Helping My Friends Promote Their Charitable Events Is Always My Pleasure

We keep telling you everything that’s happening in Wesley Chapel in every issue of this publication, but quite honestly, it’s hard even for us to keep up with everything going on in this community.

‘March For Babies’ Kickoff

I attended the Feb. 22 kickoff event (at Pasco Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch) for the 2017 Suncoast March of Dimes “March for Babies,” which will be held Saturday, April 29, 8 a.m., at the Shops at Wiregrass mall. The annual walk is the largest fund raiser for the March of Dimes, which invites you to walk for more babies to be born healthy. Premature birth is the number one killer of babies and the March of Dimes, which was founded in 1938 by former U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (afflicted with polio himself) to combat polio, which at that time, was a tremendous worldwide killer and crippler of babies. Since then, the organization has focused its efforts on helping mothers and babies live healthier lives.

The 2017 Event Chair, Jennifer Cofini (photo above), who works for the Parks Auto Group, has two children, Dylan and Madison, both of whom were born prematurely (although they are both healthy today), so the March of Dimes is near and dear to her heart. Jen and her committee hosted more than 100 people at the kickoff event, many of whom work for Publix, a major sponsor of this year’s March.

According to MarchforBabies.org/ EventInfo?EventID=18398, the March already has raised more than $25,000, with Cofini’s goal being $250,000. WTVT-TV Fox 13 news anchor Linda Hurtado hosted the kickoff event, and quite a few parents of premature babies who amazingly survived being born as early as 29 weeks into a 40-week pregnancy brought those children along with them to the event; some even told their amazing, heart-wrenching  stories of courage.

I hope you’ll visit the previously mentioned website to make a donation and show up at the mall for a nice, three-mile walk to benefit this wonderful cause.

WRH Team Wins ‘People’s Choice’ At Dessert Contest

I also was on hand on Feb. 23, for the Pasco Education Foundation (PEF)’s second annual dessert contest (held at Land O’Lakes High), whereby teams from all five high school Culinary Academies in Pasco County competed to be able to provide dessert for more than 200 guests at PEF’s upcoming “Cinderella Ball” (to be held tomorrow night at Heritage Springs Country Club in Trinity), the foundation’s largest annual fund raiser. Although a team from Land O’Lakes High won first place from the four judges, one of the two teams (photo, left) from Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH) took home the “People’s Choice” award for its strawberry dessert.

My surprising (to me) favorite of the seven confections everyone in attendance got to sample that night was the “24 Karat” dessert provided by the other WRH team. It had just enough of a hint of cayenne pepper in it to give this chocolate delight a unique kick.

And, don’t forget to check out the latest episode of WCNT-tv on YouTube. We’ve now had nearly 250,000 views and a reach of more than 500,000 through 17 episodes!

Judge Rules Reeves Can Not Use ‘Stand Your Ground’ Defense

Curtis Reeves said he believed he was in a “life-or-death struggle” with Chad Oulson before killing him on Jan. 13, 2014, at the Cobb Grove 16 Cinemas.

Curtis Reeves will face second-degree murder charges for the shooting death of Chad Oulson at the Cobb Grove 16 Cinemas in Wesley Chapel after Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Susan Barthle ruled March 10 that the controversial “stand your ground” defense did not apply in his case.

Reeves, a 74-year-old retired Tampa Police Captain, and Oulson, who was 43 when he died, had an altercation at the cinemas prior to the showing of the movie “Lone Survivor” on Jan. 13, 2014.

Reeves claimed he feared for his life and that Oulson was aggressive towards him after Reeves asked him to stop texting during the movie previews. Reeves claimed Oulson punched or threw a cell phone at him, and that he had no choice but to shoot.

Oulson was shot in the chest and died at the scene. 

Reeves’ attorney, Richard Escobar, invoked the “stand your ground” defense, which says a person does not have to retreat when confronted and can use deadly force if they feel they are in danger of bodily harm or death. If “stand your ground” is permitted by the judge, the accused does not have to stand trial.

But, a two-week-long hearing (Feb. 20-March 3) failed to convince Judge Barthle that it was applicable.

“After careful consideration of all of the evidence provided in this case, this court finds that the defendant did not credibly demonstrate that he reasonably believed it was necessary for him to use deadly force in this situation, therefore, defendant’s motion is DENIED,” Judge Barthle wrote.

Reeves’ defense hinged on his account of being attacked by Oulson and in fear for his life. According to Reeves, Oulson, who was sitting one row in front of him, was coming over the seat to attack him and practically on top of him when he pulled the trigger.

“The defendant testified…that he was grabbing the alleged victim’s chest or body with his left hand while he fired the fatal shot with his right hand, and even stated that he was surprised he did not shoot himself in the hand while doing so: The video evidence and other witness testimony contradicts this assertion also,’’ Judge Barthle’s order stated.

The closest Oulson came to Reeves is when he grabbed Reeves’ bag of popcorn and threw it at him.

“The video then shows the defendant lunge forward with his right arm extended, and fire at the alleged victim, who at that point was so far back from the defendant that he could not even be seen in the video anymore,’’ Judge Barthle concluded. “He certainly was not on top of the defendant, and plainly, the defendant’s left hand was nowhere near the alleged victim’s body.”

Reeves, who is 6 feet, 4 inches tall, was portrayed by the defense as old, frail and fearful for his life, but the judge concluded that he was anything but that fearful victim.

“He is quite a large and robust man,’’ she wrote. “He also appeared quite self-assured when he was testifying, and certainly did not appear to be a man who was afraid of anyone.”

Reeves testified for six hours during the hearing on Feb. 28, claiming that he politely asked Oulson to stop using his cell phone as the previews began.

Oulson swore at him, Reeves said. He said that Oulson’s wife Nicole was talking to him.

“I felt like he would ultimately comply,’’ Reeves testified.

Reeves also said that when Chad Oulson returned to his phone, he told him he was going to the cinema manager to complain. When Reeves returned from talking to the manager, he said he noticed the phone was off, and said he apologized to Oulson for involving cinema management.

That contradicted Nicole Oulson’s testimony of Feb. 23, when she claimed that Reeves was anything but polite in asking her husband to turn off his phone, calling it more of an “order” than a request.

And, she said, when he returned after talking to management, Reeves did not apologize, but rather goaded her husband.

“I see that you put the phone away now that I went to get management,’’ she testified that Reeves said to her husband. “It was not a polite, ‘Oh, thank you for putting it away’…It was to keep nagging at Chad…to keep the argument going.”

According to Reeves, a few seconds later, Chad Oulson stood and confronted him, as Nicole tried to restrain him.

“When I looked up, he was coming over the seat at me, across from where my wife was,” Reeves said. “I saw just a snapshot of something dark in his hand. Almost immediately, I saw what I perceived to be a glow from a light screen right in front of my face, and I was hit in the face.”

Reeves claimed the blow almost knocked the glasses off his face.

At that point, he testified that he began to fear for his life. “I realized I was in a life-or-death struggle,” he said.

Witness Mark Turner, a retired U.S. Air Force officer who was sitting a few seats down from Reeves, said he heard Reeves say something like, “Throw popcorn in my face” almost simultaneously with the shot being fired.

Two other witnesses sitting nearby in the theater, also testified that they heard Reeves make the popcorn comment. Another witness to the shooting,  Derek Friedhoff, said the popcorn comment was prefaced by “show you.”

Sumter County Sheriff’s Sgt. Alan Hamilton, who was off duty that day but taking in a movie, delivered what was some of the most damaging testimony to Reeves on Mar. 1.

Sgt. Hamilton testified that he saw the popcorn fly, followed almost immediately by the flash of the gun. He moved to where the shot came from, and said he heard Curtis Reeves’ wife Vivian say, “That was no cause to shoot that man.”

He then claimed Reeves scolded his wife.

“He pointed his finger at her and told her to shut her mouth and to not say another f-ing word,’’ Hamilton recalled.

Hamilton said he identified himself as a deputy and took the pistol Reeves had shot Oulson with away from the suspect.

Hamilton also testified that while he was keeping an eye on the altercation, he did not see Oulson climb over a seat to get at Reeves, as Reeves testified, or throw a cell phone or a punch at him.

“Common sense and the credible testimony of the medical examiner casts grave doubt on the likelihood of anything hitting the defendant in the eye beneath his glasses in the manner the defendant described,’’ the judge wrote. “Which begs the question, why did the defendant say he was hit. in the left eye  to the point of being dazed, when the video images and basic physics indicate that he did not get hit in the left eye with anything? The logical conclusion is that he was trying to justify his actions after the fact.”

In audio recordings of Reeves’ being interviewed the day of the shooting, Reeves can be heard saying what he had done was “stupid.”

“If I had it to do over again, it would never have happened,” he said. “We would have moved. But, you don’t get do-overs.”

Wesley Chapel Town Hall Somewhat Divided On What To Do With Obamacare

More than 150 people attended the Feb. 22 Town Hall meeting hosted by U.S. Congressman Gus Bilirakis (standing, far right) at the Wesley Chapel High Center for the Performing Arts.

Many politicians, including senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), are ducking their constituents — or liberal activists, they would say — by avoiding town hall meetings.

Not Republican U.S. Representative Gus Bilirakis, however, who represents the 12th District of Florida, which includes all of Wesley Chapel.

In fact, Rep. Bilirakis is tackling his town halls head on, including one held Feb. 22 at Wesley Chapel High on Wells Rd.

While the crowd of roughly 150 wasn’t quite as rowdy as some of the other town halls Bilirakis has hosted recently, the message was clear: don’t take away our healthcare, but fix it.

Those fixes, said most of those in attendance, shouldn’t include getting rid of some of the more popular provisions of the Affordable Care Act (aka “Obamacare”), specifically the number one concern raised that evening — coverage for those with pre-existing conditions.

“I’m begging you to keep something with pre-existing conditions,’’ said Bonnie Axler of Land O’Lakes. “I will lose my husband (who has cancer) if you don’t keep something.”

Bilirakis, praised by many of the speakers for showing up and not hiding from the people he represents, appeared to be truly listening to many of those speaking up. He cited his meetings with his constituents as the reason behind his support for the Obamacare repeal, which Republicans unveiled this week.

Although widely panned by Democrats and Republicans alike, as well as receiving little support from the country’s leading hospital and doctor groups like the American Medical Association (AMA), the Federation of American Hospitals and the AARP, Bilirakis said in a press release Thursday that “We have a better plan” than Obamacare.

The replacement, the American Health Care Act, is, according to Bilirakis, “the answer to lower costs, expand choices, and give patients more control. This bill reflects the feedback I’ve heard from my constituents over the past eight years. With our bill, we will put in place a health care system that works for Florida and the nation.”

A member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, Bilirakis is co-sponsoring the Pre-Existing Conditions Protection Act, which prohibits insurance companies from denying access, limiting coverage or raising premiums because someone is already sick.

Bilirakis also would like to see any replacement plan retain the ACA provision that allows people to keep their kids on their insurance until they turn age 26. That was good news to Zephyrhills resident Carrol Vaughn, who said she is fighting breast cancer and has a daughter in her 20s.

“There aren’t a lot of options to protect her until she’s 26,’’ she said.

Others, like Kurt Accebach of Odessa, went further. Accebach said everyone pays taxes for the police, the military and our streets, because it is for the common good.

“Maybe it’s time healthcare became a common good,’’ he said. A number of town hall attendees went over to shake Accebach’s hand afterwards.

Despite being in favor of some parts of the ACA, Rep. Bilirakis is opposed to Obamacare, voting to repeal it many times and calling it “unsustainable.”

“The costs are too high,’’ he says. “We have to come up with something better.”

His constituents have been showing up to demand it.

One speaker at the Wesley Chapel town hall reminded Rep. Bilirakis that he signed a pledge to repeal Obamacare in 2010, and campaigned on that promise while winning 71 percent of the vote (it was actually 63.5 percent) in 2012. He ran unopposed in 2014 and, in 2016, while still campaigning against Obamacare, Bilirakis received 68.6 percent of the vote.

“My question is to you,” said the speaker, “are you going to keep your campaign promise and repeal Obamacare?”

Bilirakis said he was keeping his promise, but was going to the people for ideas.

While those who voted for him and for President Donald Trump in Republican-friendly Pasco County may be demanding a repeal-and-replacement of the ACA, the controversial healthcare law is gaining in popularity across the country.

According to CNN, the latest Health Tracking Poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation, a polling source for the healthcare community, found that Obamacare has its highest level of support ever, with 48 percent in favor of it versus 42 percent opposed. A recent Pew Research Center poll (a nonpartisan fact tank), which does extensive public polling on different issues, has those numbers at 54 percent in favor of the ACA vs. 43 percent opposed.

Both are non-partisan organizations.

There remains, however, vocal opposition from those who cite rising costs and a shortage of plans and doctors as their reasons for dismantling it.

A steady stream of speakers lined up to offer their ideas to Bilirakis, ranging from requests to expand Obamacare to those who wanted to see it blown up altogether.

Some, like Axler, admit that the costs may be rising, but, “Every month I call in my credit card for that insurance, I thank God (my husband) is) still alive.”

Many in attendance blamed those rising costs on insurance companies, and cited that the No. 1 cause of bankruptcy in America is medical costs.

“When insurance and ‘big pharma’ is run as a profit model, we lose,’’ said Jennifer Higgins of Lutz.

Kim Irvine of Land O’Lakes claimed that Obamacare is not working. “I am for repealing and replacing it,’’ she said.

While she did say she supports a replacement covering pre-existing conditions, she told Bilirakis that those who insisted on keeping their children on their insurance until they were age 26 were “coddling” them.

“They need to grow up and get a real job,’’ she said.

Others, like Sandy Graves of Lutz, said supporters of Obamacare must be listening to “fake news.”

Rev. Mary Anne Dorner of Wesley Chapel said she has been struck by how divisive and looming the healthcare issue has become. “I have never seen people so afraid,” she said. “People are getting sick because they are so afraid.”

Dorner asked Bilirakis not to support a repeal of the ACA if there isn’t an improved replacement plan ready to go immediately.

Some in the crowd were still seething over comments made at Bilirakis’ town hall on Feb. 11, which attracted national attention. At that meet-up, Hudson’s Bill Akins, the then-Secretary of the Pasco Republican Executive Committee, told the crowd that the ACA has a provision for “death panels.” When the crowd erupted in protest, he called them “children” who needed to calm down.

Akins resigned a few days later.

But, Chelsea Bunch of Action Together Tampa Bay confronted Bilirakis (who was accused by some as nodding in agreement with Akins) at the Feb. 22 Town Hall, and asked him to publicly say there is no such thing as “death panels” in the ACA.

Bilirakis grabbed a microphone and said “There is no such thing as death panels in the ACA,” as the crowd erupted.

The town hall, scheduled for 6 p.m.-8 p.m., lasted two-and-a-half hours. Afterwards, Bilirakis posted a statement on his website.

“I held a series of public listening sessions on health care because it is my duty as a Representative to hear firsthand from my constituents, whether we agree or disagree on the issues. I will continue to seek common ground and constructive exchanges of ideas with the people of my district. That’s what democracy is all about.”

Dirt Is Moving On S.R. 56 Extension

Just east of the intersection of S.R. 56 and Meadow Pointe Blvd. is a busy place these days.

Construction has begun, rather quietly, on the S.R. 56 extension project that is expected to have a huge impact on central-to-eastern Pasco traffic and development.

After years of trying to figure out a way to pay to extend S.R. 56 from Meadow Pointe Blvd. to U.S. Hwy. 301/S.R. 41, and then pulling off a complicated deal to get approval from the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners, ground finally started moving in February on the extension without a big kick-off.

“We wanted to do something, we just couldn’t make it happen with everyone’s schedule,’’ said District 2 Commissioner Mike Moore. “But, they are moving dirt, and that’s the important thing.”

Moore and others had tried to arrange a groundbreaking ceremony, but once the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gave the okay in early February, construction company Cone & Graham wasted little time digging in.

“We didn’t want anything to hold it up,’’ Moore said.

The road, which was originally envisioned as a two lanes, is now a four-lane $65-million project that is being touted as a big victory for economic development opportunities in the area, as well as increasing the tax base in both Zephyrhills and Wesley Chapel as new homes continue to be built throughout the area. The extension also will relieve traffic on both S.R. 54 and S.R. 56, and provide easier access to I-75. It also will open a new path to Morris Bridge Rd., which also connects into the New Tampa area.

Currently, Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills residents only have the two-lane S.R. 54 for east-west traveling between the areas, a trip that can be grueling during rush hours and other times.

But, S.R. 56 will provide more and easier access. And, with a widening of S.R. 54 project set to go for later this year, Moore says it will soon be “smooth sailing” for local commuters.

The S.R. 56 extension is a partnership with the City of Zephyrhills and four developers.

Funding for the project, which will cost less than $58 million (not including $8 million in interest), is being provided by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Pasco County, the City of Zephyrhills and the developers of Wesley Chapel Lakes, Wyndfields, River Landing and Two Rivers Ranch.

The developers are expected to add (gulp) more than 10,000 homes along the extended S.R. 56 from where it currently ends at Meadow Pointe Blvd. As for “soon,” the road is expected to be completed by the end of 2019.

By then, Moore joked, the county will have a ceremony ready to go to celebrate its newest transportation improvement.

Medi-Weightloss Clinics In Lutz Is Still Helping People Live Healthier Lives

Lutz resident Jim Gibson has lost more than 130 pounds, thanks to the Medi-Weightloss Clinics office on S.R. 54 in Lutz and has kept it off for more than a year.

Debbie Pienkowski of Dade City was hoping to lose 50 pounds, and succeeded by losing more than 60 pounds since she joined Medi-Weightloss Clinics about nine months ago.

Over the past 11 years, since the Medi-Weightloss Clinics on S.R. 54 in Lutz (just two miles west of S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel) opened in 2006, the clinic has helped patients in Wesley Chapel, Lutz, New Tampa and the surrounding areas lose more than 43,000 pounds of unwanted weight.

“I love the business and I am very proud of what we do,” says Gerri Willett, who co-owns this location of Medi-Weightloss Clinics with her husband, Tom, and her brother and sister-in-law. “Losing weight is difficult, so we do everything we can to help our patients.”

Willett explains, “When people come in, they are often nervous. We’ve had people in tears.” She adds that these new patients are often caught in a “negative circle. They’ve tried so many things, and they beat themselves up for not succeeding. Then, they’re depressed, so they eat more.”

She says that Medi-Weightloss helps get these yo-yo dieters into a more positive circle: “They lose weight, they feel better and they’re motivated to continue to lose weight,” Willett says. “They change their attitude, and they lose more weight.”

The hallways throughout the local Medi-Weightloss are lined with “all stars” who have done just that and are proud to display their results. One wall in particular allows all patients to show how many pounds they’ve lost, and how that translates to the number of years they’ve added to their lives.

“For every 10 pounds a patient loses, that adds about one and a half years to his or her life,” Willett says.  In other words, “if a patient loses 100 pounds, they can expect to live 15 years longer.” She adds that the physicians at the Medi-Weightloss Clinics corporate office keep up on all of the latest research to back up these claims.

One of the things that Willett says sets Medi-Weightloss Clinics apart is that it is a physician-supervised program. Andrew Weitzman, M.D., is the clinic’s full-time physician. He meets with patients, reviews every chart and customizes every program to the unique needs of each individual who becomes a patient.

Dr. Weitzman received his medical degree from Tel Aviv University  in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 2010 and completed a residency in internal medicine at Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, Long Island, NY, in 2013. Dr. Weitzman uses an integrated approach, focusing on lifestyle modification — specifically diet, exercise, food journaling and improving sleep habits. He says he particularly enjoys helping patients with hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol.

Three Phases For Success

“We’re the only program on a national basis that offers three phases,” says Dr. Weitzman, explaining that the phases include an “acute weight loss phase,” a brief “transition phase” and the all-important  “long-term wellness phase.”

The first phase is kicked off with a physical exam, blood work, electrocardiogram (EKG), and consultation with the doctor, who determines the appropriate diet for each individual that will be low-calorie, and designed to put your body into “ketosis,” a state where it burns fat faster. The diet is supplemented with multi-vitamins, Omega-3 and calcium. Patients also receive weekly vitamin-based injections to help with energy levels and cravings. Appropriately portioned food is available for purchase, but is not a required part of the program.

Willett says key components of the Medi-Weightloss system include support through weekly appointments, accountability through the food journal, healthy eating and having the right attitude.

Dr. Weitzman adds that education is key. “We teach people to eat the right foods, in the right portions, at the right time, plus drink fluids and exercise.”

The lessons begin at that first appointment, where patients receive several tools to help them be successful, including a food scale. “We ask our patients to weigh everything they eat,” Willett says. “This helps them become educated so that, by the end of the program, they’ll see a plate of food and know how many calories it has.”

Each patient’s food journal is checked at weekly appointments. “Sometimes, you think you do things that you actually aren’t,” Willett says. “For example, how much water do you really drink? A food journal helps you see what is actually happening.”

Patients also are given a binder with information about healthy eating, including what to order at many popular restaurants. “You can eat healthy anywhere, even McDonald’s, if you’re making the right choices,” Willett says.

After the first visit, weekly appointments last 15-20 minutes. Patients are weighed on an advanced scale that determines how much of the weight they lost was fat and how much was water. They receive support, counseling, education and a vitamin injection. Patients remain in this “acute weight loss phase” until they reach their goal weight.

The second phase is a transition phase, where doctors continue to monitor a patient’s progress weekly, while introducing carbohydrates back into the diet and reducing some supplements.

Dr. Weitzman says that phase three, the long-term maintenance phase, “is what sets us apart from our competitors. It’s also the most critical.” He explains that other programs let you go when you’ve reached your goal weight, even though statistics show that 80-85 percent of people who get to their goal weight on any program will gain the weight back within a year. “But, we cut that statistic in half,” he says. “On other programs, most people stay on maintenance for a couple of months. Generally, at that point, they start to deviate.”

But, at Medi-Weightloss Clinics, patients continue coming in monthly for at least six months, so the staff notices if they begin to slip back into old, bad habits. Dr. Weitzman also can make quick changes to help the patient at that time.

“The patients who receive this help usually do well, because they see how easy it is to get back on track,” he says. “If they weren’t still in our program, we would’ve lost them. But, once you’re a Medi patient, you’re always a Medi patient.”

Willett concurs. “Even after patients have completed all three phases of our program, we encourage them to ‘pop back in’ whenever it’s needed,” she says. “Don’t feel guilty! Life happens, and life is not perfect.”

She adds, “We want you to be successful. That’s why we’re successful.”

Debbie Pienkowski is one such patient who has experienced success at Medi-Weightloss Clinics. She says, “I wanted to lose 50 pounds,” when she attended her initial visit about nine months ago, “but I lost more than 60 pounds.”

She adds, “The staff is fabulous. They give you so much moral support. They walk you through every phase, give you recipes, and go through every bit of your food journal with you every week. Even now that I’ve completed the program, I come back every six weeks to weigh in and talk with them. It keeps me motivated and keeps me on track.”

Many additional reviews are available online through Google. Search “Medi-Weightloss Lutz” to see them.

With 96 locations throughout 24 states, Medi-Weightloss Clinics is headquartered in Tampa. The close proximity of the headquarters gives the Lutz office staff great access to the many resources available at the company’s home office, including training and experts, such as the company’s chief medical officer and corporate dietitian.

New Tampa residents are invited to visit the Lutz/Wesley Chapel Medi-Weightloss Clinics location at 24420 S.R. 54. It is open five days a week: Mon., 6:30 a.m.–noon; Tues., 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Wed., 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; Thurs.,1 p.m.-7 p.m.; and Fri., 6:30 a.m.–1 p.m. For more info, see the ad on pg. 29, call 909-1700 or visit MediWeightlossClinics.com/Locations/Lutz.