The Laker-Land O' Lakes-June 23, 2021

Page 1

The LAKER

ee r F

LAND O’ LAKES EDITION

LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM

Auto Accident? Slip and Fall? FREE CONSULTATION

No Fees Or Costs Unless You Win HOLLIDAY KARATINOS

JUNE 23, 2021

MPO board turns up heat on Port Richey

By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com

The Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization’s board delivered the City of Port Richey a clear message earlier this month: Start showing up consistently or get booted from the board. Complaints about the city’s absence at MPO meetings have been growing louder, and last month, the board asked the organi-

zation’s new executive director, Carl Mikyska, to find out if the board had the latitude to change its composition. The Pasco MPO — which is the lead transportation planning agency for the Pasco region — is made up of the Pasco County Commission and representatives from the cities of Zephyrhills, Dade City, New Port Richey and Port Richey. Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said he’s been voicing his concerns

for years about Port Richey’s lack of attendance at the meetings. If the city isn’t going to be there, Moore has said, the seat should be filled by someone who will. Port Richey Mayor Scott Tremblay showed up at the MPO board’s June 10 meeting to address the issue. Pasco MPO board chairman Lance Smith welcomed him, warmly. See MPO, page 9A

LAW FIRM, P.L. HelpingInjuredPeople.com Call Attorney

JIM HOLLIDAY 813-868-1887 “I Will Aggressively Fight To Protect Your Legal Rights” 18920 N. Dale Mabry Hwy Ste 101 Lutz, FL (Corner of Sunlake & Dale Mabry)

Walk-Ins Welcome WE’rE thE tEAm you CAn Count on

cornerstonepros.com CAC1816647 & CFC1428982 • EC0001103

TUNE-UPS FOR AC

$39.95 Valid for new customers only. Not valid on pre-purchased plans. Exp 6/30/21.

MAINTENANCE PLANS BEGINNING AT

$9.95

FRED BELLET

FOR FIRST-TIME CUSTOMERS

Valid for new customers only. Not valid on pre-purchased plans. Exp 6/30/21.

Same-Day Service Free 2nd Opinion* Free Estimates** 24/7 Emergency

East meets West in All-Star clash Academy at the Lakes All-Star East catcher Josiah Bayona dives for a foul tip during game action against the West All-Stars as family and friends look on. Both West baseball and softball teams beat the East in the fourth annual All-Star games at Bishop McLaughlin High School baseball field. See the story in Sports on page 10A.

**Free estimates for new A/C, water heater, water treatment, whole home generators, whole home repipe and electrical panel upgrade. *Free second opinion with written diagnosis from another company.

813-990-0561 20122020

Seminar sheds light on stigma By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com

The old adage, “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me,” may not be exactly true — at least for those who are working to overcome alcohol and substance addiction, mental illness and cultural competency issues. In other words, hurtful words do matter. That was the consensus of a group of panelists affiliated with the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Addiction Prevention (Pasco ASAP), a nonprofit organization working to mobilize the community to prevent substance use by implementing evidence-based strategies that produce environmental-level change. The panelists spoke at a June 1 webinar, titled “Change The Language ASAP.” The webinar sought to bring awareness to the role stigma plays in addiction, and how everyday words and phrases may have an influence regarding whether someone See STIGMA, page 9A

B INSIDE, PAGE 1B

Mitchell High School’s Keaton Howard’s second home run ended the extra-inning game at the fourth annual Fellowship of Christian Athletes Pasco County All-Star baseball game. Girls played in the All-Star softball game on an adjacent field.

Fivay High School’s All-Star West’s No. 19 Erik Scott leads off second base. The East team came from behind, but still lost to the West All-Stars in extra innings.

‘A mover and shaker’ is laid to rest Auralee Buckingham left a lasting impression in the community of Lutz. By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com

Anyone who has spent any time at all in Lutz is likely to have run across Auralee Buckingham. After all, for decades, she had a hand in just about everything involving this community, north of Tampa. Buckingham, who was 91 at her death on May 13, will be honored in a Resurrection Mass at 11 a.m., on June 26, at St. Timothy Catholic Church, 17512 Lakeshore Drive in Lutz. The mark she left on the community of Lutz will not be soon forgotten. Pat Serio, who sits on the board of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, described Buckingham as “a true force of nature. “You name it and Auralee ran it,” said Serio, noting that not only was Buckingham a

COURTESY OF KRISTI MACKEY

This is Auralee Buckingham when she was in high school.

past president of the woman’s club, but she also had held nearly every office and chaired nearly every club event. “She was a mover and a shaker, involved in everything that happened in the Lutz community at large, and knew how to get things done,” Serio said, via email.

Buckingham organized the Fourth of July parades and celebrations, and the community’s Christmas in the Park festivities. She beautified the landscaping at the Lutz Branch Library. She raised money and supported causes that went far beyond the woman’s club, including the Lutz Civic Association, the former Lutz Volunteer Fire Department and the Old Lutz School. She was deeply involved in the Oscar Cooler Youth Sports Complex, and with scouting, too, Serio noted. Ardyth Bahr, a longtime friend of Buckingham’s, said, via email, that those who had met Buckingham could not forget her. Bahr characterized her friend as “a pillar in the community of Lutz. “She (Buckingham) was the one to go to in Lutz if you wanted anything done. She was unstoppable.” Jay Muffly, another longtime Lutz civic leader, said Buckingham was “the busiest person in Lutz.” He credited her for her contributions to many projects and activities in the community, as well as being “a great person.” See AURALEE, page 9A


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.