The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Political Agenda 08-20-14

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Last-minute endorsements for primary candidates
The primary election set to decide who will face Erika Remsberg in the Pasco County Commission District 2 race to succeed Pat Mulieri takes place Aug. 26. And a couple of groups are trying to get some final endorsements in before that happens.

Mike Moore, who is in a Republican primary against Ken Littlefield and Bob Robertson, earned the endorsement of the Tampa Bay Builders Association, and is set to attend an open house at TBBA’s new offices on East Kennedy Boulevard in Tampa on Aug. 21.

Robertson, however, earned the nod from Pasco Fiasco, the activist group that successfully fought against an elevated toll road on the State Road 54/56 corridor earlier this year.

“Robertson displayed genuine concern on local issues, and a track record for getting involved and staying connected with the community,” the group said, in a release. “He was also the first District 2 candidate to leave no wiggle room in the matter of firmly standing against the proposed State Road 54/56 toll road that would’ve become an albatross for Pasco County taxpayers for decades to come.”

Also earning an endorsement from Pasco Fiasco was Commissioner Henry Wilson Jr., who is facing a re-election battle with Mike Wells Jr., in District 4.

“Wilson may be a first-term commissioner, however he displays the willingness to do what’s right by the people despite any criticism from his detractors,” Pasco Fiasco organizers said. “Now that he’s gotten his feet wet, he seems poised to hit his stride at tackling the serious issues facing growing Pasco County. For many months, Wilson was the lone voice of sanity on board of county commissioners meetings, opposing the State Road 54 toll road concept.”

Early voting in Hillsborough, Pasco
Pasco County early voting runs through Aug. 23 at eight locations throughout the county.

Polls are open between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., except for Aug. 23, when they will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Election day for the primary election is Aug. 26.

Polling places include the East Pasco Government Center, 14236 Sixth St., in Dade City; the Land O’ Lakes Library at 2818 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes; the New River Library at 34043 State Road 54 in Zephyrhills; and The Grove at Wesley Chapel, 6013 Wesley Grove Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Hillsborough County will have 15 early voting sites open through Aug. 24, including weekends, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., for those who want to participate in the primary election.

Once voting begins, those who wish to cast their ballot early can visit VoteHillsborough.org, and find out both locations and wait times. Hillsborough voters can go to any of the 15 sites to vote.

 

Campaign Crunch: Politicians reveal where their dollars are coming from

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Erika Remsberg has not raised a lot of money for her bid to replace Pat Mulieri on the Pasco County Commission — and she never expects to.

Mike Moore, left, and Ken Littlefield have run nearly polar opposite campaigns for the District 2 seat on the Pasco County Commission, at least when it comes to fundraising. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Mike Moore, left, and Ken Littlefield have run nearly polar opposite campaigns for the District 2 seat on the Pasco County Commission, at least when it comes to fundraising.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

Through July 25, the lone Democrat seeking a spot on the commission has collected $4,425 on direct donations, better only than the $2,350 raised by Ken Littlefield — one of three people Remsberg may face in the November election. And it’s practically pennies compared to the nearly $162,000 both Mike Moore and Mike Wells have combined to raise for their own races so far.

But Remsberg isn’t worried. While other candidates are getting the $1,000 maximum from many donors, she is averaging far less than $100 per contribution. And that’s a proper grassroots campaign in her eyes.

“I have been at a financial disadvantage since I started,” Remsberg said. “I had to make careful decisions about how I spend money.”

More than 80 percent of Remsberg’s donations have come from people living inside Pasco County, according to campaign finance records, maintaining what she says is her commitment to find support first among county residents. But not everyone has taken that approach, like one of the Republicans seeking Mulieri’s seat, Bob Robertson.

The financial analyst from Zephyrhills has raised a little more than $10,000 in donations in his primary fight against Littlefield and Mike Moore. But less than 20 percent of that has come from the county, or even from Florida, for that matter.

“I think part of what that says is that my sort of boundaries of life are a little broader than Pasco County,” Robertson said. “These are people who know me, who believe in me, and really have nothing to gain from me personally. They are just interested and being supportive of what I’m doing and what I believe.”

Many of those donations have come from Robertson’s native Maryland, and have consisted of smaller donations — well below the $1,000 maximum — from people Robertson has called friends and family. He would prefer his local amount of donations to be higher, but his focus has been more on making sure he doesn’t collect money from those who have business with the county, especially developers.

Robertson, in fact, has only collected $250 — or less than 3 percent — of his donations from those who work in land development or sales directly associated with it. That was a check from contractor Terry Cradick of Pepper Contracting, who Robertson told The Laker/Lutz News last week that he’s actually returning, because he since has found out Cradick does business with the county.

It’s keeping his hands clean from those looking to make money with the county that has kept Littlefield away from not only those donations, but most contributions in general. The former state legislator has practically bankrolled his entire election, with just minimal support from donors.

“I’ve made sure that any money that I’ve taken, that they didn’t have the potential of appearing before the board” of commissioners, Littlefield said. “I certainly can’t speak for them, but I’m sure those donors are looking for a foot in the door, and I’m not giving them one.”

That philosophy is different with the remaining commission candidates, however, including the lone incumbent looking to keep his seat — at least by actions, if not by rule.

Henry Wilson Jr., is trying to stave off a challenge to his seat from Mike Wells Jr., the son of county property appraiser Mike Wells Sr. The open primary Aug. 26 will let anyone choose between the two, regardless of the voter’s political affiliation.

In a candidate forum last week in Dade City, Wilson tried to distance himself from Wells by telling the audience he wasn’t collecting money from developers and real estate agents.

“The first time around (in 2010) they didn’t support me, and the second time around (in 2014) they still didn’t support me,” Wilson said. “Those builders and developers are not Pasco County residents. I need to be business-friendly with them. But my support, I want it to come from our residents here.”

Except Wilson is getting support from the developer community. More than $10,000 of his donations, or just under 30 percent, come from that group. That percentage is close behind both Wells and Moore, who each have had about a third of their campaign funded by those in the developer community.

When presented that statistic, Wilson clarified his earlier statement, focusing instead on where geographically the money came from.

“I have some local people, some local developers, who gave to me,” he said. “But the national firms, the national companies, they’re the ones who aren’t giving.”

But of the developers who have contributed to Wilson, less than 15 percent listed addresses from Pasco County, according to an analysis of campaign finance records.

These developers are small businesses that can’t be ignored, Moore said, in an email.

“It’s humbling to know that so many people and small businesses believe in our cause, and have been willing to make phone calls, knock on doors, donate funds and put up yard signs,” he said.

Wells is not ashamed of the support he’s received, adding that everyone deserves a voice, especially when they are contributing more than $350 million in new construction to the county.

“Contractors, builders, Realtors, road builders, etc., are playing a major role in fueling our county’s economic engine,” Wells said, in an email. “These business people have invested heavily, and have a real interest to see their county run properly.”

Developer/Real Estate Contributions
The percentage of each candidate’s total donations through July 25 for each Pasco County Commission candidate related to new property development, including contractors, engineers, real estate agents and the people who represent them.

Mike Moore – 36.6% ($32,600)
Mike Wells – 31.6% ($23,050)
Henry Wilson – 29.0% ($10,400)
Bob Robertson – 2.5% ($250)
Ken Littlefield – 0.0% ($0)
Erika Remsberg – 0.0% ($0)

Source: Pasco County campaign finance records

Local Contributions
The percentage of each candidate’s total donations through July 25 for each Pasco County Commission candidate where the source of funds was from within the county.

Ken Littlefield – 91.5% ($2,150)
Erika Remsberg – 80.8% ($3,575)
Mike Wells – 66.7% ($48,645)
Henry Wilson – 56.1% ($20,135)
Mike Moore – 55.4% ($49,303)
Bob Robertson – 19.5% ($1,972)

Source: Pasco County campaign finance records

Published August 13, 2014

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Planting seeds to grow gardeners

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The room at the rear of the Land O’ Lakes Community Center was buzzing with chatter as children made their way around the various stations — creating caterpillars out of egg cartons, turning peanut butter jars into terrariums, and creating worm condos out of recycled soda bottles.

Master gardeners from Pasco County Cooperative Extension shared their enthusiasm for gardening as they talked to the youngsters about worms, air plants and compost.

Pasco County Cooperative Extension master gardeners Juanita Fawley and Mary Ellen Gotto help Makenzie Haworth, 7, build a worm condo. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Pasco County Cooperative Extension master gardeners Juanita Fawley and Mary Ellen Gotto help Makenzie Haworth, 7, build a worm condo.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Master gardeners Mary Ellen Gotto, Juanita Fawley and Stan Groves helped Makenzie Haworth, 7, of New Tampa, as the young girl built a worm condo.

Amy Perkins, who is Makenzie’s mom, said the event helps connect kids with nature, and gives them a chance to experience gardening.

“It’s great exposure,” Perkins said.

“We put this on every year for children,” Gotto said. “It’s educational for children.”

Master gardener Chris Storch helped Caleb Hicks, 9, as he assembled his terrarium. The Connerton Elementary School student attended the event last year and wanted to come back when he heard it was being held again, said Land O’ Lakes resident Ted Beason, the boy’s grandfather.

Storch enjoys seeing the children’s delight.

“They love it, getting their hands dirty and digging into it,” the Lutz woman said.

Vicki Arndtz, a Pasco County master gardener from Zephyrhills, thinks the event gives children from all backgrounds a chance to learn the love of growing plants and vegetables.

“Not every child has an unlimited budget to experiment with gardening,” Arndtz said.

At the terrarium station, children could choose from a wide assortment of recycled containers. There were recycled peanut butter jars, a cheese puff container, pretzel jars and Beanie Babies collectible cases.

After selecting the container, the children added rocks, a weed cloth, soil, plants and decorative items, such as colored stones, gems and coins.

Carolyn Watson, of Land O’ Lakes, was there with her granddaughter, Grace Heller.

“My granddaughter and I love to plant plants together,” Watson said.

The 7-year-old, who attends Corbett Preparatory School, said she’s grown carrots, impatiens and miniature sunflowers with her grandmother.

The master gardeners share a passion for gardening, Arndtz said, and enjoy sharing their enthusiasm.

“Only an eclectic group like this could get excited over worm compost,” she said, laughing.

There’s always something new to learn, Storch said. For instance, gardeners who move to Florida from northern states have to learn about the spring and fall gardening seasons, she said.

“Timing is everything,” Storch said, especially when it comes to growing vegetables in Florida.

To learn more about the Pasco Cooperative Extension, visit Pasco.IFAS.UFL.edu.

For more information about gardening, visit http://solutionsforyourlife.com.

Published August 13, 2014

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As a new school year begins, be sure kids can hear teachers

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A child’s hearing difficulties are not always easy to spot.

That’s why volunteers like Alice Jones of Zephyrhills can play such an important role in a child’s life.

Alice Jones, of Zephyrhills, recently was honored for her volunteer work for the Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida. She conducts hearing tests at various Pasco County schools, to help detect hearing loss in children. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Alice Jones, of Zephyrhills, recently was honored for her volunteer work for the Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida. She conducts hearing tests at various Pasco County schools, to help detect hearing loss in children.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Jones — recently named Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida’s volunteer of the month — has spent the past several years traveling to various Pasco County schools to conduct hearing tests for children.

The 76-year-old goes to schools within roughly a 20-mile radius of her home, sitting with children who are wearing earphones, and asking them if they can hear the sounds coming through the wires. When they can’t, Sertoma lets the school know, so they can inform the child’s parent.

Most of the time the youngsters can hear. But when they can’t, there are places where they can plug in for help, said Barbra Antonelli, an audiologist at the New Port Richey site for All Children’s Outpatient Care Center of Pasco.

Children can be born with hearing loss or it sometimes develops as they grow older, said Judith Reese, an audiologist at JC Audiology in Lutz. Federal law requires screening of infants. That typically occurs before the baby leaves the hospital, or during a follow-up visit soon after.

Some Pasco County public schools have staff members who conduct hearing screenings, but others use volunteers to do the checks. Sertoma volunteers, like Jones, conduct hearing tests for kindergarten, first- and sixth-graders in Pasco County public schools.

The organization always is looking for more help, Jones added. She got involved because a member of the Zephyrhills Noon Rotary Club asked members to volunteer.

Schools where Jones has helped out over the years include Connerton Elementary School in Land O’ Lakes, Veterans Elementary School in Wesley Chapel, West Zephyrhills Elementary and Stewart Middle schools in Zephyrhills, and Pasco Elementary and Pasco Middle schools in Dade City.

There are various causes of hearing loss, Reese said.

“One of the things that happens most often in children is a temporary hearing loss that is due to ear infections or even a build up of fluid in the ear,” Reese said. “Those are easily treated by medical professionals.”

Early detection is important.

“We really like to catch them early because you can have significant delays in speech and language, even if somebody has an ear infection for just a few months,” Reese said. “When they’re developing their speech and language, it can have a big impact on the child.”

Infants who are not startled by loud sounds may have a hearing loss, Antonelli said. If they don’t respond to their name or a dog barking, that may also be another sign.

Sometimes the problem is not obvious, Reese said.

Typically, if a child has an ear infection, parents become aware of it because it hurts.

“So, they’re crying or their ears are real red,” Reese said. “But if it’s just a build up of fluid, they may kind of just disengage, or tug at their ear.”

But sometimes fluid inside the ear doesn’t hurt, but is hindering a child’s hearing. In a case like that, a parent may think that their child is refusing to behave, or lagging behind in school because they’re not trying, Reese said. In fact, it may be that the child didn’t hear his parents or teacher, or didn’t hear them accurately.

It’s not just a matter of hearing sound, Reese explained. It’s also a matter of processing it properly.

Some signs that children may have a hearing loss include errors in articulation, Antonelli said. It also may seem that children don’t listen well or have trouble following directions. Or, they may want the volume on the television turned up.

When children don’t get help, they can experience academic and social difficulties.

If the hearing loss is spotted early, though, those problems can be avoided. Even newborns can be fitted with hearing aids, Antonelli said.

“Basically, they’ll never fall behind,” she said.

For more information, call Sertoma at (727) 834-5479, or visit FamilyHearingHelp.org.

Hearing loss symptoms and getting help

Hearing loss can happen when any part of the ear is not working properly, including the outer ear, middle ear, inner ear, acoustic nerve and auditory system, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The losses can vary greatly and can be due to a number of causes, the CDC says.

Here are some facts from the CDC to help you learn more about symptoms of hearing loss and what to do when they appear.

Signs in babies
• They do not startle at loud noises
• They do not turn to the source of a sound after 6 months of age
• They do not say single words, such as “dada” or “mama” by 1 year of age
• They turn their heads when they see you, but not if you just call their name
• They seem to hear some sounds but not others

Signs in Children
• Speech is delayed
• Speech is not clear
• They do not follow directions
• They often say, “Huh?”
• They turn the television up too high

The signs and symptoms of hearing loss are different for each child. If you think that a child might have hearing loss, ask the child’s doctor for a hearing screening as soon as possible.

Published August 13, 2014

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Rock lives again as Stonegrey takes local stage

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Guns N’ Roses. Pearl Jam. Nirvana.

For music lovers in their 30s or 40s, these were bands that helped define a generation, and continue to influence rock to this day. And that’s precisely where the members of the local rock revival band Stonegrey draw their inspiration.

Stonegrey is inspired by 1990s rock bands like Pearl Jam, Guns N’ Roses and even a hint of the grunge style of Nirvana. (Courtesy of Terri Dusek)
Stonegrey is inspired by 1990s rock bands like Pearl Jam, Guns N’ Roses and even a hint of the grunge style of Nirvana.
(Courtesy of Terri Dusek)

Except there’s one thing the musicians behind Stonegrey may have forgotten to mention: Those inspirational bands had their heyday before these young rockers were even born.

The oldest members of the Land O’ Lakes-based band — lead singer Eric Whitener and drummer Tyler Dusek — are just 20 years old. Tyler’s brother, guitarist Tristan Dusek, is a recent Land O’ Lakes High School graduate and is 18, while bass player Nick Mitchell is the youngest at 17.

“The biggest challenge we face out there is how young we are,” said Whitener, who works a day job as a marketer for Magical Butter, a food company in New Port Richey. “We get up there on stage, and at first it looks like just some kids playing. But when we get off the stage, they are usually in awe, and that’s when they start taking us seriously.”

The band formed in 2010, playing mostly cover songs in smaller venues under the name Culprit. Before long, however, the band made some changes to both some of its members and its name — Stonegrey — and started to focus more on original music.

They self-produced an album with songs like “Rearview,” “Hold On” and “Leave Me Bleeding.” They practice in a spare room at the Dusek house in Land O’ Lakes, surrounded by pictures of the band on stage, sound equipment, and a life-size cutout of former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Saul “Slash” Hudson in the corner.

Jay and Terri Dusek never tell the boys to hold the music down. In fact, they’re the first to make them crank it up. The Duseks along with Angela Whitener and other parents, have been tireless supporters of their children. They’re at nearly every show, help fund new projects, and are their ambassadors out in the community.

Terri Dusek, a Realtor who currently is the Central Pasco honorary mayor, is always sharing the band’s music and show dates with nearly everyone she sees.

The band’s approach, however, practically markets itself. But that’s because all the attention is on the music, and not gimmicks, popular with many recording artists today, the members said.

“It’s not that we don’t like mainstream music,” Tyler Dusek said. “The thing that we try to do is take what we feel is good about what’s going on, and ignore what we feel is not good, and make it into something that is different. And let’s be honest, something is ‘hipster’ because no one has ever heard of it. We don’t want to be something that people never heard of.”

Performers like Miley Cyrus try to get attention with antics both on- and off-stage.

“Are they really performing music, or are they just putting on a show for entertainment purposes?” Tristan Dusek asked. “We just play music. As far as gimmicks go, we have light boxes we stand on, and then there’s our hair, but we don’t do anything that overpowers anyone.”

Oh, that’s right. The hair.

The first thing many fans notice is the long hair both Whitener and Tristan Dusek sport. It sets the mood for the style of music Stonegrey plays, but it’s also one of the many things people remember when they think of the band.

Despite what anyone might think, Tristan says his curls are natural. His brother Tyler decided it was time to grow out his hair, and in just a couple months, he may have to deal with the same thing.

Although some band members might stand out more than others, everything Stonegrey does is a group effort. Everyone takes equal credit for all the work the band does, including songwriting.

“It’s all 25 percent each, no matter what,” Whitener said. “Just like with Tyler, if he doesn’t like a drum part, he’ll say something. If I come up with some lyrics these guys don’t like, we’ll talk about it. They might have something in their brains they like better, and we’ll at least try it.”

Upcoming shows include the highly anticipated Battle of the Bands at the Ritz Ybor on Aug. 30, as well as a set at Hogan’s Beach in Tampa’s Rocky Pointe on Sept. 18.

Yet, Stonegrey still enjoys the local hometown crowds that have supported them from the beginning, playing at the Beef O’ Brady’s at Lake Wilderness.

“Personally, I don’t care how much money we make, and I don’t care how famous we are in the public eye,” Mitchell said. “I just want to get a chance to do what I love in front of people who appreciate what I am doing.”

Find music from Stonegrey’s first album on Apple’s iTunes Store by visiting tinyurl.com/StonegreyAlbum. Get a look at a music video for the song “Stop Me” in this YouTube clip at tinyurl.com/StonegreyVid. And learn more about upcoming shows from the band’s website at StonegreyBand.com.

Published August 13, 2014

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Finally, honoring some of the area’s early pioneers

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Every city has cemeteries. It’s a natural part of life, and the end of it.

People go there to visit lost loved ones and reflect, and you’ve probably seen the well-manicured grounds, rows of granite headstones, and elaborate tributes to friends and family.

The signage is really the only thing that lets you know that this piece of land off Ehren Cutoff is the Mount Carmel Cemetery. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
The signage is really the only thing that lets you know that this piece of land off Ehren Cutoff is the Mount Carmel Cemetery.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

There are many cemeteries like that in the area. The Mount Carmel Cemetery isn’t one of them.

The African-American cemetery, located off Ehren Cutoff, is a throwback to a different time — a time of segregation, and later, a time of neglect. It’s in better shape now, thanks to the Pasco County Black Caucus, but it’s clear that this is not a modern burial site. If you drove past it, you’d probably never know what it was.

First, a little history.

The community of Ehren — yep, that’s where the road’s name comes from — was a sawmill town in the late 1800s. There were white mill workers and African-American mill workers. They had separate living areas, separate churches, and separate cemeteries.

The Mount Carmel African Methodist Episcopal Church was one that served the African-American community, and they had their own cemetery. So workers and their families would attend the church and were eventually laid to rest there.

In 1920, a fire destroyed the sawmill. Back then, that usually meant the community was destroyed with it. The church eventually closed, but many African-Americans stayed and worked at nearby mills or companies.

They had the Oak Grove Baptist Church to serve their spiritual needs, but the old A.M.E. cemetery was still used as a burial site.

The Oak Grove Baptist Church itself closed a couple decades later, and the last person was buried at the Mount Carmel cemetery in the mid-1950s. And by the looks of things, that was the last anyone thought of the cemetery for several years. It wasn’t maintained, cows from a nearby pasture would trample the headstones, and fallen trees would just lie there rotting.

It wasn’t a cemetery the way you’d think of one today. It was a forgotten piece of land that was supposed to be a place where loved ones wouldn’t be forgotten.

That was basically how things stood until 2006, when a cleanup and preservation project finally got underway.

Think about that: A decade ago, it was still ignored and overrun. It took more than a half-century after the last burial for somebody to finally get around to maintaining it.

During the cleanup work, the county found broken headstones and other debris littering the ground. But they got it cleaned up, documented what remained, and even did radar tests to confirm that there were more burials there than are marked currently.

Today there are supposed to be seven headstones in the cemetery — it’s locked so I couldn’t go inside to verify — but dozens more are laid to rest there. Exactly who they all are, nobody can say. We don’t even know how long they’ve been there.

Some documentation suggests there were graves decades before the sawmill came into existence, meaning the use of the land as a cemetery predates the town proper. But most headstones were made of wood, and have since decayed away.

The few stone headstones that do exist stick up from the ground like broken teeth, and many of those only hint at who lies at rest there. Some have names but no legible dates. One has a name with a single date, so we don’t know if that’s the date of birth or death.

Another is an infant from the Horton family. And there are many more beneath the earth. They all have stories; we just don’t know what they are.

Unfortunately, this isn’t one of those “go see this place” stories. The gates are locked. Barbed wire designates the cemetery’s boundaries, and there’s nowhere to park but the open field by the side of the road.

If you were to walk up to it and didn’t read the signage, you’d have no idea it was a cemetery. There are no benches and no pathways. I think in the very back you can see one of the headstones, but driving by in your car it would just be a blur of trees and grass.

It’s more than that, of course. It’s the final resting place of hard-working people who lived during a difficult time, kept their faith, and were buried close to where they lived. And it’s good that the cemetery is finally cleaned up, designated and protected.

But you get the feeling that those laid to rest there deserved better over the years. The decades weren’t kind to the Mount Carmel Cemetery, and the situation only improved a few years ago.

The word “Ehren” is of German origin, and it means “to honor.” But when it comes to the deceased buried at the cemetery, it took decades to begin to live up to that word.

Published August 13, 2014

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A year abroad offers student life-changing insights

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When Jennifer Roberts returns to classes at Wiregrass Ranch High School next week, she’ll be a far different person than she was when she last attended classes there.

Roberts, who is entering her senior year, left the United States last September to take part in the Rotary Youth Exchange program, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon.

Jennifer Roberts wraps herself in an American flag and poses with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Her experiences abroad changed her life, she says. (Courtesy of Jennifer Roberts)
Jennifer Roberts wraps herself in an American flag and poses with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Her experiences abroad changed her life, she says.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Roberts)

Roberts went to high school in Zaragoza, Spain — the country’s fourth largest city —situated between Barcelona and Madrid. The 17-year-old said the experience was nothing short of life-changing.

When she arrived there, Roberts barely knew enough Spanish to introduce herself and to say that she’s from Florida. “At first, it was really difficult,” she said.

Even a simple conversation was challenging.

“It makes you miss your native language, because you really have to think when you are speaking another language,” Roberts said.

She mastered some coping skills, to help her through.

“You learn how to just smile and nod,” Roberts said.

She was thrilled when her Spanish-speaking skills had improved to the point where she understood what was going on. When that clarity came, “You just get the moment of joy, ‘Oh, I can understand you,’” she said.

Despite the initial language barrier, Roberts said she felt welcome from the moment she arrived.

“I stayed with two different host families,” she said. “They were amazing. They just accepted me.”

The kids she met at school were nice, too. When they found out she was from the United States, some told her: “Oh, that is so cool.”

Some had misconceptions about Americans, Roberts said. Rampant media reports about guns in the United States have painted the wrong picture.

“They think that Americans just carry guns in their purses,” she said. Some even asked if she had a gun, and if she was carrying one around Spain.

“I was like, ‘I don’t actually know anyone that has a gun in their house,’” Roberts said.

Of course, because she’s a Floridian, some wanted to know if she had alligators as pets. When Roberts told them there was an alligator in the pond of her backyard, some wanted to know how she wasn’t killed by it.

On the pop-culture front, Roberts said, the music and movies are exactly the same. In fact, “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” came out a week earlier in Spain than it did in American theaters.

Going out for dinner is different, though.

“It’s very expensive to go out to eat, so typically people don’t go out unless they’re wealthy,” Roberts said. “There, when you go out to eat, it’s a three-course meal. When you order off the menu, it has three options for the courses. It’s a set price for everything.”

Meals are leisurely affairs, too.

“If you go to lunch, it’s usually a four- to five-hour process,” she said. “Or if they’re trying to rush it, it would be two hours.”

Other differences? There are no drink refills or ice, Roberts said.

While in Spain, she craved fast food and Starbucks.

“Before I left, I was not a big fast-food person, but after you’re away, you kind of miss it,” Roberts said. “You kind of miss things like Chick-fil-A.”

She was never so happy to see a taco in her life as she was when a Taco Bell opened in the Spanish city where she lived.

“The only time I got to go to Starbucks was when I was in Madrid, Barcelona or at the airport,” Roberts added.

During the school year, she studied nine subjects, with different classes on different days. At her school, the students stayed in a group together throughout the day, while teachers changed classrooms.

Besides her time in Spain, Roberts had the chance to tour other European countries, including stops at the Berlin Wall, and in Paris where she got to see the Eiffel Tower and the “Mona Lisa.”

As she traveled about, Roberts noticed how similar Spanish is to French and Italian, and now she wants to learn those languages, too.

Roberts thinks her experiences abroad will help her in a future career, whether it be law, politics or international affairs.

She thinks they will help in her day-to-day life, too.

“After being an exchange student, you don’t sweat the little moments,” Roberts said.

Published August 13, 2014

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Wells seeks next generation of leadership on commission

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They share a name, they share values, and even share a penchant to serve the people through elected office.

Mike Wells Jr., is seeking a spot on the Pasco County Commission, just like his father, Mike Wells Sr., did some three decades ago. And while it’s tough to get out from under the shadow of his father, the younger Wells still aspires to be just like his dad, a respected government leader who is currently the county’s property appraiser.

His father is a popular man, but Mike Wells Jr., says he’s his own person, and is ready to provide some much-needed leadership to the county commission. (Courtesy of Mike Wells Jr.)
His father is a popular man, but Mike Wells Jr., says he’s his own person, and is ready to provide some much-needed leadership to the county commission.
(Courtesy of Mike Wells Jr.)

Mike Wells Jr., has worked to establish his own credentials over the years, leading a regional office for Enterprise Rent-A Car, and now working as a Realtor to help families find homes.

Like his father, Mike Wells Jr., has worked to develop strong leadership skills, and that’s exactly what he wants to bring to the county commission.

“We need leadership there, and we need it right now,” said Wells, who is running for the District 4 seat currently held by Henry Wilson Jr. “We lost Ann Hildebrand on the commission a few years back, and now Ted Schrader says he is retiring in a couple years. Quite frankly, that creates a vacuum that needs to be fixed.”

The political bug first bit Wells when he was 12 and his father decided he was going to run for county commission. Now, three decades later, Wells is running for a seat on that board himself, getting support from his own 12-year-old son, Cole.

“I remember going to events and meeting people all the time,” Wells said about his father. “It gave me a true look at how people can be involved in government, as long as you have leaders willing to listen.”

One thing potential voters have told Wells on the campaign trail is that they don’t want new taxes, even as the county struggles to continue providing services many have come to expect.

“We went through the most harsh economic times, and it’s only now that the real estate market is finally starting to come back,” he said. “This is just the wrong time for property taxes to be going up.”

Instead, the rise in property values should help provide the extra funding the government needs, Wells said, as the prosperity there can be passed along to much-needed government programs.

Of course, that does mean continued economic development, and what Wells sees as a greater role for the independent Pasco Economic Development Council in government. The organization had presented some ideas earlier this year on how the county could manage some of its Penny for Pasco money to fuel economic development, but the commission started pushing in a different direction that doesn’t necessarily include the Pasco EDC.

“We are all in this together, we’re all on the same team,” Wells said. “We have to work together, and Penny for Pasco is there to use, and we need to use it right.”

That also means encouraging smart development, and creating the right transportation infrastructure to support it.

Right now, the county is struggling to get people from one side of Pasco to the other. While there have been some unpopular proposals on how to expand the State Road 54/56 corridor, Wells believes more attention is needed for State Road 52 to the north, and for the county to finally get a handle on the embattled Ridge Road extension project that has yet to move forward.

And there isn’t solid economic development without more jobs coming to the county.

“We need to be able to bring jobs and bring companies to Pasco County,” Wells said. “But it starts with roads. It starts with having a plan to attract them there. And we need to work closely with our partners, like the PEDC, to make it happen.”

It also means getting residents more active in government, starting with the commission itself. It’s one thing for a commissioner to reach out whenever possible, but meetings need to be accessible as well.

Wells plans to push the commission to have at least some of its meetings in the evening, so that people who work can also participate in the process. He also wants to find ways to streamline meetings that right now can typically run for six or seven hours at a time.

“I’m not saying that we should necessarily do this, but when my dad was a commissioner, that board met at least once a week,” Wells said. “The county is now three times larger than what it was back then, and the commission only meets every other week. That’s something I really think we need to look at.”

MIKE WELLS JR.
Republican candidate for Pasco County Commission, District 4

OCCUPATION
Realtor, F.I. Grey & Son Residential Inc.

FAMILY
Tiffany Wells, wife
Cole Wells, son

RESIDENCE
New Port Richey, 8 years
Pasco County, lifelong

FUNDRAISING
through Aug. 1
$74,680

Published August 13, 2014

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Wilson depending on divine hand in re-election quest

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God is in control. At least that’s what Henry Wilson Jr., believes when it comes to his campaign to keep his seat on the Pasco County Commission.

But then again, it was probably only God that could’ve got him in that seat in the first place.

Henry Wilson Jr., has faith, and a lot of it, that he will get another four years on the Pasco County Commission. And he’ll find out after the open primary set for Aug. 26. (Courtesy of OurTownFla.com)
Henry Wilson Jr., has faith, and a lot of it, that he will get another four years on the Pasco County Commission. And he’ll find out after the open primary set for Aug. 26.
(Courtesy of OurTownFla.com)

Few people were looking at the District 4 commission race in 2010 when the last remaining Democratic commissioner, Michael Cox, appeared to be on his way to a comfortable re-election win. He had amassed nearly $163,000 — double that of the second highest fundraiser, Pat Mulieri — easily dwarfing the $8,700 and some change Wilson put together.

Yet, it was an election probably best described as a miracle. Wilson won by more than 6,000 votes, and took over Cox’s chair a short time later.

“My faith has kept my actions in check,” Wilson said. “I know that God is in control of my campaign, and that he knows the results already. I sleep well at night, knowing that I make decisions for what’s best for the county as a whole.”

And Wilson hasn’t been afraid to go against the grain. His vote was just enough last year to kill an increase in the local gas tax that commissioners say would’ve helped fund road maintenance and construction. And he’s been one of the strongest voices in his efforts to streamline the private companies going through neighborhoods collecting trash.

In the upcoming budget cycle, commissioners are faced with the question of how they are going to pay for a hugely underfunded streets and roads department. Solutions have included charging up to a nickel more in taxes per gallon at the gas pump, or an increase in property taxes, to raise the needed $8 million extra. Wilson, however, isn’t interested in either.

“We built roads over the last 30 years, and never had the operations or the budget to maintain those roads,” Wilson said. “What I’ve talked about is looking at the real estate transfer fee, the doc stamp tax. There is a fund in Tallahassee with $20 million in it that we would split with the school board. All we have to do is have the Legislature change two sentences in the law that manages it.”

One of those sentences is on what the county can spend the money, collected each time a piece of land changes hands. Critics have said it would raid money earmarked for affordable housing.

“Right now, we don’t need more affordable housing,” Wilson said. “A lot of our community development is funded by federal funds already. We need to have the option to use those dollars for roads instead of affordable housing.”

Those road projects would not include the more than 500 miles of dirt roads in the county, which right now are only paved after homeowners along those roads are hit with special paving assessments.

“The people who live on the dirt roads like the dirt roads,” Wilson said. “At least the ones who have come talked to me about it say they live on dirt roads for a reason.”

Maintaining a dirt road is more expensive than paving a road, Wilson said. Yet, if residents like the road, they shouldn’t have to be compelled to pave it.

Plus, there is no money for paving dirt roads anyway.

“Right now, there is no other option on the table to pay for it except with a paving assessment,” Wilson said.

Although taxes are expected to hold steady for the most part this coming year, Wilson believes it’s only a matter of time before some tough choices have to be made.

“When I ran four years ago, I said the millage rate was too low to maintain the current level of service we’re at,” he said. “We can only tread water for so long.”

Parks and libraries are being hit the most from a reduced budget, Wilson said.

“Those are quality of life issues we need in order to grow as a community,” he said. “We want services, but we also have to realize that somebody is going to have to pay for them.”

HENRY WILSON JR.
Republican candidate for Pasco County Commission, District 4

OCCUPATION
Pasco County commissioner

ELECTED OFFICE
Pasco County Commission, 2010

FAMILY
Rita Wilson, wife
Christopher Wilson, son
Cailin Wilson, daughter

RESIDENCE
New Port Richey, 32 years

FUNDRAISING
through Aug. 1
$36,515

Published August 13, 2014

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The power of friendship revealed through barrel racing event

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Lots of people don’t know a thing about barrel racing. There are probably even fewer who have heard of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

But even if those who don’t have a clue about either of those, chances are they’ve had a friend or two in life that has made them feel special. And, along the way, if that friend were in trouble, they have wanted to be there to help.

Kristy Bryant Flynn, front, and Tanya Dadez enjoy Busch Gardens during Flynn’s healthier days. (Courtesy of Tanya Dadez)
Kristy Bryant Flynn, front, and Tanya Dadez enjoy Busch Gardens during Flynn’s healthier days.
(Courtesy of Tanya Dadez)

That’s what motivated San Antonio resident Tanya Dadez to organize Kristy’s Can-Cer Vive Benefit Barrel Race. She hopes the event will ease some of the financial burdens the disease has caused to Kristy Bryant Flynn, her lifelong friend.

Part of the event’s name is a play on the words “can survive.”

Slated for Saturday, the barrel race is expected to draw at least 100 competitors. It’s a timed race, and those clocking the fastest finish — by racing through the course without hitting a barrel — will win cash awards.

In addition to the races, spectators can see riders and their horses checking out the arena in exhibitions that begin a couple of hours before the competition kicks off.

Many riders will compete with more than one horse, Dadez said.

Admission is free, but barbecued meals will be available for purchase, at $7.50 a plate, including drinks. There also will be vendors and a silent auction, with bidders vying for about 50 different items.

Planning for the event began months ago when Dadez began discussing the idea with Dennis and Tammie Rogers, owners of Double R Arena in Dade City. They generously agreed to host the event, Dadez said.

Ierna’s Heating & Cooling, Chandelle Veterinary Associates and Embroider Too all stepped up to contribute funds to sweeten the purse for the barrel race winners.

Charlene Ierna was quick to help out, Dadez said. She’s also been a dear friend of Flynn’s for years as they both played on the same softball team when they were kids.

Ierna also asked Hungry Harry’s Family Bar-B-Que to get involved, Dadez said. The popular barbecue restaurant agreed, donating meals and drinks, with proceeds to benefit Flynn’s family.

Dadez said she felt compelled to find a way to help.

“Kristy and I have been best friends since kindergarten. We went to Sanders Elementary, Pine View Middle and we both graduated from Land O’ Lakes High School,” she said.

Flynn began noticing symptoms she didn’t understand when she was in her 20s. She couldn’t take hot showers, for instance, because they nearly knocked her out. She frequently dropped dishes and other items, because she couldn’t get a tight grip on them.

And then, when she bent over to pick up the items, she felt nauseous when she began to straighten up.

Flynn was diagnosed with her condition in 2008. The disease is a form of blood cancer, and there is no known cure. It is especially rare for someone as young as Flynn to have the condition, according to medical websites.

There has been progress in developing medications, but so far Flynn has not responded well to drugs now available for long-term treatment.

Dadez, who is a barrel racer herself, said she knew that barrel races sometimes are hosted for charitable causes, so she decided to organize this one. She hopes the fundraiser will lessen the financial pressures that Flynn, her husband, Scot, and the couple’s children have faced since Flynn had to stop working.

“She’s just the epitome of innocence and wholesome and everything good that you could possibly imagine,” Dadez said. “She never says an ill word about anybody. She’s an angel, really. I just love her to death.”

Dadez said Flynn wanted to pitch in when she heard about the fundraiser.

“She said, ‘I feel really bad. I feel like I need to be doing something,’” Dadez said. “I said, ‘This is for you and your family. I want you to come out and enjoy, have a good time. This is all about you. You don’t have to worry about anything. We’ve got everything covered.’”

Even though Flynn wants to help, she acknowledges she probably wouldn’t be able to do much. On some days, just making breakfast is about all she has the energy to do. On other days, she runs out of breath just walking out to the family’s mailbox.

Flynn would like to work, but she can’t because she never knows from one day to the next how much energy she’ll have. When she has done a few hours of work, she has found herself wiped out for days afterward, she said.

Despite the challenges, Flynn remains upbeat.

Besides helping to raise money for Flynn, Dadez said she thinks the event will be fun for the entire family. Those attending will have a chance to see horses up close, watch competitive races, eat a nice meal, check out the vendors, and bid on items at the auction.

Spectators should be sure to bring lawn chairs to the event, Dadez added.

Initially, Dadez was hoping to raise at least $3,000 for her friend.

“I do believe, and I’m pretty hopeful, that we’re going to be able to exceed that,” she said.

If you go:
WHAT: Kristy’s Can-Cer Vive Benefit Barrel Race, featuring about 100 racing around barrels, vying for the fastest time and cash prizes
WHERE: Double R Arena, 32640 Amberlea Road, Dade City
WHEN: Aug. 16, exhibitions begin at 4 p.m., show begins at 6 p.m.
COST: Admission for spectators is free. Entry fee for riders is $40 a horse. Event also features barbecued dinners, vendors and a silent auction.
INFO: Tanya Dadez, (813) 787-6448

Published August 13, 2014

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