The Laker-Wesley Chapel/New Tampa-Dec. 31, 2014

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PHOTO COURTESY OF TRISH TROUT

Trish Trout enjoyed high-fiving little kids as she completed her dream of running the Boston Marathon.

INSIDE, PAGE

It’s #WBW at the LLN! Y

ou know it’s Thursday on Facebook when your timeline is suddenly flooded with old pictures — some of them yellowing, others black and white.

It’s the informal Throwback Thursday, carrying the hashtag of #TBT, and a time to reminisce or learn something new from the people you friend on Facebook.

Here at The Laker/Lutz News, we also

wanted a chance to reflect on the past — but not go as far back as others. In fact, we just wanted to take a look back at the past year: the highs, the lows, the fun, the serious.

And what better way to do it than with Wind Back Wednesday, our own #WBW. Our papers come out every Wednesday, and if you’re reading this right on New Year’s Eve, then it’s Wednesday for you, too. So while we might not be flooding your timeline

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Honeymoon Beach State Park’s nature trail features osprey, eagles and owl nests.

with stories from the past, we are sharing them in the pages of this very paper you’re holding.

Maybe there’s something you missed, or something you’d like to experience again.

Maybe there was something you enjoyed, but maybe hadn’t thought about in a while.

No matter what your motivation, enjoy this special issue of The Laker/Lutz News as we Wind Back Wednesday.

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PUBLISHER’S COLUMN

As we look forward, looking back gives perspective

By Diane Kortus Publisher

This week’s paper takes a look at our best stories of 2014.

It’s the one time that my staff goes back through all their work of the year to identify stories they consider their best — both in terms of most newsworthy and most heartwarming.

If appropriate, they also write updates so you can read what’s happened since the story was first published.

We’ve been doing this special edition between Christmas and New Years for several years, and each year we come up with a theme to tie these stories together. We’re calling this issue, “Wind Back Wednesday,” which recognizes our Wednesday publication date, and also is a takeoff on Facebook’s popular “Throwback Thursday.”

Digital and social media are important aspects of newspaper publishing these days, so this theme is a good one for us.

In 2013, our website was redesigned, and we’ve seen a three-fold increase in the number of visitors — 9,000 page views in January to more than 27,000 in December. We also placed more emphasis on Facebook this year, and saw our likes increase by 25 percent in the past 12 months.

Besides sharing our best stories with you, we publish this special year-end edition to give our reporters a week off from writing new stories.

You probably don’t realize how much I ask of our small editorial team to fill our 24-page newspaper every week with local stories, photos and news briefs. We have just two full-time writers (Michael Hinman and B.C. Manion), a part-time writer

(Michael Murillo), a part-time editorial assistant (Mary Rathman), and a freelance photographer (Fred Bellet).

Believe me, these five journalists write more stories and edit more news releases than staff at many newspapers that are our size or larger. Their productivity is admirable, and more importantly, their work is outstanding.

This team gives you well-balanced stories that are accurate and well written.

They are stories you can trust to be written without political bias.

So for this one week of the year, our journalists get a brief reprieve and do not have to worry about writing new stories.

This year-end edition also allows our two-person design team to get a head start working on laying out pages without waiting for reporters to finish their stories and take their photographs. This is the only issue of the year that artists Matt Mistretta and Stefanie Burlingame have everything they need early in the week to design and lay out the paper in advance of our usual deadlines.

Like our editorial team, our artists manage a workload that is handled by a much larger staff at many newspapers. I am proud of their output and productivity, and also of their outstanding work designing ads for our customers and news pages for our readers.

As much as this issue gives our staff a bit of a break, it also gives our readers a chance to see stories they may have missed during the year. It also gives them the opportunity to take another look at stories that focus on important developments and interesting people in our coverage area.

I do hope you enjoy looking back on 2014 as much as we have. It has been a very good year at the newspaper, with many positive changes that have made us stronger, and ready for what promises to be an even better year in 2015.

Get all your favorite local news stories online

www.lakerlutznews.com TheLaker / LutzNews

Happy New Year from the Staff of Eye Care Professionals

Embrace the New Year with not just a new look but also with a new and positive approach to make things simple in the year ahead.

Most-read online stories of 2014 The Laker/Lutz News Staff Report

LakerLutzNews.com, the online resource for The Laker/Lutz News, welcomed more than 200,000 visits over the past year.

Readers not only wanted to see our award-winning print stories in digital form, but also to stay current on everything happening in their neighborhood with our daily updates.

Since those daily updates launched in February, the LakerLutzNews.com published more than 650 stories, joining nearly 600 byline stories that appeared in the printed pages of The Laker/Lutz News.

But what were the stories of 2014 that really grabbed the attention, not just of our print copy audience, but our digital one as well?

Here are our top five. And if you would like to read the full stories, visit tinyurl.com/Laker2014, and we’ll give you all the links.

1. Sorry, no Hoote rs planned for Land O’ Lakes This daily update story first appeared on our site Nov. 17, and was prompted after someone over that weekend posted a sign at the former Mosquito Grill & Bar location on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard that a Hooters was coming in 2015.

For those seeing the sign — whether it was met with happiness or disdain — this seemed to finally confirm rumors that had persisted for years that the Clearwater-based chain would finally open a lakeside location in this part of Pasco County.

Except there was one problem to all of this hype: It wasn’t true.

“Hooters does not currently have plans to open a location in Land O’ Lakes,” Hooters of America LLC, the Atlanta-based version of the chain, told reporter Michael Hinman in an email. The statement was meant to speak for both the Clearwater and Atlanta companies, which both build and operate Hooters locations across the country and around the world.

So what will go in the old Mosquito location? One property broker said he had a buyer under contract to purchase the site, and while he couldn’t say exactly what was going to go in, he did assure us it was not a Hooters.

2. New farmer’s ma rket opens on U.S. 41 in Lutz It started with empty land, then a barn, and before anyone knew it, a farmer’s market called The Family Farm on 41 had opened in Lutz, and reporter B.C. Manion was there to share the details.

The market is owned by a mother and daughter team, Josephine Argento and Angela Madonia, and first appeared in our June 11 print edition of the Lutz News.

Since then, it has had thousands of views online, and nearly 500 likes on Facebook.

It’s created quite a bit of excitement for customers looking to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, almost literally from the farm surrounding it.

“We will be growing strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, peppers, carrots, corn, radishes, pumpkins and okra,” Madonia said at the time.

The farming work takes place on an 8acre lot on the north side of Newberger Road.

3. Documentary could encourage a nude German invasion It’s no secret that Pasco County attracts a lot of nudists with its various colonies, and many come from not only other states, but other countries as well.

Apparently, they don’t just have to come from Canada anymore — they can come from Europe, too.

The print edition of The Laker shared a trip made by a German documentary crew in our June 11 edition, and it exploded online, remaining among the most-read stories on the site for weeks.

Documentary producer Monique Liliensiek found Land O’ Lakes thanks to Google. That introduced her to Caliente Resort, and in turn put her in touch with retired firefighter and nudism champion Pam Oakes, who then set up stops in other nudist locations like Lake Como and Paradise Lakes.

“This has been a niche kind of tourism for Pasco all these years,” Oakes said. “There was an opportunity to reach out to Europe where there are 50 million naturists alone, and they speak English.”

County officials, including then Pasco commissioner Pat Mulieri, welcomed the film crew with a special party, and the documentary itself reportedly aired last summer.

The hope now is that Pasco County is introduced to a whole new kind of tourist that could help grow the local economy even more.

4. Kmart t urning off bl ue light in Zephyrhills No one ever wants to talk about a store closing, especially in Zephyrhills where residents enjoy the comfort and convenience of having stores like Kmart around to do their shopping.

So many people may have been unhappy when The Laker broke the news online Sept. 30 that the Gall Boulevard Kmart would be closing in time for Christmas.

“I hate to hear this. We love our Kmart,” one Facebook poster said.

“And another store bites the dust,” another poster said.“Just plain sad.”

The Zephyrhills store and another one in New Port Richey were part of a larger series of closings conducted by Kmart owner Sears Holdings Corp. The local store closing cost 68 jobs, although a company spokesman said everything was being done to try and find other jobs for those employees within the company, when possible.

5. Outlet mall completion pushed to July 2015, officials say One of the most popular stories we covered all year might be No. 5 on the list, but if we were to have done a top 15 instead, stories about Tampa Premium Outlets on State Road 56 near Interstate 75 would appear three more times on the list. No other ongoing news event locally can make a similar claim.

This particular story first appeared in print on Jan. 29, and online the next day.

Before this story, the developer of the 441,000-square-foot mall — Simon Property Group — said they planned to open by now, the end of 2014. It seemed very optimistic, and proved to be too optimistic.

We would ultimately learn that the mall would open in October, just in time for the 2015 holiday season.

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Boston Marathon is on Trout’s ‘bucket list’

By B.C. Manion

a team to raise awareness for human trafficking. She’s running the Boston Marathon Catching up … to help raise money for cancer research.

Trish Trout finished the 118th Boston “I find it easier to go on the long, lonely Marathon on April 21 in 6 hours and 14 runs knowing that I’m running for someminutes. And it was a day she will never body else,”Trout said. forget.‘I was in the center of the Boston She’s running the Boston Marathon as a Marathon,’ she said.‘You’re a rock star for member of the Dana-Farber Marathon a day. It’s like everybody’s your best Challenge. She has pledged to raise at least friend.’ $9,650.

So far, she’s raised just over $8,000.

“Everybody knows somebody who has dealt with cancer,” Trout said. “And, what I minutes. Initially, she was shooting for 5 have done is — each mile, because there’s hours and 15 minutes, but she’s coming off 26 miles, I’ve been asking people if they’d a slight injury. be willing to sponsor a mile,” Trout said. “I Trout’s familiar with the course because have the .2, because the marathon is 26.2 she drove it in November when she was in miles. My daughter wants that part. I keep Boston for Thanksgiving. telling her she’s got to up the ante if she “I got goose bumps, and I started to cry wants that part.” when I stood at the starting line. I was in the Trout said she’s hoping to exceed her moment,” she said. pledge and raise at least $13,100 for DanaShe’s anticipating a similar show of emoFarber, which is a cancer institute in tion on April 21, as she crosses the finish Brookline, Mass. She picked that number be- line. cause “13.1” signifies a half-marathon, the Regardless of the time she turns in, Trout distance she normally runs. If she raises said this experience already has taught her a $13,100, she’ll shave her head in a show of few things about herself. solidarity with cancer patients who do not “It reaffirms the fact that, when I make a think they have anyone supporting them. decision, I’m going to do whatever it takes Trout said her goal is to complete the to stick to it,” she said. “And, I’m a lot marathon in no more than 5 hours and 30 stronger than I thought I was.”

Published April 2, 2014

When Trish Trout runs with thousands of racers at the 118th Boston Marathon in April, she’ll cross an item off her bucket list.

“Boston is the crown jewel of running, and coming from a non-elite running status, it always seemed like it was a dream too far out of reach,” the 39-year-old mother of two said.

The Wesley Chapel woman couldn’t picture qualifying and she knew the only other way would be to run for a charity, something she couldn’t quite foresee happening.

But one of her co-workers encouraged her to see if she could run for a charity. He told her: “If you can get in, I will help you with fundraising.”

So, Trout decided to try, and was accepted to run as part of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge.

Last year’s bombings in Boston didn’t dissuade her from the desire to run the 26.2-mile race.

“It motivates me more,” Trout said. “It has given me a way to show my kids, ‘Yes, there are people who do bad things, but if we let that stop us, then we let them win.’”

Her daughter Alexa attends Wiregrass Ranch High School, and her son Adam attends John Long Middle School. They’ll both be in Boston to watch their mom run.

“People ask me, ‘Are you sure you want to take your kids there?’” Trout said. “I say, ‘Absolutely, there’s no greater sense of accomplishment than seeing your kids in an environment where everyone who is there is there for the same reason, to accomplish something that is greater than themselves.’”

She knows it’s no easy feat to complete a marathon. And she realizes she is not the ideal candidate to make the run.

“If you look at me, I’m not built to be a runner,” Trout said. But she’s determined to make it happen.

“I will crawl. I will roll. It doesn’t matter. I will cross that finish line on the day that I’m supposed to,”Trout said.

Trout has run in a half-dozen halfmarathons and began training for the Boston Marathon around September.

B.C. MANION/STAFF PHOTO

Trish Trout says she’ll complete the Boston Marathon even if she has to crawl or roll across the finish line.

Generally, she does her shorter runs on weekday evenings — making her way through the neighborhoods of Meadow Pointe and Plantation Palms. She prefers running in the road because the pavement is easier on her knees and hips than sidewalks.

She does longer runs on the weekends.

Trout, who is a quality assurance analyst for a software company, enjoys running for causes. She ran a Gasparilla 15-kilometer on

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Serving Pasco since 1981 / Serving Lutz since 1964 PUBLISHER & OWNER Diane Kortus dkortus@lakerlutznews.com EDITORIAL

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December 31, 2014

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Pasco honors a hero that should never be forgotten Presenting the Past

By Michael Murillo Published June 18, 2014

W

hat’s in a name, anyway?

There are names for buildings and locations we never use when referring to them. Like, we might say “the barber shop on 41,” or “the gas station near Collier Parkway,” without even thinking about the official name.

Sometimes a place has a common name different than its actual name. Ever been to the Lutz Dog Park? It’s actually named Carolyn Meeker Park.

Sometimes we don’t get the name exactly right. But sometimes we should.

There’s a veterans’ nursing home at Ehren Cutoff and Parkway Boulevard. You might know that already, and you might simply call it “the veterans’ nursing home” or something similar. Not out of disrespect to veterans or anything. Maybe you just don’t know the full name and have had no reason to go there.

So let me introduce you to the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home at 6919 Parkway Blvd., named in honor of a local hero whose name is worth remembering.

“Baldomero” sounds like an unusual name, unless you were a Spanish kid growing up in Ybor City in the 1930s. After graduating high school, Lopez joined the U.S. Navy, but was eventually commissioned in the U.S. Marine Corps.

He became a platoon commander, served in China, and came back to the United States. But when the Korean War started, Lopez went there as an officer.

At the Battle of Inchon, an important military victory that led to the recapture of the South Korean capital of Seoul, Lopez was one of about 40,000 men serving under the direction of Gen. Douglas MacArthur. As a first lieutenant, he led the 3rd Platoon,

Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines over the seawall on Red Beach.

And in the military, “led” really means “led.” It’s not a situation where you just sit and watch other people do things. In fact, there’s an iconic photo of Lopez literally leading his men over the wall and into battle on Sept. 15, 1950.

If you look at that photo, study it for a moment. It’s the kind of scene that movies try to recreate but never get quite right. Very moving.

So here’s a recap of the rest of his life, which ended on that beach just a few minutes later. Lopez pulled the pin on a grenade to hurl at the enemy, but was hit with machine-gun fire to his right shoulder and chest before he could throw it. The grenade dropped from his hand, and he tried to retrieve it. Realizing he was too hurt to grasp it, he tucked the grenade under his body so he could absorb the full impact and protect his fellow soldiers.

Lopez saved more than 30 lives by sacrificing his own. He was just 25 years old.

The following year his parents accepted his posthumous Medal of Honor from President Harry Truman. He also earned a Purple Heart, a China Service Medal, a World War II Victory Medal, a National Defense Service Medal, a United Nations Service Medal, a Presidential Unit Citation with one bronze star, and a Korean Service Medal with two bronze stars.

His body was laid to rest at Centro Asturiano Memorial Park Cemetery, which is less than 30 miles from Land O’ Lakes.

Today, there are a number of things named in Lopez’ honor: An elementary school, a swimming pool, a navy cargo ship.

The Armed Forces History Museum in Largo has a special exhibit dedicated to him (Go see it. It’s not that far, really).

And there’s a certain veterans nursing home in Land O’ Lakes which bears his name, too.

Now, it would be silly if we referred to everything by its complete name. If your child is a junior at Steinbrenner, you wouldn’t tell someone “she’s a junior at George M. Steinbrenner High School,” would you? Of course not. You’d say she goes to Steinbrenner, and people will know what

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history and a guy worth remembering. Even though he died 7,500 miles away more than six decades ago, it’s fitting that his name lives on in a facility that cares for veterans today.

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Just for convenience, we give locations a nickname, shorten a name or refer to them generically.

But sometimes it’s worth the extra effort to add a little more to it. That veterans nursing home is named in honor of Baldomero Lopez, and he’s a proud part of Tampa Bay’s

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Tilling the soil to share earth’s bounty

By B.C. Manion Published Aug. 6, 2014

It’s around 8 a.m. on a Saturday, and a volunteer crew is hard at work in a garden at Tims Memorial Presbyterian Church in Lutz.

Renee White is yanking plants out of a raised bed, like a one-woman wrecking crew. Her husband Mike is on the other side of the garden trying to make sure that he’s placing a wood post in the right spot for a new raised bed.

Eric Kopp is working up a sweat, first sawing wood for the new garden bed, and then fixing a water pipe that’s broken.

Meanwhile, Ann Marks and Princess Layne are tending to other garden chores.

Marks is scooping up piles of vegetation that Renee White has cleared out of a bed and carrying it to a compost heap. Layne is stripping okra leaves off a plant to allow sunlight to reach other plants.

The volunteers are part of The Mustard Seed Garden Ministry.

They launched the project last year, first finding an area on the church’s property that would work for a garden, said Renee White, who is a Hillsborough County master gardener.

To plant the garden they needed flat terrain, water and sun. They also needed a spot that wasn’t already being used by another group at the church, she said.

“Of all the places that we surveyed on the 11 acres, this was the one that fit everything,” White said.

The volunteers set about transforming a 65-by-55-foot patch of land into a thriving garden.

The idea for the garden came from mem-

Renee White yanks with a vengeance to strip a bed of vegetation to clear the way for a future planting.

This pepper is just one of the kinds of vegetables grown at The Mustard Seed Garden to help feed the poor.

my garden away from home.”

She enjoys helping in the garden ministry, too.

“I just love being active in my church,” Layne said.

B.C. MANION/STAFF PHOTOS Kopp said this is his first experience in Eric Kopp, standing by a crouched Mike White are putting in a post to help support a new serving on an outreach ministry, and he’s garden bed. glad he signed on.

“I own a landscaping company, so it’s a bers of the mission committee,White said.

That’s in addition to donated crops from pretty natural thing,” Kopp said.

“Several of us had the idea,” she said. “We their garden.

Marks, who lives in Wesley Chapel, said have this property, why don’t we use it to The ministry also allows people to use 4- she comes from a long line of gardeners.

God’s glory by taking care of people who by-4-foot plots for a $10 annual donation. Unlike them, she said, she’s not a skilled gardon’t have fresh food.”

Layne is growing okra and flowers in one of dener. “Weeding is my specialty,” she said, At the moment, okra, peppers, cherry those plots. but she enjoys being involved. “It’s all comtomatoes, basil and flowers are growing in “I just love gardening, and where I live, I munity. It’s pulling our strengths together to the garden. At other times of the year, they do not have a lot of gardening space,” said help out people who can’t help themplant different crops.

Layne, who lives in Willow Bend. “So, this is selves.”

The plants are grown in raised beds, and the gardeners rotate what they grow to reduce problems with fungus, disease, nematodes and other pests.

They also grow a variety of flowers on the front side of the garden.

“We have our pollinators up front here,” White said.

Besides attracting bees and butterflies, the flowers create a beautiful view for passersby and visitors to the church grounds.

As they harvest the garden, they donate its yield to the First Baptist Church and Grace Family Church in Lutz, which both feed the hungry. They also donate produce to Christian Social Services in Land O’ Lakes, which gives it to people in need.

The Mustard Seed Ministry raises money for garden supplies by going to local produce markets and having their own farmer’s market at the church. Whatever they don’t sell, they donate to Christian Social Services.

“One day, it may be tomatoes and broccoli and cabbage and lettuce. On another A group of volunteers at Tims Memorial Presbyterian Church has created The Mustard Seed day, it may be something else,” White said. Garden Ministry. The crops they grow help to feed the hungry. The flowers they grow feed the soul.

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Zephyrhills hospital delivers big changes, more babies

By Michael Hinman Published June 25, 2014

There is a baby boom hitting Florida Hospital Zephyrhills so large, even administrators are struggling to understand it.

Over the past six months, the hospital on U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills welcomed 258 babies into the world, well above projections of just 100 for this point. And they’re not expecting it to let up anytime soon.

“There’s a sense that we’re doing a lot here at the hospital, and it’s creating some excitement in the community,” said Dr. Annette Williams, medical director for The Baby Place, the obstetrics unit at Florida Hospital Zephyrhills. “We’re making a lot of positive changes, and that means people are staying right here in town, and are not going somewhere else instead.”

Just a few weeks ago, The Baby Place moved out of its old unit home at the hospital and into temporary quarters on the second floor. That’s because the maternity unit is getting a complete overhaul that includes significant equipment upgrades, new beds, and even an aesthetic refresh.

The finished product, expected to open in August, will increase the number of labor rooms from five to eight, and postpartum rooms from seven to nine. And even that might not be enough to handle the uptick in babies.

The Zephyrhills hospital did anticipate at least a small rise in births at the hospital after Bayfront Health Dade City announced last year it was closing its maternity unit.

One of the contributing factors was a 33 percent decline in births at the hospital between 2008 and 2012, according to published reports.

The Baby Place got ready, however, by

calling various doctor offices in the area, and trying to get a count of the number of expecting mothers who were likely to choose Florida Hospital Zephyrhills. The results convinced the hospital to increase its maternity staff, but the baby census was actually on the low end.

“Even with all the calling we did, we had even more people come in than we thought we would,” said Catalina Sierra, who manages The Baby Place with Williams. “We had a lot of people just walking in, saying they were supposed to go to Tampa, or they were supposed to go to Brooksville, but instead, ‘Here I am.’”

The upgrades to The Baby Place also gave the hospital a chance to centralize many of its women’s health services, including mother/baby, gynecology, breast care, heart care, and health and wellness. At the same time, the hospital also changed how the department was managed, going to one led by a physician instead of the more traditional nurse-led department.

The biggest advantage to that is much stronger communication between the nursing staff, who work the front lines, and the physicians.

“There’s always that gap between the physicians and the nurses, and it’s difficult sometimes,” Williams said. “By having a physician in charge, it’s a lot easier to talk to the physician and make your case for the nurse.

Communication is such an integral part of health care, and we’re trying to make it easier for that communication to happen, and not put the stress on the nurses.”

The difference in the new system has already been felt, Sierra said, and it’s a positive one where she enjoys working with Williams.

“She’s such a great doctor. She knows the

MICHAEL HINMAN/STAFF PHOTO

Jennifer Wesolowski and Freddy Santiago welcomed their new son, Joseph Santiago, into the world at Florida Hospital Zephyrhills last weekend. Joseph, who was born in the latenight hours of June 18, is part of a boom of babies being born at the hospital.

physician’s mind, and she knows the nurse’s mind. That way, she can relate to the doctors and relate to the nurses, and that’s just what we need.”

The maternity market is highly competitive, especially as more and more hospitals open within driving distance of East Pasco County, creating plenty of choice for mothers. While proximity might play a strong role in the selection of a hospital, other issues such as quality of care, level of equipment sophistication, and even how comfortable and calming the rooms are, are important considerations.

Florida Hospital Zephyrhills says it is ex-

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periencing an influx of moms, even before renovations are complete.

Serving women who are having babies is an excellent way to introduce the hospital to younger people, especially for many mothers who are spending their first night in one delivering a child.

“For a lot of women, this is their very first encounter with a hospital,” said Cheryl Kennison, the marketing director at Florida Hospital Zephyrhills. “When people are choosing to stay here when they could’ve easily gone somewhere else, it says a lot about the team, and what everyone is doing here.”

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Monique Liliensiek, center, oversees filming of her German documentary ‘World of Nudism’ last week at Lake Como from the perspective of her travelers, Luise and Peter Krause.

Film could encourage a nude German invasion

By Michael Hinman Published June 11, 2014

The end of the Cold War may have spelled the destruction of the Berlin Wall, but a culture war continues between what was once West Germany and East Germany over one simple thing: being naked.

With nowhere to go anyway, East Germans found comfort and freedom from leaving their clothes at home. Being nude was a way of life, until their neighbors from the west arrived and told them to put those clothes back on.

Nudism doesn’t have the popularity it once had in the European country, but it’s prompted one film crew to travel the world to see what being naked is like in other countries. And they ended up in the American heart of nudism, Pasco County, this past week.

“The people in the east were definitely raised naked,” said Bjorn Buck, the husband of documentary producer Monique Liliensiek, who both made the trans-Atlantic trip to Land O’ Lakes. “All the Baltic Sea beaches were naked beaches, and that was absolutely normal to them.”

Liliensiek found Pasco’s nudist community thanks to a Google search, which introduced her to Caliente Resort. A phone call later, she was in touch with retired firefighter and nudism champion Pam Oakes, who introduced the entire film crew to the rest of the local community, setting up stops in a variety of places including Lake Como and Paradise Lakes.

“This has been a niche kind of tourism for Pasco all these years,” Oakes said. “There was an opportunity to reach out to Europe where there are 50 million naturists alone,

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The documentary is tentatively called “World of Nudism,” and is set to air on www.familymedicalcenters.net Germany’s Vox network next month — a channel typically home to American shows like “CSI: Miami” and “Burn Notice.” Liliensiek and her Now handling Auto Accident Treatment crew from Runge.TV already have visited places like Turkey and Austria, but plan to make Pasco’s nudism community a primary focus of their two-hour exploration into nudism.

Pasco County commissioner Pat Mulieri has represented the area where most of the nudist communities are centered for the past two decades, and said even she had to have a little time to adjust.

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Coin club offers chance to learn about history, politics, investing

By B.C. Manion Published July 23, 2014

Richard Schmetisch’s fascination with coins began when he was about 8 years old.

His dad took him to a flea market, and as they browsed through tools and lawn mowers, Schmetisch spied a coin dealer. And so his passion began.

“I just went, ‘Wow!’” the now 51-year-old Land O’ Lakes man said. “I think coins interest a lot more kids than adults.”

Schmetisch began by collecting wheat pennies, buffalo nickels and Mercury dimes, but has branched into more sophisticated collecting since then.

“You could still get buffalo nickels in your change back then, and Mercury dimes in your change,” he said.

Schmetisch remembers the weekend ritual he shared with his dad.

“Every Saturday when I would go to the flea market, my dad would let me buy one coin,” Schmetisch said.

He passed his love for coin collecting along to his son, Kyle, who began coming with him to coin club meetings when he was 7. Now 25, Kyle and his dad were both at a recent meeting of The Tampa Bay Coin Club, which draws members from throughout Tampa Bay. The coin club meetings are useful, both men said.

“They have guest speakers who teach you about coins and collecting and what to look for, what to be careful of,” Richard said.

“A lot of the interest in coins is going to be the history. If you start collecting a certain coin, you start finding out about that time in history and why were certain dates rare and other ones not. What was going on? Was there a war? Was there a Depression?”

There are even coins from countries that no longer exist.

“You learn a lot about geography and history from foreign coins,” the older Schmetisch added.

Collecting coins and currency also is a great way to learn about politics and the economy, he said.

“There’s no end to it. And, I love that about coins. It keeps you learning.”

His son, Kyle, said coin collecting has been a fun hobby, and “extremely profitable.”

“There are a lot of coins I got when I was a kid for $5 and $10 that are easily worth $50 now,” said Kyle, a New Tampa resident. In less than 20 years, he’s made a return that’s tenfold the investment.

Kyle said his dad loves learning as much as he can about coins.

As for him?

“I love trading things back and forth. I

B.C. MANION/STAFF PHOTO

Richard Schmetisch developed a fascination for coins when he was 8 years old, and he’s been collecting ever since.

like trading up,” Kyle said. “I like getting this bag of coins for $10 and trading that for a coin that’s worth $15 and selling that coin for $20.”

Attending the Tampa Bay Coin Club meetings is very informative, Kyle said.

“There’s more knowledge in these meetings than you can possibly imagine,” he said, noting some club members have been collecting coins for more than a half-century.

The knowledge they have is phenomenal.”

Anyone interested in coin collecting should feel free to attend a club meeting because members are welcoming and enjoy sharing their knowledge, Kyle said.

Many people who inherit a coin collection have no idea what it is worth, he said.

So, it’s a good idea to show it to members of the coin club to help assess its value.

“A coin club like this one, you can get 20 second opinions in 20 seconds,” Kyle said.

“Lots of times they’ll put you in touch with a collector.”

Rudy Valentin is one of those people who has stored up decades of knowledge about coins and currency. The Land O’ Lakes resident was 8 when he bought his first coin, and that was 61 years ago.

“A friend of mine found this Spanish coin, of Isabella II. I bought it from him for eight cents. I still have that coin,” he said.

Initially, it was a mild interest, Valentin said, but he became more serous about it during the 1960s. He’s collected coins from the United States, Spain, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Germany.

“I have a beautiful German coin collection,” said Valentin, who has published articles in Numismatist, the magazine of the American Numismatist Association.

Valentin is humble about his knowledge.

“You stay along long enough, you’re going to be an expert.”

The coin club aims to be a fun place for coin and currency lovers to gather, said Joseph Crespo, the club’s president. Crespo, who lives in Wesley Chapel, said he began collecting coins when he was 8.

Wishing you a happy, safe and prosperous

NEW YEAR!

from the staff at

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December 31, 2014

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Lutz game company goes mobile with ‘Battle Gems’

By Michael Murillo Published April 2, 2014

If you’re one of the millions of people who play video games on a computer, cellphone or mobile device, you might imagine that the games come from a giant complex in Silicon Valley, or a high tech company in a foreign country.

But sometimes they come from Lutz.

“We are a carefully-guarded secret treasure of Lutz, and we love being here,” said Adam Bohn, chief executive of Artix Entertainment.

The company began in 2002 in Bohn’s spare bedroom, and today the company employs nearly 50 people and operates out of Northpointe Village.

Artix has had great success creating online role-playing games, also known as RPGs, and massive multiplayer online games, or MMOs, that are playable through an Internet browser. The company boasts more than 170 million players who have signed up for the games, which are free to play with upgrades and other in-game advantages available at a price.

But with a trend toward mobile-platform gaming, Artix didn’t want players leaving the company’s games at home with their computers. So, after eight months of development, they’ve recently entered the mobile game market with “Battle Gems,” a free game that combines puzzle, fighting and role-playing elements.

Players can battle more than 100 different foes, collect items and complete quests, all

and individual items might cost anywhere from a few dollars to upwards of $40.

While Artix’s games aren’t designed to extract that kind of revenue for the right to keep playing, he believes that providing value is more important, and Bohn wants them designed so players can enjoy it without being asked for extra money at every turn.

Instead of focusing just on revenue, Bohn said that his team put extra emphasis on creating a wide variety of monsters and characters the player will face.

“We built this game with more monsters than most mobile apps would ever dream of having,” he said. They also made the game larger than originally planned, boosting the number of levels from 256 to 480.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ADAM BOHN While Artix is enjoying the positive feedAdam Bohn isn’t big on traditional business attire, but his Lutz-based company, Artix back from “Battle Gems” and is looking Entertainment, is big on video games. Their latest offering, ‘Battle Gems,’ is their first on forward to introducing it on the Google Play mobile platforms. store, the future is constantly part of the discussion for a technology-based company. through their cellphone or tablet. The entire we didn’t expect the kind of reaction that our Bohn expects the turnaround time for their game can be played with no cost to the user, players are giving us,” he said of “Battle Gems.” next mobile game to be shorter, but he Bohn said, but faster play options and other “Very consistently, from people who wants the content to be even more creative perks are available for a one-time $10 upgrade. know us and people who don’t know us, and outlandish.

The game currently is available on we’re getting (user grades of) 4.5 out of 5, The company also is looking into bringApple’s iTunes Store, and should be avail- and 9 out of 10. The reviews have been just ing versions of their popular browser-based able soon on Google Play as well. overwhelmingly positive.” games to the mobile platform. Bohn indicatStrong user reviews and early adopters Bohn acknowledges that “Battle Gems’” ed that original content will always be part are important to making a game successful, flat-fee upgrade option might not produce of Artix Entertainment’s future projects. and with nearly 80,000 downloads in the the most revenue possible, but he believes “Honestly, we have no shortage of game first week of release and good word-of- that many “free” games end up costing play- ideas,” Bohn said. mouth, Bohn said his team’s first attempt at ers too much money in the long run.

For more information about Artix mobile gaming has been a satisfying one.

Bypassing time restrictions in some games Entertainment and its games, visit Artix.com, “We’ve put a lot of heart into this game, but could cost an additional dollar each time, HeroMart.com.

Town hall reveals that VA problems are hitting close to home

By Michael Hinman Published June 18, 2014

Whether it’s overburdened, improperly run, or a combination of the two, veterans are struggling to get the health care they need from clinics and hospitals run by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The issue has led to the resignation of the department’s longest-serving secretary, Eric Shinseki, and has been fodder in political campaign ads and debates.

In his seat as vice chair of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, has earned national media attention in recent months as he digs into what’s causing delays at VA-run medical centers, and what can be done to fix it. The Palm Harbor Republican has since opened the door to hear from veterans themselves, inviting them to a town hall meeting June 5 in New Port Richey to find out other struggles facing those who have returned home from war.

“We have an obligation to do whatever it

takes to solve this problem,” Bilirakis said.

Last month, Bilirakis co-authored a letter with U.S. Rep. David Jolly, R-Indian Shores, to then-Secretary Shinseki asking him to change internal policies at the VA to allow veterans easier access to programs like the Non-VA Care Coordination program that would allow veterans to seek subsidized health care from medical providers outside of the VA system.

Veterans who attended the recent town hall expressed some specific concerns with types of service they’ve received over the years — some dating back more than a decade — but many agreed problems are typically focused on routine care outside of the emergency room.

“The system has been broke for a long time, since I got out of the service in 1973,” said Michael O’Dell, who also is president of the Hillsborough County Veterans Council.

The care he receives at the James A. Haley VA hospital near the University of South Florida’s main campus has always been

good, as long as it’s been an emergency.

“This last time has not been an emergency, and they’ve been screwing around with my knees,” O’ Dell said. “When the doctors decided that I can’t take the pain anymore, they said it would take three or four months (for the surgery). Now with all this stuff going on (the controversy), they miraculously told me that they can operate in three weeks.”

One veteran, Peter Spatz, said he lives across the street from a VA medical center, and while he has had no problems with the care he receives once he gets there, where he really struggles is just trying to get in the front door.

“When I was hearing on the news all the problems with the VA, I didn’t really believe it,” he said. “I really felt that facility just ran like a Swiss watch, and I never had a single issue.”

However, Spatz has a condition that requires treatment, and he couldn’t see a doctor because they kept rescheduling him.

He finally decided to reach out to the patient advocate line, but said no one was available to take his call.

“I was so frustrated, I didn’t know what to do,” Spatz said. “If you have a question you need answered, or a problem resolved on the phone, the fact that they have the audacity to (not man the lines) is just beyond belief. Something has to change on that.”

Bilirakis has been a sponsor of H.R. 4810, which passed the U.S. House last week unanimously, and has been sent to the U.S. Senate. If passed, the resolution would expand access to health care and other medical facilities for veterans outside of the VA system. It also requires the VA to conduct an independent investigation of its operations and create a plan of action to correct them within 120 days.

The Senate passed its own bill, which lawmakers say is similar to H.R. 4810, and both sides believe they can come together to finalize a bill to present to President Barack Obama.

Canadian Snowbirds Invest In Florida Homes

By Vernon Taylor

As Canadian snowbirds head south, the Annual Snowbird Outlook from BMO Bank of Montreal is telling Canadians that, “U.S. housing affordability remains healthy, and prices are expected to increase in Florida and other popular areas.”

The bank offers only two warnings to Canadians considering a southern move: Border crossing rules are more strict, and a strengthening U.S. dollar could make purchases more expensive.

“Overall, U.S. house prices have soared 20 percent in the past two years, but are only about half way back to their peak in 2006,” the bank says. “Compared to their peaks, prices in Tampa are down 34 percent and in Miami, down a whopping 52 percent.”

“Now, with the American economy and employment gaining strength, home sales should gather some momentum,” advises Sal Guatieri, senior economist, BMO Capital Markets. “We expect prices to rise over time alongside growing family incomes.”

Guatieri also says BMO expects “capital gains appreciation for Canadians who purchase U.S. property.”

Florida is a hotspot Florida continues to be a hotspot with Canadians, who represent the largest foreign buyers of Florida housing, BMO says. More than 500,000 Canadians currently own real estate in Florida.

“Florida properties are a bargain compared to real estate in Canada. The median priced home in Florida in nearly half that in Canada,” says Jack Ablin, chief investment officer, BMO Harris Private Bank.

“We project retirement state housing prices to outpace the national average, due to increasing numbers of retirees, and abundance of capital from abroad and lower interest rates. Foreign buyers are interested in U.S. real estate because it’s relatively cheap when gauged against incomes, and it’s situated in a stable/safe haven economy,” added Mr. Ablin.

Copyright 2014 Florida Realtors

Vernon Taylor is VP of Sales at Russell Adams Realty in Land O’ Lakes, one of the area’s real estate offices that has been specializing in homes sales in Lutz, Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel since 1971.

Russell Adams Realty, Inc. 2502 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

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December 31, 2014

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Pass the Sash: Perkins named Lutz Guv’na

By Michael Murillo Published July 16, 2014

The doctor is in.

Cindy Perkins, a chiropractor who lives and works in Lutz, won the annual Lutz Guv’na race, a campaign for the ceremonial title where all the money raised goes to local organizations.

Perkins claimed the Guv’na sash by raising the most money during her campaign.

“I was very excited, and I still am. I was very shocked, actually,” said Perkins, owner of Back in Health Wellness Center on North Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz.

Her campaign win was no landslide victory, however. According to Eleanor Cecil, a member of the Lutz Civic Association, the race went down to the wire.

“It was very close. I really think it was the closest we’ve ever had,” she said.

In a campaign season where the five candidates raised almost $9,500, Perkins edged “Papa” Jay Muffly by less than $10. The totals were counted multiple times to ensure they were correct.

The funds raised by all the candidates will be distributed to local organizations. In the past, recipients have included Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, Friends of the Lutz Branch Library, the Old Lutz School, the Civil Air Patrol, and the Lutz Patriots. Between 15 and 20 different groups will receive grants from the Guv’na race in a typical year.

Cecil, who has been involved with the race for about 13 years, said the money is only part of what makes the Lutz Guv’na race special. The entire event is supposed to be fun, and the candidates are expected to enjoy themselves while they work for the title.

And from what she saw, all five candidates — Perkins, Muffly, Liane Caruso, Jerome Smalls and Susan Gulash — did just that.

“I went to many of their events and I really think they had a good time with it, and they put in a lot of effort,” Cecil said.

She noted they also worked well as a group, hosting joint events to raise money and supporting each other throughout the race.

Perkins said she enjoyed meeting the candidates she didn’t know, and making stronger friendships with the ones she had already met. Her campaign raised more than $4,000 of the total, and said the money brought in shows the positive impact of the campaign on the community.

“To come close to raising $10,000 that’s

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all going to go back to different local schools and other nonprofits and charities, that’s fantastic,” Perkins said. “It really shows how a few people can kind of pull a community together.”

Even though the title has been passed, Cecil said that the previous Guv’na left some pretty big shoes to fill. Suzin Carr, who has been Guv’na twice, was very active in the role and even helped recruit the new batch of candidates to replace her.

“She did more than just be Guv’na. She helped us out a lot and took the lead in a lot of things,” Cecil said. ”She’s really a phenomenal lady.”

Perkins not only is ready to fulfill her traditional Guv’na duties, such as attending Lutz events, she’s taken Carr’s lead and started the recruitment process for the next batch of candidates.

“I’ve already started trying to talk some people into doing it next year,” she said.

Businesses or organizations in the Lutz community are welcome to apply for a grant as long as they are designated as a nonprofit and are not affiliated with a religious organization.

For more information on how to apply, email Eleanor Cecil at ececil1@verizon.net.

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He was a forward-thinker, with deep community roots

By B.C. Manion Published July 16, 2014

When Don Porter was growing up in Wesley Chapel, he attended elementary school at a one-room schoolhouse and rode a bus to Dade City for high school.

Much has changed in the Pasco County community where he grew up — and Porter and his extended family have played a considerable role in creating that change.

The memorial service to honor his life was July 12 in the conference center at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, a satellite campus of Pasco-Hernando State College.

The campus opened in January on 6 acres of the 60 acres of land the Porters donated to the college.

That campus is just one tangible sign of the forward-thinking and big picture approach that the entire family has used in making decisions regarding the development of thousands of acres they have owned for decades, Porter’s son, J.D. Porter, said in a recent interview.

The Shops at Wiregrass, a regional shopping mall, and Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, an 80-bed facility, are two other projects built within the 5,100-acre development of regional impact approved in 2006 on the Porters’ land.

Porter, the eldest son of the late James and Martha Porter, moved into Wesley Chapel in the 1940s, long before development hit the area.

He died on July 1, at age 73.

In personal interviews and during the memorial, family and friends described the kind of man Porter was.

They characterized him as a passionate fighter for justice, but also a patient listener.

They said he was a deep thinker, a loving father and a faithful friend.

Porter enjoyed single malt scotch and Little Debbie snack cakes. He had musical tastes that ranged from Pavarotti to Dave Brubeck, had his own sense of style, and was a fierce competitor in everything from baseball to Scrabble to table tennis, they added.

State Rep. Will Weatherford said he was 26 and making his first run for state office when he met Porter. Over the past decade, Weatherford had numerous roundtable chats with Porter, his brothers, Tom and Bill, and his son, J.D. The men didn’t talk about what Wiregrass would look like in the next

five to 10 years, Weatherford said. They took a much longer view.

“I never knew a man who could speak less and say more than Don Porter,” Weatherford said.

Whatever project they worked on together, “it was always about the long-term sustainability and legacy of this community,” Weatherford said.

“In my business, you get to meet a lot of families that have very large landholdings.

It’s not rare for a family to have thousands of acres — there’s a lot them in the state of Florida,” Weatherford said. “But I’ve never met a family, I’ve never met a man — until I met Don — that was so keenly more focused on the future of his community than on how much money he would make off of it.”

While Porter was proud of the accomplishments in the development arena, he would resist being credited as the leader or the patriarch of the family, J.D. Porter said.

That role belonged to Don’s father, James Porter.

J.D. Porter said his father, his uncles and the rest of the extended Porter family have shared a collective vision and a collective will for what has been done so far, and for the foundation that has been laid for future achievements.

“Development was a very important part of his life,” J.D. Porter said. “But if you had a top five list, I’m not sure it would make it.

“At No. 1 was family. It wasn’t just my mom, my sister and myself,” he said, but his dad also cared tremendously for his parents, his brothers and their families.

Porter’s daughter, Quinn Miller, recalled a father who taught her how to ride a bicycle, accompanied her to father-daughter dances, and was her biggest fan during her softball days.

Known for his deep, rich voice, Porter did some radio broadcasting in college and later in Zephyrhills. He also used those talents to announce Quinn’s softball and J.D.’s baseball games.

“He was the voice of Berkeley Prep softball,” Miller said.

Porter was quite the athlete himself. He held a baseball state record for years after striking out 20 of the 21 batters he faced during a championship. He attended Ole Miss on a baseball scholarship, and he used the signing bonus he received from the Houston Colt 45s to buy his family’s home

This is the moonshiner’s cabin that Don Porter’s family lived in when they moved to Wesley Chapel. The house had no electricity and Porter’s mother, Martha, prepared meals on a Coleman stove.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE PORTER FAMILY

This school portrait shows Don Porter during his younger years.

on land now occupied by the hospital.

Miller said her dad taught her to think for herself. She remembers being frustrated by him when she would want to commiserate over a problem or disappointment, and he wouldn’t let her or offer her advice.

Instead, he listened and then asked her questions.

She now understands that he wanted her to arrive at her own solutions.

“He had a way of offering perspective by forcing introspection, not (offering) his opinion,” Miller said.

Porter’s cousin, Mike Gramling, and Porter’s friends Will Roberts, Doug Manson and Tom Touchton, also spoke at the memorial. When the Porters arrived in Wesley Chapel, there was no electricity and the family lived in a moonshiner’s cabin, Gramling said. Porter’s mother, Martha, prepared meals on a Coleman stove.

Porter learned to drive a tractor when he was 6, and he didn’t have a store-bought shirt until he went to college, Gramling said.

Roberts said they used to joke that Porter was “sweater-rich.”

“He had more sweaters than Bill Cosby,” Roberts said.

He recalled a time when Porter took him, his brother and J.D. to a basketball game at the University of South Florida Sun Dome. Porter was wearing a beret, a sweater, brown leather pants and black Italian zippered ankle boots.

“Nowadays, the sight of man dressed like that with three young boys might be cause for an Amber Alert. But that was Don in all of his glory,” Roberts said, drawing a roar of laughter from the nearly 240 at the memorial.

Manson was in his late 20s when he met Porter.

It was obvious, he said, that Porter’s life

Don Porter was described by state Rep. Will Weatherford as a ‘giant of a man.’ Porter died on July 1 at age 73.

was centered on his family. The two men never had a conversation that didn’t begin with an update on their families.

When Manson had a problem he didn’t know how to solve, he turned to Porter, who would listen for as long as it took, whether that was a few minutes or hours.

“He showed me what friendship is,” Manson said.

Porter was a multi-dimensional man, with many interests, said Touchton, who knew Porter for about 60 years. One of his favorite poets was Lawrence Ferlinghetti, of the beat poet generation.

Porter especially liked Ferlinghetti’s “I am Waiting,” which repeated this phrase, “I am perpetually awaiting the rebirth of wonder.”

“I suggest Don has to wait no longer,” Touchton said, “because in leaving us, he has finally found his rebirth of wonder.”

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11A

Award-winner says custodians are often ‘invisible’

By B.C. Manion Published Feb. 26, 2014

Every day around 2 p.m., Karen Zummo begins her rounds as a custodian at Weightman Middle School.

She picks up papers and pens with a grabber, and then glides through the room with a vacuum to get the smaller scraps. She dumps wastebaskets, wipes down walls, does paint touch-ups and completes other chores to return the school to the neat appearance it had when the school day began.

Zummo is part of a team of custodians at the middle school in Wesley Chapel who handles typical cleaning chores, and also do set up and breakdown work for meetings, dinners and other special events. They also serve as the painting crew, when a fresh coat of paint is in order.

It’s all part of the routine for Zummo, recently named the School-Related Employee of the Year for Pasco County Schools.

The honor is gratifying, but its significance goes beyond her personal satisfaction, Zummo said.

“A custodian has never won it,” Zummo said of the award. “It’s always a very visible person — an office worker or a teacher’s aide.”

She believes that’s because people tend to underestimate the value of custodians.

“The stereotype is that we’re uneducated, invisible people,” Zummo said.

The truth is that custodians make a significant contribution on a school campus.

“It’s more important than anybody gives us credit for,” she said. “It’s our responsibility to get everything clean. By being clean, you’re promoting the health of everybody.”

A messy environment has a subconscious effect on people, Zummo said. She cited a training session she attended where the trainer deliberately made the room messy before the workshop began.

“There were a few papers on the floor,” Zummo said. “I came in and saw it and I thought, ‘Whoa, somebody’s going to get in trouble for this.’”

But the trainer was making a point. He asked the custodians, “What do you think of the room?” Zummo told him that “somebody missed something.”

“How does that make you feel?” he asked.“I don’t like it,” Zummo responded.

Research has shown that students who take a test in a clean environment perform better than those who take a test in a messy room, the trainer explained.

“Nobody realizes this,” Zummo said.

While some staff members appreciate the work that custodians do, others are oblivious, Zummo said. She recalled a time when she went in to clean a classroom and

were struggling, for instance, she asked administration if they could work with veteran teachers to learn some tricks of the trade.

She also suggested that Wesley Chapel High School students be recruited to pair them with Weightman students who needed tutoring help.

Administrators saw value in both of Zummo’s ideas and implemented them.

The custodian also has worked with students who were assigned to work detail or were earning community service hours.

Sometimes their help can lead to more work, but Zummo still likes to work with these students.

She recalls one instance when she was working with four students at the same time and one of them was particularly difficult.

But he ended up making the biggest turnaround.

“His whole demeanor in class changed,” she said, noting he even started getting on other kids when they were making a mess on campus.

That’s just one example.

Mimi Cass Clark, a retired mathematics teacher who has known Zummo for years, noted Zummo’s ability to work with students has made an impression.

“Her calm and steady influence has worked wonders on many students, from my observation,” Clark wrote in a letter recommending Zummo for the district award.

“A lot of these kids, they just want somebody to listen,” said Zummo, who has lots of experience listening to kids.

She and her husband Joe have raised 14 boys and one girl. They also have been foster parents, opening their home to 231 teenagers and three younger children over eight years.

While having a busy home life, Zummo has remained dedicated to her job, according to letters written on her behalf.

“Karen’s work ethic is a model for those B.C. MANION/STAFF PHOTO around her,” wrote Cassandra Pedersen, who Karen Zummo, winner of the School-Related Employee of the Year award for Pasco County met Zummo when she joined Weightman’s Schools, uses a grabber to pick up large items as she makes her daily rounds. staff as a science teacher in 2007.

“When Karen Zummo identifies a probtwo teachers were discussing personal is- by paying attention to small details. If she lem, she kicks into full Karen mode and sues. sees on a whiteboard that a teacher is plan- searches for a solution. This often results in Zummo cleared her throat to let them ning to do a lab, for instance, she’ll ask the her bringing creative answers to those who know she was there.They kept talking. teacher if she’d like an extra trash can that need them,” Pedersen said. “The resolutions Then she began bumping into desks, on day. benefit the entire school, district and compurpose. The teachers kept discussing perZummo is active in the union. She also munity. sonal matters. pays close attention to safety issues. When “How often do you meet someone who As a last resort, Zummo revved up her she noticed that the carpet in the media you can truly say is an asset to everyone?” cleaning pace. center posed a tripping hazard, she reported Zummo, who has always considered her“I did a quickie and I got out of there,” it and it was replaced. When she saw the self to be a “behind-the-scenes” person, is the custodian said. need for ladders in every building, they pleased by the district’s recognition of not While she understands the importance were supplied. only herself, but by extension, of other cusof the routine parts of her job, Zummo enCustodians see everything and can offer todians. joys going beyond that. helpful suggestions, Zummo said.

“It puts us in a good light for a change,” Sometimes, she goes beyond the basics When she noticed that new teachers Zummo said.

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Cancer journey chronicled through ceramic busts

By B.C. Manion Published Sept. 24, 2014

People facing a life-threatening disease have different ways of coping.

Some join prayer groups. Others keep journals. Some write blogs.

Land O’ Lakes resident Jan Tucker decided she wanted to keep a physical record of what her breasts looked like before she began cancer treatment.

She knew that her brother, Paul Phillips — who does ceramics and other kinds of art — could make the ceramic bust because he’d done body castings for women who were pregnant.

She also knew that her brother might feel strange about applying the material to make the mold to her body, so she asked him to teach her husband Ben how to do the first layer, to avoid potential embarrassment.

Tucker initially just wanted a physical reminder of what she looked like before she was diagnosed with invasive ductile carcinoma — an aggressive, fast-growing cancer.

Being a private person, she didn’t expect others to see it. But those plans changed, and now three ceramic busts — chronicling her journey through cancer — will be on display at an art exhibit and sale to help raise money for the American Cancer Society and the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute.

One bust shows her upper torso before treatment began. The second records her at her lowest point in her cancer battle. The third shows her torso after reconstructive surgery.

The story of Tucker’s fight for her life began like many other stories about breast cancer: She found a lump in her right breast during a routine monthly self-exam.

Ironically, it appeared at a time in her life when she’d never felt healthier. She was 46, and she and Ben routinely worked out.

When she found the lump, Tucker made an appointment with her doctor to check it out as part of an annual exam. That exam, as well as a mammogram, showed it was a cyst, which didn’t surprise Tucker because she’d had cysts before.

So, Tucker went about her daily life, working as an online business professor and developing online courses.

As time went on, though, the lump grew.

It was right at her bra line and was becoming uncomfortable. She also felt two smaller lumps.

Still, she had no plans to go back to the doctor before her annual check.

“My husband kept nagging me,” Tucker said.“‘You need to go get this checked.’”

But she didn’t until he hurt his foot, and now it was Tucker urging him to see a doc-

B.C. MANION/STAFF PHOTOS

These three ceramic busts, created by artist Paul Phillips, chronicle Jan Tucker’s journey through cancer. The bust on the leftshows Tucker’s upper torso before she began cancer treatment. The one in the middle shows her at her lowest point in the battle. The bust on h t e right shows her upper torso after breast reconstruction.

Jan Tucker holds two binders filled with explanations of benefits regarding her arduous battle with a highly aggressive form of breast cancer.

tor. They made a deal: He would go for his foot, if she went for her breast.

On the return visit, the doctor said the lump was larger, but was still a cyst. But after Tucker told the doctor it was bothering her, the doctor referred her to a breast surgeon to get the lump drained.

The breast surgeon – Dr. Kimberly Apple – wanted an ultrasound. That led to additional diagnostics, a core biopsy, and a needle biopsy on six cancer tumors.

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her with the results, either way. That call came on a Friday morning,April 26, 2013.

“When I picked up the phone, I hear her say,‘I’m sorry.’ I hear her voice crack,”Tucker said. Then she starts with the doctor jargon.”

She heard the doctor talking, but couldn’t process what she was saying.

“Everything kind of stops in your world,” Tucker said.“It was so surreal.”

The doctor asked Tucker if she had any questions.Tucker had one:“Is it treatable?”

Yes, but it would require extensive treatment.

Tucker’s cancer was so advanced that she had to undergo chemotherapy before surgery. That’s when she decided to have her brother do the ceramic bust.

“I called him and I said, ‘I want to remember how I am today,’” she said.

A week later, she was undergoing chemotherapy.

“It’s awful. There’s no way to sugarcoat it,”Tucker said, noting she went through five rounds of chemo in six months.

Next, she had a nipple-sparing bilateral mastectomy.

She planned to do reconstruction, but lost so much blood she had to have a transfusion, which led to an infection.

“I was down to 95 pounds,” Tucker said.

“I’m bald at this point. I have no eyebrows, no eyelashes. My skin is sagging, and I was extremely depressed. I was in a really, really dark place.

“I called Paul and said, ‘I want to do another casting.’

“He’s like, ‘Really?’”

She said she wanted to remember this

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stage of the battle, too. That casting was done on Feb. 26.

When she got over the infection, she pursued reconstruction again. After that was done, Tucker did another body casting to show her upper torso after reconstruction.

That casting was done on Aug. 16.

“It just kind of brought the whole thing together,” Tucker said.

She still had no intention of making the ceramic busts public. But that changed after her brother, who had exhibited some of his art works at Alchemy Art Lounge in Tarpon Springs, told the owner about the castings he’d done for his sister.

“The owner got real quiet and said, ‘My mother has breast cancer,’”Tucker said.

Then the owner suggested having a Pink Party in October, and to donate the proceeds to the American Cancer Society and Moffitt. Tucker agreed to have her ceramic busts on display because they help convey the stages she has been through.

“There really is no better way to illustrate the story than that,” said Tucker, who is now 48.

She and her husband have two sons, Van — who just graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in chemical engineering — and Adam, a sophomore at USF, who is pursuing the same degree.

Tucker said she never would have chosen to walk the path, yet she knows it has yielded new insights.

“I am a different person today because of this,” Tucker said. “I am much more focused on what’s important in life, and it’s not chasing a promotion.”

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(Re)discovering Dupree Gardens Presenting the Past

By Michael Murillo Published May 28, 2014 MICHAEL MURILLO/STAFF PHOTOS

Taylor Sanders usually chooses the 50-meter freestyle when she competes for the Zephyrhills High School swim team.

No challenge too tough for swimmer with cerebral palsy

By Michael Murillo Published Sept. 24, 2014

When Taylor Sanders was born, she had a stroke.

Diagnosed with monoplegic infantile cerebral palsy, doctors told Taylor’s parents that she couldn’t walk, she couldn’t do things her peers could do and she couldn’t live a normal life.

So her parents gave up. Specifically, they gave up on words like “couldn’t.”

“We had a No. 1 rule. The ‘C’ word was not allowed in our house, and that’s ‘can’t’ or ‘cannot,’” said Taylor’s mother, Vanessa Sanders.

Now, 15 years later, the focus is on all the things Taylor can do. She can walk. She can make friends and fit right in at Zephyrhills High School. And, like many students, she can be an athlete, too.

Taylor is in her second season on the school’s swim team. And before anyone even thought about giving her special treatment when she joined, her mother eliminated that possibility on the first day.

“I went to coach (Karen Cooley) the very first day of practice, and I told her what she has,” Sanders said. “I said that there isn’t anything that she cannot do. Anything that you request the team do, I ask you to request that Taylor do the same.”

Cooley accepted those terms happily, and ended up with a productive, contributing team member.

“She’s an awesome member of the team,” Cooley said. “She’s a leader. She likes to be involved and she’s very creative.”

Taylor is supportive of her teammates, and is good at taking direction and working hard to get better, Cooley said. As a result, her technique, form and times have improved since she joined the team.

Being on the team allows Taylor to challenge herself and others while doing something she enjoys in a supportive group setting.

“I’ve always loved swimming since I was little,” Taylor said. “And I have a very competitive attitude, so competing while I’m doing something I love is just amazing.”

The team, she said, is her family. “Ever since I started, they’ve accepted me like nothing was ever wrong.”

Being an athlete might be a challenge for Taylor physically, but it’s also in her genes.

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about

D

upree Lakes is a nice community in Pasco County near Ehren Cutoff. The homes look great and the area is well-maintained. Just driving through, you can see it’s a pleasant residential area.

But it’s not a destination for visitors or anything. Nobody’s going to buy tickets to go see it, and they don’t need a gift shop to accommodate all the people looking for souvenirs. It’s not a tourist attraction, after all.

But almost 75 years ago, it was. A tourist attraction, I mean.

Back then, Dupree Lakes was Dupree Gardens, and there were no homes — just 25 acres of colorful flowers, vines and palm trees.

Trails and fruit trees.

Green grass and bushes.

A gift shop and a tearoom.

It was a popular tourist destination that attracted people from all over the country.

Think of it as being like Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg, only bigger and better. No offense to Sunken Gardens, of course. I’ve been there, and it’s a nice spot. But by all accounts, Dupree Gardens was a really big deal, especially for its time.

It was actually part of a larger estate owned by J. William Dupree, a Tampa attorney.And by “larger,” I mean 900 acres.

But the section called Dupree Gardens attracted as many as 30,000 visitors during its season from mid-November to the end of April, and had a reputation for being a beautiful place to visit.

It was especially known for its exotic flowers: Violets, poppies, magnolias, azaleas, calendulas and camellias. Now, I’ll be honest. I don’t know much about flowers. Aside from the violet, I had to look up each one to see what they looked like. I even had to

Vanessa Sanders was a softball player in high school and college, and still competes to this day. Her father, Scott Sanders, was a golfer in college. Disability or not, they wantdouble-check how to spell some of them. ed Taylor to experience the camaraderie of team competition, and the benefits and chalBut by looking at the old photos, you can lenges that come with competing in sports. tell that it was a special place. No matter While she enjoys the competition, her what you had going on in your life, it was cerebral palsy has made Taylor used to more a unique escape that was visually stimulatpainful challenges outside the pool. Her hips ing, natural and tranquil. Nothing else were growing at the wrong angle due to looked like it. learning to walk in an unorthodox way, and By the way, it wasn’t just flowers and she would fall up to 10 times on a daily trees. You could eat in the restaurant (locatbasis. But two surgeries in the past year has ed in the tearoom) or take an helped reduce her pain, limited her falls draelectric-powered boat ride across the lake. matically, and allowed her to live somewhat That was a pretty unique experience for more comfortably. people. Remember, it was the early 1940s.

The only drawback in Taylor’s mind? It So what happened to Dupree Gardens? set her back in the pool, and her times Well, it was the early 1940s. The attraction aren’t where she wants them to be. got off the ground right as World War II was “Because of my surgeries, I’ve kind of heating up. That also was a pretty big deal, started back to day one all over again,” she and the restrictions placed on people said.

— gasoline rationing and limited private But Hannah Cutkomp, a teammate and travel to save resources for the war — made captain, is impressed with how far Taylor it hard to attract enough visitors. has come in her time with the team.

Dupree Gardens limped along, but the “There’s been a drastic change from strain of the war took its toll, and eventually, what I’ve seen from last year. She’s swimit closed down. The land was sold, the flowming so much better,” Cutkomp said. “She’s ers made way for home development, and an amazing teammate.”

Dupree Gardens became nothing but a very If Taylor is focused and determined while pleasant memory. swimming, she’s just as tenacious when Well, not exactly. The ticket booth is still she’s on dry land. She plays guitar for fun, there. But there are no attractions, but graphic design and animation is her callno tickets to sell and nobody to ing. sell them to you even if they had The sophomore already is accumulating some. college scholarships with an eye on the best On the bright side, there are no schools to help her with that career. She long lines. You can walk right up to even wants to raise money for a trip to the booth any time you like, with California to visit legendary graphic studios no waiting. There’s just nothing to Dreamworks Studios and Pixar Animation buy.

Studios to get real-world perspective on the Still, it’s worth a quick trip just industry. to see the original ticket booth and That kind of focus is just part of who she the plaque marking it as one of the is.

Historic Places of Pasco County.

“When I find something I love, I run with More than seven decades ago, it,” Taylor said. people walked up to that same And her parents are proud to see the rebooth for a chance to see a nationsults of raising her without words like ally known attraction right in this “can’t” in her vocabulary. They’re also vocal neighborhood.

And now, it’s a neighborhood in supporters at her swim meets, with her itself. mother getting overwhelmed seeing Taylor Things change. But it’s worth accomplish so much when doctors warned remembering that Dupree Lakes them to expect so little.

The stand for the gate that used to control traffic was once Dupree Gardens, and it’s “I cry every single time,” Vanessa Sanders going into Dupree Gardens is still there. It allowed its still a unique part of area history. said. “Every time.” last cars to pass just after World War II.

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All that remains of Dupree Gardens is an old ticket booth that served visitors. It still stands on the property of what is now Dupree Lakes, a residential community.

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Hooters coming to Land O’ Lakes?

Not so fast

• Always see a doctor • Never a number • Approved facility for Vaccine for Children

Published Nov. 19, 2014

Catching up …

The culprit behind the prank is still not known. However, an anonymous caller left a voicemail message with the paper claiming the perpetrator was The Open Hatch Gang, and that it was the ‘first of many pranks to come.’

only $30.00 WHY GO TO A PHARMACY OR WALK-IN CLINIC?

By Michael Hinman

Could it be a little wishful thinking?

Drivers heading north on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard saw a surprise announcement on the sign that once shared dinner specials at the old Mosquito Grill & Bar: the long-rumored Hooters chain was coming to that location next year.

The problem, however, is it’s not true. At least for now.

“I’ve called it one of Land O’ Lakes’ biggest urban legends,” said Meredith Kleker, executive director of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce. “All I’ve ever heard about that is rumors, and we’ve been hearing them for years.”

In fact, Hooters was rumored to be coming to Land O’ Lakes in 2012 when Rapscallions was still open at 4422 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. The owner of the restaurant, however, told an online publication at the time that it wasn’t true, nor were reports that Rapscallions was closing.

Rapscallions did indeed close a short time later, but Hooters didn’t swoop in to take over the lakeside property. Mosquito Grill & Bar opened there instead.

That restaurant shut down last spring, once again opening the rumor floodgates that included the Atlanta-based chain. And since Centennial Bank claimed ownership of the 2 acres of land that covers the two lakeside lots along U.S. 41, the sign announcing the new Hooters was even more believable.

There are plans for the land, and there is even a potential buyer working to get it under contract, but it’s not for Hooters, said Bill Nye, a commercial real estate broker in Wesley Chapel.

“There is definitely not a Hooters going in there,” Nye said, although he said it was far too early to give details on what might go there instead.

Nye’s name came into the mix after he called Pasco County officials three weeks ago asking about the property, according to Ruthann Dattoli of the county’s planning and development department. His questions centered around county requirements that might come into place if a developer decided to raze the 42-year-old building, or simply remodel it.

Nye also mentioned that the neighboring residential lot to the north could be turned into a parking lot, Dattoli said.

It would be difficult for a restaurant chain to build something new on the land, Nye said, because its lakeside location has far different environmental requirements

FLU SHOTS

Samantha Lindsay, M.D. Board Certified in Family Medicine Focus on women and children, including infants MICHAEL HINMAN/STAFF PHOTOS

A sign in front for the former Mosquito Grill & Bar on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard touts a new Hooters restaurant taking over the lakeside property. However, it’s not clear who put the sign up, because those with an interest in buying the property deny there’s a Hooters coming in.

than what existed in the 1970s.

“It’s going to be almost impossible to tear that building down and put another one there,” said Nye, the owner of Nye Commercial Advisors. “There are some stringent setbacks to adhere to, and the county is not going to bend very much on them.”

Centennial foreclosed on a $900,000 mortgage on the property owed by C of Pasco Inc., last month, which purchased the property in 2010. At the time, it was the home of Rapscallions, which was featured in a 2011 episode of the former Travel Channel program “Man v. Food,” hosted by Adam Richman.

An ownership group associated with Rapscallions purchased the property in 2005 for just under $1 million, and continued to operate the restaurant there even after selling to C of Pasco in 2010.

Mosquito struggled to follow Rapscallions despite plans to completely remodel the location. Yet, no matter who takes over that land, it’s a prime piece of real estate, said the chamber’s Kleker said.

“If you look at that location, it’s a good location,” she said. “And it’s not too close to other stores.”

It’s also not far from Ukulele Brand’s, which has a lakeside restaurant on the other side of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard. Yet, even if a new restaurant goes into the Mosquito spot, Kleker feels there’s still plenty of business to go around.

“I don’t think it would hurt Uke’s at all,” she said. “It’s good to have a thriving business in our community. And while we love our small businesses, we still love all businesses that can thrive here.”

A spokeswoman for Hooters of America Inc., and the related original company Hooters Inc. — which both own Hooters restaurants in the immediate area — told The Laker/Lutz News Monday there were no plans to open a Hooters in Land O’ Lakes.

That would leave the closest Hooters restaurant in Port Richey, which is owned

by Hooters Inc., the original Hooters company that owns a handful of locations in the Tampa Bay area, as well as Chicago and New York City. The closest Hooters owned by the much-larger Atlanta-based Hooters of America, is the Bruce B. Downs Boulevard restaurant near Florida Hospital Tampa.

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Seeking seniors: Sports group offers fun times, friendship

it’s simply not in his nature. He worked in recreation and leisure services management, and over his 47-year career, Bockmiller organized several activities, both with and without sports themes.

While he expected the participants to enjoy Senior Sports, he didn’t expect them to have quite as much fun as they’re having. He said people are “finding their smile,” and area residents who normally didn’t get out much

By Michael Murillo are making friends and planning get-togethPublished July 16, 2014 ers off the field or court. Participants often go Seniors might live a less-active lifestyle out to dinner, plan outings to see the Tampa than they did when they were younger, but Bay Rays, and even go on cruises together, Walt Bockmiller thinks they Bockmiller said. still have time for softball, Senior Sports is about golf, tennis, bowling and sports, naturally, but without maybe volleyball. a focus on the competitive If not all of those activiside. Instead, Bockmiller ties, maybe one or two of keeps the focus on having them. fun, giving out awards that Bockmiller, a Land O’ are earned by good sportsLakes resident, started Senior manship instead of athletic Sports in 2011, and he organskill. Softball might appeal to izes regular events for older more physically fit particiresidents that include a wide pants, while bowling is variety of activities. Whatever MICHAEL MURILLO/STAFF PHOTO available for those who people choose to do, there Whatever sport a senior might not have that level of are plenty of benefits in get- might enjoy, Walt Bockmiller ability. Or, people can simply ting out and being active, he probably has something on sign up to play whatever apsaid. peals to them. the schedule for them.

“It’s an opportunity for The activities are dethem to get out and start doing something signed to be inexpensive and occur during rather than just being home shopping or various dates and times, allowing more senwatching TV,” Bockmiller said. ”It gives them iors to participate. But whether a person an opportunity to meet people in a different plays every available activity or selects their kind of environment.” favorite, or simply wants to meet new peoBockmiller began Senior Sports by setting ple, Bockmiller said they’ll come away with up softball leagues, since many people have some fun memories and good people to some experience with baseball or softball in share them. their youth. That starting point proved ex“There are a lot of friends that come out tremely popular, and he now has around 90 of this stuff. Some of my friends in tennis and participants for those games. Counting ten- golf, especially tennis, are friends for life,” he nis, bowling and golf, Senior Sports boasts said. ”There’s a commonality that you have, more than 150 participants, and he said that and because of that you have a lot of laughs tennis could prove to be the most popular of over the years. It’s just a lot of fun.” them all.

Co-ed slow-pitch softball is played from While softball is designed for men and September through December, and again women ages 60 and older, the other sports from mid-January through mid-April. Golf is don’t have an age limit. He said players could played on a variety of courses year-round on be in their 40s through their 80s. The oldest Wednesdays. Bowling is played year-round in softball player turned 90-years-old last Lutz on Thursdays. Tennis and volleyball are month. new to the schedule.

At 71 years old himself, Bockmiller might For more information about Senior be expected to ease up on his schedule, but Sports, contact Bockmiller at (813) 527-8211.

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December 31, 2014

15A

B.C. MANION/STAFF PHOTOS

Balloon pilot Tom Warren shoots flames into the interior of a balloon, to heat the air in the balloon. The hot air is what gives the balloon its lift.

Soaring above life’s everyday routine

By B.C. Manion Published Aug. 6, 2014

When people see a colorful hot air balloon gliding across the sky in Land O’ Lakes or Wesley Chapel, or other nearby places — chances are the beauty of the balloon is what captures their attention.

But that’s a mere glimpse into the stories that play out every week in the hot air balloons operated by American Balloons, based in Land O’ Lakes.

Just a few weeks ago, a couple got engaged during a flight that Tom Warren piloted out of Zephyrhills. After the groomto-be popped the question, the balloon operator guided the balloon to a landing in the middle of the fiancée’s family’s property in Dade City where a big group was waiting.

During another recent week, the balloon operator piloted three engagements and a wedding.

American Balloons has flown hospice patients who wanted to fulfill a final wish, and has taken up wounded warriors so they could experience the freedom of flight, said Jessica Warren, the company’s owner.

It has helped people celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and retirements. It has played a role in solemn events, too, as people bid a final farewell to a loved one.

The couple, who have operated the business for 17 years, enjoys sharing the tranquil experience that ballooning offers.

And, they never know whom they’ll be flying next.

Some passengers travel from far away places to catch a ride on the wind, while others come from just around the block. So far, their oldest passenger was 97, while the youngest were infants.

Their balloons, equipped with doors, can accommodate people who use wheelchairs and have other physical limits.

Passengers have different reasons for boarding the balloon. Jessica Warren was sitting in the lobby one morning at the Hampton Inn & Suites Tampa in Wesley Chapel, checking passengers in.

“This guy came downstairs and began asking questions,” she said.

Tom Warren piloted a hot air balloon from American Balloons over New Tampa on a recent Thursday morning. In the distance, another balloon company is giving passengers a ride.

When she explained the flight, the man wanted to join the group. And he could, because there was room — two scheduled passengers had failed to show up.

It turns out the man was from Puerto Rico and was suffering from a brain tumor, the balloon company owner said. He was traveling the world while he could, dipping into as many new experiences as time would permit.

Whether it’s from a sense of adventure, a penchant for romance, or a matter of mere curiosity, the company attracts enough passengers to fly more than 150 flights a year. It would fly more, but many flights are cancelled because of weather conditions.

One recent Thursday morning, a group of seven passengers gathered at the hotel before dawn to check in for their flight.

They came from Wesley Chapel, Lutz, Lake Magdalene, Carrollwood and Tampa.

There was an air of anticipation as the group traveled by van to a field in New Tampa, where the flight would depart.

At the field, the Warrens and their threemember crew sprang into action. They quickly unloaded the massive fabric balloon and spread the envelope flat on the ground.

They rigged the balloon’s vents and set up giant fans to inflate the balloon.

Finally, they shot propane flames into the

interior to heat the air, which is what causes the balloon to rise.

Within minutes, it was time for passengers to board.

Some used footholds to climb into a compartment, while others stepped through an open door into the other side of the basket.

As they prepared to launch, Tom Warren — who has flown balloons all over the world — began his commentary.

The 10-passenger balloon, which stands 90 feet Jessica Warren dismantles a balloon after a morning flight tall and 55 feet wide, is fu- over New Tampa. eled by propane, he said. It can heat up to 208 degrees near the top of the balloon, and that heat is As they disembarked, passengers said what keeps the balloon aloft. they’d had a great time.

He controls the balloon’s direction by “It was so calm. I’m afraid of heights and raising and lowering the balloon, to ride the I wasn’t afraid at all,” said Kathy Rizzo of wind, which blows in different directions Wesley Chapel. “It wasn’t at all frightening. It and at varying speeds, depending on the alti- was a very smooth landing.” tude.

“It was quiet and peaceful,” her husband Every flight is unique, the balloon pilot Tom said, noting he especially enjoyed expesaid. riencing “the beauty of creation.”

“We’re not going to go very far today,” Jimi Gillespie of Carrollwood acknowlTom Warren said. “There’s not a lot of wind. edged she was bit nervous before the flight.

It’s the kind of crapshoot that God “I’m a little afraid of heights,” she said, gives you every day.” but it turned out that the ride was smooth On this particular day, passengers and not at all intimidating. can see stands of cypress, shimmering Gillespie enjoyed seeing the world from ponds and a gorgeous sunrise as they a different perspective. glide above New Tampa.

“It’s a vantage point you don’t typically They can see the downtown get, so that was interesting,” she said.

Tampa skyline in the distance and can Brian Bernhard of Lake Magdalene has a check out The Shops at Wiregrass, pilot’s license, so he’s no stranger to flight.

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, Pasco- But this was his first time up in a balloon.

Hernando State College’s Porter “I loved it,” Bernhard said.

Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, and subdiJim and Kathy Appleby of Lutz both said visions nearby. they enjoyed the flight. After six cancellaThe balloon pilot has seen some in- tions by the balloon company, and three teresting sights through the years. He’s cancellations from themselves, the couple seen boars the size of cows on land was finally able to go on a ride. within Wiregrass Ranch. He’s seen Now, Kathy Appleby said, she can scratch marijuana being cultivated in a field that off her bucket list. behind apartments. He’s seen nudists She complimented the balloon pilot and on their back porch in Caliente, a crew. clothing optional community in Land “We’ve done a lot of this stuff and I O’ Lakes. thought they were very informative,” she During this particular flight, said.“They were very professional.” though, the winds were calm, the The pilot was entertaining too, Tom Jessica Warren and John Allen rig the balloon’s cap, to prepare it for an early morning flight. The wildlife was hiding and the balloon Rizzo added, noting it’s an outing he’d highballoon has vents, which can be used to control the speed of its descent. didn’t travel far. ly recommend.

16A

December 31, 2014

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DECEMBER 31, 2014

A collection of cool spots Worth the Trip

By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com

I

f you’re looking to have a good time, want to see some of Florida’s beauty or maybe just learn a thing or two, there are plenty of wonderful places within a short drive to give you a break from life’s routine.

We showcase these kinds of getaways in our Worth the Trip feature, which typically appears once a month on our B Section front.

Here’s a look at some spots we featured during 2014. Search on our website, LakerLutzNews.com, to get the full version of these stories, and then hit the road and enjoy yourselves.

Bok Tower Gardens, 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales

When Edward W. Bok created his sanctuary in Lake Wales, his goal was to provide a place of refreshment, where people could get away from the grind of the world.

The gardens offer visitors a chance to see a diverse mix of common Florida plants, along with exotic varieties with beautiful blooms. The centerpiece of the gardens is a 205-foot bell tower, which plays daily concerts.

There’s also an interesting visitor center, which offers details about the Pulitzer-prize winning Bok, a short film about the Florida attraction, and displays that explain the construction of the bell tower and gardens.

For more information, visit BokTowerGardens.org.

FILE PHOTOS

Honeymoon Island State Park, No. 1 Causeway Boulevard, Dunedin

Haslam’s Book Store, 2025 Central Ave., St. Petersburg

Honeymoon Island State Park attracts more than 1.1 million visitors a year.

Just a 20-minute ferryboat ride away is Caladesi Island — a tranquil spot that was rated as America’s No. 1 Beach in 2008 by Stephen P. Leatherman, also known as Dr. Beach.

Both islands give visitors the chance to splash in the surf, search for shells, and savor nature’s splendor.

There are boating, fishing and kayaking options, too, for those who enjoy being out on the water. There also are places to buy refreshments, and shady picnic areas to gather with family and friends.

For more information, call (727) 469-5942.

Book lovers will rejoice when they peruse the thousands of volumes stocked at Haslam’s Book Store, Florida’s largest bookstore, which is located in St. Petersburg.

In addition to new and used books, the store also has collectible and rare books.

The size of the bookstore, a St. Petersburg institution for decades, can’t be fully appreciated until you step inside and begin exploring its wide-open spaces and small rooms. People from around the world have been known to stop in at the store to check out its selection.

For more information, call (727) 822-8616, or visit Haslams.com.

Downtown St. Petersburg, mostly along Beach Drive

For those looking for a destination that offers something for everyone, downtown St. Petersburg should fit the bill.

Highlights in the downtown area include the Chihuly Collection presented by the Morean Arts Center, the Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club, The Museum of Fine Arts, North Straub Park, and the Dali Museum.

Many of these attractions offer discount tickets.

For more information, go to VisitStPeteClearwater.com.

Tampa Theatre, 711 N. Franklin St., Tampa

Designed by theater architect John Eberson, The Tampa Theatre was once described as the finest achievement of its kind, south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

The theater opened in 1926 as Tampa’s first air-conditioned building. During its glory days, uniformed ushers guided patrons to their seats.

The movie palace gives ticket holders a chance to enjoy an architectural treat as well as a film or concert all for the price of admission.

For more information about the theater, tickets or prices, visit TampaTheatre.org.

The Armed Forces History Museum, 2050 34th Way, Largo

This museum contains a treasure trove of more than 100,000 war artifacts and military memorabilia. It features displays that create the sense of walking through war zones.

The museum also has oral histories, sound recordings, black-and-white footage, and display cases that contain artifacts from various wars.

For more information, call (727) 539-8371, or visit ArmedForcesMuseum.com.

Favorite Faces of 2014

MICHAEL MURILLO/STAFF PHOTOS

for Charlie keeps things lively z.

Lut Al and Eva Corp of

More than 350 feathered creatures live at the Florida Exotic Bird Sanctuary in Wesley Chapel, residing in custom-built cages where they can find comfort and companionship, and spend their decades-long lives in safety. The organization is planning a move to a larger property in Hudson where they hope to eventually provide a home for 1,000 birds.

Mr. Biggs beguiles Leo and Christina Brooks of Land O’ Lak es.

Exotic birds spread their wings in Wesley Chapel

By Michael Murillo Published Feb. 12, 2014

Lucy, right, and Lola, left, belong to Michael and Kim Mogab of Land O’ Lakes.

Toby is part of the Means family in Wesley Chapel.

Pita perks things up for George and Michelle Obregon of Wesley Cha pel.

and Gator is endearing to Andy pel.

Janie Schaibly of Wesley Cha

Dixon is a member of the DiPeri family in Zephyrhills.

Tuxie is beloved by Ryan and pel.

Roberta Beatty of Wesley Cha

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People typically love exotic birds. They have beautiful, colorful feathers. They can talk. And they maintain an elegant look throughout their lives.

But it's their lives that also can cause problems for their owners: Those same birds can live for 60, 80 or even 100 years. When you take a Macaw in as a pet, there's an excellent chance it will outlive you.

And that's just one reason why an exotic bird can be displaced from its home. Life changes, such as marriage, divorce and the addition of children can, which can leave a bird in need of a new place to live. And if it goes to a new family, it might only be a matter of time before another situation occurs and the cycle starts all over again.

But Wesley Chapel resident Patricia Norton is doing everything she can to prevent that from happening. Her original plans to open her own veterinary clinic more than 13 years ago changed when she decided to do something very different to help animals.

“I found that the need for a sanctuary was greater than the need for another vet clinic,” she said.

So Norton did just that, turning the oneacre property where she lives into the Florida Exotic Bird Sanctuary. It's now the nation's second-largest bird sanctuary in the United States, she said, and with 370 feathered residents currently, it's actually the largest still accepting new birds.

With a small staff and some volunteers, Norton's organization houses them, supplies them with 1,500 pounds of food (costing around $2,500 a month), and has a veterinarian visit the location every week to maintain their health. The birds are nursed back from injury or sickness if necessary, paired up when possible, and acclimated to their own species as well as an outdoor climate.

The end result is a safer environment, happier birds and a place for them to spend the rest of their lives, she said.

Norton, the organization's president and executive director, is more comfortable with the title “Birdmother.” She's also very handson when it comes to creating a safe environment for her lifelong guests.

The sanctuary builds its own cages, with the founder designing all of them herself.

“I lay awake at night designing,” Norton admits. “It’s something I enjoy. After about 13 years of building cages, I’ve pretty much come up with what I think is the perfect cage to meet all of their needs at a lower expense.”

Bird owners often help with the expense of building the cages their birds will use.

Those cage designs not only allow for more flight and interaction with fellow parrots (as well as isolation for those whose behavior indicates they’re not ready for full assimilation), they’re also designed to prevent adding to the overpopulation problem.

Parrots that are accepted will never be adopted or sold into a private home, and the sanctuary doesn’t want them breeding, either.

Even though the birds can mate, they won't lay eggs if the environment isn't conducive to nesting, Norton said. The sanctuary designs cages so that won’t happen, meaning the birds can enjoy companionship without adding to its ranks.

Since there is no lack of parrots that need a good home, there are always more of them waiting for a spot than the sanctuary can accommodate. Rather than refuse new admissions, Norton wants the sanctuary to accept all requests, with room to grow. That means finding a bigger home for the sanctuary so they can provide a bigger home for more birds.

“We have probably another 200 on a waiting list, which is why we’re really needing to expand and put the funds together for the expansion project, not only to purchase the property, but to build new flight cages,” she said.

The sanctuary has selected a five-acre property in Hudson as its new home, and Norton’s goal is to have 1,000 birds under its care within the next five years.

While the changes are necessary, they’re also expensive: Norton estimates the new property will cost around $300,000, and must be raised even while the sanctuary goes through its estimated $6,000 in monthly operating costs. The sanctuary is more than a year into a capital campaign, called “Spreading Our Wings,” and is open for tours by appointment to raise awareness and attract interested donors to their cause.

They also keep their community presence high by participating frequently in Fresh Market at Wiregrass, the first and third Saturdays of each month at The Shops At Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel.

But regardless of their location, Norton is determined that the sanctuary will remain a safe haven where owners can bring their parrots with a sense of relief and a clear conscience.

“I've had people get in their cars and drive all the way from Michigan, Wisconsin and all the way across the country to bring parrots here,” she said. “And that's only because they feel very secure that these birds are going to be safe here.”

For more information about the Florida Exotic Bird Sanctuary, or to schedule a tour, visit FlaBirdSanctuary.com, or call (813) 5455406.

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An era ends: Cash tolls go extinct on Veterans

By Michael Hinman Published Sept. 10, 2014

Toll roads have been a part of American life since the first such paths opened for business in Pennsylvania and New York in the late 18th century.

From the very beginning, passage on these roads required horse riders — and later vehicle drivers — to come face-to-face with a toll collector. But not anymore.

Last week, the Veterans Expressway parted ways with its last toll collector when the Florida Department of Transportation officially closed the Sugarwood plaza just south of the Pasco County line. It’s the end of an era, as drivers no longer need to rummage for loose change in their car. Instead, SunPass transponders and license plate scanners will help drivers pay the required toll as cash itself becomes obsolete on the Veterans.

“Unlike the old days, back when we first built the Florida Turnpike in the 1950s, most of the people who use roads like this are not people on a leisurely vacation drive,” said

Christa Deason, public information officer for Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise.“Now they are commuters, and they are on a fast track to get to work in the morning, and get home at night.They want to keep driving.”

Sugarwood accepted its last cash toll around midnight Sept. 4. By late Friday afternoon, drivers heading north or south on the Veterans no longer had to stop.Technology had won.

When the Veterans Expressway first opened in 1994, traveling the 15-mile stretch was possible only by cash or a rarely used prepaid card that required a hefty cash balance. FDOT introduced SunPass on the Veterans in 2001 after a successful rollout two years earlier on the Florida Turnpike.

At first, SunPass was embraced by a select few, but that has changed over the years, Deason said. Now a third of Florida’s drivers are SunPass users, and 84 percent of travelers on the Veterans and the Suncoast Parkway have a transponder in their car.

“This is just a logical evolution of the road,” Deason said.“Fewer and fewer people

were paying cash, and we’ve been phasing out collectors ever since.”

The introduction of the Suncoast in 2001 has caused traffic to explode on the Veterans, especially Pasco residents looking to get to jobs in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, Deason said.

In its first year, more than 19,500 cars drove through the Anderson toll plaza each day, while 8,600 ventured past Sugarwood.

Now,Anderson welcomes 59,400 cars each day, while Sugarwood deals with 44,200.

That prompted the state to spend $380 million to not only convert the Veterans to cash-free tolling, but to expand the roadway to six lanes. It’s created a mess along the road, with commuters having to navigate through construction cones. But this could be the last major construction project on the Veterans … ever.

“We don’t have any more room to expand the road,” said Tracie Rose, a Lutz-based project engineer with Jacobs Engineering, the firm contracted by FDOT to complete the work.“This will be as wide as we get. So

Unfinished mansion finally demolished in Lutz

By Michael Hinman Published March 26, 2014

In just a one-mile stretch of Crenshaw Lake Road, eight higher-end homes are under construction, a testament to the return of the housing market.

But one fossil from the housing boomgone-bust had cast a shadow over this growing neighborhood for years. On Monday, the unfinished 8,700-square-foot home on an overgrown lot came crashing down — one of the largest single-family homes to ever be demolished by the Hillsborough County Code Enforcement department.

Construction for the three-story home at 3319 Crenshaw Lake Road began in 2008, but a construction permit for it expired in 2009, according to county officials.

Construction itself likely stopped at around the same time, leaving concrete block walls, and wood, insulation and unfinished windows to simply rot under the Florida sun.

Country Squire Estate Custom Homes LLC bought the lakeside lot and two others like it in late 2006 for $756,000, according to county property records. It used a $605,000 mortgage from Capital City Bank to fund it.

Construction began in February 2008, but the first liens against the property started in May when Stock Building Supply said it was owed just under $4,000. Route 41 Manufacturing followed a month later with a $25,500 claim against the home.

Later, three other companies would file liens totaling $50,000 for the property, and construction would completely stop.

MICHAEL HINMAN/STAFF PHOTO

An 8,700-square-foot home on Crenshaw Lake Road in Lutz was never meant to be.

Code enforcement stepped to the plate in 2010 and found the home in violation of nuisance ordinances, and maintaining a construction site without permits. It’s been accruing daily fines since July 2010, which now total $254,000.

The land is still owned by Country Squire

it’s going to have to last us.”

Now that the toll conversion is complete, work crews can fully concentrate on widening the road. But even with that focus, the project won’t be completed until 2016.

Deason didn’t have an exact count of the number of toll collectors the Veterans employed at its peak, but did say that the state has been winding down hiring new collectors over the past several years.The few that were left up to last week have either moved on, or are getting help from the company that managed the toll collectors.

“We had some long-term employees,” Deason said.“We even had one or two that started out on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge back when they accepted tokens. Some of them took this opportunity to finally get that chance to retire.”

The tollbooths located along the Suncoast, including the one between State Road 54 and State Road 52, will remain the way it is. Cash tolls are still collected in those main plazas, with the option of using a full-speed express lane around the plaza for those with SunPass.

Catching up …

Country Squire Estate Custom Homes still owns the property as of December, but is still dealing with some liens against the property.

Estate, which is no longer in business, according to the Better Business Bureau. The company, which listed John Whitehead of Masaryktown and Kenneth Rosenbaum of Odessa as managers, became inactive last September, according to Florida’s Division of Corporations.

Selling the land will be tricky even beyond that, as the liens for construction and demolition would have to be cleared first.

But once the county’s work is complete, the million-dollar-home that never was will be no more.

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CLASSIFIED RATES AUCTIONS BANKRUPTCY AUCTION Onsite & Online Banah International Group, Inc. December 9 at 10am 215 SE 10 Ave, Hialeah, Fl 33010 State-of-the-Art Liquid and Granular Sugar Processing Plant Equipment, Forklifts, 14? Box Truck, Pallet Racking, Packaging Materials, Warehouse Equipment, Compressors, Furniture, Office Equipment & more! www.moeckerauctions.com Preview: 12/01 & 12/08 ? 10am-4pm 10%-13%BP? Case #13-13954-AJC (800) 840-BIDS Subj to confirm.

AB-1098 AU-3219, Eric Rubin (x)

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3 lines of text,with 35 characters and spaces per line, FOR FREE*!

GENERAL EMPLOYMENT

Call Rachel at 813.909.2800 Ask about discounts for community garage sales & display ads! *Private parties only

CHILD / ADULT CAREGIVER IN HOME CAREGIVERS NEEDED

for developmentally disabled children & adults • No certification necessary • 1-2 years experience preferred • Immediate employment opportunities • Flexible Hours (days, evenings &/or weekends) • Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas & Hernando Counties

(813) 963-0618 exceptionalcareoftampa@gmail.com

GENERAL EMPLOYMENT SEEKING A

PROFESSIONAL HOUSE CLEANER

DRIVER TRAINEES NEEDED NOW! Become a driver for Werner Enterprises.

Earn $800 per week! Local CDLTraining 1-877-214-3624 (x) $1,000 WEEKLY!! MAILING Brochures From Home. Helping home workers since 2001. Genuine Opportunity. NO Experience Required. Start Immediately. www.MailingMembers.com SAPA(s) ATTN:DRIVERS-$2K SIGN- on Bonus SAME DAYAPPROVALS Stay WARM W/APU New KW Trucks! Earn $55K p/yr!

CDL-A Req 1-888-592-4752. www.ad-drivers.com (s) CLASS-D DELIVERY Driver Needed urgently and earn $400/week. Send email to mark.joperten@yandex.com or text 951-777-9259. (s) $$ EARN THOUSANDS $$RUN FIREWORKS TENT!Hernando,Hillsborough, Lee, Orange, Pasco, Pinellas Counties.204 E Dr Martin Luther King BlvdGalaxy Fireworks!

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Incentive Program. Regular runs to the Midwest. Out 2 Weeks. CDL-A OtteryTransportation.com 800-569-6816 DAN EXT.224 (z) GREAT MONEY FROM HOME! With Our Free Mailer ProgramLive Operators On Duty Now 1-800-707-1810 EX 401 Or Visit www.pacificbrochures.com (z) SURROGATE MOTHER NEEDED Please help us have our baby!

Generous Compensation Paid.

Call Attorney Charlotte Danciu 1-800-395-5449 www.adoption-surrogacy.com FL Bar# 307084 (z)

to join our friendly cleaning company, serving Land O’Lakes, Lutz, Wesley Chapel, and New Tampa. Applicants must have prior experience, be reliable, and having their own transportation is a MUST! Call Linda at 813-263-7966

TIMESHARE OPC POSITIONS Hilton Head Island. East coast’s #1 island destination! Housing to experienced OPC’s!

Sign on Bonus! Over 25,000 produced in past 3 years! Call JIM 843-247-1941 (z)

VETERINARY RECEPTIONIST NEEDED

BIG TYPE.

Must be flexible with availability and able to work full time. Experience of at least 1 year in a veterinary clinic preferred. Receptionist experience is a must.

The EASY READ. FAST RESULTS.

Laker Classifieds

813-909-2800

PLEASE COME IN AND FILL OUT APPLICATION AND GIVE RESUME IN PERSON. NO PHONE CALLS OR EMAILS.

GentleCare Pet Hospital 21515 Village Lakes Shopping Ctr, Land O' Lakes, 34639

One call, one price delivers suburban Tampa 47,000 Circulation

BUY 3 WEEKS GET 1 FREE 813-909-2800

Pediatric Health Alliance Now Hiring –Immediate Openings

Pediatric Health Alliance is a leading pediatric group in the Tampa Bay area. We have immediate openings for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), Certified Medical Assistants (CMAs) and Patient Service Representatives (PSRs) at several locations. CMAs should possess a nationally accredited certification. LPNs should possess a current license. Both CMAs and LPNs should have at least 1 to 2 years of experience in a medical office. Prior pediatric experience is preferred. PSRs should have previous clerical experience in a medical office including medical insurance and electronic medical records.

We offer a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package. Learn more by visiting us at www.pedialliance.com. Email resumes to practicejobs@mckesson.com or fax to 813-855-8061.EOE

WONDERING HOW TO PAY OFF ALL THOSE BILLS? We are looking for men and women to deliver free community newspapers in Lutz, Land o’ Lakes,Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills.

Applicant must be available Tuesday afternoons and Wednesdays.

Experience is preferred.

A clean driving record, current insurance and a van, SUV, pick-up truck or large car are required.

Please visit us at sunsetadvertisingdistributors.com or call 727-530-5521.

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2014 NFLSunday Ticket Included with Select Packages. New Customers Only IV Support Holdings LLC-An authorized DirecTV DealerSome exclusions apply -Call for details 1-800-557-7210 (z)

FOR SALE

No commercial ads,based on space availability • Free ads WILL NOT be accepted by phone

DEADLINE: FRIDAY, 12 NOON To place your ad...

fax: 813-909-2802 or email: classifieds@lakerlutznews.com mail:

Community News Publications P.O.Box 479 • Lutz,FL 33548 HEALTH & EQUIPMENT

PERSONALS

SAFE STEP WALK-In Tub Alert for Seniors. Bathroom falls can be fatal.

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LOOK NO FURTHER! * 20 clear star ornaments, Red --$5

ANNOUNCEMENTS

* 125 gold pattern straws, NEW --$15

EVERY BABY DESERVES a healthy start. Join more than a million people walking and raising money to support the March of Dimes. The walk starts at marchforbabies.org. (z)

* Hammered look plastic silverware, 60 knives, 60 spoons, 40 forks --$40 *18 Red charger plates --$25 * 3 jars of Red/Purple vase filler --$15 * Mixed votive holders, Red & Purple, 16 new, 12 used --$30 all

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HEALTH & EQUIPMENT

We will call you when a route opens in your area. www.LakerLutzNews.com

FREE‘garage sale’ ads Get 3 lines of text FREE • Additional lines just $4 each

& ON A BUDGET?

GOT KNEE PAIN? Back Pain? Shoulder Pain? Get a pain-relieving brace -little or NO cost to you. Medicare Patients Call Health Hotline Now! 1- 800-491-6053 (n)

December 31, 2014

ASK ABOUT COLOR! 813-909-2800

ARE YOU GETTING MARRIED,

Leave your name, address, phone number, route experience and the type of vehicle you have.

6B

Liner Ads . . . . . . . . . . . starting at $48 per week Display Ads . . . . . . . . . . starting at $68 per week

Is looking for volunteers - SORT FOOD - TALK WITH CIVIC GROUPS - CREATE PROMOTIONAL FLYERS Perfect for clubs, church groups, and community service hours!

Monday- Friday, 8 to 4 5829 Ehren Cutoff • Land O' Lakes Call Bill at (813) 929-0200 or schedule online at

FeedingAmericaTampaBay.org

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICE The owners of The Optical Shop & Showroom have retired, and the shop has closed. If you need to get your records, please call

813-909-7200!

You will need to complete a records release form, and fax it back to us.

Thank you for all the wonderful years!

Charles & Jeannie Chaney WANTED CASH FOR CARS: All Cars/Trucks Wanted. Running or Not! Top Dollar Paid. We Come To You! Any Make/Model. Call For Instant Offer: 1-800-864-5960 (n) CASH FOR UNEXPIRED DIABETIC TESTSTRIPS! Free Shipping, Best Prices & 24 hr payment! Call 1-855-440-4001 www.TestStripSearch.com. (n) CASH PAID FOR unexpired, sealed DIABETIC TESTSTRIPS! 1 DAYPAYMENT& PREPAID shipping. HIGHEST PRICES! Call 1-888-776-7771. www.Cash4DiabeticSupplies.com (n) WANTS TO PURCHASE minerals and other oil & gas interests. Send details to P.O. Box 13557, Denver, Co 80201 (u) CASH PAID-UP to $25/Box for unexpired, sealed DIABETIC TESTSTRIPS. 1-DAY PAYMENT. 1-800-371-1136 (v) WANTS TO PURCHASE minerals and other oil and gas interests. Send details to P.O. Box 13557 Denver, Co. 80201 (v) HERO MILES - to find out more about how you can help our service members, veterans and their families in their time of need, visit the Fisher House website at www.fisherhouse.org (z)

ADOPTIONS In accordance with FL statute 63.212(1)(g), only attorneys licensed to practice law in Florida and Florida licensed adoption entities may legally provide adoption services under state law.

A CARING YOUNG married couple (she35/he-42) seek to adopt.Will be FT Mom & devoted dad.Financial security.Expenses paid. (Repd by Adam Sklar, Esq. Bar#0150789)Call or Text.Veronica & Adam.

1-800-790-5260. (s) A CHILDLESS MARRIED couple seeks to adopt.Will provide love, security & bright future.Stay-at-home Mom; workfrom-home Dad.Financial security.Expenses paid.Deidre & Bill.

1-855-969-3601 (Repd by Adam Sklar, Esq.Bar #0150789) (z) A CHILDLESS MARRIED couple seeks to adopt. Will provide love, security & bright future. Stay-at-home Mom; workfrom-home Dad. Financial security. Expenses paid. Deidre & Bill.

1-855-969-3601 (Repd by Adam Sklar, Esq. Bar #0150789) (z) A CHILDLESS,SUCCESSFUL, Christian, Florida woman seeks to adopt.

Hands-on mom, supportive family & friends. Financial security. Expenses paid. Tonya 1-855-977-4140 Represented by Adam Sklar, Esq. #0150789 (z) ABORTION NOT AN OPTION? CONSIDER ADOPTION -It?s AWonderful Choice! Choose your family.

Living/Medical/Counseling Expenses Paid. Call Florida Attorney Ellen Kaplan (FBN0875228) 1-877-341-1309( z) ADOPTION Give your baby a loving, financially secure family. Living expenses paid. Call Attorney Charlotte Danciu28 years experience. 1-800-395-5449 www.adoption-surrogacy.com ; FLBar # 307084(z)

GAME PAGE ANSWERS

ADOPTIONS

ADULT EDUCATION

ADULT EDUCATION

ADULT EDUCATION

LEGAL SERVICES

PREGNANT???

1-888-ADOPTION (236-7846) Choose a loving family for your baby.

Living & medical expenses paid.

Lic. #100032352 www.americanadoptions.com AMERICAN ADOPTIONS OF FLORIDA (z)

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WELDING CAREERS - Hands on training for career opportunities in aviation, automotive, manufacturing and more. Financial aid for qualified students. Job placement assistance. CALLAIM 888-205-1735 (x)

MEDICAL BILLING TRAINEES NEEDED!Become a Medical Office Assistant!No Experience Needed!Online training can get you job ready!HS Diploma/GED & PC/internet needed!

1-888-374-7294 (z)

1-SIGNATURE DIVORCE OR MISSING SPOUSE DIVORCE!(Starting at $65) Children/ property okay!Also Evictions and Wills!Statewide Since 1992.Court Documents, Inc.Free Info!

1-800-973-6698 (z)

FINANCIAL

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1-800-973-6698 (z)

?CONSIDERING ADOPTION??

1-866-780-5198 Choose a loving family for your baby.Living & medical expenses paid.FBN #0967841Law Office of Bryan McLachlan www.bryanmclachlan.com (z) ?CONSIDERING ADOPTION??

1-866-780-5198 Choose a loving family for your baby.Living & medical expenses paid.FBN #0967841Law Office of Bryan McLachlan www.bryanmclachlan.com (z)

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1-888-374-7294 (x) THE AIRLINES ARE Hiring! ? Get trained as FAAcertified Aviation Technician. Financial aid for qualified students.

Job placement assistance. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 888-686-1704 (n)

TRANSFER ELIGIBLE COLLEGE CREDITS! Finish Your Degree Online!

Financial Aid to those who qualify.

Placement Assistance.

Email transcript to startnow@sctrain.edu or call 800-852-0595 (x)

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1-888-374-7294 (z)

BUY 3 WEEKS GET 1 FREE 813-909-2800

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Automotive

DIVORCE $50 - $240* Covers Children, Etc?. *Excludes govt. fees!CALLin: Jacksonville 1-904-207-7800; Orlando 1407-450-7020; Tampa 1-813-217-5506: OTHER CITIES Call: 1-800-462-2000 Ext.300 Baylor & Associates Inc(z)

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813-909-2800 • classifieds@lakerlutznews.com

AUTOS

AUTOS

AUTOS

CARS/TRUCKS WANTED! TOP $$$$$ PAID! Running or Not,All Years,Makes,Models.Free Towing!

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CASH FOR CARS! We Buy ANYCar, Truck or Van! Running or Not.Get a FREE Top Dollar INSTANTOffer NOW! 1-800-558-1097 We’re Local! (z)

300 to $ 6000*

$

CASH FA$T VEHICLE Call Now FOR SALE?

MOTORCYCLES WANTED JAPANESE MOTORCYCLE KAWASAKI 1967-1982 Z1-900, KZ900, KZ1000, ZIR, KZ1000MKII, W1-650, H1500, H2-750, S1-250, S2-350, S3-400 Suzuki GS400, GT380, CB750, Honda CB750 (1969-1976) CASH. 1-800-772-1142, 1-310-721-0726 usa@classicrunners.com (n)

Automotive Ads start at only $20 per week!*

Running or Not Title or No Title Fire or Water Damage Wrecked or Impounded

Se Habla Espanol!

1-855-265-FAST

TOP CASH FOR CARS, Any Car/Truck, Running or Not. Call for INSTANToffer: 1-800-454-6951 (v)

CALL CLASSIFIEDS 813-909-2800

AUTOS

813-448-6578 727-286-3209 352-260-0144

TheLaker / LutzNews Classifieds

813-909-2800

Call Rachel for details.

The Laker/ Lutz News

813-909-2800 *private parties only

Real Estate

*Based on current market value

813-909-2800 • classifieds@lakerlutznews.com

FOR RENT

OUT OF AREA

OUT OF AREA

RETIREMENT APARTMENTS,ALL INCLUSIVE. Meals, transportation, activities daily. Short Leases. Monthly specials! Call (866) 338-2607 (n)

GEORGIA LAND SALE!GREAT investment!Country lifestyle!Beautifully developed 1Acre-30Acre homesites & minifarms. Augusta Area. Beautiful weather.Low taxes & Low down Financing.

From $195/mo. 706-364-4200 owner. (s)

AMERICA?S BEST Buy!20 Acres Only $99/mo.!$0 Down, No Credit Checks, Money Back Guarantee & Owner Financing.Near El Paso, Texas.Beautiful Mountain Views!Free Color Brochure. 1-877-284-2072 www.TexasLandBuys.com (z)

HOMES FOR SALE $2,000 MOVES YOU in ? No Credit Necessary ? Owner Financing Over 100 fixer uppers available in the state. Go to: Investmentpropertiesondemand.com (352) 414-1862, Len.(z)

HOME FOR SALE? ADVERTISE with

The Laker/ Lutz News

AMERICA?S BEST BUY! 20 Acres Only $99/mo! $0 Down. No Credit Checks. MONEYBACK GUARANTEE & Owner Financing. Near El Paso, Texas.

Beautiful Mountain Views! Free Color Brochure. 1-877-284-2072 www.TexasLandBuys.com SAPA (s)

Land O’ Lakes

3948 Lake Padgett Dr. Land O’ Lakes, FL 34639

813-996-4747

OCALA,FL:4/3/2 W/TWO master suites on 1/2 acre. New roof. 15x30 patio w/canopy. 12x24 shed w/electric, water.

Security system. Well maintained. $99,500. Call 352-454-7170. (z)

1-800-996-2240

OUT OF AREA

NORTH/SOUTH CAROLINA

OHIO CAMPING RESORT OPEN ALL YEARFull Hook-ups, Clubhouse, pools &Bingo. General store, Rent Park models or buy deeded lots. Near 3000ac Seneca Lakes. 740-679-3617 (z)

NC MTNS NEAR Asheville. Owner must sell new log cabin on 1.5ac. Huge porches, vaulted ceiling, 1200sf ready to finish. $74,900, add’l acreage avail.

828-286-2981 (x)

SMOKIES ABSOLUTE AUCTION Nov. 22, 201410:30AM.12+ac Commercial Pigeon Forge, TNMotel Leasehold IncomeMcCarter Auction, Inc. 1-877-282-8467 Auction Lic #335 www.mccarterauction.com (z)

CALL CLASSIFIEDS 813-909-2800

VACATION / TRAVEL NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS! Fall & Winter vacations! Cabins, Condos, Homes.Pets welcome! Nightly, Weekly & Monthly.Best rates. Boone, Banner Elk, Blowing Rock.Foscoe Rentals 1-800-723-7341 www.foscoerentals.com (z)

Wesley Chapel 5806 Old Pasco Rd.

MANY OTHER LISTINGS AVAILABLE Wesley Chapel, FL 33543 VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT www.cbflahomes.com see virtual tours

813-973-2240

LAND O LAKES 4BR/3BA/3CG Bank Owned - Sold "AS IS" in Dupree Lakes -$260,000.

Call Lou Molnar 813-484-5211

GATED COMMUNITY 4br/2ba/3cg in Oakstead - $216,900.

Call Karen Hernandez 918-5765

4BR/3BA/2CG For liv rm & din rm w/FP workshop,scrn lanai $199,900.

Call Karen Hernandez 918-5765

7BR/4BA/3CG Bank Owned - Sold "AS IS" Reduced - $574,000.

Call Lou Molnar 813-484-5211

BILL DAVIS

MONICA BUNN

KAY KIM REYES

LANA ROBBINS

813-909-2800

YOUR AD HERE

813-909-2800

1BR/1BA CONDO EFFIC. Huge Pool + St.Pete beach + intercoastal - $99,900.

Call Yolie Perez 277-4296

FOR NO COST MARKET EVALUATION CALL 996-4747

3135 State Road 580 Suite 11 Safety Harbor, Florida 34695

ADVANTAGE TEAM REALTY An Independently Owned and Operated Member of Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation

TheLaker/LutzNews Classifieds

813.909.2800

(727) 376-0530

LOUIS MOLNAR. Broker

BUY 3 WEEKS GET 1 FREE 813-909-2800

WWW.ALOHAKAIFLORIDA.COM

Searching for a better job or a more reliable car? Outgrown your apartment?

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TheLaker / LutzNews www.LakerLutzNews.com

813-909-2800

December 31, 2014

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December 31, 2014

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