Local News

Contract proposal includes pay raises, more planning time

January 8, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Banning smoking from all school district sites will contribute to a healthier work force, Pasco County Schools superintendent Kurt Browning says. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools) — Banning smoking from all school district sites will contribute to a healthier work force, Pasco County Schools superintendent Kurt Browning says.
(Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

A vote is scheduled on Jan. 14 to determine whether or not a proposed contract between Pasco County Schools and the United School Employees of Pasco will garner enough support for adoption.

Negotiators for Pasco County Schools and the United School Employees of Pasco have hammered out a deal that includes pay raises and increased instructional planning time. But it also calls for the end of smoking on all district properties and for the end of a district early retirement program.

Teachers and school-related employees, on average, would receive a 3 percent increase under the proposal.

Union president Kenny Blankenship has characterized the proposed pay raise as “one of the best in the state.”

The proposed contract also calls for increasing teachers’ instructional planning time from the current 100 minutes a day, to 150.

Increasing planning time for teachers is perhaps the most significant item in the agreement, Blankenship has said.

The proposed contract also calls for the end of smoking on district properties, effective July 1, 2016.

That’s a provision that Superintendent Kurt Browning has said is important to helping the district have a healthier work force.

Because the change won’t take effect until mid-2016, employees will have time to take part in smoking cessation programs.

Another portion of the proposed contract calls for eliminating new entrants to the district’s early retirement program, effective June 30, 2018.

Again, there’s time between now and then for any eligible employee to take advantage of the program before it lapses.

Provided that the settlement is ratified, the Pasco County School Board is scheduled to vote on the proposed contract on Jan. 20.

Any applicable retroactive pay should be reflected in paychecks by the end of February.

Published January 7, 2015

Proud to name B.C. Manion as our new editor

January 8, 2015 By Diane Kortus

There were a lot of changes at The Laker/Lutz News in the past year. We redesigned our website and Facebook page, increased the size of our news page to match the size of most daily newspapers, added a new B section primarily for photo features and prepared to take our East Pasco edition of The Laker from an every-other-week publication to weekly.

As I reflect on 2014, I see it as a year that we invested in the foundation of our business – upgrading both our printed newspaper and our digital platforms.

With a foundation that is solid and ready to support our future, it’s time to focus on the next phase — improving and expanding the talents of our news staff to produce a publication that gives our readers a broader array of interesting stories and timely news. Leading the effort to tackle our ambitious editorial goals is B.C. Manion, who has been promoted to editor of The Laker/Lutz News.

You most likely will recognize B.C. Manion’s byline. She has been our community editor since August 2010. She frequently writes about people and groups who make a positive impact on our communities, and is our lead reporter covering education and upcoming events, including her popular “Worth The Trip” feature, which identifies attractions, just a short drive away, that are fun and affordable places to visit.

B.C. is a graduate of the journalism program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Her roots in community journalism go back to her first reporting job in Omaha, Nebraska, where she planned coverage, took photographs, and filed news and feature stories for zoned editions of a weekly newspaper.

She added to her reporting skills by working at a small daily newspaper in Hastings, Nebraska. Her next reporting job was in the highly competitive South Florida newspaper market, where she competed against reporters from The Miami Herald and The (Fort Lauderdale) Sun-Sentinel.

She joined The Tampa Tribune in 1985, where she worked for 23 years and covered everything from government to gardening. Her work there appeared on the pages of every section of the newspaper except for Sports.

Her current assignment includes staying abreast of issues in Lutz, a community she first learned about when she covered zoning and development issues – her initial reporting beat at the Tribune.

We were fortunate to lure B.C. to The Laker/Lutz News the summer of 2010. Many journalists with so much experience at a metro daily newspaper would consider working for a small weekly newspaper like ours a “step down.”

But not B.C. She saw it as an opportunity to do stories that can have a real impact in the daily lives of our readers.

She understands the value of keeping readers informed of changes that affect their lives, whether that be the opening of a new hospital, the construction of a new state college or the battle over a proposed site for a new charter school.

She especially enjoys writing about the unsung heroes in our communities who quietly go about making a tremendous difference in the lives they touch.

B.C. understands the importance of teamwork, welcomes story ideas from residents and believes that community newspapers offer a forum for local stories that cannot be found anywhere else.

Those are some of the values that I was looking for in editor. So when the time was right to hire an editor for our papers, B.C. was the obvious choice.

Please join me in welcoming B.C. to her new position as editor of The Laker/Lutz News. She is an outstanding journalist. She is passionate about her work and about serving our communities. I am confident she will play an instrumental role as we work to become an even better newspaper in 2015.

Published January 7, 2015

Learning Gate wins national award

January 8, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Learning Gate Community School in Lutz is one of the 2014 Best of Green Schools award recipients, according to the U.S. Green Building Council.

The school received word of the recognition last month, and it is just one of the honors that the charter school located in Lutz has received for its focus on environmental education.

The U.S. Green Building Council has named Learning Gate Community School a recipient of one of its 2014 Best of Green Schools awards. The school was recognized for the EcoFest it organizes every year to promote environmental sustainability. (Courtesy of Learning Gate Community School) — The U.S. Green Building Council has named Learning Gate Community School a recipient of one of its 2014 Best of Green Schools awards. The school was recognized for the EcoFest it organizes every year to promote environmental sustainability.
(Courtesy of Learning Gate Community School)

The award is based on the school’s annual EcoFest, which brings together businesses, organizations and individuals from Tampa Bay who are dedicated to the principles of sustainability, according to a news release from Learning Gate.

The event, held at Lowry Park, offered more than 100 vendors, live music, workshops, demonstrations, informational booths, green living products and services from local artists, environmental organizations, alternative health practitioners, renewable energy specialists and organic farms with local produce.

More than 4,000 people attended the fair last year.

“The students, staff, and families of Learning Gate Community School are thrilled to have been chosen as a winner in the USGBC’s Best in Green Schools for 2014,” said Michele Northrup, event organizer, in a news release.

“We will be celebrating our 6th Annual EcoFest on Saturday, April 18, 2015 at Lowry Park with our partners: USF Patel College of Sustainability and the City of Tampa,” Northrup added.

“Selecting the Best of Green Schools honorees is an exciting and challenging process, as there are so many fantastic examples of efforts being made in communities large and small,” Rachel Gutter, director, Center for Green Schools, said in a news release.

“Some of the honorees go about their work quietly, others are in public positions and have the attention of a national audience. Every one of the honorees is a leader, taking risks, setting an example for others, innovating and diligently pursuing a world in which every student attends a green school within the next generation,” Gutter added.

The recipients of the Best of Green Schools 2014 will receive recognition throughout the year from the U.S. Green Building Council, as well as access to the Green Classroom Professional Certificate Program, a tool to help school staff and educators identify what supports or impedes healthy, resource efficient and environmentally sustainable learning spaces.

Published January 7, 2015

Charter school faces opposition

January 8, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Opposition is heating up against a proposed charter school for up to 1,050 elementary students in Lutz.

Charter Schools Inc., of Boca Raton is seeking permission from Hillsborough County to allow a school for students in kindergarten through eighth grade at the southwest corner of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard.

Residents living near a proposed private charter school in Lutz say the project would create even more traffic problems on already congested roads near the school. (File Photo) — Residents living near a proposed private charter school in Lutz say the project would create even more traffic problems on already congested roads near the school.
(File Photo)

The operator of the school would be Charter Schools Association of Coral Gables, according to the application filed with Hillsborough County.

The proposed Sunlake Academy would operate on 7.46 acres, according to Michael Horner, the applicant’s representative. A 1-acre outparcel at the site represents a potential child care center in the future that is already permitted by existing zoning, Horner said in an email.

A public hearing — initially set for Dec. 15, then delayed until Jan. 20 — has been delayed again, this time until Feb. 16 at 6 p.m.

Horner said the delay for the hearing was needed because the county requested additional traffic information, which has been completed but not yet reviewed by county staff.

Horner noted that the applicant has submitted a revised site plan that includes a number of changes, including a larger buffer area and setback from residential lots to the west of the proposed school, double tree plantings, fencing and extensive left-turn lane improvements at both entrances, in response to the county’s mandate for no direct left turns into either entrance.

The proposal now includes only U-turns at the intersection, as well as dedicated right turn lanes on both Sunlake Boulevard and Lutz Lake Fern Road.

It’s not clear whether the proposed changes will make a difference to opponents to the school, who have made it known that they are concerned about traffic congestion, potential flooding issues and negative impacts to their quality of life, as well as property values.

Opponents are planning to have an informational meeting about the proposed charter school on Jan. 8 at 7 p.m., at the J.F. Swartsel Masonic Lodge, 3109 Lutz Lake Fern Road.

The application for the project shows for two phases.

The first phase includes a two-story building with 33 classrooms, and the second phase calls for a two-story building with 20 classrooms.

The plans also show a storm water pond, a playground, and areas for parking for both vehicles and bicycles. Plans also call for basketball courts.

Records submitted to Hillsborough County show that residents, area homeowner associations, The Lutz Citizens Coalition and the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club oppose the request.

Todd Caroline, who lives in Lake Fern Villa, notes that the project would back up to his property line.

“It is already a struggle to get out of our community morning, afternoon and evening due to a poorly built intersection at Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake (Boulevard). Ever since Steinbrenner (High School), Martinez (Middle School) and McKitrick (Elementary School) have opened, it has only gotten worse,” Caroline wrote in a Dec. 23 email to Hillsborough County staff.

James Lather, another opponent, said the Lutz Citizens Coalition vehemently opposes the application because of the inappropriate size, scope and density of the project for the proposed location.

Area resident Joanne Plazza noted that she’s lived in the area since 1987 and has never objected to any previous project. But, she said, this school would add traffic to an already congested area.

Opponent Sharon Bard, of 22232 Yachtclub Terrace, put it like this: “I am very much against this. I travel Lutz Lake Fern often and the added traffic would be horrific.”

Mike White, president and founder of the Lutz Citizens Coalition, said the school is being proposed in an inappropriate location.

Both Sunlake and Lutz Lake Fern are two lane roads and are not equipped to handle the additional traffic this project would generate, White said.

Published January 7, 2015

Sanders magnet deadline is approaching

January 8, 2015 By B.C. Manion

The Jan. 15 deadline is approaching for applications to Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet School – Pasco County’s first magnet school.

So far, the district has received around 1,400 applications for the school, at 5126 School Road in Land O’ Lakes. It is scheduled to open in August.

Considerable progress is being made on the construction of Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet School – Pasco County’s first magnet school. Applications for the school, which are being accepted from across the district, must be filed by Jan. 15. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Considerable progress is being made on the construction of Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet School – Pasco County’s first magnet school. Applications for the school, which are being accepted from across the district, must be filed by Jan. 15.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The school — which will emphasize science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics — is being built to accommodate 762 kindergarten through fifth-grade students.

As a magnet school, there are no attendance boundaries. Any elementary school student throughout the school district is eligible to apply.

A weighted lottery system will be used to select students. Pupils from nearby Connerton and Oakstead elementary schools, as well as children of Sander’s staff members, will have a higher priority for admission because Connerton and Oakstead are overcrowded.

Siblings of students accepted to Sanders also will be given extra weight in the lottery.

Once accepted, a student will be able to attend Sanders through fifth grade.

The district expects to notify parents of their child’s acceptance by email before Feb. 6.

Although the standards for the students will be the same, the learning approaches will be different.

The design of the school also will foster a greater degree of collaboration between students, and between students and teachers. A wetlands area with a boardwalk also will give students a chance to get up close with nature, creating opportunities for outdoor learning.

Sanders will use materials that are similar to those in traditional schools, except there will be a greater emphasis on technology, collaborative learning and independent thinking.

Sanders students will have some type of device allowing them to use technology to help solve problems and enhance learning. They also will have the arts infused into a curriculum that aims to create independent thinkers and learners.

Sanders’ design aims to encourage collaborative learning. When construction is completed, the school will have individual classrooms flanking both sides of a large space where students can work together on projects, where groups of children can work with teachers, and where larger presentations can be given.

Classrooms will have wireless technology. They also are set up to accommodate experiments. Space also will be provided within the school to allow students to store projects they are working on.

The school district also plans to send buses through neighborhoods within a five-mile radius to pick up students for Sanders. Those living farther away will use transportation hubs at Veterans, Moonlake and Trinity elementary schools, where they can catch a bus in the morning to Sanders and return there after school.

In a news conference that was held when the application period opened, Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning said the district is committed to the success of its first magnet school.

He also made it clear that the district recognizes its need to compete for students and will be adding more educational choices in the future.

For more information, and a virtual tour, visit PascoSchools.org, and click on the Sanders banner at the top.

Published January 7, 2015

Business Digest 01-07-15

January 8, 2015 By B.C. Manion

B Creative ribbon cutting
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce is having a ribbon cutting Jan. 8 from noon to 1:30 p.m., at B Creative Painting School, 6013 Wesley Grove Blvd., No. 103.

The studio is two doors down from the chamber’s office.

For more information about the business, visit BCreativePainting.com.

Wesley Chapel networking group
Networking for Your Success meets every Thursday at 8 a.m., at Lexington Oaks Country Club, 2615 Lexington Oaks Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Cost is $5, and annual membership to the group is $79.

Central Pasco Chamber lunch meeting
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will have a lunch meeting for members and guests on Jan. 13. Networking starts at 11:30 a.m., followed by a buffet. Sean McGarvey of the Pasco County Library System is the guest speaker.

Lunch is $20 if you reserve a space with the chamber by Jan. 9. Otherwise, it’s $25 at the door.

The chamber meets at Harbor Terrace Restaurant 19502 Heritage Harbor Parkway in Lutz.

Business workshops
Learn how to apply for a business loan at a session scheduled for Jan. 14 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the SMARTstart in Dade City.

At this workshop, Ken Nadler will focus on the individual requirements of the participants, including startups, mature businesses and purchasing of existing businesses. He’ll also discuss loan sources for amounts from $5,000 to $5 million.

For more information, visit PascoEDC.com.

Business development week luncheon
If you’re interested in finding out more about the economy’s outlook and how the markets are likely to perform in 2015, you may want to attend the Business Development Week Luncheon Jan. 30 at the Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club, 11500 Old Tampa Bay Drive in San Antonio.

The event begins with networking at 11 a.m., followed by a buffet luncheon and presentation from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The Cox-Wilkins Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors is presenting the event.

For more information, contact or visit PascoEDC.com.

Kumquat Festival selling sponsorship packages
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce is now accepting reservation packages for the 2015 Kumquat Festival, set to take place Jan. 31.

Packages start at $500, and include logos and links on the KumquatFestival.org website, as well as booth space at the festival. Premier packages, which run from $1,000 to $5,000, include additional features.

The event is expected to draw 45,000 people from Florida, who live here seasonally, and who are visiting.

For information, call John Moors at (352) 567-3769, or email .

Volunteer tax preparers needed
United Way of Pasco County is looking for help this coming tax season with volunteer tax preparers.

Last year, more than 8,000 county residents used United Way’s tax preparation service, and received more than $8 million in total refunds.

Those interested in being a tax preparer does not require experience, and comes with comprehensive training.

For more information, visit UnitedWayPasco.org.

Business Link available monthly
Business Link, a monthly small business gathering hosted by the San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union, meets the second Wednesday of each month beginning at 7:30 a.m.

The meeting is designed to provide a networking and information-sharing platform for the business community.

For locations, details and to reserve a seat, email , or call (352) 588-2732, ext. 1237.

Jobs on the go
CareerSource Pasco Hernando has reintroduced its Mobile One Stop, a 38-foot bus retrofitted with 13 computer stations. It’s complete with satellite Internet, telecommunications, printing, copying and scanning — everything anyone would need to find a job. It provides service to more than 100 people every month with stops that include the New River Branch Library in Zephyrhills among others.

For details on where Mobile One Stop will be, visit CareerSourcePascoHernando.com.

East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group has scheduled several speakers for the coming months.

The group meets every other week at the Village Inn at 5214 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills. Networking begins at 8 a.m., with the meeting starting at 8:30 a.m.

For information, call Nils Lenz at (813) 782-9491, or email him at .

Dade City chamber needs volunteers
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce is looking for some volunteers to help with the chamber event season.

With winter residents returning to the area, there are a number of activities the chamber needs help to staff. The chamber is looking for people who are friendly and outgoing, who have knowledge of the local area and activities, and are team-oriented.

For information, email .

Catholic Business Networking seeks members
The Catholic Business Networking group is looking for Catholic business owners, employees and supporters interested in joining it for regular meetings every Tuesday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, 2348 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes.

The group has annual dues of $60, and there is a minimum attendance requirement of two meetings per month.

For information, call (813) 833-4737, or visit CBNTampa.com.

Native American veterans offered job help
Native Americans throughout Florida and Georgia who have served in the U.S. military have a resource that government officials say will help them become economically self-sufficient.

The Florida Governor’s Council on Indian Affairs has launched its Native American Veteran Resource Initiative designed to help Native American, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian veterans find the education, training, job resources and services they need to compete in today’s labor market.

The services, although through the U.S. Department of Labor, are administered in ways that are consistent with the traditional cultural values and beliefs of the people they are designed to serve.

For information, call (800) 322-9186.

Saint Leo claims fifth place in Directors’ Cup standings

January 8, 2015 By Michael Murillo

When it comes to National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II sports, not many schools are faring better than Saint Leo University.

In the final fall standings for the Learfield Sports Division II Directors’ Cup, Saint Leo is sitting in fifth place with 242 points, best in its Sunshine State Conference. That is the highest current standing for any Florida school — the University of Tampa is currently 14th with 179 points.

Saint Leo’s soccer success is just one of the reasons that the university sits in fifth place in the Directors’ Cup standings. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University) — Saint Leo’s soccer success is just one of the reasons that the university sits in fifth place in the Directors’ Cup standings.
(Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

In a competition that includes hundreds of schools, the Lions find themselves in a position that’s new to them.

“I have seen the good and the bad,” said Fran Reidy, director of athletics for Saint Leo University. “For a number of years we’d be happy if we were inside in the top 100.”

Reidy has been with the school for many of those years. Aside from heading up the athletic department since 1999, he’s been involved with the school for 27 years, including a role as their soccer coach.

In that time, he’s seen a renewed commitment to athletic play at the university. An increase in sports participation (the school had just 10 sports programs in 1998 compared to 19 today), commitment to hiring good coaches, and more resources in scholarships have led to a strong overall program. And that’s the key to a good showing in the Directors’ Cup.

Rather than judge a school’s best sport, the competition is a measure of all the sports in an athletic program. Schools receive points based on their finish in each respective sport. But if a school doesn’t participate in a particular sport, they get zero points. Saint Leo doesn’t have a football or women’s field hockey program, for example, so it did not receive points in those categories.

The university does have strong soccer programs, and with top-10 finishes for both the men’s and women’s teams they were able to collect the majority of their points. Good showings in cross-country and volleyball (all of their fall sports reached their respective post-seasons, which means they all collected points) rounded out the fall scoring.

While the fifth place ranking is the school’s highest, it’s really a continuation of its upward trajectory. Last year Saint Leo was 20th after the fall standings and finished 18th when winter and spring contests were completed. The men’s teams have won the conference’s Mayors’ Cup the past two years.

For a former soccer coach, serving as director of athletics allows Reidy to execute a game plan on a schoolwide scale, and see it play out across a number of sports.

“There’s a competitive atmosphere that’s exciting,” Reidy said.

Along with that competitive atmosphere is a feeling of camaraderie. Each sport’s athletes support the others in an effort to collect points for the school and move up the standings, Reidy said. Even though each team has its own goals, they also want to see the school finish higher in the standings, which requires success across a variety of sports.

If the fifth-place standing is good news for Saint Leo, the upcoming sports offer even more reasons for optimism. A total of 14 sports remain, including a few where the university really shined last year. Women’s tennis reached the semifinals in the national tournament last year, and the men’s swimming team already has some athletes whose times have already qualified for national competition. And while the baseball team hasn’t reached the tournament for years, Reidy said they were very close to qualifying last year and have a good opportunity to break through in 2015.

There are still several months to go before the final standings will be released. The winter schedule sports wrap up April 2. The spring schedule concludes the Directors’ Cup scoring June 4. The best finishes from 14 of a school’s programs will be counted in the standings.

The success in athletics has not come at the expense of the classroom. More than half of the student athletes have a grade point average above 3.2, and the average grade point average for all athletes is 3.17.

“Last year was our best academic year,” Reidy said.

With so many sports left to be counted, Reidy believes they can finish even better than last year. Another top-20 finish for the Lions would show that they have a strong foundation for all their programs, and last year’s good showing was no fluke.

“We want to make sure we’re building something that’s going to last, and that’s happening,” he said.

Published January 7, 2015

A collection of cool spots

January 2, 2015 By B.C. Manion

If you’re looking to have a good time, want to see some of Florida’s beauty or maybe just learn a thing or two, there are plenty of wonderful places within a short drive to give you a break from life’s routine.

We showcase these kinds of getaways in our Worth the Trip feature, which typically appears once a month on our B Section front.

Here’s a look at some spots we featured during 2014. Search on our website, LakerLutzNews.com, to get the full version of these stories, and then hit the road and enjoy yourselves.

These soldiers are hiding in the Vietnam bush, in an exhibit at the Armed Forces Military Museum in Largo.

The Armed Forces History Museum, 2050 34th Way, Largo
This museum contains a treasure trove of more than 100,000 war artifacts and military memorabilia. It features displays that create the sense of walking through war zones.

The museum also has oral histories, sound recordings, black-and-white footage, and display cases that contain artifacts from various wars.

For more information, call (727) 539-8371, or visit ArmedForcesMuseum.com.

Tampa Theatre, 711 N. Franklin St., Tampa
Designed by theater architect John Eberson, The Tampa Theatre was once described as the finest achievement of its kind, south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

The theater opened in 1926 as Tampa’s first air-conditioned building. During its glory days, uniformed ushers guided patrons to their seats.

The movie palace gives ticket holders a chance to enjoy an architectural treat as well as a film or concert all for the price of admission.

For more information about the theater, tickets or prices, visit TampaTheatre.org.

Bok Tower Gardens, 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales
When Edward W. Bok created his sanctuary in Lake Wales, his goal was to provide a place of refreshment, where people could get away from the grind of the world.

The gardens offer visitors a chance to see a diverse mix of common Florida plants, along with exotic varieties with beautiful blooms. The centerpiece of the gardens is a 205-foot bell tower, which plays daily concerts.

There’s also an interesting visitor center, which offers details about the Pulitzer-prize winning Bok, a short film about the Florida attraction, and displays that explain the construction of the bell tower and gardens.

For more information, visit BokTowerGardens.org.

Honeymoon Island State Park, No. 1 Causeway Boulevard, Dunedin
Honeymoon Island State Park attracts more than 1.1 million visitors a year.

Just a 20-minute ferryboat ride away is Caladesi Island — a tranquil spot that was rated as America’s No. 1 Beach in 2008 by Stephen P. Leatherman, also known as Dr. Beach.

Both islands give visitors the chance to splash in the surf, search for shells, and savor nature’s splendor.

There are boating, fishing and kayaking options, too, for those who enjoy being out on the water. There also are places to buy refreshments, and shady picnic areas to gather with family and friends.

For more information, call (727) 469-5942.

Haslam’s Book Store, 2025 Central Ave., St. Petersburg
Book lovers will rejoice when they peruse the thousands of volumes stocked at Haslam’s Book Store, Florida’s largest bookstore, which is located in St. Petersburg.

In addition to new and used books, the store also has collectible and rare books.

The size of the bookstore, a St. Petersburg institution for decades, can’t be fully appreciated until you step inside and begin exploring its wide-open spaces and small rooms. People from around the world have been known to stop in at the store to check out its selection.

For more information, call (727) 822-8616, or visit Haslams.com.

Downtown St. Petersburg, mostly along Beach Drive
For those looking for a destination that offers something for everyone, downtown St. Petersburg should fit the bill.

Highlights in the downtown area include the Chihuly Collection presented by the Morean Arts Center, the Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club, The Museum of Fine Arts, North Straub Park, and the Dali Museum.

Many of these attractions offer discount tickets.

For more information, go to VisitStPeteClearwater.com.

Published December 31, 2014

Panelists identify gaps in mental health system

December 24, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Participants in a recent mental health panel at Rasmussen College in Land O’ Lakes didn’t have any easy solutions for problems plaguing the delivery of mental health care to the nation’s most vulnerable people.

A mental health care panel at Rasmussen College in Land O’ Lakes noted many issues that need to be addressed to improve the quality of mental health care in this country. (Courtesy of Gus Bilirakis)

But they did point out several areas where changes could be made to help improve the level of care for those with mental health conditions, and to improve support for their families and loved ones.

The panel, convened by U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, focused on mental health and substance abuse issues. It featured U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania, a clinical psychologist and author of H.B. 3717, otherwise known as the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act.

Bilirakis is among the co-signers on Murphy’s bill.

Too often people have thrown some money at the mental health care problem, added a program, and then walked away without making any real difference, Murphy told a crowd of about 100.

“We have to stop pretending that we can just wish this away,” Murphy said.

Like Murphy, Bilirakis said the time has come to find real solutions. The Palm Harbor Republican has learned from constituents that “we have a broken system with too many individuals falling through the cracks and not receiving the help that they need.

“We put a Band-Aid on it, but we don’t fix it,” Bilirakis said. “Enough is enough.”

Murphy said he’s heard from thousands of families across America, and their constant refrain is that there’s not enough help for people who are mentally ill. Under the current system, mentally ill people often can’t get help they need unless they go to jail.

“On any given day, half-a-million people in this nation are in jail with a mental illness,” Murphy said.

The problems of mental illness spill into other arenas, too, he added. The nation’s homeless population continues to swell, its suicide rates have increased, and many people with mental conditions have little or no prospect of work.

Panelists at the Dec. 16 session represented high-ranking officials from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, the Pinellas-Pasco Public Defender’s Office, Operation PAR, Baycare Behavioral Health, Medical Center of Trinity, the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention, the Pinellas chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Pasco County Schools, the Trinity Pain Center and an advocate representing veterans needing mental health care.

Themes that emerged during the discussion included the need for:

Better hand-offs between various providers to ensure a continuum of care for people with mental health conditions
Short-term residential treatment centers to provide greater support for the mentally ill
Additional crisis intervention team training to help police and first responders better assist people with mental conditions
Help teach school district employees how to identify symptoms that may indicate mental illness in its earliest stages
Less bureaucracy in the way programs are administered and funded, so that people can be receive treatment when and where they need it
Additional research to find effective ways to treat mental conditions
Increased support to help families coping with the challenges posed by a family member’s mental condition

Some panelists pointed out specific areas that need reform. Pasco County sheriff Chris Nocco, for example, believes changes are needed in the state’s Baker Act, which governs how long a person can be detained for a mental evaluation. The current maximum is 72 hours.

That, Nocco said, “is not long enough,” likening it to putting a bandage on a gushing wound.

Murphy agreed with that assessment.

“Who came up with 72 hours for mental illness?” he said, adding that the time limit “doesn’t make clinical sense.”

Medical Center of Trinity chief executive Leigh Massengill said she finds it shameful that, for many patients, the first introduction to the hospital’s behavioral care unit often is by virtue of the Baker Act.

One of the biggest frustrations is the lack of hand-offs in the community after these patients have been stabilized and released from the hospital’s behavioral care facility, Massengill said.

“That absolutely guarantees that they’re going to come back to us, or come back to somebody else, or wind up dead,” she said. “That’s unconscionable in my mind, in this day and time.”

Saybra Chapman, clinical coordinator for Pasco County Schools, noted that a primary issue that keeps surfacing is access to care and timely care.

“The problem for us is when students are waiting for care and not able to get ready services,” she said. “They are trying to function in the school setting, which is a challenge for everybody.”

While panelists discussed the gaps in services and funding issues, Roy Gifford reminded them hope remains for people with mental conditions. The 38-year-old has suffered from schizoaffective disorder for most of his life.

“I have been on almost every kind of medication possible since childhood,” Gifford said.

He’s lived in assisted living facilities, foster care homes, jails, and on the street.

“I often thought there was no hope for me,” Gifford said, acknowledging it was so bad at some points he tried to end his life.

He’s on a new medication now, and has accepted the fact he likely will be on medication the rest of his life.

“Remember, there is hope and recovery,” Gifford told those gathered. “I know it can be done. I am living proof.”

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MPO keeps elevated road on county transportation plan

December 24, 2014 By Michael Hinman

A group that spent months successfully fighting a privately built elevated toll road through the heart of Pasco County got a bit of a setback last week. But its members seem to be OK with it … for now.

Jason Amerson, second from left, will fight any elevated road planned to run near his home off State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes, but won’t challenge the county’s current long-range transportation plan as long as elevated roads don’t come up as a viable option. He was one of the leaders of a local protest group, Pasco Fiasco, that included, from left, Patrick Knight, Brian Narcum and Kristine Narcum. (File Photo)

Pasco County’s 2040 Long-Range Transportation Plan is on its way to both federal and state authorities, highlighting the county’s plan for roads, transit and sidewalks over the next 25 years. And among the various needs the county’s Metropolitan Planning Organization included in that transportation plan are elevated roads along the State Road 54/56 corridor.

“We knew the (transportation plan) would still contain the elevated toll road,” said Jason Amerson, a Land O’ Lakes resident who was one of the key players in the elevated toll road protest group, Pasco Fiasco. “It’s not something we are worried about unless they start actively discussing it again at MPO meetings.”

Pasco Fiasco came together last year after some homeowners who live just off State Road 54 learned about a proposal by a private company, International Infrastructure Partners LLC, to build a 33-mile elevated toll road, stretching from U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills to U.S. 19 in New Port Richey. The company had said initially it would fund the estimated $2.2 billion project on its own, but then lost its negotiating power with the Florida Department of Transportation after it requested the state help finance it.

That killed the private project, but an elevated road option remained in the county’s transportation plan. While then Pasco County commissioner Henry Wilson Jr., vowed to help Pasco Fiasco and others against an elevated road down State Road 54 remove such projects from the plan, Wilson was defeated in an open primary election last October by Mike Wells Jr.

“It’s not a simple task getting it removed,” Amerson said. “Probably even a harder task now that Wilson is gone.”

The elevated road remains an option for the county between 2020 and 2040 along the State Road 54/56 corridor as an “alternative improvement.” That could include “premium transit improvements” like toll lanes, overpasses like those used on U.S. 19 in Pinellas County, and elevated lanes.

The elevated road stayed in the plan, but the MPO did make more than 30 other changes to the documents after two months of public hearings. The MPO conducted a 30-day comment period through Nov. 23, as well as public workshops throughout November. It concluded with a public hearing on Dec. 11 where the new transportation plan was adopted unanimously.

Many adjustments to the plan were minor, like name changes of some roads at Bexley Ranch near the Suncoast Parkway, and Mitchell Boulevard near the Little Road area.

But there also were some larger changes as well. They included:

Moving up the six-lane expansion of State Road 52 from Interstate 75 to Pasco Road from 2040 to 2019.
Delaying another 10 years to 2040 projects like Livingston Avenue from State Road 54 to Collier Parkway, Eiland Boulevard from Handcart to Dean Dairy roads, Curley Road from Wells Road to Clinton Avenue, and Lake Patience Road from Sunlake Boulevard to U.S. 41.
Keeping the State Road 56 expansion from Meadow Pointe to U.S. 301 two lanes instead of four by 2019, but possibly expanding it to four lanes by 2030.

That last proposal angered city leaders in Zephyrhills, who wanted four lanes leading into one of its key commercial areas, the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. Lawmakers like new state representative and former Zephyrhills mayor Danny Burgess said they would work with the city to try and restore funding for a four-lane segment.

The MPO also made a number of changes to Tower Road, which runs primarily east to west in Pasco, just north of State Road 54. They include developer-funded improvements like a two-lane stretch from Bexley Ranch to Ballantrae Boulevard, and an expansion to a two-lane road from U.S. 41 to Ehren Cutoff by 2040, paid for by the county.

The Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, and the Florida Department of Transportation will now review the plan, and work with the county to help implement it.

To read the complete plan, visit Mobility2040Pasco.com.

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