The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Danny Burgess bids farewell to House District 38

By

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ selection of Danny Burgess to serve as the state’s executive director of Florida’s Department of Veterans Affairs has been confirmed, and Burgess has issued a letter of farewell to his constituents in House District 38.

The letter recounts Burgess’ love for Pasco County, the wonderful memories he has and his love for serving the community.

Danny Burgess

“I could not imagine a better place to grow up and, now, watch my children create their own lasting memories here,” Burgess wrote.

He also noted that the two fundamental questions that have guided his life and public service have been:

  • Is this the right decision for my family?
  • How can I best serve my community to achieve the greatest good?

Although he did not seek his new appointment, he decided to accept it, keeping those two questions in mind, he wrote.

When he was offered the appointment, he said, “ I felt it my duty to accept. We owe each and every service member a debt of gratitude, and if I can do my part to make the lives of our veterans healthy, prosperous and safe, I am humbled to be in a position do so.”

He also told the constituents of District 38 that’s not leaving the community.

“Pasco County and Zephyrhills are my home, and my wife Courtney and I could not think of raising our three children anywhere else. The headquarters for the FDVA is right here in the Tampa Bay Area. So, while I may no longer be your State Representative, I will continue to be your neighbor and friend.”

Burgess also noted, “It is only by the grace of God and the unconditional support of my friends and family that I have this opportunity to help make a positive difference in the lives of others by serving those who served us.”

He then specifically thanked his wife, Courtney, and their three children; his parents; Gov. DeSantis; and colleagues in the House of Representatives, especially Speaker Jose Oliva,

Chairman Chris Sprowls, Sen. Wilton Simpson and the entire Pasco County delegation; and his staff, Robin Ringeisen and Jonathan Till.

Finally, he thanked his family and friends in District 38.

“Sometimes it’s easy in times of political acrimony and gridlock to forget the amazing accomplishments we’ve made together for our District,” he wrote, including renewed economic development opportunities, securing record funding in state appropriations, transportation improvement projects, and consumer friendly legislation.

Burgess recently won a third term for District 38, so a special election will be held to fill the seat he is vacating.

Published January 30, 2019

Responders’ work praised in Dade City Business Center fire

By

Pasco County Commission Chairman Ron Oakley praised the work of emergency responders who converged on the Dade City Business Center, in Dade City, to put out a two-alarm fire, which began in the early afternoon on Jan. 18.

Pasco County Fire Rescue was among numerous agencies responding to a two-alarm blaze at the Dade City Business Center. It took 19 hours to put the fire out. Pasco County Fire Rescue investigators attributed the cause of the fire to welding being done by an employee. (Courtesy of Pasco County Fire)

It took about 18 hours to bring the fire under control, according to a report from Pasco County Fire Rescue.

Pasco County Fire Rescue investigators attributed the cause of the fire to welding being done by an employee. The estimated damage to the business center was put at $3 million.

Oakley said local firefighters were joined by crews from other counties and received support from various agencies, in the quest to put out the raging fire.

“At the height of the fire, there were approximately 114 personnel on the scene working to mitigate the incident,” Oakley told his fellow Pasco County commissioners, during the board’s Jan. 22 meeting.

“There were no injuries. That’s the best part of the whole thing,” Oakley said.

“The fire started about 12:30 or 1 o’clock on Friday. You could see it from downtown Dade City. Just black smoke. It was hard to figure what was going on at the time.

“It started in one warehouse and it moved from one to three warehouses, and it affected five out of seven businesses right in that area in the business center,” Oakley said.

Combating the fire involved having to shut down the railway, which is no easy feat, he said.

Fortunately, there was sufficient water at the business center site to battle the blaze, Oakley said. Otherwise, crews would have had to close U.S. 301 to get to the closest water, Oakley said.

The commission chairman said he plans to send a letter thanking everyone who helped, including various agencies and the businesses that provided food to feed those working the incident.

Published January 30, 2019

PHSC lecture analyzes Dr. King’s national acclaim

By

Dr. Derrick White analyzed the evolution of Dr. Martin King Jr.’s rising popularity during a lecture series at Pasco-Hernando State College, to honor the contributions made by the slain civil rights leader.

White gave presentations at the college’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, and also spoke at its campuses in New Port Richey and Brooksville.

His talk was entitled “Making a King: The Contested Legacies of a Civil Rights Icon.”

White, a history professor from Dartmouth College, told the audience at the Jan. 23 event at Porter Campus about the gradual acceptance of King, which occurred over decades and resulted in a national holiday every year in King’s honor.

“It’s hard to imagine that Martin Luther King’s legacy was at one point contested,” White said.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his stirring ‘I Have a Dream’ speech during the Aug. 28, 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. (File)

Then, he asked rhetorically: “How did King become more popular in death?”

Before delving into this gradual shift, White shared facts on America’s perception of King prior to and immediately after his assassination.

In a 1966 Gallup poll, for instance, King had a 63 percent unfavorable rating across the nation.

Then, he showed the audience two images from King’s funeral procession in Atlanta.

In one image, dots were used to denote the minority of whites in the crowd; in the other, they denoted the overwhelming number of blacks in attendance.

“It visually gives you a sense of how unpopular King was in the broader community,” White said. “What we’ve witnessed in the 50 years since his assassination, has been the acceptance and admiration of King by all political stripes, races, creeds and colors.”

However, getting to that point was an uphill battle, as King tackled social issues, the professor said.

King called for a Marshall Plan to be implemented in the U.S. – similar to the one for rebuilding a post-World War II Europe. He proposed an initiative to advance economically stricken black communities.

This, along with King’s vocal opposition to the Vietnam War, only made him more unpopular, White said.

President Lyndon B. Johnson and the U.S. Congress passed the Civil Rights Act in 1965.

While this was seen as progress, the Watts Riots in Los Angeles followed soon after, raging for six days and resulting in more than $40 million of property damage, according to the Civil Rights Digital Library.

An investigation, prompted by California Gov. Pat Brown, found that the riot was a result of the Watts community’s longstanding grievances and growing discontentment with high unemployment rates, substandard housing and inadequate schools, according to the library’s website.

Dr. Derrick White was the presenter for the PHSC 34th annual Martin Luther King lecture series. At the Jan. 23 event at the Porter Campus, White analyzed the evolution of Dr. King’s rising popularity. (Brian Fernandes)

White argued that Malcolm X was seen as a more effective leader at that time because he was able to convey the anger of African-Americans in a way King did not.

What’s more, the backlash toward King and the civil rights movement was not only confined to the Jim Crow South, but throughout the Midwest and North.

“The racism and vitriol he faced in Chicago was worse than any place he had ever stayed in Alabama or Mississippi,” White stated.

The historian then circled back to his original question on King’s rising popularity after death. He attributed it to two incidents.

First, there was the creation of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Center and its conflict with the Institute of the Black World.

Second, there was the debate in the 1970s and 1980s over having a Dr. King holiday.

After King’s assassination, his family opened an Atlanta institution in his honor in 1970.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Center consisted of a monument, library, park, museum and two academic institutions – one being the Institute of the Black World (IBW).

According to White, the King Center and its IBW faction had different agendas in mind.

The center wanted to solely memorialize King and mark the civil rights movement as a success.

The IBW, however, wanted to move beyond honoring the fallen hero and focus on liberating blacks, said the professor.

In the IBW’s quest to collect historical records for its archive, it found itself in mounting debt.

Financial issues resulted in staff workers being laid off and the institute eventually disbanding from the King Center.

White stated that the King Center’s overall vision would help set the stage for a national holiday.

Fifteen years of debate in Washington D.C., also played a factor in the inception of a Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Congressman John Conyers would first introduce legislation for a holiday in 1968, but it didn’t get the votes needed to pass.

In 1979, Sen. Ted Kennedy also implored a day of memorial, stating that King’s movement had been successful.

It wasn’t until 1983 that President Reagan signed the legislation declaring a Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday, and it was first celebrated three years later.

Forty-four states initially recognized the holiday, but expanded as King’s signature speech became the centerpiece of his legacy, said White.

White argued: “Conservatives between 1979 and 1983 showed acceptance of the King holiday when they could not stop its passage – in part because King was now being defined by his ‘I Have A Dream Speech’.”

The professor tied it to today’s political atmosphere, stating that certain rhetoric and actions show a misunderstanding of King’s vision – citing the partial overturning of the Civil Rights Act in 2013.

When asked if America would have made progress had Dr. King not existed, White answered yes.

“We treat King as the entire Civil Rights Movement,” he said. “At some point someone would have emerged to push these issues forward.”

He added that the movement was bigger than King and that when Rose Parks came to prominence, King was an unknown pastor at the time.

Published January 30, 2019

East Pasco honors Martin Luther King legacy

By

In ceremonies large and small across the country, the nation paused to remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a slain civil rights leader whose birthday is commemorated each year through a federal holiday.

An event to honor the birthday of slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., attracted a large crowd at the Lewis Abraham Boys and Girls Club on Jan. 21. (Courtesy of Richard K. Riley)

Locally, there were various events to observe Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, including one at the Lewis Abraham Boys and Girls Club in Lacoochee.

Speakers lined up to offer remembrances of King, who would have turned 90 this year.

Cassie D. Coleman, president of the Martin Luther King Committee, organized “The Dream that Changed the World” event.

She read from Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech.

As a pianist played a quiet ballad, punctuated by responses of “amen” from the crowd, Coleman recited these words: “With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.”

Coleman extended a warm welcome, to all those present, and the audience joined in singing, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

“Today is an awesome celebration,” Coleman said, reverently.

Pastor Philip Williams of the Glorious Church of God offered opening prayer to a congregation. The Jan. 21 event was in honor of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“We just don’t celebrate a man, but we celebrate a prophet that was sent by God to change the world as we know it,” she said.

Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez was among those attending.

“Dr. Martin Luther King devoted his life to advance equality, social justice, opportunity for all and challenged all Americans to participate in the never-ending work of building a more perfect union,” Hernandez said.

She emphasized the important role that citizens have in creating a safer and unified community.

“It’s Dade City’s desire to educate our residents to remember the dream that changed the world,” the mayor said.

The Pasco County Community Choir took the stage and amplified the gymnasium with their voices — accompanied by piano, tambourine and rhythmic hand claps from the audience.

Then, the Rev. Dr. Willie Roberts delivered his message: “I challenge all of us here today to dare to dream,” the minister said.

He noted that Dr. King’s vision was bigger than himself and compared him to such pivotal figures as Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.

He emphasized that making a dream come to fruition involves risk, and he asked the audience what they were willing to give up, in the quest for a better tomorrow.

He asked the audience to ask themselves: “Are you here to hinder, to help or to hurt?”

The program concluded with several pre-collegiate high school students taking the stage to read the biographies of female civil rights advocates, including Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks, Ella Baker and Ida B. Wells – who were instrumental in advancing Dr. King’s cause.

Published January 30, 2019

Dade City attracts thousands to 22nd Kumquat Festival

By

Thousands streamed to the 22nd annual Kumquat Festival in historic downtown Dade City on Jan. 26

Members of the Mexican dance troupe, the Folkloric Toltecatl, featured 11 Mexican folklore dancers. They are from Dade City. (Fred Bellet)

In an open letter, John Moors, executive director of The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, recapped the event, and offered a heartfelt expression of gratitude for the army of volunteers who helped to pull it off.

“Over 400 vendors and sponsors sold and promoted their wares and services,” Moors said, in a news release.

“Our entertainment stage at the Historic Courthouse featured free live performances from wonderful local talent all day. Many of the shops and restaurants in Dade City, and the surrounding area, enjoyed their busiest day of the year,” Moors added.

A 10-year old Treeing Walker Coon Hound, named Zissou, waits patiently by his master, Nicholas Moo’s side, as Moo and his wife, Jenna, of Altamonte Springs, select bags of the Nagami-type kumquats to take home. It was the family’s first visit to the Kumquat Festival.

On behalf of the chamber, its board and its staff, Moors extended “heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers, sponsors (especially our headlining sponsor, AdventHealth Dade City), vendors and supporters.”

The festival was supported by a $60,000 marketing campaign and, in conjunction with the City of Dade City, Pasco County Tourism and Visit Florida — which all promoted Dade City and the area as a unique place to visit, Moors noted.

He credited Bobby Van Allen and Jason Sasser, the festival co-chairs, for leading the efforts of more than 200  volunteers.

Moors estimated that the event generated more than $1 million in economic activity, based on calculations derived from the State of Florida Economic Impact Multipliers.

Zephyrhills winter resident Karen Bennett’s face says it all, as she discovers the taste of a very tart Nagami-type kumquat. She and fiance, Russ Spreeman hail from Houghton Lake, Michigan.

Moors also credited a number of others for making the festival a success.

Dade City Police Chief Jim Walters and Lt. Bill Rowe co-chaired the event’s safety and security team, including support from multiple agencies, Moors noted.

Others pitching in included the Pasco High School and the Saint Leo University ROTC, who helped with parking.

The Pasco-Hernando State College Fire Cadets helped with numerous tasks, and Joyce and Rick Dodd organized our “Welcoming Committee” for the early morning volunteers, Moors wrote.

Plans are already starting for next year’s event.

Published January 30, 2019

At the corner of Third Street and Church Avenue, 3-year-old Holly Reffuse and her cousin, Lisa Yawns, of Dade City, were selling parking spaces in Yawn’s yard during the Kumquat Festival. Cars would stop and they would be directed into their yard where Chris Yawns directed the parking.
Two-year-old Dixie Cross, of Brandon, discovered there’s nothing quite like a hot dog, after having her face painted. Her mom, Jamis Cross was ready with a napkin.
After waiting in a long line, Carolyn Bartow of Tampa, top center right, and her daughter, Alison Place, of Tampa, right, eat slices of Kumquat refrigerator pie, as Place’s 3-year-old daughter, Nora, waits from her stroller for a taste. They headed north to Dade City instead of attending Tampa’s Gasparilla, held the same day.

Lutz church offers help in dealing with divorce

By

The process of divorce, let alone the aftermath, can be challenging, and the St. Timothy Catholic Church offers a program that aims to help.

The church’s Surviving Divorce program begins on Feb. 7.

The Lutz church began the program more than four years ago when it was suggested by parishioners from Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in Land O’ Lakes.

Brian Smith and Gina Gawienczuk will help facilitate the upcoming Surviving Divorce Program at St. Timothy Catholic Church starting Feb. 7. (Courtesy of St. Timothy Catholic Church)

St. Timothy was accustomed to offering marriage and grief counseling, but divorce was a new field for the church.

“The program is designed to slowly move you in a way of healing and it builds every week,” explained Gina Gawienczuk, ministry resource specialist at St. Timothy.

The 12-week course is led by trained facilitators who address issues associated  with divorce, such as anger, depression, learning to forgive, finances and annulments.

Those attending the sessions are at various stages. Some are considering divorce, some are in the process, and other are already divorced.

Brian Smith had been divorced for more than a year, when he joined the program. Hearing other people’s stories helped him realize he wasn’t alone and helped him heal emotional wounds.

While open to those of any faith, including non-believers, the program does address the issue from a Catholic perspective and offers an approach that involves bringing God into the situation.

The class begins with a video, followed by small group discussions.

Besides discussing their thoughts on the video, group members are encouraged to share their experiences with each other.

By Week 11, the topic of annulment is addressed through a 20-minute talk, followed by questions.

At that stage, if someone wants to proceed with annulment, they can set up an appointment at the church.

For those seeking one-on-one counseling beyond the program, St. Timothy will refer them to either a spiritual advisor or an organization such as Life Connections Counseling Center.

Surviving Divorce Program
Where: Parish Hall at St. Timothy Catholic Church, 17512 Lakeshore Road in Lutz
When: Starts Feb. 7, on Thursdays, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Cost: $30 registration
Details: St. Timothy Catholic Church offers a program to help people who are struggling with the different aspects of divorce.
Info: Email Gina Gawienczuk at . Registration can be done at the church office or online at SaintTims.org/Surviving-Divorce/.

Published January 30, 2019

County and United Way help during shutdown

By

Pasco County and United Way of Pasco have stepped up to help keep some local nonprofit agencies operating during the federal government shutdown.

The Pasco County Commission approved a $400,000 temporary loan to help the agencies in danger of ceasing operations during the federal government shutdown, due to funding shortages.

The county is loaning the money to United Way, which will act as an intermediary — lending the money to the agencies in need, which will reimburse the United Way, which, in turn, will repay the county’s loan.

Chuck Anderson, director of United Way, told commissioners: “The federal government shutdown has had a huge impact on agencies, individuals, a lot of people.

“A survey was done of our agencies, two in particular who are in danger of not being able to continue their programs if they do not receive some type of interim funding between now and the first of the upcoming month,” he said.

The funds must be repaid within 60 days of the conclusion of the federal government shutdown.

Anderson thanked commissioners for stepping in to help.

“There are so many people who would go unserved without this support, so thank you on their behalf,” Anderson said.

Published January 30, 2019

AdventHealth Dade City is getting a major makeover

By

A hospital that has served Dade City for decades is undergoing a substantial renovation — which will give it a new look and allow it to expand the services that the health care facility offers.

The project carries a $22.2 million price tag, including $20 million provided by AdventHealth Dade City’s parent company and $2.2 million raised locally, according to Jason Newmyer, administrator/vice president for AdventHealth Dade City.

Jason Newmyer stands in the old lobby of AdventHealth Dade City. The hospital is getting a massive makeover, which will give it a fresh look and will enable it to expand its services. (B.C. Manion)

The hospital is at 13100 Fort King Road in Dade City.

The work, being done in four phases and expected to be completed by the end of this year, “is truly going to holistically change every aspect of this hospital,” the hospital administrator said.

The work ranges from new paint and flooring throughout the 100,000-square-foot facility, to new diagnostic equipment, to reopening two units in the hospital that were not operating when AdventHealth Dade City acquired it last April.

The new equipment includes a 128-slice CT scanner and a da Vinci surgical system.

The CT scanner will “do head and heart studies faster and more effective than anything we’ve ever had here at this hospital. And, as effective as anything that’s in the Tampa market,” Newmyer said.

“Strokes and heart attacks can be diagnosed here as fast and as accurate as any other facility — if not better,” he said.

The da Vinci surgical system allows physicians to perform minimally invasive surgeries robotically.

The hospital also plans to bring MRI equipment indoors, instead of having it outdoors in a truck, which is where it was when they acquired the hospital last year.

The changes are all in keeping with AdventHeath Dade City’s mission to be caretakers of health care in the community, Newmyer said.

The hospital’s staff realizes that patients want to feel cared for, want to feel safe, want to have their privacy protected and want to be able to trust that they are receiving a high quality of care, Newmyer said.

Comfort is important, too, he said.

“People now care about aesthetics and experience. We are very intentional about how we
redesign and build this space,” the hospital administrator said.

This is what the new interior of the lobby at AdventHealth Dade City will look like, once the renovation is completed. This view shows the interior, looking from the new chapel’s entry. (Courtesy of AdventHealth Dade City)

The upgrade involves taking advantage of the hospital’s existing capacity, Newmyer explained.

“When we purchased this hospital, two of the four units were dark — not being used,” he said.

One of those areas is being converted into a transitional care unit and the other will be used as a surgical unit.

The transitional care unit will enable the hospital to “take care of patients that are sicker and patients that have more physical needs, that need to be addressed from that post-acute care perspective in a way that this hospital and this community hasn’t been able to in the past,” Newmyer said.

The surgical unit will offer “a brand-new surgical experience for patients that come in here,” Newmyer added.

The pre-op unit will be vastly different, too. In the past, the area consisted of bays, separated by curtains. The new space will have individual rooms, which are larger than the previous bays — allowing privacy and the patient to have family wait there with them.

Other changes will be a new lobby, including a chapel, which will have a sliding door that resembles barn doors. That’s in keeping with Dade City’s agricultural roots, Newmyer said.

The cafeteria also is being overhauled. It will be larger, with indoor and outdoor seating, and will have a large table where families can sit together.

Besides having a fresh look and new equipment, the hospital expects to hire about three dozen new employees, Newmyer said, boosting its current staff of 300 by nearly 10 percent.

The hospital also is looking to bring on six more physicians this year, and is continuing to partner with local independent physicians, as well as large physician groups, he said.

The hospital is approved for 120 beds, but because two units have been turned off, it has only been using 60 beds.

Work is obviously underway at the hospital, with about half of its parking lot closed off.

Hospital operations continue, though, with people using different ways to get around the facility’s campus.

Efforts also are underway to secure the local contributions, Newmyer said, noting there will be naming opportunities for the operating room services, the chapel and the cafeteria.

The hospital welcomes community involvement — whether it be philanthropic support to friendship,” Newmyer said.

The hospital administrator invites anyone who would like to help, or even if they’d just like more information about the hospital’s renovation, to reach out to him.

Or, he said, you can just let him know that you’d like to visit for a cup of coffee and a tour.

He’s already given dozens.

Newmyer can be reached at

Published January 23, 2019

Plenty on tap for Pasco ASAP in 2019

By

As it continues its mission to reduce the overuse and misuse of illicit drugs and alcohol, the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention has witnessed progress during several areas during the past year.

During 2018, Pasco County:

  • Saw its drug poisoning death rate, or overdoses, register a slight decrease — for the first time since 2014
  • Reported lower figures of illicitly used prescription pain relievers among its high school student population
  • Saw a decline in alcohol usage among youth in the county
  • Registered dips in other alcohol-use indicators, such as underaged drinking and impaired driving

Chrissie Parris, interim director for the alliance, which is also known as ASAP, characterized those reports as “big wins” and “good signs” for the county during a recent interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) interim coordinator Chrissie Parris (Courtesy of Chrissie Parris)

“The message seems to be getting out there,” Parris said, regarding the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

But, there continues to be much work to be done by ASAP — a coalition which seeks to address the underlying issues of addiction, and ways to address and prevent it in among youths and adults.

The opioid crisis will continue to be a priority area for ASAP in 2019, Parris said.

Reducing alcohol abuse will be a key issue, too.

Parris said ASAP has seen an increase in total deaths in related to alcohol overconsumption —despite the decline in alcohol usage in the youth population countywide.

Chronic liver disease also remains one of the top 10 causes of death in Pasco, she said.

“Alcohol is never off of the table,” Parris said. “It’s still the most prevalent drug that we see.”

Meanwhile, she said the organization will seek to address a drug that has popped up on its radar of late: methamphetamine.

More drug users have turned to meth as law enforcement and health organizations crack down on other substances, she added.

“A lot of it has to do with availability and accessibility,” Parris said, also noting that meth “creates a strong psychological dependence very quickly.”

Parris said ASAP is trying to find ways to interface with meth users in the county.

Parris put it this way: “We have a hard time finding out, ‘What’s the underlying cause there?’ and ‘Why are we still turning to meth?’ It seems to be more of a cultural thing in certain pockets of the county.”

Another “big priority” for ASAP this year is reducing the stigma associated with mental health issues, Parris said.

Part of that involves increasing awareness regarding the need to recognize early signs and symptoms of possible mental illness, and helping those who are struggling to gain access to assistance.

The coalition also is working on several programming tracks with health care professionals, recovery community organizations and the faith-based community, to provide more awareness on available resources for substance abuse prevention and recovery.

There will also be several workshops and other general meetings throughout the year to engage youth, parents and other community members, Parris said.

“We’re trying to help everybody work better together, to fill in those gaps in services or pockets of need in our community.

“We’ll continue to build our action plans around drugs that we see trends with in Pasco County,” Parris said.

The alliance also plans to have its annual conference, “Strengthening Our Communities on Mental Health and Drug Prevention,” on May 14 at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel.

The event’s keynote speaker is Austin Eubanks, a Columbine survivor, who will discuss how he treated a lot of his emotional pain with opioids he was prescribed after being shot in the school shooting, and what communities can do for prevention, treatment, recovery and relapse prevention for substance abuse.

“It’s pretty powerful,” Parris said of Eubanks’ talk. “We’re really excited to have him on board.”

For more information on ASAP, visit PascoASAP.com, or call (727) 315-8658.

Published January 23, 2019

Congressional aide offers dialogue on veteran issues

By

Rob Fleege, veterans liaison for U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, recently updated members of American Legion Post 108 and other veterans about what the congressman is doing to address issues facing former soldiers.

And, he gave the veterans a chance to share what was on their minds, during a Jan. 12 session at the Harvester United Methodist Church in Land O’ Lakes.

Fleege, a veteran himself, briefed his fellow comrades on a number of issues being tackled by Bilirakis.

Rob Fleege, veterans liaison for U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, spoke to former servicemen on Jan. 12 at the Harvester United Methodist Church, in Land O’ Lakes. His talk covered what the congressman is doing to address veterans’ issues. (Brian Fernandes)

One of the congressman’s chief efforts involves finding ways to prevent veteran suicide, Fleege said.

“We’ve created a congressional working group whose sole purpose is to figure out veteran suicide,” he added.

The group is made up of mental health experts from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) who have served in the military and can understand those they treat.

The first part of the process is analyzing the Transition Assistance Program and what improvements could be made there.

The program’s goal is to help returning troops to reintegrate back into civilian life.

According to Veterans Affairs, anywhere from 11 percent to 20 percent of soldiers returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder during any given year.

Bilirakis wants to help these individuals, but his office is equally invested in those who served in conflicts decades past – such as the Vietnam War.

“Why are older veterans killing themselves?” Fleege asked.

The congressman also is making efforts to pass the Blue Water Navy Act.

The bill would grant health care and disability benefits to naval officers exposed to the Agent Orange toxin during the Vietnam War.

The bill passed in the House last year, but failed to pass in the Senate.

Bilirakis remains hopeful that there is bipartisan support to address veteran concerns, Fleege said.

Attendees also had the chance to comment or ask questions about issues important to them.

One issue that came up involved the current federal government shutdown.

Hunter Knight Anstine is a former member of the U.S. Coast Guard and current commanding officer of American Legion Post 108.

His son currently serves in the Coast Guard and is personally feeling the consequences of the shutdown.

“There’s something fundamentally wrong when the fifth branch of the military, people who can’t just call in sick, are not getting paid,” the veteran said.

Other members in the audience raised concerns about affordable housing and finding work.

Fleege said Bilirakis is working with the Department of Urban Development — to address the housing concerns through the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program.

This not only assists veterans in getting stable homes, but also pinpoints the issues that lead to homelessness, such as mental illness and substance abuse.

“We’re going to have another job fair,” Fleege added. “This is a continuing initiative we have every year to get all the veterans in one spot and get services with companies that are hiring.”

The liaison also noted that through a veteran advisory committee, Bilirakis is seeking jobs for veterans that offer livable wages.

When asked about the veterans who don’t qualify for VA services, Fleege mentioned the Mission Act.

The act, passed in 2018, assists veterans in getting adequate medical care through a civilian market when it is not provided by the VA.

Fleege’s passion for assisting fellow veterans stems partially from personal experience.

He served 18 months in Iraq as a sergeant, and has had personal experience with PTSD.

He went back to school and received a master’s degree in public health and a master’s degree in social work, specializing in mental health.

“I needed to figure out what happened to me,” Fleege said.

“Getting this background in mental health started to peel back the layers of why I was crying in inappropriate times,” he said.

Fleege decided to dedicate himself to working with other veterans to help them achieve a healthier life, and after he worked in Veterans Affairs for nine years, Bilirakis offered him the opportunity to advocate for former soldiers in the 12th congressional district.

As the meeting concluded, Fleege invited anyone with questions or concerns to reach back to him.

He also urged anyone struggling with PTSD to seek help from mental health organizations, such as the Veterans Alternative in Pasco County.

Finally, he reminded his comrades: “We have charged ourselves, as veterans, to take care of our brothers and sisters.”

Published January 23, 2019