents would likely relate to Club Connerton. Since Terrabrook pulled out of the development, the activity center has been turned over to Connerton Community Council Inc., a nonprofit group owned by the residents.

Five shopping centers were also planned for Connerton. The first shopping center, Arbor Square, opened in March 2007. It has banks, restaurants and other businesses and is anchored by a Publix supermarket.

“That’s always going to be a draw there,” Hildebrand said.

The project might be shut down for now, but most businesses shouldn’t be impacted, explained Kathy Dunkley, executive director of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce.

“The homeowners aren’t leaving,” she said. “The people who are living there that support those stores are still there.”

The economy is to blame for the closing of Arbor Square stores such as the UPS Store and Chick Chat, Dunkley said.

“Nothing is going to happen until the economy starts changing,” she said.

“I think there’s been probably a disappointment because the businesses thought there would be a lot more in the area,” she added.

Levondosky, who opened Amalfi Pizza & Pasta nearly a year ago, said his business would probably be impacted more than others because of the catering he did for Connerton activities.

With only about 200 homes in Connerton and a total of 2,713 homes within a three-mile radius, staying in business is “a challenge,” Levondosky said.

Rent rates are higher at Arbor Square compared to other shopping centers in the area because of the Connerton name, and many of the businesses there have found it difficult to meet those rates in the slow economy, Levondosky said.

He said business owners are hoping a new developer comes in and takes over soon.

“We all realize what potentially is going to be here,” he said, “but getting to that point is going to be the difficult part.”

New fees end Christmas in the Park

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Not even Santa can escape the pitfalls of a down economy.

By Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

LUTZ — Christmas in the Park will not happen this year for one very big reason — money.

“On Nov. 1, people from the Parks (Recreation and Conservation) Department changed all the locks at the Lutz Community Center without telling anyone,” Marilyn Wannamaker said. “They told us they were charging (nonprofit) organizations $20 an hour to use the center.”

Wannamaker is the president of the Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, but she said she was only speaking as a concerned citizen of Lutz.

“What really makes me upset is that the county had nothing to do with building the center or the train depot, but now they are charging anyone to use it,” Wannamaker said. “We use the center and so did the Garden Club, two bridge clubs, a bunch of woodworkers, the Boy Scouts and the Civil Air Patrol. Now the bridge clubs have nowhere to play and the scouts and CAP can’t have a place to have dinners to celebrate their awards. It would cost us way too much to have the Christmas in the Park, much less all our meetings at the center.”

As of November, any nonprofit group must pay $20 an hour to use either the Lutz Train Depot or the center, and other groups must pay $40. Even the Little Women of Lutz, the youth arm of the Woman’s Club, will have to pay to meet at Nye Park.

The Woman’s Club has approval to meet at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center without charge.

To put on the Christmas in the Park as it had in past years, the Woman’s Club would have to rent the center, the train depot and the park next to the depot. They would also be charged $20 a day to put up the giant holiday cards along W. Lutz-Lake Fern Road.

“We learned about the new fees when we heard that the Christmas in the Park was canceled,” said Robert Coates, committee chairperson for Boy Scout Troop 12 in Lutz. “We always put the cards up for the Woman’s Club and then take them down, but they told us it would cost them about $250 to have the cards up.”

Coates said the scouts are working to get permission from the Free Masons to use Masonic Lodge for future dinners and special events.

In past years, the Woman’s Club and Lutz Civic Association would give out hot chocolate and cookies from the center while the event happened in the park, but not this year.

“It’s just terrible to lockout all the people of Lutz from the facilities that we put up,” Wannamaker said. “The county just told us the Woman’s and the Garden Club could use the center rent free as long as we made them our co-sponsor for everything we do and used their logo. We still have to vote to see if we are going to do that or not at our January meeting.”

The situation is not as simple as repealing the new fees.

“The charges are a necessity,” said John Brill, spokesperson for the Parks department. “We don’t want to charge people, but it’s either that or close parks. During the public hearing portion of the decision making process, the majority of the people that attended said they’d rather see the fees than parks close.”

The department also forced every car that attended the Lake Park Arts and Crafts Festival on Dec. 5 and 6 to pay $2 for the first time. The weather was not ideal that weekend, but only 15,000 people attended the festival.

In 2008, between 35,000 and 40,000 went to the two-day show.

“People thought that the money was going to the Woman’s Club, but we didn’t get any of it,” said Shirley Simmons, club member and co-chairperson for the festival. “It was surprise to us that there would be a gate fee back in October.

“The rangers at the park had to man the gates, so they weren’t as visible and helpful as in years past.”

Simmons has been a club member since 1980 and was the president from 1984 to 1986.

“In spite of all of it, we had a great weekend,” Simmons said. “The art show was a success and our over 250 vendors were happy.”

Nothing is planned as of now to protest the new fees, it seems that may change with time.

“We have nothing set in stone to do anything now until we have a united effort from the community to stop this nonsense,” Wannamaker said. “As far as I know, no one is using the facility now, which is really pointless to have a building that no one can afford to use.”

Sports community rallies for late coach Harry Olsen

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Beef O’ Brady’s proceeds, golf tourney benefit family

By Steve Lee

Sports Editor

WESLEY CHAPEL — The family of revered baseball coach Harry Olsen, who suffered a fatal heart attack in October, has benefited from the giving spirit of the local sports community.

A golf tournament in November raised more than $13,000 for Olsen’s widow Sara and their children, 15-year-old son Harry IV and daughters Grace, 13, and Anna, 11.

Next up is a Dec. 16 fund-raiser at Beef O’ Brady’s in Wesley Chapel, with raffles and 75 percent of the proceeds from that evening’s business (5 p.m. till closing) earmarked for the family. Harry O. Wings and Beer Night is billed as a family event for “good food, good people and good memories.”

“It’s just, basically, to give them another check for the holidays; just to help them out,” said Mike Hamilton, a longtime family friend who also coached Little League teams alongside Olsen. “I’m happy we could come up with a nice event just to say Merry Christmas to them.”

Additionally, a Poker Run motorcycle ride in April will generate money for the Olsens. That event is being organized by Hamilton, who rides a Suzuki.Coach-Harry-Olsen

Olsen, who passed away at 42, was a longtime baseball coach in leagues at Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel. While coaching Little League teams in Land O’ Lakes, the Wesley Chapel resident worked diligently with parents in that community to start leagues of their own. Olsen was among a dozen adults who founded the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association 10 years ago.

While many people have known the Olsens for a long time, first-year Wiregrass Ranch baseball coach Jeff Swymer did not know Harry for very long before his unexpected passing. Nonetheless, Olsen made a lasting impression on the new coach.

“When I took the (Wiregrass Ranch coaching) job in August, Harry was the first guy to approach me and offer his help,” Swymer recalled.

Swymer initially planned a golf tourney in October as a fund-raiser for the baseball team. Olsen’s passing prompted Swymer to rename the event at Tampa Bay Golf and Country Club to the Harry Olsen Memorial Golf Tournament.

“I knew how much he worked with those kids,” Symer said. “It was a no-brainer for me.”

In addition to assisting with the Wiregrass Ranch baseball team, Olsen dedicated time to that school’s softball team in between head coaches. Being there when someone needed help was what he was known, and loved, for.

“He was one of those guys who would give you the shirt of his back,” Hamilton said. “Harry helped so many families that people just want to help out his family now.”

On Dec. 2, Olsen’s widow received a check from the golf tourney while at dinner with Swymer and Land O’ Lakes Little League coach Joe Ganci.

“She didn’t want to accept it,” Swymer recollected. “She felt it was putting out the baseball team, but I told her, ‘No, you have to accept it.’”

Pack 12 Webelos become Boy Scouts

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Tocobaga District makes crossing over bigger than ever

By Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

LUTZ — Before Cub Scout Jacob Tactuk, 10, could cross over to Boy Scouts, he had to earn the Arrow of Light award, the most important achievement for any Cub Scout.

Cub Scout Pack 12 Webelos earn their aquanaut activity badge in July. Pictured are Webelo Scouts Ryan Fisher, Evan Hopkins, Kristian Fedor, Jacob Tactuk, Liam McGann, Camrin Cowden, Nathan Burnside and Lonnie Wooton. Special to The Laker/Lutz News.
Cub Scout Pack 12 Webelos earn their aquanaut activity badge in July. Pictured are Webelo Scouts Ryan Fisher, Evan Hopkins, Kristian Fedor, Jacob Tactuk, Liam McGann, Camrin Cowden, Nathan Burnside and Lonnie Wooton. Special to The Laker/Lutz News.

All Cub Scouts Webelos have to earn the award before they move on to Boy Scouts. To earn the AOL, scouts must earn activity badges from 20 Webelo activities. Some of the activities include: fitness, aquanaut, citizen, communicator, outdoorsman, artist, scholar and handyman.

“It wasn’t hard work because it was so much fun,” said Tactuk, of Pack 12 in Lutz. “I like doing all the activities and getting awards.”

Matt-Burnside
Webelo Den Master Matthew Burnside holds up one of the Arrow of Light awards that were given to nine scouts in Cub Scout Pack 12 on Dec. 10. Burnside’s sons, Jacob Tactuk and Nathan Burnside, where two of those scouts. Photo by Kyle LoJacono.

After earning the award, the scouts receive a badge that is sewn onto their Boy Scout uniform. The badge is the only one carried over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts.

In past years, Cub Scouts crossed over to Boys Scouts when they received their AOL award, but the Tocobaga District, which covers all Cub Scout packs and Boy Scout troops in north Hillsborough County, decided to do something different this year.

Instead of crossing over to Boy Scouts when they received their AOL award, all north Hillsborough Cub Scouts will cross over together at group campout. The event, called Webelo Woods, will be Jan. 22 and 23, 2010 at Camp Brorein on Boy Scout Road in Odessa.

Tactuk is a fifth-grader at Lutz Elementary and started in Cub Scouts as a Wolf scout. He and his stepbrother, Nathan Burnside, were two of nine Webelo scouts from the pack that earned the award on Dec. 11. Their father, Matthew Burnside, is their den master.

“I’m very proud of what they’ve both been able to accomplish, and it’s been a great bunch of years helping them in Cub Scouts,” Burnside said. “Both my two boys and the other Webelos have all worked hard and will be very ready to be Boy Scouts…We go on more campouts than most Cub Scout dens to try and make them ready to be Boy Scouts. I’m biased, but I think they are the most ready to become Boys Scouts of any den in the area.”

Burnside said his oldest son, Matt, is a Life Scout in Boy Scout Troop 12, of Lutz.

The camp will have eight stations designed to teach the boys skills needed in Boy Scouts. Some of the stations will include: first aid; navigation skills and an axe yard to teach the scouts knife, axe and saw safety.

“I think it’s a good idea to have the district cross over together,” Burnside said. “Lots of boys drop out of scouting after they earn the AOL. It’s easy to lose interest without events like this one to prepare the kids and keep scouting in their lives.”

Tactuk said of earning the award, “I’m ready to start in Boy Scouts right now. The campout will real be fun too…My dad has helped me and Nathan and all the other scouts get our AOL.”

For more information on Cub Scouting, visit www.scouting.org. For information on the Tocobaga District, e-mail or visit www.boyscouting.com.

Pack 12 Webelos who received their Arrow of Light Award on Dec. 11 include:

  • Nathan Burnside
  • Camrin Cowden
  • Krisztian Fedor
  • Ryan Fisher
  • Evan Hopkins
  • Jacob May
  • Liam McGann
  • Jacob Tactuk
  • Lonnie Wooton

New Zephyrhills Chamber director brings fresh approach

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By Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

ZEPHYRHILLS — The search is over for the Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce executive director.

“We thought long and hard about all the potential applicants, and it came down to two very qualified people,” said Mike Mira, chamber president since October. “It was very close between the two, but in the end, Vonnie Mikkelsen had just what we were looking for.”

Vonnie Mikkelsen was named the new Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce executive director on Dec. 10. Mikkelsen was one of 44 applicants for the position. Photo by Chris Drews.
Vonnie Mikkelsen was named the new Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce executive director on Dec. 10. Mikkelsen was one of 44 applicants for the position. Photo by Chris Drews.“We thought long and hard about all the potential applicants, and it came down to two very qualified people,” said Mike Mira, chamber president since October. “It was very close between the two, but in the end, Vonnie Mikkelsen had just what we were looking for.”Mira said 44 people applied for the position, which was news to Mikkelsen.“I had no idea that many people tried to get the position,” Mikkelsen said. “That makes me feel even more honored than before.

Mira said 44 people applied for the position, which was news to Mikkelsen.

“I had no idea that many people tried to get the position,” Mikkelsen said. “That makes me feel even more honored than before.

“When I applied for the position, I didn’t know where I stood, but I knew I was qualified and would be able to bring something to the chamber. I guess I just fit what the board was looking for in an executive director.”

Mikkelsen, 46, lives in Land O’ Lakes and spends much of her time volunteering at the Pasco County Animal Services’ animal shelter. For her work with the shelter, she received the Florida Veterinary Medical Association’s Citizen of the Year award in 2009. She also earned the PCAS’ Outstanding Volunteer and the Presidential Volunteer Service awards in 2008.

She has also spent time volunteering as a Guardian Ad Litem, which is a program in which volunteers make sure abused and neglected children adjust smoothly to state intervention. Some of the duties these volunteers have are to check in on the children regularly and help the kids during court appearances.

Mikkelsen was named the Pasco County Volunteer of the Month in August 2008 for her work with the Ad Litem program.

“Working as an Ad Litem volunteer is what I’m most proud of,” Mikkelsen said. “Helping these children in difficult situations does so much for them.”

Mikkelsen graduated from Willamette University in Salem, Ore., in 1985 with a double major in political science and international relations.

Mikkelsen has worked as a project coordinator and manager. She is fluent in Japanese.

“I was only going to spend about one year in Japan teaching English to students, but it turned into 16 years,” Mikkelsen said. “I worked with Time Warner and Turner Broadcasting in Tokyo developing programming for Cartoon Network Japan.”

The new executive director also earned a nonprofit management certificate from the University of South Florida in November.

“Her going to USF for nonprofit management is one of the things that tipped the scales toward Vonnie,” Mira said. “She also is a fresh face here in Zephyrhills. We’ve found that many of the same people here do all the fund-raising, charitable work and other up-front activities. We wanted someone new in the area to bring a fresh approach, and that is something Vonnie will offer the chamber and its members.”

Mira said the chamber is trying to create a new image for itself with its new director and a new Web site that will launch sometime in the next two months. He said this new approach was made to retain the chamber’s 400 members while attracting new ones from the 4,000 businesses in the Zephyrhills.

“I’m very confident in the leadership of the board of directors the chamber has, and the businesses of Zephyrhills should be too,” Mikkelsen said. “The leadership is very serious about what it wants to accomplish and has clear goals to do that. They are receptive to new ideas and in moving forward. I’m very excited about the future.”

Mikkelsen received the news of her new position in an unusual place.

“I was in the pet store getting dog food when I got the call around 1:30 (p.m.) from the chamber,” Mikkelsen said. “The food was for my Australian shepherd named Tucker and my shepherd mix named Sierra that my husband (Dennis) and I adopted from a shelter. I’d have to say I didn’t imagine that would be how I’d get the news, but it was still perfect.”

Cross Country – Wiregrass Ranch aims to build on record-breaking season

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Bulls claim 3 SAC awards

By Steve Lee

Sports Editor

WESLEY CHAPEL — Wiregrass Ranch cross country coaches Don Howard and Chris Loth couldn’t be happier about a record turnout, which led to the best season in school history for the boys and girls teams.

Now that the bar has been set high, the numbers could be even greater in the future.

In all, 51 runners (30 boys, 21 girls) turned out for this year’s teams that set school records by sweeping Sunshine Athletic Conference, Class 3A, District 3 and, 3A, Region 2 titles. Both fourth-year squads also cracked the top 10 in state meets by placing sixth.

While the boys won their first conference and district championships, the girls defended their crowns at both of those levels.

“I think it establishes us as one of the best programs in the area in the last decade or so,” said Howard, who coaches the Wiregrass Ranch girls. “We both have a lot of youth, so I think we can continue.”

Loth concurred, adding, “Having both squads establish themselves among the top tier programs in our district and region fulfills a goal we both set at the start of the season. That will continue to fuel our motivation to succeed down the road.”

No team in Pasco County garnered more SAC honors than Wiregrass Ranch with a dozen runners making the list. Next up was Land O’ Lakes with 10.

For their team’s efforts, Howard and Loth were named coaches of the year in the SAC. Plus, freshman Nikita Shah was the SAC Girls Runner of the Year.

Land O’ Lakes’ Matt Schwartz prevented a clean sweep by the Bulls by being named the SAC Boys Runner of the Year. The senior placed 11th in 16 minutes, 19 seconds at the state meet. That followed victories in district and regional races.

Although he didn’t crack the top 20, Wiregrass Ranch’s Ryan Pulsifer finished 26th for the second-highest finish among county runners in the state meet at Little Everglades Ranch. Pulsifer also was third in regionals at Withlacoochee River Park with teammate Delonzo Sharp right behind at fourth.

On the girls side, Shah ran a 19:32 to finish a county-best 17th, not far ahead of Mitchell standout Kelli Williams, who wound up 23rd. Shah was a district runner-up and took fifth at regionals.

While most of the county teams competed in 3A, the best runner in 2A was Pasco’s Anthony Plourde, who won a district title and placed fifth at regionals.

“He’s got lungs like bellows,” Pasco coach Barry Grayling said. “He never runs out of air. He runs all day.”

Although they did not fare as well as Wiregrass Ranch or Land O’ Lakes in the SAC awards, Pasco and Wesley Chapel sent boys and girls teams to regionals with the Anclote boys also advancing to that level.

All-Sunshine Athletic Conference Cross Country

Wiregrass Ranch, in just its fourth season, has five postseason championships. This year’s boys and girls teams matched postseason achievements with conference, district and regional titles. Last year, the girls won conference and district crowns. That places the Bulls among the best cross country programs in the Tampa Bay area.

Here is a list of the best runners and coaches in the Sunshine Athletic Conference as voted by coaches from Pasco County’s 12 public schools.

  • Boys Runner of the Year: Matt Schwartz, Land O’ Lakes.
  • Boys Coach of the Year: Chris Loth, Wiregrass Ranch.
  • Girls Runner of the Year: Nikita Shah, Wiregrass Ranch.
  • Girls Coach of the Year: Don Howard, Wiregrass Ranch.
  • Anclote: Michaela McCarthy and Chris Sorrick.
  • Gulf: Tyler Best, Colleen McAuliffe, Natalie Smith and Kara Stosur.
  • Land O’ Lakes: Alea Basulto, Ashley Ford, Brooke Gonzalez, Lailoni Kailimai, Morgan Keppel, Hendrix Lafontant, Alyssa Lonsway, Zach Lonsway, Renea Porsch and Matt Schwartz.
  • Mitchell: Michael Irwin and Kelli Williams.
  • Pasco: Dillon Dunbar, Katlyn Eble and Anthony Plourde.
  • Ridgewood: Alyssa Baladad, Tyler Camacho, Mason Chilmonczyk, Alex Coffey and Kolby Watson.
  • River Ridge: Thomas Fiorello and Devon Gottman.
  • Sunlake: Deena Dutkowsky, Kenneth Fessel, Guillermo Ishida, Erin Mauthner, Brendan McNellis and Robert Stewart.
  • Wesley Chapel: Naphlim Olwe.
  • Wiregrass Ranch: Ian Cassette, Alex Diepholz, Ariel Gray, Sam Hippely, Taylor Hixson, Ryan Pulsifer, Josh Reilly, Logan Selzer, Nikita Shah, Delonzo Sharp, Kayla Stiftinger and Kelsey Sturman.
  • Zephyrhills: Lindsey Knowlton and Carrick Virtue.

— Steve Lee, Sports Editor

Pasco graduation rates improve

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By Ashley Dunn

News Editor

PASCO COUNTY — The Pasco School district announced Dec. 4 that its graduation rate has improved and that the district performed about the state average during the 2008-09 school year.

The state uses three different calculations to measure graduation rates: the Florida graduation rate, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) rate; and the National Governors Association (NGA) rate.

Based on the Florida graduation rate, Pasco’s rate was 83.5 percent in 2008-09, up from up from 79.5 percent in 2007-08 and 73.7 percent in 2006-07. The state average was 78.6 percent.

Based on the NCLB rate, Pasco’s rate was 79.8 percent in 2008-09, up from 75.5 percent in 2007-08 and 69.2 percent in 2006-07. The state average was 76.2 percent.

Based on the NGA rate, Pasco’s rate was 77.8 percent in 2008-09, up from 73.4 percent in 2007-08 and 67.8 percent in 2006-07. The state average was 76.3 percent.

Schools with the highest graduation rates were: Wiregrass Ranch, 91.3 percent; Pasco, 91.3 percent; and River Ridge, 88.2 percent.

Additionally, Pasco’s dropout rate for 2008-09 was 1.2 percent, down from 2.1 percent in 2007-08. The state average was 2.3 percent. All of Pasco’s schools are below the state average. Six high schools had a dropout rate under 1 percent. They were: Wiregrass Ranch, 0.4 percent; Gulf, 0.5 percent; Hudson, 0.6 percent; Sunlake, 0.6 percent; Pasco 0.8 percent; and J.W. Mitchell, 0.9 pecent.

“We are extremely proud of our entire team for their concerted efforts to ensure the success of all students,” said Schools Superintendent Heather Fiorentino. “As we celebrate the hard work of our students, staff and other stakeholders, we are mindful that even one child failing to graduate has negative implications for that child and our community.”

First National Bank of Pasco gets five stars

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Local bank uses conservative economic policies to keep its good rating

By Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

ZEPHYRHILLS — Despite the banking industry suffering during the recent economic downturn, First National Bank of Pasco continues to rate highly.

“We’ve had a five-star rating for the last three years and have been in good financial shape for much longer than that,” said Kerry Westbrook, bank senior vice president and chief financial officer. “Our capital has always been good, and we are also a top-five rated bank in the state.”

Westbrook, of Zephyrhills, has worked in the banking industry for more than 30 years, the last eight with the FNB of Pasco.

The five-star rating superior was awarded by Bauer Financial Inc., an independent bank rating and research firm. Only 21 banks in Florida received a five-star rating.

“First National Bank of Pasco’s ability to earn our five-star superior rating speaks to its strength, stability and longevity,” said Karen Dorway, president of the research firm. “In a banking environment that is struggling with loan quality and delinquencies, it is an honor and a pleasure to recognize First National Bank of Pasco and the values it represents.”

FNB of Pasco was founded in 1986 with two locations, one in Zephyrhills and one Dade City. A second Zephyrhills location was added in 1999.

“The real reason we’ve been able to keep the rating for three years is we are more conservative with our practices than some other banks were,” Westbrook said. “We stuck to tried and true methods of banking that have worked for hundreds of years and will continue to work in the future. It’s those basic banking principles that have worked for us…The rating shows that we run a tight, conservative ship here.”

On the negative side, 40 state banks received a zero-star rating from the research firm.

Westbrook continued to say FNB of Pasco never gave sub prime loans, such as interest-only loans, high adjustable interest rate loans or other high risk lending that got other banks into financial trouble.

“We’ve had some past dues happen, but we try to work with our customers as much as possible,” Westbrook said. “We pride ourselves on being a community bank first, and as a member of the community we want to do as much as we can to help our neighbors. I’ve worked in bigger national banks, and I can say without question community banks are much better to work for and for the community.”

To see where other local banks rank, visit www.bauerfinancial.com and click the star rating tab on the top the Web site.

For more information on FNB of Pasco, visit www.fnbpasco.com.

Other Florida banks that received a five-star rating

  • American National Bank in Oakland Park
  • Bank of Belle Glade in Belle Glade
  • Bank of the South in Pensacola
  • City National Bank of Florida in Miami
  • Community State Bank in Starke
  • Drummond Community Bank in Chiefland
  • First Federal Bank of Florida in Lake City
  • First National Bank of South Miami in South Miami
  • First National Bank of Wauchula in Wauchula
  • First Navy Bank in Pensacola
  • Friends Bank in New Smyrna Beach
  • Gulfsouth Private Bank in Destin
  • Hillsboro Bank in Plant City
  • Intercontinental Bank in West Miami
  • Madison County Community Bank in Madison
  • Peoples Bank of Graceville in Graceville
  • Peoples State Bank in Lake City
  • Sunshine State Federal Savings and Loan in Plant City
  • Valrico State Bank in Valrico
  • Warrington Bank in Pensacola