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CRA agency outlines initiatives
By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
The Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is hitting the ground running regarding initiatives in the city’s historic downtown district, in the new fiscal year. The Zephyrhills City Council, which doubles as the CRA board, has approved the agency’s 2021-2022 budget for $879,814.
That’s a sizable increase from the previous budget, which was $578,244. That boost is partially due to an increase in the agency’s ad valorem revenues during recent years. In the fiscal 2021-2022 budget, the agency’s tax increment financing (TIF) revenues are proposed to be $562,848 — up from $428,630 in 2020-2021 and $315,410 in 2019-2020, respectively. “What we’re doing is working,” CRA
Director Gail Hamilton told the CRA board during a Sept. 27 meeting at Zephyrhills City Hall.“The values continue to increase, the market doesn’t hurt us any at all, so what we’re doing as far as residential is going well, it’s working.We’ve got some new commercial projects going in the coming year.” However, Hamilton acknowledged retail spacing “continues to struggle” in the hisSee CRA, page 13A
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Dade City site for new horror film Director Michael Malott, right, frames a view of a scene with actress Erin Pearl, of Fort Myers. Pearl plays the part of ‘Lisa’ in ‘Bed of Nails,’ being filmed at Dade City-area locations. See story, page 1B.
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HA AV VE YOU HEARD ABOUT A Carson Carollo, a recent Hernando High School graduate, is a cast member in the horror film, 'Bed of Nails.'
Closer to Dade City, Director Michael Malott and a production crew member plan on several scenes at Bill Ryan Auto Sales, at 15838 U.S. 301.
Redistricting proposals Gov. DeSantis calls for special session advance for a vote In this monthly video series, Trevor and Nicole of our marketing team recap some of our top stories from each month. These videos are published on our Facebook page AND website at the end of every month, so be sure to check it out!
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Unlike redistricting 10 years ago, voting districts will be different this time for the Pasco County Commission and the Pasco County School Board By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
By the numbers Proposed commission districts: District 1: 113,431 District 2: 112,918 District 3: 111,299 District 4: 111,763 District 5: 112,480
By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
the same district boundaries as the county commission.That’s what it did the last time redistricting occurred. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get to work with the county,” Harding said.“It’s unfortunate that we now have to have two separate maps.” Redistricting occurs every 10 years, based on the population figures collected in the decennial census. The figures are used to apportion the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Florida Legislature redraws the districts from which Florida voters elect their members of their U.S. House of Representatives, state senators and state representatives. The Florida Constitution also requires county commissions to develop a redistricting plan every decennial census to keep
Gov. Ron DeSantis has called for a special session of the Florida Legislature to take aim at a federal plan to force businesses of 100 employees or more to require their workers to be vaccinated. “We have a situation in our country now, where very much, the federal government is trying to use the heavy hand of government to force a lot of these injections,” the governor said, during a news conference in Clearwater on Oct. 21. “And, you have a lot of folks that actually believe that decision should be theirs, and believe in having basic medical freedom and individual choice, and that your right to earn a living should not be contingent upon COVID shots,” he continued. “And so, attorney general (Ashley Moody) and I — we are working — we want to contest that contractor mandate in court, as well. We’ve got to make sure we’ve got the right plaintiff, in terms of what we can do. You know a lot of these contractors probably aren’t going to do it themselves because they know there will reprisals, if they do it. “But that has an impact on thousands and thousands of people in the state of Florida. “We’re also, when it comes out, going to contest the mandate they’re going to im-
See REDISTRICTING, page 13A
See LEGISLATURE, page 13A
Total Pasco County population: 561,891 Average population per district: 112,378
The Pasco County Commission has selected its preferred map for new voting districts for the five seats on its board. And, the Pasco County School Board is set to make a similar choice at its Nov. 2 meeting. Both government bodies also are planning public hearings on the issue. The county commission’s public hearing is being advertised for Dec. 7; the school board’s is expected on Nov. 16. The school board’s desire to weigh in on the redistricting discussion before the county board made a choice, however, didn’t happen. The school board had taken up the issue at its Oct. 5 meeting, addressed it again on Oct. 19. School board member Megan Harding thanked the district’s Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd for trying to arrange an opportunity for the school board and county board to work together on redistricting. The school board had hoped to establish
of the legislature
School bus driver shortage has widespread impacts Pasco Schools propose a new school day schedule beginning in January to get students to classes on time By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
FILE
Staff Sgt. Andrew King, of Oklahoma, and Sgt. Kristopher Calnon, from California, at the time both stationed at MacDill Air Force Base, post one of the ceremonial wreaths during a previous Wreaths Across America event, at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell.
Sponsor a wreath, for those laid to rest By Mary Rathman mrathman@lakerlutznews.com
Wreath maker Morrill Worcester found himself with a surplus of 5,000 wreaths during the holiday season in 1992, in Harrington, Maine, and seized the opportunity to pay tribute to our country’s veterans, according to the Wreaths Across America website. With the help of then Maine Senator Olympia Snowe,Worcester arranged for the wreaths to be placed at Arlington National Cemetery.This annual tribute has continued every year since, touching the lives of millions of veterans’ families and volunteers. Boy Scout Troop 117 of Zephyrhills is collecting sponsorships through Nov. 19, for the wreath program. There will be a local ceremony, open to
the public, on Dec. 18 at 10:30 a.m., followed by the placing of wreaths at Florida National Cemetery, in Bushnell, where 180,000 local veterans are laid to rest. To sponsor a wreath, you can do one of the following: • Order online at WreathsAcrossAmerica.org/FL0498P. (If requesting a specific grave, service member information must be supplied.) • Mail a money order or check made out to Wreaths Across America,WAA c/o Meagan Sammons, P.O. Box 3103, Zephyrhills, FL 33539. To specify service member information for a specific grave, or to request a pickup, please call Meagan Sammons, scout master Troop 117, at 813-838-3822. For more about the program started by Worcester, visit WreathsAcrossAmerica.org.
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A change is being proposed that will shift starting and ending times for school days — to address a bus driver shortage in Pasco County Schools. The proposal, if approved, would take effect on Jan. 4. All schools would have some adjustment to their start and end times, with most shifts being 30 minutes or less, according to school district officials. District staff addressed the issues and presented a proposed solution during a workshop with the Pasco County School Board on Oct. 19. Superintendent Kurt Browning also outlined the issues in two videos on YouTube. One video is addressed to families and the other to district staff. In essence, Browning noted that the district struggles every year to hire and retain all of the bus drivers that it needs, but this year, the shortage is worse than ever. He noted that the district has tried different strategies to solve that, including financial incentives, job fairs, waiving background check fees and using an all-hands-on-deck approach. Those efforts have helped, but have not solved the problem, the superintendent said. “The result of this acute shortage is that many of our students are late arriving at school in the morning, which results in loss of instructional time, and they are late arriving at home in the afternoon and early evening, which puts a strain on families. “Our bus drivers and our transportation department are doing a remarkable job under very difficult circumstances. “Still, chronically late buses remain the norm. “This is unacceptable. “We have now devised a strategy that we believe will solve the problem,” he continued. “In short, by having some schools start earlier and some start later, we can widen the window of opportunity for us to transport students on time,” he explained. “This proposed solution was not our first choice. It will have a district-wide impact on families, including those who do not rely on school buses for transportation,” he acknowledged. “For some, the impact will be a minor tweak to some morning and afternoon routines. For others, the impact will be significant and will require some planning,” he said. However, the superintendent said: “We cannot continue to have a large group of students who are chronically late, arriving at school, through no fault of their own. “This challenge is not unique to Pasco, but it is up to us to solve it. “We have a responsibility as a school community to do everything we can to provide all students with an opportunity to learn. “And that includes having a consistent and predictable start and end to their school day.” During the school’s evening Oct. 19 meeting, Don Peace, the president of United School Employees of Pasco (USEP), said,“it is clear that making the proposed changes will be a monumental undertaking with numerous issues that must be worked out, not only for transportation employees, but worksite employees, students, parents and community partners, as well. “I think we can safely say that every issue or concern will not be able to be worked out to everyone’s benefit, therefore communication and collaboration between district staff and USEP are key to reducing those problematic concerns to a minimum. “We, as a district, have never attempted an undertaking this large in mid-year. Clearly, thinking outside the box to create solutions for all should be employed. “It is in everyone’s best interest to minimize as much transitional stress as possible, and new and untried methods of operations may be necessary,” Peace said. Even before the school year began, district staff had been raising the warning flag about the bus driver shortage. The inability to attract drivers is not
FILE
Pasco County Schools’ buses cover hundreds of routes each day and the district simply doesn’t have enough drivers. To solve the problem of getting students to school on time, the district is proposing a massive scheduling shift.
PROPOSED BELL TIMES ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS School Start Bexley 10:10 a.m. Centennial 9:10 a.m. Chester Taylor 10:10 a.m. Connerton 10:10 a.m. Denham Oaks 10:10 a.m. Double Branch 9:10 a.m. Lacoochee 8:10 a.m. Lake Myrtle 9:10 a.m. New River 10:10 a.m. Oakstead 10:10 a.m. Odessa 10:10 a.m. Pasco 8:10 a.m. Pine View 10:10 a.m. Qual Hollow 10:10 a.m. Rodney B. Cox 8:10 a.m. San Antonio 9:10 a.m. Sand Pine 9:10 a.m. Sanders 9:10 a.m. Seven Oaks 9:10 a.m. Starkey Ranch K-8 9:10 a.m. Veterans 9:10 a.m. Watergrass 9:10 a.m. Wesley Chapel 9:10 a.m. West Zephyrhills 10:10 a.m. Wiregrass 9:10 a.m. Woodland 10:10 a.m.
End 4:20 p.m. 3:20 p.m. 4:20 p.m. 4:20 p.m. 4:20 p.m. 3:20 p.m. 2:20 p.m. 3:20 p.m. 4:20 p.m. 4:20 p.m. 4:20 p.m. 2:20 p.m. 4:20 p.m. 4:20 p.m. 2:20 p.m. 3:20 p.m. 3:20 p.m. 3:20 p.m. 3:20 p.m. 3:30 p.m. 3:20 p.m. 3:20 p.m. 3:20 p.m. 4:20 p.m. 3:20 p.m. 4:20 p.m.
MIDDLE SCHOOLS School Centennial Rushe Cypress Creek John Long Pasco Pine View Stewart Starkey Ranch K-8 Weightman
End 2:30 p.m. 1:42 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 3:20 p.m. 1:30 p.m. 3:20 p.m. 3:25 p.m. 3:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m.
Start 8:10 a.m. 7:15 a.m. 8:10 a.m. 9 a.m. 7:10 a.m. 9 a.m. 9 a.m. 9:10 a.m. 8:10 a.m.
HIGH SCHOOLS School Start End Cypress Creek 7:10 a.m. 1:37 p.m. East Pasco Education Academy 7:10 a.m. 1:35 p.m. East Pasco Education Academy 8:10 a.m. 2:35 p.m. Land O’ Lakes 7:10 a.m. 1:35 p.m. Pasco 7:15 a.m. 1:45 p.m. Sunlake 7:10 a.m. 1:44 p.m. Wesley Chapel 7:10 a.m. 1:34 p.m. Wendell Krinn 8:10 a.m. 3:05 p.m. Wiregrass Ranch 8:10 a.m. 2:36 p.m. Zephyrhills 7:10 a.m. 1:36 p.m.
Note: These schools are located in or near The Laker/Lutz News coverage area. For a complete list of schools and proposed bell times, visit the Pasco County Schools’ website at Pasco.k12.fl.us.
unique to Pasco, as school districts across the nation are facing the same problem. The impacts from the lack of drivers are numerous: including the loss of instructional time; unpredictability for students, families, schools and employees; and the stress and turnover in the transportation department, exacerbating the problem — according to a presentation created by district staff for the school board. The vast majority of schools would begin their day at 7:10 a.m., 8:10 a.m., 9:10 a.m., or 10:10 a.m., under the proposed bell times. The school board is expected to consider and vote on the issue at its 9:30 a.m. meeting on Nov. 2. The board meets in the board room, in Building 3, at the school district’s headquarters at 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.
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Upgrades on tap for Zephyrhills Municipal Airport By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
Major renovations and changes are coming to the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport — in an effort to transform the facility from a general aviation airport to one that offers more accommodations for corporate jets. Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe dished on the various happenings at the city-owned airport, located at 39459 South Ave., while speaking during the annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit at Zephyrhills City Hall. The Oct. 13 event was organized by the City of Zephyrhills, Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition, Main Street Zephyrhills, Pasco Economic Development Council (Pasco EDC), and AdventHealth Zephyrhills/Dade City. The city manager was among several speakers during the economic summit. Poe quipped that the local airport is “the best in Pasco County,” adding,“part of that is because we’re the only general aviation airport in Pasco County, but we are growing.” He opened his briefing by mentioning the progress coming along on the extension of Runway 1/19 — with tree-clearing already underway along Chancey Road. The project lengthens the runway by 1,500 feet — up to 6,200 feet, from the current 4,700 feet. The work is being funded through a $5.9 million state appropriation that was received back in 2018. The 1,500-foot extension will allow the airport to accommodate an additional 17 different types of aircraft (including C-2 and D-2 corporate jets that hold anywhere from 14 to 20 passengers), Poe explained. “We’re trying to grow, we’re trying to go more toward the corporate customers,” Poe said. The airport also received $3 million from
FILE
The Zephyrhills Municipal Airport is undergoing several upgrades and improvements. Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe detailed the forthcoming changes during the annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit earlier this month.
the state this past year to construct itinerant parking for all aircraft arrivals and departures other than local aircraft operations. This upgrade goes hand in hand with the Runway 1/19 extension. The parking is for the additional corporate jets the airport is hoping to attract through its longer runway, the city manager said. Presently, incoming and outgoing aircraft are forced to park in front of the airport’s fixed-base operation terminal, which is not ideal, Poe noted. “We have issues with the jet parking, right in front of the terminal, trying to get gas. It’s just not good; there’s a lot of potential issues that happen with that,” said the city manager. Other airport improvement projects also are in the pipeline. These are mostly being funded with help from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT), with the city contributing a smaller share.The list includes: • Rehabilitation and pavement of Taxiway A
• Upgrades to the fuel farm • Upgrades to airfield beacons Zephyrhills has its eyes set on greater aviation infrastructure improvements, too. In advance of the 2022 legislative session, the city is requesting an additional $5.33 million from the state that would encompass building another taxiway, two box hangars and a newly renovated fixed-base operator terminal. The most expensive proposition of the three-pronged initiative — if funding is approved — is a new fixed-base operator terminal, which would become a rest stop for pilots flying in and out of the airport, while also serving as an upgraded office space for airport staff. Said Poe, “When pilots come in, they need to be able to plan the rest of the legs of their flight, have an area to come in, relax, watch some TV, take a shower, grab something to eat.” Elsewhere, Poe underscored the critical role of the Pasco EDC — specifically business development director Tom Ryan — for helping to promote the municipal airport at
ongoing events and conferences nationwide. Ryan is responsible for business development of new and expanding office, technology, and industrial related businesses and parks, according to the Pasco EDC’s website. His responsibilities also include coordinating strategies to support economic development efforts in targeted areas, including confidential site analysis, regulatory assistance, compiling location data and incentive programs. “Tom makes trips all over the country and talks highly of Zephyrhills, and helps to market us (to places) where the city cannot get out to,” Poe said. Poe also emphasized the airport could not make major improvements without grants from the DOT, FAA and state legislature. He pointed out the city has received roughly $10 million worth of grants in the past three years alone, adding, “there’s (been) a number of grants, millions of dollars before that, and there’s hopefully, millions of dollars after that.”
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CORRECTION: A request for a rezoning for a gas station, convenience store and carwash in Lutz has been remanded to a hearing set for Nov. 15 at 6 p.m., at Robert W. Saunders Sr. Public Library, in the Ada T. Payne Community Room, at 1505 N. Nebraska Ave., in downtown Tampa. An incorrect date for the hearing was published in The Laker/Lutz News on Oct. 20.
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October 27, 2021
3A
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Your Community Calendar • Submit 2 weeks in advance to: news@lakerlutznews.com • All listings free of charge to come in costume, too. For information and store locations, visit GoodwillSuncoast.org.
FALL FEST AT GROVE The Fall Fest at Wesley Grove, 6105 Wesley Grove Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, will take place on Oct. 27 and Oct. 28 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Oct. 29 from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Oct. 30 from noon to 11 p.m.; and Oct. 31 from noon to 10 p.m.The event will include rides and games for all ages, fair food, a pumpkin patch, and a trunk-or-treat on Oct. 31 at 1 p.m., followed by a kids’ costume contest at 4 p.m. Parking and admission are free. For presale ride specials, visit DreamlandAmusements.com. No unaccompanied minors will be allowed on the grounds. For information, call 866-6663247.
NEW MAIN OFFICE Join UF/IFAS Cooperative Extension Pasco County for the grand opening of its new main office building, 36702 State Road 52 in Dade City, on Oct. 27 at 4 p.m. Preregister for the opening at bit.ly/pascoextensionopeningregistration.
FANDOM WORKSHOP The Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, 12118 Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa, will host a Fandom Workshop on Oct. 28 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Participants can discuss, share and create all things fandom-related, and learn about where fandoms came from and what the term has come to stand for.There will be prompts to inspire artwork, or participants can bring their own project. Masks are recommended, but not required. Register at PascoLibraries.org.
TEEN BOOK CLUB The Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, 12118 Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa, will host its second Teen Book Club to discuss the club’s first pick,“Don’t Read the Comments,” by Eric Smith, on Oct. 28 at 4:30 p.m.The club is for teens, grades eight to 12. Registration is required. Masks are recommended, but not required. Registration is at PascoLibraries.org.
PERLER BEAD PARTY The New River Library, 34043 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, will hosts its monthly teen/preteen event on Oct. 28 at 6 p.m., with a Perler Bead Party. Bring your own design or use one from the library to make a keychain, wall art, or whatever you want to make. For information, call 813-788-6375.
Mustang Madness The Bay Area Mustangs (BAM!) will host a Halloween-themed car show on Oct. 30 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Parks Ford of Wesley Chapel, 28739 State Road 54. The event will feature food trucks, costume contests with cash prizes, games, a 50/50, raffles, a silent auction, and a DJ. The show is open to all years of Mustang and Ford vehicles. Day of show registration is $25, if space allows. Proceeds from the show will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay, to support its one-to-one mentoring programs. For information, visit BayAreaMustangs.com/show.
HALLOWEEN ALTERNATIVE The Father and Son Love free food pantry, 21418 Carson Drive in Land O’ Lakes, will host a “Hallowed Be Thy Name” event on Oct. 31 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., as a Halloween alternative.There will be a bounce house, a petting zoo, snow cones, face painting, a fire truck, popcorn, and candy. No scary costumes, please.
Tampa Mustang Club The Mustang Club of Tampa will host a family day at its 40th annual Mustang, Shelby & Ford Roundup on Nov. 6, at the Northpointe Village Shopping Center in the parking lot of Glory Days Grill, 16553 Pointe Village Drive in Lutz. The event includes a judged car show, door prize raffles, a 50/50, a Kids’ Zone, face painting, superheroes, games, and a bounce house. Car registration is $25 before Nov. 1 and $30 on the day of the show. Proceeds will benefit the 1Voice Foundation, which supports Tampa-area children with cancer and their families, by connecting them with financial, emotional and educational care. Those attending the event are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item to donate to the Metropolitan Ministries’ annual holiday food drive. For information and to register, visit MustangClubOfTampa.com.
LEAF DECORATION The New River Library, 34043 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, will offer guests a chance to decorate a leaf, for the library’s gratitude tree, from Nov. 1 to Nov. 24. Stop by and embrace the season of Thanksgiving by writing or decorating a leaf. For information, call 813-788-6375.
COLOR A FLAG
KIDS SPOOKY STORIES
TRUNK-OR-TREAT
The New River Library, 34043 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, will host two “Barely Spooky Stories” on Oct. 29, for toddlers at 10:15 a.m., and for preschoolers at 11 a.m. Register online at PascoLibraries.org. For information, call 813-788-6375.
Pasco Safety Town, 15362 Alric Pottberg Road in Shady Hills, will host a Trunk-orTreat on Oct. 30 and Oct. 31 from noon to 3 p.m. Participants can sign up for a spot and ‘spook up’ their trunk to give out candy. For information, call 727-271-6848.
FALL FESTIVAL
HALLOWEEN HOWL
The North Tampa Bay Chamber’s Wesley Chapel Fall Festival will take place on Oct. 30 and Oct. 31 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Tampa Premium Outlets (a new location for this festival).The event will include a pumpkin patch, bouncers, face painting, crafters, a pageant, a food truck rally, trunk-or-treat, a pet costume contest, food and beer, and live performances. For information, call 727-674-1464.
Main Street Zephyrhills will host a Halloween Howl on Oct. 30 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., in historic downtown Zephyrhills. There will be a haunted house, a haunted hayride, a kids’ zone, safe trick-or-treating, and more. For information, visit MainStreetZephyrhills.org, and click on “Events.”
HALLOWEEN DANCE Betmar Acres, a 55 and older community in Zephyrhills, will host a Halloween Dance with Karl Sapp on Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m., in Clubhouse Two, 37137 Lakewood Drive. There will be prizes for best mask. For more information, email Joyce Smith at jas25magick@gmail.com.
The Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, 12118 Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa, will offer guests a chance to color a flag for Veterans Day, which will be made part of a flag display on the center’s lawn.The display will be on exhibit from Nov. 8 through Nov. 15.Ask the reference desk staff for a flag to color and then return it to the desk.
LEAF WREATH The New River Library, 34043 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, will offer a youth take-andmake kit from Nov. 1 to Nov. 6, while supplies last. Participants can pick up a kit to make a leaf wreath (most materials provided). For information, call 813-788-6375.
SUGAR SKULL CRAFT
CANDY CHUTES Goodwill stores once again will offer a safe way for children to celebrate Halloween by bringing back its Spooky Kooky Candy Chutes on Oct. 30 from 10 a.m. to noon. Guests can visit any Goodwill-Suncoast retail store and look for the chute near the store entrance, where treats will be delivered via a contact-free, socially distanced candy chute. Kids are encouraged
The Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, 12118 Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa, will offer a take-and-make kit, for ages 9 and older, on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2. Participants can pick up a kit for a sugar skull craft, in celebration of the Day of the Dead. Kits are on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. For information, call 727-815-7126.
FALL CRAFT PROJECT The New River Library staff will offer a fall craft project at the Zephyrhills Senior Center, at St. Elizabeth Episcopal Church, 5855 16th St., in Zephyrhills, on Nov. 3 at 10:30 a.m. Space is limited. Register online at PascoLibraries.org.
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HELLPING HOMEOWNERS IN PA PASCO, HILLSBOROUGH, P POLK & PINELLAS COUNTIES
There’s no place like in PASCO & NORTH HILLSBOROUGH
Volanti is the debut of Mattamy Homes’ new contemporary exterior style of townhomes.
Model Townhomes By Mattamy Homes Now Open In Wesley Chapel
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attamy Homes has opened four new decorated model townhomes with contemporary exterior styling in its all-new Wesley Chapel community of Volanti, located on Wesley Chapel Boulevard at Hay Road. Models are professionally decorated and open for tours daily, with private personalized appointments available. “Mattamy Homes is delighted to open these new, thoughtfully designed townhomes in one of Pasco’s most desirable locations,” said Lisette Minnick, the homebuilder’s Tampa & Southwest Florida Division Vice President of Sales. “The community is ideally located in a peaceful setting, but close to everything any homebuyer could want or need.” Four floor plans are available, ranging from 1,667 to 2,574 square feet, with three to four bedrooms and 2.5 to three baths. There are three exterior styles available at Volanti — Craftsman, French Country and Contemporary. Base pricing begins in the low to mid $300s. “Volanti is the debut of our new Contemporary exterior style of townhomes, designed to offer a more modern, fresh look,” said Minnick. “We are excited to show off our models and invite people to stop by to see all this community has to offer.” Four distinct floor plans are available at Volanti — Marianna, Ormond, Sebring and Venice. All have one- or two-car attached garages and large lanais. The gated community will have 200 homes at build out, and funfilled, family friendly amenities, including a resort-style swimming pool with an open-air pavilion, a barbecue area and a fire pit. Making the community even more attractive is free lawn maintenance, and no Community Development District (CDD) fees. Townhomes are released for sale regularly, but home offerings may be limited for a temporary time frame, due to the current high demand for homes and labor and material constraints. Located just 4 miles from I-75, Volanti boasts excellent access to the best of the Wesley Chapel area, including premier shopping and dining destinations at Tampa Premium Outlets, The Grove, and The Shops at Wiregrass. For pleasure or business flyers, the Tampa North Flight Center is close by to Volanti, and provides flight opportunities with an airstrip, hangars and
Volanti Sebring
Volanti Venice
a café. Many of Tampa Bay’s top employers are within easy driving distance, and Pasco County Schools are highly rated, including Veteran’s Elementary, which is just minutes away on Wesley Chapel Boulevard. The Volanti community is surrounded by lakes and golf courses, and offers homebuyers endless recreational opportunities, including nearby Saddlebrook Resort, historic Tarpon Springs and the Gulf’s whitesand beaches.
LUTZ COMMUNITIES PARKVIEW AT LONG LAKE RANCH AND AVEA POINTE Located along State Road 54, close to U.S. 41 and Sunlake Boulevard, is Parkview at Long Lake Ranch, which offers single-family homes and townhomes. Last month, Parkview opened a new amenity center, called Parkview Pavilion, that features a re-
sort-style pool, shaded breezeway, cabanas and social gathering areas. Residents of this gated community also enjoy a paw park for dogs, tot lots and fun park areas. Homesites in Parkview, which have a low-cost HOA, are released regularly. Just south in Hillsborough County, on Van Dyke Road, just minutes from the Veterans Expressway, is the townhome community of Avea Pointe. Children at this popular community are assigned to some of the best schools in the area, including Steinbrenner High. Only 11 townhomes remain at this community, and buyers are encouraged to call or visit now while there is still an opportunity to live in this top location.
CITRON GROVE COMING SOON Mattamy Homes recently announced that it also is building 60
Volanti’s amenities will include a resort-style swimming pool with an open-air pavilion, a barbecue area and a fire pit.
new townhomes in Citrus Park, on Gunn Highway. Called Citron Grove, the Craftsman-style townhomes will be similar to those at Avea Pointe, with updated exterior styles. Two floor plans will be available — the Marianna and Ormond. Pre-sales will begin in January. Citron Grove is just 1.5 miles from the Veterans Expressway, 2 miles from Citrus Park Mall and 12 miles from Tampa’s Westshore Business District and International Airport. The gated community includes a number of trees and was formerly Be Mac Nursery. It offers low maintenance living, value-oriented price points and outstanding schools. Potential buyers of Citron Grove, who want to see similar floor plans before its grand opening, can visit Avea Pointe’s sales center, which is just 10 minutes away.
MATTAMY HOMES SALES PROCESS Mattamy Homes is thrilled that the level of interest and excitement for our communities is heightened. Mattamy takes pride in providing a fair and easy process to allow prospective homebuyers an opportunity to purchase homes, as they become available. The availability of homesites vary in each Mattamy Homes community, and New Home Counselors can provide guidance on how and when buyers will have an opportunity to purchase. Please call or visit to learn more.
ABOUT MATTAMY HOMES Mattamy Homes is the largest, privately owned homebuilder in North America, with 40-plus years of history across the United States and Canada. Every year, Mattamy helps more than 8,000 families realize their dream of homeownership. In the United States, the company builds homes in Dallas, Charlotte, Raleigh, Phoenix, Tucson, Jacksonville, Orlando (where its U.S. head office is located), Tampa, Sarasota, Naples and Southeast Florida. For more information about all of Mattamy Homes’ local communities, go to MattamyHomes.com/florida/tampa.
A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION IN THE LAKER/LUTZ NEWS • 813-909-2800 • LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM
October 27, 2021
Looking For A New Home Before The Holidays? Check out these ICI Homes in Wesley Chapel and Dade City
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ith the new home market the tightest it’s been in years, ICI Homes — one of Florida’s best-known and prestigious homebuilders — has invested in quick move-in homes for families wanting to buy now. There are three inventory homes of the immensely popular Primrose model being built at Persimmon Park in Wesley Chapel, with one of these homes ready in December, and the other two early next year. ICI Homes also has a quick movein home available in November, in Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club in Dade City. And, at the first of the year, a 4-bedroom, 3-bath Juliette II home will be ready in the central Pasco community of Asturia in Odessa. As these inventory homes sell, ICI Homes is committed to quickly building move-in homes for buyers who don’t want to wait 10 months for a new home to be built from the ground up. “If you don’t have the time to wait several months for the entire building process, we are excited to offer buyers homes scheduled to be completed within 90 days,” said Greg Jones, Tampa division manager for ICI Homes. “These inventory homes are built with the same high standards of quality and custom details that come with every ICI home.”
ABOUT THE PRIMROSE The unique Primrose floor plan is being built in Persimmon Park, located in Wesley Chapel in the in-demand Wiregrass Ranch masterplanned development. All homes in this community have open floor plans with front porches, and garages and alleys at the back of the home. The community, which will have 150 homes at build out, has an amenity center that includes a re-
ter-planned community with a championship golf course to offer custom homes beginning in the $400s on such large lots with privacy and pristine views. I don’t think there are better homesites anywhere in Pasco County.”
ONLY 2 LOTS REMAIN IN ASTURIA
The Primrose floor plan is being built in Persimmon Park, located in Wesley Chapel.
freshing, T-shaped luxury pool with cabanas and grilling area. The Primrose is Persimmon Park’s most popular floor plan. This twostory plan features nearly 2,500 square feet of living space with a master bedroom suite on the main level, along with one guest bedroom and bathroom. The spacious living area is connected to a beautiful kitchen and dining area with plenty of room for family and friends to gather. The second story includes two additional bedrooms, a full bath, and a bonus room that is perfect for gaming, entertaining, family time or guest privacy.
ABOUT THE ARDEN ICI Homes is building the executive Arden floor plan in Lake Jovita Golf, a beautiful master-planned community with rolling hills and large homesites, located off State Road 52 in Dade City. The Arden is a 2,402-square-foot, one-story home designed for entertaining and gracious family living.
The foyer leads to a large living room centrally located for maximum convenience. A spacious gourmet kitchen and dining area are perfect for entertaining guests or spending quality time with the family. Views from the dining room look out on the covered lanai and large backyard. The master suite features a luxurious bath and a large double entry walk-in closet, and the home is designed so that children and guests can enjoy their own separate spaces. The Arden quick inventory home is close to completion and can be toured by stopping by the ICI Homes sales center and model home. ICI Homes is building semi-custom homes from 2,000 to 4,000 square feet in three distinct communities in Lake Jovita, including homesites in The Bluffs, which boasts some of the highest elevation in Florida. “All of our Lake Jovita neighborhoods have homesites that back up to the golf course, conservation area, or lakes and ponds,” said Jones. “It is almost unheard of today for a mas-
Only two lots remain in Asturia, a 550-home master-planned community situated on 500 pristine acres in Odessa along the State Road 54 corridor, just five minutes from the Suncoast Parkway. ICI Homes is the exclusive builder in Asturia, and is building two showcase inventory homes, including the one-story, 2,193-square-foot Juliette III, which will be ready at the first of the year. “Asturia is one of the most successful developments in Pasco County, which residents love for its smaller size and convenient location to major roadways,” said Jones. “This is truly the final opportunity to build a new home is this prestigious community.” Asturia offers a kid-friendly, family oriented lifestyle surrounded by miles of multi-use trails, interspersed with dog parks and pocket parks. Its distinctive, 5,800-squarefoot Amenity Center includes a fully equipped fitness center, covered outdoor living rooms, a luxurious resort-style swimming pool and expansive lawn areas for recreation. ICI Homes model homes are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m., on Sunday. The Persimmon Park model is at 3793 Lajuana Blvd., Wesley Chapel; the Asturia model is at 2112 Secret Cove in Odessa; and the Lake Jovita Sales Center is at 12330 Lake Jovita Blvd., in Dade City. To schedule a VIP appointment, call 844-3496401, or email Jones at gjones@icihomes.com.
PROUDLY BUILDING HOMES FOR 4 DECADES
Tampa Bay among Top Places to Live in Florida According to a recent US News poll, Tampa Bay is the 4TH BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN FLORIDA with its sprawling and diverse areas adding to the vibrant lifestyle available to newly transplanted Floridians.
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ICI Homes is nationally ranked as a Top 100 Homebuilder by Builder Magazine. Custom floor plans from just under 2,000 to over 3,800 sq. ft. TBBA —Tampa Parade of Homes — Showcase winner two years running!
One- and two-story homes from the high $300s
CALL TODAY FOR DETAILS! (813) 252-1108 Call today for more information or visit ICIHomes.com Prices and offerings are subject to change. See a Sales Associate for details. Intervest Construction of Tampa, LLC 2660 Cypress Ridge Blvd, Suite 104, Wesley Chapel, FL 33544 / CBC# 1262235
October 27, 2021
A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION IN THE LAKER/LUTZ NEWS • 813-909-2800 • LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM
PHASE IIII OPEN, PHASE OPEN, TTA TAKING AKING NEW NEW HOME H OME RESERVATIONS RESERVA VAT ATIONS NOW! NOW! HEA ATED POOL, PICKLEBALL, SHUFFLEBOARD, BOCCE BALL, FITNESS CENTER,, LIBRARY, Y, GAME ROOM, DOG PARK, RENOV VATED CLUBH HOUSE W/KITCHEN, GA AZEBO, FIRE PIT
The new park has an inviting gazebo, gas fire pit, winding brick paths and flower gardens.
Prremier 55+ +
Beautiful New Homes At Shadow Wood Village
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hadow Wood Village is now taking lot reservations for spacious new manufactured homes in Phase II of its new home neighborhood in Hudson. Located just 30 minutes from Land O’ Lakes, and 10 minutes from the Gulf, these affordable homes feature open floor plans that boast front porches, great rooms, two bedrooms, two full baths, and a den perfect for an office or craft room. Every home has a covered carport with a large, secure storage area, and steps leading from the driveway to the laundry area and kitchen. Floor plans range from 1,234 to 1,568 square feet, and feature the latest in-home design trends. Kitchens offer lots of cabinets and a large island for bar stools and conversation. Quality blinds and appliances, including the refrigerator, are included. Shadow Wood Village is a 55-plus community with over 200 homes. New homesites are in an expansion section of the community, which is being readied for 45 new homes arriving in 2022. Most Shadow Wood Village residents live in the development year-round, which results in an excep-
tionally strong sense of community. “Our residents have a sincere respect for others – it’s truly a caring culture,” says Community Manager Tabitha Klinakis. “When family visits, residents are proud to show them around and they are welcomed by the entire community. And when grandkids come to visit, they become everyone’s grandkids.” The calendar at Shadow Wood is full of activities and social gatherings. Residents enjoy an array of amenities, including a heated pool, pickleball, bocce, horseshoes and shuffleboard. Its recently remodeled clubhouse has a fitness center, library, media room and game room. The newest amenity is a nature park, located in a serene, wooded area with shady tree coverage and privacy. The park has an inviting gazebo, gas fire pit, winding brick paths and flower gardens. A large dog park, complete with its own doggie water fountain, has lots of shade for both residents and pets. Shadow Wood welcomes dogs of all sizes, with some breed limitations. Please call Tabitha to schedule your tour of Shadow Wood Village at 877360-1124, or email tklinakis@suncommunities.com.
REIMAGINE YOUR SP PA ACE
RESORT COMMUNITY
Welcom me to Shadow Wood Village, an ag ge qualified Manufactured d Hom me Community where your drea ams of homeownership in Florid da can become a reality. We have e beautiful homes, friendly neighbors, numerous community activities, and an impressive amenity package. And, as a dent of Hudson, enjoy easy resid access to the gorgeous Florida coast and a its numerous attractio ons.
2 miles il from f Regional R i l Medical M di l C Center t B Bayonett P Point i t ((Heart (H t IInstitute tit t and d Trauma Center), 2 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, 10 mile es from Land O’ Lakes
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SHOWR ROOM IS OPEN BY APPOINTMENT. A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION IN THE LAKER/LUTZ NEWS • 813-909-2800 • LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM
October 27, 2021
Christmas is already ‘upon us’
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ost of us still have a couple of months to shop for the holidays. But for Bella Home Market in Lutz, it’s come down to a couple of weeks. The locally owned, gift and home store features upscale décor and memorable merchandise, and is a premier retailer of Dixie Belle paints. Each visitor has the opportunity to find something unique that no one else will have. Christmas is practically here for Bella Home because of the new seasonal merchandise that’s made its way through the door, with plenty more on the way. “I can’t even begin to describe all that we have coming in,” said owner
Lou Malerba. The store features locally crafted products that will now fit the holiday season. This includes delicacies that make great grab gifts like Toffees To-Go with its kitchen located in Tampa, complete with box and bow. If you prefer the handmade gift option, Bella Home offers three upcoming classes that will provide an evening of personalized instruction using the popular Dixie Belle paints. You end the night with your own seasonal décor item, but the skillset learned is the gift that keeps on giving. For more information, online catalog orders and class signups, visit BellaHomeMarket.com.
20% OFF F any one item m
Sale items not included. exp. 11/30/21
E LITE RETAI LE R Authorized Va ahallan Han ndpainted Wa allcovering Retailer
1532 Land O’’ Lakes Blv vd. Lu utz, 33549
WE WOUld liKE TO
Welcome
Affordable Living At Club Wildwood
O
lder adults in central and east Pasco County are discovering the charming manufactured home community of Club Wildwood in Hudson, which boasts affordable homes, first-class amenities and a five-minute drive to the beach. Club Wildwood is the largest retirement community in north Pasco County, with close to 500 homes. Living in a large community means there is always someone to share things with, including swimming in the resort-style heated pool, taking your pup to the friendly dog park, enjoying crafts and potluck dinners at the clubhouse, and even fishing in a well-stocked lake. Residents are friendly, and welcome newcomers to the community’s many clubs and activities. There are several resale homes available in Club Wildwood, very affordably priced from $48,500 to $69,900. Most resale homes in the community have been updated with the latest designs and flooring, and are a tremendous value for a singlefamily home in terms of cost, amenities and location. For folks moving from Land O’ Lakes, Lutz and Wesley Chapel, living at Club Wildwood costs less than renting an apartment. The community’s monthly lot rental fee is less than $700, and includes trash, landscaping and full use of all recreation facilities. Club Wildwood’s location on U.S. 19 gives residents quick access to
major roadways, shopping and dining, and area attractions. In addition to its Olympic-size heated pool, amenities include a picnic area, shuffleboard courts, a bocce ball court and horseshoe pits. A spacious clubhouse has recently been remodeled, and boasts a fully equipped kitchen and large meeting room, small library, pool tables, fitness room and card tables. Regular activities include bingo, karaoke, potluck dinners, coffee hours, dart tournaments, happy hours, pancake breakfasts, line dancing and bridge games. During the social distancing requirements of COVID-19, some of these activities have been suspended, but all will be back when it is safe to gather together again. Outside of the park, many Club Wildwood residents participate in special interest clubs, including bowling and golf leagues, the Red Hat Society, and volunteering at nearby Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point. The 290-bed hospital, which is less than 10 minutes from Club Wildwood, is the only Level II Trauma Center and Comprehensive Stroke Center in Pasco County, and its renowned Heart Institute provides comprehensive cardiac care and an open-heart surgery program. Make Club Wildwood your next home by contacting Community Manager Sean Terris for a private tour at 866-799-6707or sterris@suncommunities.com.
M ak e C Make Club lub Wildwood Wildwood Your Next Next Home! H o m e! Your
OUR NEWEST AGENT
Karen Gallatin She has been in Management for most of her life and always driven to provide the best customer service. Most recently, having been working within Property Management for the past three years which has given her the desire to pursue her dream of becoming a realtor and assist others with finding their dream homes while becoming widely knowledgeable of the area. Karen is a successful, hardworking mother of three that has always balanced an active schedule with both her kids and work. These days when not expanding her real estate knowledge, she enjoys spending any free time within the community, at our local beaches, and a lot of quality time with her kids and two grandchildren.
Karen Gallatin, Realtor Direct: 813-951-2852
• Olympicsize heated swimming pool — 85,000 gallons • Renovated clubhouse with fitness center, game room, library & community activities. • Outdoor fun — shuffleboard, bocce ball, horseshoe pits, dog park, fishing
Feattured t d Homes: H
7907 ILIAD AVENUE HUDSON
142 242 LOGAN STREET HU UDSON
14332 OV VID DRIVE HUDSON N
Lot #341 2 bed / 2 bath 1032 sq. ft.
Lott #332 2 bed b / 2 bath 840 0 sq. ft.
Lot #382 2 2 bed / 2 bath 1568 sq. ft.
$66,900
$4 48,500
$69,90 00
We have Pre-O Owned Homes Sta arting In Price From m The Mid $30K’s On O Up.
Email: kgallatin7@gmail.com
Advantage Real Estate Services is a full service real estate company representing both buyers and sellers of residential and commercial property primarily in Pasco, Hernando and Hillsborough counties. Inventory is EXTREMELY low. If you are thinking about selling your home, please contact us for a free market analysis.
NOW INTERVIEWING AGENTS! 3948 Lake Padgett Dr. • Land O’ Lakes, FL 34639 • 813-996-4747
October 27, 2021
CLUB WILD DWOOD 8667996707 • 7700 Parkway Blvd • Hudson, FL 34667 ClubWildwoodSales.ccom
TOUR YOUR NEXT HO ME IN THIS PREM IER 55+ R ESORT C OMMUNITY.
Karen is a Florida native, was born and raised in Tampa and has been part of the growing Pasco area since 2016.
JUST 10 MILES FROM LAND O’ LAKES & 1 MILE FROM THE GULF OF MEXIC CO
Restrictions appl apply, 3rd part party t financing a available ailable and back background kgro nd checks req required. ired
A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION IN THE LAKER/LUTZ NEWS • 813-909-2800 • LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM
Avalon Park Wesley Chapel Partners With Local Nonprofit To Give Back To Troops
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o give back this holiday season, Avalon Park Wesley Chapel is partnering with The Stano Foundation, a nonprofit in Wesley Chapel dedicated to supporting troops of all branches, both active duty and veterans. The nonprofit was founded by Paula Stano in 2015, two years after her son joined the Marines at age 17. “We truly put the ‘care’ into care packages,” says Stano. Avalon Park Wesley Chapel’s entire team will help make care packages for The Stano Foundation’s next ship date. The packing party will take place on Nov. 6 from 9 a.m. to noon. Avalon Park Wesley Chapel and The Stano Foundation are asking the public for donations, which includes items such as deodorant, hand lotion, protein cookies, beef jerky and more. These items can be dropped off at Avalon Park Wesley Chapel’s Welcome Center, at 33613 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel, FL 33543. The center is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Our goal is to pack 100 care packages,” says Marielle Fernandez, marketing and events coordinator at Avalon Park Wesley Chapel. This isn’t the first time Avalon Park Wesley Chapel has partnered with The Stano Foundation. Avalon Park Wesley Chapel was first introduced to the nonprofit back in 2018, when the residential community hosted several community drives for the organization, as well as a packing party. Then in 2019, Avalon Park Wesley Chapel hosted a Jack Frost 5K, where all the proceeds from the race went to the nonprofit. The nonprofit also was recently spotlighted for Avalon Applauds, a monthly story Avalon Park Wesley Chapel does in collaboration with The Laker/Lutz News, which recognizes local students and nonprofits in the area for going above and beyond in their community.
Donations needed for the Avalon Park Wesley Chapel and The Stano Foundation packing party: • Baby Wipes – travel size (18 ct) • Beef Jerky – snack size (.625 oz) • Combos – snack size (1.7 oz) • Cup O Noodles (2.25 oz cup) • Deodorant – standard size men’s • Drink Mix Pouches – 1 box (12 sticks, no lemonade) • Hand Lotion – Gold Bond, travel size (1 oz) • Nutella & Go (1.8 oz) • Protein Cookies – Lenny & Larry (2 oz pack) • Sour Patch, Swedish Fish, Starburst (2 oz) • Sunflower Seeds • Tuna Kits
“We are always looking for ways to give back to our community, and we love every time we get to collaborate with The Stano Foundation,” says Fernandez. “Avalon Park Wesley Chapel is not only an amazing community, but one that loves to give back to so many. We are so grateful for their partnership, as we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without their support,” says Stano. For monetary donations to help with postage fees for the care packages, visit Stano.org/donate/, and to check out The Stano Foundation’s Amazon wish list, visit tinyurl.com/59374kye. For those interested in volunteering at the Nov. 6 packing party, sign up by emailing info@avalonparkwesleychapel.com.
WHY FAMILIES CHOOSE AVALON PARK In addition to quality builders and frequent community events, families choose to live in Avalon Park Wesley Chapel because it offers so much more than just another subdivision with homes and amenities. “We are not just developers — we are building a brand new town,” said Stephanie Lerret, senior vice president of marketing for the Avalon Park Group. “We’re bringing together everything a family needs to enjoy life today and in the future.” Few communities offer the recreational activities found at Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, including two amenity centers with a zero-entry pool, splash pad, spa, and picnic area, as well as a new amenity center being built in the new Westgate
Please drop off any donations at: • Avalon Park Wesley Chapel’s Welcome Center, 33613 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel, FL 33543 • Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Village, in the northwest section of the development. Avalon Park Wesley Chapel has been welcoming families since 2012, when this community on State Road 54, a few miles east of Interstate 75, began building its first homes. Today, over 2,000 residents enjoy unique amenities, neighborhood schools, and a convenient location with easy access to Tampa, Lakeland and Orlando. For more information about Avalon Park, call 813-783-1515, email info@AvalonParkWesleyChapel.com, or go to AvalonParkWesleyChapel.com.
WESLEY CHAPEL
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AvalonParkWesleyChapel.Com Av valonPa va Par kWesleyChapel.Com • 8 813-783-1515 13-783-1515 33613 ssr r5 54, 4, w wesley esley c chapel hapel • 3 3.5 .5 m miles iles e east ast o of f ii-75 -75 o on n ssr r5 54 4 33613 A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION IN THE LAKER/LUTZ NEWS • 813-909-2800 • LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM
October 27, 2021
Cornerstone Protection Plan Will Save You Time And Money
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s the hot summer months subside, autumn is a great time to have your home comfort systems serviced, and also to consider an annual protection plan to keep your home cool, and plumbing and electrical components in tip-top shape all year long. When choosing a company to work on your home comfort systems, you will want an established company with a solid reputation to be around during the course of your plan and in business when you need them. Many homeowners in Pasco, Hillsborough, Hernando and Pinellas counties count on Cornerstone Pros, one of the area’s largest and most established three-trade contractors. The family owned Land O’ Lakes company has provided air conditioning, plumbing and electrical services for over 15 years, and its reputation for quality and affordable work has allowed it to grow to employ close to 100 local people who provide exceptional customer service. This is evident in Cornerstone’s outstanding customer reviews, which show how the company builds long-term relationships in the communities where its staff lives and works.
HOME WARRANTY VS. CORNERSTONE PROTECTION PLAN While a home warranty can provide some cost savings and protection when failures arise, it does not guarantee that a homeowner will receive the best solution at the most cost-effective pricing. Often contractors that work for home warranty companies are looking for ways to make money above and beyond the pay structure of the home warranty company. This is typically a low flat rate; therefore, the contractor then looks to pass the cost onto the home-
companies place limits on what they will fix, and also require a deductible be paid prior to repairs being done. 3. Lower Utility Bills While a home warranty is strictly focused on providing a homeowner with repair and replacement, a Cornerstone Protection plan maintains all your home comfort products and results in potential savings on your monthly electric bill. Studies show that with regular tune-ups, a unit will maintain up to 95% of its original efficiency.
owner, potentially costing you more. Essentially, it takes the homeowner out of the driver’s seat as far as being in control of who you choose to work in your home and prices you are willing to pay, because the contractor is assigned and you are at the mercy of their schedule, quality and ethics. Many times, a homeowner can go days waiting for a service call or repair to be done. With the Cornerstone Protection Plan, you have chosen upfront the contractor you want to do business with, so when issues arise, you know who you can count on without a middle man to deal with for approvals on work. It’s just you (the homeowner) and the Cornerstone team. The protection plan also provides preventative maintenance as a part of the package that gives you regular maintenance visits that help to avoid failures during peak times. With a warranty company, the homeowner pays for this as an addition to the package. A Cornerstone Protection Plan however, offers faster response times, saves you money and reduces headaches. Here are the top five ben-
efits of a Cornerstone protection plan vs. a warranty company: 1. AC & Heating Cleaning and Check-ups, Plumbing and Electrical Inspections Semi-annual inspections ensure that your HVAC system is running properly, and also extends the life of your system with the performance of proper maintenance. Those services are not included in home warranties; but they are free every six months under a Cornerstone Pros protection plan. The Protection Plan also offers annual plumbing and electrical inspections. If maintenance is not done, a home warranty company can deny any claims for repair work, stating the breakdown was due to poor maintenance. That will leave the repair up to you, the homeowner. 2. Discount on All Repairs and Service/Diagnostic Fees A Cornerstone Protection Plan saves you money on the initial service/diagnostic call, and when work is needed, it provides discounts on repairs, parts and labor. Typically, home warranty
4. Priority Scheduling for AC, Heating, Plumbing & Electrical When you have an emergency, a Cornerstone Protection Plan means you don’t have to wait for days for someone to come out and look at the issue. You will be placed on a priority schedule and typically receive same-day service any time of the year. 5. Trustworthy & Local With a Cornerstone Protection Plan, you are dealing with a company you already like and trust for all of your home comfort needs. With home warranties, the homeowner does not have the option of selecting the provider. A Cornerstone Protection Plan is a low-cost, effective way to protect your home comfort products, compared to what you would pay for a traditional warranty company plan. Cornerstone Pros is currently offering its Protection Plan at just $9.95 a month for up to two AC units. Please call today or go to the website, CornerstonePros.com, to learn more and sign up for our cost savings plan. Cornerstone Pros phones are answered 24/7, and technicians are available weekends and holidays. Call 813-990-0561 anytime. For more information, visit the website at CornerstonePros.com.
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Terri Dusek, left, of The Rotary Club of Land O’ Lakes, announces a $7,500 donation to Gulfside Hospice. Accepting the gift are Leesa Fryer and Carla Armstrong from Gulfside Healthcare Services.
The Rotary Club of Land O’ Lakes donates $7,500 to Gulfside Hospice The Laker/Lutz News Staff Report
The Rotary Club of Land O’ Lakes has donated $7,500 to Gulfside Hospice representing proceeds from the Oct. 2 Bands ‘N Brews festival held at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park. Terri Dusek, who chaired the festival committee for the Rotary group, deemed the festival a “huge success,” especially since this was its inaugural year. Leesa Fryer, fundraising and event planning specialist, and Carla Armstrong, director of philanthropy, for Gulfside Hospice, accepted the donation at the Rotary Club’s Oct. 22 weekly meeting. “Bands ‘N Brews was an awesome event, and we are so honored and grateful to receive this very generous donation,” said Armstrong.
“Gulfside Hospice provides services for 650 patients every day. Ten years ago, we reached just 150 people a day, and thanks to generous donations like this, we’ve been able to continue to grow, to support the needs of our community,” she said. Armstrong noted the $7,500 donation from The Rotary Club of Land O’ Lakes will help offset costs for patients not covered by Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance. “About 15% of our patients do not have insurance or other means to pay for care, and we’re proud that we never turn away anyone needing hospice services,”Armstrong said. Gulfside Hospice is part of Gulfside Healthcare Services, which also provides palliative care and home health services to Pasco and north Pinellas residents.The organization is based in Land O’ Lakes and has 350 employees.
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COURTESY OF JOHN MEDVID
Jim Felice, left, and Joe Felice won the South Pasco Bassmasters (SPBM) October tournament in Lake Toho on the Kissimmee Chain, hauling in five bass for a total weight of 14.72 pounds. The duo caught their fish flipping and pitching buggy whips, cattails, and grass edges with assorted creature bait and soft plastics. The next SPBM tournament is scheduled for Nov. 16 at Lake Okeechobee. For information, visit SouthPascoBassmasters.com.
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Wiregrass Ranch golf tournament The Wiregrass Ranch High School lacrosse program will host its first annual golf tournament fundraiser on Nov. 6 at 8:30 a.m., at Plantation Palms Golf Club, 23253 Plantation Palms Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes. Cost is $80 per player or $300 per foursome.
The event will feature hole contests, raffles, lunch banquet and multiple sponsorship packages. To sign up, visit Wiregrass-lacrosse-golffundraiser.perfectgolfevent.com.
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11A
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HONOR SOCIETY HOSTS FUNDRAISER The Martinez Middle School National Junior Honor Society will host a donation drive to benefit Hope Children’s Home, on Dec. 11 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Stonebrier basketball gazebo, 3741 W. County Line Road in Lutz. Guests can bring a blanket or lawn chair, and eat, relax and listen to live music with local metal band, Actual Purgatory. The Bacon Boss food truck will be on site from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Kona Ice will be on site from noon to 2 p.m. Accepted donations include: Nonperishable items (such as canned veggies, box/bag cereal, canned soup); household items (such as paper plates/bowls, aluminum foil, dryer sheets); school supplies (such as white board cleaner, binders, post-its); and, gently used clothes/shoes for boys and girls ages newborn to 18 years old. For questions and a more detailed list of acceptable donations, email Annie Hayman at annhayman@gmail.com.
age reading and learning. For information, call 813-788-6375.
DRIVE-THRU READING
SAINT LEO FOOD DRIVE
Staff members from the New River Library and the Hugh Embry Library will greet students at Rodney B. Cox Elementary’s “Fall into Reading Drive-Thru Festival” on Nov. 4 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the school, 37615 Martin Luther King Blvd., in Dade City. Students can receive goodies to encour-
Saint Leo University’s Tampa Education Center will collect food from Nov. 1 through Nov. 18 for Metropolitan Ministries, whose mission is to care for the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless, according to a news release. Saint Leo University-Tampa is in the former Berriman-Morgan Cigar Factory
COURTESY OF SAINT LEO UNIVERSITY
The 22nd cohort of Saint Leo University’s Command Officer Management Program.
LAW ENFORCEMENT GRADUATES Law enforcement officers from five Florida counties, who make up the 22nd cohort of Saint Leo University’s Command Officer Management Program, received their diplomas on Sept. 16. Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell was the keynote speaker at the graduation ceremony. The Saint Leo program was designed to provide onsite education that prepares law enforcement officers for the transition to command staff, by addressing areas such as leadership, ethics, human resources, critical
WEEKLLY Y TOURNAMENTS
incident management, and other relevant administrative competencies. The 18-credit hour certificate program consists of six courses during six months (three terms) for undergraduate or graduate academic credits. Class graduates and their agencies are: • Citrus County Sheriff’s Office: Sgt. Bobby Price • Lake County Sheriff’s Office: Sgt. Timothy Beary, Sgt. Robert Casaburi, Sgt. Brian Forst, Sgt. Gerald Green, Sgt. David McDaniel, Sgt. Nate Pickens, Lt. Elvin Rodriguez (class president), Cpl. Bret
Rutzebeck, Cpl. Keith Sommer and Sgt. Billy Walls • Pasco County Sheriff’s Office: Sgt. Eric Cayer and Lt. Luby Fields • Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office: Lt. Joseph Mitchell and Lt. Ivan Nelson • Sumter County Sheriff’s Office: Sgt. Dave Clark and Sgt. Clinton Hayes Saint Leo is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of College and Schools (SACS). For more information on the program, contact Nikki Heister at Nikki.heister@saintleo.edu or 352-588-8487.
building, at 1403 N. Howard Ave., in Tampa. Canned goods and nonperishable food may be dropped off between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For information, contact Rod Kirkwood at rod.kirkwood@saintleo.edu or 813-7433228.
Congregation Schaarai Zedek, 3303 W. Swann Ave., in Tampa. The guest speaker will be Rabbi Dr. David Novak from the University of Toronto, on the topic of “Is There a Universal Moral Law? Natural Law in the Catholic and Jewish Traditions.” Another guest speaker, Dr.Vincent Lloyd, will follow Novak’s address and the two will share some reflections. To attend, reserve a seat online at Zedek.org/ccjs.
RABBI TO SPEAK The Saint Leo University Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies will host a free lecture on Nov. 4 starting at 7 p.m., at
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October 27, 2021
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REDISTRICTING, from page 1A
COURTESY OF ZEPHYRHILLS CRA
The Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) has set forth several initiatives for the city’s historic downtown in its 2021-2022 fiscal year budget.
CRA, from page 1A toric district, so the agency is planning some incentive programs to lure new merchants. The bulk of this year’s CRA budget is set aside for three major capital outlay projects — combining to total $672,500: • Little But Loud outdoor venue: $250,000 • First United Methodist Church of Zephyrhills parking lot improvements: $320,000 • Entrance signage installation: $102,500 The Little But Loud project, planned at 38426 Sixth Ave., is envisioned as an entertainment backyard space of sorts featuring food trucks, vendor carts, games, live music, public art installations, and various seating and lounge areas. It is planned for a 150-foot by 60-foot city-owned vacant lot at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Eighth Street, and is the CRA’s scaled-down version of Sparkman Wharf, a popular waterfront venue in downtown Tampa’s Channelside. “I know there are some that say we can’t do it for $250,000, but we’re going to see what we can do,” Hamilton said, referring to Little But Loud. Hamilton also underscored the importance to lease and repair the church parking lot located right in the center of downtown, at 38635 Fifth Ave. She said the East Pasco town has few public parking options in downtown, aside from Zephyrhills City Hall, which is often at capacity. “One of the problems that we encountered last year was that there is no public parking in downtown,” she said. Besides formalizing a long-term lease, CRA funds will be used to address paving, stormwater and lighting issues on the church’s lot, which is over 20 years old. “When a developer comes to us and wants to build something, we have strict standards on what the parking lot has to be. We have to follow those standards, as well,” Hamilton told CRA board members. “It’ll be an asset to have a paved parking lot downtown,” she added. Installing entrance signage to provide a gateway to the historic district is another noteworthy capital project. The first sign is expected to be constructed and installed between Fifth Avenue and U.S. 301. Moving forward, Hamilton said the agency is aiming to launch “a real campaign” about what the city has to offer “and try to get people motivated to look at downtown and the CRA district.” The CRA director later encouraged city leadership to make suggestions about what else they’d like to see within the historic downtown district — which spans approximately 501 acres and encompasses the center spine of the city, generally between Hercules Park to C Avenue, and from Zephyr Park to 17th Street. She noted some smaller undertakings in the past year included installing landscaping, benches and pots along Fifth Avenue; installing public Wi-Fi downtown; and installing streaming wireless audio speakers downtown. “If there is a project, if there is some-
City of Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency fund Budget: $879,814 • Personnel services: $112,549 • Operating expenditures: $69,765 • Capital outlay: $672,500 • Contributions: $25,000
thing you see in another community, let us know, let’s talk about it,” said Hamilton. “The CRA has to be nimble enough that we can change and meet the demands of the market, because improving the market, improving the ad valorem taxes is why we’re here.” Meantime, Main Street Zephyrhills Director Faith Wilson shared several event updates during the CRA meeting: • Preparations are underway for Halloween Howl, scheduled for Oct. 30 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., along Fifth Avenue. Family friendly activities will include a pony ride, petting zoo, haunted house, hayride and face painting. There also will be a ghost tour “to offer our citizens something new and exciting,”Wilson said. • The 2021 Festival of Lights Christmas Parade is scheduled for Dec. 4 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., in downtown Zephyrhills. This year’s event theme is “Candyland Christmas.” • The annual Zephyrhills Founder’s Day Parade and Heritage Festival may need to be rescheduled or pared to an evening event with no parade. It’s anticipated March 5 date coincides with The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce’s annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest. The city’s Founder’s Day event is supposed to be on the Saturday closest to March 10, without going beyond it. City officials are actively discussing various options and possibilities, noting parade attendance has fallen off over the years. • Main Street Zephyrhills Board of Directors approved a new “community and unity” initiative, which aims to help create a positive narrative around events and partnerships within the city.“We all want to do good for Zephyrhills,”Wilson said,“and by working together, we can do great things for our community, so organizations can join together with Main Street to co-host and coordinate events downtown, and instead of competition, it’s cohesive and we work together.” One upcoming “community and unity” event is the First Florida Chapter of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association Fall Rally Honoring Our Nations Veterans, from Nov. 12 to Nov. 14. • Wilson also noted that she participated in the Florida Main Street’s fall quarterly conference meeting in Crystal River.“There were some great community branding and marketing strategies presented,” she said.
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commission districts as nearly as equal in population as practical. Political observers are keenly interested in the process because the way the lines are drawn can influence outcomes of elections. In the case of Pasco County’s proposed district lines, County Administrator Dan Biles told the county board at its Oct. 12 meeting: “After we sat down with each of you and each of you gave us feedback of what you’d like to see, with respect to your district, we kind of combined all of that and tried to come up with a compromise map.” His preferred option, was based on input from each commissioner, consideration of geographic boundaries and the goal of balancing population. “What we tried to do was follow major arterials, collectors, as best we could,” Biles said. “I know it’s not necessarily perfect, but it’s what we could do best to balance the population across the county, based on the feedback you gave us and make it reasonably easy to describe what your district boundaries are to the members of the public,” he said. He also noted:“The difference between the largest and the smallest district is less than 2%.” Commissioner Mike Moore made a motion to approve Biles’ preferred option, which was approved unanimously by the board. The board is scheduled to have a public hearing and vote on the proposed map at its Dec. 7 meeting, at 1:30 p.m., in New Port Richey. After the vote, Commission Chairman Ron Oakley invited Gadd, who was in the audience, to address the county board. Gadd told commissioners:“What I have to say is now irrelevant. In all deference to Mr. Biles, because I know he worked hard in putting this together.”
LEGISLATURE, from page 1A pose on hospitals through CMS, where they’re basically saying, ‘If you don’t do forced injections, then you lose Medicare/Medicaid funding. “Well, none of these health care providers would be able to even function, particularly in a state like Florida, where most of their patients are on Medicare. “So, we think that’s illegal, that’s wrong,” DeSantis said. “We’re also going to be taking legislative action to add protections for people in the state of Florida.That’s something that cannot wait until the regular legislative session next year. “It needs to happen soon. So, we will be calling the legislature back for a special session,” the governor announced, and when he did, those gathered at the news conference cheered. During this special session, the governor is asking the legislature to provide protections for employees facing termination because of COVID-19 vaccine mandates and to reaffirm that government entities including school districts may not fire any employee based on COVID-19 vaccine status, according to a news release on the governor’s website. “Violating government entities should be held accountable. Employers’ broad liability protections should also be reevaluated if they harm employees through vaccine mandates,” the posting says. The governor also is asking the legislature to provide greater protections to
Gadd told the county board that the school board and county commission met in a workshop on Aug. 16, 2011, regarding the last redistricting effort. “We adopted the same districts. The school board did that by resolution,” Gadd said. The board was interested in taking the same approach, but didn’t have the opportunity, Gadd added. “We thought it was a good idea to have commission districts and school board districts that were the same. In the past, we cooperated on that,” Gadd said. The county’s proposed map won’t work for the school board because it carves school board member Alison Crumbley out of her district, he said. “I think it’s unfortunate that the school board and the county didn’t meet to discuss this issue, prior to that decision being made,” he said. Some county board members said it appeared that a small tweak might be able to resolve the issue, but Gadd said: “None of our school board members have seen these maps. I don’t know what any of them think of these maps.” School Board Attorney Dennis Alfonso and Superintendent Kurt Browning addressed the issue during the school board’s Oct. 19 meeting. Alfonso told the board that the county’s proposed map can’t be used by the school board “because it would be contrary to the law.” He explained that a map cannot affect an incumbent’s position. Proposed maps have been circulated to board members, Browning said. The issue will be discussed at the board’s Nov. 2 meeting, and the proposed maps will be published as part of that agenda, the superintendent said. Browning said based on the board’s Nov. 2 action, a resolution and map will be placed on the board’s Nov. 16 meeting, to set the new districts for each of the five school board members.
parents to manage the health care decisions of their children, including the freedom to opt their children out of mask mandates, the website posting adds. In response to the governor’s call for a special session, Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson and Speaker of the House Chris Sprowls issued a joint statement. “Across the country, hard-working employees and business owners trying to make a living are being threatened by the Biden Administration’s reckless one-size-fitsall approach to COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Meanwhile, the rights of parents are being trampled on. Florida will respond to this gross overreach by the federal government,” their statement says. “In the coming days, we will review the governor’s specific proposals as well as discuss our own ideas for legislative action, including whether now is the time for Florida to withdraw from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and establish our own state program.We believe that by doing so, Florida will have the ability to alleviate onerous federal regulations placed on employers and employees. “We stand with the dedicated health care workers, law enforcement, first responders, military service members, and all workers across the country who never got a day off and couldn’t work from home during the pandemic. Too many of our esteemed heroes are facing termination thanks to heavy handedness at all levels of government. During the upcoming special session, our goal is to make our laws even more clear that Florida stands as refuge for families and businesses who want to live in freedom,” the joint statement concludes.
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13A
Community Sports Your Neighborhood Sports Source
Locals make impact during 2021 MLB season By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
L
ooking back, the 2021 Major League Baseball (MLB) season brought some normalcy to the sports world, with a full spring training slate, the traditional 162-game regular season and fans once again allowed to return to the stadium stands. There were lingering signs of the COVID-19 pandemic, however. For instance, the Toronto Blue Jays began the season playing “home” games in Dunedin — and then Buffalo, New York — amid Canadian-U.S. border restrictions.They eventually returned to Toronto in late July. Meanwhile, a coronavirus outbreak hampered the Boston Red Sox between parts of August and September, where a dozen players and two members of the team’s support staff tested positive. Even so, there were just nine games postponed due to COVID-19 outbreaks across the league the entire season. As the big league season went into full swing, several pro ballplayers with roots in The Laker/Lutz Newspaper coverage area made notable impacts in one way or another. Here’s a rundown on those with local connections.
COURTESY OF MLB ADVANCED MEDIA/MLB.COM
Kevin Quackenbush made a brief appearance for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
KEVIN QUACKENBUSH LOS ANGELES DODGERS, PITCHER Local tie: Land O’ Lakes native
FILE
Toronto Blue Jays right-handed pitcher Nate Pearson, an Odessa native and Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School alum.
NATE PEARSON TORONTO BLUE JAYS, PITCHER Local tie: Odessa native, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Nate Pearson spent the bulk of the season in the minor leagues, but became an integral member of the Toronto Blue Jays bullpen as a September call-up, as the team fell just short of a playoff berth in going 91-71. He posted a 4.20 ERA, 1.73 WHIP and 20 strikeouts in 15 innings. (This included a stellar 3.09 ERA in 11.2 innings across 10 appearances in September.) The 6-foot-6, 250-pound righty is known for one of baseball’s highest-velocity fastballs, averaging 97.8 mph on his four-seamer, to go along with an 87-mph slider and seldom-used curveball and changeup.
Going forward, Pearson is expected to take on a larger multi-inning role with the team, contingent upon his status with a groin injury that set him back over the course of the 2021 campaign. Expectations remain lofty on the 25-yearold flamethrower, as he entered the 2021 season as the Blue Jays top-ranked prospect and the sport’s No. 10 prospect overall, according to MLB.com. Born and raised in Odessa, Pearson starred at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, helping the program to the Class 3A state semifinals as a senior in 2015. Pearson went on to play college baseball at Florida International University, then transferred to the College of Central Florida. Pearson was taken by Toronto late in the first round (28th overall) in the 2017 MLB Draft.
Kevin Quackenbush’s showing in the majors this season was very brief — appearing in one game and firing just a third of an inning in a Los Angeles Dodgers 8-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 8. It represented the 32-year-old’s first MLB action since 2018. Quackenbush since elected for free agency in early October, after being outrighted off the Dodgers 40-man roster. Quackenbush was a staple of the San Diego Padres bullpen from 2014 to 2017, then bounced around to a few other clubs including the Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals. Across a six-year major league career, he’s posted a 4.41 ERA, 1.341 WHIP and 187 strikeouts across 209 innings in 204 appearances. Quackenbush brings the presence of a hard-nosed reliever, as a bearded, 6-foot-4, 235pound athlete. His arsenal features three pitches — a four-seam fastball, curveball and slider. A Land O’ Lakes native, Quackenbush attended Tampa Jesuit High School and the University of South Florida, where he was the team’s closer and a second team All-American. He was an eighth-round draft pick of the San Diego Padres in 2011.
AUSTIN ADAMS SAN DIEGO PADRES, PITCHER Local tie: Zephyrhills High School
FILE
Cleveland Indians outfielder Oscar Mercado graduated from Gaither High School in 2013.
OSCAR MERCADO CLEVELAND INDIANS, OUTFIELDER Local tie: Gaither High School Oscar Mercado is still trying to live up to his strong rookie campaign in 2019. After a substandard 2020 season — .138 batting average in 36 games — Mercado bounced back to a more respectable showing this time around after earning a promotion from Triple-A Columbus in late June. In 214 at-bats across 72 games, the 26year-old Mercado posted a .224/.300/.369 slash line, with 18 extra-base hits (including six home runs), seven stolen bases, 19 RBIs, and 27 runs scored. In earning regular playing time, the 6foot-2, 197-pound Mercado also exhibited versatility, making starts in all three outfield spots — the majority in centerfield. Some other positive signs of improvements included notably cutting his strikeout rate (17.6% in 2021, down from 29% in 2020) while upping his walk rate (8.8% in 2021, 5.4% in 2020). A lingering question remains if Mercado will be on the Indians roster in 2022, as he’s out of minor league options, which would allow him to be sent to the minors without first being subjected to waivers. A native of Colombia, Mercado and his family emigrated to the United States, and settled in the Tampa area when he was 7 years old. He became a four-year starter at shortstop at Gaither High School from 2010 to 2013, leading the program to back-to-back district crowns and ranked among the nation’s top prep middle infielders. Following high school, Mercado was picked by the St. Louis Cardinals in the second round (57th overall) in the 2013 MLB Draft.
It was a tale of two seasons for Austin Adams. Before the mid-July All-Star break, the 6foot-3, 220-pound righty posted an impressive 1.71 ERA in 31.2 innings, but slumbered in the second half of the year, with a 7.71 ERA in 21 innings. Adams, 30, completed the campaign with a collective 3-2 win-loss record, 4.10 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 76 strikeouts in 52.2 innings pitched, and pitching shutouts in 52 of his 65 appearances. His late-season struggles represented a microcosm of the San Diego Padres, who went 79-83 after going 53-40 in the first half of the season and 26-43 in the second half. Adams also made some interesting baseball history this season. He set a new MLB record for the Live Ball Era (since 1920) for most hit-batsman in a season — with 24. The reason for the plunks isn’t intention-
FILE
San Diego Padres pitcher Austin Adams is a Zephyrhills High product.
al, but rather due to his heavy-moving slider, which he throws about 87% of the time. Besides his struggles of late,Adams earns praise for strong advanced metrics against opposing hitters, with elite marks in average exit velocity, barrel percentage, whiff percentage, hard hit percentage, strikeout percentage and fastball spin rate. Adams grew up in Zephyrhills and
COURTESY OF MLB ADVANCED MEDIA/MLB.COM
Minnesota Twins pitcher John Gant is a Wiregrass Ranch High product.
JOHN GANT MINNESOTA TWINS, PITCHER Local tie: Wiregrass Ranch High School John Gant experienced a respectable 2021 campaign serving a variety of pitching
roles between the St. Louis Cardinals and then the Minnesota Twins, who acquired him in a July 30 trade. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound righty had a 5-11 record, 4.09 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 92 strikeouts in 110 innings. The season didn’t end as hoped for the
IInjured? njured?
played Little League at Sam Pasco Park. He went on to earn four letters in baseball, as well as one in basketball, at Zephyrhills High School from 2006 to 2009. Adams’ high school pedigree led to a baseball scholarship at the University of South Florida, before entering pro ball as an eighth-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Angels in 2012 MLB Draft. 29-year-old Gant, however. He went 1-5 with a 5.40 ERA over his last seven appearances, and ended the year on the 10-day injured list with a mild right groin strain — this, after he missed time with a left abdominal strain. Although he ended the year on the injured list, he’s expected to be ready for the start of spring training in 2022. Gant’s arsenal features as many as six different pitches, headlined by a sinker (37%) and changeup (21.4%), along with a cutter (19.6%), four-seam fastball (11.8%), curveball (5.6%) and slider (3.1%), according MLB.com’s Statcast metrics. Gant starred on the Wiregrass Ranch High varsity baseball team from 2008 to 2011 — striking out over 200 batters and sustaining just three losses in four years. He also was a member of the Wiregrass Ranch basketball and swimming teams. His father, John Sr., was a science teacher at the school and longtime varsity girls basketball coach. In the past, Gant has spent the baseball offseason training in and around the Wesley Chapel area.
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O C TO B E R 2 7 , 2 0 2 1
Movie brings scares to Dade City By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
D
ade City may be best known for its antique shops, rolling hills and kumquats — but the charming, quaint town may soon be known as a consummate setting for scary movies, too. For two-plus weeks in October, an independent, low-budget horror film production company — Cape Coral-based Bad Clown Films — ventured into some of the city’s remote locations to shoot a new feature-length film,“Bed of Nails.” The movie — set to be released around Halloween 2022 — has a plot as eerie as its title. The film is about three gothic kids from Atlanta, who are camping in the rural countryside in middle Florida while on their way to the Florida Keys. Instead of making their way to the Keys, the campers are stalked and murdered by a group of fanatic rednecks. But the killers never planned on one of the kids — a self-proclaimed witch who is into the occult — coming back from the dead to wreak havoc and destroy the rednecks, one by one. “Our motto is, ‘Never mess with a goth girl,’” Bed of Nails producer and director Michael Malott said in an interview with The Laker/Lutz News.“That’s the motto of the film.” The R-rated film features about a dozen cast members, including former Whitesnake and Alice Cooper guitarist Mike Francis. The musician-turned-actor, starring as the film’s main bad guy, recently had finished filming scenes at Paramount Pictures Studios in Los Angeles for legendary Hollywood director Martin Scorcese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon That film also stars Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jesse Plemons,Tantoo Cardinal, John Lithgow and Brendan Frasier. Malott has known Francis for years, having been a longtime Grammy award-winning creator, producer and music manager. “He had some credibility and experience in film, so I wanted to utilize him,” Malott said of Francis. Some local actors, extras and crew members were incorporated into “Bed of Nails,” too. Needing a rural, swampy environment as a setting for the flick, Malott keyed in on the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve West Tract, about five miles from downtown Dade City. He had also considered filming in the Florida Everglades, but because it is owned and operated by the U.S. government, obtaining film permits was more challenging, he said. Pasco County’s tourism department — Experience Florida’s Sports Coast — assisted the filmmaker with a referral to utilize some private property off State Road 575 in the Dade City area. The property features a main house, secondary house and other accents, such as a footbridge needed to pull off eerie and gory scenes. “It just had the right kind of imagery that I was looking for in the film,” Malott said. “We had two buildings to utilize, and we also had all of the swamp area, so everything that we needed, as far as a primary film location, was right there in our hands. “What we ended up with was a private area of land that was out in the Green Swamp, and we were able to get all of the atmosphere that we needed for the motion picture, with far less complication (than the Florida Everglades),” he said. Other scenes from the $41,000 budgeted movie were shot at Jim’s Tires & Wheels on Lock Street and Bill Ryan Auto Sales on U.S. 301, as well as some driving footage set out along Lacoochee Clay Sink Road. Most filming took place from dusk to dawn. “There were some long nights,” Malott said. Some strange ones, too.
FRED BELLET
Michael Malott, holding his bullhorn, yells ‘action’ to start a scene while filming the feature-length horror film, ‘Bed of Nails.’ Malott is filming in various Dade City-area locations.
Between scenes, Erin Pearl, left, of Fort Myers, and Deanna Marine, of Orlando, talk about an upcoming scene with makeup artist Hannah Denney. A boom microphone with a furry wind filter is among the audio equipment used on the movie set.
Malott encountered a Florida panther within 20 yards of him on the second day of filming. The siren on his megaphone spooked the wild animal off, luckily. “I was scared to death,” Malott said. “I thought I was panther food.” The filmmaker recalled intermittent odd noises from the woods, as well as an inexplicable occurrence where an estimated 200-pound log attached to a tree limb mysteriously flew onto the film set. “We just had some weird, weird incidences out there,” Malott said. “We had people that were starting to think that maybe we had the Skunk Ape (Florida’s sasquatch), but I’m like,‘Yeah, right.’ “We were joking all along about making a new horror film about us filming a horror film — a horror film documentary,” he said. The moviemaker also presented an alternate theory to some of the oddities: “We were thinking maybe some of the locals were playing tricks on us, you know, some of the city folks come into our area to film a movie, let’s have some fun with them…” Malott has taken some downtime from
IT DOESN’T MAAT ATTER
Bill Ryan, of Dade City, said his business was chosen for the film at random, but found it coincidental because he just happened to be an award-winning screenwriter, as well as author and classic car salesman.
the “15 long, grueling nights” of filming, and next will assemble a movie trailer before diving into the lengthy editing process. After that, he plans to pitch the project to film festivals, horror conventions and digital streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. There also are plans to manufacture the film on traditional DVD and Blu-ray discs, he said. Meantime, the film crew Erin Pearl, of Fort Myers, plays ‘Lisa’ in the upcoming feature may need to make another film, ‘Bed of Nails.’ trip to Dade City or another location for some B-roll footage, Malott said, including scenes of alliga- night at a house where some infamous murtors and snakes moving across swamp water. ders took place. Malott’s company has other horror film Malott has already scouted out a home in projects in the works, too. Dade City to film the latter project.“It’s very, One is called “The Grove,” about four very possible that we could be coming back teenagers who get lost in an orange grove, to Dade City in the future to film another trapped all night with a psychopathic killer. movie,” he said. The other, “House of Stares,” is about For more information on the film, visit someone being offered money to spend the BadClownFilms.com.
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THIS PELICAN MADE A SPLASH Theresa Sierra was sitting on her dock on Lake Thomas in Land O’ Lakes when she spotted what she thought was a very large duck. Upon taking a closer look, Sierra realized it was a brown pelican that was very photogenic. It circled her dock a few times before departing.
PET PAWS GIVING BACK
COURTESY OF MICHELLE CULLENS
GraceLyn Griffin donated three boxes of pet supplies to Pasco County Animal Services.
HALLOWEEN DOG SHOW
Puddles is aptly named Puddles is about 16 weeks old and a bulldog/shepherd mix. Her owners named her after she left too many puddles in the house on her way to being house-broken. Puddles is loving her new forever home with Summer Underwood in Land O’ Lakes.
The Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center, 6585 Simons Road in Zephyrhills, will host a Halloween Dog Show on Oct. 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This “dress-up” dog show will feature raffles, gift doggie bags, a bounce castle and more. Prizes will be given for the top three dogs. The cost is $15 per dog in advance; $20 per dog on the day of the event. Twenty-five percent of entry proceeds will be donated to Allie Cares, a nonprofit that offers free medical care treatment options for animals and families in need. For information and to RSVP, call 813361-6660, or visit SVBtenniscenter.com.
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Rodney Barreto, chairman of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), at a recent meeting, unveiled a new look and feel for the agency’s official online recreational licensing website, GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, and the Fish/Hunt Florida app, according to a news release. “Florida’s online licensing system is often the gateway to all things FWC for new and renewing hunters and anglers,” said Barreto, in the release. “The new system will be more stream-
Send us a picture and information on your favorite pet! Write a short paragraph about why your pet is special along with a photo and mail to: Pet of the Week, c/o The Laker, P.O. Box 479, Lutz, FL 33548 or email to mrathman@lakerlutznews.com, ATTN: Pet of the Week PLEASE NOTE: OWNERS NAME AND ADDRESS MUST BE INCLUDED FOR YOUR PET TO BE CONSIDERED FOR PUBLICATION.
Six-year-old GraceLyn Griffin loves fundraising and making friendships through pageants. She likes being involved in her community. In addition to providing pet supplies, she also has donated hundreds of items to local food banks, pajamas to local children’s hospitals, Easter baskets to children in need, and thousands of band aids and craft supplies to area pediatric facilities. She currently is the winner of the Little Miss Florida preliminary pageant and is preparing for the Little Miss Florida State Pageant, which is scheduled for Nov. 19 to Nov. 21. lined, have enhanced navigation and will improve the customer experience.We look forward to seeing what this new system can do in the future as well,” said Barreto. For more on FWC license requirements, visit MyFWC.com/License. Try out the redesigned Fish/Hunt Florida App on Apple or Android to renew, purchase, and sync and store your license on your smartphone or tablet.
COMMENTS SOUGHT BY FWS The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service has published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to develop regulations that authorize incidental take of migratory birds under certain conditions, according to a news release. The FWS is proposing three mechanisms by which it will authorize take under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act that include exceptions to the prohibition on incidental take, general permits, and specific or individualized permits. The public is encouraged to comment on specific criteria the agency would use to apply these authorizations to various activities. Written comments on the notice are due by Dec. 3. Read the Federal Register notice and submit comments online at tinyurl.com/akp3rn98.
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Logan is one handsome guy with the personality to match. He is friendly and likes to hang out with his people. Logan’s favorite thing to do is to chase after a ball or toy and carry it around the yard. This 3-year-old, 60-pound pup loves to play. Logan is attentive, especially when treats are involved, and he sits on command. Schedule an appointment today to meet him.
Solo is sure to make you smile Solo is a 3-year-old, 35-pound boy and is the cutest little thing with a big personality. He is full of energy and loves to play. He does a little "dance" and wiggles with excitement whenever he is greeted. Solo sits and shakes on command, and takes treats gently. He also can be house-trained. If you're looking for a fun pup that will keep you laughing, make an appointment to meet Solo.
If you would like to adopt Logan or Solo, be sure to make an appointment at Pasco County Animal Services at 19640 Dogpatch Lane in Land O’ Lakes, by calling 813-929-1212. The adoption center is open Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 6:30 p.m. All adoption fees include spay/neuter, microchip and vaccines. For more information, email adoptionpartners@pascocountyfl.net.
ACROSS 1. Nuclear undersea weapon 5. President of Syria al-__ 10. Partner to flows 14. “Snow” in Welsh 15. Famed Mexican painter 16. Song 17. ticks outward from the crown 18. Doddering 19. Resist authority (slang) 20. Antsy 22. Wrath 23. Spills the beans 24. Past 27. The woman 30. One has 24 hours 31. Talk 32. It can sting 35. Astronomy unit 37. Halfway 38. Chinese dynasty 39. Australian river 40. Software to transfer audio (abbr.) 41. Fabric 42. Crucifix 43. Defunct European economic group 44. “Hotel California” rockers 45. Michael Knight’s car 46. Actress Ryan 47. A digital tape recording of sound 48. Insecticide 49. Scientific instrument 52. Golden-__ corn 55. Israeli city __ Aviv 56. Sword 60. Ottoman military title 61. Aromatic plants 63. Cold wind 64. Large, semiaquatic reptile (slang) 65. Political unit 66. Indiscreetly reveal secrets 67. Comfort food dish 68. Actress Zellweger 69. Romanian city
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October 27, 2021
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Painted hay bales bring a festive fall feel to Dade City By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Artists took humble bales of hay and applied their imagination to create some festive fall scenes for pieces of public art that are strategically placed in spots around Dade City. The Dade City Hay Bale Painting Project, now in its second year, gives artists a chance to express their creativity and gives visitors to the quaint East Pasco town the opportunity to enjoy the seasonal artworks. “The Dade City Center for the Arts was pleased to make this our second annual art event, especially since we had such a great community response last year,” said Lucy Avila, of the arts center, via email. “We are very grateful to our artists who have shared their time and talent to make this art project such a success that is being enjoyed by all,” she added. The arts center also appreciates the local hay producers who provided giant rolls of hay and delivered them for the project, according to its website. The hay bales are stationed at locations around Dade City and will be on display through Thanksgiving, the website says. For more information, you can visit DadeCityArts.com.
Some of the artists shared the source of their inspiration with Avila, who, in turn, shared them with The Laker/Lutz News. Kevin Taggerty, whose image of an American flag on a hay bale is positioned at the Hardy Trail and Church Avenue, told Avila:“I love our country, as well as served it for 23 years in the USAF (U.S. Air Force). “Veterans Day is in November and it's a tribute to them. “I also did a small tribute on the back of the hay bale that shows our 13 stars (colonies) as well as represents the 13 fallen soldiers we recently had in Afghanistan. “I love our flag. If we don't start showing our nation respect and step up for her, who else will? “The flag makes me proud and I feel most Americans get goose bumps when we are gathered around singing the National Anthem. “I hope this hay bale acts as a unity symbol and grows us closer together,” Taggerty said. Artist Karen Menard created paintings of sunflowers and a lady bug. “I have created sunflowers in many forms and mediums, including paint, clay, and with fabric in quilts,” Menard shared.
COURTESY OF THE DADE CITY CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Kevin Taggerty is shown here working on his depiction of the American flag, on a hay bale positioned at the Hardy Trail at 37856 Church Ave. The location is across from the American Legion.
In this case, she used a hay bale. The image of the lady bug is a tribute to her mother. “Growing up, my sisters and I were Girl Scouts, and my mother was our troop leader. Her camp name was "Lady," and my sisters and I and all of our friends called her that name. She passed away a few years ago, but she is fondly remembered whenever we see lady bugs.” Randy Hernandez shared that he want-
Fall traditionally is a time for getting together with loved ones. Jasmine and Curtis Wright’s artistic hay bale issues an invitation to gather. It’s on display at Agnes Lamb Park, at 14200 Ninth St.
This smiling scarecrow seems a little too friendly to scare birds away, but he sure knows how to set a tone for a happy fall. Randy Hernandez is the artist on this work, which is on display at Price Park, 37415 Magnolia Ave.
ed to create a hay bale with a very “fall” feel. The front is a friendly scarecrow, welcoming visitors to downtown. The back is his rendition of “a colorful, dreamy landscape that you would typically see in the hills of Dade City.” Avila noted that this is the first time that opportunities were offered for sponsorships, and these sponsors stepped up to help out: Dennis Realty, Florida Cracker Lunch on Limoges, Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, Karatinos Law PLLC, RX Care Pharmacy, Schaper Roofing, Construction & Pools, and Soriano Insurance.
Doesn’t this slice of pumpkin pie look inviting? This image comes courtesy of Ryah Taggerty and is on display at Naomi Jones Park, 38122 Martin Luther King Blvd.
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IV Joint Makes Health and Wellness More Accessible By Nicole Sanchez
IV Joint is bringing wellness to Pasco County from the inside out. IV Joint — an intravenous (IV) therapy and oxygen bar clinic in New Tampa— began as a mobile lounge bus in Ohio in 2019 before the owners decided to relocate to Florida and market to people who are focused on health and wellness. “We want to cater to the everyday person,” says Brittany Osburn, co-owner of IV Joint. “It’s really important for us to give customers the ability to get their vitamins, nutrients, fluids and hydration so they stay hydrated and healthy.” IV Joint’s South Tampa location opened in October of 2019, and about a year and a half later the company opened its newest location in New Tampa. It offers clients two different memberships, with a choice of one or two IV services a month. According to Osburn, IV therapy is the fastest and most efficient route to absorb or receive something in your body. The absorption rate of an IV is 100%, compared to taking something orally, like a vitamin, where the absorption rate averages just 20%. Using IV therapy allows people whose bodies have difficulty absorbing things, such as someone with Crohn’s disease, to get the nutrients they need. “75% to 90% of our population is dehydrated,” says Osburn, “Most people don’t know it, especially in Florida. Luckily, one of our IV drips is equivalent to the absorption of drinking one to three gallons of water.” Another service IV Joint offers is an oxygen bar, which is 95% oxygen paired with essential oils, and gives customers a nice boost for the day, helps with productivity and alleviates symptoms like headaches or nausea. If you’re looking for a great detox, IV Joint offers ozone sauna therapy. In this
COURTESY OF PATRICIA SERIO
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Brittany Osburn, co-owner of IV Joint service, the client sits in a sauna that covers their entire body, except for the head. The ozone can attach to water molecules on the skin's surface, which aids penetration deep into lymphatic and tissue levels. One major benefit to ozone sauna therapy is that it helps with weight loss. Sessions are offered for 15 to 40 minutes, and clients can burn anywhere from 400 to 600 calories. Currently, this treatment is only available at the company’s New Tampa location. According to Osburn, one key factor in IV Joint’s success is its staff of registered nurses and the leadership of their medical director, Dr. Victor Cruz. “We have an exceptional staff and are very proud of the care they provide, which includes taking vitals before and after IV therapy,” says Osburn. Looking ahead, Osburn sees the company growing and expanding locally. “Our goal is to someday give our nurse practitioners the opportunity to open their own stores,” says Osburn.
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The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s club hosted a luncheon fundraiser in support of the Sunrise Domestic Violence Center serving West and Central Pasco County, and to help bring awareness of domestic violence to the community. Sunrise staff members spoke about the services the shelter provides, in addition to its temporary housing of women and children (and occasionally men) in emergency domestic violence situations. Woman’s club president Annette Bellingar, left, and member/event chair Nancy Swanton, right, present an $800 check to two Sunrise Center staff members at the shelter. The GFWC club also donated handbags and totes filled with cosmetics, hygiene products, children’s books and more that are in short supply at the shelter.
This household staple is a much-needed item By Mary Rathman mrathman@lakerlutznews.com
The Peanut Butter Challenge — UF/IFAS Extension’s annual jar collection for local food pantries —again is in full swing statewide this year, according to a UF/IFAS news blog. The challenge was conceived as a way to feed hungry families ahead of the holidays, in addition to promoting a Florida-grown crop. Peanut butter is nutrient-dense and shelfstable, and is a popular item in food pantries. Fifty-three counties, including Hillsborough and Pasco, are participating in this year’s event, including a partnership with the Florida A&M University (FAMU) Cooperative Extension. Unopened jars of peanut butter can be donated to local county Extension offices through Nov. 24. At the end of the donation period, the number of jars is tallied to determine the bragging rights champion before the dona-
tions are delivered to those in need. Pasco collection points for jars of peanut butter will be the main office of UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County, 36702 State Road 52 in Dade City, and The One Stop Shop satellite office at 15029 14th St., in Dade City. They will delivered to area food pantries. To learn more about the challenge, visit tinyurl.com/5e992z9e.
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October 27, 2021
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KELLI CARMACK
The 10th annual Paulie Palooza Music Festival had six headliners, including The Sand Spurs, shown here. Paul Correia, in the green shirt, is a member of the group. He also is the founder of the music festival.
COURTESY OF ALEXANDRA CORREIA
Paul Correia, founder of the Paulie Palooza Music Festival, was presented with a celebratory gift for the event’s 10th year anniversary. The gift was presented by Carla Armstrong, director of philanthropy for Gulfside Healthcare Services, and Leesa Fryer, fundraising and event planning specialist.
Having a rockin’ good time at Paulie Palooza By Kelli Carmack kcarmack@lakerlutznews.com
The 10th annual Paulie Palooza Music Festival featured live music, of course, but it also had food trucks, silent auctions, prize drawings and more. The festival, sponsored by Gulfside Healthcare Services, took place on Main Street Zephyrhills on Oct. 16, from noon to 9 p.m. Performers for the music festival included Clancee, The Time Travelers, David Teague, The Sand Spurs, Southern Nights, and Kind Villain. The event was created by Paul Correia in 2012 to honor the memory of his father, who passed away while under Gulfside Hospice care, in 2010. All proceeds raised from the event go to benefit Gulfside’s hospice program, which provides patient care
and bereavement services to more than 650 patients and families daily, in the local community. Gulfside Healthcare Services is a nonprofit organization, which has been serving the community for more than 30 years. Its three lines of business include Gulfside Hospice, offering care for patients at end of life; Gulfside Palliative Care, providing treatment options for those with chronic illness; and Gulfside Home Health, helping patients stay independent through skilled nursing and rehabilitation at home. For more information about Gulfside Healthcare Services, visit Gulfside.org, or call 800-561-4883. To check out video footage from Paulie Palooza, and an interview with Leesa Fryer, fundraising and event specialist for Gulfside Healthcare Services, visit LakerLutzNews.com or its Facebook page.
Festival-attendee Heather Stephenson glimpses at the silent auction prizes up for grabs at the event. Prizes included an autographed Tampa Bay Buccaneers football, a signed Tampa Bay Lightning jersey, paintings, portrait sessions, handcrafted items and more.
Eurbana Lambert, 99, is all smiles as she finds the perfect seat in the shade to listen to some live music.
Ronald and Rochelle Moss, who have been married for 58 years, were color coordinated for the festival. They have lived in Zephyrhills for seven years.
Hudson resident Susan Bishop was among the vendors at the 10th annual Paulie Palooza Music Festival. She said the event had special meaning to her because her father was a Gulfside patient in 2017.
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October 27, 2021
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Theater group looking for peer mentors By Mary Rathman mrathman@lakerlutznews.com
New Tampa Players is seeking peer mentors of this year’s Penguin Project production of “Mary Poppins Jr.” The Penguin Project gives children and young adults with special needs, ages 8 and older, the opportunity and the support to be the stars of the show. The young artists have developmental, intellectual, physical and learning disabilities, and are joined on stage by their peer mentors who give them the support they need to shine. This year, “Mary Poppins Jr.,” has a record 47 young artists, and New Tampa
Players is looking for 20 mentors, ages 16 and older, to support them. The youngest artist is 8 years old, and the oldest is 28 years old.
The primary role of a mentor is to build a friendship with their young adult, and to be responsible for knowing their artist’s blocking, choreography, and lines. Mentors rehearse through the entire five-month rehearsal process, too, usually once to twice a week. Peer mentors also perform with their young adult during the play performances, scheduled for March 11, March 12 and March 13. New Tampa Players is the first replication site for the Penguin Project in the state of Florida, and is now in its fourth year. For more information, email Nora Paine, producing artistic director, at nora.paine@newtampaplayers.org.
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New Swamp Fest st We Website: landolakessw wampfest.com Presale ride tickets for arm bands available until October 288 online (pick up will be at festival ival will-call tent) and until October 29 at the foollowing locations: Land O Lakes High School • Sugarr & Spice School and Daycar Daycare • Pine Vi View Midd dle School • Sanders Memorial Ride tickets and armbands bands available for purchase on the midway beginnning October 29. Costume contest for all ages from infant to adults on October 30, at 5 p.m. Prizes will be givenn out for best costume in each age level. www.LakerLutzNews.com
October 27, 2021
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Health
The Laker/Lutz News likes to keep our readers informed about available classes, seminars, lectures and events regarding health and wellness issues. Hospitals, doctors, individual practitioners and anyone related to the health care industry can submit information, at least two weeks in advance, to be considered for publication. Photos of events, recognitions and so on, also are welcome. Submissions should include who, what, where, when, cost, contact information, identifications for individuals in a photo (unless it is a large group), and a photo credit. This information should be emailed to news@lakerlutznews.com.
& Wellness Send health news to news@lakerlutznews.com
No experience is necessary. For more information, please email dance911@gmail.com, or visit ZumbaWithCece.com.
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HEALTH TALK AdventHealth Zephyrhills and AdventHealth Dade City will host a health talk entitled,“Oh, My Aching Joints,” on Nov. 4 at 8 p.m., via the two hospitals’ Facebook pages. The guest speaker will be Dr. Matthew Moralle, orthopedic surgeon. To register, call 877-534-3108, or visit AHZephyrhills.com.
DAIRY & GLUTEN BREAST CANCER FUNDRAISER The Pasco Sheriff’s Office (PSO) will team up with Bubba’s 33, 26340 Silver Maple Parkway in Wesley Chapel, for a night of fundraising. Deputies in the PSO Community Engagement Unit will work alongside Bubba’s 33 servers for a night on Oct. 28 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. All tips that the deputies receive will go directly to Victory Over Cancer, an organization selected by Bubba’s.
ZUMBA FOR HEALTH Every Monday and Friday at 10:30 a.m., the Karl & DiMarco North studio, 19022 Geraci Road in Lutz, hosts $5 Zumba classes for women. The large studio accommodates social distancing. Guests should bring a towel and water bottle. There are no memberships or contracts.
Integrative Healing at OM will present a WellCome OM wellness lecture on Nov. 4 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the WellCome OM Integral Healing & Education Center, 4242 Lake in the Woods Drive in Spring Hill. Dr. Maria Scunziano-Singh will discuss dairy and gluten. For information and to register, call 352600-4242, or visit WellComeOMCenter.com.
RESOURCE LIST The Pasco Sheriff’s Office has compiled community-based resources on its website to help serve its citizens, according to a news release. Resources are available for a variety of challenges that citizens may encounter, including mental health issues, houselessness, suicidal thoughts, and more. The list was developed to give those seeking assistance a place to start when they may not know how. To see the resources, visit PascoSheriff.com/MentalHealth.html.
The CARES nonprofit organization announced that Vanessa M. Dazio, OTD, OTR/L, won the 2021 NBCOT Impact Award for her volunteer work at the CARES Claude Pepper Senior Health Clinic in New Port Richey, according to a news release. The award recognizes certified occupational therapy (OT) practitioners who demonstrate exceptional professional commitment through their dedication, hard work, and outstanding OT skills to improve their clients’ overall life satisfaction. According to the NBCOT (National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy), treatment strategies include wellness promotion, rehabilitation, and habilitation. The occupational therapy professional assists the client in regaining function or adapting to changes by assessing and addressing all aspects of recovery, not just the physical. Dazio was nominated by clinic manager Gisela Dalnoky, RN, for her outstanding work of providing OT treatment to underserved, uninsured older adults in the Pasco County community. “It’s been an honor to work with so many fine people at the CARES Senior Health Clinic. I would encourage retired or working medical professionals to volunteer some time with us. We are truly
COURTESY OF CARES
Vanessa M. Dazio, OTD, OTR/L, certified occupational therapist
saving lives and improving health outcomes for people who need the help. It’s been incredibly satisfying,” said Dazio, in the release. The CARES Claude Pepper clinic is at 6640 Van Buren St., in New Port Richey, and can be reached at 727-844-3077.
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Efforts continue to bolster safety in Pasco’s schools
Closer Look a n
By B.C. Manion
P r o f i L e
Home Sweet Home at Bella Home Market
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Efforts to improve the safety and security of Pasco County Schools is an ongoing effort, as the school district works to reduce potential threats throughout the system. The Pasco School Board recently approved a safety plan that must be submitted to state offices by Nov. 1, outlining steps the district is pursuing to make its campuses safer. The board approved the plan on Oct. 19, following a closed-door session on school safety.The session was private because of a need for confidentiality relating to security issues. Michael Baumaister, the district’s chief of safety and emergency operations, gave a brief overview of the security plan during the board’s meeting. District has a strong relationship with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, as well as the municipal police agencies, Baumaister said.“We work very closely together.” The district is always looking to improve its safety, but, he added:“I think we’re on the right track.” “Ever since Marjory Stoneman Douglas, a lot of changes have been made to the school system,” he said, referring to the 2018 Valentine’s Day shooting spree that left 17 dead and 17 injured at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, a community in South Florida. The public outcry, including persistent student protests, prompted state legislators to mandate safety upgrades on school campuses across Florida.The annual safety plan that must be submitted to the state is one of the requirements of the state legislation. During the recent board meeting, Baumaister said:“As we move forward, we’re going to start looking strategically at some of our older schools that we may have to add additional things to, to enhance our safety posture. “We use our best practices. Our security assessments that are done by law enforcement.The assessments that are also done by the school principals. We look at all improvements that are out there — new technologies, and we roll that all up with what we want to move forward with in our planning for the future,” he said. The district also is continuing to work on various projects. “As large as a district as we are, things take time, and we are moving along pretty well,” he said. The district uses a work-order system to make minor repairs at schools, Baumaister said. He explained:“These are the small projects. You can send a technician out; fix a fence. Repair a camera, things like that.” The district also continues to add security cameras to schools. “By the end of next year, we should have cameras in every one of our campuses,” he said. He noted:“They’re not in the classrooms,
a d v e r t i s e r
By Trevor Lloyd
COURTESY OF PASCO COUNTY SCHOOLS
Entry buzzers have been installed at schools across Pasco County. Visitors push the doorbell and are buzzed in, individually.
they’re in the hallways. So, it just gives us a posture so we can keep eyes on what’s going on. “If there’s ever an emergency, with our agreement with the sheriff’s office, they can then look in to see what’s going on at that moment, to see what may be happening. “We took all of these lessons from Marjory Stoneman Douglas and what went on there, and try to learn from it and make improvements in our district, so we never experience anything like that here.” He also noted that the district is using window security film, to harden the exterior of its schools.The goal is to make it hard for intruders to penetrate. “If somebody is trying to break a window, they probably don’t have good intentions,” he said. The security film helps keeps students and staff safe, he said.Also,“it gives time for law enforcement, and for the security guardians and for the SROs (School Resource Officers) to take action and get to the area” where there are attempts being made to penetrate the building. “Our emergency radio communications, we’re always looking to improve them. We study them. We look for better ways to do it,” he said. He also noted that the district has completed its project to add a doorbell system for all of its schools. The doorbell gives school staff the ability to find out who is visiting and why, before allowing access. Baumaister also emphasized the need to have a plan and to make sure that school staff understands it. “This way, if something is ever to occur, they already have a plan of action in place. “We do plan on testing our plans. “We’re going to do small exercises with the schools, to talk about our plans and make sure that that’s fresh in their minds, and that they are always constantly keeping them updated and keeping them current,” he said.
LOVE SAVING TIME?
Between the stock and the staff, there’s really nothing a creative mind can’t accomplish when it comes to home decorating by shopping at Bella Home Market in Lutz. This locally owned specialty boutique offers a selection of high-end home décor and gifts, in a range of styles with reasonable prices. The store also dedicates space for homemade goods from local creators, such as organic soaps and wall art. “We keep our product unique,” said Lou Malerba, store owner. “You won’t visit someone’s house and say, ‘I have that same painting on my wall,’ because our gifts are individualized.” Malerba became owner of Bella Home Market two years ago, right before COVID-19. A frequent shopper, he furnished much of his own home with merchandise from the store. He’s grown to love the community whose commitment to shop locally has kept his doors open. “I’m absolutely a people person, and at my store, customer service is number one,” said Malerba. “People know if they need a unique piece, they can find it at Bella Home Market.” What continues to set Bella Home Market apart from other home décor stores is its variety of versatile craft paints by Dixie Belle. In fact, Bella Home Market ranks in the top 100 world retailers for the brand. After premiering every paint color offered by Dixie Belle, Malerba’s success led him to becoming the only store in the Lutz area to be named an Elite retailer. And, as an Elite, Malerba can carry every product Dixie Belle offers. This includes its cherished, original product with stains, waxes and scents, to its newer Silk line, an all-in-one application that works as a primer, pigment and topcoat. “We have so much fun with Dixie Belle, they are constantly bringing in new products, and folks love them. Plus, they love the paint’s
Lou Malerba bendability, affordability and best of all, it’s VOC-free,” said Malerba. (VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds, are toxic, binding chemicals found in other paints that give off the signature “paint fume” smell. Exposure to these fumes over time can have dangerous health effects.) Bella Home Market goes the extra mile to show customers there is really nothing you can’t do with these paints. While most crafters use them for painting furniture (beautiful examples can be found in the store), Malerba and artist Rebecca Buzzeo hold classes every month to showcase the adaptability and versatility of the paint. These classes of individualized, all-inclusive projects tend to fill up fast, especially around the holidays. “You’ll come, and we’ll show you the process and technique of Dixie Belle. By the end, you’ve learned new painting skills and get to keep a seasonal décor item you created,” said Malerba. Throughout the month of October, Bella Home is hosting a raffle auction with the lucky winner taking home a themed gift basket filled with great in-store finds. All proceeds from the raffle will go to Moffit Cancer Center to support Breast Cancer Awareness month.
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Apothic Red 750ml
Lamarca Prosecco 750ml
Harken Chardonnay 750ml
$6.98
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$7.98
*Must present coupon. Limit 2 bottles per customer. Exp. 11/30/21.
*Must present coupon. Limit 2 bottles per customer. Exp. 11/30/21.
*Must present coupon. Limit 2 bottles per customer. Exp. 11/30/21.
Meiomi Pinot Noir 750ml
Josh Cabernet 750ml
Barefoot 1.5L All Types y
$13.98
$9.98
*Must present coupon. Limit 2 bottles per customer. Exp. 11/30/21.
*Must present coupon. Limit 2 bottles per customer. Exp. 11/30/21.
Excludes Cali
$7.98 *Must present coupon. Limit 2 bottles per customer. Exp. 11/30/21.
LIQUOR
PA ATRON T SILVER V
$ 7
Dr. Roshni Ranjit-Reeves, MD M
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www.LakerLutzNews.com
October 27, 2021
11B
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October 27, 2021
www.LakerLutzNews.com
Classifieds 813-909-2800 • classifieds@lakerlutznews.com
GARAGE / YARD SALES
BEXLEY COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE November 6th • 8am-2pm
Gulfside Hospice Thrift Shop will be onsite accepting charitable goods from 12pm-4pm at the clubhouse. They accept clothing, household décor, books, DVDs, jewelry, linens, electronics, walkers and wheelchairs. They are unable to take furniture in the van, but they will arrange pickup for large items donation.
HOMES FOR SALE
GARAGE / YARD SALES
GENERAL EMPLOYMENT
OBITUARIES
Connerton’s Holiday Bazaar
Charles Richard Niemela
Saturday, November 6th 9:00 am – 2:00 pm This is a free event open to the public. So stop by and do some holiday shopping!
passed away on October 15, 2021 at 83. Charlie was a 21 year veteran of the Army. He was a member of: The American Legion, VFW, Amvets, Elks, Eagles and Moose. He is survived by his wife, Patricia, and his daughter, Sandra Dunlap. Also his granddaughter, Nicole, and two great grandchildren.
Unique, beautiful handmade crafts, homemade food items, home de’cor, jewelry, apparel, etc. DON’T MISS OUT ON THE HOLIDAY FUN!
HOME FOR SALE: ($15,000) 37041 Chancey Road, Zephyrhills Florida 33541 lot #3 Byron & Audrey. 863-838-6205
MEDICAL / DENTAL
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21100 Fountain Garden Way LAND O’ LAKES
from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company
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1-844-552-4882 Dental50Plus.com/lakelutz
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cmmdr.com $150 RE-CERTIFICATIONS BY PHONE. NO NEED TO LEAVE HOME.
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Fictitious name notice? Job to post? Room for rent? Obituary? Garage or yard sale? Get the word out in The Laker/Lutz News!
Call 813-909-2800
6208-0721
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Formerly the NANI and CADNET Networks
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13B
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14B
October 27, 2021
www.LakerLutzNews.com