The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Solutions sought for Pasco’s congestion

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A task force that will help decide the future of State Road 54 and State Road 56 has taken preliminary steps to set up a schedule and agree on a list of potential road designs meant to improve traffic along the busy corridors.

The 17-member task force will serve as advisory board to the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization. It held an organizational meeting on April 20 at Rasmussen College, off State Road 54. About 25 people from the community were there, too.

This is the second of a three-part study to find traffic solutions to ease congestion, improve safety and increase mobility along the State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor — that is exploding with new development and increasing traffic.

Vehicles stack up during rush hours as motorists travel on State Road 54 and approach the intersection with U.S. 41.
(Kathy Steele)

The entire study area includes the corridor, from Bruce B. Downs Boulevard on the east to U.S. 19 on the west.

This phase of the study will focus primarily on two intersections: Little Road and State Road 54 in New Port Richey, and U.S. 41 and State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes.

“We are reaching an important stage of development in this,” said Kris Hughes, the county’s planning and development director. “We are looking forward to what this process produces.”

Three meetings in total are planned in 2017. The second meeting will be in August, with a final meeting in October. At least two additional meetings are planned for 2018, but no dates are scheduled.

The task force replaces two previous task forces, each representing east and west sides of Pasco. They met during phase one of the project, and recommended six major highway and transit alternatives, five complementary alternatives and a no-build option.

The new task force will explore those options in more detail and whittle the list to three or four alternatives, and the no-build option.

“Do nothing? Well, that’s not going to work,” said task force member Jack Buckley.

Choices under review include designs for elevated lanes and redesigns at the ground level. Some options include dedicated lanes for buses and others don’t.

Sorting out how disruptive some designs can be to business and property owners will be a factor in choosing which direction to take, Buckley said.

Access on and off the roadway and the distances between on-off ramps are important, said Kim Brinkley-Seyer. She is principal of The Seyer Group in Lakewood Ranch in Sarasota.

“I am very concerned,” she said during public comment. “It is about moving people, but you have businesses and people along the way. That’s got to be a factor. You take the access, and it’s gone.”

Representatives from Pasco County Planning and Development, the county’s MPO, Florida Department of Transportation, and consultants from AECOM will assist in the study.

Published April 26, 2017

Symposium spotlights mental health, well-being

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College life can be exciting, but also can be challenging.

Besides searching for independence, there comes a new level of responsibilities — academically and socially.

That’s why administrators and student leaders at Pasco-Hernando State College organized a Community Resource Fair and Symposium on mental health and well-being, at the college’s East Campus in Dade City.

Research conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness on mental health on college campuses shows:

  • 25 percent of students have a diagnosable illness
  • 40 percent do not seek help
  • 80 percent feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities
  • 50 percent have been so anxious they struggled in school

About a dozen organizations were present during the April 19 event — part of the college’s ongoing community awareness series.
Several local mental health and wellness agencies were on hand, including BayCare Behavioral Health, and Sunrise of Pasco County Domestic and Sexual Violence Center.

Pasco-Hernando State College organized a Community Resource Fair and Symposium on April 19 at its East Campus in Dade City.
(Courtesy of PHSC)

Representatives from those groups, along with a college staff member, led a panel discussion on mental fitness among college students.

One of the panelists was Jacqui Turner, a liaison for BayCare Health System’s Student Assistance Program (SAP), which provides support to students in dealing with personal, academic, or relationship problems via referral services through managed care benefits and other community resources.

According to Turner, most college students utilize the SAP service because they struggle balancing school, work and general life obligations.

Those stresses, Turner said, can translate to poor classroom performance.

“When your mind is focused elsewhere,” she said, “you’re not performing to your fullest potential…and your grades go down pretty fast.”

Aside from stress, feelings of anxiety and depression can also be prevalent among college students, Turner noted.

Another panelist, Chuck Wilson— the college’s executive director of the President’s Institute for College Preparation, Completion, Certification, Leadership Development — suggested financial decisions—good and bad—can impact mental well-being.

He said most debt is created right out of college.

“As you’re preparing for life, don’t mess up your money,” he said.

That includes incorporating preventative measures, such as saving and smart spending habits. 
“If you don’t do that,” Wilson said, “now you’re dealing with depression, and fear and anxiety.”

Later on, Wilson advised those with financial struggles to seek help from elder family members and dabble with financial literacy programs.

“Often there’s value in age and experience,” he said.

He also advocated performing a self-assessment “when something is weighing you.”

“Have courageous conversation with yourself. When you tell yourself the truth, I think that’s the baseline for rising above whatever the situation is.”

With April being National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a portion of the symposium centered on ways to support victims and survivors of sexual assault, dating and violence domestic and stalking.
The topic was led by Aubrey Hall, Green Dot coordinator for Sunrise of Pasco. The Green Dot Bystander aims to end or reduce the amount of violence found on university campuses.

According to Hall, one in four women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime, and one in six men will be stalked.

“These numbers rise when college is in session,” Hall explained. “When you’re in college, you’re four times more likely to be assaulted than when you’re not in college.”

She pointed out survivors of violence “sometimes feel guilty or shameful, because they feel like they should have acted.”

Empowering those victims, Hall said, starts with utilizing proper interaction techniques.

One such technique, called trauma-informed care, is an approach that aims to engage people with histories of trauma, recognize the presence of trauma symptoms and acknowledge the role that trauma has played in their lives.

“When you go and you interact with somebody, you don’t really know what they’ve been through. And, it’s really not right to ask somebody about it,” Hall said.

“I never go into a room assuming no one’s experienced violence.”

She, too, never asks ‘why,’ when dealing with trauma victims, due to its presumptive tone.

“If you’re asking somebody why something happened to them, you’re putting the blame on them. You’re putting the onus on them,” Hall said.

She added: “Language is extremely important. Not only how you’re asking the questions, but then following up.”

Published April 26, 2017

Trails putting Florida on the map

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Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp wants to get residents moving when it comes to supporting and building a network of trails and greenways.

The first-time county commissioner recently invited trail experts to give residents an overview of current and future projects in Hillsborough and the Tampa Bay region.

Regional trails coursing through Pasco County include the Coast to Coast Trail tying together east and west coasts; and, the Suncoast Trail, with trail heads in Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties

Dale Allen, executive director of the Florida Greenways & Trails Foundation, left, received an award given to the foundation by the Florida Bicycle Association. J. Steele Olmstead is the association’s president; Pat Kemp is Hillsborough County Commissioner.
(Kathy Steele)

Nearly 75 people attended the April 4 meeting at the Robert W. Saunders Sr. Public Library in Tampa. Speakers included Dale Allen, executive director of the Florida Greenways and Trails Foundation; Wade Reynolds of the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization; and Anthony Matonti of Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority, or TBARTA.

“Trails are just exploding,” said Kemp.

But, she came away disappointed when she attended a regional meeting on trials in Venice in February. At least seven counties made presentations.

“Pasco had a great demonstration, good programs,” Kemp said.

Hillsborough didn’t have as much going on, but that wasn’t always the case, she said.  “It seemed like something happened in Hillsborough because they went dormant.”

Kemp hopes that the April 4 meeting will spur efforts to follow through on trail projects in Hillsborough and regionally. An annual summit on trail development in Hillsborough also would keep momentum going, she said.

On April 5, Hillsborough County commissioners asked the county’s staff to prioritize a list of hiking and bicycling trails for future projects, and to make a biannual report on progress.

All across Florida, a trail system is taking shape.

It’s one that largely began with local projects, but now is emerging as a statewide network, Allen said.

The Coast to Coast trail, for instance, includes about 14 individual trails built by local governments. When the trail opens in 2020, it will connect Volusia County in the east with Pinellas County in the west. A portion of the 250-mile trail will cut through Pasco.

Kathryn Starkey is a Pasco County Commissioner.
(File)

People can ride bicycles from the Kennedy Space Center to the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Allen said.

“The economic impact of this is tremendous,” he said.

Florida’s trail system benefits from a number of factors, including year-round warm weather. But, Allen said the state has other assets as well, including its state parks.

Florida is the only state in the nation to win the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence three times for the maintenance of its parks.

The state also has thousands of miles of abandoned rights-of-way along railroad lines. Many trail systems around the country are being built on those old routes, including the Coeur d’Alene Trail in Idaho along 71 miles of the Union Pacific rail line, and the High Line in New York City on an abandoned, elevated rail road trestle.

Allen said the High Line is the second biggest tourist attraction in New York City.

In Pasco, a trail is proposed to follow the Orange Belt rail line. Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey often mentions the trail as an economic boon to Land O’ Lakes.

Dade City often is cited as a future hub for bicyclists traveling the trail network.

The Coast to Coast trail could benefit Dade City’s efforts, said Allen, in response to a question posed after his presentation. But, he added, “They’ve got to do it right. Putting lanes for bicycles along roadways won’t do it.”

The trails must be safe, scenic and lead to destinations people want to visit, Allen said.

In Florida, safety is a critical issue. The state consistently over the years ranks at or near the worst among states in annual pedestrian and bicycling fatalities.

Data shows that nine out of 10 Floridians own bicycles. But, Allen said one out of 10 owners don’t ride them. “The roads are too dangerous,” he said. “To go to best from worst, we have a lot of work to do.”

Published April 26, 2017

Seeking connections between counties

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Pasco County planners hope a study will point the way to consensus on whether to open more north/south roads that link Pasco and Hillsborough counties.

More than 100 people attended a public meeting on the topic on April 18 at Pasco-Hernando State College, off Mansfield Boulevard.

The boulevard dead-ends at the county line, just before reaching Kinnan Street, a two-lane, divided roadway in New Tampa, on Hillsborough’s side of the dividing line.

A caravan of buses travels along Mansfield Boulevard, twice a day, delivering and picking up students at three schools. Pasco County residents worry that linking Mansfield to Kinnan Street in New Tampa will increase traffic.
(Kathy Steele)

Connecting the two is one of three road projects that the study will consider over the next six months. Consultants with AECOM also will look at the potential for southern extensions of Meadow Pointe Boulevard and Wyndfields Boulevard that would link with existing and future roads in the K-Bar ranch development in Hillsborough.

Opening up Mansfield and Kinnan drew largely negative reviews from Pasco residents, specifically those living in Meadow Pointe subdivisions.

“More through roads will be needed,” said Meadow Pointe resident Michael Kaufman. “I’m not against development.

But, he said, “There are a lot of reasons not to connect Mansfield and Kinnan, and no good reason.”

The road designs aren’t compatible for one, and they also were never intended to be linked, Kaufman said. It is impossible to widen Kinnan beyond its current two lanes because there isn’t room, he added.

The increase in traffic would be a safety issue, particularly because there are three schools, and the state college along Mansfield, Kaufman said.

Richard Traudt, who lives in the Longleaf subdivision of Meadow Pointe, agreed.

Twice a day, caravans of buses carry students to and from their schools. Parents are lining up to drop off and pick up, also. It’s a traffic bottleneck at those times, which doesn’t make it a good connector street, but more traffic also becomes a safety problem, Traudt said.

“You would be putting students in more jeopardy than they are now,” he said, adding that more traffic signals at intersections likely would be needed.

For many at the meeting, a southern extension of Meadow Pointe Boulevard into K-Bar ranch made more sense.

“It was envisioned as a connecting street with New Tampa,” Kaufman said.

For New Tampa and Hillsborough residents, new ways to improve traffic flow also are important matters.

“We need a total system developed,” said Hillsborough resident Frank Hauser. “We need connections.” But, he shares concerns that Mansfield and Kinnan shouldn’t be linked, and agrees that Meadow Pointe Boulevard should be extended.

Janet and Stanley Murawski live in Meadow Pointe, close by county line.

They also support extending Meadow Pointe. “This would have the greatest assistance for everyone,” said Janet Murawski.

And, even though, a Mansfield-Kinnan link would shorten her drive to work, she said, “For me it would be good, but not for the area.”

Extending Wyndfields also had supporters, but that project seemed farther in the future than Meadow Pointe Boulevard.

Mansfield and Kinnan has been an unresolved issue for years, but negotiations with Pasco, Tampa and K-Bar developers never produced a solution.

Residents pushing for the connections cite the need for better evacuation routes, safety and greater mobility. Navigating the divide at Mansfield and Kinnan, for instance, can mean traveling a long, circular route using County Line road, Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Cross Creek Boulevard and Morris Bridge Road.

“It started long before I got here,” said Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore, who addressed audience members. “The study will look at all possible connections and impacts on both sides.”

The study is being funded by Pasco, with AECOM receiving about $112,000.

Though invited to contribute financially, Moore said the City of Tampa and Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization both declined.

Representatives were invited to the meeting, and Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera did attend.

Viera said New Tampa residents are eager to open routes, including Mansfield and Kinnan. He acknowledged the problems with that project but said the issue should be studied.

“We have a lot of quality of life in the balance for people,”Viera said.

The lack of north/south connections is hurting businesses on Cross Creek Boulevard, he said.

“You can’t get people there without them driving 20 minutes,” he said. “It’s something we’re willing to fight for.”

Moore, who is in his first term on the Pasco County Commission, met with former Tampa City Councilwoman Lisa Montelione last year to discuss linking Mansfield and Kinnan.

The issue surfaced soon after a 911 call led to confusion and misdirection over dispatching an ambulance to aid a Tampa resident who had suffered severe burns.

Moore, at the time, received phone calls and emails from Meadow Pointe residents opposed to opening the roads. But, Moore decided to request the study and explore feasible road projects, and also to hear from residents.

Published April 26, 2017

Carrollwood Village park project pushes forward

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With funding secured for a new community park in Carrollwood Village, the next step is finalizing the project’s conceptual design.

The 50-acre Carrollwood Village Community Park is set to replace the Dale Mabry Wastewater Treatment Plant once it goes offline, and the land is converted to a green space.

A new 50-acre park eventually will replace the Dale Mabry Wastewater Treatment Plant, once it goes offline and is converted to a green space. Anticipated park amenities for the Carrollwood Village Community Park are a playground, volleyball court, open-lot amphitheater, skate park, and event pavilion. Other incorporated features include walking trails, a dog park, a splash pad, a picnic area, a botanical garden and a nature center. The park’s budget stands at $6.5 million.
(File)

The property is situated west of North Dale Mabry Highway, south of West Village Drive in the Greater Carrollwood Area.

The current total park project budget is $6.5 million, including $400,000 in impact fees and $6.1 million in financing. The land transfer from the Hillsborough County Public Utilities Department is currently estimated at $1 million to $1.5 million.

The county is retiring the 40-year-old plant because of increasing operation and maintenance costs; the plant’s workload will be transferred to the Northwest Regional Water Reclamation Facility off South Mobley Road.

The decommissioning of the plant is expected to be complete sometime next spring.
In the meantime, the park will be phased in over several years, beginning with the Design Build Procurement Phase, now underway.

That involves the construction of a new pump station, a reclaimed water outfall, odor-control equipment and an electrical building.

As Phase I ramps up, the Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation Department is still gathering input on the project, which included an April 18 open house at the Carrollwood Cultural Center.

Dozens of residents attended, providing comments, filing out notecards, and asking questions on proposed use and amenity options.

The meeting served as a follow-up to a gathering in September 2015, where parks officials collected input from the community on the type of amenities they’d value the most at the 50-acre site.

Department officials ranked the citizens’ comments, and created a top 10 “wish list” of amenities.

A “passive” community park, featuring walking trails, a dog park, a splash pad, a picnic area, a botanical garden and a nature center were some of the most requested amenities.

Shown here is a conceptual design for the 50-acre Carrollwood Village Community Park. An open house was held April 18 at the Carrollwood Cultural Center to generate additional feedback on the project.
(Kevin Weiss)

Based on the community’s comments, the conceptual plan was further developed to incorporate desired changes, including a playground, volleyball court, open-lot amphitheater, skate park and event pavilion.

This current plan is a “living document” that may be changed based on site conditions, construction restrictions and budget allowance, park officials say.
Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan, the featured speaker at the April 18 open house, said the park has potential to become “a real jewel” in Carrollwood.

“It is going to be a wonderful community asset,” Hagan said. “With the location and size of this property, we have a rare opportunity to really create something special right in the heart of Carrollwood Village.”

A major question remaining is which park elements the community wants first, said Doc Dougherty, the county’s parks and recreation director.

“There’s so much that goes into infrastructure at a place this big,” Dougherty explained. “Our goal would be to have as many (park) elements as we can in the first phase, so people can see something useful here.”

Another issue still under consideration is the park’s operational component.

“That is a challenge throughout all of our facilities,” Hagan said, “Whether it’s parks, libraries or fire stations, it’s not the capital cost up front, but it’s the recurring, yearly operational costs that provide challenges.”

Hagan noted the county is considering various public-private partnership opportunities to reduce those costs.

The county’s parks department already oversees 176 neighborhood parks, 54 recreation centers, and 118 playgrounds, along with has 38 sports complexes, four skate parks and six dog parks.
The idea for the new park in Carrollwood was community-driven.

Once news spread about the retirement of the wastewater site a few years ago, the Friends of the Northwest Regional Park — the group responsible for spearheading the idea for a new park — collected several thousand individual signatures and received support from over 10,000 Carrollwood homeowners for a new community park.

“I’ve never seen a project that has had this level of community support,” said Hagan “A lot of credit must go to leadership here in Carrollwood Village.”
Officials say additional meetings are anticipated as the project develops.

Public comments on the Carrollwood Village Community Park will be accepted through May 2.

To provide feedback on the project, visit tinyurl.com/lgn4xxv.

Published April 26, 2017

A church finds its permanent dwelling place

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North Pointe Church, which has seen much change since forming more than a dozen years ago, finally is getting a permanent home.

The church, which most recently has been meeting at Sunlake High School, plans a soft opening for its new location in early May. It plans a free community getting-to-know-you barbecue on May 20, followed by its official grand opening services on May 21.

The church had its formal groundbreaking on April 10 of last year, in hopes of completing the project in plenty of time for services on Easter.

Senior pastor Steve Wells credits his staff, church members and church supporters for the work that’s been done to get ready to give North Pointe Church its first permanent home in 12 years. From left, church staff members shown here are Lance Courtney, student pastor; Deanna Porter, children’s ministry director; Steve Wells, senior pastor; Leila Povlack, women’s ministry director; Kylie McCracken, communications director; and Chris White, worship leader.
(B.C. Manion)

But, as often happens, construction didn’t go quite as quickly as planned, said Senior Pastor Steve Wells. The requirement to install a 30,000-gallon water tank to provide fire protection for the property caused most of the delay, he said.

The church’s new home, at 19862 Amanda Park Drive, is on a 33-acre site off County Line Road in Lutz.

“We’re finally putting down roots. That’s a big deal for a church that’s been portable for 12 years,” Wells said. “We believe that God is planting us here.”

The church began meeting in 2004, in the auditorium at Wharton High School, as a church planted by Belmont Church of Temple Terrace. It became its own church the following year.

It moved from Wharton to a warehouse space in Land O’ Lakes in 2008, then moved again in 2015 to Sunlake High in Land O’ Lakes, where it is meeting now.

Its membership grew from 40 when it started to 300 now. It draws worshippers from as far west as Odessa, as far east as Zephyrhills, as far north as San Antonio, and as far south as Thonotosassa.

The 12,000-square-foot worship center which is approaching completion doesn’t look like a church — and that’s intentional, Wells said.

The pastor foresees the building being used for all sorts of gatherings, including live performances, corporate recognition parties, team building exercises and so on.

He wants to give people many reasons to enter through the church’s doors.

North Pointe currently has two services on Sundays, which Wells expects to continue. When the time is right, he expects a Saturday service to be added.

All of the services are contemporary, with music provided by highly skilled musicians, the pastor said.

The worship center is able to accommodate 450 people, but there is plenty of room to grow, Wells said.

The church aims to be a place where people can find help with life’s practical challenges, as well as to grow spiritually, Wells said.

In addition to having facilities for private events, the church also plans to offer foster care training, adoption services and adoption counseling, Wells said.

The pastor believes the church’s new location represents a physical manifestation of God’s word in action.

Here’s how the location came about.

In 2008, church members prayed over an 11-acre site, hoping that a door would open for the land to become the location for the church’s first permanent home.

That didn’t happen.

And, while it desired a larger piece of property, the church decided to search for a 3-acre piece because that was in keeping with its finances, Wells said.

As it turns out, another property — directly next to the original piece that they had prayed over — became available.

Although the church was looking to buy a 3-acre piece, the owner said: “Well, I’ll sell you 3 acres for the same price as 33 acres. Decide what you want to do,” Wells said.

That decision was easy, he said.

As Wells surveys the property, he sees enormous possibilities.

He is delighted that the members of North Pointe Church finally will have a home where couples can be married and children can be baptized. The property also provides a place for church picnics and other activities, and will be available for rentals for all sorts of events, Wells said.

Visiting the church property is like taking a step back in time.

Much of the property features Old Florida’s unspoiled beauty, with its ancient oaks and paths shaded by tree canopies.

“You don’t have to go far away to feel like you went far away,” Wells said.

The church plans to take advantage of that natural beauty.

It also intends to provide a trail to encourage both physical and spiritual fitness.

As people walk the trail, they’ll be able to make periodic stops to do fitness — or spiritual — exercises, Wells said.

It’s been a big project, which has benefited from the help of church staff, church members and church supporters, Wells said.

Creating the church’s permanent home has been both daunting and thrilling at the same time, Wells said.

“It’s the most exciting, humbling, overwhelming, intimidating thing I’ve ever been a part of,” the pastor said.

Published April 26, 2017

It’s prom time at the Spring Fling Buddy Ball

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Octavia Frost sat patiently through make-up and hair styling, as her Best Buddies’ student volunteer, Zyandria Vega, created just the right look for a special occasion – the Spring Fling Buddy Ball.

Volunteer Annie Williams spins 16-year-old Elena Capasso during the Spring Fling Buddy Ball. The prom is held annually for students, age 15 to 22, who are in ESE (exceptional student education) classes at Wesley Chapel High School.
(Fred Bellet)

She wore a dark blue gown of her choosing for the annual prom at Wesley Chapel High School.

And, when she walked into the school’s gymnasium, Frost, 18, was no wallflower. She and dozens of her classmates, who attend exceptional student education (ESE) classes, had a grand, joyful prom.

The fourth annual prom for “students with exceptionalities” actually was Frost’s second prom.

And, the second time around, she knew what to expect.

“Have more fun, play around and talk with my friends,” the Wesley Chapel junior said.

For three hours, nearly 80 ESE students celebrated a traditional right of passage for high school students.

They posed at the photo booth manned by Best Buddies students, Hannah Collin and Ethan Gelinas. The two journalism students took a break from their usual duties of taking annual yearbook photos to volunteer for prom duty.

Wesley Chapel High School journalism student Hannah Collin, 16, took photos of students who attended the Spring Fling Buddy Ball. Here, she gets help from Angel ‘Rocky’ Rivera, 22, who attended the prom for students with exceptionalities.

A musical selection from Peggy Roski – “DJ extraordinaire” – filled the high school’s gymnasium with the beats and rhythms that had everyone moving. There was the Chicken Dance, Silento’s “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” the glide, and fan favorite selections from the Village People and Taylor Swift.

Phoebe Enering, 15, showed off her knee-length cocktail-style dress.

“My grandmother helped me pick it out,” she said.

The prom began after parents lobbied to give their children the kind of memories that most students take for granted. Staff members at Wesley Chapel donated gowns and prom wear for boys. The fancy duds now can be found in the school’s ABC Closet.

This year, for the first time, the school’s Best Buddies Club partnered to provide volunteers who decorated the gymnasium in a flowers and butterfly theme. Scattered throughout the gym, students could pick up balloons, hula- hoops and beach balls.

The Spring Fling Buddy Ball, supported by the Best Buddies at Wesley Chapel High School, put everyone in a happy mood to dance, stroll and talk with friends.

And, Best Buddies also is aiding with fundraising efforts for the prom.

The Best Buddies club encourages students to forge friendships with students with disabilities. Club members also help with Special Olympics.

“It’s been getting better and better every year,” said Anna Simpson, a paraprofessional transitional assistant for the ESE program.

The prom was from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., to make it easy for students and their parents to attend. Students from age 15 to 22 came to the prom.

Many students meet initially in kindergarten, and move onto middle and high school together, Simpson said. “A lot of the kids are like family,” she said. “The families of the students get together at special events. They’ve been doing this since kindergarten.

“It’s awesome.”

For information on donating prom wear to the ABC Closet, contact the school at (813) 794-8700.

Published April 26, 2017

Shelton McArthur, 18, shows his skills with the hula-hoop at the Spring Fling Buddy Ball at Wesley Chapel High School.
Ashley Mendez, 15, loves the balloon tiara created for her by Lauren Blanset, owner of Twister Events. Blanset is a former Wesley Chapel High School student who volunteered at the Spring Fling Buddy Ball.
Justin Cooper, 20, tries to catch a floating balloon during the Spring Fling Buddy Ball, in the Wesley Chapel High School gymnasium.

Honoring my stepmother, Bettye

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My stepmother, Bettye, is a remarkable woman.

She was married to my father, Don Kortus, for over 36 years, until his death a little more than a year ago.

While I miss Dad every day, I would miss him even more if we didn’t still have Bettye.

A colorful bird perches on Bettye’s hand at Busch Gardens. (Diane Kortus)

I just spent a week with Bettye over the Easter holidays— the first time she visited me without my father.

To be honest, I was a bit apprehensive about Bettye’s visit because I thought we would be so sad without Dad, and would spend the week being constantly reminded of his absence.

But, that was not the case at all.

Bettye joyfully talked about Dad all the time, and always had a comment about how much he would have enjoyed, or resisted, the things we did.

Dad would have loved sitting down to Easter dinner with his Florida family, enjoyed a fabulous Parade of Homes gala at a $2 million home in Lutz, and would have been charmed by historic Dade City and our southern-style lunch at Lunch on Limoges (although he would have been clueless about the French Limoges porcelain).

And, Dad would have hated our day at Busch Gardens, strolling down Seventh Avenue in Ybor City and lounging out by the pool.

But, Bettye loved it all — even sitting in my lanai when I was at work.

It was snowing when she left St. Paul, and Bettye never tired of calling friends back home with daily weather reports from Land O’ Lakes.

We even laughed that if there was anything positive about Dad being gone, it was that Bettye and I could plan our activities without Dad’s standard objection: “We’ve already done that — why would you want to do it again?”

And truthfully, we never would have had such an action-packed week, if Dad had been here.

Which brings me back to the remarkable strength and ongoing love that Bettye extolls. At age 84, her positive outlook on life and her many memories of Dad that she warmly shares, help me to accept that Dad is really gone, and reminds me that life goes on, and I have much to be thankful for.

I am so grateful for Bettye.

I first met her when I was a college student and Dad introduced her to me as his new girlfriend. This was almost four years after my mother died from breast cancer at age 48, leaving behind 10 children, the youngest just 10 years old.

My father taught seventh-grade social studies, and Bettye’s daughter was one of his students. They met at a parent-teacher conference. Dad admired Bettye’s fortitude as a single mother, and was impressed by her commitment to her children and their education.

A few years after my mother died, Dad and Bettye reconnected at a bowling alley where they played on different leagues. They began dating, and married in 1980.

Bettye enjoys a bite to eat at Carmine’s in Ybor City.

I was 25 when they married, and had already moved to Florida. Dad and Bettye visited me every year, sometimes more than once. They were always here — at the most joyous and most difficult times of my life.

They were here for the births and christenings of my two children, Andy and Rachel. They were here for their graduations from high school and college. They helped my family make major moves from Florida to Chicago, and back to Florida again. And, they shared countless holidays and birthdays.

Dad and Bettye were also at my side during my darkest days, including a divorce after 25 years of marriage. They guided me as I rebuilt my business and encouraged me to open my heart to love again.

I always thought it was Dad who insisted he and Bettye visit every year, who made sure my children were loved as much as their grandchildren in Minnesota, and who helped me financially when I had nowhere else to turn.

I realize now that it was Bettye, as much as my father, who insisted on our close family connections through the years.

Bettye never took credit for their regular visits to Florida, or for forging the strong relationships between my children and their Minnesota grandparents.

She was the one who my father listened to, his partner for almost four decades, who quietly, behind the scenes, helped make Dad the man his children and grandchildren so admired and loved.

Today I want to honor and thank Bettye for being a marvelous mother to me, and endearing grandmother to Andy and Rachel.

She is a woman who influenced me more than I ever realized until this glorious Easter season that we shared together as mother and daughter, and as women who are working to overcome the almost unbearable loss of a husband and father.

Published April 26, 2017

La Yuma dishes Cuban cuisine in Lutz

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Chef Pepe Diaz keeps a close eye on what goes on in his kitchen.

The Cuban dishes that pass from the kitchen to the dining room at La Yuma restaurant are authentic to his native country.

But, Diaz also has recipes uniquely his own.

His back story in itself is not the typical path to culinary success.

Chef Pepe Diaz, left, his wife, Tania Diaz, his daughter, Thania Diaz Clevenger, and son-in-law, Ashley Clevenger, stand outside their new Lutz restaurant – La Yuma.
(Courtesy of Kathy Steele)

As a political prisoner of Fidel Castro, his job in jail was to take scant food staples and turn them into meals for himself and other prisoners.

Later exiled from Cuba, Diaz went first to Spain, and then, to Miami and Key West, where he nurtured a dream of becoming a restaurant entrepreneur.

Patrons of his Key West restaurant in Mallory Square – El Meson de Pepe – have been dining on Diaz’ cuisine for more than 30 years.

Now his daughter and son-in-law, Thania Diaz Clevenger and Ashley Clevenger, are bringing the family recipes to Lutz and Tampa Bay.

Ashley Clevenger is general manager; Thania Clevenger is in charge of marketing. Family matriarch, Tania Diaz, is helpmate to her 76-year-old husband, and overall consultant.

It’s a family-rooted business for five generations.

“But, nobody gets to be chef,” noted Thania Clevenger, except for her father.

La Yuma restaurant opened in Lutz in January, at 16411 N. Florida Ave., south of the apex linking U.S. 41 and Florida Avenue.

The establishment replaces a series of bars that never quite caught on, including The Lutz Area Hangout and Twisted Rooster Bar & Grill.

The bar atmosphere is gone.

La Yuma offers fine casual dining wrapped in a family centric environment.

Murals on the walls depict the journey of Cuban refugees to America, and for some — their new lives in Ybor City.

Pepe Diaz gather at a table at La Yuma restaurant, in Lutz. The family opened the Cuban restaurant in January.

The restaurant’s name, “La Yuma,” is from the street lingo that Cubans use as a stand-in for the United States.

Some believe the term comes from a classic western, “3:10 to Yuma.” The movie, first made in 1957, had a remake in 2007.

“The whole idea was not to tell just our family’s story, but all Cubans’ story,” said Thania Clevenger.

An outdoor patio taps into island leisure. A banquet room will host weddings, parties and special events.

Latin bands perform live on Fridays and Saturdays. Cigars by Tampa’s J.C. Newman cigar company can be enjoyed with Cuba libres, Pepe’s Homemade Sangria and cocktail specialties.

The menu offers tapas, or small plates, including Cuban nachos and Camarone Al Ajillo, a pan-seared shrimp with garlic, parsley and white wine sauce.

Entrees include Cuban favorites, such as Rope Vieja and Picadillo Habanero, as well as combination platters and Paella de La Pepe. A children’s menu includes a Cuban steak platter, hamburgers and chicken fingers.

But, La Yuma isn’t by any means a replica of Diaz’ Key West restaurant. It’s a plan, years and generations in the waiting.

“We kept envisioning a different restaurant we wanted to get to do,” said Thania Clevenger. “We’d sit and daydream about it.”

Thania Clevenger is a civil and human rights attorney who grew up helping out in her father’s restaurant. She earned her law degree from Stetson University.

Ashley Clevenger is a former firefighter and U.S. Coast Guard veteran.

They moved to Tampa Bay in 2007, and to Lutz in 2011. They have one son, 5-year-old Dean Sergio, and another child due in August.

They like the area’s small town.

Ashley Clevenger said his hometown in Illinois had 850 residents. He graduated in a class of 18 students.

“It’s all about family,” he said.

This family legacy is founded on activism and dreaming.

“He essentially lost everything,” said his daughter, of her father’s journey from Cuba to America.

He met his wife Tania, also a Cuban refugee, when they both worked at a Miami restaurant. The move to Key West followed.

El Meson is still family owned and operated.

And, now, La Yuma represents another beginning.

“Once it’s in your blood, it’s always in your blood,” said Thania Clevenger.

La Yuma is open Tuesday-Thursday, and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., on Friday and Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

For information, visit LaYuma.net.

Published April 26, 2017

Festivities set to honor Earth Day

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Finding ways to celebrate Mother Earth and to recycle, upcycle and preserve its precious resources are the themes of Earth Day celebrations planned around the region.

One of the largest area events planned for Earth Day, known as Earth Day Tampa Bay, got its start as EcoFest at Learning Gate Community School in Lutz.

One shopper can collect 500 bags in a year, according to this depiction of the concept that was seen walking around at last year’s Earth Day Tampa Bay, also known as EcoFest, at Lowry Park.
(Courtesy of Learning Gate Community School)

Now, in its eighth year, the event has become Tampa’s signature Earth Day event, and it has grown into a collaboration between Learning Gate, the University of South Florida Office of Student Affairs and the City of Tampa.

The event is set to take place at the Lowry Park Zoo Bandshell area, at 7525 N. Boulevard, in Tampa, on April 22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission and parking are free.

Thousands of people typically attend the event to learn the latest in earth-friendly practices and products, and to check out the fun activities offered for kids.

The event celebrates the principles of sustainability: Ecology, Equity and Economy. This year’s sponsors are Tampa Bay Water and Tampa Electric Co.

Planned highlights include a parkour agility course created by a participant in American Ninja Warrior, a kid-friendly Yoga Zone with classes, crafts, games and other fun activities.

Costumed superheroes will be roaming around; bands will be performing, and there will be plenty of chances to pick up some pointers on sustainable living.

Michele Northrup, organizer of the event, has been involved since the beginning.

“It’s going to be exciting this year,” said Northrup, noting “we have over 138 vendors.

“We have sustainability experts … We’ll have hybrid and electric vehicles. We have one vendor … who will demonstrate wind power,” she said.

The Owl Sanctuary will be bringing the beautiful owls that it protects, Northrup said.

There also will be interactive booths and chances for people to purchase everything from local honey to handmade soap to all sorts of other eco-friendly items, she said.

While EcoFest is expected to draw thousands to Lowry Park, Pasco County also is hosting an Earth Day celebration.

The family friendly event will take place at Crews Lake Wilderness Park, 16739 Crews Lake Drive in Spring Hill. It is scheduled for April 22, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“We’re excited that the event will actually fall on Earth Day this year,” Lottie Kelley, event chair for Earth Day, said in a release. “This year, we’re adding the Suncoast Trail Earth Day Ride and Rick’s Raptor Rescue,” she said.

Other planned activities include:

  • Children’s crafts and education displays
  • An Interactive Water Ventures Learning Lab
  • A Florida native plants sale
  • Pet adoptions
  • A ladybug release
  • Upcycle vendors
  • An appearance by Spike, the 10-foot alligator from Croc Encounters
  • Household hazardous waste collection
  • Electronics recycling
  • A pill take-back program (for unwanted or expired medications)

Concessions will be sold by Mary Giella Elementary School as a PTA fundraiser.

Also, the University of Florida’s IFAS/Extension will offer two workshops: Rain Water Harvesting at 10 a.m., and Composting at 12:30 p.m. Preregistration is required for both workshops. Sign up online at Pasco.IFAS.ufl.edu/events_calendar.shtml.

To sign up, click on April and scroll down to event 1 of 2.

For more information about the festival, contact Keep Pasco Beautiful Coordinator Kristen King at (727) 856-7252 or kking@@pascocountyfl.net.

Published April 29, 2017