B.C. Manion

As classes begin, PHCC becomes Pasco-Hernando State College

January 30, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Pasco-Hernando Community College has changed its named to Pasco-Hernando State College.

The new name reflects the college’s broader mission as it prepares to offer bachelor degree programs. The college’s board of trustees approved the name change at its Jan. 21 board meeting.

Students fill the walkways on the first day of classes at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, a new satellite campus for Pasco-Hernando State College. (Photo courtesy of Stephen John Photography)

The vote follows the December approval by board of directors of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to authorize the bachelor degree programs.

“Our new name signifies enhanced opportunities for our current and future students,” John DiRienzo Jr., PHSC district board of trustees chair, said in a release. “This is a pivotal moment in our college’s 41-year history. The transition to a state college is reflective of the college’s enhanced mission to provide accessible, affordable, quality higher education that meets the needs of our local residents and employers.”

PHSC plans to begin offering a bachelor of applied science degree in supervision and management, and a bachelor of science in nursing, both in August.

“These two baccalaureate degrees are in high demand fields that will provide advanced career opportunities in fast-growing, stable industries,” PHSC president Katherine M. Johnson said, in a release. “While the word ‘community’ no longer appears in our new name, the college’s commitment to serve the higher education needs of residents from all of our communities has never been stronger.”

The nursing bachelor’s degree is designed to prepare graduates of associate’s degree nursing programs — who already have a registered nursing license — to obtain additional skills in management, leadership, theory and research to succeed and be promoted within the nursing profession.

Prerequisite courses for this program will be offered at any of the college’s campuses. The bachelor’s degree in nursing program will be offered only online.

Published Jan. 29, 2014

The bachelor’s degree in supervision and management is designed to meet the needs of students with business, technology and workforce-focused associate’s degrees. Several courses in this program will be available at every campus and online, with the full program initially offered at the Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel.

Besides getting a new name, the college boasted an opening day enrollment of 1,600 students at the Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, according to campus provost Stan Giannet.

While classes have begun, construction work continues at the campus, Giannet said, adding that the ongoing construction work will not disrupt campus operations.

To learn more about Pasco-Hernando State College degree and certificate programs, visit PHSC.edu, or call (855) 669-7472.

Published Jan. 29, 2014

Land O’ Lakes man rockets to new heights

January 22, 2014 By B.C. Manion

If Michael Roberts is working on a project, chances are it is rocket science.

The Land O’ Lakes man has been fascinated with making things fly where he wants them to go since he was a young boy.

Michael Roberts stands in his garage near a rocket he built from scratch. The rocket soared 11,000 feet and attained a speed of 920 miles per hour. The stick rocket that he’s holding was his first attempt at rocket building. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

“I started going to the five-and-dime seeing these little windup planes,” he said. “I had a shoebox full.”

As time went on, he graduated from balsa wood model airplanes to radio-controlled airplanes and helicopters, which he bought with his paper route money.

“My mom kind of thought I’d grow out of it,” he said. Instead, the 49-year-old who flies aircraft for the U.S. Department of Defense delved deeper.

In recent years, Roberts decided to get into designing model rockets from scratch. That began after he moved to the Tampa Bay area, just down the street from his nephew.

When his nephew began asking questions about rocketry, Roberts was inspired to try to build them.

“I started with small rockets — stick rockets — and they got bigger and bigger,” he said.

As his interest deepened, his rockets became more sophisticated. They had become so large that he decided he needed to add parachutes.

After that, he joined the Tripoli Tampa Rocketry Association, which has rocket launches on the third Saturday of each month in Plant City. It was then Roberts decided to pursue certification so he could launch larger rockets, and is now at the highest level a civilian can achieve.

“It’s a big deal,” he said.

With that certification, Roberts is qualified to launch a rocket capable of reaching the edge of space. But he still would need the proper kind of rocket and would need to launch it in the right place, under the proper conditions. To earn his top-level certification, he launched a rocket that flew 11,000 feet at 920 miles per hour, returning to the Earth intact.

He built that rocket from scratch in his garage.

It took him thousands of hours to progress from the first stick rocket that he constructed to his 14th rocket, which weighed more than 30 pounds. He built that rocket from parts he bought at such places as Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Target, Walmart and hobby shops.

It is made from double-layered polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, pipe, and includes such items as baby powder, Christmas tree light bulbs, keychain cameras, pet tracker GPS devices, and commercial composite fuel.

“The guys in the club kept trying to tell me, ‘Don’t do it (from) scratch. It’s going to be a lot of work. It’s probably not going to work,’” Roberts said.

He ignored their advice.

“Scratch-build — what I like about it is that it takes more research,” Roberts said.

He jotted design ideas and calculations in a composition notebook. He kept going back to them, to refine them. His goal was to limit the number of variables to reduce potential for problems.

“Too many variables, you don’t know what happened” if something goes wrong, Roberts said. “Reduce the variables, when you’re doing something complex, I don’t care what it is.”

At a launch, Roberts runs through a mental checklist.

“I look at it as stages. Let’s make sure it ignites,” he said. “Your first thing is, let’s get it to launch and not blow up.”

As the rocket rises, “you’re thinking of other items that should happen, that should trigger,” he said. “You’re kind of keeping a clock in your head of what should be next.”

Finally, “you want to be able to find it, because you can have a good flight and not be able to find it,” Roberts said. “That would be a sad time.”

Even with a good design, nothing is guaranteed.

“You’re not sure. The engine could blow up or something could fly off,” he said. “That’s why it’s such a good feeling when it all works.”

Roberts gets a kick out of flying rockets and radio-controlled model airplanes and helicopters, and he hopes to encourage young people to pursue model aeronautics. He thinks that working with models was good for him because it captivated his interest.

“It kept me focused and kept me out of trouble,” he said.

He invites anyone who is interested in learning more to contact him at

To view Roberts’ rocket launch, visit youtu.be/U6JBVRkGq-s.

Military museum in Largo conveys the human side of war

January 22, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Visitors to the Armed Forces History Museum will get the sense that they are stepping into scenes from war.

Smoke drifts through a dim room, soldiers aim their guns at the enemy, and the rat-a-tat-tat sounds of gunfire fill the air in the museum’s World War I bunker.

John J. Piazza Sr., a retired businessman and former U.S. Marine, began collecting military artifacts and memorabilia when he was 17. About 90 percent of the items on display at the Armed Forces History Museum came from his personal collection. (Photo courtesy of the Armed Forces Military Museum) — John J. Piazza Sr., a retired businessman and former U.S. Marine, began collecting military artifacts and memorabilia when he was 17. About 90 percent of the items on display at the Armed Forces History Museum came from his personal collection.
(Photo courtesy of the Armed Forces Military Museum)

Exhibit cases in the room contain personal items that soldiers carried with them. They include foot powder, a razor, prayer books, a sewing kit and binoculars.

These items of daily living convey a sense of the human side of war.

The museum — in a squat warehouse a bit off the beaten track — contains a treasure trove of war artifacts and military memorabilia. Not only can visitors see what soldiers carried, but they also can see what military personnel wore, the weapons they used and the vehicles they rode in or drove.

More than 100,000 items are on display at the largest nongovernment funded museum of its kind in the state, said Cindy Bosselmann, the museum’s director of marketing and events. Even before visitors step inside the 35,000-square-foot building at 2050 34th Way N., in Largo, they’ll see military vehicles in the parking lot, including a helicopter and a Russian MiG jet.

About 90 percent of the items on exhibit were donated by retired businessman John J. Piazza Sr., who began amassing his vast collection more than a half-century ago. Piazza was 17 when he got his first military item — a World War I German mortar grenade given to him by his girlfriend.

Over the years, he continued collecting items, and he created a mobile museum that he drove around to the independent living centers, assisted living facilities and nursing homes that he owned. He used his traveling museum as a marketing tool, offering people a chance to see his collection and to entice potential customers to find out more about the facilities he owned.

After he retired, Piazza decided to create a nonprofit museum so that younger generations could learn about military conflicts, and to honor the men and women who have served in the armed forces. As patrons stroll through the military history center, they can hear the sounds of war and can listen to oral histories recorded by military personnel who witnessed such pivotal events as the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima’s Mt. Suribachi, and the D-Day landing of U.S. forces on Utah Beach.

It took Piazza and a team he hired about 18 months to create the exhibits that the now 75-year-old designed. The idea was to give visitors enough information to explain the exhibit, but not so much that it overwhelms them, said Piazza, who visited museums and looked through books before designing the exhibits.

“I wanted people to come in and have a wow effect,” Piazza said.

The museum includes displays featuring artifacts from World War 1, World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In one room, visitors will get a chance to learn more about the Japanese attack on U.S. Naval forces in Pearl Harbor. They’ll see model warships from the 1970 movie “Tora! Tora! Tora!” and can view black-and-white film footage of actual attacks.

They can also see a chair that once was in the office of Adm. Yamamoto Isoroku, who masterminded Japan’s Pearl Harbor attacks.

In another room, devoted to exhibits for the U.S. Navy, visitors can peer through a periscope to get a view of the museum’s parking lot.

Patrons also can listen to the story of Capt. Leonard Schroeder, the first to step foot on Utah Beach during the invasion. Some of Schroeder’s personal artifacts are on display in a glass case, including a pair of boots from that historic day.

As visitors step into another room, they’ll see a French village scene, complete with a soldier dangling from a parachute caught on a church spire. The scene portrays a partial replica of the church Sainte-Mere-Eglise in the Cotentin Peninsula near the coast of Normandy, France.

Germans had occupied the town for four years until U.S. forces arrived on June 6, 1944, in Operation Boston, giving the town a claim of being one of the first liberated in the invasion.

The paratrooper depicted in the museum was Pvt. John M. Steele, who was taken prisoner by the Germans, but later rescued.

“There’s still an effigy (of Steele) hanging there (on the church), in real life,” Piazza said, to serve as a reminder of what happened.

Another scene in the museum sets the scene for the heroic actions of 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez as he scales a wall. After topping the wall, he smothered a grenade to prevent it from killing the troops that were with him.

Lopez, a graduate of Hillsborough High School, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, and a state veterans nursing home in Land O’ Lakes bears the name of the war hero.

Another highlight in the museum is a tribute to prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action. There’s also a recreation of Rosie’s bar, made famous by the television series, “M.A.S.H.”

Other notable items on display include a uniform worn by Saddam Hussein and a playing card depicting him as the ace of spades from a deck of Iraqi war criminal recognition cards.

In the Salute to Services room, which is the first one visitors see coming in, there are crisp uniforms on display in clear cases. They represent every branch of the U.S. military, dating back to the Civil War.

Other rooms show off the museum’s collection of arms, grenades and land mines, and throughout the museum there are vehicles, which are fully operational. That collection includes jeeps, tanks, a 1942 Harley-Davidson motorcycle and an amphibious vehicle that can operate on land or water.

Other items of interest include an exhibit honoring the contribution of the Tuskegee Airmen and a wall of heroes, which features shadow boxes containing personal items, such as letters, photographs, post cards and dog tags.

Piazza, who is a former U.S. Marine, is at the museum nearly every day. He said it’s gratifying to see the war veterans when they tour through the museum. They often react when they see an item they would have used in the field.

“Emotionally, it puts them back in the trenches,” Piazza said.

He also enjoys visits from school groups.

“What continues to amaze me is the interest of these young kids – fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders,” Piazza said. “They are really, really interested. They ask really good questions.”

If you go
Armed Forces History Museum
WHAT: A collection of more than 100,000 war artifacts and military memorabilia, featuring oral histories, sound recordings, black-and-white footage and scenes depicting various wars.
WHERE: 2050 34th Way N., Largo, 33771
COST: Adults. $17.95; youths, 4 to 12, $12.95; senior citizens age 65 and older, $14.95; veterans, $14.95. Special prices are offered for group tours and special events.
INFO: Call (727) 539-8371, or visit ArmedForcesMuseum.com

Cox Elementary principal wins new state honor

January 15, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Yvonne Reins, principal at Cox Elementary School in Dade City, has been named an “Elite Principal.”

She is being honored as part of a new program that’s a collaboration between Florida TaxWatch and Learning Systems Institute Principal Leadership Initiative.

TaxWatch is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit taxpayer research and government watchdog. The Learning Systems Institute is part of Florida State University.

The data-driven awards were based on the ability of students to surpass predicted scores, given their prior achievement, and other student and school characteristics. The predicted student achievement scores were determined by using previous Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores.

Yvonne Reins has been named an Elite Principal in a new awards program that is based entirely on academic gains being made by students in Florida’s high-risk schools. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

Two elementary, two middle and two high school principals of high-risk Florida public schools will be honored in a Jan. 23 ceremony in Tallahassee, where they will receive statewide recognition and a $5,000 cash prize.

Reins, who is from a family of educators, said her mother will accompany her to the ceremony.

The award aims to acknowledge that schools that perform well require great leadership, said Dominic M. Calabro, president and chief executive officer of Florida TaxWatch. A principal has to balance many competing demands. Principals are the CEOs of their school.

While teachers are on the front lines delivering instruction, it takes excellence at the top to create the atmosphere that nurtures, advances and retains great teachers, he said.

High-risk schools were selected for the award because the idea is to demonstrate that all students can, in fact, learn – regardless of language barriers, income level or other potential obstacles, Calabro said. An outstanding leader can turn around a school that’s not working, but a poor leader can quickly undo excellence, he added.

The goal of the program is to study what these principals are doing and to replicate successful approaches elsewhere. It’s also important to include these principals in discussions about state educational policy, he said.

The principals will be incorporated into a five-year study performed by the Learning Systems Initiative to identify a principal’s role in recruiting, retaining and developing outstanding teachers.

The awards are based solely on state Department of Education data.

When Reins received word she’d been named an Elite Principal, she was shocked.

“I had no idea that that award even existed,” said Reins, who has been at the helm of Cox Elementary for five years. “What’s so nice about this award is that it is based on data. Not nominations. It’s based on facts. The data doesn’t lie. It is what it is.”

She said her school uses a team approach.

“This is a tribute to the hardworking staff that I have,” Reins said. “I told the teachers, ‘It’s because of you. This is our award, not mine.’”

But it’s not just the teachers who deserve kudos, she said.

“Everybody here in this school is very dedicated to our students in more ways than one,” she said. “We all truly care about them — everyone from the cafeteria staff, who provides nutrition to our students, to the custodial staff that maintains a clean and safe learning environment.”

There is a culture of high expectation, coupled with support, Reins said. “There are no excuses. We know that our children can rise to the occasion, rise to our expectations. We just need techniques and strategies to help them move along.”

Teachers meet weekly to share strategies and do grade-level planning. It allows them to talk, solve problems, and plan lessons to meet the needs of each and every student, she said.

“There may be a child that is low in reading, but high in math. They’re going to emphasize those strengths,” Reins said. “This significantly affects their (students’) self confidence and their eagerness to learn. It affects their whole attitude about school and its relevance to their lives.”

The teachers use data to inform their instruction. They seek advice from other teachers for strategies to help students succeed.

“That’s all part of being a professional,” Reins said.

Teachers also pay attention to what students already know, so they can build on that, Reins said.

Cox qualifies for additional funding because it is a school serving many children from low-income households. This year, the priority is to use those funds for additional staff and for professional development for teachers, Reins said.

Involving parents is important, too.

“The teachers try to develop a strong school-home relationship,” she said. “They want their parents to become more involved in their children’s education.”

The school soon will host a night for parents of kindergarten, first- and second-grade children to help parents learn how they can help their children with reading strategies.

“Many parents don’t know how to help their children, and it’s through no fault of their own,” Reins said.

While the school is committed to academic success, it still has a long way to go, Reins said. This award, however, is appreciated.

“It’s encouraging,” Reins said.

Lutz Preparatory readies new middle school

January 15, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Lutz Preparatory School is gearing up to add a charter school for middle school students, beginning with the fall 2014-15 school year.

Lutz Preparatory is adding a public charter middle school on its campus at 17951 N. U.S. 41 in Lutz. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

While the school will be located on the Lutz Prep campus, 17951 N. U.S. 41, now occupied by a kindergarten through sixth-grade program, the middle school will be considered a separate entity, under the charter approved on Dec. 10 by the Hillsborough County School Board. The final step to the charter, which involves signing the five-year contract, is expected in March.

Diane Farmer, principal of Lutz Prep, said the new middle school would open for students in sixth and seventh grades. Eighth grade will be added in the 2015-16 school year.

The new charter middle school, like the elementary school, will focus on providing a traditional education, in which all students have learning plans, Farmer said.

A middle school committee has been visiting charter schools and kindergarten through eighth-grade schools in Florida that are known for their excellence to learn about the programs they offer. The committee is researching curriculum options.

The plan is to create a schedule that focuses on student achievement, Farmer said. The goal is not merely to add more grades at the campus, but to create an outstanding middle school.

In the long-term, Lutz Prep wants to add a high school, too, Farmer said.

The middle school, like the elementary school, most likely will draw students not only from Hillsborough County but also from Pasco, Pinellas, Hernando and Polk counties, as well, Farmer said.

The principal believes parents are drawn to the school because it has such a dedicated staff. It’s not a bit unusual, she said, to see many cars in the parking lot long after the school day has ended because the teachers are so committed to delivering live and engaging instruction.

Before teachers are hired to teach at Lutz Prep, they must demonstrate their skills by delivering a lesson to students, Farmer added.

Besides having a dedicated staff, Farmer believes another chief strength of the school is the commitment of its parents.

“Our parents stay engaged,” Farmer said. “The culture is total family involvement.”

By state law, all of Lutz Prep’s fifth- and sixth-graders will be given preference for enrolling in the middle school before any new students will be enrolled. The school expects a few seventh-grade openings, and will be filling those through a lottery system.

Applications must be received by Feb. 3 at 2 p.m., to be considered for this year’s lottery.

Anyone who would like more information can attend an open house and information session on Jan. 29 at 7 p.m., at the school, or can visit the school’s website at LutzPrep.org.

Sharing Chinese culture through music and dance

January 15, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Kristen Ingle is looking forward to Shen Yun 2014 because she had such a great time attending the show at Mahaffey Theater with her daughter last year.

Ingle’s adopted daughter, Macy, was born in China.

Ingle believes Shen Yun provides her 9-year-old a chance to become more familiar with the culture of her birthplace.

Dancers perform many routines, which require intricate moves and balance, including this dance, which involves balancing bowls on their heads while moving across the stage.

“It’s definitely worth seeing,” said Ingle of South Tampa, who is bringing along her mother and some friends who have also adopted two daughters from China. “I like that it tells the stories of the history of China, all of the folklore. And the music — I really liked that they had both Western and Chinese instruments.”

She thinks it’s great entertainment for people of any age. The children like it because it’s so visual, Ingle said.

In fact, Macy said her favorite parts were the costumes and the dancers who performed with teacups on their heads.

“It’s a story told through dance and music,” Ingle said. “The story really comes through.”

Shirley Hu, a volunteer coordinator for Shen Yun, said she first saw the show while living in New York.

“I fell in love with it because it’s about the revival of the traditional Chinese culture, which I truly believe in,” said Hu, a native of Taiwan. “Traditional Chinese culture is about moral values and ethics.”

Shen Yun, which translates into “the beauty of heavenly beings dancing,” is based in New York. It has three touring companies of about 100 members each, which travel through the United States, Asia and Europe.

Hu is handling the logistics for the upcoming Shen Yun 2014 performances Feb. 5 through Feb. 8, at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg. The two-and-a-half-hour show, which includes a 15-minute intermission, features about 20 pieces, including dancers accompanied by orchestral music and vocal performances.

The orchestra combines Western classical music along with music from ancient Chinese instruments including the gong, the dizi and the erhu. The dizi is a bamboo flute, and the erhu is a two-stringed instrument, sometimes called a Chinese violin, which dates back 4,000 years.

When Chinese and Western music come together, they produce what Hu describes as “a glorious sound.”

Orchestral music plays as dancers glide gracefully across the stage, using the movement of their body, as well as facial expressions, to tell stories. The dances incorporate high-flying leaps, spins and acrobatic moves, but are much more than sheer technique, according to interviews by principal dancers on YouTube videos.

Shen Yun performers seek to convey a spiritual connection behind each dance movement and musical note, they said. They seek to express of joy, sorrow, delight, grief, anger, illness and majesty by immersing themselves into the mindset and emotions of the characters they portray.

“You can actually see the facial expressions,” Hu said. “I always feel what makes the show so successful is because of the spirituality behind it.”

The pieces move from one story to another, sharing Chinese folklore and legends, as well as true stories.

The dancers wear handmade costumes, representing everything from the Tang Dynasty’s Raiment of Rainbows and feathers to imperial dragon robes, coronets and cloud caps. They wear colorful flowing robes, as well as the attire of the Manchurian Tibet, Dai, Mongol and Uyghur ethnic groups.

More than 400 costumes are used in a single show, Hu said.

The show also uses a 3-D backdrop to help bring stories to life.

Performers tour for half of the year then return to New York to prepare for the next year’s tour. It takes thousands of hours to hone their technique and learn the choreography. Each year, they tour with an entirely new show.

“Every year, I look forward to different stories,” Hu said. “A lot of the stories are the stories I was taught by my mom.”

WHAT: Shen Yun, a production that revives 5,000 years of Chinese culture through music and dance
WHERE: The Mahaffey Theater, 400 First St. S., St. Petersburg
WHEN: Feb. 5-8
COST: Tickets range from $52.50 to $202.50

Kumquat Festival aims at old-fashioned, down-home fun

January 15, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Somewhere between 40,000 and 50,000 people are expected to head to Dade City on Jan. 25 to attend the 17th annual Kumquat Festival, one of Pasco County’s most popular events.

The festival that pays homage to the diminutive orange fruit had humble beginnings. Phyllis Smith, Roxanne Barthle and Carlene Ellberg were looking for a way to help inject new life into downtown Dade City. They put their heads together and decided to have a festival to honor the kumquat.

John Moors holds a poster promoting the 17th annual Kumquat Festival presented by the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce. He thinks the event will draw between 40,000 and 50,000 to the East Pasco County city this year. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

The inaugural festival was on the lawn of the historic Dade City Courthouse. It included a few vendors, some food and some kumquat growers.

This year, there are 430 vendors offering fine arts, craft items, food and other services — and that’s after about 150 vendors were turned away, said John Moors, executive director of the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the event.

There also will be two entertainment stages, a car and truck show, children’s activities, and a health and wellness section, Moors said.

The festival is a magnet for visitors and has raised Dade City’s profile. It was heralded by the Pasco County Tourism Board as the Pasco County Event of the Year in 2012 and has enjoyed the distinction of being named a “Top 20 Event” by the Southeast Tourism Society, which selects premier events in 13 Southeastern states.

It gives the community a chance to show off its old-fashioned charm and gives event-goers an opportunity to enjoy a family-friendly event, with free parking and admission, Moors said.

Offering the event without charging an admission means that organizers must cover costs from vendor fees and sponsors, and drum up support from volunteers. Fortunately, the festival enjoys the help of the city, county and state governments, as well as corporate sponsors. Community volunteers play a vital role, too, Moors said.

Volunteers from Calvary Assembly of God Church, for instance, help set a friendly tone for visitors by doling out bottles of water to people who park in the satellite lot at the Pasco County Fairgrounds.

Getting ready for the festival requires thorough planning and some elbow grease, starting a year ahead of the event to make sure all of the logistics are covered, Moors said.

On festival day, volunteers are up well before sunrise to pitch in.

“We have hundreds of local volunteers that start at 4:30 in the morning to get all of the vendors in and get all of our things in and set up,” Moors said. “By 9 o’clock, which is the festival opening time, we’re all ready to go.”

There’s plenty of parking with the satellite lots, but last year organizers discovered that those using the shuttles had to wait too long. So, this year there are more shuttle buses, and the bus routes have been tweaked to prevent long waits.

Moors expects the festival to attract 5,000 to 10,000 more people this year because of increased marketing efforts. This year, event organizers are making a bigger push to try to entice people from Sun City Center, The Villages, Wesley Chapel, New Tampa and the Nature Coast in Pinellas to make the trip to Dade City.

The event has a regional impact, Moors said. Using the same formula Visit Florida uses for fairs and festivals, he believes $1 million exchanges hands over the course of the festival.

Of course, much of that money goes to the vendors, but the event has an impact in Dade City, too, he said.

“I’ve had restaurants tell me that they do one week’s worth of business in that one day,” he said. “Our merchant’s association is geared up. They know that if they don’t make a sale on that day, there’s a good possibility that they can make a connection for somebody to come back and visit again and perhaps buy because they like what they see.”

The king of the event is the kumquat. Described as the “little gold gem of the citrus industry” by kumquat promoters, the fruit can be found in virtually every form at the festival.

Vendors will offer kumquat pie, kumquat salsa, kumquat jam, kumquat jelly, kumquat preserves, kumquat ice cream, and even kumquat lotions and soaps.

It’s easy to understand why the event attracts big crowds, Moors said.

“It’s a wonderful, wonderful family experience and experience for mature adults who enjoy a good, old-fashioned, down-home unique Florida experience,” he said.

EVENTS:
WHAT: Miss and Mr. Kumquat Festival Pageant
WHEN: Jan. 18 at 3 p.m.
WHERE: Calvary Assembly of God Church, 13544 U.S. 98 Bypass
DETAILS: Contestants in various age categories will be judged on their poise, personality, communication skills and overall appearance.

WHAT: Kumquat Growers Open House
WHEN: Jan. 23 and Jan. 24, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
WHERE: 31647 Gude Road, Dade City
DETAILS: Visit a farmer’s market, tour grove houses, view antique equipment and sample kumquat products.
COST: Tours are free
INFO: Call (352) 588-2761, or visit KumquatGrowers.com

WHAT: 17th annual Kumquat Festival
WHEN: Jan. 25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
WHERE: Historic downtown Dade City
DIRECTIONS: Take Interstate 75 and go east on State Road 52; or take U.S. 301. Follow signs.
COST: Free admission, free parking and free shuttles from remote satellite parking lots at the Pasco Fairgrounds on State Road 52 approaching Dade City, or near Jarrett Ford, 38300 Dick Jarrett Way.
INFO: Visit KumquatFestival.org, or drop by an information booth at the festival. There are information booths at Third Street and Meridian Avenue, and at Seventh Street and Meridian.

Local men set off on worldwide sailing adventure

January 8, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Brian Fox, of Odessa, was preparing last week to push off on a sailing trip that will take him around the world. Joel Heyne, of St. Petersburg, is joining him for this grand adventure.

Brian Fox and Joel Heyne look over the first chart for a sailing trip that will take them around the world. The men planned to set sail from Boca Ciega Yacht Club on Jan. 4.

The two men will cruise on a 40-foot sailboat called American Spirit II, setting sail from the Boca Ciega Yacht Club in Gulfport on Jan. 4. They’ll begin circumnavigating the globe when they join 35 other sailboats taking part in the World Atlantic Rally for Cruisers.

Fox and Heyne plan to join the Round the World Rally, which includes sailors from all over the world, when it makes its first stop in the San Blas Islands.

“”The largest contingent will be United Kingdom,” Fox said, noting that’s where the organizers of the rally are from. “There will be French. There will be Russian. There will be American. There will be Germans. There will be South African. There will be Norwegian.”

They will travel around the globe, sailing on the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans. They’ll complete 17 legs, covering 26,000 nautical miles, in 15 months. Along the way, they’ll encounter natural wonders and stop to sample cultural offerings at exotic and historic locales.

The itinerary includes exploring the Galapagos, checking out Napoleon’s prison, witnessing Carnival, visiting the Great Barrier Reef, and on and on.

Along the way, they’ll restock provisions, repair breakdowns and follow the route that sailing vessels took hundreds of years ago to come to America, Fox said. The route, however, avoids areas of political instability, piracy and the storm seasons in both hemispheres.

Fox has been preparing for the voyage for about 18 months. During that time, he and Heyne have made sure to outfit the boat with equipment and technology that will keep them safe, will allow them to stay in touch with others, and will enable them to make repairs.

Fox is ready.

“When I was young, I wanted to sail around the world,” he said. “In middle age, I didn’t.”

As he grew older, however, the idea regained its appeal.

“In 2010, I had a couple of health challenges, both which could have been terminal,” Fox said. “I decided after that — you know what, if you’re going to do something like this, you need to do it.”

Heyne is excited, but he doesn’t expect nonstop adventure.

He knows better.

Sailors have an axiom, said Heyne, who at 62 has been sailing for five decades. “Sailing is hours of boredom, followed by moments of sheer panic.”

When equipment fails or the vessel is damaged, the sailors must react quickly. “Everybody is hustling and hustling and hustling until you have that problem taken care of,” Heyne said.

Whales pose a real danger, Fox said.

“Moby Dick lives,” Fox said. “If you hit a whale, it’s bad.”

Whales have been known to attack sailboats and sink them.

“Sometimes a sailboat will sail into a sleeping whale and it’s like hitting a side of a house,” Fox said. “You’ll suffer hull damage, and in all likelihood, you’ll be leaking. It’s just a question of whether or not you have the time and the resources to stem the leak and stop the boat from sinking.”

Fox expects the first part of the trip to be the most difficult.

“In the winter time, the trade winds in the Caribbean blow very strong, east-to-west,” he said. “We’re going to have to contend with those rounding Cuba to get to Panama. When I say blow strongly, I mean 25 to 30 knots, quite a wind. Complicating matters more is that you’ve probably noticed about a week or 10 days ago, we started getting really large cold fronts. We have one coming up.”

That means some adjustments to the travel plans. Originally, the two were going to leave Tampa and head to the western tip of Cuba. Now, however, they’ll have to travel to the Dry Tortugas and wait there a few days for a weather window that will allow them to cross the Gulf Stream and around Cuba.

“The waves are only forecast at about 15 feet,” Fox said. “Because we have to cross the Gulf Stream, typically the waves are double. So you could have 25- to 30-foot seas, if you follow a front across the Gulf Stream. So, we’re going to have to wait until the front clears and go after that.”

Still, he’s confident that he and Heyne are up to challenges they’ll encounter.

The sailboat has an autopilot, which is far easier than steering by hand. It also has equipment that can make fresh water from salt water. The boat can take advantage of solar power and hydropower.

It also has a kitchen, bathroom, shower, two bedrooms and a flat-screen television below deck. The men also will take hundreds of DVDs along them to entertain them when things get slow.

They also are taking advantage of the latest technology to protect them and the boat. The vessel is equipped with devices that notify either the boat or authorities that a person has left the boat.

“Most people don’t have the kind of safety equipment we’re talking about,” said Fox, who owned a security guard business before he sold it and retired in 2008.

The boat also has a life raft, buoys and flares to use during emergencies.

As they prepared to head off, both men were looking forward to the people they’ll meet, the places they’ll visit, the sites they’ll see and whatever adventures they’ll encounter.

“I think sailing around the world, to sailors, is like climbing Mount Everest, to climbers,” Heyne said.

Arts and entertainment showcased at Suncoast Arts Fest

January 8, 2014 By B.C. Manion

If you’re looking to add an artwork to your home décor, want to pick up a piece of pottery, or are looking for some entertainment, the Suncoast Arts Fest may be just the thing for you.

If you’re looking to complete your personal art collection, or are just getting started, you’ll find plenty of choices at the Suncoast Arts Fest Jan. 18 and Jan. 19 at The Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel.

The event will feature more than 130 juried visual artists and craftsmen. It is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Jan. 18, and from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Jan. 19 at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive.

The shopping mall is in the heart of Wesley Chapel, just off State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, a couple of miles east of Interstate 75.

The event, now in its ninth year, is expected to draw more than 100,000 visitors, said Laura Knox, a member of the Fine Arts of Suncoast board, which produces the fest. The event is popular because of the venue and because of the high-quality artists that it attracts.

Art lovers will be able to browse through tents filled with fine art and crafts. Meanwhile, entertainers will set up at the mall’s Center Court, the same setting for interactive art, where volunteers will assist children with art projects.

The entertainment also helps draw a crowd, Knox said.

“A lot of times we give entertainers a chance to jumpstart their careers,” she said.

The entertainment slate this year includes a wide range of singers, dancers and actors. Julie Black, an area singer and songwriter, will perform on Saturday. Her music brings together elements of blues, jazz, soul and rock, and has been featured at music festivals, concert halls and select venues.

Her band includes Dave Eichenberger on guitar, Michael John on keyboard, Father Bill Spicuglia on bass and Frankie Timpanelli on drums.

In addition to promoting cultural awareness, the Suncoast Arts Fest benefits Arts for Kids, a supplemental arts education funding program for area schools.

The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the event this year, too, Knox said. The chamber also is planning an Arts and Business Expo, which includes booths, an awards presentation and entertainment, with the expo beginning at 4 p.m., and festivities concluding at 9 p.m. on Jan. 18.

The Suncoast Arts Fest slate of entertainment:
Jan. 18
10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. — Pasco Schools youth music presentation
11 a.m. to noon — Timebandits
12:15 p.m. to 1 p.m. — Richey Suncoast Theatre
1:15 p.m. to 2 p.m. — Achobrother
2:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. — Julie Black
3:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. —Pasco Schools youth music presentation
4:45 p.m. to 6 p.m. — Hot Rod Hornets

Jan. 19
11 a.m. to noon — Tampa Bay Ukulele Society
12:15 p.m. to 1 p.m. — Aaron Rutter Duo
1 p.m. to 2 p.m. — Amanda Lynn
2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. — Six Volt Rodeo
3:30 p.m. to 4:15 pm — Pasco Schools youth presentation
5 p.m. to 6 p.m. — Sarasota Slim
Bay’s best blues and swing dancers will celebrate the art of dance both days.

Arts and Business Expo
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce will present the Arts and Business Expo on Jan. 18 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Expo will be on Piazza Avenue, a high-traffic area at The Shops at Wiregrass.
Thirty-five member businesses will have the chance to promote their businesses and show support for the arts. The evening also will feature live musical entertainment and a presentation of awards.
Businesses wishing to participate must bring their own skirted table and 10-by-10-foot canopy or market for shade. Electrical outlets are available, if needed, as is Wi-Fi connectivity. Setup begins at 3 p.m.
The charge is $175 per booth and the event is open to chamber members only.
Parks Fiat of Wesley Chapel is the expo sponsor.
For additional information, email , or visit WesleyChapelChamber.com/pages/ArtsBusinessShowcase.

Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch is ready for students

January 8, 2014 By B.C. Manion

When Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch opens its doors to students on Jan. 13, it will mark a new chapter in Wesley Chapel history.

It will be the first time that students in that community will be able to attend college, without having to commute.

Stan Giannet is the provost of Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, a new satellite campus of Pasco-Hernando Community College set to open its doors to students on Jan. 13.

Stan Giannet, provost of Pasco-Hernando Community College’s fifth campus, is fired up about the campus’ inaugural day of classes.

“We’re ready. We’re poised to open successfully,” he said.

Porter Campus will have a beginning enrollment of about 1,300 individual students, which is within the college’s projections, Giannet said. Its inaugural staff consists of 48 full-time positions, including 15 faculty members and 33 staff members. There also will be a large number of adjunct faculty members.

Officials theorize students come from Wesley Chapel, choosing the Porter Campus over the college’s East Campus in Dade City and West Campus in New Port Richey. At the same time, the college also expects to pick up some enrollment from nearby counties.

“We also know that many students in Wesley Chapel might not have been going to school,” Giannet said. “There’s no doubt that we’ll be bringing in students from Hillsborough, maybe even Polk.”

Porter Campus officials won’t be able to pinpoint where the enrollment is coming from, however, until they do a ZIP code analysis, expected to take place after the semester begins, Giannet said.

The campus, at 2727 Mansfield Blvd., is situated off State Road 56, about two miles east of Interstate 75, in the heart of Wesley Chapel. It is across the street from the planned Raymond James financial services office park, next to Wiregrass Ranch High School, down the road from The Shops at Wiregrass and around the corner from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel.

In addition to offering a two-year degree program, the campus plans to launch two bachelor’s degree programs in the fall. One is a bachelor’s degree in nursing and the other is a bachelor’s in applied science, focusing on supervision and management.

In keeping with its new baccalaureate offerings, the Pasco-Hernando Community College board is scheduled to vote on Jan. 21 on a proposal to change the college’s name to Pasco-Hernando State College.

As it opens, the Porter Campus is offering about 160 bricks-and-mortar, face-to-face sections and about 15 hybrid sections, which includes online and face-to-face instruction, Giannet said.

“That’s not counting our nursing courses. We’ll have several courses in our nursing program, which is a limited access program,” he added.

Courses being offered run the gamut from microbiology and human anatomy, to psychology and sociology, to cinema and literature.

The campus also will be the only PHCC location to offer two new certification programs. Those programs are for surgery and pharmacy technicians, both fields where workers are in high demand.

Porter Campus has six buildings, including a seven-story classroom building — said to be the tallest structure in Pasco County. It consists of a three-story parking deck, topped by four floors of classrooms and labs.

The nursing lab on the fifth floor simulates a hospital ward. The equipment is so current that the mannequins there can talk and breathe, officials said during a November preview tour.

Porter Campus boasts a beautiful architectural design, Giannet said, but it won’t truly come to life until the students, staff and faculty are using it.

“We want to create a milieu, an ambience, that will be conducive to a totally meaningful experience — from the learning perspective and from the working perspective,” Giannet said.

He wants the campus’ staff and faculty to enjoy being at the campus, serving students and he wants students to enjoy being there, too.

“We have small classes, “ Giannet said, enabling teachers to know students by name.

He also plans to have an open-door policy.

“Students can come to the provost office at any time,” Giannet said. “If the student perceives that he or she is valued, they feel more invested in their education. The research is unequivocal: The more connected that students feel to the campus, to the faculty, to the events on campus, the greater the likelihood that they’ll be retained and will succeed.”

The college will work closely with guidance counselors at Wiregrass Ranch and Wesley Chapel high schools, he said. Besides being able to earn college and high school credits through dual enrollment programs, students also will have a chance to have their questions answered about degree programs available through the college.

Giannet said he’s gratified by the warm reception that the new campus has received.

“The community has shown a tremendous interest in the campus and in the programs we are going to have,” he said.

He expects the college to forge close relationships with businesses and organizations in the community. It already has established a relationship with Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel.

“We’ve developed a partnership for our students to have their clinicals on that site, for our nursing students and some of the other Allied Health. That’s already in the works,” he said.

Work also is under way to create opportunities for Porter students at the North Tampa Behavioral Health center, a new psychiatric hospital on State Road 56.

“As a psychologist, I’m very excited about that,” Giannet said.

The campus was named to honor the Porter family, which donated more than 60 acres for the facility. It is the same family that sold the land now occupied by The Shops at Wiregrass and Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. The family also owns the land expected to become the site for the Raymond James office park.