The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Lutz

Out of the wings, into the spotlight

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Trevor Lloyd is full of surprises.

The 18-year-old quietly watched as his friends stepped onto stages to perform.

Sometimes he watched from the audience. Other times, from the theater’s wings.

But, friends will be friends.

Trevor Lloyd, center, is rehearsing his role as Jack, the poor farm boy of ‘Into the Woods.’ (Photos courtesy of Frank Stinehour, producer of Into the Woods)
Trevor Lloyd, center, is rehearsing his role as Jack, the poor farm boy of ‘Into the Woods.’
(Photos courtesy of Frank Stinehour, producer of Into the Woods)

They gave him a shove onto the stage — or at least inspired him to make his move.

“It was something I was always fascinated by, but lacked the courage to do it,” said Lloyd, a graduate of Sunlake High School, who lives in Land O’ Lakes.

And now, he said, “It’s my calling.”

Lloyd soon will step into the role of Jack in the New Tampa Players’ production of “Into The Woods.”

The Stephen Sondheim Broadway musical played across the country in movie theaters last year, with a cast including Meryl Streep, Emily Blount and James Corden.

In two acts, the musical intertwines fairy tales including Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Jack and the Beanstalk.

The central plot revolves around a witch’s curse and a quest by the town baker and his wife to bear a child.

Jarrett Koski does double duty as choreographer for ‘Into the Woods,’ and also as a cast member as the baker.
Jarrett Koski does double duty as choreographer for ‘Into the Woods,’ and also as a cast member as the baker.

Alas, wishes that come true aren’t always the blessings they seem to be.

“It will be a surprising journey,” said G. Frank Meekins, the theater group’s artistic director and the musical director for “Into the Woods.”

“I think there is a newfound interest because of the movie for people who may not have known about it,” Meekens said.

Jarrett Koski, who performs as the baker, is also the show’s choreographer.

In his role as Jack, Lloyd is a poor farm boy whose mother sends him to town to sell their cow, Milky White.

Lloyd finds it easy to relate to Jack.

“I like his spontaneous spunk and his attitude especially as far as being able to put my personality into the character,” Lloyd said.

Lloyd currently is a freshman at Pasco-Hernando State College, where he hopes to earn a theater arts degree.

He has performed in musicals at Sunlake High School, and at Dreamhouse Theatre in Lutz.

Among his early roles was Gaston, the villainous suitor of Belle, in “Beauty and the Beast.”

“That’s when we discovered my baritone voice,” Lloyd said.

While rehearsing for “Into the Woods,” he also was performing on weekends as the dentist in Dreamhouse’s production of “Little Shop of Horrors.”

Lloyd also sang the National Anthem in opening ceremonies for a Tampa Bay Rays’ baseball game at Tropicana Field.

Lloyd isn’t sure what his future holds, but he plans to stick with the theater — perhaps as a performer, stage manager, set designer or teacher.

“I’ll do anything related to my passion,” he said.

What: Into the Woods
When: Nov. 4, 8 p.m.; Nov. 5; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Nov. 6; 2 p.m.; Nov. 11, 8 p.m.; Nov. 12, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Nov. 13, 2 p.m.
Where: University Area Cultural Development Center, 14013 N. 22nd St., Tampa
Cost: $20 adults; $17 students/seniors; $15 presale; $15 groups of 10 or more
For information, call (813) 644-8285, or visit NewTampaPlayers.org.

Published November 2, 2016

Halloween tricks, treats and traditions on tap

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If you’re looking for a way to celebrate Halloween, you’ll find plenty of options across The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz, at 18333 Exciting Idlewild Blvd., is hosting a Family Fun Festival that it’s calling “Light the Night.”

The event will be from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., on Oct. 31.

Pumpkin patches are popping up all over Hillsborough and Pasco counties, as area residents prepare for Halloween and fall festivals. (File Photos)
Pumpkin patches are popping up all over Hillsborough and Pasco counties, as area residents prepare for Halloween and fall festivals.
(File Photos)

Cars will be decorated with favorite kid-friendly themes and will line up on the Yellow parking lot and grounds outside the church’s Gatheria.

The cars’ trunks will be full of candy for children through fifth grade.

Each car also will provide a game, face painting, puppet show or other opportunity for fun.

Other highlights will be inflatables, balloon animals and a hayride.

Bring a camera to take advantage of photo opportunities.

Admission is $3 per person, with a maximum charge of $15 per family.

Children age 2 and under will be admitted without charge.

Hungry Harry’s BBQ will be available for purchase for $5, and other food items also will be available through the church’s kitchen.

The trunks will be open for children to pick up candy from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. The inflatables will be available the entire evening.

Register by Oct. 30 at Idlewild.org/children, to avoid waiting in long lines. To find out more, call (813) 264-1515, ext. 1561.

Meanwhile, in Pasco County, the 12th annual Wesley Chapel Fall Festival & Carnival is set for Oct. 28 through Oct. 30, at 6105 Wesley Grove Blvd.

This year, the event has added a day to give families more time to enjoy carnival food, midway games and rides.

These gourds add a splash of Halloween color.
These gourds add a splash of Halloween color.

The festival will be from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., on Oct. 28; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., on Oct. 29; and, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., on Oct. 30.

Highlights on Oct. 29 and Oct. 30 will include live music, a business expo, pumpkin patch, petting zoo, pony rides, fall foods and beverages, food trucks, interactive craft activities, arts and crafts exhibitors, vendors, a doggie fun area and pet adoption event.

Kids can celebrate Halloween in a safe environment on Oct. 29, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the Trunk or Treat activity.

For more information on the festival, a Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce event, visit GroveShopping.com. Visit DreamlandAmusements.com for coupon savings on ride wristbands, ride tickets and carnival food.

Meanwhile, over in St. Leo, Saint Leo University’s Office of Residence Life is inviting the community to Haunted Marmion, an event set for Oct. 27, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at Marmion-Snyder Hall, 33701 State Road 52.

All floors of the residence halls will be transformed into a themed haunted house. Trick-or-treating will occur on two floors of Snyder Hall. There will be games and other activities in the Lion’s Den (a common area for both halls) for those not participating in the haunted house or trick-or-treating.

The event is free; however, those attending are asked to donate one or more canned/nonperishable food items at check-in, which will be given to a local food bank for distribution to those in need in the community.

In Land O’ Lakes, those who enjoy a good scare may want to drop by the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., to experience The Haunted House on 41.

The event, slated for Oct. 27 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Oct. 28 and Oct. 29 from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., promises three nights of bone-chilling terror.

Admission is $1 each. Some scenes, the organizers with Pasco County Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources say, may be too intense for young children.

For those who enjoy staying active, the Northdale 5K Pumpkin Run & 1 Mile Family Run/Walk may be just the thing.

The event is set for Oct. 29, at the Bob Sierra YMCA Youth & Family Center, 4015 Ragg Road in Tampa.

The chip-timed race will have a costume contest and is dog friendly. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Bob Sierra Y’s annual campaign to ensure the facility keeps its doors open to all, regardless of an individual’s financial hardship.

For more information, call (813) 962-3220.

Some area high schools are also hosting special events.

Sunlake High School, at 3203 Sunlake Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, is holding a “Trick or Treat Around the Track” on Oct. 29, from 10:30 a.m. to 11: 30 a.m.

Wesley Chapel High School, at 30651 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel, is hosting a “Halloween Safe Zone,” on Oct. 29 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., in the school’s cafeteria and parking lot.

For more details about these events, contact Sunlake High and Wesley Chapel High.

Area libraries also are holding special events.

Land O’ Lakes Library, at 2818 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, is hosting a Pumpkin Fest for all ages on Oct. 29 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The event involves decorating pumpkins, using a wide variety of techniques.

New River Library, at 34043 State Road 54 in Zephyrhills, has three Halloween events planned.

On Oct. 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the library is welcoming infants through 5-year-olds to wear their favorite costume to the library’s Costume Story Time.

The library also is hosting a Halloween Movie & S’Mores for fourth-graders and older on Oct. 27 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

And, on Oct. 28 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., it’s hosting a Fall Family Night.  The evening will feature crafts, refreshments and a costume contest.

The Carrollwood Toastmasters are also getting into the Halloween spirit by hosting an open house on Oct. 26 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library, 2902 W. Bearss Ave., in Tampa. There will be free food, fun and prizes. Feel free to wear a costume and bring a friend.

Published October 26, 2016

 

Marine Corps League Detachment forms in Land O’ Lakes

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A new Marine Corps League Detachment has formed in Land O’ Lakes.

The Marine Forever Detachment No. 1440 has received its official charter, and the organization now meets on the third Monday of the month, at 7 p.m. at the Beef O’ Brady’s in the Village Lakes Shopping Center, 21539 Village Lakes Shopping Center Drive in Land O’ Lakes.

The formal presentation of the detachment’s official charter took place at the Beef O’ Brady’s on Sept. 26.

The League detachment is open to active duty, reserve and honorable discharged veterans of the U.S. Marine Corps and Navy FMF Corpsmen and Chaplains who live in Land O’ Lakes, Lutz, Odessa, Wesley Chapel and surrounding areas.

  1. David Kirk, of Lutz, the commandant of the new detachment, led the quest for its formation.

He also organized the Marine Forever Veterans Group LLC, a social group of Marine Corps veterans and their wives, that has been meeting at the same Beef O’ Brady’s for dinner for the past four years. That group, which is primarily social in nature, will continue to meet for dinner on Monday evenings at 6 p.m., Kirk said.

Florida Commandant Ron Ashley holds charter document, while L. David Kirk, commandant of the newly formed Marine Corps League Detachment No. 1440 looks on.
Courtesy of L. David Kirk      Florida Commandant Ron Ashley holds charter document, while L. David Kirk, commandant of the newly formed Marine Corps League Detachment No. 1440 looks on.

Unlike the social group, the League detachment will have a 501-c4 status, meaning it can raise money for charitable causes, such as helping veterans in need, providing money for education and other endeavors, Kirk said.

The Land O’ Lakes detachment was needed because the closest one was 15 miles away, or more, Kirk explained, in a previous story published in The Laker.

Besides being more convenient, it’s also less expensive to belong because it doesn’t take as much gas to get to meetings, Kirk said.

Now that the new detachment is established, existing league members can transfer their membership.

So far, the detachment has 24 members, but Kirk expects about a half-dozen new members to join this month.

This isn’t the first time that Kirk has served as commandant. He previously served in that capacity at the Angus R. Goss Detachment in Tampa.

The Marine Corps League was founded in 1923 by World War I hero Major Gen. Commandant John A. Lejeune, and its congressional charter was approved by an act of the 75th Congress, which was signed and approved by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on Aug. 4, 1937.

The league’s mission calls for its members to “join together in camaraderie and fellowship for the purpose of preserving and promoting the interests of the United States Marine Corps and those that have been honorably discharged from that service that they may effectively promote the ideas of American freedom and democracy.”

The league’s mission also calls for “voluntarily aiding and rendering assistance to all Marines and former Marines and to their widows, and orphans; and to perpetuate the history of the United States Marine Corps and by fitting acts to observe the anniversaries of historical occasions of particular interest to Marines.”

For more information on becoming a charter member of the new detachment and to receive updates on upcoming meetings, email Kirk at

For more information about the Marine Corps League, visit http://mclnational.org//

For more information about Marine Forever Veteran Group, LLC, visit Marine4Ever.com

and Facebook.com/MarineForeverVeteransGroup.

Published Oct. 19, 2016

Lake Park reopens; sinkhole remains

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A popular 589-acre park in Lutz has reopened, despite the existence of a sinkhole that opened about a year ago and remains unfilled.

Lake Park, at 17302 N. Dale Mabry Highway, officially reopened on Oct. 8.

The park, which annually draws about 300,000 users, was closed on Dec. 2 because of a sinkhole that spans 6-feet wide and 90-feet deep.

Lake Park reopened on Oct. 8. It had been closed since last December after a sinkhole formed. (File Photo)
Lake Park reopened on Oct. 8. It had been closed since last December after a sinkhole formed.
(File Photo)

The sinkhole, which formed along a park roadway last October, has since been secured with $4,900 worth of heavy fencing and locked gates.

Forest Turbiville, Hillsborough County’s director of conservation and environmental lands management, said there are no immediate plans to fix the sinkhole.

“We’re going to continue to monitor it,” he said, “and, if we see there’s a change of conditions in that area, then we’ll potentially revaluate it at that time.

He said the area is “more than adequately secured.”

A recent geophysical study by Ardaman & Associates Inc., found the overall risk of future sinkhole activity to be “low” at the park. However, the report did not definitively rule out possible future sinkhole activity.

“We’ve monitored the entire park now since December,” Turbiville said, “and there’s been nothing at all that’s popped up. Our park staff is out there on a daily basis, so if we see any change in the area, we’ll get the county’s consultant back out there.”

While most normal park activities have resumed, the sinkhole “might potentially affect” the park’s archery range, Turbiville said. As a precaution, the range may be temporarily relocated to the Northwest Equestrian Park, 9400 South Mobley Road in Odessa.

Beyond the sinkhole, other issues, too, persist at Lake Park.

Recent heavy rains have created high watermarks, which has limited access in some areas of the park, including its central road.

The sinkhole, which spans 6-feet wide and 90-feet deep, has been secured with $4,900 worth of heavy fencing and locked gates. (Courtesy of Hillsborough County)
The sinkhole, which spans 6-feet wide and 90-feet deep, has been secured with $4,900 worth of heavy fencing and locked gates.
(Courtesy of Hillsborough County)

The three-quarter-mile stretch of road — which Turbiville said is currently under a few feet of water — links the park’s front and back entrances. “It almost divides the park into two halves,” Turbiville said.

To access the park’s front picnic area and main playground, park-goers now have to enter via Dale Mabry Highway. Conversely, users will have to enter off Worley Road in order to access the park’s BMX and radio-controlled car tracks.

“We’re basically having two entrances into the park,” said Turbiville.

The road—which typically experiences flooding issues most of the year—will eventually have to be repaved and elevated, Turbiville said.

That undertaking, he said, may take several years.

“That is honestly going to be a long-term project,” said Turbiville. “You can’t just go in and build up the road — you’ve got to have design plans; you have to have permits. Of course, you have to have the money to pay for that work…so it’s not a small project by any means.”

Turbiville noted the county wouldn’t repair the main road until another long-term lease agreement is reached with the City of St. Petersburg, the owners of the park.

The existing lease agreement for Lake Park expires on June 3, 2019. Under that deal, Hillsborough County pays just $1 per year to the City of St. Petersburg to operate the park.

In a third draft of a new 10-year lease agreement, the City of St. Petersburg is requesting $3,000 per month, or $36,000 per year from Hillsborough County.

If approved, county staff expects to bring a recommendation to the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners sometime in 2017. Meanwhile, Lake Park will operate under the current lease agreement.

Based on figures from 2014-2015, the park typically nets about $10,000 per month in revenue from park-goers.

Also of note, St. Petersburg is requesting $2,000 per month from the county to lease Lake Rogers Park, 6016 Gunn Hwy in Odessa. The most recent lease agreement expired on Sept. 30, but the city has extended it through Dec. 31, as negotiations continue.

Lake Park
Where: 17302 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz
Fall hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Entrance fee: $2 per vehicle. Up to 8 people per vehicle. Rentals are extra.
Facilities: Rodeo, BMX track, playground, youth group campsite
Activities: Biking, bird watching, hiking, horseback riding, and canoeing/kayaking
Other features: Five lakes, cypress swamps, pine flat woods and hardwood hammocks
For information, call (813) 264-3806.

Published October 12, 2016

 

Keeping an educator’s legacy alive

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Luis E. Torres spent much of his life battling medical problems, but he never gave up on his education.

It took him 10 years to get his bachelor’s degree, but he persisted because that mattered to him, according to Iris Torres, his mother, who lives in Lutz.

He took occasional medical withdrawals, but carried on.

This is the last photograph taken of Luis E. Torres and his mother, Iris. His family keeps the educator’s spirit alive through an annual golf tournament to raise money for scholarships. (Courtesy of Iris Torres)
This is the last photograph taken of Luis E. Torres and his mother, Iris. His family keeps the educator’s spirit alive through an annual golf tournament to raise money for scholarships.
(Courtesy of Iris Torres)

“Education was very important to him,” Iris said, and in 1997, he obtained his diploma.

Luis went on to teach seventh-grade mathematics at Shields Middle School in Hillsborough County.

“That was one of his goals that he was able to accomplish,” his mother said.

But, the teacher’s medical problems weren’t over, and he died on July 2, 2011, at the age of 41.

His family refuses to let that be the end of his story.

At the time of his death, his sister-in-law, Genevieve, suggested that the family establish a scholarship fund, in lieu of receiving flowers.

Now, the Luis E. Torres Scholarship Fund is supported by an annual golf tournament, organized by Iris Torres, Luis’ mom.

She handles the planning and logistics of the tournaments, but other family members and friends step up to help on the actual day of the event.

The family wants to keep his spirit alive through the annual scholarship.

Luis was diagnosed with Lupus when he was just 9 years old, Iris said.

“Lupus can affect any vital organ, and in his case, it affected his kidneys,” she said.

He experienced complete renal failure when he was 21, and was on dialysis for 10 years. He underwent two kidney transplants, but rejected both.

Iris and her husband were not good transplant candidates.

Iris developed breast cancer, and her husband had suffered a heart attack.

Meanwhile, Luis was getting weaker.

His brother, Eric, stepped forward in 2000 to be a kidney donor for Luis.

Luis was 30 when he received the transplant. Eric was 26.

At the time, Eric said, the choice was clear: Donate a kidney or watch his brother die.

“It was scary. I never even had a cavity. So, to go from that to donating an organ, it was significant,” Eric said.

Iris added: “It was very difficult, me as a mother, seeing both of them in gurneys.”

The transplant was done at John Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland.

The family went there because, at the time, Johns Hopkins was offering a surgical approach not yet available locally.

“In Florida, they were doing what they call a cadaver incision, which is essentially from the sternum to the small of the back,” Eric said. “Johns Hopkins actually pioneered the organ harvestation through the laparoscopic.”

It was a difference of “being almost cut in half” to a procedure which used tiny incisions, he said.

“If I would have done a cadaver incision, it would have been about a two-week hospital stay,” Eric said. Instead, he went in on a Friday and was released on Sunday.

But, it wasn’t smooth sailing for Luis.

“We stayed at Johns Hopkins for four months because of complications,” Iris said. “He had a really tough road.”

Within four days of returning to Tampa, Luis had fevers reaching 104.

It turned out that Luis had an abdominal infection, and had to be opened up again and cleaned up, Iris said. He was in Tampa General Hospital for another 40 days.

Throughout it all, Luis refused to give in, she said.

What kept him going, she said, was “the love that he had for life.”

In addition to his previous medical issues, he also developed diabetes as a side effect from the medication he took after the transplant, she said.

He had several good years after the transplant, but then he developed stomach cancer, which was not detected until it was too late for treatment.

During the first year of the scholarship fund, the family raised $3,800.

This will be the fourth year the family has organized the charity golf tournament. Last year, it raised $4,500.

“The whole mission is to help anybody who is looking to overcome medical obstacles,” Eric said, noting every dollar that is raised goes directly into scholarships.

“We have given out scholarships to people who have suffered from cancer, lymphoma, leukemia, lupus, seizures, diabetes, birth defects, paralysis,” Iris said.

The goal is to get 60 golfers to participate in the tournament. It costs $475 for a foursome and $125 for a single player.

The fee includes breakfast, lunch and prizes for various categories, such as hole-in-one, longest drive, closest to the pin and a putting contest.

This year, Buddy Shelton, a celebrity trick golfer will be performing at the event, which Iris hopes will help attract more people to the tournament.

Putting on the event and gathering items for the silent auction requires a lot of effort, but the family thinks it’s worthwhile.

“We do it out of love for my brother’s memory,” Eric said.

The proceeds help provide opportunities for students who need help, Iris said.

“One thing I want to relate to the students out there is not to give up,” she said.

Luis never gave up, she adding, noting that one of his favorite quotations was: “At the end of hope, is the start of perseverance.”

What: Luis E. Torres Scholarship Fund
Fourth annual Golf Scramble
When: Oct. 21 at 9a.m., golf scramble; trick golfer Buddy Shelton performs at 2:30 p.m.
Where: Lexington Oaks Golf Club, 26133 Lexington Oaks Blvd., in Wesley Chapel
How much: $475 for a foursome; $125 for individuals; donations accepted for those just wanting to watch Buddy Shelton’s trick golf show.
For more information, visit www.luisetorresscholarshipfund.org, or call (813) 417-3021.

Published October 12, 2016

Catholic schools take part in week of caring

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Catholic schools around the Diocese of St. Petersburg partnered with Somebody Cares Tampa Bay for Carefest 2016.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School students share their love of music by donating 15 violins to St. Joseph Catholic School. From left, Mother Teresa students Brady Roell, Allie Monsour, W. Benjamin Jorgensen, Lillian Parrado, Autumn Wingfield, Jay Anastasia and Cody Flach. (Courtesy of Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School)
Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School students share their love of music by donating 15 violins to St. Joseph Catholic School. From left, Mother Teresa students Brady Roell, Allie Monsour, W. Benjamin Jorgensen, Lillian Parrado, Autumn Wingfield, Jay Anastasia and Cody Flach.
(Courtesy of Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School)

Students joined thousands of volunteers across Pinellas, Hillsborough, Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties to take part in the week devoted to service, from Sept. 17 to Sept. 24.

At the same time, the diocese celebrated “The Week of Caring in the Year of Mercy.”

During Carefest, schools throughout the diocese engaged in various efforts to extend themselves beyond the Catholic community, said Mark Majeski, associate superintendent of schools for the Office of Catholic Schools and Centers for the Diocese of St. Petersburg.

Students at Mother Teresa of Calcutta School in Lutz donated 15 violins to be used by students at St. Joseph Catholic School, and held a school supply drive to help other schools in the diocese.

Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School in Spring Hill had a first responders’ week and donated canned goods and baby items, collecting enough to fill more than four large containers, to benefit Catholic Charities.

Students at Saint Anthony Catholic School in San Antonio took part in a number of activities.

From left, Jacob Alcantara, Cassian O' Neill, Jaqueline Kowalewski, Elizabeth Kaplan, Noah Brooks and Peter Rygiel stand near the canned goods and baby items collected by Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School during Carefest 2016. (Courtesy of Bishop McLaughlin Catholic School)
From left, Jacob Alcantara, Cassian O’ Neill, Jaqueline Kowalewski, Elizabeth Kaplan, Noah Brooks and Peter Rygiel stand near the canned goods and baby items collected by Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School during Carefest 2016.
(Courtesy of Bishop McLaughlin Catholic School)

Children made thank you cards and banners, and sang for first responders.

“We thanked them for the sacrifices that they are making for our safety. We are totally grateful for their service, because it is truly a call of faith and courage. They do a lot of selfless work for us, for our safety,” said Sister Alice Ottapurackal, the school’s principal.

The children also made “survival kits” for the first responders.

They gave 105 survival kits to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and 19 to the local firefighters.

Each kit contained:

  • A prayer card for first responders. For police officers, a holy card of their patron saint, Saint Michael the Archangel; for firefighters, a holy card of their patron saint, St. Florian

Each kit also contained a variety of candies, along with an explanation for first responders. Those were:

  • Life Savers: To remind you of the many times you have been one
  • Starburst: For the burst of energy you need
  • PayDay: Because you’re not doing it for the money
  • Paper clip: To hold it all together
  • Hershey Kisses: Because you deserve them from all
  • Gum: To help your unit stick together
  • Tootsie Roll: To help you roll with the punches
  • Peppermint Patty: To help you keep your cool
  • Snickers: To remind you to have a sense of humor
  • Mounds: For the mounds of courage you need
Saint Anthony Catholic School children hold a banner expressing their gratitude for the area’s firefighters, during Carefest 2016, a week set aside for service. (Courtesy of Saint Anthony Catholic School)
Saint Anthony Catholic School children hold a banner expressing their gratitude for the area’s firefighters, during Carefest 2016, a week set aside for service.
(Courtesy of Saint Anthony Catholic School)

Other good works performed by Saint Anthony School students included donating personal grooming supplies for the migrant community, donating supplies for a baby pantry, and donating kits for children at Sunrise Center.

“This is the Year of Mercy, so we wanted to do something special — caring for the poor, as well as caring for people who do good things for us,” Ottapurackal said.

When the police officers and firefighters visited the school, it offered a chance for children to learn more about the services that first responders provide to the community, she said.

And, the children were able to express their gratitude.

“So we are giving and receiving,” the principal said. “Children are learning how community works. A lot of good things are happening in this world.”

Published September 28, 2016

Lutz company plans $30 million expansion

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TRU Simulation + Training has announced a nearly $30 million expansion of its Pilot Training Center in Lutz, along with the addition of 100 new jobs.

TRU Simulation + Training will expand and add 100 jobs over the next four years. (Courtesy of Pasco Economic Development Council)
TRU Simulation + Training will expand and add 100 jobs over the next four years.
(Courtesy of Pasco Economic Development Council)

The new jobs will evolve over four years as TRU Simulation + Training expands its ProFlight Pilot Training programs. Construction will add about 30,000 square feet for classrooms, flight training devices and four new full flight simulators.

The company, with headquarters in Goose Greek, South Carolina, provides flight-training solutions, technical support, and customer service for commercial and military markets.

The expansion will be completed by November.

The Pasco Economic Development Council worked with Pasco County staff members on the site planning and permitting process.

This is the second expansion for TRU Simulation + Training.

In 2015, the company converted 15,000 square feet of existing space for training center operations. The company manufactures flight simulators and is an FAA-certified Part 142 OEM-supported pilot training center for aviation products from Textron, the parent corporation of TRU Simulation + Training.

Published September 28, 2016

Local ombudsman receives district honor

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Ron Thiltgen spent nearly half of his life working in the nursing home industry, so when he retired and was looking for something to do — he naturally gravitated to an avenue where he thought he could do some good.

He decided to volunteer for the Florida Ombudsman Program.

Ron Thiltgen, of Lutz, spent 30 years working in the nursing home industry before becoming a volunteer for the Florida Ombudsman Program, which advocates for quality long-term care. (Courtesy of Florida Ombudsman Program)
Ron Thiltgen, of Lutz, spent 30 years working in the nursing home industry before becoming a volunteer for the Florida Ombudsman Program, which advocates for quality long-term care.
(Courtesy of Florida Ombudsman Program)

Thiltgen, who lives in Lutz, has devoted the past three years as a volunteer advocating for quality long-term care for people living in assisted living facilities and nursing homes throughout Hillsborough County.

Recently, he was declared winner of the West Central Council Ombudsman of the Year.

In making the selection, the council noted the 66-year-old’s patience and care for residents, and his ability to get results, according to a news release. He was also lauded for being an excellent mentor for fellow volunteers.

Thiltgen was delighted by the honor.

“It’s nice to be recognized. It feels good when someone appreciates you,” Thiltgen said. He also likes the work. “It’s enjoyable,” he said.

He worked in maintenance for decades, taking care of assorted chores and repairing sinks, toilets and other things.

“I had a lot of contact with people. They had problems. They didn’t know how to get solutions to them,” Thiltgen said.

He likes being able to help people who live in assisted care facilities or nursing homes who feel isolated and need help. He generally spends a couple of hours a week volunteering, but sometimes more, depending on the problem he’s trying to get resolved.

Many people living in assisted living and nursing facilities don’t have family nearby, he observed. “They don’t have anybody to turn to,” he said.

“Ombudsmen, we’re able to make contact with them and try to guide them to wherever they can find resolutions,” Thiltgen said.

In one instance, he helped a resident when her wheelchair broke and she was unable to get around.

“We were able to resolve that,” he said.

Many problems can be solved by better communication, he said. But, some problems are more serious, in which case, the resident is referred to other organizations or agencies that can help, he said.

While a resident’s problem may seem small to an outsider, it can become a source of frustration, he said.

“The seniors, they get stressed out,” the former maintenance worker said.

There are about 20 volunteers providing ombudsman services in Hillsborough County, he said, including those from all walks of life. There are retirees, like himself, but also people who still hold paying jobs.

It’s a satisfying feeling to help those living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, he said.

“Everybody ends up happy. It feels great,” he said.

Published September 21, 2016

The Laker/Lutz News brings home five awards

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Work published in The Laker and in the Lutz News brought home five awards from the Florida Press Association 2015 Better Weekly Newspaper Contest.

Eight-year-old Will Pena prepares his scissors to begin cutting paper hearts in his classroom at Academy at the Lakes. (Fred Bellet/Photos)
Eight-year-old Will Pena prepares his scissors to begin cutting paper hearts in his classroom at Academy at the Lakes.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

The honors were presented on Sept. 16 during an awards luncheon at The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota.

The contest drew a total of 1,670 entries from 65 weekly newspapers across Florida. The work was judged by experienced editors and publishers from Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and New York.

Photographs taken by Fred Bellet for The Laker received accolades in two categories.

Bellet was recognized for a photograph he captured for The Laker, of a young boy working on a Valentine at Academy at the Lakes in Land O’ Lakes. That image captured third place in the photo feature category for newspapers with circulations exceeding 15,000.

Bellet’s work also was acknowledged for photographs he captured of the Watoto Children’s Choir performing at Van Dyke Church in Lutz. He won third place for a photo series in one issue, competing against newspapers with circulations exceeding 15,000.

The beat of the drums brings out dancers during a segment of the Watoto Children’s Choir performance at the Van Dyke Church.
The beat of the drums brings out dancers during a segment of the Watoto Children’s Choir performance at the Van Dyke Church.

Staff writer Kathy Steele won second place in the community history writing category, for her story about Lutz Cemetery — an account that weaved together stories of people who are buried there, along with efforts to maintain the final resting place. Her award was for work published in the Lutz News, which competed with newspapers with circulations under 7,000.

B.C. Manion, editor of The Laker/Lutz News, received second place honors for a story about Rotarian Nick Hall’s mission to battle polio — chronicling his cross-country bicycle trek across America to heighten awareness about polio and raise money in the battle to eradicate it. Her entry was in the health, medical and science reporting category for newspapers with circulations under 7,000.

Manion also won third place in the faith and family reporting category for a story she did about Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Land O’ Lakes, which is accommodating its gluten-sensitive parishioners by giving them an option for gluten-free communion hosts.

That entry was in the faith and family category for newspapers with circulations exceeding 15,000.

Published September 21, 2016

Priorities set for sidewalk and road projects

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Board members of the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization have adopted a priority list for road projects that is largely unchanged from last year.

But, there is one exception: The list now includes a plan to widen U.S. 301 to a four-lane divided highway from the Hillsborough County line to State Road 56.

The five-year work program runs through fiscal year 2020-2021.

While there’s little change on the road list, the sidewalk list is a different story.

Nine new projects for 5-foot sidewalks are listed as priorities in the 2016-2017 work plan.

Six of those in the top 10 have jumped ahead of other longtime sidewalk requests.

Lutz residents on Leonard Road want sidewalks built along the two-lane road from U.S. 41 to Cot Road as a safety measure. (File Photo)
Lutz residents on Leonard Road want sidewalks built along the two-lane road from U.S. 41 to Cot Road as a safety measure.
(File Photo)

The shift in priorities prompted questions by Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano. Mariano wonders if the ranking system is fair to communities that have waited years for sidewalks.

“I’m very disappointed,” said Mariano at the Sept. 8 board meeting of the MPO.

Among sidewalk projects that Mariano hoped to see higher on the list were Ranch Road, Zimmerman Road and Majestic Boulevard.

Lutz residents also have lobbied over the years for sidewalks on Leonard Road.

That project sits in the 20th slot, near the bottom of 25 proposed projects.

Mariano said he planned to meet with MPO staff members to review the criteria used to rank projects.

MPO Vice Chairman Jeff Starkey also took issue with the criteria.

“What if we don’t agree with how you’re calculating this?” he asked.

The lists of road, transit, multi-use paths and sidewalk projects are updated annually and submitted to the Florida Department of Transportation so they can be considered in FDOT’s five-year work plan for federally funded projects in Pasco.

Sidewalks, multi-use paths and trails are ranked on a point system based on criteria such as speed limits, connectivity to existing sidewalks and trails, accessibility to schools and transit stops, improved mobility in low-income and minority neighborhoods, and the consecutive years a project has been on the list.

Mariano said communities aren’t getting enough credit for time waited. There also are situations, he said, where speed limits might be low, but safety is still an issue for other reasons.

Changes can be made, and projects aren’t automatically done in order of their listing, said James Edwards, the Pasco MPO director.

The availability of money is a factor, he added.

“You don’t follow it in lock step,” Edwards said. “Things will shift around.”

The new sidewalk projects are:

  • Ridge Road/Little Road to Rowan Road
  • Congress Street/north of Lomand Avenue to Ridge Road
  • Old County Road 54/Little Road to State Road 54
  • U.S. 41/Lake Bambi Circle to State Road 52
  • Darlington Road at U.S. 19 to Sunray Drive
  • Fort King Road/17th Street/Morningside to Coleman Avenue
  • Regency Park Boulevard/ U.S. 19 to Cherry Creek Lane
  • Darlington Road/U.S. 19 to Hama Drive
  • 17th Street/Meridian Avenue to County Road 41/Lock Street

For a complete list of the MPO’s 2016 priority projects, visit PascoCountyFl.net.

Published September 14, 2016