The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

‘Get Loud!’ takes aim at sexual assault, domestic violence

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Cheers normally reverberate through Wiregrass Ranch High School’s gymnasium when a boys basketball player on the home team scores.

That didn’t happen though during the initial minutes of the varsity team’s Jan. 30 game against Sunlake High School.

Instead, spectators remained silent, in response to signs being shown to them that said “Shhh” and “Be Quiet.”

Lots of people wore purple to a special event staged during the Jan. 30 basketball game between Wiregrass Ranch and Sunlake high schools. The goal was to raise awareness about the problems of power-based violence, including domestic violence and sexual assault. (B.C. Manion)

The crowd kept quiet until the ninth point was scored and then —responding to signs that said “Break the Silence” — spectators roared.

Obviously, there was a lot more going on than just a routine basketball game.

In fact, a full-fledged public awareness campaign was being staged, too.

Wiregrass Ranch High School’s basketball game was the venue for “Get Loud!”

The event was presented by the high school, in Wesley Chapel, in conjunction with the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay and Sunrise of Pasco County Inc. Domestic and Sexual Violence Center. It also was supported through a Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation Community Heroes grant.

Staying silent for nine points was intended to call attention to the fact that every 9 seconds in the United States a woman is assaulted or beaten.

Besides making people more aware of the problem, the event aims to spread the message that it’s time to break the silence about these forms of violence, which are sometimes deadly.

Wiregrass Ranch senior Gabby Azzolina led the efforts to bring the event to her school. She said people don’t realize the extent of the problem, and survivors don’t know where to turn for help.

“So many people don’t know there are facilities to help and numbers to call,” Azzolina said. “I want them to know that it’s OK to get loud about it, and break the silence. The Crisis Center’s number is 2-1-1.”

Mathematics teacher Amy Munroe helped Azzolina to organize the event at Wiregrass Ranch.

Munroe said she was happy to help when she was asked. She hopes that more people will begin talking about the problem, as a result of the event.

“Just to be able to talk about it, is a big deal,” Munroe said.

Buttons at the ‘Get Loud!’ event helped spread the message of the problems of sexual assault and domestic violence.

Dottie Urbanek Nash, director of education and prevention for Sunrise, said these kinds of events are important.

“Awareness campaigns like this are wonderful. They do a lot to get the word out about what’s happening, locally. Unfortunately, we tend to think that domestic violence doesn’t happen here,” she said.

It’s also important for people to know there are ways to help prevent these types of violence, she said.

The Wiregrass Ranch event evolved out of a conversation between Gabby’s mom, Madeline Azzolina, and Denise Cassedy, whose daughter, Katie, initiated the first “Get Loud!” event at Robinson High School two years ago.

After Katie graduated, her sister, Carolina, got involved, and now — Robinson, Plant and Hillsborough high schools in Tampa have “Get Loud!” events.

Wiregrass Ranch intends to make this an annual event, Munroe said.

Some sobering statistics

  • One of every three women have been victims of some form of physical violence by an intimate partner within her lifetime. The same is true for one in every four men.
  • One in five women has been sexually assaulted.
  • One in seven women has been stalked. The same is true for one in 18 men.
  • Nearly two-thirds of all sexual assaults are not reported to the police.

Source: The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Do you need help? Call 2-1-1

Published February 7, 2018

North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce makes debut

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A new chamber came into view last summer with the merger of The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce and The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce.

Now a new name is representing the combined chambers, which will now be known as the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce, according to an email sent to chamber members from Zack Kalarickal, the chamber’s board chairman.

Zack Kalarickal, chairman of the board of directors for North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce

The name brings “renewed focus on the broader geography that is home to those we serve and consistent with the momentum of this evolving community,” the email states.

National and international businesses are seeking to invest in Pasco County’s growth, and the new name provides “a readily identifiable location,” as well as describing the inclusive nature of the merged chamber, according to the email.

The North Tampa Bay chamber has about 830 members and is the largest in Pasco County. It serves Wesley Chapel, New Tampa, Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Trinity, Odessa and New Port Richey.

“We happen to be in a great part of the county with so much dynamic growth,” said Kalarickal, a dentist and owner of Wesley Chapel Dentistry.

The North Tampa Bay name acknowledges that growth, but Kalarickal said the chamber will “co-brand” the uniqueness of every community within its membership.

In his email, he cites the long history of Wesley Chapel and its chamber, which began in 1998 with only a small group of business owners.

It had grown in recent years to nearly 600 members prior to merging with the Greater Pasco chamber in July.

In January, the chamber moved to a new location at 1868 Highland Oaks Blvd., Suite A. The office is in the Highland Oaks Medical Center, off State Road 54.

In the next months, more transition work is needed, Kalarickal said.

The board of directors went from 17 to 24 members.

A day-long planning session was held to discuss an overall strategic plan. Standing committees were formed.

And, North Tampa Bay members were invited to participate in a logo design contest. The winning entry will be announced on March 8.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 994-8534.

Published February 7, 2018

Reptiles rule at GatorWorld

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At this Central Florida tourist attraction, there are hundreds of alligators — to be seen, fed, and in some cases, touched.

GatorWorld Parks of Florida opened its gates to visitors of all ages last fall, in Wildwood, on State Route 44 in Sumter County.

Young gators wait on a platform for visitors to feed them from above with morsels of turkey sausage. (Fred Bellet)

The 15-acre park, off Interstate 75, is a family friendly attraction.

Visitors can drive through the park and have prime viewing of more than 400 alligators in their natural Florida habitat.

When they enter the park through the main gateway on Highway 44, visitors drive onto a gravel roadway that snakes through the front end of the park. As they drive along, visitors get close-up views of full-grown gators lounging in roadside pools — behind protective fencing, of course.

Specially constructed pools surround the enclosed common areas for gators to wander, simulating their natural habitat.

It another section of the park, visitors can feed smaller gators from a raised platform by dangling poles — specifically built for that purpose — which often have a morsel of turkey sausage for the gators.

GatorWorld Parks of Florida guide and alligator handler, Inverness resident, Gavin Courterier, 17, taped the mouth shut of a baby alligator before visitors were permitted to pet the creature. His father, Casey Courterier, handles the larger alligators.

For those who want a bit more adventure, it’s even possible to hold and pet some of the baby gators. These gators, which are about a year old, have their snouts taped shut, to allow them to be safely caressed.

Just a handful of the park’s gators can be touched, since they’ve become socialized over time, said Gavin Courterier, a 17-year-old guide and alligator handler at GatorWorld.

“At first they were trying to not be held at all, but they get used to it. They stay pretty calm,” Courterier said, as he gently held a baby gator for guests to pet.

He noted, these young creatures grow about 2 inches to 3 inches a year, in their their new, stable habitat. “They can control their heart rate and metabolism so that they don’t grow too quick,” he said.

Gavin’s father, Casey Courterier, is also an alligator handler at the park.

He became comfortable with the reptilian species after several months of studying their tendencies, watching videos and learning to handle farm-raised gators. The job now comes second nature to him.

“They’re like dogs,” Casey Courterier said, as he used the butt end of a rake to calmly direct a full-grown gator in a pen. “They all have their own personalities. They’ll let you know how close you can get. They talk just like a dog would. They hiss instead of growl. They’ll get angry if I get into my feeding position with my bell and don’t feed them. They’ll make funny noises at you, like, ‘Come on, get with the program.’”

Besides its unique offering to tourists, GatorWorld Park has created a sanctuary for alligators, young and old.

Park officials work with a network of trappers, including the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, to acquire its gator stock.

Founder of GatorWorld Parks of Florida Don Buckner said the time was right for for GatorWorld Park.

The 400-plus gators come from Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana, and even South America and northern Mexico.

The largest gator on the property measures almost 13 feet. Countless others measure between 7 feet and 9 feet.

Some are rescued gators. Others are nuisance gators removed — which would have been sold for their hide and meat.

“They get to retire here peacefully, instead of being a nuisance to all of the golfers around the state at night, especially in The Villages,” said Mary Wymer, who handles marketing and communications for GatorWorld.

In the secure environment, where they are fed and cared for, these gators can live up to 80 years, compared to 40 years to 45 years in the wild.

“You can tell by their behavior a farm-raised (gator) versus a nuisance,” Casey Courterier said. “But, it only takes a short amount of time for them to calm down and enjoy the resort habitat they have.”

GatorWorld was founded and developed by Don Buckner, an entrepreneur credited with starting Vac-Tron Equipment. That company, headquartered in Okahumpka, designs and manufactures a brand of portable environmental vacuum clean-up equipment.

Visiting from Nashville, Tennessee, 4-year-old Cosby Turner finds himself in a tight spot, between his dad Brice Turner and a baby alligator his dad was checking out in the park’s petting area. The baby alligator’s snout is taped shut because young teeth tend to be sharp.

Buckner’s idea for “building a business around alligators” has been in the works for years.

Buckner was part of a trade delegation to South America, back in 2000, accompanying Jeb Bush, who was then Florida’s governor.

The Orlando Tourism Commission was on the trip, too, and Buckner took part in discussions about tourist interests in Florida. He soon learned that “seeing an alligator” ranks up there with visiting theme parks and the beach by out-of-state tourists visiting Florida.

Buckner developed the GatorWorld trademark around 2004, then decided to finally make it a reality after investing some capital in recent years.

“There’s 110 million tourists that come to Florida every year,” Buckner said, “so why not capitalize on some of that?”

Thinking outside the box, he conceived of a “drive-through” alligator park, where visitors could get a comprehensive experience in an hour or less.

“The challenges to see an alligator are pretty high,” Bucker explained. “There’s ways to do it, but it’s an all-day affair, it’s expensive, and the location’s not ideal. So those three things we tried to overcome by being in the right location, having the right cost and then not taking all day.”

There’s more than just alligators to see, too.

Casey Courterier knows his alligators. Feeding and maintaining the alligator’s environment, Courterier has no problem with the 7-foot, 8-foot and 9-foot alligators.

The park also features a petting zoo with goats, sheep and pigs, chickens, miniature cows, and even a bunny farm.

Adding a petting zoo to the main attraction was a concept that just evolved over time, Buckner said, anticipating young visitors would also enjoy the opportunity to interact with small animals in a friendly setting.

Said Buckner, “I call it a ‘might as well.’ We did the feeding stations, so we might as well have bunnies, might as well have rabbits, might as well have chickens; who knows what the next ‘might as well’ is.”

Park hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the winter. GatorWorld Parks of Florida is closed Sundays.

Entry fee for the drive-through park is $22 per adult, with various discounts for veterans, children and seniors.

For information, visit GatorWorldParks.com.

Published February 7, 2018

Mission 22 helps fight the war on veteran suicides

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U.S. military personnel are trained to go into combat and face deadly dangers, but it turns out that adjusting to life after leaving active duty can sometimes pose greater perils.

That was the message that Shawn Huber brought to the Jan. 23 luncheon meeting of the Rotary Club of Lutz at the Heritage Harbor Country Club.

Shawn Huber, an ambassador for Mission 22, talks about the problem of military veteran suicides during a Rotary Club of Lutz meeting on Jan. 23. An estimated 20 veterans die by suicide each day, according to research by the department of Veteran Affairs. (B.C. Manion)

Huber, an ambassador for Mission 22, talked about that organization’s efforts to reduce the number of veterans who lose their lives to suicide.

An estimated 20 veterans die by suicide each day, according to research by the department of Veterans Affairs.

It’s a problem that led to the creation of Mission 22, said Huber, noting that he went to high school with one of the group’s original founders.

“What Mission 22 is looking for is financial donations to get these guys through treatment,” he said. It also needs ambassadors to help organize local events.

So many wounded warriors have injuries that cannot be seen, Huber said.

“People are like: ‘How do you know when people are going through this?’

“You don’t.

“If you’re missing an arm or a leg, I know you’ve been injured, right? But, if you don’t show any outward sign of injury — it’s all internal — people pass it off as if there is nothing wrong with you,” Huber said.

“The thing about military families — the wives and children know that Dad comes and goes. “What happens when Dad comes home and stays home. They don’t know how to handle them,” Huber said. “They try to ‘fix’ them.”

Veterans leave the service, where they were part of a team and had a specific role, to return to society, where they are no longer part of that team and can’t find a job that correlates with the one they left, Huber said.

“You were trained to do a job, and that job doesn’t exist,” Huber said.

Many are suffering from PTSD, too.

“They start drinking. They’re doing drugs,” he said.

“There are people that I’ve talked to — who have been on between 25 and 47 different drugs at once,” Huber added.

Some people who end their life by suicide choose that route, he said, because “in their minds, sometimes, this is the easiest way for them not put a burden on their friends and their family,” he said.

When someone ends his or her life, people often wonder: “What is the one thing that pushes them over the edge?” Huber said. “It’s not one thing.”

And, it’s often not easy to tell who might need some help, Huber added.

“You very rarely will find out who in your neighborhood is coming back from the military, unless they’re damaged physically and they’re missing a limb,” he said.

“We want to create awareness,” Huber added.

“What I’ve volunteered to do is that when people are ready and they want to make a change in their lives, I take them from where they are, to better.

Mission 22 has two treatment programs that focus on Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The goal is not to medicate and mask the problems our veterans are facing, but to heal them. The creation of these Mission 22 Healing Projects will allow us to support even more veterans through groundbreaking treatments.

One program can be done at home, and the other is done at a treatment facility in North Carolina.

For specifics about each program, visit Mission22.com.

Published February 7, 2018

Horses, quilts and homespun skills

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Attendees snapped open lawn chairs to settle back and watch festivities at the annual Farm Festival and Quilt Show. (Richard K. Riley)

Pioneer Florida Museum & Village put the spotlight on farm life, and the homespun skills passed down through generations at its annual Farm Festival and Quilt Show.

The event was held on museum grounds in Dade City on Feb. 4 and Feb. 5.

Large crowds gathered during the Draft Horse Pulling Competition to cheer their favorite teams. The contest pitted 20 horse teams against each other, each demonstrating horse power and strength.

Two horses went head-to-head in the horse pulling contest.

Local quilters exhibited their sewing skills, with displays of quilts in all colors, sizes and designs. Quilts, clothing remnants and supplies also were available for purchase.

Festival-goers could watch cane grinding and syrup-making, stroll through an arts and crafts show, shop with vendors and enjoy folk musicians.

A 1914 Ford Model T was among several antique cars on display.

Published February 7, 2018

Linda MacDonald, of Zephyrhills, inspects the stitching on a quilt being judged at the Farm Festival and Quilt Show in Dade City.
Dulcimer Connection entertained with classic and folk music.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bill Scaife makes adjustments on a quilting machine that is for sale at his business, Itching for Stitching.
Joyce Duncan, of Dade City, sat in her husband’s 1914 Ford Model T at an antique vehicle show.

Pasco joins lawsuit seeking opioid settlement

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Pasco County has joined the national trend for municipalities to fight back against distributors and manufacturers of opioid medications.

County commissioners voted to become one of several plaintiffs in litigation that seeks to replicate the kind of payouts attorneys won in the late 1990s against the tobacco industry.

Pensacola-based Levin Papantonio will represent Pasco County. The law firm is part of a consortium that is pursuing lawsuits in several states including West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco (File)

At stake is money that could be made available to the county for drug addiction treatment and the costs to law enforcement.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco spoke in favor of the lawsuit, prior to the county commissioners’ vote on Jan. 23 in New Port Richey.

“We feel the epidemic every day,” Nocco said.

In 2016, Pasco County had 165 drug overdose deaths, and 120 were related to opioids.

This is a legacy of marketing strategies that promoted prescription opioids as safe and nonaddictive, the sheriff said.

“It’s actually a pill that made them addicts,” Nocco said. “Someone is accountable for it. They should be sued,” the sheriff said.

Nocco noted the unexpected consequences from the state’s successful closure of pill mills, which distributed the opioids. He said people addicted to prescription pain medications turned to other sources, including heroin and fentanyl.

The sheriff recalled an instance when officers found a man beating on the chest of a homeless man. Initially, it appeared to be an assault. Instead, Nocco said it was a heroin overdose.

“He was trying to revive him,” Nocco said.

Pasco County deputies routinely carry Narcan, a medication that can help reverse the effects of an overdose.

In December, Pasco County commissioners heard a workshop presentation from attorney Jeff Gaddy, of Levin Papantonio.

The local law firm of Lucas/Magazine initially approached the county about the lawsuit proposal.

No upfront costs will be charged to the county. If a settlement is reached, attorneys would be eligible for a maximum 25 percent contingency fee from the county’s share of the settlement.

The lawsuits are filed against drug distributors and manufacturers. They allege that false claims were made about the safety of opioids, and excessive pill distribution that amounted to a “public nuisance.”

The lawsuits also allege that distributors failed to report suspicious orders to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, as required by law.

Any settlement would seek to establish abatement funds that would be used to recoup public dollars spent battling the opioid crisis.

Published January 31, 2018

Rezoning of some west Pasco schools invalid, judge says

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A circuit court judge has invalidated school rezoning actions by the Pasco County School Board for some of the district’s west schools, citing violations of a public notice requirement and of the state’s Sunshine Law.

In a ruling dated Jan. 10, Circuit Court Judge Kimberly Sharpe Byrd determined that members of the district’s boundary committee “held discussions on Boundary Committee business outside of a noticed public hearing, and when it held breakout sessions of the middle school and high school groups.”

The school board also violated a section of the state’s public notice requirements, according to the judge.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning addresses reporters during a news conference about a judge’s decision to invalidate rezoning of some west Pasco schools based on the judge’s findings of Sunshine Law and public notice requirements. (B.C. Manion)

The judge’s ruling did not affect any zonings involving schools in other parts of the county.

In response to Byrd’s findings, Pasco School Superintendent Kurt Browning held a news conference to discuss the ruling and talk about the district’s next steps.

“Our attorneys are currently determining how to respond to the order,” he said, and It will be up to the Pasco County School Board to decide how to proceed.

Meanwhile, Browning gave parents of all students affected by the invalidated rezoning the opportunity to choose to return to the school they were rezoned from, or stay where they are at, for the rest of the school year.

Parents had the opportunity, before Jan. 20, to indicate their wishes via a form on the district’s website.

“Parents who don’t complete the form will be presumed to want (their student) to stay in their current school,” Browning said.

“We believe it would be entirely disruptive of us to just literally give parents no choice, give students no choice and pick them up out of classrooms, let’s say Friday, and Monday they start back at Seven Springs Middle and J.W. Mitchell (High School),” Browning said.

The vast majority of parents opted to keep their children at the school they had been reassigned to attend.

During the news conference, Browning said the district expects to rezone schools again before the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year, so it is possible that someone could choose to leave River Ridge to go back to J.W. Mitchell, and then be rezoned back into River Ridge again.

“The same thing could be said of Seven Springs Middle and River Ridge Middle, as well,” he said.

It is possible that the upcoming rezoning on the west side of the district will include additional schools, Browning said.

That rezoning will be done using the district’s new rezoning procedure, Browning said.

“I eliminated the boundary committee. The committee was problematic,” Browning said. “I think this order exposed that there were opportunities for possible Sunshine violations, and according to the judge (there were) four Sunshine violations.”

Besides citing communications outside of committee meetings, the judge also had a problem with breakout sessions used.

Individuals could not hear what was going during them, and there were sidebar conversations, Browning said.

“It’s problematic. I think If you are going to be making public decisions, they need to be made in the public, where people can hear them and they can participate at the appropriate time.

“I think this has taught us a lesson. I think it will send a message to school districts and county commissions and local governments across the state,” Browning said.

Under the new rezoning procedure, the superintendent determines a rezoning is needed, has proposed boundaries prepared, takes them to a public workshop and then takes the final recommendation to the school board for action.

“It follows the process that the department of transportation uses when they go to site a road,” Browning said.

Browning said he understands that parents don’t want their children to be rezoned.

“As a parent of two boys that went through this system, I would not want to be told that I’m going to have to take my children out of Pasco High School, where I went to school, where my mother went to school and send them to another school in Pasco County.

“Fundamentally, it’s aggravating,” he said.

However, the district has to accommodate growth and must redraw boundaries to address school crowding, Browning said.

Published January 31, 2018

These graduates have taken a different path to success

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One plans to help build ships.

Another wants to work in child care.

Two others plan health care careers.

And, that’s just four of the more than 50 graduates who received their diplomas during the 2018 Commencement Ceremony on Jan. 25 at the Center for the Arts at Wesley Chapel.

Sixteen-year-old Hailey Pecora plans to pursue a nursing degree. (B.C. Manion)

Some had completed their GEDs. Others had finished the cosmetology program or Early Childhood Apprenticeship. And, there were some receiving high school diplomas, either finishing up credits they needed, or graduating ahead of their class.

All of the graduates had something in common: They smiled broadly as they marched into the auditorium, as members of the audience clapped and cheered.

This was their moment, and they soaked it in.

Graduate Hailey Pecora, of Dade City, plans to enroll at Pasco-Hernando State College, to pursue a degree in nursing.

Her grandmother, Xandra Erickson, came from Jacksonville, to share in the moment.

Her pride was evident. “She has done this graduation thing at 16. She’s already enrolled in college.”

Graduate Sita Ramrattan completed the Early Childhood Apprenticeship.

Next, the 44-year-old plans to earn her associate’s degree, at either Saint Leo University or Pasco-Hernando State College.

Eighteen-year-old Gunter Winkler, of Zephyrhills, wants to pursue welding, with the aim of going into shipbuilding.

He was pleased to be moving onto the next step, and to have his parents, grandparents and best friend there to help him mark the accomplishment.

Sandra Vogel, a school counselor for adult education, simply loves graduation ceremonies.

“It gives you a warm feeling because you know what they’ve gone through to get here.

“They’ve worked really hard, and we’re really proud of them,” Vogel said.

Forty-four-year-old Sita Ramrattan celebrated the completion of her Early Childhood Apprenticeship.

Leslie Ruttle, a resource teacher, said that besides recognizing the graduates, the ceremony can serve as a stimulant for others.

“A lot of our students, the way we get them, it is word of mouth. A relative, or a friend, or something like that has gone through the program,” Ruttle said. “We’ll get some students tonight,” she predicted. “They’ll come here, and they’ll see other people have been successful and they’ll think: ‘I can do it, too.’”

“So many of the students have gone through trials,” said Wendy Beard, program manager for adult education. “Now, another door is opening for them.”

Throughout the auditorium, there were family members, friends and fellow students cheering on the graduates.

Ambrose Helms, 17, of Wesley Chapel had a giant fan club. Roughly 30 people were expected to come help him celebrate.

“I feel excited because he’s graduating early,” said Latoya Lovett, his cousin, who had staked out a place near the front of the auditorium for Helms’ supporters.

Nicole Robinson was there to support Olivia Paradilla, a graduate from Land O’ Lakes High.

“She’s my best friend. I know she’ll do great things,” Robinson said.

Catherine Agovino came to support Niki Atkins and Danielle Cary, who had completed their Early Childhood Apprenticeship. “It’s a big accomplishment,” Agovino said.

Hope Corcoran, who delivered the student address, underscored the reality that high school is not a perfect fit for everyone.

She was born in China, where she was abandoned, as an infant, on the side of the road.

She was adopted and attended schools in Wesley Chapel.

“It didn’t go as I would have liked,” Corcoran said. “I felt like I didn’t fit in. I was constantly bullied and teased. I would come home crying to my mom, and I told her I didn’t want to go back because I felt so different from the other kids.

“I was made fun of for being overweight and for having slanted eyes,” she said.

“It got to a point where I ended up enrolling into home-school,” she said.

“And, then I found out about the GED program and that I could finish high school and get my diploma.

“It was through this program that I met Miss Linda Rockwell.

“I’m so thankful that I had the opportunity to meet this incredible woman. She cares about her students and wants to see them achieve the best future possible,” Corcoran said.

Along the way, Corcoran said she learned some lessons.

“I have learned that people drop out for different reasons. Sometimes bullying. Sometimes academic reasons and family struggles. Everyone has their own story.

“Many students feel lost in high school and don’t know where to begin. There are so many things that go on, behind the scenes, that we are unaware of.

“It’s expected that students all learn the same way, with the same lessons, same techniques and same books, when that is simply not the case. High school isn’t for everyone.

“Some students have jobs, to help support their families. Or, need to stay home to take care of them, along with other responsibilities, outside of school that can get in the way of academic work,” Corcoran said.

“A few nights ago, I was texting Miss Rockwell and I was telling her I wasn’t sure what else I should talk about. Her response was: ‘Talk about how there’s more than one path to success. How each person chooses their path. You can talk about how not everyone has the same definition of success, and that getting a GED is just the first step to success.’”

Corcoran observed: “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”

Published January 31, 2018

Dancing for sugar cubes

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It may sound like the stuff of dreams, but there’s a place in Florida where horses with sunlit manes dance for sugar cubes, and tourists seeking a break from glitzier and expensive attractions are welcome to watch.

Herrmann’s Royal Lipizzan stallions have settled back into their winter home, a 25-acre ranch in rural Manatee County, following nearly six months of performances at fairs and special events throughout the Northeast.

Gabriella ‘Gabby’ Herrmann, who learned to train Lipizzan horses from her father and grandfather, silently commands her stallion, Argentos, to perform the courbette, a traditional Lipizzan show movement in which the horse jumps with his hind feet while holding his forelegs tucked in. (Susan Green)

Now, as they have for more than 50 years, the stallions will rehearse three days a week for upcoming shows, until it’s time to go back on the road in the spring.

A spacious arena at the ranch in Myakka City is flanked by rows of bleachers to mimic the venues the horses typically encounter on tour.

Ranch owner and horse trainer Gabriella “Gabby” Herrmann hopes that Florida visitors will fill those bleachers and help keep the equine entertainers accustomed to performing in front of an audience.

“The audience is a very important part of the training here,” she said. Not only do the stallions perform better when they hear an audience applaud, but they also break bad habits that they pick up on the road.

During formal shows, Herrmann explained, the trainers don’t correct mistakes. In the tradition of showmanship, the performance continues, even when a horse fails to perform the proper maneuver, and some of the horses learn to take advantage of that.

During the rehearsals in Myakka City, however, the show stops and trainers repeat their commands until each horse performs properly, even though there’s an audience watching.

With the exception of costuming, the Florida Lipizzan rehearsals include the same performance elements of the touring show, said Herrmann, who serves as emcee. Individually and in groups, the stallions demonstrate the dance-like movements that have made them famous, accompanied by a mix of popular tunes and traditional drill team music.

The show is choreographed anew with fresh music each year, Herrmann said. But, it always includes a review of the Lipizzans’ noble origins in Austria; how they were brought to the United States after a daring rescue during World War II; some information about the care and training they receive; and, an explanation of their “airs above the ground” and other maneuvers.

The Lipizzan Legacy
Lipizzan horses were bred for war during the 16th century, and many of the kicks and rearing movements that audiences today perceive as ballet-like were originally designed to frighten the enemy or even deal a fatal blow.

“The stallions themselves were the weapons,” Herrmann said.

After gunpowder was invented, the battle role of the Lipizzans diminished, but the royal Hapsburg family of Austria continued to favor the breed for its grace, beauty and athletic ability.

Riders, from left to right, Gabriella ‘Gabby’ Herrmann, Brandy Crispin, Kendal Morris and Rebecca McCullough perform equestrian drill maneuvers astride some of the beautiful stallions at Herrmann’s Royal Lipizzan Ranch.

Later, the performing Lipizzans so captured the imagination of Gen. George Patton that he helped rescue the animals from danger in the final days of World War II, a drama re-enacted in the 1963 Walt Disney film, “Miracle of the White Stallions.”

Herrmann’s father and grandfather, both now deceased, were part of that effort and were among others who brought the horses to America and began featuring them in shows.

Herrmann said after the rehearsal that her family bought land in Myakka City in 1962 for the Lipizzan breeding and training program because of the area’s reputation as the winter home of circus performers.

“The weather is really ideal for us,” she said. “That’s why we settled here.”

Gabby Herrmann grew up riding the horses and learning showmanship from her father. She took the helm of the operation when her father, Col. Ottomar Herrmann Jr., died in 2004. The stables now hold 29 horses, including mares and foals.

“These horses, they’re like our children,” Herrmann said, adding that each of the horses has its individual personality. “We’re allowed to take our time with our horses because this is not a competition or show barn.”

During the rehearsal, Herrmann explained to the audience that training at the ranch depends on a three-pronged reward system for the animals – carrots, apples or sugar cubes for a job well done, along with praise from the trainer and applause from spectators.

As the winter season progresses, there may be hundreds of people in the stands, Herrmann said.

About 30 people – some from as far away as Wisconsin, Ohio and Missouri – found their way to the ranch for the opening day of winter rehearsals on Dec. 14.

Cathy Widen, who splits her time between Waukesha, Wisconsin, and Orlando, was there with her friend, Linda Schmit, also of Waukesha.

Widen said she recently saw an exhibition of Lipizzan horses in Vienna, Austria, and she was eager to see an American version.

Jagger, a 22-month-old Lipizzan colt born at Herrmann’s Royal Lipizzan Ranch, is introduced to the audience at opening rehearsals for the stallions’ 2018 show tours. Lipizzans become white as they mature, and Jagger is beginning to show signs of whitening on his face.

“They’re just so majestic,” she said. “And, it’s amazing how well-trained they are.”

Elizabeth Dodge, 15, who lives in southern Missouri, was visiting her grandmother, Susan Ludwig, a Manatee County resident. She said she saw the show a few years ago and described it as “horse ballet.”

“I just love horses,” the teen said. “I think it’s neat that they’ve been able to keep this line pure.”

Herrmann’s daughter, Rebecca McCullough, has joined her mother in the family business and is a featured performer in the show. Herrmann’s granddaughter, Sydney McCullough, 8, is taking her turn in the show ring this season, putting a rescue pony, Willie, through his paces.

Herrmann said she is gratified that, after so many years of opening the rehearsals to the public, people who visited the ranch as children often return with their own children or grandchildren in tow, wanting to share a special experience with the next generation.

In addition to the show, she noted, visitors are welcome to stroll through the barn, see the stallions in their stalls and enjoy the beauty of the ranch, where wild turkeys and deer sometimes make an appearance.

“What brings people out? They know the history behind these horses,” Herrmann said. “And, in these times that we live in, it’s a place where you can still bring a family and wander around and take your mind off of what’s going on in the world. To me, it’s just serenity out here.”

Herrmann’s Royal Lipizzan Stallions
What: Herrmann’s Royal Lipizzan Stallions off-season rehearsals
Where: Herrmann’s Royal Lipizzan Ranch, 32755 Singletary Road, Myakka City
When: Thursdays and Fridays at 3 p.m., Saturdays at 10 a.m., through April
Cost: $5 donation requested for admission, optional costs for concession stand and photos with the stallions
Info: (914) 322-1501, or HLipizzans.com

By Susan Green

Published January 31, 2018

Bakas Equestrian Center is set to move

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Bakas Equestrian Center, which has offered horse-riding therapy for disabled children and adults for nearly 30 years, is expected to have a new home by the end of this year.

In fact, the center will be replaced by two facilities under a plan unanimously approved by the Hillsborough County Commission on Jan. 11.

Tom Pepin, a beer distributor and philanthropist, approached the county with a proposal to replace the existing facility in western Hillsborough with two similar facilities on county-owned lands.

The Hillsborough County Commission approved a proposal by beer distributor Tom Pepin to relocate the Bakas Equestrian Center, 11510 Whisper Lake Trail in Tampa, to two similar facilities on county-owned lands. Bakas will move 2 miles from its current location to a 17-acre site at Northwest Equestrian Park in Odessa. A second riding center, of 10 acres to 12 acres, also will be built at Sydney Dover Trails in Dover. (File)

Under the approved plan, the 23-acre equestrian center property, at 11510 Whisper Laker Trail in Tampa, will move 2 miles from its current location to a 17-acre site at Northwest Equestrian Park in Odessa. Located on South Mobley Road, the park spans 600 acres and has 6 miles of horse trails.

A second riding center, of 10 acres to 12 acres, also will be built at Sydney Dover Trails in Dover, where there are about 250 acres available for good riding. That center is expected to serve residents in the eastern and central part of the county.

The commissioners’ approval now allows county staffers to begin negotiating terms of a final sale, with the project’s timeline for completion slated for the end of this year.

Board members agreed in September to put the county-owned park and its facilities up to bid, but only if Pepin pledged to build two new equestrian centers where the Bakas center could relocate at no cost to the county. The county, however, will be responsible for ongoing operating costs, such as staffing and maintenance.

Pepin’s approved proposal featured two bids—valued at $1.45 million and $1.97 million, respectively.

The first bid—the price Pepin originally was willing to spend on the project—calls for building the two facilities to match the same specs “like for like” as the Bakas site, plus a $200,000 endowment for capital costs and other operating expenses.

The second, more costly bid, includes various site upgrades and amenities at both sites desired by the county and Bakas’ Horses for Handicapped board members. Among them are competition-size arenas that measure more than 100 feet-by-200 feet, to accommodate more users and enhance fundraising opportunities. The current ring at Bakas measures 60 feet-by-120 feet.

The proposal received the general endorsement of Bakas’ Horses for Handicapped program, which noted on its website that “this would allow us to expand our program to both sides of the county.”

Therapy riding programs, such as the one at Bakas, are credited with helping people with disabilities develop balance and coordination, and to gain confidence.

However, the proposed changes drew mixed reviews during the commission’s public comment period, during which several speakers disapproved of the conversion of county-owned parklands to private property.

Kent Bailey, who chairs Tampa Bay’s Sierra Club chapter, claimed the proposed deal is undervalued as it “returns less than $2 million to the county’s taxpayers for a property that was purchased in 2001 for $3 million.”

“(Pepin) is a fine man,” Bailey said, “but what does that have to do with your faithful discharge of the fiduciary responsibilities as good stewards of the taxpayers of this community.

“No one is entitled to preferential treatment here, regardless of their standing in the community,” he added.

Tampa resident Christopher Gleason expressed similar sentiments to commissioners, saying the land deal gives “unfair advantage to somebody based on their standing in the community and political connections.”

Tampa resident Karen Michalski also directly questioned commissioners, by saying “Why is the public county park with a working value added successful equestrian therapy center being sold to an individual? Just because (Pepin) has the opportunity?”

Others, meanwhile, voiced concerns about site naming rights, and questioned whether the county is willing to adequately staff and handle ongoing operating expenses at two separate sites.

Jolie Smith, a Land O’ Lakes resident whose two daughters benefit from Bakas, explained she didn’t want to see the equestrian center sold, but is hopeful the deal will result in a “win-win” for the county and Bakas riders.

Smith noted: “the premise of the swap is to allow the Bakas program to grow, expand, and service more individuals with special needs.

“We’ve seen people walk, breathe and restore function. It’s an amazing program, and part of that therapy is the pristine setting where we are at,” she said.

Pepin said he plans to use the purchased Bakas tract, which abuts 67 acres he already owns, for personal use.

During a town hall meeting in November, he said he might build a few residences, but doesn’t intend to create a subdivision or commercial property.

He also said he’s willing to work with the community on certain amenities, such as larger riding arenas at both locations, in lieu of less desired features.

“My mission is the same as Bakas—it’s to help handicapped children,” Pepin said during the town hall.

Published January 31, 2018