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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Will election be ‘one for the ages?’

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When he looks ahead to the 2020 Presidential Election, Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley predicts, “that’s going to be one for the ages.”

For one thing, there are already attorneys being lined up in Florida, on both sides of the aisle, for next year, Corley said, during a luncheon meeting last week of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce, at  St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz.

But, the elections supervisor added: “We’re used to the scrutiny.

“Florida is always going to be in the perennial spotlight. It’s the largest battleground state in the country, and it’s always close.

Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley expects the 2020 Presidential Election ‘to be one for the ages.’ (B.C. Manion)

“Why is that? There’s a good sampling of Democrats, Republicans and Independents. Voters tend to choose their own way,” Corley said.

On top of that, “Florida is now the nation’s third largest state,” he said.

The elections official also touched on the Mueller Report, officially known as the Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election.

Corley said he has read the entire report.

He also noted that depending on which news channel people watch, they tend to call the report “fake news,” or tend to say “It definitely happened. The president needs to be impeached.” Corley did not offer his personal opinion.

But, he did say, “When you read the report, it lays out, in explicit detail, what happened. “

He also cited these words, from Mueller: “There were multiple systematic attempts to interfere in our election. That allegation deserves the attention of every American.”

Corley said citizens do need to be concerned about any attempts by foreign governments to meddle in our elections.

He also raised concerns about the misuse of social media.

“We are unknowingly aiding those who want to destroy us from within,” Corley said.

“In 2016, over 72,000 Americans RSVP’d to a political event on Facebook, that truly was fake news. It was created by some knucklehead in another country.

“That’s troubling, when you think about it,” he added.

There were fake Twitter accounts set up, such as @TenneseeGOP, Corley said.

“Using social media, they did millions of dollars of ads to pit us against each other. In the morning, it would be a Pro Black Lives Matter. In the afternoon, it would be pictures of Rebel flags, saying anti-Black Lives Matter messages. Pro Hillary, anti-Hillary. Pro Trump.

“It was trying to polarize us against each other,” Corley said.

“What was their goal in 2016? Their goal was to erode voter confidence, delegitimize the winner, and polarize America. Hmm. Sound like they were pretty successful?”

He also talked about the damage that polarization is causing in personal relationships.

“I actually know somebody — a father and a son — who were bickering about who to vote for on Facebook,” he said.

One unfriended the other, he noted.

“These are blood. (They) Stopped talking. To this day, they don’t talk,” he said.

The forum doesn’t lend itself to thoughtful discussions, Corley added.

“Have you ever seen something on Facebook, and  you’ve written to somebody about a political issue? And the person has written back, ‘Wow, that’s an excellent point. I have never thought of that point of view, thank you.’

“No, they write back, ‘You’re an idiot,’ or some clever little meme describing you,” Corley said.

He has even noticed a change in the atmosphere at local polling places during the past three general elections.

“I look back, during early voting, the presidential general in 2012, Land O’ Lakes Library, (on the) last day. There was a line.

“But, it was like a block party atmosphere. People of different races, ethnicities, genders, political backgrounds. They were talking to their neighbors. They don’t know each other. Just chatting. No one cared who was going to vote for whom. You were either going to vote for Mitt Romney or President Obama,” he said.

But, he noted, in 2016, “It wasn’t that way.

“It was palpable. You could see people in the polling places and in early voting, they were there on a mission. They were either there to vote for (Donald) Trump, or vote for Hillary (Clinton) — and don’t talk to me.

“It was just like robotic. It was troubling, to be honest with you,” Corley said.

And, in 2018, he added, “I’m comfortable saying, I saw a little more return to civility.

“We need civility. Civility is not a dirty word.

“Have your discussions, your debates, your disagreements. But, at the end of the day, we’re all Americans. We’re united as Americans,” Corley said.

Corley also addressed the importance to protecting election results against cyber threats.

Security will be enhanced, but those steps must remain confidential, Corley said.

He also pointed out that the system recently was tested because of the need for three recounts in the 2018 election.

“We had lawyers from Washington, Tallahassee, representatives locally of the different campaigns, the different local parties. Different sides of the aisle, clearly. But, they were there for the whole thing, several days. They got to witness the transparency.

“It instilled confidence in the system. That’s what we need, in this day and age,” Corley said.

Published June 19, 2019

Pasco County honors its 2019 graduates

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As graduates stepped across the stage at the University of South Florida’s Yuengling Center to accept their diplomas — the crowd erupted with cheers and applause.

That’s not an atypical reaction at graduation ceremonies, but this one was particularly special.

The Class of 2019 at Cypress Creek Middle High School made history on June 5, by becoming the first crop of graduates from the Wesley Chapel high school.

Lucas Budd, class valedictorian, addresses his peers, during the Graduate-to-Graduate Message portion of the program. (Christine Holtzman)

They were among thousands of seniors marking the traditional rite of passage, in graduation ceremonies large and small across The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

Many of those graduation ceremonies took place at USF’s Yuengling Center, but some were held in smaller, more intimate settings.

The Cypress Creek seniors wore gowns donned with green and yellow — representing their school colors.

These graduates have been leaders at the school since it opened in the Fall of 2017, without a senior class.

“Every graduating class is special, but these guys and girls are incredibly near and dear to our hearts,” said Cypress Creek Principal Carin Hetzler-Nettles. “They’ve literally built the foundation for this school.”

The graduating class is comprised of 225 students, included six pairs of twins.

Many Cypress Creek graduates have been accepted already to colleges, such as  Saint Leo University, the University of Central Florida, the University of Florida, the University of South Florida and scores of others.

“I’ve been accepted into USF since September (2018),” said Cypress Creek graduate Hayley McManus.

She’s considering a major in engineering or psychology.

Graduation marks an end, and a beginning
Thousands of students across the region are leaving a familiar place — whether it was a sprawling college campus, a small private school, or a large high school — to start a new journey in life.

The thought of receiving her diploma was a lot to take in, for McManus, an 18-year-old from Cypress Creek.

Lisa McMahon, a speech therapist at Cypress Creek High School, straightens the cap of graduate Matthew Montesant, before festivities begin.

“It’s kind of surreal,” she said. “I had hopes that I would graduate, but I never thought about how being the inaugural class would feel. I feel kind of special that I’m setting the precedent.”

Sam Mazzeo had a similar feeling of pride about being Cypress Creek’s first graduating class, and also about helping to set an example for the school’s younger students.

He wants to return to Cypress Creek to help coach football.

Jason Stahlgren, a Florida transplant from Ohio, didn’t arrive at Cypress Creek until his senior year.

But, the warm welcome he received made it a good experience, he said.

“Moving my senior year was tough, but everybody here made it really easy,” said Stahlgren.

When Karisma Brooks initially arrived at Cypress Creek, her only desire was to return to her former high school in Tampa, she recalled.

Over time, though, she adjusted to her new environment and was able to create some memorable moments – especially as a member of the school’s first step team.

“It was a really big impact on us to bring African-American culture to the school,” Brooks said, with a smile.

The 17-year-old is now ready to serve her country as part of the U.S. Air Force, and then plans to seek a degree in health sciences.

Graduates earn diplomas, accolades
Lucas Budd, the Cypress Creek valedictorian, was one of more than 60 Pasco seniors from various high schools to receive an associate’s degree from Pasco-Hernando State College.

During the ceremony, Budd told his fellow students: “Today marks the end of a significant and memorable chapter in our lives. Be proud of this accomplishment, but leave some praise for the people who helped us graduate. We should be thankful for our families who have supported us.”

Lori Vogel was in the crowd to support Ashley Nickisher, a graduate and Vogel’s niece.

“This is a very special moment, and I’m very excited for her,” Vogel said.

A group of Cypress Creek High School graduates pose for a picture with the school’s mascot, Carmine the Coyote, before the graduation ceremony. From left: Derek Attwood, Michae’la Davis, Christian Wilmore (dressed as the mascot), Rebecca Bobik and Jonathan Blake.

In her remarks during the ceremony, Cypress Creek Principal Hetzler-Nettles told the Class of 2019: “You’ve made me so very proud. As you move into life on your own personal journey and to new territory, exploring new things, remember what you’ve accomplished. You’re an integral part of something larger than yourself.”

While Cypress Creek graduates were making history, members of the Class of 2019 across Pasco County had plenty of reasons to celebrate.

Land O’ Lakes High School, with more than 400 graduates, received more than $12 million in scholarship offers.

Zephyrhills High, with an estimated 360 graduates, pulled in more than $750,000 in scholarship offers.

Pasco High School, which issued diplomas to more than 300 students, received more than $1 million in scholarship money.

And, that’s just to mention a few of the accomplishments, among the region’s public schools.

Private schools and area colleges also had plenty of reasons to be proud.

Academy at the Lakes in Land O’ Lakes had its graduation ceremony on May 18.

“We had 42 graduates – 100 percent of them going on to college,” said Mark Heller, head of the private school.

Among the schools accepting Academy students are Yale University, Vanderbilt University, University of Florida, University of Washington and the Pratt Institute art school.

“At a school like Academy at the Lakes, relationships are everything,” Heller stated. “Relationships between the teachers and students really are the key to preparing these young adults to be the best they can be.”

Even at the collegiate level, there was much to be celebrated.

Pasco-Hernando State College had two commencement ceremonies at its West Campus in New Port Richey.

Graduate Stephanie Bostick received an associate of arts and associate of science degree in legal assisting. Tracy Meshey persevered with a brain injury to earn her associate of science degree, and Maria Madeiros received her associate of arts degree after relocating from her native Brazil and learning to speak English.

Saint Leo University awarded more than 1,250 degrees.

The university’s valedictorian was Angela Lazzaro, a psychology major. Its salutatorian was Jennifer Fields, a criminal justice major.

Published June 12, 2019

Pasco crackdown begins on illegal ‘donation’ bins

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Pasco County is ramping up enforcement efforts in a quest to put an end to the unlawful placement of donation bins, and illegal dumping that the bins tend to attract.

News of the crackdown came during the Pasco County Commission’s May 21 meeting, when Commissioner Mike Moore advocated banning the bins.

“I hate to call them donation bins because most of them aren’t actual donation bins,” Moore said. “I’d like to see an outright ban. When I say an outright ban, I mean, never again in Pasco County, that I think any of these should be placed anywhere.”

Pasco County is cracking down on illegal donation bins and unlawful dumping. (Courtesy of Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore)

But, Senior Assistant County Attorney Kristi Sims told commissioners that she’s not sure a total ban would hold up in court.

“I am quite confident that we would be sued,” Sims said. “I cannot stand up and tell you that we would win.”

That’s because legal cases involving charitable solicitation are classified as First Amendment cases and it’s difficult to predict what the court would do, Sims explained.

“There are a number of court cases where there have been permitting schemes that have been upheld,” Sims said.

Pasco County’s ordinance allows the bins, but requires them to be permitted.

“Our current ordinance and permitting process does not allow these donation bins to be placed anywhere, except on improved, paved surfaces, on a developed and occupied nonresidential parcel,” Sims said.

A site plan and written consent from the property owner also are required, the attorney said.

There are other requirements, too.

“They’re supposed to be regularly emptied. They’re supposed to be marked. If they’re not for charitable purposes, there’s supposed to be signage that says this is a for profit entity,” Sims said.

“Both the owner of the bin and the property owner are responsible for having a permit,” Sims noted.

The ordinance does allow some exceptions, for recycling facilities and churches, for instance, Sims added.

She also told commissioners that “there has never been a large enforcement action to get what we require together and going, until now.”

She said the county’s attorney’s office recently sent out demand letters to property owners, notifying them they have an illegal donation bin on their property that they may not know about.

Sims said, the county’s letter said, “If you’ve been the victim illegal dumping, then contact us and we will follow the process that we did with one last week, which was to have road and bridge go out and collect the materials, dispose of the junk, confiscate the bin and then investigate it for illegal dumping.

“If it is over a certain tonnage, that could be felony dumping, so we’ll work with the Sheriff’s Office to obtain restitution and make those cases.

“Of the 40 letters that went out, we are expecting probably at least half of them, the response from owners to be: “We have no idea why this is here.”
The county will give the property owners notified until July 1 to go through the permitting process, Sims said, noting it takes some time to process the permit requests.

Sims also noted that 15 of the 40 letters were sent to the same company.

Moore said he thinks the crackdown will be effective.

“So far, we’ve had zero people come in to actually get a permit and sticker for their ‘donation bins,’” Moore said.

When he brought the matter to the board’s attention a couple of years ago, the problem was bad. It tapered off for a while, but is worsening, he said.

He showed board members some photos.

“You can see through the debris, there is two of those donation bins sitting there.

“Think of the cost to the county, or private property owners, including tipping fees and time,” Moore said.

“A lot of these show up when the textile market’s strong, when the commodity is strong,” Moore said. It must be strong now, he added, because more are popping up.

Sims advised board members: “I would suggest that we give it the summer to play out, and see how many of these shake out, when we send out these letters.

“I would like to think that once we do an enforcement action, which we have not done yet, that this will not be known as a friendly county in which to start dumping your bins all over the place,” Sims said.

Moore responded, “potentially, this could play out well.”

In an interview after the meeting, Moore said, “the week before last, we got permission from a property owner to come out and confiscate two bins. They put two next to each other. There had to have been anywhere from eight to 12 mattresses.”

There was also a refrigerator and other items, Moore said, adding that he suspects it was a junk hauler that dumped the stuff.

The same thing happened after the bins were removed.

Moore said the county wants to go after both the people who are placing the bins illegally, and the people who are dumping illegally.

He asked that anyone who has been the victim of illegal dumping to install cameras to help the county catch the criminals.

“In the state of Florida, anything over 500 pounds is considered a third degree felony. Besides fines, there’s also possible jail time.

The county is serious about pursuing legal action, Moore said.

“There’s no slap on the wrist. We will prosecute. We’re done,” Moore said.

Sims urged any property owner who has a donation bin on their property without their permission to report it. The county will confiscate it and use it for evidence in illegal dumping cases, she said.

To make the report, email .

Report a problem:
If someone has placed a donation bin on your property without your permission, report it to the county. They will confiscate it and use it for evidence in illegal dumping cases. To make the report, email .

Published June 05, 2019

Can human connection heal?

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Austin Eubanks remembered with clarity the tragic day that forever changed his life, and, ultimately claimed it.

His best friend was killed instantly in front of him.

Then Eubanks was shot twice, in the hand and knee.

Eubanks was just 17 years old when he experienced and survived the massacre inside the library of Columbine High School on April 20, 1999.

Columbine shooting survivor Austin Eubanks was the keynote speaker at the annual ‘Strengthening Our Communities Conference on Mental Health and Drug Prevention’ in Wesley Chapel. He passed away just days later at his home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, at age 37. (Courtesy of AustinEubanks.com)

“I remember seeing my hand and knowing that I had been shot, but I couldn’t feel it,” Eubanks recalled. “I couldn’t connect to the emotion of it, or the physical pain of it, because I wasn’t present in my own body.”

That traumatic experience as a teen, as a survivor in the Columbine school shooting, was the catalyst to Eubanks’ painful journey through addiction and eventually into long-term recovery.

Eubanks put it like this: “I will never be the person I was on the morning of April 20, 1999. That boy did not walk out of the library that day. He was altered, forever.”

Eubanks shared his personal story as the keynote speaker at the annual “Strengthening Our Communities Conference on Mental Health and Drug Prevention,” held May 14 at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel.

The conference, hosted by Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) and Baycare Behavioral Health, is designed to increase public awareness and inspire action on mental health and substance abuse disorders.

Just a few days after the conference, the speaker was found dead from a suspected drug overdose at his home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. He was 37.

In a statement, his family said Eubanks “lost the battle with the very disease he fought so hard to help others face. Helping to build a community of support is what meant the most to Austin, and we plan to continue his work.”

ASAP also expressed its sympathy on Eubanks’ passing in a released statement: “We extend our thoughts and prayers to Austin’s family and friends. Although he has passed too early, his voice will echo in our memories and actions forever.”

Before his untimely death, Eubanks addressed a crowd of nearly 500 people, to discuss the intersection of trauma, mental illness and addiction.

‘An emotional robot’
Shortly after the school shooting, Eubanks was prescribed opiates, benzodiazepines and stimulants for his physical injuries. He soon found the drugs helped him in other ways.

“From the moment I was medicated, that emotion (from Columbine) completely shut off. It was like somebody turned off a faucet,” Eubanks explained.

Nearly 500 people attended the annual ‘Strengthening Our Communities Conference on Mental Health and Drug Prevention,’ hosted by Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) and Baycare Behavioral Health. Columbine school shooting survivor Austin Eubanks was the keynote speaker at the May 14 event, at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel. (Kevin Weiss)

“I learned very quickly how to turn myself into an emotional robot, with the combination of those three substances. I thought that I had found the answer, I never had to feel anything. I was taught how to seek the fast road to relief.”

Years later, at the height of his addiction, Eubanks said he was using upwards of 400 milligrams of the painkiller OxyContin per day, plus a host of other recreational drugs.

His drug of choice, he admitted, was “just more.”

Emotional healing through human connection
After a decade more of undergoing a cycle of addiction and relapse, Eubanks said he finally received the help he needed, at a long-term treatment center in Denver that accepted him free of charge.

It’s there he found the prescription he needed most: authentic human connection.

The treatment center helped him navigate the stages of grief through meaningful, personal relationships with others with similar, lived experiences.

“With emotional pain, in order to heal it, you have to feel it. It is essential to recovery,” Eubanks said.

He added: “What is so essential for emotional healing for all of us, is relying on others from a place of vulnerability and authenticity and transparency.”

The environment also provided him with structure and accountability, too, he said.

Eubanks said, “I had to finally admit that I knew nothing, and I had to trust somebody else enough to believe that they did, and I did everything that they told me to for long enough to where it became a pattern.”

Eubanks explained that after Columbine he didn’t return to school for his senior year, instead relied on a private tutor from home in order to graduate. The decision isolated himself from others, leaving him to rely on substances to cope with his emotional pain.

“I withdrew from human connection entirely. If you can create a better petri dish for addiction, I don’t know what it is,” the speaker said.

“I missed out on a lot of the collaborative, connected healing that many of my classmates experienced in our senior year, because I withdrew from that community entirely.”

Prevention and rehabilitation reforms needed
Eubanks discussed his ideas to combat the nation’s addiction crisis, which he blamed partly on increased accessibility, acceptability and toxicity of various substances.

The speaker called for greater efforts in implementing more systems of prevention and rehabilitation to curtail the demand for drugs.

He challenged the medical community to do a better job of integrating physical health and mental health. He also challenged the education community to put more focus on nurturing emotional intelligence in early childhood education, to increase the ability to relate to other people.

Eubanks then called for greater accessibility to long-term treatment for those who cannot afford its services. He also said the criminal justice system needs to place more emphasis on rehabilitation programs, specifically, by providing inmates a therapeutic continuum of care and teaching them pro-social behaviors.

Said Eubanks, “Drugs are always going to exist. We cannot eradicate these issues by combating them on the supply side. We have to curtail the demand.”

In addition to Eubanks, the conference featured presentations from Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco; Gail Ryder, Baycare Health Systems vice president of behavioral health; and Roderick Cunningham, Drug Enforcement Agency outreach program manager.

There was also a series of breakout sessions that focused on substance abuse prevention and recovery efforts, among other topics.

Published May 29, 2019

Pasco projects in new state budget

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Florida’s $91.5 billion budget, approved by the Florida Legislature, includes funding for just two of the projects that Pasco County requested.

Legislators approved $1 million for the Land O’ Lakes U.S. 41 beautification project, and $1 million to improve the waterfront at Miller’s Bayou.

Dade City received $5 million for the extension of Morningside Drive.

While legislators approved the projects, Gov. Ron DeSantis still have the option of vetoing the projects.

Dade City also received funding for the Morningside Drive extension in last year’s budget, but it was vetoed by then Gov. Rick Scott, according to Ralph Lair, the county’s lobbyist.

Lair briefed the Pasco County Commission on the 2019 legislative session during the commission’s May 7 meeting.

In addition to funding decisions, legislators also took actions on numerous issues expected to have impacts on the county, Lair said.

Vegetable gardens could be popping up in front yards, under a law passed during the 2019 session of the Florida Legislature, unless Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoes the measure. (File)

That legislation affects growth management, vegetable gardens and tree trimming or removal, he said.

The growth management bill “will make it harder to challenge a developer’s plan for a new neighborhood or changes in any local comprehensive plan,” Lair said.

“For one thing, anyone who challenges a plan amendment and loses has to pay the prevailing party the attorney’s fees,” he said.

“Also, local governments cannot require affordable housing in new developments,” he said.

State lawmakers also passed legislation that “cripples the ability for local governments to tell people where they can plant a garden in the yard,” Lair said.

“The bill places personal property rights over the authority of counties and cities to dictate where people can grow vegetables in their yard and any existing ordinance, as we have, restricting any vegetable gardens, is void and unenforceable under the law,” Lair said.

However, deed restrictions still can regulate where vegetable gardens are planted, Lair added.

Local governments also can adopt regulations relating to water use during drought, fertilizer use and control of invasive plants and species.

State lawmakers also passed legislation that will prevent local government from requiring an application approval, permit fee, or mitigation for the pruning, trimming or removal of a tree on residential property, if the property obtains documentation from a certified arborist or licensed landscape architect that the tree is a danger to person or property.

The bill also prohibits local governments from requiring replanting of trees removed or trimmed, Lair said.

The Legislature also passed a 5-year moratorium on counties and cities from passing ordinances prohibiting plastic straws, while the state studies ordinances already approved by 10 cities that have already done so. However, DeSantis has vetoed that measure.

Commissioner Mike Moore thanked Sen. Tom Lee and Ardian Zika for their hard work in pushing through the $1 million request for Land O’ Lakes Boulevard beautification.

Moore said commissioners will keep their fingers crossed that the appropriation is not vetoed by DeSantis. He said the project to upgrade the appearance along the road is needed to help with redevelopment of U.S. 41, between state roads 54 and 52.

Moore and fellow commissioners Jack Mariano and Kathryn Starkey also noted that next year, the commission should shrink their list of priorities and work hard to get them through.

Lair agreed with the approach: “Short and sweet. Condensed is best.”

He also advised commissioners to go after funding for “shovel-ready” projects.

They tend to favor projects that are ready to go, and aren’t just in a planning stage, Lair said.

Published May 22, 2019

Saint Anthony Catholic School celebrates 135 years

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Saint Anthony Catholic School, in San Antonio, had a special celebration last week to mark its 135th anniversary.

The Most Rev. Gregory Parkes, the Bishop of the Diocese of Saint Petersburg, center, blesses the Eucharist at the morning Mass, during Saint Anthony Catholic School’s 135th anniversary event. (Christine Holtzman)

The day began with the Most. Rev. Gregory L. Parkes, Bishop of the Diocese of Saint Petersburg, presiding over a celebration of the Holy Mass.

The Rev. Garry Welsh, pastor of Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church offered welcoming remarks at the Mass and, throughout the service, the bishop reminded those gathered of the many reasons to feel a sense of gratitude for the Lord’s goodness.

“As you can see, there are a lot of things to love about being a student at Saint Anthony Catholic School,” Parkes said, during the May 10 event. “Most importantly, you learn about a person, and that person is Jesus Christ. That is a special gift that you receive while here.”

Louise Traeger Clift, the oldest alumnus of Saint Anthony Catholic School, was honored during the day’s program. The 97-year-old graduated from the school in 1935, and was one of the three students who graduated in that year.

Parkes also offered a blessing for the school’s future.

And, the bishop encouraged the school’s students to “look to the past with gratitude, look at the present with joy, and look to the future with hope.”

He reminded them that as they move forward in life, their time at the school will always be part of them.

After the Mass, a program was held under a large tent on the grounds of San Antonio City Park.

Mark Anderson, the mayor of San Antonio; and, Allen Altman, a member of the Pasco County School Board, provided proclamations.

Jessica Werckman, who has two young children at the school, introduced the speakers and also read a statement from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who wasn’t able to attend the event.

John T. Vogel II, a 2002 alumnus of the school, presented the Saint Anthony Catholic School Alumni Scholarship to two students, first-place winner Adeline Shiver and second-place winner, Carys Ragsdale.  Shiver also was the second-place winner in the Catholic Foundation Essay Winner at the Diocesan level.

Lourdes Milan’s Kindergarten class is seen performing an upbeat song called, ‘Smile, Smile, Smile.’

The event also featured a ‘Reflection of History’ presented by Lynn McCaughey.

A special moment during the program came when 97-year-old Louise Traeger Clift was honored. She is the oldest-living alumnus. She graduated in 1935, and was one of the three graduates from the school that year.

During her closing remarks, Sister Alice Ottapurackal, the school’s principal, expressed her gratitude to the students and faculty. She also announced that after nine years at the school she is moving to a new assignment in New Jersey.

Following the program, children from each grade performed songs in a spring concert, conducted by Angela Kempe. To get things started, Werckman performed a heartfelt rendition of “How Beautiful.”

The festivities concluded with a picnic lunch provided in the park and an open house tour of the school.

Published May 15, 2019

The Most Rev. Gregory Parkes, the Bishop of the Diocese of Saint Petersburg, center, arrives by golf cart to the outdoor program. The cart was driven by the Pastor of Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, the Rev. Garry Welsh. The Rev. Allan Tupa, of Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Zephyrhills, is seen on left.
The Rev. Andrew Siasa, front, and the Rev. Kyle Smith walk down the sidewalk carrying the Eucharist, on their way to return it to the church. The Rev. Siasa is originally from Tanzania and the Rev. Smith also serves as the Chaplain of Saint Leo University.
Clutching her plush Pluto doll, 3-year-old Talya Makowiecki claps after watching Fracnesca Blocher’s first-grade students perform a cheerful song called ‘Positive.’ Her mom, Kymberly, is on her left.

 

Wesley Chapel Boulevard expansion plans progress

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A construction time frame has been set for Pasco County’s plans to widen Wesley Chapel Boulevard to six lanes.

The expansion of the road — also known as County Road 54 – will be broken into two projects.

The first project begins just north of the road’s intersection with State Road 56 and extends to the north of its intersection with Magnolia Boulevard.

This is what Wesley Chapel Boulevard looks like now. Its widening to six lanes has been a long-awaited development among motorists who travel the busy road. The project is a response to Pasco County’s continual growth. The project is set to begin construction as early as the fall of 2021. (File)

The second project extends from the intersection at Progress Parkway to the intersection of Oakley Boulevard.

An initial 2003 study prompted the idea of expanding Wesley Chapel Boulevard to four lanes. However, later studies predicting an increase in density resulted in a call for more widening.

“Projections we did, before 2008, show that future growth is going to bring the volumes up to a point that we’ll need to have six lanes there,” said Panos Kontses, a Pasco County engineering manager.

The widening comes at a time when State Road 54 and State Road 56 are adding new commercial and residential buildings, in response to the area’s growing demands.

County engineers are finalizing the blueprints for the project.

“Right now, we are trying to finish the design plans,” Kontses said. “We are about 90 percent finished.”

Letters offering to purchase right of way have been sent to landowners along the route of the first project.

Most of this stretch is two lanes, without a median to divide opposing traffic.

The new construction adds a median, which will have openings so motorists can make turns.

Future plans for commercial growth and road widening on Old Pasco Road was considered in this project, the engineering manager said.

Kontses said the expansion of Old Pasco Road, which intersects with Wesley Chapel Boulevard, is expected to increase traffic.

The county’s plan to create a new interchange at Interstate 75 and Overpass Road — which feeds into Old Pasco Road — also will increase activity in the area,  Kontses added.

Motorists heading northbound on Wesley Chapel Boulevard, have to make a slight right curve when going past the intersection of Old Pasco Road.

Eastbound traffic already has three lanes from Old Pasco Road to Oakley Boulevard, but westbound traffic has just two lanes for a portion of that stretch.

To accommodate an expansion of a six-lane road, the existing median will be narrowed.

This median runs north of Magnolia Boulevard to Oakley Boulevard.

The projects’ additional amenities will include an 8-foot multi-use trail to the east side of Wesley Chapel Boulevard and 5-foot to 6-foot sidewalk on the west side. These will be installed in the area between State Road 56 to Magnolia Boulevard.

Also, traffic lights will be added at Wesley Chapel Boulevard’s intersections with Stagecoach Village Boulevard and Compark Drive.

A signal already has been installed at Grand Oaks Boulevard, but will undergo an upgrade during construction.

While it’s too early to tell what delays or closures may come, Kontses assured that contractors will use night construction in order to minimize disruption.

Both projects will be treated as one development during the construction phase. The project cost is estimated at $53 million.

“We assume construction should start sometime between the end of 2021 and [the] beginning of 2022,” Kontses stated.

Construction is expected to be completed by the summer of 2024.

Published May 08, 2019

Youth vaping a growing concern in Pasco

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Health officials in Pasco County are concerned about rising numbers of local teens who are using electronic cigarettes, or vaping.

Last year, about 25 percent of Florida high school students reported current use of electronic vaping, according to the Florida Department of Health. That marked a staggering 58 percent increase compared to 2017.

Representatives from the Florida Department of Health of Pasco County discussed youth e-cigarette use at a recent community meeting hosted by the Pasco Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP). (Kevin Weiss)

The figures might be even higher in Pasco County, according to Jenae Haddocks, a health educator with the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County.

“What we’re seeing is Pasco is above average as far as youth initiation in e-cigs and vape use, and above state average for that, so that’s not good,” Haddocks said at a recent community meeting hosted by the Pasco Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park.

“We’re having a hard time trying to address it,” she added.

Exacerbating the vaping issue, Haddocks said, is a lack of oversight by e-cigarette retailers, along with a lack of regulation on e-cig products and flavors by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Haddocks pointed out e-cigs and related products can be purchased online with minimal or no type of age verification. “Kids can go online and purchase these products. It’s kind of surprising,” she said.

E-cigarette devices heat a liquid that produces an aerosol, or vapor. That liquid usually contains nicotine, flavorings and other chemicals.

Long-term health effects of vaping remain unknown.

However, some of the ingredients in e-cigarette aerosol could be harmful to the lungs in the long-term, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Moreover, the Florida Department of Health reports that the CDC has stated that that a single e-cig liquid pod of the popular e-cigarette brand JUUL contains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes.

Haddocks suggested e-cigarettes makers are marketing to youth and teenagers with pods that have “candylike or sweet flavoring” – flavors like bubblegum, fruit punch, candy cane, and crème brulee, to name a few.

The speaker noted the labeling of some of these pods even resemble that of candy products such as Sour Patch Kids or Bubblicious Original Bubble Gum. Such labeling makes e-cigs seem less harmful and more appealing for teens to try, Haddocks said.

The Florida Department of Health has seen a staggering increase in the number of teenagers vaping or using electronic cigarettes. (Courtesy of Florida Department of Health)

Currently, the JUUL brand and related sweet vapor flavorings, Haddock noted, “are really, really popular among youth right now.”

She put it like this: “Of course, adults do like those flavorings, but who’s more likely to buy bubble gum or Bubblicious at a gas station — a 12-year-old or a 35-year-old?”

Aside from nicotine and other unknown chemicals, the speaker went on to explain that e-cigarettes and vape products can be manipulated with illicit substances.

Haddocks said some Pasco County teens have been caught with e-cig pods that test positive for alcohol, THC, cannabis and other substances.

Said Haddocks: “They’re smoking things laced with who knows what and they don’t know half the time, so that’s kind of turning into an even bigger issue that we’re seeing.”

She added: “It’s kind of a growth issue that we have right now in Pasco.”

Meanwhile, Haddocks said general tobacco use among children under 18 years old remains “a big issue” in the county.

She pointed out the younger that someone is when first trying tobacco, the more likely that person is to become a lifelong tobacco user, or to abuse tobacco for years to come.

“Ninety percent of adult smokers begin at or before the age of 18. It’s a huge concern,” she said.

To better combat such youth initiation, Haddocks advised the community to educate youth on the dangers of tobacco products and other drugs.

Published May 01, 2019

Pasco library patrons asked to share their ideas

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Pasco County Libraries is remaking its seven branches and wants the public to help guide the way.

There will be a series of Community Listening Sessions as the design phase of library remodeling gets underway, according to a news release from the county.

Mr. Tommy jokes around by hiding in the crowd at the New River Branch Library, during his introduction before his show. (File)

Anyone with ideas about the planned use of various spaces within the renovated library branches is invited to attend a session to share their thoughts.

The three-year remodeling project is funded by voter approval in November of $18.6 million in general obligation bonds for library upgrades. The county’s libraries were built before the 1980s.

The first listening sessions are being held for the New River branch in Wesley Chapel and the Centennial Park branch in Holiday.

The first session will be at New River Branch Library, 34043 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, on April 25 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The unusual-looking blue chameleon has eyes for Stacy Dunn as it sits perched on her finger during a presentation on reptiles at New River Branch Library.

The second one will be at Centennial Park Branch Library, 5740 Moog Road in Holiday, on April 30 from 6:30 p.m. to  7:30 p.m.

An estimated $2 million in renovations will be done at the New River Branch Library. The project is in design phase and is expected to be completed in 2020.

Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles has said that the county plans to close the libraries during the renovation, with outreach efforts planned to serve patrons.

Closing the libraries during the work will allow contractor to complete the work more quickly and at a lower cost than doing phases at each facility, Biles said.

In addition to the New River Branch Library, improvements also are planned at the Hugh Embry Branch Library and the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library.

Nearly $1.8 million in improvements is planned at the Hugh Embry Branch Library, 14215 Fourth St., in Dade City. That project is expected to be completed in 2021.

And, nearly $1.7 million in improvements is planned at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes. That project is expected to be completed in 2021.

Published April 24, 2019

Holy Name Monastery: A tranquil place on a hill

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Funny how a place can be both otherworldly and so much a part of this world.

Holy Name Monastery is like that. It’s a peaceful place where Benedictine Sisters of Florida rise before the birds are up to pray quietly in their chapel, then return for daily Mass and more common prayers throughout the day.

A ribbon drapes a wooden cross beside vegetables growing in Sister Miriam’s aquaponic garden. (Karen Haymon Long)

Then, rather than sit idly enjoying their monastic peacefulness, they head out into the world – to a childhood center, a thrift store and food bank, to chamber of commerce meetings and to an aquaponic garden that produces so many vegetables they sell some to Benedetto’s Ristorante, a popular Pasco County restaurant.

The 16 nuns who call this monastery home use the Internet, read newspapers, watch TV news and invite in experts who inform them about political candidates and topics, such as human trafficking.

And, “we definitely vote,’’ says Prioress Roberta Bailey.

Sister Mary Clare Neuhofer, prioress before Sister Roberta, says they are well aware of the stark divisions in our country today.

“Our response is to pray for a just solution and for our leaders, so that they will have the guidance they need to make just decisions for the good of the people,” she says.

Many of the sisters write to lawmakers in Florida and Washington D.C., about peace, justice, the death penalty and other issues that concern them.

Sister Mary Clare Neuhofer joined the monastery in 1956, fresh out of high school.

They stay busy reaching out to help those in need, whether it be the homeless, the hungry, spiritual searchers, or those who just need a friend.

Because they are a community of sisters, they pool their wages into a common account and are given monthly allowances of $70 for clothes, shoes or whatever they may want to buy. They haven’t worn the restrictive, long black habits since the 1960s, but instead prefer slacks, tops and comfortable shoes, since they always have someplace to go, someone to help.

One sister serves as director at Daystar Hope Center in Dade City, the thrift store and food bank, while four of her sisters and a crew of other volunteers help run the operation.

Two other sisters teach at Sacred Heart Early Childhood Center in nearby Saint Joseph. Another sister is a data analyst at Saint Leo University, across the street from the monastery. Another works at an area assisted living center, where one of their sisters lives.

Others, like Sister Donna — who is famous for her homemade rolls and cookies — feed Habitat for Humanity volunteers at their worksites.

Sister Roberta Bailey is Holy Name Monastery’s prioress who says, ‘there’s no retirement when you are a sister.’

Many of the sisters host monthly music concerts and retreats in a wing of their monastery built in 2017 to meet the demand for retreats.

Asked how many retreats they host a year, Sister Mary Clare laughs and says, “That’s impossible for me to answer.”

There are too many and too many kinds to keep track.

Some are for big groups, some for just one person. Some are for Roman Catholics like themselves. Others are nondenominational or for Episcopalians, or members of other faiths. Some retreats are silent, except for meals. Some are not.

Some attendees stay in one of the retreat wing’s 10 hotel-like double rooms at a rate of $45 a night, or $75 for room and meals. Others go home at night.

The sisters offer spiritual counseling and days of reflection they direct themselves. Some groups direct their own retreats. Either way, guests are welcomed to walk around the grounds, sit in the rose garden, take a nature trail or peruse books in the monastery’s library.

Individuals on retreat “immerse themselves into our lives,” says Sister  Roberta. “They eat meals with us, pray with us.”

The Benedictine Cross on the front of the monastery.

Sister Mary Clare adds: “If they want to take a nap, they take a nap, and some of them take naps as soon as they get here.”

It’s easy to see why. Cellphones are only allowed in certain places. Signs remind: “Quiet, please, in hallways,’’ and many areas are softly lit or full of comforting natural light. Talk of politics is discouraged at meals, reason enough for some people to flock here on retreat.

Noise and traffic in the outside world can be so intrusive, Sister Roberta says. When retreaters leave, “They say, ‘I forget until I come here how impossible it is to stop and think about God, and to think about life and how I want to live it.’”

Some visit for other reasons: During Hurricane Irma in September of 2017, the sisters housed 18 people who fled the storm.

Day in and day out, the sisters take turns serving meals, doing the dishes and performing other needed chores. They come from all sorts of backgrounds and range in age. The youngest is in her mid-50s; the oldest was Sister Helen Lange, who was 105 when she died on March 18.

Sister Miriam Cosgrove loves working in the aquaponic gardens at Holy Name Monastery so much she calls it play instead of work.

Sister Roberta, who has short, wispy gray hair, blue eyes and a sweet pixie face, was just 16 in 1953 when she moved from DeLand to St. Leo to attend high school at Holy Name Academy, run by the Benedictine Sisters of Florida. She joined them as a nun in 1957, calling her decision “a call from God.”

She is proud that she started the first accredited Montessori school in Florida in 1970 and served as principal of St. Anthony Catholic Elementary School in nearby San Antonio for 15 years.

She serves on Saint Leo University’s board of trustees, a chamber of commerce board, on every Holy Name Monastery committee, plus, she is always available to her fellow sisters.

Asked if she has ever not worked, she smiles and says, “No, I’ve always been involved. There’s no retirement when you are a sister.’’

Sister Mary Clare has her own long history of serving as a Benedictine Sister. The middle child of 11 who grew up on a chicken farm in Saint Joseph, she had just graduated from Holy Name Academy in 1956 when she followed her older sister into the monastery. Before that, she hadn’t considered it, but was encouraged to join by friends and family.

“When I entered the monastery, I felt at home and wondered why I hadn’t wanted to do this,” says Sister Mary Clare, who has gray eyes, short reddish brown hair and a ready smile.

Vegetables from Sister Miriam’s garden feed the nuns and some are sold to Benedetto’s Ristorante Italiano in Pasco County.

Over the years, after college, she taught elementary students in Catholic schools in Jacksonville Beach, Sarasota and North Miami, then ran the campus ministry at Saint Leo College, which is now Saint Leo University. Afterward, she was the college’s acting dean of women, then director of residential life. In 1988, she resigned to take a sabbatical and travel, then returned to the  monastery, where she became the treasurer of the community, then the prioress.

Now, she serves on many monastery committees, including music and prayer, she’s an organist, helps with retreats, coordinates hospitality and takes part in other house missions, as well as serving on the local board of Catholic Charities.

The Benedictine Sisters, she says, were not formed to do “any particular work, such as teaching, nursing or working with the poor. We are free to do many types of work.’’

Sister Miriam Cosgrove, who joined the monastery at 18, chose gardening after dedicating more than 40 years to teaching and guidance counseling in elementary schools. In the nine years since “retirement,” she has developed a prosperous aquaponic garden that produces eggplant, lettuce, squash, cabbage and many other types of vegetables.

She also tends schools of Red Nile tilapia whose waste is changed by “good bacteria” into nitrates that fertilize her plants. Schoolchildren sometimes visit and others, too, and the sisters eat her vegetables at mealtime. Sometimes, they even eat her tilapia.

Sister Tracey Adams calls herself a ‘baby sister,’ since she only joined the monastery last June.

Fit and tan and sporting camouflage cargo shorts, a white top and straw hat, she works hard in her garden, but doesn’t seem to consider it work at all.

“I don’t work. I play,’’ she says, laughing. “It’s not work if you love it.”

She relishes the peacefulness of her garden and monastic life.

“People who come here on retreat say how peaceful it is. And, when they leave, they say, ‘This is exactly what I needed. I’ll be back.’”

Sister Tracey Adams, whose brown eyes are the same color as her hair,  calls herself “a baby sister,” since she only joined the sisters last June. She came to the monastery from St. Petersburg, where she was a hospice nurse.

She says she had health problems and felt a desire to live simply, so after a road trip alone that took her to 22 states, she stopped by the monastery, which she heard about from her priest back home.

“I was on a mission to find what God wanted for the next portion of my life, she says.

She stayed with them one night, then another. Then, returned every month for a year.

“It was always hard to leave,” she says. So she became a volunteer, then an affiliate, then a postulate and now she’s a novice.

“I found a lot of peace here,” she says. She uses her nursing skills, takes care of the rose bushes “and I love to wash dishes, so I do that,” she laughs. She’s on the peace and justice and hospitality committees, and spends some of her time reading and studying.

“Like the Army, we try to be all we can be,” she says. “I may not be able to help’’ people on the other side of the globe. “But, I’m praying for them.’’

The Benedictine Sisters of Florida’s Holy Name Monastery is at 12138 Wichers Road, St. Leo. Contact (352) 588-8320 or BenedictineSistersOfFl.org.

By Karen Haymon Long

Published April 17, 2019