Local News

Pasco Schools to end courtesy bus rides

April 12, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County Schools has decided to end courtesy bus rides for middle and high school students beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, as the district continues to grapple with issues posed by a shortage of bus drivers.

Steve Hegarty, public information officer for Pasco County Schools, said the district has decided to drop the rides for middle and high school students living within 2 miles of their schools because the state doesn’t cover the cost of transporting those riders.

There are about 3,000 bus riders that fall into that category, Hegarty said.

Discontinuing those services will take some of the strain off the bus driver shortage, which in turn should help with getting students to school on time and reduce wait times for students to catch a bus after school to head home.

The district is not dropping the courtesy rides it provides for elementary students, Hegarty added.

Hegarty said the district is getting pushback from parents whose children are losing their bus rides. However, he suspects there also will be parents who will be pleased when the district can improve being on time with its buses.

He also noted the district put the word out as soon as it could, to give parents more lead time to prepare for next school year.

While acknowledging the issue is an operational decision, some school board members said they’d been hearing from parents who are worried about safety, and they share those concerns.

At the school board’s April 5 meeting, board member Megan Harding said she understands that dropping those courtesy rides will free up many runs.

But Harding added: “I see people zooming through school zones and students not crossing at proper crosswalks.”

She rattled off a number of roads that she said are potentially dangerous for walkers.

She asked if the district could request traffic studies at intersections on particularly busy roads, to determine if crossing guards are warranted.

“I know that our families are really worried about their children’s safety, and I really am, too,” she said.

Board member Alison Crumbley said she feels empathy for parents and students who are concerned, but said she believes the district is doing the best that it can, with its resources.

On another matter, board members approved adding a job description for a program director for academic tutoring.

Vanessa Hilton, the district’s chief academic officer, explained the position relates to a state grant the board approved in January, and the position will be funded through the grant.

“This position would lead the effort of school-based tutoring that is going to be developed because of COVID. The grant provided by FDOE (Florida Department of Education) requires districts to implement a specific tutoring program using the state resources. It requires specific training, specific procedures, specific implementation.”

Board members wanted assurances that the position would not be funded beyond the grant.

Superintendent Kurt Browning said the position goes away, once the grant funds run out. If the district wants to continue with someone in that role, it will come back to the board for its approval, Browning said.

There are numerous positions in the district, now paid for with federal funds, that will go away once those COVID-19 related funds disappear, Browning said.

“We’re not going to be falling off the financial cliff,” Browning said.

In other news, school board member Colleen Beaudoin told her colleagues that she was delighted to hear that the district is expanding its early childhood programs to four additional elementary schools beginning next school year.

The additional schools are Connerton, Veterans, Trinity and Seven Springs, which will bring the district’s total number of schools with early childhood programs to 38.

On another item, the board voted to increase the price for some meals for the upcoming school year. These are the categories that increased: Elementary school breakfast, up from $1.35 to $1.60; elementary school lunch, up from $2.50 to $3; middle school breakfast, up from $1.50 to $1.75; high school breakfast, up from $1.50 to $1.75; high school lunch, up from $3.25 to $3.50; adult breakfast, up from $1.75 to $2.

Published April 13, 2022

Jail operations shifting from sheriff’s office to Pasco County

April 12, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Operation of the Pasco County Jail is shifting from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office to Pasco County, but before it does, a transition audit should be performed, according to Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles.

“You want to know, as a county board, what you’re getting with that transfer of a major function for the county,” the clerk said, during the Pasco County Commission’s April 5 meeting.

Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles advised the Pasco County Commission to have a transition audit done, as the Pasco Sheriff’s Office hands off overseeing the jail operations to Pasco County. (File)

“It’s important to know what we’re getting, as a county, from the sheriff, from Day One,” she added.

“When you are going to transfer an operation from one government entity to another, it’s very important to do a transition audit,” the clerk said.

That’s important, “so, that on Sept. 30, you know what was with the sheriff, and now, we know Oct. 1, what’s going to be with the county.

“An audit like that would consist of making sure we identify all of the capital assets, all of the accounts, the reconciliation of any accounts that they have, to make sure we know what we’re getting on Day One, with the county,” Alvarez-Sowles said.

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey asked the clerk if her office could do the audit.

Alvarez-Sowles said it is something that her inspector general is capable of performing, but she’s operating at 50% staff, so can’t take it on.

“We wouldn’t be able to take on an audit this size, but I would like to recommend to the board to allow her to contract with an auditing firm, outside, to come in and help us with that transition,” Alvarez-Sowles said.

“I’d like to have that opportunity to do that (contract for the audit). That would be something county would have to pay for, the services,” she added.

“We have to jump quickly because an audit like this is very extensive. It takes a lot of time.

“Just from when it switched over from my predecessor, Paula O’Neil, to me, it took months, with my inspector general, and that’s all they really focused on, for months.”

Starkey asked how the county should proceed with pursuing the audit.

County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder said: “The clerk should present it (proposal for audit) at a future board meeting.”

In addition to the audit, the clerk said she also needs information about how the shift will affect her operations. She expects it to have financial impacts and she wants to know more before turning in her proposed budget, which is due May 1.

Noting that she had just learned about the jail shift during the prior week, she told commissioners she might need some additional time to prepare her budget.

She said she needs to find out more about the impacts from County Administrator Dan Biles and from Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco.

“My office is going to have probably significant operational impact, with that coming over,” she said. “It’s going to be a significant impact to my finance department, finding and understanding all of their accounts and their credit cards, and reporting for grants and capital assets. And, do they have any capital projects that are outside of the General Obligation bond? And, there’s so much more, just off the top of my head.”

It also will have an impact on IT.

It also will have an impact on the courts, both criminal and civil, she said.

“I want to make sure that we identify what role is the sheriff keeping, what role is going to be coming to the county, as it relates to that,” she added.

“There’s also some local administrative orders that we need to look at, as it impacts the role. I don’t know if it would still be with the sheriff, or if it goes to the corrections, for some of the things there,” she said.

She told the county board that she would like to attend the county’s budget workshop that is set for May 24, “so we have some good conversations around this.”

Published April 13, 2022

It’s Easter season, a popular time for eggs

April 12, 2022 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

It’s that time of year when eggs take center stage, so it seems timely to talk about both eggs and egg replacements, for those looking to find out more about those.

Here are a few fun facts.

They look similar to eggs, but chickpea flour omelets have more of an earthy flavor. (Courtesy of Shari Bresin)

Shell and yolk color
You probably know that eggshells come in different shades of white and brown, but did you know they also come in different shades of blue?

Also, did you know that the color and size of eggs are determined by the breed of the hen?

Have you ever heard that there is no difference in nutritional quality between eggs with different eggshell colors? Some people incorrectly assume that brown eggs are healthier.

Brown eggs are typically pricier. That’s because the hens that lay them are larger and require more feed.

Yolk color varies, too.

The color is determined by the hen’s feed. If the hen’s diet is heavy in green plants, yellow corn, alfalfa, or other plant material with a yellow-orange hue, the yolk will be a darker yellow-orange.

Hens feeding primarily on wheat and barley will have a pale-yellow yolk. And, hens feeding on cornmeal will produce eggs with yolks having hardly any color at all, according to Food and Nutrition Magazine.

Also, just like the eggshell color, the color of the yolk doesn’t indicate the nutritional value.

Egg replacement
There may be times when you need to find an egg replacement.

Maybe you have special dietary needs, you’re trying to avoid using eggs in a recipe, or you simply ran out of eggs.

Here’s a list of ingredients — compiled by the University of Wyoming Extension — that you can use to substitute for one egg.

If the egg acts as a leavening agent, you can use any one of these bulleted items:

¼ cup carbonated water
2 Tablespoons of water, 1 Tablespoon of oil, and 2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 Tablespoon vinegar and 1 teaspoon baking soda
2 Tablespoons lemon juice and 1 teaspoon baking soda

If the egg acts as a binder, try any of these:

3 Tablespoons nut or seed butter
2 Tablespoons mashed potato or sweet potato
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 Tablespoons start and 3 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon soy protein powder and 3 Tablespoons water

If the egg is used for moisture, use any one of these:

¼ cup unsweetened applesauce or fruit puree
¼ cup mashed banana or avocado
¼ cup buttermilk or milk
¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup yogurt

Of course, you need to use substitutes that will complement the dish, such as fruit in baked dishes.

If you’re not sure about the egg’s main role, you can assume the eggs serve all three purposes and you can choose a substitute or a combination of all three.

If the recipe requires three or more eggs, assume that it does all three.

Additionally, there are plant-based egg replacements for breakfast scrambles or for baking.

While regular eggs are considered an affordable source of protein, these egg replacements can be pricey upfront — though they do last longer and yield more servings per container.

Now, for a word on hard boiling eggs
Older eggs make for better hardboiled eggs than fresher, simply because they are easier to peel.

As eggs get older, the egg white shrinks somewhat, creating more air space that makes it easier to peel.

How do you know if an egg is considered older?

Use the float test: place the egg in a clear glass with cold water.

If they float, that means they are older because of that increased air cell from the shrinking egg white.

Note: This is just a test for freshness. It will not tell you if an egg has gone bad.

Eggs are safe three weeks to five weeks after purchase, provided that you bought them before the sell-by date.

Eggs that are at least seven to 10 days old are best for boiling.

Once hard boiled, they should be eaten within one week.

Yolks are a good source for Vitamin D
A large fried egg has a little over 1 microgram (mcg) of Vitamin D, or about 5% of the daily value you need in a day.

On average, adults from ages 19 to 70 need 15 mcg per day; those age 71 and older need 20 mcg per day.

If you’re high risk of a Vitamin D deficiency —such as those on certain medications, older adults, those with darker skin tones, and those who are obese, among others — you may even need more. Check with your doctor.

Vitamin D deficiency is very common in the United States, despite Vitamin D being available through exposure to the sun. About 42% of the American adult population is deficient in Vitamin D.

It’s important to remember that while plant-based eggs are low in cholesterol, there won’t have much, if any, Vitamin D.

By Shari Bresin

Shari Bresin is the Family & Consumer Science Agent for the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension Pasco County.

Recipe
Entertaining guests who can’t consume eggs? Here’s an egg-free omelet recipe for you.

Chickpea flour omelet

Ingredients
¾ cup chickpea flour
¾ cup water
2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
Salt and pepper to taste
Desired toppings, such as spinach, mushroom, tomato, onion, etc.

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
Add oil to the pan and add mixture, cover with lid.
Cook until golden brown on the bottom.
Put desired toppings (sauteed separately) on half of the mixture, fold over, then turn off heat for a few minutes, and leave the lid on the pan.

Published April 13, 2022

‘Spring aboard’ for boater education

April 12, 2022 By Mary Rathman

(Courtesy of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)

Many residents and visitors will be flocking to Florida’s beaches and waterways during the spring and summer.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) wants boaters to “Spring Aboard” and get educated, before the summer boating season starts, to make the most of their time on the water.

Florida boating accident statistics indicated that in 2021, 83% of boating deaths occurred on boats where the boat operator had never received educational instruction, according to an FWC news release.

Although not currently required, owners of human-powered watercraft, such as paddleboards and kayaks, also are encouraged to take a boating education class, so they are aware of critical boating knowledge that anyone who gets out on the water should have, and to be better prepared for the risks they might face.

“In Florida, boaters who were born on or after Jan. 1, 1988 are required to complete and pass a boater safety education class. But everyone interested in boating should take a course,” said Maj. Rob Beaton, FWC’s Boating and Waterways section leader, in the release.

There are many ways boaters can educate themselves, from classroom courses offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary and United States Power Squadrons, to online offerings available any time day or night.

To learn more about boater safety education, visit MyFWC.com/boating and click on “Boating Safety and Education.”

Published April 13, 2022

New BayCare hospital to add 250 jobs

April 5, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Hundreds of construction workers are busy building BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel, at 4501 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

The new 86-bed hospital is expected to open in Spring 2023, and when it does, it will create additional medical options within Pasco County, as well as more jobs.

Becky Schulkowski, the hospital’s president, is pleased with the $246 million project’s progress to date.

“We are on budget. We are on schedule,” Schulkowski said, during a recent hard-hat tour of the construction site, on the 40-plus acre campus.

The hospital is fortunate because it hasn’t been besieged by construction cost escalations and supply chain issues, the hospital leader said.

Becky Schulkowski, the president of BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel, is pleased with the progress of the $246 million project. She can’t wait to begin to bring BayCare’s health care services to the Wesley Chapel area. (B.C. Manion)

“We were just basically on the crest of that wave,” she said.

“All of our pricing was honored. I have one item that we have identified as a delay in shipment,” she said, but noted that that will arrive well before the hospital opens.

“We did have a shipment of tile that got stuck on a ship at the Port of Miami for a couple of months,” she said, but that has arrived.

When BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel opens, it will offer comprehensive medical services and health care resources including an emergency department, an intensive care unit with virtual-monitoring beds, diagnostic services such as imaging and lab, and physical rehabilitation.

Right now, there are about 300 construction workers plying their skills at the site. The hospital is expected to begin operations with about 250 employees, and to increase up to 275 by the second year..

BayCare chose to open a hospital in Wesley Chapel because it’s an obviously growing area — and where there are people, there are healthcare needs, Schulkowski said.

“We wanted to meet that need. We’re bringing the BayCare values to the community. Every person who walks through our doors is treated with respect, dignity, trust,” the hospital president said. ““So, really, it is those values that we bring to every interaction.”

The BayCare experience won’t be a new one for many of the Wesley Chapel hospital’s patients or team members, Schulkowski said.

BayCare patients living in the Wesley Chapel area now travel to St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz, or to St. Joseph’s main campus in Tampa.

“We want to bring the care they’re already looking for, with BayCare, because they know and trust us,” she said. “We’re bringing it closer to home.”

BayCare also has team members who live in the Wesley Chapel area, but work in Lutz or Tampa.

She expects some of them to transfer to the new Wesley Chapel hospital.

“A shorter commute is a big deal and they get to stay within BayCare. So, we do expect that,” the hospital leader said.

Setting a new hospital’s tone
Finding the best people to staff the hospital will be challenging — particularly at a time when there are significant shortages in the healthcare field, Schulkowski said.

But she is optimistic that some of BayCare’s current team will want to work on her campus and that others may be attracted by the opportunity to help create the new hospital’s culture.

Team members also can provide practical suggestions of how things should be set up. Maybe they have a better idea of how a patient gets from one place to another, or where the crash cart should go, the hospital leader said.

The plans may show one thing, she explained, but there may be a better approach.

Staff will be onboarded well before the hospital’s doors open, to familiarize team members with the building and to gather their input.

“The idea is to make sure everything is smoothed out before the hospital opens,” she said.

Sparks fly, as this welder completes a task at BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel, now being built on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. (Courtesy of BayCare)

She thinks the idea of having that type of involvement will appeal to potential team members.

The hospital already has asked BayCare team members to help in the hospital’s design — incorporating the knowledge they glean from their day-to-day work lives.

For instance, they provided suggestions regarding how patient rooms should be arranged.

Then, a mock patient room was set up to check everything, before the hospital proceeded with setting up other rooms.

Schulkowski is a big believer in seeking out the best ways to get things done.

“If you want to find the safest and most efficient way to do something, ask a nurse,” the hospital leader said.

The hospital chain also learned from the COVID-19 experience, she said.

“Because we were still early in our design when COVID hit, we were able to build in, what we call, pandemic mode in this building,” she said.

The new hospital has the capability of turning 42 of its rooms into negative rooms, meaning those rooms are capable of exhausting 100% of their air.

“Hopefully, we never have to use it,” Schulkowski said, but the facility will be ready, if it does.

The hospital design also features windows to allow in natural light and is planning to have art work on its walls, to create an inviting environment.

Most people don’t want to be in the hospital, Schulkowski said.

The quality of the care is paramount, but the atmosphere of the hospital is important, too, she said.

“We want it to be pleasant, welcoming,” Schulkowski said.

BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel
What: BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel is under construction at 4501 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Wesley Chapel
When: Opening is anticipated in the first quarter of 2023
Cost: The project’s estimated cost is $246 million.
Details: The 318,000-square-foot building is being built on a 40-plus acre campus. The hospital will have 86 private rooms and 20 Emergency Room beds. It will offer comprehensive medical services and health care resources, including an emergency department, an intensive care unit with virtual-monitoring beds, diagnostic services such as imaging and lab, and physical rehabilitation. It is expected to have 250 permanent jobs when it opens, increasing to 275 by the second year of operations.
For additional information about job opportunities, visit BayCareJobs.com or Facebook.com/BayCareCareers/.

Published April 06, 2022

Renovations making progress at Land O’ Lakes library

April 5, 2022 By Mike Camunas

The Land O’ Lakes Branch Library is fenced off now, as the facility undergoes a major renovation. It is expected to reopen this summer, though a specific date has not been announced. (Mike Camunas)

The Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, at 2818 Collier Parkway, closed on Aug. 14, to enable the start of a massive renovation.

But it won’t be much longer now, before eager patrons can begin streaming through the doors of the popular library.

The reopening is expected this coming summer, though a more precise date is not yet known, according to Bob Harrison, marketing program manager for the Pasco County Library System.

Harrison said the roof has been replaced.

Other elements of the project are making progress:

The interior walls are in place and the finish work will begin soon
The mechanical systems are being finalized
Outdoor spaces are in the works

The library’s interior will be completely updated and modernized.

That means there will be new spaces for adults, teens and kids, meeting spaces, new technology, an expanded lobby, a renovated makerspace and a central service desk.

The renovation is being paid for through a General Obligation Bond (GO Bond) that was approved by Pasco County voters in November 2018. A GO Bond is a municipal bond secured by the issuing government’s pledge to use all available resources, including tax revenues, to repay holders of the bond.

While the renovation work continues, books and other materials can be placed on hold and picked up at other open libraries, or next door to the Land O’ Lakes Branch, at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Center, 3032 Collier Parkway.

For more information, about the county’s library system, log onto PascoLibraries.org.

Published April 06, 2022

Helping principals develop their skills was his biggest joy

April 5, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Dave Scanga received a standing ovation during his final meeting with the Pasco County School board and district leaders, at the beginning of March.

Superintendent Kurt Browning lauded Scanga for his 27 years of service to the district.

“I’ll tell you, when Dave walks out the door, there’s going to be a great deal of institutional history that is walking out with him,” Browning said.

“His fingerprints are on so many things around here,” the superintendent added.

“Dave has been a rock,” Browning said, characterizing Scanga as “the voice of reason” during various staff discussions.

School board members praised Scanga’s ability to work through issues.

Dave Scanga recently retired from his post of assistant superintendent in Pasco County Schools. Regardless of his role during his 27 years in the district, his aim was the same: To help students to learn and to thrive. (B.C. Manion)

Board member Colleen Beaudoin recalled her first encounter with the assistant superintendent, which came when she was parent attending a board meeting, to call attention to an issue.

“He took me aside afterward and we problem-solved and worked together, and it was a really great experience,” Beaudoin said.

“He really listens to parents and community members, and I greatly appreciate that,” she added.

Board Chairwoman Cynthia Armstrong said the board could count on Scanga to be responsive, whenever it was warranted.

“I didn’t have to worry, you were going to be there, and you were going to handle it with such calm and reason and grace,” Armstrong said.

Board member Allison Crumbley said, the way Scanga worked through a problem, “everybody felt pretty good by the time it was solved.”

Board member Megan Harding appreciated Scanga’s presence — not only when a situation needed correction, but also to celebrate a success.

“You’ve always been there and you’ve been advocating for our kids,” Harding told Scanga. “I am unbelievably grateful for you.”

Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd weighed in on Scanga’s even temperament.

“Over the years, he’s come into my office a few times, just madder than heck about a few things. And, he was very calm, when he was mad,” Gadd said. “Rarely is he mad, but even when he is mad, he is calm.”

In his final role, Scanga was an assistant superintendent. Before that, he was director of research, a principal, an assistant principal and a behavioral specialist.

Scanga arrived in Pasco County after working overseas for 10 years in Saudi Arabia, Africa and Japan. He worked in student services in those schools.

Scanga grew up on a farm outside of Pittsburgh, in a family of nine children.

He said his international experiences broadened his perspective and deepened his understanding of himself.

He was attracted to Pasco County through a recruiting effort, and once he arrived had no desire to leave.

“At our core (in Pasco County Schools), we do believe in supporting the whole child and we do believe in connecting to the family,” Scanga explained.

He also admires that the district gives principals the autonomy to work with the community.

Scanga said he was attracted to serving in an administrative role because he desired a wider sphere of influence. He wanted to focus on helping others develop their leadership skills.

“The joy of my career has been working with principals, and the great ones … they create the context for everybody to feel like they’re part of the work,” Scanga said.

Role of principal complex, challenging
Scanga holds principals in high esteem.

“They are excited. You can barely contain them. They want to be so successful. But they also are stepping into a role that is very complex and very challenging — a lot of responsibility,” Scanga said.

“Every principal I’ve ever worked with has basically said: ‘I thought I knew what it was going to feel like. But I didn’t.’”

This is a group of new elementary principals that Dave Scanga worked with to help them develop their leadership skills. (Courtesy of Dave Scanga)

It’s a tough job, Scanga said.

“Principals are at the apex of everything below them and are a conduit to everyone above them,” Scanga said.

He said he appreciated being able to be a mentor to new principals, and to help them build a network of support, where they could learn from one another’s experiences.

In a group meeting, Scanga said, one principal might say: “’I have this problem.’

“And everyone else in the room will go: ‘So, do I.’’

The quality of a principal’s leadership has a direct bearing on the effectiveness of a school, Scanga added.

“It doesn’t matter, the context of the school — the socioeconomic level, high or low, (or) where you are geographically — a good principal will make a difference in whatever situation you put them in, whether it’s a brand-new school, or a school that’s been there for 100 years.

“Helping principals transition into the role is part of what I’ve been able to do and what I’ve enjoyed,” Scanga said.

Whether on the front lines, or working at a higher level, Scanga said his driving motivation has been same: To foster a culture where children had the opportunity to learn, and to thrive.

Although stepping away from Pasco County Schools, Scanga will remain active in education — continuing in his role as an adjunct professor at Saint Leo University.

He is passionate about public education.

“I believe it’s the bedrock of our democracy, and even though, we’re under attack sometimes, it’s the people in this (district board) room that are going to make the difference,” Scanga said, during his last school board meeting..

“They’re going to keep public education viable. They’re going to keep it so that every student has that opportunity that they need to have to become a strong, literate citizen in this country,” Scanga said.

Public educators must stay the course, he said.

“If we ever blink, it will be our fault because basically without it (public education), the country just won’t be what it is meant to be,” he said.

Published April 06, 2022

Tampa’s Baseball Museum scores a home run

April 5, 2022 By Mike Camunas

You might — and probably will be — greeted by a rooster.

No, it’s not on a farm, but one that roams the historic streets of Ybor City, some of which are still laid in brick from nearly a century ago.

And, tucked away on those historic streets, at 2003 N. 19th St., is the Tampa Baseball Museum.

The Tampa Tarpons played at Al Lopez Field until 1988, when the area anticipated a Major League Team to be awarded to Tampa. The region wasn’t awarded a professional team, then known as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, until 1995. (Mike Camunas)

It opened in September and is inside the Al Lopez House, which was painstakingly moved from its original place in West Tampa to Ybor City.

Step inside the museum, and 135 years of Tampa baseball history and heritage greets visitors. It’s a place where 89 professional baseball players with Tampa roots are honored.

The impressive and immersive exhibit displays the rich and diverse stories dating back to long before the Tampa Bay area received a major league franchise.

Baseball and Cigars
In 1887, Ybor City was a small but crowded town with about 700 residents.

What else is there to do? Start a baseball team? Why not!

Residents would come by the hundreds to watch the team play other Florida teams. A decade later, the Cuban Cigar Industry came to Ybor City and the love of baseball bloomed.

Later in the 1910s, Spring Training would come to Tampa, with the Chicago Cubs playing on Plant Field. Six other teams would join the Cubs: the Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, Washington Senators, Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees.

The Tampa Baseball Museum at the Al Lopez Home in Ybor City showcases elements and features from the rich baseball history in the Tampa Bay area, including original seats and home plate from Al Lopez Field. The field was demolished in 1989. (Mike Camunas)

Minor League teams formed shortly after this, including the Tampa Smokers in 1919 — one of the first teams of the Florida State League. That team ended in 1929, but not before it was able to sign and develop Al Lopez, its most pivotal player.

The man, the legend
Lopez, who grew up playing in the sandlots of Ybor City, made his major league debut in 1928, becoming the first Tampa native to enter the Majors.

After a career that lasted nearly 20 years, he would become a manager, doing that for nearly another 20 years. Lopez also is the first Tampa native to manage a major league team, the first to manage a team to a World Series and the first to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, which happened in 1977.

What’s baseball without a Cuban Cigar? Here are some that were part of the Havana Winter League in the 1960s.

Lopez’s 1,410 MLB managerial wins are ranked 11th all-time.

It’s why the original Al Lopez Field was named after him when it opened in 1955. It would host Spring Training games for the Cincinnati Reds and the Tampa Tarpons, the Reds Class-A minor league team at the time until it was demolished in 1989, when the Tampa Bay area began pursuing a major league expansion team.

If you visit this museum …
Take your time. There’s much more Tampa Baseball History than you’ll expect. There’s a continuous running video presentation and various timelines of the different aspect of baseball in Tampa, including Tampa Bay receiving the expansion Devil Rays, the Negro Leagues and baseball during wartime.

Be sure to check out the wall of signed balls that include older players, Hall of Famers and even current players.

And once you’re done, head out past the roosters and go get a Cuban sandwich, one to honor Mr. Lopez and his hometown.

Tampa Baseball Museum at the Al Lopez House
Where: 2003 N. 19th St., Tampa
When: Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: $12 adults, $10 Military, Seniors 65+, Students 18+ (ID required), $6 children
Details: An interactive history museum on the 135-year history of baseball in Tampa
Info: Call 813-400-2353, or visit TampaBaseballMuseum.org

Published April 06, 2022

The Tampa Baseball Museum has dozens of signed baseballs from Tampa natives who grew up playing baseball in Tampa, including current Rays manager Kevin Cash, West Tampa’s Lou Piniella and Tino Martinez, and even Mets’ first baseman Pete Alonso, who played for Plant High School.

One of Ybor City’s many roosters that roam the streets outside the Tampa Baseball Museum at the Al Lopez House.

Great care was taken to move the Al Lopez House, now known as the Tampa Baseball Museum. It was situated in West Tampa but is now on 19th Street, in Ybor City.

Efforts underway to extend Penny for Pasco surtax

April 5, 2022 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County School Board and the Pasco County Commission recently held a joint session to discuss asking voters to extend the Penny for Pasco, a local government infrastructure surtax, for 15 years.

If approved by voters, the extension is expected to yield about $1.9 billion in revenues, which would be split between the school district, the county and the county’s municipalities.

The school district and county each would receive 45% and the municipalities would share the remaining 10%.

The special 1-cent sales tax initially was adopted in March 2004, and was in effect from Jan. 1, 2005 through Dec. 31, 2014. Voters extended it for 10 years, with that renewal going from Jan. 1, 2015 through Dec. 31, 2024.

The proposed renewal would be from Jan. 1, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2039.

Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent for Pasco County Schools, recalled when the tax was initially proposed.

“We had schools that were 200% capacity.

“Sand Pine Elementary had more kids in portables than they had in the original concrete structure. We had no green space on that piece of property. The only space we had where the children could play was on the basketball courts.

“That was just our worst example, but we had numerous schools that were at 150% capacity, 170% capacity, and it was nothing to have 15, 20, 25, and in some situations, 30 portables on a campus,” he said.

Chris Williams, director of planning for the school district, said: “In the first Penny, we did a lot of new schools as part of our projects, as well as renovations. When the Penny came up for renewal, we were in the recession, or just coming out of the recession, so our growth had pretty much gone to zero. So, our focus on the current Penny was more on renovations, rather than on new schools.

“With the growth that you all are well aware of, in our county — at this point, again, we’re going back to focusing on not only renovations, but also on new schools,” Williams said.

The proposed list includes numerous new schools.

“As you know the (State Road) 54 corridor in the Central Pasco area is booming, and so we are looking at doing potentially a new elementary school, probably in the Bexley development,” the planning director said.

“Also, along the (State Road) 52 corridor, we know that Central Pasco Employment Village is starting to come to fruition, just to the west of I-75, so we have a K-8 (kindergarten through eighth grade) school planned for that area.

“Also, we’re already planning on doing a K-8 school on the Smith property, which is in the Ballantrae area, along the (State Road) 54 corridor, and we anticipate opening that in 2025, but we’re looking toward using Penny money for that,” Williams said.

Also, in the Villages of Pasadena Hills — between Wesley Chapel and Dade City — the school district is expected to be building a K-8, or whatever is needed there, Williams said.

But those are just some of the projects that would be built with Penny proceeds.

The school district also would use the tax revenues to add computers in schools, upgrade the district’s computer network, fortify the safety on its campuses, upgrade athletic facilities and improve safety at driver pickup locations at schools, among other things.

The county proposes to spend its portion of the tax revenues this way: 40% for transportation, 20% for economic development, 20% for public safety; and, 20% for environmental lands, as well as park infrastructure.

County Administrator Dan Biles said using a portion of the funds for park infrastructure is a new idea, but is intended to equip recreational areas, so people can enjoy them.

The county administrator also noted that it’s impossible to accurately project revenues or costs over a 15-year period. So, he said, the hope is to underestimate revenues and overestimate costs.

Sheriff Chris Nocco noted: “Our county is growing too quickly, the needs are overwhelming right now.

“When we’re looking at the Penny, maybe we don’t always have to do it the same way. Maybe we could adjust it different ways to address different needs,” he said.

The first Penny was approved on a narrow margin, but the renewal received much boarder support, Gadd said.

Superintendent Kurt Browning said he hopes that voters give the second renewal resounding approval, as well.

“Moving forward, there’s a great deal of work that has to be done, in order to assure our public, our voters, that we’re worthy of the renewal and our district is committed to that end,” Browning said.

The two boards will be working in coming months to prepare to get the Penny for Pasco renewal placed on the November ballot, so voters can decide whether the 1-cent surtax should be extended.

Published April 06, 2022

This musical showcases dark side of American Dream

April 5, 2022 By Kelli Carmack

From left are Marcus Blake, as Charles Guiteau; Johnathan O’Brien, as John Hinkley Jr.; and, Jay Morgan as Samuel Byck. mad Theatre of Tampa is performing the musical ‘Assassins’ at the Straz Center, March 31 to April 16. (Kelli Carmack)

mad Theatre of Tampa, a local nonprofit performing arts theater, is bringing its latest musical, “Assassins,” to the Straz Center in Tampa.

Directed by Jessica Berger Vitalo, this musical explores the lives of nine men and women who either assassinated or attempted to assassinate one of the nation’s presidents.

The musical explores the dark side of American history, delving into the lives of assassins ranging from John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald, and others.

The stories of our country’s most infamous and would-be assassins intersect in unexpected ways creating a powerful, yet unnervingly funny look at some of the most shocking moments in the nation’s history.

The play also takes viewers on a nightmarish roller-coaster ride where assassins and would-be assassins from different historical periods meet and interact with each other.

The musical will be from March 31 to April 16 at the Shimberg Playhouse, at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets start at $27, and can be purchased at StrazCenter.org.

As an aside, Trevor Lloyd, who portrays John Wilkes Booth, also plays a role on The Laker/Lutz News team, handling an array of marketing duties.

Published April 06, 2022