The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Artists’ paintings show a love for animals

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The Art Club of Zephyrhills has not let the COVID-19 pandemic slow it down, as it continues to stay busy helping others through art projects.

Club members have been hard at work — painting at home — to create animal portraits for the Octagon Wildlife Sanctuary of Punta Gorda. The portraits will be on display around the sanctuary for visitors to enjoy.

Members of the Art Club of Zephyrhills painted various animal portraits to donate to the Octagon Wildlife Sanctuary of Punta Gorda. (Courtesy of Jim Butz)

The art club presented and donated more than 20 animal portraits to the sanctuary, at its April 12 meeting, at the First Baptist Church, on Fifth Avenue in Zephyrhills. Laurie Caron, sanctuary director; Jacky Krohn, assistant director; and Jim Butz, regional coordinator were there to accept the paintings.

Octagon Wildlife is a nonprofit 501(3) charity that rescues exotic animals and also serves as a learning facility. These animals are no longer needed or wanted, and many times have been mistreated.

For more than 40 years, the sanctuary has been a retirement home for many exotics. Its resident animals include bears, lions, tigers, primates, wolves, macaws, tortoise and others.

There are volunteer opportunities and animal sponsorships available for anyone who would like to help Octagon Wildlife.

The sanctuary also accepts donated materials such as tools and fencing, and cash or gift certificates.

For information, visit OctagonWildlife.org.

Published April 28, 2021

Moffitt exceeds early expectations

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When Moffitt Cancer Center at Wesley Chapel formed a medical partnership with AdventHealth, the idea was to bring Moffitt’s brand of oncology services closer to its patients, said Dr. Timothy Kubal, the cancer center’s senior medical director.

“We’re coming to you, as opposed to you coming to us,” Kubal said, explaining that a lot of Moffitt’s patients were coming from Wesley Chapel, Trinity, Dade City or Land O’ Lakes.

“We wanted to get closer to the patient and Wesley Chapel was a great opportunity to do that  with a partner,” he said, during Zoom economic development briefing with members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce on April 22.

As one of the nation’s top cancer centers, Moffitt wanted to deliver its expertise to patients, rather than them having to drive to its main campus in Tampa. At the same time, Moffitt wanted to partner with a high-quality hospital, he said.

“We can augment what they do; they can augment what we do,” he explained.

Moffitt’s center is located on the campus of AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, at 2600 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.

AdventHealth Wesley Chapel has built an entirely new floor for oncology patients, with the long-term prospect of having up to 50 beds for oncology patients, Kubal said.

The center has 20 exam rooms, 22 infusion bays and a linear accelerator.

“I can treat probably 20 to 30 patients a day on this lin-ac (linear accelerator). It delivers radiation specified to a tumor site,” he said. “We can do any body part, from brain to toe, for radiation oncology out here.

The nice thing about being located closer to patients is that they won’t have to drive as far each day to receive the treatment, he said.

“For example, you live in Wesley Chapel, you’ve got a breast cancer. You need 20 treatments over four weeks. You can get it close to your house, as opposed to going into Moffitt, parking your car, getting set up, getting 3 seconds of radiation to hit that tumor, and then doing the hour back.

“We’ve seen a lot of patients want to transfer their radiation oncology care to this site because they live out in this area. So, this is a big draw. Right now, I think they are 1000% over projected volume.

“Their growth far exceeds what we initially thought,” he said.

The center’s 22 infusion bays are in an area that gives patients a chance to be able to see outside.

That’s important for patients because an infusion can sometimes take up to six hours, the doctor said.

The center will be able to handle infusion services for about 100 to 120 patients a day, he said. At the moment, though, those numbers stand at between 30 to 40 patients day.

In addition to its modern equipment, the center will offer a different oncology approach than what’s been available in the area, he said.

“In the cancer community, you either see everything, or you see one thing.

“So, in the Moffitt community, you might just do, for example, right-sided liver lesions. You might just do surgery on the right side of the liver, when there’s tumors there.

“In the community, commonly, you’re going to do everything.

“But what we’ve found is that it’s hard to do everything. People want to do more than one thing.

“So, what we’ve done here is we’ve hired multiple oncologists to do what we call multi-specialists.”

Besides attracting patients from Pasco and Hillsborough counties, the Wesley Chapel center has patients coming from Lakeland and The Villages, Kubal said.

People coming from Lakeland say that driving the back roads is quicker than going to Tampa, he said.

He added: “Those Villages people are willing to drive. They like to park their own car, though.”

At Moffitt’s main campus, in Tampa, patients must valet. At the Wesley Chapel center, they can do self-parking.

Besides liking to park their own cars, people coming from The Villages often have very specific plans for where they want to eat or shop, after finishing their appointment, Kubal said.

But, they aren’t the only ones having an economic impact on the area, the doctor said.

“The money I make, it goes back into the community,” he said.

“I need to eat. I need to go to the gym. I need to be able to have a meeting and grab a beer at the end of the day. My kids need schooling,” he said.

The same economic impacts are true for other staffers, too, because many of them move into Wesley Chapel after they’ve been hired.

Published April 28, 2021

Pasco celebrates national award

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The Pasco County Commission paused during its April 20 meeting to celebrate the work of its community development department, which recently received a national award for its role in a collaborative project known as The Vincent House Project.

The department received the 2021 Audrey Nelson Community Development Achievement Award from the National Community Development Association. The honor was bestowed in January.

Marcy Esbjerg, director of Pasco County’s community development department, appears before the Pasco County Commission to talk about a collaborative project called the Vincent House Project, which received a national award. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

The Vincent House Project is aimed at increasing the availability of mental health services in Pasco County, according to a resolution passed by the board.

The project came about through the county’s donation of 10 acres of land in Hudson, coupled with the expenditure of more than $1 million in Community Development Block Grant Funds to construct a 10,000-square-foot facility.

“Vincent House’s facility and programs exhibit innovation, sustainability and collaboration for the residents of Pasco County experiencing serious and persistent mental illness,” the resolution says.

It also recognizes “the contributions and partnership of Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative in the implementation of this award-winning community project to benefit low- and moderate-income persons living with a serious and persistent mental illness to regain the skills needed to become productive members of our community.”

The mission at Vincent House is to assist, promote and celebrate individuals recovering from a mental illness in their effort to improve social and vocational skills, and become employed in the community, according to the Vincent House website.

Co-founders of Vincent House, Elliott and Dianne Steele, became interested in creating a facility that would help people living with a serious mental illness when their daughter was diagnosed with schizophrenia, the website says.

They tried to find something that would help their daughter overcome the problems related to her diagnosis but could not find anything in the state of Florida.

Eventually, they found just what they wanted in the Clubhouse model, a place that provided hope, respect and dignity; a place where participants, called members, could practice work and then become employed in the community when they were ready, the website adds.

In addition to the Vincent House Pasco, there’s also a Vincent House Pinellas in Pinellas Park and a Vincent House Hernando in Spring Hill.

The Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative is another partner on the project.

Dave Lambert, of the electric cooperative, told board members: “What you’ve done with Vincent House is going to change the lives of thousands of people in Pasco County, for years and years to come.”

Marcy Esbjerg, director of community development, offered some remarks, too.

“This is a national award. We did assist with community development block grant funds, to build the building and you all donated the land. I thought it was a great public-private partnership with Withlacoochee Electric Cooperative,” Esbjerg said.

“I want to take a moment to recognize the staff from community development that were frontline in making sure that the building went vertical, that all of the gopher tortoises were safely removed, all those things that happen behind the scene.”

She singled out Denise Lindsay, the department’s community development specialist, and Michael Ball, its housing rehab specialist.

“They were really on the front lines to assist,” Esbjerg said.

She added that her department had an opportunity to make a presentation about the project.

“The most exciting aspect, was to hear remarks from members of Vincent House,” she said.

“It is just an honor and a privilege to be a part of their journey, of healing and restoration in the community. That’s what this is all about, and we all get to share in that,” Esbjerg said.

Published April 28, 2021

Zephyrhills councilmembers retain seats

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The names and faces on the Zephyrhills City Council will remain familiar — but some titles are changing.

Incumbent councilmembers Charles Proctor and Jodi Wilkeson have been reelected to new three-year terms, both running unopposed in the 2021 municipal election.

Charles Proctor

They each took the oath of office, in a swearing-in ceremony conducted by City Clerk Lori Hillman during a special meeting on April 15 at Zephyrhills City Hall.

Other members on the voting council include Ken Burgess, Alan Knight and Lance Smith. Mayor Gene Whitfield also sits on the dais, though he doesn’t run council meetings, cannot make motions and cannot vote on matters before the council. He does, however, have veto power on city ordinances.

While the composition of the council didn’t change, there was a reorganization, with Knight selected to serve as council president, and Wilkeson as vice president.

Councilmember liaison appointments were finalized, too.

Burgess will serve on the Pasco County Tourist Development Council (TDC) and Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce; Proctor, on Ridge League of Cities; Smith and Whitfield, on Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO); and Wilkeson, on Main Street Zephyrhills.

Proctor begins his fifth term on Council Seat 5.

He was elected to his first term back in 2011, when he defeated then incumbent Manny Funes.

Proctor has owned an auto detailing and coin collection shop on Eighth Street for about three decades.

A native of Portland, Maine, Proctor moved to Florida in 1989, where he quickly landed a job washing cars and as a butcher, before launching his own businesses in Zephyrhills within a couple years.

Jodi Wilkeson

Wilkeson likewise is no stranger to the city’s governing dais — beginning her fifth term — having been elected to a three-year term April 2018 and also previously serving from 2008 to 2014.

She lost Seat 2 in the 2014 municipal election to Knight, a retired educator, but assumed Seat 3 in 2018 after defeating candidates Devon Alexander and Cory Sommers. She took over for outgoing member Kent Compton, who did not file for reelection that cycle.

Wilkeson is the founder and president of an architecture and interior design firm in Tampa.

She’s held numerous volunteer roles over the years, previously serving on the citizen-led Zephyrhills Planning Commission and Zephyrhills Historic Preservation Board.

Besides her council duties, Wilkeson is board president of the Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).

The mayor and city council serve as representatives of the electors of the City of Zephyrhills, and are responsible for establishing the direction and policies of all affairs of the city.

Their primary duties include exercising legislative leadership and policy to promulgate the laws and ordinances of the city, approving an annual budget to provide for the needs and services of the city, setting policy and direction for the various functions of city government, and appointing citizens to serve on various advisory boards and committees.

Council members each receive $6,000 annually for their duties.
It’s undoubtedly a busy time inside city hall — navigating the East Pasco town’s rampant growth, development, infrastructure enhancements and other changes.

Some of the council’s recent and future undertakings include:

• Managing the addition of thousands of new homes throughout city limits

• Multimillion dollar expansions to the city’s wastewater treatment plant, municipal airport and municipal tennis center

• Myriad roadwork projects, such as U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road signalized intersection and paving of Simons Road

• Work to revitalize the historic downtown district

• Overhaul of the city’s 911 dispatch communications system

Zephyrhills City Council
Seat 1: Lance Smith
Seat 2: Alan Knight
Seat 3: Jodi Wilkeson
Seat 4: Ken Burgess
Seat 5: Charles Proctor
Mayor: Gene Whitfield

Published April 28, 2021

Dade City Chamber bestows its annual awards

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Common themes emerged during the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce’s “Business Connects: A celebration of partnerships” event — held April 22 at the Dade City Women’s Club.

As chamber members moved about the room, mingling and chatting, the value of human connection was on full display.

Diane Kortus accepts the Area Business of the Year award from Justin Sasser, president of the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce. (B.C. Manion)

Then, as the chamber’s annual awards were announced — the power of community connection became abundantly clear.

The awards, in the order presented that evening, honored The Laker/Lutz News, as Area Business of the Year; Larry Guilford, as Chamber Member of the Year; and, Cliff Martin as the recipient of the Richard Tombrink Lifetime Achievement Award.

Jason Sasser, chamber president, read the criteria used to choose the recipients, followed by additional commentary.

The Area Business of the Year, he said, was selected for making an “outstanding contribution to the betterment of the Greater Dade City area and business community through commitment of time, talent and resources.”

The winning company, Sasser added, “demonstrates community support, civic participation, charitable contributions — that are not always financial in nature.”

Plus, he said, the business is considered to be “an asset to the greater Dade City business community.

Sasser then offered details about the newspaper’s history and contributions.

“You provided outstanding news coverage of Dade City and Pasco County, particularly important in this past year of COVID.”

The newspaper, he said, is the only weekly publication “committed to reporting on Dade City news, events, sports, pets, health and education, Foodie Friday and people.

“You publish over 47,000 free papers every week — free papers, every week,” he added, noting that 85% of those papers are delivered to homes and the rest are distributed at more than 350 businesses and newspaper boxes.

The Laker/Lutz News, which is independently owned and publishes on Wednesdays, provides coverage of the local communities of Dade City, San Antonio, Zephyrhills, Wesley Chapel, Land O’ Lakes, Odessa and Lutz.

In accepting the award, Publisher Diane Kortus, told the crowd: “This is such an honor.

“We have a dynamic team,” she said, addressing how the newspaper has responded to the challenges posed by COVID-19.

“Instead of being in despair, we really took charge of our destiny, and the destiny of our communities.

“We invested in our people.

“We never dropped our circulation, like some publishers did.

“We believed in our communities, even though it was tough — we knew that we would all rebound, if we did it together,” she said.

Kortus was obviously touched by the honor.

“I can’t tell you how important this is, to me.

“We have worked hard. I’ve owned the paper for 20 years. To be here today, it makes me tear up. What can I say? Thank you very much,” the newspaper executive said.

Larry Guilford receives the Chamber Member of the Year award from Justin Sasser, president of the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce.

Next up, Larry Guilford was named Chamber Member of the Year.

The criteria for that award includes being a member in good standing, playing an active and visible role in chamber functions and events, plus demonstrating enthusiasm and effort.

This year’s selection was easy, Sasser said.

He detailed Guilford’s many contributions to the entire Dade City community, as well as to the business community.

During COVID-19, Guilford has “almost single-handedly” organized the Mega Pantry Food Distribution program, which has helped to feed thousands of struggling families, Sasser said.

“You spent your own time and secured many different locations, when needed, in order for it to continue to happen, week after week,” Sasser said. “You make sure each location is on the public bus route, so everyone is able to get food.

“You’re not shy about drawing public awareness to the ever-present need in our community.

“You continue to invite people to volunteer in our community, in a variety of services, which helps the community, and provides an outlet for people’s desires to be of service,” Sasser said.

He also cited Guilford’s nonprofit, Make A Difference Inc. That organization, Sasser said, aims “to help people pull themselves up by their own bootstraps, by helping them acquire the most basic needs of food, housing, encouragement and opportunity.”

Sasser said Guilford, who is in commercial real estate, has personally invested his resources, time and determination to promote business and the advancement of Dade City.

“I have no problem plugging your latest project, The Block, which is a restored auto dealership on the north end of town. It used to be Pasco Motors. I think that project is going to be the catalyst for things to come for Dade City,” Sasser said.

Cliff Martin receives the Richard Tombrink Lifetime Achievement Award, which exemplifies the meaning of selflessness and going beyond the call of duty to support the needs of the local community.

Guilford, too, was moved by the honor.

“Our community is a very, very tight community. There’s so many needs and there are so many people in here that do so many amazing things,” he said.

In presenting Martin the Richard Tombrink Lifetime Achievement Award, Sasser said the honor “exemplifies the meaning of selflessness, and goes above and beyond the call of duty to support the needs of the local community in personal involvement and/or finances.

“Without personal gain, this person shows a genuine desire to make our community a better place to live,” Sasser said, and “graciously dedicates hours of service to various organizations.”

Sasser then addressed Martin: “Cliff, you have contributed countless hours, volunteer hours, to the chamber and other community organizations in our area. You served on the chamber board since 2005, in various positions, board member, president, past president, as well as multiple chairs and co-chairs of chamber committees.

“You financially supported the chamber and other organizations every single year. You helped mentor other leaders in our community,” he said.

He also brought the Ford Drive 4UR Community and Ford Drive 4UR School Community to Dade City, to benefit Pasco and Zephyrhills high schools, Sasser noted.

“You’re also a member of multiple philanthropic organizations,” Sasser added.

Martin and his wife, Joan, relocated to Port Charlotte in December, after Jarrett Automotive Group added another Ford dealership there. Sid Jarrett — grandson of original founder Dick Jarrett — took over Jarrett Ford Inc., at 38300 Dick Jarrett Way.

Sasser said the community was sad to see Martin go.

But, the chamber president added: “We really thank you for all of your years of hard work and involvement with the chamber.”

Martin, accompanied by his wife, traveled from Port Charlotte to receive the award.

He expressed his gratitude for the recognition.

“This is a great community,” Martin said. “I never thought I’d be receiving the award after 16 years of voting on who was getting it.”

Published April 28, 2021

New community of Two Rivers edges closer to reality

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Two Rivers — a community proposed to rise along State Road 56, between Morris Bridge Road and U.S. 301 — will offer people places to live, work and play — under plans submitted to Pasco County.

The community has taken a step closer to development — through the Pasco County Commission’s April 20 approval of a text change in the county’s comprehensive plan, and a change to the county’s highway vision map.

This land, along State Road 56, east of Morris Bridge Road, is now occupied by trees, ponds and open fields. But it is proposed to become the future community of Two Rivers — a place that will feature homes, businesses, recreational options and schools, under proposals going through Pasco County’s regulatory process. (File)

Commissioners approved the changes unanimously. No one spoke in favor or opposition to the proposed changes.

Next, the developer must secure a rezoning to create the proposed community. That request is in process and is expected to come to the county board in coming months.

Once the regulatory hurdles are cleared, efforts can begin to bring the proposed 3,405-acre community to life.

Two Rivers is envisioned as a place that features a mixture of housing types, work opportunities, shopping, recreation and schools, according to previous public hearings involving the development.

The project has been in planning stages — off and on — for more than 10 years, and there have been a number of ownership changes.

The current proposal calls for creating Two Rivers as a master-planned development, on the southern edge of Pasco County. The project would tie into a community that’s under the same ownership, which is just south of the Pasco-Hillsborough line.

County documents detail the proposed plan, which includes:

  • 246 acres of conservation area
  • 3,875 single-family homes
  • 1,400 multifamily homes
  • 1,125 age-restricted homes
  • 1.3 million square feet for a targeted industry
  • 630,000 square feet retail

Other elements include schools for elementary, middle and high students, on property that would be next to an 80-acre county park.

Two Rivers is expected to be a community that emphasizes walkability and includes an extensive trail system that provides connectivity within the community. Alternate modes of transportation, such as golf carts, also will be encouraged, to help residents get from place to place.

The proposed community also calls for numerous recreational amenities, including recreational complexes, multipurpose fields, ball diamonds, an aquatics center, playgrounds, a dog park, tennis and basketball courts, and open spaces.

Published April 28, 2021

Volunteer With Gulfside Hospice And You Will Benefit Even More Than Those You Help

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For Karen Lentz, volunteering at Gulfside Hospice began with her husband’s fondness for craft beer.

About a year after relocating to Port Richey from Wisconsin, Karen and her husband, Mike, attended the 2018 Spring Brewfest for Hospice benefiting Gulfside. While enjoying the beer and activities, Karen met volunteers and staff working the event, and learned that new volunteers are always welcome in a variety of ways to help Pasco’s largest hospice organization.

“At Brewfest I found everyone to be so warm, and felt their passion was so genuine, that I wanted to learn how I could get involved, too,” said Lentz. She was invited to attend Women For Gulfside, a group of 70 women of all ages who work together to raise money for the nonprofit.

Karen Lentz is a founding member of Women For Gulfside.

“As a newcomer to the area, volunteering at Gulfside has opened so many doors for me,” said Lentz. “Through Women For Gulfside, I have met some fabulous people, made many great friends and found an organization where my volunteerism truly makes a difference.”

Gulfside Hospice is celebrating people like Lentz during National Volunteer Week, which is April 18-24. “Every individual and family who is supported by Gulfside Hospice is touched by our volunteers,” said Kirsty Churchill, director of public relations for the organization. “The mission of hospice could not be accomplished without our volunteers.”

National Volunteer Week was established in 1974 by the Points of Light organization to “shine a light on the people and causes that inspire us to serve, recognizing and thanking volunteers who lend their time, talent and voice to make a difference in their communities.”

Volunteer appreciation and recognition is especially important now, following a year of COVID restrictions that greatly limited volunteer activities, with the end result of fewer people volunteering because of health and safety concerns.

“For those who are able, there are so many ways to volunteer at Gulfside Hospice — from working in our thrift shops, to providing administrative assistance, to making handcrafted gifts and cards, and providing respite care to give caregivers time to get a haircut or go shopping,” said Churchill. “You can volunteer just a few hours a month, or as many as you want.”

Karen Lentz, center with sunglasses, is one of hundreds of volunteers at Gulfside Hospice. Shown with Karen at a recent fundraising event are, from left, Carla Armstrong, Mary Rammer, Scott Rammer, Karen Lentz, Mike Lentz, Andrea Flaherty and James Flaherty.

“I cannot tell you how personally rewarding it is for me to spend time with hospice patients and their families,” said Karen. “People ask me all the time how I can do this, and remark how difficult it must be. But the truth is I get so much more back in return, that I am the one benefiting the most. I truly feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to do this.”

Before moving to Florida, Lentz was rapidly climbing the corporate ladder in information technology for a health care/insurance company. The work was intense, and it was not unusual for her to work 16 hours a day.

“I was surprised to discover that after achieving my professional milestones, that I still felt unfulfilled and was struggling with how I wanted to live my life. Being a success at my job did not give me a sense of purpose, and I began to look for other things I could focus on that were more rewarding and would make me happy.”

Looking back on her life, Lentz reflected that the job she loved the most went back to junior high when she worked as a nurse’s aide working with Alzheimer patients. “These were patients in the final stages of their lives, and I loved working with them.”

Realizing that what she loved best was completely different than her career path, Lentz reached out to hospice organizations in Wisconsin, signed up for training and became a volunteer.

There are many ways to volunteer at Gulfside Hospice, including making handcrafted cards.

Lentz eventually left her corporate job and set up a consulting business from home, which gave her more time to volunteer and explore relocating to Florida. After touring the state for a new place to call home, the Lentzes fell in love with New Port Richey and soon after they moved, Lentz made contact with Gulfside Hospice at the Brewfest.

While many people become involved with hospice after a family member receives services to assist them through the final stages of life, others, like Lentz, do not have a personal hospice experience and become involved because they want to volunteer with a group that makes such a significant difference in their community.

“One of the things I really like about raising money for Gulfside is that we know where the money goes and know that it is always accounted for,” said Lentz. “In fact, Women For Gulfside gets to determine where the money we raise through our philanthropy is spent, and that means so much to our group.”

Gulfside Hospice always welcome new volunteers, and there are many ways to get involved. To learn more, contact the volunteer team at 727-845-5707, or visit Gulfside.org/volunteer-with-gulfside.

Published April 21, 2021

Celebrating a century in style

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Evelyn “Ev” Furman knows a thing or two about having changed-up birthday plans.

Ev Furman was in her glory, as family and friends gathered to celebrate her 100th birthday. (Courtesy of Debbie Storts)

After all, it was just last year when the big plans that her daughter, Debbie Storts, had made for Ev’s 99th birthday were derailed by COVID-19.

Debbie had planned a luncheon at Rusty Pelican, with family members flying in to attend.

A big luncheon birthday party was planned, too, with Debbie and Ev’s friends.

Those plans were scrapped, but that didn’t deter Debbie.

She switched things up and invited people to walk, drive or bicycle by to help Ev celebrate.

Debbie kept things safe.

She asked people to drop off cards or gifts at the edge of the driveway, where she picked them up and wiped them down, before giving them to Ev.

Debbie doled out treats from a 6-foot-tray to keep things socially distanced.

This year, Debbie was undaunted, as she began planning for Ev’s 100th birthday.

She booked a big room at Rusty Pelican, with plans for 100 guests at the party.

From left, back row: Gary Furman (son), Debbie Storts (daughter), Derrick Storts (grandson), Carol Ann Jones (niece) and Bonnie Bean (Gary’s girlfriend) Front row: Ev Furman (the birthday girl), and Darlene and Charlie Conville (daughter and son-in-law). The woman in the garage wearing pink is Christine Lynch, who dressed that way because she knows Ev’s favorite color is pink.

Just like last year, people were planning to fly in for the festivities.

And, just like last year, COVID-19 foiled the Rusty Pelican plans.

So, instead of having 100 people at a fancy party, Ev’s family regrouped and they had the party at Debbie’s house and in the nearby cul-de-sac in her Twin Lakes subdivision.

The party was a team effort of Ev’s daughters, Debbie and Darlene Conville; her son, Gary Furman; her grandson, Derrick Storts; and her niece, Carol Ann Jones.

Darlene and her husband, Charlie, traveled from Michigan to be there. Gary and his girlfriend, Bonnie Bean, came from Georgia. Derrick came over from Winter Springs, and Carol Ann traveled from Arizona.

Eighty-five people joined in for the festivities, which included Mexican meals from a taco truck and live music from Crossroads, a band that played Ev’s favorite tunes — ranging from Big Band numbers to ’70s songs.

Ten-year-old Stella Phillips, was there, too.

Mary Sawl made this quilted banner for Ev Furman’s 100th birthday.

After all, it’s a tradition for her to help Ev blow out the candles on the cake, Debbie said.

This year, Stella didn’t help to blow out the candles because of COVID-19, but the Roland Park Magnet School student arranged to be out of school, so she could be there on Ev’s special day.

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office was there, too. They came with sirens blaring, and they brought a bloodhound and a K-9 — which were popular with the guests.

The law enforcement officers also gave Ev a bouquet of flowers and a stuffed dog, too, to mark her milestone birthday.

And, she got a huge pile of presents and a giant stack of cards.

Last year, even though the celebration was completely different than originally planned, Ev didn’t mind a bit.

In fact, she declared “it was the best party I ever had.”

Turns out, she was wrong.

This one, she said, “was much, much better.”

And now, she’s looking forward to more birthdays — lots more of them.

“I’m going to live to be 200,” an exuberant Ev said, with a laugh.

Published April 21, 2021

Hillsborough Schools plans deep cuts to avoid state takeover

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Hillsborough County School Board members spent much of the day and evening of April 13 discussing the district’s need to make deep cuts to avoid losing financial control of the district.

“Hard decisions have to be made to protect this organization,” Superintendent Addison Davis told board members, and the public.

If the district doesn’t reduce its expenses, the Florida Department of Education will take over, and the cuts it makes will be less surgical in nature, Davis said.

The state will tell the district “what to do for every cent and dollar,” Davis said, essentially stripping the board and superintendent of their financial power.

Board members and Davis discussed the need to make more than $100 million in cuts during a board workshop in the morning and a board meeting in the evening.

Davis said he came to Hillsborough County with the mission of improving the district’s academic performance.

His 13-month tenure in the district, however, has been dominated by dealing with budgetary shortfalls.

“I didn’t know that Hillsborough was in any type of a financial deficit,” the superintendent said.

“We’re losing students, which is equivalent to losing leaders, teachers, district staff and support staff. That’s a reality,” Davis said.

Numerous speakers criticized the district’s planned reductions.

“As a career Hillsborough County educator, who loves this district, I am thoroughly disappointed and disheartened by where we stand today. These cuts are not good for students, schools, employees, or our communities,” said Rob Kriete, president of the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association.

“The cuts that you are going to bring are going to destroy what little morale is left,” another speaker said.”

Others questioned the district’s plans to cut its number of assistant principals and reduce staffing levels at individual schools.

“Don’t balance the budget on the back of our schools,” a speaker urged.

“There is a lot of talk about transparency, but there’s not a lot of evidence of this,” a speaker said.

Davis said if anything, he has over-communicated the district’s financial situation. “It hasn’t been a secret,” he said, noting he’s done media tours and given talks to numerous groups about the district’s dire financial straits.

He also told board members: “We gave every school a staff allocation model for their schools. We didn’t change anything that hasn’t historically been in Hillsborough County. We’re just implementing that model.”

The district’s plan, however, reduces the number of assistant principals.

That decision has prompted concerns about how the reduced staffing will affect student safety and behavior.

As one speaker put it: “Our already overwhelmed assistant principals are going to become even more overwhelmed, coming off a very difficult year.”

School board member Nadia Combs told Davis: “I do believe that we are top-heavy in this district. I do believe that the cuts need to come from the top and go down.”

The district needs to find a landing place for the assistant principals affected by the cuts, Combs said.

“When people are identified as an assistant principal, it’s because they’ve done a great job as a teacher. They’ve gone above and beyond, as a teacher.

“I strongly believe that we need to look at every single one of our assistant principals and make sure they have a landing somewhere.”

“Some of these assistant principals just found out on Friday that they are going to be let go. Some of them have been in this district for 25 or more years.

“We have 24,000 employees. I think we can find a place for those 50 people,” Combs said.

Davis responded: “I would love to guarantee every assistant principal a job.

“I have a contract that I have to follow. Teachers have the first right in that contract.”

Davis added that master schedule reviews will continue during the summer to determine how many positions can be regained, based on the newest enrollment projections.

He also noted that while the college and career counseling position may be eliminated, 23 of the district’s 28 career counselors are certified to be counselors and will move to those positions.

Of the remaining five, he said, one has retired and two have found new positions, leaving the district down to two.

School board member Jessica Vaughn asked if the district could use federal CARES Act money, to help address the shortfalls to give the district more time to find long-term solutions.

But, Ro Johnson, the district’s new chief financial officer, said the district should not use one-time money to support staffing because ultimately the personnel would need to be cut once that money ran out.

School board chairman Lynn Gray and school board member Henry “Shake” Washington said principals need to play a key role in deciding what happens at their schools — because they are in the best position to know what the school needs.

Davis told board members he understands the educational sacrifices that the district is having to make.

“As a superintendent, I would never make these decisions, if our back were not against the wall,” Davis said adding, “I don’t want to be one of the leaders that kicks this can down the road.”

Hillsborough County School Cuts
Hillsborough County Public Schools must make budget cuts to avoid being taken over by the Florida Department of Education.

Planned cuts include:

  • 1,000 positions (It is not known yet how many people the district will cut)
  • Furlough days: Each administrative position will be required to take furlough days
  • Fewer assistant principals: The district expects to trim about 47 AP jobs
  • Elimination of college and career counselors; those services will be provided by school counselors

Published April 21, 2021

Mental health peer support specialists in high demand

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As community focus increases on mental health and substance use issues — particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic — the need for certified recovery peer support specialists may be at an all-time high.

That was the message of Tina Kinney, executive director National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Hernando, during an April 13 virtual social services event hosted by Saint Leo University’s East Pasco Education Center.

Kinney’s talk came as part of a speaker series for students and prospective students interested in “helping careers.”

The topics for the free online series are designed to have broad appeal to those interested in social work, education, criminal justice, psychology, and human services.

National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Hernando executive director Tina Kinney (Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

Throughout the webinar, Kinney highlighted the role of peer support specialists. They are people who’ve been successful in the recovery process themselves and who help others battling addiction, mental health or criminal justice issues.

Through their shared experience they can provide understanding, respect and mutual empowerment.

The peer support specialist focuses on holistic person-centered, strength-based support, where connections are made through crisis intervention teams, state hospitals, emergency rooms, correction facilities, courts, halfway houses, mental health offices and other community settings.

This approach has shown to reduce relapse and recidivism rates over time, the speaker said.

Kinney herself is a certified recovery peer specialist, based on her and family members’ mental health conditions.

She labeled a peer support specialist’s function as part mentor, part accountability partner, part sponsor — all while working in conjunction with clinical providers.

Kinney acknowledged how she’s overcome her own past mental health challenges to become the leader of a large nonprofit in Hernando — a prime example of encouraging outcomes peer specialists can share with others.

She put it like this: “We want to inspire hope and share our lived experience, because it is that lived experience that’s able to provide the hope for individuals. When they see someone like myself…that alone is an opportunity for people to be hopeful that this is not a lifelong sentence they’re going to have to live with.”

Peer specialists seek to make individuals aware of various community resources, which may include employment preparation and job prospects, transportation opportunities, assisting with food stamps applications, and general socialization techniques.

“I joke around about NAMI Hernando being the best kept secret in Hernando County, but we’re not the only ones,” Kinney said. “There’s a lot of resources in our community that people don’t know about, and so, because we have access to networking with all these other programs, we have information that can help people connect to more resources.”

Peer specialists also encourage people to explore other support networks, such as faith-based programs, yoga, art classes or other opportunities, to ensure needs are met in mind, body and spirit.

In other words, Kinney said: “A stool doesn’t stand on one leg.”

A peer specialist’s role can be likened to an around-the-clock therapist — which is almost a necessity given how the present pandemic-impacted landscape has overwhelmed behavioral health networks.

“Because we do not have enough (health care) providers in the community, peers have a little bit more of an opportunity to meet with people more often than maybe they can meet with their therapist; they may only meet with their therapist once a month or every other week, so if they have a peer support specialist, that’s somebody they can reach out to when they’re needing to overcome something specific, whether it’s 7 o’ clock at night, or 8 o’ clock in the morning, they can just reach out and talk to that peer support specialist.”

Becoming a certified peer specialist
Those interested in becoming peer specialists can choose a number of pathways.

There are various certified recovery peer support credentials that can be obtained, and opportunities can be researched and applied for through the Florida Certification Board (FCB).

Saint Leo University’s East Pasco Education Center has an ongoing virtual social services speaker series focusing on social work, education, criminal justice, psychology, and human services. An April 13 webinar focused on the growing need for recovery peer support specialists to help those battling addiction, mental health and the criminal justice system.

That board designs, develops and manages programs for more than 30 health and human services professions across Florida.

Certifications are available for a youth, adult, family and veterans. The state also is working on a specific validation for forensic peer specialists, for navigating the criminal justice system, Kinney said.

To become a peer specialist, Kinney explained someone must prove they’ve been living in recovery for at least two years.

A 40-hour in-person or online content specific training course, 500 hours of supervised on-the-job training opportunities and an exam, among other components, must be completed to earn FCB certification.

“There are a lot of different steps,” Kinney said, but she said NAMI Hernando and a number of other organizations are willing to help those interested in navigating the process.

Kinney also noted that a criminal record does not disqualify someone from becoming a peer specialist, as there’s an exemption process for certain charges.

Opportunities in the field are increasing, Kinney explained, via law enforcement crisis intervention and mobile response teams, state hospitals, emergency rooms, halfway houses, jails, prisons, and traditional and specialty courts.

Moreover, a new development in the past year or so — state’s attorney and public defenders, in Hernando at least, have begun writing mental health treatment and peer supports into people’s pre-trial interventions, Kinney said.

“The job market for peers in all of these places is growing rapidly,” she said.

Upcoming Saint Leo human services webinars are scheduled for April 27 and May 11, focusing on youth mental health, and suicide prevention and awareness, respectively.

For more information about the East Pasco Education Center Social Service Speaker Series, email Yvonne Montell, senior associate director of admissions, at .

Tools for recovery
Tina Kinney, executive director National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Hernando, detailed three common tools used by peer support specialists to help individuals on their path toward recovery.

  • Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP): An in-depth plan created by individuals and led by a peer specialist to discover daily wellness maintenance tools, habits and routines to establish recovery; along with an outline to minimize risk and duration in crisis.
  • Recovery Capital Scale: Assessments and conservations regarding a person’s present needs, resources and priorities to sustain recovery, whether it is human capital, financial capital, social capital or community capital.
  • SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely) Goals: A written plan that essentially takes a seemingly weighty goal or task, and breaks it up into smaller, digestible pieces to build a sense of accomplishment and muscle memory for constructive habits.

For instance, if someone has a goal of working out daily and getting fit, an initial step may call for having the person lay out their gym outfit the night before.

Published April 21, 2021