Local News

PEDC earns international award for business enterprise network

October 23, 2013 By Michael Hinman

The International Economic Development Council had reason to recognize Pasco County earlier this month, bestowing its Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award to the Pasco Economic Development Council.

PEDC had established an unconventional, collaborative entrepreneurship program called the Pasco Enterprise Network. From that, a new business incubator, as well as a microloan fund for small businesses, was formed.

“These awards are meant to honor the organizations and individuals who are dedicated to making a positive change in their communities,” IEDC chair Paul Krutko said in a release. PEDC “uses creative solutions and inventive ideas, and offers other regions a wonderful example to learn and benefit from.”

The enterprise network, recognized as the best of the best for communities with populations of between 200,000 and 500,000 people, is a one-stop resource for finding guidance and assistance for new businesses, according to the PEDC’s website. It’s a collaborative effort of nonprofit groups that provide consulting, counseling, education and technical assistance.

“Basically, this was all put into place because there was a lack of capital for startup businesses and small businesses in the county,” said Krista Covey, the PEDC’s economic development manager. “We are about job creation and about supporting our local economy to help our businesses grow and be prosperous. The hindrance was capital.”

The microloan program has put capital back on the market, especially during a time in the recent past when banks weren’t exactly lending to small businesses. With a pool of $320,000 thanks to investments from Saint Leo University, various banks and other groups, nine loans of up to $35,000 have been distributed so far with low interest rates and terms of no more than six years.

The loans themselves have created 24 jobs in the county, Covey said, and this past summer, even had its first payoff when 301 Designs Inc. paid back its loan 17 months ahead of schedule.

An online retail apparel company, 301 Designs started in the home of its founder, Gil Gauthier, and is now operating out of a 2,400-square-foot warehouse space.

“If a company comes in and has a good business plan in place, that’s great,” Covey said. “Even if they don’t have a business plan, we automatically refer them to the small business development center and they’ll be walked through the whole process.”

Even if a company qualifies for money under the microloan program, the help doesn’t stop there.

“We offer ongoing technical assistance along with the other help they’ll receive from the PEDC,” Covey said. “We want them to be successful, and we want them to be a viable business.”

Joining Saint Leo as financial contributors to the microloan program are Pasco County, Wells Fargo Bank, Bank of America, CenterState Bank, Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union, local entrepreneur Tim Tangredi, and Rubber Resources owner Dale Hawker.

Its incubator at the Dade City Business Center is the first of its kind in Pasco County. The SmartStart incubator is an overall partnership that includes the help of Dade City government officials, the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, Florida High Tech Corridor Council, Saint Leo, the Florida Small Business Development Center, and the University of South Florida’s USF Connect.

The IEDC has more than 4,000 members around the world, and its excellence in economic development awards recognizes the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and most influential leaders.

This award is the sixth state- or national-level accolade in the last three years for the PEDC.

“We know that a successful economy depends on small businesses and the support of entrepreneurship,” said PEDC chief executive John Hagen, in a release. “Working together as a support network, entrepreneurs will be more likely to succeed.”

Dale Mabry entrance reopens, but more roadwork coming

October 23, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Good weather and some fast work shortened the time southbound traffic on U.S. 41 was unable to access North Dale Mabry Highway directly. But expect some more lane closures this weekend.

CSX Transportation is repairing railroad tracks at the crossing right at the start of Dale Mabry, and road closings last week forced drivers to take County Line Road or Brinson Road.

Traffic had to find an alternative route last week from U.S. 41 to the beginning of Dale Mabry Highway as CSX worked to replace railroad tracks at its crossing there. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

Northbound traffic will get to experience the same beginning at 5 a.m. on Friday, forcing those looking to get onto U.S. 41 from North Dale Mabry Highway to once again use County Line or Brinson roads, according to Florida Department of Transportation spokeswoman Kris Carson.

Part of southbound traffic was reopened by Monday for North Dale Mabry Highway, but it was limited to a single lane. It’s expected to fully open by mid-week.

That’s part of a number of road delays that will affect the central Pasco County area and northern Hillsborough County area over the next week. Construction continues primarily along the Veterans Expressway, which could affect traffic on its northern end, the Suncoast Parkway.

However, the Suncoast is also part of the all-electric tolling conversion project where tollbooths are being eliminated and only SunPass and drivers being billed by their license plate will be accepted.

To help accommodate the work, the southbound off-ramp of Van Dyke Road on the Suncoast will be closed overnight on Oct. 22 and Oct. 23. County Line Road will have closures and detours as well, with the northbound on-ramp closed Oct. 23 and Oct. 24, and the southbound off-ramp closed Oct. 24.

For the Veterans, there are going to be general lane closures nightly from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. from Sunday night to Friday morning. There also is expected to be some single-lane closures near Gunn Highway this week southbound for restriping that will result in a new traffic pattern on the northbound on-ramp.

Schedules can change, however, depending on weather and other factors.

The Florida Department of Transportation and Florida’s Turnpike should be completed with both projects overall by summer of 2015.

Elevated road proposal finds lessons in history

October 23, 2013 By Michael Hinman

The deadline is here for groups wanting to convince the Florida Department of Transportation to part with valuable road rights of way in Pasco County’s State Road 54/56 corridor.

The FDOT asked for the proposals after it received an unsolicited request to lease the rights of way to build a 33-mile elevated toll road that could possibly shorten the trip between Zephyrhills and New Port Richey to less than 30 minutes.

International Infrastructure Partners have proposed building a 33-mile stretch of elevated road, like this one built over the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway in Tampa, to help move traffic from one side of the county to the other. But some observers warn that state officials should keep some hand in any project that gets approved. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

Gerald Stanley and International Infrastructure Partners LLC piqued the interest of state officials and the county as a whole with the request in June, and it’s created debate on not only if it’s good for the county, but if such a project is even feasible.

Those answers are yes and yes, said John Hagen, president and chief executive of the Pasco Economic Development Council. The fact is, Pasco County is growing quickly, and even an expanded State Road 54 struggles to accommodate the traffic it receives.

“You either have to build a bunch of new lanes and widen it out, or you have to build up,” Hagen said. “And in some places, (widening) just won’t work very well. You have stores and neighborhoods right up to the road. If you end up widening with new lanes, you’re going to be bulldozing.”

Some business owners, however, disagree. In an August meeting with Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, a few members of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce expressed opposition to the road, fearing it would allow traffic to bypass their businesses.

“Things are going to get congested if we keep going the way we’re going,” Hagen said. “The idea that you’re going to attract more business somehow as we turn the place into a parking lot is something to rethink here. A way for local businesses to get more business is to separate out the people who are not planning to stop anyway — who are just wanting to get across the county — and opening up the surface roads to local traffic.”

Following the money
If built, the elevated expressway would be the first privately owned toll road in Florida. Cost estimates weren’t shared, but using the elevated road built for Tampa’s Lee Roy Selmon Expressway in the early 2000s as a model, builders could be looking at a cost of $70 million … per mile. That would bring the total price tag of this project to around $2.3 billion.

Stanley’s group, IIP, would raise the money through private sources like hedge funds, and then try to recoup that investment — with the necessary profit — through toll revenue collected by travelers who choose the expressway.

Yet, that profit model could be troubling.

Last year, toll roads in Florida collected revenue of $616 million from travelers. That’s broken down to $1.3 million per mile. Applying those numbers to this project would generate prospective revenue of $44.2 million each year. Even if IIP never spends another dime on the road, it would take the company 52 years to recoup its investment.

But that might be OK. Neil Gray, director of government affairs for the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association in Washington, D.C., says investors in projects like this know what they’re getting in to, and many are willing to play the long game.

“We’re talking as much as 99 years,” Gray said. “A 99-year concession is patient money. It also allows them, from the private side, to make these things happen that might not be viable on the state level. They can pool that money together right now, and build it right now.”

Not accounting for inflation or other increases and variables, a 99-year agreement on a Pasco elevated roadway would generate revenue of $4.4 billion — doubling the initial investment.

Learning from others’ mistakes
The FDOT, however, should be very careful about such long deals, says the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund, an independent advocacy group that has spoken out against road privatization.

In a 2009 report authored by Phineas Baxandall, any agreements between the government and a private entity should clearly spell out expectations, and leave some of the decision-making — like toll rates — to the public. On top of that, no deal should last longer than 30 years, because even if the toll road fails, the structure will still be there, and the county will have to deal with it.

Toll roads really can fail, by the way. Just look at the Camino Colombia Toll Road in Texas. Built in 2000 at a cost of $90 million, the 22-mile road between the Mexican border and Interstate 35 north of Laredo was expected to generate $9 million in its first year alone based on the traffic created by the North American Free Trade Agreement, U.S. PIRG said. Instead, the road that charged tractor-trailers $16 each earned just $500,000.

Within a few years, the road was sold at auction to an investment company for $12.1 million who in turn shut it down. The Texas Department of Transportation needed that road in operation, and it cost the government entity $20 million to buy it and reopen it.

“No matter who runs it, the physical structure is going to be there, and it never goes away,” said Gray, adding that lessons are being learned to prevent another Camino Colombia debacle. “Each time these transactions are done, the government side is getting smarter and smarter and smarter. Now you have governments that negotiate contracts that include a series of performance metrics. If you fail to maintain those level of standards, you will breach the contract, and the government gets the road for free.”

Something has to be done
Florida has a big problem on its hands when it comes to roads, and it may depend on private proposals like IIP’s to grow the state’s infrastructure.

By 2020, Florida is expected to be $47 billion short in funding transportation improvements, like repaving, lane expansion and new roads.

“Our gas tax funding that pays for the highway system is no longer sustainable,” said Christa Deason, a spokeswoman with Florida’s Turnpike. “People are driving less, they are using transit more, and buying hybrid cars. There is not a ton of money pouring into the coffers anymore to build these roads, or even to maintain the ones we built 50 years ago.”

Pasco County has hit a similar wall. Commissioners had proposed a local gas tax increase to help fund road maintenance and construction for the coming year, but it failed under public pressure.

“We need to look at progressive ways to move traffic on 54,” Commissioner Starkey said.

During its presentation last week to county officials, the Urban Land Institute — the independent growth and development analytical group — strongly suggested Pasco stay away from the elevated road, and instead concentrate on reducing the need for more roads in the first place. That means developing communities that have live, work and play all within walking distance, or easily accessible through public mass transit.

“What ULI was trying to say is that we need to reduce trips so that people don’t have to go all the way across the county to get to a Wiregrass mall for instance,” Pasco EDC’s Hagen said. “We should create shopping experiences that are close by, that people can walk to.”

No matter what someone’s position is on the proposed elevated road, the conversation must continue, he said.

“People are just reading a small article in the paper, or they see a 30-second thing on television, and it doesn’t really explain the full complexity of how to do traffic planning, and how it fits into good community planning,” Hagen said. “Trying to get people engaged to create some light rather than heat, that would be a good step.”

Community to meet about trees Oct. 29

October 23, 2013 By B.C. Manion

When word got out about Hillsborough County’s plans to cut down trees in the U.S. 41 medians in Lutz, it took howls of protests to silence the chain saws.

Armed with promises from State Sen. Jon Legg, R-Lutz, and Hillsborough County officials to work with the community to find another solution, a meeting has been set for Oct. 29 to discuss what to do instead.

It took a partnership among several groups to work out a plan to prevent chain saws from taking down the trees in the medians along U.S. 41 in Lutz. Those who banded together to help protect the trees included, from left, Debra Evenson, executive director of Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful; Chris Smith, assistant manager at the Walmart in Lutz; State Sen. John Legg; and Sam Calco, Louise Friar, and Mike White of the Lutz Citizens Coalition. (Photo courtesy of the Lutz Citizens Coalition)

The county had planned to cut down the trees because it wanted to return maintenance of the medians to the Florida Department of Transportation, which has jurisdiction over the highway. The state roads department would only take over if 91 of the 135 trees in the median were removed.

The trees slated for destruction were 64 crape myrtle, 14 wax myrtle, seven live oaks, three Shumard oaks and three red maple.

After a contentious community meeting on Jan. 24, however, the county put the brakes on that plan and agreed to return to the community for another meeting to discuss potential solutions.

Recently, the trees won a two-year reprieve, when Walmart stepped forward with a $5,000 check to cover maintenance costs. That solution resulted from a partnership between Legg, Hillsborough County, the Lutz Citizens Coalition and Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful.

Walmart said it would revisit the matter in two years, Legg said. Meanwhile, efforts can be made to broaden support.

Now that a temporary solution has been found, another community meeting has been set for 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 29 at the Lutz Community Center, 98 First Ave., N.W.

The meeting is intended for volunteers in Lutz who may want to participate in the maintenance of the medians along U.S. 41.

Mike White, founder and president of the Lutz Citizens Coalition, said he’s happy with efforts made to date to preserve the trees.

“I think it’s a win-win,” White said. “The voice of Lutz was heard loud and clear.”

He said the solution demonstrates great follow-through by Legg, the county, Walmart, Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, Hillsborough County and the Lutz Citizens Coalition.

“Everyone stepped up to the plate,” White said.

On another front, the Lutz Citizens Coalition recently received approval to adopt Sunset Lane, from U.S. 41 to Livingston Avenue.

White said he expects the cleanups to occur about a half-dozen times a year, followed by a social gathering of the volunteers.

Keeping kids safe from human trafficking

October 16, 2013 By B.C. Manion

It’s a crime that is so horrible it’s hard to imagine it happening in our own backyard — but statistics prove that it does, Cpl. Alan Wilkett, of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, told a group of Rushe Middle School parents.

Florida ranks third behind New York and California in the number of human trafficking cases, and Tampa Bay routinely ranks second or third in the state. Cpl. Alan Wilkett shared those numbers with a group of Rushe Middle School parents last week.

Mechelle Flippo is among the parents from Rushe Middle School who came to learn more about human trafficking and what they can do to help keep their children safe. (Photo by B.C. Manion) — Mechelle Flippo is among the parents from Rushe Middle School who came to learn more about human trafficking and what they can do to help keep their children safe.
(Photo by B.C. Manion)

“Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery,” Wilkett said. “It involves exploitation,” adding that it could be sexual exploitation or forced servitude.

Wilkett came to the Land O’ Lakes school to inform parents about human trafficking at the suggestion of the school’s Parent Teacher Student Association president Anne Fisco.

Fisco had seen a presentation on the topic and believed parents and students at Rushe would benefit.

Rushe principal David Salerno said he wants parents to help their children avoid potential harm.

“Parents need to be aware of what the dangers are, not to scare them, but to inform them,” he said.

“We think this particular subject is one of those things that really needs to be talked about,” Wilkett said, noting he would be giving another presentation to the school’s students. The student talk, he said, would be tailored to the younger audience, with an emphasis on how to stay safe.

There’s an estimated 15,000 to 18,000 people trafficked in the United States each year, Wilkett said. Tampa Bay is fertile ground for the crime because it has major sports teams, is a popular tourist destination, brings in big conventions, has lots of hotels, and has a large agricultural economy.

The sports teams and tourism create crowds, which can generate more customers for prostitutes, Wilkett said. Trafficking victims can also be forced into servitude performing jobs at hotels, or in agriculture.

Victims often are bought or kidnapped in other countries and smuggled into the United States. They can be forced to work a circuit that takes them from New York to Florida to Texas in a matter of weeks, Wilkett said. They are moved around to avoid being detected.

Parents should be vigilant in protecting their children because there are also victims who are American, Wilkett said. These kids often are runaways, vulnerable kids who are lured by expert criminals.

Statistics show that 70 percent of the trafficking victims are female, and the slavery can begin before they even reach their teenage years. The youngest victim Wilkett’s ever run across was 8 years old.

Generally, trafficking victims have a lifespan of seven years because they are killed when they are no longer productive, he said.

The perpetrators tend to look for their victims in places where kids congregate, such as shopping malls, beaches and parks. They tend to go after kids who are alone or in groups of two, he said. They try to engage the kids by finding out what their interests are, or asking them if they’re hungry.

With boys, they might lure them in by talking about video games or sports. With girls, they may use sweet talk and offer to help them, Wilkett said.

The main thing is that they’re looking for some kind of hook. That’s their window of opportunity, he said.

Nicole Hahn, a parent in the crowd, asked Wilkett what parents can do.

“We don’t want to be helicopter parents, but we want our kids to be safe,” she said. “How do you give them some of that freedom, without making them vulnerable?”

Wilkett said that it’s tough to balance safety with freedom.

Parents should instruct their children to make a lot of noise if they feel threatened. They should scream, shout or do whatever they can to attract attention, he said.

It is also good to remember that there’s safety in numbers, Wilkett said. When kids go to a movie, or the mall, or the beach, they should go in groups of at least three, but preferably larger groups. They should also stick together once they get to wherever they’re going.

Parents also need to remind their kids that no one has a right to violate them, and that means no one, Wilkett said.

Human trafficking is a brutal, dehumanizing crime.

“People who traffic humans often smuggle drugs and guns,” Wilkett said, noting groups like the Russian mob and drug cartels typically use the same routes for human trafficking as they do for smuggling guns and drugs.

The crime often goes unreported because the victims can’t speak English, don’t trust the police because they were corrupt in their home country, or are afraid something will happen to them or their family, Wilkett said.

He asked those in the crowd to help in the fight against human trafficking.

“Be observant in your neighborhood,” Wilkett said. A house that has its windows covered with aluminum, for example, may be a place where illegal activity is occurring inside.

“Listen, especially for detecting an involuntary domestic servitude victim,” he said.

People who look down when you talk to them or don’t answer your questions may be afraid, he said. If something doesn’t sound or feel right, people should report it.

“At least give us the opportunity to go look at it,” Wilkett said, adding the sheriff’s office accepts anonymous tips.

Something has to be done to help these people, Wilkett said. “Inside, they are screaming, ‘I’m really not for sale. I’m really not for sale.’”

Parent Mechelle Flippo said she was glad she attended the meeting.

“Anytime you get information about something that can protect your child, you need to make that a priority,” Flippo said. “It is real. It does happen and it does happen in our community.”

Learn more about human trafficking by visiting these websites:
www.WorldReliefTampa.org
www.SharedHope.org
www.RescueAndRestore.org

Local salon takes fashionable field trip to Paris

October 16, 2013 By Michael Hinman

A trip to a hair show is a rare treat for a stylist. And that’s just to places like New York, Las Vegas or even Miami.

A small group of stylists from J. Joseph Salon in Land O’ Lakes got to go far beyond that, however, as they hopped a plane to cross the Atlantic Ocean, landing in Paris.

Not too many hair stylists go to Paris to look at fashionable hair styles, but some of the crew from J. Joseph Salon in Land O’ Lakes made the trip to France last month to do just that. Joining salon owner Roy Naccour, center, were Justine Fallon, left, Linda Boyington, Jeremy Bisono and Melanie Kennedy. (Photo courtesy of Roy Naccour, with Redken and Pureology)

It was more than just a hair show for these stylists. Salon owner Roy Naccour wanted these artists to be inspired by what many consider to be the center of fashion.

“Every couple of years, we like to travel to fashion capitals of the world, which Paris is one of,” Naccour said. “We want to get inspiration for what’s in or what’s hot for the following year. Fashion kind of gets born over there — in places like France, Italy, New York and Tokyo — and then it spreads out throughout the world.”

Instead of waiting for that fashion wave to hit the United States, Naccour wanted an early preview — all to keep his clients ahead of the trends.

“Women are women, wherever they are, and beauty is beauty wherever it is,” Naccour said. For him, clients don’t have to travel outside of the Land O’ Lakes area to get the latest fashion trends typically found in places like New York and Los Angeles.

And keeping such a fashion-forward business in the area is a good way to attract new residents.

“Good doctors and good hairdressers are the No. 1 things that people look for when they move into an area,” Naccour said. “Those two things are very personal and important.”

If someone gets the wrong medicine from the doctor, they’re in trouble, Naccour said. And the same can be said about a bad haircut or color.

“People look at you, and you want to look your best,” he said.

Naccour, 32, got his own education in fashion and art through his time in three countries, his latest stop, the United States. He first worked in his original home in Lebanon where hair was “thick and black.” He moved on to Sweden, where hair was much different.

“It helped me get my brain opened up to so much fashion around the world, and how fashion spreads and evolves,” Naccour said. “I have gained so much knowledge that has helped me educate my staff and team.”

Naccour started J. Joseph Salon in 2007, and was simply a one-man operation. Today, however, he has 28 employees, and an expansive location at 5132 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. And not only does he deal with a crowded list of clients, but he looks forward to trips like the one in Paris, where he also did a photo shoot for hair care product companies like Redken and Pureology.

“There are a million hair salons on every single corner, and if you don’t stay up to date — especially in the beauty industry — you will fall behind,” Naccour said. “I always say I live in the future. I don’t want to wait for fashion to come to me. I want to go grab it before anyone else gets it.”

San Antonio sizzles: It’s Rattlesnake Festival time

October 16, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Every year, on the third Saturday of October, thousands head to San Antonio Park to enjoy wide-ranging activities and foods at the annual Rattlesnake and Music Festival.

The event almost didn’t happen this year, though.

Previous event organizers had decided not to have the annual festival. So a half-dozen Rotary clubs from East Pasco County stepped up to take on the event, said David West, a festival board member.

Aislynn Brooks, left, sits atop a pony waiting for the ride to start. The 19-month-old Rattlesnake Festival attendee is practically a pro, making her second appearance at the festival. Aislynn’s mother, Heather Brooks, stands alongside. (File photo)

While this festival marks the 47th year that people have gathered to experience the festivities, this year’s lineup has a few changes.

For one thing, music will play a larger role — hence the festival’s new name. For another, there will be a beer garden, said Mike Mira, president of the East Pasco Rotary Charities, which has taken over the festival.

Another change is that the event will be one day, instead of two.

But the Oct. 19 festival will begin at 9 a.m. and go until 10 p.m., featuring an evening concert — another new twist, West said.

The planned reptile show had to be cancelled, but Wild Things of Dade City will be doing a wild life show, Mira said.

The event also will feature Billy the Exterminator, of A&E reality television program fame, West said. His appearance is being sponsored by Ierna’s Heating & Cooling, of Lutz.

Skip Mahaffey, a widely known local radio personality, also has been confirmed as the master of ceremonies for the evening concert.

In conjunction with the annual event, the Rotary Club of San Antonio is hosting the 35th annual Rattlesnake Run. Runners can choose to race for 5 miles or 1 mile on a course that includes hills, sidewalks, groves, a bridge and more hills.

The event also features festival foods galore.

Eddie Herrmann, one of the festival’s original founders, recalls its early days when it actually featured a rattlesnake roundup, with people bringing rattlesnakes they had captured. They would enter them in competitions judging size, weight and appearance.

The snakes would win prizes, and in turn, they would be used in payment for the snake expert who put on a show, Herrmann said.

Real gopher tortoises were used in races, too, Herrmann said. But that stopped after state officials objected to people handling the reptiles.

Mechanical tortoises, designed by Herrmann, now take the place of the live ones.

While there have been changes over time, the festival still aims to provide affordable family fun, and to raise money for community causes, West said.

There’s no admission charge or parking fee, but attractions within the festival and food will carry a cost, West said.

Those attending the festival will have plenty of choices of things to see and do and can get their fill of festival foods.

This year’s slate of entertainers includes The Beaumont Family Bluegrass Band, the Florida Cracker Boys, Steelhorse and Crabgrass Cowboys. Cowboy Tom will be there, too.

There will be animal shows, arts and crafts, a truck show, and rides and games for kids.

People who want to grab a bite to eat or something to drink can purchase such offerings as barbecue chicken, corn on the cob, rattlesnake bites, gator nuggets, pizza and funnel cakes.

Rod Lincoln, owner of Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q in Zephyrhills, has donated 700 chicken dinners and is the event’s primary sponsor, Mira said.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Rotary clubs, which in turn provide a considerable amount of support in the community, Mira said.

Rotary clubs, for example, provide food bags for families in need during the holidays, bags of food to help feed hungry children during summer months, and school supplies for kids going back to school.

Seminar tackles serious threat of concussions

October 16, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Dr. Jonathan Phillips was in his residency near Pittsburgh when he was introduced to the realm of concussions and the kind of harm they can inflict.

The deficits they cause can affect much more than an athlete’s ability to get back onto the playing field, said Phillips, whose office is in the Wellness Plaza at Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. They can harm the athlete’s learning abilities and the impacts can spill over to family life, as parents have to shift their priorities to get proper treatment for their child.

Dr. Jonathan Phillips, of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel’s Wellness Plaza, conducts a concussion exam. (Photo courtesy of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel)

Philips is sharing that and more in a seminar, “Rising Dangers of Concussion: What Coaches, Parents and Young Athletes Need to Know.” It takes place Oct. 22 beginning at 6 p.m.

Admission is free, and so is a meal that comes with it, but those wishing to attend must register in advance.

Phillips is certified in sports medicine and has provided care for many athletes. During his fellowship at the University of South Florida, he took care of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the USF Bulls, and even the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team when they were in town for Spring Training.

Now, he’s the team doctor for the Arena Football League team Tampa Bay Storm.

“The biggest thing that people don’t realize is that concussions account for about 1.6 (million) of the 3.8 million of traumatic or mild brain injury in the folks ages 15 to 24,” said Phillips, citing statistics compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

To combat that problem, it’s essential for coaches, parents and athletes to become more aware of the causes and symptoms of concussions, and the proper course of treatment.

Parents whose children don’t play heavy contact sports, such as football, may think their children aren’t at risk, Phillips said. But that isn’t true. Concussions can occur in athletes playing a wide range of sports, including soccer, basketball, baseball and volleyball.

The CDC has published educational materials to help coaches, parents and athletes learn prevention strategies and how to identify symptoms. Phillips will discuss prevention, symptoms and treatment of concussion at his seminar.

A concussion, the doctor said, “is a mechanical stress on the brain itself that causes it to move, or shift inside the head.”

That shifting causes a metabolic injury to the brain, Phillips said.

While concussions often result from a jolt or blow to the head, they can also be caused by a hit to another part of the body, such as a whiplash action, the doctor said.

Symptoms of a concussion can include loss of consciousness, headaches, nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, confusion, changes in behavior and sensitivity to noise or light.

Those symptoms may become evident on a playing field, on the sideline or in a locker room, Phillips said. Sometimes, however, the signs of a concussion show up later.

When a concussion is suspected, the next step is to seek medical care and then to receive medical clearance before returning to sport, the CDC says.

Phillips recommends seeing a doctor who is knowledgeable about concussions — to get the proper care as quickly as possible and to avoid unnecessary tests, which can be expensive and may delay appropriate treatment.

“Not everyone needs an MRI. Not everyone needs a CAT scan. Not everyone needs an EEG,” Phillips said, describing an electroencephalography exam.

One tool that’s helpful is an online baseline test of an athlete’s memory, reaction time, motor speed and so on, Phillips said.

“After they have a baseline test, if they were to get injured, it would be easy to see the comparison,” Phillips said, noting it’s just one of the tools that doctors use to evaluate a patient with a suspected concussion.

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel provides these baseline tests for free to youth athletes, said Tracy Clouser, director of marketing for the hospital.

While people may think that dramatic, head-jolting hits cause the worst concussions, Phillips said that small, repeated injuries are generally more damaging.

“A lot of times those spectacular hits that you see where people get knocked out for one- or 15 seconds, and then they’re up — those folks recover fairly quickly as opposed to those with multiple hits,” he said.

That’s because the athletes suffering the smaller, repeated hits tend to shake it off and get back into the game. But they are usually injured again before the first damage has a chance to heal, Phillips said.

If a parent suspects his or her child has a concussion and they can’t get immediate medical care, the best course of treatment for the child is brain rest, Phillips said.

“You need as much energy as possible to go to that area of the brain to heal it,” he said. “So, no texting. No computers. No TV. No reading.”

They should have a medical professional check them out. Then, if they need continued treatment, they can seek a modified educational plan to help them heal, Phillips said.

For instance, they may need more time to complete homework assignments.

With concussions taking center stage in recent months, especially with the National Football League, there have been some fears that focusing so much attention on the problem will weaken sports. But no one is saying that athletes should be less competitive, Phillips said. They simply need to learn the proper techniques for the sport and to pay attention to their health.

“They can still be aggressive. They can still want to win. That’s part of sports,” Phillips said. “The key is safety for the kids.”

What: A seminar on the Rising Dangers of Concussion: What coaches, parents and young athletes need to know
When: Oct. 22, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (meal is provided)
Where: Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, Wellness Plaza
Admission is free, but reservations are required. Call (813) 929-5432 or visit, www.FHWesleyChapel.org/events

About concussions
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides this information to help lower the risk of concussions and to treat suspected concussions.

For athletes
To minimize risks for concussions:
• Follow the rules of safety and the rules of the sport.
• Be sure protective equipment fits properly and is well maintained.
• Wear a helmet to reduce the risk of serious brain injury or skull fracture, but be aware there are no concussion-proof helmets.
• Avoid hits to the head.
If you suspect you have a concussion:
• Don’t hide it. Report it. Trying to “tough it out” can worsen symptoms. Do not let anyone pressure you to continue playing if you suspect you have a concussion.
• Get checked out. Only a health care professional can tell you if you have a concussion and can tell you if it is safe for you to return to play.

For parents
If you suspect your child has a concussion:
• Seek medical attention right away.
• Keep your child out of play.
• Tell your child’s coach about any previous concussion.

For coaches
If you suspect your player has a concussion:
• Remove the athlete from play.
• Inform the athlete’s guardians or parents.
• Make sure the athlete is evaluated by a health care professional.
(When reporting a suspected concussion, a coach should include this information: The cause of the injury; whether the athlete lost consciousness and if so, for how long; any seizures or memory loss by the injured athlete; and, any previous concussions, if known).
• Keep the athlete out of play until medically cleared to return.

Weightman sends message: Bullying not welcome here

October 16, 2013 By B.C. Manion

As teachers at Weightman Middle School were gearing up for the beginning of the academic year, they took part in a training session led by Sharon Morris, the school’s counselor.

Morris had seen a rise in bullying reports in the previous year, and wanted to talk to teachers about the need to identify bullying and stop it. Teachers agreed the issue needed to be tackled and suggested the school take aim at it early in the school year.

Mark Sweet, a parent volunteer, is holding the ‘Chain of Courage.’ Every Weightman Middle School student signed a link of the chain, pledging not to be a bystander to bullying. (Photo courtesy of Weightman Middle School)

Morris also believed the issue called for a more sustained effort than in previous years, so she recommended a weeklong slate of anti-bullying activities.

Each day of the week had a theme, inviting students to get involved.

For instance, they came to school on one day decked out in pink, with crazy hairstyles and glasses. The theme was “Don’t be a crazy bystander and watch someone get bullied.”

On another day, they made pinwheels for peace. The theme that day was “Too cool to be a bully, give peace a chance.”

On other days, they wore boots or jeans or bright colors, all tying in with a special theme.

The bottom line was to saturate the campus with the message that everyone must do what they can to stop bullying, said Morris, who has been an educator for 18 years.

“We did not let up,” she said.

The counselor knew the kids would have fun dressing up, but she didn’t expect the event to arouse such deep emotions by both staff members and students.

One teacher got on the school’s television morning show to share what it felt like to be bullied when she was young. Another staff member approached Morris to tell her how guilty she felt about being a bully when she was young.

One student came in to see Morris and told her about being bullied in the past by a school athlete. The student said he knew the boy would never apologize, but he said he also knew the boy was sorry when he saw he was wearing pink — and he smiled at him.

Morris estimated that 90 percent of the teachers and students took part in the activities and help set an anti-bullying tone on campus.

Weightman principal Brandon Bracciale emailed Morris to congratulate her and her committee for organizing the activities.

“What a great week last week was,” the principal wrote. “One of the most enjoyable and best I have been part of on any level as an educator.”

As principal, Bracciale wrote, he could not be more proud to see the school community “stand up to bullying in such a fun, creative and engaging manner.”

“The fact that the event occurred in the beginning of the school year helped to build a sense of community, and set the expectation that bullying would not be tolerated in our school,” he added.

Bullying is a real issue and can have deadly consequences, Morris said, noting the recent death of a 12-year-old Polk County girl who committed suicide at an abandoned cement plant. Authorities reported that the girl had been harassed by as many as 15 girls for about a year.

Remarks that kids make to each other may seem insignificant to adults, but they can be devastating to youths who are trying to fit in with their peers, Morris said.

In addition to bullying that happens on campus, bullying that happens online is a huge issue. Parents need to monitor what their kids are doing online, Morris said. They need to tell their kids that while they trust them, they don’t trust everyone else that has access to the Internet.

It’s important to realize the power that words can have, Morris said.

“Whether you’re a teenager saying something to another teenager, or whether you’re an adult that’s stalking a kid online, your words are so powerful,” she said. “They can change a person’s life forever.”

Ways to help, if your child is being bullied
• Encourage your child to talk about the bullying experience. Listen.
• Don’t criticize your child the way he or she is responding to the bullying.
• Teach your child ways to stay safe at school, such as telling an adult if he feels threatened.
• Encourage your child to pursue friendships at school.
• Encourage your child to walk with an adult or an older child if she doesn’t feel safe at school in the neighborhood.
• Identify safe areas, such as a neighbor’s home, library or community center. Tell your child to go to one of these areas if he feels threatened.
• Make sure your child has a phone number of an adult who can help.

To reduce the threats of cyberbullying
• Keep your home computer in an area of the house where it is easily viewable.
• Talk to your children about online activities.
• Consider installing parental control software.
• Know your children’s passwords and tell them not to give them out to others.
• Monitor your children’s Internet activity. Let them know that you can review their current or history of online communications at any time.

Ways to intervene, if your child is a bully
• Hold your child accountable for his behavior.
• Set up clear rules in your household and follow through with logical consequences, such as withdrawing privileges, when those rules are not followed.
• Spend time with your child and pay attention to what she does with friends.
• Support your child’s talents and skills by encouraging positive activities, such as involvement in sports or clubs.
• Reward your child and offer frequent reinforcement for positive behavior.
• If your child has been reported as engaging in bullying behaviors, listen to your child, but check the facts. Children who bully are also good at manipulating.

Report a bully:
Go to: www.pasco.k12.fl.us, and click on the “stop bullying” link.

Saying goodbye to Zeke

October 16, 2013 By Diane Kortus

I purposely didn’t write a column about saying goodbye to Zeke, my family’s yellow lab who was almost 14 when it was time for us to let him go last March.

I didn’t want to be just one more self-absorbed writer spewing about the punch to the gut I felt every time I walked in the door because my dog was not there to greet me. I didn’t want you to read my sad story about losing Zeke, only to have it churn up the pain you felt when you lost your own pet.

But here I am, six months later, telling you about Zeke.

Zeke loved boating and just about everything else in life.

Maybe I waited until now because it has taken me this long to accept that Zeke is really gone. Or, maybe I needed to be sure that life was going to be OK without Zeke as my companion.

There have been many first-person accounts written about the anguish of losing a pet. The heartache my children and I felt is no different, no less painful, than what other families feel when they too make the difficult decision to euthanize their pet.

The difference for me in this case, of course, was that our pain was acutely personal. Zeke was a member of our family for 13 years. And unlike my kids, who grew up and moved away, Zeke never left home.

Parents often talk about the unconditional love they have for their children. But Zeke taught me that the most unconditional love of all is the love a pet has for his family.

Pets only remember the good times and quickly forget the bad. If only we humans could focus on life’s joys and forgive and forget unkind actions we experience as quickly as our four-legged friends.

When Zeke died, he left behind Sammy, our ginger cat that my daughter, Rachel, rescued from the neighborhood dumpster when she was 14 years old. Now, Rachel is 21 and a senior at Stetson University, living in Deland.

Until she left for college, Rachel had slept with Zeke every night since she was 9 years old. Losing Zeke was wrenching for her, and I suggested she take Sammy back to Deland to comfort her through her sorrow.

That left me alone in Land O’ Lakes with just Jonas, our 8-year-old Airedale Terrier that we had adopted five years earlier.

Unlike me, Jonas never seemed to miss Zeke or Sam. He has flourished as the family’s new alpha dog, and with no other pets to compete with, has become more calm, loving and attentive.

The vet who came to our house to euthanize Zeke told us that other pets in a household are remarkably accepting of another animal’s passing, that pets understand better than people the ebb and flow of mother nature. She told us not to expect Jonas or Sam to mourn Zeke, but to learn from them that Zeke’s death was natural and even good.

I have tried to accept that advice and to let go of my grief of losing my friend.

I will always miss Zeke’s presence, but also know that the love that we had endures beyond the boundaries of death.