FOCUS March Madness 2015

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MOrE• lakE’S lEgacIES: O’kEEfE

• fOcuS fOODIE: fIESta graNDE

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MADNESS IN MARCHWhat Makes You Mad?

lakE cOuNty’S HOt ButtON ISSuES

Education

Education

Animal Control

Politics

Sales Tax

Development

Roadways

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March 2015 | Volume 8 Issue 2 | FocusLakeCounty.comFOCUS ON CONTENTS

Ultimate O.R. Playlist: Behind the Music of Doctors

14

Ever wonder what music your doctor is tuned into when they’re tuning you up on the operating table? Here’s your answer. Also, we give you a look at the Ultimate Inappropriate playlist, as determined by the slightly warped FOCUS staff.

Got a story idea? Looking to advertise in FOCUS? Contact us for more information:

Red Apples Media 734 N. 3rd St., Suite 119Leesburg, FL 34748

Office 352.801.7106 Email [email protected]

Standards of accuracy: The goal of the writers at FOCUS Magazine is to provide heartwarming stories that are accurate from the start. Being human however, we sometimes make mistakes. Please forgive us.

So if you notice anything that is incorrect, please do not hesitate to contact the editorial department and inform us. Call 352.801.7106 or e-mail [email protected]. The staff will fix the error in a timely manner.

FOCUS Magazine is published monthly and is available at local Lake County businesses, restaurants and venues.

Advertisers warrant and represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. FOCUS Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All letters and their contents sent to FOCUS Magazine become the sole property of Red Apples Media and may be reproduced therein. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Red Apples Media. Use or duplication of material used in this publication is prohibited without approved written consent from Red Apples Media.

Publisher Marc [email protected]

Managing Editor Anthony [email protected]

Account Executive Sylvia [email protected]

Director of Agency Services Mandy [email protected]

Junior Account Executive Stephanie [email protected]

Editor/Proofreader Stephanie [email protected]

Writers Jim Gibson | Nanci Schwartz

Photography Bonnie Whicher Photography

Contributors Darla Miller | Dennis McGee | TJ Valente | Amy Painter | Robert Chandler |

Look online at FocusLakeCounty.com for location distribu-tion listings.

CREDITS

FOCUS On Home: Making Your House a Home for a Lifetime34A few simple things to consider for making your house safer and more accessible.

FOCUS On Mind: Anger Management9How do you manage anger issues? FOCUS looks at some factors that contribute to why so many people are mad these days and what you might do to calm down.

FOCUS On Philanthropy: 5Help is here for those with vision problems.

Publisher: Marc’s Remarks4Publisher Marc Robertz-Schwartz explains why we would tackle such a maddening subject.

What Makes You Mad?:Lake County’s Hot Button Issues

10

From taxes to traffic, any number of things can annoy you on a daily basis. FOCUS wants to get to the crux of what makes Lake Countians angry and what some are doing to cope or at least de-stress. From the serious to the trivial, enjoy our Madness in March story!

Old-Fashioned Ode to Film37There’s a Hollywood movie in theatres now that was written, directed and starred in by a Lake-Sumter State College alumni.

Lake’s Legacies: Branching Out with the O’Keefes24Andrew O’Keefe tells FOCUS about the history behind his family in Lake County.

FOCUS Foodie: Fiesta Grande22Our anonymous foodie visits Fiesta Grande in Mt. Dora. Its owners respond to our review.

FOCUS In Focus: Dogs, Chili, Raising Awareness & Mardi Gras26Some of our favorite pics, from a kickoff event for Southeast Guide Dogs, to the Rotary Club of the Villages annual event.

FOCUS On Events: Calendar & Community30What’s happening this month all over our county? Find out in the community calendar section.

FOCUS On Better Living: Are you Crabby? Listen to Your Liver35Your liver is the largest and most metabolically complex organ in your body. Although most people associate liver problems with drinking, it’s not the only thing we have to consider.

EXCLUSIVE: One-on-One with LSSC’s Dr. Chuck Mojock18This is the final year Lake-Sumter State College will fall under the leadership of Dr. Chuck Mojock. FOCUS sits down for a candid multimedia interview in partnership with LSTV’s “Profiles.”

FOCUS On Lake County: Staying at Home36Robert Chandler IV, Director of Lake County Economic Development and Tourism, gives an insider’s look at how the County’s infrastructure will soon be experiencing significant improvements and a number of strategic corridors that are primed to capture future growth.

What’s a QR code and why would I use it?

You can download an app, such as Barcode Scanner, on most mobile phones from the App Stores on

Android or Apple. Scanning the codes throughout this issue will take you

deeper into the story with video content.

Scan the code to go to

the FOCUS YouTube page

FOCUS On the Arts: Leesburg Center for the Arts25The Leesburg Art Festival has a 38 year history of bringing artists, musicians, actors and dancers together from all over to celebrate the culture that makes Lake County unique. This year’s festival is March 14-15, find out more.

Six Hands16Our monthly serial story begins with an introduction to fictional character, Michael Green, as he starts a journey to rebuilding relationships.

FOCUS On Innovation: Neuzil Knows Nasal Irrigation23Five years ago Dr. Ed Neuzil brought an innovative product to market. Learn what it’s taken to help fill the need he saw in the market for his herbal enhanced nasal spray.

Economic Development: Coordinators Provide Proven Results6Lake County’s Economic Development & Tourism Department added a team member and is starting the year strong.

4 print • digital • television • radio

Why weren’t you in this issue?

Do you have an event, a story, or information you want to get

out into the community? We can’t read your mind. We need

to hear from you.

Email us at [email protected]

or call 352.801.7106

We’re SorryFOCUS must apologize sinced we inadvertently misidentified Carle Bishop’s father and grandfather in last month’s Lake’s Legacies. The top photo is Montgomery Cooper and the bottom picture is Clarence Bishop on page 21 of February’s issue.

AccoladesThe magazine looks great Marc, big improvement and very informative! Love the “restaurant’s response” idea, very distinctive touch. Best of luck! Rich Kelley President, Ford Press

You made two dreams come true with the (Re)Launch! 1. I tore your magazine and 2. I was in it! Thank you. Blake MerrillMerrill Insurance Florida

CongratulationsThe Lake-Sumter State College Foundation, Inc. Scholarship Committee received over 529 applications and awarded scholarships totaling $208,542 to students attending LSSC this Spring. These students are pursuing degrees in a variety of programs, including Nursing, Criminology, Public Relations, Business Administration, Education, Pre-Engineering, Law and Computer Technology. In 2014 the LSSC Foundation awarded 773 students totaling $643,600.

PUBLISHER: MARC’S REMARKSI recently posted in a local Facebook group, “What makes you mad about Lake Coun-ty” and it lit up the page. While most of the replies were within the first hour, they continued to trickle in for three more days. Man, we’re mad about stuff! What intrigued me was the question from the group admin; “Why would you do a story for FOCUS about all the bad things that make us mad about our home?” Before I could answer, another did; “Maybe we’ll find others who feel the same and be able to change things together as a group.” Wise words. And that, FOCUS readers, was the primary intention behind this month’s “Madness in March” article. What if we quit whining and took steps to effect change?

On another note, I am proud to draw your attention to the first chapter of our serial story, “Six Hands.” It’s based on a very sim-ple premise but what we think makes it so unique is that after the premise is initially in-

troduced, we will invite Lake County authors to contribute the monthly “chapters” as we advance the story over the next several months, of the completely fictitious Michael Green. Green’s world has been driven by wealth and when faced with the impact of that drive, he sets out on a journey to fix the things he broke along the way to that wealth.

With two issues under our belt, we’re still finding our way. But the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and we know with each new issue you’ll better understand our commitment to making FOCUS Magazine, radio and TV “A catalyst for conversation.”

Marc Robertz-SchwartzPublisher, FOCUS Lake County

March 2015


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What is your not-for-profit status: 501(c)3 non profit

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Email: [email protected] Who do you serve and how?: New Vision for Independence helps people of all ages adapt to and overcome vision loss. We provide training, community education, and support services to help Lake, Sumter, and Villages residents with low vision or

blindness learn to live more independently.

Training includes:• Independent living skills, such as kitchen safety, dining skills, money handling, home management, and more• Assistive technology, such as iPad/iPhone use and using a computer• Orientation and mobility, which is instruc-tion to help someone get around their homes and the community safely, gracefully, and efficiently • Braille • Job readiness • Early childhood intervention

What are you most in need of and why (money, volunteers, other)?: Our vision rehabilitation services change – and in many ways even save – lives, and are offered at no cost to those who need us. However, these services are not free to pro-vide. We are in need of donations, primarily monetary contributions and office supplies. Volunteers are always needed to help with the crucial “behind-the-scenes” work at our

office, and to help with planning for our annual Dining in the Dark event (April 24 at Lake Receptions).

Why should readers embrace your or-ganization and how:Get involved with New Vision to help shine light on the darkness and empower your neighbors to overcome vision loss.

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March 2015


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TAVARES – Lake County’s Economic Development & Tourism (EDT) Department is hitting the ground running in the new year with the addition of its northeast coordinator, Erika Greene, who covers the business community from Astor to Mount Dora.

Greene is no stranger to Lake County, however, having previously worked for the library system, where she was credited for launching the suc-cessful Adult Literacy Program. In her new role, Greene sees herself as a bridge to developing partnerships between the county, businesses and job seekers.

“I’m in the community. I’m a face, I’m a connec-tion and I’m a resource for businesses, the cham-bers, the cities and the towns, connecting them with resources and educating them about opportu-nities,” Greene said.

Greene joins longtime county employee Paul Simmons, a former Growth Management planner who’s been serving as South Lake coordinator since 2013. Most recently, Simmons worked as the liaison between the county, the city of Clermont and Senninger Irrigation on a deal that would al-low for the construction of a new joint fire station. He has also been instrumental in aiding the expan-sions of QuietFlex and Hunt Industrial Park, both located in Groveland.

Adam Sumner, EDT manager and northwest co-ordinator, covers the Leesburg area and in 2014 played an integral role in luring major business to Lake County, such as Wipaire in Leesburg and CaptiveAire in Groveland. Sumner’s main focus is attracting manufacturing businesses to the area and handling site selection processes countywide, while also serving as the department’s budget manager.

“Three years ago, the strategy for this office shift-ed to business retention and expansion, and in doing that we had an untested model of putting these coordinators out on the street and challeng-ing them to build relationships with local business-es,” said Robert Chandler, Economic Development & Tourism Director. “We have since become a relied upon source of support within the communi-ty, and our team has been wildly successful due to their experience, dedication and unique personali-ties.”

Economic Development: Coordinators Provide Proven Results

March 2015

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Anger Management

If you asked a person if they were preju-diced most would answer with a resounding no. However, might they do racially-biased things? Often they may do so unknowing-ly. So it is with anger. Recently I noted that FOCUS made an effort to find out what makes Lake Countians mad or angry. What was their answer? We are happy, what do we have to be mad about? Is that really the case?

In reality, as FOCUS discovered, most people won’t tell you what makes them mad. Work-ing in mental health where people are often brought in because of anger issues, many can’t tell me what makes them angry. For some people it truly is a chemical imbalance. Without giving carte blanche to everyone’s behavior, there are some who have a storm of chemicals in their brain that unfortunately run out of control.

Temporal lobe epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, stroke, bipolar or mood disorders are a few things that can cause changes to the brain and affect mood and behavior. However, an-ger is sometimes a justifiable and appropriate response. Where people begin to need help managing their anger is when it gets the best of them.

We live in a violent type of society so perhaps we notice anger and issues with madness more prevalently than in past times. The roads are more populated so there is exces-sive road rage, and population density also can be a factor in the ever-increasing mad-ness in society.

What can be done to quell anger? There are many treatments but the true cure is finding the cause of each individual’s anger. Reaction-ary anger for example can be helped simply by better rest, as lack of sleep can lead to mood swings and irritability. Other factors to consider: getting enough exercise, taking the right vitamins, seeking counseling, med-itation, reading, praying if you see fit, taking part in the arts and music; in other words, doing things that will help you work through your emotions.

You may not be able to alter your genes but changing your environment and what you take into your mind can assist in putting the brakes on rage. In summation, what makes you mad? Doing the opposite of what makes you happy. So do things that make you happy and help balance your anger.

On the Mind

Thomas J. Valente is Medical Director of Lifestream Behavioral Center in Lake and Sumter Counties

March 2015

BY JIM GIBSONPHOTOS BY BONNIE WHICHER AND PROVIDED

“Anger is just anger. It isn’t good. It isn’t bad. It just is. What you do with it is what matters.”Jim Butcher – White Night

March Madness… Any Time of YearCollege basketball fans throughout Lake County have been waiting for this March since… well, last March. Why? Because it’s time for the annual March Madness NCAA basketball tournament that decides America’s national champion.

All across the county faces are painted blue and orange; garnet and gold; green and orange; team car-flags are flapping in the wind; bumper stickers abound…

everything and everyone seems to be verging on madness.

So, we thought it might be a great time to see what causes madness — not only in March but any time of year. Just what kinds of things drive you and your fellow Lake Countians up the wall and to the edge of reason?

Though this be Madness…It’s common knowledge that discussions concerning religion and politics can easily rouse ire, but the prevalence of smart phones and the accompanying social media apps that make them so popular might soon re-quire that they be added to this short list also.

“I run a bed and

breakfast and many times guests ask for a tour of the house, which is quite old,” says Laura Wright of Umatilla. “It seems like every time I start a tour, someone’s cell phone rings… and they answer it. Many times there will be several people there with me and this interrupts the entire tour. I’ve even had times when I will be speaking about the house and the person I am talking to will begin to text someone. This is so upsetting and it always makes me mad.”Other business owners find this to be quite maddening also:

“I own Grand Gator in Downtown Leesburg and although I rarely get mad about anything, it does bother me when I am dealing with


MADNESS IN MARCHWhat Makes You Mad?

March 2015


a customer and they are talking on their cell phone,” says Jean Hogan. “There are times when a customer will come in and be talking on the phone when they enter, buy some-thing and pay for it, and then leave the store and never stop talking to the person on the other end of the line. I have to talk to them and take their payment while they are talking, or sometimes texting, to another person. To me, that is simply rude.”

I hear you Jean. I was sitting behind a young man at a drive-thru the other day and he actually asked the cashier to hold on while he finished texting. Although there are ex-ceptions, it seems that the majority of per-sons using their phones while waiting at the counter and in the drive-thru are from the younger generation. Are these kids allowed to use those things in school? And what about when they are supposed to be doing their homework? Are parents keeping a close eye on their children and making sure they stay focused in school?

“The complaint I hear the most comes from school staff, administrators, some parents and even some students, and it has to do with parental involvement in their child’s educa-tion,” says Lake County School Board Member, Rosanne Brandeburg. “There is a direct cor-relation between parental involvement in PTO and school advisory committee meetings and the success of a student. I don’t think some parents understand the vital importance of being involved in their child’s education, and I think it is possible they might be intimidated by the process. I would love to see parents take a more active approach in their child’s education.”

Maybe we’re onto something here. Kids, cell phones, schoolwork, parental involvement? Could it be that parents just aren’t raising their kids right anymore? How would Ward and June Cleaver raise Wally and The Beaver in today’s world? I am sure of one thing; we wouldn’t hear complaints like the one voiced by artist Gene Crippen of Leesburg.

“I hate being interrupted in a conversation, and it seems to be happening more and more,” says Crippen. “For example, someone will ask me, ‘What is the correct tire pressure for my car?’, and all I get out is, ‘Oh, about 30…’ before they interrupt me and go off on some crazy tangent. So I get upset and I say, ‘Were you even raised right?’ And they say,

‘I have this OCD…’ Then I say, ‘No you don’t. You’re just rude and don’t know how to carry on a civilized conversation.’ And that’s what really bothers me.”

And then there are those who never inter-rupt… the politicians we all love to hate… the Frank Underwoods (Kevin Spacey character in Netflix’s House of Cards) who listen politely to every single word we say while looking sincerely and intently into our eyes — all the while inwardly formulating just how much they can get out of us.

“I can’t stand politicians. It seems like they are all the same. Used to be, you could tell a Democrat from a Republican, but today they are just all the same,” says Clermont resident Art Jenkins. “All they are after is our money to line their pockets. I think I’m like most people, I honestly wouldn’t mind paying tax-es… if I thought they were going where they are supposed to go. But all they are doing is paying high salaries and pensions for career politicians. I think we should get rid of them all and start over with some honest people.”

Art, you can only hope Frank doesn’t read this article. If he does, then I definitely see an audit in your future. (No wonder Art de-clined to be photographed…)

And then there’s religion...“What I see is a lot of deep-seated anger from persons who simply feel they have no control over their lives. In relationships one

person might feel the other doesn’t behave exactly the way they feel they should and they experience unrealized expectations. In jobs you might find differences with a boss or in the vision for the company, and a person might feel like someone else is steering the ship. Some persons look closely at world events and feel powerless because they disagree with how politicians are handling certain situations. I see a lot of people who simply feel they have no control and this makes them angry.”

This quote is from a local Catholic priest who asked not to be personally identified. Since he is definitely religious and mentioned poli-tics in his quote, I think I can understand the reluctance. Although I don’t think it’s Frank he’s worried about… I am thinking maybe he’s considering an even Higher Power.

Anger ManagementWe are all walking our own path in life, and it is entirely up to us if the glass is half full or half empty. That perception is vitally important when the path you are taking is being paved.

Scan the code to see what everyone is so mad about. And a full look at March’s

FOCUS TV.

Laura Wright can’t stand inappropriate cell phone usage

March 2015


“I can’t believe all the roadwork that goes on here. I’m originally from Nevada and lived in several other states, and I’ve never seen anything like Florida for roadwork,” says Allison Newkirk. “Friends told me it is because so many people have moved into The Villages, but I saw the same thing in South Florida when I lived there for a while. And it isn’t just for a few months, it’s like the simplest road project lasts for a year or more and some of them two or three years. They put up barrels by the road and don’t even start work on the road for two months. It’s crazy and it drives me crazy.”

Allison certainly must have known that pol-iticians determine which roads are paved… she didn’t just decline a photo, she wouldn’t even disclose which town she lives in… or even near. Sorry Allison, but it’s pretty obvious that the road you live on is under construction.

Sometimes, even when the road is paved, things still don’t go smoothly.

“I get mad every time I have to go shopping because of all the traffic,” says Ellen John-son of Leesburg. “Thirty years ago it wasn’t like this. Now it seems like people are every-where and nobody has any patience. It used to take me thirty minutes to go downtown and buy groceries, but now it takes almost an hour-and-a-half. I’ve only had one acci-

dent in 50 years of driving, but I’ve had a lot of close calls lately from people talking on their phones and not paying attention to their driving.”

Leaving the county highways and jumping onto the information highway, we also had some interesting responses to our Facebook query: What makes you mad?

Christina Hoffman Armstrong wrote, “The fact that our animal shelter is not a no-kill shelter. What a shame the kill rate here is!!” Christina’s sentiments were echoed by Amy Blanchard and she added, “… also that there are SO many people in the area breeding dogs (which adds to the pet overpopulation) when so many are being killed at our shel-ter.”

Lake County residents proved they keep abreast of all going on around them by mentioning such varied problems as mis-used road funds, illegal dog fighting, testing protocols in schools, lack of activities for young people, Lake County’s Animal Control service, corporal punishment in schools, and seeming-ly-errant school bus routes.

Lynn Tacher of Mount Dora wanted some more entertainment

choices downtown: “Would love to see the Princess Theatre reopened in downtown Mount Dora as a cinema/grill so that there would be a movie choice downtown; love to see them [sic] empty storefronts filled with new stores to include a children’s store, men’s clothing store, reasonably priced women’s clothing, or cute shops like special-ty soaps, etc.”

We even have people mad at people being mad. Billy Fussell was seemingly sick and tired of reading all the complaints and want-ed angry citizens to do more than just talk (or type). He says that this makes him an-gry, “The fact that people set [sic] at a desk and type things that make them mad, but I never see them at any city or county meet-ings. Wake up people and get involved!!!!”

To a certain extent it may be true that some county residents are angry over situations they might control with some effort, but if you look around closely you will see count-less Lake Countians out in the community using their dissatisfaction as a catalyst to make a positive difference. Remember, as

Jim Butcher writes — anger isn’t good or bad, it’s what you do with it that matters. Take your anger and channel it into constructive action. Help build a stronger, closer Lake County, a home of which we can all be proud.

March 2015

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The Ultimate O.R. Playlist

Ever wonder what your doctor is listening to when they’re in the operating room? FOCUS asked doctors around Lake County what their favorite tunes and artists are when they’re working. FOCUS presents the Ultimate O.R. playlist. (In some cases doctors have chosen a favorite artist, for the purposes of the article we have chosen a particular song by that artist.)

Physician’s Name: Dr. Dan TranPractice/Facility Name: Lake Surgical AssociatesType of Surgeon/Surgery generally performed: Minimally-Invasive General Surgeon“Go To” Song: Space OddityArtist: David Bowie

Physician’s Name: Dr. Jon RadnothyPractice/Facility Name: Radnothy Perry Orthopaedic CenterType of Surgeon/Surgery generally performed: Orthopaedic Surgeon“Go To” Song: Save me, San FranciscoArtist: Train Physician’s Name: Dr. Donald PerryPractice/Facility Name: Radnothy Perry Orthopaedic CenterType of Surgeon/Surgery generally performed: Orthopaedic Surgeon“Go To” Song: Runnin’ (Dying to Live)Artist: Tupac, Biggie Smalls

Physician’s Name: Dr. Samir GuruPractice/Facility Name: Manoogian Guru Orthopedic CenterType of Surgeon/Surgery generally performed: Orthopedic Surgeon“Go To” Song: Beautiful DayArtist: U2

Physician’s Name: Dr. Steven PillowPractice/Facility Name: Lake Obstetrics and GynecologyType of Surgeon/Surgery generally performed: Obstetrics and

Gynecology“Go To” Song: Smooth OperatorArtist: SadePhysician’s Name: Dr. Felix EsareyPractice/Facility Name: Tri-County PodiatryType of Surgeon/Surgery generally performed: Foot Surgery“Go To” Song: Friends in Low PlacesArtist: Garth Brooks Physician’s Name: Dr. Johnny WuPractice/Facility Name: Tri-County PodiatryType of Surgeon/Surgery generally performed: Foot Surgery“Go To” Song: Bohemian RhapsodyArtist: Queen Physician’s Name: Dr. Daniel

WassellPractice/Facility Name: Tri-County PodiatryType of Surgeon/Surgery generally performed: Foot and Ankle Surgery“Go To” Song: SpacemanArtist: The Killers

Physician’s Name: Dr. Judith MilsteadPractice/Facility Name: Lake ENT & FPSType of Surgeon/Surgery generally performed: Otolaryngology and General Surgery


Behind the Music of Doctors

March 2015


“Go To” Song: We Will Rock YouArtist: QueenPhysician’s Name: Dr. Dwight VaughtPractice/Facility Name: Lake ENT & FPSType of Surgeon/Surgery generally performed: Otolaryngology and General Surgery“Go To” Song: Sounds of SilenceArtist: Simon & Garfunkel

Physician’s Name: Dr. Dino Madonna MilsteadPractice/Facility Name: Lake ENT & FPSType of Surgeon/Surgery generally performed: Facial Plastic Surgery, Otolaryngology“Go To” Song: Time of Our LivesArtist: Pitbull

Physician’s Name: Dr. Michael FreedmanPractice/Facility Name: Lake ENT & FPSType of Surgeon/Surgery generally performed: Otolaryngology and General Surgery“Go To” Song: One for the VineArtist: Genesis

Physician’s Name: Dr. Gary Allen, FACSPractice/Facility Name: Mission Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgeons

Type of Surgeon/Surgery generally performed: Cardiothoracic Surgery /Open Heart“Go To” Song: It’s In The Way That You Use ItArtist: Eric Clapton

Physician’s Name: Dr. Scot HolmanPractice/Facility Name: Lake Eye AssociatesSanta Fe Surgery CenterType of Surgeon/Surgery generally performed: Ophthalmologist“Go To” Song: Love Somebody, Maroon 5Artists: Maroon 5, Bob Marley, Pearl Jam, Led Zeppelin and The Grateful Dead Physician’s Name: Dr. Scott WehrlyPractice/Facility Name: Lake Eye AssociatesSanta Fe Surgery CenterType of Surgeon/Surgery generally performed: Ophthalmologist

“Go To” Song: Viva La Vida, ColdplayArtists: Dave Mathews Band, Goo Goo Dolls, Third Eye Blind, Depeche Mode, John Mayer, Coldplay

Physician’s Name: Dr. Borys A. Mascarenhas, PAPractice/Facility Name: Borys A.

Mascarenhas, MD, PA

Type of Surgeon/Surgery generally performed: General Surgery & Surgical Oncology“Go To” Song: We Are the ChampionsArtist: Queen

Ultimate Inappropriate O.R. Playlist FOCUS’ staff got punchy and came up with these wonderfully innappropriate songs you’d never want to have played if you were in surgery

Paul McCartney Live and Let DieLed Zeppelin Stairway to HeavenPink Floyd Comfortably NumbBryan Adams Cuts Like a KnifeBlue Öyster Cult Don’t Fear the ReaperQueen Another One Bites the DustBerlin Take My Breath AwaySoft Cell Tainted LoveDr. Dre ftr. Eminem I Need a DoctorLeAnn Rimes How Do I Live?Bon Jovi Bad Medicine


INTRODUCED BY MARC ROBERTZ-SCHWARTZ

For all of his connections, connectivi-ty and cash, at this particular moment in time Michael Green was completely helpless. An early morning torrential downpour had brought the city and its early commuters to a crippling halt. The only thing moving with any speed at all was the windshield wipers slapping with a tone and tempo that almost tormented him. As he sat in the back of the black town car, left leg bouncing in frustra-tion, continuously checking his platinum Rolex, he was coming to the realization that he could miss his flight from Newark to Los Angeles. There would be later flights that morning but he knew if he did not land at LAX by 10am, the trip would likely be a very expensive waste.

For the past 17 years, Green had been a wildly successful Wealth Manager. He had climbed the ladder in rather short order as a junior member of Bear Stea-rns until the crash in 2008. By then, he had been intoxicated by the wealth he was achieving both for his clients as well as him-self. Within 18 hours of being escorted out of the building with other stunned co-workers, he was working the phone. He was determined to salvage whatever clients he could and turn their portfolio failures into winners. Green’s swollen ego was direct-ly proportionate to his swollen bank account.

“Sorry, Mr. Green,” said the driv-er. “There may be an accident or lights out up ahead.” Without

any patience for the things out of his control, Green busied himself by scrolling again through the e-fax he received on his phone at 7:58pm the night before. Richard Winston, the first to buy into his post-crash pitch back in ’08, had asked another financial firm to notify Green that he would be moving his accounts from Green’s management. This was not only a significant blow to his ego, but to his livelihood.

Winston, one of the country’s most prominent class action attorneys, had amassed extraordinary wealth fighting for the rights of asbestos workers, smok-ers, and most recently, those bilked by one particular security system company which netted his firm in excess of $400 million. In his early 70’s, Winston was extremely likable, articulate and tem-pered in everything he did. His oppo-nents hated him for his calm, soft-spoken demeanor and were jealous of the rep-utation for generosity he and his wife,

Maxine, had earned in both the professional and local community. Winston realized some time ago that he had more money than he could ever spend and was determined to do good with the excess. He would explain in an inter-view with Bloomberg that the tens of millions he lost during the “crash” propor-tionately paled in compari-son to those who depend-ed on those investments.

Green was driven. If you were a client, you thrived on his drive. He delivered financial results for the multi-multi-mil-lionaire clients he permitted into his portfolio. Even while the economy was recovering, Green found a way for his clients’ wealth to recover at an extraordi-nary pace. His motives were completely selfish – the more money he made for them, the more money he made for him-self. And they were OK with that. The problem was his drive came at a cost. Along the way he managed to alienate nearly everyone in his life who wasn’t a client – family, friends, past business as-sociates, countless girlfriends and three fiancées. However, the night before he learned without warning, that somehow he apparently alienated his most valu-able client. After the initial shock of the e-fax, Green tried numerous times to call Winston with each effort going directly to voicemail. The first messages carried a tone of confusion and concern. By the

eighteenth message, a few choice words found their way onto the recording. Green’s stress level climbed, his anger grew and he began to panic. If Winston would not take his calls, he’d go see him per-sonally. There was no way he was going to lose this client.

*****

With little more to carry on than his laptop briefcase, his traveling music and his phone, Green was still smug with pride as he settled into his first-class seat on the

March 2015


non-stop flight. Just moments ago, he had flashed his American Express Centu-rion card to pay $2845 to the delight of the young, impressionable female tick-et agent. “Same day, round trip?” she asked. He smiled and nodded. Green enjoyed these moments. It justified both his status and his appeal.

A man in his 50s wearing a sports coat, jeans and an Oxford shirt tapped him on the shoulder. “Sorry, man. I’m the window.” Green stood up, allowing his row-mate to take his window seat. Early in his career, Green would masterfully maximize the opportunity associated with nearly a seven hour flight to get to know the person sitting next to him. His list of clients included eight of those whom he had initially met on a similar flight and mesmerized them with his confidence, ability and success to create wealth for his clients. But at this point in his life, he had no use for idol chat with strangers. He would don his noise-cancelling head-sets as soon as he could to discourage in-flight conversation.

*****

Green’s rented Mercedes convertible blend-ed in perfectly as he drove through Win-ston’s exclusive Bel Air neighborhood. As he parked the car at the top of the circular drive under the portico, he marveled at the Winston’s home and wondered what part he had helped contribute to.

He rang the doorbell whose chime was as

understated as Winston himself. Maxine opened the door with a look of surprise.

“Michael. What are you doing here?” “I think you know, Mrs. Winston.“

Having signed more than a dozen docu-ments, transferring management of their investments to the new wealth manager, she did know. But Maxine certainly did not expect Green to be standing at her front door.

“Is Richard home, please?”

“I’m afraid he’s not, Michael. I’m not sure when he’ll be home.”

Green was skeptical but couldn’t imagine that Winston was hiding behind the door like a school boy who didn’t want to go out to play street hockey with the other kids. “I tried calling him several times since last night. They all went to voice-mail. Do you know if he received my calls?”

“I’m not sure,” she answered. “He’s been very distracted the past day or two. One of his weight loss class action clients passed away very unexpectedly. He’s spent most of his time with her family preparing for today’s funeral.”

“Where’s the funeral?” he asked.

“Oh, Michael, I’m not sure that would be a good idea. You’re upset and probably tired from the early flight.” she said in a soothing voice.He took her attempt as condescending but the fact was, she was right – he was both upset and tired. Add to that, determined to turn his situation around. “Maxine, please.”

She invited him to stay or to leave her information as to where he was staying but would not give up the information he wanted. Green thanked her, shook her hand, asked that she let Winston know he was in town and available by cell and began to walk back to his car.

He turned. “Was it the Barnes girl?” he asked.

“No,” she replied. “Jackie Goldberg. Such a sweet, sweet young lady. Her heart just gave out.”

Green jumped into the car, drove down to the end of the driveway, stopped and began to Google on his phone. He had pulled the name Barnes out of thin air (actually, it was the name of the tick-et agent at the airport) but knew if he could get the deceased’s name, he could search for an obituary or other clue as to where her funeral was being held. Within moments he found what he need-ed – a funeral announcement for Jacque-line Goldberg at Beth Chayim Synagogue at 10am. It was already underway and with any luck, for Green, coming to a close by the time the GPS got him there.

Look for the continuing story of Michael Green in next month’s edition of FOCUS. If you are interested in contributing to the story as a writer please contact [email protected].

...at this point in his life, he had no use for idol chat with strangers. He would don his noise-cancelling headsets as soon as he

could to discourage in-flight conversation.


FOCUS: We appreciate your spending some time with us. Just a few weeks ago, early January, you announced to the trustees that you were going to be retiring after just over 12 years. Why now? What prompted that de-cision?

Dr. Mojock: Well, it’s actually a decision I made five years ago. As you know, the state of Flori-da has what’s called the Drop or Deferred Retirement program. And so you take that option and then you have five years before you have to actually retire. So I will be turning 62 in January 2016 and have to be done by then.

FOCUS: Let’s go back in time. It was in 2002 when you first came to the area. Give us a lay of the land. Where did you come from and what prompted you coming here?

Dr. Mojock: I had been at Daytona Beach, which was then Daytona Beach Community College, now Daytona State College, for 23 years. And I was a Senior V.P. there, had moved up from faculty over the years and had great opportunities, and in some ways thought would stay there. My wife loved living in the same house, same neighbor-hood all that time. So the idea of moving was not something we thought about. But when this position came open, I was in-trigued. I came over, visited the community and was really impressed with this com-munity and with the regard that they held for Lake-Sumter Community College at that time, and how much they supported the college. It had a great academic reputa-tion. So I thought it was something I could contribute to.

FOCUS: The campus and the community were both very different when you came out here. If you were to put a side by side,

then and now picture in your mind, what stands out to you as to when you first got here versus where we are now?

Dr. Mojock: I think the big things are enrollment. We had tremendous enroll-ment growth, especially during the time of the recession, increasing very rapidly, and we’ve kind of plateaued now. But so over a hundred percent, yeah, doubling of our enrollment from 2002 to 2012, when we had our peak. The use of technology, much more prevalent. We actually didn’t have any online classes when I got here. And the need for maintaining currency in technology, both in the classroom as well as with our online students is a big part of it, and that’s a big expense. FOCUS: The flip side to the question now, your greatest accomplishment. You can’t do what you’ve done for almost 13 years now without stepping on a few landmines along the way. What regrets do you have? What didn’t go the way you wanted it to, if you could turn back time you’d change?

Dr. Mojock: I think one of the biggest re-grets I have is we came very close to being able to build a performing arts center on this campus. We had a group of very ded-icated local citizens who were helping with a capital campaign. We actually got a $14

million appropriation from the legislature. For some reason, the governor vetoed it. I never quite understood what happened. It was very unfortu-nate. But that kind of took the wind out of our sails and we were not able to sustain just doing it on a private individual effort.

FOCUS: Is there a situation that occurred, for instance, the issue that came up with dual enrollment and the college was blamed for that situation. Fair or not fair?

Dr. Mojock: I don’t think we were to blame, but I can understand why the schools felt like they got left holding the bag. In the past, the state used to provide additional funding for dual enrollment, because dual enrollment students don’t pay any tuition. So they would actually give us 25 percent more in funding to make up some of that lost tuition. Over the years, that went away, but the cost of educating those students didn’t go away. And so as the program was growing, we were really strapped and said we just can’t sustain offering these classes without some help.

Dr. Chuck Mojock RetiringDr. Chuck Mojock, President of Lake-Sumter State College, is retiring at the end of this year. In a joint multimedia interview with LSTV’s Profiles and FOCUS, we asked Dr. Mojock about his 40 year career and impact at LSSC. First some disclaimers; FOCUS and Profiles are produced by Red Apples Media which also produces programming for LSTV and has a vendor relationship with the college. However, we did not provide any questions in advance to Dr. Mojock, nor did the college direct the idea of doing this interview. This exclusive interview is an excerpt from a 30-minute program appearing on LSTV’s Profiles.

Watch Profiles on LSTV – Comcast 13, Brighthouse 498

and Florida Cable 4

Scan the code to see the entire 30 minute

exclusive Profiles interview with

Dr. Mojock.

March 2015

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MARCH 12, 13, 14

On a Saturday evening my compadre and I visited Fiesta Grande, a Mexican Restaurant at 421 Baker Street, in Mount Dora. We were greeted by the hostess and told her we were not in a hurry and preferred to sit in the bar area and have a cocktail before dinner. When we were seated the cocktail waitress brought us chips and salsa; and also had the ran-chero cheese melted with jalapenos for dipping sauce with the chips. We ordered two margaritas and to my surprise, they were humongous. She told us they have a happy hour every day until 7 pm and that was why they were so large. They were two in one, meaning a double served in a large glass. We finished our drinks and told her we were ready to be seated. I recommend you arrive prior to 5:30 pm as the wait for a table began

about that time. While dining I noticed about 20 people waiting and there is no seating outside while you’re waiting.

After being seated, the waitress was at our booth immediately asking if we would like to order or would we like some time to look at the menu. She was very kind and courteous.

My compadre ordered the fajitas tex-anas, which consisted of steak, chicken and shrimp, cooked on the grill with onions and peppers. I had the enchiladas deluxe consisting of a chicken and a beef enchilada. Our dinners came as expect-ed, with the usual accompaniments such as rice, refried beans, plus salad with lettuce and tomatoes, salsa and sour cream. Their tortillas were notably good, with a soft texture and not too doughy.

I also ordered a side of molé sauce which is made from molé chilis and peanut butter. Both of our dinners were excellent. I must say the portion and the quality was excellent. It included about eight large 21-25 count shrimp alongside

the beef and chick-en. For dessert, we split an order of flan which was good but not as creamy and silky as I’m used to. Also, I could have used more of the caramel sauce.

In closing, the restrooms were clean but need to be enlarged. Only one person at a time. The ambience was cheerful, fun and noisy, thanks to happy hour. They are open for lunch daily. The prices were more than reasonable, service was good and it rates another trip, as I really en-joyed it. A fun time can be had at Fiesta Grande because they made us feel more as though we were part of the family. I enjoy a place that is lively and friendly.

Anonymous Foodie

Real critiques of your favorite Lake County restaurants? FOCUS sends an anonymous foodie to review them each month and then gives the local owner a chance to answer the good and not-as-positive experiences we’ve had in the restaurant. Enjoy and bon appétit.

Fiesta Grande has been in business for more than eight years. We want to offer to our customers authentic Mexican food with the quality they deserve. We make everything from scratch with our family recipes.

We want people to come and enjoy a good hot meal along with a good drink and not overpay for it. Service is very important to us so we want to give them the best service possible.

We are located at 421 N. Baker St. in downtown Mount Dora, and because it is an historic area, we are not allowed to make major reno-vations in the building. So we are very sorry for the inconvenient size of our restrooms.

We invite you to come try our food and take advantage of our happy hour, everyday from 2 to 7.


Response: Have Yourself A Fiesta!Fiesta Nachosserved with your choice of steak or chicken fajita meat and black beans topped with tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream & jala-peños.

Fiesta Grande

March 2015

Neuzil Knows Nasal InnovationFor years, Lady Lake nurse practitioner Ed Neuzil wanted to help his patients and families who suffered from Central Florida’s ex-tended allergy season; but available remedies either did not work or people didn’t want to use them.

Medical practitioners agree that avoiding triggers that cause snif-fles, sneezing, and itchy nasal passages is most effective. But when you’re enjoying the warm, sunny climate, it’s nearly impossi-ble to not breathe in pollen, dust, and other pollutants.

“Nasal irrigation, or cleansing sinuses, is a long practiced remedy but the idea of streaming saline water through your nose is not appealing to many,” said Neuzil, PhD, MSN, ARNP, FAANP and own-er of the Allergy, Sinus and Asthma Family Health Center. “I urged my patients and families to use an over the counter sinus rinse but they refused. They said it was gross or inconvenient.”

Determined to help, Neuzil developed an easy-to-use, non-medi-cated yet effective nasal spray that does the same thing as a sinus rinse without a mess or discomfort. The spray is saline-based with essential oils which have natural moisturizing and soothing proper-ties.

First distributed to patients in his practice, the spray was a hit!

“They loved it! In fact, some patients said it was the only thing that helped them breathe normally again,” said Neuzil who decid-ed to take his product to market. Its retail debut was at the 2010 Leesburg Bike Fest. Making 2015 the five year anniversary of its introduction.

“We figured we’d be talking to consumers who know a lot about ir-

On Innovationritation caused by inhaling pollutants. It was well-received by the bikers,” said Neuzil.

Dr. Neuzil’s Irrigator nasal cleansing spray is sold in natu-ral product and health food stores across the U.S. and in Puerto Rico, as well as online.

Neuzil says he’s not done innovating. He’s planning ways to diversify the formula in order to reach a greater audi-ence.

“We’ve had good user feedback which identified several applications for the formula that we never even consid-ered,” said Neuzil. “I’m excited about the potential to im-prove the quality of life for more people by expanding our product line.”

Learn more and find local and national retailers at IrrigatorNasalSpray.com


United Southern Bank appoints Andrews to board of directors

EUSTIS – The board of directors of United Southern Bank recently appointed Mac Andrews to serve as its newest director.

Andrews is a certified public accountant and the pres-ident of Andrews & Miller PA, a Leesburg-based ac-counting firm he founded in 1983. He is a board direc-tor of the Leesburg Regional Medical Center Foundation and of the Lake-Sumter State College Foundation, and also serves on the leadership board of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes of Lake County. Previously, he served as a board director at Barnett Bank of Lake County and at Nations Bank of Central Florida.

A resident of Lake County since 1979, Andrews has more than 35 years of experience in helping local busi-nesses and organizations achieve their financial goals.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Mac to our board,” said United Southern Bank President and CEO Greg Nelson.

Born and raised in Ocala, Andrews is a graduate of East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee. He and his wife, Becky, live in Leesburg and are mem-bers of New Life Presbyterian Church in Fruitland Park.

March 2015


BY NANCI SCHWARTZ

Want to know the recipe for success? Ask Andrew O’Keefe, owner of O’Keefe’s Irish Pub & Restaurant in Tavares, and he’ll tell you it requires “hard work.”

While not a unique answer, O’Keefe ben-efits from a work ethic that was inher-ited from his father and one that is in the blood of all eight of his brothers and sisters.

O’Keefe, a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute who studied classical French cuisine and pastry arts, combined his love of cooking with his father’s profes-sional hospitality experience to create a lo-cal eatery that has a huge following inside and outside of Lake County.

In 1984, Frank O’Keefe purchased the former post office overlooking Lake Dora and opened the Town Tavern. The elder O’Keefe had retired from Pennsylvania after a longtime career in hotel manage-ment. He and his wife Marcia settled in Cl-ermont with their children not yet grown. The new opportunity was theirs to run with because there were no other eateries nearby for competition.

Wanting to be close to his family, An-drew O’Keefe left a pastry chef position in Chicago to join his dad’s venture and further develop the restaurant side of the business. Three years later, they became partners and ultimately settled on an Irish pub theme branded with the family name.

“It was a great idea. There were no other Irish pubs around, even in Orlando,” said

Andrew O’Keefe of the restaurant entering its 31st year.

It truly became a family business. “All of my brothers and sisters worked in the restaurant at one time or another. They’ve washed dishes, cooked, and tended bar,” said O’Keefe. “My wife does the office work and tends bar on Sundays. Even my sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law have worked here.” Younger brother Terrence has tended bar on and off for 29 years.

With their father as an example, Andrew says each younger O’Keefe is determined to be in management positions in his or her respective career, “We all want to be the boss,” he smiled.

O’Keefe says his father, who passed away 14 years ago, also instilled a sense of civic mindedness.

“Every business has a re-sponsibility to be involved and to give back to help navigate the community toward a positive direc-tion,” said O’Keefe who has served in the chamber, on downtown redevelopment boards and has supported local charities.

He cites the new restau-rants, hotels and other businesses spawned by Tavares’ recent revival as an example of the positive impact the local business

community can have on a city.

The family business enjoys success year round but one particular annual celebration high-light’s the O’Keefe’s legacy – St. Patrick’s Day.

“It’s our busiest day of the year. We close the streets, bring in live bands and people come from everywhere,” said O’Keefe who expects to serve 1,000 meals this year (mostly corned beef and cabbage). “Our motto for the day is ‘grab on, hold on tight.’”

Branching Out with the O’Keefes

LegaciesLake’sO’Keefe’s circa 1984 (Top)Andrew O’Keefe as a boy (Right)

315-481-4298 Follow on FB –Mark Zinkiewicz

UPCOMING SHOWS Mar 1 Flagler Tavern 5-8 Mar 4 Maggie’s Attic 7-10 Mar 5 Mark Z & Friends ALS Flight Deck 7-11 Mar 6 The Grille at Riverview 7-10 Mar 7 1884 with Larry Z 8-12 Mar 8 ALS Landing with Jeff Whitfield 1-5 Mar 12 Down the Hatch with Jeff Whitfield 1-5 Mar 13 Merrill’s Market 7-11 Mar 14 Down the Hatch 1-5 Mar 15 Flagler Tavern 5-8 Mar 17 Clancy’s Cantina with Larry Z 7-10 Mar 18 Ruby Street Grille w/ Jeff Whitfield 7-11 Mar 19 Mark Z & Friends ALS Flight Deck 7-11 Mar 20 1884 with Jeff Whitfield 8-12 Mar 21 ALS Sand Bar 1-5 Mar 25 ALS Landing 5:30-:9:30 Mar 26 Mark Z & Friends ALS Flight Deck 7-11 March 27 Clancy’s Cantina 7-10 March 28 Down the Hatch 1-5

March 2015


BY AMY PAINTER

The Leesburg Art Festival has a 38 year history of bringing artists, mu-sicians, actors and dancers together from all over the country to cele-brate the culture that makes the Lake County community unique.

As the white tents pop up all over Historic Downtown Leesburg, the ex-citement of spring brings an opportunity for artists and appreciative au-diences to come together each year in an atmosphere unlike any other. This year’s festival, planned for Saturday, March 14 and Sunday, March 15, will be an exciting opportunity for families to come and spend the

day together, with no admis-sion fee. The Student Art Exhibit will be featured in the gallery at the Leesburg Cen-

ter for the Arts at the corner of 5th and Magnolia Streets and the Leesburg Art Associ-ation Spring Show at South-ern Gardens Galleria.

On the east end of Main Street, the Adult Storytell-ers and Local Author Book Signings at the 2nd Annual

Literary Arts Festival will be hosted by the Leesburg Public Library along with the Riverwind Flute Circle. Vis-it one of the Gourmet Food Trucks, meet some Emerging Artists, and participate in a “Walk with the Expert” while you are here.

The artists you’ll find up and down Main Street are among

the best in the country. You will certainly be moved by their art-work, and you will have the opportunity to make their art a part of your life by purchasing something you can enjoy for a lifetime.

As you walk the streets of downtown Leesburg during the weekend of the festival you will see a fantastic mix of cultures and methods of ex-pression. Leesburg is a living, breathing, thriving destination for visitors with so much to offer.

The Arts

March 2015

On


IN FOCUSROTARY CHILI COOK-OFF & GARDEN SHOW

PHOTOS BY SYLVIA DUCOTE

The Rotary Club of the Villages hosted its 18th annual chili cook-off and 4th annual home and garden show. Estimated attendance was 25,000 people with over $95,000 raised and donated to the Rotary Club of the Villages Foundation.

The Foundation and the club donate money to local and interna-tional projects. Local organizations supported by Rotary include Lake and Sumter County schools, via scholarships; Dr. Seuss Day, and back-to-school lunches or breakfasts for teachers.

Other local projects include Project SOS - Support Our Soldiers, Boys and Girls Clubs of Lake and Sumter Counties, Combat Veter-ans to Careers, and Aquaponics. International programs include the Cleft Pallet program in Mexico and ShelterBox.

March 2015

One in three teens experiences some sort of relationship abuse and yet two-thirds of them never report it.

Altrusa International of Lake County, Inc., Lake Sumter State College (LSSC) and LifeStream Behavioral Center have teamed up to help local young adults learn to have safe and healthy relationships.

Recently, the group shared materials and local resources with students at LSSC and more programs are planned for the future.

focuslakecounty.com 27

RAISING AWARENESS

Karen Rogers, LifeStream Director of Adult Clinical Services and a member of Altrusa of Lake County (left) shares information about teen dating awareness with LSSC students.

March 2015


PHOTOS BY ANTHONY RAO

It’s time for Southeastern Guide Dogs’ annual Walkathon in The Villages. Southeastern Guide Dogs’ biggest fundraiser of the year provides a chance

for friends, families, and the whole community to help provide world-class guide dogs to the visually impaired. This year’s tail-wagging Walkathon, presented by Publix, is at The Polo Club on March 7th at 9:30am, and you and your dog are invited! Make a difference for

someone’s independence, and enjoy a fun-filled, dog-friendly morning. Visit GuideDogsWalkathon.org today to sign up, create a team, raise funds, and get ready to walk the dog!

This event (pictures below) at Seabreeze Recreation Center in The Villages on January 10 kicked off the drive for awareness and this year’s Walkathon.

IN FOCUSSOUTHEASTERN GUIDE DOGS

March 2015


IN FOCUSLEESBURG MARDI GRAS

PHOTOS BY JAN WIDEMAN

Thousands amassed in the streets of Leesburg on Saturday, February 7 to celebrate 12 hours of family-friendly madness at the 18th Annual Leesburg “Mardi Gras Party In The Street.” The weather cooperated beautifully, producing plentiful smiles for those

in attendance at an event filled with kaleidoscopically-colored outfits, captivating street performers, food and merchandise vendors, concerts and parades.

Third place for the best float went to “The Brews Krewe,” presented by Brews in the Hood; Second Place went to the “D-Cup Krewe,” presented by Lake Imaging; and First Place was taken

by the Cub Scouts - Pack 244. The Parade featured this year’s King Rex and Queen Divine, Rick Yokuty and Jayme Jo Johnson.

The Leesburg Mardi Gras is a fundraising endeavor for the Leesburg Partnership, a non-profit organization which promotes the city and provides free events all year to residents and visitors.

March 2015


On Events NO FOOD TRUCK N FLICK NIGHT IN MARCH

March 14 & 15, 10 AM - 5 PM38th Annual Leesburg Fine Art Festival Historic Downtown Leesburgwww.LeesburgArtfestival.com

March 21, 5 - 10 PMDowntown Leesburg BBQ~Blues & Brew www.LeesburgDowntown.com

All March“Softball Event of the Year” The Spring GamesLegends Way Ballfields @ NTC, Cler-montPFXAthletics.com

March 13-15, 11 AM – 6:00 PMPIG ON THE POND! Clermont Waterfront Park, ClermontPigOnThePond.org

March 14, 8 AM – 9 PMRib Run for Education 5K Run/Walk Clermont Waterfront Park, Clermont

March 21, 7:15 AM31st Annual Florida Challenge TriathlonClermont Waterfront Park, ClermontSommerSports.com

March 21, 7 AM Gates OpenEquestrian Poker RideLake Louisa State Park, Clermontllsp.org

March 22, 7:30 AM32nd Annual Great Clermont Triathlon Festival Clermont Waterfront Park, ClermontSommerSports.com

March 7 & 8, 2 PMLSSC Performing Arts Series: Swingtime with the Jive Aces and Tinseltown Jitter-bugs Lake-Sumter State College, Paul P. Wil-liams Fine Arts Auditorium, Leesburg

March 6, 7, & 8, 13, 14, & 15, 20, 21, & 22, 8 - 10 PMThe Music Man Melon Patch Theatre, Leesburg

March 11, 9 – 11 AMWho Lays Eggs PEAR Park Wildlife Conservation Area, Leesburg

March 28, 11:30 AM - 3:30 PMVeterans Tribute Rural King, Leesburg

March 5, 7:30 - 9:30 PMRic Mac & The Wind Jammers Band WindHorse Theater, Eustis

March 6-8, 8 AM - 6 PMVintage Motorcycle Alliance swap meet and bike show Lake County Fairgrounds, Eustis

March 12, 5:30 - 9 PMLake Eustis Museum of Art 10th Annual Wine A Fare Lake Eustis Museum of Art, Eustis

March 14, All DayAnnual MC Midwinter Regatta Lake Eustis Sailing Club, Eustis

March 1, 7 AM5th Annual Orange Blossom Half Mara-thon & 5K Wooton Park, TavaresSommerSports.com March 13 & 14Central Florida Dragon Boat Festival, Wooton Park, TavaresFriday, March 13, 5 PM Waken the Dragon Ceremony, Entertain-ment & food vendors – Free AdmissionSaturday, March 14, 9 AM - 5 PM Dragon Boat Racing, Entertainment, food, award ceremony – Entry Fee Re-quired

March 21 & 22, 9 AM - 5 PM Tavares Spring Thunder RegattaWooton Park, Tavares

March 2015


March 22, 9 AM Mustang Car ShowWooton Park, Tavares March 27 & 29 Sunnyland Antique Boat Festival, Wooton Park, TavaresFriday, March 27 & Saturday March 28, 9 AM - 5 PMSunday, March 29, 9 AM - noon

March 7, 7 - 9 PMBest of Broadway - The Music of Andrew Lloyd Weber Mount Dora Community Building, Mount Dora

March 8, 8 AM - 2 PMGuitars and Cars Renninger’s Antique Center, Mount Dora

March 12, 5:30 - 6:30 PMFLSO Concert Prelude Talk W. T. Bland Public Library, Mount Dora

March 13, 6:30 - 8:30 PM Authors’ Reception W. T. Bland Public Library, Mount Dora March 13, 7 PM3rd Annual “A Night for the Irish”Mt. Dora Community Building TheatreMountDoraEvents.com

March 14, 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Crossing Genres W. T. Bland Public Library, Mount Dora

March 14, 2:30 - 4 PM Emerging Writers with Caighlan Smith W. T. Bland Public Library, Mount Dora

March 14 & 15, 9 AM - 5 PMFlorida Antique Military Extravaganza Renninger’s Antique Center, Mount Dora

March 14, 10 - 11 AMThe Elements of Characterization W. T. Bland Public Library, Mount Dora

March 14, 1 - 2 PMWriting Action: Fight and Love Scenes W. T. Bland Public Library, Mount Dora

March 15, 3 - 4 PMGuy Saint-Clair Young Artist Concerto Competition Congregational Church of Mount Dora, Mount Dora

March 19, 7:30 - 9 PM Romantic Piano at the Symphony St. Patrick Church in Mount Dora, Mount Dora

March 20, 21, & 22, 26, 27, 28 & 29 7:30 - 10 PMHank Williams: Lost Highway The IceHouse Theatre, Mount Dora March 21, 7 PMUS2 - The Alan Darcy & Petrina ShowA Night of “Saxy” Fun & ComedyMount Dora Community Building TheatreMountDoraLive.com

March 28 & 29, 9 AM - 5 PMMount Dora Spring Collectibles & Crafts ShowDowntown Mount Dora sale. MountDoraSpringShow.com

March 28, 7 - 9 PM “It Was a Very Good Year” A Tribute to Frank SinatraMount Dora Community Building TheatreMountDoraLive.com

March 7, 10 AM - 3 PMNo Duck Left Behind, Rubber Ducky Race & CarnivalWooton Park Tavares, FLEdFoundationLake.com March 18, 7 PMRookie Teacher of the YearLSSC Leesburg, FL$10 tickets can be reserved at 352-326-1265

Feb. 26 – March 8Florida Strawberry FestivalPlant City, FLFLStrawberryFestival.com

March 2, 4 - 5 PMDr. Seuss Birthday Party Minneola Schoolhouse Library, Minneola

March 5, 1 - 2 PMScratch the Surface Home School Book Club East Lake County Library, Sorrento

March 7, 10:30 AMRemy Time Autism Storytime East Lake County Library, Sorrento

March 12, 8 - 10:30 AMCaighlan Smith Student Event Spring Creek Charter School, Paisley

March 12, 4:30 - 6 PMDreams & Nightmares, A Pajama Party Minneola Schoolhouse Library, Minneola

March 13, 2:30 - 3:30 PMKaren Chance and C.L. Wilson Lady Lake Public Library, Lady Lake

March 15, 9 AM - 1 PMDouble Run Paddling Adventure Astatula Boat Ramp, Astatula

March 17, 6:30 PMRemy Time Autism Story Time East Lake County Library, Sorrento

March 19, 1 - 2 PMScratch the Surface Home School Book Club East Lake County Library, Sorrento

March 21, 7:30 - 11 AMQuarterly Bird & Butterfly Survey The Pasture Reserve, Groveland

March 22, 9 - 11 AMWorld Water Hike Day Pasture Reserve, Groveland

Go to FocusLakeCounty.com and Like the FOCUS Lake County Facebook page to find more events information.

March 2015


Budget workshop regarding millag-es and revenues was held Feb. 10

TAVARES – The Lake County Board of County Commissioners will be holding budget workshops over the next several months regarding Libraries, Solid Waste Operations, Public Works Operations, Stormwater, Human Services, Economic Development, Inmate Medical, Parks, Fire, Fleet, Information Technology, Facilities, Public Transit, Sales Tax and Non-Departmental Funding Allocations. As these workshops are scheduled, they will appear on the Lake County Board of County Commissioners Commission meeting agendas.

On Tuesday, Feb. 10 The Lake County Board of County Commissioners heard a presentation on Millages and Revenues. Notable dates in 2015 involving the bud-get and TRIM (Truth in Millage) notices are as follows:

June 1 – Constitutional budgets due. Preliminary property value numbers are reported

June 23 – Budget workshop: Budget Summary, Property Values, & Constitu-tional Budgets

July 1 - Property Appraiser’s office certi-fies Taxable Value

July 21 – Adoption of Millage for TRIM notices

Aug. 4 – The Board of County Commis-sioners advises the Property Appraiser of proposed millage

Aug. 24 - Property Appraiser mails TRIM notices of proposed property taxes

Sept. 8 - The Board of County Commis-sioners holds first Public Hearing on the budget and millage, which was noticed on TRIM

Sept. 22 - The Board of County Commis-sioners holds the Final Public Hearing to adopt the millage and budget. Hearing cannot be held sooner than two days nor later than five days after it is advertised in the newspaper.

*Additional workshops may be scheduled between March and June. Some dates subject to change.*

The Board of County Commissioners meetings will stream live at LakeCountyFL.gov. Budget documents will be made available online at LakeCountyFL.gov/Departments/Fiscal_and_Administrative_Services/Budget/

On Community

NEW Vision 5KLake Eye is sponsoring New Vi-sion’s 5K on March 28th around LSSC Silver Lake. There is also a 1/2 mile blindfolded sensory walk!

If you need to get off your couch or are planning on doing the Amazing Race (which New Vision is a part of) then sign up! There are groups too if your team wants to join. All proceeds go to New Vision. The registration fee is waived if you recruit other registrants. RunSignup.com/Race/FL/Lees-burg/EyeRunforNewVision

On February 4th, Governor Rick Scott announced 18 reappointments to College District Board of Trustees across the state. Among them, three Lake-Sumter State College board members: Raymond “Scott” Blankenship, Emily Lee and Kelly Rice. Scott Blankenship, of Clermont, is the president of Blankenship Consulting and has served on the LSSC District Board of Trustees since 2009. Emily Lee, of Eustis, is a community facilitator for Kids Central Inc. and has served on the LSSC District Board of Trustees since 2011. Kelly Rice, of Webster, is the owner of Century 21 Prime Property Resources Inc. and has served on the LSSC District Board of Trustees since 2011. The new term for Scott Blankenship, Emily Lee and Kelly Rice will end on May 31, 2018.

Governor Confirms Trustees

March 2015


Living.Learning.

Local.

Honesty Above All Else

A recent US census report shows that seniors (65 +) make up almost 14% of the total population and that number is steadily growing. As the senior population grows thanks to advances in medicine and technology, the need for long-term care also increases along with the expense of that care. Today many active seniors are rejecting the idea of the “retirement home” in favor of staying in their own house. While full time care facilities are important for those who need around the clock care, studies have shown that people thrive in familiar surroundings.

Mobility, trip and fall hazards, and accessibility are among the key concerns we have as we age. The house that you easily maneuvered through in your 30s can become less friendly later in life. Issues with things like depth perception, lighting, balance, and weakened grip due to arthritis are very common as we get older. A few simple changes around the home can make a big difference in our safety and mobility as we age.

#1 – Grab bars. You cannot have too many grab bars. It is better to have one and never need it than wishing one was there as you fall to the floor. Grab bars have come a long way from the industrial looking rails that we see in public restrooms and facilities. Newer designer styles allow us to integrate the balance bar into the décor of the room.

#2 – Lighting. As we age, we find more light is more comfortable for reading as well as seeing our way though the dark. However, it’s not just the brightness of the light; it is also the color spectrum that we see. For example, an LED light tends to be “whiter” than an incandescent light. The same amount of lumens (measure of light) in an LED actually looks brighter than an “old-fashioned” light bulb. Fortunately, the prices of the LED bulbs have dropped dramatically over the past few years. Also, the LEDs last much, much longer and use a lot less energy – win/win.

#3 – Doors. It is always a pleasure to know that the latest in style is also the most practical. Doorknobs – that is the round ones – can be difficult to grasp and turn. A stylish lever handle not only looks nice but is much easier to operate. #4 – Flooring. Many times we trip and fall for no apparent reason. Then we look back and find a threshold is loose or an

area rug was not down flat. If using a walker or other walking assistant, smooth floors such as laminate, wood or vinyl are the safest options. Some people prefer carpeting because it feels warmer and quieter. If you must have carpeting, good maintenance is required. Be sure that it is tight to the floor and replace it (preferably with a low-nap style) when it begins to wear and stretch.

These are just a few simple things to consider for making your house safer and more accessible. The National Home Builders Association has developed a certification program for Aging in Place – A Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) can offer advice and provide information and resources for modifying your home to make it safe as you grow older. Contact a CAPS specialist for consultation on making your house a home for a lifetime.

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March 2015


On Better LivingWhat does the liver have to do with you being angry? In Traditional Chinese and Western medicine excessive anger and resentment are sometimes linked with liver problems. Supporting the liver can ease irritable and angry feelings. Letting go of anger and resentment through forgiveness can also help the liver to be healthy.

Your liver has to perform over 500 func-tions every single day. It is the largest and most metabolically-complex organ in your body. Most people associate liver problems with drinking, and while this can be a factor, it’s certainly not the only thing we have to consider. It serves as a warehouse for nutrients, it functions as a quality control center for digestion, it detoxifies your body of chemicals, acts as a secondary line of immune defense to protect the body from infection, it makes lipoproteins (cholesterol) to transport fats through the body (LDL takes fats to the tissues and HDL brings fats back to the liver) and it plays a critical role in main-taining blood sugar levels. Almost every-thing you eat or drink and the prescrip-tions and supplements you take have to be processed through the liver.

According to the American Cancer Soci-ety, prior to the 20th century, only 1 out of 8,000 Americans got cancer. Since World War II, we have developed more than 80,000 chemicals. Now, 1 out of 3 people get cancer and cancer is also the leading cause of death between 45 and 75. Eighty percent of people’s exposure to chemicals occurs in the home. EPA reports that cleaning products common-ly found in the home are 3 times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air pollution. Other harmful influences that you should avoid include alcohol, drugs, food additives (read your labels), pesti-cides and other agricultural chemicals, petrochemicals (gasoline, solvents), to-bacco products and chemicals in general. If your job requires you to work around any of these items, you may want to

take some step to cleanse and/or nourish your liver.

There are hepatoprotective sup-plements and herbs that help cleanse and/or nourish your liver. But as we recently have read (recent New York Attorney Gen-eral’s report), not all sup-plements are creat-ed equal and some may not in-clude any of the product that is on the label. Because almost everything you take is processed through the liver, when you add supplements to your daily routine, you need to work with an herbalist that can tell you about the com-pany that produces their products and you need to do your own research. If you are taking a product that includes pesticides and other chemicals, they can be detrimental to your liver.

Make sure that any herb-al products you purchase are subjected to rigorous testing to ensure quality and efficacy (including DNA testing). Stop by to see me for a free consulta-tion at the Leesburg Herb Shoppe.

New Owners. New Attitude. New Opportunities.

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Are You Crabby? Listen to Your Liver

Darla Miller is the owner of the Leesburg Herb Shoppe

March 2015

46, 40 and 33. Why are these numbers significant? Because they represent the median age of Lake County residents ver-sus the State and Orange County, respec-tively. With only 15% of the total Lake County population between the ages of 20 and 35, the demographic stats are clear that Lake County needs an influx of young families and professionals to provide a boost to our economy. As discussed in my last article, Lake County’s economic future will be heavily tied not just to our success with job creation, but also to our ability to create high-wage, high-value jobs in indus-tries that will excite our youth and entice them to stay home.

Fortunately, there are multiple econom-ic trends suggesting that Lake County is heading in the right direction. First, Lake County is a part of the Orlando MSA, which was the first market in Florida to recover all of the jobs it lost during the recession. The Orlando MSA’s job growth in 2014 was second only to Houston among large metro areas in the nation. Further, the State of Florida’s post-recession rebound has sur-passed the U.S. average in both pace of job creation and economic growth. Simply put, Lake County lies within one of the fastest growing, strongest economic regions of a state that is experiencing one of the most robust economic recoveries in the nation, and we are well positioned, both geograph-ically and economically, to absorb a signif-icant portion of the region’s job growth as the recovery continues.

Growth pressures are extending out of Orange and Seminole Counties into Lake County, and these growth pressures will bring higher paying jobs in more attrac-tive, high value industries. Lake Coun-ty’s historical positioning as a bedroom community, a market heavily character-ized by retail and housing, will have the potential to expand and diversify as the regional economy improves. One major key to realizing this potential is to ensure that Lake County has the appropriate in-frastructure and available inventory (both vacant land and buildings) to absorb the type of economic growth we are seeking.

The good news is that Lake County’s infrastructure will soon be experiencing significant improvements and a number of strategic corridors are primed to cap-ture future growth. The Wekiva Park-way, which is currently under construc-tion and scheduled to open in 2020, will provide significant and unprecedented access to both Sanford/Lake Mary to the East and Apopka/Winter Garden to the South. In South Lake County, the fully-funded Minneola Interchange will open up roughly 4,000 acres of entitled mixed-use property in a loca-tion that is less than 30 minutes from downtown Orlando and the Orlando International Airport.

These two major trans-portation infrastructure projects will complement an array of strategical-ly important economic corridors, including the 16,000 acre Wellness Way Sector Plan in South Lake County, the Wolf Branch Innovation Dis-trict encompassing 1,200 acres in Mount Dora and

the 3,000 acre 470 Commerce Center in Leesburg. Together these infrastruc-ture projects and strategic corridors are primed to absorb millions of square feet of commercial and industrial space and have the potential to significantly transform the economic landscape in Lake County; and in so doing, help us to achieve our goal of creating attractive job opportunities for Lake County res-idents, and most importantly, exciting career options for our youth.

Robert L. Chandler IV DirectorLake County Board of County CommissionersEconomic Development and Tourism

On Lake County: Staying at Home


Lake County’s infrastructure will

soon be experiencing significant improvements and a number of strategic

corridors are primed to capture future growth.

March 2015


BY ANTHONY RAO

Growing up as the son of an artist and a businessman can apparently lead to an aspiring acting career in Hollywood. At least it did for one Rik Swartzwelder, a Lake-Sumter State College (LSSC) alum-ni, whose movie Old Fashioned opened nationwide Friday, February 13th.

While training him in the arts Swartzweld-er’s mother, Jane Maxwell-Swartzwelder, raised him and his siblings to aspire to their dreams and that’s exactly what this 1990 graduate of LSSC is doing with his film.

“It takes such a herculean effort to get a film made and the stories that we tell matter. Films are how we pass along our values from one generation to the next, it’s why we gathered around fires thou-sands of years ago and told stories,” says Swartzwelder.

Swartzwelder began his movie-making days young. Using his grandfather’s old Super 8 movie camera he found in a clos-et. Now he continues his storytelling ways with his current projects, such as Old Fashioned, the movie he wrote, directed and starred in where he introduces audi-ences to something they may no longer be familiar with, the story of two people

trying to carry on an old-fashioned court-ship in contemporary America.

His father, Terry Swartzwelder, also had a tremendous impact as far as instilling a keen business sense in his son. All of this is now paying off since his movie opened nationwide in more than 200 theaters. “You can’t really go and make a movie of a certain production value without a certain amount of money. And so learning how to navigate the business side as well as the artistic is pivotal and I think both of my parents fed into that,” says Swartz-

welder of the support he received while growing up in Ohio.

After moving to Florida he decided to attend LSSC because he wasn’t yet sure what he would do with his life and was searching for where his next adventure would take him. Swartzwelder fondly re-members his time at LSSC and the people who influenced him.

“Greg Cumbaa is one of the greatest hu-man beings I’ve ever met; and he poured such life into us and such encouragement that we really believed, the people in the theatre at that time, that everything was possible,” Swartzwelder says of his time working with Cumbaa, who runs the the-atre at LSSC. He also credits Studio 13, a sketch show that he was involved in while attending LSSC, as the place in his life where he learned to write.

Movies like Rocky, Groundhog Day and The Graduate also influence his films and life and now with Old Fashioned, Swartz-welder is hoping his ode to romance will have the same effect on other aspiring film-makers.

“When you are uplifting people’s spirits with the story you tell, that’s as good as it gets.”

Old-Fashioned Ode to Film

Rik Swartzwelder and Elizabeth Ann Roberts star in Old Fashioned; the story of a former frat boy and a free spirit and the courtship they pursue in the modern world.

March 2015

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407.254.5000 | [email protected] franchise is individually owned and operated.U.S. DOT No. 2285840 | Florida IM 1985


EUSTIS Waterman Memorial

HospitalCirca 1950

In 1937 Frank D. Wa-terman turned his

hotel over to a group of local doctors for use

as a hospital which became known as the Waterman Memorial Hospital in honor of

its benefactor. Florida Hospital Waterman, as it is called today, op-erated in the heart of downtown Eustis for over 65 years before

relocating in 2004 to its current location on U.S.

Hwy. 441 in Tavares. After being leveled it is currently the site of

Fountain Green.

Source: Eustis.org

FLASHBACK

March 2015

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FOCUS March Madness 2015