The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Chamber’s goal: Being there to meet members’ needs

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When the North Tampa Bay Chamber began two decades ago, it was known as the Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce.

In the beginning, it had 65 members and met in a garage.

Now, it has 734 members — with some based as far away as Brooksville and St. Petersburg.

It attracts a wide range of political and business leaders to speak at, and attend its monthly breakfasts and luncheons.

Hope Allen, president and CEO of the North Tampa Bay Chamber, believes chambers can help businesses thrive by advocating on their behalf, and creating opportunities for connection. (B.C. Manion)

The chamber also hosts numerous networking and learning opportunities each month.

It frequently celebrates with businesses through grand openings and ribbon cuttings, too.

Beyond that, the chamber seeks to help businesses as they navigate through government bureaucracy and learn about community organizations. They also act as an advocate on issues affecting businesses.

“We’ve come a long way in 20 years,” said Hope Allen, president and CEO, during the organization’s breakfast meeting earlier this month.

The chamber was born long before the area’s widely known developments, such as The Shops at Wiregrass, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, Tampa Premium Outlets, and Cypress Creek Town Center. And, that’s not to mention the scores of subdivisions, schools, restaurants, hotels and small businesses that now make up Wesley Chapel and nearby communities.

Over time, the North Tampa Bay Chamber has moved from the garage to an old flower shop to a storefront at The Grove, to its current home in Lutz.

It has shifted direction, too, Allen said.

“In 2013, the board of directors decided we were going to switch our focus from being ‘the parties, pageants and parades’ to the connector, the convener and the catalyst.”

“It was scary for everybody. We went from a nonprofit organization that was robbing Peter to Paul, to a membership-based business organization,” Allen said.

“We said we’ve got to stop what we’re doing with all these things, and really focus on the needs of our business community.

“So, we went on a listening tour. We went around. We visited all of our members.

“We said, ‘What is happening with your business? What is happening with Wesley Chapel? How can we help?’” Allen said.

The businesses responded: “They said we need somebody to be an advocate for our businesses, we need somebody to go to, when there’s an issue,” she said.

The chamber stepped up to accept the challenge, Allen said.

When someone broke a water line on State Road 54, for instance, the chamber set about to make sure it got fixed, Allen said.

Now, the chamber fields all sorts of calls.

“We know code enforcement now. I have his personal cellphone number now,” she said.

Creating a strong business network
“We’ve grown and evolved, and made ourselves important. We weren’t very important way back in the day, to the elected officials. We weren’t important to the region, as a whole, until everything started happening up here. Then, they were saying, ‘What is going on in Wesley Chapel?’

“We had built this amazing network of businesses and built this amazing network of community,” Allen said.

In 2015, it  combined with the New Tampa Chamber, keeping the Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, but adding a tag line: Serving New Tampa.

“It was seamless,” Allen said. “We started to really grow. We started to really have the pulse on what was happening.

“Businesses were coming to us and they were saying: ‘We need this.’

“The developers would come to us, ‘We’ve got this land, we want to do something with it.’

Allen recalled that a man walked into the office, then at The Grove, seeking information about Wesley Chapel. He wanted to take a look around, so Allen took him on what she calls her first “windshield tour.”

It turns out that he represented the hotel developer who built the Fairfield Inn & Suites, in Wiregrass, which opened last year — three years after that initial visit.

The chamber often is involved in work that won’t come into fruition for years, Allen said.

She credits the chamber’s board, ambassadors and members for the progress the organization has made.

“What we have going on here is incredible. We all know it. We can feel it. This community is incredible. This business community is amazing. We support each other. We grow with each other. We cry with each other,” she said.

She and her staff are committed to serve chamber members, she said.

“We stand behind all of our members. We speak with one voice for our membership,” she said.

In 2018, the chamber rebranded itself as the North Tampa Bay Chamber.

“We didn’t leave Wesley Chapel behind, we just brought everybody into the arms of what is North Tampa Bay,” said Allen, who is passionate about the value that chambers can bring to communities.

Across the country, she said, “chambers of commerce are having the conversation now, ‘Are we relevant? Do you need a chamber of commerce in your community?’”

In her view, chambers “are here to serve a purpose, in every single community.

“If you’ve seen one chamber, you’ve seen one chamber.

“We’re all different. We’re all governed by our own board of directors. We all have our own programming that’s different.

“We’re not in competition with other chambers of commerce.

“If you can join every single chamber of commerce in the region, do it. Because you’re going to get something out of each and every one of them, “ Allen said.

Published August 28, 2019

These kits can help save lives

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A safety measure has been added to Pasco County high schools that’s aimed to help save lives during a mass casualty or active shooter situation.

The schools now have bleed control kits — designed to help prevent victims from bleeding out before emergency responders arrive.

Pasco County Schools and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office are participating in the ‘Stop the Bleed’ campaign, a national initiative that aims to train and empower civilians to act swiftly and effectively in trauma situations, such as active shooter incidents. As part of the campaign, the sheriff’s office and emergency personnel trained school nurses to use bleed control kits and other measures in initial trauma management. (Courtesy of Pasco Sheriff’s Office)

The kits contain items such as tourniquets, blood-clotting dressings and casualty extraction litter, CPR mask, disposable gloves, trauma shears and a bleeding control instruction card. The kits are assembled using military grade components and based on the standards established by the American College of Surgeons.

The vacuum-sealed kits are stocked in a LIFE Station, or a surface-mounted storage cabinet strategically located throughout schools, similar to AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) and fire extinguisher cabinets.

Pasco County Schools, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, Pasco Tax Collector’s Office and Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point recently partnered on a fundraising drive to bring LIFE Stations and bleed kits to each public high school and technical school countywide.

Enough donations were raised for each school to receive one LIFE Station, which holds up to five kits, according to the sheriff’s office.

The initial cost for stations and kits was $250,000. Each kit costs approximately $600 to $700.

The school district and sheriff’s office are now requesting donations to purchase more kits for the county’s 83 middle and elementary schools. Efforts are also being made to bring them to places of worship and other public spaces.

Someone can die from bleeding out in 30 seconds to 45 seconds, so the effort is aimed at saving lives, Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said, during an Aug. 13 media conference on the bleed kits initiative.

The bleed kits go beyond the scope of a shooting or other violent attack, the sheriff said.

Pasco County Schools’ high schools and technical schools have been stocked with bleed control kits to help stem the flow of blood in urgent situations. The kits are housed in a LIFE Station container, or a surface-mounted storage cabinet similar to AEDs and fire extinguishers. Shown here is a LIFE Station that sits inside the nurse’s office at Land O’ Lakes High School. (Courtesy of Pasco Schools)

“It’s not just about active shooters,” Nocco said. “It could be about a traffic crash. It could be somebody fell, and it hurt them and it cut them badly. Those are the types of things that we want to make sure we get out there, that this isn’t just because of that worst-case scenario, this could be about some injury that occurred any day.”

“Just having one (station) in each facility may not be enough, you may need multiple ones,” he said.

Before the school year began, the sheriff’s office and emergency personnel trained school nurses to use the kits and other life-saving measures in initial trauma management. The training was part of a broader “Stop the Bleed” national initiative, which aims to train and empower civilians to act swiftly and effectively in trauma situations, such as active shooter incidents.

Pasco School District nurses will be training other school employees how to use the kits, officials say.

Meanwhile, the sheriff’s office also is creating a bleed kit instruction video for students.

“It’s like teaching a child to call 911. Now, we’re going to teach them to stop the bleed,” Nocco said.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning said the LIFE Stations and bleed kits create “another layer of protection in the horrible event of something going on in our schools.”

Browning emphasized the urgency in such situations: “It’s a matter of seconds before an individual could bleed out, and we want to make sure that we have the tools there to help prevent loss of life.”

Since the Parkland school shooting claimed the lives of 17 students and faculty members in February 2018, the Pasco school district has bolstered its safety protocols through hiring armed safety guards, requiring stricter identification protocols, and installing more secure door locks, among other procedures.

“We work hard in keeping all of our children safe in this district,” Browning said. “I will say, we have been in a leader in the state where other districts have looked at us and said, ‘We want to do it very similar to the way you’re doing it.’”

He added, “Parents are just naturally concerned about the safety of their kids when we put them on our buses in the morning and get them to our schools, and they expect them to be safe, and I expect our kids to be safe.”

For more information, visit PascoSheriffCharities.org/stop-the-bleeding-2/.

Published August 21, 2019

Local donors help propel playground development

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A new playground designed to be welcoming for children with disabilities is planned for Wesley Chapel District Park, and the project got a big boost from some local donors.

The Wesley Chapel Rotary Club, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and the Lennar Foundation are contributing a combined total of $125,000 to help Pasco County pay for the project.

Members of the Pasco County Commission and the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club display a check representing the Rotary Club’s contribution to help pay for a playground designed for children with special needs. The playground will be built at Wesley Chapel District Park. AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and the Lennar Foundation also contributed, bringing the total contributions to $125,000. (Brian Fernandes)

The Pasco County Commission recognized the groups and their contributions at their meeting on Aug. 6.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore has been involved in the initiative since the beginning.

He noted that he has spent quite a bit of time at the park, coaching teams.

“I realized there was a void of playground equipment for children with special needs,” Moore said.

So, he approached Keith Wiley, director of Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources, to discuss the issue.

Wiley shared the same concern.

So, the two men set out to find accessible playgrounds around the country, to serve as a model for an “inclusive” playground in Wesley Chapel.

Moore also reached out to the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and the Lennar Foundation to ask for their help to make the playground happen.

Wiley and members of those local organizations expressed their thoughts about being part of the project.

With a video and an unofficial schematic, Wiley explained some potential features of the playground.

The new amenity will be built next to the district park’s current playground and be connected with several sidewalk paths as easy access points.

The play space will have rubber flooring for safety. The surface also will offer a smooth transition for those moving about in wheelchairs.

Equipment will be spaced apart to provide enough room for mobility, and built at low levels to provide an easier reach.

This is an unofficial concept of elements Pasco County would like to implement for the new playground at Wesley Chapel District Park. The play space is intended to welcome children with special needs. It will be adjacent to the park’s other playground, with access between them. (Courtesy of Keith Wiley, director of Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources)

Some children may not be able to get out of their wheelchair, Moore said, so there are things they’ll be able to reach from a seated position — for them to play with.

Benches will be shaded by canopies and a butterfly garden is expected to be planted nearby.

“When we look at our brand promise, our brand promise is to feel whole,” said Tyson Davis, interim CEO of AdventHealth Wesley Chapel. “I can’t think of a better way to apply that brand promise in our community, than being a part of this project.”

Chris Casella, president of the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club, added: “It’s about helping them (special needs children) get together in the community with other children [and] have fun just like everyone else.”

Part of the contribution came from a grant from Rotary District 6950, which oversees the Wesley Chapel branch.

During the same meeting, commissioners approved a request from the Parks, Recreation and  Natural Resources Department to transfer $215,000 from the Connerton District Park budget to the Wesley Chapel District Park budget, to help pay for the cost of the universally inclusive playground.

With funds in place, the county expects to break ground on the project by early October.

Published August 14, 2019

‘Engage’ kids: Improve attendance

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Students typically don’t decide to drop out of school overnight.

And, there’s typically more to the story, when a student starts missing school on a regular basis.

At least those were a couple points of discussion last week during a Pasco County School Board workshop on the topic of school attendance.

Pasco County School Board vice chairwoman Colleen Beaudoin said students may be able to make up the work or tests they missed when they are out, but they also miss out on valuable learning opportunities and interactions with their peers. (File)

“Attendance is really a symptom of something else that is happening with our students,” said Angel Hernandez, senior supervisor of student support programs and services for the district.

Pasco County has been working to define what on-track, at-risk and off-track means, in terms of attendance, behavior, academic performance and discipline. In high school, the measures include GPA and progress of meeting graduation requirements.

The reasons students miss school can vary from being ill, to being on vacation, to choosing not to be there because they are disengaged, Hernandez told school board members.

“Disengagement is preceded by other things,” he said, which can range from poor academic performance, to mental health or other issues.

Some kids don’t want to be at school, Hernandez said. They say things like, “I don’t feel welcome at my school. I’m not being treated nicely.”

Not being at school has consequences, he added.

“We know the reality is that when our students are not in school, they are not engaged in school, and when they’re disengaged, they fall short of meeting that goal and graduating, and achieving success once they leave our system,” he said.

The district can track attendance through data, which allows it to make a closer analysis.

It can break down the data by grade level, demographic group and day, week or month.

Overall, 38,500 Pasco students were on track for the year in attendance, while 24,200 were at risk and 12,400 were off-track, Hernandez said.

The data reveals that there are no demographic groups that appear to be at greater risk than others, Hernandez said. “They’re all within the 90s,” he said.

He also noted that sixth grade has the highest attendance rating.

When the district looks at its attendance rates, it’s not just looking at unexcused absences, but excused absences, too.

School Board member Cynthia Armstrong, a former teacher, voiced concerns about the growing number of children missing school for family vacations.

“Parents would never think, in the past, about taking their kids out for a cruise just because they could get the cruise cheaper during the school year. That seems to be just a growing trend,” Armstrong said.

Pasco County School Board member Cynthia Armstrong said she’s noticed of a trend in recent years of more parents taking their children out of school for family vacations.

She asked: “How are we stressing to parents that attendance is important?”

A change to the district’s code of conduct allows students to make up any and all assignments, tests or related work of any excused or unexcused absence at full credit.

But, even when students can make up the credit, they’re still losing out, said School Board vice chairwoman Colleen Beaudoin.

“Even if they can show up later and make up the test, they’re missing learning opportunities. They’re missing the chance to interact with their peers, and they’re missing the group work, the projects,” Beaudoin said.

School Board chairwoman Alison Crumbley wondered what the district does to address the kids who are there, but are just not understanding the content.

Hernandez said efforts are being made to give students quizzes to help check how they’re doing, so extra help can be offered to help them catch up before the end of the course, when it’s too late.

Hernandez also noted that some schools have dances or other celebrations to encourage good attendance.

Along those lines, School Board member Megan Harding said it’s important for schools to be consistent.

She recalled students being excited about the prospect of attending a quarterly dance party.

“They didn’t make it the first quarter, but the second quarter came and there was no dance party; the third quarter came, and there was no dance party.

“There was no consistency,” Harding said.

“Is there going to be some consistency or accountability within our schools?” Harding asked. “Those little ones they really do want that dance party.”

Hernandez said it takes a team effort to tackle the issue.

“It used to be that this work happened through the lens of social work,” he said. “We’re trying to break away from that, as we build a compassionate schools frame for our sites, we want all of our other members to engage.”

Superintendent Kurt Browning said parents need to hear from the district level — not just the school level — about the importance of attendance.

He said he expects increased efforts to reach out to parents, through newsletters and periodic phone calls to emphasize how important it is for children to be in school.

The district has an obligation to make school engaging and to set high standards, and to help students to understand there’s a connection between being in school and being successful in life, Browning said.

Attendance by grade level
Pre-kindergarten: 88.1 percent

First grade : 93.7 percent

Second grade: 94.6 percent

Third grade: 94.8 percent

Fourth grade: 94.7 percent

Fifth grade:  94.8 percent

Sixth grade: 95.4 percent

Seventh grade: 94.9 percent

Eighth grade:  94.4 percent

Ninth grade:  94.8 percent

10th grade:  93.9 percent

11th grade:  93.3 percent

12th grade:  91.2 percent

Source: Pasco County Schools

Ways to combat school absenteeism

  • Recognize good and improved attendance
  • Engage parents and students
  • Provide personalized early outreach
  • Monitor attendance data and practice
  • Develop programmatic responses to barriers

Source: Pasco County Schools

Published August 07, 2019

Growth puts squeeze on schools

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As Pasco County Schools heads into another school year, crowded conditions are expected on several campuses within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

District officials are projecting that Wesley Chapel’s Wiregrass Ranch High School will operate at 141 percent of its capacity, with an estimated 2,310 students in a school designed for 1,633.

New construction continues to create the need for new schools or campus expansions in Pasco County. (Christine Holtzman)

Connerton Elementary School, in Land O’ Lakes, meanwhile, is projected to be at 120 percent of its capacity — with an anticipated 918 students at a school built for 762.

Other schools expecting big crowds are:

  • John Long Middle, projected at 123 percent of its capacity, with an expected 1,635 students at school designed for 1,327
  • Thomas Weightman Middle, projected at 116 percent of its capacity, with an expected 1,130 students at a school designed for 975
  • Cypress Creek Middle High, projected at 114 percent of its capacity, with an expected 953 students, in a space designed for 834

Chris Williams, the school district’s director of planning, outlined the district’s projected average daily memberships for 2019-2020 during a workshop with the Pasco County School Board last week.

Williams said a new Cypress Creek Middle School, expected to open in fall 2020, will provide relief for the area’s middle schools and Wiregrass Ranch High School.

That’s because the current Cypress Creek Middle High School is serving students in grades six through 12, in separate schools on the same campus.

Once the new middle school opens, it will have space for more students and high school space also will be freed to accommodate more students.

Williams said he also expects charter schools in the Wesley Chapel area to help absorb growth occurring there.

Sunlake High School, now operating over capacity, will get a 20-classroom wing, which is expected to be built this year. (File)

Even with boundary shifts, Wiregrass Ranch High’s enrollment will remain high, Superintendent Kurt Browning said.

“Keep in mind, there are more students moving in, right behind them,” Williams said.

“One thing we’re trying to avoid is a 10-period day,” Browning said.

Projects that are on the drawing board, or under construction, are expected to help the district address continued growth, Williams said.

Starkey K-8 is expected to open in two years, and is expected to provide relief to Odessa Elementary, which is expected to operate at 130 percent of its capacity this year.

Bexley Elementary and Sunlake Elementary are both adding classroom wings in the coming year, which will increase capacity at those growing schools.

Bexley, which opened in 2017, is projected to have 912 students at a school built for 906. The new classroom wing will accommodate 200 students.

Sunlake High School is projected at an enrollment of 1,994, at a school with a capacity for 1,698.

Although Connerton is expected to operate over capacity, Williams does not expect additional growth this year. Even so, he noted, “that is certainly something that we’re keeping an eye on because there’s obviously a lot of growth coming around that area.

The district’s high schools in Central Pasco and East Pasco all are expected to operate near or above capacity.

For instance, Zephyrhills High is expected to operate at 105 percent of capacity; Pasco High, at 117 percent of capacity; Cypress Creek Middle High, at 118 percent of capacity; Sunlake at 117 percent of capacity; and Land O’ Lakes High, at 95 percent of capacity.

Deputy superintendent Ray Gadd said the district expects a new magnet school, which will be built on the east side of the county, primarily will attract students from Wiregrass Ranch, Wesley Chapel, Pasco and Zephyrhills high schools.

The school will offer technical training programs and academic rigor. It is set open in 2022.

Major projects 2019-2020
Here is a look at major school construction projects planned in the 2019-2020, within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area:

  • Zephyrhills High School: Continuing campus-wide renovation
  • Land O’ Lakes High School: Wrapping up campus-wide remodel
  • Cypress Creek Middle School: Construction underway
  • Starkey K: Breaking ground within next couple of months
  • East side technical high school: Property acquired and design phase underway
  • Sunlake High: Adding a wing to increase capacity
  • Bexley Elementary: Adding a wing to increase capacity

Source: Pasco County Schools

Published July 31, 2019

Teen’s health struggle makes her a national voice

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When Mark and Kelly Dees of Land O’ Lakes decided to name their unborn daughter Hope, it was a sign of their unwavering optimism despite devastating news.

What was supposed to be an exciting reveal of their baby’s gender, soon became a moment of sadness after Hope was diagnosed with congenital heart defects.

Hope Dees, of Land O’ Lakes, sits next to her father, Mark, in the office of U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis in Washington D.C. The 13-year-old was among many youths who traveled to Capitol Hill to talk to lawmakers about policies to better help kids with health issues. (Courtesy of Amy Gall, BayCare Health System)

“We were told by the first doctor that she wouldn’t live to see her first birthday,” Kelly recalled.

But now, at age 13, Hope has far exceeded that grim diagnosis.

Not only has she undergone multiple operations, she also recently had the chance to make her voice heard by the nation’s lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

Still, it hasn’t been an easy path.

A fighting chance
After hearing the initial troubling news about their daughter, the couple went to St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Tampa, where a second diagnosis showed a brighter outcome.

Hope had a 92 percent success rate of survival, according to Dr. James Huhta, who still cares for her to this day.

She was born eight weeks premature with not only a weak heart, but a mild form of cerebral palsy, among other health complications.

At just 2 months old, she had her first open-heart surgery and spent several months recuperating at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg.

Also, her esophagus did not connect to her stomach and had an abnormal connection to her trachea. This resulted in her being tube fed. Because of her complex situation, doctors waited until she weighed at least 4 pounds before performing corrective surgery.

Hope underwent two more heart surgeries, the second at 9 months old and the last at age 10. These were performed at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital.

She had other health concerns, too.

When Hope was 18 months, her parents noticed she was walking unusually.

Hope Dees, 13, stands alongside U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist while on a trip to Washington D.C. She and her parents spoke to Florida legislators about health care coverage for kids with medical needs.

Over the years, she has had to go through extensive physical therapy and orthopedic surgery on her left leg and foot.

“As she grows, the bone grows faster than the muscle,” Kelly explained. “The bone is growing and the tendon is pulling in because it’s not as long as the bone.”

Although Hope uses a leg brace for stability, she still may need another surgery.

Being in and out of hospitals all her life and getting to know medical staff, especially at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, has become routine for Hope.

“This has always been her normal,” Kelly said of her daughter. “For me, it’s nothing but gratitude for all that they’ve done for her over the years, and all they continue to do.”

Speaking aloud for action
BayCare Health System and the Children’s Hospital Association have been working in conjunction for years to bring kids with medical needs to Washington D.C., for the annual Family Advocacy Day.

Amy Gall is a regional communications coordinator for BayCare Health System and has become Hope’s friend.

“We’ve been bringing a family up to meet with the legislators every summer,” Gall said.

Because Kelly is an advocate for protecting Medicaid for kids, Gall knew that Hope would be the perfect candidate to go to Capitol Hill with her family from June 24 to June 27.

Like dozens of other youth from around the nation, Hope had the opportunity to meet with congressional representatives from their respective states, and perhaps help to influence policy.

At Capitol Hill, Hope had the chance to meet with U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott. Also present were U.S. Representatives Gus Bilirakis, Vern Buchanan, Kathy Castor, Charlie Crist, Darren Soto, Ross Spano and Greg Steube.

Along with Hope, Mark and Kelly helped address concerns about stabilizing health coverage for kids.

“As they are adults, taking responsibility of their own health care, it’s important that they have the coverage that they need and the assistance that they need,” Kelly said, in an interview with The Laker/Lutz News, after the family traveled to Washington D.C.

She said she wants assurance that when kids like Hope become adults, that they are guaranteed coverage and not discriminated because of pre-existing conditions.

Hope is currently on Children’s Medical Services, which falls under the Medicaid program.

There is a premium to pay, based on income, but the program has been helpful, Kelly said.

However, she said, a child must reapply annually, or the coverage will lapse.

One year, Hope’s paperwork was late, and she was without coverage for a month.

Changing that system was a topic presented to Congress.

“Some families can’t afford to just abruptly lose their coverage,” Kelly added. “It’s important that they are able to continue to afford their own coverage or doctor visits. It’s not cheap.”

Kelly said the reception offered by the federal lawmakers was sincere, and they appeared to be willing to see what could be done to help kids like Hope.

Still pressing forward
Even after everything Hope has endured, she still views herself as an average teenager, her mom said.

When she has free time, she practices the piano and goes swimming. And as she prepares to enter eighth grade at Dr. John Long Middle School, she plans to sing soprano in the choir.

While she was visiting Rep. Ross Spano’s office, he showed the family a sign engraved with the words: “Never give up.”

Kelly said she’s inspired by the same mantra — and, she added, that her daughter, Hope, has taught her the true meaning of those words.

Published July 24, 2019

Collaboration creates connectivity

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The opening of the State Road 56 Extension between Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills has a personal benefit for Alora Butler, a student at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.

She said the new road segment will cut her 30-minute commute to school in half.

Greg Lenners, general manager of The Shops at Wiregrass, expects to see an uptick in business, as the extension of State Road 56 over to the Zephyrhills area makes it easier for shoppers to get to the mall. (Christine Holtzman)

It also reduces the time that the Zephyrhills resident spends on the road, to get to leisure activities or do her banking in Wesley Chapel.

The new 6-mile stretch also makes life easier for her husband, too, as he makes his commute to work at a warehouse in Land O’ Lakes.

Butler is just one of the thousands who can now opt for a shorter, or less congested route, to and from the east side of Pasco County.

Kevin O’ Farrell, provost at the Porter Campus, near the intersection of State Road 56 and Mansfield Boulevard, said he thinks the new road will even help students perform better academically.

Less time in traffic means less stress, in O’ Farrell’s opinion. And, because of that, he said, students “are more mentally ready to engage in class, they’re ready to focus more on their coursework.”

Greg Lenners, general manager for The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel, expects the mall to experience an uptick in business because of the better access for shoppers coming from the east.

Laura Zimmerman, who lives on Meadow Pointe Boulevard, is happy to have another option for traveling to Zephyrhills. (Christine Holtzman)

Patrons at the mall said they’re glad to see the new road connection.

“I think it will ease the congestion and offer other alternatives,” said Laura Zimmerman, who lives on Meadow Pointe Boulevard and travels frequently to Zephyrhills.

McKenna Alkishawi, who lives in Zephyrhills, said the new route is “definitely 100 percent” beneficial.

Another Zephyrhills resident — Brenda Maass — is happy there’s a new way to get to Morris Bridge Road, where she can then head north at the new intersection.

For Zephyrhills resident John Skidmore, the new connection makes it easier for both him and his mother to get to doctor appointments.

“It’s about time. It’s going to be great,” Skidmore said.

Brenda Maass, a Zephyrhills resident and retiree, now has an alternative route in State Road 56 to visit friends and shop in the Wesley Chapel and Land O’ Lakes region. (Christine Holtzman)

Donna Pacheco, a Wesley Chapel retiree, is pleased to have a more convenient way to get to Zephyrhills, where she goes three to four times a week to visit her brother, son and grandchildren.

“It’s really about time that they did that (extended the road),” she said.

Bill Cronin, president/CEO of the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., sees other benefits that improved connectivity will create.

“You’ve got the (State Road) 56 extension. You’ve got the potential widening of (U.S.) 301 in the north of the county, as well as the alignment of Clinton Avenue and (State Road) 39, which now starts to make us look a little more connected to Polk and some of those areas that we can access.

“We end up being much more strategically located for distribution activity,” Cronin said.

Numerous sources said the project’s success hinged on the collaboration of elected leaders and staff at the state, county and city levels; private landowners; and involved citizens.

Melonie Monson, executive director for The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, said local efforts played a vital role in securing a four-lane road.

McKenna Alkishawi is a Zephyrhills resident who often travels into Wesley Chapel on her leisure time. The USF student said that the new State Road 56 extension will be ‘100 percent’ beneficial in cutting down her commute time. (Christine Holtzman)

“There were a lot of letters written to legislators, to city officials, to government officials — and everybody decided to work together,” Monson said.

Vonnie Mikkelsen, now president and CEO of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce in Oregon, recalls those efforts. “It didn’t come top down. It came grassroots up,” she said.

“Honestly, it was a question of: Why hasn’t this happened sooner?” Mikkelsen said.

She credited then State Rep. Danny Burgess for playing a leading role.

“He listened and he understood immediately,” she said.

But, he wasn’t the only one.

“Our local government officials, they understood the importance. Our airport manager at the time, understood the opportunity that it presented. The Pasco EDC (knew, too).

“Everybody really rallied around the idea, even in the context of the first answer being, ‘No. No way.’

“Quite honestly, we thought, ‘OK. That’s not the final answer,’” Mikkelsen said.

“What really sealed the deal were some conversations at the state level.

Kevin O’ Farrell, provost at the Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, said the extension of State Road 56 will reduce commute times for students and staff traveling to the campus, near the intersection of Mansfield Boulevard and State Road 56. (Brian Fernandes)

“Lo, and behold, there was an opportunity. It required some innovative and creative thinking, and some collaborative partnerships at the local level to make it happen.”

Burgess, now executive director for the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, agreed: “The public-private partnership aspect, and the various levels of  governments that were involved in this, was really a huge success story, and an example of what can happen when everybody comes together for the common good of a community.”

The partnership resulted in a $22,750,000 loan for the third and fourth lanes of the project, with the loan to be repaid by private development partners through a mobility fee surcharge and a special assessment, if necessary.

The City of Zephyrhills agreed to reimburse the county for 10 percent of any loan shortfall paid for by the county. The contractor, Cone & Graham Inc., also agreed to include all costs associated with the design, permitting and construction, and other costs within the loan amount.

It’s a success that Burgess said he will savor.

“In the Legislature, and politics, in general, you know — in this line of work — you somewhat have to get used to defeats more than victories, if I’m going to be quite honest with you. You actually have to learn to live with that.

“But, then a victory like this happens. It’s validation. This is why you do what you do. You fight every day, because when you do something this big — this will have a profound impact on your community,” he said.

State Road 56 Extension

  • $59.7 million project
  • Runs from Meadow Pointe Boulevard in Wesley Chapel to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills
  • Signalized intersections added at Morris Bridge Road and U.S. 301
  • Road design is curved, to minimize wetlands disruption
  • Amenities include: 10-foot multi-use path; 5-foot sidewalk; 7-foot-wide bicycle lanes on both shoulders

By B.C. Manion and Brian Fernandes

Published July 17, 2019

Pasco Sheriff’s Office boosts online crime reporting

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Reporting a variety of crimes is getting easier for Pasco County residents through a new online reporting tool being used by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office recently upgraded the capabilities of its citizen online police reporting system to accept reports on a these types of incidents:

  • Petit theft (less than $300)
  • Petit theft bicycle (less than $300)
  • Grand theft bicycle ($300 or more)
  • Lost property
  • Littering/illegal dumping
  • Harassing phone calls
  • Phone scam (without monetary loss)

The improved system will allow citizens to generate reports for these types of crimes at their own convenience, without having to wait for a deputy to arrive on scene.

Once they are reported, the incidents are investigated, and the sheriff’s office will determine the appropriate action to take and will execute it.

The Pasco Sheriff’s Office recently expanded the capabilities of its online reporting system, which will allow citizens to self-report a variety of incidents, such as lost property or criminal mischief. Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco stands at the podium in front of desk office supervisor Michael Toczylowski. (Kevin Weiss)

Reports can be filed online at PascoSheriff.com.

To file a report, citizens will be required to list the incident type and provide other relevant information, such as a brief description of what happened, along with any photos or videos that can be used to help solve a case.

Online reports will be reviewed during regular business hours.

All cases filed using the online police reporting system will be reviewed. Upon review, the sheriff’s office may reach out if further investigation is needed.

Citizens will receive a confirmation number upon completion of a report and will be notified if their case has been approved or rejected. If approved, citizens will be emailed a permanent case number.

“This is better for our citizens,” Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said. “There’s a lot of resources, a lot of things that go on, where (citizens) just need a case number, they just want a report number, but at the same time for our deputies, it saves us time and energy.”

Nocco said citizens still have the option to request deputies to respond on-scene, to those various types of incidents, instead of using the online reporting.

“No matter what, if you want a deputy to respond, we will send somebody out there accordingly,” Nocco said.

The sheriff also pointed out the online system is more efficient for the law enforcement agency in several instances — such as dealing with multiple department stores who consistently report lost or stolen property following routine inventory checks.

Those calls represent “a lot of work and a lot of resources,” Nocco said.

The expanded online reporting capabilities makes it more convenient for citizens who may not be interested in waiting for a deputy to arrive when they want to report a property crime, said Pasco Sheriff desk office supervisor Michael Toczylowski, who’s unit will handle the online caseloads.

“It’s great for the citizen where they don’t have to sit and wait for a deputy,” Toczylowski said, “because on a Friday or Saturday night when it’s busy, everybody’s coming home from work, there’s all sorts of incidents being reported, things are prioritized where (dispatchers) are going to send a deputy to a domestic disturbance first before coming to your house because somebody threw a rock at your car and broke a window.”

While the new system may improve convenience and efficiency, it should not be used when reporting violent crimes or when a suspect may still be at the scene of the crime, officials said.

Officials also urge residents to call 911 to report emergencies or life-threatening situations.

Published July 10, 2019

Church adds food pantry to help those in need

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When Father and Son Love Ministries launched a summertime lunch program last year, its only aim was to share food with those needing it — with no strings attached.

Now, the church — tucked away in a commercial office plaza at 24156 Foggy Ridge Parkway, in Lutz — has branched out.

In addition to serving free bag lunches, it also has a free food pantry.

Pastor C.J. Johns Sr., and Assistant Pastor Ken Waters volunteer in a ministry that aims to spread hope by sharing food with those in need. (B.C. Manion)

Again, no strings attached.

The food ministry operates on Fridays, from noon to 3 p.m. and on Sundays, after 11 a.m. (Note: It will be closed July 5, for the Fourth of July holiday).

Red and white signs — one posted at Foggy Ridge Parkway and State Road 54, and another closer to the storefront church — let passersby know about the food ministries.

The word hasn’t circulated widely yet, but there were some folks at the food pantry last week, accepting the church’s help.

Last week, an elderly woman was there, with a friend, to do a little “shopping.”

Becky Morrow, a church volunteer, led the woman around tables stocked with breads, pastries, canned goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, cereals, pastas, rice and other foods.

Those in need are welcome to come to a food pantry ministry, operated by Father and Son Love Ministries. There are fruits, vegetables and frozen meats available.

The woman, who was using a walker, let Morrow know which items she would like, and Morrow packed it up for her.

As the woman and her friend prepared to leave, another volunteer Carolyn Curtis, told the elderly woman: “Blessings, blessings, blessings to you.”

Pastor C. J. Johns Sr., who launched the lunch ministry a year ago, said the church simply wants to help people.

The pastor said the lunch program “sort of morphed” and then, “one thing led to another.”

Tampa Bay Harvest is now the food ministry’s main supplier. Publix and Publix GreenWise donate bread, pastries, fruit and other items.

Church members and other contributors provide money to help stock the pantry.

Terry Gonzalez, who also goes by the name Maria, is one of the volunteers at the food pantry ministry. Those coming for a free lunch at the church will find that it isn’t stingy with the turkey in its turkey sandwiches.

And, just like the free lunch program, there’s no paperwork to fill out. No IDs are required, either, the pastor said.

“We want to give people hope in human beings, again,” Johns said.

The only requirement is to say how many people the recipient needs to feed.

“You’ve got four people, we want to make sure you have enough for four,” Johns said. The church wants to help as many people as it can, that are in need.

It relies on the honor system, for recipients to be truthful.

A little while later, after the elderly woman left last week, a couple arrived, with their granddaughter.

They were there to pick up food for two families: A family of three and a family of four.

As they made their rounds around the tables, volunteers helped to fill their boxes.

Food pantry volunteer Carolyn Curtis said she enjoys being involved. ‘I am blessed to be part of this.’

Pastor Johns asked the woman: “Do you need some milk?”

She responded: “We could always use milk. We could take a cow home with us.”

The pastor went into the church’s kitchen, got a gallon of milk and handed it to the woman.

“It’s a wonderful thing that you’re doing,” the man remarked.

“To God be the glory,” replied Curtis, who said she enjoys helping.

“I am blessed to be part of this,” Curtis said. “With all of the challenges that people have today, they should not have to worry about feeding their family.”

Besides fruits and vegetables, and other staples, the food pantry also offers coleslaw, potato salad, eggs, egg salad and frozen meats, although the selection varies from week to week.

Assistant Pastor Ken Water said, “We give them enough food to last at least a week and a half, to help them out.

“We’re still not asking for anything. Just come in, and be in need.”

For the free lunches, church volunteers prepare bag lunches, which include a turkey sandwich or a peanut butter sandwich. They also have bottled water and a dessert.

Sean Saylor, who lives in Land O’ Lakes, is what the church calls “a delivery angel” — carting boxes of food to people who need help, but can’t get to the church.

Canned goods are among the items being offered to help feed families and individuals, at the free food pantry.

Maria Gonzalez, who also goes by the name Terry, is another volunteer. She was at the pantry recently, preparing bag lunches.

The Wesley Chapel woman pointed out that the ministry doesn’t skimp on the amount of turkey it puts in its sandwiches.

To prove her point, she went to the kitchen and pulled one of the sandwiches out of the refrigerator.

“It’s a hearty sandwich,” she declared. “ Seriously. Usually you see like two little slices (of turkey).”

Linda Wright, another volunteer, became familiar with the church a year ago, when she brought her son and daughter-in-law in to pick up some bag lunches.

The Lutz woman was so impressed by the church’s kindness and warmth, she joined the church and got involved.

“There’s no other service like this, in this area, and there’s a lot of people who need this service,” Wright said. “I believe in everything this church does for everybody. So, I’m here to help do it for them.

“The slogan of the church is ‘Changing the world, one person at a time.’ And, we’re doing it,” Wright said.

Feeding the hungry
What: Father and Son Love Ministries’ food pantry and lunch program
Where: 24156 Foggy Ridge Parkway, in Lutz (Off State Road 54, behind car dealership and car wash)
When: Fridays, noon to 3 p.m.; Sundays, 11 a.m.
Cost: Free
Details: This church ministry offers free lunches, as well as fruits, vegetables, staples and other groceries from a free food pantry, for those in need.
Info: Call (813) 383-8410.

Published July 03, 2019

Teen’s mobile app aids in communication

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Fourteen-year-old Bradley Rothbaum has already created a mobile app that has attracted national recognition.

He didn’t have to go far for the source that inspired this achievement.

He developed the app in response to his own health dilemma.

Bradley Rothbaum, 14, developed the app Speak Up to help those with communication delays, after he experienced the same while in the hospital. As seen here, the app will be available for smartphones, as well as tablets, in the near future. (Brian Fernandes)

Bradley was diagnosed with cancer in March 2017.

The condition affected  the chewing muscles in his mouth, and within weeks he began treatment.

The radiation treatment caused him to develop sores in his mouth, which made it difficult to speak.

So, he began texting and writing on a white board to communicate — but found those methods to be inconvenient.

“One of my main frustrations during treatment was the inability to speak,” Bradley said. “I turned this frustration into the app, Speak Up.”

He started working on this program last fall.

The concept behind Speak Up is to help those who have difficulty speaking to better communicate their needs, especially inside a health care setting.

The program uses voice automation to verbally translate a typed message to the receiver.

The app is already equipped with a list of greetings, requests or comments that are preset and can be sent with a push of a button.

For messages not already stored on the app, a user can preset additional ones for convenience, as well.

“You’re still telling the app what to do, but instead of typing in everything, it’s already there for you,” the Land O’ Lakes youth explained.

Speak Up enables the user to type a custom-made message or text a regular message, with both options providing voice automation.

And, not only is it for smartphones, but can be downloaded onto tablets and laptops, too.

Bradley decided to enter his project into the Invention Convention at his school, Academy at the Lakes, on Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes.

Along with a fellow schoolmate, Bradley earned his way into the Florida Invention Convention. There he was among 150 students statewide, all displaying their various creations.

“I made it to the Florida state level and then there were only four of us that moved on to nationals,” he stated.

For the national level, Bradley got to travel to The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn, Michigan.

There, his work was showcased among those of more than 500 students from around the country.

He said he enjoyed the experience that resulted from much determination.

Like any invention, this one had its trials and errors, Bradley said.

However, what eased the process was receiving assistance from his friend in Ohio, as well as his dad, Howard.

As a physician who practices internal medicine, Howard comes across sick people on a regular basis.

Yet, when his own son became a patient needing help, it was a tough situation, he admitted.

“Everything I learned in medical school and beyond is what we had to use to navigate the whirlwind,” Howard said.

His admiration for his son has only grown through this experience, noting that Bradley is “probably the strongest person I’ve ever met.”

Bradley said that creating the app was a therapeutic experience for him because it took his mind off his health issues and redirected it toward helping others in need.

He is currently preparing to enter his first year of high school at Academy at the Lakes, and is in a much healthier condition, thanks to treatment.

He offers this message of hope to other sick kids: “Persevere and you can get through this.”

With a few more kinks to work out, Bradley has yet to officially launch Speak Up. Upon release, it will be available for download on Android phones and iPhones, as well as tablets.

Published June 26, 2019