The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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These skunks are cuddly, not stinky

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Skunks have a reputation that precedes them.

And, it’s not particularly flattering.

Delilah (front) and Pepe sit on Kat Wysocki’s lap during a reading program at the Lutz Branch Library. Wysocki is from Florida Skunk Rescue. (Mary Rathman)

It’s no secret that they are known for their ability to smell up a place with their spray.

Florida Skunk Rescue, however, is working to help dispel the negative perception that many have about the furry creatures.

Recently, Kat Wysocki, vice president of the rescue organization, brought some skunks to the Lutz Branch Library for a “Reading Doesn’t Stink” presentation.

The program, for kindergarteners through third-graders, was a way to add some fun to reading, while educating kids about skunks.

Children and their parents embrace friendly skunks, while Kat Wysocki reads a story about the furry animals.

“We rescue and foster them, and then we find forever homes for the ones that can be adopted out,” Wysocki said.

Granted, these are not the typical skunks found in the wild. Instead, they are skunks that have been domesticated.

The rescue team only rescues skunks that serve as pets and that have been abandoned, or must be given up by their owners.

The domesticated skunks typically are raised on farms and sold in pet stores.

Kat Wysocki of the Florida Skunk Rescue helps to retrieve pet skunks like Lily.

The rescue organization has locations in Hudson and St. Petersburg, but provides services throughout Florida.

“We’ve picked up skunks as far as Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and all the way up to Tallahassee,” Wysocki said.

Florida is among several states that allow skunks to be treated as pets.

During the library presentation, parents and library staff were initially reluctant to  to hold the furry creatures.

But, children soon were smiling, as they held and petted the skunks.

The visiting skunks did not spray anyone — they couldn’t

The scent glands are removed from domesticated skunks when they are 2 weeks to 3 weeks old.

Lily is an example that domesticated skunks don’t have to stink but can be friendly.

Removing the scent glands prevents the release of the odor that skunks spray as a defense mechanism, Wysocki said.

Besides skunks that have been abandoned, some skunks at the shelter were placed there by owners who moved to another state, where it’s illegal to have pet skunks.

When the rescue organization takes in a skunk, it undergoes an evaluation by a veterinarian, and is quarantined for any contagious diseases.

The rescue team uses public events and social media to help spread the word that there are skunks available for adoption.

Not all of the pet skunks they take in can be adopted out. Some pet skunks have been abused or have medical issues; others are too old.

The lifespan of a striped skunk is 10 years when under human care, and seven years when in the wild, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute.

Pepe is one of the skunks who garners attention from both kids and adults. The furry animals were a part of a presentation at the Lutz Branch Library, on Nov. 19.

Skunks enjoy eating worms, crickets and quail eggs, Wysocki said. At the shelter, the team will treat them to omelets, too, she added.

She said domesticated skunks often roam like cats and form unique relationships with their owners.

“A lot of these guys come from loving homes,” she added. “They’re extremely sensitive and they bond with their people. It’s almost childlike.”

During the skunks recent visit to the library, it was apparent that the children were connecting with the animals.

They took turns holding the three visiting skunks.

Adults also warmed up to the animals, as the program went on.

As Wysocki read a book on skunks to the children, their attention would momentarily shift from the story to the furry friends they were holding.

Two-year-old Rocco Cracchiolo is quick to make friends with the furry Pepe.

The rescue organization wants to introduce young children to wildlife, and help them develop a fascination for reading.

And, the organization makes presentations at schools and museums.

The skunks also can be therapeutic when presented at nursing homes or to those suffering from post-traumatic stress.

However, Wysocki emphasized that it’s a good idea, in general, to be cautious around skunks.

For instance, it’s important to keep your fingers away from the animal’s mouth: It might mistake it for food and bite it.

She also said there are clues when wild skunks are getting ready to spray. It may stomp its feet, puff up its body, charge or pull up its tail.

Wysocki said the rescue organization welcomes the opportunity to offer presentations.

“We never pass up an opportunity to educate,” Wysocki said. “We are big believers that the more you teach kids to love and understand animals – at this age – the more compassionate adults they will become.”

Published December 04, 2019

Helping others at the holidays, and all year-long

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As the holidays approach — a big holiday meal — can help create a festive feel.

But, for some families, those kind of feasts are beyond their financial reach.

Jackie Smack, a volunteer with the Neighborhood Care Center, places a pair of pants on a hanger, and works them onto the rack inside the center’s clothing department. Smack has been volunteering at the center for five years. She said she feels blessed to help others in need. (Christine Holtzman)

That’s where The Neighborhood Care Center, in Zephyrhills, comes in.

It has been helping families at the holidays — and throughout the year — for more than two decades.

During the holidays, the care center seeks to help its recipients have the makings of a traditional holiday meal. For Thanksgiving, for instance, it plans to provide families with a frozen ham or chicken, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, stuffing, corn muffin mix, and pies. At Christmas, it provides recipients with turkey and all of the trimmings. Last year, it gave away 125 turkeys during the holidays.

But, helping others at the holidays is just a small part of what The Neighborhood Care Center does.

The organization sees a need and tries to address it.

“There’s always been a big problem of people not having everything they need – not having the money to buy it,” said Leanne Bickford, the nonprofit’s director, and also a volunteer.

The First Baptist Church in Zephyrhills began the initiative in 1993 to combat hunger and other dire circumstances that Zephyrhills residents face.

Now, a quarter-century later, the care center is still going strong.

It has an open pantry on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from 9 a.m. to noon.

Each room at the center is stocked to address specific needs.

Children’s toys take up a portion of the bottom shelf of stacked canned goods, inside the warehouse of the Neighborhood Care Center. The canned goods on these shelves are reserved for the recipients of the center, to provide the makings of a Thanksgiving meal. The items consist mostly of canned pumpkin, pineapple, apple, and yams.

There’s a place for nonperishable foods and frozen meats. And, places for toys, furniture, clothing, tools, kitchen appliances and hygiene products.

Care center volunteers pride themselves on quality control, when it comes to accepting donations, Bickford said.

“My motto that I’ve tried to drill into everybody is ‘If you wouldn’t put it in your house, don’t take it’,” the director said.

The pantry relies solely on donations.

The contributions come from churches, local organizations and individuals —  including snowbirds.

Most of the food items come from the National Association of Letter Carriers food drive which occurs in May. That supply typically lasts until September.

Other donations come from Meals on Wheels, Panera Bread and Publix.

Dozens of gently used men’s, women’s and children’s shoes are neatly arranged on metal racks in the center’s shoe department.

Food is distributed as quickly as it comes in.

And, on any given day, 50 people or more may show up to receive furniture or clothing.

The service area for the center is restricted to Zephyrhills, because it can’t meet the needs of the entire county.

Beneficiaries must apply to receive items, but exceptions are made for homeless people who lack proper documents and photo IDs.

Sometimes the help goes beyond donated items, Bickford said.

“We’re not a full-fledged food pantry,” Bickford explained. “We are for emergency purposes – if they’re between food stamps or they come down from up north with nothing.”

When people are short on funds for utility and electric bills, or prescriptions, the care center can help to cover the expenses.

“I’ve had a mother come in with one child and they’re getting $350 worth of food stamps,” Bickford said. “Something is not right with this picture.”

Various churches allocate funds to the nonprofit in order to provide this assistance.

When the care center is unable to provide needed help, it makes referrals to other organizations, such as The Samaritan Project or The Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Volunteers Jackie Smack, left, and Leanne Bickford, who is also the center’s director, take a break from sorting the day’s donated items.

It also directs people to Zephyr Park to receive hot meals from local churches.

Bickford tries to get the word out about the care center when she speaks at various establishments, or in her daily encounters with strangers.

In addition to holiday meals, the care center also helps families to have happy holidays in other ways.

As Christmas approaches, the care center will host a Kids Shopping Day.

The Dec. 7 event, from 9 a.m. to noon, allows youth to pick out gifts for their parents.

Care center volunteers are hoping for a big turn-out to that event.

In the long-term, the goal is to find a bigger building to facilitate the growing number of donations.

Bickford put it like this: “There’s a big need, and I’m glad that we’re here to help (fill) that void.”

In helping others, she emphasizes the importance of preserving the recipients’ dignity.

“I keep telling people, ‘We need to treat these people the same way you want to be treated, because we never know when we could be coming in that door looking for help.

“We might be volunteering here right now, but you don’t know what’s in store tomorrow,” Bickford said.

For further information, call the care center at (813) 780-6822.

Helping others in need
Where: The Neighborhood Care Center, 5140 Sixth St., Zephyrhills
When: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon
Details: Zephyrhills residents in need can find an array of free items, including  food, clothes, kitchen supplies and furniture at the center.
Info: Call (813) 780-6822.

Published November 27, 2019

Irish tenor to perform at St. Timothy Catholic Church

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Emmet Cahill, an internationally known singer, will be performing a holiday concert at St. Timothy Catholic Church on Dec. 10.

It will be the second time in two years that Cahill, a principal performer with the Irish music show Celtic Thunder, will be making a solo appearance at the Lutz church.

As a principal vocalist with Celtic Thunder since 2011, Cahill has performed in more than 350 shows across North America and Australia, including numerous appearances on PBS, The Today Show, Fox and Friends, Home & Family, and QVC, according to Cahill’s website.

Emmet Cahill, principal singer of Celtic Thunder, will perform in a solo concert at St. Timothy Catholic Church on Dec. 10. (Courtesy of Emmet Cahill)

Some of the famous venues where he has sung include St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City and Carnegie Hall. He also opened the beginning of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York, with a performance of “Danny Boy.”

Celtic Thunder is on a break this year, he said.

“Last year we did our 10th anniversary tour. We did 75 cities and the states of Canada,” the tenor said.

In addition to Celtic Thunder, Cahill also has been a solo artist since 2015, performing in more than 60 cities across North America.

His concert at St. Timothy in 2017 occurred after Chase White, the church’s music director, was contacted by Jeanne Hatter, who helps Cahill line up his appearances.

“At first, I thought it was a scam, but then I learned that he had done a concert earlier in the year at St. Catherine of Sienna Catholic Church in Clearwater,” White said. “Their music director is a good friend, and she is the person who referred us to Emmet and Jeanne as a possible performance venue.

“Emmet is a practicing Catholic, and he prefers churches to other concert venues,” White said.

“We typically do not allow tickets to be sold for concerts at our church, but we made an exception for this. Emmet is a young artist, and he needs money to continue his work. We were surprised when he donated a large percentage of all proceeds back to our music ministry,” White said.

White was delighted when Cahill sang at the church two years ago and is pleased the accomplished singer is making a repeat visit.

“I have been a fan of Emmet’s for several years and have followed his career with Celtic Thunder,” White said. “I am a trained singer and have enjoyed much local success; I would have a difficult time naming a singer, professional or otherwise, who is more skilled than Emmet. “Many compare him stylistically to Josh Groban, but I would much prefer to hear Emmet sing any day of the week. His voice is simply unparalleled to my ear,” White said.

Despite being highly skilled, White added, “he is remarkably humble and thoughtful.”

Cahill said he began singing hymns and Irish songs, at an early age.

“My mom was a church singer. My dad was a church organist. Every Sunday we would sing in choir.”

Growing up in a musical family, he said, influenced the course of his life.

He received a five-year “Schola Cantorum” music scholarship at his high school, St. Finian’s College, in Mullingar. At 18, he began professional training at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

His music has taken him far and wide, giving him a chance to travel to nearly every state in the United States four times. “Alaska and Hawaii are the only two I haven’t sung in yet, so we’ll have to get them at some point,” he said.

He enjoys touring, and especially enjoys sharing his music in churches.

At churches, he said, “you hear about the community. You hear about all of the projects they’re doing.

“Churches are the focal point of so many communities, and you wouldn’t really get, I suppose, to get that insight into a community if you were just going to a regular theater, performing a show,” Cahill said.

He also considers music to be the universal language — serving as a conduit for him to get to know people from all around the country.

“I love meeting new people every day and working with new people every day, and that’s the nature of what touring is,” he said.

He acknowledges it was a little odd at first, to be recognized by strangers in public, for his singing.

“I didn’t get into music to become famous.

“Nowadays, some people pursue the fame more than the music. They go on these reality shows and stuff like that,” he said.

While he didn’t avoid public attention, but didn’t invite it, either, he said.

“Celtic Thunder was obviously a vehicle that brought my name into millions of homes in America, and so out of that, people would know me in that context, through PBS and through the show.

“Certainly, the first year or so, it was a little bit strange, you’d be walking down the street and people stop you. Or, they’d figure out that I like coffee and they’re waiting at the Starbucks — something like that,” Cahill said.

But, he added, in his experience “people are generally nice and the reason they pursue you, or come after you, is because they love what you do.

“I’m never going to complain about someone coming up and saying how much the music means to them.”

Plus, he said, “I think if you’re relaxed with people when they approach you, they’ll reciprocate the same thing. People reflect the energy you give them.”

Those choosing to attend Cahill’s concert have the option to attend a pre-show, for an additional charge.

The pre-show is a meet-and-greet, where Cahill does a Q&A, poses for photos and signs tickets or CDs.

“It’s kind of a getting-to-know-you session,” the vocalist said.

But, he added, those attending the concert also get a chance to learn quite a bit about him.

“I talk about my life in Ireland, and my life on tour, the things I’ve experienced,” he said.

He’s not just a performer on a stage — he reaches out to the audience.

“I break down those barriers. I like to see people going away, feeling like they really know me,” Cahill said.

“The guy you meet at the concert is the guy you drink a beer with,” he said.

“Christmas in Ireland” concert
What: Irish tenor Emmet Cahill, Sony recording artist and principal singer with Celtic Thunder will perform in concert.
When: Dec. 10, 7 p.m.
Where: St. Timothy Catholic Church, 17512 Lakeshore Road in Lutz
Cost: Tickets are $35 concert; $50 (concert and pre-show). Tickets can be purchased online, at EmmetCahill.com and at St. Timothy Catholic Church parish office. This is a benefit concert. Proceeds help families in need.
Info: Call St. Timothy Catholic Church at (813) 968-1077, or visit EmmetCahill.com.

Published November 20, 2019

Initiatives aim to help veterans

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Veterans statewide could soon see a slew of new and expanded benefits and services, if the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs gets its way in the 2020 legislative session and beyond.

The agency is enrolling 17 legislative bills for the upcoming 60-day session, which begins in January, Al Carter, the department’s chief of staff, reported at the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce’s November breakfast meeting at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus in Wesley Chapel.

Those priorities include greater funding and staffing for the cabinet agency, Carter said. The department of veterans affairs now has an annual budget of $150 million. It has 1,260 employees, serving Florida’s 1.5 million veterans.

Florida Department of Veterans Affairs chief of staff Al Carter was the featured guest speaker at the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce’s November breakfast meeting at Pasco- Hernando State College-Porter Campus in Wesley Chapel. (Kevin Weiss)

“The long and short of it is, we want to be a premier agency to advocate for our veterans, and receiving those benefits and services that they’ve earned as a product of their service,” Carter said.

“Billions of dollars are available for services. Let that sink in,” he said.

Some department requests include:

  • Funding to complete two new 100-plus bed veterans’ nursing homes in Port St. Lucie and Orlando
  • 104 full-time positions for the department’s Homes Division
  • Five full-time staff to expand its team of veterans’ claims examiners
  • Three positions within its Bureau of Information and Research, a new division analyzing trends in federal legislation and identifying potential voids in veterans’ benefits and services.

There’s also an effort to build upon a number of bills or laws from past legislative sessions, Carter said.

For instance, the department wants to expand funding for alternative treatment options for veterans with post-traumatic stress. It wants to go beyond counseling and prescription medications.

The veterans affairs department contracts with state colleges and universities to offer these treatments: hyperbaric oxygen treatment, physical therapy, accelerated resolution therapy, music therapy, equine therapy and service animal training therapy.

Carter, a retired Army colonel who spent 28 years in the military, noted that roughly 20 veterans commit suicide every day.

The challenges that veterans face are not “cookie-cutter in nature,” he said. As a result, “treatment for one does not necessarily reflect treatment for all.”

He added: “Whatever helps the largest number of veterans, we’re trying to do, and these alternative therapies have proven helpful in getting veterans off of those different opioids.”

The agency also is proposing an amendment to the state’s homestead tax exemption to allow the same ad valorem tax discount on homestead property for the surviving spouse of a combat-disabled veteran age 65 or older. The exemption would remain in effect for the spouse, until he or she dies.

“It’s revenue neutral to the state, so it’s a no-brainer to do this,” Carter said.

Another legislative initiative would allow medical doctors and doctor of osteopathic physicians employed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and licensed in other states to also practice and treat veterans in private medical facilities in Florida. (Doctors employed by the VA and practicing in Florida do not have to have a Florida medical license.)

Carter said the measure would provide more convenient accessible care for veterans, particularly when VA clinics close due to inclement weather, or are relocated or shut down.

“Having the ability for our doctors on the VA staff to be able to go to these (private) facilities and treat our veterans is definitely huge,” he said.

Burgess seeking to boost agency services
Carter also detailed an initiative called Forward March.

That initiative began after former State Rep. Danny Burgess, of Zephyrhills, was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to become the executive director of veterans affairs.

Under Forward March, the department assesses the needs of veterans across the state, and seeks ways to eliminate redundancy and increase collaboration in veterans services offered by businesses, community and volunteer organizations — as it pertains to housing, mental health, emergency assistance and legal matters.

Carter said early observations reveal that veterans are often unaware of how to get access to services, and that organizations offering services often are “working in silos,” instead of working together.

He explained: “There may be one person, one entity over here providing housing services and they’ve got grants to provide housing services to a variety of veterans, and then there’s another one right next door that has no clue what this other one does, and oftentimes they’re doing very similar programs. If they were joined together, imagine the amount of services that they could provide. They could double, if not triple, the amount of services for our veterans, so that’s one of the things we’re trying to key on.”

Carter also touched on some more long-range goals for the agency, spearheaded under Burgess’s leadership.

One is expanding the agency’s GI LAW (Lawyers Assisting Warriors) initiative, whereby veterans affairs contracts with some of the state’s leading law firms to provide pro bono legal services to military members. The program currently applies only to sergeants (E-5) and lower ranks, but the department hopes to ultimately expand it to all veterans.

That program is particularly helpful to the state’s homeless veteran population, Carter said, noting they oftentimes are homeless because of minor legal issues they need to resolve, but often are reluctant to seek help.

“It’s a phenomenal program,” Carter said. “We’re coming out to meet (veterans), where the rubber meets the road, and help them to get back into society.”

The department also is working to expand a program that’s designed to provide mental health and substance abuse treatment, and rehabilitation pathways for veterans involved with the criminal justice system, rather than punishment.

Burgess also has pushed to enhance the department’s online communication footprint — making its mobile app more user-friendly, and, creating Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube pages, to complement its website and Facebook page.

“(Burgess) is tech-savvy. Unfortunately I’m not,” Carter joked.

Published November 13, 2019

Medal of Honor recipient inspires local students

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It was May 8, 1968, in La Chu, when then 19-year-old U.S. Army Specialist 4 Robert Martin Patterson singlehandedly bum-rushed five machine gun bunkers, killed eight enemy soldiers and captured a weapons cache, all in the midst of a firefight in the Vietnam War.

The actions that day earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor, the United States military’s highest and most prestigious designation for acts of valor.

Patterson would go on to serve 26 years in the Army and reach the highest enlisted rank, Command Sergeant Major, before retiring in 1991. Post-military, he worked as a representative for the Department of Veterans Affairs for 12 years.

He is one of just 70 living Medal of Honor recipients, out of total of 3,507.

Patterson’s heroism and military career were highlighted during a recent speaking engagement at Land O’ Lakes High School.

The visit was part the school’s yearlong collaboration with the Medal of Honor Character educational program, where teachers use stories of Medal of Honor recipients to help students explore the values of courage, integrity, sacrifice, commitment, citizenship and patriotism.

Patterson’s appearance at the school coincided with this year’s annual Medal of Honor Convention in Tampa, which hosted 46 Medal of Honor recipients from Oct. 22 to Oct. 26.

Seven other Pasco County schools also were visited by Medal of Honor recipients through the program. They were Deer Park Elementary; Centennial, Pine View, Charles S. Rushe, and Paul R. Smith middle schools; and Hudson and Wesley Chapel high schools.

Addressing a lecture hall full of students, the 71-year-old Pensacola resident inspired high schoolers to follow their dreams and strive to do their best.

On May 8, 1968, 19-year-old U.S. Army Specialist 4 Robert Martin Patterson singlehandedly bum-rushed five machine gun bunkers, killed eight enemy soldiers and captured a weapons cache, all in the midst of a firefight in the Vietnam War. The actions earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor a year later. (Courtesy of Congressional Medal of Honor Society)

“The most important part of your life is your education,” Patterson said. “You can be anything that you put your mind to. You want to be a doctor? You can be a doctor. You want to be a lawyer? You can be a lawyer.”

Patterson emphasized the importance of personal integrity and good decision-making, as a means to set up for future success and happiness in adulthood.

“The most valuable asset is your integrity,” he said. “You are the only person that can affect your integrity. Nobody else can. Only you. Don’t ever jeopardize your integrity. Once your lose that integrity, you’ll play hell ever getting it back.”

The overall theme was something he himself battled growing up in a poor family of tobacco farmers in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Patterson was known around his hometown as a troublemaker, dropping out of high school in 12th grade.

“I wasn’t going to be anything in my life, according to all my teachers and everything. (They said) the only thing I’d ever be in my life was nothing but a dirt farmer,” Patterson recalled.

Patterson, of course, would later prove any doubters wrong with his decorated military service, where he also obtained a college degree.

“The only thing blocking you from doing anything in your life, is your own mind,” Patterson said, adding, “I really do regret dropping out of high school because education is really important in your life, and I didn’t realize it until years later.”

For students facing similar challenging life circumstances, Patterson recommended the military as a positive route getting on the right track. He pointed out the service instills punctuality, work ethic and personal responsibility. “Military is not a bad way to get a start in the job market,” he said.

As for his distinguished act of bravery over 50 years ago, it was all a blur.

“I don’t remember my actions at all,” he said. “I was young, dumb and invincible.”

And, he doesn’t consider himself to be a hero, either.

“I just did my job,” he said. “Somebody was going to do it, I just happened to be the one that did it.”

Asked about what it means to don the Medal of Honor, a humbled Patterson said, “It’s not mine. I just keep in sacred trust. It belongs to the (soldiers) that didn’t come back.”

Published November 06, 2019

New Suncoast Parkway projects are being planned

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Projects aimed at improving traffic flow on the Suncoast Parkway are included in the Florida Turnpike Enterprise’s tentative work program.

Those projects call for adding lanes at the parkway’s intersection with State Road 54, and for connecting the parkway with Ridge Road and with Tower Road.

Carol Scott, of the Florida Turnpike Enterprise, highlighted those proposed projects at the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) board meeting on Oct. 10, at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City.

The Suncoast Parkway intersecting with State Road 54, as seen here, may see additional lanes to help ease traffic flow. There also are plans to intersect Ridge Road and Tower Road with the Suncoast Parkway. (Brian Fernandes)

She talked about the tentative work program for fiscal years 2021 to 2025.

“We’re going to make interchange improvements to the Suncoast Parkway and the (State Road) 54 interchange,” Scott said, of the first project.

The design phase would be funded for 2021, while construction would be funded for 2022.

The proposed project would add an extra deceleration lane on the Suncoast Parkway for motorists heading northbound to State Road 54.

It also would include additional right turn and left turn lanes when exiting onto State Road 54.

Scott also said that the current toll booth on the Suncoast Parkway eventually would be replaced with an electric one.

However, Pasco County Commissioners Mike Moore and Kathryn Starkey, who sit on the MPO board, addressed the issue of congestion on State Road 54.

Motorists have expressed concerns about vehicles heading eastbound on State Road 54 stacking up before merging onto the Suncoast Parkway interchange, Moore said.

Starkey went on to state that, “We need longer turn lanes. Going on (State Road) 54 heading east in the morning, is a three- or four-light cycle wait.”

But, Starkey expressed optimism that the future Ridge Road extension, intersecting with the Suncoast Parkway, would help alleviate State Road 54 congestion.

Scott noted that there are plans to lengthen the acceleration lane turning off the state road onto the Suncoast Parkway – heading southbound.

Scott also said: “I believe there [is] also some developer-funded project in that area on (State Road) 54, to add some turn lanes in the future.”

The second project addresses Ridge Road intersecting with the Suncoast Parkway.

The Florida Turnpike Enterprise is working in conjunction with Pasco County on this initiative.

“We’re funding the interchange and we’re providing some technical assistance to the county,” Scott said.

That project is in the design phase and construction may begin in early 2020.

As of Oct. 25, a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has not been granted. This would allow the extension of Ridge Road from Moon Lake Road to the Suncoast Parkway.

Justin Hannah is a project manager for AECOM, which works with the county’s MPO.

The consulting firm had done a study to look at the Suncoast Parkway interchange projects, forecasting their impacts up to 2045.

“As a part of the study, we ended up analyzing potential interchanges,” the project manager told the board.

One of those is the connection of Tower Road, heading west to cross the Suncoast Parkway.

A Tower Road interchange would see an estimated 32% traffic diversion from the State Road 54 interchange, Hannah said.

Three alternatives are being considered for the Tower Road interchange. They are:

  • A tight diamond interchange: This would have closely-spaced and signalized intersections where the ramps would meet with the crossing road. The estimated cost would be $108.5 million.
  • A single point urban interchange: A signalized light would be placed at the center of the intersection of Suncoast Parkway and Tower Road, guiding traffic on and off ramps. The estimated cost would be $27.5 million. It also would have an approximately 3,700-foot space from the State Road 54 ramps to the south.
  • A partial clover leaf interchange: The Suncoast Parkway’s left-turn and right-turn ramps would merge with Tower Road heading upward in opposite directions, respectively. The ramps on either side, would form a loop on the north end of Tower Road before connecting again with the road. This would resemble an “M” shape. The estimated cost would be over $59 million. However, it would have a longer distance from the State Road 54 ramps.

Hannah said the great distance would be beneficial.

“The more distance and the more space we can get between the interchanges, the better the operations are, and the safer it is,” he pointed out.

Currently, the most preferred alternative is the partial clover leaf interchange, Hannah said.

There is one connection with the parkway that doesn’t seem to need long-term improvements, Hannah said.

“When we examined the State Road 52 interchange, the operations here were operating pretty well. We expect the existing interchange to handle future traffic demand through the year 2045,” Hannah said.

In addition to improvements to help motorists, Commissioner Starkey called for improvements to help bicyclists and pedestrians.

“There is no way for the cyclists to get from one side of the Suncoast (Parkway) to the other,” she said. “We just have to find a solution for that.”

Starkey suggested a flyover path where pedestrians and bicyclists would not need to contend with traffic.

Jensen Hackett of the Florida Department of Transportation briefly took to the podium, noting that the transportation department would look into any potential routes.

The Penny for Pasco program would provide funding toward a pedestrian-bicycle flyover at the Suncoast Parkway.

Published October 30, 2019

World War II vet celebrates 100th birthday

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VFW Post 8154, in Zephyrhills, was packed with people to celebrate Edward Bruno’s 100th birthday on Oct. 12.

“I think he will be absolutely stunned to see how many people have come out today to honor him and celebrate his birthday,” said Suzanne Ahmad, his niece.

And, so he was.

Edward Bruno, of Zephyrhills, donned a golden crown as he celebrated his 100th birthday on Oct. 12, with family and friends. (Brian Fernandes)

“It’s a surprise to me,” said Bruno, a decorated U.S. Marine Corps veteran, during an event that attracted relatives, devoted friends and dignitaries.

He sat at a long table, in a chair festooned with balloons, donning a birthday crown emblazoned with the number 100.

Like many of his fellow VFW members in the room, he also wore a signature red polo shirt.

Friends and relatives swarmed him, giving him hugs and handshakes, and taking photos of him.

VFW dignitaries took to the stage, offering their birthday wishes, as Bruno relaxed, taking occasional sips of his wine.

Fellow Marine veteran Glenn Shaw, who lives in Zephyrhills, welcomed the crowd.

His eyes welled with tears as he spoke about his friendship with Bruno.

“I go to his house at least once a week. If nobody makes his bed, I make his bed for him. [I] do little things around the house for him. He’s a good man. He’s my buddy,” Shaw said.

State Rep. Randy Maggard was there, too, to help celebrate the day.

“This is a special event and a special time. Truly he has epitomized the spirit of those we call the greatest generation,” said Maggard, who represents District 38 in the Florida House of Representatives.

Bruno’s extended family sat near him during the celebration, including nieces, a younger sister, a grandson and a daughter-in-law.

They celebrated Bruno’s 100 years of life, which began when he was born in Buffalo, New York, in 1919.

He grew up there, in a family of 13 children.

He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1942, at the height of World War II.

The same year, he fought in the Battle of Guadalcanal, and earned a Bronze Medal.

As his military career progressed, he served as a drill sergeant and was stationed in Guadalcanal, New Guinea, Georgia and Cape Gloucester.

“I think he’s always been very proud of his service, his devotion to his family and country,” Ahmad said.

Longevity is a family trait, she added.

However, while enjoying a lengthy life, Bruno has outlived his wife, Barbara, and his only son, Bobby.

There have been challenges, too.

He had to be fitted with a prosthetic leg, after an accident in a factory.

But, he always has made the best of his situations, Ahmad said.

And, his example has been a life lesson for her, she added.

Bruno’s two other nieces, Paulette Kline and Louise Cantwell, also were at the party, reminiscing fondly about their uncle.

“We would have a lot of happy memories of being in his home,” Kline said, “and [he was] always a very gracious host and very loving.”

She said her uncle helped her to develop a sense of gratitude.

Cantwell recalled that at family gatherings, Bruno and her other uncles would talk about growing up during the Great Depression.

She said it reinforced the importance of being there for one another.

“The solidarity is what we get from it. The family solidarity – to be together when we can and help each other when we can,” Cantwell said.

She also noted his upbeat attitude.

“He’s always got a positive outlook,” Cantwell said. “He just kept on being the same happy person.”

Plus, she mentioned, Bruno has been quite a “chick magnet,” and that’s still true today.

“At 100 years old, he can still get the women to come give him attention,” she said, laughing.

The nieces also agreed that their uncle also has an excellent sense of humor.

Besides offering kind words of congratulations, VFW members also gave Bruno gifts to mark the occasion.

They gave him a framed plaque, a case holding a certificate for his service and a Tervis tumbler cup engraved with his name.

But, Bruno wasn’t the only one celebrating a birthday that day.

Jack Henry Dias was celebrating, too. He shares Bruno’s birthday, and he was turning age 1.

Bruno held little Dias in his lap, while people took photos.

The pictures kept coming, as Bruno was helped outdoors by his grandson, Eric, before partaking in a special meal.

There, Bruno posed with his family and caregivers in front of a big military truck.

They were creating yet another memento, to celebrate Bruno’s century’s worth of life experiences.

Published October 23, 2019

At the intersection of law enforcement, mental health

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An ‘All hands on deck approach’ is needed to address the nation’s mental health crisis.

That means greater levels of state and federal funding, and enhanced collaboration between law enforcement and behavioral practitioners.

At least that was the message delivered by a group of experts during a recent criminal justice panel discussion titled “The Intersection of Law Enforcement and Mental Health.”

Speakers focused on the broad array of challenges facing today’s criminal justice professionals and the current trends, as well as future initiatives that shape law enforcement’s engagement when dealing with mental health issues.

Panelists underscored the significance of the problem on a national scale.

More than 100 students, faculty, law enforcement officials and community members gathered for the Oct. 7 discussion, hosted by Saint Leo University.

There’s no question, the challenges are far-reaching.

Dr. Jeffrey D. Senese introduces an Oct. 7 criminal justice panel discussion at Saint Leo University. Panelists, from left: Dr. Christopher Cronin, professor of psychology; Dr. Moneque Walker-Pickett, associate department chair of criminal justice and professor of criminal justice; Michelle Allen, instructor of criminal justice; Kim Senger, social work professional; and, Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco. (Courtesy of Mary McCoy, Saint Leo University)

Approximately 43.8 million adults in the United States experience mental illness each year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

The organization also reports 46% of Americans will suffer a mental illness in their lifetime.

Panelist Dr. Christopher Cronin, a Saint Leo professor of psychology, cited an American Psychological Association report that shows there are now 42,000 suicides annually in the U.S. That marks the highest rate in 28 years, and is up 24% percent since 1999.

“This is clearly an epidemic,” Cronin said.

For law enforcement, it has made a tough job even tougher, as officers work the frontlines of the mental health crisis.

One study shows that a quarter of the people shot by police are in a mental health crisis at the time when the use of force occurred, Cronin said.

However, Cronin added, law enforcement is not necessarily to blame.

“They have been forced to do a job — become mental health professionals — for which they have not been trained,” the professor said. “Officers are trained to take control of a situation and to give lawful commands, however, a person in a mental health crisis cannot conform their behavior and a situation escalates.”

Some noted incidents have included “suicide by cop.”

This phrase refers to a situation in which an individual deliberately behaves in a threatening manner, with intent to provoke a lethal response from a public safety or law enforcement officer.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco, another panelist, understands the challenges facing his deputies.

Law enforcement seeks to mitigate threat situations with bullhorns and less lethal devices, but encounters quickly can escalate, when a person who is suicidal attacks or threatens to attack police or citizens, Nocco said.

“Law enforcement officers are being put in a tough position,” the sheriff said. “We always say, ‘The safety of the citizens around that person and the deputy has to be paramount,’ because if they’re charging at you…the reality is — we have families, we want to go home, too.”

Michelle Allen, a Saint Leo criminal justice undergraduate instructor, reiterated points raised by her fellow panelists, Cronin and Nocco.

“How are you as an officer supposed to recognize that this person is suffering from mental illness? How can you look at somebody in the five seconds and say, ‘Oh, he’s mentally ill…’ He’s fighting you. What do you do, because you want to go home, too,” Allen said.

Before venturing into higher education, Allen spent two decades in Georgia, working for the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office and Smyrna Police Department, respectively.

Many arrests occur when people are in a mental health crisis or breakdown, and have either gone off their medications or have not yet been diagnosed, Allen said.

Pasco Sheriff’s Office estimates as many as 20% of its calls for service are mental health-related.

In an initiative to “get ahead of the curve,” the agency has established a specialized Mental Health and Threat Assessment Team (MHTAT). That team is trained to keep tabs on the county’s residents who have been referred on repeated occasions for involuntary evaluations, under the state’s Baker Act.

However, Allen noted, if a crime has been committed, the mentally ill still must be treated like other suspects, in the interest of officer and public safety.

“These people are not necessarily violent, not necessarily criminal,” she said, but she added,  “you want to definitely get that person in handcuffs…and then determine what’s going on with them.”

More frequent encounters between police and the mentally ill can be traced to the deinstitutionalization or closing of mental health hospitals in the last 60 years or so, according to Dr. Moneque Walker-Pickett, another panelist, who is the associate department chair of criminal justice and a criminal justice professor at Saint Leo.

The number of available psychiatric beds has plummeted, according to data cited by Walker-Pickett.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that today there is roughly one psychiatric bed for nearly 3,000 Americans, while in 1955, there was one bed for every 300 Americans, Walker-Pickett said.

Facility closures have resulted in an increase of people with mental illness winding up in America’s jail and prison systems, she added.

She explained: “It resulted in putting a lot of these people on the streets, it resulted in having people at home who weren’t getting the treatment that they needed, and as a result, sometimes there were interactions with law enforcement. You see that happening more and more — these interactions with law enforcement.”

Walker-Pickett also pointed out alternative treatment wasn’t appropriately provided in lieu of the closing of mental health facilities, particularly in low-income communities “who don’t have access to affordable or appropriate health care.”

Published October 16, 2019

Note: See more on this panel discussion in first story, below.

Leveraging the power to do good

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The tables aren’t exactly round.

Instead, they’re set up in the shape of a giant square, and those seated around it are taking turns — talking about organizations they represent.

They share what they do day-to-day. They announce upcoming events. They identify current needs.

Some folks in the room are familiar with others. The rest are total strangers.

But all have come to Bridgeway Church, 30660 Wells Road, to attend the inaugural “Wesley Chapel Pasco Difference Makers” roundtable meeting.

David West and Larry Guilford, of Make a Difference, are involved in efforts to make a difference in Pasco County, through a variety of efforts. One of those is called Wesley Chapel Pasco Difference Makers roundtable, which brings people together from a variety of charitable and service-oriented organizations, to create the potential for helping each other. Another roundtable is also held in East Pasco. (B.C. Manion)

The group an extension of the same kind of roundtable that has been meeting,  at the Make A Difference, Inc., headquarters at 12311 U.S. 301, in Dade City.

“Our goal is to bring our community together,” said Larry Guilford, founder of Make A Difference, Inc., which initiated the monthly roundtables.

“We don’t want to get in the middle,” he told those gathered. “We want to help you guys network together.”

Organizations tend to operate in silos, explained David West, who works for Make A Difference, Inc. The roundtables are intended to open lines of communication.

By sharing information, organizations can become aware of new opportunities, such as grants or training in a particular expertise, Guilford said. They also might tell each other about resources, such as  volunteers or equipment — that they need or can provide.

It didn’t take long at the initial session to learn that this assorted group of organizations had diverse immediate needs.

Bridgeway Church, for instance, could use some fill dirt.

It wants to use the dirt to help smooth out a field it would like to use for football and soccer games, said Joel Eason, senior pastor.

Diapers are in big demand at the locations operated by Oasis Pregnancy Care Centers, said Dave Dorsey, organization’s development director.

And, volunteers who can help build houses — especially on week days — would be greatly appreciated, said Jere Ferguson, director of volunteer services for Habitat for Humanity of East & Central Pasco.

Todd Woodfill, executive director of Defeat Suicide Foundation, said he’s in search of a mentor who is especially good at raising money.

He said that he needs to raise $80,000 for some services he’d like to provide next year, and so far, he noted, with a self-deprecating laugh, he’s about $79,000 short.

Jody Armstrong, of Disability Achievement Center, said her group welcomes donations of wheelchairs, walkers and other durable pieces of medical equipment. It cleans up the equipment and gets it to people who need it, she said.

Those were among needs expressed during a roundtable session that offered a glimpse into the wide range of services being provided by multiple organizations operating in Pasco County.

Work being done ranges from providing diabetic testing to encouraging students to read; from providing clothing and personal items for foster kids to supporting athletes for the Special Olympics; and, more.

Guilford said he hopes the roundtable sessions will attract not only organizations that are doing good work, but also members of the community who want to provide resources to help.

“We’re here to help you fill your needs, and also show you other needs in the area that you may not be aware of,” said Guilford, a Wesley Chapel real estate agent, who has been involved in charitable giving for numerous years.

Before his current efforts, Guilford was involved many years doing charitable work in Ukraine, Colombia and the Philippines.

He decided to return home in 2015 to focus on selling real estate and helping people in Eastern Pasco, which has been so good to him.

Make A Difference focuses on serving Dade City, Zephyrhills, San Antonio, Lacoochee and Wesley Chapel.

Its services include a mobile food pantry that distributes food once a month in Dade City and once a month in Zephyrhills. It also provides new shoes to students in need at area schools.

Guilford said he has seen an incredible amount of need in Pasco communities.

Wesley Chapel’s growth and new development has boomed in recent years, making it difficult for some people to realize it has pockets of poverty, he said.

“We don’t see the needs because Wesley Chapel is so promising,” Guilford said.

The roundtables are based on old-fashioned concept of networking.

“We’re open to anybody who is trying to help people in the community,” West said.

And, it’s not limited to charitable organizations.

“There are businesses that are very involved in doing community support, so we’re hoping that we’ll have a pretty good representation of them, too,” West said.

He issues this invitation to them: “Come and listen to what everybody’s needs are.”

The whole point of having the roundtables, West said, “is to find out what people need and to try to find resources for them.”

Pasco Difference Makers roundtables
What: Various charitable and service-providing organizations share information about what they do, upcoming events and immediate needs
Where: There are two locations
The roundtable in East Pasco meets on the first Wednesday of the month, from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the Make A Difference office, 12311 U.S. 301.
The roundtable in Wesley Chapel meets on the third Wednesday of the month, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., the roundtable meets at Bridgeway Church, 30660 Wells Road, Wesley Chapel.
Info: Call (352) 437-3466.

Published October 09, 2019

School boundary workshop set

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Thousands of Pasco County Schools students will be affected by proposed boundary changes for the 2020-2021 school year.

Most of the boundary changes are related to the opening of Cypress Creek Middle School, which is scheduled to open next fall.

But there are also some changes being proposed that will affect schools in Central Pasco — but would not affect any current students in those schools. Those changes are being proposed based on future development, according to school district materials.

A public workshop is planned on Oct. 7, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Wiregrass Ranch High School, 2909 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, to detail the proposed boundary shifts.

The proposed boundary maps will be displayed and district staff will be available to answer questions.

The Pasco County School Board also will hold a public hearing on Nov. 5, at 6 p.m., at the district’s office complex, 2727 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes. A final public hearing on the proposed changes is scheduled at the same location for Nov. 19, at 6 p.m.

The district is in the midst of constructing a new Cypress Creek Middle School, boosting the capacity on the Cypress Creek Middle High campus, at 8701 Old Pasco Road. That campus has been serving students in grades six through 12.

Initially, the district had planned to build both a high school and a middle school on the site, but lacked sufficient funding. So, it opened the high school, but used the buildings to serve students in grades six through 12.

Now, it is planning to open the new middle school in 2020 — shifting existing middle school students into the new school and adding additional students to fill it up.

The extra space in the high school also will be filled through boundary shifts.

The district plans to shift some students from John Long Middle School to Cypress Creek Middle, and also to shift some students from Wiregrass Ranch High to Cypress Creek High boundary.

But boundaries at Pasco High, Pasco Middle, Quail Hollow Elementary, San Antonio Elementary, Wesley Chapel High and Zephyrhills High also will be affected.

The additional proposed boundary adjustments are designed to align school feeder patterns and keep students together as they progress through the school system.

In addition to posting this information on the district’s website, district officials also are contacting potentially impacted families to share this information.

Besides the changes relating to Cypress Creek Middle and Cypress Creek High boundaries, the district also is proposing boundary adjustments to provide for future development.

These boundary changes would not affect any current students, according to information on the district’s website. But changes are being proposed that would affect future populations of these schools: Connerton Elementary, Dr. Mary Giella Elementary, Crews Lake Middle, Pine View Middle, Hudson High and Land O’ Lakes High.

Where: Wiregrass Ranch High School, 2909 Mansfield Blvd., Wesley Chapel

When: Oct. 7, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Details: Maps of proposed boundary changes will be displayed and school district staff will be on hand to answer questions about the proposed changes.

More information: Go to www.pasco.k12.fl.us for additional information.

Published October 2, 2019