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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Caddy, an adventurous cat, is a teacher in disguise

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Anne Higgins, an author who lives in Land O’ Lakes, spent the bulk of her career helping children to develop their speech and language skills.

Sometimes, the speech pathologist worked directly with children.

Other times, she worked indirectly. In the Plano Independent School District, in Texas, she supervised 35 speech pathologists. During that time, she published an articulation kit for severe speech disorders that was in publication for 20 years.

Anne Higgins, a resident of Land O’ Lakes, is the author of ‘Princess Caddy Finds a Home,’ a book that uses the adventure of a cat to help children develop their vocabulary and comprehension skills.
(B.C. Manion)

Now, she wants to broaden her influence even more through a children’s book she wrote called “Princess Caddy Finds a Home.”

The idea is to use the adventures of a cat to entertain young readers, and help them to develop their vocabulary and comprehension skills.

Higgins is confident that the hardcover book, with its colorful illustrations, will appeal to a broad audience of children.

“This is a true story about a little kitty that basically came to my yard and didn’t leave,” Higgins said. “I was telling my little 3- and 4-year-olds about the kitty and found out they were more excited about what Caddy would do every day, than what Miss Anne would do.

“They could care less what I did in the morning, but they wanted to know everything that Caddy did in the morning.

“The response was amazing.

“So, I integrated her in my therapy and found it to be probably one of the best methods I’ve ever come up with,” she said.

She used the stories about Caddy and her interaction with other animals to help teach basic concepts to the children, and to help them develop their vocabulary.

The children’s book does the same thing.

She developed an index for parents or grandparents to tell them about the basic concepts that are important for 3- to 5-year-olds.

She also lists the vocabulary words presented in the book, which children will learn through repeated exposure. The book contains more than 100 vocabulary words, ranging from simple to complex.

She also added a section which lists questions, to help children develop the comprehension skills they need.

This cover shows an illustration of the real-life Caddy. (Dorrance Publishing/Wendy Bouch)

“After you read this to the child, you can ask them some questions, and see if they were listening and understanding,” she said.

Higgins received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas, in Austin, and her master’s from the University of Texas Dallas branch.

Laster, she moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, where she worked with 3- and 4-year-old children with hearing impairments. At the same time, Higgins worked on speech and language skills with students with autism and who were severely developmentally delayed.

Working on the book was an education for Higgins.

“It was grueling. Every chapter had to be reviewed. Going back and forth. I was trying to integrate as much vocabulary as possible. I had lists and lists and lists of vocabulary words that I was trying to put into the story. It was difficult. You have to have some determination to complete it,” said Higgins, who self-published her book through Dorrance, a publisher based in Pennsylvania.

It took about a year to complete the book, after years of collecting material to use in it, she said.

Higgins envisions the possibility of creating a series of books, featuring Princess Caddy in new adventures, such as going on a vacation, or getting a little brother or sister in the family.

The book is available through various sources, include Bookstore.dorrancepublishing.com, Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

Published May 30, 2018

Festival raises money for animal care

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Land O’ Lakes residents Devin Reyes, 10, left, and Nick Mascola, 15, pampered Bagel, a 1-year-old male Pit Bull. Bagel was up for adoption at the ‘Woofstock’ festival. (Randy Underhill)

Dogs and their human friends celebrated the fourth annual “Woofstock” festival at the Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park on May 19.

It was the first time for the park to host the event, which raises funds to aid sick dogs and cats at Pasco County Animal Services.

Animal services brought dogs that were available for adoption.

Baily plants a kiss on one of his owners, Nancy Berry, left, as he snuggles in the arms of his other owner, Don Riges, under a tent for the English Springer Rescue group.

Vendors set up displays of doggy wares, including designer collars, boarding services, toys, pet food, health care, and offers to microchip Fido or Spot.

Three local bands entertained, including Crossing the Tangent and Chaotic. There were also performers from the Milano Twirling Academy and belly dancers from Troup Sahirnee.

Brody, a 10-year-old border collie, dunked a basketball with an assist from canine trainer Lisa Morrissey. It was part of a demonstration of dog tricks. Brody has about 260 tricks in his repertoire.

One unexpected pet at the festival was a skunk brought by Florida Skunk Rescue. Florida is one of 17 states that allows skunks to be bred domestically. Typically, the animals are “de-fumed” at age one month.

By Randy Underhill

Published May 30, 2018

Canine trainer Lisa Morrisey assisted Brody, a 10-year-old Border Collie, in dunking a basketball at the fourth annual ‘Woofstock’ festival.

 

Sylar, a 7-year-old Cockapoo, posed with Tampa resident Derriann Hope, an employee of All Creatures Hospital. Sylar suffers from a disk disease that affects the dog’s hind legs.

 

New Port Richey resident Linda Reardon picked out a pink cup holder to buy at the Wet ‘N Firehose tent at the ‘Woofstock’ festival at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park.
Emma, an 8-year-old mixed breed, learns how to sit on command, and in return gets rewarded with a treat from Erica Manack, a volunteer with Pasco County Animal Services.

Sharing the history of the Bundt cake, and a recipe, too

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If you’ve ever wondered how Bundt cakes came about, this column will satisfy that curiosity.

A Bundt cake is baked in a pan that gives the cake a distinctive ring shape.

Bundt cakes have been around for a long time. The baking pans come in a multitude of shapes and sizes.

The shape was inspired by a traditional European yeasted cake known as a Gugelhupf (also called bund cake) that was often prepared to serve at a gathering of people.

Many recipes have been developed over time for cakes made in Bundt pans.

You could say that the Bundt cake’s history in North America began back in 1950, when David Dalquist created the pan, added the “t” to trademark the name, and started producing the unique cast aluminum pans in Minnesota.

The popularity of the pans took off in 1966 when there was a cook-off and an ooey-goey chocolate cake made by Ella Helfrich from Texas won second place in the contest, inspiring other cooks across the country to give the pan a try.

Bundt cakes come in a variety of shapes and flavors. One thing they tend to have in common though is the warm welcome they receive at family gatherings. (Betsy Crisp)

Sales sored throughout the ’60s and ’70s, and the pans evolved — taking on different shapes and sizes. There’s the traditional pan, as well as the rose, jubilee, pine forest, vintage star, blossom, mini-Bundt and so on. They come in 1-cup, 6-cup, 10-cup and 12-cup sizes.

With each new design, the Bundt cakes seem to surge again in popularity.

Despite its ebbs and flows, the Bundt cake has staying power.

It truly is one of the great American cooking traditions.

There are six or more different pan designs to delight today’s cooks, and it’s estimated that more than 60 million of the pans can be found in kitchens across the United States.

I have collected several of these pan designs over the years and still manage to impress people when I take them to meetings and family gatherings.

Of course, I have my all-time favorite pound cake recipe that has been used to bribe/reward many family, friends, and co-workers into doing favors for me, but I still love to experiment, as new recipes keep coming out in magazines and cookbooks.

The recipe included today is an adaptation of the original 1966 contest winner – Enjoy!

(Note: One of the original ingredients — a frosting mix — was discontinued in the ’70s, so it had to be replaced with cocoa powder and confectioner’s sugar.

Betsy Crisp, MS, LD/N is a professor emeritus for the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension – Family & Consumer Sciences

Recipe

1966 Bake-Off 2nd-Place Winner:  Tunnel of Fudge Bundt Cake (Adapted from the original recipe)

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 3/4 cups unsalted butter (or margarine), softened
  • 6 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 2 cups walnuts, chopped

Glaze

  • 3/4 cup 10x powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 4 teaspoons to 6 teaspoons milk

Instructions

Cake

  • Heat oven to 350°F.
  • Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube Bundt cake pan (or 10-inch standard tube pan).
  • In large bowl, combine sugar and butter; beat until light and fluffy.
  • Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • Gradually add 2 cups 10x powdered sugar; blend well.
  • By hand, stir in flour and remaining cake ingredients until well-blended.
  • Spoon batter into greased and floured pan; spread evenly.
  • Bake at 350°F. for 45 to 50 minutes, or until top is set and edges are beginning to pull away from sides of pan. (Be very careful not to over-bake)
  • Cool upright in pan on wire rack 1 1/2 hours.
  • Invert onto serving plate; cool at least 2 hours.

Glaze

  • In small bowl, combine all glaze ingredients, adding enough milk for desired drizzling consistency.
  • Spoon over top of cake, allowing some to run down sides.
  • Store tightly covered.

Published May 30, 2018

Zephyrhills, Lutz rents on the rise

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Rents are on the rise in municipalities and counties in Tampa Bay, with Wesley Chapel the fourth most expensive rental area for one-bedrooms, according to a report from Zumper.

In April, the median rent for a one-bedroom was $1,140. That’s more than a 15 percent increase in a year.

Lutz was in the eighth slot for one-bedrooms, at $1,060. But, that was a slight dip of about 1 percent from a year ago.

Zumper is an online source for apartment and home rentals.

In April, Zumper looked at 20 cities in the Tampa Metro area and compiled a list of the most and least expensive cities, and cities with the fastest growing rents.

In Florida, the median rent in April was $1,185.

Wesley Chapel is more in the middle of the pack on two-bedroom rentals, at $1,290 – a modest 1.6 percent increase from last year.

Lutz almost matches Wesley Chapel on two-bedrooms, at $1,260. But, that is nearly an 8 percent increase from last year.

New Port Richey and Zephyrhills had the cheapest one- and two-bedroom rentals in April. Renters in New Port Richey paid $730 for a one-bedroom, and $860 for a two-bedroom. That was a nearly 16 percent increase on one-bedrooms, but more than a 2 percent decline in two-bedroom rentals from last year.

In Zephyrhills, a one-bedroom was $680, and a two-bedroom, $850. The one-year increase for one-bedrooms was 11.5 percent, and nearly 15 percent for two-bedrooms.

By comparison, a one bedroom in Tampa in April was $1,130, an increase of more than 14 percent year-to-year. A two-bedroom was $1,370, also about 14 percent higher than last year.

Dunedin, in Pinellas County, had the priciest one-bedroom for April, at $1,130. That was more than a 6 percent decrease from last year, but a nearly 5 percent increase month-to-month.

Two-bedrooms in Dunedin were $1,490, an 11 percent increase from last year.

The priciest two-bedroom rentals in April were in Clearwater, at $1,640; and in St. Petersburg, at $1,630.

For information, visit Zumper.com.

Published May 30, 2018

Donate new shoes and skate onto the Center Ice rink

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San Antonio resident Janet Chubinsky is skating her nonprofit Shoes4Schools onto the ice rink at Florida Hospital Center Ice.

The skating rink will be hosting a “SkateForShoes” fundraiser for the charity on June 1. The charity collects donations of new shoes every year to give to Pasco County schoolchildren who need them.

Thousands of new shoes are donated annually to help Pasco County schools who need them. The nonprofit, Shoes4Schools, began in 2013, and has given out about 7,000 shoes. (Courtesy of Shoes4Schools)

From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., and from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., individual admission to the rink will be the standard $10 fee, with discounts for seniors, veterans and active military. Anyone who donates a new pair of shoes, however, won’t have to pay the $5 charge for renting skates. Shoe sizes for children through adults are needed.

Volunteers with Shoes4Schools will have display tables. Cash donations also will be accepted. Prize drawings are planned.

On the same day, Pasco County school administrators, including principals and vice principals, also will be at the skating facility to kickoff a summer conference.

“This is the first event we’ve done as a (single) event for a charity,” said Morgan Novotny, of Florida Hospital Center on Ice.

Shoes4Schools has grown enormously over the years.

In total, the charity has distributed more than 7,000 pairs of shoes.

Chubinsky began the effort after she and her husband moved from Tennessee to Pasco County.

A quiet retirement wasn’t her style.

Her daughter suggested that she revive a shoe donation program she had initially started in Tennessee.

After a visit to Raymond B. Stewart Middle School in Zephyrhills, Chubinsky was off and running, or at least, tooling around in a 2000 model SUV.

She slapped a magnetic logo on the vehicle’s doors – a pair of sneakers. And, she delivered shoes, lots of them.

During Chubinsky’s first year, the charity gave away 36 pairs of shoes. By the second year, Shoes4Schools put 900 pairs of shoes on the feet of Pasco schoolchildren.

Chubinsky has been on the move ever since, and the shoes keep piling up.

“She’s a firecracker,” said Novotny. “She’s amazing.”

For information, visit Shoes-4-Schools.org.

Shoes4Schools fundraiser: “SkateForShoes”
Where: Florida Hospital Center Ice, 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd., Wesley Chapel
What: Fundraiser to collect donations of new shoes for Pasco County schoolchildren. Sizes children through adults needed.
Cost: $10 rink admission; $8 for seniors, veterans and active military, with valid ID; free skate rental for anyone who donates a new pair of shoes
Info: Call Florida Hospital Center Ice at (813) 807-7372, or visit FloridaHospitalCenterIce.com or Shoes-4-Schools.org.

Published May 23, 2018

Lutz teen named state winner for Doodle 4 Google contest

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An inspiration from nature — and a passion for learning — helped Lutz teenager Mark Thivierge craft an award-winning drawing.

Thivierge, 16, was recently named the Florida State Winner of the 2018 Doodle 4 Google competition — one of 53 state and territory winners whose work is displayed in an online gallery on the Doodle 4 Google website.

Lutz teenager Mark Thivierge was recently named the Florida State Winner of the 2018 Doodle 4 Google competition. He is one of 53 state and territory winners whose work is displayed in an online gallery on the Doodle 4 Google website. (Courtesy of Mark Thivierge)

The Doodle 4 Google competition, in its 10th year, is a contest open to kindergarten through 12th grade students across the U.S., to redesign Google’s logo. This year’s theme is “What Inspires Me?”

Thivierge’s doodle, “Inspiration,” features excerpts of his own poetry and music compositions, as well as example of scientific and mathematical innovations, surrounding a map featuring unique geographic landscapes from each of the 50 states.

Thivierge, who is home-schooled, incorporated several state landscapes of places visited into the piece, such as the Florida beach lines, the White Mountains in New Hampshire and the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.

The 10th-grader said: “I get inspired by seeing the nature. It motivates my love to learn and to explore, and to create. Some of the subjects that I’m really interested in were geography, science, mathematics, music and writing, which I all tried to incorporate into the doodle.”

In composing the doodle, Thivierge first outlined a U.S. map. He then filled in each scene from there.

The entire piece was designed using colored pencils and took about 1 ½ months to complete.

Besides notable national landmarks, some other surroundings of the piece were arbitrary. For instance, he penciled dairy farms and green fields across some Midwest states.

He also researched images of other regions and learned how to correctly draw mountains and stalactites.

Thivierge’s doodle, ‘Inspiration,’ features excerpts of his own poetry and music compositions, as well as scientific and mathematical innovations, surrounding a map featuring unique geographic landscapes from each of the 50 states. The piece was designed entirely using colored pencils. The project took about 1 ½ months to complete.

“The landmarks are one thing, but even with the simple things like little plants or fields are nice, as well,” Thivierge said of the types of nature that inspires him.

Though the project “took a long time,” Thivierge said he enjoyed the entire process and its challenges along the way.

Said Thivierge, “The most difficult one was (Montana) because I had to draw the snow in negative (drawing something by drawing around it). I’m proud of that one. I liked (drawing) Texas, as well, and Florida.”

Every year, children and teens from around the country submit illustrations to the Doodle 4 Google contest with the hopes of having their drawing end up on the homepage of the popular search engine.

An estimated 200,000 submissions were received nationwide by the March 2 deadline.

Doodles were judged on artistic merit, creativity and theme communication.

They were grouped and judged across five grade groups — kindergarten through third grade; fourth and fifth grade; sixth and seventh grade; eighth and ninth grade; and 10th through 12th grade.

Submitted pieces were voted on by a panel of judges and Google employees.

Google representatives informed Thivierge’s family in April that he was chosen as Florida’s winner.

He was then recognized with a surprise ceremony on May 3 at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, in Land O’ Lakes, where he is a member of the parish’s Life Teen and homeschool programs, and also serves on the Tech Team ministry and a lector.

A Google representative was at the ceremony, which attracted more than 100 people from the parish.

The Google representative presented Thivierge with a Chromebook, a tote bag and T-shirt imprinted with his doodle.

“It’s an honor,” Thivierge said of having the top doodle in the state. “It was out of sight a little bit. I hadn’t been thinking about it every day, but it came as a surprise.”

It’s the third year Thivierge entered the Doodle 4 Google contest, but fell short of a state award in his previous attempts.

“He didn’t give up. He persevered,” said his mother, Elena Thivierge.

“Hopefully it inspires others that if you want something to pursue it,” she said.

As the top doodle in Florida, Thivierge has advanced to the national finalists round of the Doodle 4 Google contest, where only five state and territory winners will be selected for the final round. Voting for that portion closed on May 18.

From there, a national winner will be decided and will receive a $30,000 college scholarship, a $50,000 technology grant to a local nonprofit organization, a trip to Google headquarters in California, and the opportunity to have the doodle featured on the Google homepage for one day.

The four national finalists who do not become the national winner will receive a $5,000 college scholarship and a trip to Google headquarters, among other prizes.

Published May 23, 2018

Proposed homeless shelter for families stirs passions

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Efforts to aid Pasco County’s homeless population are shifting from a homeless shelter for single adults to a shelter for families only.

The goal is to place homeless families in permanent housing as soon as possible. That is a significant change from the initial focus one year ago on a “navigation center” with wraparound services for single men and women.

The effort now has a new name, too. It’s no longer being called a navigation center. Instead, it will be called the Housing Services Center.

Whatever it is called, some area residents still don’t want any shelter in their neighborhood. Others are unhappy with the change in focus.

Don Anderson, chief executive officer of The Homeless Coalition of Pasco County (File)

And, some are ready to welcome the shelter as a first step in the right direction.

About 100 people attended a public meeting on May 16 in New Port Richey to learn more about the new concept, and to offer comments.

Cathy Pearson, Pasco’s assistant county administrator for public services, and Don Anderson, chief executive officer of The Homeless Coalition of Pasco County, led the discussion.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey also attended.

She said she came to listen and learn. “This is not a subject I know a lot about,” she said.

Anderson defended the decision to operate a families-only shelter.

“We believe families are highly motivated to get into housing because of the number of children,” said Anderson.

The shift also would save the expense of hiring 24/7 security guards, he said.

The goal would be to place families in permanent housing within 30 to 60 days, with an average stay at the shelter around 45 days.

An additional six to 12 months of services would be provided after families leave the shelter.

Families are defined as one or two adults, with at least one child under age 18.

A year ago, another public meeting was held to discuss the initial proposal for a homeless shelter for adults.

“We felt it was time to update our citizens,” Pearson said.

The shelter, if approved, would be housed in one of two buildings at 8239 Youth Lane, off Little Road in Port Richey. The second building would become the offices of the homeless coalition, which currently operates in a mixed residential and commercial neighborhood on Pine Street.

The Youth Lane address formerly was home to the Boys & Girls Club, which vacated the site in 2016.

The updated presentation included a video and a power point slide show. As many as 70 social service agencies and organizations are partners with the homeless coalition, and support the Youth Lane shelter.

Passions ran high
More than 40 people spoke during public comment.

Opponents who live near the shelter site said they worry about increases in crime and a loss of property values.

Ann Archer Corona found it troubling that the shelter plan seems to change “minute-to-minute. We all feel threatened. I find it to be a big threat.”

She said housing values would drop significantly, if the shelter was to open.

Some who supported the initial plan to aid single men and women objected to the new focus on families.

“We are losing out on all those opportunities for the chronically homeless who are at risk of dying on the street,” said Kassie Hutchinson. “We’re ignoring a huge part of our population. Once again, we’re reneging on something we promised.”

Anderson said the coalition and its partners planned to increase outreach efforts for homeless adults. While no single adults could stay at the shelter, he said efforts would be made to find housing resources for them. But, he added, “There are limits to what we can do.”

A two-building campus on Youth Lane in Port Richey is the proposed site for a homeless shelter for families.

Pearson said it is still a goal in the future to fund a homeless shelter for single adults. “They won’t be forgotten,” she said.

Other members of the audience supported the new concept as a step in the right direction.

“Housing is the only known cure for homelessness,” said Daniel McDonald.

Every homeless person is someone’s son or daughter, sister or brother, he said. Leaving people homeless, he added, costs taxpayers money for providing public services.

“This (the shelter) is a bargain for taxpayers,” McDonald said. “It’s money well spent.”

The homeless coalition’s new proposal also found support from a once skeptical source – owners of an adjacent retail plaza, anchored by Hobby Lobby.

Sarasota attorney Robert Lincoln, who represents the shopping center’s owners, said, “We’ve been concerned about the project since it started moving forward last year.”

The budget for the initial plan didn’t seem adequate, and the space at the site too small to handle up to 75 adult men and women, Lincoln said.

Housing families seems to address most issues, including public safety, he said. “We’re continuing to work with the leadership (at the homeless coalition) to make sure we know who the families are,” Lincoln said. “They have been very responsive. We will continue to work with them.”

Starkey said the county should be compassionate but also tough on some issues, such as panhandling.

“I have to bring a hammer and I have to bring a heart,” she said.

Anderson said the cost to remodel the two buildings on campus would be about $700,000. The coalition has about $680,000 from a federal neighborhood grant, with an additional $100,000 from Pasco County’s United Way.

Annually operating costs are estimated at about $350,000. All but $145,000 is already funded, Anderson said.

Additional grants and private donations will be sought, he added.

The Pasco County Housing Authority has pledged 50 housing vouchers, which can be used anywhere in the county as part of the Section 8 housing program.

Pasco has about 2,600 homeless people, based on the most recent count. More than 700 are individuals, with more than 1,800 in family relationships.

Shandi Vargas was among a handful of people who put a face to the plight of Pasco’s homeless population. She escaped an abusive marriage, but ended up homeless. She currently lives in a rented room and has found an internship.

She is working toward living again with her three children.

“I’m a single mom trying to fight for her children,” Vargas said.

A homeless shelter for families probably would have kept her family intact, she said.

Even as she struggles with her own situation, Vargas said she volunteers to help other homeless people, and people at risk.

“Let us come together and figure out a solution, and stop thinking all homeless are criminals,” she said.

The Pasco County Planning Commission, which makes recommendations on land use issues, will review the proposal on June 6 in New Port Richey.

The final decision is up to the county commissioners, who will hold a public hearing on the matter June 19, also in New Port Richey.

Published May 23, 2018

Turning dirty trash bins into a thriving business

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Jennifer Trudel takes her work seriously.

If that means crawling inside a trash bin to scrape off that last bit of grunge, she’s there.

In fact, on first-time service calls, that extra scrubbing is a take-it-to-the-bank guarantee.

“I just want to get it clean,” she said. “I’m an A-type personality.”

Wesley Chapel resident Jennifer Trudel owns Scrub A Dub Bin Cleaning, which provides trash and recycling bin cleaning services that are eco-friendly. (Kathy Steele)

She also is an entrepreneur in a cleaning service that’s so new that many people have never heard of it.

Her business, Scrub A Dub Bin Cleaning, got rolling about four months ago. She has more than 120 clients who signed up to get their trash and recycling bins cleaned with an eco-friendly technique.

She rides up to the curbside in her blue truck, pops the bins onto rotating nozzles that jet sprays 190 degrees of very, hot water, and deposits the bins back onto the curb.

“That more than kills everything,” she said, except on first-time cleanings when bins can be a tougher challenge. Gum is the worst, Trudel said. But, she has a spray that freezes the sticky wads and that gets it off every time.

Her truck carries more than 500 gallons of water. It also has a storage container for the dirty water that is later recycled to the county’s sewer system for processing at a wastewater treatment facility.

As a final step, Trudel sprays a biodegradable disinfectant and deodorizer, and leaves a fresh, clean bin.

It’s a much more efficient, sure-fire method that uses less water than a garden hose, and doesn’t wash dirty water into storm drains, she added.

Word of mouth is helping her build a customer base in Wesley Chapel, New Tampa and Land O’ Lakes.

Trudel also sets up displays at community events, and is available to meet with neighborhood or homeowners’ associations to explain her service.

“A lot of people sign up because they see the truck driving by or when a neighbor sees me cleaning someone else’s bin,” Trudel said.

She also has a Facebook page and a website.

Scrub A Dub Bin Cleaning came as a surprise to Trudel and her family.

She moved to Pasco County when her husband got a job promotion and transfer in 1996. The couple has four children. The youngest is heading to college.

Trudel had been a pharmacist for nearly three decades, but decided as empty-nest time approached that it was time to find something else.

“I didn’t enjoy it anymore,” she said. “I wanted to own my own business.”

Bin cleaning didn’t spring to mind.

Then, a Facebook friend bragged about her clean bins from a service in South Florida and posted a photo.

“It was this crazy-looking truck,” Trudel said. “We were all intrigued.”

Trudel dived into the research.

She found out that the city of London, some 20 years ago, mandated that residents keep their bins clean. Rodents were overrunning the city — feasting on a steady diet of smelly, household garbage.

Companies emerged in London to clean the bins, and developed the self-contained system of water storage and disposal.

Trudel said similar services are provided in South Florida and south Tampa, but she appears to be the first in Pasco County.

She ordered her truck from a company in Miami. After a four- month wait, she drove it up to Pasco.

“It’s a great thing to drive,” Trudel said.

She offers various pricing plans from one-time-only cleaning to special offers for quarterly, bi-monthly or monthly cleanings.

Trudel is having the time of her life.

“This to me is not a job,” she said. “This is my life. I’m so engrossed in it.”

For information, visit ScrubADubBins.com or Facebook.com/scrubadubbins/, or call (844) 727-8229.

Published May 23, 2018

Cancer survivor wins scholarships, offers prevention advice

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Cailyn Ruff was a senior at Sunlake High School, in Land O’ Lakes, when she felt an odd bump on her head.

That was about a year-and-a-half ago.

“It was like a big mole,” the 19-year-old said. “I saw it through my part line. It looked funny. It would bleed.”

As it grew, she became concerned and brought it to the attention of her dermatologist.

Next, came a biopsy.

Cailyn Ruff, who lives in Lutz, was a senior at Sunlake High School when she found out she had a rare form of melanoma. She underwent a successful surgery and is cancer-free, but she wants to remind others of the importance of wearing sunscreen and hats to protect themselves from too much sun. She wants to become a pediatric nurse practitioner and recently received some scholarships to help pay for her studies. (B.C. Manion)

“It was a good three weeks before we got the first results, saying they were inconclusive. It was not something they were used to seeing. So, they actually sent it to the USF (University of South Florida) doctors.

“The dermatologist said ‘You better get a second opinion.’

Her mom, Kim Carpintier, recalled how scary that was.

It took two weeks to get her into Moffitt Cancer Center, and when they did, they were told that the young woman needed surgery immediately.

“They were worried that it had spread to her lymph nodes,” Carpintier said.

If more time had passed, Ruff would have faced chemotherapy.

As it was, surgery was performed to remove the melanoma, the surrounding area and six of her lymph nodes.

“Moffitt told her that she’s one of two kids that they’ve ever seen with this form of melanoma,” Carpintier said.

After the surgery, Ruff said, “I was in pain for a long time.”

It took her about two months to regain full mobility in her head and neck.

Still, she knows how lucky she is.

“Nothing got infected,” she said. “By March, I was 100 percent myself.”

While they do not know what caused the melanoma to form on her head, Ruff and Carpintier suspect it could have been a result from being exposed to the sun for long hours, when Ruff was a cheerleader and when she ran cross-country.

Both mother and daughter said that schools may want to suggest that students who are out in the sun for hours wear a hat and protect themselves with sunscreen.

“No one thinks to wear sunscreen and a hat during school events because you get out of school and you change, and you go and do what you have to do,” said Ruff, who is now a student at the University of South Florida.

She plans to pursue a career as a pediatric nurse practitioner, and said that’s partially due to the excellent care she received from nurses at Moffitt.

Her career choice also has been influenced by her current job as a vision therapist at Walesby Vision Center, on State Road 54 in Lutz.

She has worked with both children and adults, both for both everyday issues and various disorders, she said. She works primarily with children, performing vision therapy with children experiencing challenges such as visual-motor and/or perceptual-cognitive deficiencies. Many of the children she serves have autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or other medical conditions.

Ruff began working at Walesby to earn volunteer hours, but she was so good with children she was offered a job, Carpintier said.

Recently, Ruff received a $5,500 scholarship through an essay contest sponsored by Panera Bread and the Children’s Cancer Center. The awards were presented at the Palma Ceia Country Club in south Tampa.

Ruff’s mom was impressed by the event.

“It was beautiful. They went above and beyond,” Carpintier said. It honored youths who have dealt with cancer, ranging from 16 to 20 years old.

The stories that were shared were touching, she said.

Ruff also has received two other scholarships, one from a Greek organization, and another from an Italian organization.

She hopes to continue her education in USF’s nursing program, but realizes that it’s very competitive, so will be applying elsewhere, too.

Her goal is to work at Tampa General Hospital in the pediatrics unit, or at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital or at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital.

Ruff lives with her mom, Kim, her dad, Don Carpintier, and her sister, Meghan Ruff, in Lutz.

She’s grateful for all of the help and support she’s received.

Besides the scholarships, she also has received support from her grandparents, Carol and Bill Little, and her aunt, Lois Zapert, who all live in Lutz and her grandmother, Michele Carpintier, who lives in St. Petersburg.

Published May 23, 2018

Public meeting set on roadway connection study

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The city of Tampa, Hillsborough County and Pasco County remain at odds over whether Kinnan Street in New Tampa should connect to Mansfield Boulevard in Wesley Chapel.

A 450-page draft report, known as the Wesley Chapel Roadway Connection Study, looks at that road project, as well as two other potential intra-county road connections in the Wesley Chapel and State Road 56 area.

The study says that Pasco County will face substantial costs to address traffic increases — with or without potential roadway connections.

Estimates for intersection improvements in the area, with no road connections, would be about $13.8 million. With road connections, the cost would be about $15.4 million.

A public meeting to discuss the study, and get public input, will be held on May 29 at the Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, at 2727 Mansfield Blvd.

This is part of a multiphase process taking place over several months.

The focus of the meeting is to get comments on the study, not to get a consensus on what should or shouldn’t be connected, said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore.

“We want to hear from people if something is missing and should be added,” Moore said, noting the study is quite detailed.

A power-point presentation will be made at the meeting. Afterward, people will be able to look at maps, and ask questions one-on-one with consultants and county staff members.

Residents can go online now to peruse all 450 pages, and make comments through June 15. An online survey will be posted in the future to get a consensus on which road projects residents want to see completed.

No decision on recommendations is anticipated from the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization until September. A final decision would be left to Pasco County commissioners, who also will need to identify funding sources for future projects.

The issue of establishing a connection between Kinnan and Mansfield resurfaced recently when developers of K-Bar ranch filed an application with Tampa to build more than 700 new homes, south of Mansfield.

The Tampa City Council postponed a vote on the project until June in hopes that an agreement could be reached regarding connecting Kinnan and Mansfield.

Hillsborough and Pasco have been at odds over the connection for more than a decade.

In 2017, the Hillsborough County Commission approved $250,000 to pay for the project.

The study presents four alternatives, including a no-build choice.

Potential road projects include linking Kinnan Street and Mansfield Boulevard, and building extensions of Meadow Pointe and Wyndfields boulevards from Pasco County into Hillsborough County.

If Pasco and Hillsborough elected officials are divided on where to link up their roads, so are area residents.

Nearly 140 people attended a public meeting in April 2017 to discuss opening roadways that divide the counties.

Oral and written comments gathered through the meeting showed Pasco residents split on joining Kinnan and Mansfield, with 36 people against it, and 37 in favor.

However, Hillsborough residents overwhelmingly supported the connection by a count of 63 for and two against.

Pasco looked with more favor on extending Meadow Pointe by a count of 40 to 6, and Wyndfields by 28 to 4. Hillsborough residents favored Meadow Pointe by 67 to 8, and Wyndfields by 50 to 18.

The study also took note of an agreement between the K-Bar ranch developers and the city of Tampa that says Wyndfields can’t be extended until Pasco allows Kinnan and Mansfield to be linked.

For information, and to view the study, visit PascoMPO.net.

What: Meeting to discuss the Wesley Chapel Roadway Connection Study
When: May 29, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel
Cost: Free
Info: Visit PascoMPO.net.

Published May 23, 2018