The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Library services still available, in a different way

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Hillsborough County libraries have a number of online services and resources available to support and enhance student eLearning.

With schools closed at least through April and teachers doing lessons remotely, online traffic to the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative’s website has surged.

These are some of the offerings available to help students learn from home:

  • Tutor.com: Take the guesswork out of homework with a live tutor. One-to-one help is available daily from 2 p.m. to midnight.
  • Call the library: Got a question? Call (813) 273-3652, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Ask a librarian: Chat with a librarian from your computer or mobile device about homework or educational needs. The service is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

To access more educational online resources to support student success at home, visit the public library website at HCPLC.org.

Published April 15, 2020

Finding creative ways to express faith at Easter

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Instead of having thousands of members arriving for Easter services at Idlewild Baptist Church, in Lutz, Senior Pastor Ken Whitten expects they’ll be tuning in instead.

The church’s 15,000 members will be able to watch on Vimeo, Facebook or Idlewild.org the services, which will be presented in English and American Sign Language, and translated into Spanish.

First United Methodist Church of Land O’ Lakes will be livestreaming its Easter service. Many churches are using different approaches this year in light of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. (B.C. Manion)

Those presenting the service will be social distancing, Whitten said.

“We’ll be 6 feet apart. From the praise band to the camera people and myself, there’s never any more than 10 people,” he said.

COVID-19 has presented unique challenges, the pastor said.

“In all of my life, I’ve never ever experienced anything like this. We’ve had hurricanes, where we’ve missed two Sundays, but this will be our fourth Sunday doing online church,” Whitten said.

Being unable to connect in person is difficult for people, Whitten said.

“God made us for relationships, and God made us to want to be together.

“So, there’s something inside of us — I think an ache — inside the whole world right now,” he said.

Legally, the church could hold its large gatherings, because despite a Stay-at-Home order issued by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, religious assemblies are deemed an essential service.

“We might by law be able to congregate,” Whitten said. “Here’s the question, ‘Is that even the right thing to do?

Jesus said the two greatest commandments are “to love the lord thy God with all thy heart, mind and strength” and “to love your neighbor as yourself.

“I don’t think you can fulfill that second commandment and be a vector of infection, and bring a disease to people you are saying that you love,” Whitten said.

“The reason we’re not meeting is because we’re trying to do our part.

“Keep in mind, the church is not the only one who has been asked to stand down. We have no sports. We have no NASCAR.

“It doesn’t matter, no matter what you are normally used to, (it) is not there.

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church created a more personal touch for its online services, by asking parishioners to submit photos of themselves, so the officiants can look at them, while saying the Mass. (Courtesy of Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church)

“There’s no Master’s. March Madness didn’t happen. It became March sadness, didn’t it,” Whitten said.

COVID-19 has created a medical and economic crisis.

In the midst of that, Whitten said, “I think the message we need to give people right now is this: Live one day at a time, with trust, trusting that God’s got this. That he hasn’t taken his eye off us. He knows what tomorrow brings.

“The best thing we can do is to continue to put our trust in him and continue to be an encouragement to the people around us that need that trust,” Whitten said.

Others using technology to share Easter services include NorthPointe Church, 19862 Amanda Park Drive; Bay Hope Church, at 17030 Lakeshore Road; St. Timothy Catholic Church, at 17512 Lakeshore Road; and, First Baptist Church of Lutz, 18116 U.S. 41, all in Lutz.

Land O’ Lakes churches using that approach include Land O’ Lakes United Methodist Church, at 6209 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., and Harvester Community Church, 2432 Collier Parkway.

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, 2348 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, will be using technology, too, but to make it more personal, the church has placed enlarged photographs of church members on chairs within the church.

Meanwhile, Myrtle Lake Baptist Church, at 2018 Reigler Road in Land O’Lakes, will be having Drive-In Church on  April 12 at 10:30 a.m.

Members of Grace Community Church will be celebrating together, while staying apart, in drive-in church services on Easter. (Courtesy of Grace Community Church)

“You will simply drive into our parking lot and tune in on an FM channel (which will be displayed on our slide truck) and worship with us from the comfort of your own car.  We will celebrate communion together with commercially purchased, prepackaged, individual communion elements and collect our offering in free-standing receptacles as you exit the parking lot,” the church’s website says.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the county, Grace Community Church also will be having  drive-in services.

Normally, members would arrive in their Easter finery, celebrate their faith together and pose afterwards for family portraits, said Pastor Jeff Olsen.

But, this year, they’ll drive to the church 7107 Boyette Road in Wesley Chapel, and they’ll stay in their cars — for either the Sunrise service at 7:15 a.m., or the 10:30 a.m. gathering.

Instead of spending a couple of minutes at the beginning of the service greeting each other personally, they’ll take out their cellphones to text or call other members who are there; or reach out to church members who couldn’t make it to the service.

Jessie Koschman and her family, left to right, Jessie, Kaylei, Christopher and Greg, pose for a selfie inside their car. This will be a new twist on a traditional Easter family portrait at Grace Community Church in Wesley Chapel. (Courtesy of Jessie Koschman)

Then, at the conclusion, instead of posing for family portraits, they’ll whip out their cellphones and take family selfies.

Even though the service could be livestreamed, Olsen said he prefers having the congregation there — even if they need to stay in their cars.

“It seems like there’s more that can be done when we’re in a common space,” the pastor said, noting the church has already tried out this model and it seems to be working well.

Olsen said the central message of the sermon he plans to deliver will be something like this: “Because the grave is empty and Jesus is alive, we have living hope — even when things seem hopeless.”

Others are adapting services, as well.

AdventHealth Zephyrhills will have its 35th annual Easter Sunrise Service online, instead of on the hospital’s lawn.

The service will be streamed online on Easter Sunday, April 12 from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., and will be available for replay on the hospital’s Facebook page, according to a hospital news release.

Pastor Dennis Harmeson, of Awake Wesleyan Church, will deliver this year’s sermon and Darling Giordani will provide a musical selection.

The shift to online breaks an East Pasco tradition that dates back for more than three decades.

It was done, according to the hospital, “out of an abundance of caution to protect the safety and well-being of the community due to the spread of COVID-19.

“AdventHealth is committed to caring for the community – body, mind and spirit, as we live out our mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ,” a release says.

At St. Joseph Catholic Church, at 38710 Fifth Ave., in Zephyrhills, videos of Holy Week and Easter services, featuring the Rev. Allan Tupa, will be available on the church’s website.

On that website, the pastor told parishioners, “Your safety and health are my primary concerns as we confront the sobering and unsettling realities of this pandemic.”

He added: “This severe moment that is unfolding throughout the world enables us to see the profound truth underlying the season of Lent: Life is fragile, and our flesh is weak. Yet scripture assures us in Psalm 46 that God is ‘an ever-present help in time of distress.”

The Seventh-day Adventist Church, at 7333 Adventist Church, at 7333 Dairy Road in Zephyrhills, will continue to hold online-only services through April 30.

Published April 08, 2020

Passover to have a different look this year

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This year’s Passover festivities will be celebrated unlike any other.

Amid the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, area synagogues sit mostly idle, with limited or no in-person religious services or activities.

Yet, Jewish groups have found other ways to salvage the celebrated holiday, which this year runs from April 8 through April 16.

Northdale-based Congregation Kol Ami has turned to virtual programs and services, amid the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. (Courtesy of Congregation Kol Ami)

That includes using the Zoom online video conference platform to connect and serve congregants, albeit virtually.

Northdale-based Congregation Kol Ami on April 9 will use Zoom to stream a virtual second night Seder with Rabbis Denise Eger and Max Chaiken. They’ve also set up “Seder in a Box” meal kits that families can preorder and pickup. Other local temples, such as Congregation Beth Am and Congregation Mekor Shalom, have similar arrangements in place.

It’s all something that Kol Ami has become accustomed to since the coronavirus outbreak hit the United States.

For the past few weeks, the synagogue’s rabbis have been streaming daily prayer, various classes and Sabbath services to members to view from the comforts of their own homes. Even Kol Ami’s Sisterhood group have held needle-working activities online.

As far as program offerings, it’s pretty much “business as usual,” Kol Ami executive director Mitchell Weiss said. “We’re doing everything virtual, but we’re doing everything in the right way to accommodate what our congregants need,” he said.

Weiss is the only person still working from the Kol Ami facility. He’s staying busy checking up on congregants with personal phone calls and seeing if families or seniors have any particular needs, whether it’s help with getting meals, medications and so forth.

Interestingly, Weiss has noticed more people engaging services — even if only online. He noted a recent Saturday evening service on Zoom was particularly lively with “singing and dancing, and everyone’s up and around.”

From a spiritual perspective, Kol Ami is trying to stay positive in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

“During this time of crisis, you really see the passion of people coming together and, I guess, doing the right thing,” Weiss said.

Alan Stern, who operates Congregation Beth Chavarim in Land O’ Lakes, is likewise searching for positives in the wake of the nationwide health scare.

What he’s found is reconnection with family and neighbors.

“The silver lining of this is that you’re getting to know your neighbors, from a distance. You’re getting to spend more time with your family,” Stern, 76, said. “They never really had time for anybody else, because they were so stressed out with the day-to day-activity, so it’s like we’re getting to know them.”

Stern had to cancel a planned Passover gathering slated for April 20, instead advising members to celebrate the holiday with a Kosher meal with their families.

That’s more or less the approach Chabad at Wiregrass is taking.

Rabbi Mendy Yarmush closed the facility through at least April, which means the synagogue won’t hold its annual community Passover Seder.

Instead, the rabbi encouraged members to conduct Passover festivities from home with family. To help with the transition, he’s organized a pre-Passover Zoom class, provided resources, including the Haggadah — the guidebook to the Seder, and offered matzah and wine. (Since Chabad at Wiregrass doesn’t use electronics on the Sabbath or the holidays, they won’t stream Passover online.)

Yarmush acknowledged the transition is “definitely a challenge” because “people will be on their own” for the holiday.

However, Yarmush noted congregants for the most part have maintained positive spirits.

“I think most of the families are taking it well, and trying to adjust to the new temporary reality,” he said.

“I’m hearing a lot of people finding the silver lining in it. A lot of people are enjoying their time home with their families that they don’t usually have. At the same time, I’m very concerned and fearful about what’s going on, but we’re trying to appreciate on the good parts of it and not focus on the negative.”

More on Passover
The Jewish holiday of Pesach, or Passover, is an eight-day festival celebrated in the early spring, from the 15th through the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Nissan.

This year, it runs from April 8 to April 16.

Passover commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. Following its rituals allows the Jewish community to relive and experience the freedom of their ancestors.

Observances: Passover is divided into two parts. The first two days, April 8 and April 9, and the last two days, April 15 and April 16, are full-fledged holidays. Holiday candles are lit at night, and holiday meals (Seders) are usually enjoyed for one or two days. The middle four days are referred to as Chol Hamoed, or semi-festive “intermediate days.” To commemorate the unleavened bread that the Israelites ate when they left Egypt, Jews don’t eat chametz, or leavened grain, from midday of the day before Passover until the conclusion of the holiday.

Seders: The highlight of Passover is the Seder, typically observed on each of the first two nights of the Passover holiday. The Seder is a 15-step, family oriented tradition and ritual-packed feast.

Focal points of the Seder include:

  • Eating matzah, which is unleavened bread
  • Eating bitter herbs to commemorate the bitter slavery endured by the Israelites
  • Drinking four cups of wine or grape juice to celebrate the newfound freedom
  • The recitation of the Haggadah, a liturgy that describes the story of the Exodus from Egypt. It begins with a child asking the traditional “Four Questions.”

Symbolic Seder foods:

  • Maror—bitter herbs, usually horseradish, to serve as a reminder of the bitterness of slavery
  • Saltwater—symbolizing the tears of the slaves
  • Charoset—sweet paste made of fruit and nuts, symbolizing the mortar the slaves used to build the Egyptian pyramids
  • Zeroah—shank bone, representing the Passover sacrifice
  • Beitzah—hard-boiled egg, symbolic of life and birth associated with the spring season
  • Karpas—a leafy green vegetable, usually a piece of lettuce, symbolizing hope and redemption
  • Some traditional Ashkenazi Passover dishes include gefilte fish, matzah ball soup, brisket, tzimmis (sweet carrot and fruit dish), and macaroons and sponge cake (made from matzah meal) for dessert.

Local synagogue information 

• Chabad Jewish Center, Trinity: Call (727) 376-3366, or visit ChabadWP.com.

• Chabad at Wiregrass, Wesley Chapel: Call (813) 642-3244, or visit ChabadatWiregrass.com.

• Congregation Beth Am, Tampa: Call (813) 968-8511, or visit BethAmTampa.org.

• Congregation Beth Chavarim, Land O’ Lakes: Email ">.

• Congregation Kol Ami, Tampa: Call (813) 962 6338, or email .

• Congregation Mekor Shalom, Tampa: Call (813) 963-1818, or visit MekorShalom.org.

• Shoresh David Messianic Synagogue, Wesley Chapel: Call (813) 760-3269, or visit ShoreshDavid.org.

Published April 08, 2020

 

Deadly COVID-19 virus poses challenges on all fronts

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Florida has joined the ranks of states across the nation that have issued Stay-at-Home orders in an effort to reduce the spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a 30-day Stay-At-Home executive order effective April 3.

His action came just days before U.S. Surgeon Gen. Dr. Jerome Adams warned the nation that “this is going to be the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans’ lives. This is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment. Only it’s not going to be localized, it’s going to be happening all over the country,” Adams said to Chris Wallace, during a Fox News program over the weekend.

The death toll from the COVID-19 virus continues to rise.

As of the afternoon of April 6, there were 330,891 cases in the United States and 8,910 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Statewide, there are 13,324 confirmed cases, including 399 non-residents; and, 236 deaths.

In Pasco County, there have been 110 cases, including four non-residents. There have been 22 hospitalizations and two deaths.

In Hillsborough County, there were a total of 571 cases, include 15 non-residents. There have been 86 hospitalizations and five deaths.

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the CDC has consistently recommended that people maintain a 6-foot distance between themselves and others, and to stay at home as much as possible.

Recently, it changed its guidance regarding masks. Before, it recommended masks only for those who were sick to ensure an adequate supply for hospital staff.

Now, the CDC recommends “wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.”

Meanwhile, at the local level, governments are responding to the economic and medical threats posed by the deadly virus.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore organized a virtual meeting on March 31 with regional leaders from Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, and the cities of Tampa and Clearwater to discuss how the region can respond to the unprecedented challenges being posed by COVID-19.

The meeting didn’t yield any immediate solutions, but the leaders shared information about issues such as hospital capacity, availability of medical supplies and concerns about economic impacts from COVID-19.

Moore asked regional leaders for their thoughts about transporting patients to other counties, if the need arose.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor responded, “I think it would probably be more beneficial just to make sure that you have that overflow capacity, just in your particular area.”

Other regional leaders agreed.

Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard said his primary interest would be in working together regionally to figure out a way to share best practices, so individual governments don’t need to reinvent the wheel.

While Moore was reaching out regionally, Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey arranged a virtual Town Hall meeting featuring panelists including Summer Robertson representing U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, and Shahra Lambert representing Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried. Others on the panel included Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning and representatives for several county offices.

During the town hall, the speakers gave overviews on issues such as the federal government’s $2 trillion stimulus package; the school system’s current status; and, a variety of services that are available — or unavailable — at this time.

Commissioner Starkey offered words of encouragement.

“It is such an unusual time. I know when I talk to my fellow workers in government that we have never been busier. I cannot keep my phone charged,” Starkey said.

She added: “It certainly is a challenging time for all of us, but there will be an end to it, and we’ll be able to get back out and enjoy our beautiful county.”

Practical Information

  • Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended foreclosure and eviction enforcing laws for 45 days to provide temporary relief to Floridians.
  • Pasco County Public Transportation has waived fares and increased frequency of buses on the busiest routes — U.S. 19, State Road 54 and U.S. 301, to provide financial relief for those in need and increased services for workers who need to get to grocery stores, hospitals and other essential services for their jobs.
  • Pasco County parks and playgrounds are closed, so residents are encouraged to find ways to exercise in their neighborhoods — while practicing social distancing.
  • Some stores are opening an hour early on some days a week, to give those age 65 and older a chance to shop for essential items. Check store websites for more information.
  • The deadline for paying federal taxes has been delayed until July 15. Go to the IRS website for more details.
  • Pasco County senior centers for congregate meals and social activities are temporarily closed, but there are drive-thru and delivery services available.
  • School campuses are closed, but school districts are providing “to go” bags for children 18 and younger. To find out more details, visit local school district websites.

Recreational options

  • Suncoast Trail is open. Suitable for biking, walking and rollerblading. It is 42 miles long, including 22 miles in Pasco County.
  • Starkey Boulevard Trail and Starkey Gap Trail are open; Pinellas Trail as of last week was still open. Trails next to U.S. 301 and State Road 56 also are open.

Please be prepared for no public access to restrooms or water fountains.

Please maintain social distancing.

Avoid bicycling in packs.

Do not use trails if you are exhibiting symptoms of illness.

Published April 08, 2020

Businesses seek help during pandemic

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The economy has been flattened by coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), and businesses are seeking a way to continue operating or to reopen their doors.

A $2 trillion stimulus package— the largest in the nation’s history — is called the CARES Act, which stands for Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security.

Bill Cronin, CEO and president of Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., offered guidance to help businesses seeking to secure financing to recover from the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. (File)

Part of that package is specifically aimed at assisting companies with fewer than 500 employees, said Bill Cronin, CEO and president of Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.

“It’s intended to assist small business owners in whatever needs that they have right now. So, once it’s implemented, there’s going to be lots of resources for small business, as well as some nonprofits and also some other types of employers,” said Cronin, who helps recruit and build business growth through the nonprofit economic development agency he leads.

Cronin and Eileen Rodriguez, regional director for the Florida SBDC at the University of South Florida, participated in a Zoom video conferencing session on April 1, with Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore.

“This particular pandemic, has really, I think, taken a lot of people by surprise,” Rodriguez said. “The scope and magnitude of it is so much more than just our normal disasters, which you know, we’re used to the hurricanes. This is a completely different animal. It’s just so huge.”

While various assistance programs are available, getting through the process can be difficult, Cronin said.

“It is confusing, even for us as practitioners, between state, federal and local programs. So, I can’t imagine what it’s like sometimes, as business people, trying to navigate all of these different resources — in a time when it’s challenging enough as it is, with all of these external pressures,” Cronin said.

Mainstreet Billiards, in downtown Zephyrhills, is complying with the state-mandated shutdown. A posting over the weekend on its Facebook Page says “we will get back to it as soon as we can.” It ends the posting with this message by saying, “Help your neighbor if you can! And shop local small businesses to help out your Zephyrhills family. We will get through this together.” (B.C. Manion)

He outlined some of the programs available to help businesses.

“The most popular program that I think most of you are going to be interested in is called the Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP. It is designed for companies that employ fewer than 500 workers,” he said.

In essence, the loan is designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll.

SBA will forgive loans if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest or utilities.

Rodriguez talked about the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program .

“We help small business owners who are currently navigating the loan process.

“We don’t actually make decisions on which loans get approved or denied, but we do work with the independent Emergency Bridge Loan committee that makes those decisions,” she said.

“The team at the SBDC — the entire team — is really working as fast as we can to process all these inquiries and applications that have come in.

“Right now, we’re probably hovering around 4,000, just to give you a sense of the type of volume that we’re looking at,” she said.

“Everybody is trying to move as quickly as possible, to help all of the small businesses that have been affected, which frankly, has been pretty much everybody in the state of Florida, and of course, across the nation.”

The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a brutal effect on the economy. Here is a look at the lack of activity in downtown Zephyrhills, on the Saturday after Gov. Ron DeSantis imposed a Stay-at-Home order for the state of Florida. (B.C. Manion)

Information is changing constantly, Rodriguez added. “Changes occur daily, and I might even say, hourly.”

“What I’m saying right this minute could possibly change in an hour, two hours, this afternoon, tomorrow,” she said.

It’s essential to check officials websites for up-to-the-minute information, she said.

The Florida Emergency Bridge Loan Program was activated on March 16 by the governor’s office.

“They released $50 million for that program. Small businesses can qualify for up to $50,000 in most cases. These are interest-free, short-term loans. And, by short-term, I mean 12 months,” she said.

“Let’s say you would be awarded a loan today. You would have 12 months to pay it off. It’s interest-free for those 12 months. At 12 months and 1 day, if that loan is not paid off, you will have to start paying interest and that interest will be retroactive, back to Day 1.

“This loan does not convert to a long-term loan at that point. It’s still a short-term loan and for all intents and purposes, you will be in default of your loan on that 366th day,” she said.

To apply for this loan, go to FloridaJobs.org, which is the Department of Economic Opportunity’s website. Applications are now being accepted directly through their portal, which was activated on March 23.

Business owners can qualify for both the short-term and long-term loans, she said.

The Small Business Administration also offers an economic injury disaster loan. It allows loans of up to $2 million, and self-employed workers are eligible.

The interest rate is 3.75% for for-profit companies; 2.75% for nonprofit companies.

“This is pretty much considered a working capital loan, again, to help with payroll, with fixed debt, accounts payable, any other bills,” Rodriguez said.

“You don’t have to go through a bank to apply for it. This loan is directly with the Small Business Administration’s disaster assistance program,” she said.

Rodriguez said she has no idea how long it will take for loans to be processed.

“I will tell you that they are overwhelmed, because, again, this is not just a Florida program. That’s a national program, a federal program. They’ve had over 1 million — 1 million — inquiries and applications already.

Pasco Chairman Moore offered some words of support to the small business community.

“You will continue to be the heartbeat in Pasco County,” Moore said.

“We want to see you all get out of this, we want to see you succeed. We want to see everybody working.

“We’re going to get through this,” Moore said. “We’re going to get through this together.”

For more information visit DisasterLoan.sba.gov; SBDCtampabay.com/coronavirus; and, Pasco.edc.com.

Published April 08, 2020

Lutz video game studio offers virtual concerts

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As coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is keeping most stuck inside home, a Lutz-based video game studio is discovering novel ways to keep users together and entertained.

For years, Artix Entertainment has been creating free online fantasy-based video games filled with monsters, magic and storytelling.

Adam Bohn is the founder/CEO of Artix Entertainment, an independent video game studio in Lutz. (Courtesy of Adam Bohn)

Among the most popular iterations is the AdventureQuest3D series, which takes role-playing users into an expansive fantasy world where combat skills are tested in an environment filled with the undead, beasts, dragons, dungeons and all sorts of other challenges. The game is cross-platform, meaning it can be played through computer, tablet or smartphone.

More recently, AdventureQuest’s creators have added a new wrinkle: in-game, virtual battle concerts from various well-known bands like Alice in Chains, Breaking Benjamin, Korn and others.

And, ever since the outbreak of the coronavirus has canceled many activities and concerts, game makers vowed to keep the music going.

So, the company decided to again team up with Breaking Benjamin, a multi-platinum rock band with nine No. 1 hit songs, to re-release an “encore” virtual battle concert, with some newly added features and objectives.

Here’s how the battle concert works: After completing a short tutorial, an unlimited number of users enter the concert and are tasked with fighting off a host of giant monsters all while the band’s music plays in the background. Users also have the option of taking a virtual selfie and interacting with Breaking Benjamin animated characters.

The virtual concert loops nonstop, and is designed for players of all skill levels. Bands send pre-recorded songs and custom voiceovers to Artix for the virtual concerts.

“I think it’s the best thing we’ve ever created,” Artix CEO/founder Adam Bohn said of the virtual concert series. “We’re trying to provide the most fun we can and help people during their stays at home.”

Artix also is expanding the virtual battle concert series to include local bands, so long as their music is safe for radio play. Interested groups can email .

“We have the ability to do these performance with any band in our game,” Bohn said. “Right now, I’m sure there’s musicians, with all the concerts canceled, there has to be some other way we can help, so it’d be great if anybody wanted to contact us.”

Humble beginnings, to millions of users
Artix today has over 30 employees, headquartered out of the NorthPointe Village business plaza off State Road 54.

Yet, the company started with humble beginnings back in 2002.

“It started out at the kitchen table of my first home here in Lutz,” Bohn, 44, said. “Our offices have been very, very slowly, methodically just moving down (State Road) 54.”

A computer video game enthusiast growing up in Pennsylvania, Bohn’s “lifelong dream” was to someday create games of his own.

It first came from the encouragement of his father, who all but told a youthful Bohn that if others could build video games, then his son could, too.

The planted seed led Bohn on “this kind of obsessive mission” that included years of trial and error “and unbelievable persistence.”

Lutz-based Artix Entertainment has teamed up with rock band Breaking Benjamin to host virtual concerts inside the AdventureQuest online video game series.

In the almost 18 years since Bohn launched the first version of AdventureQuest — then in 2D form — over 200 million accounts have been created worldwide across Artix’s platform of more than a dozen games.

It’s more than Bohn could’ve ever anticipated two decades ago. “I put the game out there hoping we’d get 100 players,” said Bohn.

In addition to AdventureQuest, other Artix titles include DragonFable, MechQuest, and BioBeasts. While the games are all free to play, users have the option to purchase cosmetics to improve the likeness of their characters.

Bohn acknowledged he entered the video game industry at the right time — when internet technology began booming in the early 2000s. “We were very early, so we were a part of this great video game evolution that’s been happening,” he said.

Like other area businesses dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, Artix employees have begun working remotely from home, collaborating via Google Docs, Trello and a chat program called Discord.  “I think gamers maybe have an easier time with this (coronavirus) problem because we love staying at home,” Bohn quipped.

However, the work to fine-tune a host of online games is anything but easy.

Bohn explained gameplay updates and problem-solving requires long hours from his team of artists, programmers and developers, and database managers.

For him and his team, it’s “pretty much a 24/7 job.”

“Most of the team is quite a fan of coffee,” Bohn joked, adding video game creation is more difficult than some may think. “There is this belief that we have this magical “make game button” and we press it and then there’s more games…”

As if running an independent video game studio day and night wasn’t enough, Bohn has another side project — he’s building a new video game for the 1985 Nintendo.

Bohn said the game, coming in a physical Nintendo cart, should be finished in two months’ time. “The game’s really, really far along,” he said. “We’ve already kind of done all the fulfillments. I have the circuit boards, I have the shelves…”

To play AdventureQuest and other Artix Entertainment games, visit AQ3D.com and Artix.com.

Published April 08, 2020

Pasco seeks to delay municipal elections

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UPDATE: Postponed indefinitely per Executive Oder 20-97 from Gov. Ron DeSantis. Elections will be rescheduled “as soon as practicable.”

In the wake of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley is seeking to delay the April 14 municipal elections Dade City, Zephyrhills and San Antonio.

To that end, Corley has requested Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to move back the local county elections to the Aug. 18 state primary election date.

Corley told The Laker/Lutz News he’s had ongoing discussions on the matter with intermediaries Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee, State Division of Elections Director Maria Matthews, and incoming Senate president Wilton Simpson.

However, no decision was made by The Laker/Lutz News Monday press deadline.

Corley cited the “health and safety” of voters and poll workers in wanting reschedule the municipal elections.

The elections supervisor said it doesn’t make sense “having the public come to an election day polling place, to their own possible health peril, when our average age is not exactly, really, really young.” He also said “asking members of the public to come out and vote” runs contrary to the governor’s stay-at-home executive order.

City managers of the three local municipalities have concurred delaying the municipal election, Corley said. Holding those elections concurrently with the primary election poses no additional financial costs to those cities, he said.

The county elections office is mandated to hold the April 14 election, until it hears otherwise from the governor’s office, Corley said.

Here is a closer look at each election:

Dade City
Six candidates are running for three open seats on the Dade City Commission — for Groups 3, 4 and 5.

In Group 3, two-term incumbent Jim Shive is being challenged by Matthew Wilson. Shive is a retired government employee. Wilson is a data entry clerk for the United Parcel Service.

Groups 4 and 5 seats will see fresh faces, as Nicole Deese Newlon and Eunice Penix are not seeking re-election. Newlon served one four-year term after she won in 2016, while Penix has held her seat since 1993.

Vying for Newlon’s Group 4 seat are Ann Cosentino and Knute Nathe.

Cosentino owns a communications/branding consulting firm. Nathe is an attorney with McCLain Alfonso P.A.

Christopher King and Normita Woodard are facing off for Penix’s Group 5 seat. King is the founder of The Gentleman’s Course Inc., a local youth mentorship charity. Woodard is a secretary at Lacoochee Elementary School.

The Dade City municipal election will take place at First Baptist Church Dade City, 37511 Church Ave., in Dade City. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Zephyrhills
In this election cycle, the City of Zephyrhills will have a mayoral race, as incumbent Gene Whitfield faces off against Justin Docherty.

Whitfield has held the mayor chair since 2014 when Danny Burgess resigned to run as the area’s state representative in Tallahassee.

The Zephyrhills mayor serves mainly an ambassador’s role, being a presence at many public events, ribbon cuttings and so on. As far as citywide matters, the mayor doesn’t run council meetings, cannot make motions and cannot vote on matters before the council, but does have the ability to veto city ordinances.

On the Zephyrhills City Council, Seat 2 incumbent Alan Knight is running unopposed.

Knight is a retired educator who’s worked mainly in Pasco County Schools as a teacher, coach and administrator. He was first elected to the seat in 2014.

The Zephyrhills municipal general election will be at the Alice Hall Community Center, 38116 Fifth Ave., in Zephyrhills. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

San Antonio
Five candidates are vying to fill three open seats on the San Antonio City Commission.

Running are incumbents Elayne Bassinger and Sarah Schrader, along with Joseph Couture, John Vogel and Dacia Wadsworth Mitchell.

Unlike the head-to-head matchups of other municipalities, the top three overall vote-getters earn commission seats. San Antonio commissioners serve two-year terms.

For more voting information, contact the Pasco County Supervisor of Elections office at (800) 851-8754 or (352) 521-4302, or visit PascoVotes.gov.

Updated April 09, 2020

Unsung heroes crash in the deep woods of Pasco County

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Twelve enthusiastic young soldiers — with their lives ahead of them — met their fate in the rugged frontier terrain of Central Pasco.

Ten of the men were from the 488th Bomber Group from MacDill Field, flying in a B-17 Flying Fortress on Feb. 28, 1944. The plane crashed, leaving just one survivor.

The B-17 was referred to as the ‘flying fortress’ because of its ability to sustain abuse. The plane was used in flying reconnaissance over Normandy. This type of plane also was involved in a crash in Central Pasco County, where nine men perished and one was seriously injured. (Courtesy of Dennis Cole)

The other two men each were flying P-51 Mustangs from Bartow Army Air Field on June 8, 1945. They did not survive the crash.

One of the men on the B-17 was Leopold Palm, who was the first German alien to be inducted in the Fifth Army Corps, after begging entry.

As a Jewish citizen of Germany, Palm and his family fled the Nazis to come to the United States in 1942. Palm’s utmost desire was to give back to the country who gave him refuge.

He wrote jubilant letters home about his service, and received medals for marksmanship.

In one letter he said, “As anxious as I was, you will understand how proud I am to be a citizen of the United States… and I am trying to live up to the responsibilities which it brings with it.”

As a local historian and genealogist, I became aware of part of this story in 2015 during research I was doing on the history of Wesley Chapel. While working on that project, I encountered 92-year-old Bill Smith, who shared his deep knowledge of the area.

He told me about the two crashes in Central Pasco.

Smith had seen the wreckage.

He has passed away since our conversation in 2015, but as the widely known radio host Paul Harvey used to say, some of “the rest of the story” recently fell into my lap.

The period leading up to World War II was one of enormous economic strife, following the Great Depression.

It was also a time of escalating scientific milestones, and of secrecy, too. Even President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s handicap was kept from the American people — in a conspiracy partially enabled by the media.

When our country entered World War II on Dec. 8, 1941, preparation had been ongoing to become proficient in rapidly evolving industries.

(Courtesy of Dennis Cole)

Part of that involved perfecting aircraft and quickly training pilots.

Taking a step into the distant past
A series of Army Air bases were constructed in Florida — in such places as Zephyrhills, Bartow and Hillsborough County.

In fact, there were 172 military installations across the state.

At the Zephyrhills Air Base, said to be populated by young soldiers in training, the spirit of patriotism was high.

The threat was unlike anything we have seen since domestically except 9/11: German U-boats and submarines were in our Gulf of Mexico.

Flash forward to the present.

On Feb. 26, 2020, a small group gathered at the welcome center at MacDill Air Force Base to meet public relations officer Shannon Bowman.

We met — more than 70 years after the accidents — to piece together other parts of the story. Among those gathered were:

  • Linda Ligon Rodgers, who is interested in finding out more about the history of her uncle, John, who was a copilot on the B-17
  • Robert Widner and Dennis Cole, who, for years, have been collecting information on the aircraft, runways, training protocols and military data of the day
  • Myself and my husband, Ernest, who wanted to fill in gaps in stories shared with us by Smith, who was a veteran, too

At MacDill, Bowman led us past Hangar 3 where the plane was prepared and then to Hangar 5 — two hangars in the base’s historic district.

This group recently met at MacDill Air Force Base to find out more about the history of the planes that crashed in Central Pasco, during World War II. From left: Linda Ligon Rodgers, niece of co-pilot Thomas Ligon; Dennis Cole; Karen Ariele; Madonna Wise and Ernest Wise. (Courtesy of Madonna Wise)

That’s where we learned about the B-17 crew and the events of their day.

Stephen Ove, MacDill’s official historian, told us that over 20% of the soldiers who had gone through Hangar 5 had not returned.

The historian explained that the B-17 was an extraordinary plane with a long length of service—flying reconnaissance over Normandy and obtaining its name ‘flying fortress’ for its ability to sustain abuse.

It was a war horse.

The 1941 hangar was a history book of facts and information.

Ove recounted that the Boeing B-17 took off at 9 p.m., on Feb. 28, 1944. After two hours of flying, the control tower radioed for the plane to return.

But, instead of arriving at MacDill Air Force Base, the plane collided with trees and crashed northeast of Hillsborough Army Air Field, on K-Bar Ranch. The B-17 careened into the terrain, broke up and burst into flames. Debris scattered over a distance of 520 yards, in a semi-wooded area of the ranch.

These photos are of the crew members of the B-17, which crashed in Central Pasco County. (Courtesy of Madonna Wise)

Nine fliers were killed and Sgt. Tom E. Norman, was injured seriously, according to base records.

The B-17 careened into the terrain, broke up and burst into flames.

Those killed, close to the midnight hour of that Leap Year, were:

  • William P. Alsabrock Jr., flight officer, age 21
  • Donald G. Barber, second lieutenant/pilot, age 19
  • Larice Lavell Boyle, staff sergeant/flight engineer, age 23
  • Twyman W. Harper, private first class/assistant radio operator, age 22
  • John Fulton Ligon Jr., second lieutenant/co-pilot, age 25
  • Arthur P. O’Connor Jr., second lieutenant/bombardier, age 27
  • Ernest Leopold Palm, sergeant/assistant engineer, age 24
  • Lawrence R. Siers, sergeant/radio operator, age 21
  • Roy D. Stroh, sergeant/tail gunner, age 25

The accident reports, photos of the accident scene and documentation of the plane’s remains are filed away in the historical records at MacDill.

Besides Bill Smith, the late local historian Eddie Herrmann also described the account of the two Mustangs in the 1945 crash. Herrmann was only 9 at the time of the event.

It was mid-day on May 30, 1945, when a squadron of 16 Mustangs flying from Bartow Army Air Field made their way over Pasco County, on their way to Marianna Airfield.

Two P-51 Mustangs made contact in a mid-air collision at about 9,000 feet.

The pilots involved in the crash were Flight Officer John Terry, age 21, of Lakeland, and Second Lt. Robert Walker, age 20, of Great Falls, Montana.

This is the hangar MacDill Air Force Base where the B-17 plane was equipped and maintained. (Courtesy of Madonna Wise)

One plane came down in an area near current-day Interstate 75 and State Road 52, while the other crashed south of what’s now known as Bellamy Road.

Researcher Robert Widner has meticulously worked for more than 50 years and was able to pinpoint the site where the plane carrying John Terry went down.

The crashes occurred during an ominous time, in an era where patriotism permeated community cultures, especially in places such as Zephyrhills, where the Army Air Base had a transformative effective on local life.

Undoubtedly these two crashes were acknowledged by many at the time — but perhaps more through quiet prayer and thanksgiving than in flashy outward displays.

With the passage of time, the deep woods of the area are being uncovered with settlement, and it may well be time to acknowledge the deaths of these courageous solders.

Indeed, there are plans to place a plaque somewhere along Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, in one of the local park areas, to pay tribute to their heroism.

During our recent visit to MacDill, despite the long passage of time, we hid moist eyes, as empathy for their tragic end transcended the years.

By Madonna J. Wise

Published April 08, 2020

Keystone Community Church delivers Easter joy

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Members of the Keystone Community Church delivered Easter baskets and food to 26 families on April 1.

Volunteer Charlie Bell is bagging up some frozen food items, to be distributed to families. (Courtesy of Lisa Kamps/Keystone Community Church)

The food boxes contained dairy, meat, bread from Publix, fruit, veggies and nonperishable items.

The Easter baskets were made by the church’s women’s group, along with Emma Wasson, a volunteer’s granddaughter.

The church, which is on State Road 54 just west of the U.S. 41 intersection, in Lutz, will continue to distribute to families and individuals in need, as often as possible, according to information provided by Lisa Kamps, of the KCC Second Serving outreach ministry.

The church reaches out to the local community providing food to those in need, according to its website. People the church serves range from single seniors to young families with children. Because the church is a Feeding Tampa Bay agency, it can purchase frozen foods and other items at a low cost. It also collects nonperishable food from our members and friends to round out what it distributes. Also, it also prepares food for the homeless.

Published April 08, 2020

Emma Wasson was one of the volunteers who helped to make Easter baskets.
Christy Smith, who is a teacher, is shown here bagging some cartons of orange juice.

Learning to prepare delicious, healthy jam

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Dade City’s One-Stop Shop recently held a class on how to produce and preserve canned strawberry jam.

The art of canning involves preserving foods in jars, to keep them safe for eating for long periods of time.

Rachelle Colon, left, and Nancy Robbins pour out their sweet, homemade jam into jars to enjoy later. (Brian Fernandes)

The class, at the One-Stop Shop in Dade City, was presented by the University of Florida-Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Pasco County Extension.

LuAnn Duncan is a UF/IFAS instructor who explained how to properly can strawberry jam and reduce the chances of contamination.

“Bacteria grows and it can grow on the food. It can grow in your refrigerator. It can be transferred from your hands,” she said.

“Anything that’s a low acid food is considered a high risk,” Duncan added.

Fortunately, strawberries have high levels of acidity, which helps deter bacteria from building up.

When placed in a jar, low acid foods should be boiled to at least 240 degrees Fahrenheit. Foods with a higher level of acidity only need to be boiled at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

These ladies are measuring out their strawberry jam into jars, at Dade City’s One-Stop Shop.

Boiling jars helps to tighten the seal and remove oxygen, preventing growth of bacteria, mold and yeast, she said. Jars of varying sizes can be used to store strawberry jam.

When using 4 half-pint jars, 3 cups of frozen or thoroughly washed strawberries should be mashed down in a bowl.

Before boiling in a pot, strawberries should be mixed with pectin.

Pectin is a natural substance in fruit that gives it a gelatinous form. However, strawberries contain little pectin.

Commercial pectin in powdered form can be purchased and mixed with strawberries.

Add 2 ½ tablespoons of the pectin and 3 cups of sugar.

These components help to thicken the strawberry jam.

These ladies are hard at work while making strawberry jam at a session at Dade City’s One-Stop Shop. Attendees learned how to prepare jam and preserve it.

The mixture is then placed in a pot and is consistently stirred while boiling.

A separate pot ranging from 8 quarts to 10 quarts, should be used to sterilize empty jars before they’re filled with the jam.

A fitted, circular rack used to hold multiple jars, should be placed at the bottom of the pot.

Before boiling, a jar lifter should clench the seal of the jars, placing each one in the rack.

A temperature gauge should be used to indicate how hot the water is.

The water is preheated to 180 degrees Fahrenheit and brought to a boil after jars are submerged underneath.

The boiling should take approximately 10 minutes.

When the strawberry jam has finished boiling in its pot, the hot jars can be removed from the other pot, using the jar lifter.

Nancy Robbins, left, and Barbara Nielsen stir their pot of hot strawberry jam at Dade City’s One-Stop Shop. The class showed how to prepare and preserve homemade jam.

Each jar is then filled with jam using a funnel, and the jar’s rim is wiped before the seal and lid are fastened.

There should be a ¼-inch of headspace between where the jam settles and the jar’s lid.

The jam-filled jars are placed into the same pot rack.

Water should be 2 inches above the jars and boiled to at least 212 degrees Fahrenheit for five minutes.

This helps to tighten the seal, preventing exposure to bacteria.

Using the jar lifter, each jar is taken out and placed on a towel with at least a 1-inch space between them.

Each jar should be cooled for 24 hours before use. When the seal is detached, the rim of each jar is wiped off of any jelly, to prevent molding.

The environment for cooling should be anywhere from 50 degrees to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

For further information on canning food items and the necessary equipment, visit the National Center for Home Food Preservation at https://nchfp.uga.edu/.

Published April 08, 2020