Times staff
Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Calendar

• Nov. 19: Progress reports.

Class notes

Gulf Highlands Elementary: Camp Read A Lot, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Gulfside Elementary: Veterans Day celebration, today.

Locke Elementary: Advisory council, 4:15 p.m. Nov. 17.

Northwest Elementary: Advisory council, 8 a.m. Tuesday. • Science Fair Make and Take Night, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Nov. 17.

West Zephyrhills Elementary: All Pro Dad breakfast, 7:15 a.m. Nov. 17.

Performing arts

• The Zephyrhills High Bulldog Band will perform its annual Lights Out Show Friday with the last home football game. Band members don glow sticks to perform the show in the dark.

Center for the Arts at River Ridge, 11646 Town Center Road, New Port Richey. (727) 774-7382.

• San Jose Taiko percussion concert, 10:30 a.m. and noon Friday. $4. Public concert 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets $15.

• Richey Community Orchestra, 3 p.m. Saturday. $3.

Center for the Arts at Wesley Chapel High, 30652 Wells Road. (813) 794-8772.

• Eric Darius Student Jazz Concert and Workshop, 11 a.m. Friday. Grades 6-12.

• Eric Darius, 7:30 p.m. Friday. $20 for adults; $10 for students and seniors.

• Bits 'N Pieces Giant Puppet Theatre presents The Ugly Duckling at 10:30 a.m. and noon Tuesday. Grades K-2. $4.

Library events

Centennial Park, 5740 Moog Road, Holiday. (727) 834-3204.

• Monster Magnet Craft, 2 p.m. Saturday Elementary ages.

• Manga Workshop, 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Hudson Regional, 8012 Library Road. (727) 861-3040; TDD: (727) 861-3024.

• Gaming Experience, 2 p.m. Saturday. Grades 4 -7.

• Entertainment Teen Chat, 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Hugh Embry, 14215 Fourth St., Dade City (352) 567-3576.

• Anime Manga Club, 4 p.m. Friday.

• Fun Factory, 2 p.m. Saturday. Grades 4-7.

Land O'Lakes, 2818 Collier Parkway. (813) 929-1214.

• Teen Video Gaming, 6 p.m. Friday.

• A Minute to Win it Game Show Night, 6 p.m. Tuesday. Teens.

New River, 34043 State Road 54, Zephyrhills. (813) 788-6375.

• Teen Field Day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

• Craft Corner, 2 p.m. Saturday. Elementary ages.

Regency Park, 9701 Little Road, New Port Richey. (727) 861-3049.

• Anime Club, 4 p.m. today. Teens.

South Holiday, 4649 Mile Stretch Drive (727) 834-3331.

• Movie and Popcorn, 2 p.m. Saturday. Grades 4 -7. .

College Bound

• The International Baccalaureate program will host parent information night for incoming ninth-graders in central and east Pasco at 6:30 p.m. today at Land O'Lakes High, 20325 Gator Lane. The IB program, which is housed at Land O'Lakes and Gulf high schools, offers high-achieving students the opportunity to pursue a rigorous study program during high school. Students enrolled in the program may be awarded college credit and advanced standings at colleges and universities. For information about eligibility or requirements, go to tinyurl.com/pascoIB or contact Holly Rockhill at (813) 794-9429, (727) 774-9429 or e-mail hrockhil@pasco.k12.fl.us.

• Princeton Review conduct a free ACT/SAT practice test at Ridgewood High School from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday. The practice features questions from both tests. A detailed score report will provide a side-by-side comparison of projected scores. A follow-up session will be after school on Dec. 8 to discuss strengths and weaknesses on the score report and to offer basic test-taking techniques to raise scores. The exam is open to all students. To register, e-mail Mary Anders at manders@pasco.k12.fl.us or call (727) 774-3870.

Briefly

• PACE Fashion Show, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Spartan Manor in New Port Richey. Tickets are $30 and include a showing of holiday fashions for women and girls from Material Girl, Dillard's and Shops at Wiregrass, a gourmet brunch, holiday shopping, swag bags, and live and silent auctions. All proceeds go to support programs serving at-risk Pasco County girls. Purchase tickets online at tinyurl.com/25kt6qt; Landon Plastic Surgery, 1813 Wellness Lane, Trinity; PACE, 5462 Grand Blvd., New Port Richey; or by telephone at (727) 849-1901, ext. 21.

Wish List

• The Cypress Elementary ABC (Assist, Believe and Care) Program needs cash donations to meet the needs of students as economic hardships arise. To contribute to the ABC Program, call the Cypress guidance office at (727) 774-4507 or send a check made out to Cypress Elementary ABC Fund. The school is not able to accept donations of used items.

Send story ideas and submissions for Top of the Class to Michele Miller; by e-mail, miller@sptimes.com; fax, (727) 869-6233; regular mail, 11321 U.S. 19, Port Richey, FL 34668. Call Miller at (727) 869-6251 or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6251.

By Michele Miller, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Students of the Month

• Bayonet Point Middle: Char Langlais, Lily Landsberg, Ryan Padron, Lauren McGinnis, Jessica Bartolo, Edward Simmens, Amber Lake, Randy Styron, Katrina Hunt, Alexander Onishenko, Austin Vanko, Meagan Rodrigues, Mario Leverette, Donovin Widmann, Cailla Strobel, Michael Martin, Selina Melville, Jeromiah Rivera, Rachael Schafer, Caleb-Burby-Howland, Lossa Rossi, Charlie Simmens, Antonio Bartolo and Justice Smith.

• Cypress Elementary Citizens of the Month: Madison McGovern, Emma Rattee, Garrett Madden and Daniel House.

• Hudson Elementary: Angelin Koshy, Christian Wise, Anthony Nicklaus, Jasmin Blossfield, Jade Anderson, Hunter Lorenz, Adam Dunn, Lia Fisher, Alexa Bartels, Kaitlyn Anthony, Evan Hopper, Jaden Edwards, Delilah Howell, Michael Ortiz, Malena Lehr, Emma Norkin, Mia Dowling, Tyler Lorette-Burrell, Kelly Allen, Avery Kloppel, Briana Addison, Avery Schaub, Tyler Derner, Kyle Anthony, Justin Phillips, Dylan Reeves, Haley Adkins, Angelique Lind-Rivas, Savannah Bryant, Alondra Rosado-Garcia, Douglas Edwards, Michelle Skipper, Peyton Camara, Austin Hadsell, Sankeerthh Oommen-Koshy, Hayleigh Hopkins, Aaron Bowman and Morgan Olds.

• Rushe Middle: Richard Calvo, Tyler Davis, Gracie Fonte, Marcos Garcia, Cody Hicks, Noelle Kizer, Carmen Mockabee, Bridget Monahan, Nicole Nauman, Gabrielle Rebstock, Miguel Samonte, Megan Thai and Austin Zwinge.

• Shady Hills Elementary: Kylie McWhorter, Brady Gregory, Alyssa Ester, Tyler Jones, Autumn Cole, Zoie Brayman, Riley Melucci, Lourdes Penichet and Jerome Murray. Tyler Jones was named schoolwide student of the month.

By Dominick Tao, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 9, 2010

LARGO — After receiving a federal grant last year to examine the energy efficiency of its public buildings, the city hired a private firm to inspect its City Hall and Police Department.

The results are in, and the comprehensive report reveals that the structures, which were built in the 1970s, are quite leaky — both in terms of keeping air conditioning bills down, and in some cases, interior spaces separated from the elements.

The engineering firm Long and Associates of Tampa says it could be quite expensive to fix the problems at the municipal complex at 201 Highland Ave.: more than $7.8 million to bring City Hall up to current standards, compared with about $11.8 million to build a new City Hall.

The police headquarters would cost about $2 million to bring up to current building code.

The engineering firm reported of both structures: "Significant work is needed to bring this building into conformance with current Florida Building Code requirements for wind load resistance and minimum energy efficiency standards."

The report also noted that some walls of both buildings offered "almost no thermal insulation" and that "water intrusion due to roof leaks is an ongoing problem" at the Police Department.

While the report paints a rather bleak picture of both structures, especially City Hall's condition, officials have few complaints about the building's ability to serve its purpose as office space for the city staff and meeting rooms for commissioners.

Mayor Patricia Gerard said she told City Manager Norton "Mac" Craig she wanted to take a closer look at the report.

"We decided to take a look at that to see what inexpensive things we could do," she said.

Gerard said she hoped the report would outline simple, low-cost ways for the city to conserve on utility bills. The costly and broad recommendations by the report came as a surprise.

She said that when she speaks to the city staff about the report in more detail, she would see if some parts of the recommendations would be more cost-effective than others — and that at present, the city has no plans to necessarily follow any of the suggestions.

"I think we could pick and choose what's really important," she said. "I'd like our staff to give us some more recommendations."

The city bought the Highland Avenue property, formerly the Aegon office complex, for $4.6 million in August 1996 and completed $7.9 million in renovations to the building in 2000.

Dominick Tao can be reached at dtao@sptimes.com or (727) 580-2951.

Sheila Mullane Estrada, Times Correspondent
Tuesday, November 9, 2010

TREASURE ISLAND — A new traffic light or a roundabout that could bar some trucks from entering the city's downtown are just two possible solutions to what city officials and its consultants agree is a dangerous intersection.

Over the past three years, there have been more than 40 accidents on the west side of the Treasure Island Causeway where 104th, 107th and 108th avenues converge.

"There is no question this is an intersection that needs to be addressed," City Manager Reid Silverboard told the City Commission last week.

The problem area is informally called the St. James intersection, named for a nearby condominium.

The intersection has no light and only a short cut-through in the causeway center island to allow traffic to either enter or exit 108th or 104th avenues.

Traffic along the two truck routes and the city's main business street has increased since the new bridge to St. Petersburg was built and tolls were removed.

At times, as many as five cars stack up trying to cross oncoming traffic.

City officials have looked at the intersection for at least the past six years, recognizing that safety improvements need to be made. But the most obvious, installing a traffic light, has been met with resistance.

The most recent study conducted in April found that dangerous conditions merit installation of a traffic signal. But in July, the commission decided it wanted to look at other alternatives.

Now, the commission will spend another $25,000 for an expanded traffic circulation study.

"We need to look at the entire system and possibly prohibit some traffic movements," Domingo Noriega, a traffic engineer who originally recommended a traffic light, told the commission.

One solution, he said, would be to convert the angled intersection to a traffic circle.

"Not all trucks would be able to make turns at a roundabout, but it would allow all possible traffic movements," Noriega said.

Mayor Bob Minning asked that the new study also examine how bike paths would be routed through the area.

Only Commissioner Phil Collins opposed the new study.

"Frankly, I am opposed to this. If I have a problem with an intersection, I avoid it. Is this really the most dangerous intersection in the city?" he asked.

Just how much installing a light or redesigning the intersection would cost is not yet known.

Alternatives include restricting left turns for some or all approaches to the causeway, rerouting east-turning traffic to First Street and 107th Avenue, and reconfiguring the geometry of the intersection to reduce turn angles.

The eventual recommendations will compare traffic mobility issues with safety, construction and right-of-way costs and impacts on land owners.

"If it is a problem of safety, the sooner the better," commissioner Alan Bildz said in urging the commission approve the study.

An official vote to authorize the study will be made at the commission's Nov. 16 meeting.

Times staff
Tuesday, November 9, 2010

SPRING HILL

Blood donors will get free lunch this month

LifeSouth Community Blood Center needs blood donations. In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, the organization will provide lunch on Wednesdays throughout November for donors at the center, 12395 Cortez Blvd. Those who donate today will be served homemade soups and oyster crackers. All donors will be entered into a drawing for a Thanksgiving dinner for eight, purchased from Publix. There will be two drawings made: one winner from the donor center, and the other a donor at one of the bloodmobiles. Donors must be at least 17 (or 16, with written parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds and show a valid photo ID. For center hours or bloodmobile locations, call (352) 596-2002.

BROOKRIDGE

Tickets on sale for Jimmy Travis show

Brookridge Entertainment will present entertainer Jimmy Travis at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Brookridge Clubhouse, 8150 Hampton St., Brookridge. The show includes comedy and music, which Travis has performed in cities such as Las Vegas, and Branson, Mo. Tickets are $15 each. For information or tickets, call Larry and Vivian Schmitz at (352) 610-4901.

Today's meetings

Spring Hill Fire Commission, 9 a.m., 3445 Bob Hartung Court, Spring Hill.

Hernando County Aviation Authority, 3:30 p.m., Hernando County Airport office, 15800 Flight Path Drive, south of Brooksville.

City of Brooksville Planning and Zoning Commission, 6:30 p.m., City Hall, 201 Howell Ave., Brooksville.

Today's picks

Weekly Plant Sale: 8:30-10:30 a.m., Master Gardener Nursery, 19490 Oliver St., Brooksville (352) 754-4433.

Time for Remembrance: 2 and 6 p.m. services. HPH Hospice, 12260 Cortez Blvd., Spring Hill. Toll-free 1-800-486-8784.

Times staff
Tuesday, November 9, 2010

DUNEDIN

Mixed-media artists do well at Art Harvest

Mixed-media artist Unmarid Eitharong of Orlando won Best of Show honors and the accompanying $6,000 prize over the weekend at the 47th annual Art Harvest.

The prize was sponsored by Publix Supermarkets Charities.

Mixed-media artist David McKirdy of Tampa won the Award of Distinction, which carried a $2,200 award sponsored by the St. Petersburg Times.

Other prize winners:

Patron's Award (sponsor: Art Harvest), $1,500, William Kwamena-Poh, watercolor.

Award of Excellence (sponsor: T. Rowe Price), $1,000, Fong Choo, ceramics; Susan Gott, glass; Marilyn Vaillancourt, jewelry; Vince Pompei, metal; Carolina Cleere, mixed media; Nancy Cervenka, sculpture; John Mascoll, wood, Dave Bruner, graphics; Judith Wood, mixed media; Rolly Ray Reel, mixed media.

Award of Merit (sponsor: Aegon), $600, Katherine Mathisen, ceramics; Brett Miley, digital; Shekina Rudoy, fibers; Robert Eickholt, glass; Jeff Eckert, graphics; Pam Fox, jewelry; Frank Strunk, metal; Catherine Bergmann, mixed media; John Thursby, oil/acrylic; Marius Moore, photography; David Figueroa, sculpture; W. Scott Wilson, watercolor; Brian Sykes, wood.

Times staff
Tuesday, November 9, 2010

NEW PORT RICHEY — Investigation Station is a mobile children's museum that brings exhibits to schools, child care centers and community events.

The newest endeavor of the nonprofit museum that began in 2005 is to create a permanent outdoor exhibit, a solar walk — a scaled-down model of our solar system.

It would give the participants the opportunity to walk or drive from the sun to Pluto. Through this experience, participants gain a better understanding of earth's location in, and the immense size of, the solar system.

Investigation Station has applied for a $250,000 grant to expand its exhibits and visit 500 children in low-income areas of Pasco County. But it needs online votes to win the money. The goal is to build the exhibit in downtown New Port Richey, according to a news release from the group.

Investigation Station is competing with 250 other projects for the Refresh Everything grant from Pepsi. Online voting is being used as evidence of community support.

Go to www.refresheverything.com/investigationstation to vote. Voting ends Nov. 30.

To raise funds for this project, the museum is planning a family bicycle ride/run Nov. 27, sponsored by San Francis Veterinary Hospital and the St. Petersburg Times, at Starkey Wilderness Park.

Preregistration is requested to guarantee T-shirt sizes and reserve dinners. On-site registration will open at noon and the ride will start at 2 p.m. Cyclists will bike down the trail that leads from Shelter 5 in the park to the Suncoast Trail and then back.

In lieu of mile markers, the solar walk idea will be used along the route. Signs will be posted showing riders where they are in our scaled-down solar system as they ride from the sun to Pluto. Riders will be provided with a T-shirt, refreshments and the option of having dinner.

After the ride, Pasco County's Astronomy Club is hosting a stargazing event, open to the riders as well as the public.

Participants should preregister by Nov. 19. Registration is a donation of $20 per person or $50 per family, up to five participants. To participate in the ride but not the dinner, registration is $15 per person and $50 per family, up to five participants. Every registration includes a T-shirt and refreshments along the route.

By Dan DeWitt, Times Columnist
Tuesday, November 9, 2010

As Hernando County planner Pat McNeese pointed out wistfully and repeatedly at a workshop Monday evening, not many members of the public showed up.

And it was important for people to be there, though I'm not sure the jargon of planners helped their cause.

The Hernando Planning and Zoning Commission met to talk about the periodic rewriting of the county's comprehensive plan, a process that is just starting and will stretch over the next couple of years. It is accomplished through something called an evaluation and appraisal report, otherwise known as an EAR or, more often, as just a plain old "ear.''

Would you be willing to cancel dinner plans in the hope of contributing to an "ear-based amendment?" Probably not.

On the other hand, you might show up for the chance to talk about how the county will grow in the future and — this was Monday's subject — whether this growth will give wildlife a fighting chance to survive.

Wild animals, especially large ones such as bears and bobcats, need to be able to move by way of unspoiled corridors from one tract of preserved land to another.

And Hernando, according to state wildlife biologists, has some of the most important bridges of natural land in Florida, including the one leading from tracts of the Withlacoochee State Forest in the center of the county to the coastal Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge.

The old plan was to buy up these links or to pay their owners to keep them natural.

But with only $19 million set aside for this purpose in the current state budget, and only about $5 million in the county's environmentally sensitive lands fund, this is looking less likely all the time.

So the new plan is to save this land through planning designations.

To which I'm tempted to say, good luck.

Because, in this political climate, is classifying a piece of property as a critical habit link really going to stop the County Commission from approving it for a subdivision? Probably not. And will landowners sit by as their development rights are compromised by, for example, a designation of "conservation land"? No way. And won't the commission take their side? I'd almost guarantee it.

Unlike 2005, the year of the last comp plan rewrite, residents aren't constantly passing cleared moonscapes of new subdivision sites. They're less likely to send their kids off to classrooms that look like portable storage pods. They're more likely to be worried about jobs than the paving over of habitat.

And people who are still worried about wildlife might be forgiven for looking at our governor-elect and the Legislature and wondering if there's really any point. Our state government is now hostile to the state Department of Community Affairs. The recent letter the DCA sent the county in opposition to the misguided Quarry Preserve project may turn out to be one of its last defiant gasps.

So maybe that's why more people didn't show up Monday.

But the development machine will eventually start humming again. Wild areas will be threatened. People will care, and if enough of them do, so will our elected officials. When and if this happens, it will be nice to have some guidelines in place. Or, if you prefer, a nice, well-crafted ear-based amendment.

By Nova Beall, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Clearwater Central Catholic seniors, left to right, Ryan Lewis, Daniel Boyle, Eric Miller, Karina Bach and Anna Arango were honored in the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Clearwater Central Catholic High School announces that seniors Ryan Lewis, Daniel Boyle, Eric Miller, Karina Bach and Anna Arango have been named Commended Students in the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Ryan Lewis competes on the track and cross country teams. He is captain of the latter. He is also a member of Model UN and the Environmental Club. Ryan plans to study marine biology at Florida State University.

Daniel Boyle, an honor student with a 4.5 GPA, is a member of National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Art Honor Society and the International Thespian Society. He is also a member of Student Council, CCC Ambassadors, Drama Club and the varsity tennis team. Daniel intends to focus on prelaw studies, majoring in English or political science.

Eric Miller, an honor student with a 4.4 GPA, is a member of National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society. He is Executive Council vice president and a member of the varsity baseball team. Eric is undecided about a college major.

Karina Bach, an honor student with a 4.5 GPA, is an Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction. Karina, a member of the Pinellas Youth Philharmonic, competes in judo and is a 2010 Junior World Team Member. She intends to study linguistics in college.

Anna Arango, an honor student with a 4.4 GPA, is a member of National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and the International Thespian Society. She is also a member of the CCC Science Olympiad team, Science Club, Drama Club and the literary magazine, Silent Epiphanies. Anna plans to attend Vanderbilt University to study biomedical engineering with the goal of becoming a surgeon.

Commended Students placed among the top 5 percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2010 competition by taking the 2008 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

• • •

Geraldine Soboleski celebrated her 101st birthday at a small gathering at her home with family and friends.

She was born Oct. 28, 1909, in Taberg, N.Y., to Swiss immigrants John and Emma Roth. Her mother was a homemaker and her father was a farmer who also produced cheese and maple syrup.

Her brother and two sisters are deceased.

She married Stuart Sherwood in Toms River, N.J., and was widowed in 1957. Three years later, she married Mike Soboleski in Rome, N.Y., and came to Clearwater in 1963.

She worked as secretary and bookkeeper for a construction company and retired in 1970.

She volunteered at an abused spouse shelter reading to children until she gave up driving at age 96.

A longtime member of the Clearwater Garden Club, the centenarian loves to recite poetry and enjoys reading the newspaper every day.

Her son, Roger Sherwood, says his mother has a love for life and calls her "truly remarkable." He adds that he's never heard her say an unkind word to or about anyone.

She has two other sons, a daughter, 10 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. Most of her family lives in New York, and a few reside in Washington state and Canada.

• • •

In honor of their 60th wedding anniversary, Dan and Josephine Lentricchia of Palm Harbor were treated to a surprise dinner at Positano's Restaurant. The couple plan to take a Caribbean cruise with family in the spring.

The Lentricchias married Oct. 28, 1950, in Orange, N.J.

He served in the Marines and later worked as a supervisor for a heating and air conditioning company.

During World War II, she helped build P-44 airplanes. She had a career as a telephone operator.

They came here in November 1999 from Long Island, N.Y.

The couple are members of St. Luke's Catholic Church, Palm Harbor.

Both play on golf leagues and are members of Highland Lakes Golf Club. He has won six "Hole-In-One" awards.

They also participate in a bowling league.

The couple have two sons, and seven grandchildren.

• • •

Don and Dolly Whyte of Dunedin celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with dinner at the Sandpearl Resort on Clearwater Beach, and spirits at Caretta on the gulf with two of their daughters.

The Whytes married Nov. 5, 1960, in Evergreen Park, Ill.

They came here in 1987 from Dolton, Ill.

He was part owner of Artistry Engraving and a master of hand engraving.

She worked as a policy insurance typist and handled many other responsibilities at American Legion Insurance Co.

The couple enjoys each other's company, and both love to read.

She also enjoys bingo and gaming on the computer.

The Whytes have four children, Debbi Whyte Pepin, Scott Whyte, Sandi Whyte and Robin Whyte Kornacki; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Veterans Day activities free and open to the public in North Pinellas County on Thursday:

Dunedin: The city of Dunedin, in conjunction with the Dunedin High School Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps unit, presents the fifth annual Veterans Day Ceremony in the high school's Memorial Stadium. The event will include performances by the Dunedin High School Highlander Band, Dunedin High School Chorus, and comments from the Dunedin City Commission. The NJROTC Cadets will present a rifle drill team demonstration and a 21-gun salute. 9 a.m. Dunedin High School, 1651 Pinehurst Road, Dunedin. (727) 812-4530.

Curlew Hill Memory Gardens: Curlew Hills Memory Gardens announces its 23rd annual Veterans Day Services. Guest speaker will be U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis. Live patriotic music as well as local military, religious and political leaders will be part of this event. 9:30 a.m. Curlew Hills Memory Gardens, 1750 Curlew Road, Palm Harbor. (727) 789-2000.

Oldsmar: At Oldsmar's annual Veteran's Day Ceremony, all military veterans who have served their country, past and present, will be honored. The Suncoast String Band will provide musical entertainment and the WorkNet VA van will be available for military veteran guests seeking employment information. 11 a.m. Veterans Memorial Park (Oldsmar), 250 Shore Drive E, Oldsmar. (813) 749-1260; www.MyOldsmar.com.

Safety Harbor: Celebrate the efforts of America's veterans at this event in Veterans Park featuring the posting of the colors, a 21-gun salute, a wreath toss and patriotic songs by the Espiritu Santo Elementary School Choir. 11 a.m. Safety Harbor City Marina, 110 Veterans Memorial Lane, Safety Harbor. (727) 724-1572.

Largo: Join the city of Largo as it celebrates Veterans Day with an intimate ceremony at the Military Court of Honor featuring special music, a key note speaker and color guard presentation. 7-9 p.m. Largo Central Park, 101 Central Park Drive, Largo. (727) 587-6740, ext. 5014.

Times staff
Tuesday, November 9, 2010

CLEARWATER

FDLE supervisor named deputy police chief

Clearwater police Chief Tony Holloway has announced the appointment of a new deputy chief. Sandra Wilson, a special agent supervisor for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, was chosen for her history of leadership with the FDLE, Holloway said in a statement. She starts her new job in early December. Wilson, a 23-year-veteran of the FDLE, is "a forward thinker and a visionary — qualities that are critical in finding creative solutions in an ever-tightening fiscal environment," Holloway said. Wilson is a graduate of the University of Florida and spent two years at the Alachua County Sheriff's Office before she joined the FDLE. She worked as a special agent in the Tampa Bay Regional Center for six years before transferring to Orlando in 1993. She was promoted to supervisor in 2002. Wilson replaces former Deputy Chief Dewey Williams, who retired last year after 32 years.

Assistant fire chief honored for safety

Clearwater Fire and Rescue Assistant Chief of Health and Safety Doug Swartz was selected as the Safe Firefighter of the Month for October by Hale Products, a fire and rescue equipment company. Swartz, a nine-year veteran of the department who creates the agency's safety bulletins, was nominated for his commitment to safety and his involvement in safety and health programs, according to a news release. He also heads the department's peer fitness team and accident review committee. To learn more about Swartz, visit the Hale website at www.safe-firefighter.com/monthly-winner.html.

PALM HARBOR

Deputies say DNA identifies rapist

Pinellas County sheriff's deputies arrested a Palm Harbor man Tuesday after DNA evidence showed he raped a 14-year-old girl. Arcel Cabrales-Cruz, 27, of 3832 Cattail Marsh Court was arrested on one count of sexual battery, deputies said. Cabrales-Cruz was being held at the Pinellas County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bail. Deputies said the victim's mother called the Sheriff's Office to report her daughter was raped while staying at a friend's Palm Harbor home on Oct. 2. Cabrales-Cruz also was staying at the home that night. The girl is not being identified because of the nature of the crime.

Tarpon Springs

Professionals' mixer is Monday

Registration is under way for the Tri-Chamber Young Professionals social mixer scheduled for Monday. The event, designed for residents of Tarpon Springs, Palm Harbor and Dunedin, will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Hellas Restaurant, 785 Dodecanese Blvd., Tarpon Springs. Participants are encouraged to bring business cards. For reservations, e-mail heather@stoneparkercpa.com.

Pinellas deaths

A detailed list of obituaries is published in Section B.

By Dominick Tao, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

World War II veteran Jack Caravello, with his wife, Becky, in Palm Harbor, is being given the French Legion of Honor.

The sacrifices of the men and women of the "Greatest Generation," called to duty in what many call the last Great War, have not gone unacknowledged.

Even now — more than 60 years after the fact.

Two Pinellas County residents, each a bomber crewman during World War II who flew missions where survival odds were at times worse than a coin flip, will be honored today — and not just by their own countrymen on Veterans Day, but by those who they aided so many decades ago.

Eddie Deerfield, 87, who retired as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army, and Jack Caravello, 86, who left the Army Air Corps as a staff sergeant and worked in sales before his wartime injuries forced him to retire, were selected to receive the French Legion of Honor.

"It's the highest military distinction in France," said Fernando Fornaris, a representative of the French consulate in Miami.

According to a consulate statement about why the awards are only now being presented to Americans who fought for French liberation from Nazi rule: "France cannot, and will not forget them. Their memory will live forever in the heart of the French people."

Caravello, who lives in Dunedin, was supposed to receive his award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., but wasn't healthy enough to attend.

Deerfield, a Palm Harbor resident, plans to travel to a ceremony today in Naples, where he will be honored alongside nine other veterans from the state.

During the war, each man lived through his own day of days with both tenderness, and melancholy.

Deerfield recalls the war with passion, and despite its tragedy, the friends lost and his own combat wounds, a fondness for a time when uncommon bravery, by necessity, was a daily occurrence.

He flew 30 missions as a radio operator-gunner aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress, the workhorse bomber that helped cripple the German war machine.

On his 14th mission, a raid on German submarine pens near Nantes, France, an engine caught fire and forced the crew to bail out just as the plane returned to England.

He exited backward, and blacked out when he hit the ground.

When Deerfield regained consciousness in a field somewhere outside Southampton — in friendly territory, after surviving his second plane crash of the war so far — he faced death yet again, this time by pitchfork.

After fending off waves of Luftwaffe fighters and flak in Europe, the dazed Chicagoan faced an end he hadn't exactly anticipated:

Skewering by a scared English farmer.

"When I came to, he had his pitchfork pressed against my chest," Deerfield said. "He thought we were Nazis."

What convinced the old farmer to relent was the then-20-year-old's American accent.

The Army Air Corps tech sergeant went on to fly 16 more sorties over France and Germany.

"I look at it as the highlight of my life," Deerfield said of the war.

Mission after mission wore on the men, however. Survival rates for bomber crews were among the lowest of all units in the war.

Caravello was almost one of those casualties.

During the Battle of the Bulge, when the German forces nearly broke American lines in the Ardennes Forest, Caravello's bomber, also a B-17, was shot down.

He was able to scramble away from the wreckage and was aided by a priest, then taken in by French resistance fighters. He hid out with them until the Germans were pushed back.

Despite the precedent that a downed airman who escaped from behind enemy lines be spared more flights — for fear they could be seen as spies and not treated with usual prisoner of war status — Caravello found himself back in the gunner's chair.

"They were short of gunners and crews, they shot down so many," he said. "I had to go back."

But when he finished his 30 missions, Caravello did get to go home. His experience provides a kinship with today's soldiers, with whom he empathizes.

"It's different today," he said. "Those poor guys have to go back three and four times," he said.

Dominick Tao can be reached at dtao@sptimes.com or (727) 580-2951

By Katherine Duguid, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Protecting the planet can be an overwhelming prospect. Landfills are overflowing, gasoline is being guzzled and our carbon footprint is ever-growing.

The Hernando County School Board wanted to come up with a program aimed at doing its small part to reduce energy consumption and conserve resources — and save some money.

The board issued a challenge to the district's maintenance department, and the challenge expanded into what has been dubbed the Spot the Watt program.

The premise of the program is that each school has been asked to get creative in saving energy, whether turning off computers, reducing the number of refrigerators or clearing out ventilators.

Every quarter, the maintenance department will look at the data and let the schools know how many kilowatts they've saved. At the end of the year, the schools will be recognized and awarded 1 cent for each kilowatt saved.

Since schools could save a few hundred kilowatts each month, "per quarter it could add up to a respectable amount," said Sean Arnold, the district's director of maintenance.

Bryan Blavatt, the district's superintendent, said, "It's one of those rare win-win situations. We win because it's helping the environment and the schools win because they can use the money we save directly in their programs. When a situation like that comes along, you have to take advantage of it."

Arnold said Spot the Watt is just one part of the district's sustainability program.

"Our schools are the largest energy users," he said. "We've been really conscious about the environment, water usage and energy usage, and we just want to pass that on to the schools."

Among the district's other programs is recycling, where schools are in friendly competition to see which one can produce the most recycled materials, Arnold said.

"The schools are really excited (about the district's conservation efforts) and really going at it," he said.

By Paulette Lash Ritchie, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The Powell Middle School Advanced Girls Choir preformed baroque music, a Gregorian chant and South African songs of celebration, among other works.

BROOKSVILLE — The Powell Middle School Advanced Girls Choir was invited by the Florida Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association to perform at the state convention on Nov. 6 at Seminole State College in Lake Mary.

Three school choirs were invited to perform at the convention for middle, high school and college choral directors. The other two were high school groups from Orlando.

The Powell choir preformed pieces that included 18th century Baroque music, a Gregorian chant, South African songs of celebration, a setting of Psalm 23 and two modern choral selections.

Members of the Advanced Girls Choir are Karissa Beal, Rachel Bedard, Jaime Brightbill, Ashlyn Brothers, Katherine Burburan, Brittany Burkhamer, Dallas Carey, Kallie Carlton, Samantha Cascio, Valarie Coulter, Justina Curatola, L'Oreal Davis, Andi-Nicole Dipaolo, Samantha Gee, Kimberly Hagland, Alyssa Hammel, Diane Keenan, Hannah Majka, Jennifer Munsey, Sarah Nelson, Brindy Osborne, Tara Peck, Justine Peppe, Kimberly Piamba, Annelise Rentas, Emma Roberts, Lindsay Ruiz, Allison Sannuto, Alyssa Smith, Emily Stapler, Tia Stratton, Karli Ulto and Kelli Wall.

The chorus is under the direction of David Pletincks and accompanied on piano by Kathy Hackemer.

By Paulette Lash Ritchie, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Newsmakers

BROOKSVILLE

duo wins bronze at FFA fair

Kayla Cole of Brooksville and Willow Fletcher of Nobleton, both Hernando High School sophomores, recently competed in the National FFA Agriscience Fair. They won a bronze pin for their project "Eyesight Horses vs. Mini's."

Participants received gold, silver or bronze pins and were honored at the Agriscience Awards Presentation at the National FFA Convention Oct. 20-23 in Indianapolis.

Future Farmers of America is a national youth organization of 523,309 student members as part of 7,487 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

By Paulette Lash Ritchie, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

BROOKSVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Students will collect nonperishable food through Dec. 7 through the annual Salvation Army and Operation Heart FELT Thanksgiving and Christmas Food Drive.

• Coney Island Drive Inn Night is 4-8 p.m. Tuesday at 1112 E Jefferson St., Brooksville. Bring fliers to have 15 percent of the total order donated to the school.

• The Title I Committee will meet at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Family Center.

• The Thanksgiving Family Luncheon will be Wednesday. Adult lunch price is $2.75.

• Hispanic Families Night will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 18 in the Family Center for Spanish-speaking families. Bring a covered dish to share, meet other families and learn ways that parents can be involved to help their children do well in school.

• Families Building Better Readers, for K-2 parents, will be at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 30. The location will be announced. For information or to register, call Amy Anderson at (352) 797-7014, ext. 255.

D.S. PARROTT MIDDLE SCHOOL: The Veterans Day program and breakfast, sponsored by the Student Government Association, will be at 8:30 a.m. Friday at the school. Veterans are invited to attend in recognition of their service. RSVP by contacting Mrs. Branhuber, SGA's teacher sponsor, at (352) 797-7075, ext. 245.

HERNANDO HIGH SCHOOL: The School Advisory Council will meet at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 30 in the media center. For information, call Marianne Bennett at (352) 797-7015, ext. 406.

PINE GROVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: The Family Involvement Team meeting will be from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Hernando County School Board Room. All Title I schools will have a representative team that meets to discuss parent involvement information.

• Thanksgiving Family Day will be during children's lunch times on Nov. 18. Families should make a reservation to participate in this event with their children. Contact your child's teacher if you have any questions or call the school at (352) 797-7090.

• SUMS math party night, hosted at Spring Hill Elementary for families from both Pine Grove and Spring Hill elementary schools, will begin with dinner at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 30. Math games will start at 6 p.m. For information, call (352) 797-7090.

SPRING HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: The PTSO will meet at 2:50 p.m. Nov. 18 in the media center.

• Third-grade FCAT Night will be held at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 18 in the media center.

• The parent-student Thanksgiving luncheon will be held 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Nov. 19 in the cafeteria.

• The SUMS math party night will be begin at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 30 in the media center.

WEST HERNANDO MIDDLE SCHOOL: School Advisory Council and Title I Committee will meet 5-6 p.m. Nov. 29 in the media center. All parents and students are invited.

• All Pro Dads will meet from 8 to 8:45 a.m. Nov. 30 in the school cafeteria.

Briefly

FLORIDA'S 21ST CCLC: The 21st Century Community Learning Centers is offering afterschool programs for high school students from 2:55 to 6:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday at Central and Hernando high schools and 3:25-6:35 p.m. at Springstead High.

Offerings may include homework help, planning beyond high school, interactive reading, technology, graphic design and Photoshop, fine arts, step and dance activities, hands-on science and math, and culinary arts.

There will be monthly parent meetings with dinner and guest speakers. Transportation and food will be provided to students.

For information, call Sheri Padgett-Giorda at (352) 797-7020, ext. 332, or e-mail Padgett_s@hcsb.k12.fl.us.

MAGNET SCHOOL ORIENTATIONS: Meetings are scheduled for potential enrollment for the 2011-2012 academic year. All meetings will be held in school cafeterias. Parents who wish to submit a first-time application must attend one of the meetings. Parents who have attended an orientation may contact the school office for an application and are not required to attend. All Nature Coast Technical High School potential students must attend an orientation. Applications will not be available to high school students who have not attended an orientation.

• Chocachatti Elementary (Center for the Arts and Micro Society), (352) 797-7067: 6 p.m. Wednesday or 6:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at Moton Elementary School.

• Challenger K-8 (School of Science and Mathematics) (352) 797-7024: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at Moton Elementary School.

• Nature Coast Technical High, (352) 797-7088: 6 p.m. Nov. 18.

PASCO-HERNANDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE: The college will hold an Open House and Dedication Ceremony from 3 to 5 p.m. for the new Spring Hill Campus.

Self-guided tours of the buildings will begin at 3 p.m. and a dedication ceremony will be in the conference center at 4 p.m.

The campus is at 450 Beverly Court, east of U.S. 19 between Spring Hill Drive and County Line Road.

RSVP, including the names of those attending, by Friday to (352) 340-4848 or online at phcc.edu/rsvp.

By Rita Farlow, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

SAFETY HARBOR — More than a dozen firefighting units are on the scene of a mobile home blaze Wednesday evening.

Firefighters were called to the scene at 1025 Philippe Parkway, No. 4, around 5:45 p.m.

Check back with This Just In for details as they become available.

By Phyllis Day, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Alzheimer's Family Organization: Caregiver support groups — 2 p.m. Monday, Residence at Timber Pines, 3140 Forest Road, Spring Hill; 1 p.m. Tuesday, Brookridge Clubhouse, 8150 Hampton St., Brookridge; 1 p.m. Tuesday, Spring Hill Enrichment Center (behind Oak Hill Hospital), 11375 Cortez Blvd., Spring Hill. Maria Curley, (727) 856-2196.

Brooksville

GriefShare Sessions: 1:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Brooksville Wesleyan Church, 8168 Jasmine Drive. Designed for those who recently lost a loved one. (352) 799-3066.

Ridge Manor West

Take Off Pounds Sensibly 530: 8:15 to 10 a.m. Tuesdays, First Lutheran Church, 30419 Park Ridge Drive. Meeting starts at 9 a.m. Evelyn, (352) 796-0477.

Spring Hill

Al-Anon: Adult children focused step meeting, 7:30 to 9 p.m. Thursdays, Spring Hill Enrichment Center, 11375 Cortez Blvd. (behind Oak Hill Hospital). Meetings are open to all Al-Anon members and anyone suffering from the confusion of being raised in a home where alcohol was a problem. Toll-free 1-888-4AL-ANON (425-2666).

CAUSE (Community for Autism to Understand, Support and Educate) Support Group: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Baycare Behavioral Health, 7074 Grove Road. Meetings are on the first and third Wednesdays. causegroup@yahoo.com.

Free Flu Shots for Veterans: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 67, 16299 Nancy Ave., at Cortez Boulevard. Veterans must present either a DD-214 or their VA card. (352) 796-1679.

Hernando County Ostomy Association: 2 to 4 p.m. Nov. 18, Spring Hill Enrichment Center, 11375 Cortez Blvd., behind Oak Hill Hospital. New members welcome. Joan, (352) 686-1077, or Ellen, (352) 597-5426.

Holiday Bereavement Workshop: 3 p.m. Nov. 18, HPH Hospice, 12260 Cortez Blvd. The 90-minute workshop is for adults who have experienced the death of a loved one and are anticipating difficulty getting through the holidays. A bereavement counselor will give helpful tips on how to cope and take care of oneself. There will also be a time for discussion. Call for reservations. Toll-free 1-800-486-8784.

Live and Learn Medical Lecture Series presents 'Vascular Disease — Are You at Risk?': 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Palace Grand, 275 Della Court. The speaker is Dr. Fawzi Soliman, who will discuss signs and symptoms, prevention and treatment of stroke, peripheral vascular disease, venous disease and abdominal aneurysm. Hors d'oeuvres will be served. Free. The lecture is part of a series sponsored by Spring Hill Regional Hospital. Another lecture, "Birth Control — It's Your Choice," will be on Nov. 30. Seating limited, reservations required. (352) 666-6325.

'Look Good, Feel Better' program for female cancer patients: 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Florida Cancer Center-New Hope, Spring Hill Regional Hospital Medical Arts Building, Suite 203, 10441 Quality Drive. Peggy Beckett, (352) 688-7744. Another program will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Nov. 18 at Florida Cancer Institute's office at 7154 Medical Center Drive. RSVP to Mary Capo, (352) 596-1926, ext. 150. The program is sponsored by the American Cancer Society and is open to all women who are going through or just recently completed treatment. The purpose is to teach beauty techniques to combat the appearance-related side effects of treatment.

Multiple Myeloma Support Group: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Spring Hill Enrichment Center, 11375 Cortez Blvd., behind Oak Hill Hospital. The speaker is Jennifer Boldizsar, an oncology specialist with Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Co. An informal dinner will be served at no cost. Pat Killingsworth, (715) 271-5037 or pat@helpwithcancer.org.

Parkinson's Disease Support Group: Caregiver support group, 1 to 2 p.m. today, Residence at Timber Pines, 3140 Forest Road. Tai chi group for those with Parkinson's and their caregivers, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Body Fitness, 5181 Mariner Drive. Charlene Miller, (352) 688-7261, or Barbara Kent, (352) 666-1584.

Restless Legs Support Group: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 18, Florida Sleep Institute, 4075 Mariner Blvd. There will be an update on the new RLS study planned for the Florida Sleep Center. There will also be an open group discussion. Betty or Bill Kinahan, (352) 200-5440.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly: TOPS 604, weigh-in from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. and meeting at 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays, Forest Oaks Lutheran Church, 8555 Forest Oaks Blvd.; Doris, (352) 666-9525, or Nancy, (352) 592-1088.

'Understanding Neuropathy' seminar: 4 p.m. Nov. 18, Changes, 12587 Spring Hill Drive. The speaker is Dr. Robert J. Martinez of Martinez Chiropractic and Wellness Center. Topics include the seven signs of neuropathy, who gets it, how it affects you and balance, and available treatment options. Free. Reservations required. RSVP to Susan, (352) 686-1686.

Weeki Wachee

Just-4-Men nurturing fathers program: 7 p.m. Thursdays, Nativity Lutheran Church, 6363 Commercial Way. (352) 279-2417.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly: TOPS 461, 9 to 11 a.m. Thursdays, Nativity Lutheran Church, 6363 Commercial Way. Dorothy Kuta, (352) 596-6697, or Pat Gall, (352) 688-6755. TOPS is a weight loss support group that promotes successful weight management with a philosophy that combines healthy eating, regular exercise, wellness education and support.

New Port Richey

Community Chatterboxes: 3 to 4 p.m. Nov. 18, Community Hospital Health Care Center, 5400 School Road. For those with communication deficits as a result of a cerebral vascular accident or other neurological disorders. (727) 845-0757.

Send information for the Health and Support column to Phyllis Day, Hernando Times, 15365 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, FL 34613; fax to (352) 754-6133; or e-mail pday@sptimes.com. Deadline for this news is two weeks before event or reservation deadline. Information cannot be published if the time, date, place, ticket price (if applicable) or contact person and phone number are missing. For information, call (352) 754-6101 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

By Bill Stevens, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

BY BILL STEVENS

Times Staff Writer

NEW PORT RICHEY — Jack Perry's pencil-written letter to Tommy Hedge made it down one of the bloodiest hills in Korea, a soldier's horror story that would serve as his own last words.

Tom, you won't believe this but it's true, there were so many dead in the trench that you couldn't walk on the ground. We had to roll the bodies down the hill to make room for us. I've seen my buddies whom I would gladly have died for blown to smithereens. We had one of the heaviest artillery barrages of the war. I just hope I never go through another one like it.

Hedge read the letter over and over. He was a sailor aboard the Navy destroyer USS Vogelgesang. Just 18 months earlier, they had been classmates at Gulf High School in New Port Richey. With only 23 students in the senior class of 1951, they were like family. Jack was their leader, elected president of the Student Council. He made straight As, excelled in athletics and earned a reputation for his practical jokes and sense of humor. His peers named him the Wittiest Senior Boy in the yearbook.

In the library and study hall, students engaged in "staring contests.'' Eyes locked. The loser blinked first. Jack always won. On Senior Dress-up Day, he wore gold circular glasses, a felt hat and a diaper he made out of a bed sheet. "He made a convincing Ghandi,'' recalled Walter "Sam'' Casson, valedictorian and student vice president.

Jack's dad worked as a mechanic at George McKay's garage just blocks from Gulf High. In the barbershop next door, a framed picture of George's brother, Chester, hung on one wall. Chester had been the first man from town killed in World War II. Jack admired him.

Now Americans were at war once again. Communist troops had invaded South Korea. Jack and his buddy Ron Cooper, whose mom was secretary at the high school, went to the enlistment office in Tampa. Jack was eager to get into the fight.

"The recruiters loved him,'' said Cooper, now 76 and living in Bryan, Texas. "Everybody loved Jack.''

•••

They sent us up Triangle Hill. Twelve of us reached the top. There we beat off 5 enemy counterattacks. In one place we had them piled 5 deep in a trench. We killed an estimated 300 to 400 of them. I got twenty of them with a napalm booby trap.

On Nov. 15, 1952, Tommy Hedge typed Jack's letter and sent it to Philip "Cap'' Capdevielle, the senior class adviser at Gulf High who had been an Army colonel. "Have you heard from Jack?'' Hedge asked. "In his letter, you will notice he ended abruptly and no signature. He probably had to move out in a hurry. I sure hope he's alright.''

As a 19-year-old high school senior, Jack could not have fully imagined what awaited him. But it came as no surprise that he excelled as a soldier. He was a natural leader. He earned quick promotions and was already a staff sergeant when his outfit, the 31st Infantry Regiment of the 7th Infantry Division, took on Triangle Hill.

It took weeks for word to get back to New Port Richey that John Clock "Jack'' Perry Jr. had been killed as waves of Chinese infantry soldiers stormed the hill on Oct. 30. The battle for high ground raged for more than a month, claiming 365 American soldiers, 1,096 South Koreans and an estimated 20,000 Chinese. Much of the fighting was hand-to-hand.

Ron Cooper's sister, Judy Cooper, now 75 and living in Palm Harbor, remembers when the news hit New Port Richey. She was a few years younger and had admired Jack as a role model.

"A news report came on and said John Clock Perry had been killed. I thought, "My God, there can't be another John Clock Perry.' All these years later, it still makes me sad.''

•••

Walt Casson left New Port Richey on a Navy ROTC scholarship to Vanderbilt. He came home and became a highly successful engineer. Every year since college, he has sent Christmas cards to his classmates. The roster is shrinking. Nine have died.

New Port Richey bears little resemblance to that quiet little village where everybody knew each other six decades ago. Gulf High had 312 graduating seniors last year. Today there are seven public high schools in western Pasco County. At 77, Casson has become a guardian of treasures like the 1951 yearbook, which he edited, and Jack Perry's last letter.

For awhile, he thought it was lost. Then just recently, as he sorted through a stack of treasures, there it was. "I read it again,'' Casson said, "and thought about Veterans Day.'' He thought about Jack's name engraved on the granite memorial at the county government building along with 80 other Pasco County warriors killed in action since World War I.

Casson gets emotional when he thinks of the six words chiseled on the back of the memorial: May This Panel Never Be Used.

Tommy Hedge spent 20 years in the Navy, mainly on submarines. He retired as a lieutenant. "I missed every conflict,'' he said. "Lucky, I guess.'' He and his wife, Carol, have a carpet store in Homosassa Springs. He's glad to know the letter has been preserved and that all these years later, somebody is thinking about his old friend.

"Everybody liked Jack,'' he said. "Most of us (Class of '51) have his picture and we pull it out from time to time."

Forever young.

In Seoul, South Korea this year, the massive War Memorial museum celebrates the 60th anniversary of the three-year war. Old soldiers serve as docents. They salute the 37,000 Americans who died on their soil.

Jack Perry never made it back to his home town. His parents and older sister, Pat, moved away. His grave is among thousands at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu. Born: April 13, 1932. Died: Oct. 30, 1952.

"They call the Korean War the Forgotten War,'' said Tommy Hedge, "but I can tell you, nobody who knew him forgets about Jack Perry.''

Bill Stevens is the Times editor in Pasco County. Contact him at stevens@sptimes.com or at (727) 869-6250.

Times staff
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Health notes

Helen Ellis looks at how to combat heart disease

Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital offers a free Heart Disease Update seminar to help answer the question: What is the current medical science on heart health? The seminar will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the hospital, 1395 S Pinellas Ave., Tarpon Springs.

Guest speaker will be Dr. S. Jay Mathews, cardiovascular medicine specialist. Mathews will detail how the advances in medical science have made it possible to greatly reduce the risk of heart attack and sometimes reverse the onset of heart disease. He will update the audience on both the drug therapeutic breakthroughs as well as various interventional procedures used to combat heart disease and prevent heart attacks.

Light refreshments will be served.

Call (727) 943-3600, anytime, to reserve your seat at the seminar.

• • •

A free seminar on how aging affects memory will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital, 1395 S. Pinellas Avenue, Tarpon Springs.

Stephanie Arnold, SLP-CCC, certified speech pathologist, will cover the issues that create and worsen memory problems. She will discuss the latest options to help older adults with memory disorders, as well as the latest therapeutic options. She will provide caregivers with an interactive experience to assist them in helping their loved one (or patient) who has a memory problem. Memory disorders may result from stroke, mental disability, brain injury, Alzheimer's disease or other medical problems.

Questions from the audience will be encouraged.

Reservations can be made by calling (727) 943-3600, anytime.

• • •

The public is invited to take advantage of a variety of preventive health screenings 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Allegro at East Lake, 1755 E Lake Road S, Tarpon Springs.

In less than one hour, accurate, affordable ultrasound screenings for disease such as stroke, carotid artery problems, abdominal aortic aneurysm, some types of circulatory problems, osteoporosis and thyroid problems can be performed. Tests are administered by Prevention Plus Inc. and are given by registered sonographers.

Blood screenings will also be available for affordable prices.

All results, including films, will be mailed in two weeks. Tests are read by board certified radiologists.

To find out more about what tests are available or to schedule an appointment, call toll-free 1-888-667-7587.

Seminars, classes, support groups

NAR-ANON FAMILY GROUP MEETINGS: 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Mondays (except holidays) at Crystal Beach Community Center, 517 Crystal Beach Ave.; 7 p.m. Tuesdays at First United Methodist Church, Educational Building, second floor, 421 Main St., Dunedin; and 7 p.m. Wednesdays at St. Paul's Methodist Church, Room 102, 1199 Highland Ave., Largo. E-mail naranonfamilygroups@yahoo.com or visit Naranonfl.org.

• • •

RECOVERY INC., SUPPORT GROUP FOR ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION: The group offers steps to feeling better and raising self-esteem at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays at Grace Lutheran Church, 1812 N Highland Ave., Clearwater; 1 p.m. Mondays at St. Timothy Lutheran Church, 813 Tarpon Ave., Tarpon Springs; and 4 p.m. Tuesdays at North Branch Library, 861 70th Ave. N, St. Petersburg. Call (727) 525-1749.

• • •

ALZHEIMER'S CAREGIVERS SUPPORT GROUP: 9:30 a.m. Monday (meets weekly), Palm Harbor Community Center, 1500 16th St. Visitors are welcome. Open discussion. Call (727) 787-1837.