The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

University of South Florida

Fundraiser aims to help local teenager

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The bond between Joe Soueidan and Dani strengthens each time they meet.

And, within a few months, Dani should be a permanent member of the Soueidan family.

But, the furry Labrador won’t be the typical man’s best friend. She is a seizure response dog that will serve as a helper and protector for a young man who has lived a lifetime with the unpredictable and debilitating effects of epilepsy.

“We have seen what the dog is capable of,” said Joe’s mother, Natalie Soueidan.

Joe Soueidan, 19, is bonding with Dani, a Labrador mix that is being trained as a service response dog for people with seizure disorders. (Courtesy of Natalie Soueidan)
Joe Soueidan, 19, is bonding with Dani, a Labrador that is being trained as a service response dog for people with seizure disorders.
(Courtesy of Natalie Soueidan)

On one occasion during a family visit to Canines 4 Hope, Dani recognized signs of a seizure and immediately went over to Joe Soueidan, licking his face to keep him alert and offer comfort.

“It was amazing but simple,” his mother said.

Canines 4 Hope is a certified training center for service dogs, located in Palm City.

Seizure response dogs can activate a life-alert alarm, find someone to help, retrieve medication, food or a phone, and provide comfort. They wear vests to identify what they do, and also carry brochures and other materials with information on how to respond to a seizure.

However, service dogs, with such skills, require months of training and are expensive.

Dani will cost the Soueidan family $12,500.

To help with the expense an online donation site has been set up at YouCaring.com. About $4,900 in donations have been given so far.

On Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., hairstylists at Pulse Salon & Spa will have a fundraiser to help the family.

Half of the proceeds from shampoos, haircuts, blow-drys and other spa services will go toward the fund to pay for Dani.

Food and drinks will be provided. There also will be basket raffles.

Jennifer McCaslin organized the event with Pulse’s owner, Alberto Franco.

Soueidan is one of her clients, but they met years before when McCaslin took her then 3-year-old son, Mitchell, to Soueidan for speech therapy.

To help her own son, Soueidan had returned to school to earn a master’s degree from the University of South Florida in communication sciences and disorders.

“I love working with kids and working with families with special needs. I know what they go through. I’ve been there,” she said.

When McCaslin asked Franco about holding the fundraiser for Natalie’s son, he readily agreed.

“I’m very appreciative of that,” McCaslin said.

Natalie Soueidan hopes Dani can be life-changing for her son.

For the first eight months of his life, Joe Soueidan was a happy, curious toddler. He learned to walk at nine months and was saying a few words.

But, then he “just stopped,” his mother said.

Emergency room trips and doctors’ visits didn’t immediately yield answers to why her son was having very subtle seizures.

“That was the beginning of a crazy time,” she said.

For awhile, his seizures were controlled with medications obtained legally through Canadian pharmacies. But, the seizures returned – as many as 75 in a day – and Joe Soueidan had the first of two brain surgeries.

By third grade, he was off medications and doing well in school. As he entered his teen years, he went bowling, swimming, took guitar lessons and hung out with friends.

He was a typical teen.

On Jan. 12, 2012, though, he suddenly had a grand mal seizure, followed by more episodes and a second brain surgery.

He needed speech and occupational therapy.

He has dyslexia and has trouble reading, and is unable to do math.

It all became too much for him, his mother said. And, after the first week of his junior year, he left school.

He can’t be left alone night or day for fear of a life-threatening seizure.

He also struggles with severe depression.

But, Natalie Soueidan said, “I can’t give up hope.”

She wants him to regain moments of independence, and Dani could give him that.

Plans are underway for Joe Soueidan to return to high school, with Dani at his side.

“It’s not so much about him getting a degree, but about him getting out of the house and being part of society again.”

What: Pulse Salon & Spa Charity Event; 50 percent of proceeds will be donated to fund for service response dog. Food and drinks will be provided, and there will be basket raffles.
When: Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: 3756 Turman Loop, Suite 101, Wesley Chapel
Information: (813) 428-6917 or Facebook.com/pulsesalonandspawc

Published October 12, 2016

Student loan debt is affecting housing market

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Student loan debt nationally is a staggering $1.3 trillion dollars, or about 10 percent of all outstanding debt.

For seven out of 10 students, repaying student loans can be a nearly insurmountable obstacle that is altering career decisions and delaying the milestone of buying a home.

Nationally, the average student loan debt is about $30,000.

Across Florida, the average is about $25,000.

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, wearing an orange dress, along with student leaders and members of the Greater Tampa Association of REALTORS, held a press conference to highlight problem of student loan debt. (Courtesy of the office of U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor)
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, wearing an orange dress, along with student leaders and members of the Greater Tampa Association of REALTORS, held a press conference to highlight problem of student loan debt.
(Courtesy of the office of U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor)

At the University of South Florida, about 60 percent of students have an average loan debt of $22,600. At the University of Tampa, about 60 percent of students owe about $34,000.

Unlike most debt, however, students by law are prevented from refinancing those loans.

It is a dilemma that is highlighted in a survey released by the National Association of REALTORS Research Department and American Student Assistance, also known as Salt.

The home ownership rate is falling, and younger generations saddled with student debt are part of the reason, the survey found.

“That (student) debt is thrown into the mix with any other debt they have,” said Jack Rodriguez, a Tampa real estate broker. “It affects the amount of loan they could get. With the ability to refinance into a lower interest rate…they would bring down their payment which would allow them to purchase more house.”

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, Rodriguez and other real estate agents held a press conference on Aug. 22 at the Greater Tampa Association of REALTORS to highlight the problem, and show support for a bill on refinancing student loans. They were joined by student leaders from USF, UT and Hillsborough Community College.

“If we really want to make a change, and want to protect our nation’s youth and generations to come, we need to focus on our assets, college affordability and how we’re going to fix this,” said James Scudero, student body president at UT.

Student loan debt is crippling, said Chris Griffin, peer advisor leader for USF New Student Connections.

Food banks can now be found on student campuses, and student homelessness is happening, Griffin said.

“The scary thing is the food banks are used,” said Alec Waid, student body vice president at USF.

The pending bill, known as the Bank on Student Emergency Loan Refinancing Act – has about 170 sponsors. But, efforts to pass the bill have stalled for at least two years.

“It’s something of a partisan issue. It shouldn’t be,” said Castor.

If approved, student graduates could refinance private school loans issued before July 1, 2015.

“A citizen can refinance their car loan, boat loan and their credit card debt,” Castor said. “But, students are not allowed to refinance their student loans. This would be a very good time to do this, because interest rates are very low.”

According to the survey, at least a quarter of all students have a typical loan debt of about $25,000. And, 71 percent of non-homebuyers say student loan debt is delaying the decision to buy a home. In some cases, the delay is about five years.

About 42 percent of students with loan debt delayed moving out of the family home. Millennials born between 1990 and 1998, and who made less than $25,000 in 2015, were most likely to stay at home longer.

But, younger generations aren’t alone in struggling with student debt.

Tampa real estate broker Alma Alexander said her daughter earned a degree in graphic arts in the 1990s and left school owing nearly $35,000. The debt wasn’t paid off until two years ago.

“She worked at paying it when she could,” Alexander said.

Published August 31, 2016

Conservation work yields statewide award

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Kaitlyn Greenough has nurtured a curiosity about nature and love of the outdoors since she was very young.

She also began her lifelong relationship with girl scouting at an early age. As a matter of fact, she was in kindergarten when she became a Daisy scout.

Kaitlyn Greenough is the Florida Wildlife Federation’s Youth Conservationist of the Year for 2016. (Photos courtesy of Kaitlyn Greenough)
Kaitlyn Greenough is the Florida Wildlife Federation’s Youth Conservationist of the Year for 2016.
(Photos courtesy of Kaitlyn Greenough)

Her love of nature and of scouting both have shaped her life, and offered her opportunities to get involved in volunteer work in the community.

Greenough recently received accolades for the work she has done, as a Girl Scout and a conservationist, to teach elementary-age children about water conservation.

The 20-year-old spent about 130 hours, over three years, researching and designing a water conservation course in her quest for a Gold Award, the highest honor bestowed on a Girl Scout.

She taught the course at Crystal Springs Preserve, a 525-acre sanctuary in Pasco County. For years, she attended summer camps at the preserve. She began volunteering there when she was 8.

In July, the Florida Wildlife Federation name Greenough the Youth Conservationist of the Year. The award was bestowed on July 15 in Bradenton.

“It’s the coolest award I’ve ever gotten,” said Greenough, the Zephyrhills High graduate who is now a junior at the University of South Florida.

A few months earlier, Greenough and other area Girl Scouts received their Gold awards from the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida.

The Gold Award honors extraordinary leadership and community involvement by scouts in ninth through 12th   grades.

Greenough also received a lifetime membership in the Girl Scouts of the United States of America.

The young woman treasures the experiences she had through the Girl Scout program.

Kaitlyn Greenough, the Florida Wildlife Federation’s Youth Conservationist of the Year for 2016, taught a class on water conservation at Crystal Springs Preserve.
Kaitlyn Greenough, the Florida Wildlife Federation’s Youth Conservationist of the Year for 2016, taught a class on water conservation at Crystal Springs Preserve.

“It’s about empowering women, and I really like that the exposure is generational,” she said. “You want to have women with power, and give them opportunities to just bond and grow.”

Friends and family sat in the audience at the banquet in Bradenton, as she received the state award from the wildlife federation.

Zephyrhills’ Mayor Gene Whitfield also surprised her with a proclamation from the City of Zephyrhills.

Diane Hines, spokeswoman for the federation, said Greenough imparted her knowledge to young people. “She was able to teach others about the importance of protecting our rare, fresh water springs.”

Located near the city of Zephyrhills, Crystal Springs Preserve allows visitors to step back into old Florida, and enjoy wooded trails, butterfly gardens, a wildlife pavilion and educational programs on preservation of the natural environment.

Crystal Springs is the source for Zephyrhills Natural Spring Water, which is bottled and sold nationwide.

Greenough began researching the springs at the preserve nearly three years ago. She then crafted a course where students could build their own small watersheds in a sandbox. They also toured the preserve and learned about its history, plants and wildlife.

She is working on her studio arts major at USF, but Greenough still thinks about a future with Girl Scouts.

“In the future, I’m definitely going to volunteer,” she said.

Published August 31, 2016

Tampa Bay Express aims to address region’s congestion

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The proposed $3.3 billion Tampa Bay Express project has its critics – especially in areas near downtown Tampa, but it’s a project that’s needed to help relieve regional congestion, according to Ed McKinney, district planning and environmental administrator for District 7 of the Florida Department of Transportation.

“Currently, Tampa/St. Pete ranks seventh in the country for cities of its size for congestion,” McKinney said.

“I don’t have to tell you all, if you’ve driven around the area, we’ve got a lot of congestion, and that hurts us in a lot of ways,” McKinney said, during a recent luncheon meeting of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce.

Ed McKinney, district planning and environmental administrator for District 7 of the Florida Department of Transportation, explains why express lanes are needed to relieve regional congestion. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Ed McKinney, district planning and environmental administrator for District 7 of the Florida Department of Transportation, explains why express lanes are needed to relieve regional congestion.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“It hurts us when it comes to attracting new businesses. It hurts us mostly when it comes to attracting new residents,” he said.

People moving into the area want to know that they’ll be able to get to work or wherever they need to go, without being stuck in traffic for a half-hour, he said.

The problem is only going to get worse, as the region’s population increases and more jobs are created, he added.

“In Pasco County, population is expected to grow 97 percent by 2040,” he said. Hillsborough County is expected to grow by 48 percent, and Polk County by 41 percent during the same period.

“Pasco County is expected to grow employment by 200 percent, and that’s huge,” he said. Those workers won’t all be coming from Pasco County, he said. They’ll be heading to Pasco from Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, too.

“People are going to go where the jobs are. That’s what we’re seeing,” McKinney said.

“People say, ‘Why don’t you consider a no-build?’

“This is the no-build, he said, pointing to a graphic projecting future traffic congestion.

“The no-build says you’re ‘fine with 375,000 cars traveling everyday on I-4 (Interstate 4)’, when it only has the capacity of handling just over 125,000.

“It’s says, ‘We’re OK with the downtown interchange only being able to handle 325,000 cars,’ when it can only handle 175,000.

“That’s the challenge that we’re dealing with. That’s the problem that we’re trying to solve,” McKinney said.

The Tampa Bay Express project grew out of the Tampa Interstate Study that started back in the 1980s, McKinney said.

“This plan looked out into the future. What’s the development that’s going to be going on in the region? What’s the congestion pattern? Where are people going to go to work, what they’re going to do for fun, and how are we going to manage all of that traffic?

“How do get these people to move around, to make sure this region is economically viable and able to take on the challenges?

“If you’ve lived here, you know that we’ve widened I-4. We just completed I-275 widening. We did the Crosstown Connector project. All of those projects were part of this Tampa Interstate Study.

“It’s an evolving document,” he said.

“Every time you go and build a new piece of it, you look at the traffic and development patterns, and you update your document.

“What we’re going to be doing is adding express lanes, within the interstate, that will be tolled,” he said.

There will still be the same number of general purpose lanes as there are now, but there also will be express lanes, which are tolled.

People who want to make a quicker trip will pay the toll.

For instance, someone who has been late to work repeatedly may use the toll lane to avoid being late again, he said. Or, it might be used by someone in a rush to pick up their child from day care or get to an important business meeting.

“What they’ve seen in Miami is that there is no real pattern for why people use them,” he said.

One thing they have noticed is that people are using them at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m.

When asked why, many said they are doing that to avoid a potential collision with a wrong-way driver, McKinney said.

“The express lanes will be built, in a majority of cases, within the median that is there now,” he said. But, interchanges will need to be reconstructed.

The system is designed to be used for longer distances, such as getting from Brandon to the airport, or to Pinellas County.

There will be access points in the Gateway area of Pinellas County, in the Westshore area, at Tampa International Airport, at several places downtown Tampa, and in the general vicinity of the University of South Florida. There also will be access points in Brandon and Plant City.

“People say, ‘Why don’t you just spend this money on transit? You’re talking about a $3.3 billion project. You could get a lot of transit for that,’” he said.

Transit is important, and it is part of Hillsborough’s long-range transportation plan, but he added, “it’s not the one solution that fixes all of our problems.

“It needs to be a mix of managed lanes, as well as some sort of transit solution,” McKinney said.

Published August 17, 2016

Keeping children safe in the water

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Just a few months ago, Christopher Santana, 11, didn’t know how to swim.

Neither did 10-year-old Ruby Rodriguez.

A patient and buoyant, Seoyeong Lee, 11, of Tampa, floats on her back without the assistance of swim instructor, Nilofer Bharwani, at the New Tampa YMCA pool. (Fred Bellet/Photos)
A patient and buoyant, Seoyeong Lee, 11, of Tampa, floats on her back without the assistance of swim instructor, Nilofer Bharwani, at the New Tampa YMCA pool.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

But, thanks to free summer water safety lessons offered at the New Tampa Family YMCA, both youth, along with several others, are now confident about hopping into a pool and swimming unassisted.

For the past three years, the New Tampa YMCA has partnered with the nonprofit University Area Community Development Corporation to offer free swim lessons to children from low-income families living near the areas surrounding the University of South Florida.

For an hour each Tuesday and Thursday from June 13 to Aug. 5, dozens of youth from the Development Corporation’s Dream Catchers summer camp program were transported to the New Tampa Y, where they learned lifesaving swim techniques during the warmest days of the year.

Throughout the summer program, children ages 6 to 12 were taught how to float in the water and to swim to the edge of the New Tampa YMCA’s Olympic-sized pool. The pool is one of the largest in Hillsborough County at 50 meters by 25 yards.

“A lot of it is just being comfortable in the water, so they aren’t scared,” said Lacey Carter, the YMCA’s aquatics director. “With this particular group, water safety is the main focus — learning how to be safe in the water, if they do fall in. Teaching them how to swim is definitely something we want to aim for, but the water safety piece is what the program is most about.”

Young swimmer Ashley Charlotte, bottom, of Tampa, got a kick out of learning to swim, as she and others practice kicking their feet alongside the pool at the New Tampa YMCA. The free water safety program offered kids a safe and cool way to spend the last days of summer before heading back to school.
Young swimmer Ashley Charlotte, bottom, of Tampa, got a kick out of learning to swim, as she and others practice kicking their feet alongside the pool at the New Tampa YMCA. The free water safety program offered kids a safe and cool way to spend the last days of summer before heading back to school.

With a ratio of one certified swim instructor to eight children, the young swimmers often received individual attention, learning how to properly use their hands and feet to easily buoy through the water.

While the majority of lessons take place in the shallow end of the pool, the oldest children were permitted to jump into the deepest end of pool, which is 7 ½ feet deep.

Fun swim activities, too, were mixed in with the water safety training.

“They’ll play games as part of the curriculum,” the aquatics director said. “They’ll do like ‘red light, green light’ or (instructors) will have them dive for things. Water safety is important, but we want them to have fun, otherwise they’re not going to want to come here.”

According to the Florida Department of Health, the state has the nation’s second highest drowning rate (2.54 deaths per 100,000 population) for children under 15, trailing only Oklahoma (2.69 per 100,000).

Additionally, a 2010 study by USA Swimming found that in ethnically diverse communities, the youth drowning rate is “two to three times higher than the national average.”

Martine Dorvil, program director for the University Area Community Development Corporation, said a majority of the youth in the camp come from working-poor families, and ordinarily wouldn’t have access to swim lessons, which can be expensive.

Ruby Rodriguez, 10, of Tampa, uses a kick board under the watchful eye of ‘Y’ swim instructor, Harper Cassady, a USF student from Alabama. Two groups from the Dream Catchers summer program spent the afternoon learning the fundamentals of swimming.
Ruby Rodriguez, 10, of Tampa, uses a kick board under the watchful eye of ‘Y’ swim instructor, Harper Cassady, a USF student from Alabama. Two groups from the Dream Catchers summer program spent the afternoon learning the fundamentals of swimming.

“This is huge,” she said, “because most of our kids live in apartment complexes which have pools. We have a lot of parents with a lot of children, and what ends up happening is the oldest child — sometimes just 10 years old — is watching the 6-year-old. So, this provides them a safe place.”

She continued: “This partnership with the YMCA has been phenomenal. Most kids don’t get the attention that they’re given here to actually have a personal swimming instructor, so that’s really something extra.”

Dorvil has witnessed, firsthand, how much the youth involved in the program enjoy the biweekly lessons over the summer months.

“On one of the days when it rained, I actually had to buy pizza because they were that upset when they didn’t get to go swimming,” she said, chuckling.

Tony Kimbrough, executive director for the New Tampa YMCA, said he will look to renew the partnership with the University Area Community Development Corporation on an annual basis.

The summer is not the only time that free water safety lessons are offered at the New Tampa YMCA. They also offer a four-day course each March, called “Safety Around Water,” for children ages 3 to 12. Each class lasts 40 minutes.

Published August 17, 2016

Zephyrhills is looking for a new city attorney

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For the first time in more than a decade, the City of Zephyrhills needs to find a new city attorney.

Joseph A. Poblick, 41, stepped down from the position after Gov. Rick Scott appointed the attorney to the Pasco County Court.

Poblick replaces retiring judge Mark H. Salton, who presided over misdemeanors, driving under the influence and criminal traffic cases.

Poblick’s last city council meeting as the council’s attorney was July 27.

Joseph A. Poblick, 41, stepped down from his position as city attorney for the city of Zephyrhills after Gov. Rick Scott appointed the attorney to the Pasco County Court. The Zephyrhills City Council meeting on July 27 was Poblick’s last as city attorney. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)
Joseph A. Poblick, 41, stepped down from his position as city attorney for the city of Zephyrhills after Gov. Rick Scott appointed the attorney to the Pasco County Court. The Zephyrhills City Council meeting on July 27 was Poblick’s last as city attorney.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)

“It’s been a wonderful decade,” said Poblick, who’s had the role since 2006. “I remember not too long ago I did a tally of all the council meetings I’ve attended…and it’s a rather large number.”

Poblick said he didn’t have much notice of his appointment to the bench, which prevented the city from finding an immediate successor.

“We’re kind of caught between a rock and a hard place,” Council Vice President Alan Knight said, during the council meeting. “We need to get somebody on board.”

Poblick recommended the city should hire an interim attorney, as the search continues for his permanent replacement.

“I think it’s important to have somebody in place now,” Poblick said. “To the best of my knowledge (the council) has nothing that’s critical coming up, but I still think it’s important to have somebody on call should something arise.”

Poblick told the council that candidates for the permanent position don’t necessarily need to have a great breadth of municipal experience to handle city attorney duties.

“I think if you can find a qualified attorney, there’s things they can pick up and things they can look into,” he said. “I don’t think you need to limit yourself to someone who has prior government experience. I think a lot of it is you’ve just got to find somebody you’re comfortable with.”

Poblick also served as city attorney for both Port Richey and New Port Richey, leaving all three Pasco County municipalities in similar predicaments.

City Manager Dr. Steven Spina said New Port Richey’s city manager, Debbie Manns, reached out to him about the possibility of creating an inter-local agreement to share an attorney.

However, the Zephyrhills council decided that it would be preferable to hire its own city attorney, ideally from a law firm based in East Pasco.

“If they can be a Zephyrhills or Dade City firm, I think that would be best,” Councilman Lance Smith said. “It doesn’t have to be, but you get somebody out of Tampa or Land O’ Lakes, I think we’re kind of going to be a little bit forgotten.”

Poblick, who ran his own private practice in Dade City since 2005, concurred: “If there’s one thing that made it easier in my representation, it was being close by.”

Two of the more recent high-profile cases Poblick oversaw as Zephyrhills’ city attorney: the 2015 firing of a Zephyrhills Police officer for unlawful use of a taser, and the 2012 ouster of former Zephyrhills Mayor Steve Van Gorden, in the wake of sexual harassment allegations.

Poblick previously served as an assistant state attorney for the 9th Judicial Circuit.

He received his undergraduate degree from the University of South Florida and his law degree from Loyola University.

In 2012, Poblick ran unsuccessfully in a four-way primary to replace retiring judge Robert P. Cole.

Published August 3, 2016

Disney’s gator nightmare packs lessons for us

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Alligators are a fact of life in Florida. Walt Disney World is in Florida. Therefore, there are alligators at Walt Disney World.

This truth at the East Coast headquarters of the Happiest Place On Earth™ came to shocking light recently when a 2-year-old from Nebraska, Lane Graves, was snatched and drowned by a gator lurking in the manmade Seven Seas Lagoon near the Grand Floridian Beach Resort.

The sprawling, white Victorian-themed hotel, where Princess Diana once holidayed with princes William and Harry, now is known for tragedy beyond words.

American alligator
(www.CreativeOulet.com)

I concede my first reaction to reports of the attack was astonishment. Never mind the circular truth at the top; I honestly imagined Disney World was immune. I’ve been visiting the parks routinely since the early days of tear-off tickets, and I’ve never seen an alligator. Not one. And not for lack of searching, either, from shorelines, docks, around the campgrounds and aboard rented boats prowling quiet waterways.

Ultimately, I chalked it up to Disney’s fabled attention to detail. Somehow they’d figured out how to alligator-proof most of a Manhattan-sized slab of central Florida claimed out of swampland and pine forest.

Now I know better. Now I know Disney has an aggressive gator-wrangling program permitted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. In the 10 years before the attack on little Lane, Disney-authorized trappers killed 239 “nuisance” alligators — reptiles longer than 4 feet that invade space reserved for humans.

They’ve since done away with six more, among them the suspect that will live forever in the nightmares of Melissa and Matt Graves, newly initiated into the miserable and inescapable fraternity of bereaved parents.

So I was partly right, anyway. Disney has an aggressive removal program. And partly, devastatingly, wrong: Its program isn’t foolproof.

Maybe no program can be. As former Disney World trapper Ron Ziemba told Reuters, “You’ll never be able to get them all. There are just so many canals, so many waterways. The gators travel a lot.”

This information is scarcely news to anyone who spends a fair amount of time in Florida. We see them basking on the banks of ponds and lakes, cruising lazily in rivers, and, on breathtaking occasion, crossing streets and golf course fairways.

We know the rules … don’t we? … about alligator safety. Don’t feed them, because doing so short-circuits their instinctive wariness toward humans. Avoid wading or swimming in their habitat, especially between dusk and dawn when they’re particularly active. Swim only in areas marked safe. Also, don’t presume: An absence of warning signs does not equal an absence of alligators.

More safety tips are available at the FWC web site, MyFWC.com. Among the more fascinating insights: Dogs in the water mimic gators’ preferred prey, so you should avoid taking them swimming.

Again, we’re Floridians. We pretty much know this stuff. And now, with the revelation out of Disney and the company’s response — they’ve erected barriers and new, stronger warning signs — we know this stuff better than we did. If alligators have breached the House of the Mouse, they are, indeed, everywhere.

But the Graves aren’t Floridians, and Florida’s economy relies on families such as theirs from faraway places to visit and spend, and go home sufficiently happy about the experience to spread the word among their friends and loved ones.

Accordingly, we need to assume what Florida’s tourists don’t know about alligators is, well, everything. I’ve heard more than my share of stories about visitors and newcomers being shocked into disbelief that alligators live, often literally, in our backyards.

Long before he went on to make a name for himself as a national golf reporter, Tim Rosaforte was a fresh graduate from a New England university playing his first round of golf at the University of South Florida with colleagues from the old Tampa Times. At No. 11, his tee shot checked up near what he took to be an 8-foot log lying by a pond.

At his approach, however, the log quivered and, as real logs never do, raised its head. Stopping dead, Tim assessed this surprise development by blurting, “What the hell is that?!”

At 22, Tim had never seen an alligator outside a zoo. Now this former college linebacker, still in fine tackling form, puddled before us while we looked on in amusement. In Florida, golf and alligators went together like grouper sandwiches and tartar sauce.

It was all we could do to keep him from leaving on the spot, packing up and fleeing north. Ultimately, Tim stayed and, having made a prudent peace with alligators — anything within 10 yards triggers a free drop — made his home in Florida.

In short, we can live together. We pretty much have to. But, the lesson out of Disney World is: We have some teaching to do. Maybe that involves the Legislature toughening signage statutes, but for now, it certainly involves us. That’s you. That’s me.

We have a duty to warn others about being careful out there.

After all, with brains that couldn’t fill a tablespoon, alligators are not going to figure this out on their own.

Tom Jackson, a resident of New Tampa, is interested in your ideas. To reach him, email .

Published June 29, 2016

Welcome 700 Dade City Families!

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With this edition of The Laker, we’re proud to welcome 700 Dade City families to weekly home delivery of our newspaper.

If you live in the downtown area, or in subdivisions south of town along Fort King Road and Clinton Avenue, you most likely found today’s paper in your driveway, and can look forward to receiving it every Wednesday.

In addition to this new home delivery, we’ll continue to distribute 2,000 Lakers every week to 60 newspaper boxes, business locations and public buildings in the Dade City – San Antonio area. In Zephyrhills, we have another 130 outlets and 6,300 papers.

Adding circulation is a big deal in the newspaper world, especially one that represents a 35 percent jump in one community, all in one week. And we do so without hesitation, and with much confidence, because Dade City readers and business leaders have been asking for home delivery of The Laker for some time.

So when The Tampa Tribune stopped publishing so suddenly and unexpectedly in early May, we decided there was no better time than right now to add home delivery in Dade City. With the help of the fine folks at The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, we selected neighborhoods with demographics that matched those of newspaper readers, and decided to take the plunge and add all 700 homes the Chamber was recommending.

Our goal is to fill the void left behind by the closing of The Tampa Tribune, which always had a strong following in east Pasco. Earlier this year, we began to step up our East Pasco news coverage when we hired Kevin Weiss as a full-time reporter assigned to Zephyrhills, Dade City and San Antonio.

Kevin, a 2014 graduate of the University of South Florida, has the enthusiasm, energy and passion about community journalism that make his stories easy to read and understand. He is a talented, hard-working young man I’m proud to employ, and one I hope you have an opportunity to meet.

Joining Kevin in our East Pasco news coverage is Kathy Steele, a seasoned journalist and excellent writer who covers transportation, growth and development, as well as Pasco County government. Kathy joined our staff a year-and-a-half ago after 15 years as a Tampa Tribune reporter.

Our newest journalist whose coverage includes East Pasco is Tom Jackson, another Tampa Tribune veteran who wrote a column about Pasco County politics and people for more than 18 years.

Tom began writing his column for The Laker two weeks after The Tampa Tribune shut down. His knowledge about Pasco County, and his genuine love for its people, passionately pours through his words.  You’ll know what I mean if you read Tom’s column last week about the tragic bicycling death of Joe Hancock, a Dade City citrus farmer whose family has lived in Dade City for generations. It was a poignant column that was so well written that it brought me to tears, even though I did not know Joe or his family.

It’s Kevin, Kathy, Tom and editor B.C. Manion, who brings all this talent together, to give you an interesting and relevant news package every week. Their work makes The Laker different from other newspapers in East Pasco.

We give you a broader, county-wide viewpoint that includes news and stories about issues and people throughout central and east Pasco, including Wesley Chapel, Land O’ Lakes and Lutz.

People in Dade City and Zephyrhills are a vital part of this larger Pasco community. It’s where you shop, work, attend school, meet friends for dinner or drinks, go to movies, practice your faith, and visit family and friends.

Because your interests go beyond the town limits of Dade City and Zephyrhills, The Laker will continue to bring you stories about this larger, vibrant community where we make our lives.

Published June 15, 2016

Making 3s with ease

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Justin Dargahi has a penchant for knocking down 3-point shots.

So much so that he holds the Guinness World Record for the most 3s made from NBA range (23 feet, 9 inches) in one minute.

Firing three after three inside the Land O’ Lakes High School gymnasium, Dargahi knocked down 26 treys in 60 seconds on Jan. 4, breaking the previous set mark of 25. His feat became an official Guinness World Record in early May.

Justin Dargahi broke the Guinness World Record for most 3-pointers made in one minute (26) on Jan. 4. (Photos courtesy of Justin Dargahi)
Justin Dargahi broke the Guinness World Record for most 3-pointers made in one minute (26) on Jan. 4.
(Photos courtesy of Justin Dargahi)

“I’ve always been the best shooter on my team in school,” said Dargahi, the head JV (Junior Varsity) coach for the Land O’ Lakes girls basketball team and former basketball player at Cambridge Christian School. “Shooting was always easy to me.”

The skill comes so easily for Dargahi that he claims he makes anywhere from 75 percent to 80 percent of 3-pointers he attempts when he’s “just shooting around for fun.”

He figures he can make about 95 percent of his free throw attempts, too.

“Anytime I was on a (school) team, I would always be the technical free-throw shooter,” said Dargahi, who began playing organized hoops at 11 years old. “I had a green light to shoot 3s most of the time. It was always like, ‘If we need a three, let’s get (Dargahi) the ball or set a screen for him.’

“In games, I would show off sometimes shooting 10 feet behind the (3-point) line,” he said.

Out of curiosity, the JV coach decided to look into some of the timed 3-point records a few years ago. When he saw some of the record totals, he realized he might have a decent chance at knocking down some of them.

“When I saw that record of 25, I was like, ‘I could get that,’” Dargahi said, with an air of confidence in his voice.

On his first attempt at the record, he nailed 18 shots.

While impressive for most, Dargahi knew he could shoot at a much higher clip.

This is an image of the Guinness World Record certificate of Justin Dargahi’s feat.
This is an image of the Guinness World Record certificate of Justin Dargahi’s feat.

“I had a lot of bad luck; I had one of my friends helping me, and we weren’t clicking,” Dargahi said. “It just wasn’t scripted too well.”

To better organize a record-breaking strategy, Dargahi reckoned his best chance was to enlist the help of some of his JV roster at Land O’ Lakes.

About eight or nine of his players aided Dargahi by fetching loose balls and rapidly handing them to him at the top of the three-point arc as he continually fired from deep range.

The strategy worked, as he eventually knocked down 26 shots after a January JV practice.

“It was still kind of shocking when he got it,” sophomore Land O’ Lakes JV captain Claire Valeski said.

“We were all happy and all thought he would get it, but then again, it’s one of those things that’s like the luck of the draw,” she said.

Dargahi’s shooting philosophy was fixated on conserving energy.

“If I’m not on a great pace, I would stop. If I only have five or six (made 3s) after 20 seconds, instead of consume all my energy, I would just stop,” he said.

He also uses his arms more than his legs.

Dargahi admits he wished he could’ve put the record out of reach — perhaps making 29 or 30 3-pointers — knowing full well he may have to attempt the endeavor all over again if someone surpasses his current mark of 26.

While a prolific shooter during his high school career at Cambridge Christian, Dargahi didn’t receive much interest from college coaches.

“It’s hard when you’re 6 feet to play big-time college basketball, even if you are the best shooter,” said Dargahi, a 2007 graduate of the University of South Florida (USF). “I probably should’ve practiced on other stuff like dribbling and my defense.”

Instead, Dargahi settled for playing intramurals at USF, and occasionally entered shooting contests — which he typically won.

The love of the game and high-pressure competition led him into coaching, where he said he enjoys watching his players mature and develop their skills over the course of a season.

Despite his proclivity for making shots, Dargahi said he doesn’t particularly work with his JV players on their shooting technique.

“It’s hard for me to see through their eyes, because to me, it’s so easy,” he said. “I can’t get along their thought process, so I’m probably not the best shooting teacher.”

But, that doesn’t stop him from giving his players a few tips along the way.

“I would tell people: ‘Don’t worry about your form.’ The best shooters — a lot of them have weird form,” Dargahi said, noting that former NBA great Reggie Miller would cross his arms during his 3-point attempts. “I think form is totally overrated; I think (setting your) feet is more important. Do whatever you’re comfortable with.”

Dargahi doesn’t plan to end his shooting record quest anytime soon. The Land O’ Lakes hoops coach also has his eyes set on breaking the record for most made free throws in one minute (52) and the most 3-pointers made in two minutes (44).

Published June 15, 2016

Area spring football preview: Hillsborough County

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Spring football practices are underway for Hillsborough County schools in our coverage area. Programs such as Gaither High and Freedom High are hoping for turnarounds, while Steinbrenner and Wharton high schools are trying to build off last season’s successes. Carrollwood Day School fits the bill as a possible team on the rise for 2016.

 

Carrollwood Day School
Coach: Lane McLaughlin (10th year)
2015 record: 7-4       

Carrollwood Day School prep fans should be excited about the potential for an entertaining season, and not just because the private school’s football team will be playing at a brand-new athletic complex in 2016. A majority of Carrollwood’s young playmakers on offense return, including incumbent quarterback Raymond Woodie Jr., leading rusher Yahsin Wooten (740 yards, 8 TDs) and leading receiver Markeis Colvin (20 receptions, 501 yards, 4 TDs.) The Patriots also return their top two tacklers from last season in linebackers Ryan Verscharen and Stephen Walters, who will be seniors. Replacing the production of two sack artists in Zac Watson-Parcells and Corey Shamley will be key to take a step forward in 2016.

Freedom High School
Coach: Floyd Graham (1st year)
2015 record: 3-7

Freedom High School Coach Floyd Graham is likely in for a rebuilding year. (File photo)
Freedom High School Coach Floyd Graham is likely in for a rebuilding year.
(File photo)

It’s likely a rebuilding year for new Freedom coach Floyd Graham, who was officially hired on April 1. The good news for those that closely follow Freedom’s program is it’s something Graham should be able to handle, considering he created football programs from scratch at both Newsome and Steinbrenner high schools. However, Graham will have some uphill battles to climb in year one. Being hired in April doesn’t give him much time to implement his coaching philosophy, and develop a rapport with both players and assistant coaches. Also, the team is losing a plethora of seniors from 2015, including do-it-all playmaker Nasir Core.

Gaither High School
Coach: Jason Stokes (6th year)
2015 record: 4-6

In order to improve in 2016, the Cowboys must make some strides on the offensive side of the ball. The team scored nine points or fewer in six out of their 10 games. Luckily for Coach Stokes, bellcow running back Alex Rodriguez returns. Getting quarterback Gavin Denboer to cut down on his interceptions (10) is a must. The Cowboys defense should be able to hold its own, with the return of linebacker Decalon Brooks, last year’s leading tackler (114). The 5-foot-10, 190-pound Brooks, the son of Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend Derrick Brooks, is widely viewed as one of the top players in all of Tampa. The consensus three-star recruit already has Division I scholarship offers from Florida International University, Florida State University, University of Illinois and University of South Florida.

Steinbrenner High School
Coach: Andres Perez-Reinaldo (5th year)
2015 record: 9-2

The Warriors finally had a breakout season in 2015 under the tutelage of head coach Andres Perez-Reinaldo. Thanks to a potent offense and an at-times smothering defense, Steinbrenner’s only two setbacks last season were against dynasty prep programs in Manatee (Bradenton) High and Dr. Phillips (Orlando) High. On offense, quarterback Collin Wray (56 percent completion, 1,634 yards) returns, as do two of his favorite targets in Brett Bitter (35 receptions, 600 yards) and Carson Kaleo (34 receptions, 277 yards). Replacing the production of 1,000-yard rusher Jayquese Dantley is something the team will need to address. On defense, Coach Perez-Reinaldo and his staff must find some players that can carry the load, since the Warriors lose three leading tacklers in Tyler Mirabella, Patrick Lukert and Zack Deitz.

Wharton High School
Coach: David Mitchell (12th year)
2015 record: 8-2

The Wildcats enjoyed a successful 2015 campaign, with sizable victories over the likes of King High, Gaither High, Wiregrass Ranch and Leto High. However, it won’t be easy to replicate the scoring outputs (at least 30 points in seven games) from 2015. Coach Mitchell will have to replace quarterback Bryce Martin, leading rusher Miles Williams (1,102 yards, 10 TDs) and leading receiver Devontres Dukes (18 receptions, 360 yards) from last year’s squad. They also lost defensive stalwarts in linebacker Hayden Parks (75 tackles) and defensive lineman Godey Coleus (six sacks). One possible breakout candidate to watch is two-way player Shannon King, who will be a junior. The powerful 5-foot-10, 210-pounder rushed for nearly 400 yards, adding 6.9 yards per carry.

Published May 4, 2016