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SERVING LUTZ/ODESSA
JUNE 17, 2015
Remembering a life of influence By B.C. Manion
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Trinity Church of Wesley Chapel was packed for a service held to celebrate the life of Laura Hauser, who waged a six-year battle with cancer but succumbed to the disease on June 8. There were probably 500 people at the service on the evening of June 13, according to Trish Trout, a long-time friend who described the event, via email. Most of the people at the memorial, deemed a celebration of life, wore blue, which is the color worn as a sign of support in the battle against colon cancer. “There were tears, there was a lot of laughter. There was so much love and support in the church,”Trout added. “And, of course, there was a PSA (public service announcement) to get tested for colon cancer. This is exactly what Laura would want,” added Trout, who accompanied Hauser on some of her appointments
COURTESY OF STEPHANIE HARDY
Laura and Tatum Hauser at Contempo School of Dance. The dance moms there have made dinners for the Hauser families and had fundraisers to help support the family.
when she was initially diagnosed. Penny Foote, another friend of Hauser, also attended the service. She knew her friend was special but had no idea her sphere of influence had been so broad. Speaker after speaker told story after story of the positive effect she’d had in their lives, Foote said. “I don’t even know how one person can change so many lives for the better,” said Foote, who coordinated a fundraiser for the Hauser family on June 13 at Harvester United Methodist Church in Land O’ Lakes. The benefit raised $3,285.65, and Foote is planning to organize another fundraiser in the future to provide additional help for the family. Hauser is survived by her husband, Richard; her son, Noah, 14; and her daughter, Tatum, 12. She was a warrior in her battle with canSee HAUSER, page 11A
Stepping away, after a decade of progress By B.C. Manion
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
When Katherine Johnson came to Pasco County a decade ago, the educational institution she was leading was known by a different name. It had fewer campuses, fewer students and a smaller endowment fund, too. When Johnson came on board, the college was known as Pasco-Hernando Community College and had three campuses. In 2010, the college added its Spring Hill campus, and in 2014, it opened Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch. The college also added baccalaureate degree programs in 2014 and changed its name to reflect its four-year degree programs. During the past decade, the college increased its graduation by 43 percent — a statistic that is perhaps most meaningful to Johnson, who herself graduated from what was then called a junior college. Johnson continued her education to complete a doctorate and become a college president, but it all began with the opportunity offered at the junior college. She is passionate about the educational opportunities offered by institutions like Pasco-Hernando State College. “My father couldn’t afford to send me to college. He was a railroad worker. My mother was a homemaker, and I didn’t have stellar grades. I wasn’t a poor student, but I wasn’t a stellar student, either,” she recalled. “Sometimes, community colleges are
PHOTO COURTESY OF PASCO-HERNANDO STATE COLLEGE
Katherine Johnson, president of Pasco-Hernando State College, retires on June 30, after a decade of leading the school.
viewed as the red-headed stepchild — that we take any and all (students) — but quite honestly, I think that’s a wonderful mantra.” She believes that community colleges are sometimes the first option, sometimes the only option and sometimes the last option. Some students choose to attend a community college because they are on scholarship. Others choose it because it’s their only feasible option. And, sometimes they choose it because they can’t get in any other postsecondary institution. “We are an open-door institution,” Johnson said. Besides being an option for students on a traditional path, schools like PHSC offer op-
portunities for people who are in the work force or who have lost their jobs and need to develop new workplace skills. “We’ve had to adjust our programs of study, not just here at PHSC, but everywhere due to technology, the changing work force, certainly, the economics, particularly crawling out of this recession,” Johnson said. “People had to learn to be flexible. They had to come back and learn new skills. And, so I think that the nimbleness of our institutions has provided access to perhaps many students who never even thought about coming back to college,” Johnson said. See DECADE, page 11A
Rankin hopes a lifetime in Lutz means a Guv’na win By Michael Murillo
the area and its residents. She attended Lutz Elementary, and it was in those formative years Jennifer Rankin was supposed she decided to be a Lutz to be a Lutz Guv’na candidate in Guv’na, even if she didn’t 2014, but something came up. know exactly how it worked. It was her daughter,Abigail. At the time, she thought it “I wanted to do it last year, and was an actual political race inI got pregnant. She was born in stead of a fundraiser. August,” Rankin explained. “In July, Now that she knows it’s all I would have been eight months about the money, she’s even pregnant at the Fourth of July pamore determined to be a part rade.” Since she would have spent of it. her entire campaign in the latter “I think it’s the coolest stages of pregnancy, Rankin decidthing,” Rankin said. ed to wait a year before running Unfortunately, not everyfor the ceremonial title, awarded to body knows about the the candidate who raises the most Guv’na’s race. Even longtime money for local organizations. The residents don’t always undercurrent campaign runs through stand her latest project, and the Fourth of July, and the winner she has to explain the race is announced at the annual festiviand where the money goes. ties in Lutz. “It just surprises me how Following her pregnancy, she many people live here that MICHAEL MURILLO/STAFF PHOTO don’t know anything about it,” spent 10 days in an intensive care unit with life-threatening hemor- Jennifer Rankin is looking to mow down the competition in the race she said. rhaging. Now that baby and for Lutz Guv’na. Most people who run into mother are both healthy, and the Rankin learn about it, mostly Lutz Guv’na race has returned, Rankin is Rankin is hoping to have 10 teams in because she’s always asking them for going for the winner’s sash with guns blaz- place when the tournament starts. If that money. If she wins the title, she’ll direct a ing. Literally. seems ambitious, that’s the kind of portion of the funds to the organization of One of her big campaign events is a clay person she is. But she also knows her sup- her choice, and she’s already made that expigeon tournament on June 27 at Tampa Bay porters well, and chose an event she ecutive decision: The Steinbrenner High Sporting Clays, 10514 Ehren Cutoff in Land thought would be popular with them. School cheer team. Her youngest stepdaughO’ Lakes. The cost is $130 per person, or As a Lutz native who grew up in the fam- ter, Kori, was a member, and Rankin saw $480 per team of four, with prizes for the ily business, Al’s Lawn Care at 18905 N. Dale See RANKIN, page 11A top teams and shooters. Mabry Highway, Rankin has a good feel for
mmurillo@lakerlutznews.com