The Laker/Lutz News

Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center

Chalk Talk 05/11/2022

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(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

Showering teachers with tokens of appreciation
The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club has always prioritized education, and supports the local teachers and schools often. Club member Sabrina Scott, center, recently visited the Lutz K-8 School to deliver snacks and treats to PTA representatives, which were distributed to the teachers as small tokens of the club’s gratitude and in commemoration of Teacher Appreciation Week. Similar gifts of appreciation were delivered to the teachers at Connerton Elementary and Miles Elementary, as well. The woman’s club has supported these three schools for many years.

Eighth USF president named
Florida’s Board of Governors has confirmed Rhea Law as the University of South Florida’s (USF) eighth president. Law spent the past eight months serving as interim president, and is the first USF alum to fill the role, according to a University News post.

“Under her leadership, the university recently experienced the most transformational legislative session in USF history, with record-setting investments in operations on all three USF campuses. She also led the effort to complete USF’s new five-year strategic plan, created a collaborative working group to develop a more transparent budget model and has fostered greater communication and collaboration across campuses,” the post said.

Law also is a founding member of the Board of Directors of the USF Law Alumni Society, served as a member of the USF Research Foundation Board, and was named a 2018 Distinguished Alumna by the USF Alumni Association.

Planet Fitness offers pass
Planet Fitness will offer a High School Summer Pass program from May 16 through Aug. 31, for all high-schoolers ages 14 to 19.

Students will be able to work out at no cost, at any Planet Fitness location.

The fitness center aims to help teenagers stay physically and mentally fit over the summer, by providing a way to exercise for free while school is out.

The program, which used to be called the Teen Summer Challenge, first launched in 2019, and more than 900,000 teens signed up.

To encourage teens to take advantage of the program, all participants automatically will be entered into a sweepstakes awarding one person, in each state, with a $500 scholarship.

Additionally, one grand prize of a $5,000 scholarship will be awarded at the end of the summer.

The scholarships can be used for academic or athletic activities, or other programs.

Teens can preregister for the program online at PlanetFitness.com/summerpass.

Ukulele for home-schoolers
The Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, 12118 Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa, will host a Ukulele Basics class for home-schoolers on May 17 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Participants can learn the basics during this hands-on workshop, presented by Candy Otte of the Tampa Bay Ukulele Society.

Ukuleles will be provided, but home-schoolers can reserve a ukulele to play at home later.

Masks are recommended, but not required.

Registration is a must, online at PascoLibraries.org.

College prep seminar
The Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, 12118 Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa, will present “Preparing for College: Academically, Socially and Financially,” on May 17 at 4:30 p.m.

High school and middle school students and families can attend, to learn about the importance of preparing early for college. Topics also will include how to gain acceptance and how to fund the college of your choice.

Registration is online at PascoLibraries.org.

Free summer program
The City of Zephyrhills will present the 2022 Free Summer Recreation Program from May 31 to July 7, Mondays through Thursdays, from 8 a.m. to noon, at Stewart Middle School, 38505 10th Ave., in Zephyrhills.

The program is limited to 120 students who have completed any grade in kindergarten through fifth grade, in 2021-2022.

For information and to register, visit www.ci.zephyrhills.fl.us/225/Summer-Recreation-Information.

Citizens of the Month
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce has named 13 students as Citizens of the Month, for March and April.

Students are chosen by the teachers and administrators of their individual schools for exemplary effort, achievement and contribution to their school, family and community.

These students received recognition: Ivani Sharrock and Nicholas Dester, Academy of Spectrum Diversity; Jordan Reed, The Broach School; Parker Dixon and James Spivey, Chester Taylor Elementary; Evelean Grantham and Lazaro Martin, Heritage Academy; Gissel Garcia-Romero and Lacy Ferris, West Zephyrhills Elementary; Mackenzie Gavin and Nathaniel Fuller, Woodland Elementary; and Annalyse Guash and Brooke Lea, Zephyrhills High.

Student inductions
Rebecca Moore, of Odessa, and Alex Kiester, of Lutz, have been inducted into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi at Florida Southern College.

Saint Leo awards degrees
Saint Leo University will host a doctoral hooding ceremony on May 13, for more than 40 students receiving degrees in business administration, criminal justice, and education.

Two in-person commencement ceremonies will take place on May 14, at which time degrees (doctoral, master, bachelor and associate) will be awarded to more than 1,200 students.

Kylie Culver will be honored as the Class of 2022 valedictorian, and will deliver the official “farewell.” Culver will graduate summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in history, and minors in Spanish and world politics.

The salutatorian is David Pacheco, who will graduate summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in computer science, information assurance.

For details on the times and ceremony locations on campus, visit SaintLeo.edu.

To access a livestream, visit the school’s website, where a link will be posted the day of.

Best high schools ranked
U.S. News & World Report has named the best high schools in the Tampa area, as well as national rankings, according to its website, USnews.com.

The top 10 high schools were ranked as follows:

  • Plant High, No. 1 in Tampa; No. 632 in National Rankings
  • Steinbrenner High, No. 2 Tampa; No. 742 National
  • Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High, No. 3 Tampa; No. 790 National
  • Newsome High, No. 4 Tampa; No. 903 National
  • Palm Harbor University High, No. 5 Tampa; No. 985 National
  • Osceola Fundamental High, No. 6 Tampa; No. 1,326 National
  • Robinson High, No. 7 Tampa; No. 1,351 National
  • St. Petersburg Collegiate High, No. 8 Tampa; No. 1,354 National
  • Sickles High, No. 9 Tampa; No. 1,367 National
  • Land O’ Lakes High, No. 10 Tampa; No. 1,380 National

Other area school rankings in Tampa included Wiregrass Ranch High, No. 12; Mitchell High, No. 14; and Sunlake High, No. 15.

Hillsborough Virtual School came in at No. 19 in the Tampa area.

Planning efforts begin, at Gunn Highway and State Road 54

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The county has initiated efforts to work with property owners to develop a plan for appropriate future uses of the area at the southwest corner of Gunn Highway and State Road 54.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey convened a meeting with county staff and area property owners at the Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center.

“The purpose of it was to bring together all of the land owners in that quadrant, because we’re starting to get piecemeal owners coming in with development plans and we wanted to do a type of cohesive planning exercise there,” Starkey told her colleagues on the Pasco County Commission at its Oct. 26 meeting.

“It’s a sector plan or quadrant plan, if you will, for that part of the block,” explained Nectarios Pittos, director of planning and development.

“There had been a number of property owners that had been inquiring in this particular area, asking what could potentially happen. Because there were so many inquiries, because there was interest, we decided we would hold a neighborhood meeting and ask everybody what they were thinking about,” Pittos said.

“We had a great turnout, took a lot of feedback that we’re going to utilize as we develop the quadrant plan for this part of the intersection.

“The quadrant plan itself is just a fancy name for a comprehensive plan amendment that could change the future land use in the area to something that the landowners would really like, what the market is looking for, the vision of the county in regard to economic development potential for that area,” Pittos said.

“The hope is that it becomes its own little community,” Starkey said. “You’ll be seeing this work its way through the county and come to us, eventually.”

Published December 08, 2021

Wesley Chapel Library is a step closer to reality

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A new Wesley Chapel Library has moved a step closer to reality.

The Pasco County Commission has authorized negotiations with FleischmanGarcia Architecture and Planning, as its first choice to handle the project’s design.

The board shortlisted the top firms vying for the job, during its Nov. 9 meeting. If negotiations with FleischmanGarcia are unsuccessful, the county would move on to begin negotiations with the second-ranked firm.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore began talking up the idea well over a year ago, telling his colleagues during discussions of the budget for 2021 that it was important to begin laying the groundwork to make that happen.

Libraries are about a lot more than books, these days. They’re community gathering spots, they provide meeting spaces for classes, community organizations and programming. A new library is planned in the Seven Oaks area or Wesley Chapel. (File)

Moore has a soft spot in his heart for libraries. He recalls riding his bicycle to the library when he was young, to get his hands on books and magazines.

He sees libraries as community assets — because they have something to offer to people of all ages and walks of life.

Initially, Moore was simply trying to move the project forward.

It got a push, however, when the county board decided to set aside funding from the American Rescue Plan to build the library.

“The goal is to have it under construction next fiscal year,” County Administrator Dan Biles, told those gathered at a breakfast meeting of the North Tampa Bay Chamber. The breakfast meeting was at the Porter Campus of Pasco-Hernando State College, which is in Wesley Chapel.

The county has owned the planned library’s site since 2004. It’s next to Seven Oaks Elementary, which is at 27633 Mystic Oaks Blvd.

The planned Wesley Chapel library is just the latest news involving the county’s library system.

It also received national recognition for the design of the Starkey Ranch Theatre Library and Cultural Center, which opened this year at 12118 Lake Blanche Drive, in Odessa.

The county also is in the midst of modernizing all of its branches, using proceeds of a bond issue approved by 66% of Pasco County voters in a 2018 referendum.

The Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, and Hugh Embry Branch Library in Dade City are both closed now, for renovation. The New River Library, at 34043 State Road 54, in Wesley Chapel, now completely updated, has reopened.

Published December 08, 2021

Designed with nature in mind, library receives recognition

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Pasco’s brand new Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center (Starkey TLC) is getting some noteworthy attention and national recognition for its unique design.

Pasco County Libraries has announced that the library is featured in the Library Journal’s “Year in Architecture 2021” issue, according to a Pasco County news release.

Staff at the Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center spotlight the Library Journal issue that features its national achievement. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

The library, which opened in August, is recognized by the magazine for incorporating nature in its design.

The use of soft, natural light in the lobby and natural wood in the main entryways is designed to help connect people with the outdoor environment, the release says.

“To be recognized by such a distinguished publication as Library Journal is quite an honor for Pasco County Libraries,” said Bob Harrison, communications program manager, in the release.

“We’re proud of the innovative design of the Starkey TLC and how the community has responded to it,” said Harrison.

The library was built in conjunction with, and partially funded by, Pasco County Schools, and serves as Starkey Ranch K-8 school’s media center.

Patrons can visit the library at 12118 Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa.

The general contractor for the project was the Walbridge Group of Tampa, and the architect was FleischmanGarcia Architecture.

The Starkey Ranch TLC joins three other libraries also featured for reflecting nature in the building design: Brooklyn Pubic Library’s Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center in New York; The Newark Public Library in New Jersey; and, the Ledding Library in Milwaukie, Oregon.

Published December 08, 2021