The LAKER
ee r F
EAST PASCO EDITION
LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM
A short drive. Short wait times.
MAY 27, 2015
COURTESY OF SAINT LEO
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
Today, we honor our graduates
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Rick and Tara Westcott are proud parents of 11-year-old Alexandra Westcott, who received a certificate of appreciation from Eckerd Raising Hope.
Imagine student spearheads clothing drive for foster kids By Kathy Steele
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
The first visits to ask local business owners for donations took a special effort from an 11-year-old who is shy. But Alexandra Westcott had a good reason to get a little help for Pasco County’s foster children. “I felt bad for the kids who didn’t have much in life,” she said. “I wanted to help by allowing people to donate things.” The sixth-grader at Imagine School of Land O’ Lakes knows what it means to not have a home. Her parents, Tara and Rick Westcott, adopted her from China when she was a 15-month-old toddler. “I think she wanted to give back because she feels fortunate to have a forever home,” her mother said. So, Alexandra spearheaded a clothing drive, from May 1 through May 12, to benefit Eckerd Raising Hope. Eckerd is a national nonprofit organization that provides assistance and resources to more than 18,500 children and families annually. The organization’s Raising Hope program operates “Rooms of Hope” where foster children and their caregivers in the Tampa Bay community can shop free of charge. They fill their carts with new or slightly used clothes, toiletries, baby items, school supplies, duffel bags and comfort
items such as blankets and stuffed animals. Boxes of donated items were picked up at the school on May 18. The donations included several boxes of infant formula provided by a local doctor. Several National Junior Honor Society students, including Alexandra, helped load the goods into a van for delivery. Alexandra learned about Eckerd Raising Hope while talking with her mother about her parents’ experience taking foster parenting classes. The Westcotts had tried for a long time to adopt. A parent in one of the classes told them she was adopting a child from China and suggested the Westcotts do the same. Tara Westcott also remembered information about the Eckerd charity. “We had learned foster children who were taken out of their home would take all their belongings in a garbage bag,” she said. The nonprofit seemed a good project for Alexandra who is a member of the National Junior Honor Society. Honor students are challenged to be active in school activities and in their community. This is the first year Imagine has sponsored an honor society chapter. Imagine principal Aimee Williams quickly gave permission for Alexandra to enlist students in grades six through eight for the See IMAGINE, page15A
Barnes & Noble showcases local authors By B.C. Manion
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
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B INSIDE, PAGE 1B
If you enjoy stories about second chances, about family life or about history, a selection of books by local authors at an upcoming authors’ event may be right up your alley. Barnes & Noble at The Shops at Wiregrass is hosting its annual Local Author Signing on May 30 at 2 p.m., at the bookstore, at 28152 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel. Book lovers will have a chance to meet the authors, chat with them and get their PHOTOS COURTESY OF MADONNA WISE books signed. Local authors featured at the Some of the authors scheduled to be at the Barnes & event offer a wide range of ti- Noble annual Local Authors Signing have taken part in the event in previous years. Shown here, from left are tles. Author Leigh Kenyon tells Susan Noe Harmon, Madonna Jervis Wise, Evelyn Taylor an adventure story about a girl and Jamie Elizabeth Tingen. who trains Zebras in her book, “The Zebra Riders.” She wrote that book while attending Annual Local Centennial Middle School. Author Signing Now a student at Land O’ Lakes High More than 20 local authors will be on School, Kenyon has written a second book, hand to sign copies of their books and “The Essence of Fear,” a young adult fictional chat with patrons. account that explores darker themes. Local author Susan Noe Harmon transWHEN: May 30 at 2 p.m. ports readers to mid-19th century WHERE: Barnes & Noble at Shops at Appalachia in her book, “Under the Weeping Wiregrass, 28152 Paseo Drive, Wesley Chapel Willow.” The book features three generaSee AUTHORS, page15A
COST: Free admission
Today’s paper is a record issue for The Laker/Lutz News. There are 28 pages in two sections — eight pages more than we usually publish. We can credit our increased page count to the 3,000-plus high school seniors whose names are published inside our annual special graduation section. It was seven years ago — back in 2008 — that we began publishing the names of every graduate from the public and private high schools in our circulation area. The paper you hold in your hands lists graduates from the two high schools closest to where you live. If you receive the Land O’ Lakes edition of The Laker, your schools are Sunlake and Land O’ Lakes. In Wesley Chapel, they are Wiregrass and Wesley Chapel. And in East Pasco, they are Zephyrhills and Pasco. If you live in Hillsborough County, you receive The Lutz News and your schools are Steinbrenner and Freedom. You don’t have to be a graduate, or the parent of a graduate, to appreciate our keepsake, pullout section. Make it a point to scan the list of names to find kids you know from your neighborhood, church and through your friends. Then, take a moment to send your congratulations in a text or email, or even better, make a personal telephone call. Graduating from high school is the first milestone of adulthood and the beginning of many more successes on the journey of life.The graduates you know will be proud to hear from you. It is always thrilling to see your name in print, no matter how old you are. Our graduation section is the first time most graduates are recognized publicly for reaching a goal they’ve worked hard to achieve. You may be thinking that kids today don’t read newspapers — instead they spend all day touching their mobile phones, computer keyboards and TV remotes. But they are touching this newspaper today and seeing their names and the names of their closest friends. The tactile sensation of holding a newspaper and the smell of the ink contribute to the exuberance they experience when they see their name in print for the first time. And that’s why today’s paper is such an important issue. It creates a spark of joy and pride for thousands of students we honor. And, as silly as this may sound, knowing that this happens gives me goose bumps. It makes me very proud to be publisher of your community newspaper.
Pasco takes first step toward loan for State Road 56 By Kathy Steele
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
Pasco County commissioners agreed to at least inquire about a $27 million state loan to pay for an additional two lanes for the extension of State Road 56. But there are concerns that the payback could jeopardize other county road projects. On May 19, commissioners unanimously voted to submit a letter of interest to the State Infrastructure Bank for a 30-year, lowinterest loan. The goal is for developers to shoulder the responsibility for repayment through county-collected mobility surcharge fees. As a back up, revenues from gasoline taxes and special assessments might be applied. The Zephyrhills City Council also has See LOAN, page15A