The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Helping homeless people reclaim sense of dignity

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In the spiritual realm, preachers often talk about being cleansed by the healing power of Jesus.

But, members of Vine Church in Zephyrhills, also want to share their love of the Lord in a more practical, down-to-earth way.

Members of the church at 4743 Allen Road already routinely feed the homeless.

Their latest quest has been a fundraising campaign to raise money for a mobile shower unit.

The idea came while sharing food with the hungry, said Pastor Carlos Santana.

Santana said some of his “homeless brothers and sisters” told him what they would really like is a nice, hot shower.

Initially he thought a shower could be built in someone’s barn.

But, then he realized that homeless people would have a hard time getting to the shower.

So, then he thought: “Why don’t we make it mobile?”

“Through a lot of prayer, we found out that FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) uses these mobile showers every time they have a disaster.”

So, now the church is raising money to buy a mobile unit with four shower stalls.

To help things along, it is planning a movie night behind the church on Feb. 26. Donations of $10 are requested, but people are welcome if they can’t afford to pay, Santana said. And, donations exceeding $10 would be gratefully accepted, he said.

The church needs $30,000. So far, it has raised about $4,000.

Vine Church, which began about two years ago, is a nondenominational Christian church, with about 45 members, ranging in age from infants to around age 70.

“Our basic mission as a church is to love God fully and people unconditionally. That’s our mission. That’s our vision. To love people unconditionally,” Santana said.

“We started feeding the homeless. Some of them in Zephyrhills,” he said.

They also feed the hungry at Sims Park in New Port Richey.

“We go out there every Saturday, and we feed them breakfast. And then, one Saturday a month, we also do lunch,” he said.

“Now, we’re collecting clothing. So, we’re also giving clothing and toiletries,” he said.

Eventually, Santana hopes the church can buy several of the portable shower units.

“When people look at homeless people, for some reason, they look at them like they’re not people, they’re not human,” he said.

A hot shower may seem like a simple thing, Santana said. But, a hot shower, a meal and clean clothing can go along way toward helping to restore someone’s sense of dignity.

He hopes other churches follow Vine’s lead.

“I really would like for this to be something that all churches would pick up on. If we all just come together, we could make a real difference.

“It’s really God’s church. It’s one church. One body,” he said.

He said his church feels called to get out and help others in need. When they see the love of Christ in action, they will come to see that it’s true, Santana added.

“We’re not called to sit in a church and warm up pews,” Santana said.

“He (Jesus) told his disciples, ‘Get up and go.’

“That’s what we’re doing,” Santana said.

Shower fundraiser
What: A showing of ‘The War Room,’ a movie about prayer, to raise money to purchase a portable shower unit to help the homeless.
When: Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.
Where: Behind Vine Church, 4743 Allen Road in Zephyrhills
How much: A donation of $10 is suggested. Less will be accepted, and more will be appreciated.
Details: Popcorn and hotdogs and other refreshments will be available for purchase. Movie-goers should bring their own chairs.

Published February 24, 2016

 

It’s Pasco County Fair time

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At first glance, it may seem to be all about the rides.

After all, there are a lot of them.

Or, perhaps it’s all about the food.

Fried anything, anyone?

Or, maybe it would seem to be about the games or entertainment.

There are certainly plenty of choices.

Fried foods of every variety are available at the Pasco County Fair. Of course, there are other fair favorites, too. (Photos courtesy of Pasco County Fair)
Fried foods of every variety are available at the Pasco County Fair. Of course, there are other fair favorites, too.
(Photos courtesy of Pasco County Fair)

But really, the stars of the Pasco County Fair are the kids and their livestock.

At least that’s how Clark Converse, general manager of the fair, sees it.

“The biggest thing about our fair is that we maintain our roots in agriculture in the community. That’s what really we’re about … it’s about the agriculture and the kids,” he said.

“We have great participation in that. There are probably 300 to 400 livestock entries in the fair,” he said.

“They’re all from Pasco County,” he added, with no small measure of pride.

The fair, at 36722 State Road 52 in Dade City, is rooted in the desire to promote Pasco County’s youth and its other resources.

Although fairs had been held in the community dating back to around 1915, one hadn’t been held there for years until a group of local businessmen got together in 1947 and decided to begin hosting the annual event, according to the fair’s website.

San Antonio rancher D.E. Cannon led the group, which included agriculture agent Jimmy Higgins and businessmen George Nikolai, Bob Williams and Joe Collura. They found a 40-acre tract along State Road 52 and raised $3,500 to purchase the site.

The Hoppers, a widely known gospel singing group, are set to perform on Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. in the Dan Cannon Auditorium.
The Hoppers, a widely known gospel singing group, are set to perform on Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. in the Dan Cannon Auditorium.

The first documented Pasco County Fair took place between Jan. 20 and Jan. 24, 1948.

Besides giving families a chance to enjoy themselves, and visitors a chance to gorge on fair food, the event also provides a platform for youths to showcase their skills.

“We’re growing kids. That’s the focus,” Converse said.

“It’s important for me to give the kids in our county a chance to show off their talents and their skills,” he said.

“They can do their stuff at school … and the only people who see it are people who come to the school. But, to be able to put that out into the public at a fair is a great opportunity for these kids. They don’t have anyplace else,” he said.

At the fairgrounds, there is a huge school exhibit building where kids’ works are on display.

There’s also a Lego competition this year, “which is something new and different,” Converse said.

The fair also is reviving its bluegrass night and its gospel night.

Little Roy and Lizzy are scheduled to perform on Feb. 17 at 6 p.m., in the Dan Cannon Auditorium.
Little Roy and Lizzy are scheduled to perform on Feb. 17 at 6 p.m., in the Dan Cannon Auditorium.

“We’re bringing back Little Roy and Lizzie, which is a perennial crowd favorite in the bluegrass industry,” he said. Their show will be Feb. 17 at 6 p.m., at the Dan Cannon Auditorium.

“On Thursday night, we have an internationally known gospel group called The Hoppers, along with a quartet that’s actually part of the family, too, called The Hoppers 2.0,” Converse said.

That show will be on Feb. 18 at 6 p.m., at the Dan Cannon Auditorium.

The Hoppers are widely known, Converse said.

“We’re really excited about having them, because they’re a bigger name act than we normally get at this fair, because we’re just a small, country fair,” he said.

“Bringing the gospel (night) back, to me, is a big thing,” Converse added.

The fair, which runs through Feb. 21, also has a few other new twists.

There are some new rides on the Midway, there’s a new Disc-Connected K9s, Frisbee-dog show, and there’s a firefighter’s show that’s both educational and entertaining, Converse said.

The community pitches in to put on the fair, Converse noted.

“Over the course of the fair, between the directors and the committee chair people and all of the volunteers who help, there’s probably 400, maybe as many as 500 people.

“We’re all volunteers. None of us get paid for doing this. So, it’s a labor of love,” he said.

But, he thinks it’s the worth the time, effort and energy he invests in it.

“For me, agriculture in Florida is a very vital part of Florida’s economy and what Florida is. People aren’t aware of it.

“It’s important for me, and for us, to make sure that kids are educated in agricultural things, and understand that milk doesn’t come from Winn-Dixie and eggs don’t come from Publix, they come from cows and chickens, those kinds of things,” Converse said.

Pasco County Fair
When: Through Feb. 21 (hours vary, check the website at PascoCountyFair.com)
What: Rides, food, games, entertainment, livestock and exhibits.
Where: Pasco County Fairgrounds, 36722 State Road 52
How much: Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for children 6 through 12; parking is free. Wristbands are available for unlimited rides. Parking is free. (On Feb. 21, one child is admitted free with each adult)

Published February 17, 2016

Ideas clash for solving traffic woes

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A proposal for a flyover at State Road 54 and U.S. 41 got a big thumb’s down at a recent transportation task force meeting aimed at finding solutions for reducing congestion on one of Pasco County’s busiest east/west corridors.

In fact, the idea of a flyover anywhere along State Road 54 and State Road 56 between U.S. 19 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard met stiff resistance.

About 50 people, including members of two separate task forces, residents and Pasco County officials, met Feb. 2 at Rasmussen College to discuss options.

A heavy volume of cars and trucks makes State Road 54 and U.S. 41 one of the busiest intersections in Pasco County. (File Photo)
A heavy volume of cars and trucks makes State Road 54 and U.S. 41 one of the busiest intersections in Pasco County.
(File Photo)

Task force members pressed county officials to consider using frontage roads to ease congested intersections and to preserve access to local businesses and shops.

The task force also approved a motion to ask county planners to determine the feasibility of the frontage road option.

“Our solution is at grade, which is what the public wants,” said Tom Ryan, a task force member and economic development manager at the Pasco Economic Development Council. “It (flyover) infringes on their quality of life. There is no way around it. It will affect quality of life.”

Ryan was joined by task force member Robb Sercu who also tossed out ideas for at-grade alternatives rather than flyovers.

The meeting was the first joint session of East and West task forces, which began meeting separately in September. Each was appointed as an advisory board to the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization. Their task is to recommend up to five alternatives that the MPO can consider for future transportation projects over the next 20 years. One option is not to build anything.

The West Task Force is studying State Road 54 from west of U.S. 41, and the East Task Force, from east of U.S. 41.

However, discussion at the joint meeting quickly focused on the intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41 as a priority that likely will be the first road project to need funding.

“That is the most congested location at this time,” said Ali Atefi, a transportation engineer with MPO.

The Florida Department of Transportation held a public hearing in January to get input on two alternatives for elevated lanes over U.S. 41. Many who attended said they came away believing they would pay tolls.

“That’s what got a lot of people upset in our area,” said task force member Fred Knauer. “If I go to Lowe’s, I have to pay a toll?”

Atefi said tolls could be a source to pay for the roads, but that hasn’t been decided yet.

County officials also noted that even with elevated lanes, there would be at-grade through lanes at the intersection.

Some of those attending the meeting want tolls to be an option, to help reduce congestion.

“Toll roads do have a place,” said task force member Marilyn DeChant. “They take drivers off grade and put them up (on express lanes). They do have a place to be considered.”

But, task force member Susie Hoeller said toll roads could hurt elderly residents on fixed incomes and local businesses that do deliveries.

“People in government, they don’t look at the real impact on people’s lives,” she said. “I think it’s a bad idea.”

Whatever option that gains approval should be one that is feasible and reasonable, said Ryan.

And, any option that involves construction will cause disruptions including the purchase of right-of-way, he said.

“We shouldn’t hide away from discussing eminent domain. These are going to come up,” he said. “There’s a business or two that might have to move.”

Keystone Community Church, at 21010 State Road 54, also could be in the path of future road construction.

“We’re in a growth mode now,” said Wayne Hawes, chairman of the church’s board of directors. “Are we going to waste our money if we expand our facilities?”

Even if funds were available now, Atefi said construction could be between seven and eight years away.

Funding more likely won’t be available until after 2020.

Some people at the meeting expressed frustrations and skepticism about the planning process.

Dave Miller said the county’s long-range land use plan is too focused on increasing density.

“This is social engineering,” said Miller who lives in west Pasco, off Little Road and State Road 54.

“They are trying to force people into high rises on transit lanes. You need to throw this back at them (Pasco County and the state). This is not workable,” Miller said.

Others seemed skeptical that their efforts on the task force would be taken seriously.

“Ultimately it’s going to be what they want it to be,” said task force member Christie Zimmer. “I’m praying it’s not that, and we won’t get something stuffed down our throats.”

Her remarks drew some applause.

Task force members will complete surveys in the next weeks to identify up to five construction alternatives, plus a no-build option.

The West Task Force will vote on alternatives at its final meeting on March 28. The East Task Force will do the same at its meeting on March 31. Both of those meetings will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at Rasmussen College.

The planning organization will do additional study on the top selections.

What: Town Hall meeting with Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, and county staff members
When: Feb. 18 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 20735 Leonard Road, Lutz

Published February 10, 2016

Craft beers are In the Loop in Land O’ Lakes

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Cooking home brewed beer started as a hobby five years ago, with three friends in Land O’ Lakes meeting up in a garage on Cherbourg Loop.

All anyone had to say was – “See you at the loop.”

And, the next few hours were devoted to brewing beer.

The compliments rolled in.

Mark Pizzurro, Joe Traina and Peter Abreut anticipate opening their craft brewery in Land O’ Lakes in spring. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)
Mark Pizzurro, Joe Traina and Peter Abreut anticipate opening their craft brewery in Land O’ Lakes in spring.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

“We had a lot of people like our beers,” said Peter Abreut. “That made us think we could really start something.”

By spring, a garage hobby will become In the Loop Brewing with an on-site brewery, tap and tasting room, and nearly 7,000 square feet for an outdoor beer garden.

The brewery, tap and tasting room will open first, with the beer garden opening later on.

Abreut and partners, Mark Pizzurro and Joe Traina, are busy renovating a former residence at 3338 Land O’ Lakes Boulevard. The two-story house is next door to a building that houses Interior Elegance and Abreut’s gym, Crossfit En Fuego.

The upstairs can be rented for private parties or special events such as birthdays, weddings and office parties.

“We’re trying to keep the house as is,” Pizzurro said. “It has its own character.”

A former single-family home on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard is being renovated for a tap and tasting room. In the Loop Brewing will be next door to Interior Elegance and Crossfit En Fuego.
A former single-family home on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard is being renovated for a tap and tasting room. In the Loop Brewing will be next door to Interior Elegance and Crossfit En Fuego.

A shed on the property will be converted into the brewery.

An outdoor patio, decks, an inside/outside serving window and landscaping will complement the beer garden.

Noise will be kept at a minimum, Traina said, with low-level background music for the beer garden.

“It’s very community oriented,” he said. “That’s our goal.

Everything is coming into place.

In the Loop Brewing already has a fan base with nearly 900 likes on Facebook from beer enthusiasts who identify as “loopers.”

A Portland-based company is delivering brewing equipment. The Pasco County Commission, in January, approved the brewery’s beer and wine licenses. A federal license to brew beer is expected soon.

“I’m excited about this. This is a great day for Land O’ Lakes,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore. “This is great for the area’s development. This is also tourism for the county if you think about it.”

An In the Loop growler sits on a table on the patio of a former residence that is being renovated as a tap and tasting room for In the Loop Brewing.
An In the Loop growler sits on a table on the patio of a former residence that is being renovated as a tap and tasting room for In the Loop Brewing.

Three years ago Big Storm Brewing, located in Odessa, was Pasco’s only craft brewery.

“For years you’d seen nothing of this kind of thing,” Traina said.

Pasco now is seeing a burst of new breweries.

The vacant ClassB screen-printing business in downtown Zephyrhills will soon open as Zephyrhills Brewing Co. Pasco County commissioners also approved a beer and wine license for Rebel Dog Brewing Co., in New Port Richey.

According to 2014 data from the Brewers Association, Florida ranked ninth nationally in numbers of craft breweries, with 111 locations. The state held the fifth spot in production at 1.1 million barrels of craft beer.

But, Traina said the trend for more breweries isn’t about competition, but camaraderie. “The whole culture of the (brewing) community is to be tight- knit,” he said. “It’s so diverse.”

Pizzurro is head brewer among the partners. In addition to home brewing, he served as an intern at Big Storm for about a year.

In the Loop’s beer selections so far include an IPA, American pale ale, a Vienna lager and farmhouse ale.

It is a true partnership, however.

Everyone can contribute on beer recipes.

Abreut is skilled in marketing; Traina in sales.

“We all bring something to the table,” Traina said.

And, they take pride in bringing a unique experience to Land O’ Lakes.

“It’s helping revitalize this area,” said Abreut. “That’s what we want to do.”

More information about In the Loop Brewing can be found on their Facebook page.

Published February 3, 2016

Kumquats reign supreme at Dade City festival

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They take the cake and the pies at the festival.

The first kumquat tree in St. Joseph took root more than 100 years ago, when C.J. Nathe planted it in his backyard.

He added a few more, and soon he had a small grove on an acre of fertile ground.

The kumquat king, as Nathe was later dubbed, transformed a quiet back road community into the Kumquat Capital of the World.

An open house will take place on Jan. 28 and Jan. 29 at the Kumquat Growers packinghouse and gift shop.

The 19th annual Kumquat Festival is set for Jan. 30 in downtown Dade City.

Margie Neuhofer and her husband Joseph Neuhofer are among founding growers of Kumquat Growers Inc. Neuhofer manages the gift shop. She and Frank Gude show off kumquat products sold at the shop. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Margie Neuhofer and her husband Joseph Neuhofer are among founding growers of Kumquat Growers Inc. Neuhofer manages the gift shop. She and Frank Gude show off kumquat products sold at the shop.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

More than 40,000 people are expected to stroll through the historic town square during the festival, which will feature more than 425 vendor booths. There will be arts and crafts, a car and truck show, a health and wellness area, live entertainment, a farmer’s market, the Kumquat Kids Corral, a quilt challenge, and kumquats in pies, cakes, salsas, jams, jellies and chutneys.

No one imagined nearly two decades ago the drawing power of a tiny citrus fruit from Asia, sweet on the outside and tart on the inside.

“The biggest thing that made it a success was people didn’t know what a kumquat was. There was the curiosity of it,” said Frank Gude, president and founding partner in Kumquat Growers Inc., the country’s largest producer and shipper of kumquats, and kumquat products.

Phyllis Smith, Roxanne Barthle and Carlene Ellberg organized the first festival on the lawn of Dade City’s historic courthouse with only a few vendors.

“We started slow, and then it built,” said Gude.

Gude’s family traces its history with kumquat farming to those early plantings decades ago.

The Gudes were one of five original growers who founded the packing cooperative in the early 1970s. Others were Charles Barthle, Joseph and Paul Neuhofer and Fred Heidgerken.

But, kumquat groves dotted the rural landscape for decades before then.

“Every family out here had a little block of kumquats,” said Gude. It didn’t take much to produce an abundant crop. “Depending on how many kids they had (to do the picking), they could have enough to ship kumquats (up north).”

Nathe gets historical credit for starting it all.

The Michigan native had been an employee of nearby Jessamine Gardens nursery for many years. He had a special affection for the small decorative tree with delicate green leaves and orange fruit.

Up north, the kumquat blooms added color and charm to Christmas décor in wreaths, on mantels, and as stylish adornments on gift packages. Or, people wanted a pretty tree for their yards.

But, as Nathe knew, they also could be popped into the mouth and eaten or preserved as marmalade, jams and jellies.

Nathe gave away most of his early harvests to neighbors. But, he soon realized the commercial value of the kumquat, both decorative and edible.

He loaded his kumquats on the rail line and shipped them north by the bushels.

His neighbors took note, and kumquat trees sprouted across the countryside.

As a young boy, Gude, now age 86, and his siblings, had kumquat chores during harvesting seasons. “We’d come home from school to pick kumquats,” he said. “My job especially was to make crates to ship them in. The girls would be out there picking them.”

Gude said local families swapped recipes for kumquat pies, cakes, jellies and jams. Many of those recipes went into a cookbook that was slipped into kumquat gift boxes, and shipped to cities such as New York and Chicago. Outside, the boxes would be decorated with pretty clippings of fruit nestled within leaves.

Agricultural regulations nowadays don’t allow leaves due to the potential for spreading pesticides and plant diseases, Gude said.

But, at the time, the kumquat’s versatility only boosted its popularity.

The trees typically bear fruit three times a year, in May, June and July.

“You pick one crop, and the next crop gets ready,” Gude said.

Kumquat Growers represents about 10 area growers. “We harvest their fruit and market it for them,” Gude said.

At the packinghouse on Gude Road, off State Road 578, a small group of workers are stationed on the assembly line — washing, cleaning and stripping away leaves. Kumquats are packaged in small containers and then boxed for delivery.

In downtown Dade City, a 1950s-style sign inside Olga’s Deli, advertises kumquat refrigerator pie, using a recipe by Rosemary Gude, Frank’s wife, who died in 2014.

The recipe uses a frozen kumquat puree sold by the growers’ cooperative.

As often happens, the festival coincides with Tampa’s pirate invasion and Gasparilla Festival. The first time that happened, organizers of the kumquat fest held their breath.

But, they need not have worried. The tiny kumquat triumphed.

“Different crowds,” Gude said.

Even after all these year, Gude is amazed that some people still don’t know what a kumquat is.

At the open house, Gude and Roger Swain, the former host of The Victory Garden on PBS, will explain to visitors “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About a Kumquat.”

There also will be tours of the groves and the packinghouse, free samples of kumquat products and a farmer’s market.

Donations for hot dogs will go to the American Cancer Society.

For those who want to do a little shopping, the gift shop is stocked with all things kumquat, including pie, marmalades, butter, chutney and salsa. There’s even sweet or spicy barbecue sauce and vinaigrette, featuring kumquats.

Free samples are always available, said Margie Neuhofer, who manages the shop.

And, those samples typically turn into sales, she said.

“Once they taste it, they want to buy it,” Neuhofer said.

At the festival’s first open house, people lined up along the road waiting to get in.

Last year more than 1,000 people stopped by, and Neuhofer expects this year to be no different.

“A lot of people like it better than the festival,” she said.

What: Kumquat Growers Open House
When: Jan. 28 and Jan. 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: 31647 Gude Road, in St. Joseph
What: Grove and packing house tours, farmer’s market, free kumquat samples and kumquat products for sale in the gift shop
Cost: Free

What: 19th Annual Kumquat Festival
When: Jan. 30 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Historic downtown Dade City
What: Music, arts & crafts, car and truck show, food trucks, family fun and lots of kumquats
Cost: Admission is free, transportation from satellite parking areas is free, and city-owned parking lots in downtown Dade City are free.

Published January 27, 2016

Wesley Chapel Boulevard to be widened

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The developer of Cypress Creek Town Center could issue bids for a redesign along County Road 54, also known as Wesley Chapel Boulevard, as early as February.

If that happens, construction could begin in April to widen a stretch of roadway from its intersection with State Road 56 north past a planned entry in the mall.

“That’s optimistic,” said Brent Whitley, vice president of Sierra Properties Inc. “But, we want to be completed by the end of the year.”

Additional roadwork by Pasco County might not happen until 2020, but area residents are eager to see a start on easing traffic woes on the existing two-lane portion of Wesley Chapel Boulevard.

Residents listen as Michael Campo, roadway project engineer with Kisinger Campo & Associates, answers questions about the proposed road design for County Road 54. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Residents listen as Michael Campo, roadway project engineer with Kisinger Campo & Associates, answers questions about the proposed road design for County Road 54.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

More than 100 residents attended a workshop on Jan.15 to check out the proposed road project. County transportation planners and representatives of Kisinger Campo & Associates were on hand at Veterans Elementary School to answer questions and listen to input on the road design.

The goal is to build a six-lane divided roadway from north of State Road 56 to north of Magnolia Boulevard. The project will provide three 12-foot traffic lanes on both sides of a median. There also will be bicycle lanes, a five-foot-wide sidewalk on the west side of the road, and an eight-foot sidewalk on the east side.

On the county’s part, completion of the roadway’s design is expected in 2016. Construction to start where the mall’s expanded roadwork ends won’t happen until right-of-way acquisition is completed. That process will begin in 2016. Funding for the project is included in Pasco County’s five-year capital improvement budget.

Sierra Properties, the mall developer, is responsible for that portion of the road that runs past the mall, located north of State Road 56 at the intersection with Wesley Chapel Boulevard.

A traffic signal is planned at the mall’s entrance.

Most of the residents at the workshop expressed frustrations about increasing traffic congestion, long waits to turn onto Wesley Chapel Boulevard as they exit their subdivisions and concerns about right-of-way acquisition.

Currently, the road has six lanes where Wesley Chapel Boulevard and State Road 56 meet, but it quickly tapers to two lanes beyond the mall’s property.

“The main issue is being able to get in and out of Grand Oaks,” said Jim Clark, who moved to Grand Oaks in 1997. “It’s a tremendous problem especially going east.”

A wait of 10 minutes or more to exit the subdivision is not unusual, he said.

“We really do need a stop light,” said his wife, Trisha Clark.

The couple will get their wish.

County planners said new traffic signals would be installed at Grand Oaks and at Stagecoach, in addition to the light at the mall.

New growth, both residential and commercial, gets the blame for the increasing traffic woes.

“Because of the expansion of new car dealerships, it’s growing greatly, which is a good thing,” said Ed Rogers, who lives in Grand Oaks. “But, now we have trucks at all hours of the night. The noise will be even more.”

Rogers and his neighbor, Kay Kleinhample, also had concerns that the county would buy up right-of-way that would take down Grand Oaks’ entrance wall, and even all or part of their homes.

That won’t be the case, according to county planners.

Instead, the right-of-way still needed for the project will come from the east side of Wesley Chapel Boulevard. That could affect some businesses, but no homes will be lost, they said.

Concerns still remain about the timing and how the redesign will work.

“What are they going to do to make our living a little easier?” Kleinhample said.

Published January 20, 2016

Area events honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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The legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lives on each year as communities nationwide celebrate the birth of the civil rights leader with parades, community service days and reflections on his message of non-violence.

The official holiday honoring King will be Jan. 18.

In Pasco County, celebrations will be take place throughout the week, including a first-time parade in Lacoochee on the official holiday.

The parade came at the suggestion of the young people in the Boys & Girls Club of Lacoochee, said Lorenzo Coffie, who is helping organize the parade and a scholarship breakfast for the MLK Program Committee.

“We thought it was an exciting idea,” Coffie said.

Area colleges and civic groups also are planning events.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his stirring ‘I Have a Dream’ speech during the 1963 March on Washington. (FIle Photo)
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his stirring ‘I Have a Dream’ speech during the 1963 March on Washington.
(FIle Photo)

Pasco-Hernando State College will host the 31st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Lecture Series on Jan. 20 and Jan. 21, on its various campuses around the county.

The guest speaker will be Mark Anthony Neal, a professor of black popular culture in African-American Studies at Duke University in North Carolina and director of the Institute of Critical US Studies.

The theme of Neal’s lectures will be “Hip Hop, Civil Rights and Social Media.”

King’s legacy is in civil rights, but also social justice, and this year’s theme focuses on the synergy between the two, said Imani Asukile, director of Global & Multicultural Awareness at PHSC.

Neal also brings expertise in social media and its cultural influences. His articles have been published in the Washington Post, Emerge Magazine and The Chicago Sun-Times.

He is author of four books, including his most recent, “New Black Man: Rethinking Black Masculinity.”
Neal has described himself as a black feminist male.

At Saint Leo University, there will be a Spring Community Service Day on Jan. 18.

Florida Supreme Court Justice Peggy Quince will be the guest speaker at noon in the Student Community Center boardroom, discussing King’s efforts to end childhood poverty.

Quince became the first African-American woman appointed to a state appeals court when she was selected to serve on the Second Court of Appeal in 1993. She was elected to the position three years later.

Gov. Lawton Chiles and Gov.-elect Jeb Bush appointed her to the Florida Supreme Court in 1998. She served as chief justice from 2008 to 2010, making her the second African-American and third woman to hold the position.

Following her talk, a free children’s fair will be on campus. There will be face painting, sand art and several inflatables. Faculty, students and student clubs will host the activities.

In Lacoochee, the Boys & Girls Club of Lacoochee, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, local churches, schools, area businesses and the MLK Program Committee plan two days of activities.

On Jan. 16, a Scholarship Breakfast program will take place at the Boys & Girls Club of Lacoochee. Donations of $10 for adults and $5 for students are requested. The funds will provide scholarships to area high school students.

On Jan. 18, a parade will be held, followed by a program at the Boys & Girls Club of Lacoochee, with the Rev. Deundrick Reed as keynote speaker.

The MLK Program Committee enlists different hosts each year for festivities. Coffie said the committee members appreciate the enthusiasm of the youth at the Boys & Girls Club who wanted to stage a parade.

Pasco County Sheriff’s Cpl. Jessica Hammond, known as Officer Friendly, also encouraged the parade, he said.

The theme is “The Dream: One Nation Under God.”

“(Dr.) King was a reverend. That was his forte,” said Coffie. “His ministry was based on nonviolence and equality for all.”

Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations:

Activities at Pasco-Hernando State College
Who: Guest lecturer Mark Anthony Neal, professor of black popular culture in African-American Studies at Duke University
What: Lecture on  “Hip Hop, Civil Rights and Social Media”
When: Jan. 20 at 10 a.m., in Room B-303, Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Road, Wesley Chapel and at 6 p.m. in Room A-240, East Campus, 36727 Blanton Road, Dade City.
Neal also will speak on Jan. 21 at 9:45 a.m., via web telecast in B-104/105, North Campus, 11415 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Brooksville; at 9:45 a.m., in Performing Arts Center, West Campus, 10230 Ridge Road, New Port Richey, and at 7 p.m., in Room B-105, Spring Hill Campus, 450 Beverly Court, Spring Hill

Activities at Saint Leo University
What: Speech by Florida Supreme Court Justice Peggy Quince
Where: Student Community Center boardroom
When: Jan. 18 at noon

What: Children’s fair
When: Jan. 18, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., on the green between the Student Activities Building and Kirk Hall.
Saint Leo University is at 33701 State Road 52, four miles east of Interstate 75.

MLK Program Committee Activities

What: Scholarship Breakfast Program
When: Jan. 16, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., at the Boys & Girls Club of Lacoochee, 38724 Mudcat Grant Blvd., in Lacoochee.
How much: Tickets are $10 for adults, and $5 for students

MLK parade
When: Jan. 18 at 9 a.m.
Where: Starting in Lacoochee at Cummer Road and U.S. 301, ending at Boys & Girls Club of Lacoochee. After the parade, there will be a MLK Commemorative Program at 11 a.m., at the boys and girls club, where the Rev. Deundrick Reed will be the keynote speaker. There will be refreshments at Stanley Park after the program.

Published January 13, 2016

Lutz church hits three-quarter century mark

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There was just a smattering of businesses along U.S. 41, when the Rev. Heard T. Burnette began the First Baptist Church of Lutz, in the community north of Tampa.

The first meeting was in the home of J. B. and Maude Laurence, which was on the ground where Lutz Elementary School now sits.

Joan Fletcher recalls the church’s first meeting, held in the living room of her grandparents’ home.

A look at the First Baptist Church of Lutz during its early days. This is the original wooden church, after it was expanded. (Courtesy of Joan Fletcher)
A look at the First Baptist Church of Lutz during its early days. This is the original wooden church, after it was expanded.
(Courtesy of Joan Fletcher)

“I was a little kid. We were excited,” Fletcher said. “We all spent the night at grandma’s house, so we’d be sure to be there.”

Most of the people at that first service were members of the family, Fletcher recalled.

The church met at Fletcher’s grandparents’ home until its first wooden building was erected.

That church was later expanded, and over the years, a larger church and a Fellowship Hall were built on the grounds, and an office and student building were constructed across the street.

Now, as the church prepares to celebrate its 75th anniversary, it’s inviting anyone who has ever been a part of the church to come to the celebrations.

It will be a time to see old friends and to reminisce, members of the anniversary committee said.

Hazel Nalls has accumulated scores of memories since she joined the church around 1941.

This is the wedding party at Hazel Nalls’ wedding in 1954. Since then, her son was married at the church, and this August, her grandson will be married there, too. (Courtesy of Hazel Nalls)
This is the wedding party at Hazel Nalls’ wedding in 1954. Since then, her son was married at the church, and this August, her grandson will be married there, too.
(Courtesy of Hazel Nalls)

Back then, Fletcher Avenue was still a dirt road, she said.

“I accepted Christ here, in ’42. I was baptized in Lake Keen,” Nalls said.

She was married at the church in 1954, and since then, her son has been married there, too. The third generation of her family — her grandson — is planning to be married at the church in August.

Fletcher keeps a scrapbook containing photographs and other memorabilia from the church through the years.

Many of the photos have burnt edges. They are the photos she was able to retrieve after her house burned down.

They help tell the story of the church.

There are images of the old wooden church, of church picnics, of the church choir, of baptisms in Lake Keen, of weddings and other celebrations.

“This church was built on prayer,” Nalls said.

“The men went back here behind the church in the woods and had prayer meetings on Tuesday night and the women met in the church,” she said.

The current church building was financed through the purchase of blocks, with church members purchasing what they could every fifth Sunday, Nalls and Fletcher recalled.

Members of the First Baptist Church of Lutz used to be baptized in lakes. This shot was taken of a group being baptized in Lake Keen. The edges of the photograph are charred, because the photo was salvaged after Joan Fletcher’s house burned down. (Courrtesy of Joan Fletcher)
Members of the First Baptist Church of Lutz used to be baptized in lakes. This shot was taken of a group being baptized in Lake Keen. The edges of the photograph are charred, because the photo was salvaged after Joan Fletcher’s house burned down.
(Courrtesy of Joan Fletcher)

Newspaper clippings and church memorabilia also help detail the church’s history.

The church was built out of a mission of the Calvary Baptist Church of Tampa at 10th Street and 36th Avenue, according to a church document.

“On the second Sunday of May 1940, with a small building 30 by 30 feet and only half of this floored, no windows or doors, we held our first service here in the church,” according to one account. The church had 45 charter members.

Other missions sprang out the church, one in Odessa in 1942, which became a church in 1943. And, another at Amelia began near Darby in 1943, which became a church in 1944.

Senior Pastor Charles White has led the church since 1990.

It now has about 400 regular worshipers who come primarily from Lutz and Land O’ Lakes. But, its scores of ministries reach across the region, the country and the world, current church members said.

It has more than 30 people trained to respond to natural disasters, hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms and flooding.

Its other ministries have helped to build churches in Oklahoma, North Dakota and South Dakota, to start schools in Haiti and to help launch a seminary in Haiti, too.

Closer to home, church ministries feed the homeless, make car repairs, do home repairs and visit prisoners.

Church member Ron Waters said he thinks people are drawn to First Baptist Church of Lutz by its “disorganized chaos” at the start of each service. “Everybody gets up and hugs everybody, and greets everybody and shakes hands with visitors,” he said, adding that visitors seem to find that warmth inviting.

Jim Hall, chairman of the 75th anniversary committee, said he believes “the presence of the Holy Spirit” attracts people to the church.

“People can feel it,” he said.

Church picnics were a great way to bring members together. This is one of those gatherings. The church will be having a dinner to celebrate its 75th anniversary on Jan. 17. (Courtesy of Joan Fletcher)
Church picnics were a great way to bring members together. This is one of those gatherings. The church will be having a dinner to celebrate its 75th anniversary on Jan. 17.
(Courtesy of Joan Fletcher)

Fletcher said the church has a welcoming atmosphere: “It doesn’t matter who you are, you’re welcome at First Baptist Church of Lutz.”

Paul Vahue, who joined the church’s staff five years ago, said he felt drawn by the church’s warmth when he arrived from Atlanta 20 years ago.

“It’s that feeling of love and generosity, and kindness,” said Vahue, associate pastor of administration for the church.

And now, three-quarters of a century since the church’s inception, members said they’re delighted to play a role in connecting people to God.

“We’re very mission-minded, in terms of what we do as a church here,” Hall said.

“There’s over 30 lay-led ministries at the church that minister to folks, locally and globally,” Vahue said.

75th anniversary
Where: First Baptist Church of Lutz, 18116 U.S. 41 in Lutz
When: Jan. 16 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., ice cream social and memorabilia in the student building at the First Baptist Church of Lutz. And, Jan. 17, church services at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., followed by an old-fashioned dinner on church grounds.
Please RSVP as soon as possible via the church’s website, LutzFBC.com, or by calling the church office at (813) 949-7495. (The church is supplying the fried chicken, soft drinks and cake, and participants will bring a dish to share).

Published January 6, 2016

 

 

2015 marked by growth, loss, compassion

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New construction captured many headlines during the year 2015 in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

But, so did traffic issues and changes happening in area schools.

Other news chronicled setbacks and tragic losses. But, there were inspiring stories, too.

Tampa Premium Outlets, a 441,000-square-foot mall with 100-plus designer brand shops, opened in October off State Road 56, near the Interstate 75 interchange.

Saint Anthony Catholic School in San Antonio held a dedication ceremony in February, to celebrate the school’s new brick classroom building. (File Photos)
Saint Anthony Catholic School in San Antonio held a dedication ceremony in February, to celebrate the school’s new brick classroom building.
(File Photos)

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel embarked upon a $78 million expansion project – 2 ½ years ahead of schedule — to add 112,000 square feet and renovate 11,000.

Florida Hospital Center Ice, a new 150,000-square-foot sports facility, broke ground on Feb. 24. It will have an Olympic-sized hockey rink, four other rinks and the ability to accommodate other sports.

Lutz and Land O’ Lakes also saw their share of growth.

New homes and apartments are popping up along the State Road 54 corridor and along portions of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

A Lowe’s home improvement store opened on State Road 54, the Land O’ Lakes Community Park underwent a $2.3 million upgrade, and a new Pasco County Utilities Administration building opened off Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, also known as U.S. 41.

Just outside Dade City, an aerial adventure park, known as Tree Hoppers, began operation, and a number of new businesses have settled into the downtown historic district.

Of course, the new development has added to the area’s traffic jams, which won’t be resolved in the short term.

But, there are efforts being made to address the issue.

The Florida Department of Transportation is exploring solutions to address traffic flow at U.S. 41 and State Road 54. There are efforts to extend State Road 56 between Meadow Pointe and Zephyrhills, and, construction work continues at the I-75 and State Road 52 interchange.

On the education scene, there was a changing of the guard in top leadership at Saint Leo University, just outside Dade City. Dr. Arthur Kirk retired, and Dr. William J. Lennox Jr. assumed the top post.

Pasco-Hernando State College also has a new president, with Dr. Timothy Beard being named to the post after the retirement of Dr. Katherine Johnson.

This photo, taken in the 2014-2015 school year, gives an idea of the crowding that Wiregrass Ranch High was experiencing before it went to a 10-period school day. The school went to a staggered schedule this school year, to reduce the impacts of crowding.
This photo, taken in the 2014-2015 school year, gives an idea of the crowding that Wiregrass Ranch High was experiencing before it went to a 10-period school day. The school went to a staggered schedule this school year, to reduce the impacts of crowding.

The state college’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch also hit a milestone, announcing that it would be surpassing the 3,000-student enrollment mark.

On another front, Sanders Memorial Elementary School reopened in Land O’ Lakes, as Pasco County Schools’ first magnet school. It is a STEAM school, with a curriculum that focuses on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.

Pine View Middle School also launched an effort to become the public school district’s first International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme.

And, Wiregrass Ranch High School in Wesley Chapel began operating on a 10-period school day, to reduce the number of students on campus at the same time.

A more permanent solution to Wiregrass Ranch’s overcrowding is expected to occur when the district opens a new school for grades six through 12 that is being constructed on Old Pasco Road.

In another change, the district adopted new boundaries for a new elementary school in Wesley Chapel, off Mansfield Boulevard, which is scheduled to open next fall.

The new school will relieve significant overcrowding at Seven Oaks Elementary. The boundary shifts, which were controversial, will increase enrollment at Denham Oaks Elementary in Lutz.

In other school news, St. Timothy Catholic Church in Lutz opened the Saint Paul II Youth Center and opened a new elementary school to house Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School.

Saint Anthony Catholic School also marked a milestone — dedicating a new brick classroom building in February.

While much of the news in 2015 was about progress and new beginnings, not all of the news was positive.

For instance, the GFWC Lutz Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club was forced to cancel its 36th annual arts and crafts show, because a sinkhole developed at Lake Park.

Chairman Ted Schrader, holding scissors, slices through the ribbon, as he and other dignitaries celebrated the opening of the Utilities Administration Building.
Chairman Ted Schrader, holding scissors, slices through the ribbon, as he and other dignitaries celebrated the opening of the Utilities Administration Building.

The annual two-day event, which has drawn about 30,000 shoppers a year, was the club’s biggest fundraiser. So, besides disappointing shoppers and about 300 vendors, the cancellation also will reduce the club’s ability to help scores of community organizations and charities.

The year also was marked by the passing of Land O’ Lakes cross country coach Kris Keppel and Laura Hauser, a former non-instructional employee of the year, who worked at Wesley Chapel Elementary before she became too ill to work. Both lost battles with cancer. And, car accidents claimed the lives of Pasco High student Jordan Ivie and Wesley Chapel High.

These deaths inspired demonstrations of respect, generosity, compassion and kindness — to help those grieving their loss.

In another show of support, the community of San Antonio rallied to hold a benefit for Lewis and Diane Riggleman, whose home was destroyed by fire.

Other uplifting moments involved Suellen Smith, the cafeteria manager at Zephyrhills High, who continues her tradition of collecting and giving away dress shirts, dress pants, gowns and dresses to help outfit young men and women for prom, homecoming, weddings and other special occasions.

Another big moment for 2015 involved Leigh Dittman, a Gaither High student from Lutz.

The 15-year-old recently reached a goal she set when she was 7: To raise $1 million for Shriners Hospitals for Children.

The young woman has a disorder known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease.

During a recent interview, she said she was motivated to raise the money for Shriners because of how giving it has been to her.

“They are such an amazing group of people, and they’ve given me so much, with my life. It seemed like the right thing to do,” Dittman said.

Published December 30, 2015

Fifteen-year-old raises $1 million for hospital

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Leigh Dittman always knew that she would achieve her goal of raising $1 million for Shriners Hospitals for Children – she just didn’t know she’d do it by age 15.

The Gaither High School student, who has a disorder known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI), said she was motivated to raise the money for Shriners because of how giving it has been to her.

Leigh Dittman poses near the family’s Christmas tree at her home in Lutz. She recently was honored for raising $1 million for Shriners Hospitals for Children. She has a bone disorder known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta, more commonly called ‘brittle bone disease,’ but, she said she’s not defined by her OI. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)
Leigh Dittman poses near the family’s Christmas tree at her home in Lutz. She recently was honored for raising $1 million for Shriners Hospitals for Children. She has a bone disorder known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta, more commonly called ‘brittle bone disease,’ but, she said she’s not defined by her OI.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“They are such an amazing group of people, and they’ve given me so much, with my life. It seemed like the right thing to do,” the young woman said during an interview at her Lutz home.

She began raising money for Shriners when she was turning 3. She said she’d rather have friends and family give money to the hospitals, instead of giving her presents.

The first year, she raised $5,000.

It grew from there.

When she was 7, people began asking her: “How far do you want to go? What’s your goal?

“As a 7-year-old, I was like, ‘A million dollars seems like a really big number. Why don’t we shoot for that?’ ”

She expected to meet the goal at some point, but not within eight years, she said.

The money was raised by annual events that initially were tied to her birthday, but later were held separately.

The event was a combined live auction, silent auction and raffle event. People could bid on items or buy raffle tickets for all sorts of prizes, including sports memorabilia, theme park tickets and stays at a cabin in North Carolina.

“We would spend the majority of our summer going to different organizations and different companies, and asking them – seeing if they would like to donate. We met great people who would help us continuously throughout the years,” the 15-year-old said. Now that they’ve hit the million-dollar mark, the family plans to take a year off, she said.

Leigh Dittman has a gold plaque on the philanthropic wall at Shriners Hospitals for Children, signifying that she’s responsible for raising $1 million in donations. (Courtesy of Shriners Hospitals for Children)
Leigh Dittman has a gold plaque on the philanthropic wall at Shriners Hospitals for Children, signifying that she’s responsible for raising $1 million in donations.
(Courtesy of Shriners Hospitals for Children)

The young woman was honored on Dec. 14 at Shriners Hospitals for Children, where the hospital and its Board of Governors swapped the teenager’s bronze fundraising plaque for a gold one, signifying donors who have given at least $1 million, according to a hospital news release.

At that ceremony, Board Chairman Tom Edwards described his first encounter with Leigh when she was 5.

Edwards said he was supposed to carry Leigh through an archway during a program. He recalled her telling him: “Mr. Shriner, be careful. I break easy.”

Leigh’s mother, Ellen, said none of this would have happened had she listened to doctors who advised her to have an abortion.

She knew early in her pregnancy there were problems, she said.

“Shriners Hospitals said they were sure they could fix her legs. And, they put her on a waiting list, not even knowing was going on with her, other than we knew that with her legs there was something major going on,” she said.

Leigh was born, via C-section, with five broken ribs and a broken femur that had already healed.

Since then, she’s had 14 surgeries and about 40 fractures.

But, Leigh refuses to define herself by her OI, commonly called “brittle bone disease.”

“I know some people have the same condition, who have made it their entire life. That’s all their life is,” she said.

This is how she defines herself: “I’m a sophomore. I’m an older sister. I’m a violinist. I’m a straight-A student. It’s the afterthought of, ‘And, oh, I have OI,” Leigh said.

Her disorder makes her bones weak.

“That’s why I’m shorter than average. That’s why I break so easily. That’s why I us a wheelchair as my main mode of transportation,” she said.

When people see her in her wheelchair, they often mistakenly assume she has a mental condition, she said.

“I have a lot of people that will start talking to me and speaking to me in a different tone of voice, and speak to me like I’m at a lower maturity level than what I am. I’ll have people come up and talk to me like (I am) a 2-year-old and ask me how I’m doing,” she said.

Once she responds, she said, they realize they’re mistaken.

She has a positive attitude and optimistic outlook, but said she has experienced darker times.

Seventh-grade year was particularly difficult. She had four surgeries, two broken legs, a broken collarbone and a scar infection.

“So, I did, for a little while, go: “Why God, why me? Why did you do this?’

“And then, I realized, it was so I could tell people my story, so I could show, yeah, life’s not always rainbows and butterflies, but you get through it. You’ll be OK.”

She wants to use what she’s been through to help others.

“I want to go into nursing,” she said, adding she’s known that since she was 7.

“Maybe I’ll have that kid that just had spinal fusion,” she said.

She’ll be able to tell that child: “You’re going to be OK, and you’re going to get through this and do whatever you want in life. It’s not going to stop you, because guess what, I did the same thing. I had the exact same story as you. I’m here. I’ve made it. You can do it.’ ”

About Osteogenesis Imperfecta
Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) is a genetic bone disorder characterized by fragile bones that break easily. It is also known as “brittle bone disease.”
A person is born with this disorder and is affected throughout his or her lifetime.

The disorder is caused by a mutation (change) in a gene that affects bone formation, bone strength and the structure of other tissues.

OI occurs equally among males and females and in all racial groups. It is estimated that approximately 25,000 to 50,000 people in the U.S. have OI. With good medical management and supportive care, the majority of people who have OI will lead healthy, productive lives and can expect an average life span.

  • Source: Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation (OIF.org)

Published December 23, 2015