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Solving school discipline issues a ‘sticky wicket,’ superintendent says

September 6, 2022 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County public school district continues to search for an effective way to handle discipline problems. (MIKE CAMUNAS)

It’s not a new problem, but as the 2022-2023 school year gets underway, the Pasco County public school district continues to search for an effective way to handle discipline problems — particularly at the elementary school level.

The issue came up during the Pasco County School Board’s Aug. 30 meeting.

Board member Megan Harding raised concerns about school teachers not feeling the support they need form the school district, when students create disruptions.

Harding said she’d heard from teachers who didn’t understand how the district’s No Tolerance Behavior Plan applies to elementary schools.

Pasco County School Board member Megan Harding wants to be sure that the school district has the backs of elementary teachers when it comes to disciplining students who disrupt their classrooms. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

“I think that there’s not a lot of clear expectations on what that looks like,” Harding said. “When I’m asked that, I don’t really know what that looks like in elementary.

“They (elementary school teachers) don’t understand what that looks like and that the district has their back. I honestly can’t blame them for their frustration,” Harding said.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning told the school board: “That is a sticky wicket.

“We continue, as a staff, to work on the discipline issue and how we address elementary kids.”

The district has a plan for its secondary students. In serious cases, it can remove students from a regular school campus and the student can attend an alternative school.

It doesn’t have that option for elementary school students.

However, there are a small number of elementary school students who create havoc on school campuses, committing what the district defines as Level Two and Level Three offenses.

According to the district’s Student Code of Conduct, examples of Level Two offenses include: disruptive behavior, physical aggression, lying to a staff member, cheating, fighting, leaving a class or school grounds without permission, defacing property, gambling, and showing gang signals.

Examples of Level Three offenses include fighting that results in injuries; physical attack; using, selling or distributing controlled substances; bomb threat; false fire alarm; extortion, robbery; sexual harassment; theft of property; possession of dangerous objects (box cutters, pocket knives, look-alike weapons, etc.); major disruption on campus; and, sexual contact.

Both levels contain a longer list of offenses.

At the Aug. 30 school board meeting, Browning said there are instances, “where you have kids that are literally beating kids to the ground, bloodying them up and causing them to have to go the hospital because of the injuries they’ve caused. That’s the Level Twos and Level Threes, I’m talking about.

“The last thing I want to do is expel kids from school,” the superintendent said.

“I don’t want to expel kids, but I also want to make sure that the other 24 or 26, 28 kids in the classroom that aren’t fighting, have an opportunity to get an education. That’s what I want.

“That’s what we, as a school district, have a responsibility to ensure,” Browning said.

While the numbers of offenders are low, their impact can be sizable, he added.

“They will disrupt and create chaos either in a classroom, or across an entire school campus,” Browning said.

Harding said there are situations “where our teachers feel they are not being supported.”

“I have been in classrooms where there’s chaos going on, not because there’s any fault of the teacher, but because there are a few students that aren’t making good choices and they are being Level Two, and the teacher isn’t feeling any of that support.

“The learning is being impeded by other students. So, we do, at some point, need to be sure there are consequences for that,” Harding said.

She also cited an instance she’d reported involving a teacher who had been bitten.

“Our elementary teachers need that support just as much as our secondary teachers,” Harding said.

Browning responded: “And, I would agree. The one particular case that you are referring to, I have inserted myself in … I have spoken to the principal.

“I don’t buy the premise that the teacher should not feel supported. When the superintendent gets involved with something, that should send a pretty strong message,” he said.

“We continue to work on the discipline issues in this district. They are out of control. Not just in this district, but across the state of Florida, and quite honestly, across the United States,” Browning said.

“Ms. Harding, you have my word, you have my assurance that we will continue to work on the discipline issues,” Browning said.

While pledging to work on the issue, Browning noted that the problem of disruptive behavior begins long before students arrive on campus and extends far beyond the classroom walls.

“I will say this, until I walk out the door, and that is, ‘Parents have a responsibility to have discussions with their kids about what appropriate behavior is, in schools.’

“We’ve got to partner with them. They’ve got to set those expectations at home, so that they know when they come into school, what those expectations look like and what they need to do in a civilized society — and that is, behave.

Superintendent Kurt Browning said his staff continues to work on ways to deal with the challenges of disciplinary problems in elementary schools. (File)

Superintendent’s message to parents
Superintendent Kurt Browning reminded parents they “play a crucial role in promoting safety on our school campuses,” in a letter he wrote that’s included in the school district’s Student Code of Conduct for the 2022-2023 school year.

The superintendent’s letter says: “Preventing bullying and harassment is vital to establishing the safe, caring, respectful environment necessary for teachers to teach and students to learn. Please review with your student the definitions of bullying and the different types of harassment, as well as the consequences students could face if it is proven that they have engaged in such behavior.

“I want to eliminate uncivilized, disrespectful behavior in our schools, but I need your help to make sure students understand that the schools will not tolerate bullying, harassment or uncivilized behavior.

“We also need your help reinforcing with your student the consequences they face if they make a threat against a school. This issue is an increasing problem with more students on social media.

“Threatening violence against a school is never a joke; it always is taken seriously, and the consequences could include felony charges and expulsion from school. A new Florida law that went into effect on Oct. 1, 2016, makes threatening violence with a firearm a second degree felony.”

Published September 07, 2022

These girls just want to have fun — with their dads

August 30, 2022 By Mike Camunas

Wesley Chapel resident Anthony Delavilla is all smiles dancing with his young daughter, Antonella, at the first-ever Father-Daughter Dance , at the Wesley Chapel Recreation Complex, on Aug. 19. (Mike Camunas)

Fathers were dressed up and their daughters were, too, for an adorable date night in Wesley Chapel.

The couples came from across Pasco County on Aug. 19, for the first-ever Father-Daughter Dance at the Wesley Chapel Recreation Complex, 7727 Boyette Road.

Little girls donned party dresses — and some even wore tiaras — as they danced across the gym floor with their dads.

Gelled lights, smoke machines, a disco ball and music set the stage for fun and touching moments at the dance.

The couples showed off high-energy moves to songs including “YMCA” and “The Electric Slide,” and then things slowed down for “Dance with my Father.”

There were light refreshments and some raffle contests, too.

Organizers were pleased with the turnout — of nearly 100 attendees — for the event that had a “Rolling Out The Red Carpet” theme.

They also hope to make the Father-Daughter Dance an annual tradition.

Published August 31, 2022

Gelled lights help to create a special effect, as fathers and daughters from across Pasco County enjoy moving to the music at the inaugural Father-Daughter Dance, at the Wesley Chapel Recreation Complex on Aug. 19. Here, couples show off their dance moves to the song, ‘YMCA.’

New Port Richey residents Stephen Jackson and his daughter, Danielle, seem to be having a great ‘date’ night at the Father-Daughter Dance on Aug. 19, at the Wesley Chapel Recreation Complex.

Madeline Wardle enthusiastically dances to ‘YMCA’ at the Father-Daughter Dance on Aug. 19, at the Wesley Chapel Recreation Complex. Madeline was there with her father, David, and nearly 100 others. Dads and daughters danced the night away and enjoyed some light refreshments.

Briella Dimaculangan, of Odessa, enjoys some popcorn that her dad, Von, gave to her during the Father-Daughter Dance.

Rod Amador holds his daughter, Chloe, close during a slow dance on Aug. 19 at the Father-Daughter Dance.

Todd and Katelyn Hensley, of Wesley Chapel, enjoy a touching moment during the playing of ‘Dance With My Father.’

Kevin McIntire, of Wesley Chapel, has a fun dance with his daughter, Rilynn.

Malia Londono, of Wesley Chapel, wearing a frothy yellow outfit, looks up to her dad, Jaime, at the Father-Daughter Dance.

Zephyrhills resident Chris King and his daughter, Olivia, move to the song, ‘Dance With My Father.’

Firestorm of controversy halts incinerators in Lutz

August 23, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Opponents — both residents and elected leaders alike — vowed to go to the wall to prevent a set of commercial incinerators from setting up operation in Lutz.

But in the end, they didn’t have to: The applicant retreated.

Louis Geraci LLLP has dropped the request for state permits to operate two Air Curtain Incinerators (ACIs), at 1225 Crystal Road.

That action came after the opposition’s full-scale attack.

But the story is more complicated than that.

Essentially, the applicant had been pressing on through the process to obtain a permit for the two ACIs, in what amounts to an administrative action at the local level.

The county’s Environmental Protection Commission (EPC)’s staff was handling the air permit application — under a contract with the state to perform such reviews.

Due to the nature of the request — and its “potential to generate smoke and dust from the burning,” the EPC declared the application one of “heightened public concern” and notified nearby property owners and registered neighborhood organizations of the request. The EPC staff also scheduled a virtual community meeting for Aug. 23.

When word of the request got out, opposition erupted.

More than 600 people registered to attend the virtual meeting and hundreds bombarded the Hillsborough County Commission, which also sits at the EPC board, urging them to kill the project.

The EPC board took up the issue at its Aug. 18 meeting, but before it began its discussion, it listened to 45 minutes of public testimony during its normal public comment period at the beginning of the meeting.

So many people signed up, the board limited each speaker to 2 minutes each, instead of the normal 3-minute limit.

Speakers cited potential health hazards for children playing outside, which is a normal course of affairs in Lutz.

They said residents of senior living facilities should be able to go outdoors to enjoy some fresh air.

They raised objections about potential negative impacts for people who have asthma or other respiratory ailments.

They said the operation would reduce their quality of life, damage their property values and pose a threat to the area’s wetlands and wildlife.

“I don’t understand why an application like this wasn’t immediately rejected,” said Bryan Flynn, a Lutz resident. “This application is considering allowing an amount of toxic materials to fall back down to earth in this well protection zone, and have the ash wash directly into wetlands and waters connected directly to the aquifer that we drink from.”

Lutz resident Jen Messer wanted to know: “Is it safe to have all of these extra dump trucks hauling waste through our community, where kids stand waiting on the street for buses every morning?”

Dr. James Costello, a professor at Moffit Cancer Center and a professor at the University of South Florida, who lives in Lutz, raised concerns about the emission of cancer-causing toxins.

State Sen. Janet Cruz, whose district includes Lutz, said neighbors were in the dark about the project until a few days before.

“They’ve (the applicants) been quietly clearing the land and preparing for this, and the residents had no idea. They’re flabbergasted. Once more residents see what’s happening, I think you’ll see an army of folks here,” she predicted.

After the morning’s public comment session ended, Commissioner Ken Hagan weighed in — excoriating the proposed incinerators.

“The notion of building and operating commercial incinerators on a permanent basis in a residential area is outrageous.

“By now, we’ve all received an avalanche of contacts. I think, over 400 emails; 1,500 individuals signed a petition from the greater Lutz community expressing opposition, frustration, disbelief and concerns about the possibility of having two massive fire pits operating in such a diverse and populated area.

“They are turning to us to protect them and their families.

“Candidly, I’ve represented this area for a long time. I cannot recall another issue in Lutz that has generated so much opposition. I think you probably have to go back to the ‘80s when the East-West road … was proposed to go through the Lutz community and there was a significant uproar about that,” Hagan said.

He made a motion to direct EPC staff to halt the process, and for the EPC board to voice the board’s objections to the secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, to the governor and to the Hillsborough County legislative delegation.

Hagan acknowledged the action could prompt legal action against the board, but he said some things are worth taking that risk.

His board colleagues unanimously agreed to kill the project, but debated the best way to achieve that.

Ultimately, the board voted unanimously to support Hagan’s motion.

Additionally, Commissioner Stacy White suggested asking county staff to prepare a county-initiated rezoning “based upon the health, safety and welfare concerns we’ve heard today” and to research whether that action could trigger a zoning in progress.

He made that motion to do that, which the board supported unanimously.

Now that the incinerators application has been dropped, it appears the publicly initiated rezoning won’t be necessary.

Board members did indicate that they want to discuss the rezoning process and how they can prevent similar situations in the future. The issue is expected to come up at the board’s Aug. 25 land use meeting.

Published August 24, 2022

Voters set to make big decisions in Primary Election

August 16, 2022 By B.C. Manion

All registered voters in Pasco and Hillsborough counties are eligible to select school board members, decide the fate of proposals for higher property taxes, and choose judges, too, during the Aug. 23 Primary Election.

The Pasco County School Board’s ballot initiative ask voters for a yes or no on the question of levying an additional tax, not to exceed 1 mil, beginning July 1, 2023 and ending no later than June 30, 2027.

Craig Latimer, supervisor of elections for Hillsborough County, holds an ‘I Voted’ sticker. He hopes to distribute a larger number than normal of these stickers to Primary Election voters. (Courtesy of Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer)

The proceeds, according to the ballot question, will be used “for essential operating expenses to maintain salaries competitive with the market, attract and retain high-quality teachers, bus drivers and other non-administrative school support employees.”

The Hillsborough County School Board also is asking local voters for more support. The proposed 1-mil tax increase would last for four years, unless extended by voters, according to the district’s website.

At least 75% of the proceeds would go for increased compensation for teachers, counselors, media specialists, bus drivers and transportation assistants, classroom assistants, and other non-instructional support staff.

Other tax proceeds would be used to protect and expand art, music, physical education and workforce education.

Regardless of Primary Election results, changes are coming to leadership on boards in both counties.

Allen Altman, a longtime member of the Pasco County School Board, decided not to seek another term.

Candidates Al Hernandez, Stephen A. Meisman and James M. Washington are vying to fill Altman’s District 1 seat. One of those candidates must attain 50% plus one vote, or the race will be decided in a run-off in the General Election on Nov. 8.

Two Pasco School Board incumbents face opponents.

In District 3, incumbent Cynthia Armstrong is squaring off against challenger Matthew Geiger.

In District 5, incumbent Megan Harding faces Charles Philip Touseull.

The Pasco County Commission will have at least one new board member, as Mike Moore steps away after two terms.

On the Republican primary ballot, candidates Troy F. Stevenson, Seth Weightman and Christie Zimmer are vying to fill Moore’s District 2 seat.

Also, on the primary ballot, incumbent Republican Christina Fitzpatrick faces challengers Gary Bradford and Shannon Wittwer for the District 4 seat.

Changes could be coming to Hillsborough County’s leadership, too.

Three school board seats are being contested. Plus, six of the seven county board seats are up for grabs during the 2022 election cycle.

In Hillsborough’s school board race for District 2, Demaris Allen is challenging incumbent Stacy Hahn.

In District 4, Hunter Gambrell, Patricia “Patti” Rendon and Danielle Smaller each are vying to join the board.

And, in District 6, incumbent Karen Perez is facing challengers Roshaun Gendrett and Alysha “Aly Marie” Legge.

In races for the Hillsborough County Commission, Gwen Myers was unopposed and has won reelection to her District 3 seat.

In District 4, Noelle Licor is facing Michael Joseph Owen. Since they are the only two candidates for this race, the seat will be elected during the primary and all registered voters are eligible to weigh in.

In District 7, Republicans Chase Harrison and Joshua Wostal are squaring off to be their party’s representative in the General Election, where the winner will face Democrat incumbent Kimberly Overman.

Across Florida, Democrats will be choosing who they want to represent the party in the statewide elections in November, for governor, attorney general and agricultural commission.

Congressional and state house seats are on the Primary Election ballot, too.

Signs like these will help voters find their polling places on Primary Election Day, which is Aug. 23.

Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley said turnout for primary elections in Pasco tends to be about 50% of registered voters.

“Any pocketbook issues generally increase turnout,” Corley added, noting he’s projecting a turnout in this primary at somewhere between 55% and 60%.

Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer said he doesn’t make projections about turnout. Historically, about 25% of Hillsborough voters participate in primary elections, Latimer said.

“Primaries are kind of low turnout. I don’t understand why,” Latimer said, noting that primary voters will determine the outcome of six ballot issues in Hillsborough this year.

Both supervisors of election are confident that measures are in place to guarantee a safe and secure election. They also point to audits that are done to ensure the accuracy of the vote count.

The election supervisors advise voters who plan to vote on Primary Election Day to be sure they’ve checked their voter card to know where they need to vote. Some changes have been made since the last election

“If you vote on Election Day, you have to go to the polling site in your precinct. You can’t just go anywhere. Sometimes, people sometimes don’t understand that,” Latimer said.

Both supervisors of elections said historically about one-third of voters cast their ballots on Election Day, with about one-third voting by mail and the other third voting early.

However, they both said, in 2020 because of the pandemic, a greater percentage of people voted by mail. In Pasco, that figure stood at about 45% and in Hillsborough, around 47%.

Corley said he’s not sure what will happen in this election.

Latrimer thinks more people will come to the polls than in 2020 because people are feeling a bit safer about going out.

Early voting in Pasco County began on Aug. 13 and concludes on Aug. 20. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Early voting in Hillsborough County began on Aug. 8 and ends on Aug. 21. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For specific locations and other voting information, check www.Pascovotes.gov in Pasco and https://www.VoteHillsborough.gov, in Hillsborough.

Pasco County

Pasco County School Board, nonpartisan, all voters
District 1
Al Hernandez
Stephen A. Meisman
James M. Washington

District 3
Cynthia Armstrong
Matthew Geiger

District 5
Megan C. Harding
Charles Philip Touseull

Pasco County Commission, Republican voters
District 2
Seth Wightman
Troy F. Stevenson
Christie Zimmer

District 4
Christina Fitzpatrick, incumbent
Gary H. Bradford
Shannon J. Wittwer

Hillsborough County

Hillsborough County School Board, nonpartisan, all voters
District 2
Damaris Allen
Stacy Hahn

District 4
Hunter Gambrels
Patricia “Patti” Rendon
Danielle Smaller

District 6
Roshaun Gendrett
Alysha “Aly Marie” Legge
Karen Perez

Hillsborough County Commission
District 4 (Universal primary, all voters)
Noelle Licor
Michael Joseph Owen

District 7, Republican voters
Chase Harrison
Joshua Wostal

Published August 17, 2022

Food pantries are feeling the pinch

August 9, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Drivers wait patiently as cars inch their way toward the pickup point for the drive-thru food pantry at Atonement Lutheran Church, at 29617 State Road 54, in Wesley Chapel.

Volunteers box the items and place them into a waiting vehicle’s trunk or back seat.

Another group of volunteers is inside the church, wheeling steel grocery carts around tables, “shopping” for food items to fill the food boxes.

They load up their carts with fresh produce, meat, beverages, bread, snacks and desserts to provide a source of food for people who are in need.

Carla Haberland is the ‘temporary’ volunteer director for Atonement Lutheran Church’s food pantry. She stepped into the temporary role 13 years ago and has been at it ever since. (B.C. Manion)

The church helps to feed the hungry every Wednesday, said Carla Haberland, who oversees the operation.

She became the “temporary, volunteer director” when the pantry began its weekly giveaways 13 years ago.

She’s witnessing a great need among the people who are dropping by to pick up food boxes.

“We’re getting a lot of families back that hadn’t been for a long time because of the food and gas (prices), Haberland said.

“We’re getting families where maybe before they would come once a month, but maybe now they’re finding they’ve got to come twice a month,” she added.

Scott Lindner, Atonement’s pastor, put it this way: “People are struggling. People that have never struggled before. Rent is an issue for people. It’s gas. It’s groceries. It’s hitting them from all sides.”

On the morning of Aug. 3, within a 45-minute period, 145 families registered to pick up food, Haberland said. “They were backed to (State Road) 54,” Haberland said.

And that was just during the rush.

Vehicles of varied makes and models continued streaming into the church’s parking lot, making way down the driveway line, throughout the pantry’s hours.

The pantry is open each Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Before COVID-19, people would come inside the church, to do their own shopping, Haberland said. They would pick up an allotted number of items, based on the size of their household.

That all changed when the pandemic hit.

Instead of coming inside, everyone now drives through to pick up food boxes.

The drive-thru approach is faster for recipients; the old lines used to take hours.

The church also has experienced a notable uptick in pantry business.

When the shopping was done indoors, the church provided food supplies to about 200 people every week.

Since COVID, that number has soared to between 375 and 400 families each week, Haberland said.

The pantry could use some help, too
“The community is great in donations, but it’s hard keeping up every week,” Haberland said.

“We do get some (donations) from Feeding Tampa Bay,” but she noted, “their supplies have been going down.”

Donations from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) are down, too, Haberland said.

When the pantry closed out its records at the end of June, it had 1,413 registered families. It began a new year on July 1 and by Aug. 3, it already has registered 610 families, she said. By comparison, at the same time last year, it had registered 389.

Volunteer Greg Gehring is cheerful, as he loads boxes of food into trunks, during a recent pantry day at Atonement Lutheran Church.

Haberland said the program relies on donations it receives and the commitment of volunteers.

Although food is distributed just one day, it’s a five-day operation, including picking up food donations, accepting donation deliveries, sorting food and so forth.

Its volunteers range from some in their upper-80s to high-schoolers.

About 50 people pitch in, in some form or fashion, but the pantry can always use more help, Haberland said.

It’s especially in need of strong people with good backs, Haberland said.

People who want to help don’t have to put in tons of hours, but they need to know there’s physical work involved — standing, walking, lifting and loading — so would-be helpers should keep that in mind, she said.

Those who pitch in said it’s gratifying work.

“There are so many people who need help and I’m able to help,” said Barb Packer, a volunteer in the program for nine years. Before moving to Florida she was involved in food banks for 20 years.

“Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep,’ and that’s what I keep doing,” Packer said.

It goes beyond providing food, she said, noting, there’s also a sense of connection.

“Everybody’s got a story and they want to share it. We have people who are still unemployed, unable to find work,” she said.

People may wonder why that would be true, with so many “Help Wanted” signs all around, but Packer explained that some people can’t find work because of something that’s in their past.

She notices the families that struggle during the summer to feed their children, and the seniors who would feed their pets before feeding themselves.

A look at some of the drivers lined up to pick up boxes of food at Atonement Lutheran Church, 29617 State Road 54, in Wesley Chapel.

She’s also aware that some people have unique needs.

“One gentleman, he stays at a rest stop out at (Interstate) 75, so we pack his stuff separately because he has no way to keep things cool or cook,” Packer said.

Some recipients are forced to make difficult choices.

For instance, Packer said, they may have to decide: “Do I get the laundry detergent or do I get food for my kids?”

If some laundry detergent comes in, it can go to help someone with that need, she said.

“I feel for them,” Packer said. “Everybody tells them ‘No.’ There’s so many ‘No’s in their life. So, if we can give joy to them at least while they’re here, they go out with a smile.”

Volunteer Cheryl Ohls, who lives in Wesley Chapel, said she’s happy she can help out.

“I love it here,” said Ohls, who is a member of the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club.

There are numerous food pantries in The Laker/Lutz coverage area (see accompanying box).

In general, they aim to make life easier for those in need.

Christian Social Services, at 5514 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, provides bags of grocery from its pantry on Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The amount of groceries provided depends on the size of the family, said Jacquie Petet, executive director of the thrift store and food pantry, which operates out of large red building, off U.S. 41.

She noted that the pantry itself could use some donations of canned foods and other nonperishable items.

Over the years, the pantry has received donations from The Letter Carrier Food Drives to help stock its shelves.

“This year, we got maybe less than half,” she said.

Besides food, the pantry also could use brown paper grocery bags, like the ones used at supermarkets, such as Publix, she said.

The pantry would be happy to accept recycled paper bags.

That way, it won’t have to buy them and can instead use that money for food, Petet said.

Pantry List
Note: Before heading to a pantry, call ahead to verify that it remains open and its current days/times of operation. Also, if you want to help, touch base with individual pantries, to see what they need.

LAND O’ LAKES

Father and Son Love Free Food Pantry, 21418 Carson Drive, Land O’ Lakes, 813-846-9993: Free grocery shopping for military, first responders and essential workers. The pantry is open on Tuesdays, from noon to 2 p.m. ID is required
Christian Social Services and Thrift Store, 5514 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes, 813-995-0088. Pantry open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Keystone Community Church, 21010 State Road 54, Lutz, 813-948-4522. The first Wednesday of the month and third Saturday of the month, from 10 a.m. to noon.
Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, 2348 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes, 813-949-4565. Call the church for details regarding its food pantry.

WESLEY CHAPEL

Atonement Lutheran Church, 29617 State Road 54, in Wesley Chapel, 813-973-2211. Drive-thru food pantry is open on Wednesdays, from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.
Life Community Center, 6542 Applewood St., Wesley Chapel, 813-994-0685. Call for pantry operating hours.

DADE CITY

Pasadena Baptist Church, 3548 Clinton Ave., Dade City, 352-521-0545. Food pantry: Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
DayStar Hope Center, 15512 U.S. 301, Dade City, 352-523-0844. Pantry operates Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

ZEPHYRHILLS

First Presbyterian Church of Zephyrhills, 813-782-7412. Hot takeout meals, Mondays and Fridays, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Food pantry, Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 5316 11th St., Zephyrhills, 813-782-2813. Food and baby pantry, Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Farmworker’s Self-Help, 37240 Lock St., Dade City, 352-567-1432. Call for information.
Neighborhood Care Center, 5140 Sixth St., in Zephyrhills, 813-780-6822. Call for information.
Food Pantry at Emmanuel Ministries, 12639 Candlewood Drive, in Dade City, 813-713-0305. Call for information.

NORTH TAMPA

St. Mark the Evangelist Church, 9724 Cross Creek Blvd., Tampa, 813-907-7746. Call for information.

MOBILE PANTRIES

Make a Difference mobile food pantry, 12311 U.S. 301, Dade City, 352-437-3466. Conducts food distributions, either through pre-packed boxes or farmer’s market style. Call for information.

Published August 10, 2022

This posse offers security, showmanship

August 2, 2022 By Mike Camunas

There’s just one requirement to join Pasco Sheriff’s Mounted Posse.

Pasco Sheriff’s Mounted Posse works on formation, during a training exercise at Diamond B Ranch in Dade City. The posse is a volunteer group that helps the Pasco Sheriff’s Office (PSO) with security, as well as entertainment, during various events throughout the county. The unit also engages in community relations, crime prevention, search and rescue, and fundraising for PSO Charities. (Mike Camunas)

Volunteers need to have a little giddyup.

Well, actually there is more to it than that.

Posse volunteers provide security, as well as entertainment, during various events throughout Pasco County. They also engage in community relations, crime prevention, search and rescue, and even fundraising.

“It is a really expensive hobby,” said Deputy Cliff Williams, the sworn officer who works with the volunteer group.

“But a lot of volunteers come out and it is needed — as the (Pasco) Sheriff’s Office is always looking for volunteers,” he added. “We do public events, fairs, festivals — and we get a better sight advantage from up higher. These volunteers, they work hard, and we have a great group of people.”

Indeed, volunteers for the posse must meet certain criteria. They must pass a background check, must own a horse, must be able to transport the horse, and, of course, must know how to ride and to tack.

Jeff Alston and his horse, Jack, work together for the Pasco Sheriff’s Mounted Posse, helping at events and other functions all over the county.

Beyond that, being part of the posse requires training.

Once they have all of that, they’re ready to saddle up — using their own equipment — for an upcoming festival or fair.

“A lot of work — safety is a huge thing, so there’s a lot of training and tactics to prepare ourselves for — lots of behind the scenes stuff, too,” said Dani McGinity, a Dade City resident who has been president of the posse since 2019. “There’s care for the horse, hay, the trailer — you put a lot of money into that — the fuel, feeding them, cleaning them. … You have to enjoy doing this, and if our volunteers are putting in that much effort to be here, it has to be fun and rewarding in some way.

Pasco Sheriff’s Mounted Posse president Dani McGinity walks with her Clydesdale horse, Teagan, at Diamond B Ranch in Dade City, during a Pasco Sheriff’s Mounted Posse training.

“And it is! It is absolutely fun — not just the attention we get, but the fun part is, for example, during COVID, with everything shut down, we went to an assisted living facility. When those people saw us walking around with our horses, the smiles on their faces, the cheering, that makes it fun,” she said.

Williams agreed: “These horses bring a lot of joy to people’s lives who might not get it elsewhere.

“(My) favorite part is kids, or even adults, who get to see the horse — maybe for the first time. I think having police officers (at events) in uniform can be intimidating, but having us there with horses makes it easier to approach, ask questions, pet the horse and really get to enjoy us volunteering at an event.”

McGinity added: “We’re one of the biggest attractions wherever we go because it’s always, ‘Hey, there’s a horse!’ and we definitely can’t say we don’t like that!”

So, besides a horse, equipment and riding skills, what else does it take to join this posse? Well, it basically comes down to the love of volunteering.

And the love of a horse, of course.

“(This is) something I had been wanting to do for a very long time,” the newest member of the posse, Dani Judge, said. “I have some really good friends in the posse and it combines my favorite things: volunteering and horses.

Deputy Cliff Williams and fellow horse deputy, Walker, are sworn officers in the Pasco Sheriff’s Mounted Posse. They lead the volunteers during training exercises and events around the county.

“Being a horse lover and being able to give back to the community, it doesn’t get any better than that,” she said.

Pasco Sheriff’s Mounted Posse
Info: Anyone with a horse, transportation for it and the desire to do plenty of volunteer work can join the Mounted Posse. However, there are several requirements, which can be viewed in the brochure, at PascoSheriffCharities.org, by clicking on “Pasco Posse.”
To apply for the Mounted Posse, visit PascoSheriffCharities.org/events/apply.
To schedule the Mounted Posse for an event, visit PascoSheriff.com/schedule-pso/.

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse
There also is a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse, which works many events in Lutz, New Tampa, Carrollwood and beyond.
Info: Visit Facebook.com/Hillsborough-County-Sheriffs-Mounted-Posse-190756680934944, or email .

Published August 03, 2022

Answering the call, on the same line

July 26, 2022 By Mike Camunas

Some fathers and sons play catch together — this pair caught a call.

It happened on July 11.

Pasco County Fire Rescue Station 26, located at the front of the Meadow Pointe subdivision, responded to a structure fire in the Wesley Chapel area.

Tampa Fire Rescue Station 23, just across Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in Hillsborough County, arrived to provide mutual aid.

Tampa Fire Rescue veteran Daniel Herrero, left, and his son, Pasco County Fire Rescue’s Dalton Herrero, battled a blaze together on July 11, even working on the same hose for the first time professionally as firefighters. (Courtesy of Dalton Herrero)

Pasco firefighter Dalton Herrero, from Station 26, responded to what could be described as a straight-forward fire call.

But it also came with a surprise.

It turns out that longtime Tampa Fire Rescue Capt. Daniel Herrero, who happens to be Dalton’s father, was among those dispatched to help out.

They fought the fire together, even working the same hose that doused the flames.

“We don’t call mutual aid very often, so it was a little luck of the draw,” said Dalton, who has been a firefighter for two years.

“Obviously, we’re not in the same department, but departments won’t do that: put family members — fathers and sons, brothers, even cousins — on the same battalion just in case, especially on a structure fire where something bad could happen.

“But, luckily, nothing did and it turned out to be a really awesome moment for both of us.”

Captain Herrero has been a firefighter for 38 years.

Even when his son became a firefighter, working with him was something that didn’t cross his mind because of the department policy. In fact, Daniel wasn’t sure Dalton would become a firefighter until after returning from college in Tallahassee.

“I never pushed him, but he did (become a firefighter) and I’ve always been there for him, so it’s such an honor,” Daniel said.

Dalton Herrero, left, and his father, Daniel, work a hose to put out a fire in Wesley Chapel on July 11.

“He’s a good, smart kid, and I think he’ll do a good job with it, and if he puts his mind to it, he’ll be great.”

Dalton said he absolutely became a firefighter because of his father, and because of the traditional schedule — 24 hours on, 48 hours off — that firefighters work.

“I love that 24/48 schedule — now and growing up with my dad as a firefighter. Sure, he’d be gone a day, but then he was there most of the time because of the schedule and (we) got to spend a lot of time together.

“That was always great as a kid.”

And, it was great to work a fire together, too, he said.

“When we were both on the scene, and we finally realized we were both there, there was a lot of finger pointing and like, ‘Heyyyyyy,’” he said, with a laugh.

“And then it was pretty obvious they were setting it up to get us together on the line,” he said.

Daniel definitely saw it coming, too.

“With mutual aid, we usually just stand back and wait until (the other department) needs or requests help,” the elder Herrero said. “There were other guys there that had been there long enough, but then they said Dalton needed backup on the line, and I knew they meant me.

“I had been set up!”

Set up for a call that neither of the men, who live in Land O’ Lakes, will ever forget.

“Holding the hose and fighting the fire together,” Dalton said, “I’ll always cherish that awesome moment.”

“(It was) such a great moment,” Daniel agreed. “I couldn’t be more proud.”

Published July 27, 2022

Hooked on a feeling

July 19, 2022 By Mike Camunas

The name will give you pause.

The Happy Hookers are, however, not what you think. In fact, they have hearts of gold as a “sewing circle” that meets weekly to crochet and knit blankets, quilts, and even beanies for newborns, all for charity.

Sue Sullivan, of the Highlands Happy Hookers, works on a blanket that will be donated through charity to either a veteran or to the Meals on Wheels program. The Happy Hookers is a group that gets together weekly and makes blankets, quilts and more for those in need. (Mike Camunas)

“It’s definitely people not putting it together that we’re ladies who are crocheting,” group manager Sue Sullivan said. “We’re ‘hookers,’ because of our crochet hooks.

“It’s definitely memorable, so they sure don’t forget us!”

Who could forget the Happy Hookers?

The group from the Highlands at Scotland Yards in Dade City has been doing this for more than 15 years. Not only is it a noble, charitable act, there’s no one that doesn’t chuckle at the name.

“A lot of people find that … humorous,” Judy Besley, a founding member of the Happy Hookers, said with a sly smile. “We had about 20 people at one time and, yes, some people have died and others have moved. Even with COVID, we couldn’t meet, but we kept crocheting at home, and came back ready with a bunch of blankets and more. We just got into the habit of doing this, every week, because we like to talk. We will also crochet at home, but it’s so nice to be able to do it with some people and just have a conversation.

Lynda Chynoweth crochets a little newborn beanie from some yarn, for the Highlands Happy Hookers.

“We’ve had that name since we started — we’ve always been hookers.”

Besley says the group formed when since-passed Highlands resident Josephine Basil wanted to teach crochet in the community. Several residents already knew how, so the original members decided they’d like to continue to crochet and knit as charity work.

“As hookers,” Sullivan said, “our kids and grandkids already have enough scarves, blankets and beanies they could need or possibly want, so we stopped giving them to our families. We (make stuff) for anyone in general, but we like to make blankets for the veterans, beanies for the babies — we just want to do charity work.”

The Highlands Happy Hookers is a group that meets weekly to crochet, knit, sew and, of course, socialize, all while making blankets for veterans and the needy, as well as beanies for newborns.

The Happy Hookers make a lot of blankets that are then given to Meals on Wheels, or to veterans with the help of Zephyrhills Elks Lodge #2731 that donates a lot of yarn to the group. Sullivan also is an Elk, and on Jan. 24, the Hookers presented 45 blankets to the veterans at Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home in Land O’ Lakes.

The women also make beanies for newborns and give them to Paula’s Project, a charitable Facebook group that collects and donates beanies to St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital in Tampa.

Nearly all the supplies, especially the yarn, is donated to the Hookers. Not only does the Elks Lodge give them a lot, but so does the community. The Hookers also hold fundraisers and raffles to raise money to buy supplies.

“Sometimes,” Sullivan added, “we’ll come in here on a Wednesday and just find a great big bag of yarn someone left. … It’s great to have this in the community, and together we do some charity work and also have some fun.”

Hands of a Happy Hooker hook some yarn, while creating a colorful newborn beanie.

The members do have fun, as evidenced by the chatter and laughter during a morning sewing session. Sullivan likens it to sewing groups that meet at local libraries, with those participants doing so “because then there’s someone to talk to.”

“That’s just like us,” she added. “We just happen to be here in Scotland Yards.”

Which is not to say The Happy Hookers aren’t welcoming or limited to just Scotland Yards’ residents. In fact, not only have there been “hookers” from other communities, these Hookers welcome anyone — no matter their experience, or even if they can’t crochet, knit or sew.

“There are some people who don’t even crochet,” Besley said. “Whether they can’t because they don’t know how or have a medical issue like arthritis, but they’re just here for the chit chat. We’re happy for anyone to come by, either to crochet or visit.”

Sullivan adds the group can even teach those willing, and wanting to be, a hooker.

“Come on down — everyone is welcome!” she said. “We actually taught one lady how to knit, and she’s really good now, too. We’re not going to turn anyone away. This isn’t a club. There’s no dues, there’s no requirement or forms — it’s just us, knitting and talking (laughs).

“We’re just a group of ladies that call themselves hookers.”

Highlands Happy Hookers
Anyone can join the Happy Hookers — it’s not only for residents of the Highlands at Scotland Yards. No experience is necessary either. Nor is sewing in general, as the members welcome those looking for some companionship, as well. To join the group or donate yarn, email Sue Sullivan at .

Published June 20, 2022

Edith Minch, right, looks on with a smile as Judy Besely wraps up some yarn, during a meeting of the Highlands Happy Hookers.

Hands of a Happy Hooker sew a fun dinosaur onto a newborn beanie that will be donated to St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital in Tampa.

Carolyn Fuller, right, with her great granddaughter, Madison, work together to help create newborn beanies that eventually will be donated to St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital in Tampa.

New schools being planned in Pasco

July 12, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County is on the grow and the public school district is planning to increase its capacity.

The Pasco County School Board recently approved the district’s five-year school plant survey, which includes existing conditions and recommended plans.

Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, slated to open this fall, is one of the new schools on the list.

It’s a magnet school that will specialize in preparing students in career fields and technical trades such as automotive maintenance and repair, including diesel; biomedical sciences; building trades and construction technology; cybersecurity; digital media and multimedia design; engineering and robotics; welding; electricity; and, patient care technology.

Kirkland Academy of Innovation is a magnet school that will open in the fall in Wesley Chapel. It will feature a curriculum that allows students to earn a standard diploma, while having the opportunity to earn industry certifications in an array of technical fields. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

Students attending the new high school are primarily coming from Wesley Chapel High, Pasco High, Zephyrhills, some from Wiregrass Ranch, and some from Cypress Creek, according to Chris Williams, director of planning for the school district.

Kirkland Ranch K-8, another school on the list, is expected to begin construction soon.

“As soon as they’re done with the Academy of Innovation, they’re moving to the back of this property. That’s going to be a magnet. Similarly, we expect that to have impact on primarily the east side. Weightman, John Long, Centennial (middle schools),” Williams said.

The elementary school students primarily will come from “Watergrass, Wesley Chapel, San Antonio, and even farther out, Double Branch, Seven Oaks, Wiregrass, that whole region,” he said.

The school plant survey also includes a number of other projects that are either planned soon, or are on a longer horizon.

A 6-12 STEM magnet school, in the emerging community of Angeline in Land O’ Lakes, is a four-story building under construction near Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned Pasco Campus.

The school is expected to open in the fall of 2023, and the school district is delighted by the partnerships it anticipates with Moffitt.

“We’re really excited about the opportunity we’ll have for our students there,” Williams said.

That school also will be the district’s tallest school, the planning director said, noting there is no other four-story school in the system.

A new traditional K-8 is planned on the south side of State Road 54, across the road from the Ballantrae subdivision. The school will be built behind a Ballantrae office complex.

This magnet school, for students in grades six through 12, is expected to open in the fall of 2023. It will feature partnerships with Moffitt Cancer Center, which plans to create its Pasco County campus nearby. It also will be the tallest school in the Pasco County system.

Other plans call for a school campus in the new Two Rivers development off State Road 56, near Morris Bridge Road.

A site has been identified for the campus, but the school district hasn’t purchased it yet, Williams said. The site likely will be co-located with a regional park.

“We have done some preliminary thinking of how that might look. Because we’re going to have a whole campus there, probably K-8 and a high school, along with the park,” he said.

It’s not clear yet whether there will be a joint-use library, although it’s a possibility, he said.

“What are we going to be sharing? Certainly, we’ll be sharing the (athletic) fields and the parking,” Williams said.

The planning director noted that projects listed in the district’s five-year plan are subject to change because available funding will be influenced by the collection of impact fees, whether the extension of the Penny for Pasco infrastructure surtax is approved by voters, local capital millage funds, and the overall economy.

If there’s a recession, for instance, there will be less construction activity and fewer revenues collected through impact fees.

Also, voters will decide in November whether to extend the Penny for Pasco surtax for 15 additional years.

That being said, a number of other projects within the Laker/Lutz News coverage area are on the five-year list:

• Starkey Ranch K-8: Expansion for 400 student stations
Work is starting on that immediately, Williams said. When the district opened the school, it knew that the Starkey Ranch development would grow, but it turned out that the magnet school also attracted students who had been attending private schools and charter schools, Williams said.

• West Zephyrhills Elementary: Expansion for 400 student stations
If Penny for Pasco passes, the remodeling of West Zephyrhills Elementary will likely be one of the first projects that’s completed, Williams said. That project would include additional capacity.

• Pasco Senior High: Expansion for 400 student stations
When the first Penny for Pasco passed, the district did a significant project at Pasco Senior High, Williams said. That work did not include substantial work in the cafeteria or kitchen.

The conceptual plan for this project calls for tearing down the one-story building and constructing a two-story structure. The first floor would contain a kitchen and larger cafeteria. The second floor would be classrooms, Williams said. The media center likely would be remodeled, too, he said.

In addition to district projects, Williams said there’s also an expectation of some charter school expansions, as well as some new charter schools that will come online in the next few years.

Long-term school plans
These Pasco County school district projects are possibilities within the next 10 years:
• Classroom wing at these schools: Wiregrass Ranch High; Centennial Middle; and, Chester Taylor and West Zephyrhills elementary schools
• New K-8 school: Villages of Pasadena Hills and in Two Rivers
• New high schools in Bexley Ranch and in Odessa area

Source: Pasco County Schools

Published July 13, 2022

A jumping doggone good time

July 5, 2022 By Mike Camunas

These dogs aren’t sitting on the dock.

Nope.

Rusty, a 5-year-old chocolate Labrador, jumps and reaches for the air to retrieve apparatus at the pool at Courteous Canine, a dog training and boarding facility in Lutz. Rusty is the No. 2-ranked Labrador in the United States, according to statistics from North American Diving Dogs, the sanctioning body over the sport of dock diving. (Mike Camunas)

They’re running down it and jumping right off — with no hesitation.

After a huge splash, most dogs are back up on the dock before the water has even settled.

“Some dogs love it; I think most dogs love it,” said Diving Dog Instructor Joe Souza. “We get little old ladies with chihuahuas that jump, to Great Danes that jump, to everything in between.

“To be honest, there are worse ways to spend your day than with dogs at the pool.”

Dog dock jumping at Courteous Canine, a dog training and boarding facility in Lutz, is quite popular. Any dog, of any size, can come and learn to dock dive.

The diving can be just for fun or for competitions governed and sanctioned by North American Diving Dogs (NADD).

Three-year-old black lab Rylee runs up the ramp at the pool at Courteous Canine, in Lutz, so he can jump back in the pool as soon as possible.

In fact, the NADD limits the number of dock diving facilities, so they can be no closer than within 100 miles of each other.

“Some people train here, some people show up for competitions and some people just bring their dogs so they can jump off the dock,” said Souza, who has four dogs that dock jump. “When it comes to (my dog) Rusty, if he had to choose between breathing, eating and dock diving, he’s choosing dock diving.”

Rusty, a 5-year-old chocolate Labrador, is actually nationally ranked as the No. 2 Labrador at dock diving, according to NADD.

His personal best jump is 30 feet. The world record is 36 feet, 11 inches, and held by a whippet.

Courteous Canine Diving Dog Instructor Joe Souza sends Rusty high into the air after a toy, at the facility’s pool in Lutz.

Souza says dogs are usually competing against themselves, in that they’re just trying to get a personal best in each level. Levels are determined by length. Novice is up to 10 feet, while the top jumpers are in the premiere level, which is 28 feet or longer.

Courteous Canine also hosts competitions.

Souza says the facility has dogs, and owners, who take those very seriously. They’ll compete throughout the year, including at nationals, which is held in St. Louis.

Ashley Gandees, of Wesley Chapel, is an owner who does everything for her Great Danes. Her 2-year-old, Dazzle, competes in several types of competitions, and Gandees didn’t hesitate when she found the dock jumping facility a few miles away.

“She was jumping off the dock by the second lesson with Joe,” Gandees recalls. “I never thought she would be so good at it. She’s holding her own at competitions, getting up to about 20 feet. Really it was just something else I wanted the dogs to be able to do and be more well-rounded dogs.

“She definitely loves doing it.”

Courteous Canine
Where: 3414 Melissa Country Way, Lutz
Details: A dog training and boarding facility that also specializes in swimming and dog dock jumping lessons. The dock jumping sport and competitions are under the sanctioning body North American Diving Dogs (NADD).
Info: Visit CourteousCanine.com, or call 813-949-1465. For more information on NADD, visit NorthAmericaDivingDogs.com.

Published July 06, 2022