The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Pasco County under Emergency Burn Ban

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A burn ban is in effect in Pasco County to reduce the risk of brush fires due to the extremely dry conditions. (Mike Camunas)

All areas of Pasco County are under an Emergency Burn Ban because of extremely dry conditions, according to a county news release.

The mandatory ban is in effect until conditions improve.

The extremely dry conditions are a result of a prolonged lack of rainfall and the conditions create an increased risk of brush fires, the release said.

The ban prohibits:

  • Open burning
  • Campfires/bonfires
  • Burning yard waste/garbage

Also, remember that a simple action, such as tossing a lit cigarette into the grass, can easily ignite brush fires that can quickly spread out of control – putting people in danger and threatening homes and businesses, the release said.

Outdoor cooking in grills or smokers that can contain the fire, flame and heat is acceptable, however Pasco Fire Rescue encourages you to make sure the coals in your grill are extinguished when you finish cooking.

Pasco County will send out a notification when it is safe to resume open burning.

To report a Burn Ban violation, call the county’s Emergency Communications Center at 727-847-8102.

Published April 19, 2023

Republican meeting ‘going to the dogs’

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(Courtesy of Sandra Graves)

Cpl. Art Madden and his dog Woodie will headline the April 24 meeting of The Republican Club of Central Pasco, at Copperstone Executive Suites, 3632 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. Madden will speak to the club about the Pasco Sheriff’s Office (PSO) K-9 charity and the club will present a $250 donation to the corporal.

The PSO K-9 Unit is one of the largest and most diversely skilled K-9 units in Florida. It is comprised of multiple handler and K-9 teams, all serving a specific purpose. 

These teams use their skills in various ways including tracking missing people; finding drugs, explosives or accelerants; locating human remains; and, providing comfort for those in crisis.

The K-9s are vital to the PSO — they can perform tasks that humans cannot or that would take significant manpower and time to achieve the same result. There is a social at 6 p.m., followed by the business meeting at 6:30 p.m. For information, call 813-996-3011.

Published April 19, 2023

Voters choose new leaders in Zephyrhills

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Zephyrhills voters chose new leaders in the municipal elections, but they are both familiar faces around town.

Steve Spina, former city manager of Zephyrhills has defeated incumbent Alan Knight, to win a seat on the Zephyrhills City Council (Mike Camunas)

Voters in the April 11 election selected Steve Spina, the former city manager, for Seat 2 on the Zephyrhills City Council. They also chose Melanie Bahr Monson, the former president and CEO of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, to serve as the city’s 21st mayor.

Spina secured 60.72% of the vote to defeat incumbent Alan Knight in the city council race.

Monson received 59.27% of the vote in a three-way race to become mayor.

Spina retired from his post as city manager in 2019.

Knight is a longtime Zephyrhills resident and educator working mainly in Pasco county schools as a teacher, coach and administrator for 35 years.

Monson defeated candidates Nick Deford and Martin Harm.

Monson, a Zephyrhills native, was the chamber’s CEO for eight years before stepping away in September.

Melanie Bahr Monson, former CEO of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, has been elected to become the city’s 21st mayor. (Mike Camunas)

She now works for her family business, Bahr’s Propane Gas and AC.

Monson replaces Gene Whitfield, who announced in December that he would not seek another term. The role of mayor in Zephyrhills is primarily ceremonial.

Zephyrhills voters also voted on eight amendments to the city charter.

Here are the referendums and the outcomes:

  • Referendum 1: Adopting the date of the city’s incorporation (Nov. 17, 1914): Approved with 83% of the vote.
  • Referendum 2: Changing the office terms for city council from a three-year term to a four-year term: Approved with 62% of the vote.
  • Referendum 3: Designated the city manager to make daily deposits on behalf of  the city and report deposits at regular city council meetings: Approved by 84% of the vote.
  • Referendum 4: Changing the term for mayor from a three-year term to a four-year term: Approved by 68% of the vote.
  • Referendum 5: Changing when elected officials shall start their new terms from three days after the election results to the start being the next regularly scheduled city council meeting: Approved with 83% of the vote.
  • Referendum 6: Changing when election candidates can obtain petition signatures from no more than 60 days prior to the date of the election: Rejected with 54% of the vote.
  • Referendum 7: Changing the time frame to when city council receives the canvas of votes to the next regularly scheduled meeting: Approved with 84% of the vote.
  • Referendum 8: Changing the time period of reviewing the city charter from every five years to every 10 years: Approved with 75% of the vote.

In other municipal election results:

  • St. Leo Town Commissioner Vincent D’Ambrosio was unopposed and retained Seat 2 on the commission. He also is St. Leo’s mayor.
  • St. Leo Town Commissioner Curtis Dwyer was unopposed and retained Seat 4 on the commission.
  • San Antonio Commissioner Mark Anderson ran unopposed and kept his seat. He also is the town’s mayor.
  • Kevin Damis was elected to the San Antonio Commission. He was unopposed and is replacing Maximilian D’Water, who chose not to seek another term.

For additional election results, visit www.enr.electionsfl.org/PAS/3384/Summary.

Published April 19, 2023

Should there be a regional MPO in Tampa Bay?

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A group of elected leaders from Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties gathered recently in Odessa to discuss whether the time is right to pursue a regional approach to transportation planning.

Representatives from Pasco and Pinellas counties expressed support for the idea, while Hillsborough and Tampa officials voiced opposition.

These construction materials offer a visual clue that a road project is underway. The possibility of the creation of a regional Metropolitan Planning Organization to tackle transportation needs is in discussion. Some leaders embrace the idea; others, not so much. (File)

The discussion was held at the March 24 meeting of the TMA, at Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, in Odessa. 

The TMA is a subcommittee of the Sun Coast Transportation Alliance. Its membership is made up of local representatives of the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the Hillsborough County Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) and Forward Pinellas, which is the lead planning organization for transportation and land use in Pinellas County.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, chairwoman of the TMA, is a staunch advocate of regional transportation planning and reiterated her support of that approach.

Pinellas County Commissioners Dave Eggers and Janet Long also spoke in favor of taking a regional, big-picture view when it comes to setting transportation priorities.

“We’ve got to think bigger,” Eggers said. “This is an opportunity for us to be leaders in the area. To me, it’s something that we should have been doing some time ago.

Despite the hassles posed by construction, these signs generally indicate that road improvements are on the way.

“The partnerships with the cities, the counties, the chambers and the businesses all have to be at the table. The mechanism for regional improvement has to include the mechanism to protect our local efforts,” Eggers added.

Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman shares that perspective.

Essentially, there are two different ways of governing, Weightman said.

Tackling regional issues requires a multi-county approach; addressing local issues can be done by elected leaders within that specific locality, he said.

“So, there’s two different lanes,” Weightman said.

But Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp and Tampa City Councilman Joseph Citro expressed skepticism.

Kemp said she’s against merging MPOs.

“The MPOs were created to protect local populations, local communities, local neighborhoods, and diverse, disadvantaged communities,” Kemp said.

”Massive roadways have hurt the structure of Tampa and its economic opportunity,” Kemp added. “Debates in the region have been largely about the impacts on Hillsborough County residents — over and over again.”

Citro said he’s concerned about Tampa getting lost in the shuffle.

Tampa residents feel the brunt of the daily crush of commuters coming into the city and leaving each day, he said.

If a regional transportation planning agency emerges, the issue, of course, is how projects are prioritized for funding.

“The population in the city of Tampa doubles each and every day, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.,” Citro said. “I can’t emphasize this enough.”

If a regional approach is adopted, Citro said Tampa should be granted greater representation on the governing board because it bears a greater impact than other places in the region.

Citro said the Port of Tampa and Tampa International Airport also must be able to weigh in on n regional transportation issues.

Starkey responded: “I agree the airport and the port should have a voice on here.”

But the TMA chairwoman added: “To me, those are details that get fleshed out as we go more through the process, more in-depth.”

Starkey said she understands concerns that local governments may have, if a regional planning approach is adopted.

“We have our fears, as a small fish, but the devil is in the details, and if other communities around the country can figure it out, I think we can figure out how we keep our local identity but work on a regional identity, as well,” Starkey said.

David Gwynn, secretary for the Florida Department of Transportation’s District Seven office said estabishing a regional MPO may create a better opportunity for securing federal funds for projects.

“With 3.2 million people in an MPO, you’re going to be the largest MPO,” Gwynn said.

“We believe we’d be able to be more successful in bringing more money to the entire region,” Gwynn said. “All boats should rise, if the tide rises, right?”

“I think a lot could go right,’’ added Gwynn, whose FDOT district covers the Tampa Bay region.

Published April 12, 2023

Playing the game for a spell

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They are a few moves ahead of everyone else.

At the Dungeons & Dragons Club at Steinbrenner High School in Lutz, members have been playing for years. Not just in the after-school weekly meetups, but on their own, for personal fun and pleasure.

And they’re not playing just because a TV show has made it culturally acceptable by raising its popularity to the mainstream. Or because there’s a blockbuster movie now playing in theaters that’s based on the game.

Peyton White, the Dungeon Master (DM) in Steinbrenner High School’s Dungeons & Dragons after-school club, is seen here during one of the weekly gaming sessions at the school in Lutz. The club is open to anyone who wants to play, from newbies to experienced players. (Mike Camunas)

The game’s popularity, and the club, have grown because of the global hit Netflix series, “Stranger Things,” said Branden Lingerfelt, a Steinbrenner social studies teacher, who is the club’s adult sponsor and monitor.

But he added that he believes the popularity goes beyond “Stranger Things,” which began airing in 2016.

“It’s amazing to see kids come to this club,” Lingerfelt said. “Maybe they didn’t have a lot of friends before, but now they do, and maybe that was or wasn’t their intent or maybe they just wanted to play D&D, but I love seeing both of those from kids who have come to this club.

“They just want to have fun playing Dungeons & Dragons.”

For much of its existence since the game was first published in 1974, this fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson has been considered part of the “nerd culture.” The game is sometimes viewed as played by people who lack a social life or spend all of their time playing the game in a basement or garage.

Junior Mikie White, the president of Steinbrenner’s club, said he never set out to change that image when he founded the club two years ago.

Mikie White, middle, is president and founder of the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) after-school club at Steinbrenner High. He watches as the 20-sided die rolls an outcome during a recent gaming session of the fantasy role-playing game. He said he wanted to start the D&D club at Steinbrenner to have a safe space for players to get together and just have some fun going through the story labyrinth set up by the Dungeon Master.

He’s always loved the game — even before ‘Stranger Things’ — and wanted to have a safe space for players to get together and either learn the game, to improve at playing it, or just have fun going through the story labyrinth set up by the Dungeon Master.

But “Stranger Things” has had an impact. About 50 people showed up at the club’s first meeting this school year.

“Basically, before ‘Stranger Things,’ it wasn’t like that,” he said, “and with most clubs, it whittles down after the first day. When you get one of the most famous TV shows in the world basically promoting it and it becomes mainstream, then you see the new players.

“But a lot of people don’t know how to play it or get into it. So if you have a club at school, it’s about, ‘Come join us, come learn how to play,’ — because this is an easy way to find out how.

“This isn’t really about competing — you don’t really win D&D. You’re getting together with friends and having a great time — that’s what you really want.”

The club meets once a week, for about an hour or so of play, as Lingerfelt keeps a watchful eye.

Lingerfelt says he’s not an avid player and doesn’t play with the students, but he’s more than happy to sit back and watch much better players at work.

The minimum number of dice to Dungeons & Dragons is a seven-dice set, which can include one of each die that is four-sided, six-sided, eight-sided, 10-sided, 12-sided, and finally, a 20-sided that is generally used for important or critical outcomes to the story.

“What I like is that they’re just hanging out at a place and time to meet,” Lingerfelt said. “It’s lowkey — like a kid isn’t here and in this club for his or her (college) resume. He or she is here to play D&D, and I think that’s great.

“They want a space and time to play with fellow students? I am here for them.”

Of course the club has more experienced players, such as Mikie White or the club’s vice president, senior Peyton White (no relation). Which, as leaders of the club, is perfect, as they are the go-to experts for rule clarifications and playing advice.

“What I try to do with new players,” Peyton White said, “is get them with more experienced Dungeon Masters. I’m very anti-gatekeeping, so no matter how you found out about tabletop dice games — ‘Stranger Things’ or the movie or some podcast or TV show or friend — if you want to play it, play it! If you want to do it, do it! Come join us or a game or find a game and have fun!

Sophomore Diego Campos has a good laugh with his Dungeons & Dragons comrades and club friends during a recent gaming session at Steinbrenner High in Lutz.

“I care about it a lot, that’s why I encourage it, and not everyone stuck with it, but I’m glad to have those who did stick with it and I’m glad to have this club at my school until I graduate because it can be very hard to find games anywhere, especially outside a school setting at our age.

“It’s so much fun and anyone can play!”

Mikie White agrees, knowing first-hand the fun of playing the elaborate game, but also that the game isn’t just for “nerds.”

“There’s a few athletes in (the club),” he said. “It’s not a dorky thing anymore, and whether it’s ‘Stranger Things’ or something else that got you into the game, Dungeons & Dragons is for everyone.”

Dungeons & Dragons
Details: This fantasy tabletop game, created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, was first published in 1974. The role-playing game (RPG) has evolved and gained popularity through the years, even now after it has been published by Wizards of the Coast (a subsidiary of Hasbro) since 1997.
The game departs from traditional war gaming by allowing each player to create their own character to play instead of a military formation. These characters embark upon adventures within a fantasy setting. A Dungeon Master (DM) serves as the game’s referee and storyteller, while maintaining the setting in which the adventures occur, and playing the role of the inhabitants of the game world, also referred to as non-player characters (NPCs).
During the game, players describe their characters’ intended actions to the DM, who then describes the result or response. Trivial actions, such as picking up a letter or opening an unlocked door, are usually automatically successful. The outcomes of more complex or risky actions, such as scaling a cliff or picking a lock, are determined by rolling dice. Different polyhedral dice are used for different actions, such as a 20-sided die to see whether a hit was made in combat, but an eight-sided die to determine how much damage was dealt. A single session of Dungeons & Dragons can last anywhere between three hours to an entire day.
For more information about the Steinbrenner D&D club, email Branden Lingerfelt at .

Published April 12, 2023

Sophomore Aiden Webber, a member of Steinbrenner High’s Dungeons & Dragons Club, watches his die as he tries to make a calculated roll.
Steinbrenner High’s Dungeons & Dragons Club meets weekly on campus and features about 20 members who gather in a safe space to have friendly sessions of the fantasy role-playing game.
Senior Dungeons & Dragons player Zachary Gondelman hopes for a good outcome on his roll of a 20-sided die during a recent gaming session.

 

Pasco approval sets stage for massive development

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A massive development on 2,900 acres of ranchland in Land O’ Lakes is a step closer to reality.

(Mike Camunas)

The Pasco County Commission on April 4 approved transmitting a request by 4G Ranch PD to the state Department of Economic Opportunity and other state agencies for review.

This is a preliminary step that’s required before the county board can approve a change to the county’s comprehensive plan, and that change is required before new zoning entitlements can be granted.

Plans call for developing approximately 3,800 homes and 300,000 square feet of retail and office uses on the land.

The site is on State Road 52, about 2.25 miles east of U.S. 41. It is currently 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 that were included in the Pasco County Planning Commission’s agenda packet, from when it considered the request.

4G Ranch is owned by the Phillips family.

Published April 12, 2023

St. Leo, San Antonio work together, improve Pompanic Street

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The neighboring towns of St. Leo and San Antonio came together and painted a line down their border — a line of asphalt — in a joint road improvement collaboration.

In the past eight months, the towns of St. Leo and San Antonio worked together to fix up, repave and add safety measures to Pompanic Street, which serves as the boundary between the two East Pasco municipalities. (Mike Camunas)

In the past eight months, the two towns worked together to fix up, repave and add safety measures to Pompanic Street, which serves as the boundary between San Antonio and St. Leo.

According to town officials, the middle of the road is considered the dividing line and the two municipalities partnered to improve the road. The project, which cost $850,048.38, is about 95% complete after being widened, adding a sidewalk and improving the stormwater drainage.

A solar-powered speed radar and speed limit sign were installed, too.

The less-than-a-mile-long road runs parallel to Lake Jovita, coming off the intersection at State Road 52 and College Avenue.

Town officials said the road improvements will improve public safety.

However, the project was initiated prior to the idea and announcement of St. Leo’s plans to add a multi-faceted town center at the corner of State Road 52 and Lemon Road, less than a mile from the university that also bears its name.

On Feb. 14, St. Leo’s Town Commission voted to move forward with building a town center — a much-welcomed shopping, entertainment, event and community district in the hopes of changing the identity of the oldest incorporated municipality in Pasco County from a drive-through town to a destination.

Additionally, St. Leo also is working with the Florida Department of Transportation to reconfigure the intersection of State Road 52, College Avenue and Pompanic Street to convert the now-complicated intersection into a more traffic-friendly roundabout.

Published April 12, 2023

Pasco board sends Saddlebrook request to state for review

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A request to redevelop Saddlebrook Resort has cleared the first step in a lengthy county review process required before any redevelopment can occur.

The Pasco County Commission voted 4-1 to send a request by Miami-based Mast Capital to the state’s Department of Economic Opportunity and other state agencies for review. Commission Chairman Jack Mariano voted no.

The vote came after hours of discussion at the April 4 public hearing, where speakers offered testimony both for and against Mast’s proposed redevelopment of Saddlebrook.

During its prime, Saddlebrook was known internationally for excellence in its golf facilities, with its two Arnold Palmer-designed courses and for its tennis facilities and programs. But the resort, which opened in 1981, has fallen into disrepair and plans for redeveloping it have sparked debate. (File)

Saddlebrook, which opened in 1981, is situated off State Road 54, east of Interstate 75, in Wesley Chapel. It has been the training grounds of professional golf and tennis stars and was once widely known as a world-class resort.

But, by virtually all accounts, the resort has fallen into disrepair over the years and will need a significant infusion of capital to restore it to its glory days.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said she’s pleased that Mast has stepped forward because other developers have looked at Saddlebrook and couldn’t get the numbers to work.

In broad strokes, Mast’s redevelopment plan has four parts: two areas are within Saddlebrook’s gated community and two are outside, flanking State Road 54.

Area 1 and Area 2 are outside of the gated community.

The plans for Area 1 call for 75,000 square feet of commercial retail/office, 465 multifamily units and 35 townhomes.

The plans for  Area 2 call for 25,000 square feet of commercial retail/office and 120 townhomes.

Area 3 and Area 4 are within the existing resort community.

Plans for Area 3 call for the preservation of the tennis courts and renovation of the clubhouse and resort area.

Plans for Area 4 call for the redesigned golf courses and relocation of the driving range, which currently fronts State Road 54.

Under Mast’s plans, development along State Road 54 would include a mixture of commercial and residential uses in a walkable area featuring neighborhood parks, patio seating, a wide boulevard and other amenities, according to the proposal.

Plans also call for dual left-hand turning lanes leading out of the resort’s main entrance. Plus, an additional right-in/right-out access would serve the new development along State Road 54.

The developer also has committed to extend Vision Road H, to provide another connection into Saddlebrook.

Those speaking in favor of Mast’s request said the company’s investment is needed to save Saddlebrook, and they praised the company for seeking to make Saddlebrook a competitive resort.

They also praised Mast for agreeing to a private deed restriction that guarantees the golf course land will be protected. 

Those speaking against the plan questioned its compatibility with the existing community’s character. They raised concerns about the disruption of the quiet nature of the resort community.

They predicted that increased traffic within the community will pose hazards to people who are walking, biking or using golf carts on the area’s roads.

They also criticized Mast’s plan for lacking a specific timeline for the resort’s renovation.

Some also spoke out against Mast’s plans to replace the two 18-hole golf courses with three nine-hole courses. They said there would be too much distance between holes on the redesigned courses.

They disagreed with Mast’s assessment that a complete overhaul is needed to create a course that will attract today’s golfers.

Despite the disagreements, it appeared that Mast is making progress in building support for its plan.

More speakers stepped forward to support Mast’s plan than had done so at previous public hearings.

The transmittal of Mast’s request for state review is a preliminary step in the process.

Before Mast can proceed with the proposed redevelopment, it needs to secure approval of its requested comprehensive land use change and approval of a companion master-plan unit development (MPUD) zoning.

Each of those requests must go to a public hearing before the Pasco County Planning Commission and then come back to the county board for a final vote.

In voicing support for the transmittal at the April 4 hearing, Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman noted he would support the transmittal, but made it clear there are issues that need to be worked out.

Specifically, Weightman said he’s not “not overly enthusiastic” about the proposed multifamily units or the proposed density of Mast’s plan.

Published April 12, 2023

Rezoning will allow day care and restaurant in Land O’ Lakes

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The Pasco County Commission has approved a rezoning to change residential zoning to commercial on 8.39 acres, on the south side of Catfish Lake Road, north of State Road 54.

The planned uses for the property are for a day care center and restaurant, according to the county board’s April 4 agenda packet.

The applicant has volunteered to record a deed restriction to prohibit these uses: car washes, gas stations, vehicle service stations, repair garages, stand-alone drive-thru restaurants and self-storage facilities and free-standing recreational vehicle and boat storage.

A 5-foot sidewalk along the northern property boundary also must be installed before the final building inspection of the first building, according to deed restriction.

Reima Investments LLC/Apple Enterprises Trust are listed as the applicants on this zoning.

In another agenda item, the county board approved a task order with Trias Construction to construct a new Pasco Fire/Rescue logistics building next to Fire Rescue Station No. 15, at 2036 Chesapeake Drive, in Odessa.

The project has been added to the 2015 Penny for Pasco Project List and the approved task order is in the amount of $744,840.

The task order covers the construction of a 60-foot by 80-foot metal building and concrete foundation. It also provides for the installation of metal pallet racks that will help organize the storage area, according to the county board’s April 4 agenda packet.

The county board approved the list of 2015 Penny for Pasco Projects on July 10, 2012, but additional funds were available and Fire/Rescue requested to add this logistics building.

The projected time of completion is 120 days from the notice to proceed. 

In other action, the county board:

  • Accepted the donation of a solar-powered public Wi-Fi hotspot with full installation, worth approximately $6,000, for Stanley Park, at 38724 Mudcat Grant Blvd., in Lacoochee. The donation was made by the Florida Engineering Leadership Institute Class of 2021, through its charitable program, “Connecting Communities.”
  • Approved Downs & St. Germain Research Inc. for the Visitor Profile and Economic Impact Study for Florida’s Sports Coast in the annual Not to Exceed (NTE) amount of $29,000 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023; $73,000 for FY 2024; $58,000, for FY 2025; $73,000 for FY 2026; and $58,000 for FY 2027, for a cumulative total NTE amount of $291,000. The agreement is for a one-year contract term, with four automatic one-year renewal terms, unless canceled in accordance with the solicitation documents.

Published April 12, 2023

Students get plugged into EVs

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They’re trying to change climate change, one electric vehicle at a time.

Sixth-graders in Environmental Science class at Learning Gate Community School in Lutz recently took seven broken mini EVs and rebuilt them.

It was an ambitious undertaking, led by the school’s Environment Science teacher, Steven Warrener.

He wanted his students to see what sustainable transportation looks like, how electric vehicles are made, and to experience, firsthand, how the vehicles can be fixed easily and cheaply.

Learning Gate Community School in Lutz and its sixth-graders took seven broken mini electric vehicles (EVs) — in this case, scooters — and rebuilt them as part of a project in Environmental Science Teacher Steven Warrener’s class. The goal was to show the kids what sustainable transportation looks like, how electric vehicles are made, and see firsthand how the vehicles can be fixed easily and cheaply. (Courtesy of Steve Warrener)

“It ended up being pretty fun,” Warrener said. “I wanted the kids to learn the ins and outs of sustainable transportation.

“We basically got seven broken mini EVs and rebuilt them — and I thought it was pretty a fun project in part because I ride some of them around school whenever I have an excuse and I hear the younger kids say, ‘I can’t wait to get to sixth grade’ and that is a big part of why I do it.”

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ​greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation account for about 27% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, making it the largest contributor. Between 1990 and 2020, GHG emissions in the transportation sector increased more in absolute terms than any other sector.

With that in mind, it was easy for the students to see how important it was to find alternatives to combustible-engine vehicles and implement EVs more into daily use.

As Teresa Gallegos put it, “(EVs are) a form of sustainable transportation that is very much needed,” while Cam Kirouac added about the project, “Hopefully, we can be one step closer to stopping climate change.”

Warrener said he “trolled Facebook Marketplace and local pawn shops and negotiated for very cheap — and occasionally free — used and broken electric scooters, trikes and motorcycles” and ended up with four scooters, two motorcycles and a drift trike.

Learning Gate Community School Environmental Science Teacher Steven Warrener sits on one of the seven mini EVs he and his students saved and rebuilt.

After pairing students in groups, Warrener had the kids research and experiment with their group’s vehicle to figure out what was broken and repair it. Through a multi-week process, they learned how electricity and motors work, how to test voltage and identify problems, and then made the repairs themselves with parts Warrener had purchased.

The students were allowed to customize the paint job and clean up the EVs for their second life.

“We were successful with six of the vehicles,” Warrener added. “Two we put in an auction fundraiser, two will be giveaways and one will stay for next year’s class.

The remaining motorcycle is a work in progress, as efforts are made to see if a record can be set for the fastest Razor MX350, Warrener said.

They will attempt this by taking the motor from the electric go-kart built earlier this school year. That will produce about eight times the power of the original motor, in hopes to top the unofficial speed record of 34 mph, the teacher said.

Because of the project, students were able to easily grasp the important lessons Warrener set out to teach.

“I learned that EVs can help the world because they don’t require gasoline,” Elijah Bossio said. “That’s really important right now.” 

Added Alexander Bailey, “I learned how to make an electric vehicle and you can buy a broken thing for a cheap price and fix it for a profit. I think more people should do that.”

Warrener agrees.

“EVs are really just a motor, throttle, controller and battery,” he said. “There are so few pieces and they are so simple (that) gas cars really have no chance of competing in the future.”

Published April 12, 2023