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Teen isn’t defined by rare disease

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Remington Walls is just like any other 17-year-old.

Except that he can’t eat food.

Walls, a junior at Land O’ Lakes High School, suffers from a rare disease called Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE).

Essentially, all food deteriorates his esophagus — and there is no cure.

Remington Walls, right, is pictured with Cameron Douglas, a childhood friend. Walls is a switch-hitting, leftfielder on the Land O’ Lakes Gators varsity baseball team. He suffers from a rare disease called Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE), in which all food sources cause inflammation in his esophagus.
(Courtesy of Stephanie Walls)

His only source of nutrition comes via a hypoallergenic amino acid-based liquid formula, called Neocate EO28 Splash.

It’s specifically designed for patients who are allergic to proteins.

Walls drinks the “shake” 15 to 18 times per day, about every two hours.

Moreover, he’s been drinking the same flavor — orange-pineapple — every day since he was removed from all foods at age 4. It is his only flavor option.

The teen, however, doesn’t let the disorder define him.

“You try not to think about it,” he said.

It also hasn’t prevented him from pursuing his passions, including baseball.

He’s currently a switch-hitting, leftfielder on the Land O’ Lakes Gators varsity squad.

“The only thing I can’t do is eat,” he said. “That’s how I look at it.”

And, over the years, he’s learned to cope with the realization he can’t enjoy any of the foods his peers consume on a daily basis.

“I’ve been around it so long it doesn’t bother me at all. I drink my shake, they have their food,” he said.

But, in recent months, a new hurdle has emerged.

Every year, Walls’ formula was fully covered through insurance — until now.

His mother, Stephanie Walls, says coverage was coming through Verizon, her husband’s employer. However, when Frontier Communications bought out the company in 2016, the insurance coverage changed under a policy with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Shown here is a photo of the Walls family. From left: Stephanie Walls, Mike Walls, Dalton Walls and Remington Walls. They are pursuing legislation, calling for mandated coverage for those who suffer from Eosinophilic disorders.
(Courtesy of Stephanie Walls)

As of Jan 1, the insurance company has declined any coverage of the formula.

The family has made multiple appeals, but has been denied each time — even after Anthem’s board of doctors deemed that Walls’ formula was medically necessary for “sustenance of life.”

Stephanie’s insurance plan, likewise, doesn’t cover the elemental formula.

“For Rem, his nutrition is like insulin for diabetics,” she explained. “How do you deny this? It’s not like it just came up over night. We’ve had this disease now since (Remington was) the age of 4. We are absolutely stymied that they are allowed to do this.”

Remington, too, is aghast by the situation.

“I was shocked,” he said, “because I knew insurance always said they covered it, and then they said they didn’t cover it. I knew it was expensive, but I didn’t know how expensive until the price is actually shown.”
The formula, on average, costs about $2,000 a month.

Stephanie predicts the monthly formula payments will become even pricier as her son grows.

On top of that, the family has travel costs from the seasonal visits they must make to the Cincinnati Center for Eosinophilic Disorders, in Ohio.

“It makes me nervous,” she said of the looming expenses.

Fortunately, Stephanie said a private source has stepped forward to fund formula payments for the rest of the year.

But, the family is still battling the insurance company, trying to serve as a “voice for the voiceless.”

Remington Walls’ only source of nutrition comes via a hypoallergenic amino acid-based liquid formula, called Neocate EO28 Splash. He drinks the ‘shake’ 15 to 18 times per day, about every two hours.
(Courtesy of Neocate)

“We’re going to stand up for the injustice that’s taken place,” Walls said. “I don’t know if we’ll ever make progress, but we’re determined to get out there and make a difference, somehow.”
The family is now pursuing legislation, calling for mandated coverage for those who suffer from Eosinophilic disorders and need the formula to survive.

Florida law currently has a mandate to cover formula for those with Phenylketonuria, but not Eosinophilic disorders.

Stephanie — an eighth-grade language arts teacher at Pine View Middle School — has already reached out to U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis and to U.S. Senator Marco Rubio.

“We’re just trying to find the people we need to contact to get us in the right direction,” she said. “I have to do a ton of research and gather data before I can even move forward.”

She believes legislative efforts could take at least two years.

No matter how long it takes, she plans to keep fighting.

“It is imperative that we pass this legislation — something’s got to change,” she said. “What’s going to happen to all the kids and grownups that need this formula for later on in life?” she asked.

Between dealing with the insurance company and pursuing legislation, countless hours have been spent to help her son — and others like him.

“It’s absolutely mind-boggling the amount of time we’ve invested on this,” Stephanie said. “But, we felt forced to do it.”

Meanwhile, there has been a ground swell of community support for the Walls family.
A GoFundMe page was created on March 3 by Janeen Salzberger, a longtime family friend.

Word quickly spread after Land O’ Lakes High principal Ric Mellin passed along the information to the Pasco County School District.
As of March 27, $16, 617 has been raised. The goal is set at $40,000.
“It has humbled us greatly,” Stephanie said. “This is something we could not take on ourselves.”

To donate, visit GoFundMe.com/remington-walls.

Published March 29, 2017

Sharing the story of women’s progress

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Madonna Jervis Wise, a local author who writes primarily about history, has been making the rounds lately, talking about women in the work force and “East Pasco Women Who Rocked.”

Women played an important role in munitions factories during World War 1.
(Courtesy of Madonna Jervis Wise)

Her talks, which have been delivered at the Pioneer Florida Museum and Village in Dade City, at the East Pasco Networking Group’s breakfast meeting and at the Zephyrhills Public Library, have traced the evolving role of women in society.

The essence of her presentation traces the progress that women have made since ancient times to the present.

First, she delivers an overview of women in history and then she focuses on the contributions of seven East Pasco women.

While delivering her talk at the East Pasco Networking Group, Wise said she keeps her mother and grandmother in mind.

Irene Davis Dobson was a founding member the Head Start Early Childhood program in Pasco County, and also active in programs aimed at creating awareness of contributions of African-Americans throughout Florida and across the country.

“My mother was Depression-era woman who worked most of her life. My grandmother was equally as industrious,” she said.

“As we go through the presentation, please stop and think about the women in your life.

“Right now, we have 72 million women in the American workforce. That’s 30 million more than 1984, and women roughly make up about 50 percent of the workforce,” she said.

Despite their large numbers in the work force, women still trail men in terms of pay, Wise noted. Women receive approximately 81 percent of what men are paid, she said. And, only 14 percent of the executive positions in Fortune 500 companies are held by women.

There has been progress, however, compared to opportunities for women in the past.

“Women weren’t allowed to participate in any capacity, throughout most of history —in terms of speaking, political involvement, certainly not leadership,” Wise said.

“In the American colonies, women didn’t own property and certainly didn’t vote,” she said.

“I do a lot of genealogy. Sometimes you don’t even find the woman’s first name in genealogy.”

Bernice Rooks was in the first class at the University of South Florida. She was student No. 18. After graduating, she taught for 29 years.

Census data from the 19th century shows blank spaces for occupations because women’s work was not recorded, Wise said.

Women’s role in the world of work has evolved over time, she said.

“By the 1820s, women were starting to go into the textile mills. Pay was about $3 a week.

By the early 19th century, women still were mostly involved in domestic services, laundry, cooking, cleaning, some teaching, nursing, she said.

But she noted, women’s opportunities have expanded significantly — even during her own lifetime.

“I remember when I was in school. They’d say, ‘Are you going to be a secretary, nurse or a teacher?’,” Wise said.

Madonna Jervis Wise has been giving talks about women’s progress at various venues during Women’s History Month.
(B.C. Manion)

Women now have more career choices. They can belong to civic clubs that once banned them. And, there are more opportunities in athletics and the military, Wise said.

For generations, East Pasco women have played pivotal roles in expanding opportunities for the entire community, Wise said. She singled out these seven:

• Irene Dobson: She came from a large family and picked cotton as a child. She taught school in Georgia and later in Dade City, and was a founding member the Head Start Early Childhood program in Pasco County. She has been very active in the community and has helped to organize African-American programs to teach new generations about the contributions of African Americans in Florida and across the country.

  • Bernice Rooks: Even at age 94, she remains active in the community. She was the valedictorian of the 1940 class at Zephyrhills High School. She worked at MacDill Air Force Base and was a school bus driver. When the University of South Florida opened in 1958, she enrolled, becoming student No. 18. She graduated and taught for 29 years. She is also known for the family business, the Crystal Springs Roller Skating Rink which opened in 1939 just before World War II. For 35 cents, you could skate all day.
  • Lorena Leatherman Neukom: Known as Neukie and her husband, Charles, opened the iconic Neukom’s Drug Store drugstore in 1921. The store closed in 2001. She was in charge of payroll, buying and keeping the books until she was 93. The drugstore was a popular place for politicians, snowbirds and local residents.
  • Rosemary Wallace Trottman: She was a widely known educator and researcher. She published “The History of Zephyrhills; 1821-1921.” She founded the Zephyrhills Historical Association. Her research revealed the effects of the railroad on the community and detailed the colonial years of East Pasco, in which the day-to-day activities of the settlers involved log-rolling, sugar-caning, subsistence farming and the beginning of unique institutions. Her father was a pioneer settler of Abbott Station.
  • Willa Rice: She has the distinction of being first and only female mayor of Zephyrhills. After being voted into office in 1958, she revamped the police department by firing two of the department’s five policemen and accepting the resignation of the police chief.
  • Margarita Romo: Her work to champion the causes of of farmworkers in Pasco County and around the state led to her being named to the Florida Civil Rights Hall of Fame in 2012 & Hispanic Woman of the Year. She is founder of Farmers Self-Help, Inc., and has worked diligently for more than 40 years to help farmworkers help themselves.
  • Jean McClain Murphy: Most recently she was the 2017 Zephyrhills Founder’s Day Grand Marshal. She was an educator with Pasco County Schools. Known for her beautiful singing voice, she taught taught “Glee Club” at the high school level for six years. She remains the singing director at her Rotary Club, and has served as choir director for five different choral groups at the First Baptist Church in Zephyrhills.

Revised March 22, 2017

Local science club reaches state finals

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The Land O’ Lakes High School Science Olympiad Club has reached the state finals for the third year in a row.

Moreover, it’s the first year that two of the club’s teams — consisting of 15 students each — have advanced to the Florida Science Olympiad State Tournament.

This year the event is set for March 25, at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

The club’s achievements are notable, particularly considering that it is just four years old.

Team Exdee and Team Natural Selection, made up primarily of International Baccalaureate (IB) students, will compete against 40 teams from across Florida.

The Land O’ Lakes High School Science Olympiad Club has advanced to the Florida Science Olympiad State Tournament, on March 25 at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. The club is sending two teams (of 15 students each) to the competition. During Science Olympiad, the teams will engage in hands-on, interactive, inquiry-based activities that are lab-based, research-based, or pre-built. There are 23 different events, with subjects ranging from physics, chemistry, earth space science, biology and engineering.
(Courtesy of Amanda Faint)

Both Land O’ Lakes squads qualified after finishing in the top six in a field of 47 regional teams at the Western Regional Science Olympiad, held Feb. 4 at Hillsborough Community College-Brandon.

A third team — Andromeda — finished 11th at the regional event.

Land O’ Lakes High School is the only public high school in Pasco County to reach the state competition this year.

Now, with multiple teams in the fold, the club is eyeing the possibility of a better showing than its 11th place finish last year.

“I think it’s about improvement,” said Amanda Faint, the club’s sponsor, who teaches chemistry at Land O’ Lakes High.

“We know how we did at regionals. We know states is tougher, so if we can…stick at the same general numerical place (during regionals), that’s still an improvement,” Fain said.

Club president Albert Xing, a senior, hopes his fellow teammates are more comfortable this time around.

“I think we’re…just trying to get a grasp of states,” Xing said. “We’re probably going to try to get more (medal) placings. Historically, we’ve gotten about two, three medals at states per year, and they’re usually third place or second place.”

The club also has a more ambitious challenge on its mind: unseat Boca Raton Community High School — the winner of the state tournament every year since 2011.

“Our goal is to knock them down,” Faint said.

“They’re like a powerhouse,” Xing added.

During Science Olympiad, students engage in hands-on, interactive, inquiry-based activities that are lab-based, research-based, or pre-built.
There are 23 different events, with subjects ranging from physics, chemistry, earth space science, biology and engineering. Various events are rotated out and substituted every few years.

The activities are all team-based, and at least two students work together on each event.

Throughout the competition, students are required to complete a designated activity within a 50-minute window.

Teams are then evaluated by judges, who determine how well students complete the task based on the rules described for each event.

“It’s kind of like golf, where the lower score is better,” Xing explained.

Typically, any particular student will compete in three to four events during the day.

Xing, for example, will mainly focus on the Wind Power, Ecology and Dynamic Planet categories.

Unlike other science competitions, Science Olympiad requires students to go beyond reporting about a science project, they must actually apply science.

Xing said the competition calls for applying the knowledge that students gain in the classroom.

“We may cover things like kinematics and trajectory, but realistically we never do anything like that inside of school,” Xing explained. “And then, doing these build events, we are basically applying what we learned at school to something that we can compete with.”

For others, like sophomore Armen Brotgandel, Science Olympiads provides an opportunity to learn about additional disciplines, such as astronomy.

“I think it’s just wanting to be able to do subjects that are usually not taught in school,” Brotgandel said. “There aren’t really any courses here on astronomy, but we get to go and study it with friends, and then you get to test your knowledge.”

Science Olympiad was created in 1983 by Dr. Gerard J. Putz and Jack Cairn, as an alternative to traditional science fairs and single-discipline tournaments.

After successful trial Science Olympiads in Michigan and Delaware, the competition began to grow.

Now, Science Olympiad has members in all 50 states, totaling more than 12,000 actively participating schools, with participants ranging from seniors to kindergarten students.

Besides testing science knowledge, the competition also provides an outlet for students to connect, outside of the classroom.

“Between events, we’ll have fun,” Brotgandel said. “We’ll play some sports, and just get to be with a bunch of friends.”

Land O’ Lakes High School Science Olympiad Club
Team Exdee
Albert Xing
Alyssa Nguyen
Hang Nguyen
Sidhvi Nekkanti
Navya Jampani
Kenta Xu
Rohil Tuli
Josie Hidalgo
Shania Tjhiang
Brianna Vo
Trip Gray
Cindy Long
Josiah Pineda
Sena Eskalen

Team Natural Selection
Adelin Pop
Akshaya Venkata
Alexander Lilov
Armen Brotgandel
Ashley Rocks
Edward Brotgandel
Ethan Teo
Felix Sanjay
Funda Eskalen
Joseph Pineda
Joshua Brett
Lisa Johnson
Nathan Brett
Tony El‐Rady
Tzuriel Garcia

Published March 15, 2017

Pasco County’s development ready to take off

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Dreams and visions for the redevelopment of Pasco County began more than two decades ago. Today, homes, shops, hotels, offices and medical campuses are coming out of the ground and redrawing the county’s future.

On March 1, developers of four of Pasco’s master-planned communities updated more than 100 people who came to the annual Meet the Developers breakfast. The Pasco Economic Development Council sponsored the event at the Marriott Residence Inn, off State Road 54.

In closing remarks, Bill Cronin, president of Pasco EDC said, “this is the right time, the right place for Pasco County…If nothing else, I hope you have that ‘oh, wow’ effect. That’s not the Pasco I knew.”

Bill Cronin, president of the Pasco Economic Development Council, left, introduces developers who spoke at a ‘Meet the Developers’ breakfast. They are: Matt Call, project director of Starkey Ranch/Wheelock Communities; Tom Panaseny, vice president/general manager of Bexley by Newland Communities; J.D. Porter, president of sales and development of Wiregrass Ranch Inc.; and, Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations for Metro Development Group LLC.
(Courtesy of Pasco Economic Development Council)

Speakers at the breakfast were Matt Call, project director at Starkey Ranch, which is being developed by Wheelock Communities; Tom Panaseny, vice president and general manager for Bexley by Newland Communities; J.D. Porter, president of sales and development of Wiregrass Ranch Inc.; and, Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations for Metro Development Group Inc.

“We’re all selling this dream and vision of where Pasco can go,” Call said.

Three years ago, Starkey Ranch, about four miles west of the Suncoast Parkway, off State Road 54, was largely still on the drawing board.

Today, Starkey Ranch anticipates having more than 300 new homes under contract in a year, Call said. So far, there have been more than 150 closings, he added.

The average price of homes being sold there is in the low to mid-$400,000s. The most expensive home — at about 4,800 square feet – sold within the past two weeks for about $874,000.

“Most are not first-time homebuyers,” Call said. “Most are moving-up buyers.”

Upcoming projects included widening Gunn Highway and extending the road into Starkey Ranch.

About one-third of a 20-mile trail system is built and will eventually connect with Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Preserve and the Suncoast Trail.

A business park, fronting State Road 54, is in the works. A town square is planned for 2018.

While Newland Communities is new to Pasco, its track record in Tampa Bay includes master-planned communities in Hillsborough County, including FishHawk Ranch in Riverview and Westchase in Town ‘n Country.

Panaseny described Newland as the largest private developer of planned communities in the country, with projects in 19 states, stretching from coast to coast.

The homebuilder’s first Pasco community is Bexley Ranch, in an area encompassing about 1,700 acres. It is located also on State Road 54, east of Suncoast Parkway.

The Bexley family is developing another 5,000 adjacent acres still under their control.

The Newland project is zoned for more than 1,700 homes; about 95,000 square feet of retail; and, more than 560,000 square feet of office, though that could increase to as much as 1 million square feet.

About five miles of a planned 13-mile trail system is built.

An elementary school now under construction is scheduled to open in August.

About 400 lots are available, with 400 additional lots expected to be ready by the end of the year. Twelve model homes are open for viewing.

Bexley also is planned for offices, shops and a hotel, as well as apartments and single-family homes.

A groundbreaking is anticipated in March for more than 300 apartments.

Access to Bexley currently is through the Ballantrae community to the east. But, within 60 to 90 days, Panaseny said Bexley Village Drive should open, with access directly off State Road 54.

The average home price is about $350,000.

“It’s been a strong market,” Panaseny said.

Upcoming projects include a medical facility, a Race Trac gas station and convenience store, and a 7-acre shopping center.

“We’d love to have a grocery store anchor the center, or possibly restaurants,” Panaseny said.

A Marriott hotel is expected to break ground in July.

There also is about 32 acres available for offices. “We very much want to bring Class A office space here,” he said.

Wiregrass Ranch is rebranding itself, with a new logo and a re-energized focus as new developments in the master-planned community emerge.

Wiregrass is the fastest growing community in the Tampa Bay area, said Porter, of  Wiregrass Ranch Inc.

The property is zoned for 10,500 homes; 2.7 million square feet of retail; 2.6 million square feet of office; and 600 hotel beds. A middle school and a high school have been built. Additional retail and office space are planned.

Next to The Shops at Wiregrass, plans are underway for an expansion that will include high-end shops and boutiques, a cine bistro, a grocery store and apartments.

Raymond James Financial campus is expected to start construction later this year on a campus that could have about 1 million square feet of office space and an 1,800-space parking garage.

Medical facilities are filling up the surrounding area. They include Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, Florida Medical Clinic and North Tampa Behavioral Health.

Beach House is an upscale assisted living facility under construction.

“You’re going to continue to see good, smart growth because it’s an environment people want to be in,” said Porter.

Metro Development Group is building a master-planned community at Epperson Ranch, which is part of a state-approved pilot program to create a Connected City corridor built with technology innovations. At build out, Metro is projecting about 37,000 homes; 12 million square-feet of office, retail and technology manufacturing; 100 miles of traffic lanes for self-driving vehicles; and two Crystal Lagoons.

The first lagoon at Epperson Ranch is a 7-acre, manmade pool of crystal blue water under construction at Epperson Ranch, off State Road 52 at Overpass Road. To the north, a second community, known as Mirada, is also planned with a larger Crystal Lagoon.

Metro controls about 35 percent of land within Connected City, which sets aside about 7,800 acres in northeastern Pasco. Metro and other developers are expected to build master-planned communities embedded with cutting-edge technology, and focused on creating technology driven jobs and new businesses.

A groundbreaking for the Crystal Lagoon at Epperson happened in February. The lagoon is expected to be complete by the end of 2017. In the first weeks, 15 homes have sold, and there is a waiting list of more than 1,000 people who want to buy, said Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations for Metro.

Published March 8, 2017

R.B. Cox Elementary celebrates 90 years

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A lot of notable things happened during 1926.

Queen Elizabeth was born. A.A. Milne published Winnie-the-Pooh, and Tampa Theatre opened Tampa’s first air-conditioned building, in downtown Tampa.

Calvin Coolidge was in the White House at the time, and people could buy a dozen of eggs for 56 cents, a dozen oranges for 34 cents, or a porterhouse steak for 29 cents a pound.

It’s also the year that Dade City Grammar School opened.

The structure, built in the Collegiate Gothic style of architecture, was later renamed to honor Superintendent R.B. Cox, a former principal, who lost his battle with cancer in 1973.

With its Collegiate Gothic architectural style, R.B. Cox Elementary has offered a dignified presence in Dade City for nine decades.
(B.C. Manion)

The school, at 37615 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., in Dade City, is hosting a 90th birthday celebration on March 5.

The event features a dinner of baked ziti, salad and dessert, with tickets selling for $7 each.

Besides the meal, there will be music by the Pasco County High School jazz band, and a video of interviews of students and teachers, with connections to the elementary school, said Principal Claudia Steinacker.

Visitors also will be able to walk down memory lane, perusing historic photographs and reading “Did you know?” factoids, gathered from people associated with the school through the years.

The event will serve as a fundraiser to help pay for some projects at the school, which serves 465 children from Early Head Start through fifth grade.

For instance, the school would like to makeover a space between the main building and the media center — converting it into a courtyard where students and families can gather, Steinacker said. Other ideas include purchasing picnic tables, to give visiting parents a place to eat lunch, and buddy benches out near the playground.

The school also would like to turn a space near the primary classrooms into a play area for the children.

“We’ll prioritize what we want to start with, based upon the funds, and then we’ll just continue moving forward as we try to raise those funds,” the principal said.

Besides the dinner, the school will be raising money through a baked goods auction, and it has sold vendor spaces to vendors who will be selling items at the event.

“We chose to do it on a Sunday, so we could make it a little bit special,” Steinacker said, noting she didn’t want people to feel rushed.

The idea is to give people a chance to gather, to reminisce and to recognize the school’s special role in the community — where it has been the focus of education for generations of children, she said.

“Even if they don’t want to come necessarily to eat, even if they just want to come to be able to walk, and see and visit — we just really want everyone to have the opportunity to see our amazing school and learn about the history that this school has,” Steinacker said.

“It’s a great opportunity to say, ‘Come celebrate.’

“If you have time and you want to support us, you want to volunteer, the door is open. We need that.”

“This is a special place. We want people to be able to celebrate what a special place it is,” Steinacker said.

Dade City’s motto is “Proud Heritage, Promising Future,” the principal said.  “We definitely are striving to give our kids that promising future,” she added.

This will be the school’s second celebration to mark its ninth decade of operation. It had a celebration in the beginning of the school year, and it plans to have another one at the end of the school year, when it plans to bury a time capsule.

R.B. Cox Elementary 90th birthday party
Where: 37615 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Dade City
When: March 5, 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Cost: $7 per plate for lunch of baked ziti, salad and dessert (To-go containers will be available)
Details: R.B. Cox Elementary is hosting a party to celebrate the school’s rich heritage in Dade City. The event includes a luncheon, music, a baked goods auction and a chance to see historic photographs,
More information: Call (352) 524-5100, or visit the school’s website, RBCES.Pasco.k12.Fl.us.

Published March 1, 2017

 

Female firefighter inspires superhero comic

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Larry Jarrell was so captivated when he learned of Stephanie Sorensen’s story that he created a web comic heroine based on the Wesley Chapel woman’s life.

This isn’t the first time that Sorensen has attracted attention.

The volunteer at Fire Station 28 in Land O’ Lakes, placed second in a national campaign to raise awareness of the need for volunteer firefighters.

Besides volunteering at the fire station, she also is a teacher, mother and actress.

The Firegirl web comic is slated to be released in April by Crushed Ego Studios, an Orlando-based comic development company.
(Courtesy of Stephanie Sorensen)

Sorensen’s distinct daily life left an impression on Jarrell, president of Crushed Ego Studios, an Orlando-based comic development company.

Jarrell was particularly “moved” by Sorensen’s background as both a female firefighter and an elementary teacher to autistic children.

That sparked an idea for a web comic heroine, aptly named Firegirl.

“It’s just an amplification and just an inspiration for what (Sorensen’s) already doing, but just making it kind of more of a superhero kind of thing,” said Jarrell, who has worked in the comic industry for more than 20 years.

Though Sorensen acknowledged she’s never been a comic buff, she was intrigued by the proposition.

“I had never really thought about it from a comic book standpoint, but when (Jarrell) presented the idea…to take an everyday woman and turn her into a hero, I just thought that was an amazing idea,” Sorensen said.

For her, the project creates an opportunity to teach life lessons, in an exciting, positive manner: “I feel like it’s another avenue for me to be an inspiration to people, and help them; it’s not just for entertainment.”

In real life, Sorensen remains a busy woman.

Typically, she undergoes Wednesday night fire training sessions, and often picks up weekend shifts, as her schedule permits, at the fire station, which is located at 21709 Hale Road.

She’s also a full-time Autism Spectrum Disorder teacher at Clark Elementary in New Tampa.

Stephanie Sorensen is the inspiration for a web comic superhero, called Firegirl. Sorensen, who volunteers at Fire Station 28 in Land O’ Lakes, placed second in a national campaign to bring awareness to the need for volunteer firefighters.
(File)

Sorensen balances her volunteer firefighter schedule with her primary responsibilities as a teacher and a mother to an autistic son.

Plus, she’s an actress on the side. She was cast in the 2015 film “The Inevitable,” and she has made an uncredited appearance in Netflix’s “Bloodline.”

Last year, Sorensen competed in “Step Up and Stand Out,” a national campaign sponsored by Kidde —  a leading manufacturer of residential fire safety product— to increase awareness of the ongoing need for volunteer firefighters.  The national contest was launched to recognize volunteers who have “gone above and beyond in their community.”

Sorensen was one of five finalists (and the lone female) selected from video nominations for volunteers “who represent the best of the fire service.” She placed second in the contest, which ended in September.

Though she didn’t win, she said it was a gratifying experience.

“I couldn’t believe how many people, especially young girls, were inspired by me coming in second,” Sorensen said. “I ended up with a lot of followers on Instagram, just for being a teacher and a firefighter.”

Meanwhile, Sorensen worked closely with the comic studio, over a period of several weeks, to help develop Firegirl’s image and primary qualities.

“I wanted it to be more of like an athletic character and a strong female character,” Sorensen said.

One distinguishing feature is the superhero’s hair, which resembles a blaze of flames.

“We worked back and forth with her in development, to come up with a different image,” Jarrell said. “We also wanted to make sure it wasn’t overly racy-looking or anything; we kept it more modest.

Sorensen will have input into Firegirl’s storylines and plot development. She also was involved with the character’s image and qualities.
(Courtesy of Stephanie Sorensen)

He added: “The build of the character is…not exaggerating like a lot of comic book characters are — they’re always bigger and badder and more giant; it’s just not very realistic of what you see.”

As the project moves forward, Sorensen will have input on the comic’s plot development.

“There will be portions where it’s out of the firehouse or out of the schoolhouse,” Sorensen said. “The idea is that it’s something I can be proud of my students reading, but also still appeals to everybody, that everyone could enjoy reading it.

“Ultimately, it’s important for me that the storyline does have teachable moments.”

While a story arc is still being hashed out, Jarrell did offer a sneak preview, of sorts.

He said Firegirl will initially square off against three terroristic villains — Vapor, Volt and Pyroclast.

“There’s a storyline that deals with…a villain starting a fire, and other issues going on with the school where she teaches,” Jarrell explained. “The villain has no idea Firegirl is there…and it just winds up that it works out, in a roundabout way.”

“The story itself,” he added, “is she gains these abilities and actually uses them to kind of put the smackdown on…fear and terror.”

The web comic likely will be released online (FiregirlWebComic.com) sometime in April. It may later be published in print form, too.

Once released, Sorensen said she hopes to share the comic with her students either on Club Days or during the Great American Teach-In.

Published February 22, 2017

 

 

 

 

 

Crowd gives Bilirakis an earful

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A crowd — that sometimes became raucous — turned out to a listening session held by U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis on the issue of health care reform.

Bilirakis billed the session as an opportunity to receive feedback and ideas from constituents on the future direction of the nation’s health care system, including the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act.

Many people brought signs to help communicate their views on the health care issue.
(B.C. Manion)

People filled every seat of the Pasco County Commission’s chambers at the West Pasco Government Center in New Port Richey during the Feb. 11 session.

They stood in the back of the chamber, and along both walls, and the overflow spilled into government center’s lobby and down a hallway corridor.

The crowd was made up of men and women, of all ages and ethnicities. Some came in wheelchairs. Some used walkers or canes.

Some carried signs proclaiming such messages such as: “Repair, not repeal.” “The ACA is pro life” and “Health Care is a Human Right.”

Television reports on the event aired on local and national networks, and excerpts of speakers streamed on social media.

The vast majority of speakers protested repealing and replacing the ACA.

Speakers told Bilirakis that repealing the ACA will cause chaos.

Some told Bilirakis that keeping the ACA, for them, or their loved ones, is truly a matter of life or death.

The crowd jeered in reaction to comments by Bill Akins, secretary of the executive committee of the Republican Party of Pasco County, who said: “There is a provision in there (the ACA) that anyone over the age of 74 has to go before what is effectively a death panel.”

As the crowd booed and shouted “no,” Akins insisted he was right. “The provision is in there.”

As speakers took their turn at the microphone, some folks in the lobby occasionally chanted, “Medicare for all. Medicare for all.”

In response, one man counter-chanted: “Make someone else pay. Make someone else pay.”

One speaker told Bilirakis that the ACA had not really worked because it was too expensive, and another said he preferred keeping the government out of his back pocket.

But, most of the speakers, including Ivana Sheppard, a member of Action Together Tampa Bay, want to see Obamacare improved — not repealed and replaced.

“Your job as a congressman is to fix it,” Sheppard told Bilirakis.

Insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies should not be involved in reform efforts, she added. “Take their seat from the table. The insurance companies, the pharmaceutical companies should not be at the table,” she said.

“We are actively searching for (U.S. Sen.) Marco Rubio,” Sheppard added.

Beverly Ledbetter, active in Pasco County Democratic politics, reminded Bilirakis: “Affordable health care is more than being able to go to the doctor. It’s peace of mind. It’s the ability to know that you can be treated when you have an illness.

“I taught at Pasco High School, and I would have students who would come in that would be very upset. When I talked to them, I found out that mom had Stage IV breast cancer, or dad had lung cancer … They had to balance between paying their mortgage or getting health care.

“In East Pasco County, we have a 33 percent poverty level. Having access to affordable health care is important. We need a commitment that these people are not going to be left behind. We need a commitment that you’re going to listen and you’re going to act on our behalf.

“We ask that you not make America sick again,” Ledbetter said.

Other speakers told Bilirakis that repealing the ACA will cause people with pre-existing conditions to lose their access to health care. They said medicines will be too expensive, and they said without subsidies, people won’t be able to afford insurance.

Two doctors told Bilirakis that the ACA has resulted in people getting medical treatment sooner, before their conditions worsened.

In response to comments about Medicare, Bilirakis assured the crowd that Medicare will stay the same.

“Medicare will not be affected. Medicare is the greatest program in the history of the United States, and we’re going to keep it,” Bilirakis said.

He also said he knows that health care reforms are needed.

“Premiums are very, very high. We have to fix that,” said.

He said that increased competition between pharmaceutical companies will reduce prescription drug prices.

As speakers continued to share their opinions and experiences, Bilirakis told them: “We are taking notes, and I know this is being recorded. So, I’m going to take all of these stories with me to Washington.”

Published February 15, 2017

‘Ranch Days’ debuts this weekend

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Little Everglades Ranch is rolling out the welcome mat this weekend for a new event called “Ranch Days.”

Slated for Feb. 11, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Feb. 12, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the event features live music, tethered hot air balloon rides, hiking tours, tram tours, a balloon glow and exhibitions, including high-wiring walking, indigenous snakes and birds of prey.

Visitors will have a chance to get a close up look at the beauty of Little Everglades Ranch during a two-day event that’s debuting this year. It offers fun activities and a chance to tour portions of the 2,100-acre ranch.
(Courtesy of Kevin Campbell)

“The property is just such a stunner, we think it makes a great backdrop for an event like this,” said Kevin Campbell, facility event manager.

Over the years, people have visited the 2,100-acre ranch, owned by Bob and Sharon Blanchard, for all sorts of events, Campbell said. Little Everglades Ranch is at 17951 Hamilton Road in Dade City.

Visitors have come for Savage Races, Steeplechase Races, equine events, track meets and other activities.

“People always ask us if we do tours,” Campbell said. With “Ranch Days,” the ranch finally will.

“The Boys Scouts are leading a mile-and-a-tenth hiking tour,” Campbell said. There also will be tram tours and rides available in the LARC, an aluminum-hulled amphibious cargo vehicle.

Tino Wallenda, of the famed Wallenda family, will do the high-wire act. The indigenous snake show features Jim Mendenhall, of Rattlesnake Festival fame, and the birds of prey will be shown by Lady Kitty.

Live music — with styles ranging from country to bluegrass to jazz and others — will be offered on two stages, throughout both days

Andie and Kevin Campbell, are shown here at the Little Everglades Ranch events office, with their pal, Moo. They look relaxed, but are actually very busy preparing for ‘Ranch Days’ which will take place Feb. 11 and Feb. 12.

“All of the entertainment is free,” Campbell said. There also will be a free balloon glow at dusk on Feb. 11.

American Balloon Company will offer tethered balloon rides for a fee, and LARC rides also will be available for a fee, Campbell said.

Those attending the event will be able to purchase food, with offerings ranging from barbecue to Mexican, from Cuban to Cajun, to typical fair foods, as well as snacks and drinks.

No coolers, outside food or beverages, or pets are allowed.

Campbell said organizers are hoping for an attendance of around 5,000 people, but can handle a much larger crowd.

Organizers hope “Ranch Days” becomes an annual event, but will see how it goes this year before making future plans, Campbell said.

Besides the rides and tours, there’s also plenty for kids to do, as well as a wide array of artisans and crafters, too, including a world-renown chainsaw artist, Campbell said.

Admission is free, but parking is $10 for cars, and $25 for buses and RVs.

For more information, visit RanchDays.com.

Published February 8, 2017

Mettler Toledo breaks ground for new plant

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Swiss manufacturer, Mettler Toledo, broke ground on a 250,000-square-foot manufacturing plant that will bring about 185 new jobs to Pasco County.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey was among dignitaries who attended the groundbreaking for Mettler Toledo’s 250,000-square-foot plant in North Pointe Village, off State Road 54 at Suncoast Parkway.
(Courtesy of Pasco Economic Development Council)

More than 300 people attended the ceremony on Jan. 14. Among those present were Viggo Nielsen, general manager of Mettler Toledo Safeline; Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey; Pasco County Planning and Development Administrator Richard Gehring; and, Bill Cronin, president of Pasco Economic Development Council.

Mettler Toledo is relocating its current facility from Town ‘N Country, in Hillsborough County, to Northpointe Village, off State Road 54 at the Suncoast Parkway.

The company is a global supplier of precision scales and services used in research, and the packaging and production of food and pharmaceuticals.

The new facility will be part of the product inspection division for Mettler Toledo Safeline.

Gehring said a substantial amount of work from Mettler Toledo and county staff members preceded the groundbreaking.

He updated the Pasco County Commission on the project at the commissioners’ Jan. 24 meeting in Dade City.

“It was a great performance to see the result and to see $25 million in (investment) is going into the ground,” he said.  “It’s a major, major, major effort. When you walk out there, and see smiling faces and kids of families who will work there, it’s a very positive reinforcement to that effort.”

In addition to the new jobs, the company anticipates about 320 current employees will transfer to the new site. Besides closing the Town ‘N Country location, Metter Toledo also will close a plant in Ithaca, New York.

Annual average salaries for all jobs created at Mettler Toledo are pegged at more than $51,000.

Dignitaries use golden shovels at the groundbreaking for Mettler Toledo’s new plant at North Pointe Village.

Gehring said Pasco officials rolled out a welcome mat recently for some of Mettler Toledo’s employees who plan to relocate.

Pasco EDC staff members organized guided tours, with introductions to community leaders at area chambers of commerce and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, as well as school district employees.

The county previously rolled out its own financial welcome mat to the company itself.

Pasco County commissioners approved a $7.6 million incentive package in September that includes a payout of about $1.9 million for creating nearly 500 jobs.

Mettler Toledo also will get a property tax break of about $1.7 million for 10 years, if 80 percent of its jobs are retained annually.

Pasco County will contribute about $3.5 million to build an extension of Northpointe Village Drive, through its Penny for Pasco program.

A reimbursement of about $1.2 million will be sought from state road funds. If that’s approved, the county’s incentive package then would be reduced to about $6.4 million.

Published February 1, 2017

Monologue honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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What would Dr. Martin Luther King have to say if he was alive today?

One distinguished scholar has a theory.

Saint Leo University hosted Dr. T. Leon Williams on Jan. 16 for a presentation he called: “The View from the Mountaintop: What Would Dr. King Say Today?”

Williams is a North Carolina minister and former multicultural affairs director at Elon University.

On Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Saint Leo University hosted Dr. T. Leon Williams, who presented ‘The View from the Mountaintop: What Would Dr. King Say Today?’ In his speech, Williams said America is still struggling with many of the same issues that confronted the nation decades ago. He referenced racial tension, gun violence, black-on-black crime, police brutality and poverty, among other systemic problems.
(Courtesy of Amanda Topper, Saint Leo University)

He began a series of monologues in 1999, in the vein of MLK — with the hope of educating students on the life and legacy of the celebrated civil rights leader.

Though it’s been nearly 50 years since King’s assassination in 1968, Williams said America is still struggling with many of the same issues that confronted the nation a half-century ago.

Williams cited numerous systemic problems, including racial tension, gun violence, black-on-black crime, police brutality, and poverty.

Because of the continuing issues, Williams said the country is still in the midst of the civil rights movement.

“If (King) was here today — based on what we see today on TV — I think he would just be devastated,” Williams said. “I think Dr. King would be saying, ‘America, we have fallen apart, and we’ve got to get it together.”

During his hour-long presentation, Williams assumed the persona of King, reflecting on the historical relevance of America’s progress on race divisions.

During the talk, Williams claimed injustice and inequality has drawn a line of division in race relations and the distribution of wealth in America.

The speaker later challenged the audience to accept a moral and social responsibility for promoting peace and harmony.

He urged them: “Ask ‘What is my responsibility in reshaping the world?’”

The biggest challenge, however, is for members of the audience to love another — regardless of race or class.

“The problem in our world today is that we have very little remembrance of what love is,” Williams said. “Love is caring for homeless and those less fortunate. Love is feeding the hungry. Love is obedience over sacrifice. Love neutralizes the weapons of hate.”

Williams, too, advised the audience to open themselves up to new ideas. He encouraged them to read information that might differ from their current point-of-view.

In studying King’s legacy, Williams said he was inspired by King’s internal struggle of “loving a country that intentionally — publicly — didn’t love him.”

“It had to be very troubling for King to love on America, ask supporters to stand with him, and be attacked daily,” Williams explained.

Since embarking on a nationwide speaking tour over 15 years ago, Williams said race issues have experienced numerous “peaks and valleys.”

He believes the country, unfortunately, is currently in a one of those “valleys.”

Williams pointed to rampant gun violence, particular in cities like Chicago, which experienced 762 murders in 2016. He also noted the rise of ambush killings of police officers, which rose to 21 last year, up from six in 2015.

“There are a lot of shining moments, then last year was a horrible year. It was just a rough time,” said Williams.

“Even after having a black president elected, we still have a ton of issues.”

Williams said he remains uncertain about the direction of race relations under the presidency of newly-elected Donald Trump.

“I don’t see a strong presence of a civil rights mindset; it is a corporate mindset,” Williams said, referencing Trump and his Cabinet nominees. “There’s…some energy and hostility from his campaign already generated. We don’t know where this is going now.”

Notable quotes Dr. T. Leon Williams’ monologue

  • “I believe this generation, unlike no other generation, is prepared and ready to lead the nation toward freedom every day. You’ve labored in love instead of malice; concern instead of resentment.”
  • “This generation, unlike the former, is willing to be on the receiving end of the water hose. This generation…is willing to contest police brutality by standing between the billy club and the usual suspects. This generation…is prepared to heal itself.”
  • “It is my belief that one of the reasons why America has failed to reconcile racial tension is because America has coerced the victims of racism and discrimination to view brokenness as life.”
  • “In order for this nation to take the next step toward greatness, reconciliation must be the first order of business for the oppressor.”
  • “When I think back to the ’60s, fiery eyes and frown brows reflected courage and hope. Since then, many of us have campaigned for reconciliation, despite truth. And as a result, our courage and hope has turned into anger and hopelessness.”
  • “Nonviolence is not a retreat from confrontation, but rather a confrontation in the form of disobedience.”

Published January 25, 2017