The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Pasco budget includes more library hours, park money

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Pasco County commissioners didn’t care for the lean 2018 budget, with no frills, they received at a June 13 workshop.

So, they added in about $7.6 million in reserve funds to pay for a litany of items for libraries, parks and public safety.

At about $1.34 billion, the proposed fiscal year budget is slightly more than the $1.3 billion offered up by Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles.

Children had fun at the ‘Play, Make Discover! Silly Dance Party’ at Land O’ Lakes Public Library in March. Library patrons often say they want more library hours, and Pasco County’s 2018 budget could give them want they want.
(File)

His version of the budget balanced revenues and expenses without dipping into reserves.

Even so, the budget path taken by county commissioners is

about $40 million lighter than the 2017 budget.

It also maintains the current property tax rate. Some owners, with homestead exemption, could see slight increases due to a 2.1 percent increase in property values.

“There’s a desire to maintain a level of service as we grow,” said Biles. “The issue is, how do we do that?”

Since 2011, more than 60,000 new residents have moved to Pasco.

A 2018 referendum on an additional $25,000 in homestead exemptions, if approved, could cost the county about $10 million in revenues beginning with the 2020 budget.

County commissioners met in a workshop in New Port Richey for their first look at the new budget. They must approve the property tax rate on July 11.

Two public hearings will be scheduled before a final vote in September. The fiscal year begins on Oct. 1.

County commissioners quickly zeroed in on initiatives that they wanted to restore to residents, including extended library hours, new ambulances, park upgrades and fire trucks, and new hires for the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

“I am not happy with the amount of money we’re giving our parks,” said Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey. “Because at $9 million, we’re closing our parks. We can’t continue at this level…I’m not happy having our libraries closed.”

Starkey suggested creating taxing units to dedicate money to libraries and parks. But, budget deadlines stymied that idea, and county commissioners opted to go again, to the reserve funds.

Pay raises for county employees were a priority.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells said employees went for years without raises during the downturn of the economy.

“I hope we can eventually get to performance-based (pay raises),” Wells said. “There were some folks that were very, very, very underpaid.”

The initial budget, as presented by Biles, didn’t have money for more library hours or much for parks. It did have about $5 million for a third installment of promised pay raises to sheriff’s deputies. But, that left only about $557,000 in new revenue, and about $8 million in unfunded requests.

There is potential for additional revenues from property taxes when Pasco County Property Appraiser Gary Joiner gives his final numbers by July 1. The current budget proposal includes preliminary estimates of about $24.2 million in tax revenues. That is about $1.3 million more than last year, or about a 5.8 percent increase.

If final data exceeds that projection, commissioners can put money back into reserves, or opt to fund additional items.

The following items were among those added to the budget:

  • Additional 2 percent pay raise for county employees (for a total of 4 percent)
  • Upgrades for parks in danger of being closed
  • 14 new hires at the sheriff’s office, including a crossing guard and traffic control officers
  • Two new hires at property appraiser’s office and equipment upgrades
  • Six new hires at the Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller’s office
  • A “One Stop Shop” for community services in Dade City
  • More library hours and design work to modernize the New River and Centennial libraries

• Four new hires to aid administration in rewriting land development codes

Published June 28, 2017

Opening doors of hope for the homeless

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The Pasco County Commission has approved funding to renovate a former Boys & Girls Club, and reopen the campus as a navigation center for the county’s homeless population.

An administrative building and a teen center, at 8239 Youth Lane in Port Richey, will be refurbished with about $600,000 in federal and state money.

The goal is to open the navigation center by mid-2018.

The center will serve as a “low-barrier” homeless shelter. Its larger purpose, however, is to find housing for homeless men and women, and deliver support services for job searches, job training, education and health care.

Pasco County will dedicate about $600,000 in federal and state grants to rehabilitate the former campus of the Boys & Girls Club on Youth Lane in Port Richey. It will be the site for a navigation center to help homeless people restart their lives. (File)

It will be the first time the county has opened a homeless shelter, and embarked on such a major initiative. The center is modeled after one in San Francisco.

“Navigation centers work,” Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore said. “This is a community effort. This is a people’s building. This is a citizen’s building. I need everybody to come together. Let’s pool resources together and get something done.”

Moore is chairman of the Homeless Advisory Board.

Commissioners heard from about a dozen people during public comment. Speakers were passionate, with most of them supporting the navigation center.

Suzanne Chicon has volunteered for the annual count of homeless people in Pasco. Among the people she met was a man who lost a good-paying job for health reasons, and a young woman who had aged out of the foster care program.

“Some of the things I witnessed horrified me,” Chicon said. “We need the (navigation) center as a focused area to help these people.”

But, the location of the center is raising alarm bells for some residents who live in the nearby subdivision of Crane’s Roost.

Valerie Schaefer told commissioners she had spoken with all but a handful of residents in the 89-home neighborhood. Most are worried about increasing crime, solicitations and lower property values, she said.

“No one in the neighborhood is against the humanitarian (purpose) of the navigation center,” Schaefer said. “But, they are concerned. They are very scared. They are very angry over this proposal…We have skin in the game. We live here.”

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey supports the navigation center but said, “I need a report in a year or two on how it’s going.”

Only Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano voted against the navigation center. He supports the concept, but not the location.

“I just don’t like the setup,” he said.

He backed off a previous suggestion that a hurricane shelter in Hudson would be a better site, agreeing that it would be too remote. But, he offered a new idea – building tiny houses on land with access to U.S. 19.

Starkey was willing to consider such a project, but only if the houses were dispersed through the county.

Pasco has more than 3,000 homeless people based on an annual count. About 500 are considered chronically homeless. Many of the homeless individuals live in about 100 camps identified by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office countywide.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco supports the center.

“The sheriff’s office cannot solve this problem,” he said. “It’s a health care issue, but unfortunately it falls on the shoulders of law enforcement. What the (homeless) coalition wants, we’re going to go with. I think the coalition is heading in the right direction.”

Commissioners gave initial approval to the funding and the location for the center on June 20 in New Port Richey. A final vote on the project is scheduled for July 11 in Dade City.

The funds would be dispersed after Oct. 1.

Commissioners will be asked in September to transfer the county property to the Homeless Coalition of Pasco, which will manage the navigation center.

The goal is to work with one camp at a time. Homeless individuals would live at the navigation center on average about 90 days, said Raine Johns, the coalition’s chief executive director.

They would be given “wrap-around” services, and personalized case management for about 12 months, through a coalition of partners, including United Way of Pasco and the Pasco County Housing Authority.

As many as 75 single adult men and women would be housed at the center. They would get help in finding jobs, job training, education and health care. Housing is a priority.

The county’s housing authority has pledged 75 housing vouchers to the program.

“There is such a big change in a person’s life when he does have a place to live,” Johns said.

Homeless people are living in cars and in the woods, she added. “You are creating a cycle of poverty because people don’t have a safe place to live.”

Published June 28, 2017

School construction needs outpace funding

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The Pasco County School Board has begun exploring the idea of asking voters to support a half-penny sales tax to help pay for school construction.

During a June 20 workshop on the district’s capital needs, School Board member Cynthia Armstrong asked staff to come back with a projection of how much the half-penny tax would generate in 10 years and a list detailing the types of projects the tax revenues would support.

Pasco County Schools would like to see more scenes like this around the district. The Pasco County School Board has asked district staff to research how much money a half-cent sales tax could generate and possible projects the revenues could support.
(File)

Her request came during a board workshop immediately after the Pasco County Commission’s first public hearing on a proposal to boost school impact fees.

The County Commission appears to be leaning toward an increase, but it’s not clear how much that increase will be, or when it will take effect.

Even if the full amount of the proposed impact fees is approved, the district construction needs far outstrip its expected revenues, said Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd. It is unlikely the money the district needs will be provided by the state Legislature, Gadd said.

The district has identified these projects to be partially supported by the proposed impact fees:

  • Cypress Creek Middle School
  • Starkey Ranch, kindergarten through eighth grade
  • A new high school
  • A new elementary school in the Wesley Chapel area
  • A new elementary school in State Road 54 corridor area

Those projects are based on current growth patterns, Gadd said.

Meanwhile, the newly built Cypress Creek Middle High School, off Old Pasco Road, is scheduled to open this fall. Initially, it will serve students in grades six through 11, but it will add grade 12 during the second year. Its boundaries affected Rushe, John Long and Weightman middle schools, and Sunlake, Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass high schools.

Bexley Elementary School, 4380 Ballantrae Blvd. in the Bexley subdivision off State Road 54, also is set to open in the fall. It is intended to reduce crowding at Oakstead and Odessa elementary schools.

The district also is proceeding on massive remodeling projects at Land O’ Lakes High School in Land O’ Lakes and Woodland Elementary School in Zephyrhills.

Armstrong also urged supporters of the proposed school impact fee increase to show up to make their views known at the Pasco County Commission’s second public hearing on school impact fees. That meeting is set for July 11 at 1:30 p.m., at the historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City.

Published June 28, 2017

Using food to fight aging effects

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They learned about ‘superfoods,’ and then they cooked with them.

Humana Zephyrhills hosted a nutrition talk and cooking demonstration for seniors on June 12, focusing on foods that may help fight the effects of aging.

Impacts from aging can include vision and memory loss, decreased brain function, and other chronic health problems such as heart disease and high blood pressure.

Jen Wead, a Zephyrhills-based caterer, exhibited the ease of preparing quick, superfood-based recipes from scratch. She used a compact culinary station to create a grilled tuna and bean salad, and strawberry-ricotta, whole-grain bruschetta. (Kevin Weiss)

During the interactive discussion, a roomful of guests studied the various health benefits of 10 types of superfoods, including, berries; cold-water, fatty fish; extra-virgin olive oil; dark, leafy greens; nuts and seeds; legumes; whole grains; sweet potatoes; plain yogurt; and, dark chocolate.

Superfoods, considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being, are usually rich in antioxidants — chemicals believed to help protect the body from the damaging effects of free radicals.

Antioxidants are present in foods in the form of vitamins, minerals, flavonoids and polyphenols.

Rhea Paul, a Humana health educator, offered numerous tips on incorporating superfoods into daily diets, while highlighting the importance of doing so.

Though impossible to completely stop aging, Paul noted superfoods can “help slow down the disease process.”

As a general rule, she said produce in “dark, deep, rich, vibrant colors” contains the most antioxidants.

Blueberries and strawberries, kale and broccoli, and sweet potatoes are some examples.

Spinach, turnips and mustard greens are others.

“You want a rainbow a day when you’re eating your food,” Paul said. “That’s really, really important.”

Paul explained fresh or frozen — opposed to canned or processed — fruits and veggies are the ideal option, to avoid added preservatives and other harmful substances.

“When you get your (fruits), don’t get the sweetened kind. You don’t want them to have the sugar added to it,” Paul advised.

“You have to be very careful about reading labels.”

From easy-to-make smoothies and salads, to topping off on cereals, Paul said, “the possibilities are endless” for incorporating fruits and veggies, daily.

Paul also went into detail about other superfoods, including plain, unsalted nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios) and legumes (beans, peas, lentils).

Each provide excellent sources of plant-based protein and fiber — which Paul noted is lacking in typical American diets.

They can seamlessly be supplemented to soups, salads, pastas and crockpot dishes.

They’re economical, too.

“It’s great if you’re on a budget,” Paul said, “because you can get a bag of dried beans, and it could last.”

Besides preventing age-related issues, the listed superfoods can help lower bad cholesterol levels and stabilize blood sugar levels, to maintain a healthy weight.

But, even with all the benefits, Paul warned foods should be eaten in moderation — especially high-caloric olive oil and dark chocolate, plus fish, whole grains and yogurt.

“You don’t need a lot,” she warned.

Paul suggests eating the smallest meal of the day in the evening, and drinking plenty of water to properly absorb vitamins and minerals.

She also recommends consulting a doctor regarding the right amount of certain nutrients, before making drastic dietary changes.

After the lecture, it was time to cook.

Chef Jen Wead, a Zephyrhills-based caterer, exhibited the ease of preparing quick, superfood-based recipes from scratch.

She used a compact culinary station — equipped with a George Foreman grill and toaster oven — to craft a grilled tuna and bean salad, and strawberry-ricotta, whole-grain bruschetta.

Both dishes were served in less than 45 minutes combined.

And, they were packed with nutrients.

Wead operates Catering by The Rose and teaches monthly healthy cooking classes for Humana community locations in Central Florida, including Kissimmee, Port Richey and Spring Hill.

She said cooking healthily can be done inexpensively, despite conventional belief.

Buying in bulk and purchasing seasonal produce helps keep costs down, she said.

The tuna steaks used in the salad recipe, for example, were purchased for less than $2 each.

“It’s not really accurate to say it’s more expensive to eat healthy,” she said. “If you do it correctly, it isn’t.”

Eating healthy can also be fun, by putting your own spin on recipes.

Wead, for instance, substituted brown sugar with honey and used skim milk ricotta cheese on the bruschetta.

She also substituted basil with mint.

“There are no rules,” she stated. “Get crazy with it.”

Wead, meanwhile, provided some tips on cooking for just one or two people.

She advises keeping it simple —using five ingredients or less per dish, and staying organized — keeping a list, and labeling freezer bags and Tupperware.

She also suggests following the FIFO (First In, First Out) principle. “Make things you don’t mind having leftovers the next day,” she said.

Those looking for healthy recipes, Wead recommends PickledPlum.com, Food.com and FoodNetwork.com.

Humana community locations are open to the public Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For information on events, programs and activities at Humana’s Zephyrhills location, visit Humana.com/ZephyrhillsCommunity.

Published June 28, 2017

Commissioners dig community gardens

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Wanna-be community gardeners can start making plans to harvest their crops.

The Pasco County Commission approved an ordinance on June 20 to establish a definition for a community garden and to create a process for permit applications.

In 2016, volunteers built a garden bed at a community garden on land owned by Florida Hospital Zephyrhills. (File)

This is the county’s first community gardening ordinance.

Pasco also is the first in the state to approve a countywide ordinance permitting community gardens.

Some cities, including New Port Richey, already have such ordinances.

“It’s been a long road,” said Matt Armstrong, the county’s executive planner for long-range planning. “A lot of people worked on this. It’s something we believe will strengthen the community.”

Pasco established a Food Policy Advisory Council more than two years ago. It is just one of three such councils in the state.

Matt Armstrong

Volunteer members look at a wide range of issues regarding food access, nutrition and overall food policies that would benefit Pasco residents.

The community garden ordinance was the advisory council’s first recommendation.

The ordinance follows public workshops and meetings to gather input in crafting the ordinance.

By definition, community gardens are gardens where crops and ornamental plants, including flowers, are grown and harvested. Daily vehicle trips to tend the gardens generally are more than 14 per day but less than 100, with limited use of heavy vehicles.

Permit applications will require information such as location, operating hours, parking availability and a designated garden manager.

The community garden ordinance doesn’t apply to home gardens or “greenbelt” agricultural farms.

For more information, visit PascoCountyFl.net.

Published June 28, 2017

Laughter fell like dominoes, during these friendly games

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If you’re age 50 or older and you enjoy dominoes, the Lutz Senior Center, is a great place to go.

Eighty-two-year-old Betty Villafane, of Tampa, is one happy lady when she defeats three others during a game of dominos at the Lutz Senior Center. At far right is 83-year-old Carmen LoBianco, of Tampa. (Fred Bellet)

One recent day, the winners were clearly enjoying their victories — but even those who didn’t win seemed to be having fun.

The center, at 112 First Ave., N.W., in Lutz, draws quite a few competitors to the dominoes games it offers on weekdays.

Accounts vary over the origin of dominoes.

Editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica say that dominoes originated in China and can be traced back to as early as the 10th century.

An article posted on Kidzworld.com, puts the beginning of dominoes a bit later — in around 1100 A.D.

The Kidzworld story also said the game eventually arrived in Europe sometime during the 18th century.

Seventy-five-year-old Hermita Duarte, left, of Tampa, took on a challenge by 83-year-old Carmen LoBianco, right, also of Tampa, during a game of dominoes at the Lutz Senior Center. Other players also joined in the fun.

But, the article also notes that a game similar to dominoes was found in Tutankhamen’s tomb in Egypt, which dates back to 1355 B.C.

Whenever and wherever dominoes began, it remains a popular game.

Each set of dominoes has 28 tiles.

In the most basic game, the dominoes are laid face down and mixed up.

Each player then draws seven dominoes and arranges them so opponents cannot see them.

Each player plays one domino in turn by matching one of their dominoes with the open end of a domino that has already been played. If one player cannot play, the opponent goes on until a domino is placed that the blocked player can match.

Seventy-two-year-old Tina Lisojo, of Tampa, contemplates her next move.

The game ends when one player has played all their dominoes or when both players can no longer make a play.

The player who goes out first, or who has the fewest spots on his or her remaining pieces wins the game.

Dominoes is just one of many activities offered at The Lutz Senior Center, which is open with no membership fees to Hillsborough County adults age 50 and older.

Other amenities at the center include computers, classes, Internet access, nutritional services, public parking and Wi-Fi.

Meal services are available to registered participants who are 60 and older.

The center’s hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday

To find out more, call (813) 264-3804.

Published June 28, 2017

Eighty-three-year-old Carmen LoBianco, of Tampa, gracefully slides a tile as she competes in a game of dominos.
Betty Villafane, 82, raises her arms in victory as she takes on three players in a domino game at the Lutz Senior Center. From left, looking on, are Marta Gallucci, 68, of Wesley Chapel; Mabel Macaluso, 91, of Lutz; and Tina Lisojo, 72, of Tampa.

Zephyrhills SummerFest offers fireworks, fun

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It’s the only fireworks show in Zephyrhills.

And, it promises to offer wholesome family fun.

The 2017 Zephyrhills SummerFest is slated for June 24 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Zephyr Park, 38116 Fifth Ave.

Besides offering free admission and parking, the event is pet friendly, too.

However, alcohol sales will not be allowed.

The third annual Zephyrhills SummerFest features a 30-minute fireworks display over Zephyr Lake. It is the city’s only fireworks show. (Courtesy of Simply Events)

Entering its third year, Zephyrhills SummerFest is the only 4th of July celebration in the city, promoting “summer, families and our great country.”

Arguably, its biggest attraction is a 30-minute fireworks show, which is set to begin  sharply at 9 p.m.

The vibrant display — by Patriot Fireworks—is set over Zephyr Lake, the park’s centerpiece pond.

Besides nighttime fireworks, there are loads of daytime activities aimed at keeping families entertained on the last Saturday in June.

Alongside dozens of food and business vendors, there’s a watermelon-eating contest and dance contest, plus a water balloon toss, couples’ relay race and sack race.

For youngsters, there’s a designated Kid’s Area featuring multiple bounce houses, waterslides and face painting.

Zephyr Park’s full playground and wet zone also will be open for children.

Between the family friendly entertainment, DJ Express will be spinning upbeat tunes all afternoon, at the Zephyr Park gazebo.

Patrons are advised to bring lawn chairs or blankets, and arrive early for prime parking spots.

Sponsored by the City of Zephyrhills, the festival is organized by Clearwater-based Simply Events Inc.

The company organizes several events in the city, including the popular Zephyrhills Pie Festival, Zephyrhills Artsy Farmer’s Market and Snowbird Palooza.

Drew Cecere, co-owner of Simply Events, said the idea for Zephyrhills SummerFest stemmed from the city not having a fireworks show for “many, many years.”

Entering its third year, Zephyrhills SummerFest has drawn thousands of attendees for its daytime activities and nighttime fireworks display.

“There wasn’t a whole lot that went on in the area for families when we started doing events out here,” said Cecere, who has relatives living in Zephyrhills.

“We make a full event out of it.”

While the festival still lacks major corporate sponsors, Cecere said attendance increased substantially last year, with thousands of people turning out —especially for the 30-minute firework display.

“The first year was good, the second year…was really amazing,” he said.

“A lot of people on Facebook videotaped it, and were just shocked by how long the fireworks show was.”

The event also benefits the Samaritan Project of Zephyrhills, a nonprofit organization that assists the short-term financial needs of people and families.

The local organization will get a portion of the funds generated through the festival’s bounce houses, and auctions and raffles.

The 2017 Zephyrhills SummerFest will be take place at Zephyr Park June 24, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. (File)

“We love to give back,” Cecere said. “In every event that we do, we have a local nonprofit involved. This event, we have to do fundraising because there’s no entry (fees), there’s no parking (fees), there’s no alcohol sales, and that’s normally the stuff that would go to a nonprofit.”

Should inclement weather arise, deciding whether to reschedule the festival will “be played by ear” between city officials and event organizers, Cecere said.

“We’re going take every effort to make sure it goes on (June 24),” Cecere said.

“If it’s a downpour that just lasts thirty minutes, we’ll just wait and do the fireworks thirty minutes later. But, if it’s like a long couple hours’ storm where we just can’t hold it, then we would have to get with the city and figure out a new date.”

Considering the expenses for fireworks alone, Cecere added the show “definitely would be something that would be rescheduled” in case of thunderstorms or heavy rain.

Regardless, the festival doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon, as its attendance increases and support from the city continues, Cecere said.

For information about Zephyrhills SummerFest, visit SimplyEventsFL.com.

Published June 21, 2017

Tree house tutoring blossoms in nature

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Teaching is not a profession that Sarah Christiansen expected to pursue.

As a child growing up in the Virgin Islands, she hated going to school.

“I had a difficult time listening and writing. I struggled with comprehension.”

She couldn’t picture herself as a teacher.

Times change.

Christiansen, these days, lives in rural Pasco County where she tutors students – usually working with them on mathematics – inside a tree house in her backyard.

Sarah Christiansen, left, owner of Yes You Can Tutoring service, enjoys a moment with former student, Alexis Sandoval, outside Christiansen’s tree house. (Kathy Steele)

A few yards away, a second tree house is nearing completion.

The treehouses are taking her Yes You Can Tutoring service down a new path.

For nearly 10 years, she has taught in her home, at 13050 Curley Road, near Dade City.

Students could enjoy window views of the woodlands and open spaces, and sometimes a walk in the woods for a timely break in studies.

Christiansen now is moving students even closer to nature.

“There’s something about a tree house that everybody loves,” she said. “You’re right in with nature. It’s a really nice feeling.”

Research has found there is a link between nature and learning, she said.

“Environment plays a key part in the learning process,” the tutor said. “Nature reduces mental fatigue. I know it did for me.”

In addition to one-on-one tutoring sessions, the tree house will be the setting for a summer math retreat for girls in July.

It’s her third summer camp, but the first all-girls camp.

There is a stereotype that women don’t do well in math, Christiansen said.

“It saddens me,” she said. “We have to empower our girls. I just want to let them know they can do this.”

The tree house in her backyard is life coming full circle.

Traditional schools and home-schooling were never the right fit for her in St. Croix. But, as a teenager, she connected with her teachers at an alternative school with outdoor classrooms, in gazebos.

Sarah Christiansen tutors students inside a tree house in her backyard.

Teachers usually instructed only five or six students. The largest class size was about 15 students, Christiansen recalled.

“I loved the outdoors,” she said. “I was able to excel.”

She earned her high school diploma, and went to the University of Virgin Islands for two years. Her father, who taught marine biology, insisted she was meant to be a teacher. She didn’t agree.

Her life path included marriage, family and a home-based business as a clothes designer of sarongs. At one time, she had a kiosk at University Mall.

A life-changing event turned her life around.

Her son was diagnosed as borderline ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). She zeroed in on how to help him. She researched and studied the disorder, and then decided it was time to go back to school.

Christiansen enrolled in Saint Leo University in 2000, setting a goal of becoming a special education teacher. She worked in the Pasco County school system for nearly nine years.

Then, she returned to St. Croix to care for her father until his death.

While there, she taught at a small private school.

She was expected to teach subjects she wasn’t familiar with – health for one. And, administrators also tossed in drama.

“Because they said you’re dramatic,” Christiansen said. “I could sink or swim.”

She swam, and relied on some advice from her father.

“He told me always be kind to every child. You never know their background or what’s going on in their home.

“He treated every child with respect,” she said.

Back home in Pasco, Christiansen decided against going back into public schools. She wanted to do private tutoring.

Her attitude was: “Okay, God, I’m going to put this in your hands.”

“It was kind of a gamble,” she said.

Alexis Sandoval is one of her student successes.

She came to Yes You Can as a high school student before the tree house was built.

Sandoval appreciated the quiet rural setting of Christiansen’s home.

“I was failing, and I wasn’t going to graduate,” said Sandoval.

She gained confidence with one-on-one tutoring, and learned “to think for myself,” she said.

Today, she is at Pasco-Hernando State College where she makes A and B grades. “I was never like that in high school,” she said.

Long-range, Sandoval plans to open a restaurant.

Her older sister Karissa Sandoval, 25, also received tutoring from Christiansen after failing repeatedly to pass the reading portion of the FCAT (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test). It is a requirement to earn a high school diploma.

She has since passed the test, and is in school now to become a nurse, Christiansen said.

Helping children find direction and purpose is part of the tutoring process, she added.

“We’re put here on this Earth for a reason,” Christiansen said. “You have to have a purpose, what you’re meant to do.”

For more information, visit YesYouCanTutoring.com, or call (352) 585-6327.

Published June 21, 2017

New center could help Pasco’s homeless

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Pasco County wants to open the county’s first homeless shelter as part of a comprehensive plan to help an estimated 3,300 homeless people.

There are about 100 camps across Pasco County where people live, according to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

The chosen location for what is proposed as a “one-stop navigation center” is in two county-owned buildings in west Pasco, formerly leased to the Boys & Girls Club.

Pasco County Emergency Services Director Kevin Guthrie spoke to a large crowd on June 14 in New Port Richey. The county had a public meeting to talk about a navigation center to help homeless individuals with housing, health care and jobs. (Kathy Steele)

The Pasco County Commission was set to vote on June 20 (after The Laker/Lutz News deadline) on two federal grants that would be used to rehabilitate buildings.

The goal is to open the navigation center in 2018.

Pasco County and the Homeless Coalition of Pasco had public meetings on June 7 and on June 14 in New Port Richey to explain the navigation center and get public input.

While most support the homeless shelter in concept, nearby neighbors in Crane’s Roost and representatives of a nearby mall object to the proposed location at 8239 Youth Lane, off Little Road in New Port Richey.

They worry about increased solicitation, crime and lowered property values.

Studies have shown the opposite, including decreases in crime, said Raine Johns, chief executive officer of the Homeless Coalition of Pasco.

“You’ll find this decreases dramatically,” she said.

However, a representative of Ridge Plaza, anchored by Hobby Lobby and a Walmart Neighborhood Market, said tenants have expressed concerns about impacts to their businesses. He also said no one had reached out to mall representatives to discuss the navigation center.

“It certainly merits that we get together,” he said.

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano was the only commissioner to vote against the navigation center in November. He proposed putting the center in the Mike Fasano Regional Hurricane Shelter in Hudson.

He said the program could be operated cheaper, safer and quicker if the shelter were used.

Others said the hurricane shelter was in the “middle of nowhere,” with no bus service and few job opportunities.

“The last thing we want to do is institutionalize the homeless population,” said Johns.

The navigation center is modeled after one in San Francisco. It would be a one-stop shelter that would work to place people into housing. They also would receive help in finding jobs, job training and health care, and receive personalized case management.

The efforts would focus on one camp at a time, with as many as 75 single adult men and women housed an average of 90 days at the navigation center.

“Housing first. That’s the end goal,” said Cathy Pearson, assistant county administrator for public services. “A lot of partners are coming together. We believe in this.”

The count done by the sheriff’s office found homeless camps in all areas of the county, including west Pasco, Zephyrhills, Land O’ Lakes and Dade City.

“This is a serious topic. We know that,” said Pasco County Sheriff’s Capt. James Steffens. “We’re trying to do something other than put handcuffs on people and take them to jail.”

The sheriff’s office is one of the partners for the navigation center. Others include the United Way of Pasco, the Pasco County Housing Authority, and the Public Defender’s Office of the Sixth Judicial Circuit.

United Way will contribute about $100,000. About 50 housing vouchers will be dedicated to the navigation center. And, the public defender’s office plans to send its mobile medical unit to the center.

Pasco also plans to contribute about $50,000 for a program that would hire some of the homeless individuals for county labor. The goal is to help them learn skills and establish a work history.

The County Commission is expected to be asked in September to transfer the navigation center property to the homeless coalition.

As a nonprofit, the coalition has more access to additional grants.

Published June 21, 2017

Dade City Police gets a new K-9 team

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The Dade City Police Department has a new K-9 team — with Officer Kevin Burns and his new partner Tyke.

Burns is a 12-year veteran of the Dade City Police Department. He hit the streets with Tyke on June 5.

The city had operated nearly 15 months without a K-9 team.

The team was introduced to the public at the Dade City Commission meeting on June 13.

The tandem is fresh off a demanding 16-week training course in patrol procedures and tracking, sponsored by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

Tyke is a 16-month-old German shepherd. Officer Kevin Burns, a 12-year veteran of the agency, is his partner. They hit the streets together on June 5, after a demanding 16-week training course.
(Courtesy of Dade City Police Department)

During the course, K-9s are trained to ascend obstacles, negotiate water bodies and follow their handler’s commands, among other tasks.

“It was a long 16 weeks of school — four months, 10-hour days, four days a week,” Burns said.

Tyke, a 16-month-old German shepherd, passed the state exam “with flying colors,” according to Dade City police chief Ray Velboom.

The new unit will become an integral part of the police department and the community, acting as a “force multiplier” capable of searching buildings and tracking suspects, missing children and vulnerable adults.

After a year on the beat, the K-9 unit will be sent to a narcotic detection school to receive dual-certification from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

“Overall, he’s going to be a good tracking dog. He’s going to be good for the city here,” Burns said.

The K-9 unit also offers protection and safety assurances for the police force, Velboom said.

“I had somebody ask me why we needed a dog, and we happened to be in a bank building, and I said, ‘Well, put yourself in an officer’s shoes when it comes to this bank building at 3 a.m., and that door is wide open and the alarm is going off. Do you want to go in by yourself, or do you want to send something in that’s got a better sense of smell?”

Tyke, imported from Slovakia, cost about $9,000. Supplies and equipment costs — kennel, vests and leashes, among other items — totaled another $1,500.

Since a police dog wasn’t included in last year’s budget, the agency sought outside assistance.

The department received several thousand dollars in donations from a number of local organizations and businesses, including the Kiwanis Club, the Rotary Club and many private donors. It also led to the formation of the Dade City Police Foundation, a private 501c3 nonprofit organization.

“Because this dog was purchased through the generosity of the community, I want him to be much more visible to everyday citizens than teams in the past. He will not only be used on patrol, but will be seen interacting downtown and in the schools,” the police chief said.

For Burns, joining the K-9 unit and handling Tyke has been “life-changing.”

“We still have a lot to go and a lot further to see and do, but just in the four months that we’ve had training, he’s not only my partner, he’s an officer of Dade City and he’s a family member, too,” Burns explained.

“When he comes to work, he works. When he comes home, he’s a house dog — he lies down, relaxes, plays, whatever he needs to do. But, when he comes to work, he knows what to do,” the police officer said.

Even in a decade-plus law enforcement career as a patrol officer, Burns didn’t realize the undertaking of a K-9 team — from intensive training to daily tasks.

“Mentally, it’s challenging,” he said, “because you have to be able to read him.

Tyke gets up close and personal with Dade City council members. Tyke and his handler, Officer Kevin Burns, were formally introduced to the public on June 13.
(Kevin Weiss)

“He’s the one doing the work, we just train him. Learning how to read him, (the job) is probably 80 percent mental and probably 20 percent physical.”

Choosing Burns as Tyke’s partner was likewise arduous.

The police chief received a handful of applicants inside the department, and collaborated with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office to conduct interviews, along with background checks, performance reviews, physical assessments and home assessments.

“It was a long, exhausting process,” Velboom said. “We wanted to make sure we had the right fit.”

“We sent a team out to his house…to make sure the family’s okay with it and the house is okay,” he added.

For over a year, the Dade City Police Department operated without its own K-9 unit.

Chris Stone, a 14-year law enforcement officer, and his K-9 partner, Ryko, worked together for eight years before retiring as a team in March 2016; Stone now works for Pasco County Fire Rescue.

Meantime, the agency received K-9 assistance from both the Pasco Sheriff’s Office and the Zephyrhills Police Department.

“The county provided a K-9 service for us whenever we needed it, but it’s always nice to have your own dog,” Velboom said.

Velboom acknowledged a second police dog could be added at some point, dependent on budget and fundraising efforts.

Police dogs are typically retired after nine or 10 years, due to hip issues.

“It’s a tough job — riding in a car for 12 hours a day, jumping out and running,” Velboom said.

Published June 21, 2017