The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Bexley buzz isn’t just marketing hype

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LAND O’ LAKES — Late on a recent Saturday afternoon, as the sun’s slanting rays cast their golden autumnal glow, Tommy Brown and his young sons mounted their bikes and set off in search of adventure.

Luckily, they didn’t have far to go, and their destination was known. In fact, from their side yard near the northeast corner of Ballantrae, they’d had their eyes on it for weeks: the BMX (bicycle motocross) park in the neighboring, emerging community of Bexley.

All they needed was for the construction zone barriers to come down. That Saturday morning, in conjunction with Bexley’s grand opening weekend, they did.

A family enjoys the playground during Bexley’s opening festivities. (Courtesy of Brian Swartzwelder)
A family enjoys the playground during Bexley’s opening festivities.
(Courtesy of Brian Swartzwelder)

Now as the lads on their tyke-bikes jounced over the moguls, careened through the twists and catapulted across the banked turns, they hooted with laughter.

“This is fun!” whooped Alec Brown, 5, fairly hopping astride his bike while, nearby, Oscar, 9, clattered triumphantly over the wooden plank extension that rises like a dinosaur’s frill above the signature banked curve.

Their dad, meanwhile, was discovering the limitations of a mountain bike on a layout designed for tiny wheels. Never mind all that. Bathed in the patina of a fading fall afternoon, the 42-year-old computer programmer and his boys were making memories that would last into all their golden years.

Now, Pam Parisi, regional marketing director for developer Newland Communities, will tell you Bexley is selling a lot of things — houses (ranging from $215,000 townhouses to single-family houses in the mid-$500,000s), desirable amenities, nature-friendly design, abundant get-outside activities and a killer location (no one is closer to the Suncoast Parkway) — but, if you suggested, ultimately, the whole place is about filling your life with moments you’ll cherish, she wouldn’t disagree.

“Bexley is all about being families again,” she says. “It’s all about getting outdoors again. It’s not about having kids sitting on the couch ‘playing together’ with other friends on other couches.”

About that. Bexley comes front-loaded with “boot camp” fitness trails, miles of bicycle paths — one of which ultimately will link to the 42-mile Suncoast Trail — and a variety of parks. Some for kids. Some for dogs. Some for every recreational taste.

The playgrounds, in particular, hold your attention with slides laid into manmade hills and high-rise wooden play structures that, engaging the imagination while challenging young muscles, could be anything from a frontier fort in the Wild West to a magical abbey in Nepal.

No doubt some readers will consider this attention to a single master-planned community overwrought. In fact, the region embracing the Hillsborough-Pasco border from Trinity almost to U.S. 301 teems with similar villages, and many are splendid in their own right.

It bears noting, however, Newland has a history of reshaping how people regard things. Twenty-odd years ago, when it began carving out a mini-town at the end of a two-lane road near a sleepy incorporated settlement in southeast Hillsborough County, skeptics wondered whether the hotshot developers had lost their minds.

Now, as Parisi correctly notes, the area formerly known as “Lithia” is a reference reserved for mapmakers. For everyone else, it’s Fishhawk Ranch.

This is not to suggest the keepers of the Land O’ Lakes flame should prepare to take to the barricades. For openers, at 1,200 acres, Bexley is somewhat less than half Fishhawk’s sprawling 3,000 acres.

Instead, it’s merely to acknowledge the buzz about Bexley is warranted. Parisi describes the new community as Fishhawk Ranch improved by 20 years of experience and evolutionary thinking.

She points out the amenities are front-loaded, and not dependent on hitting a certain number of committed homeowners before artist’s renderings begin to transform into facts on the ground.

From Day One, residents will have access to the niceties mentioned above, plus a cafe (The Twisted Sprocket) and clubhouse worthy of a country club, plus a full-service bicycle shop, the first offshoot of the venerable, nearby Suncoast Trailside Bicycles, run by the energetic Geoff Lanier.

Next door, a cafe — open to the public — serves Bexley burgers (cheeseburgers topped with an onion ring) and beers crafted by Odessa-and-Clearwater based Big Storm Brewing Co.

Figuring out what’s going to erupt from the commercial frontage along State Road 54 is another matter. The first hint broke a couple of weeks ago with the announcement of a 110-room SpringHill Suites by Marriott, the first of its kind in Pasco County. Stay tuned.

And, as we have seen, even before the first families take up housekeeping, Bexley is fulfilling its mission: Getting people out and about. Getting them moving. With fresh memories to savor, the Browns of neighboring Ballantrae are happy it’s here.

Tom Jackson, a resident of New Tampa, is interested in your ideas. To reach him, email .

Published November 30, 2016

Local vet named ‘Pet Industry Woman of the Year’

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A Lutz veterinarian has been named the “Pet Industry Woman of the Year” by the Women in the Pet Industry Network.

Dr. Dani McVety is the co- founder of Lap of Love, a company based in Lutz that is made up of a national network of veterinarians who provide hospice and in-home euthanasia for pets.

Besides winning the the network’s overall award, McVety also received the “Advocate” award for 2016 from the national group at its conference in Portland, Oregon.

McVety, who grew up on a horse farm in Odessa, didn’t set out to earn national acclaim.

Dr. Dani McVety, a veterinarian specializing in end-of-life care and in-home euthanasia for pets, recently was named ‘Pet Industry Woman of the Year’ by the Women in the Pet Industry Network. She also was awarded the ‘Advocate of the Year’ award. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Dr. Dani McVety, a veterinarian specializing in end-of-life care and in-home euthanasia for pets, recently was named ‘Pet Industry Woman of the Year’ by the Women in the Pet Industry Network. She also was awarded the ‘Advocate of the Year’ award.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

She said her company began as a sideline to help her pay off her student loans.

She hopes, however, it will help lead to a paradigm shift in the way veterinarians work with pet owners in the last days of a pet’s natural life.

“We are trying to change how end-of-life care is done,” she said.

She recently recounted how her company began.

“This woman came in with a Chihuahua,” she said.

The pet was wrapped in a little gray blanket, and the woman knew she was euthanizing her dog that day.

She asked McVety: “Can you leave him on my lap? I don’t want him on the cold sterile table. I don’t want him to touch anything but my lap.”

That approach went against her training, the veterinarian said.

“We’re taught, ‘You take him in the back, you place an IV catheter, and you bring him back in the room.’ That’s the most acceptable way of doing it,” she said.

But, McVety decided to honor the woman’s wishes.

“I’m looking at this woman, and I’m going: ‘Why not? Why can’t we do what she wants me to do?”

“I said, ‘Sure. I’m going to do that.’

“So, I sedated him through the blanket, which is something that we normally would not do.

“I gave him the second one.

“It was beautiful. It was perfect. I remember thinking, that’s what all pets deserve. They all deserve to be on your lap, the whole time. That’s what they want. That’s where they’re most loved,” McVety said.

She decided to create her own business and to call it “Lap of Love.”

A friend and veterinarian — Mary Gardner — joined her to take the business nationwide, through a network of veterinarians.

Initially, McVety thought she’d be doing more hospice work.

“What I discovered early on was that people wanted in-home euthanasia. Really, what they want is a really good conversation before giving permission to step into that space — and then a really, nice peaceful euthanasia.”

McVety estimates that about 30 percent of the 2,000 calls that come in each week are for hospice consultations. Of those, she said, about 90 percent result in an in-home euthanasia.

McVety said her background in ER veterinary services helped her realize that she has a knack for helping people who are facing a difficult time with their pet.

“I really enjoy working with the people who love their animals.

“In ER work, that translates into helping somebody understand what’s happening in a very short amount of time. They don’t have a lot of time to make decisions.

“Sometimes it is the first time that they’ve heard that their pet is dying, and they need to decide in the next 15 minutes whether or not they want to go to surgery or whether we’re going to euthanize (the pet).

“I started gravitating toward end-of-life cases, the ones that weren’t going to make it, that were difficult euthanasia cases,” she said.

“I don’t want it to be their choice—  to do this or that. I want to guide them based on what I feel they want, and within the medical boundaries that I have.

“Instead of saying, ‘Which one do you want?’ It’s ‘Here are the two options, and I need to learn more about what you think is the best thing to do, so I can guide you on which decision we’re going to make,” McVety said.

When she works with pet owners, she said, she takes this approach: “Instead of ‘You are making the right decision,’ It’s “We are making the best decision.’

“I feel like there’s so much guilt that gets put on people, where you’re the owner and I’m saying, ‘You just tell me what’s best for you.’”

She thinks it’s also important for pet owners to learn to “look at this is the natural progression of biology,” she said.

“There’s a subjective period of time when euthanasia is an appropriate decision. It’s not your only decision, but it’s an appropriate decision. Before which, I am not going to euthanize because a quality of life exists, and after which, I’m insisting on euthanizing because there’s sustained suffering,” McVety said.

Sometimes, the pet is absolutely ready in her medical eyes, but the family is not yet ready.

“Your first pet, people usually push the boundaries because they don’t know any different. The second pet, people make the decision sooner and sooner, and sooner.

“They know what’s going to happen. And, it doesn’t get easier,” McVety said.

Published November 30, 2016

Adding a new chapter, in a family legacy

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Joanne Kassebaum made a decision nearly four decades ago that has become a Kassebaum legacy.

The Book Shack opened next to the Dade City post office about 37 years ago, selling mostly used paperbacks. It shifted later to a shop on Martin Luther King Boulevard. And now, it is relocated again to 14145 Seventh Ave., across from the historic Pasco County Historic Courthouse. It is situated between Lunch on Limoges and Kiefer’s Village Jewelers.

Joanne Kassebaum, left, is handing off The Book Shack’s legacy to Kristy Kassebaum, her granddaughter-in-law. The bookstore opened 37 years ago in Dade City. (Courtesy of The Book Shack)
Joanne Kassebaum, left, is handing off The Book Shack’s legacy to Kristy Kassebaum, her granddaughter-in-law. The bookstore opened 37 years ago in Dade City.
(Courtesy of The Book Shack)

Kristy Kassebaum – married to Joanne’s grandson, Kyle – is the new proprietor. Like her grandmother-in-law, she is passionate about books and reading.

When she knew Joanne Kassebaum was ready to retire in October, the timing seemed perfect.

“I’ve always wanted to own my own business,” she said. “To keep it in the family name is a fun bonus.”

And, Joanne Kassebaum isn’t going anywhere – just yet.

On weekdays, she operates the shop until mid-afternoon when Kristy Kassebaum finishes her job as a learning design coach with the Pasco County School District.

There is symmetry at work.

Joanne Kassebaum started her bookstore career when her sons were young; now Kristy Kassebaum is doing the same, with her children, Natalie, 4, and Nolan, 2.

Kristy Kassebaum said her husband, Kyle, has fond memories as a youngster hanging out among the shelves and shelves of books at his grandmother’s store.

“It’s cool to think my kids might have those memories, too,” she said.

But, first, years ago, there were 91 cartons packed with books that arrived in Dade City, shipped by Joanne Kassebaum’s sister-in-law from her Milwaukee bookstore.

She said it would work out great to open a bookstore, and start off with some of the extra books the Milwaukee store didn’t need.

“My boys were at the age I didn’t feel I could work full-time,” said Joanne Kassebaum. “But, this way I was the boss. If I had to leave, I could leave. It worked out beautifully. I never believed I’d stay 37 years. Never guessed it.”

Books made sense as an avocation.

As a youngster in Milwaukee, Joanne Kassebaum said, “I grew up reading. For a nickel, you could ride the bus uptown. We had a big library up there. I could get my books and take them home.”

Beginning at the age of 9, she made that journey weekly.

“I will read anything that has a good story line,” she said.

Her bookstore is a haven for readers who want to hold a book and feel it in their hands. She specialized in paperbacks and stocked the store with every genre, including paranormal romance, thrillers, Westerns, mysteries, military fiction and nonfiction.

Prices range from $1 to $10, depending on the original price list for the book. And, customers can get paid a few dollars for books they sell to the shop.

The reading range surprised Kristy Kassebaum.

“We have so many genres I didn’t know existed. Paranormal romance. You need a whole shelf for that. Yes, you do,” she said. “I had no idea people loved Westerns so much. There is something here for everybody.”

The new shop is a bit smaller than the space on Martin Luther King Boulevard, but it is in a prime spot for foot traffic.

Kristy Kassebaum is making a few changes, but she checked first with Joanne Kassebaum for approval.

Despite less room, there now is a special corner for children’s books. Gift items, including candles and children’s toys, have been added.

An inventory of the shop’s books is being uploaded into a computer to help customers search for specific books.

For Joanne Kassebaum, stepping away has been hard.

She knows the children, grandchildren and a few great-grandchildren of her customers, who are like friends to her.

“I loved that. That was wonderful,” she said. “I get emotional about it.”

The Book Shack is a “little piece of (Joanne’s) heart and soul,” Kristy Kassebaum said.

Published November 30, 2016

‘Christmas in the Park’ offers a touch of nostalgia

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It’s an event that dates back more than half-century, and offers an old-fashioned touch for the holidays.

“Christmas in the Park,” presented by The Founders’ Garden Club of San Antonio, provides an evening designed to encourage families and friends to gather together to celebrate the season.

The event will be on Dec. 4 at 7 p.m., and is expected to last 1 ½ to two hours, said Donna Swart, president of the garden club. It is held at San Antonio City Park, 12202 Main St., in downtown San Antonio.

Festivities will include a sing-a-long for the children accompanied by Dennis Devine and guests. The Sweet Adeline Lady Bug Quartet is expected to be there, and there will be a lighting of the Christmas Cards.

The club plans to offer free homemade cookies, warm cider, coffee and water, and each child will receive a little surprise bag of goodies.

People should bring their own chairs and flashlights.

From left: Diane Jones, Donna Swart and Camille Clancy are members of the organizing committee for ‘Christmas in the Park,’ a San Antonio tradition that’s been going strong for more than a half-century. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
From left: Diane Jones, Donna Swart and Camilla Clancy are members of the organizing committee for ‘Christmas in the Park,’ a San Antonio tradition that’s been going strong for more than a half-century.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

About 50 lighted Christmas cards, which are 4-by-8 or smaller, will be stationed on display around San Antonio City Park, representing various organizations, businesses and families.

The crèche — complete with nearly life-size Nativity figures will be a highpoint, too.

In keeping with the club’s tradition, the baby Jesus will not be placed in the crib until Christmas Day, according to Diane Jones, who is serving with Swart on the organizing committee.

She is looking forward to the event.

Jones thinks her son has come up with an apt description for the evening. “He calls it ‘A Norman Rockwell Night,’” she said.

Jones’ niece, Camilla Clancy, is on the organizing committee, too.

Swart, Jones and Clancy have been busy lining up gift baskets for a chance drawing.

Tickets sell for $1 each, or six for $5. They can be purchased at San Antonio City Hall, or on the night of the event at the park.

Anyone who purchases a ticket has a chance to win one of around 15 gift baskets.

Themes include spiritual, home office, garden, tea and others.

There’s also a couple of backpacks. One is for a girl and the other, for a boy.

Proceeds from the event support the garden club’s efforts to keep the park beautiful.

Other highlights of “Christmas in the Park” will include two decorated Christmas trees and a blessing offered by the Rev. Garry Welsh, pastor of Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church.

The Founders’ Garden Club dates back to 1961, when 11 women had a meeting in the park to found the organization.

Now, club meetings rotate between homes of the members.

“We meet on the first Thursday, at 9 o’clock, September through May,” Swart said.

The park, which sits on a site across the street from the church and Saint Anthony Catholic School, was originally donated to Saint Leo Abbey, which later donated it to the City of San Antonio.

When it gave the land to the city, the abbey stipulated that the church and the school get first priority in the use of the park, according to a historic account compiled for the club’s 50th anniversary in 2011.

Clancy, who now lives in Zephyrhills, grew up in San Antonio and has many fond memories of her childhood there.

She was recruited to help the club by her aunt, and is happy to be involved.

Jones said she’s love being part of the garden club.

“I love this community, and I want it to be beautiful for everyone else’s enjoyment,” Jones said.

All three ladies are looking forward to sharing their seasonal evening with the community.

“We just want to encourage people to come that night,” Swart said.

The Founders’ Garden Club of San Antonio
The name of The Founders’ Garden Club of San Antonio refers to the fact that it was the first garden club in the city, according to a document compiled to celebrate the club’s 50th anniversary in 2011.

The name also pays homage to the foresight of the original founders of the Catholic Colony of San Antonio who set aside the land for a park, the document adds.

No minutes were taken at the club’s first meeting, the account says, but those attending the second meeting were: Jeanette Barthle, Stella Barthle, Rose Cope, Margaret Cissel, Alice Epperson, Bobbie Epperson, Jo Ann Franz, Marie Harper, Ruth Pike Herman, Mary Jones, Effie McCabe, Margaret Keifer, Patsy Reynolds, Theresa Schrader and Charlene Spalding.

The following month, Elizabeth Cannon, Blanche Naeyaert, Sylvia Gude and Dolores Nalley joined, and shortly thereafter, Alice Burger, Betty Burger, Sid Corrigan and Mary Schrader joined, the account says.

Published November 30, 2016

Lutz library display honors 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor

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One day after the Japanese bombed the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt addressed a joint session of Congress and announced a declaration of war against the Empire of Japan.

Lutz resident Davis Gandees put together a showcase of history commemorating Pearl Harbor Day at the Lutz Branch Library. (Fred Bellet/Photos)
Lutz resident Davis Gandees put together a showcase of history commemorating Pearl Harbor Day at the Lutz Branch Library.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

The surprise attack on Dec. 7, 1941, was a “date which will live in infamy,” said Roosevelt in one of the most remembered speeches in the nation’s history.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the attack, which cost the lives of more than 2,400 people, including 68 civilians. Half of those killed were crewmembers of the battleship USS Arizona.

“It’s kind of like a 9/11,” said Lutz resident Davis Gandees.

It is an anniversary that is important to remember and honor for the sacrifices of the military and civilians, said Gandees. “Americans need to be respectful of what they went through.”

Lutz resident Davis Gandees placed items in a showcase at the Lutz Branch Library. He spent hours constructing replicas of Japanese and American planes used during the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.
Lutz resident Davis Gandees placed items in a showcase at the Lutz Branch Library. He spent hours constructing replicas of Japanese and American planes used during the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

Through Dec. 10, visitors to the Lutz Branch Library, 101 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road, can step back into history through a display put together by Gandees.

He is an avid historian and a long-time builder of model airplanes flown during World War II.

In a glass showcase, there are three replicas each of Japanese and American fighter planes, and bombers, flown on Dec. 7, 1941.

Gandees also provides brief histories of the pilots who flew those planes, and photos, maps and a brief history of Pearl Harbor.

The library also added a display of suggested books to read, such as “Voices of Pearl Harbor” and “The Road to Victory.”

A photo in a display at Lutz Public Library honors the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and recalls the heroic action of American pilot George Welch.
A photo in a display at Lutz Public Library honors the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and recalls the heroic action of American pilot George Welch.

Gandees’ fascination with planes dates to his childhood in South Florida when he lived near a naval base.

“They tell me my first word was ‘airplane’,” Gandees said.

The retiree is a third generation Floridian who worked as a teacher, solar panel contractor and a Florida higher education manager. He also is a master modeler, a member of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library Board, and published author of magazine articles on modeling and aviation.

Gandees is a detail man. He spent as many as 50 hours on each plane model.

To get the facts about the planes and their construction just right, he researches archives, maps and history books.

He said he can complete about one plane per month.

Davis Gandees is a history buff on World War II and builds model replicas of fighter planes used at Pearl Harbor. A display by Gandees at the Lutz Branch Library honors the 75th anniversary of the Dec. 7 attack on Pearl Harbor.
Davis Gandees is a history buff on World War II and builds model replicas of fighter planes used at Pearl Harbor. A display by Gandees at the Lutz Branch Library honors the 75th anniversary of the Dec. 7 attack on Pearl Harbor.

“I did a lot of modifications, especially the color of the planes. The Japanese history of camouflage was very interesting,” he said.

The research gives him as much, if not more, satisfaction than building the models.

Individual stories of the men and women who heroically fought back against the Japanese attack are highlighted in the display.

Lt. Phillip Rasmussen of the 46th Pursuit Squadron was among the first pilots to engage the invaders in one of the few P-36A Mohawks not disabled by Japanese bombs.

Still in his pajamas, Rasmussen strapped a pistol to his waist.

“I’m not sure what he had in mind with that,” Gandees said.

But, Rasmussen shot down a Japanese fighter plane before his plane was damaged, and he flew under attack back to the airbase.

Gandees said one Japanese fighter plane got shot out of the sky, but on its descent hit a palm tree and killed eight American servicemen on the ground.

A photo of 2nd Lt. Phil Rasmussen shows the airplane pilot in his pajamas with a pistol strapped around his waist. Rasmussen shot down a Japanese Zero during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
A photo of 2nd Lt. Phil Rasmussen shows the airplane pilot in his pajamas with a pistol strapped around his waist. Rasmussen shot down a Japanese Zero during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Nearly 30 Japanese planes were shot down, and about 60 of their crewmembers were killed.

On a memorable trip to Hawaii in 2006, Gandees visited the USS Arizona Memorial, which rests above the sunken battleship, and the final resting place of 1,102 sailors and Marines who died there on Dec. 7, 1941.

Japanese and Americans who fought there often attend Pearl Harbor anniversaries and form friendships despite the history of conflict, he said.

“It was quite an interesting experience,” Gandees added.

Though Gandees has done other World War II and Pearl Harbor displays, this is his first at the Lutz library.

“I didn’t want it to be forgotten,” he said.

For more information on the exhibit’s hours, call the library at (813) 273-3652.

Published November 30, 2016

Lacrosse fundraiser rescheduled to March

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The PascoLax Harley Jam, organized by the Pasco County Lacrosse Alliance (PCLA), has been rescheduled.

The event, originally slated for Dec. 3, will take place on March 25, from noon to 6 p.m., at the Concourse Rotary Pavilion, 15325 Alric Pottberg Road in Spring Hill.

The shindig, which organizers intend to hold annually, will feature a rock/country concert and a reverse raffle.

The Pasco County Lacrosse Alliance’s PascoLax Harley Jam has been rescheduled to March 25. The event will take place from noon to 6 p.m. at the Concourse Rotary Pavilion, 15325 Alric Pottberg Road in Spring Hill. (File Photo)
The Pasco County Lacrosse Alliance’s PascoLax Harley Jam has been rescheduled to March 25. The event will take place from noon to 6 p.m. at the Concourse Rotary Pavilion, 15325 Alric Pottberg Road in Spring Hill.
(File Photo)

Concert performers include three Tampa-based bands: Soul Circus Cowboys, Jaded and Phoenix. The grand prize to be raffled off is a choice of either a 2017 Harley-Davidson SuperGlide, or a $20,000 cash prize.

Tickets for the concert/raffle are $100, while concert-only tickets are $10 per person.

Only 2,000 tickets — 1,000 raffle and 1,000 general admissions — will be sold.

Food trucks and other vendors will be present, and 98 Rock will provide a live remote from the concert.

All net proceeds from the benefit will help the PCLA provide funding for several Pasco County high schools to offer boys and girls lacrosse programs.

Sunlake, Mitchell, Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass Ranch high schools will offer club lacrosse programs, for the 2017 season.

Anclote, Land O’ Lakes and Zephyrhills high schools, meanwhile, are expected to form boys and girls lacrosse programs, for the 2018 season.

The PCLA, a nonprofit organization, is also assisting the transition of the programs from a club-level sport to a Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA)-sanctioned sport, beginning with the 2018 spring season.

Eric Handman, fundraising director of the PCLA, said the fundraiser will help subsidize the expenditures to operate each school’s boys and girls lacrosse programs.

“It costs a lot to fund a team,” Handman said, “when you consider refereeing fees, bussing, field use, goals and equipment.”

David Mazursky, president of the PCLA, told The Laker/Lutz News in September that he estimates equipment and operational costs for the lacrosse organization will total about $15,000 per school. Whatever funds aren’t covered through sponsorships will trickle down to players in a “pay-for-play” model.

According to its website, the PCLA is looking to set the registration fee in the same arena as Hillsborough County’s, which decreased from $390 to $320 over the past three years.

“The goal is eventually to get the pay-to-play fee more reasonable,” Handman said.

For more information, visit PascoLaxHarleyJam.com or PascoLax.org.

Published November 23, 2016

Giving thanks, not only on Thanksgiving  

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Because we publish on Wednesday, and Thanksgiving is always on Thursday, this is the one week of the year that I’m guaranteed that my column lines up perfectly with what’s on the minds of readers.

And that, of course, is reflecting about what we’re most thankful for.

Like most of you, my greatest thanks is being with family to create new memories, reminisce about old times and talk about the future.

Diane Kortus, publisher of The Laker/Lutz News, poses for a photo with her daughter-in-law, Erin Mathes, her grandson, Connor and her son, Andy. (Courtesy of Diane Kortus)
Diane Kortus, publisher of The Laker/Lutz News, poses for a photo with her daughter-in-law, Erin Mathes, her grandson, Connor and her son, Andy.
(Courtesy of Diane Kortus)

My family actually celebrated Thanksgiving a few weeks back, because my niece was married in Gainesville earlier this month. After the wedding, my daughter, Rachel, and my son, Andy and his family, came to Land O’ Lakes to celebrate an early Thanksgiving dinner.

Because Andy lives in Appleton, Wisconsin, and Rachel is a graduate student in Tallahassee, distance has prevented us from celebrating Thanksgiving together in three years.

I took a few days off to cook, and even tried some new recipes. (I should have stuck with sweet potatoes and marshmallows, instead of the new healthy version I made.)

No matter the age, children love tradition, right down to green bean casserole with French’s fried onions and Publix pumpkin pie.

And, because my kids were home for several days, I also stocked my kitchen with some of their favorite childhood foods, including mint chocolate chip Klondike bars, Cinnamon Toast cereal and calorie-laden eggnog.

As young adults, my children are conscientious of their diet, and mostly eat healthy foods.

At least that’s true until they’re home with Mom.

It was amazing how quickly they found their favorite childhood foods in the pantry and freezer.

It was fun to watch Andy introduce his 1-year-old son, Connor, to his first Klondike bar. Believe me, that little guy caught on very quickly to the pleasures of mint ice cream covered in frozen chocolate.

Andy left home for college 10 years ago, and has not lived in the Tampa area since then. But, whenever he visits my home, he delights in discovering household items from his childhood he hadn’t thought of for many years — such as my retro-orange silverware organizer that has kept my spoons, forks and knives separated since before Andy was born. And, there are the holiday platters and bowls I received as wedding gifts 32 years ago, which only come out of the buffet once or twice a year.

Andy excitedly showed these “family heirlooms” to his wife, Erin, who I’m sure was grateful there was no room in their luggage to bring back any of these family treasures to Appleton.

That’s fine with me because I’m still attached to many of these items. They may be 30 years old, but there is no need to replace them.

Besides my family, I am thankful for so much more. I’m blessed to own this newspaper in an expanding local economy. I am grateful to have so many supportive advertisers and readers, and to have employees who are also my closest friends. I am also thankful for Vic Anthony, who came into my life five years ago, and for our two dogs, Buddy and Travis.

Tomorrow I will celebrate Thanksgiving with Vic’s family in Alabama — my second holiday dinner in three weeks.

Once again, I will reflect about the many blessings in my life. And it is my hope, that no matter how, where or when you celebrate the holiday that you, too, have people and memories to cherish.

Published November 23, 2016

Guiding Pasco County Schools is a big job

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As Kurt Browning begins his second term as superintendent of Pasco County Schools, he knows he’s got his work cut out for him.

He found that out during his first term.

The superintendent of Pasco County Schools poses in the livestock barn at the Pasco County Fair. (Photos courtesy of Pasco County Schools)
The superintendent of Pasco County Schools poses in the livestock barn at the Pasco County Fair.
(Photos courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

“I tell people, I have not worked as hard in my adult life as I have this past four years,” said Browning, who directs the daily operations of Florida’s 11th-largest school district.

The 58-year-old quickly added: “Although I’ve never worked this hard, I’ve probably never done anything as fulfilling.”

Elected without opposition, Browning oversees an organization with 88 schools, 73,340 students and 9,954 employees.

When he came on board, he said he assumed he’d be able to accomplish change faster.

“I’ve always been able to effectuate change pretty quickly,” said Browning, who previously served as Florida’s Secretary of State and Pasco’s Supervisor of Elections.

In Pasco County Schools, though, he found that change has been incremental, rather than sweeping.

He likens it to turning a big ship.

And, he acknowledges, it hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing.

Kurt Browning, superintendent of Pasco County Schools, bends his 6-foot-2 frame to get down to eye level with these children at Fox Hollow Elementary School.
Kurt Browning, superintendent of Pasco County Schools, bends his 6-foot-2 frame to get down to eye level with these children at Fox Hollow Elementary School.

For one thing, Browning said he also had to learn to work alongside the elected Pasco County School Board.

“That was a tough adjustment for me,” Browning said, adding that he hasn’t always been perfect on that score.

“I think there has been a board member or two who has pulled me aside and said, ‘You really need to communicate better. You need to keep us more informed,’” the superintendent said.

It’s a lesson he’s taken to heart: “I still make decisions, but I’ve got to remember that I’ve got a school board out there, and they’ve got a role,” he said.

When issues arise now, Browning aims to keep school board members in the loop.

For instance, the school board met in executive session on Nov. 15, so the staff could brief them on the impasse declared on Nov. 11 by the United School Employees of Pasco.

A learning curve of his own
The superintendent also had to develop a deeper knowledge of education issues.

“The first year and a half, it was a challenge,” Browning said.

Browning takes a Selfie during a graduation ceremony for Fivay High School. He never tires of ceremonies that honor students who have completed the necessary requirements to graduate.
Browning takes a Selfie during a graduation ceremony for Fivay High School. He never tires of ceremonies that honor students who have completed the necessary requirements to graduate.

Now, he can discuss educational issues facing the district and potential impacts on students, but said he’s no expert on education.

So, he said, he surrounds himself with “highly qualified, competent people — passionate people” he can turn to for the information he needs to make decisions.

The district faces big challenges.

“July 8th was not a good day for me. That was the day that the school grades came out. School grades dropped,” Browning said.

The district’s rank also dropped, from 33rd in the state to 39th.

“We’ve got to see some improvement,” Browning said. “We cannot continue to teach kids the same way we did 25 years ago, because it’s just not working.”

At the same time, it’s important to remember that good things are happening around the district, Browning said.

“You can go into kindergarten classrooms and see kids doing things independently that are just mind blowing,” he said.

He’s also impressed by the number of graduates receiving scholarships every year, and the schools the students plan to attend and their planned areas of study.

Browning understands that people judge schools by their school grade, but he said, it doesn’t tell the whole story.

Kurt Browning tours Quail Hollow Elementary, which was converted from an ‘open’ school to one with traditional windows, walls and doors.
Kurt Browning tours Quail Hollow Elementary, which was converted from an ‘open’ school to one with traditional windows, walls and doors.

“It doesn’t show all of the caring teachers, the caring administration. It doesn’t show all of the activities and the support that those folks give to the kids in those schools,” he said.

Still, it’s problematic when the district is drawing new school boundaries, Browning said.

At public meetings on proposed boundaries, it’s common for parent to resist sending their child to a school that has a lower grade.

That issue is likely to surface more often, as the district grapples to accommodate Pasco County’s burgeoning growth.

Work is now underway to recommend school boundaries for Bexley Elementary and Cypress Creek Middle/High School, which are set to open next fall.

As new subdivisions pop up across the landscape, the district will need more schools.

“We can’t build schools fast enough,” Browning said, pointing to the residential growth along the State Road 54 corridor, from Meadow Pointe Boulevard to Little Road.

But, the district doesn’t have the money to build more schools, Browning said.

A potential solution would be to raise school impact fees, which the superintendent favors.

That issue is expected to heat up in the coming year.

The Pasco County Commission sets the fees, which apply to new residential construction.

Social media is double-edged sword
Aside from its facility needs, another challenge facing the district is the pervasive misuse of social media.

Social media can be a great tool for sharing information, but its use can quickly spin out of control, Browning said. “It’s like a fire. You just can’t put it out.”

The consequences for misusing social media can be serious, and parents need to be vigilant about how their kids are using technology, Browning said.

“I have done everything but knocked on the doors of houses and said, ‘Know what your kids are doing.’ The last thing you want to have happen is for your kid to go and post something on Twitter about shooting up a school, blowing up a school.

“It’s going to be on the record for the rest of their life,” Browning said.

In reflecting on his first term, Browning said one area where the district has made considerable progress involves the expansion of educational options.

Four years ago, the district essentially had the International Baccalaureate program at Land O ‘Lakes and Gulf high schools, he said.

Now, it has an elementary magnet school at Sanders Memorial Elementary.

Pine View Middle School is an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme Candidate School.

The district has the Cambridge Program at Pasco Middle School and Pasco High School, and it has converted Centennial Middle and Bayonet Middle to S.T.E.M. magnet schools.

It also has added an Aviation Academy at Sunlake, Hudson and Zephyrhills high schools.

The district also is eyeing the possibility of bringing Cambridge to Paul R. Smith Middle, and Anclote High School and San Antonio Elementary. And, it is considering an IB elementary program at Pine View Elementary.

Browning’s days are busy. At any given time, he may be visiting a district school, discussing a budget priority at a school board meeting, or joining the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office at a news conference. He’s also been known to pose for a photo in the livestock barn at the Pasco County Fair.

Perhaps his favorite thing, though, is sitting on the stage during district high school graduations.

It never gets old, Browning said.

He looks out on the sea of “hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of graduates” and thinks about their accomplishments.

“These are all kids who have met their requirements,” the superintendent said.

“I’m sitting there saying, ‘Wow, really, this is good stuff.’”

Published November 23, 2016

Land O’ Lakes gets a new brewery

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In the Loop Brewing is ready for beer lovers to belly up to the bar.

The craft brewery, in a renovated two-story house, and an outdoor beer garden, along the shores of Lake Padgett, is the setting for the newest addition to the craft beer scene in Pasco County.

In the Loop Brewing co-owner Joe Traina pours a beer at the Land O’ Lakes brewery. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)
In the Loop Brewing co-owner Joe Traina pours a beer at the Land O’ Lakes brewery.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

It is the dream-come-true for three friends who spent weekends in a garage on Cherbourg Loop, brewing beer that got kudos from friends.

Now, Mark Pizzurro, Peter Abreut and Joe Traina are inviting the neighborhood to share in the hoppy pleasures of craft brew at In the Loop, at 3338 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

“It’s been a good, solid opening,” said Traina. “We’re meeting neighbors and making new friends.”

On a recent afternoon, Traina poured brews for first arrivals to In the Loop.

“It’s amazing and exciting to have a local place that harkens back to the old-fashioned bar,” said Steve Flom, who was visiting family in Land O’ Lakes. “Everybody wants a place like Cheers, where everybody knows your name. Joe knows our names.”

Beer-brewing friends Mark Pizzurro, left, Peter Abreut and Joe Traina have opened In the Loop Brewing at 3338 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
Beer-brewing friends Mark Pizzurro, left, Peter Abreut and Joe Traina have opened In the Loop Brewing at 3338 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

The journey from renovations to opening day took nearly two years of entanglements in bureaucratic red tape. Licenses and approvals to brew their own craft beer brands just arrived.

Within a month of so, five In the Loop brews will be on tap, with more to come. First arrivals will be an IPA, a vanilla espresso porter, a Vienna lager and a pale ale.

Pizzurro is the brewmeister. He served an internship at Big Storm Brewing in Odessa.

Abreut is a former firefighter who owns Crossfit En Fuego, located next door to In the Loop. He focuses on the brewery’s marketing.

Traina deals with sales, and they all handle bar duties.

For now, beers on tap include local and Florida-based brews such as Funky Buddha and Sunshine City IPA.

A wooden deck at In the Loop Brewing overlooks the shores of Lake Padgett in Land O’ Lakes.
A wooden deck at In the Loop Brewing overlooks the shores of Lake Padgett in Land O’ Lakes.

Looking for something different? Try a Swedish cider in a tall, cool glass.

But, the In the Loop brews aren’t the final touch for what the partners see as a slow, deliberate introduction to the neighborhood.

More is to come.

A staircase from the tasting room to the second floor eventually will open into a special events room.

Before that can happen, though, a second exit must be installed to meet county building and safety codes.

In the moment, however, guests can enjoy the bar, and a tasting room with dark concrete floors and a brick chimney. Old-style suitcases, cut in half, jut from a wall and serve as drink rests. Outside, the patio and a wooden deck roll out toward Lake Padgett, with peaceful views of the lapping waters.

Games of Jenga and corn hole are at the ready for friendly competitions.

“We want it to be a good time to kick back and relax,” said Traina.

Published November 23, 2016

Zephyrhills bans fracking

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The City of Zephyrhills has banned fracking, a controversial practice of extracting oil or natural gas.

The Zephyrhills City Council voted unanimously to prohibit the use of land for hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, within the city’s limits.

In taking the action, the city is following the lead of other Florida municipalities.

The City of Zephyrhills banned fracking on Nov. 14. (File Photo)
The City of Zephyrhills banned fracking on Nov. 14.
(File Photo)

The council’s vote received an ovation from representatives of several environmental groups who were present at the Nov. 14 meeting.

Several Pasco County residents spoke in opposition to fracking, a process of pumping chemically treated high pressure water into a drilled pipeline to break through rock formations to tap into oil or natural gas reserves.

Janice Howie, conservation chairman for the Nature Coast Native Plant Society, called the Zephyrhills fracking ban “a really bold initiative.”

“I don’t think any good comes from fracking,” said Howie, “especially not here in Florida with our aquifer.”

“People in Florida don’t want fracking,” said Pat Carter, a Dade City resident and member of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs.

“A big problem with fracking is what to do with that polluted water. There’s just no safe way to dispose if it,” Carter said.

The Zephyrhills ordinance says that fracking wastewater, or “flowback,” contains several known contaminants, including naturally occurring radioactivity, heavy metals, hydrocarbon and brine.

Fracking typically uses anywhere from 30,000 gallons to up to 13 million gallons for each drilling operation, the ordinance reads. It also notes that much of Florida’s water supply comes from aquifers in highly permeable limestone formations, which are “vulnerable” to hydraulic fracturing activities.

“I find the idea of fracking in any place in Florida to be alarming,” said Nancy Hazelwood, another Dade City resident. “We should not be doing anything that would possibly avenge our water resources that are so fragile as it is now, especially here in Zephyrhills. Why take the chance on anything that would endanger our water resources?”

Carl Waldron, of Dade City, added that fracking’s perceived economic benefits “isn’t worth the risk.”

Waldron added: “We have many basic needs, and one is clean, accessible water.”

The Dade City Commission unanimously passed an antifracking ordinance in August.

In other business, the council unanimously approved a first reading ordinance to impose a temporary moratorium on the opening of any new cannabis dispensing facilities. If passed on the second reading, the moratorium would expire Nov. 13, 2017.

Florida voters recently approved Amendment 2, which inserts language into the Florida Constitution allowing those with cancer, HIV/AIDS, epilepsy and a host of other conditions to use marijuana, if it is recommended by their doctor.

Zephyrhills’ city attorney Matthew Maggard said he advocated for the moratorium because marijuana laws are “changing so rapidly.” He added the city also needs time “to research the various land use and zoning requirements” related to the amendment.

“We can put an outright ban on it because it’s still federally illegal. I think it’s a good idea to just put a hold on this,” said Maggard.

City manager Steve Spina, agreed, saying: “We thought it was in the best interest to look into it, and then plan on how we think the dispensaries would fit into Zephyrhills.”

Published November 23, 2016