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Rays 2020 pitches a new ballpark for Ybor

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Though recent on-field performances may suggest otherwise, the Tampa Bay Rays’ long-term future in the region should generate excitement to the community and fans alike.

At least that was the pitch from Jason Woody to a room filled with business leaders and elected officials at the North Tampa Bay Chamber’s breakfast meeting earlier this month, at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus in Wesley Chapel.

Woody, president and CEO of Lions Eye Institute for Transplant & Research, spoke on behalf of Tampa Bay Rays 2020. He’s on the advisory board for the privately funded nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing a new Rays ballpark to Tampa.

Jason Woody, president and CEO of Lions Eye Institute for Transplant & Research, serves on the Rays 2020 advisory board. He was the featured speaker at the North Tampa Chamber’s April 3 breakfast meeting at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus in Wesley Chapel. (Courtesy of North Tampa Bay Chamber)

Woody is making the rounds discussing the group’s initiatives and the progress made since the Rays officially announced a new stadium site in Ybor City, in February.

While the total costs and funding sources have not been identified, the initiative calls for relocating the Rays from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg to a 14-acre parcel along Adamo Drive, between Channelside Drive and 15th Street, and adjacent to the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway. An additional option to acquire 27 acres is also available, if expansion is needed for parking and so on.

Woody branded the Ybor stadium site as “a perfect anchor, a perfect bookend” to the $3 billion Water Street development in downtown Tampa orchestrated by Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik.

Rays 2020 was co-founded by Sykes Enterprises CEO Chuck Sykes and Ron Christaldi, partner at Shumaker, Loop and Kendrick. It now features several Tampa business leaders and volunteers ensuring the baseball franchise remains in Tampa Bay.

The leadership team helped secure the land from Darryl Shaw, the CEO of BluePearl Veterinary Partners and a major developer in Ybor City.

Said Woody, “Most of the…problems coming up with the ability to build a new ballpark is the location and the land. They got the landowners together to say, ‘Hey, if it was to come here…would you be on board?’ and that’s what they did.”

He jokingly added, “The last thing you want is find out you’re going to build a great ballpark and somebody’s home is where the pitcher’s mound is.”

Conversations of a new Rays ballpark have been ongoing for over a decade, since Stuart Sternberg took controlling ownership of the team.

Those talks were heightened from perennially poor attendance and low revenues —

even in times of winning seasons and playoff berths.

Ample blame has been placed at the current stadium location, frequently an inconvenience for Tampa residents forced to fight rush-hour traffic and cross the congested Howard Franklin Bridge.

The more centralized Ybor City site, however, promises to deliver convenient access for a much higher yield of people living and working nearby. About 300,000 people live or work within 5 miles of the proposed stadium site. Moreover, about 1.6 million people live or work within 35 miles of the location.

Woody said those numbers “are almost triple” in comparison to Tropicana Field, while noting about 50 percent to 70 percent of the Rays current attendance is from people living in Hillsborough County.

“Every county in proximity had more attendees show up to a game than in (St Petersburg’s) backyard,” he said.

“People don’t realize this, but I’m not sure that even if we wanted to keep the Rays in St. Pete that Major League Baseball would allow it to happen. We don’t have the attendance. We don’t have the numbers,” he added.

The Rays contract with St. Pete runs through 2027, but the city has agreed to let the team pay to leave early. Some leaders, including Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan, say the first Rays game in Ybor City could happen by 2022.

Woody also shared some details about what the new ballpark may look like, and what it may cost.

Tampa Bay Rays 2020 is a privately funded nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing a new Rays ballpark to Tampa. (Courtesy of Tampa Bay Rays 2020)

Early sketches show an indoor ballpark without an upper deck, seating about 30,000 — considerably smaller than the Tropicana Field’s capacity of 47,000.

Woody portrayed it as “a unique ballpark” that delivers the intimacy of a spring training game, close enough “to hear the crack of the bat.”

While renderings show an option for a retractable roof, Woody pointed out the added maintenance and expense costs — upward of $100 million. He also cited the unreliability of retractable roofs, based on experiences of other MLB clubs.

“If you have looked, they have not been that successful. Some stadiums have had to manually close the roofs, which takes almost two days to manually retract it,” Woody explained.

The ballpark is still in design, so an exact figure hasn’t been determined, but Woody said its construction cost is “probably in the neighborhood” of $600 million to $800 million.

As for financing the stadium project, Woody suggested tourist development taxes could be utilized, along with contributions from Rays ownership, private funding and stadium naming rights.

“The very first thing is, we have to figure what this is going to cost and how much (the Rays) are going to come in, and then we’ll work from there,” he said.

Woody mentioned each of the Rays’ corporate sponsors have agreed to support the team’s move to Ybor City. There’s also the ‘Rays 100,’ a collection of 100 executives and civic leaders willing to serve as ambassadors for the effort to move the Rays across Tampa Bay.

The Rays 100 group, unveiled earlier this month, is expected to enlist local businesses and corporations to pledge financial support for a new stadium, through corporate boxes and season tickets.

Said Woody, “Two things make a baseball team successful — corporate sponsorships and butts in the seats. That’s the cheat code. Revenue goes up, you have a budget, and you can get better players on the field.”

Toward the the end of the meeting, a Rays 2020 representative extended an invitation to the North Tampa Bay Chamber to sign a letter of support for a new stadium.

In response, chamber members belted out a resounding “Yes!” — accompanied by a loud burst of applause.

For more information on Rays 2020, visit TampaBayRays2020.com.

Published April 18, 2018

The ultimate path of I-75 shaped Pasco County’s future

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Robert Frost has a famous poem that talks about two roads diverging in the woods, and how taking the one less traveled by made all of the difference.

In Pasco County’s case, the final alignment of Interstate 75 had similar, far-reaching implications.

Back in the 1960s, before I-75 began construction, locals debated with state officials about where the interstate highway should go.

This 1956 photograph shows a dirt road, which would later be paved to become State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel. (Courtesy of the Department of Transportation, State Archives of Florida)

The county’s power base in Dade City argued for a path closer to that settlement, which at the time had a population of about 4,700.

After all, it was the largest town between Ocala and Tampa during the 1960s.

Several interstate routes already had been moved — in response to public outcry around the state — including in Ocala, Tampa and Wildwood.

Dade City leaders decided to push for an alignment closer to their community, which they believed would be an economic boost.

In 1961, the Dade City Chamber championed moving I-75’s path closer to the city.

The Pasco County Commission passed a resolution favoring the shift.

Commissioners proposed that the route would leave Hernando County and continue south, passing west of Trilby, and continuing to a point about 1 ½ miles northwest of Dade City, then turning southwest to pass 2 miles west of Dade City, and 1 mile east of St. Leo.

Sydney Houston, of the Dade City Chamber, led a public relations campaign that encouraged telegrams and letter-writing.

Those pushing for I-75 to be closer to Dade City lamented the damage that had been done to the city’s economic prowess from the closing of Cummer & Sons Cypress in Lacoochee and from the discontinuation of single-strength canning at Pasco Packing.

They predicted that I-75 circumventing the town would trigger additional economic stress.

They claimed the official plan to enter the state at the Georgia line and then move due south to the Sumter-Hernando County line, where it veered to the southwest toward Tampa, would hurt Pasco County whose population and power base was in the eastern portion of the county.

Popular sentiments claimed Pasco would benefit more, if the interstate sliced through an area closer to Dade City.

This 1956 photograph shows a well-paved Highway 52 near Dade City, as compared to the dirt road near Wesley Chapel.

Initially, their efforts made little headway.

Gov. Farris Bryant retorted that the present alignment of I-75 was justified, via John R. Phillips, chairman of the State Road Board.

However, in response to community outcry, a public hearing was set at the county courthouse on Aug. 8, 1961.

More than 200 people crowded into the circuit courtroom.

O. Perry, state road department engineer, listened intently.

Pasco Commissioner Robert K. Butler pleaded for the I-75 shift.

County Clerk of the Circuit Court Stanley Burnside contended that I-75’s bypassing Dade City would ignore an essential resource — the National Guard unit of the 51st Infantry stationed in Dade City. That unit would be deployed to metropolitan centers in need, and moving I-75 would delay its response times, he said.

Dade City Chamber Director Ed Carren proclaimed by realigning the route the greatest number of people would be served — including Pasco’s largest population living in Dade City, San Antonio, Lacoochee and Zephyrhills, and residents in neighboring Lakeland, Plant City and other communities, in Polk and Hillsborough counties.

George Sanford, a city planner from Lakeland, and representatives of the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce endorsed the plan. They believed the thoroughfare would provide direct access to U.S. 98.

Attorney Bill Larkin, who had been instrumental in getting U.S. 301 positioned through Dade City, pointed to the scenic beauty that the altered route would allow motorists to view – the hills, groves and land of the area.

This 1966 photo shows the completed Interstate 75, near the closest access to Dade City. Resident Jeanette Reilly, a retired educator and a member of the Pasco County History Society, recalled that soon after completion of I-75, one could travel for several miles without seeing another driver. Note in this photograph, there are just four cars.

Undoubtedly, the Dade City contingent did not anticipate the opposition that would be wielded by the towns of San Antonio and Brooksville.

San Antonio Mayor Joe Herrmann was worried that the new route would cut through the middle of several small citrus groves, whereas the current route passed through large acreages allowing resulting damages to be more easily absorbed.

Representatives from Brooksville, the county seat of neighboring Hernando County, had grown accustomed to the existing plan and stood firm in their defense of the governor’s map.

Dade City’s champions failed in their efforts to shift I-75’s path.

If they had prevailed, Burnside, now 97, is confident the altered path would have made a real difference in Dade City’s economic development.

Instead, it was Wesley Chapel’s growth that was fueled by I-75’s path.

What a difference an interstate makes
Growth in the aftermath of I-75 literally put Wesley Chapel on the map.

The community had fewer than 100 residents before I-75 was built — about 2 ½ times smaller than the population needed, to be recognized by a circle on the map by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Throughout most of its history, Wesley Chapel had been known for its open ranges, lumber and turpentine-making operations, and sparse population.

Highway 54 was a dirt path used by carts to haul resin to the turpentine stills and for wagons to carry lumber from sawmills to the railroad line.

But since I-75 sliced through, the landscape in Wesley Chapel has changed from a place dominated by orange groves and cattle ranches to one which features scores of housing subdivisions, a hospital, a state college, numerous schools, two regional shopping malls, several churches and all sorts of businesses.

Wesley Chapel’s population has grown. U.S. Census figures put the community’s population at more than 44,000 in 2016. That compares to Dade City’s population of 7,099, at the same time.

Still, both communities have their strengths.

Wesley Chapel residents have more choices, now.

Dade City residents, though, can enjoy the quiet streets, historic buildings and ambience that combine to give the community its widely recognized Old Florida charm.

By Madonna Jervis Wise

Madonna Jervis Wise is a local historian who has written local history books about Dade City, Zephyrhills and Wesley Chapel.

Published April 18, 2018

New retirement community arriving soon in Land O’ Lakes

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A new retirement community is coming to Land O’ Lakes, which will offer independent living, assistant living and memory care housing options.

Keystone Place at Terra Bella will be opening soon in Land O’ Lakes. The development will feature independent, assistant living and memory care apartments. It also will boast an array of amenities including a pub, a theater, a heated swimming pool, a beauty salon, a library and restaurant-style dining. (Courtesy of The Roche Associates)

Keystone Place at Terra Bella is expected to open within months at 2200 Livingston Road in Land O’ Lakes.

The development will have 140 total apartments, with 62 dedicated to independent living, 56 to assisted living and 22 to memory care, said Beth Barber, the development’s executive director.

The idea is to provide a continuum of care on one campus, so residents won’t have to move away when they need a greater degree of care, she said. Current residents will have priority for access to the assisted living and memory care accommodations.

Those moving in won’t need to pay a large entrance fee or buy-in cost, Barber added.

The development will have:

  • One-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments in independent living
  • Studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom in assisted living
  • Studio and one-bedroom in memory care

Square footages vary, based on floor plans.

The retirement community also will provide an array of services with an increased level of assistance for residents in the assisted living and memory care apartments.

Residents also will be able to enjoy a host of amenities, including a pub, a theater, a heated swimming pool, a beauty salon and a library, Barber said. It also has a chapel.

A wide assortment of activities also will be offered — to provide opportunities for learning, socializing and having fun, she added.

Costs vary based on the type of apartment and the level of services provided.

The apartment designs are different, too.

Keystone Place at Terra Bella is coming to the area because “definitely there was a need for senior housing in Land O’ Lakes,” Barber said. “It is such a growing area.”

Barber noted that people she has chatted with have confirmed the need for senior housing in the area, and they want a place that will allow them to continue to live in Land O’ Lakes.

Keystone Place at Terra Bella is now taking reservations.

For more information, call (813) 388-2121, or visit KeystonePlaceAtTerraBella.com.

Published April 18, 2018

Political Agenda 4/18/2018

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Zephyrhills City Council election results
The results are in from the April 10 election for seats on the Zephyrhills City Council.

Jodi Wilkeson has been elected to the District 3 seat, and Charles E. Proctor has been re-elected to the District 5 seat.

Wilson received 553 votes, which represented 45.89 percent of the vote in the District 3 election. Cory Paul Sommers came in second, with 376 votes or 31.20 percent of the vote, and Devin J. Alexander placed third, with 276 votes, representing 22.90 percent of the vote.

Proctor was re-elected with 751 votes, representing 63.54 percent of the vote. His opponent, William David Seville received 431 votes, representing 36.46 percent of the vote.

Meetings

  • The Democratic Hispanic Caucus of Pasco County will meet on April 24 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the Brick City Eatery, 16540 Pointe Village Drive in Lutz.
  • The Republican Club of Central Pasco will meet April 23 at the Copperstone Executive Suites, 3632 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes. Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley will be the speaker. The social starts at 6:30 p.m., followed by the meeting at 7 p.m.

Endorsements

  • Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco has endorsed Mike Moore for re-election to the District 2 seat of the Pasco County Commission, according to Moore’s campaign.

Political Agenda is a column that runs only during election years.

It gives candidates a place to announce they are seeking political office. It lets voters know of upcoming Meet the Candidate nights or political forums.

It is a place where political clubs can announce upcoming meetings, and it will include news that is pertinent to voters for upcoming elections. It will not include political fundraising events.

There is never a guarantee of publication, but we do consider each item we receive. Please submit items for consideration at least two weeks prior to the desired publication date. Send submissions to .

Celebrating the value of good deeds

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The threat of rain and severe weather cut short the festivities for the first annual Appreciate Pasco Festival at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, but that didn’t detract from the purpose of the event — which was to call attention to the good people do.

Jim Mason, a singer and songwriter from Spring Hill, performs on the Heritage Park stage. He’s been a musician for more than 40 years. (Randy Underhill)

The event was organized as a way to celebrate local Pasco County volunteers, as well as recognize International Good Deeds Day.

Good Deeds Day was established in 2007, and during the past decade it has swept across the globe, including people of all cultures and backgrounds. Last year, the international day was celebrated in 100 countries, making it the largest and most far-reaching global day of good.

The Pasco County event, held April 15, was the first of its kind in Tampa Bay and was planned by a group of Pasco County volunteer activists.

Despite the uncooperative weather, those attending were enthusiastic, and in a generally good mood.

There was plenty of music, provided by Florida Folk Show, WMNF radio station, food by Whaley’s BBQ and Sno Shack, and local volunteer venders.

Next year, Good Deeds Day will be held around the world on April 9, and that will also mark Pasco County’s second annual Appreciate Pasco.

By Randy Underhill

Published April 18, 2018

Lis Saltigerald, left, and Denise Johnson with Pasco Pride, represented one of several organizations at the festival.
Jason Bean and his dog, Busterbrown, relax and enjoy music performed by Florida Folk Show singers and songwriters at the first Appreciate Pasco: A Community Volunteer Appreciation Festival.
Isabella Churilla, seated, of New Tampa, applies paint to her rock at the CPRock tent, as Tracy Teza-Kersey, middle, and owner Alison Foster observe at a festival aimed to express appreciation on April 15 at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park.
Big Jim Allen, a singer and songwriter from the Florida Folk Show, entertains the crowd during the Appreciate Pasco: A Community Volunteer Appreciation Festival.
Phlebotomist Dolly Torris, of Tampa, takes blood from donor Zakir Shareef, 25, from New Port Richey, in the Big Red Bus parked in the field of Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park during the festival.
Tom Soudiero, a singer and songwriter from Dade City, was the first performer of the day. Here, he’s singing one of his original songs.

Citizens can help shape Pasco’s future

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The Pasco County Commission’s decisions are partly guided by resident responses to the annual Pasco County Citizen Survey, which officially opened April 2.

The Citizen Survey, which was first launched in 2009, is conducted every year to collect feedback on numerous topics related to Pasco County’s future. These topics include transportation, parks and libraries, emergency services, safety, growth, and the importance and quality of services.

Thousands respond to the online survey each year, which is intended to help commissioners with planning discussions and decision-making.

“We invite everyone in Pasco to participate in the Online Citizen Survey,” said Marc Bellas, organizational performance management director.

“The survey allows you to be part of the decision-making process and helps the board understand what issues are important to our citizens,” he said.

The survey will be available until May 18, and can be accessed a few ways:

  • Go to Pasco County’s homepage at PascoCountyFl.net, and click on the survey link.
  • Use the MyPasco app, by clicking on the 2018 Citizen Survey button.
  • Use the Pasco County Facebook or Twitter pages.
  • Click directly on the survey link at bit.ly/2pGs3Z6.

Results from previous Citizen Surveys are available at bit.ly/2G1DReq.

Published April 18, 2018

Showing some appreciation for those who do good

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This is a festival that takes time out to celebrate the good that people do in their communities.

The name of the event is Appreciate Pasco: A Community Volunteer Appreciation Festival, and it will feature entertainment, food, prizes, awards and recognitions.

It also will highlight Good Deeds Day, an international event held in 93 countries, to recognize good works that often go unnoticed, but that help make the world a better place.

The appreciation festival will be held on April 15 from noon to 6 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

“We anticipate it will kick off in flying colors and it will be an annual event,” said Appreciate Pasco organizer Elise Mysels.

Appreciate Pasco kicks off several other annual celebrations, including annual National Volunteer Week, Health Care Volunteer Week, National Park Service Volunteer Week, and Worldwide Volunteer Recognition Day on April 20. It also coincides with National Representation Day, which focuses on ending corruption in government.

Over the past three months, Mysels and a core group of about five volunteers, known as the Pasco County Volunteer Activists, have worked to pull Appreciate Pasco together.

It’s the first festival of its kind in the Tampa Bay area for Good Deeds Day and Representation Day, said Mysels.

“There are a lot of people in our community that do stuff behind the scenes that nobody knows about,” said Mysels. “They deserve to be recognized. We’re trying to make this an initiative that supports smaller types of groups and organizations, and bring to the forefront their needs and causes.”

Entertainment kicks off at noon at the park’s new bandstand, with WMNF radio station’s Florida Folk Show. WMNF is a co-sponsor of the festival through Represent.us.

Performers will be Ronny Elliott, a singer/songwriter and WMNF co-host; The Florida Boys, a Pinellas County-based trio; Tom Scudiero, a Dade City singer/songwriter; Treble Hook, whose real name is Scotty Lee Rexroat, a Dunedin-based singer/songwriter; Jim Mason, a Spring Hill native, with more than 40 years in the recording industry with performers, such as, Peter, Paul and Mary, John Lennon and Buffalo Springfield; and, Dottie South.

More than 70 businesses, vendors, civic organizations, and nonprofits from Tampa Bay are expected to participate. They include Courteous Canine; Arts in Motion Pasco; Davis Family Hearing; Harley-Davidson of Tampa; Ferman Buick-GMC; Moore-Mickens Education Center; Gulfside Hospice; Sierra Club; Represent.us Pasco County; Catholic Charities; Oasis Pregnancy Centers; Sunrise Pasco; Women’s March; and Organize Florida.

The nonprofit, OneBlood, will drive up its Big Red Bus for blood donations, and free wellness checkups.

Attendees can vote for their favorite nonprofit, with monetary awards going to the top three vote-getters.

Food vendors are Whaley’s BBQ, Vallarta’s Mexican Restaurant and the Sno Shack.

International Good Deeds Day began in 2007 as an initiative organized by Ruach Tova of the Ted Arison Family Foundation. The event’s partner is the nonprofit Points of Light, which was founded by President George H.W. Bush.

Good Deeds Day and Points of Light promote innovative programs that engage volunteers in providing public service. The event day focuses on 17 sustainable development goals adopted by the United Nations, including eliminating poverty; gender equality; affordable, clean energy; decent work and economic growth; good health; and climate action.

Good deeds, large and small, can change the world, Mysels said.

“Good deeds can be something as small as a smile or holding a door open for someone,” she said.

What: Appreciate Pasco: A Community Volunteer Appreciation Festival
When: April 15, noon to 6 p.m.
Where: Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
Cost: Free
Details: The festival celebrates volunteers in Tampa Bay, with arts and crafts, entertainment, food, prizes, and volunteer awards and recognition.
Info: ActionNetwork.org/events/appreciate-pasco-festival

Published April 11, 2018

Mettler Toledo brings jobs to Pasco County

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Mettler Toledo celebrated the grand opening of its 270,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Northpointe Village, with tours, refreshments and a ribbon cutting.

The Swiss-based company is a global supplier of precision scales and services used in research, and the packaging and production of food and pharmaceuticals.

Mettler Toledo executives and local dignitaries cut the ribbon the 270,000-square-foot manufacturing plant. (Kathy Steele)

Mettler Toledo announced plans in 2017 to relocate its Town ‘n Country facility, and also to close its plant in Ithaca, New York. About 600 employees now work at the new plant at the Northpointe shopping center, off State Road 54 at Suncoast Parkway.

Nearly 170 people were hired in the past year, with most coming from Pasco County.

“We have a global leader now located in our county,” said Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey. “It’s an amazing company. Opportunities like this one bring even more enthusiasm to our region.”

The facility will be home to four business units.

Currently onsite are Tampa-based Safeline Metal Detection and X-Ray Inspection, and Eagle Product Inspection.

During the summer, they will be joined by Mettler Toledo’s Hi-Speed Checkweighing, which currently is in Ithaca; and, Vision Inspection, currently in Aurora, Illinois.

Mettler Toledo opened its 270,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Northpointe Village, off State Road 54. (Courtesy of Mettler Toledo)

The units offer a range of services, including the design and manufacture of systems that check for contaminants, provide quality control for products and packaging, and test for safety of foods and pharmaceuticals.

During tours of the plant, visitors walked through the sales and services departments, plant operations area, training room, and quality control area.

The campus also has an on-site fitness room, a recreation room with ping pong and foosball, a courtyard and the “Northpointe Café.”

In quality control, visitors got a demonstration of Mettler Toledo’s testing equipment.

The one on display is capable of checking 300 boxes of chocolates in 1 minute for contaminants, and missing pieces of candy.

In her remarks, Starkey singled out Mettler Toledo’s commitment to apprenticeship programs for manufacturing jobs. Because of its on-site cafes, the company also started a culinary program at its Switzerland headquarters that will be adopted in Pasco.

Visitors to Mettler Toledo are greeted in the lobby of the manufacturing plant, which produces equipment for the food and pharmaceutical industries. (Courtesy of Mettler Toledo)

Four students in Pasco’s AmSkills program — Melissa Fink, Alex Gerwe, Nikki Daniels and Josh Ortiz — attended the Mettler Toledo’s opening.

AmSkills is a Tampa Bay initiative that helps high school students, adults and veterans seeking manufacturing jobs. The program operates in Pasco, Pinellas and Hernando counties.

AmSkills instructor Dan Albright said he was able to place some of his students at Mettler Toledo.

Daniels, 36, was impressed with her tour. She is in the adult program at AmSkills.

“I’m very interested and excited that (Mettler Toledo) is close to this area,” she said. “It’s what we’re looking for.”

Ortiz, 19, also is in the adult program, which will last 17 weeks. “I want to be able to find a job,” he said. “Something I can go into, and be proud of and have a career.”

Published April 11, 2018

Is your memory problem a normal part of aging, or a form of dementia?

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Those attending Dr. Andrew E. Budson’s talks at the Plantation Palms Golf Club in Land O’ Lakes last week had two key takeaways.

Dr. Andrew Budson (Courtesy of The Roche Associates)

First, if you’re having problems with your memory, go to a doctor who specializes in memory issues. In some cases, the problem may be the result of something that’s completely reversible, and even when it’s not, the sooner treatment begins, the better, said Budson, co-author of the book “Seven Steps to Managing Your Memory.”

The second takeaway was this: If you’re looking for something that’s very likely to help your memory, exercise is the key.

“People often ask me, ‘Dr. Budson, is there a magic pill out there to help improve my memory?’ My answer is, ‘Yes, there is. It’s called exercise.’”

Budson gave two talks on April 6 as part of a program presented by Keystone Place at Terra Bella, a new retirement community that will be opening in Land O’ Lakes, which will offer independent living, assisted living and memory care accommodations.

To get things rolling, Budson asked the audience during the 12:30 p.m. talk to consider whether these common memory issues were a result of normal aging, or something else:

  • You walk into a room to get something and you forget why.
  • You’re having trouble remembering the name of a friend of yours from church, even though you’ve met her a half-a-dozen times.
  • You’re having trouble remembering some of the details of your life, such as your wedding.
  • When you are driving and not paying attention, you take one or more wrong turns, and you end up somewhere you did not intend to be.
  • You spend too much time looking for your keys, glasses, wallet or purse.
  • Your family said you’ve asked that question before.

One of the key things to watch for is a change in behavior, Budson said.

“If you are someone who every morning as you’re getting ready to leave the house you spend 5, 10 or 15 minutes hunting around for keys, glasses, wallet, purse, and now you’re getting a little bit older and you’re still spending 5, 10, 15 minutes hunting around the house for these things, well, that’s probably normal for you.

“But if you are someone who is always very organized, never spend any time hunting around for these things — and now you’re spending 5, 10, 15, maybe 20 minutes, maybe an hour, maybe you never find that wallet, you have to replace the credit cards or you have to replace the cellphone because you couldn’t find it, you know, that would be concerning,” Budson said.

He gave another example.

“Anyone can forget that they’ve already told their best friend that story and start to tell it again, or cannot remember the answer to a question and ask it again. Sure, that can happen once or twice, no big deal.

“But, for somebody that’s telling the same story, again and again and again … every time you meet this individual they tell it, maybe even twice during the same visit, that sounds like rapid forgetting. Rapid forgetting is never normal,” he said.

To help explain how memory works, the doctor used the analogy of a filing system.

“The file clerk is our frontal lobes. It is our frontal lobes’ file clerk’s job to take the information in from the outside world and to put it inside the file cabinet.

“So, when we want to retrieve a memory, you can picture the frontal lobe file clerk pulling open the file drawer, leafing through the files until he finds the memory that he’s looking for,” he said.

As we get older, our file clerk doesn’t hear quite as well as he used to, so information may need to be repeated a couple of times in order for it to be stored in the file cabinet.

It also can take longer to retrieve a memory, and we may need a hint or cue about what a memory was about, he added.

But, the main thing is, if a memory goes into the cabinet — it can be retrieved.

Using the same filing system analogy, he then focused on the file cabinet itself.

“The file cabinet is another part of the brain. It’s actually our hippocampus. The hippocampus is the part of the brain that stores new memories. It’s located in the temporal lobes.

“The problem with diseases like Alzheimer’s is that it damages the hippocampus, and ultimately, in fact, destroys the hippocampus.

“Imagine if you pull open the drawer of the file cabinet and you look down inside, and you find out there’s a big hole in the bottom of the file drawer.

“You can have the most efficient file clerk in the world, taking information in from the outside world, putting it into the file cabinet. If there’s a big hole there, the memories are going to disappear, never to be retrieved again,” he said.

Diet and exercise can strengthen memory
The doctor also explained the distinction between the terms dementia, Alzheimer’s and mild cognitive impairment.

Dementia is a general term that means that someone’s thinking and memory have declined to the point that it interferes with day-to-day function, he said.

It can be caused by things that are easily treatable and actually completely reversible, but also can be caused by serious diseases, including Alzheimer’s.

Mild cognitive impairment means that a person has a confirmed memory loss, but that the individual’s day-to-day function is normal, Budson said.

Over time, about half of the people with mild cognitive impairment go on to develop Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, but the other half don’t, he said.

Once a memory problem has been determined, the next step is treatment, Budson said. There are standard medications that have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, he said. Plus, there’s more research underway now than there ever has been during the 110-year history of Alzheimer’s.

Early treatment is crucial, he said.

“They (medications) can turn the clock back by six to 12 months,” he said. “I am much more likely to be able to turn the clock back all of the way to 12 months, all the way to make their memory like it was a year ago, if they come to see me early.”

Research also shows that lifestyle changes can help, he said.

“The Mediterranean diet, and a few variations of it, is really the only diet that study after study after study has been proven to be healthy for the brain and good for the memory,” he said. That diet includes fish, olive oil, avocados, fruits and vegetables, nuts and beans, and whole grains.

Exercise also is good for you, but before increasing your activity, be sure to check with your doctor, he said.

The recommended amount of exercise is at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise five days a week, plus two hours a week of things that help with strength and balance, and flexibility.

Besides reducing the risk for stroke and improving your mood, exercise can help you sleep better — which is critically important for the memory, he said.

“Remember we talked about how the new memories are stored in the hippocampus, in our new memory file cabinet? Well, it turns out there’s another memory file cabinet that is storing the older memories. It is during sleep that the memories go from the short-term, temporary store (file) to the long-term permanent store (file),” he said.

Besides exercise and diet, other ways to strengthen the memory including social engagement and learning new things, Budson said.

There is no evidence, however, that doing brain-training games and crossword puzzles will improve the memory, he said.

“What the studies show is that if you spend time doing crossword puzzles, or Suduko or computerized brain training programs, you get better at crossword puzzles, Suduko and computerized brain training programs. It simply does not translate to overall brain function,” he said.

Know the 10 signs

  • Memory loss that disrupts daily life
  • Challenges in planning or solving problems
  • Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work, or at leisure
  • Confusion with time or place
  • Trouble with understanding visual images or spatial relationships
  • New problems with words in speaking or writing
  • Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
  • Decreased or poor judgment
  • Withdrawal from work or social activities
  • Changes in mood or personality

For more details on this list and for more information about Alzheimer’s, visit ALZ.org.

Published April 11, 2018

Seeking answers in the opioid battle

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U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis wants all voices to be heard in the quest to combat the nation’s opioid crisis.

The congressman met with the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) on March 27 to discuss the issue and listen to reactions to proposed federal legislation related to the opioid crisis.

The public meeting, held at the community center at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, attracted dozens of people who are interested in the issue.

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis recently met with the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP), to discuss and solicit feedback on federal bills related to the opioid crisis. The House Health Subcommittee has heard 26 bills as a starting point related to opioid legislation that will be rolled into one large bill to be passed out of the House by the end of May. (File)

It piggybacked off a similar ASAP meeting in August, where Bilirakis provided an update on federal efforts to combat opioid abuse.

So far, the House Health Subcommittee has heard 26 bills as a starting point related to opioid legislation that will be rolled into one large bill to be passed out of the House by the end of May.

The bipartisan bill, CARA 2.0 Act, builds on the original Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act by providing $4 billion in additional resources for opioid prevention and treatment.

The funding was earmarked as part of President Donald Trump’s $1.3 trillion long-term spending bill, which passed March 23.

Throughout the 90-minute session, ASAP members shared personal stories and presented ideas to help solve the opioid crisis.

Opioid overdoses accounted for more than 42,000 deaths in 2016, more than any previous year on record, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. An estimated 40 percent of those deaths involved a prescription opioid, the agency says.

Members of ASAP, including Beth Piecora, advocated for additional peer support specialist programs. In this type of program, people who have significant personal experience with struggles pertaining to mental health, psychological trauma or substance abuse provide support to people who are currently struggling with those types of issues.

Piecora, a representative for Central Florida Behavioral Health Network, said federal dollars are needed to train and employ an increased number of those peer specialists.

Peers often can be instrumental in leading someone to pursue treatment, Piecora said.

She also suggested background check screenings be eased when hiring such specialists. “Some folks that have that lived experience sometimes have those certain things on their record,” she explained.

Others mentioned Narcan — a life-saving emergency opioid treatment — should become more readily available for addicts and their families.

The medication is the first and only FDA-approved nasal form of naloxone, which helps blocks the effects of opioids on the brain and restores breathing.

Besides enhancing distribution efforts, ASAP members said Narcan should be subsidized for consumers, particularly those uninsured. Without a prescription, the medication can cost more than $130.

One speaker even suggested requiring doctors to provide Narcan as part of prescribed pain medications.

While grant programs are available to receive free Narcan through nonprofits, barriers still remain in getting quick, easy access, ASAP coordinator Monica Rousseau said.

“You can access Narcan for free, but it usually involves a lot of paperwork…and it’s kind of obscure. It’s also very difficult to get it in a moment when you have people struggling,” she said.

Crisis needs to be attacked on many fronts
Meanwhile, Pasco Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Art Rowand inquired about creating a policy to allow law enforcement to place addicts into treatment, without arrests.

The law enforcement officer said such a measure could help eliminate the cycle of drug abuse, and cut down on overdoses and deaths.

“Basically, the only thing we have to take care of the situation…is to arrest them,” Rowand said.

Some ASAP members stressed that Bilirakis and other policymakers continue to address comprehensive addiction issues, including alcoholism.

“Opioid is now the new kind of thing, and everybody’s aware of it, but I don’t want to leave out treatment for alcoholism,” said Dena Lynch, who spoke on behalf of Alcoholics Anonymous.

“It goes hand in hand, and there’s a lot of people using drugs that also drink, so I think you can’t disregard that as far as treatments. A lot of people in all walks of life have alcohol problems, and it’s really easy to focus on opioids.”

Other suggestions included:

  • Additional measures to help juveniles with addiction treatment
  • More impactful opioid and drug education in schools for younger-aged children
  • New educational opportunities for parents of drug addicts
  • Additional ‘sober living’ houses that also are affordable
  • An increased number of child and adolescent psychiatrists
  • Improved access for psychological services and treatment for the LGBTQ community
  • Mandatory needle exchanges
  • Additional faith community nursing programs

Bilirakis said he wants to schedule a discussion next month with a handful of stakeholders, to continue to brainstorm about possible legislation related to fighting addiction.

Addressing the audience, the congressman said, “We can get your voice heard up there and really get these things into law, but we’ve got to find out what works.”

He continued: “You can throw all the money in the world at something, but if you don’t do it right and it’s not effective, then it doesn’t do anybody any good.”

Published April 11, 2018