The Laker-Wesley Chapel/New Tampa-January 20, 2016

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JANUARY 20, 2016

Porter campus provost is promoted By B.C. Manion

bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com

Dr. Stan Giannet, the founding provost at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, has been promoted to a vice president’s post at the college. Giannet wrapped up his last day at the Porter Campus on Jan. 15. He assumed his new role, based at the college’s West Campus in New Port Richey, on Jan. 19. The new vice president is eager to embrace the challenges of his new role, but said he will miss the staff, students and community at the campus he has led since its beginning. Previously the provost at the college’s North Campus in Brooksville, he took over the leadership role at the Porter Campus in July of 2013. Giannet selected the campus’ inaugural staff, and directed the school’s opening and

subsequent growth. “For this term, our full-time enrollment, we are up 4.5 percent,” he said. “We continue to have strong programs.We continue to have classes from 8 o’clock in the morning until 9:40 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and a vigorous selection of classes on Fridays, from 8 (a.m.) to 4:30 (p.m.),” he said.“Almost all of those classes are full.” Giannet has been named the college’s new vice president of academic affairs and faculty development/college provost. “This will give me an opportunity to work closely with the president and the faculty to strengthen our existing programs and academic activities,” he said. The role involves strengthening communication and collaboration among the departments, and developing the faculty, he said. Previously, the provosts reported to the See PROVOST, page 13A

FILE PHOTO

Stan Giannet, the founding provost of Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch has been promoted to a vice president for Pasco-Hernando State College. His last day at the campus was Jan. 15. His new role began Jan. 19.

Local students vie for $10,000 video prize By B.C. Manion

bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com

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The fifth-grade media club at Veterans Elementary School is vying for the $10,000 grand prize in the annual Trees Rock video contest sponsored by Scotties Tissues. The club’s video has been deemed a top 10 finalist in a national competition. The contest calls for videos that explain the importance of trees.The $10,000 prize is intended for use in a sustainable project, such as tree plantings, outdoor classrooms, greenhouses, gardens and so on. Students led by club co-advisers Susan Forgas and Mario Pineo worked on the video for weeks. The students came up with the ideas for the segments, wrote the scripts, created costumes, filmed the segments and edited the three-minute video. The video is based on the concept of someone flipping through the channels at night, landing on commercials or previews of shows. “The kids kind of brought their own ideas,” Pineo said.“They sort of had an audition.Then we brainstormed how we would put those together and which ones we would include, and which ones made sense,” he said. One segment is a portion of a mock sportscast hosted by Jack Carbone, playing the role of Jack Woodchuck, and Alyssa Bollent, playing the role of Alyssa Leaf. Carbone also wrote the script for the segment, and Gadiel Ramirez shot the video. Bollent also wrote the script for “Jennie the Genie,” with assistance from Caitlan Jamison and Julia Rosenberg.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF VETERANS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Caitlan Jamison plays the role of Jennie the Genie, and Siena Bracciale plays the role of Sarah, in a segment called “Jennie the Genie.”

To view and vote for Veterans Elementary School’s video, go to ScottiesTreesRock.com. Jamison played the role of Jennie, Siena Bracciale played Sarah, and Yasmin Fajardo worked the camera. Isaac Machado played the role of Slash and also wrote the script for “Slash vs Arbor Girl.” Rosenberg played Arbor Girl, Joie Goletz was Woodchuck, and Ava Shortt shot the segment. Alyssa Forgas, who is Susan Forgas’ niece, handled the camera for the “All Spice” advertisement, which also featured Ella Jennette and Lauren Rossman as rock stars and Lauren Carulli as a makeup artist. Carulli and Jennette co-wrote the ad.

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Gadiel Ramirez records the sportscast featuring Jack Carbone as Jack Woodchuck, and Alyssa Bollent as Alyssa Leaf.

Isaac Machado plays Slash, a villain in a segment called “Slash vs. Arbor Girl.”

Griffin Roberts played the role of Daniel Wood in one segment. He also created a Twitter page @VoteVes, to help attract votes for the video. Throughout the process, students handled a variety of chores, shooting video, editing, writing scripts and coming up with costumes. If the school wins, the students want to spend the money on the butterfly garden, an edible garden and a sensory garden, featuring plants that have scents. This isn’t the first time Veterans Elementary has had success with the contest. In 2013, Ryan and Rachel Mish, a brotherand-sister team from the school, placed in the top four. During the next phase of the contest, which runs through Feb. 7, the public will have a chance to view the videos and vote to determine who wins the grand prize. To view and vote for Veterans Elementary School’s video, go to ScottiesTreesRock.com.

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New 4-lane to connect communities By Kathy Steele

ksteele@lakerlutznews.com

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INSIDE, PAGE 1B

Pasco County is set to receive a nearly $23 million state loan after state and local officials stitched together a deal for a fourlane extension of State Road 56 from Wiregrass Ranch to Zephyrhills. The project previously had been intended to build two lanes from Meadow Pointe Boulevard in Wiregrass Ranch to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills. Converting it to a four-lane project will boost the estimated $35 million price tag to about $65 million, including the loan plus interest.

Loan proceeds from the State Infrastructure Bank could be available as soon as April. Construction is expected to start by fall of this year. Completion is expected in 2019, and repayments of the loan would start shortly thereafter. The project is expected to improve access to Interstate 75 and southeast Pasco, and spur new development in and around Zephyrhills, and its airport. Residents and officials in Zephyrhills have long lobbied for four lanes, arguing that a two-lane road was a major roadblock to redevelopment. “It’s a major, major public/private partnership,” said Steve Spina, Zephyrhills’ city manager.“It will be an economic boost for

the area.” Pasco County commissioners, on Jan. 12, approved a series of agreements with the Florida Department of Transportation, four developer/landowners, the Cone & Graham construction company and the city of Zephyrhills. The agreements detail a repayment schedule that allows the county to collect funds from developers and landowners along the corridor through mobility surcharge fees, or special assessments if needed. “We will facilitate a lot of regional beneSee 4-LANE, page 13A


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