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Land O' Lakes News

Land O’ Lakes has its own Rotary Club, again

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After being a satellite of the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon club, the Rotary Club of Land O’ Lakes has regained its independent status.

The Land O’ Lakes organization had existed for years, then merged with the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon, and then became a satellite club.

It took some time to reach the required membership level, but the Land O’ Lakes Club is a standalone club again, said Sandy Graves, president of the revived Land O’ Lakes Rotary Club.

These are the original members that started the club, from left, Larry Giannone, Elayne Bassinger, Sandy Graves, Terri Dusek, along with Perry Bean, who is district governor of Rotary.
(Courtesy of Dave Wright)

“You have to have 20 to officially charter,” Graves said. “We’d get real close and then a couple would quit, or move or whatever.”

The group wanted to be on its own so it could focus on needs in Land O’ Lakes, as well as helping in broader efforts, Graves said.

“We need the Rotary in Land O’ Lakes again. Land O’ Lakes needs a strong civic organization,” Graves said.

Rotary provides the opportunity to do a lot of good, not only locally, but in the nation and the world, as well, Graves said.

Now that the club is official again, it is on the Rotary Club locator, which makes it more visible, she said. “People who are coming in that were Rotarians somewhere else, or want to join Rotary, they’ll be able to find us easier,” she explained.

The club meets on Fridays at 8 a.m., at Copperstone Executive Suites, 3632 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

Meetings include breakfast and generally last for an hour.

Anyone who is interested in joining the club can come visit a few times for free to find out more about it before deciding if they want to join, Graves said.

“We want people who are committed,” Graves said.

Besides Graves, other officers of the club are Jim Englemann, president-elect; Barb Goiran, secretary; and, Elayne Bassinger, treasurer.

The group also has a membership committee, a foundation committee and a public relations committee, Graves said.

One of the club’s projects involves purchasing weather-resistant outdoor instruments, which will be placed at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, Graves said.

They’re oversized instruments, which can be played by children and have even been known to be played by adults, she said.

“These instruments are very good for kids with autism or Tourette’s Syndrome,” she said, because they can be soothing and can help them with their concentration.

Graves estimated it would cost about $10,000 to purchase the instruments, but added that could be more or less, depending on how many and what type of instruments are purchased.

The group recently raised $1,200 through a fundraiser.

The money came from a chance drawing for a five-hour scalloping trip for four, sponsored by Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells Jr.

Graves hopes the club will be able to secure a matching grant for the funds it raises to help purchase the outdoor musical instruments.

The club also is planning to do a Land O’ Liberty Salute, which involves decking out trees in the median of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard with red, white and blue ribbons — as a gesture of patriotism, in time for the Fourth of July.

The club also will be involved with Traditions on the Green, at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, an annual tradition which features holiday music by local schools.

Graves encourages anyone who is interested in learning more about the Land O’ Lakes Rotary Club to come to a meeting.

Being part of the organization can be a rewarding experience, Graves said.

“It’s like anything in life. You know, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it,” she said.

Published June 13, 2018

Baldomero Lopez was more than a local hero

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When motorists drive past the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home in Land O’ Lakes, chances are they won’t know much about the history of the man for whom the facility is named.

That’s where Bill Dotterer comes in.

This iconic image was taken of 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez leading troops in an invasion at Inchon during the Korean War. Lopez died minutes after the photo was taken.
(Bill Dotterer)

He’s a volunteer with the Tampa Bay History Center and he shared the story of 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez’s life and his heroic actions during a talk earlier this year at the Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library. The history center and library jointly presented the free program.

Lopez may not be widely known in many circles, but he is in the U.S. Marine Corps, Dotterer said.

“Lopez is a very important person in Tampa Bay’s history,” the speaker added, noting Lopez was the first person who grew up in Tampa to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Dotterer shared details of Lopez’s early years.

Lopez grew up during a time when Ybor City and West Tampa were vibrant places, with a thriving cigar industry, with people living there who had come from Spain, Cuba, Italy and Sicily, Dotterer said. There were social clubs, baseball teams and dominoes, he noted, and Lopez grew up in that milieu.

“In the neighborhood where he lived, he was well known as a baseball player. He had a paper route. He was just an All-American kid,” Dotterer said.

Lopez also was interested in the military.

He attended Hillsborough High School, where he was in charge of the ROTC program. He marched in the Gasparilla Parade one year, leading all of the junior ROTC units, Dotterer said.

Baldomero Lopez
Company A, 1st Battalion
5th Marines, 1st Marine Division
Born: Aug, 23, 1925
Died: Sept. 15, 1950

The speaker noted that much of his talk was based on information he gleaned from a conversation he had with E.J. Salcines, a former judge and noted Tampa historian.

Lopez was third in his class when he graduated from Hillsborough High in 1943. He decided to enlist in the Navy, Dotterer said.

Initially, Lopez was sent to Quantico, Virginia, but he was pulled from that program and sent to Annapolis for an officer training program, Dotterer added. Next, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps, as a second lieutenant.

By then, it was 1947 and the war had ended.

Lopez was sent to China, to lead a mortar platoon, and after that, he returned to Camp Pendleton, where he received orders to become an instructor at the Basic School in Quantico, Dotterer said.

Lopez was still at Pendleton when the Korean War broke out and his unit was assigned to go overseas, Dotterer said. Lopez wanted to go with them.

Dotterer then shared this account, which he said came from Salcines.

Lopez was a on a train, heading from California to Virginia, Dotterer said.

“Every place that the train stopped, he got off and called and said, ‘Please change my orders. I want to go with my unit.’

“When he finally gets to Quantico, they say, ‘OK, you can rejoin your unit.’,” Dotterer said.

Lopez heads back to California, but at that point, his unit is already gone. Somehow, he catches up with them, across the Pacific, Dotterer continued.

The Korean War began when the North Koreans attacked south of this 38th parallel, which is what divides North Korea and South Korea, Dotterer said.

Gen. Douglas MacArthur was the head commander of allied forces in Korea, and he decided to take back Seoul, Dotterer said.

The invasion is made at Inchon Harbor, near Seoul.

It wasn’t an ideal place to invade because it had the third-highest tides in the world, going from zero to 40 feet in a day. It also had 40-foot seawalls around it, which the Marines had to build ladders to scale, Dotterer said.

“The anchorage, itself, where all of the ships would end up for the invasion, was pretty small. It was pretty tight to get in there,” he added.

At the same time, however, the limiting factors at Inchon also may have made it a good place to invade because the enemy would never expect it, he said.

Lopez demonstrated courage
Lopez, who was 25, was on one of the landing ships.

Before the invasion, he wrote his parents a final letter, not knowing it would be his final letter, Dotterer said.

“Basically, he said, ‘Hey, I chose to do this, so if anything happens, I decided I wanted to be a Marine officer, so here I am. Secondly, please send me some good cigars.’

“On Sept. 15, the invasion begins. He is with Company A, First Battalion, Fifth Marines, and they’re going into Red Beach,” Dotterer said.

This historic marker in downtown Tampa commemorates the heroic actions that 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez took during the Korean War.
(B.C. Manion)

There were two hills, which meant the enemy was at the top of the hill shooting down.

An iconic photograph, taken during the invasion, shows Lopez leading his troops up a wooden ladder over the seawall, Dotterer said.

“Sad to say, this is minutes before he is killed. He’s leading his troops over the seawall. There’s a machine-gun, automatic type position here, that they are trying to take out.

“He had actually pulled a pin on a grenade to throw it into the pill box,” Dotterer said.

Instead, “he gets hit with automatic weapon fire. One in the shoulder. One in the abdomen or chest. He’s shot down. That grenade has the pin out.”

Within seconds, Lopez decided to save his troops. He scooped the grenade under his body.

“He took the full brunt of the grenade in the explosion. His troops were essentially saved. They went on to take that pillbox,” Dotterer said.

Since then, Lopez has been honored in various ways.

There’s a historic marker commemorating Lopez’s heroics in downtown Tampa and there’s a memorial for him at Hillsborough High School. There’s a public elementary school named after him in Seffner and there’s a memorial to Lopez at Veterans Memorial Park.

In 2012, the Tampa Bay History Center received a Korean War Veterans Medal on behalf of Lopez, presented by Jong-Hoon Kim, a member of the 19th National Assembly and Chair of the International Relations Committee, Saenuri Party. Kim was accompanied by Choi Young-Jin, the Korean Ambassador to the United Nations and other Korean Dignitaries.

Additionally, there’s Lopez Hall at the Basic School aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, a dining facility that was dedicated in 2013, and there’s a navy ship named in his honor.

And, the Marine Corps Association and Foundation, (MCA&F), bestows The Lieutenant Baldomero Lopez Honor Graduate Award to the Marine of each graduating company from the Basic School who demonstrates the highest potential for future leadership and responsibility in the Marine Corps.

In essence, Dotterer said, “he was an amazing hero.”

Published June 6, 2018

Caddy, an adventurous cat, is a teacher in disguise

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Anne Higgins, an author who lives in Land O’ Lakes, spent the bulk of her career helping children to develop their speech and language skills.

Sometimes, the speech pathologist worked directly with children.

Other times, she worked indirectly. In the Plano Independent School District, in Texas, she supervised 35 speech pathologists. During that time, she published an articulation kit for severe speech disorders that was in publication for 20 years.

Anne Higgins, a resident of Land O’ Lakes, is the author of ‘Princess Caddy Finds a Home,’ a book that uses the adventure of a cat to help children develop their vocabulary and comprehension skills.
(B.C. Manion)

Now, she wants to broaden her influence even more through a children’s book she wrote called “Princess Caddy Finds a Home.”

The idea is to use the adventures of a cat to entertain young readers, and help them to develop their vocabulary and comprehension skills.

Higgins is confident that the hardcover book, with its colorful illustrations, will appeal to a broad audience of children.

“This is a true story about a little kitty that basically came to my yard and didn’t leave,” Higgins said. “I was telling my little 3- and 4-year-olds about the kitty and found out they were more excited about what Caddy would do every day, than what Miss Anne would do.

“They could care less what I did in the morning, but they wanted to know everything that Caddy did in the morning.

“The response was amazing.

“So, I integrated her in my therapy and found it to be probably one of the best methods I’ve ever come up with,” she said.

She used the stories about Caddy and her interaction with other animals to help teach basic concepts to the children, and to help them develop their vocabulary.

The children’s book does the same thing.

She developed an index for parents or grandparents to tell them about the basic concepts that are important for 3- to 5-year-olds.

She also lists the vocabulary words presented in the book, which children will learn through repeated exposure. The book contains more than 100 vocabulary words, ranging from simple to complex.

She also added a section which lists questions, to help children develop the comprehension skills they need.

This cover shows an illustration of the real-life Caddy. (Dorrance Publishing/Wendy Bouch)

“After you read this to the child, you can ask them some questions, and see if they were listening and understanding,” she said.

Higgins received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas, in Austin, and her master’s from the University of Texas Dallas branch.

Laster, she moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, where she worked with 3- and 4-year-old children with hearing impairments. At the same time, Higgins worked on speech and language skills with students with autism and who were severely developmentally delayed.

Working on the book was an education for Higgins.

“It was grueling. Every chapter had to be reviewed. Going back and forth. I was trying to integrate as much vocabulary as possible. I had lists and lists and lists of vocabulary words that I was trying to put into the story. It was difficult. You have to have some determination to complete it,” said Higgins, who self-published her book through Dorrance, a publisher based in Pennsylvania.

It took about a year to complete the book, after years of collecting material to use in it, she said.

Higgins envisions the possibility of creating a series of books, featuring Princess Caddy in new adventures, such as going on a vacation, or getting a little brother or sister in the family.

The book is available through various sources, include Bookstore.dorrancepublishing.com, Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

Published May 30, 2018

Festival raises money for animal care

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Land O’ Lakes residents Devin Reyes, 10, left, and Nick Mascola, 15, pampered Bagel, a 1-year-old male Pit Bull. Bagel was up for adoption at the ‘Woofstock’ festival. (Randy Underhill)

Dogs and their human friends celebrated the fourth annual “Woofstock” festival at the Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park on May 19.

It was the first time for the park to host the event, which raises funds to aid sick dogs and cats at Pasco County Animal Services.

Animal services brought dogs that were available for adoption.

Baily plants a kiss on one of his owners, Nancy Berry, left, as he snuggles in the arms of his other owner, Don Riges, under a tent for the English Springer Rescue group.

Vendors set up displays of doggy wares, including designer collars, boarding services, toys, pet food, health care, and offers to microchip Fido or Spot.

Three local bands entertained, including Crossing the Tangent and Chaotic. There were also performers from the Milano Twirling Academy and belly dancers from Troup Sahirnee.

Brody, a 10-year-old border collie, dunked a basketball with an assist from canine trainer Lisa Morrissey. It was part of a demonstration of dog tricks. Brody has about 260 tricks in his repertoire.

One unexpected pet at the festival was a skunk brought by Florida Skunk Rescue. Florida is one of 17 states that allows skunks to be bred domestically. Typically, the animals are “de-fumed” at age one month.

By Randy Underhill

Published May 30, 2018

Canine trainer Lisa Morrisey assisted Brody, a 10-year-old Border Collie, in dunking a basketball at the fourth annual ‘Woofstock’ festival.

 

Sylar, a 7-year-old Cockapoo, posed with Tampa resident Derriann Hope, an employee of All Creatures Hospital. Sylar suffers from a disk disease that affects the dog’s hind legs.

 

New Port Richey resident Linda Reardon picked out a pink cup holder to buy at the Wet ‘N Firehose tent at the ‘Woofstock’ festival at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park.
Emma, an 8-year-old mixed breed, learns how to sit on command, and in return gets rewarded with a treat from Erica Manack, a volunteer with Pasco County Animal Services.

Making a difference through Special Olympics

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For these teachers, Special Olympics is a longtime passion.

With nearly 15 years combined as volunteer coaches, Connerton Elementary’s Jean Howey and Jenna Moore have experienced the positives of the world’s largest sports organization that serves people with intellectual disabilities, and strives to “transform lives through the joy of sport, training and competition.”

Together, the teachers run Connerton’s Special Olympics Unified sports program, which pairs special needs athletes with nondisabled peers, or ‘partners.’

Connerton Elementary School physical education teacher Jean Howey has been actively involved in Special Olympics since joining the school in 2014. She also helps facilitate various school inclusivity campaigns such as ‘Best Buddies’ and ‘Spread the Word to End the Word.’ Courtesy of Jenna Moore)

Athletes and partners compete year-round against other unified programs across Pasco County and Florida — in everything from basketball, bocce and bowling, to track and field and cycling, and more.

The Connerton educators estimate the school features about 40 coed athletes and “at least that many on campus who are partners.”

Howey, a physical education teacher, and Moore, who teaches special-needs students, coordinate times for the athletes and partners to practice together in gym class, at recess and other planned times at the end of the school day.

Beyond that, the educators help facilitate various school inclusivity campaigns such as “Best Buddies” and “Spread the Word to End the Word.”

“Best Buddies” pairs basic-education students and kids with disabilities. “Spread the Word to End the Word” aims to eliminate hurtful language when talking about people with disabilities.

The teachers even formed an afterschool running program for boys and girls.

In addition to the unified sports, these initiatives have helped eliminate misconceptions that some may have about students with physical or intellectual limitations, the teachers said.

Additionally, it has fostered tight-knit bonds and lasting friendships between basic-education student and their special-needs peers, from prekindergarten up through fifth grade.

“They see they’re more alike than different and they become friends. They want to come play with each other and visit with each other,” said Howey, who’s been at Connerton since 2014.

Moore added, “there’s just something so pure and natural about their friendship and how they care for each other.”

It shows up in different ways, the teacher added: “Just the little things that they do to encourage each other — it’s a really special thing.”

While Special Olympics offerings have been available at the Land O’ Lakes school since it opened in 2010, the more inclusive unified program was newly introduced this year.

New Port Richey’s Longleaf Elementary is the county’s only other elementary schools that also offers a unified program.

According to Special Olympics Florida’s website, unified programs enable Special Olympics athletes to not only learn and play new sports, but also experience meaningful inclusion. Each athlete is ensured of playing a valued role on the team.

Opening the door to new friendships, experiences
The teams also provide a forum for positive social interaction.

All participants are of similar age and ability, and unified teams are constructed to provide training and competition opportunities that meaningfully challenge and involve all athletes.

The educators advocate for more unified programs to be introduced at other elementary schools, suggesting it teaches kids at a younger age the importance of social inclusion and breaking down stereotypes about people with disabilities.

In some cases, the athletes prove better at a particular sport or activity than their unified partners, to their partners’ surprise.

That signals a pleasant moment for both the athletes and their partners alike, the educators said.

Connerton Elementary School teacher Jenna Moore has been a Special Olympics volunteer coach for more than a decade. 

Said Moore, “I think one of the cool things is (partners’) realization like, ‘They can do this! They can do it!’ They’re realizing like they have this preconceived notion about what someone can do and it’s like, ‘They’re blowing me away, they’re blowing me out of the water.’”

Added Howey: “You get partnered with someone who might be deemed ‘normal’ and you’re better at something than they are? That’s a really cool feeling.”

The program also creates opportunities for special experiences.

This coming weekend, Howey and Moore will be taking eight students (six athletes, two partners) to the Florida State Summer Games at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, in Lake Buena Vista.

The event, which runs from May 18 to May 19, is the culmination of athletes’ training and competition cycle for a specific sports season. In order to compete in a State Championship event, athletes and teams must have completed eight weeks of training, and compete at county and area level competitions.

Connerton students will participate in such events as bocce, cycling, a unified relay, and soccer skills. (While all grade levels can compete in Special Olympics, children must be at least 8 years old to participate in area and state games.)

During the stay, students will also partake in a dance and pizza party, and other activities led by Special Olympics, such as a free health examination, and opening and closing ceremonies.

For some athletes, State Summer Games marks the first time they’ve ever stayed the night away from family.

In essence, the weekend is wholly dedicated to the kids.

“It’s really exciting for the kids,” said Moore.

“It’s a big deal, and you can’t go there and not be happy. It’s impossible to not be happy,” she said.

Published May 16, 2018

Cost rules out U.S. 41 underpass

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Even dropping the cost from more than half a billion to $250 million, an underpass at U.S. 41 and State Road 54 would be too pricey.

Members of the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization have opted not to add the underpass – also called a tunnel – to a list of recommended road designs to ease traffic congestion at U.S. 41 and State Road 54.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said “it’s worth looking at everything.”

But, the tunnel option is “cost prohibitive.”

Pasco County’s Metropolitan Planning Organization decided against building an underpass at U.S. 41 and State Road 54. (File)

Finding a solution is important because the intersection is one of Pasco’s busiest with about 100,000 vehicles passing through daily.

Members of Pasco County’s Metropolitan Planning Organization in April got sticker shock from a study that estimated the underpass would cost $550 million.

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano then persuaded the MPO board to delay its decision for more research.

He questioned the initial costs, suggesting that MPO staff search for existing, and shorter, underpasses in other municipalities.

“I don’t think they found what I was looking for,” Mariano said.

But, he added: “I feel better with these numbers as far as being realistic.”

The initial study considered an underpass of 6,000 linear feet.

The new data looked at costs for an underpass of 2,500 linear feet.

Building the tunnel would have used a technique known as “cut and cover.” This involves building a deep trench, with walls, and then covering over that.

Less expensive options for dealing with traffic at U.S. 41 and State Road 54 called for elevated lanes at the intersection. The most expensive of two alternatives presented to the MPO board cost about $159 million, including about $50 million for right of way purchases.

With the underpass eliminated, MPO board members approved four alternatives, including a no build solution, recommended by a volunteer task force.

The recommended alternatives include a flyover, express and toll lanes, an at-grade level system of parallel roads, and dedicated bus lanes.

Those recommendations came from the task force, after about two years of sifting through data and road designs.

The work of the task force is part of a three-phase study of the State Road 54 and State Road 56 corridor, from Bruce B. Downs Boulevard on the east to U.S. 19 on the west.

Most recently, the task force was asked to focus on two intersections: Little Road and State Road 54 in New Port Richey, and U.S. 41 and State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes.

For U.S. 41 and State Road 54, task force members whittled 18 alternatives, and no build, down to the four options approved by the MPO.

The next step is for the Florida Department of Transportation to dig deeper into the details, and costs of the recommended projects. That could take a year, according to MPO staff members.

Public comment also will be sought, but a time schedule hasn’t been determined yet.

Published May 16, 2018

Plans call for aquatics center in Land O’ Lakes

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Conceptual drawings have been done for the Christopher N. Chiles Aquatic Center in Land O’ Lakes that could become a magnet for swimming tournaments, and would provide a wide range of services for swimmers of all ages and abilities.

It would cost about $8 million for the facility, without a complete roof system, said Scott Sutek, executive director for the envisioned aquatic center.

Backers would prefer a building with an indoor pool, but that would cost between $12 million and $15 million, Sutek said.

This rendering shows the proposed Christopher N. Chiles Aquatics Center in Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Scott Sutek)

Efforts began last July to develop a plan for the aquatics center, Sutek said.

The swimming facility at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, off Collier Parkway, is operating at maximum capacity, prompting the need for a larger facility, Sutek said.

Five teams train at the current pool, and the teams from Sunlake and Land O’ Lakes high schools compete there.

Lorin Macdonald, the facility’s head coach, said the new center ideally would have eight 50-meter lanes that can be transferred over to 20 to 22 short-course lanes.

The center would be able to accommodate long- and short-course competitions, and would give Olympic hopefuls a good place to train, Macdonald said.

The facility also would be able to accommodate hundreds of additional swimmers, Sutek said.

It also would be able to offer water aerobics, synchronized swimming, scuba lessons and training programs for lifeguards, law enforcement officers and public safety, military and CPR.

Practitioners could write prescriptions for aquatic therapy, Sutek said, because the center would have an aquatics therapy room, with a therapy pool.

The new facility also would make it possible to attract competitions, Sutek said.

“We’ve already gotten interest in having events here – local, state and semi-regional events.

“We have the capacity to hold up to the Pro Series events. So, we’ll have local high school and local club swim events that host anywhere from 300 to 1,200 swimmers,” Sutek said.

Local teams currently travel to meets in Largo, South Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Fort Myers, Orlando and Stuart, Macdonald said.

Plans call for building the facility on land donated by Academy at the Lakes, an independent private school.

Academy at the Lakes operates two campuses on Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, but plans to expand to a third location, off Twenty Mile Level Road, off State Road 54. The aquatics center would become part of that campus, on land the school purchased from the MacManus family. The high school from Academy at the Lakes will be using the new facility.

Promoters are ready to get started on pursuing the swimming complex, as soon as they raise the necessary funds, said Sutek, who is serving as the center’s executive director on a strictly volunteer basis.

“When we’re at 50 percent (funding), we’ll go through with the design, and start talking about construction budgets and times, so that we’re ahead of the ballgame when 100 percent costs come in,” Sutek said.

“With this facility, the public will have more use of the pool, all of the time,” Sutek said.

The facility also would create some job opportunities for lifeguards, coaches and operations staff, Sutek said.

The aquatics center will be a nonprofit operation, Sutek said.

“We will focus on a minimum of two charitable organizations right now. One is the Make-A-Splash. The other is the Special Olympics.

Make-A-Splash is part of USA Swimming Foundation.

The aquatics center would like to partner with them, to remove the economic barrier that sometimes prevents children from learning how to swim, Macdonald said.

“A lot of the kids who end up being drowning victims, end up being drowning victims because they come from families who can’t afford swim lessons. It’s important to us that we start getting the entire community involved in swim lessons, so that everybody can swim and help reduce that drowning rate,” she said. “We would also give scholarships to kids to participate on our swim teams and to do team travel,” she added.

Macdonald sees a larger facility as a way to reach more people in the community.

“We want to make sure they have someplace safe where they can come and swim, somewhere where they have programs that are geared toward making sure the community is water safe,” she said.

The new facility also would make it possible to attract world-class competitions, Sutek said.

Swim coach Robin Hilgenberg is a Special Olympics swimming coach.

“We want to be able to train more Special Olympics kids of all ages, instead of the handful we have,” Sutek said. “We would love to host a Special Olympics swim meet, of large magnitude, here in this area.”

Organizers have shared their plans to the Pasco Economic Development Council and received support, Sutek said. A discussion with Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore also was positive, he added.

Next, proponents will be making the rounds to the county’s municipalities and local civic organizations to talk about their vision.

Published May 9, 2018

Take a free garden tour, learn about sustainability

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People who enjoy learning more about gardening and getting a better understanding about sustainable practices may want to check out the Rosebud Continuum open house.

The free event is set for May 12, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 22843 Hale Road in Land O’ Lakes.

Jerry Comelias holds two white carrots planted by Academy at the Lakes students at the Rosebud Continuum in Land O’ Lakes. (B.C. Manion)

Jerry Comelias, site and educational director for the 14-acre Rosebud Continuum, said the open house is the first full-fledged attempt to let the public know about the project. There was a smaller open house last year, but that was a soft launch, he said.

The upcoming tour features a sustainability farm, a wildflower meadow, friendly goats, aquaponics, hydroponics, Florida native plants, beekeeping and biodigesters.

Tours through the Florida Native Plant Trail feature a Florida Native Wildflower Meadow, with the tours being led by Dr. Craig N. Huegel and Lisa Boing. Tours will be offered at 9 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11 a.m., noon and 12:30 p.m.

Visitors also will be able to learn about biodigesters from Dr. Thomas Culhane, a National Geographic Explorer professor at the Patel College of Global Sustainability and a world traveler. Culhane will explain how biodigesters can take waste and turn it into energy.

Visitors can also check out the hydroponics and aquaponics area, where they can learn how to grow plants without soil. And, they check out the apiary at 10 a.m., to learn how to be a beekeeper.

They also can see a small chicken coop, called a chicken tractor, that is moved around the property, Comelias said.

“We put chickens in it, and they will prepare the ground for growing food. They pull the roots and eat the bugs. It’s really great,” he said.

And, there’s also a petting zoo where children can pet goats.

Jerry Comelias shows off a water heater made from copper pipes that have been painted black, enclosed in plastic wrap.

Comelias, a graduate of the Patel College of Global Sustainability at the University of South Florida, said the project grew out of a partnership between the Patel College, and Sonny and Maryann Bishop family that owns the 14-acre site.

Sonny Bishop, a former National Football League player, also is Lakota Sioux.

The project expresses the Bishop family’s desire to kind of recover some of the indigenous practices previously used in Florida, Comelias said.

A trail leads through a wildflower meadow, which is near the property’s lake.

“We want it to be a place where people can come and reflect, think or pray, or just enjoy being out in nature,” Comelias said.

The open house includes the chance to learn more about biodigesters, which convert food waste into fuel and fertilizer.

The gas that’s produced can be used to fuel a grill, and the liquid fertilizer it yields can be used in gardens and in hydroponic systems, he said. The fertilizer is so highly concentrated, “you can take beach sand, and put that in it, and grow food,” he said.

Beyond the wildflowers, the site features all sorts of ways to grow fruits, vegetables and herbs.

There are hydroponics, aquaponics and traditional garden beds.

Students from Academy at the Lakes and Blake High School are involved with the project.

Lettuce thrives in the greenhouse at the Rosebud Continuum.

Fruits and vegetables being grown at the site include white carrots, strawberries, okra, cabbage, onions, celery, pineapple, tomatoes, Seminole pumpkins, collards, kale, beans, radishes and lettuce. There are all sorts of herbs, as well. And, there’s a variety of trees.

The project aims to look at using natural approaches and keeping the big picture in mind.

The idea is to use systems-thinking when approaching problems, Comelias said.

That means being mindful of potential consequences. For instance, “If we come up with a solution for fuel, is it going to create a problem for food? Is it going to create a problem for water?” he said.

The project aims to help others to learn about sustainable practices.

“We kind of try to do everything in a natural way and help people learn how to do that,” Comelias said. For example, “we hope to do sustainability summer camp for kids and teach them how to turn 2-liter bottles into hydroponic systems.”

There are also some visitors there this week, who traveled from Haiti, to learn about practices they can use at home, Comelias said.

Published May 9, 2018

Sunlake High student named Foot Locker scholar-athlete

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Sunlake High School’s Andrea Wallace is more than just a star basketball player who can score and rebound at will, and dazzle in the post, with her 6-foot-1 frame.

She’s also a standout in the classroom, maintaining a 4.0 grade-point average all through high school.

Besides athletics and academics, Wallace, too, strives to make an impact in the community. It’s why she founded a school club her junior year called Pass It Forward, which focuses on empowering young girls in Land O’ Lakes to use their voice, display their strengths and encourage one another.

“She’s that kid that wants to be great,” said Reesa Hendrix-Pledge, Sunlake athletic director and girls head basketball coach.

Sunlake High’s Andrea Wallace was one of just 20 student-athletes nationwide honored this year in the Foot Locker Scholar-Athletes Program, selected from a competitive pool of over 13,000 applicants. Wallace was recognized for her academic and athletic excellence, along with her service to the community. She will play basketball next season at St. Petersburg College, with plans to transfer to a university in a year or two. (Courtesy of Sunlake High School)

In her seven-plus years at Sunlake, Hendrix-Pledge says no student-athlete better exemplifies “excellence” in all aspects of life than the senior forward.

“She’s kind of the model student,” the coach said.

Wallace’s leadership skills, too, “are like no other” — evidenced in being a three-time team captain on the girls varsity hoops team.

“A coach couldn’t ask for somebody else that can actually talk it then back it up at the same time,” Hendrix-Pledge said.

To other Sunlake teachers and administrators meanwhile, Wallace is simply “an awesome kid.”

To those who know her, it’s not far-fetched that Wallace recently became one of just 20 student-athletes nationwide honored this year in the Foot Locker Scholar-Athletes Program. She was selected from a competitive pool of over 13,000 applicants.

As a Foot Locker Scholar Athlete, Wallace was awarded a $20,000 scholarship in a surprise lunchtime ceremony on April 18 at the high school.

Wallace was told she’d be giving a presentation to district board members on her school club, Pass It Forward. However, while giving her speech in an administration room, Wallace was abruptly overcome with emotion when a pair of Foot Locker representatives entered the room and diverted her attention with a large check — literally — that read “Twenty Thousand (dollars.)”

Wallace recalled the eventful moment afterwards: “It was actually pretty funny, because when I walked in everybody had their cameras out. I was like, ‘I’m not anybody. I’m not that special.’ But, because I thought it was for the district board — that’s what I was told — so I came in and gave the speech, but when they brought the check I almost started crying. …It’s amazing. I didn’t even think that I’d be able to get that.”

Wallace’s mother, Anne-Marie, was also in attendance at the ceremony and was likewise shocked by the scholarship reveal. She used her lunch break to visit the school even though she wasn’t given the reason.

“I was completely caught off guard,” Wallace’s mother said. “This is going to be so much of a big help for her, because with (college) loans, at least it’ll be less on her.  I am very grateful; very grateful. I was not expecting this…”

Though remaining humble about her daughter’s accomplishments, Anne-Marie noted her academically and athletically gifted daughter has always displayed strong work ethic and leadership qualities.

“She’s a pretty good girl,” Anne-Marie said. “Andrea, she just works very hard, and she’s disciplined, and she has such a good attitude.”

Wallace applied for the scholarship in mid-November at the behest of Hendrix-Pledge. Her coach received a call from Foot Locker on a random Friday evening, five months later.

“It was kind of out of sight, out of mind, and then she had been chosen,” said Hendrix-Pledge, who noted she wasn’t totally taken aback, as her star pupil met all the qualifications to win the prestigious scholarship.

Wallace will play basketball next season at St. Petersburg College, with intentions to transfer to a university in a year or two. She plans to study pre-law with hopes of becoming a lawyer and a judge someday.

It all follows what’s been a momentous four-year varsity career, including her senior campaign, where she averaged a double-double (13.3 points, 10.6 rebounds) en route to Sunlake’s first 20-win season and the 7A regional finals. After the season, Wallace was awarded the Sunshine Athletic Conference East Girls Basketball Player of the Year, along with first team All-Conference honors.

Wallace made major strides on the court after her freshman season, motivated to improve after the team lost in the first round of the district playoffs.

“I was upset that we lost…so I was like, ‘I really like playing basketball, and I like being on the team, so what is a good way for me to get better?’ So, I just kind of worked that whole summer just to get better and be in a position to play.”

That she did — developing into one of the Bay Area’s top post players, and leading the Seahawks to three straight winning seasons and regional appearances.

Of her 81 career games played, one she’ll never forget is defeating Land O’ Lakes High her sophomore year in the district semifinals, 54-20. (Sunlake later defeated Springstead to capture the Class 6A district title). Said Wallace, “That was like a moment that I’ll always remember forever because we’d never, ever won anything like that. …To win our district championship and beat Land O’ Lakes High School was like really, really big.”

Meanwhile, Wallace said balancing all her commitments and responsibilities—academically, athletically, socially — at times “gets really, really difficult.”

But, she doesn’t let the pressure rattle her.

“It’s really easy to just say, ‘You know what, I’m not going to do that today.’ Like, it’s super easy to give up, so you just have to stay focused on the bigger goal,” she said.

It’s a message she often bestows on others, including her fellow teammates on achieving their dreams: “If you want to be the best, then you have to do something about it. …What can you do to push yourself to a bigger level?”

The Foot Locker Scholar Athletes program began in 2011, which has resulted in

140 total scholarship recipients over that time.

Published April 25, 2018

Apartments on the rise at Brightwork Crossing

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Brightwork Crossing is going vertical.

Brick-and-mortar tower-like structures are rising on the 32-acre site, off State Road 54, west of Wesley Chapel Boulevard.

These are early signs of an apartment complex approved for up to 350 units. The complex will be a series of four-story buildings with more than 60 apartments per building, according to county records.

Permits also have been approved for a WaWa convenience store, a Burger King and the apartment’s clubhouse. Internal roads include Tapestry Way, Maren Way, Ashley Creek Trail and Canopy Creek Way.

Construction crews are building apartments at Brightwork Crossing, a mixed-use project at Wesley Chapel Boulevard and State Road 54. This view is from Old Cypress Creek Road. (Kathy Steele)

Alabama-based Arlington Properties and BW 54 56 Holdings LLC are partners in the development. Representatives for the companies weren’t available for comment.

Pasco County commissioners approved the mixed-use, commercial and residential project in August 2017. It’s been on the drawing board since 2015.

Brightwork Crossing is approved for the apartments, as well as 250,000 square feet of offices, retail and a 150-room hotel.

Firestone Complete Auto Care store has been named as a potential retail store.

Construction began in summer 2017 as bulldozers cleared and leveled the vacant land, located directly behind the Shell gas station and Walgreen’s drugstore.

Traffic spills into the area from all directions, off State Road 54, State Road 56, Wesley Chapel Boulevard and Interstate 75.

Brightwork Crossing will fill out a prime corner at this major juncture for new development, which already includes Tampa Premium Outlets, Cypress Creek Town Center, and Florida Hospital Center Ice.

The site where apartments are being built was bisected by Old State Road 54, and often used as a cut-through by motorists seeking to avoid long waits at Wesley Chapel and State Road 54 and State Road 56.

Old State Road 54 became part of a land swap that gave the county green space for its wildlife corridor, as well as room for a future park-and-ride facility.

Recent and future road projects are on tap to improve traffic flow along the area’s major corridors.

Brightwork Crossing will have access via Wesley Chapel Boulevard to Cypress Creek Town Center, at the center’s Pondside Drive entrance.

Wesley Chapel is partially widened, near State Road 56, and the county plans eventually to widen the boulevard to six lanes to just north of Magnolia Boulevard. There will be 4-foot bicycle lanes, a median, 5-foot sidewalks on the eastern side, and an 8-foot multi-use trail on the western side.

Construction is expected to begin in 2018 on a diverging diamond interchange at I-75 to improve traffic flow.

Published April 25, 2018