The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

New youth website from USDA

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) celebrated National Ag Day, which highlights agriculture’s crucial role in everyday life, and honors the farmers, foresters, scientists, producers and many others who contribute to America’s harvest.

As part of the effort, the USDA launched a new Youth and Agriculture website, USDA.gov/youth, to connect young people and youth-serving organizations with department-wide resources that engage, empower and educate the next generation of agricultural leaders.

Connecting with America’s youth “is a tremendous opportunity to show that careers in farming, the agricultural sciences, and veterinary medicine are rewarding, essential and profitable,” said Deputy Secretary Stephen Censky, in a release.

The USDA Youth and Agriculture website features three key components of agriculture-focused youth engagement: classroom studies, experiential learning and leadership training.

Educators can find ways to include agriculture in the classroom and beyond.

Young people can learn about USDA summer outreach programs, youth loans for business projects, and outdoor volunteering.

Community leaders can get tips on starting leadership development clubs and education programs.

The site also highlights USDA partners, such as 4-H, the National FFA Organization (Future Farmers of America), Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS), Agriculture Future of America (AFA), and many others working with the USDA to connect young people with opportunities in agriculture.

For those interested in careers, the website provides information on internships and scholarships; USDA employment; and, information on agriculture career fields, such as forestry, robotics engineering, biochemistry, and food sciences.

Follow the conversation on USDA, youth in agriculture, and National Ag Day online at USDA.gov/youth, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Published May 08, 2019

Pasco County is eyeing rental registry

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The Pasco County Commission is considering the possibility of requiring owners of rental property to sign up on a rental registry —  to enable the county to find property owners quickly, if the need arises.

“It really is a life-safety issue,” said Commissioner Mike Wells, who is working on the initiative.

Mike Wells

“We need to do something,” Wells said, during the commission’s April 23 meeting. He has begun meeting with stakeholders on the issue, seeking their ideas and buy-in.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey threw her support behind the idea.

“Commissioner Wells, I’m very glad you’ve been working on this.

“I can’t wait for that ordinance,” she said.

On one hand, the county doesn’t want to over-regulate, Starkey said. But, she added: “When you have multiple houses and you’re renting them out, that’s a business and you should be accountable for the effects of your business, in my opinion.

“If your tenants are causing no problems, that’s fine.

“But, if you’re starting to have to have our sheriff and our code enforcement coming out there regularly, the other people on the street shouldn’t have to be paying for the time of the county employees to go out there, over and over again,” Starkey said.

Plus, she said, “when  you have someone on your street and they’re renting their house out and they don’t care what goes on that street, it becomes a real quality-of-life issue for the rest of the neighborhood and brings it down.”

Wells said there are 99,000 non-homesteaded properties in Pasco County.

“Obviously, they’re not all rentals. They could be summer homes or winter homes,” Wells said.

Chase Daniels, policy director for the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, said the Sheriff supports a zero fee registration and 100 percent participation.

“Our IT department can manage this program,” Daniels said. The idea is to have a local point of contact and be able to tell who should be in the house.

A budget amendment would not be needed to operate the registry, Daniels said. “This is something we can absorb in our existing resources.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano pushed back on the idea of requiring every rental property owner to register.

“I don’t know why we don’t focus on where the problems are,” Mariano said, adding he doesn’t understand why people who haven’t had any problems would be required to do so.

But, Commission Chairman Ron Oakley said: “Every person who falls in that category needs to be under the same rules.”

County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder said the board needs to discuss the issue in a workshop before moving forward on a rental registry ordinance.

Published May 01, 2019

‘It’s been a great ride,’ celebrated horsewoman says

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Millions of Americans are gearing up to watch the Kentucky Derby, which is set for its 145th running on May 4 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

It’s a race steeped in tradition: Kentucky Derby Hats, mint juleps, the singing of “My Old Kentucky Home” and the garland of roses at the Winner’s Circle.

Show horse trainer Anne Judd is seen leading Kongo, an 11-year-old Morgan horse, through the center hall of the horse barn, on his way to be fitted with a jog cart before a morning training practice. (Christine Holtzman)

It’s also the first race in the Triple Crown, a title awarded to the 3-year-old thoroughbred that wins the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.

For Anne Judd, a horsewoman who lives in Lutz, however, the Kentucky Derby’s meaning runs deeper.

She has a personal connection to the race.

Her great-grandfather George Long owned Bashford Manor Stable, that bred and raced Azra, the winner of the Derby in 1892, and Sir Huon, the winner in 1906. Long also bred Manuel, the winner of the 1899 Derby for Alfred and Dave Morris.

It may come as no surprise, then, that Judd — herself a highly recognized horsewoman — came to the equestrian life naturally.

The first four years of her childhood were spent at Bashford Manor and, during high school, she gave tours there.

She began riding before she was 4, and began showing at age 4.

Throughout her life, she’s traveled across the country — and abroad — showing horses, training horses and judging competitions.

Over the years, she’s won significant recognition for her work in the horse industry.

Riding in a jog cart, Anne Judd ‘drives’ Kongo during a morning practice on the grounds of West Coast Morgans in Odessa.

Most recently, in February, she was named the American Morgan Horse Association’s 2018 Golden Reins Award winner at the association’s annual awards banquet in San Antonio, Texas.

The award, instituted in 1995, recognizes professionals involved with the Morgan breed for at least 30 years.

The American Morgan Horse Association, founded in 1909, is a nonprofit organization that serves as a parent organization to more than 50 recognized Morgan horse clubs and national organizations.

In announcing Judd’s award, the association observed: “Judd has spent her life working in the horse industry, with her successes spanning four decades.

“Most noted for combining the amateur/junior exhibitor rider and the correct horse to accomplish a world-class package, Judd has long been successful with the Saddle Seat divisions, with her students excelling in Saddle Seat Equitation. She has trained some of the best equitation riders in the country, and in recent years has taken on the Hunter and Western Pleasure divisions, yet again producing world champion riders in both performance and in all equitation seats.

“Judd’s judging credentials are as diverse as her training expertise. A sought-after senior judge, she holds cards for Morgans, Saddlebreds, Hackneys, Friesians, Saddle Seat Equitation, and Roadsters,” the release continues.

“She has judged across the country, including multiple times at the Grand National and, in 2017, judged the South African National Championships. A noted clinician, she has lent her expertise to clinics in the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, South Africa and Namibia, and has appeared on professional panels for USEF, UPHA and ASHA, among others.

Anne Judd greets her faithful dog, Manny T. Judd, outside the stall area of West Coast Morgans. The pooch has been her sidekick for the last eight years, ever since he was found outside her former farm in Dade City.

“She has trained and managed facilities in Florida, California, Kentucky, and helped found and create the International Saddle Seat Equitation World Cup, which equates to the Olympics of Saddle Seat Equitation,” the release says.

Judd is now the head show horse trainer at West Coast Morgans, which operates in Odessa.

Anne Winograd, who owns the farm, said Judd is worthy of receiving the Golden Reins.

“It is a big deal,” Winograd said.

“There are lots of people in the horse world that are capable and amazing and talented, but they don’t always contribute to the community. That is one thing that Miss Anne Judd has done during her lifetime. She’s always given back to the community, in one way or another.

“She does that on an international level. She’s a renowned judge. She’s traveled. She’s instituted international equestrian programs in South Africa,” Winograd said.

The Odessa horse farm owner, who established West Coast Morgans along with her husband, Glenn, is delighted to have someone of Judd’s caliber on their team.

She said Judd has an “amazing, positive attitude.”

“Her expertise is profound,” Winograd added.

“She’s not just a horsewoman in one area or two. Her horsemanship covers levels from beginning through advanced, horses and their riders,” she said.

For her part, Judd said her life has given her the chance to travel; to expand her knowledge about horses, people and places throughout the world; and, to develop deep friendships along the way.

Over the years, she’s been a private trainer and has run her own business.

For many years, she and her husband worked together. Then, after they were divorced, she went to South Africa to work.

Anne Judd is shown here with her team at West Coast Morgans in Odessa. They are, back row, from left: Anne Winograd (farm owner), Anne Judd and Nancy Lawrence; center row, Nikki Bennet and John Hodson; and front row, Diane Tanguay.

She figured, “If I’m going to fall on my face, I’ll do it in South Africa and nobody will know.”

Instead of failing, she flourished.

“It was an absolutely fabulous experience for me.

“I loved South Africa. It was eye-opening,” she said.

A few years ago, she returned to South Africa with her daughter and granddaughter. Their adventures included riding on elephants and going for a walk with some lion cubs.

If Judd was writing her own story, she said, “I would say that it’s been a great ride.”

She wound up in her current role, after returning to Florida.

She brought her horse, Belle, to West Coast Morgans to protect her during hurricane season. “I knew it was a shelter barn,” Judd said.

At a certain point, Winograd approached Judd and suggested the idea of her joining the stable’s team.

Judd credits the success she enjoys now to the team she works with at West Coast Morgans, including Winograd and Nancy Lawrence, Nikki Bennet, John Hodson and Diane Tanguay.

And, while she’s won her share of accolades over the years, she was particularly touched by the Golden Reins award.

When she started showing Morgans, she thought she might be shunned because she was a newcomer to the breed. Instead, she said, she encountered an “open-minded, gracious group of people.

Kongo, an 11-year-old Morgan horse, gets lots of love and attention as show horse trainer Anne Judd places him in a bridle, ahead of a training practice session.

“It’s the most welcoming, helpful group of everything — trainers, exhibitors, the staffers, the whole deal,” Judd said.

She was especially impressed by the way the Morgan community responded, when a friend of hers experienced a horse trailer fire while en route to a Morgan world championship.

He was able to get his horses out of the trailer, but one was severely injured and had to be put down, she said.

After that, he eventually made it to the site of championship.

When he arrived, Judd and another woman were waiting for him.

Judd was blown away by what happened next.

This is the type of event when people are very focused on themselves and their horses, she said.

“This is career-making. You’re inside yourself,” she explained.

But here it was, and the Morgan community was looking beyond their personal interests, to help someone in need, she said.

“All of a sudden, it was like a movie. People came out of buildings everywhere, at midnight.

“The stalls were bedded, they had buckets up, they had water in them. They had feed there. “They didn’t know what (horses) survived the trip.

“Everything was ready for the horses to unload,” Judd said.

She’ll never forget that.

“I like a great horse of any discipline,” Judd said. “What I’m overwhelmed with, though, is the community and the helpfulness to this kid — when their pressure was so great.”

Published May 01, 2019

Attend a Kentucky Derby party, and help local groups

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Celebrate the Kentucky Derby and raise money for area rotary clubs and the Pasco Education Foundation.

The event, which is open to the public, is set for May 4 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Guests will have a chance to roll cigars and dance to music by the Strictly Bizness band.

Those who enjoy donning fancy attire can also compete for awards for the best hat or best dressed contests.

Among many fun activities at the Kentucky Derby Party, guests can try their luck at the casino table. This year’s event will be on May 4 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Courtesy of Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel)

Winners will be able to take home bragging rights, and prizes.

“The nice thing is everybody can get dressed up in their derby finest,” said Rebecca Smith, member of the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel.

There will be a southern cuisine buffet, and drinks available at the bar.

Two auctions will be offered as well. Commemorative items, such as sports memorabilia, will be sold at the live auction, while the silent auction will offer an array of items donated by the community.

And, of course, those attending can cheer on their favorite horses and jockeys, as the Kentucky Derby will be broadcast on numerous television screens.

The function is being hosted jointly by the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel and the Rotary Club of Dade City.

It will be held at the Waller Ranch, at 17307 Powerline Road in Dade City.

Proceeds will help raise money for both rotary clubs, and will benefit the Pasco Education Foundation.

Tickets can be purchased online for $75 or at the door for $100.

For additional information or tickets, visit HatsAndHorses2019.eventbrite.com.

Rebecca Smith may also be contacted at (307) 851-4312 or at .

Hats and Horses – Kentucky Derby Party
Where: Waller Ranch, 17307 Powerline Road, Dade City
When: May 4 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Cost: $75 online or $100 at the door
Details: Come celebrate the Kentucky Derby with a buffet, contests for the best dressed and best hats, and auctions.
Info: For tickets, visit HatsAndHorses2019.eventbrite.com. For further inquiries, contact Rebecca Smith at (307) 851-4312 or at .

Published May 01, 2019

Tracing ancestral photos with modern technology

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People who are interested in learning how to trace their own ancestral history have a chance to learn how to go about that, through a series of lectures being offered at the Lutz Branch Library, in Lutz.

During a recent lecture on April 8, those attending had a chance to learn about piecing together their heritage through the use of photography.

The presentation, “Genealogy: Photo Forensics,” was presented by Kelly Whitelock, a family history researcher for Tampa Bay Roots.

Whitelock is also the host of the genealogy series.

Kelly Whitelock, at the front of the room, gave a presentation on various ways to identify old family photos with Internet sources during a monthly series on tracing one’s own genealogy. The April 8 class was at the Lutz Branch Library. (Brian Fernandes)

At the photo forensic session, she explained how modern-day technology can help unlock the mysteries embedded in a photo.

“It’s amazing what you can learn from a photograph,” the researcher said. “You never know what you’re going to find and where you’re going to find it.”

She used a power point presentation to outline developments throughout the history of photo evolution — from the daguerreotype established in 1839 to today’s computer-generated imagery.

As someone who has studied genealogy for 20 years, Whitelock knows how to unlock information contained in unfamiliar photos of her own ancestors.

She explained some key indicators to look for when examining an old family photograph.

There are clues that can help narrow down when a photo was taken, for instance, and help identify the people in it.

Websites such as Olive Tree Genealogy, or the Victoria and Albert Museum, allow viewers to scroll through images of fashion trends by specific time periods, she said.

“That’s what’s really important about the details,” Whitelock said. “What the person’s wearing, their hairstyles, types of shoes, the jewelry. All these things come into play.”

The type of jewelry being worn may be useful, but it isn’t always a good clue because jewelry often is passed down from one generation to the next, she said.

Whitelock used one of her family photos as a point of reference. The photograph, taken around 1948, is an image of her father and his sister.

She noted some specifics in the photos, which help to indicate its age. Those include the furniture, dishes, books and clothes that can be seen in the image.

There was also an unfamiliar portrait in the photo’s background, which raises even more questions, she said.

In cases like this, Whitelock said one should ask: What connection does the stranger in the background portrait have to the family being researched?

Other good questions to ask include: Does the landscape look familiar? What is the weather like outdoors?

If the photography studio’s name or logo is imprinted on the photo, sometimes the studio can provide useful information, the researcher said.

During the lecture, Whitelock played several instructional YouTube videos.

One video explained how to use Google Images to unveil identities. By uploading personal pictures to Google Images, it can run a search and potentially find the same photo with useful information.

She also dispelled the notion that older people resist the use of new technology. They tend to be very receptive to using the tools in their quest to conduct historical research, she said.

In fact, she said, “genealogy (research) has really encouraged a lot of them to learn more than they may have otherwise learned.”

Paul Ergler, who was at the lecture, said he could attest to that.

He’s been using technology to help him discover his family roots.

Ergler said his mother got him interested in his lineage decades ago and he’s been curious about old photographs that came from his grandmother.

The genealogy class has demonstrated what a huge benefit Internet sources can be in his search, the Lutz resident added.

“Most of it I really wasn’t aware of,” he admitted. “This is kind of the beginning of my search to decipher what I’ve got.”

Ergler, among others, also learned the importance of preserving photographs for the long-term.

Another YouTube tutorial that Whitelock showed recommends keeping photos in albums with polyester sleeves to protect from stains and fingerprints.

It also advises storing photographs in windowless closets, to reduce potential damage from exposure to the sun. Storing photos in attics, basements or garages is not recommended.

It’s also a good idea to avoid protectors made of chemical acids or polyvinyl chloride, as they could ultimately ruin the photos, Whitelock said.

Anyone who wants to learn more about their family roots is invited to attend the monthly genealogy session at the Lutz Branch Library every second Monday at 12:15 p.m. To find out more, call the library at (813) 273-3652.

Genealogy courses
Where: Lutz Branch Library, 101 Lutz Lake Fern Road, Lutz
When: Every second Monday of the month, at 12:15 p.m., through December
Cost: Free
Details: Each lecture focuses on different aspects of ancestry and how to research one’s personal family lineage.
Info: Call the Lutz Branch Library at (813) 273- 3652.

Published May 01, 2019

Bicycle association honors Kathryn Starkey’s tenacity, service

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Becky Afonso, executive director of the Florida Bicycle Association, recently honored Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey as its 2018 Elected Official Champion of the Year.

Afonso highlighted Starkey’s tenacity and public service during the Pasco County Commission’s April 23 meeting.

These cyclists attended an event on Oct. 30 to celebrate the construction of the new Starkey Gap Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail that will link the Starkey and Suncoast Trails in Pasco County to the Pinellas Trail. (File)

The association executive reminded commissioners that the Tri-County Trail connection won the 2014 Future of the Region development infrastructure award from the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council.

“Today, the future of the region is here and the Tri-County connection on the cusp of completion,” Afonso said.

“Commissioner Kathryn Starkey has been and continues to be, the champion of this connection and for Pasco County,” said Afonso, whose association uses advocacy and education to encourage more people to bicycle in Florida.

“I personally want to thank the commissioner for her persistence to make this vision a reality.

“Her experience, tenacity and public service record are admirable and inspirational.

“I remember a few years back, when the Florida Department of Transportation held a Coast-to-Coast Connector Trail public meeting in Webster,” Afonso said.

Starkey fought for Pasco County to host a meeting, she said.

“I also recall her determination to fill the trail gaps in Pasco County, ASAP, to ensure those using the trail will boost the local economies where shops and restaurants are accessible, and ultimately to have residents and visitors on the trail embrace Pasco as a friendly destination and a community to enjoy.

“I look forward to the ribbon cutting for the Tri-County connection. I also look forward to riding from my city of Oldsmar, come into Pasco County, have a lunch and then going back,” the association executive said.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey recently was named the Florida Bicycle Association’s 2018 Elected Official Champion of the Year.

Starkey was pleased by the recognition.

“I am honored that you guys thought of me. My path to my trail work started when I was on the Pinellas Anclote River Basin Board and then I was also doing some work within the county as a civic activist.

“When they were building the Suncoast, they built a trail along the side.

“My husband said, ‘You know, the trail and the park really should connect to that trail.”

Starkey agreed and began talking with various departments about connecting that trail.

She said when she talked to each group individually, they said they wanted it. But, they also claimed that another group did not.

So, all of the parties came together for a meeting.

“In the first 15 minutes, we had that trail connected, and then in the next 45 minutes, we figured out the funding. We split that, one third, one third, one third. So we connected the Starkey Trail to the Suncoast Trail and, because of that, then I got notice from state officials and that’s how I got put on the state’s Greenways and Trails Council. From there, that’s when I learned of the state’s plan to make a connected system in Florida, and from there, I started working on the Starkey Gap, and that was when Gov. (Jeb) Bush was in office.

“Sometimes, government goes way too slow.

“We’re really glad that gap is under construction. We’ve also worked on off-road trails in the county.

“I think trails add so much value to the quality of life to communities. I recall being at a meeting in Tallahassee when Visit Florida gave us a presentation. They said there were more people asking for trails maps than golf courses. Trails have really overtaken the recreational desires of people coming to Florida,” Starkey said.

Starkey has served for years on the State Greenways and Trails Council through appointments from Gov. Jeb Bush, Gov. Charlie Crist and Gov. Rick Scott.

She frequently points out the need to connect segments of trail, and to ensure that those connections are considered during discussions of potential changes to zoning.

The new 2.4 mile Starkey Gap Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail that will link the Starkey and Suncoast Trails in Pasco County to the Pinellas Trail is expected to be completed this summer.

Once the segment is finished, it will provide connectivity to a trail that’s more than 100 miles and continues to grow.

Published May 01, 2019

Wesley Chapel plays host to disabled hockey festival

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More than 1,000 athletes representing more than 100 teams from dozens of states recently converged on Wesley Chapel, testing their mettle in the world’s largest indoor disabled ice sporting event.

Two-time Paralympic gold medalist and world champion Brody Roybal, No. 8 on the USA Hockey team, the Chicago Blackhawks, is seen during a game with New Hampshire’s NE Passage Wildcats. Roybal, a congenital bilateral amputee, was born without legs. (Christine Holtzman)

AdventHealth Center Ice played host to the 15th annual USA Hockey Disabled Hockey Festival, marking the second straight year the event has called home the multi-rink Wesley Chapel hockey complex.

The festival took place the last weekend in March and first weekend in April.

It featured divisions for players who are wounded military veterans, blind or visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing, and for special needs such as Down syndrome and autism. The festival concluded with the adult sled hockey national championship.

In total, 14 programs were crowned champions within the sled and warrior hockey disciplines, including the Chicago Blackhawks Warriors capturing the sled championship title.

Wendy Major, a team leader on the Tampa Bay Lightning USA Hockey sled hockey team, center, gives pointers to 11-year-old Tyler Smith, of Riverview, left, and 12-year-old Christopher Avis, of Wisconsin, during a sled hockey demo on April 6. Major is a disabled U.S. Army veteran facing leg amputation later this year. She was wounded during a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

The mission of the festival is to provide fun and exciting games, and promote and expand disabled hockey throughout the country.

Meanwhile, the event kicked off with a Friday night welcome social for participants, and a friendly game between the Tampa Bay Lightning Alumni team and the National Standing/Amputee team.

The Lightning Alumni team featured hockey Hall of Famer and 2004 Stanley Cup team captain Dave Andreychuk, alongside other well-known former Bolts players, including Brian Bradley, Jassen Cullimore and Stan Neckar.

Attendees were welcomed to the event by Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, along with Andreychuk, USA Hockey President Jim Smith and USA Hockey Disabled Section Chair J.J. O’ Connor.

Moore later dropped the festival’s ceremonial puck in front of Andreychuk and David Levesque, captain of the National Standing/Amputee team.

“Pasco County is Florida’s Sports Coast, and we are thrilled to be the first in the state to host the Disabled Hockey Festival,” Moore said at the event. “I am honored to participate in an event that shows anybody can participate and be included. I thank USA Hockey for their commitment to the disabled community and coming to Wesley Chapel.”

Published May 01, 2019

Two-time Paralympic gold medalist Declan Farmer, a sled hockey player for Connecticut’s Gaylord Wolfpack, closes in on the puck during a game with the St. Louis Blues. Farmer, a Tampa native, was born with bilateral congenital limb deficiencies, which resulted in amputation.

Upgrades on tap for AdventHealth Dade City hospital

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With construction ramping up at AdventHealth Dade City, patients and staffers will soon have access to some of the new amenities and upgrades as part of $22 million in capital improvements headed to the health care facility.

An update on the various upgrades was shared in a presentation by Dr. Rodrigo Torres, chief medical officer for AdventHealth Dade City, at The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce April breakfast meeting.

AdventHealth Dade City is getting a $22 million makeover in the way of new care units, technology and services. (Courtesy of AdventHealth Dade City)

The latest addition to the health care facility is a 45-bed transitional care unit, which launches on May 1.

It’s one of the many enhanced facilities the hospital will see throughout 2019.

Torres described the unit as “a rehab center, but with higher capability.”

Patients discharged from in-patient stay will be able to be at the rehab center, but still have access to hospital services, surgeons, orthopedics and other medical staff. They’ll go to the rehab center because of medical necessity, to finish medications, to work on strength and balancing, and so on.

The unit projects to have a patient volume of 300 this year, and a patient volume of 1,000 in subsequent years.

“This is going to be something great that we look forward to,” Torres said.

Across from the transitional care unit is another wing that will house post-operative patients along with patients requiring a higher level of care, Torres said.

The interior of the wing is currently being retrofitted with a fresh paint job, new flooring, new bathrooms and more.

“Everything is brand new, literally from the floor all the way up,” Torres said. “The bathrooms look better than the ones at my house.”

Other aesthetic upgrades throughout the 100,000-square-foot facility include a new lobby and overhauled cafeteria, and even a chapel.

It’s all about providing patients at the 120-bed facility the best care possible, Torres said.

“We are tearing down the walls,” Torres said, “to make sure this facility can be the best that it can be.”

Several medical equipment upgrades also are on tap at the hospital, at 13100 Fort King Road in Dade City.

That includes an outpatient X-ray machine and an on-site MRI machine that Torres called “the latest and the greatest.”

AdventHealth Dade City’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Rodrigo Torres was the featured speaker The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce April breakfast meeting. Torres discussed many of the new upgrades coming to the 120-bed, 100,000-square-foot health care facility. (Kevin Weiss)

Additionally, the hospital has since implemented a robotic surgery program with the da Vinci Si Surgical System.

Torres explained the robotic system — controlled by a surgeon from a console — is used by general surgeons, urologists and gynecologists for complex minimally invasive procedures, including hernia repairs and gall bladder removals.

He noted the da Vinci machine becomes useful for surgeries that may take several hours, where physician fatigue can sometimes come into play.

Other new features have come to the health care facility of late, too.

That includes an electronic medical records system, Cerner, which has eliminated the need for paper charts.

Torres noted the paperless technology offers “clarity and transparency when providing medical care.”

“It’s a better way of keeping medical records, especially in the age of identity theft,” he said.

The hospital also has installed an around-the-clock, telemonitoring system to its intensive care unit.

The system, Advanced ICU Care, allows patients and nurses to communicate virtually with on-call physicians in cases where an intensivist is not immediately available in person at the hospital.

Torres said the technology was originally brought to AdventHealth Zephyrhills about a year ago “with great results.”

Another new service to the hospital is online scheduling capabilities for emergency room visits — allowing patients to reserve a treatment time and avoid long waits in the waiting room.

The service, accessed through GetInQuicker.com, is recommended for patients with non-life or limb-threatening emergencies.

Since its launch in February, Torres said the check-in program “is one of the best things that has happened” to the health care facility.

“We have 100 percent recommendation rate for all the patients that have used this service,” he said.

Aside from facility and technological upgrades, the hospital has added five new physicians to its staff: Dr. Olga Villa (obstetrician-gynecologist), Dr. Jennifer Roller (gynecologist), Dr. Forrest Rubenstein (thoracic vascular surgeon), Dr. Armen Duekmedjian (neurosurgeon) and Dr. Amir Ahmadian (neurosurgeon).

Torres said doctors Ahmadian and Duekmedjian will be operating out of AdventHealth Zephyrhills, but will provide consultations and services to patients at AdventHealth Dade City, as well.

With the addition of gynecological physicians and services, Torres noted the hospital may consider adding labor and birth delivery services at some point: “In the near future, that’s one of the avenues that we’re looking at.”

Torres also mentioned that AdventHealth Dade City recently received its accredited recertification from the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, designating the hospital “a center of excellence for bariatric surgery.”

Published May 01, 2019

Sea turtle nesting season is here

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The month of May marks the beginning of sea turtle nesting season on many of Florida’s beaches.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is asking property owners and beach visitors to help nesting turtles and hatchlings by turning off or shielding lights that are visible from the beach at night.

Helping to keep the beaches dark at night is one of the most important things that can be done to help sea turtles.

Even small artificial house lights, a flashlight or cellphone camera can confuse female sea turtles and their hatchlings, causing them to wander off course.

According to the FWC, more loggerhead turtles nest in Florida than anywhere else in the continental United States, with 91,451 loggerhead nests counted statewide during the 2018 nesting season.

Leatherback and green sea turtles also nest in significant numbers in our state.

Follow these FWC basics to be sea turtle friendly:

• Turn off the light. After sundown, turn off any lights not necessary for human safety. Close shades or curtains, too.

  • Don’t take flash photos or use bright cellphones or flashlights on the beach at night.
  • Stay back and give sea turtles space if you see one on the beach at night. Do not touch a nesting turtle. It is illegal to harm or disturb nesting sea turtles, their nests, eggs or hatchlings.
  • Clear the way by removing beach furniture, canopies, boats and toys left behind on the sand. These items can become obstacles that block nesting and hatchling turtles. Fill in any holes dug in the sand.
  • Keep your distance from nests and hatchlings. Do not handle hatchlings crawling toward the water. Any interference or disturbance by people increases the chances the hatchlings will get confused, go in the wrong direction and not reach the ocean quickly, which makes them vulnerable to dehydration, exhaustion and predators.

The FWC maintains a list of certified wildlife-friendly fixtures for property owners. The list can be found online at MyFWC.com/Conservation by clicking on the “How You Can Conserve,” “Wildlife Lighting,” and then “Certified.”

To report sick, injured, entangled or dead sea turtles, call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at (888) 404-3922, #FWC, *FWC on a cellphone.

Learn more about Florida’s sea turtles at MyFWC.com/SeaTurtle.

Published May 01, 2019

Students learn the value of thankfulness

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Students of the Academy at the Lakes spent part of their school day on April 15 reflecting and sharing their thoughts on the value of gratitude.

The session was part of a daylong presentation known as “Day of Manners,” presented by Tia Young, president and CEO of her company, Tia Young Image and Etiquette LLC.

Young has been the presenter for the etiquette series hosted at the academy.

Tia Young, an etiquette instructor, explained the importance of gratitude to a room of students on April 15. It was part of a series entitled ‘Day of Manners,’ at Academy at the Lakes. (Brian Fernandes)

She asked a classroom of seventh-graders:  “What are we really grateful for?

“Just learning and understanding the thing that you’re grateful for helps you to thank those people that have helped you be successful,” Young said.

She used the analogy of a bucket to represent the emotional heart.

Compliments and positive comments add not only to the receiver’s bucket, but the giver’s bucket as well, she said.

On the other hand, negative words take away from both buckets — because no one benefits from this, she added.

As a former flight attendant, Young is well-versed in the do’s and don’ts of decorum.

Traveling to various countries and meeting people from different walks of life, she said that not everyone holds themselves to the same standards of mannerisms.

As the mother of a newborn, and having witnessed the events of September 11, Young was prompted to take a new career path.

She wanted to educate people on standards that everyone could live by, regardless of class or culture.

After receiving an etiquette certification, she began teaching her own courses on proper manners in 2002.

Her students’ age range varies from kids to those more seasoned in life, but said that even adults in her courses see the need for character growth.

“They know the importance of it, but they just want to get better,” Young explained.

This day’s class helped the middle-schoolers think about what they really appreciate in their lives.

Young handed out papers and asked the students to write down a list of words beginning with each letter of the alphabet on what they’re grateful for.

From A to Z, students revealed in a single word what was of importance to them.

Olivia Wells mentioned her appreciation for her entire family.

“They do so much for us and they sacrifice so much,” the 13-year-old said.

Friends were said to be admired as entertainment, while pets were seen as a source of comfort when sad.

“I’m thankful for my neighbors,” chimed in Kevin Crowley, varsity golf coach at the academy. “We’re all great friends and we help each other out.”

One student expressed gratitude for a good quality of life, and another voiced appreciation for having rights as a citizen.

In another exercise, Young used a stack of counterfeit money.

Students began naming various needs they may take for granted that their parents have to pay for.

For each need called out, whether pet food, a home or clothing, the instructor placed the bills inside a container – with her stack of bills slowly dwindling in size.

Young explained that this lesson aims to help students understand what parents must contribute to provide a comfortable life for them.

While the kids contemplated their privileges, Young encouraged them to write ‘thank you’ letters to their parents.

“Don’t take them for granted,” she said, handing out cards and envelopes. “Every day is not promised, so make sure you thank them for every opportunity you get.”

Before the students began writing, Young shared something quite sentimental to her. She held up a card with a drawing of herself that her daughter had made as a special commemorative.

As part of the lesson, Young instructed the students where to place their greeting and signature. She also offered ideas as to what to write, and how to properly address the envelope.

Ian Curry, 13, said that he left the presentation feeling well-informed on what it means to show gratitude.

“It’s a great review on being a good person, overall,” the seventh-grader added .

That’s the kind of response Young hopes students will take away from the session.

She noted how well-behaved the students were, and added that the training begins at home with the parents.

“Most times people think I’m helping bad kids, but it’s quite the opposite,” Young said.

“There are people who already have it (good etiquette). They just want to brush up on it.”

She hopes that the lessons on respect and compassion that she teaches will spread from one person to another, well beyond the classroom’s walls.

For upcoming courses or additional information, contact Tia Young at (813) 629-2785, visit www.TampaEtiquette.com, on Facebook at Tia Young Image and Etiquette or email .

Published May 01, 2019