The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Steinbrenner band headed across the pond

By

It’s time to pack the passports inside their instrument cases.

For members of Steinbrenner High’s band, The Marching Warrior Brigade, they’ll need to have their international travel affairs in order come Dec. 27 when the band heads across the pond to England.

Duncan Sandys, the great-grandson of Winston Churchill, came to Steinbrenner High on March 22 to invite The Marching Warrior Brigade to perform in the 2024 London New Year’s Day Parade. (Mike Camunas)

The 136-member band has been invited to be in the massive 2024 London New Year’s Day Parade, which will feature nearly 10,000 performers.

The streets of London, from Piccadilly Circus to Downing Street, will be packed with more 500,000 spectators. It also will be broadcast to millions, including viewers in the United States, on PBS.

“This is the biggest trip this band has probably done in a while, at least since COVID,” said sophomore Will Gilleland, who plays the clarinet. “In my time in the program, the furthest we’ve gone on a trip is Orlando, so going to a crazy, new place we’ve never been before — it’s incredible!”

Marcos Aquino, left, and Connor Wood, right, cheer during the assembly where Steinbrenner High’s band was invited to perform in the 2024 London New Year’s Day Parade.

This is the second time the Brigade has been invited to this particular parade, as the band was invited to the 2021 edition, though that was canceled due to COVID.

On March 22, Steinbrenner was reinvited, this time with a lively ceremony.

Bob Bone, founder and chair of the parade, came to the campus in Lutz, accompanied by Duncan Sandys (pronounced Sands), who is the great-grandson of Winston Churchill.

“I know there is a parade you have here on Thanksgiving, which I think is named after a department store,” Bone told the band, tongue-in-cheek, eliciting laughter from the crowd. “They’re half as big and think they’re a big deal, but we take a look at Macy’s every year to get an idea of what NOT to do!”

Sandys, who now resides in Georgia as ambassador to the parade, told the band about the history and expansiveness of London. He also went over the parade route and briefly talked about his great-grandfather, the United Kingdom’s legendary prime minister in World War II.

“Enjoy every sight you can while there,” he said. “There is just so much history on every corner.”

The Marching Warrior Brigade, Steinbrenner High’s band, listens in excitement as Duncan Sandys, the great-grandson of Winston Churchill, invites the ensemble to perform in the 2024 London New Year’s Day Parade on Jan. 1. The band will travel to London in late December and perform in front of a crowd of hundreds of thousands.

Chip Wood, Steinbrenner’s director of bands, said the international band trip is an exciting and huge undertaking. To help avoid any last-minute disappointments, he’s making sure everyone who is traveling is getting their passports now.

“It’s an extremely well-attended parade,” Wood said. “I wanted to give these kids, and my own son, who is a junior in the band, an epic event with some travel — and I’ve never been to London! … But (passports), the process takes way longer than it used to, so I want to make sure everyone has theirs or updated so they can pack it and go!”

Wood has previous experience leading a band to large-scale events, including taking a band twice to the Rose Bowl Parade in California, the Macy’s parade in New York and even being part of the taping of the Disney World Christmas “parade” in Lake Buena Vista.

At the ceremony, junior piccolo player Meghan Betancourt, was “awarded” being the ceremonial keeper of the official British umbrella. Sandys gave her a small, white umbrella.

Anniak Futo, left, and Katie Cozie anxiously watch a video presentation about the annual London New Year’s Day Parade in which their band, The Marching Warrior Brigade, will perform on Jan. 1.

It’s a relatively new tradition of the parade, but Bone and Sandys present the umbrella to one lucky band member, who must keep the umbrella in his or her personal custody until the parade.

Failure to do so could result in it raining on the parade.

Betancourt’s fellow band members and friends are encouraged to help her be vigilant in protecting the umbrella —  through the threat of an Instagram post, if she slips up on her duty.

“I will feel bad if it rains on the parade,” Betancourt said. “I think they’re all ready to blame me (laughs), ready to post on instagram, if it rains because of me.

“(But) I’m super excited, because I love traveling and I really like playing in front of people,” she added. “Playing in a big parade makes me really happy because I like seeing other people get happy from our performances. And we get performance experience without competition experience — we just get to perform and that will be really good for our program.”

As for what the band’s musical set will be, that decision is an ongoing process.

But one thing is certain, the band leader said. “Whatever it is, they’ll be playing it in London!”

London New Year’s Day Parade
Details: The parade first took place in 1987 as the Lord Mayor of Westminster’s Big Parade, but was renamed in 1994, and for 2000 only it was called the Millennium Parade. More than 500,000 spectators attended the 2023 parade, with even more expected in 2024. Performances from the nearly 10,000 musicians and artists will be screened live on network television on PBS.
For more information on the parade, visit https://lnydp.com/. For more information on the Steinbrenner band, visit HillsboroughSchools.org/steinbrenner.

Published March 29, 2023

What if Hurricane Ian had made a direct hit on Pasco?

By

In the days leading to Hurricane Ian’s landfall in Fort Myers, officials across Tampa Bay called for evacuations and warned those sticking around to stock up on essentials and brace for impact.

The hurricane tracking path had shown Ian heading straight toward Tampa, and weather experts predicted that hurricane-strength winds, record storm surge and heavy rainfall would combine to create a worst-case scenario for Tampa Bay.

Instead, it veered to the south and flattened downtown Fort Myers. It knocked out the bridge connecting Sanibel Island to the mainland.

Hurricane Ian caused destruction and death, as it made its way through Florida and continued its destructive path across several states. Tampa Bay officials had feared a direct hit, but the hurricane veered south, making landfall near Fort Myers. (Courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA))

It caused deaths, ravaged properties and resulted in billions of dollars in damage.

But what would have happened if it made a direct hit on Pasco County?

Andrew Fossa, the county’s emergency management director, recently laid out a scenario of what could have happened, during the Pasco County Commission’s March 21 meeting.

“Basically, what we did is, we took (Hurricane) Ian from Lee County and put it on the same course, same speed, same trajectory and inlaid the surge that would have happened in Pasco County,” Fossa told the county board. “The results are astronomical and devastating.”

The scenario he described involved a Category 4 hurricane, with a north by northwest trajectory, traveling at a speed of 10 mph and making landfall at peak high tide, with the center of the storm striking near Gulf Harbors.

Coastal areas in Pasco County would have experienced a storm surge of 20 feet above ground level, not sea level, he said. There would have been devastating flooding along the U.S. 19 corridor and extensive flooding, west of Little Road, he said.

People would have died and property losses would have been massive, Fossa added.

Other expected impacts: Destruction of critical infrastructure, serious environmental damage and significant tax revenue losses, the director of emergency management said.

Fossa shared video footage of the powerful storm surge that began hitting Fort Myers Beach six hours before Hurricane Ian’s eye crossed Lee County.

He told board members to pay attention to a red house in the video, which, as storm surge intensified, was lifted and carried away.

He pointed to a camera — attached to a pole 8 feet up in the air — being slapped by waves.

He showed palm trees engulfed by water.

A direct hit on Pasco
If Hurricane Ian had landed in Pasco, massive flooding would have occurred along the U.S. 19 corridor, from Aripeka to Anclote.

In some areas, the wall of water would have reached 21 feet, and “that’s not including the wave action on top of the surge,” Fossa said.

Between Aripeka and Bayonet Point, the flooding would average about 14 feet, but would top 21 feet in some places, he said.

“We would lose Bayonet (Point), which is a very key hospital in Pasco County. It’s a Level II trauma center. It’s a 320-bed facility,” Fossa said.

Here’s a look at some of the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian, in a Fort Myers’ business district.

Floodwaters there would reach 17 feet — but Bayonet Point Hospital is just 15 feet above the ground, he said. The hospital’s evacuation plan calls for evacuating up, not out, he added.

“But with a storm like this — and we have talked to them — the recommendation would be to evacuate out because of the sheer wind force that would be behind that storm,” Fossa added

North Bay Hospital would have to evacuate, Fossa said.

“North Bay, it’s a 141-bed facility, it’s an acute care facility. They would have water up to their first floor and up, and higher,” Fossa said.

Floodwaters along the western coastal areas would range from about 13 feet to 21 feet; there would be inland flooding, too, according to a map contained in Fossa’s presentation.

Floodwaters near Little Road could range from 6 feet to 8 feet, causing millions of dollars in damage, Fossa added.

To further illustrate the dangers, Fossa showed video capturing dramatic scenes of destruction in Fort Myers.

He witnessed much of it first hand when he went to the area to help with emergency management operations.

Fossa saw a fire truck that had been picked up and pushed by floodwaters, into a building.

If a hurricane like Ian hit Pasco, “in essence, we would lose all of our fire stations on the west side of the county, along the U.S. 19 corridor,” Fossa said.

Hurricane winds and storm surge likely would wreak havoc with Infrastructure, too, he said.

“When I was in Lee County, the barrier islands were the worst hit, when it came to infrastructure. They lost sewage. They lost water. And they lost all communications.

“I was there three weeks and when I was leaving there, they still did not have water, sewage or communications.

“Fort Myers Beach, it was the same way. The infrastructure was all torn out. They lost generators, pump stations and all sorts of assets,” Fossa said.

Pasco didn’t get hit, but it is vulnerable
With a hurricane like Ian, the Anclote Electrical Plant would get about 20 feet of water — and, if that plant were destroyed, the disruption of services wouldn’t be days or weeks, it would be months, Fossa said.

Lengthy cleanups also would be required for environmental damages, Fossa said.

Some homes withstood Hurricane Ian’s fury, others were scattered, like matchsticks.

“When I was down there in Lee County, there was so much debris. The county couldn’t fathom how they were going to get all of this debris out of the water. Not only the boats, but the cars that were in there. There were buildings in there. Parts of houses in there. There was garbage in there.

“When I left there after three weeks, they hadn’t even thought of starting that process yet.”

Besides all of the destruction and disruption, Pasco’s revenues would take a hit, too, Fossa said.

He estimated lost revenues could mount up to about $140 million in lost revenues, annually.

County Administrator Mike Carballa said the county is keenly aware of work that needs to be done to put the county in a better position to reduce risks and to quicken recovery efforts.

“We are undertaking a vulnerability assessment currently. So that involves the cities, that involves the counties — in looking at those critical pieces of infrastructure that are vulnerable. “That kind of sets the stage for us to kind of chase after larger (grant) dollars.

“At the end of the day, protection of your critical infrastructure is super important because we can have great building codes, but Mother Nature can always out-design us on any type of storm.

“And so it turns into a recovery operation and how quickly the county can bounce back. Hence, resiliency and why you are seeing a lot more focus on that.

“We are forging ahead in this area because it’s important,” Carballa said.

Published March 29, 2023

Keeping safe from dangerous flood waters

By

The Florida Division of Emergency Management has shared information to help educate the public about flood hazards and some suggestions to help reduce risks of injury or death.

Flooding is one of Florida’s most frequent hazards and is a coast-to-coast threat that occurs on a yearly basis, according to a news release issued by the emergency management division.

Do not drive through an area when you cannot see the bottom of the road; deaths have been known to occur when a driver couldn’t see the bottom of the road and wound up driving into a canal. (File)

Here’s a condensed list of suggestions from the state’s emergency management experts:

  • Know the types of flood risks in your area.
  • If you are told to evacuate, do so immediately. Prior to any threatening weather, be sure you have an evacuation plan, know the evacuation routes and have a plan on where you will shelter.
  • Keep important documents in a waterproof container or store them on a password protected digital drive.
  • When possible, move valuables to higher ground.
  • Do not walk, drive,or swim through floodwaters. Just six inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars and can cause loss of control and stalling; 12 inches of water can make a vehicle float away.
  • If you are trapped in your car in rapidly moving water, stay inside. If the water begins rising inside the vehicle, get on the roof.
  • If you are trapped in a building, move to higher ground or a higher floor.
  • Do not return to your home until it is deemed safe to do so. Avoid driving unless it is an emergency.
  • Stay out of floodwater in your home which can be contaminated with dangerous debris or live wires.
  • Wear protective clothing when cleaning up and do not touch any wires.

Visit FloridaDisaster.org/hazards/Floods to learn more about flood safety and protecting yourself before, during, and after a flood.

For weather updates and safety tips, follow the Division on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @FLSERT.

Published March 29, 2023

Thousands of homes proposed on 2,900 acres of ranch land

By

A new development is being proposed in Land O’ Lakes that would transform 2,900 acres of ranch land into roughly 3,800 homes and 300,000 square feet of retail and office uses.

The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of a proposed land use change requested in the name of 4G Ranch PD.

Attorney Clarke Hobby, who represents the applicant, said a separate request also has been filed for a rezoning, which also must be approved for the project to proceed.

Planner Amy Tull detailed the land use request during the planning board’s March 16 public hearing on the request.

A new development is being proposed in Land O’ Lakes that would transform 2,900 acres of ranch land into roughly 3,800 homes and 300,000 square feet of retail on State Road 52, about 2.25 miles east of U.S. 41. (Mike Camunas)

The site is off State Road 52, about 2.25 miles east of U.S. 41, in an area designated as a rural transition area on the county’s long-range planning map.

The request calls for changing the site’s designation from agricultural and  agricultural-residential to a planned development. 

The subject property is bisected by a Critical Linkage Ecological Corridor, in the name of Connerton to Crossbar. The applicant proposes amending the map to reduce the size of the corridor from about 830 acres to about 595 acres.

The county has no objections to the proposed changes in the eco-corridor because even after the changes, it would meet the intent of providing a connection between ecological conservation areas and supporting necessary habitat, according to materials in the planning board’s agenda packet.

Hobby told the planning board that 4G Ranch is owned by the Phillips family, which “does quite a bit for the community and hosts fundraisers out there quite a bit, so many people in the community have been there over the years.”

He said the site is in an area that the county designated years ago as a transition area from higher densities from the west and the south.

The area north of State Road 52 was basically made up of about four ranches that covered the area between Bellamy Brothers Boulevard to Pasco Trails, Hobby said.

But in the past few years, there have been increased development approvals in the nearby area, including the Palmetto Ridge Master-Planned Unit Development (MPUD) and Faircloth MPUD, Hobby said.

“The (State Road) 52 project is now in the (Florida Department of Transportation) DOT work program, and it’s my understanding that it’s to commence in about two or three years, so that’s radically changing the area that’s just been more of a rural-flavored, two-lane road.

“This is going to be a major growth area for the county, both in residential and non-residential, over time,” Hobby said.

The attorney added: “We’ve worked with staff to set the framework for the ultimate negotiations for the eco-corridor and the county’s acquisition of it, over time. That will be addressed concurrently with, or prior to, a second MPUD, which would be in Area 2, on the east side of the conservation area that you see on the map, which is the eco-corridor.

“What you are going to see in a couple of months — we only have one MPUD proposed at this time on Area 1, and that will be following this, like I said, by a couple of months.

“The family’s intention is to hold Area 2, where they have their large family compound, where the fundraisers are typically held, for an indefinite amount of time. We’re thinking it could be some period of time before that is dealt with.

“The subarea policies deal with the (elementary) school (site) and infrastructure issues that are important.

“We have a condition that requires the dedication of a school (site), once we have approval of above 1,500 units, on Area 2,” Hobby said.

“We have met with the Pasco Trails HOA several times and we’ve made some changes to our concept plan, which will find its way into the MPUD conditions — do a few things design-wise to make it more palatable for them. Feel like we have a good relationship with those folks, and we plan on continuing to be good neighbors,” Hobby said.

During the public comment portion of the planning board’s hearing, one couple, who lives next to the proposed land use change, voiced concerns about losing the oak and pine trees that currently provide a buffer between their property and the site. They would prefer the trees remain.

But Shawn Roark, president of Pasco Trails Homeowners Association, said the majority of people within the HOA would prefer ponds be used to buffer the property.

“We’ve met multiple times with 4G Ranch and they’ve been very gracious and open to our input. They’ve made changes,” Roark said, referring to a planned MPUD rezoning, which is a separate request.

Roark said using the ponds as buffers will help direct the drainage flow to the north, where it needs to go. He also thinks that approach will help preserve the area’s rural flavor.

Another speaker at the meeting represented a couple who has 10 acres nearby.

The speaker said the couple’s primary concern relates to what kind of buffering will be used and whether the new development will have any negative impacts on existing residents.

Published March 29, 2023

Making a pact to act

By

World Autism Awareness Day is April 2.

But Land O’ Lakes High International Baccalaureate students Sydney Crenshaw and Sajni Shah have been raising awareness about autism throughout the school year.

Land O’ Lakes High International Baccalaureate students Sydney Crenshaw, left, and Sajni Shah started Action For Autism, a yearlong project aimed at increasing awareness regarding those on the autism spectrum or with special needs, as well as raising money for Special Olympics. (Mike Camunas)

They began their project, Action For Autism, as members of the school club HOSA – Future Health Professionals, which is an international competition based on medicine and health care related topics.

The duo is competing in the Community Awareness Division, which means they set forth to educate the community on a topic of their choice. They chose Autism Spectrum Disorder because they are passionate about embracing neurodiversity and contributing to the awareness of this “disorder” that still comes with a stigma.

“In my experience, when I meet autistic people or children, I treat them like anyone else, but that’s not always the case,” said Crenshaw, who is a junior. “It’s not a visible condition, so most people don’t even know this person has autism because they can act in a variety of ways when they’re on the spectrum.

“Not a lot of people show they have autism, and we’ve seen that a lot, but autism isn’t something you should treat differently,” Crenshaw added. “Autistic people are people.”

Shah says people on the autism spectrum should have the same chances and opportunities as their “neurotypical counterparts.”

That’s why Shah is working to increase awareness about autism.

“A lot of people with autism don’t receive accommodations they need to thrive in society the way you or I might,” said Shah, who is a senior. “That’s frustrating to see because they are very smart people.

“I hope to make these kids feel seen and important and raise awareness that autism is not a stigma and never has to be,” she added. “These kids, given the same chances and opportunities, can be productive and live great lives.”

Sajni Shah and camper Layla Gile make tie-dyed shirts at Dream Oaks Camp in Bradenton. (Courtesy of Sydney Crenshaw)

So far, the students, through Action For Autism, have organized multiple events, interviewed an autistic person and occupational therapist for their YouTube channel, and received $600 in grant money. Using that money, they created other fundraisers, such as selling Autism Awareness bracelets and bags, as well as created posters and fliers with autism facts and hung them around the school and community.

They also have worked with the Light The Torch Campaign, which helps raise money for the Special Olympics.

“Mainly speaking of autism, I’ve seen how it affects children, and adults, in all very different ways,” Shah said. “There is not one way it affects people, so we just want to understand the patterns and more about it, that way if more people are aware and understanding, then people will understand autism better.”

Both students work with several organizations that help with special needs people, including Special Olympics and Council for Exceptional Children.

Shah also worked at Dream Oaks Camp in Bradenton, which works with children with special needs and chronic illnesses from the ages of 7 to 17.

“Working at Dream Oaks Camp inspired me to work with more people with special needs and autism,” Shah said. “What started as a part-time job grew into a project and something more that I want to continue to do.”

Dr. Louis Florence, the teacher who oversees the HOSA club, isn’t overly familiar with the duo’s project or its specifics — there’s 108 members in HOSA and Florence’s job is just to manage the kids and be as hands-off as possible — but he does know that students such as Crenshaw and Shah will bring their very best to their projects.

“We’re talking about some of the smartest people around that are interested in working or serving in the medical field,” Florence said. “They’re really self-starters, which is amazing, and they’re students who are excited about the medical field, but can become anything, from doctors to other health care professionals.”

Crenshaw and Shah’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed.

“Sanji is awesome and the vice president of the group,” Florence said. “Sydney is awesome, too. Two very high-quality individuals that already have the drive to go out and make a difference in the medical field, and in this case, helping autism awareness.

“These two are great, shining examples of the type of kids who join this club and love to see all the work they do for their yearlong projects.”

Plus, the students’ devotion to autism awareness is prodigious.

“I know just how much I love these kids — they’re so much fun,” Crenshaw said. “I personally do it because autistic people are still people — I’ve said that a lot, but it’s true!”

Action For Autism
Details: Land O’ Lakes High International Baccalaureate students Sydney Crenshaw and Sajni Shah created this program as part of an international competition through the school club, HOSA – Future Health Professionals. The students chose to educate the community on the topic of autism spectrum disorder. They are passionate about embracing neurodiversity and contributing to the awareness of autism. Their campaign included organizing multiple events, interviewing an autistic person and occupational therapist for their YouTube channel, receiving $600 in grant money and raising additional money for the Special Olympics.
To donate, email or Venmo @sajni_shah12.
For more information or to follow Action for Autism on social media, visit https://linktr.ee/actionforautism.

Published March 29, 2023

Approval is a step closer for county’s Odessa Town Centre plan

By

Concerns about the potential for piecemeal development on about 81.5 acres at the southwest corner of Gunn Highway and County Road 54 prompted the county to launch a planning initiative about two years ago.

The effort aims to create a cohesive approach to future development at the intersection and it yielded what is known as the Odessa Town Centre plan.

The Pasco County Commission voted unanimously on March 21 to send the proposed land use change to state officials for review.

That’s the last step that’s required before the board can adopt the proposed comprehensive land use change.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey has led the effort, which has involved a planning consultant, county planners and community meetings with landowners and residents.

“This is an area where people have lived for a long time. They’re not builders, they’re not developers and they’re not planners. So, I really appreciate them coming along with us.

“We haven’t had anyone sell, since we’ve come through this.

“They (potential developers) are circling, circling around,” Starkey said.

Without the plan, Starkey said, “it would have been a kind of community that no one would’ve really liked.

“Our hope is that we end up with a really good community plan here that’s to everyone’s advantage,” she said. “We believe we increased the value of their property.”

A couple of elderly property owners appeared before the board to raise questions about what will happen to them — as a result of the plan.

That prompted Commissioner Gary Bradford to express concerns about the potential for leaving anyone behind.

But Nectarios Pittos, the county’s director of planning and development, told board members: “The way we designed this subarea plan and policy was to maximize the flexibility of the existing landowners, such as, if they want to sell, it’s their choice. If they want to stay, again, it’s their choice.

“Their existing current uses may remain there until such time that they choose to sell, at such time the new developer or the new property owner that comes along they’ll have to comply with whatever zoning changes they want to make that are consistent with the comprehensive plan,” Pittos said.

Starkey also pledged the help of her office to any existing property owners who need assistance.

“This is going to generate activity,” Starkey predicted.

The proposed plan includes areas designated for light industrial, business park, mixed-use office and retail, and high-density residential uses.

Published March 29, 2023

Road widening delay won’t stall industrial park opening

By

It turns out that Old Pasco Road won’t be widened before the Rooker industrial park is allowed to open, after all.

When Pasco County approved an economic deal with Rooker Properties LLC, based in Atlanta, it included a condition that issuance of certificates of occupancy would be contingent upon a segment of Old Pasco Road being widened to four lanes.

Rooker’s property is at 7012 Old Pasco Road and 7529 Old Pasco Road, about one-third of a mile south of the intersection of Old Pasco and Overpass roads. It’s also near the new Overpass Road/Interstate 75 interchange.

The widening of Old Pasco Road, which connects State Road 54 to State Road 52, is in the county’s five-year transportation improvement plan. Improvements can’t come quickly enough for the motorists who travel the road from established neighborhoods, new subdivisions, Cypress Creek Middle School, Cypress Creek High School, the Instructional Performing Arts Center and soon, a new industrial park. (Mike Camunas)

The county’s agreement with Rooker called for the widening of Old Pasco Road, from the south entrance of the industrial park to Overpass Road, before the site could be occupied.

That requirement was lifted by the Pasco County Commission in a unanimous vote on March 21.

The board’s action supported a staff recommendation, which was based on a request from Rooker.

Pasco County’s engineering services department has reported that the Old Pasco segment widening project has been added to the county’s five-year capital improvement plan and that funding for the road widening project’s design, permitting and construction is in place.

The widening is expected to be completed around October of 2024.

Meanwhile, Rooker has informed the county that it is nearing completion of the business park’s first industrial building, of about 187,000 square feet, and it expects to need its first certificate of occupancy around April 1.

During the widening work on Old Pasco Road, a temporary access plan will be used to allow vehicles to safely enter and leave the industrial park.

While approving its staff’s recommendation, the county board supported Commissioner Seth Weightman’s request that the county provide a traffic management plan to keep motorists safe, during Old Pasco Road’s widening.

Weightman characterized the Rooker deal as a “great project for the county.”

But he said he wants to ensure the county does whatever it can do to prevent any potential accidents.

County Administrator Mike Carballa said he appreciates “Commissioner Weightman’s concerns, and the public’s concerns, over safety during construction.

“Our engineering services team does take safety seriously.

“I have spoken to the county engineer and the project engineer to ensure once we have the contractor onboard that we need to discuss safety, even if it costs a little bit more or takes a little bit more time, that we’re ensuring that the job is done safely and within best practices,” Carballa said.

Published March 29, 2023

Pasco board approves charter school foundation request

By

The Pasco County Commission has approved a request to enable Innovation Preparatory Academy in Wesley Chapel to qualify the issuance of tax-exempt bonds to finance Innovation Preparatory Academy in Wesley Chapel.

The board approved the request from the Florida Charter Educational Foundation (FCEF), without discussion, as part of its consent agenda.

The consent agenda contains numerous items that are approved in a single vote, unless an item is pulled off for discussion.

In this case, the board approved a request by FCEF to borrow $20 million, with the funds being issued by the Industrial Development Authority of La Paz, Arizona, not Pasco County.

The funds are intended to finance the acquisition, development, construction, and equipping of an approximately 56,000-square-foot charter school building and ancillary facilities, according to background materials in the Pasco county board’s March 21 agenda packet.

Pasco County has no obligation with respect to the bonds, but had to approve the request in order for the charter foundation to qualify for the tax-exempt bonds.

The federal tax law allowing this type of tax-exempt financing is known as the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA).

That law requires the request to be approved by the “highest elected” board in the jurisdiction, a public hearing to gather public input and a finding that the project is in the public interest.

On another issue, the county board approved a budget change to realign $54,987.84 to pay for an irrigation project at the Wesley Chapel District Park.

The money came from savings from the district park’s gymnasium coming in under budget last year.

The money will be used to explore alternative sources of water for irrigating the soccer and baseball fields at the park. The fields are currently watered with potable or reclaimed water sources that often are expensive and not dependable.

In other action, the county board:

  • Approved the appointments of Matthew Miller and Shannon Hayley Kennedy to serve a three-year term and Maryann Bishop to serve a one-year term on the Environmental Lands Acquisition Selection Committee (ELASC). The board also approved Patty Fesmire to a one-year reappointment to the committee.

Published March 29, 2023

Cultivating positive change through partnerships

By

Whitney Elmore — the executive director of the UF/IFAS Pasco County Cooperative Extension Office — has her fingers in lots of pies.

Her office provides information, classes and programs on topics ranging from gardening, to nutrition to caring for cattle, budgeting money, and more.

She’s had a hand in all sorts of initiatives since arriving in Pasco County in 2014.

She seeks out partnerships to help foster improved services and a better quality of life for people living in Pasco County.

Dr. Whitney C. Elmore, director of the Pasco County Extension Office, is a big believer in the value of community gardening. Here, she is speaking during a 2020 groundbreaking ceremony of a new garden plot at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park. (File)

She explains it this way: “There’s often times nothing wrong with keeping things the same, but sometimes everything is wrong with keeping things the same.

“And, time does march on.

“Change doesn’t have to be scary. It doesn’t have to be hard.”

But, she continued: “We move at such a fast pace now, change is inevitable.

“So, if I can help people make those positive changes in a timely fashion — that helps them and their community — then I’m doing something right.”

Plus, she thinks she’s in the ideal role to help make that happen.

“I think it (Extension) is one of most potential-filled places to make change,” she said.

In her view, her office is “an extension into the community,” which uses “applied research” to address issues.

Pasco County Extension is a partnership between the University of Florida and Pasco County.

It offers a way to “really dig in and help people — grassroots, at the core,” Elmore said.

She thinks her practical nature, combined with her life experiences, laid the groundwork for the career she has today.

A rural childhood
Elmore grew up in Barren County, Kentucky — a place with no traffic lights, or even a stop sign.

In that county of 13,000, she said, “Either you knew everybody, or you were related to them.

“Honestly, it was for me, an idyllic place to grow up.

“We lived in what we called the hollers … the rolling hills in Kentucky. 

“I got my wilderness education.

“In the summer, I pretty much slept outside,” she said.

She hunted arrow heads, went fishing, turned up soil in the fields.

“It wasn’t until I was in high school that I realized, most people don’t have those same blessings,” she said.

Her family’s roots in agriculture stretch back for generations.

Her dad was a tobacco farmer.

“They were very poor, very poor,” Elmore said.

She traces her love of learning to the example set by her mother, who graduated at the top of her high school class and went on to teach elementary school.

“We never were told ‘Do your homework. You’ve got to make good grades.’ It was just kind of — we wanted to. 

“You have that model and you desire to live up to that, even though that expectation is not really leveled on you,” Elmore said.

“I was very lucky that way. I didn’t have that pressure.

“I was really allowed to make my own choices, very much, growing up.”

Elmore’s dad was mechanically minded, and because of him, she learned how to take apart an engine and put it back together again.

“I had support from all of these different angles,” Elmore said.

“I was never prompted or prodded or pushed to be anything other than what I was and wanted to be,” she added.

But she saw how her mother’s education lifted the family.

Her dad saw that, too.

“It gave him opportunities that he would have never had,” Elmore said.

The staying power of FFA
Elmore credits her sister as being a source of inspiration, too.

“My sister was in FFA (Future Farmers of America), so I saw that as a small child. And I watched her advancing, and doing so well, in public-speaking contests,” Elmore said.

The Extension leader credits her experiences in FFA for teaching her invaluable skills she still uses nearly every day. Plus, the scholarships she won through FFA paid for most of her college.

“You put it all together — those experiences, but then that support — that can take you anywhere you want to go,” Elmore said.

She attended Western Kentucky University, which turned out to be the perfect choice, she said.

“Looking back, so much of what I do in my everyday job and life, it comes from the information I gained there, and, really from being in FFA in high school,” Elmore said.

Elmore was an avid golfer and at one point had considered turning pro. Instead, she combined  her love for golfing and for learning and earned her bachelor’s degree in agriculture and turfgrass management. Next, she attained a master’s in turfgrass management and later, a doctorate in plant pathology.

She taught at Santa Fe Community College and at Middle Georgia University before accepting the Extension position in Pasco County, in 2014.

A change agent in Pasco
Much has happened since Elmore arrived on the scene.

She’s quick to credit many others for their part in creating positive change.

For instance, she said, Cathy Pearson, assistant Pasco County administrator, played a pivotal role in revitalizing the Stallings Building, at 15029 14th St., in Dade City. The building, which is referred to as the One-Stop Shop, offers programs and houses an incubator commercial kitchen.

Elmore also praised the leadership of Bill Cronin, president and CEO, of the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., who set up EDC’s East Pasco operations at the Stallings Building.

University of Florida graduate students Carlos Zambrano, right, and Dario Racano, both of Gainesville, staked young blueberry plants. The volunteers were helping the farm recover in 2017 after Hurricane Irma’s winds toppled about 100,000 of its blueberry plants.

Next, a private company, Welbilt, a global manufacturer of commercial restaurant equipment, stepped in to equip the kitchen.

A collaboration between Pasco County, the Pasco County Fair Association and Pasco County Extension resulted in the new extension office, at the fairgrounds property.

The fair association secured a $1.1-million state grant, which was combined with $197,000 from the fair association and $244,000 from Pasco County.

Elmore also has been involved with the creation of community gardens.

The first one was the Watson Park community garden — a partnership between the University of Florida and the city of Dade City. It was the first partnership of its type in the state.

Since then, a number of community gardens have sprouted up around Pasco County.

Elmore’s office also has served as a conduit to help people find the resources they need.

After Hurricane Irma hit, for instance, she worked with Pasco County and the University of Florida to help get the word out to round up volunteers to help a blueberry farm where hurricane winds had uprooted and toppled about 100,000 blueberry bushes.

The general manager at Frogmore Fresh Farm told The Laker/Lutz News at the time that Elmore had reached out to him and asked if she could help. He thought maybe 20 people would come to pitch in, but more than 200 volunteers showed up.

Her love of learning goes on
Elmore never tires of picking up new knowledge.

She recalled traveling to Rwanda and Uganda in 2017, as part of a study abroad experience.

The University of Florida UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County now has a new 6,400-square-foot facility at the Pasco County Fairgrounds, in Dade City. It offers a range of classes, programs and other services.

Among other things, the trip amplified her appreciation of the power of community gardening.

“As we were traveling on these dirt roads through these villages, you see these small communities with these community gardens,” she said.

The gardens were in desolate areas, which were poor and challenged by disease, crime and the lack of opportunity — but the people in the gardens were smiling, Elmore said.

“They’re coming out of there with food to feed their family,” she said.

“There was hope in those gardens. What was also in those gardens was empowerment.

“First, enough food for today, then enough to sell, then enough to share … When you have that level of empowerment, it can change whole communities,” she said.

In a sense, Elmore uses many of the skills needed in gardening to help nurture a better way of life in Pasco County.

In short, it’s about serving everyone and helping them to understand their options and resources, the Extension leader said.

“If you leave anybody behind, the whole community is going to be harmed by it,” Elmore said.

Published March 29, 2023

It’s a sweet season for picking

By

Blueberry season in Florida has opened, giving family and friends an opportunity to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, while picking their own supply of the fruit.

Besides boasting a rich flavor, blueberries are packed with antioxidants — providing health benefits and giving people a chance to have fun while gathering the berries.

The Florida Agritourism Association offers the opportunity for added income, helping to ensure the next generation of Florida farmers, according to a news release.

Here is a sample of local farms that offer blueberry u-pick events:

For year-round information on agritourism events and a list of u-pick farms in Florida, follow the Florida Agritourism Association online at VisitFloridaFarms.com, on Facebook, or download the association’s free app in the Apple or Android app stores.

Published March 29, 2023