The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Disney’s gator nightmare packs lessons for us

By

Alligators are a fact of life in Florida. Walt Disney World is in Florida. Therefore, there are alligators at Walt Disney World.

This truth at the East Coast headquarters of the Happiest Place On Earth™ came to shocking light recently when a 2-year-old from Nebraska, Lane Graves, was snatched and drowned by a gator lurking in the manmade Seven Seas Lagoon near the Grand Floridian Beach Resort.

The sprawling, white Victorian-themed hotel, where Princess Diana once holidayed with princes William and Harry, now is known for tragedy beyond words.

American alligator
(www.CreativeOulet.com)

I concede my first reaction to reports of the attack was astonishment. Never mind the circular truth at the top; I honestly imagined Disney World was immune. I’ve been visiting the parks routinely since the early days of tear-off tickets, and I’ve never seen an alligator. Not one. And not for lack of searching, either, from shorelines, docks, around the campgrounds and aboard rented boats prowling quiet waterways.

Ultimately, I chalked it up to Disney’s fabled attention to detail. Somehow they’d figured out how to alligator-proof most of a Manhattan-sized slab of central Florida claimed out of swampland and pine forest.

Now I know better. Now I know Disney has an aggressive gator-wrangling program permitted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. In the 10 years before the attack on little Lane, Disney-authorized trappers killed 239 “nuisance” alligators — reptiles longer than 4 feet that invade space reserved for humans.

They’ve since done away with six more, among them the suspect that will live forever in the nightmares of Melissa and Matt Graves, newly initiated into the miserable and inescapable fraternity of bereaved parents.

So I was partly right, anyway. Disney has an aggressive removal program. And partly, devastatingly, wrong: Its program isn’t foolproof.

Maybe no program can be. As former Disney World trapper Ron Ziemba told Reuters, “You’ll never be able to get them all. There are just so many canals, so many waterways. The gators travel a lot.”

This information is scarcely news to anyone who spends a fair amount of time in Florida. We see them basking on the banks of ponds and lakes, cruising lazily in rivers, and, on breathtaking occasion, crossing streets and golf course fairways.

We know the rules … don’t we? … about alligator safety. Don’t feed them, because doing so short-circuits their instinctive wariness toward humans. Avoid wading or swimming in their habitat, especially between dusk and dawn when they’re particularly active. Swim only in areas marked safe. Also, don’t presume: An absence of warning signs does not equal an absence of alligators.

More safety tips are available at the FWC web site, MyFWC.com. Among the more fascinating insights: Dogs in the water mimic gators’ preferred prey, so you should avoid taking them swimming.

Again, we’re Floridians. We pretty much know this stuff. And now, with the revelation out of Disney and the company’s response — they’ve erected barriers and new, stronger warning signs — we know this stuff better than we did. If alligators have breached the House of the Mouse, they are, indeed, everywhere.

But the Graves aren’t Floridians, and Florida’s economy relies on families such as theirs from faraway places to visit and spend, and go home sufficiently happy about the experience to spread the word among their friends and loved ones.

Accordingly, we need to assume what Florida’s tourists don’t know about alligators is, well, everything. I’ve heard more than my share of stories about visitors and newcomers being shocked into disbelief that alligators live, often literally, in our backyards.

Long before he went on to make a name for himself as a national golf reporter, Tim Rosaforte was a fresh graduate from a New England university playing his first round of golf at the University of South Florida with colleagues from the old Tampa Times. At No. 11, his tee shot checked up near what he took to be an 8-foot log lying by a pond.

At his approach, however, the log quivered and, as real logs never do, raised its head. Stopping dead, Tim assessed this surprise development by blurting, “What the hell is that?!”

At 22, Tim had never seen an alligator outside a zoo. Now this former college linebacker, still in fine tackling form, puddled before us while we looked on in amusement. In Florida, golf and alligators went together like grouper sandwiches and tartar sauce.

It was all we could do to keep him from leaving on the spot, packing up and fleeing north. Ultimately, Tim stayed and, having made a prudent peace with alligators — anything within 10 yards triggers a free drop — made his home in Florida.

In short, we can live together. We pretty much have to. But, the lesson out of Disney World is: We have some teaching to do. Maybe that involves the Legislature toughening signage statutes, but for now, it certainly involves us. That’s you. That’s me.

We have a duty to warn others about being careful out there.

After all, with brains that couldn’t fill a tablespoon, alligators are not going to figure this out on their own.

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

Published June 29, 2016

A lively lesson on reptiles

By

Stacy Dunn, an animal educator from Pinellas County Reptiles, tossed out lots of fun facts during a lively show featuring a variety of live critters on June 18 at the New River Branch Library, 34043 State Road 54 in Zephyrhills.

The unusual-looking blue chameleon has eyes for Stacy Dunn as it sits perched on her finger during the presentation. (Fred Bellet/Photos)
The unusual-looking blue chameleon has eyes for Stacy Dunn as it sits perched on her finger during the presentation.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

She had a crowd of about 90 hanging on her every word, as she showed off animals and talked about how big they get, how old they live to be and what they like to eat.

As she talked, she held the creatures in her hand, or let them crawl across a tarp she spread on the library’s floor.

She showed off 11 animals, including a lizard named Miss Athena, a bearded dragon named Jack and a tarantula named Miss Fluffy.

When Dunn told the crowd that Miss Athena likes blueberries, a little girl in the crowd announced, “I’d love to have a blueberry.”

Among the fun facts that Dunn shared:

“Tortoises cannot swim. They sink like rocks.”

“Snakes are not necessarily aggressive … (But) You don’t want to ever touch a snake’s face.”

“Tarantulas have terrible eyesight. Although they have eight eyes, they can barely see at all.”

And, “Bearded dragons have a blind spot.”

It was mixed reactions from kids when Stacy Dunn released the boa constrictor on a tarp for them to take a closer look.
It was mixed reactions from kids when Stacy Dunn released the boa constrictor on a tarp for them to take a closer look.

One of the more unusual creatures that Dunn showed the crowd looks like a snake, but is actually a lizard. It’s called a European legless lizard.

As Dunn showed off the animals, she gave the kids a chance to touch them.

They were gentle, and Dunn was appreciative: “You guys are doing so good touching with a very delicate touch. Thank you very much.”

During most of the show, 9-year-old Sabrina Mraz sat quietly next to her grandmother, Elsie Brower, of Wesley Chapel.

At one point, though, the young girl decided she wanted to touch a snake, so her grandmother went with her.

While the little girl seemed to enjoy the experience, her grandmother seemed more excited.

“That’s the first time in my life I touched a snake,” the 78-year-old Brower said, who clearly thought the show was worthwhile.

“I found it educational,” Brower said. “I guess you’re never too old to learn.”

Published June 29, 2016

New shops coming to Wiregrass

By

The Shops at Wiregrass is freshening up its retail lineup, and looking ahead to a spring 2018 opening for an adjoining retail center.

For now, the new shopping center is identified as the “connector site.”

New shops, restaurants, a grocery store and movie theater are planned.

Shoppers will have walkways to allow easy access into and out of both sites.

“We want to blend and separate it, but create its own identity at the same time,” said Greg Lenners, general manager at the Wiregrass shops.

Greg Lenners is general manager of The Shops at Wiregrass.
Greg Lenners is general manager of The Shops at Wiregrass.

Developers are awaiting a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, but Lenners said the anticipated opening will be in the spring of 2018.

He spoke to about 30 people at a luncheon on June 23 sponsored by The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber has economic development briefings, with invited guest speakers on the last Thursday of each month.

Forest City Enterprises, the developers of The Shops at Wiregrass, and NRP Group are partnering on the expansion adjacent to The Shops at Wiregrass.

About 250 upscale apartments are planned, as well as about 120,000 square feet of retail, Lenners said.

A 30,000-square-foot grocery and a 35,000-square-foot movie house will be built. “The idea is a dinner-type theater,” said Lenners.

Shops and restaurants could fill in the remaining 55,000 square feet of commercial space.

Lenners also gave a rundown on recent store openings at Wiregrass.

VOM FASS Oils Vinegars Spirits, which opened last week, is the newest retailer and joins other new additions: Rocket Fizz, Lola Perfume, Soleciety Sneaker Boutique and 3D Musketeers.

VisionWorks is slated for a fall opening. Vitamin Shoppe could open by the end of August. And, Irish 31 Pub & Eatery, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt and Avalon Spa also are expected to open in coming months.

But, Lenners shot down rumors of a Cheesecake Factory.

At least in the near future.

Chains such as Cheesecake or P.F. Chang’s count on large lunch crowds, and the area falls a little short on that, Lenners said.

“You have a commuter demographic here so our lunch traffic goes down,” he said. “We’ll get there.”

As an example, Lenners said about 1,200 houses are under construction near The Shops at Wiregrass. Communities such as Estancia and The Ridge are adding to the local population and signaling continued growth in the area.

“We’re literally right on the 50-yard line,” Lenners said.

Published June 29, 2016

 

If you’re getting a different edition today, here’s why

By

With today’s edition, we’re realigning the distribution of our papers to better match up with the community where you live. The changes primarily affect two areas:

  • If you have a Lutz address and live in Pasco County, beginning today you will receive The Lutz News instead of The Land O’ Lakes/Lutz edition of The Laker. These families live north of County Line Road and south of State Road 54. At the same time, our 45 business locations and boxes on the south side of State Road 54 in Pasco County now will be stocked with The Lutz News.
  • If you have a Land O’ Lakes address and have been receiving the Wesley Chapel/New Tampa edition of The Laker, beginning today you will receive the Land O’ Lakes edition of The Laker. These families live north of State Road 54 along Wesley Chapel Boulevard in the subdivisions of Stagecoach Village, The Enclave and Cypress Estates.

People who live in Grand Oaks, who also have a Land O’ Lakes address, will continue to receive our Wesley Chapel edition because of their close proximity to the Interstate 75/Wesley Chapel community.

We view these changes as course corrections to our distribution, which will allow us to publish, more precisely, news stories pertinent to where you live. This means readers living south of State Road 54 now will receive more news about their hometown of Lutz, and readers living north of State Road 54 will receive more news about their hometown of Land O’ Lakes.

Welcome New Readers

In addition to adjusting these boundaries, this week we’re also welcoming several new areas to our home delivery.

In Wesley Chapel, we now deliver to families living in Estancia and and in the Silver Leaf area of Seven Oaks. In Lutz, we are welcoming families in Long Lake Ranch.

In Land O’ Lakes, we have increased home delivery in Ballantrae, have added The Woodlands and also have added two subdivisions in Connerton — Taylor Morrison’s Gardenia Glenn and Homes by WestBay.

Our new home delivery totals 1,000 households — an astounding, one-week increase in circulation, especially when contrasted to daily newspapers that regularly report double-digit circulation losses.

Adding in our East Pasco circulation, The Laker/Lutz News is now delivered to 44,800 homes and businesses. Surprising to many, 86 percent of our newspapers are delivered directly to single-family homes in Lutz, Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel.

Advertisers and readers both want home delivery — the more we have, the better we can serve our community with news, human interest stories and information you don’t find anywhere else.

My staff never worries if we’re going to be around in five, 10 or 25 years. We know we will be, because you confirm it every week with your loyal readership.

In our market area, eight out of 10 households read The Laker/Lutz News every week. According to research conducted by the company that audits our circulation, it doesn’t get much better than 81 percent household penetration in a suburban area like ours.

We’re told that we’re one of the best-read community newspapers in North America. Your loyal readership makes that so.

It is also the reason why we have advertisers whose revenue pays for the expenses of printing and delivering a 24-page, free newspaper to your home 52 times a year. Our advertisers understand that no other advertising medium connects them to you better, or more cost effectively, than The Laker/Lutz News.

So thank you for caring about what’s going on in your community, for sharing our stories with others, and most of all, for your loyal readership and appreciation of our work.

You are the reason why we have the resources to grow our circulation to reach new residents who are making our community their home.

Published June 29, 2016

Thrasher’s impacts felt, from Atlanta to Dade City

By

While he doesn’t have the name recognition of other famed railroad builders, John James Thrasher played a role in bringing the first railroad to Dade City, thus helping to develop the future county seat of Pasco County.

Little is known about his life before he reached the age of 21.

He was born on Feb. 14, 1818, as the second oldest in a family of 14 children.

From left, John J. Thrasher, George W. Collier and George W. Adair. (Courtesy of The Atlanta History Center)
From left, John J. Thrasher, George W. Collier and George W. Adair.
(Courtesy of The Atlanta History Center)

He would go on to be credited for his efforts to rebuild Atlanta after the American Civil War, and would become a prominent citizen of Georgia.

During a family reunion earlier this summer at the Pioneer Florida Museum and Village in Dade City, David Sumner described Thrasher as “a railroad builder, entrepreneur, merchant and politician.”

Sumner is the great-great grandson of Thrasher, and a 1964 graduate of Pasco High School.

Thrasher — known as “Cousin John” to his many friends and family — was hired in 1839 to do work on the terminus of the Western and Atlantic Railroad in an area near present-day downtown Atlanta.

The Georgia General Assembly had authorized the railroad construction project as a northward link to Chattanooga and the Midwest.

In early 1861, Thrasher was Fulton County’s state representative when Georgia joined the Confederate States of America.

Major battles against Union armies would take place at Chickamauga in 1863, and Kennesaw Mountain in 1864.

When Union troops under the command of William Tecumseh Sherman drew near during the Atlanta campaign, much of the population had fled the city, including Thrasher, his wife, and four sons and three daughters.

This rapid exodus reduced Atlanta’s population from around 22,000 to less than 3,000.

John J. Thrasher lived the last 15 years of his life in Dade City and is buried next to his wife, Bethuel Scaife Thrasher. According to records of the Dade City Cemetery, there are 25 family descendants also interred here. (Doug Sanders/Photo)
John J. Thrasher lived the last 15 years of his life in Dade City and is buried next to his wife, Bethuel Scaife Thrasher. According to records of the Dade City Cemetery, there are 25 family descendants also interred here.
(Doug Sanders/Photo)

On Sept. 2, 1864, James M. Calhoun, the 16th Mayor of Atlanta, surrendered to Sherman, writing, “Sir: The fortune of war has placed Atlanta in your hands.”

Union soldiers occupied Atlanta for the next two months and burned most of it to the ground on Nov. 15, 1864.

In an article published by The Pasco News in 1999, Sumner described Thrasher at 46 years of age with no possessions left in a city that was “a burned waste of destruction.”

The elegant Thrasher home on Ashby Street had been the headquarters of Confederate Gen. John B. Hood. The Atlanta Constitution reported that Union troops did not destroy it, but they carried off the marble mantels, melted the outside ornamental ironwork and converted the library into a blacksmith’s shop.

After the war, Thrasher was one of 12 charter members of the Atlanta Street Railway Company — formed to operate the city’s first streetcars in 1866 according to the Atlanta History Center.

As Atlanta’s first merchant on Marietta Street, a state historical marker currently designates the site as “Thrasherville—Where Atlanta Began,” Sumner says.

He explains that Thrasher “physically and economically laid the foundations for modern-day Atlanta.”

According to the Thrasher Family papers at Emory University and the University of Georgia, Thrasher helped to build a school and supervised the construction of the new Fulton County Jail in 1865.

“The building is neither gorgeous nor picturesque,” reported the Atlanta Intelligencer, “but it is substantial, and it will answer its purpose.”

Within four years, Georgia became the last Confederate state restored to the Union.

It was during this period that Thrasher moved north of Atlanta along the Richmond and Danville Railroad, and founded a town he named after a good friend, Jonathan Norcross, who was the fourth mayor of Atlanta.

In the 1880s, Thrasher and his wife followed two of their sons to Dade City.

The elder Thrasher planted orange trees, while one son, David, became county judge in 1887, the third superintendent of schools in 1896, and was elected mayor of Dade City on Feb. 6, 1905.

Spending the rest of his life in Dade City, the elder Thrasher gave speeches and was instrumental in bringing the first railroad to town.

In 1885, the Florida Southern Railroad (later a part of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad) was built 40 feet from the present-day Dade City Cemetery, heading toward Lakeland.

This would transform the town’s economic growth.

The existing Atlantic Coast Line Depot along the U.S 98 Bypass is one of four historic depots that have served the local area.

In October 1887—23 years after Sherman set fire to Atlanta—President Grover Cleveland addressed a crowd of approximately 50,000 people attending the Piedmont Exposition.

As a showcase for the city’s reconstruction since the Civil War, The Atlanta Constitution reported that “Cousin John J. Thrasher” was at the exposition “as one of the best known and most popular men who ever lived in Atlanta.”

He died in Dade City on Nov. 14, 1899, when he was 81. In part, his obituary read: “…and now his death carries away next to the last of the three famous pioneers who were here before any of the people making this their home had ever heard of the place.”

Adding to the family legacy is Robert Woodruff, a great-grandson of Caroline Thrasher, who herself was a first cousin of (John J.) Thrasher.

Woodruff was an influential head of the Coca-Cola Company for nearly 60 years and a famous Atlanta philanthropist.

“I have spent the last 20 years researching the life of John Thrasher,” Sumner recalled during the family reunion in Dade City. “More than his accomplishments, I am touched by his character—his love, generosity, and kindness toward others. That’s why everyone called him ‘Cousin John.’”

Demand to Evacuate Atlanta
“Now you must go, and take with you the old and feeble, feed and nurse them, and build for them, in more quiet places, proper habitations to shield them against the weather until the mad passions of men cool down, and allow the Union and peace once more to settle over your old homes in Atlanta.” — William T. Sherman

Source: “Memoirs of General William T. Sherman” (Second Edition; New York. D. Appleton and Company, 1904).

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 June 29, 2016

Honoring Vietnam War veterans for their service

By

The City of San Antonio received an official Certificate of Partnership from the U.S. Department of Defense, as well as a Commemorative Partner Flag during the city’s commission meeting on June 21.

Brig. Gen. Thomas V. Draude, a retired member of the United States Marine Corps, presented the flag and award to the city, according to Lou Rinaldi, who is involved in the commemorative efforts.

San Antonio Mayor Tim Newlon, left, and Brig. Gen Thomas V. Draude display the flag. (Courtesy of Richard K. Riley)
San Antonio Mayor Tim Newlon, left, and Brig. Gen Thomas V. Draude display the flag.
(Courtesy of Richard K. Riley)

The Vietnam War Commemoration, being led by the Secretary of Defense, is supported through funds approved by the U.S. Congress in legislation that was signed into law in 2008.

President Barack Obama officially announced the Commemoration at a Proclamation Ceremony on Memorial Day in 2012 at The Wall in Washington D.C.

The Commemorative Partner Program is designed for federal, state and local communities’ veterans’ organizations, and other organizations, to help the country thank and honor Vietnam Veterans and their families, according to a fact sheet about the program.

Commemorative Partners must commit to conduct two events a year for three years, Rinaldi said.

The Commemoration is a way to respect and honor those who served in the Vietnam War, Rinaldi said, noting, “some of us remember how we were treated when we came back.”

The Commemoration program seeks to give those who served in the Vietnam War the respect and honor they were denied in the past, he said.

San Antonio is the first city in Pasco County to adopt the program, Rinaldi said. Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco has adopted it, and so has the Pasco County Commission.

Published June 29, 2016

Company rewarded for its job growth

By

Pasco County commissioners rewarded a Lutz startup pharmacy service for adding at least 26 full-time jobs to the local economy.

Crestmark Pharmacy Services LLC received an incentive payout of $104,000 through a jobs agreement approved by commissioners at their June 21 meeting in New Port Richey.

Since opening in 2015, the company has hired 24 employees.

That number could rise to 30 or more, according to Randall McElheney, company manager.

“We’re happy to be in Pasco County,” said McElheney.

Crestmark Pharmacy is located at 1860 Highland Oaks Blvd., in Lutz. The company provides prescription medications to long-term care patients at nursing homes. Services also include information technology solutions for caregivers, consultations, and infusion therapy.

The Pasco Economic Development Council reviewed the company’s application and found that it qualified for the incentive program.

Under county ordinance, companies must create a minimum of 10 jobs within a year. Salaries must be greater than the average wage in Pasco County, and at least 51 percent of products and services must be sold outside of the county.

County officials see the economic impact from jobs at Crestmark Pharmacy as a generator of additional jobs, indirectly. Estimates are for 17 more jobs locally at other businesses and 13 more jobs in other counties, for a total of 56 jobs.

Crestmark Pharmacy also is adding good paying jobs at an average annual salary of about $60,000 per employee. At 26 employees, total annual wages paid by the company would be about $1.3 million.

Annual sales for the company are about $12 million, according to county officials.

The pharmacy’s distribution area primarily is central Florida, as far north as Gainesville and as far south as Port Charlotte. McElheney said.

“The incentive had a lot to do with us deciding to come here,” he said. But, other factors also mattered.

Lutz is centrally located within the Tampa Bay region. There also is a good labor market for recruiting job applicants, McElheney said.

He also noted that Pasco is a growth area.

“People can be close to their home. It was attractive to them to work here,” he said.

Published June 29, 2016

Shops at Wiregrass debuts flagpole on Flag Day

By

Initially billed as a celebration to unveil a new 40-foot flagpole at The Shops at Wiregrass, the event took on a more somber tone in light of the mass shootings in Orlando.

At the beginning of the Flag Day ceremony, Greg Lenners, the general manager for The Shops at Wiregrass, asked for a moment of silence.

That moment lasted 49 seconds.

Unfurling the 8-by-12 American flag, members of the Wesley Chapel Cadet Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol prepare to raise the flag during a Flag Day ceremony at The Shops at Wiregrass. Cadets, from left, Andrew Alayon, 16, of Wesley Chapel; Cassie Ramer, 15, of Spring Hill; and Francisco Pulgarin, 16, and Elicia Smith, 15, both of Wesley Chapel, assist in the regional mall’s first flag-raising event. (Fred Bellet/Photos)
Unfurling the 8-by-12 American flag, members of the Wesley Chapel Cadet Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol prepare to raise the flag during a Flag Day ceremony at The Shops at Wiregrass. Cadets, from left, Andrew Alayon, 16, of Wesley Chapel; Cassie Ramer, 15, of Spring Hill; and Francisco Pulgarin, 16, and Elicia Smith, 15, both of Wesley Chapel, assist in the regional mall’s first flag-raising event.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

Each second symbolized the loss of a life on June 12 at Pulse nightclub in Orlando.

In asking for sign of respect, Lenners also asked those gathered to honor those who were injured, as well as their families and the community of Orlando.

Following Lenners’ remarks, Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore shared some history about Flag Day, noting that it was officially established by a proclamation by President Woodrow Wilson on May 30, 1916.

President Harry Truman signed an Act of Congress on Aug. 3, 1949 declaring June 14 as National Flag Day.

Moore invited those gathered to reflect upon the meaning of the American flag.

“Think to yourself: What does this flag mean to me?” Moore said. “In your heart, right now, what does it mean to you?” he asked.

“Who gave up their lives to keep that flag flying?” he asked.

Moore said when he thinks about the flag, he thinks about such things as freedom, family, veterans and pride.

The Wesley Chapel Cadet Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol handled the duties of presenting the colors and hoisting the flag.

Immediately after raising the 8-by-12-foot flag to the top of the pole, squadron members lowered it to half-staff, in honor of the Orlando shooting victims.

Those attending the event said they came to demonstrate their patriotism and celebrate what the American flag represents.

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office mounted posse was on hand at the June 14 Flag Day ceremony, to celebrate the installation of a 40-foot flagpole at The Shops at Wiregrass.
The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office mounted posse was on hand at the June 14 Flag Day ceremony, to celebrate the installation of a 40-foot flagpole at The Shops at Wiregrass.

Teresa Fegan came sporting a blouse decked out with stars.

“I feel like we’re free in this country,” the 73-year-old Fegan said, explaining why she wanted to attend. “It’s wonderful to be a part of this country. I am so sorry for what happened in Orlando,” she added.

Her 80-year-old husband, Pete, said he posts a flag at his home on all of the nation’s patriotic holidays.

Fifty-year-old Juan Obando and his 42-year-old wife, Monica, came to the ceremony for two reasons.

They wanted to support their son, Juan Obando Jr., who is part of the Wesley Chapel Cadet Squadron, and they wanted to express their patriotism.

Gabriel Quinn, a cadet with the Wesley Chapel Cadet Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol, and others, salute, while Eric Johnson sings ‘The Star-Spangled Banner.’
Gabriel Quinn, a cadet with the Wesley Chapel Cadet Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol, and others, salute, while Eric Johnson sings ‘The Star-Spangled Banner.’

“We are American citizens,” Juan Obando said. “We are supporting America at this time,” he added, referring to the mass shootings in Orlando.

“It is so sad,” his wife, Monica said.

The event also attracted a number of dignitaries, including Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader and state Reps. Danny Burgess and Shawn Harrison. Bob Hatfield was there, too, representing U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis.

Eric Johnson, of Wesley Chapel Toyota, sang “The Star-Spangled Banner,” with a few members of the audience reverently joining in.

When adding the flagpole to the regional mall, Lenners said “we were methodical in looking for the location.

“We wanted something that was front and center,” he said. “This is certainly front and center.”

Published June 22, 2016

Summer of sorrow calls us to love each other

By

Only weeks have passed since the awful news that emerged from Meadow Pointe, but ensuing events in Orlando make it seem like a lifetime. So much atrocity packed into so little time. We hadn’t even crossed the solstice, and already it was the summer of sorrow.

But for many in our community, it began here, with the dark bathroom, the blocked door, the oozing blood, and the pure, inexpugnable horror beyond.

Fifteen-year-old Tovonna Holton’s image went viral on social media, following the the Wiregrass Ranch High School freshman’s death. (Facebook.com)
Fifteen-year-old Tovonna Holton’s image went viral on social media, following the the Wiregrass Ranch High School freshman’s death.
(Facebook.com)

And after that, the revelations and the conjecture, the grief and the fury. Tovonna Holton murmured she “owed them.” But surely she didn’t owe them this, the ultimate self-sacrifice. Surely not this. The life of a 15-year-old, so vibrant and full of possibility, in exchange — if the early narrative proves out — for cruel, brainless shaming?

It is too late for Tovonna, whose photographs reveal her beauty and outward joy, but fail to detect her brittle vulnerabilities. But, if there are young people in your household, or your neighborhood, or in your greater village where you work, play, worship, attend school or volunteer, now — yes, literally, now (tonight might be too late) — is the time to tell them: There is nothing so awful in your life that we cannot sort it out together.

I’m talking to adults, of course, but not just to adults. This is on teens and ‘tweens, too. This next is for them.

Guys, you know, oftentimes better than parents or the other adults in your lives, when your friends are aching, when they think they’ve been done wrong.

Nobody expects you to fix the hurt. But, you can be the key to helping make sure the hurt doesn’t explode. You can be the one who gives permission to seeking the grownup who can defuse the bomb ticking inside your friend.

Your elementary school training about stumbling upon mislaid weapons applies. Whether it’s an abandoned gun or your friend’s crisis, it’s not your duty to pick it up and carry it around. Instead, you provide support by getting help. And that help begins by gently introducing a responsible adult.

Sometimes it’s mom and/or dad. Sometimes it’s a pastor or a teacher or a counselor or a coach or a club sponsor or the principal. Maybe it’s one of the moms who’s always working the concession stand, even if her kids don’t run in your circles. Maybe it’s the neighbor with the slightly disheveled yard, or the manager at your favorite night spot.

The thing about grownups is, they’ve usually learned knowing all the answers is less important than knowing whom to ask when they’re stumped. And they — we — would much rather play the role of guide than mourner. We’d rather bring relief than casseroles and flowers.

What allegedly happened to Tovonna Holton — a surreptitious video of her showering, or bathing — posted on the internet, was unspeakable. If the claims survive scrutiny, then every step in the process violated Tovonna’s most precious rights: the right to innocence, the right to privacy, the right not to be exploited, the right not to be subjected to ridicule.

At the time this is being written, a spokesman for the Pasco Sheriff’s Office reports the agency is close to wrapping up its investigation. If the allegations are confirmed, it is difficult to imagine a punishment sufficient for those who conspired to propel Tovonna over the brink.

But, even if the source of ultimate trouble lay elsewhere, the shaming video exists. Did no one stop to think: “What’s the worst that can happen?” And its necessary follow-up: “Can I live with that?” These are always good questions to weigh, in every phase of life, but never more so than when what you’re plotting holds the potential to scar someone for life.

For life? Yes. The internet is forever. If she’d somehow found the courage and counseling to survive her tortured moment on the cliff overlooking oblivion, she’d have had to figure out how to get along knowing the footage was out there, always lurking.

“Explain this video,” says the college gatekeeper. “You want to tell me what was going on here?” says the personnel director between her and her dream job. “How did you wind up naked on YouTube?” asks the man who was almost Tovonna’s fiancé. And on and on and on.

And yet, we would surrender all that is good and reassuring about our species if we imagined even such an unforgivable prank couldn’t have been surmounted.

In the wake of the slaughter in the nightclub popular with Orlando’s LGBT community, people set aside their politics and upbringings to overwhelm blood banks. And, there’s movement on how to keep firearms away from smoldering bad actors tentatively identified by law enforcement.

Because these are things we can do. So is wrapping an arm around a troubled teen and saying, right now, “I am here. You are loved. Things will get better.”

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

Published June 22,2016

Budget talks start in Pasco

By

The economy is picking up steam with new housing construction leading the way, and property tax revenues on the rise.

But, that won’t mean Pasco County commissioners will have an easy time figuring out how to spend tax dollars and hold the line on tax increases.

Commissioners face large budget requests including an increase of $6.5 million from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and smaller requests, including a circulator bus route in Land O’ Lakes. The bus route would cost about $365,000 in the first year and about $308,000 a year after that.

The county’s staff is not recommending a change in the millage rate, but homeowners could see an increase in taxes based on rising property values, officials said.

Commissioners met in a June 13 workshop to gather information about the upcoming 2017 budget. They heard multiple presentations from county department heads.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco
Chris Nocco
(File Photo)

The largest dollar amount increase request is from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, which is seeking a 6.1 percent increase, which amounts to about $6.4 million in new funding. If approved, the sheriff’s budget would be $110 million in 2017.

This is the second consecutive year that Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco has sought a budget increase of more than $6 million.

Last year, commissioners approved $2.7 million to cover pay raises and benefits, as well as ongoing expenses for body cameras and helicopter maintenance.

Nocco is seeking another round of pay raises to make deputies’ salaries more competitive with other law enforcement agencies in Hillsborough, Pinellas and the City of Tampa.

Data from the sheriff’s office shows the area’s average starting salary is almost $46,000, while Pasco’s is about $41,000. Pasco’s starting salary is the lowest in the region compared to Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee and Pinellas counties and also lags behind St. Petersburg, Sarasota and Tampa.

The sheriff’s budget also includes money for 10 new positions for the sheriff’s office and 15 for other agencies.

There also is a request for about $700,000 for laptop computers, an item previously funded from the Penny for Pasco program.

Last year’s budget discussions surrounding the sheriff’s budget often grew contentious.

But after his presentation, Nocco told The Laker/Lutz News: “Everybody has been positive. Everyone is working together.”

Other department heads also made their case for new revenues to increase staff and add services.

Libraries administrator Nancy Fredericks asked for staff needed to restore operating hours for libraries to pre-recession years.

Currently libraries are open five days a week and one night a week per location. Fredericks hopes for nearly $500,000 more to operate libraries six days a week, and on two to four nights a week.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore asked Fredericks to give commissioners options on operating hours. “Maybe we can work our way toward this in two to three years,” he said.

Commissioners approved a master plan for the county’s parks and recreation facilities in 2015. It would take an estimated $222 million to implement the plan.

As a start, Kelley Boree, parks, recreation and natural resources director, proposed hiring a consultant to craft a pilot campaign to help launch the plan. That would cost $75,000, but Boree said many counties hire consultants for this reason.

There is no one on the county’s staff that has the skill set to perform this work, Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker said.

“To me this is critically important because our parks are so underfunded,” said Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey. “I’m talking about all types of recreation…We’ve been lax in this forever.”

The county also is proposing to hire a lobbyist to promote Pasco’s interests in Washington D.C., at a cost of $60,000 a year.

Richard Gehring, the county’s strategic policy administrator, said Pasco would see benefits from a “closer relationship” with federal agencies, especially those dealing with transportation and environmental matters.

Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader said he wasn’t opposed to the proposal, but said the county should avoid duplicating efforts already done by the Florida Department of Transportation.

“You’ve got to be specific on lobbying efforts on the federal level,” he said.

The building department wants about $403,000 to hire four new inspectors and a records clerk to implement a code enforcement ordinance approved amid controversy among Land O’ Lakes business owners.

The ordinance is meant to focus on cleanup efforts along major corridors including U.S. 41, U.S. 301 and U.S. 19. But, building officials now say they don’t have enough staff to enforce it.

In subsequent years, enforcement costs would be about $290,000.

Commissioners will meet individually with county staff in the next weeks to make their budget preferences known.

The budget will be presented on July 12, with final approval in September.

Published June 22, 2016