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Guv’na hopefuls kick off campaigns By Michael Murillo mmurillo@lakerlutznews.com
The candidates to become the next Lutz Guv’na are all a bunch of sellouts. At the annual Guv’na debate May 10 at the Old Lutz School, the five hopefuls for the ceremonial title were doing whatever they could to raise cash: Selling cookies, brownies and even specialty popcorn.They had raffles and drawings. They even announced yard sales and other fundraisers scheduled for the next couple months. But unlike a traditional political campaign, the money raised doesn’t go toward buttons, bumper stickers or negative attack ads. It goes to local schools, civic organizations and other groups that benefit from the Lutz Guv’na event, which names the winner solely by how much money they raise for charity. Last year the candidates as a group raised nearly $12,000, most of that coming
from the winner and current Guv’na, Suzin Carr. The debate was an opportunity for the candidates to kick off their campaigns with smiles, handshakes and outrageous promises if “elected” to office. One vowed to rid the area of pesky mosquitoes.Another promised a five-day weekend.And they participated in contests to show their ability to handle the job, such as watermelon eating and knitting. If it all sounds a little strange, Carr said that’s exactly how it’s supposed to be. “It’s a silly, community spirit, wonderful thing for Lutz,” she said.“It’s supposed to be tacky. It’s supposed to be off-the-cuff crazy.” Having a campaign for an honorary title is the kind of event that keeps Lutz’s smalltown appeal intact.The fact that the money goes directly to organizations that need it makes the Lutz Guv’na race a positive force See GUVʼNA, page 14
MICHAEL MURILLO/STAFF PHOTO
Lester ‘Boddie’ Osteen, a Lutz resident since 1936, took a few moments to share his memories of the area and its history with the crowd. ‘You’re privileged to live in this community,’ he said.
Surgeon makes history at St. Joe-North By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
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Dr. Pamela Twitty made history on April 30 at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North by becoming the first surgeon in Tampa to perform a single-site robotics-assisted hysterectomy.
ring as well. Twitty performed the surgery on Land O’ Lakes resident Hollie Morris. “I was pretty excited about it,” the 35year-old said.
Morris didn’t have any misgivings about being Twitty’s first patient for this procedure because she had an established See SURGEON, page 14
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Dr. Pamela Twitty made history on April 30 at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North by becoming the first surgeon in Tampa to perform a single-site robotics-assisted hysterectomy. The type of surgery had been performed previously in Clearwater and St. Petersburg, but not in Tampa,Twitty said. She used a da Vinci robotic system to perform the surgery, controlling instruments from a console in the operating room. In traditional hysterectomy surgery, doctors make a five- to seven-inch incision in the woman’s abdomen and remove the uterus through the laceration. That approach leaves noticeable scars and requires a month or two of recovery,Twitty said. But with robotics-assisted surgery, recovery is quicker with less post-operative pain because it’s less invasive, and it reduces scar-
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Teacher uses technology to open new worlds of learning By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
There’s no doubt about it. Language arts teacher Aimee Nadow is tech-savvy. On any given day, the Academy at the Lakes teacher uses technology to help her students enhance their reading, writing and creativity. On one day, for instance, she’ll set them loose on AutoCAD computer design software to create the balcony scene from “Romeo and Juliet.” On another day, students use PicMonkey photo editor to design book covers for the manuscripts they’re writing. They’re also frequent users of Pinterest to digitally “pin up” work that they’ve done, and they know how to edit digital clips. Harnessing technical tools in her classes is all in a day’s work for Nadow, whose mother was a children’s librarian, and her father always was ahead of the crowd when it came to technology.
B.C. MANION/STAFF PHOTO
Aimee Nadow uses a combination of technical skills and a personal touch to make her classes engaging.
Nadow has a deep appreciation for the power of language, and a clear understanding of how traditional and modern tools can enliven lessons. She sees the value of being able to skim information, but also knows the importance of being able to delve deeply into subjects to gain knowledge. The independent private school where she teaches has long understood the quality of Nadow’s teaching skills, middle division director John Pitcairn said.And,Academy at the Lakes is delighted that Nadow has received national recognition. The middle division teacher recently was named a 2014 PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovator. It’s a distinction bestowed to just 100 educators nationwide. As a member of that select group, the Land O’ Lakes woman will take part in a yearlong professional development program. See TEACHER, page 14