Local News

Young cancer victim remembered through song

December 18, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Download Taylor Emery’s song, “Harris,” through Apple’s iTunes Store by clicking here.

Many stories will likely be written about Taylor Emery, a standout junior point guard on the Freedom High School girls basketball team, as she progresses her way through college and beyond.

But on a mournful day in mid-October, it was her turn to write.

Taylor Emery, a junior at Freedom High School, listens to the song she wrote and recorded about late classmate Jordan Harris. His battle with cancer helped inspire her on the basketball court, piquing interest from colleges around the country. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

A young man who had cheered the basketball team on from the bleachers, and who had become a symbol of hope for the school and his community, had just lost his long battle with primitive neuroectodermal tumors. And it was then the 16-year-old pulled out a tablet and a pen, and began to share her thoughts on the passing of Jordan Harris.

Unable to grasp this unbelievable news
Not quite being able to refuse
Eighteen years old, he shouldn’t have died
Just a kid living stride to stride

“I never thought about ever pursuing anything in the music industry,” Emery said. “But I felt all the pain from Jordan passing away. And the next day, I wanted to do something for him. I wanted to do something cool that he would’ve loved. And I know he loved music.”

The words flooded Emery’s paper, and it took a few days to organize her thoughts after that and turn her stream of consciousness into something lyrical. It was then Emery shared her work with a 16-year-old friend who played recreational basketball, Kellie Gaston, who also had a passion for singing. They both then turned to another teammate’s brother, Kyle Snelgrove, who even at 17 has his own recording studio in his Brandon home.

“We all got together one night, and did the recording,” Emery said. Gaston sang the chorus, Emery rapped her primary lyrics, and Snelgrove produced. “I had to record my part a lot of times, but Kellie got it on the first try. Kyle said he would have it done in a week, and he did.”

The trio got permission to use an original instrumental base they found on YouTube, and Emery uploaded the final product to Apple’s iTunes Store, offering the song for 99 cents. She won’t know until January how many people downloaded the song in the first wave, but Emery already plans to donate 75 percent of proceeds to the Harris family. The other 25 percent covers the costs of producing it.

“He has helped me and others in so many different ways,” Emery said of Harris, who died Oct. 16 at the age of 18. “He fought cancer three times, and the first two times, he never gave up and was just so happy with what he did. It taught us that no matter how hard things are, there is always a way to come out of it.”

Jordan may be gone
But I’ll never forget …
… I’ll never forget how he inspired me

The Freedom Patriots are locked in a tough battle to win their district, and Emery has been one of the keys to her team’s success. In just two games in December, she scored a combined 75 points. And she hasn’t had a game without scoring in double digits since her first year on the team.

A wall in her bedroom is filled with envelopes sent to her by colleges around the country interested in her hardwood skills. And Emery dreams of not only excelling in college, but possibly earning a spot in the Women’s National Basketball Association.

Her iPhone is filled with all kinds of music, ranging from hip-hop and rhythm and blues to rock, and maybe even a little country. Emery’s favorite musician right now is Macklemore, who she says “raps with a purpose” with songs like “Wing$” and “Same Love.”

Emery is an A student at Freedom, taking four Advanced Placement courses this year alone.

There’s not a lot of room in her schedule to create and produce a song, let alone promote it, but Emery knew sharing “Harris” with the rest of the world was something she had to do.

“I just wanted to help his family so much,” she said. “I know it’s hard to lose anyone to cancer, especially someone who is 18, and I felt this was the only way I could help them. I can’t bring Jordan back, but I hope I can at least help them with this.”

He wants no pain or struggle from us
Just happiness and memories
Loving the past and blinded by our future
A future he never knew

He is watching over us now
What a great thing to bear
Rest in peace, JHarr

Jordan Harris was symbol of hope at Freedom

The cancer Jordan Harris had was so rare, even today it’s difficult to remember its name: primitive neuroectodermal tumors.

Harris was first diagnosed with the condition in 2011 when he was an upperclassman at Freedom High School, and surgeries and treatment would sideline him from some of his favorite activities, like soccer.

“If nothing happened, I probably would have wanted to play college soccer on a scholarship,” Harris said late last year. “But it’ll all be about fun now.”

Harris graduated from Freedom in June, but his condition worsened not long after that. He succumbed to the cancer on Oct. 16.

“In my experience, it’s those with the hardest struggles who seem to persevere the most, and Jordan was no exception,” Freedom social studies teacher Katie Feldman told students, family and friends who joined in a candlelight vigil soon after Harris’ passing. “Talk to anyone who knew him, and they would undoubtedly mention his beautiful smile, the way he always wanted to put other people first, and his unyielding sense of perseverance.”

– Michael Hinman

Dealing with grief and stress at the holidays

December 18, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Heirloom ornaments, twinkling lights and festive wrapping paper can help set the scene for a magical holiday season. But the idealized notions that people carry around in their heads about the holidays rarely happen.

Indeed, no one really experiences the perfect holidays, and the season can be painful or difficult for those grieving the loss of a loved one or experiencing some kind of stress.

“I think a lot of people think, ‘Everybody, but our family, is having the Waltons’ Christmas, or the Norman Rockwell Christmas, or the Currier and Ives Christmas,” said Grace Terry, founder of Grief Resolution Resources of Tampa. “Here’s the truth: Nobody has the Waltons’ Christmas, except the Waltons.”

The holidays can be challenging for everyone, Terry said. At best, they may have peaceful and joyful moments, or perhaps, even hours.

“Rarely is there a joyful, peaceful full day, I’m afraid,” she said. “Everybody has some stress. Everybody has some memories of past holidays – again, hopefully everybody has some positive memories, but you know, everybody also has some bittersweet memories, and some memories that are not so happy and joyful.”

Any time there is a death of a loved one, whether it is a family member or dear friend, the first year after the death can be very challenging, Terry said. As the holidays approach, if the family plans to celebrate together, it’s good to have the conversation in advance of the family gathering. That way, “people aren’t taken by surprise and wondering, ‘Oh, what should I do?’

“People will be less awkward or nervous, if we can mention ahead of time, ‘I may want to talk about missing mom,’ or ‘I may want to talk about mom’s famous Christmas cookies, or dad’s snoring when he falls asleep’” after the holiday meal, she said.

Talking it out ahead of time can help reduce feelings of embarrassment or shame about how to handle the absence of the loved one at the holidays, Terry said. She encourages people to have the conversation, and that it’s OK to mention the person’s name who died, it’s OK if a few tears are shed, and everyone remembers a loved one who is not with them this year.

“Nobody has to be embarrassed or ashamed if we tell our favorite story of the deceased loved one, or we mention ‘We surely do miss him,’” Terry said. “If somebody becomes tearful, that’s one way of honoring the deceased.”

By talking in advance of holiday gatherings, family members may find out that they want to take a different approach this year, Terry said.

“A lot of people make assumptions about what everybody else wants without even asking,” she said. “The majority of the people in (the) family might be really wishing that we could really downsize it this year, but everybody’s thinking we’ve got to do what we’ve always done.”

The grief counselor also encourages people to honor their own feelings about how they want to celebrate — or not celebrate — the holidays. Sometimes people think they have to continue the traditions they’ve always had, even if they’re not up to it, Terry said.

It’s also important for people to remember that they are not obliged to do something they don’t want to do, just to live up to others’ expectations.

“They can take the year off, or they can scale back and streamline to a bare minimum,” she said. “The world will keep right on turning. If it just feels like a huge burden and a chore, don’t do it. Even if you’ve done it the same way all of your life, it’s OK to do it differently this year if you want to do it differently.”

Traditions are wonderful, Terry said, but “sometimes they just need to grow and evolve, and deal with present reality.”

It’s also important to remember that what works for one person may not work for another.

“People do grieve differently,” Terry said.

Friends of the bereaved might also be at a loss as to how to help. Terry says to tell them they know that for a lot of people, the first holiday season after the death of a loved one can be painful and difficult.

“How are you feeling about the winter holidays that are coming up?” Terry suggests. “What do you think would be best for you, and how can I support that?

“Then, shut up and listen.”

For those who are struggling with grief, Terry advises that they reach out for support, and never feel embarrassed by it.

“Everybody needs support all of the time,” she said. “When we’re grieving, we need extra.”

Terry organizes sessions called Grief Café where people who are struggling with grief can share in an informal setting. When people don’t work through their grief, it can manifest itself in substance abuse, broken relationships and spiritual despair, Terry said.

She also had another bit of advice for those who want to help the bereaved during the holidays: “Practice kindness and tolerance in the spirit of the season.”

Grief Cafe
Grief Café is a relaxed small group conversation about loss and grief facilitated by a professional that meets the third Thursday of the month from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., in the board room of at Cooper Financial Services, 5420 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.
Upcoming sessions are set for Dec. 19 and Jan. 16.
The groups generally are kept to 10 people or fewer. There is no charge, but donations are accepted. If you’d like to attend, please reserve a spot by 5 p.m., the day before the session, by calling (727) 487-3207.

Misconceptions about Grief
These statements are false, but generally believed to be true:
• The best way to manage grief is to stay busy.
• Tears are a sign of weakness and loss of control.
• Expressing grief shows a lack of faith.
• Time heals all wounds.
• The goal of bereavement care is to help people get over grief as quickly as possible.
• No one can really help a grieving person resolve his or her grief.
• Only people with advanced specialized formal professional education and a professional license can help someone with his or her grief.
• If we see someone who has recently experienced a traumatic loss, it is best not to mention the loss because we might upset them.
• Children do not grieve because they don’t understand what’s happening.
– Source: Grace Terry of Grief Resolution Resources of Tampa

Teen wins $50,000 after memorizing 766 Bible verses

December 18, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy …

Many remember their childhood Sunday school classes when memorizing the books of the Bible was a necessary step into spiritual adulthood.

The goal of the National Bible Bee is to join families together to learn more about the Bible — not just memorizing passages, but understanding what the passages mean. Katherine Forster, 14, learned more than 750 Bible verses with the help of long study times as well as her family, which includes, from left, mother Sue Forster, and brothers Samuel, 12, and Ben, 9. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

But anyone who thought that was hard never had to compete at the level Katherine Forster has.

The 14-year-old Lutz girl recently won a $50,000 scholarship for being the best in the country in her age division in memorizing Bible verses. And not a dozen, or 50, or even 100. Forster learned 766 verses — the equivalent of learning all of 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians with a touch of Malachi — on her way to winning the National Bible Bee in Sevierville, Tenn.

“To some extent, I had a system where I figured out that I would need to memorize 60 verses a week over 10 weeks, and then have a week and a half to review,” Forster said. “Even on our way up to Tennessee, we drilled most of the way there.”

The National Bible Bee is a rather new concept, developed just five years ago by the Shelby Kennedy Foundation, a nonprofit ministry established in the name of a young woman who died of cancer in 2005 at the age of 23. The organization’s goal, according to its website, is to encourage parents “as they disciple their children through in-depth study” of the Bible, memorizing verses and prayer.

Katherine’s mom, Sue Forster, first learned about the program in 2009 through a home-school group she’s a part of.

“I thought it would be a great thing to do,” she said. “If you think about it, you have spelling bees, which are fun and the kids learn a lot. But I would much rather have them memorizing God’s word than how to spell all these different words.”

Katherine Forster had to memorize each verse perfectly. Any missed word would deduct points from her overall score.

This was her third trip to the national competition, and she earned her way there through Cornerstone Baptist Church’s Kids Bee in June in Brandon. There, Katherine memorized just 24 Bible passages and studied the book of 1 John in depth.

At the finals in Tennessee, Katherine competed against 60 other teenagers from across the country, and was just one of five representing Cornerstone.

Katherine already is planning on another trip to nationals next year, where she will compete at the seniors level (and a much bigger prize of $100,000).

However, studying the verses did open her eyes to some aspects of life she hadn’t realized before.

“1 John has a huge emphasis on sacrificial love,” she said. “That’s what sums up all the commandments, the love of God to keep his commandments, and these commandments are all summed up by loving God and loving others.”

Katherine spent most of November studying the verses to focus on the bee, and spent December catching up on her other studies. On Sundays, they are regulars at Keystone Bible Church in Odessa, and that has fueled Katherine’s desire to some day do mission work, either in person — or through words.

“I love to write stories,” she said. “I have a book that I am writing, but I don’t have time to write much right now. There might be something with writing, but I’ll do whatever the Lord wants.”

By memorizing verses, Katherine is learning how to organize a major project, and execute it, her mother said. But there’s more to it than just that, Katherine added.

“You have to be motivated to study,” she said. “Bible Bee for me is almost like my life at times, and it’s what I’m doing all day long.”

Her brothers — Samuel, 12, and Ben, 9 — also participate in the regional bees, but are still looking for that way to bring all the work together.

“They have other stuff they like to do, so (memorizing) is not their big thing,” Katherine said.

Also competing from the Tampa area Cornerstone group were Thomas Walter, Rutledge Dixon, Ellie Borah and Kevin Cravens.

New pet pantry to help feed Fido and Sylvester, too

December 18, 2013 By B.C. Manion

When families struggling to make ends meet, they aren’t the only ones who suffer. Sometimes the dog bowl and cat dish go empty, too.

A new effort is under way in Dade City to collect donations of pet food that can be distributed to families in need. Those wishing to contribute dog food, cat food, pet toys, leashes, collars and other pet items can bring them to Dog-Mania & Cats Pet Boutique and Pet Lovers Gift Shop, 14012 Seventh St., Suite A, in Dade City.

The sponsors of Dogs Day in Dade City decided to set up the Dogs Day Pet Pantry because they want to help people keep their pets.

Donations can be dropped off Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., said shop owner Suzanne Gagliolo.

After pet food and other pet items are collected, they will be distributed through a network established by Love One Another, a program that helps people in need, Gagliolo said.

“Because of the economic conditions we’re in, people have had to give up their pets,” Gagliolo said.

Pet owners typically want to keep their animals. They typically don’t give them up, unless they simply can’t afford to keep them, she said.

“For many people, these (pets) are their children,” Gagliolo said.

When pets are taken to shelters, they often end up being euthanized.

The Dogs Day Pet Pantry aims to help pet owners keep their pets and prevent animals from being destroyed.

“We can get them in touch with someone who can help them,” Gagliolo said.

The shop can be reached at (352) 457-9616. To find out more about Dogs Day in Dade City, go to DogsDayInDadeCity.com.

Seniors once again find hundreds of Santas in community

December 18, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Wednesday is the last day that gifts can be collected for the Be a Santa to a Senior program, but there’s still lots of work to do before now and Christmas.

Home Instead Senior Care local franchise owners Lynelle Bonneville and mother Michele Bonneville look at ornaments listing needs from senior citizens in nursing homes with Sweet Darling Quilts owner Cathleene Tokish, right. Tokish’s store was one of several in Pasco County that hosted trees, collecting gifts for senior citizens in nursing homes as part of the Be a Santa to a Senior program. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

The annual program, hosted by Home Instead Senior Care, brings gifts to senior citizens for the holiday season — a large segment of the population that is many times left out when it comes to Christmas.

“There are a lot of charities out there for the kids, and Christmas is for the kids, but far too often, so many are forgotten,” said Cathleene Tokish, owner of Sweet Darling Quilts on Wesley Chapel Boulevard, who hosted one of the gift-giving trees. “When I do my spreadsheet, I cry, because they ask for so little.”

Tokish’s store is one of the only non-chain stores participating in the program, run locally by Home Instead franchise owners Lynelle Bonneville and mother Michele Bonneville. Yet, she is one of the highest-producing, with many of her customers asking about what they should get for the nursing home residents as early as September.

Christmas trees go up in November at the Be a Santa to a Senior collection sites, with ornaments available displaying the wish list of an individual resident of facilities like the Edwinola Retirement Community and Heritage Park in Dade City, as well as the West Winds Assisted Living Facility in Zephyrhills.

Some of the ornaments handed out at Tokish’s store included a pack of cards, a package of batteries, and one that asked for just one snack.

“Once they hit the nursing home level, Medicaid only gives them $35 a month to spend on incidentals,” Michele Bonneville said. “And that’s why just the little things matter so much for them.”

And when someone gets an ornament with a request of something like just one snack, they usually come back with so much more, the Bonnevilles said. Usually, they’re filling an entire gift bag.

This year, the local Home Instead franchise hopes to hand out 1,000 wrapped gifts to senior citizens in assisted living facilities on Dec. 21. While nearly all the donations are provided unwrapped, volunteers will get together Dec. 20 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the home office of Home Instead, 29149 Chapel Park Drive in Wesley Chapel, to wrap gifts.

Home Instead’s clientele are typically still living in their own houses and apartments, and are usually doing what they can to stay out of an assisted living facility as long as possible. But the program targets those who are no longer in their own homes, and many times missing the companionship and family so many others take for granted on the holidays.

“When you take gifts to them and see their eyes light up, it can be very special,” Michele Bonneville said. “There are people who haven’t spoken in a month who will suddenly get so excited, and they will start talking.”

Be a Santa to a Senior is a nationwide program through Home Instead that has attracted more than 60,000 volunteers, and provided 1.2 million gifts to 700,000 senior citizens over the last six years, according to the organization’s website.

Collection sites were set up around the area, including the Florida Medical Clinic Foundation, T.J. Maxx, Bealls Outlet, the Pasco County Tax Collector’s office, and Village Inn restaurant in Land O’ Lakes.

For more information on how to volunteer or donate, visit BeASantaToASenior.com, or call (813) 991-7524.

Business Digest 12-18-13

December 18, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Red Hydrant moves, expands
Red Hydrant Pet Spa and Boutique is moving to a new expanded location at 21780 State Road 54 in Lutz.
The new space, located at Osprey Cove, is 4,700 square feet, and will feature all-breed dog grooming, natural and holistic treats, toys, and an assortment of goodies.
Red Hydrant also will add “indoor” doggy day care, off-leash playtime for pets. Each pet will be evaluated and assigned to a suitable and compatible playgroup. Each group will be closely supervised by trained coaches, who will help support safe play and assist in the acclimation of new dogs into each of the groups.
The new location has been up-fitted with special ventilation and a return air system that will support a clean and sanitary environment.
For more information, call (813) 388-6810, or visit TheRedHydrant.com.

Support Our Troops get big boost from tax collector
The Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office recently raised nearly $7,700 for Support Our Troops, an organization dedicated to strengthening the morale and well-being of America’s active-duty troops and their families.
The money was raised through sales of the specialty license plate that benefits the organization as well as cash donations.
“The brave men and women who leave their families behind to protect our great nation deserve everything we can do for them,” said county tax collector Mike Fasano, in a release.
“These funds will ship hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of assistance to military families overseas, soldiers at the front, and help operate military kids’ summer camps,” said Martin Boire, president of Support Our Troops of Florida, in a release. “Looking out for the service members who are looking out for us is a tall moral obligation. And the generosity of the people of Pasco County will make a big impact at the personal level in the lives of our troops, their spouses, and their kids.”
Support Our Troops operates with a non-program overhead of less than 1 percent, which means 99 percent of donations go to programs and services, which directly impact the troops and their families.
For more information on the organization, visit www.SupportOurTroops.org.

Women-n-Charge to meet in January
Women-n-Charge will meet Jan. 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Pebble Creek Country Club, 10550 Regents Park Drive in Tampa.
The meeting includes lunch and networking.
Cost is $15 for members by the Tuesday before the meeting, and $18 for all guests and members paying after the early deadline.
For more information, call (813) 600-9848, or email .

IAAP to meet Dec. 19
The City Center chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals will meet Dec. 19 beginning at noon at The Tampa Club, 101 E. Kennedy Blvd., in downtown Tampa.
The meeting will be the monthly luncheon, as well as an ornament exchange and food drive for Metropolitan Ministries.
Cost is $17, with an additional $2 for parking with validation.
RSVP is required at .

Dog caretaker opens in Wesley Chapel
Bryan’s Bow Wow Walks & Cleanup has opened in the Wesley Chapel area, offering daily dog walking, as well as regular pet waste cleanup and all-natural treats for dogs.
It is owned by Bryan Gavros, who says he wants to help people with busy schedules get their dogs out for exercise and companionship. He also said he will donate canned food for each new pet client to the Humane Society of Pasco County.
For more information on the business, call (630) 788-6965, or email .

Upcoming SCORE seminars
The Pasco-Hernando Chapter of SCORE, which historically stands for Service Corps of Retired Executives, will host the following upcoming free seminars:
• How to Really Start Your Own Business at Centennial Park Branch Library, 5730 Moog Road, Holiday, Jan. 7 at 5:30 p.m. It presents key issues needed to know to start a business, highlighting business structure, the importance of a business plan, cash flow charts, and finding money.
• Advanced QuickBooks at Hudson Regional Library, 8012 Library Road, Hudson, Jan. 14 at 5:30 p.m. The seminar is designed for people who have some reasonable experience using the basics of QuickBooks, but who would like to benefit from more advanced features.
• How to Really Start Your Own Business at Brooksville Main Library, 238 Howell Ave., Brooksville, Jan. 14 at 5 p.m. Presents key issues needed to know to start a business, highlighting business structure, the importance of a business plan, cash flow charts, and finding money.
• Creating a Business Plan at South Holiday Branch Library, 4649 Mile Stretch Drive, Holiday, on Jan 15 at 5:30 p.m. Participants will learn what data is required to write a plan, review the techniques used to acquire it, and how to use the data to establish realistic goals and objectives.
• How to Use the Internet In Your Business at Regency Park Library, 9701 Little Road, New Port Richey, Jan. 16 at 5:30 p.m. Will review the various roles that a website can support in enhancing a business.
• How to Really Start Your Own Business at Pasco-Hernando Community College, 10230 Ridge Road, New Port Richey, Jan. 22 at 4 p.m. Presents key issues needed to know to start a business, highlighting business structure, the importance of a business plan, cash flow charts, and finding money.
For more information, or to register, visit www.score439.org.

Goodbye Lutz Little League, Hello Lutz Baseball

December 18, 2013 By Michael Hinman

The baseball diamond at the Oscar Cooler Sports Complex is empty of ballplayers right now. But when it reopens in 2014, it will no longer be Little League players on the field, but instead members of the Babe Ruth League. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

Last month, the national Little League organization released new rules for the 2014 baseball season that adjusted eligibility requirements and compensation for traveling expenses.

What was missing from the list is what irked Lutz baseball organizers the most — changes in Little League playing style that could help better develop young players, and give them the skills they need to advance in the sport. Skills like stealing bases, leading off of base, bunting, and what players can gain from more tournament play.

But Little League isn’t budging from its decades-old style, and after more than a half century of affiliation, Lutz will break away from Little League on Jan. 1, and join Babe Ruth League.

“What’s been happening is a decline in membership and an increase in costs,” said Rick Parker, a board member and coach for both the current Lutz Little League organization and the upcoming Lutz Baseball operation. “The evolution of the youth leagues have been more toward traveling teams, and that’s where many are going. And during all this, Little League has been akin to the Vatican — they don’t move, and they don’t want to change their doctrine.”

Little League and Babe Ruth have a lot of similarities. Both were born during the golden era of baseball, targeting youth to participate in America’s Pastime. The Little League World Series is one of the best-known youth athletic events in the world, taking place every year in the league’s birthplace of Williamsport, Pa., while Babe Ruth has its annual championship games in various parts of the country.

Where the two leagues split, however, is how they play the game. Little League holds on to its basic game style first established in the 1940s that focus intently on batting and fielding, but not running.

Yet, thanks to its growth at the professional levels, the running game — base stealing, leading off, fighting for extra bases — has become a key part of the sport. Running game skills are necessary not just at the professional and collegiate level, but even at the high school level, which puts Little League players at a disadvantage.

“Kids want to play baseball, they want to have fun,” Parker said. “But when you get to ages of 7, 8 and 9, these are key development years. High school baseball is very competitive, and if you want a chance to potentially open the doors, you’re going to have to know the broader nuances of baseball.”

The Babe Ruth League, named after one of the sport’s most famous players, has two divisions: Babe Ruth Baseball for teenagers, and Cal Ripken Baseball for younger ages.

Lutz joins New Tampa, Bloomingdale, North Brandon and other local communities to make the switch to Babe Ruth, and the decision was virtually unanimous among not only the Lutz board, but its parents and players as well.

“It was not an easy decision,” said Dave Crawford, the president of Lutz Baseball, and formerly of Lutz Little League. “Little League has been good to us, but it’s just a different way of doing business from Cal Ripken. Little League has been around for a long time, and been able to grow and evolve. And just with any business model, they have to do what they need to do.”

Little League officials in Pennsylvania would not comment on the status of its Lutz operation, but did say they would welcome the league back if it ever changed its mind.

“Little League is constantly changing to adapt to today’s standards,” spokesman Brian McClintock told The Laker/Lutz News in an email statement. “As the world’s largest and most respected youth sports organization, we will continue to provide a positive, safe baseball and softball experience for every child in our programs.”

McClintock added that Little League did amend its rules this year to allow for children to play for a Little League in the same boundaries their school is located. They also added an intermediate baseball division this past year for children 11 to 13.

But it was still difficult for the organization to bring in players that with other youth leagues, they’d be able to attract otherwise, Crawford said.

“The Little League boundary policy is the one they are set on. They do that for the protection of the local leagues, and that is very honorable,” he said. “With Cal Ripken, we have a little more latitude, to expand our boundaries for our continued growth, and it seemed very appropriate for us.”

The new league will have much wider boundaries, allowing them to bring in players from parts of central Pasco County and northern Hillsborough County.

Although Ruth and Ripken are popular names in baseball, the Lutz program still has some work to do introducing the program locally, and moving people away from its Little League attachment at Oscar Cooler Park.

“Little League is similar to Kleenex,” Parker said. “Everyone uses the phrase ‘Little League,’ but a larger percentage of them don’t understand that Little League is kids baseball. That as you get to the older groups, the Little League brand is not necessary.”

Registration costs for players will actually be less than last year, typically by $10, Parker said. And the hope is that bringing in more tournaments through the new league will help generate more revenue, and defray even more costs in the future.

To learn more about the new league, how it will complement travel teams, and to register, visit LutzBaseball.com.

“There’s no hard feelings on our end,” Crawford said. “We just did some research on some options, and chose the one that was the best for our teams and our future.”

Next step toward elevated road: Public education

December 11, 2013 By Michael Hinman

The biggest obstacle in the way of an elevated road connecting the east and west sides of Pasco County is public education.

At least that’s what Pasco County Commissioners stated last week just before signaling their support of the Florida Department of Transportation’s continued study into an unsolicited bid that would build upward on the State Road 54/56 corridor.

Commissioner Pat Mulieri says Pasco County officials should show this rendering when talking about the proposed elevated road. This concept would have elevated lanes high enough to provide a clear view across the road, and allow better local car and pedestrian traffic below. (Image courtesy of Pasco County Planning and Development)

“I definitely don’t think the public understands what we are talking about,” Commissioners Kathryn Starkey said. “We need to go out to the community, get their input, and let them see what their options are. When I go to them, I see a lot of misunderstanding and misconception, and a lot of understandable objections. But they don’t know what we know. They don’t get to sit up here and see the traffic projections and understand what the alternatives are.”

International Infrastructure Partners Inc. has proposed building a 33-mile elevated toll road down the center of the State Road 54/56 corridor, similar to the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway in Hillsborough County, using private money to fund it. The ultimate decision on whether it happens lies with FDOT, but the state agency wanted the county’s OK before moving forward.

Richard Gehring, Pasco’s planning and development administrator, said one of the main misconceptions is that businesses and homes along the corridor would face giant walls, similar to what’s happened in the elevated portions of U.S. 19 in Pinellas County. However, a completely elevated road could have far less negative aesthetic impact than many realize.

“You could have view lines across the roadway,” Gehring said. “That condition could be enhanced by landscaping and night lighting to soften up the overall infrastructure.”

Gehring showed a rendering of what he thinks State Road 54 could look like from the ground level. The elevated road was about 20 feet high, but the supports were covered in topiary-like vegetation, and businesses across the road were quite visible.

“Have you reached out to the chambers to show them how this road could look?” Commissioner Pat Mulieri asked Gehring after seeing the images. “The elevated road has caused such an uproar since they think it would have this blank wall that would destroy businesses. But this is a totally different concept.”

But not all the commissioners were anxious to move forward with more studies of the elevated road. Commissioner Henry Wilson said he moves through traffic just fine.

“I spend very little time in congestion here in Pasco County,” he said. “The congestion is when I get into Hillsborough County. This is going to benefit the Pinellas and Hillsborough drivers more than it benefits our people, our citizens.”

Although Gehring demonstrated 17 other road options that were carefully considered instead of an elevated road — including the construction of a 20-lane surface highway through the middle of Pasco — both Wilson and Commissioner Ted Schrader felt there could be other alternatives outside of the corridor that could move traffic east and west.

That could include Ridge Road, which Schrader said might not have even been considered by FDOT since it is a county road and not a state one. Elevating that road and connecting it to Interstate 75 could be a possibility.

Gehring, however, said that would still only move traffic over the Suncoast Parkway, and would not connect the east and west sides of the county with an expressway option. And such an option will be needed within the next 30 years if the county doesn’t want to stunt its growth.

In the end, however, commissioners approved a resolution giving their support to more studies on a proposed elevated road unanimously.

The elevated road is still quite a ways away, if it ever happens. A member of Gehring’s team said ground could be broken within seven years at the earliest, although Schrader said it would be more like 10 years if everything goes as planned.

David Heller: ‘He was a big kid at heart’

December 11, 2013 By B.C. Manion

David Heller wasn’t the kind of guy who had to impress others by symbols of success, say those who knew him well. He was much more interested in how he treated others.

Heller died Oct. 29 from an enlarged heart. A celebration of his life is planned for Dec. 14 at 10 a.m., at Reilly’s Reserve in Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo, 1101 W. Sligh Ave., in Tampa.

The 48-year-old was a science teacher at a number of schools including Orange Grove Elementary School, Mary Help of Christians School, Pepin Academy and Randall Middle School. Although he taught science, his brother Mark Heller said he was really a “teacher of life.”

“I think he found the most meaning in his summer work,” said Mark Heller, head of school at Academy at the Lakes in Land O’ Lakes. “He was one of those teachers who never took a summer vacation. He always worked, and he worked at camps his entire adult life as a camp counselor.”

For many years, David Heller worked as the lead counselor at Camp Hiawatha in Odessa, and after that closed, he came to work at Summer at the Lakes, the summer day camp offered by Academy at the Lakes.

“David always taught life lessons through fun activities,” his brother said. “Usually, they were lessons about character, lessons about respect — from things as simple as taking turns, to rolling with the punches — understanding that certain things are more important than other things.”

Barbara Soule, director of Summer at the Lakes, said she was shocked when she heard the news of David’s death.

“He’s going to be greatly missed,” Soule said. He had a knack for connecting with others, especially kids. And they flocked to his camps.

“The kids were not just taking a camp, they were taking the camp because of him,” said Soule, noting he took great care to keep kids not only safe, but made sure they were having a great time, too. “To me, he was the epitome of a great camp counselor. I think he was a big kid at heart. He told jokes all of the time, and he loved to tell stories.”

David Heller taught archery, canoeing and fishing programs.

“It was very important to him that the kids catch a fish,” Soule said, and if a camper was having trouble, he would bring in a trinket and tell the camper it was a good luck charm.

Soule said she doesn’t know how or why it worked, but somehow it did.

“By golly, they’d always catch a fish. The kids were so excited,” Soule said.

Penny Benson, who works in the business office at Academy at the Lakes, said David Heller taught her daughter Brandy how to fish. The family still has a picture of Brandy with the bass she caught using a cane pole and a hot dog, Benson said.

When Benson told her daughter about the camp counselor’s death, the teenager immediately began telling her mom about the inside jokes she shared with the outdoors enthusiast.

“She loved Mr. David,” Benson said. “I felt like it hit my family, too.”

Heller said there was no indication that his brother was ill.

“He came home and laid down to take a nap and never woke up,” he said. “Though I’m deeply sad, I feel really proud that this really good man was my brother, and he is remembered so fondly by all because he was just plain good.”

Mikey Mauger, a junior at Sunlake High School, sent Mark Heller a sympathy note after David Heller’s death.

“I fortunately had the privilege of working with him at camp this summer for three weeks,” Mauger wrote. “One thing I will never forget is that he taught me that loving relationships with good people are more rewarding than any material possession or individual achievement.”

Those were exactly the kinds of lessons that mattered to his brother, Heller said.

Besides Mark, David Heller is survived by his mother and father, Jack and Judy Heller; his sister, Lynn Heller; his sister-in-law, Kathy; his nieces, Eden Heller and Kennedy Lachicotte; his nephew, Ben Lachicotte, and his girlfriend, Lori Capra, of Olympia, Wash.

Those wishing to honor David Heller’s memory can contribute to the David Heller Summer Opportunities Scholarship Fund, c/o Academy at the Lakes, 2331 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, 34639.

Dade Oaks on way to new home, location

December 11, 2013 By Michael Hinman

From 14th Street in Dade City, it’s hard to imagine the site that has been home to Dade Oaks Apartments since 1977 was once a lakebed.

Yet, there are some parts of the property, maintained by the Pasco County Housing Authority, that drop as much as 55 feet, and flooding has been an issue there for decades.

A good portion of Dade Oaks Apartments remains empty after continuous flooding over the decades made some units uninhabitable. A new Dade Oaks further up on 14th Street could be under construction by next summer. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

That’s why when the time came to do something about the aging buildings, Pasco County decided to tear it all down and start from scratch — somewhere else.

Pasco County Commissioners has set into motion the final days for the 69-unit, single-level complex, eyeing a 12.8-acre site up the road.

“There has been flooding continually at this apartment complex, and HUD has continually threatened to take back all the vouchers there,” said George Romagnoli, the county community development manager.

Not that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development would have a lot of vouchers to take back. Flooding and other issues have created unsuitable living conditions there, and with it a high vacancy rate. That means people looking to get housing assistance help have even more limited options than they already had because of the state of Dade Oaks.

Commissioner Pat Mulieri said she’s seen flooding firsthand at the apartment complex.

“There were many times we had our mobile medical unit, and we had this great event with a pig roast, and then because of all the flooding, it had to be discontinued,” she said. “Flooding is a known factor there.”

Razing the complex has been on the table for more than a year, but putting plans and funding together to fix the situation has not been easy.

Now, however, a new Dade Oaks could rise through the Florida Housing Finance Corp. efforts to pick up federal funds. It will take $12 million to build a new complex to house 69 units, along with nearly $330,000 to purchase the new property.

Commissioners approved making a deposit of $13,000 through the State Housing Initiatives Partnership for the land that will allow the housing authority to complete its purchase by the end of February.

Commissioners also approved a local match to federal funds, pulling $1.25 million from its county Home funds as well as from Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2. HUD’s Home Investment Partnerships Program provides grants to states and localities (like cities and counties) that help buy, build or rehabilitate affordable housing. The program allocates $2 billion each year to states.

“It is true that this is a large portion of our budget,” Romagnoli said. “That’s 15 percent of our funds right now,” but because of the dilapidated condition of the complex, something needs to be done soon.

The new site, as proposed, would include some duplexes among its 69 units, and could be under construction as early as next summer, said Dianne Morris, executive director of the Pasco County Housing Authority.

Commissioners approved the measure unanimously, with Ted Schrader abstaining since he had a family member involved in the deal.