The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Local students in running for national scholarships

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Normally, a summons by the principal doesn’t involve cake and flowers — but that’s exactly what Lauren Payne and her parents encountered at Wiregrass Ranch High School on Sept. 14.

From left, Janet Payne, Lauren Payne and Greg Payne, stand in a conference room at Wiregrass Ranch High School, after Lauren found out she had been named a semifinalist in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
From left, Janet Payne, Lauren Payne and Greg Payne, stand in a conference room at Wiregrass Ranch High School, after Lauren found out she had been named a semifinalist in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Principal Robyn White and Assistant Principal Cindy M. Jack wanted to share good news with the student and her parents because the high school senior is on the list of semifinalists in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program.

She’s one of 16,000 scholars across the country that are semifinalists in the 62nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

Semifinalists have an opportunity to compete for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships which are worth about $33 million.

Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level. About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain a finalist standing, and about half of the finalists are expected to win a National Merit Scholarship.

Payne’s parents, Janet and Greg, were pleased by the school’s gesture.

“It’s a very nice surprise. It’s very exciting. It’s really nice that they put this together,” Janet Payne said.

“It’s exciting,” Lauren agreed.

Her dad is proud of her accomplishments. “It is a lot of hard work that she’s putting into it and hopefully, it will turn out well for her.”

Here’s a list of other local National Merit semifinalists:

Land O’ Lakes

  • Anmol Warman, Academy at the Lakes
  • Nathaniel W. Edgar, homeschool
  • Carter J. Bright, Land O’ Lakes High
  • Michael Gendreau, Land O’ Lakes High
  • Navya Jampani, Land O’ Lakes High
  • Nicholas R. Riley, Land O’ Lakes High
  • Maxwell Keenan, Land O’ Lakes High
  • Karina N. Armas, Sunlake High

Lutz

  • Elle D. Hazlett, homeschool
  • Joaquin Borggio, Steinbrenner High
  • Bailey M. Zinckgraf, Steinbrenner High

Tampa

  • Riley L. Troyer, Carrollwood Day School
  • Kaley A. Raabe, Gaither High School
  • Jordyn E. Bizzell, Sickles High
  • Henry M. Noell, Sickles High
  • Samuel L. Unger, Sickles High
  • April E. Olson, Wharton High

Published September 21, 2016

The Laker/Lutz News brings home five awards

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Work published in The Laker and in the Lutz News brought home five awards from the Florida Press Association 2015 Better Weekly Newspaper Contest.

Eight-year-old Will Pena prepares his scissors to begin cutting paper hearts in his classroom at Academy at the Lakes. (Fred Bellet/Photos)
Eight-year-old Will Pena prepares his scissors to begin cutting paper hearts in his classroom at Academy at the Lakes.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

The honors were presented on Sept. 16 during an awards luncheon at The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota.

The contest drew a total of 1,670 entries from 65 weekly newspapers across Florida. The work was judged by experienced editors and publishers from Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and New York.

Photographs taken by Fred Bellet for The Laker received accolades in two categories.

Bellet was recognized for a photograph he captured for The Laker, of a young boy working on a Valentine at Academy at the Lakes in Land O’ Lakes. That image captured third place in the photo feature category for newspapers with circulations exceeding 15,000.

Bellet’s work also was acknowledged for photographs he captured of the Watoto Children’s Choir performing at Van Dyke Church in Lutz. He won third place for a photo series in one issue, competing against newspapers with circulations exceeding 15,000.

The beat of the drums brings out dancers during a segment of the Watoto Children’s Choir performance at the Van Dyke Church.
The beat of the drums brings out dancers during a segment of the Watoto Children’s Choir performance at the Van Dyke Church.

Staff writer Kathy Steele won second place in the community history writing category, for her story about Lutz Cemetery — an account that weaved together stories of people who are buried there, along with efforts to maintain the final resting place. Her award was for work published in the Lutz News, which competed with newspapers with circulations under 7,000.

B.C. Manion, editor of The Laker/Lutz News, received second place honors for a story about Rotarian Nick Hall’s mission to battle polio — chronicling his cross-country bicycle trek across America to heighten awareness about polio and raise money in the battle to eradicate it. Her entry was in the health, medical and science reporting category for newspapers with circulations under 7,000.

Manion also won third place in the faith and family reporting category for a story she did about Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Land O’ Lakes, which is accommodating its gluten-sensitive parishioners by giving them an option for gluten-free communion hosts.

That entry was in the faith and family category for newspapers with circulations exceeding 15,000.

Published September 21, 2016

Lawyer provides practical pointers on legal issues

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State Rep. Danny Burgess is a familiar face around Pasco County.

He is widely known in East Pasco as the former mayor of Zephyrhills and for his work on the Zephyrhills City Council.

A lot of people know Danny Burgess as a representative of the Florida Legislature and the former mayor of the City of Zephyrhills. But, he’s also a lawyer and offered some practical pointers to business owners at the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce meeting. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
A lot of people know Danny Burgess as a representative of the Florida Legislature and the former mayor of the City of Zephyrhills. But, he’s also a lawyer and offered some practical pointers to business owners at the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce meeting.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

He’s also known about other parts of the county for his work as a representative in the Florida Legislature.

But in addition to that work, Burgess is also a lawyer with the Law Offices of Lucas Magazine, which is based in New Port Richey and has a satellite office in Wesley Chapel.

Burgess appeared recently at the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce luncheon meeting in Lutz, to offer some practical legal pointers to the club’s members.

Here are a few of the tips that Burgess doled out:

  • No. 1: Document everything. Keep a paper trail. He prefers using emails to keep a record. You want to have a written record.
  • Read everything. If you’re signing a contract, be sure to read it. It’s important to read every line, to know everything you’re signing.
  • In your contracts, have a venue clause — something that says where the lawsuit can be filed, if you’re in in a disagreement and you’re going to go to court. That aims to prevent a lawsuit from being filed in a location that’s out-of-state.
  • Be sure that a contract includes an attorney’s fees clause. That ensures that the prevailing party receives attorneys’ fees, in the event of a legal dispute.
  • Think about the long-term aspects of a legal dispute. If a customer or client wrongs you and fail to pay, is it likely they will pay if you prevail in the lawsuit? You may be throwing good money after bad.

Burgess also noted that some issues can be resolved through a demand letter, which he said is sometimes affectionately referred to as a ‘nasty-gram’ in the legal community.

The letter sets out what must be done to address the issue, in order to avoid a more serious legal action.

Often, that gets the job done, Burgess said.

Published September 21, 2016

Steinbrenner marching band director has ambitious plans

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Steinbrenner High School’s new marching band director has ambitious plans for the program.

Jason Allgair, who spent the past nine years teaching at Wharton High School, is striving to increase band participation.

He’s also looking to collaborate with the school’s other fine arts programs — orchestra and theater.

The Steinbrenner marching band is looking to raise upwards of $55,000 for a trip to New York City in January. Approximately 120 students are in the band. (Photos courtesy of Ingrid Babajanof)
The Steinbrenner marching band is looking to raise upwards of $55,000 for a trip to New York City in January. Approximately 120 students are in the band.
(Photos courtesy of Ingrid Babajanof)

“I believe that all the arts should be together in regards to doing concerts and performances, and supporting each other,” Allgair said. “I love doing full orchestra, I love the collaboration with theatre, and doing the musicals.

“I’m all about the community environment and the community feel.”

Steinbrenner’s musical faculty, including Allgair, is entirely new. Other first-year Steinbrenner teachers are Grace Jeon, orchestra director, and Corey Poole, choir director.

“All of us are just bonding together, and we want the students to feel like everyone is important, and everyone is involved with each other’s performances,” Allgair said.

At least one band member, James Wall, relishes the idea of more alliances and partnerships with other fine arts departments.

“I think it’s cool that we’re kind of expanding our horizons,” the high school senior said. “Doing more things, using other departments, working together — we didn’t do it that much in the past.”

That philosophy spreads to Friday nights throughout the fall, where the band and Steinbrenner’s cheer squad will no longer be separate entities during home football games. Instead, they’ll be performing jointly — in the name of school spirit.

The band practices Tuesdays and Thursdays during the fall, in advance of Friday night football games. The band’s first major competition is the 20th annual Lion’s Pride Marching Band Festival on Oct. 15 at King High School. The district MPA (Music Performance Assessment) is set for Nov. 5.
The band practices Tuesdays and Thursdays during the fall, in advance of Friday night football games. The band’s first major competition is the 20th annual Lion’s Pride Marching Band Festival on Oct. 15 at King High School. The district MPA (Music Performance Assessment) is set for Nov. 5.

“I believe in the hometown feel,” said Allgair, “where the cheerleaders and the band and that whole atmosphere…is there for the spirit of the school.

“It’s all about the support of the football team and the whole feel of what’s happening on Friday nights at Steinbrenner,” he said.

Doubling the size of the marching band — which has approximately 120 members— is another objective, albeit more long-term, for the new director.

“My goal in the next four or five years is to build this program into a band of 220 to 250,” said Allgair, who’s also the district chair for the Florida Bandmasters Association, overseeing 70 high school and middle school directors. “When I was at Wharton, I started the program with about 49 or 50 kids, and I doubled the program to 110 by the time I left.”

He added: “I’m just excited to take what’s already been laid here as a foundation and build upon that. I have a really good relationship with the feeder middle school and all the surrounding feeder middle schools, and we’re going to try to get the numbers up.”

Allgair, too, has bold plans in store for the band’s ensembles — concert and jazz —over the next few years.

“I’d love for the kids to arrange their own jazz standards, and I can bring in guest artists to work with the ensemble,” explained Allgair. “With the concert ensembles, I’d like to commission new works, I’d like to have composers come in and join us, and actually be a part of the audience as we’re working on their pieces. I have a commission that I’m getting ready…for a composer to actually write a piece — dedicated for the Steinbrenner program — but, I don’t know if that’s going to happen this year or next year,” he added.

Also in the works for Steinbrenner’s band: a field trip to New York City.

Planned for the end of January, band members can expect to visit several of the city’s cultural institutions, including the Metropolitan Opera House, the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York Philharmonic, and the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

They’ll also check out Broadway shows, and may get a tour of Yankee Stadium.

“We’re all really excited about that,” Wall said about the looming trip to NYC. “It should be cool.”

The trip north will ultimately tie in with Allgair’s curriculum, and the band’s marching show.

“I’m going to be bringing things that we learned culturally from New York City and connecting it as we go through the rest of the school year,” the band director said. The band’s marching show is Frank Sinatra and its last song is “New York, New York,” he said.

As opposed to just taking a select few band members to New York, Allgair’s goal is to send the program’s 120-plus kids to the Big Apple.

Approximately $55,000 will need to be raised for the excursion, the band director said.

The cost is around $1,000 per student. Students will be paying for part of it, but the rest will come from fundraising efforts that are already underway, he said.

The band is currently having a mulch sale through the end of September.

Other fundraising opportunities will follow that.

“We’ve got a lot going on,” Allgair said.

The band’s first major competition is the 20th annual Lion’s Pride Marching Band Festival on Oct. 15 at King High School. The district MPA (Music Performance Assessment) is set for Nov. 5.

For more information on fundraising and the marching band program, visit SteinbrennerBand.com.

Gaither High Wind Ensemble fundraiser
Gaither High School’s Wind Ensemble is trying to raise funds to help pay travel expenses for a trip to Manhattan to perform at Carnegie Hall.
Where: Gaither High parking lot, 16200 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, 33624
When: Sept. 24, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
How much: Vendor spaces are still available, at a cost of $20 for two parking spaces.
For more information: Contact Melissa Seaman at (786)-514-0128 or .
Want to help? Donations may be sent to Gaither High School, c/o Luis Alvarez, band director, 16200 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, 33618.

Published September 14, 2016

Pasco suffers extensive storm damage

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Tropical Storm Hermine brought drenching rain and gusting winds to Pasco County and a price tag well over $100 million, in what could prove to be one of the costliest storms in the county’s history.

Homes in New Port Richey, Port Richey and Elfers sustained the worst damage. Those communities also suffered through flooding during strong summer rains in 2015.

Northeast and central Pasco mostly escaped the flooding and wind damage from Hermine, which later came ashore in the Panhandle as a hurricane.

However, a total of seven sinkholes opened across the county, including at locations in Lacoochee and Wesley Chapel.

Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey, left of podium, listens as Pasco County Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie updates the media on damage from Tropical Storm Hermine. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey, left of podium, listens as Pasco County Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie updates the media on damage from Tropical Storm Hermine.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

Final numbers are not yet in, but county officials say just the physical damage to homes along could reach $89 million. Damage to public buildings could be as high as $50 million.

County officials are asking business owners to complete a business damage assessment survey to help calculate their losses.

At a Sept. 7 press conference, county officials gave an update on storm damage, and steps being taken to secure disaster aid for county residents.

“We are going to do what it takes to get you back on your feet,” said Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey.

More than 2,600 homes were damaged, with 305 homes sustaining major damage from fallen trees or water covering electrical sockets.

More than 1,500 homes had minor damage; nearly 800 had some damage from downed trees or yard flooding.

Seven homes were destroyed, based on water rising above doorknobs or roofs and walls that caved in due to fallen tree limbs.

The Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point sustained about $3 million in damages and $10 million in lost revenues.

The hospital had to evacuate patients and close the hospital when lightning during the tropical storm sparked a fire.

After last year’s flooding, the county didn’t qualify for federal aid based on the amount of damage. However, damage from Hermine is well above the threshold that would qualify it for federal emergency status.

That will open opportunities for federal grants, said Kevin Guthrie, the county’s emergency management director.

But, he added, “This is not a quick moving process.”

In coming days, Guthrie said he expected additional reports to come in about storm damage.

Much of the data on damage so far was collected from county employees in the field, not from waiting for residents to phone, Guthrie said.

“We went out and found those homes,” he said.

County commissioners also were scheduled to discuss stormwater projects and stormwater maintenance at their Sept. 13 meeting, held after The Laker/Lutz News’ press time.

At the press conference, Starkey said the county needs to take another look at a proposed increase in the countywide stormwater fee.

That isn’t possible for 2017, but could be for 2018.

Commissioners increased the fee last year by $10 to a total of $57. They rejected a request in July from stormwater managers to consider an $80 annual fee effective in 2017. Commissioners stuck by the $57 fee in a close 3 to 2 vote. Starkey and Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano favored increasing the fee.

Pasco also is taking steps to help residents clean up debris, with a special schedule that began on Sept. 12.  Pickups will be done seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., for the next several weeks.

Crews will complete runs north to south in the Aripeka area and south to north in the Anclote area. Requests for pickup should be made to the county’s customer service center.

Homeowners should place debris at curb or street side with items separated into separate piles for furniture, white goods (appliances etc.), construction materials and vegetation.

Initially crews will go out to assess the amount and types of materials that need pickup.

“It makes it easier for our folks to come along and know what kind of equipment they will need,” Guthrie said.

For information about storm damage or pickup schedules for debris, call (727) 847-2411 or email .

Business owners can participate in the damage assessment survey at PascoCountyFl.net.

Published September 14, 2016

Priorities set for sidewalk and road projects

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Board members of the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization have adopted a priority list for road projects that is largely unchanged from last year.

But, there is one exception: The list now includes a plan to widen U.S. 301 to a four-lane divided highway from the Hillsborough County line to State Road 56.

The five-year work program runs through fiscal year 2020-2021.

While there’s little change on the road list, the sidewalk list is a different story.

Nine new projects for 5-foot sidewalks are listed as priorities in the 2016-2017 work plan.

Six of those in the top 10 have jumped ahead of other longtime sidewalk requests.

Lutz residents on Leonard Road want sidewalks built along the two-lane road from U.S. 41 to Cot Road as a safety measure. (File Photo)
Lutz residents on Leonard Road want sidewalks built along the two-lane road from U.S. 41 to Cot Road as a safety measure.
(File Photo)

The shift in priorities prompted questions by Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano. Mariano wonders if the ranking system is fair to communities that have waited years for sidewalks.

“I’m very disappointed,” said Mariano at the Sept. 8 board meeting of the MPO.

Among sidewalk projects that Mariano hoped to see higher on the list were Ranch Road, Zimmerman Road and Majestic Boulevard.

Lutz residents also have lobbied over the years for sidewalks on Leonard Road.

That project sits in the 20th slot, near the bottom of 25 proposed projects.

Mariano said he planned to meet with MPO staff members to review the criteria used to rank projects.

MPO Vice Chairman Jeff Starkey also took issue with the criteria.

“What if we don’t agree with how you’re calculating this?” he asked.

The lists of road, transit, multi-use paths and sidewalk projects are updated annually and submitted to the Florida Department of Transportation so they can be considered in FDOT’s five-year work plan for federally funded projects in Pasco.

Sidewalks, multi-use paths and trails are ranked on a point system based on criteria such as speed limits, connectivity to existing sidewalks and trails, accessibility to schools and transit stops, improved mobility in low-income and minority neighborhoods, and the consecutive years a project has been on the list.

Mariano said communities aren’t getting enough credit for time waited. There also are situations, he said, where speed limits might be low, but safety is still an issue for other reasons.

Changes can be made, and projects aren’t automatically done in order of their listing, said James Edwards, the Pasco MPO director.

The availability of money is a factor, he added.

“You don’t follow it in lock step,” Edwards said. “Things will shift around.”

The new sidewalk projects are:

  • Ridge Road/Little Road to Rowan Road
  • Congress Street/north of Lomand Avenue to Ridge Road
  • Old County Road 54/Little Road to State Road 54
  • U.S. 41/Lake Bambi Circle to State Road 52
  • Darlington Road at U.S. 19 to Sunray Drive
  • Fort King Road/17th Street/Morningside to Coleman Avenue
  • Regency Park Boulevard/ U.S. 19 to Cherry Creek Lane
  • Darlington Road/U.S. 19 to Hama Drive
  • 17th Street/Meridian Avenue to County Road 41/Lock Street

For a complete list of the MPO’s 2016 priority projects, visit PascoCountyFl.net.

Published September 14, 2016

Medical marijuana on Pasco agenda

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Medical marijuana is slated to be a topic of discussion when Pasco County commissioners host a public workshop on Sept. 20 at 1:30 p.m., in New Port Richey.

The county’s legal staff currently is reviewing land use and zoning regulations to craft an ordinance governing the future of medical marijuana within Pasco.

County commissioners requested a workshop to hear a range of opinions on the matter.

In August, commissioners extended a moratorium on the growth, processing and distribution of cannabis through the end of the year. The existing moratorium was set to expire on Sept. 1.

Cannabis is the basis for medical marijuana, which is legal in Florida in a low-level, non-euphoric form known as Charlotte’s web. Its use is limited to patients with cancer or seizure disorders.

At prior meetings, commissioners have heard from law enforcement about increased crime rates in states, such as Colorado and California, which have approved either medical marijuana or its recreational use. Substance abuse or prevention counselors have said they worry about increased use of marijuana, especially among youth.

But, commissioners also have heard from residents with chronic medical conditions, who say medical marijuana eases their pain and gives them a quality of life that traditional medicines don’t provide.

Whatever the county’s final ordinance, it will have to take into account a statewide Nov. 8 referendum on the issue. Voters will be asked if they want to expand the list of illnesses that can be treated with medical marijuana, and if stronger strains can be prescribed and dispensed.

Published September 14, 2016

My father loved this newspaper

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I never thought it would take this long to write a column about my father’s death. I’ve tried many times to share this news with you, but my sorrow was too raw to write more than a paragraph or two.

Donald Valentine Kortus died Jan. 26, in the home where he lived for 60 years in Maplewood, Minnesota.  After deciding against treatment for late-stage cancer, he came home from the hospital on a cold winter afternoon to be cared for by his daughters, immersed in his family’s love.

My father’s death came fast, but he was good with that. He was already suffering from back pain when he fell down on Christmas Eve, while preparing for the annual Christmas Day festivities that he and his wife, Bettye, always host for their children and their families.

Don Kortus sits next to his grandson, Andy Mathes, and his great-grandson, Connor Mathes. Diane Kortus stands behind them. This is the final photograph taken of Diane and her father. (Courtesy of Diane Kortus)
Don Kortus sits next to his grandson, Andy Mathes, and his great-grandson, Connor Mathes. Diane Kortus stands behind them. This is the final photograph taken of Diane and her father.
(Courtesy of Diane Kortus)

The  fall added to other pains our father kept from us, which he brushed off as normal for someone who was almost 88 years old.  However, after Christmas his pain intensified and his mobility decreased, and Dad began to lose the independence he valued so much.

After his second hospitalization within two weeks, I decided to fly home on a Friday

afternoon to see Dad and help with his care. Just five days later, he was gone.

To lose a parent is always difficult. But, for me and my brothers and sisters, to lose our father was unthinkable. Our mother had died 40 years earlier when she was just 48, and our father was left to parent by himself 10 children between the ages of 10 and 24.

I sometimes wonder if our mother had not died so young, whether Dad would have become such a remarkable father — the type our cousins and friends envied, and one who became a surrogate father to so many.

In the 1960s and ’70s, he was a hardworking father who held down two jobs to support his family. He had little time to parent, outside of being the disciplinarian when our mother needed help.  But, after Mom died, Dad seemed to seamlessly make the transition to becoming both mother and father.

His enduring love, patience, forgiveness, guidance, and unabated belief and support of our dreams, was the foundation that shaped the lives of his children, grandchildren and all the others whom Dad embraced as part of his family.

It’s important to know that my father’s Catholic faith was central to his life. So when his doctors told him he had no more than a few months to live, my father said with all certainty that he did not fear death and could not wait to enter the Kingdom of God.

Dad told us this on Saturday, and we brought him home on Sunday. Monday afternoon at 3 p.m., his parish priest gave him the last Sacraments, and his daughters watched him take his last breath Tuesday morning at 3:45 a.m.

Dad asked us not to mourn his death, but to celebrate his life and to pray for his entry into heaven.

But of course, we did mourn, and still do. We think about him every day — I often reach for the phone to call him with news about my children, or seek advice about the latest challenge facing this newspaper.

My, how my father loved this paper.

He read it cover-to-cover every week, and often remarked that he knew more about the happenings of Land O’ Lakes and Lutz than he did his hometown.

My father is the biggest reason why The Laker and Lutz News are such good community newspapers. Dad would often call me with comments on that week’s stories, and make suggestions on how we could make the paper even better — whether I wanted to hear that or not.

He would notice — and worry — when our ad count was down, and shake his fist in disbelief that every business in town wasn’t advertising in such a “fine newspaper that I’m sure everybody reads.”

My father was so proud that I was this newspaper’s publisher. I realize now that much of my drive and motivation came from wanting to make him proud.

One of my father’s last requests to me before he died was not to write a column about his death.

After I wrote about the birth of my grandson last summer, Dad told me that my publisher’s column had run its course. He said my readers were undoubtedly bored with my boastful stories about my children and family, and he said I needed some humility and should find other things to write about.

But today — eight months since my father left this world — I have decided to write this column after all. Because I want you to know about the good man who was my father, and of the love he had for this newspaper and me. That love will forever shape the person I am, and these newspapers that I lead.

Published September 14, 2016

A citrus king who savored the art of the deal

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When James Emmitt Evans was 12 years old, he already knew what he wanted to do.

He aimed to be “a general business man,” as he liked to call it.

By the time he died, at age 96, the Dade City man would have gone on to build one of the first citrus concentrate plants in the state south of Dade City.

This is where Evans Packing Plant stood in February 1989. (Courtesy of Pam Higgins/The History Center/Pioneer Florida Museum and Village Collection)
This is where Evans Packing Plant stood in February 1989.
(Courtesy of Pam Higgins/The History Center/Pioneer Florida Museum and Village Collection)

He is perhaps best remembered for his pioneering strategies to hedge juice inventory on the futures market, and for planting some of the largest contiguous citrus groves in Florida.

When he died, his obituary carried the lead headline on the front page of the June 13, 1996 edition of The Tampa Tribune.

A half-century before his death, Evans was a vice president on the board of the Pasco Packing Company in Dade City. Other board members were L. C. Edwards Jr., president (whose father was the former head of the Florida Citrus Exchange); W. F. Edwards, vice president (namesake of the football stadium at Pasco High School in Dade City); L.C. Hawes, vice president; and, H.S. Massey, secretary-treasurer.

These men, who were all citrus growers, had a combined total of 10,000 acres that could produce 2.5 million boxes of fruit annually for processing at the plant.

When the company’s whistle was heard across Dade City at noontime, the Valencia Restaurant in downtown Dade City was often the unofficial “Board Room” for Pasco’s board of directors.

Located across from the Historic Pasco County Courthouse at the time, the Valencia was probably the place where plans were discussed to sell the company to Lykes Brothers in Tampa.

With the citrus industry changing beyond all recognition, Pasco’s board members recognized how frozen concentrate was letting growers preserve and ship juice with greater efficiency.

Built in 1900, the longtime residence of James Emmitt Evans is now the home of a Pasco County Circuit Court judge. (Courtesy of Doug Sanders)
Built in 1900, the longtime residence of James Emmitt Evans is now the home of a Pasco County Circuit Court judge.
(Courtesy of Doug Sanders)

Only 50,000 gallons of concentrate were produced in the inaugural year of 1945. By 1951, production had zoomed to 31 million gallons.

Selling the plant allowed the new owners to change the name to Lykes Pasco Packing in 1961, and to market its labels around the world as “Old South,” “FloridaGold” and “Vitality.”  At its peak, Lykes had more than 2,000 workers on its payroll in Dade City.

Unlike any grower in the state at the time, Evans was a trader with his own accounts on the emerging Frozen Concentrate Orange Juice futures market.   He was never satisfied with dealing through brokers, buying his own seat and remaining a major force during the formative years of the exchange.

“All I can say is, I love making deals,” Evans said, in a Feb. 2, 1983 story published by The Gainesville Sun.

Evans Packing Company was one of the first processors to supply other packagers with drums of bulk concentrate for distribution to chain stores.  At its peak with some 400 employees, many of Evans’ six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren worked side-by-side with their spouses and in-laws.

“If they’re kin, we’ll give them a job,” he was quoted as saying.

Evans enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.

He employed his own pilot, Sam Fallin, who flew the eight-seat, twin engine King Air to the Evans ranch in Homestead, where friends and family could spend a weekend fishing, playing golf, and hunting.

Over the years, Evans endured his share of challenges.

His citrus groves faced hard freezes, the Mediterranean fruit fly and citrus canker.

The area where Evans Packing Plant stood is vacant today, except for the Walgreens at the intersection of U.S. 301 and Morningside Drive. (Courtesy of Doug Sanders)
The area where Evans Packing Plant stood is vacant today, except for the Walgreens at the intersection of U.S. 301 and Morningside Drive.
(Courtesy of Doug Sanders)

Despite these harsh realities, Evans started the development of 7,000 acres for production in St. Lucie County in the 1960s. He also began an even larger grove along the Indian River/Okeechobee County lines near the Florida Turnpike during the 1970s. And, the purchase of 10,000 acres for additional groves in Charlotte County was completed in the early 1980s.

Evans did not live to see the outbreak of citrus greening, the agricultural disease with no known cure that has decimated Florida’s citrus production to an all-time industry low.

The 1983 Gainesville Sun story identified Evans as one of 21 Floridians on the Forbes magazine list of the 400 wealthiest Americans. At the time, he citrus fortune was estimated at $135 million.

Five years later, he was the oldest resident in Florida on Forbes 400 list, with $400 million in holdings — putting him at 157th place on the list.

Evans had been successful since the early 1920s, starting off with less than $500 from selling tractors.

“I never did have a bad year in business,” he told The Gainesville Sun. “Not even during the Great Depression.”

Despite his wealth and success, Evans lived in the same wood frame, three-bedroom home on the corner of 12th Street and Meridian Avenue in Dade City for 49 years.

He headed his family business for 39 years.

And, the company he founded in 1951 still remains as one of the largest growers in the state with 12,000 acres of citrus groves.

“Retirement is not for me,” Evans was quoted in 1983.  “Retirement is the day I die.”

It turns out, that’s exactly what happened.

Doug Sanders has a penchant for unearthing interesting stories about local history. His sleuthing skills have been developed through his experiences in newspaper and government work. If you have an idea for a future history column, contact Doug at .

Published September 14, 2016

Biometric ID device now in use at Florida Hospital Zephyrhills

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Patients visiting Florida Hospital Zephyrhills will now encounter a high-tech identification device at the medical center.

PatientSecure, a device that images veins in the hand, is now being used to register and identify all patients.

PatientSecure — manufactured by Imprivata, a Massachusetts-based IT Company — uses infrared light to scan a patient’s palm, and then links the unique vein pattern to each patient’s electronic health record. (Courtesy of Imprivata)
PatientSecure — manufactured by Imprivata, a Massachusetts-based IT Company — uses infrared light to scan a patient’s palm, and then links the unique vein pattern to each patient’s electronic health record.
(Courtesy of Imprivata)

The biometric identification solution—manufactured by Imprivata, a Massachusetts-based IT Company — uses infrared light to scan a patient’s palm, and then links the unique vein pattern to each patient’s electronic health record.

The new apparatus was introduced at the hospital on Sept. 6. Hospital officials claim the device reduces paperwork, improves accuracy and helps to prevent identity theft.

“This technology streamlines the registration process by automatically pulling up a patient’s record, provides added protection from medical identity theft, and ensures each patient is correctly linked to their unique medical record,” said Gwen Alonso, the hospital’s chief nursing officer.

Nationwide, the number of patients at risk of encountering medical identification issues is staggering.

A 2012 health care report by the Wall Street Journal shows that 7 percent to 10 percent of patients are misidentified during medical record searches.

Moreover, a 2015 study by the Medical Identify Theft Alliance estimates that 2.3 million individuals are affected by medical identity theft annually, a figure growing by about 22 percent per year.

Mike Vanderbilt, the hospital’s director of patient access, said the palm vein technology is more secure than if a patient provided insurance or Social Security numbers, which can easily be swapped or transposed during identification.

That helps reduce the risk of duplicate medical records, and errors in charting, he explained.

“The palm vein is more accurate than any of that other data,” Vanderbilt said.

PatientSecure, a device that images veins in the hand, is now being used to register and identify all patients at Florida Hospital Zephyrhills. Benefits of the new apparatus include reduced paperwork and improved accuracy, hospital officials say, as well as helping to prevent identity theft. (Courtesy of Zephyrhills Hospital)
PatientSecure, a device that images veins in the hand, is now being used to register and identify all patients at Florida Hospital Zephyrhills. Benefits of the new apparatus include reduced paperwork and improved accuracy, hospital officials say, as well as helping to prevent identity theft.
(Courtesy of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills)

“Once they’re scanned, it attaches that palm vein image to their record,” he said. “It actually assigns a series of unique code numbers to that patient, so the next time they come in, they can scan their hand…and it brings them right up in the computer system.”

PatientSecure also could be a lifesaving tool, in some instances.

Should an individual arrive to the facility in an unconscious state, or is unable to communicate, their hand can be placed on the device to reveal their electronic health record (medical history, allergies, current medications).

“If they had been put into this system at some point previously, it would pull them right up as well, without ever talking to them,” Vanderbilt said.

He noted the new registration process is “very quick” for patients.

“It really doesn’t add much to their registration experience as far as the timing goes,” Vanderbilt said. The hospital also has received positive feedback from patients, he added.

The identification tool is equally “very straightforward” for medical staff to utilize and access, Vanderbilt said.

“It’s a USB — sort of a plug and play into our computer system,” Vanderbilt said. “It’s kind of like if you just hook up a mouse to a computer, and of course there’s all the software and everything behind it.”

Should the identification system malfunction or crash, only then would patients be required to verify personal information — name, date of birth, Social Security Number, and address — to medical staff.

“If it were ever to go down, it’s similar to when you call your bank or your credit card company or even your cable company — they make you tell them who you are,” explained Vanderbilt.

“The palm scan is just one extra step that in the future will prevent us from having to ask all those questions. But, that would be the fallback if the system were down — we would still go through some verification steps to confirm their identity,” he said.

PatientSecure is currently being rolled out through Florida Hospital Zephyrhills’ parent company, Adventist Health System, which operates 46 facilities in 10 states.

According to Vanderbilt, the palm vein technology also will be installed in Florida Hospital-owned physician offices and other long-term care facilities.

“It’ll help make the coordination of care better,” he said.

Vanderbilt added: “It’s all linked to that one palm scan, so the whole continuum of health care — as long as the patient is using Florida Hospital — will be more streamlined.”

Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, a 139-bed regional medical center, is at 7050 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills. For additional information, visit FHZeph.org.

Published September 14, 2016