The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

Plantation Palms celebrates North Canal project completion

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Plantation Palms had a ribbon cutting last week to celebrate the completion of a project to address an erosion problem in the community.

The $2.99 million project — approximately 1,700 feet long — involved stabilizing the community’s North Canal. The work included installing Gabion baskets along the ditch sides, and a rip-rap lining the bottom, according to a Pasco County document.

A project to address erosion concerns has been completed in the Plantation Palms community in Land O’ Lakes. (B.C. Manion)

The community worked with the county to establish the Municipal Service Benefits Unit to pay for the project. The construction costs will be covered through annual payments on property tax bills of the residences of the 821 members of Plantation Palms Homeowners Association Inc.

The homeowners association owns the ditch, but needed the county’s help to fund the project.

At the ribbon cutting, Jim Hammond, president of the Plantation Palms Homeowners Association, said “I’m proud of the fact that in the last three years, the golf course is open, we’ve solved an enormous problem in the North Canal — and both of these were huge projects, that had a major impact on our community.”

“Both these success stories improved our safety, financial well-being and property values.

The project “saved our community substantial future costs and liability,” Hammond said.

“Both of these were collaborative efforts,” Hammond said. “We accomplished what’s best for 821 homeowners.

“We’ll forever be grateful to Pasco County, who partnered with us to make all of this happen,” Hammond added.

A celebration was held in Plantation Palms to mark the completion of a $2.99 million project aimed at improving safety and reducing potential liability. The project was done through a partnership between the community and Pasco County.

He also expressed gratitude to Bio-Mass Tech, the construction company; Coastal Design Engineering; the Southwest Florida Water Management District; the Plantation Palms Homeowner Association’s board; the association’s attorney; and county staff for their efforts in bringing the North Canal project to fruition.

Hammond handed out a number of awards, too.

In one case, he declared Amanda Haulk, the Plantation Palms Homeowner of the Year. She lives adjacent to the improvement project.

“She had a ringside seat for all of the construction,” Hammond said.

“Right now, it looks all cleaned up. For those that were here during the construction, this whole area was mounded with dirt and stone, and trucks all over the place.

“She had some challenges. They cut off the water multiple times. They cut off the electricity multiple times. They cut off the cable box a couple of times. And, you can’t see it now, but most of her pool pump and gear alongside the garage were hanging over the side of the construction site.

“And yet, she stuck it out. She was a real champ,” Hammond said.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore also was among the award recipients.

Hammond said: “Commissioner Moore was instrumental in getting our golf club open. We went to him when we needed Collier Parkway resurfaced. He was there when we needed the MSBU approved. He was there again when we needed construction contracts awarded. He’s been there for us.”

Moore said Hammond should be receiving an award.

“Jim, you’ve just been instrumental in everything that happens here at Plantation Palms,” Moore said.

The commission chairman also complimented Bill Place, for the progress that’s been made at Plantation Palms Golf Course.

“I know the golf course (reopening) was obviously a big part in helping the property values out,” Moore said.

Plantation Palms closed in 2014 as MJS Golf Group – the previous owner – struggled to survive recurring financial losses and debts.

A “Bring Back Our Course” campaign, led by Hammond, sought to save the course, but struggled to find a potential buyer with a viable financial plan.

Place, and his wife Su Lee, bought the course in May 2016 in a short sale approved by the federal government.

Describing Plantation Palms as an “amazing community,” Moore said he’s pleased to see it continue to progress.

Pasco Commissioner Jack Mariano also was there to celebrate the completion of the canal project. He, too, offered complimentary remarks about the golf course.

Published December 11, 2019

Political Agenda 12/11/2019

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Candidates are making plans known
A number of local candidates have filed paperwork to make it known they plan to seek office.

Here is an early look at candidates and the offices they’re seeking listed on the Pasco County Supervision of Elections website.

• Property appraiser
Gary Joiner, Republican (Active Pre-filed)
Mike Wells, Republican (Active Pre-filed)

• Superintendent of Schools
Kurt S. Browning, Republican (Active Pre-filed)
David P. Laroche, Republican (Active Pre-filed)
Cynthia Thompson, Republican (Active Pre-filed)

• Supervisor of Elections
Brian E. Corley (Active Pre-filed)

• Pasco County Commission, District 1
Ronald E. Oakley, Republican (Active, Pre-filed)

• Pasco County Commission, District 3
Samantha A. Lindsey, No Party Affiliation (Active Pre-filed)
Kathryn Starkey, Republican (Active Pre-filed)

• Pasco County Commission, District 5
Brandi Geoit, Democrat (Active Pre-filed)
Jack Mariano, Republican (Active Pre-filed)

• Pasco County School Board
Colleen Beaudoin, No Party Affiliation (Active Pre-filed)

Wesley Chapel Republican Club
The Wesley Chapel Republican Club will meet on Dec. 12 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Wesley Chapel Toyota, 5300 Eagleston Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

The guest speaker for this meeting will be Dr. William Urban, author of “Trojan Horses of Islamic Supremacy.”

The meeting includes networking, coffee and dessert. New members and guests are welcome.

For more information, contact Peter Cracchiolo at (813) 360-9813.

Published December 11, 2019

National health study to include Hillsborough residents

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Survey teams are already in Hillsborough County for a national health survey that includes residents from just 15 counties across the country.

The teams are expected to be working in Hillsborough through Feb. 14, gathering data for the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, said Sherwin Bates, senior study manager on the study for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

All counties across the country have a chance to be selected for the study, which involves 5,000 people across the nation each year, Bates said.

Field workers for the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey will have officials badges like this to indicate they are collecting data for the survey. (Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

The survey is the most comprehensive survey of the health and nutritional status of the U.S. population. It provides important data on public health problems from a national perspective.

The survey is conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the CDC.

The survey has been conducted for 55 years, and the information it yields is used by public health officials, legislators and physicians to develop health policies, design health programs and services, and expand the nation’s health knowledge.

Survey participants will include people of all ages, races and ethnicities, in order to represent the U.S. population, as a whole.

The target number of sample participants in Hillsborough County is 600, Bates said.

“The person who is knocking at the door will identify themselves with a badge, a photo ID,” Bates said.

“They’re going to ask some basic household questions, demographic questions, to determine eligibility. Quite literally, every single household has a different algorithm, so we get a good cross-section of the entire United States,” Bates said.

The survey “serves as the nation’s ‘health checkup,’ by going into communities to collect health information throughout the country,” Jennifer H. Madans, acting director of the National Center for Health Statistics, explained in a release.

Respondents first participate in a health interview conducted in the respondent’s home, which is followed by a health examination that takes place in the mobile examination center.

The household interview typically takes between 30 minutes to 90 minutes, Bates said.

The  mobile exam can take up to four hours, to give participants plenty of time to ask questions.

“We’re not going to rush anyone through. We want to be very detailed and thorough, in the answers we give to the respondents,” Bates said.

Participants receive up to $125 in compensation, plus transportation expenses for driving to the mobile exam.

“If they need child or adult care, we would pay for that,” Bates said. “If they speak a language that we currently don’t support in the field, we’ll hire an interpreter to interpret that language. Then, what we do is make sure that that interpreter will meet them at the mobile exam center.”

While no medical care is provided, survey participants receive a report on the physical findings the same day, and a more detailed report within eight to 12 weeks. That report has an estimated value of $3,500, Bates said.

All information collected in the survey is kept confidential and privacy is protected by law.

The survey data has affected the nation’s population in areas ranging from air quality, to vaccinations to low-fat foods now offered in grocery stores.

National health and nutrition survey

Survey participants should know

  • All information collected is kept confidential, as required by law.
  • Participants receive a free and comprehensive health and nutrition evaluation.
  • Participation helps develop and evolve national health policies and programs.
  • Participants receive compensation for time and travel, up to $125.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

How do survey results affect real life?

  • The first survey back in the 1960s led public health officials to sound the alarm about the link between high cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease. Today, people routinely keep an eye on their cholesterol. When the survey began testing, one-third of adults had high cholesterol. Today fewer than 1 in 5 adults has high cholesterol.
  • It was data from this survey that provided the first clear-cut evidence that Americans had too much lead in their blood. This led Congress, the Environmental Protection Agency, and others to phase out the use of lead as an additive in gasoline, and the results have been remarkable. By the 1990s, the survey found that only 4% of Americans had too much lead in their blood. But, it remains a problem for certain groups, especially poor children living in old houses in cities where lead paint was once common. The survey helps our public health agencies pinpoint where lead remains a problem.
  • Growth charts developed by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey are found on the walls of pediatricians’ offices and clinics across the United States, and around the world. With new information on younger babies, the current charts have been expanded and improved.

Published December 11, 2019

Business Digest 12/11/2019

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TIA gets federal funding
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao has announced that the federal Department of Transportation will award $32.9 million in airport infrastructure grants in Florida, including $6 million for Tampa International Airport, according to a news release. The funding for TIA is for airport terminal building improvements.

Sponsors sought for luncheon
The Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., will present Robert “Tim” McGee at its annual economic luncheon, which is planned for Jan. 31.

McGee is the director of macro strategy and research for U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management. The event is planned for Hyatt Place Tampa/Wesley Chapel.

A variety of sponsorships are available. For more information, email .

County clerk gets redesigned website
Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles has announced the redesign of her office’s website, PascoClerk.com.

“Everyone involved in developing the new site has had one question foremost in their minds,” Alvarez-Sowles said, in a release. “Will this change help us serve and connect with our customers and our partners?

“I am confident the new, improved PascoClerk.com delivers on that focus.”

The redesigned website will be easier to use, allow for greater user interaction, and will feature enhancements, such as a prominent search function, video, easy access to documents, streamlined directions for online access to a variety of functions, and real-time updates for news and social media posts, the release says.

CareerSource information sessions
CareerSource Tampa Bay (CSTB) will host a series of Summer Job Connection Employer Table Talks for Hillsborough County businesses. The table talks will give employers information on how to participate in the Summer Job Connection 2020 program, which will begin accepting applications on Jan. 6.
These sessions are scheduled in North Tampa:

  • Dec. 16, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., at 9215 N. Florida Ave., in Tampa
  • Dec. 19, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., 9215 N Florida Ave., in Tampa

Employers are invited to learn about Summer Job Connection Program, and how employers play a vital role in building the future talent pipeline for youth ages 16 to 24.
“This program would not be able to succeed without our business engagement,” Jennifer Wilson, Summer Job Connection coordinator, said in a news release. “Our business community has been key to our success by meeting businesses’ short-term workforce needs, improving our regional talent pipelines and expanding workplace learning opportunities through our paid work experience model.”

Dade City business breakfast
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce’s business breakfast will be on Dec. 17 from 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., at the Dade City Heritage & Cultural Museum, 14206 U.S. 98 Bypass in Dade City. Call the chamber for more information at (352) 567-3769.

Risk Management
This free session, which is part of the Entrepreneur Education Series, will focus on avoiding, reducing and insuring against threats to your business’ potential success. The session is set for Dec. 18 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the SMARTstart West Entrepreneur Center, 4532 U.S. 19 in New Port Richey. The class is on the first floor. To register, visit PascoEDC.com, and click on the December events tab.

Greater Pasco meeting
The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce membership breakfast is set for Dec. 20 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Seven Springs Golf Club, 3535 Trophy Blvd., in Trinity. To register, visit GreaterPasco.com, and click on the Events page for December. For more information, call (727) 842-7651.

Coffee First
Sip a cup of coffee and do some networking on the fourth Wednesday of every month at 8 a.m., at the First National Bank of Pasco, 23613 State Road 54 in Lutz. The event is hosted by the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with First National Bank of Tampa. Enjoy a free cup of coffee and stay for the great company and conversation.

Blanket Drive
The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce is helping to spread the word about Blanket Tampa Bay, a 501c3 charitable nonprofit, that is collecting blankets for the homeless and less fortunate. It has a goal of collecting 2,000 clean, new or gently used blankets. Visit Facebook.com/blanketthehomeless for more information. The blankets will be distributed on Christmas Eve at both locations of Trinity Café. For pickup, call (813) 300-9277.

 

Principal of the year is surprised by honor

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Principal JoAnne Glenn and her staff were conducting a training seminar — when Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning and an entourage cruised into the room with flowers, balloons, a cookie cake and an announcement.

The superintendent offered Glenn hearty congratulations, as he announced she was the district’s principal of the year.

School Board Chairwoman Colleen Beaudoin gave Glenn a big hug. The principal’s husband, Scott, looked on with pride, and the room full of educators broke out in applause.

Pasco County School Board Chairwoman Colleen Beaudoin gives JoAnne Glenn a big hug, after Glenn learns she’s been named Pasco County’s Principal of the Year. Glenn and Beaudoin have been friends since their teaching days at King High School in Tampa. (B.C. Manion)

Glenn, principal of Pasco eSchool, was obviously pleased — and surprised — by the news.

It’s not, however, the first unexpected development in her career.

Indeed, she didn’t set out to become an educator.

When she went off to college at the University of Florida, Glenn had her sights set on the field of engineering.

But, some internships and other experiences made her realize that wasn’t the right path for her.

So, she shifted gears.

She’d already earned enough credits to pursue a degree in mathematics, so she decided to do that.

She recalled volunteering as a math tutor in high school.

“I remembered the advisor at one point saying to me, ‘Have you considered being a teacher?’”

“I kind of laughed it off at the time,” Glenn said.

In switching majors, she got some pushback.

“I announced that idea to my family and they were not super excited about it,” Glenn said.

She thinks her dad — who retired from the Air Force after 22 years and became a high school ROTC instructor — had noticed a changing of attitudes toward educators and teaching, in general.

He had reservations about supporting his daughter’s plan.

“So, we went through a rough period, honestly, when every time I came home, we argued about that decision — my dad encouraging me to think about it a little bit more,” Glenn said.

“My mom had to kind of take him aside and say, ‘If you and she argue every time she comes home, she’s just going to stop coming home. She’s stubborn and she’s going to do it. You need to let her do it and see where it takes her.’”

An entire room of educators erupted in applause when JoAnne Glenn, principal of Pasco eSchool, was named Pasco County’s Principal of the Year.

As it turns out, education was precisely the right path for Glenn.

“I’ll tell you, I haven’t regretted it for even a moment. It absolutely was a great fit for me as a career,” she said.

After college, she applied to five school districts and landed a job at King High School, as a math teacher in its traditional program.

That’s where she met Beaudoin, another math teacher there.

The two became friends, and have kept in touch.

Glenn left King High School to become the mathematics department chairwoman at new Wharton High School. Beaudoin came along with her.

Opening a new school and helping to establish its culture is an experience Glenn wishes every educator could have.

Next, she taught in what was then Hillsborough’s County virtual program, before leaving the district in 2006 to join Pasco County Schools as an assistant principal at Mitchell High.

She worked briefly at Land O’ Lakes High, too, before being selected in 2009 to become the inaugural principal of the district’s new Pasco eSchool.

A decade later, Glenn remains in that role. Along the way, the school and members of its staff have been recognized across the state and nationally for outstanding performance.

Located in Trinity, Pasco eSchool is not like a traditional school.

For one thing, its students come from across Pasco County, and throughout Florida.

It has 450 full-time students and 9,800 students taking at least one online class. Over the course of last school year, it served 17,800 students.

This principal enjoys a good challenge
As the school differs from traditional schools, so does the role of the principal, Glenn said.

The job requires collaborating with district staff, and school administrators.

Glenn said much of her success stems from the backing she receives from others.

She said former Superintendent Heather Fiorentino and current Superintendent Browning, and their leadership teams, have been very supportive.

“Even if they haven’t known necessarily how to solve the problem, or what next step I should take, they have 100% been in favor of me making what I felt was the best decision for our school and for our district,” Glenn said.

“That’s not just the superintendent or his assistants. It’s the directors of our departments. It’s the principals at other schools, who again, are willing to really sit down and really talk through problems and challenges, and keep an open mind with a focus on what’s best for kids.

“That has honestly allowed me to grow professionally, encouraged our school to take off and to try new things — and not be afraid and paralyzed that something is not going to work perfectly the first time out,” Glenn said.

Being willing to explore new avenues seems to be part of Glenn’s DNA.

“I’ve not really ever had an aversion to trying something new or something challenging.

“When I see a need, my instinct is to move toward whatever that situation or challenge is.

“I’ve had that personality quirk that when somebody puts something out there that I haven’t considered, I don’t say, ‘No, that’s too crazy.’ I’ll say, ‘You know, maybe — that’s something I haven’t tried before, I’m willing to give it a go’,” she said.

Glenn said she has worked to build a climate “that isn’t so focused on perfection, but is focused on getting better every time. I think that has really helped all of us to get better, to refine our process.”

That provides an atmosphere in which people who are struggling aren’t afraid to say: “Hey, this is not working and I am not sure what to do next,” she said.

As a leader of a school that relies on technology, it’s essential to stay abreast of new tools, Glenn said.

She calls her learning design coaches the “Lewis & Clark” of the school.

“They spend a lot of time reading, looking at different technologies, testing and vetting different things,” she said.

And, because they are on the forefront of change, what they learn can sometimes be helpful to colleagues across the district.

They can help others avoid potential pitfalls, and help them to manage through the “pain points” when making a shift to a new system, she said.

While delighted to be chosen as the principal of the year, Glenn was caught off guard by the honor.

“It’s a little bit hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that I received this recognition,” the principal said, during a follow-up interview. “There are so many great leaders here in Pasco.”

As a nominee for Florida Principal of the Year competition, Glenn plans to do her best “to represent the excellent leaders we have in our schools.”

Published December 04, 2019

Lutz Arts & Crafts Show offers unique gift selections

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The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club has been busy prepping for the 40th annual Juried Arts & Crafts Holiday Show, which features hundreds of vendors offering gift selections.

Jim Murray, of Geneva, stirs this giant kettle as the intense heat rapidly pops kernels into kettle corn, during a previous arts and craft show. (File)

The annual event draws vendors from all over the country, and is the club’s biggest fundraiser of the year. It also draws shoppers who make the event an annual tradition, in their quest to find just the right gift for someone on their holiday list.

Over the years, the show has grown and changed locations — but it has always served as an important way for the club to raise money to support local scholarships and other causes.

The show is a big hit with families because it provides an outing to a festive holiday venue.

Items that will be sold include handcrafted jewelry, original artwork, photography, woodcrafts and metalwork, candles, soaps, plants and yard art.

The event will be Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Dec. 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Keystone Prep High School, 18105 Gunn Highway in Odessa. There’s a $5 charge for parking, which benefits the school. There is no admission charge.

Vendors also have the opportunity to win cash prizes and ribbons in a juried show.

For more information, email .

40th annual Juried Arts & Crafts Holiday Show
Where: Keystone Prep High School, 18105 Gunn Highway in Odessa
When: Dec. 7, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Dec. 8, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: Free admission; parking $5 (Parking fee benefits the school)
Details: Over 300 vendors will be offering shoppers myriad options for unique holiday gifts and handcrafted items.
Info: Call the arts and crafts show director at (813) 833-3962.

Published December 04, 2019

Pasco spends $22 million on environmental lands

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The Pasco County Commission has unanimously approved a $22 million purchase to secure ecological corridor sites and land for a future park in Central Pasco.

The purchase is the largest in the history of the county’s Environmental Lands Acquisition and Management Program (ELAMP) — which began in 2005, said Keith Wiley, the county’s director of parks, recreation and natural resources.

It took more than 1,000 hours and two years of negotiations to hammer out the agreement, Wiley said.

Commissioners Jack Mariano and Ron Oakley lauded the acquisition.

Commissioner Mike Wells praised the staff for their efforts to secure it. “It’s a great concept. The park is going to be phenomenal,” Wells said.

Before commissioners approved the purchase, Dr. Rene Brown, natural resources manager for the county, provided an overview.

The acquisition includes 843.50 acres at the southeastern corner of the Suncoast Parkway and State Road 52 in Land O’ Lakes, within the Project Arthur Master Planned Unit Development.

It includes land within two ecological corridors: the North Pasco to Crossbar Corridor, and the North Pasco to Connerton Corridor.

The acquisition includes a substantial portion of the remaining acreage not already protected in the North Pasco to Connerton Corridor.

It also includes about 647 acres in the Five Mile Creek Corridor, which is all of the acreage of that corridor that is located in Project Arthur, Brown said. That includes everything in the corridor from Starkey Wilderness Park to the railroad tracks, she added.

There’s also 147 acres for a new park, which will be mostly passive in nature because of its proximity to the two ecological corridors, but there will be some active components, she said.

The land is being purchased from Len-Angeline LLC, and the James and Mabel Family Partnership LLLP, et al, according to agenda backup materials.

It is being acquired under the county’s ecological corridor ordinance, which aims:
• To preserve a continuous network of wildlife habitat between existing public lands

  • To protect and conserve native vegetative communities, endangered and threatened species
  • To protect natural functions of wildlife habitats and invaluable ecosystems

Len-Angeline, and James and Mabel Family Partnership LLLP, et al. (Bexley) — elected compensation instead of density transfer.

This acquisition will protect the floodplain of the Pithlachascotee River, particularly the forested wetlands along the river channel, Brown said.

It also includes measures to sustain the mature forested communities along the Pithlachascotee River and the adjacent flatwoods, she said.

It protects the floodplain of Five Mile Creek, particularly the forested wetlands along the flow-way. And, it includes measures to sustain the native communities along Five Mile Creek and the adjacent flatwoods; and measures to sustain forested upland communities adjacent to this linkage.

This purchase builds on significant conservation efforts over the past 14 years to protect the ecological corridors, according to county staff.

The agreement also calls for Len-Angeline to contribute 40 acres of upland park land along with 40 acres within the Ecological Corridors to satisfy the 80-acre park level of service requirement.

The deal also stipulates that within five years of closing, Len-Angeline will collaborate with the county on park design and will spend $3 million to develop a portion of the park site.

There will be a trail connection to Five Mile Creek Corridor.

The agreement also includes extended possession provisions for both the Bexleys and Len-Angeline to facilitate continued cattle grazing.

No leasing fee will be charged to either entity until after December 2020.

It also allows for possible extended possession through Dec. 31, 2025 with a leasing charge dependent on: 1) whether Len-Angeline or another developer purchases the remaining area of the Bexley property, and 2) the finalization of Sunlake Boulevard and Ridge Road for access to the development.

Two appraisals were completed on the land. The applicants’ appraisal valued the ecological corridors at about $26.9 million, while the county’s appraisal put it at slightly under $17 million.

Published December 04, 2019

Drop by the Old Lutz School for holiday fun

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Workers were as busy as Santa’s elves on a recent weekend morning getting everything ready for the 23rd annual Christmas at the Old Lutz School.

Members of The Citizens for the Old Lutz School Building organize volunteers who dress up the iconic community building for the holidays each year.

Patty Denison said she volunteered to help decorate the Old Lutz School for its annual Christmas display. She said her husband, Clifford C. Denison, who has had a stroke, is always proud when she tells him she’s heading to the school to help out. (B.C. Manion)

Then, the organization hosts several evenings each holiday season — inviting both young and old to come out and tour the building, which has a Georgian architectural style and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Rooms inside the school are decked with holiday trees, trains chugging through miniature villages, a nutcracker collection, and other seasonal decor. This year, a large display of Lego blocks has been added.

Outdoors, visitors can enjoy more holiday decorations, and can watch movies and live performances in an entertainment tent.

Those dropping by can also enjoy free cookies, hot cocoa and coffee, said Stephanie Ensor, who helps organize the volunteers who help transform the old school into a Christmas house.

All of the evening activities are free of charge, although donations of nonperishable foods and new toys are accepted, to help families in need.

There’s also a breakfast with Santa, scheduled for Dec. 14, when Santa will be there from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. For $4, children will be served a donut and juice, and will get some tickets for craft activities. Other foods also will be available for purchase.

During that same event, the school will be open, so visitors can peruse items in its museum, and can check out the holiday handiwork.

Of course, getting everything ready for the festivities requires a fair amount of work.

This year’s volunteer crew includes longtime Lutz residents, members of Citizens for the Old Lutz School, and students from Land O’ Lakes Academy, and Steinbrenner and Freedom high schools.

Jason Burkett and his daughter, Gabrielle, were busy setting up Legos at the Old Lutz Schoolhouse, to help decorate it for the holidays. An estimated 28,000 Lego blocks will be part of the display.

One recent weekend, a group of youths was busy assembling the entertainment tent.

“We’ll light it up, raise it up, get it all decorated,” Ensor said.

“Every night we’ll have a little bit of something going on in the tent,” she added.

Some volunteers, including Wally Hoedt, have helped get the annual season event ready since the tradition began, nearly a quarter-century ago.

Hoedt meticulously lays out nine train tracks, which run through displays set up around them.

He, and others, enjoys sharing their handiwork.

“It we did it at home, nobody would enjoy them (the displays),” he said. At the school, however, “a lot of people get to enjoy what we do,” Hoedt said.

Annie Fernandez, who was born in Lutz, enjoys pitching in, too. She, Helen Cantrell and Patty Denison were busy arranging wreaths and other seasonal décor inside the schoolhouse.

Jason Burkett, and his daughter, Gabrielle — are new helpers this year.

Burkett visited the display last year and saw a small Lego display.

He told one of the volunteers that he had a collection of Legos and could contribute to the display, if they needed help.

He got a call in September, asking him if he would still like to help, and immediately went to work, assembling parts of the display.

He figures the display he is setting up at the school is made up of about 28,000 pieces.

One end of the display features a Star Wars theme, and the other end features stores and holiday scenes.

Ben Nevel, chairman of Citizens for the Old Lutz School Building, said he’s pleased that volunteers step up to help create the annual holiday tradition.

It’s a favorite spot for families to bring their children, and for community members who want to catch up with old friends.

“Community is where we started as a country,” Nevel said. “To continue that 200 years later is what it’s about.”

Entertainment is still being lined up, so groups or individuals who want to offer musical entertainment are invited to get involved.

To volunteer as entertainment, or for any additional information, email , or call (813) 244-2256.

Have breakfast with Santa, and crafts for the kids
Where: Old Lutz School, 18819 N. U.S. 41
When: Dec. 14, 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Cost: $4

Christmas at the Old Lutz School
Where: Old Lutz School, 18819 N. U.S. 41
When: From 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 10, Dec. 12, Dec. 14, Dec. 17, Dec. 19, Dec. 20, Dec. 21, Dec. 26 and Dec. 27.
Details: The historic schoolhouse will be open to the public for its viewing pleasure, and there will be performances in an outdoor entertainment tent.
Cost: Admission is free, but barrels will be there to collect nonperishable food items and new toys for families in need.
Info: Facebook.com/oldlutzschool/

Published December 04, 2019

Business Digest 12/04/2019

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North Tampa Bay Chamber coffee
Attend a coffee social with the North Tampa Bay Chamber at the SpringHill Suites Tampa North, Land O’ Lakes, at 16615 Crosspointe Run in Land O’ Lakes. The coffee is held on the first Thursday of every month, which is Dec. 5 this month. The coffee is from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. The event is free. Bring lots of business cards.

Overtime labor law rules
Lourdes Bahr, community outreach specialist for the wage and hour division of the United States Department of Labor, will provide information about the new overtime labor law rules that take effect Jan. 1. The lunch ‘n learn session will be on Dec. 5 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the conference room at the North Tampa Bay Chamber office, 1868 Highland Oaks Blvd., Suite A, in Lutz. Lunch will be catered by Stonewood Grill & Tavern. The cost is $15.

HART receives transportation funding
The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority has received a grant of $4.3 million from the Federal Transit Authority to replace diesel buses with compressed natural gas buses, according to a news release.

The Federal Transit Authority received applications for 318 eligible projects, totaling $1.9 billion. Just 94 projects received funding.

HART operates roughly 35,000 daily trips, covering a service area of 1,266 square miles, and has a bus fleet of 180 buses.

Business celebrations
The North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce planned to take part in these ribbon cuttings in December:

  • Glory Days, 28812 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel
  • Shawn Harrison & Associates, 5331 Primrose Lake Circle, Suite 100, Tampa
  • Hampton Inn, 11780 State Road 54, Odessa
  • Apricot Lane Boutique, at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive, Wesley Chapel
  • ATT&T North Dale Mabry, 14446 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa
  • Profile by Sanford, 14837 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa
  • Scrubs ‘n Such Uniforms, 23016 State Road 54, Lutz

Also, Coffee Speaks ‘N Tea Talks, at 19651 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Suite C-2, in Tampa, had a grand opening ceremony on Nov. 26.

Learn about SCORE, at WOW
Susan Crane, a SCORE mentor and presenter, will talk about the free services that the organization provides and about its volunteer opportunities a the WOW meeting set for Dec. 6 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Beach House Assisted Living at Wiregrass, 30070 State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel. WOW is a women’s networking group of the North Tampa Bay Chamber. Preregistration and prepayment are encouraged. Online prepay is $5. Pay at the door is $5 for members and $10 for nonmembers. For more information, visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com, and click on the Events tab.

Membership luncheon
The North Tampa Bay Chamber monthly membership luncheon will spotlight three nonprofit organizations in the community: The Human Society of Tampa Bay, Oasis Pregnancy Care Centers and Sunrise of Pasco Inc. The luncheon is set for Dec. 11 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Fox Hollow Country Club, 10050 Robert Trent Jones Parkway in Trinity. To preregister and prepay, visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com, and click on the Events tab. For more information, call (813) 994-8534.

Dade City business breakfast
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce’s business breakfast will be on Dec. 17 from 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., at the Dade City Heritage & Cultural Museum, 14206 U.S. 98 Bypass in Dade City. Call the chamber for more information at (352) 567-3769.

Risk Management for Entrepreneurs
This free session, which is part of the Entrepreneur Education Series, will focus on avoiding, reducing and insuring against threats to your business’ potential success. The session is set for Dec. 18 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the SMARTstart West Entrepreneur Center, 4532 U.S. 19 in New Port Richey. The class is on the first floor. To register, visit PascoEDC.com, and click on the December events tab.

Greater Pasco breakfast meeting
The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce membership breakfast is set for Dec. 20 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Seven Springs Golf Club, 3535 Trophy Blvd., in Trinity. To register, visit GreaterPasco.com, and click on the Events page for December. For more information, call (727) 842-7651.

Wesley Chapel Toastmasters
The Wesley Chapel Speaks Toastmasters meets the first and third Monday of each month at the New Tampa Regional Library, 10001 Cross Creek Blvd., in Tampa. This group seeks to help its members develop and strengthen their public speaking skills, improve their communication and build their leadership skills. Guests can attend two meetings for free; after that, the fee to belong is $55 every six months. Toastmasters is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

Coffee First
Sip a cup of coffee and do some networking on the fourth Wednesday of every month at 8 a.m., at the First National Bank of Pasco, 23613 State Road 54 in Lutz. The event is hosted by the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with First National Bank of Tampa. Enjoy a free cup of coffee and stay for the great company and conversation.

Blanket Drive
The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce is helping to spread the word about Blanket Tampa Bay, a 501c3 charitable nonprofit, that is collecting blankets for the homeless and less fortunate. It has a goal of collecting 2,000 clean, new or gently used blankets. Visit Facebook.com/blanketthehomeless for more information. The blankets will be distributed on Christmas Eve at both locations of Trinity Café. For pickup, call (813) 300-9277.

Become a SCORE volunteer
Despite its acronym, (Service Corps of Retired Executives) volunteers do not have to be retired or an executive, they simply need the experience and willingness to be able to help small businesses succeed. Current local volunteers have backgrounds in human resources, engineering, accounting, sales, marketing, production and other fields. The needs of the clients the organization serves are even more diverse. To find out more, visit PascoHernando.score.org.