Kathy Steele

Business Digest 08/30/2017

August 30, 2017 By Kathy Steele

SMARTstart workshop
The Pasco Economic Development Council will host a 10-week SMARTstart CO.STARTERS workshop for small business owners and entrepreneurs beginning Sept. 7 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Copperstone Executive Suites, 3632 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

The sessions will be on Thursday evenings, including a celebratory meeting in the 10th week. The sponsor is the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce.

The program will provide seasoned and aspiring entrepreneurs with the insights, relationships and tools needed to turn ideas into action, and passions into sustainable and thriving endeavors.

The cost is $295 for 10 weeks of instruction and materials.

Participants must register online no later than 4 p.m., Sept. 1.

To register, visit SmartstartPasco.com.

Women-n-Charge
Join Women-n-Charge Sept. 1 from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., at Pebble Creek Country Club, 10550 Regents Park Drive in New Tampa. The women share their talents and resources, and they build relationships with other women in business.

Representatives of Belk department store will visit with updates in fashion, color and makeup for the fall season, and the upcoming holidays. Come find out what’s hot, what’s not, what’s in and what’s out.

The cost is $15 for members and $18 for all guests.

Please register at Women-n-charge.com.

For information, call (813) 600-9848, or email .

Networking breakfast
The Wednesday Morning Network Group will meet Sept. 6 at 7:30 a.m., at Hungry Harry’s Family Bar-B-Que, at 3116 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes. Each attendee will be able to present a 30-second pitch. The cost is $7 for members, if preregistered by Aug. 31, or $10 for members and non-members at the door.

For information, contact the chamber at (813) 909-2722 or .

Goodwill jobs for Wesley Chapel
Goodwill Temporary Staffing will have a job fair Sept. 7 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Goodwill Superstore in Lakeland, at 5411 S. Florida Ave.

GTS, Goodwill’s full-service staffing agency, is seeking sales associates and donations processing associate positions for the Goodwill superstores in Lakeland, Brandon and Wesley Chapel.

Applicants are encouraged to complete an application at SbsGoodwill.com before attending the job fair. However, walk-ins are welcome.

Employment applications also are available at the stores.

Goodwill is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer and a drug-free workplace.

Goodwill Industries-Suncoast is a nonprofit organization with a mission to help people achieve their full potential through the dignity and power of work.

For information, visit Goodwill-suncoast.org.

North Tampa Behavioral Health ribbon cutting
North Tampa Behavioral Health will have a ribbon cutting Sept. 7 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at 29910 State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel.

The free event will celebrate a $9 million expansion at the health care center, which opened in 2013.

North Tampa Behavioral Health serves patients with mental health needs, including depression, addiction, anxiety, psychosis, substance abuse, post-traumatic distress disorder and other disorders. Inpatient, outpatient and hospitalization programs are available.

There will be self-guided tours and light refreshments.

Please RSVP to (813) 922-3306.

For information, visit NorthTampaBehavioralHealth.com.

Zephyrhills breakfast
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly breakfast on Sept. 7 from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., at the Golden Coral, 6855 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

The sponsor is The Samaritan Project.

The cost is $8 for chamber members and $10 for non-members.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 782-1913, or email .

Business Link breakfast
Business Link will have its monthly breakfast Sept. 13 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Wesley Chapel Toyota, 5300 Eagleston Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

The monthly gathering, held at various locations, provides networking and an information-sharing platform for the small business community.

A complimentary breakfast will be provided. The event is sponsored by the San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union.

RSVP to Rebecca Gaddis at (352) 588-2732, ext. 1237, or email .

Common Ground Pitch Breakfast
SMARTstart CO.STARTERS will host the monthly “Common Ground Pitch Breakfast” Sept. 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., at the SMARTstart Dade City Entrepreneur Center, at 37837 Meridian Ave., No. 309, in Dade City.

Each month, two people present a five-minute pitch to introduce their business ideas to Pasco County’s local entrepreneurial community. Each pitch is followed by a question-and-answer session, and opportunity for feedback.

The event is free. The SMARTstart programs are supported by the Pasco Economic Development Council.

To register, visit SmartstartPasco.com/events, or call Andrew Romaner, SMARTstart incubator program manager, at (352) 437-4861.

Self-storage and hotel
About 110,000 square feet of self-storage, and a hotel are being proposed for the intersection of State Road 54 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, in Wesley Chapel.

Representatives of the project’s developers are scheduled to meet with county planners in a pre-application meeting on Sept. 5, according to county records.

The project would be built on land adjacent to a Walgreen’s drugstore also at the intersection.

Pre-application meetings generally are the first step in the process of obtaining approvals and permits for a project.

New Zephyrhills apartments
The Terraces at New River is a 228-unit apartment complex being proposed south of the southeast intersection of State Road 54 and New River Road, in Zephyrhills.

Representatives of the developers were scheduled to meet in August with Pasco County planners for a pre-application meeting.

A conceptual plan, also filed with the county, shows five apartment buildings – four with four stories and one with three stories. Parking, a car wash area, and an amenity area also are shown.

Business Mixer
Copperstone Executive Suites and The Laker/Lutz News co-hosted a Salute to Small Businesses on Aug. 23 in the meeting room at Copperstone Executive Suites.

Businesses needed for fundraiser
Imagine Escape Games will be doing a fundraiser through Samaritan’s Purse for Hurricane Harvey victims this weekend. They are looking for businesses who would also like to take part in this fundraiser.
For information, contact Mike and Hayley Linquist at .

Tourist tax increase to help finance Wiregrass sports complex

August 23, 2017 By Kathy Steele

Pasco County commissioners approved a 2 percent increase in the tourism tax and cleared the way to finance construction of the Wiregrass Sports Complex of Pasco County.

The added revenues will be used as collateral to secure a construction loan of up to $15 million for a 98,000-square-foot multi-purpose indoor sports venue.

The tax increase is on top of an existing 2 percent tax collected on hotel rentals, often described as the “heads in beds” tax. At a total of 4 percent, Pasco’s tourism tax rate will remain lower than most other counties in Tampa Bay.

This is what the Wiregrass Sports Complex site is expected to look like when the project is completed. (Courtesy of Peter C. Lent)

County commissioners also approved a series of resolutions setting up the framework for a private/public partnership between Pasco, which will own the complex, and RADD Sports, which will operate and manage the facility.

The county will receive lease payments and share in profits generated from the sports complex.

Besides the indoor facility, seven outdoor sports fields, an amphitheater with an event lawn, trails, pavilions and a playground are planned.

County commissioners also approved a ground lease for a 128-room Marriott Residence Inn to be built on about 2 acres within the complex. Mainsail Lodge and Development will build the hotel at an estimated cost of $18.5 million.

Funding for the sports complex also will come from about $11 million collected from previously pledged tourism dollars and sales tax revenues.

“I think it’s time we put this money in the bank to work,” said Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey. “It’s long overdue that we took the leap and did something big with this money.”

Several years ago, the Porter family – developers of Wiregrass Ranch – donated more than 200 acres near The Shops at Wiregrass for the sports complex. But, proposals to build on the land fell apart, including one for an outdoor baseball complex.

“We know what happened in the past – nothing,” said Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore. “This is a test in showing cohesiveness, that we’re all working together.”

During public comment, Hope Allen, president of The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, and Steve Domonkos of the Wiregrass mall, spoke in favor of increasing the tourism tax.

“We’re really becoming a sports tournament destination,” said Domonkos. “That sets us apart from other parts of Florida. It benefits the community as a whole.”

The vote to increase the tourism tax passed unanimously, but it stirred debate among county commissioners.

“It’s important that we get our fair share,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells Jr.

He sought money for boat ramps and for boosting the scalloping industry.

Mariano wanted money for beach re-nourishment, pointing out a need at Sun West Park. He also said the county’s tourism development council needed to give its opinion before county commissioners voted on the matter.

The council, which is an advisory board, had a meeting the day after the county commission voted. County commissioners declined to delay their votes.

Mariano later was the lone dissenter in voting against the agreement for RADD Sports to operate the sports complex. He objected to the loan arrangements, preferring that RADD Sports do its own financing.

“We shouldn’t be putting tourism money there,” Mariano said.

County officials noted that the tourism dollars are pledged as collateral. “If they (RADD Sports) perform well, you may not even have to dip into there,” said David Goldstein, chief assistant county attorney for Pasco.

The lease agreement requires RADD Sports to pay the county $60,000, or 11 percent of gross revenues. The funds can be used to repay the loan.

The county also will benefit from new tourism dollars. Officials with the county’s Economic Development Office estimate that 80 percent of hotel rentals will come from off-site hotels.

Construction or proposals for more hotels are expected to significantly increase the county’s hotel room inventory.

In addition, the county, RADD Sports and the Porter family reached agreement on road work and ball fields.

At least one field will be open to the public at least 90 percent of the time. The remaining fields will be accessible to residents of Wiregrass.

The Porters will speed up roadwork, including a link from the sports complex to State Road 54 to the north.

“We do believe it’s a win-win for the county,” Goldstein said.

Published August 23, 2017

Seeking ways to link local and state trails

August 23, 2017 By Kathy Steele

A study that will guide decisions on how to build and connect multipurpose trails in the Dade City area with the Withlacoochee State Trail is narrowing down the options.

But, at the mid-point in the Withlacoochee Trail Connector Study, consultants are still gathering public input before singling out a recommended trail path.

On Aug. 10, about 20 residents met with Pasco County officials and AECOM consultants to study maps and swap ideas on how to link Hardy Trail in Dade City with the Withlacoochee State Trail, off U.S. 301.

About 20 area residents attended an open house to learn of plans to link Hardy Trail in Dade City with the Withlacoochee State Trail. (Kathy Steele)

“We want to know what the community thinks,” said Paul Kurtz of AECOM. “This is going to be your trail.”

The public meeting at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City was the second in a series of proposed meetings. The next meeting is scheduled for October, with a date to be determined.

The study’s conclusion, and a trail recommendation to the Pasco County Commission, is expected in December.

The maps on display outlined three trail options, but Kurtz said, “Don’t get hung up on three (trails). You can make your own. They can be combined in any way.”

The final recommended trail route, he added, likely would be some combination of the three current options under review.

More than 5 miles of trail will be constructed. One segment will link the northern end of an existing trail on U.S. 301 to the southern end of the existing Hardy Trail in Dade City. An extension of Hardy Trail will connect with the southern end of the Withlacoochee State Trail at the Owensboro Junction Trailhead.

One proposed route would follow along U.S. 301 and utilize an extension of Morningside Drive, not yet built. Other suggestions pull in combinations of Lock Street, 14th Street, Frazee Road, Powerline Road, Beth Street, Long Avenue, Corbett Road, Old Trilby Road, Christian Road, and a swath of land at one time proposed for a wastewater treatment facility.

Area residents have proposed an equestrian park there instead of the treatment plant.

Some segments of the trail will be multipurpose, allowing for pedestrians and bicyclists. But, other segments, particularly those navigating through Dade City, might not have enough land to accommodate every trail use.

Sharrow symbols to mark roadways shared by bicyclists and motorists could be used instead of dedicated trail lanes.

However, traffic volume along busy corridors, such as U.S. 301, might require dedicated trail lanes. “Wouldn’t it be nice to stay off there (U.S. 301) because there are so many cars there?” Kurtz said.

Resident Judy Geiger asked that equestrians be included when considering trail designs and paths. She noted that the Withlacoochee State Trail is equestrian-friendly. It makes sense to consider horseback riding, if new trail segments would connect to the state park’s trail, Geiger said.

“We’re in a very rural area,” she said. “There are a lot of equestrians in east Pasco.”

Thought also should be given to trail markers that could highlight the area’s history, said Nancy Stuparich, who is an avid cyclist.

She said bikers are always looking for information or things to do in the areas where they ride.

“This could be an opportunity to discover some hidden historical jewels,” Stuparich said.

Published August 23, 2017

Business Digest 08/23/2017

August 23, 2017 By Kathy Steele

New board leader
Shelly Glenn, chief marketing and sales officer for Florida Cancer Specialists, is the new chairwoman of the board of trustees for the Suncoast chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, according to a news release from the chapter.

The mission of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is to find cures and ensure access to treatments for blood cancer patients. The Suncoast chapter serves patients in Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Desoto, Hardee, Hernando, Lee, Manatee, Sarasota, Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties. It also partners with Florida Cancer Specialists.

Glenn was named Woman of the Year in 2014, the same year she joined the chapter’s board of trustees. In 2015-2017, she was appointed chairwoman of the Suncoast Chapter Leadership Team of Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Man and Woman of the Year initiatives.

Glenn joined Florida Cancer Specialists in 2012, and was named chief marketing and sales officer the following year. She has friends and family who have battled cancer, and volunteers with other organizations in support of cancer patients and their families.

She currently serves on the board of directors of the Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation, Jack & Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation, and is chairwoman of the marketing and communications committee for the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology.

Rotary breakfast
The Rotary Club of New Tampa will have its weekly breakfast Aug. 25 at the Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club, 5811 Tampa Palms Blvd., in Tampa.

Join Debby Amon, Joe Rutherford and Nikki Smith, and Get to Know Your Fellow Rotarian.

The cost is free for first-time guests, and $12 thereafter.

For information, contact Jennifer Cofini at (813) 907-7800, ext. 212 or .

Potential franchise owners
Discovery Point Child Development Center will host a Tampa area “Discovery Day” for potential franchise owners Aug. 26 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Discovery Point Suncoast Crossing, 1812 Crossing Blvd., in Odessa.

Entrepreneurs will be able to meet with Discovery Point’s support staff and franchise owners, and walk through each step to center ownership, according to a news release from Trevlino/Keller.

Presenters will include Andrea Moore, executive director of operations and training; Spencer Reid, vice president of franchise business development; and local franchise owner Salim Karnaby.

Karnaby will be available for one-on-one meetings.

Discovery Point has nearly 50 locations throughout the southeast.

RSVPs are required for attendance.

To reserve a spot, visit DiscoveryPointFranchise.com/expo-meeting.

Breakfast meeting
The East Pasco Networking Group will meet Aug. 29 at 7:30 a.m., at the Village Inn at 5214 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

Guest speaker will be State Rep. Amber Mariano, who represents District 36.

For information, contact Chairman Nils Lenz at (813) 782-9491 or , or Vice Chairwoman Vicky Jones at (813) 431-1149 or .

The cost is $15 for members and $18 for all guests.

Please register at Women-n-charge.com.

For information, call (813) 600-9848, or email .

For information, contact the chamber at (813) 909-2722 or .

Dunkin Donuts in Land O’ Lakes
Dunkin Donuts is popping up all over.

A few months ago a Dunkin Donuts opened on U.S. 41 in Lutz, in Hillsborough County.

Two more shops are under construction on the northern end of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard and to the west, on State Road 54.

One is at 7044 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., just south of Wilderness Lake Boulevard and opposite the Land O’ Lakes High School.

Dunkin Donuts is also building at the Shops at Ballantrae, on State Road 54.

New 7-Elevens coming to Pasco
Pasco County planners have two back-to-back pre-application meetings scheduled Aug. 29 to discuss 7-Eleven convenience stores at the southwest corner of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard and Gator Lane in Land O’ Lakes; and another store at the northeast corner of Eiland Boulevard and Dean Dairy Road, in Zephyrhills.

The pre-application meetings are the first steps in the permitting process.

Synergy Pharmaceuticals’ remodeling
Representatives of Synergy Pharmaceuticals met July 31 with Pasco County planners to discuss remodeling an existing building at the Odessa Business Park, at 2107 Gunn Highway.

The pre-application meeting generally is the first step in the development and permitting process.

The company bought the property in 2016 for about $625,000, according to county records.

The approximately 14,000-square-foot building at the business park formerly housed multiple tenants, including offices and Gabbie’s Grill. Synergy officials on the pre-application form indicated construction costs of about $1 million.

A conceptual plan includes a solar covered walkway at the entrance and a solar covered parking area. On-site amenities also would include a gymnasium and a covered outdoor bar and café.

The company has a facility on U.S. 19 in Palm Harbor.

Kiddie Academy at Wiregrass
Representatives of Kiddie Academy scheduled a pre-application meeting Aug. 22 to discuss building a child development center at Wiregrass Ranch.

The approximately 9,700-square-foot facility would be built along Hueland Pond Boulevard. The Maryland-based company offers franchises, and has a Kiddie Academy in Tampa, on Casey Road in the Carrollwood community.

The pre-application meeting is a first step in the permitting process.

Transportation summit takes big picture view

August 16, 2017 By Kathy Steele

The daily grind of transportation snarls, and the glacial flow of vehicles at rush hours never seems to have any quick fixes.

But, a transportation summit at Pasco-Hernando State College will give residents a chance to get a big picture view of projects – current and future – that could ease the traffic burdens.

The summit will bring federal, state and local officials together to discuss what’s already happening, what’s in the pipeline, and what’s on someone’s drawing board.

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore, and The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce will host the event.

“There’s a lot of information out there from what is happening to what will happen in the future,” said Moore.

But, instead of people “pulling bits and pieces” from different sources, Moore said the summit will provide a single platform to tie everything together.

Much of the focus will be on transportation issues in East Pasco and Central Pasco. However, Moore added, “We’re bringing as much information as we can in one night, that will answer a lot of questions and explain how things are going.”

Dwight Gwynn, the secretary for District 7 of the Florida Department of Transportation, will be on hand to address the state’s transportation projects.

Bilirakis in particular can offer insights into potential federal funding for transportation.

“I want to really hear from the audience with regard to projects at the federal level,” Bilirakis said. “I want to advocate on their behalf.”

Residents can ask questions, but Bilirakis also said, “I want people to be informed.”

Some issues that will be addressed are the recent traffic delays due to errant crossing arms at CSX rail lines at State Road 54, the Ridge Road extension, the diverging diamond at Interstate 75 and State Road 56, and a bill that Bilirakis supports on self-driving vehicles.

He has proposed an amendment to bolster efforts to accommodate seniors and disabled individuals in the design of these vehicles.

Bilirakis anticipates Congress will begin work in committee on an infrastructure bill by the end of the year. He expects this bill to have bipartisan support.

“There’s got to be some certainty with this, and long-term stable funding from the federal level,” Bilirakis said. “It’s something we can agree on.”

The Wesley Chapel area is among the fastest growing in the country, which is putting pressure on infrastructure, he added.

“It really is the No. 1 issue in this area,” Bilirakis said. “I want to address it.”

What: Transportation summit
When: Aug. 21 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Where: Pasco-Hernando State College, Porter Campus, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., Wesley Chapel
Cost: Free
Details: Hosted by U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore and The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce

Published August 16, 2017

This kiosk offers a dough-licious new treat

August 16, 2017 By Kathy Steele

Trey Seaholm and Cary Sanchez weren’t looking for a life-changing leap into adventure.

He’s an electrician.

She’s a clinical technician.

And, they’re the new owners of The Happy Dough.

Lutz resident Trey Seaholm and Cary Sanchez are owners of The Happy Dough, a kiosk that sells edible cookie dough at Tampa Premium Outlets. (Kathy Steele)

The couple sells edible cookie dough by the ice cream scoop at a kiosk at Tampa Premium Outlets, off State Road 56.

Eat it raw. Take it home to bake. Or, mix it with other desserts.

Cookie dough, that forbidden fruit of childhood, is the newest trend in sweet treats.

Recipe changes – using pasteurized eggs/heat treated flour – make the difference.

There’s no more need to sneak sticky-finger globs from a mixing bowl.

“We thought it was a wonderful, unique idea,” Sanchez said. “It’s now safe to lick the bowl.”

Do, a shop near Greenwich Village in New York City, gets credit for pioneering edible cookie dough. Its customers line up out the door. Its reputation is spurring others to catch cookie dough’s rising star.

Seaholm, Sanchez and Seaholm’s mother, Debra Fuxan, hopped a flight to the Big Apple for a visit to Do. They came away persuaded that Tampa Bay needed cookie dough.

“I have entrepreneurial spirit,” said Seaholm. “I see all kinds of ideas and think I can do it all.”

Seaholm began researching the idea.

“He was talking about it. He was so excited,” Sanchez said. “He was the engine.”

Everyone pitched in to try out recipes that met the taste test, including Fuxan, who is a Realtor in Lutz.

That took months.

On a whim, the couple visited the outlet mall and met with, by chance, Stacy Nance, the mall’s manager.

It was a Saturday, when Nance normally wouldn’t be on site.

“She loved the concept,” Sanchez said. “She wanted something here.”

A kiosk spot happened to be open across from Skechers and PacSun.

The couple felt something more than chance put them in the right place at the right time. Their Christian faith is a guide.

“This is from the Lord that this is happening,” Sanchez said.

She and Seaholm plan to marry and blend their families. She has 11-year-old twin daughters, and a four-year-old son. He has two daughters, ages 9 and 11.

From opening day on July 25 to the grand opening on Aug. 4, The Happy Dough has met the couple’s expectations, and more.

Still, there is a learning curve, but in a good way.

Seaholm bought nearly 5,000 cups to serve up the dough for the first month. Sales were brisk from Day 1.

On grand opening day, the cups ran out, forcing Seaholm to rush over to Costco Wholesale to restock.

Sanchez estimates that more than 800 people bought cookie dough that day. Sometimes the lines were 20 to 30 people deep, she said.

The dough is mixed at a local commercial kitchen.

About 10 flavors, and one gluten-free flavor are available. But, the couple welcomes flavor suggestions from customers. They also are beginning to try to perfect a vegan recipe.

It’s a family commitment with Fuxan, and even, Sanchez’ brother and sister-in-law doing their part.

Sanchez takes charge of social media including The Happy Dough’s Facebook and Instagram sites. Seaholm is full-time at the kiosk. Sanchez works at Moffitt Cancer Center, and helps out as her schedule permits.

This is only the beginning, family members said.

As time goes on, they would like to see their kiosk grow into a brick-and-mortar storefront at the mall.

Published August 16, 2017

Commission on the Status of Women sets up task forces

August 16, 2017 By Kathy Steele

The Commission on the Status of Women is ready to begin drilling down into issues that affect women and their families.

The task force met on Aug. 7 to finalize appointments to three task forces that will spend the next months on fact-finding and prioritizing issues.

The task forces will study health and safety; education; and, economic prosperity and its promotion.

Commission members will meet again in October to hear reports from the task forces and decide where to focus their efforts.

In its first year, the women’s commission likely will narrow issues to one or two that are manageable.

The goal is for the women’s commission to make recommendations to the Pasco County Commission on actions it can take to improve women’s lives.

“We have to be realistic about our focus,” said Amanda Colon, chairwoman of the group. “We won’t accomplish much if we spin off into 80 different directions.”

Pasco County commissioners created the 15-member Commission on the Status of Women in 2016 as an advisory board.

Some issues raised at prior meetings include domestic and sexual violence, mental health, financial literacy, grandparents as caregivers for grandchildren, homelessness, affordable housing, and the epidemic of drugs, pills and alcohol.

County commissioners appointed five of the women’s commission members, with 10 selected from area agencies, schools and nonprofits. They are African-American Club of Pasco County Inc., Hispanic Professional Women’s Association Inc., Metropolitan Ministries, Pasco Economic Development Council, Pasco-Hernando State College, Saint Leo University, Sunrise of Pasco County Inc., the United Way of Pasco County Inc., Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, and Women Lawyers of Pasco Inc.

Meetings are open to the public.

The next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 2 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., at the county’s Utilities Administration Office, at 19420 Central Blvd., off U.S. 41, in Land O’ Lakes.

For information on the women’s commission, visit PascoCountyFl.net.

Published August 16, 2017

Business Digest 08/16/2017

August 16, 2017 By Kathy Steele

The Edwinola offers independent living
The Edwinola is a senior living community that is now accepting applications for its independent living apartments. Assisted living accommodations will be available soon.

The Edwinola, with a wraparound veranda and a balcony, was closed down, but has been renovated and reopened. It is located at 14235 Edwinola Way in Dade City.

The Edwinola is a historical icon in Dade City. It was built in 1912 to replace the Dade City Hotel, which burned down in 1907. At various times, it served as a hotel, a private residence, a boarding house, a restaurant and an assisted living facility.

The Edwinola offers studios, one bedroom/one bath apartments, and two-bath suites. It is pet-friendly.

Select meals and housekeeping are available for all residents.

For information, call (352) 567-6500, visit TheEdwinola.com, or email .

Zephyrhills annual awards
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for the 56th annual Membership Appreciation & Community Awards Banquet Sept. 28 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at St. Joseph’s Parish Center, 38750 Fifth Ave., in Dade City.

Florida Hospital Zephyrhills is the event’s premier sponsor.

Award nominations can be made until Sept. 18.

Individual banquet tickets are $50. Table sponsors are available for $350, $500 and $600.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 782-1913, email , or visit ZephyrhillsChamber.com.

Wells Fargo donation
The Wells Fargo Foundation donated $10,000 to the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.’s microloan fund.

The fund is available to small business owners who have for-profit companies in Pasco County, but have trouble securing traditional financing. Loan amounts of up to $35,000 may be used for working capital, inventory, supplies, furniture, fixtures, machinery and equipment. The funds can’t be used to buy real estate or to refinance an existing debt.

In the past year, the Pasco EDC has collected $21,000 from private donations and the business community. In 2016, the Pasco County Commission contributed $400,00 from the Penny for Pasco Jobs and Economic Opportunities Trust Fund.

In less than six years, the Pasco EDC’s Microloan Program has awarded 33 microloans, resulting in creation or retention of 180 jobs in Pasco.

For information about becoming a contributor for the microloan fund, call John Walsh, vice president of the Pasco EDC, at (813) 926-0827, ext. 223.

Additional information about the program can be found in the Grow Your Business section of the Pasco EDC website at PascoEDC.com.

ME Hobbies moves
ME Hobbies is staying put in Eagle Plaza. But, customers can now find it relocated to a store twice as large as its former storefront.

The move took place in May to a location in the plaza across from Ferman car dealership, at the intersection of State Road 54 and Oak Grove Boulevard, in Lutz.

The store is stocked with Traxxas RC parts and vehicles, pro boats, planes, quadcopters, models, hobby tools, and more fun hobby items for adults and children.

ME Hobbies is open seven days a week.

For information, call the store at (813) 949-3500.

Lunch N Learn
A Lunch N Learn Business Forum is scheduled for Aug. 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce Don Porter Boardroom, at 6013 Wesley Grove Blvd., Suite 105.

Guest speaker will be Kelly Mothershead, of Fitness Transformation Studio & Salon. She will teach a CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) class. Students will receive an American Heart Association certification card.

The cost is $20 including lunch. Registration is needed, as seating is limited.

For information, visit WesleyChapelChamber.com, or call (813) 994-8534.

Zephyrhills mixer
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will have a member mixer Aug. 17 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., hosted by Skydive City, at 4241 Skydive Lane, in Zephyrhills.

For information, visit ZephyrhillsChamber.org, call the chamber at (813) 782-1914, or email .

Rotary breakfast
The Rotary Club of New Tampa will have its weekly breakfast Aug. 18 at 7:15 a.m., at the Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club, 5811 Tampa Palms Blvd., in Tampa.

Guest speaker will be Janet Zink of the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority. She will talk about renovations at Tampa International Airport.

The cost is free for first-time guests, and $12 thereafter.

For information, contact Jennifer Cofini at (813) 907-7800, ext. 212, or .

SCORE workshop
Pasco Hernando SCORE will have a workshop on “How to Really Start Your Own Business” Aug. 22 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes.

The free workshop will provide information on how to start a business, key issues of starting a business, insurance, legal requirements and information sources.

For information, contact William Gelbach at or (727) 842-4638.

Hilton Garden Inn opening
The Hilton Garden Inn Tampa Suncoast Parkway will have a grand opening Aug. 30 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at 2155 Northpointe Parkway in Lutz.

The event is free. Please RSVP by Aug. 23.

There will be food samples from the hotel’s menu from Chef Robert, cocktails and more.

For information, visit CentralPascoChamber.com, or call the chamber at (813) 909-2722.

Shaping a vision for transportation in Pasco

August 9, 2017 By Kathy Steele

The next phase in a transportation vision for Tampa Bay took a local turn into Pasco County.

More than 30 residents from Pasco and Hernando counties met on Aug. 3 as a “working group” tasked with recommending future transportation decisions. The Florida Department of Transportation hosted the event at the Myrtle Lake Baptist Church in Land O’ Lakes.

Ed McKinney, planning and environmental administrator for the Florida Department of Transportation’s District 7 office, in Tampa, met with more than 30 residents from Pasco and Hernando counties to talk about Tampa Bay Next. The initiative seeks to develop a transportation plan for Interstate 275. (Richard Riley)

The Community Working Group session was open to the public. It is one in a series of meetings in the Tampa Bay region as part of the Tampa Bay Next initiative. A regional meeting in Tampa kicked off the new initiative in May.

There are six working groups in total, representing geographic areas of the region.

Tampa Bay Next replaces the controversial Tampa Bay Express project that would have built new toll and express lanes along about 90 miles of Interstate 275, from Manatee County to Pasco County.

One segment of the project remains.

The state transportation department plans to build a replacement bridge for the Howard Franklin bridge, which links Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.

That bridge replacement will include four multipurpose lanes and two express lanes.

But, the state roads department wants public input during the next two years for a new road project on I-275. The goal is to have plans ready by 2019.

Based on reactions to Tampa Bay Express, residents are tired of focusing only on car-driven road projects, said Ed McKinney, planning and environmental administrator for FDOT’s District 7 office, in Tampa.

New Port Richey resident Kelly Miller talks about priorities for Tampa Bay Next. Miller participated on one of five teams that held break-out sessions to come up with recommendations on transportation needs along Interstate 275, and in Pasco County.

Tampa Bay Next is meant to start conversations.

“We’re not going to show you any projects,” McKinney said. “We’re not going to show you any plans…We hear over and over we need to be thinking differently. People who say that are absolutely right,” he said.

Some of the trouble spots already identified in Pasco include the State Road 56 interchange on Interstate 75, the east/west corridor of State Road 54 and State Road 56, the intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41, and the lack of transit options.

At the working group sessions, people divided into five teams that prioritized transportation needs. They also made organizational decisions for future meetings.

As a group, they voted on priorities, based on a compiled list of recommendations from every team.

Top priorities included:

Adding light rail, possibly on U.S. 301 and the State Road 56 extension, and more bus service to destinations and high traffic areas
Converting CSX rail lines for passenger service
Providing Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT, to serve the area

The session also produced a longer list of traffic problems people want addressed.

Requests and complaints included:

I-75 and State Road 56 – fix it
I-75 and Overpass Road – do it
State Road 54 and U.S. 41 intersection – fix it
Put multi-use trail on one side of State Road 56 extension and let it meander
More park and ride facilities
Extend Tower Road to State Road 589 and widen U.S. 41 – Yay Bexley!
Most of east Pasco is shoved onto I-75
Too many (development) entitlements on State Road 54
Plan for more recreational and bicycle trails

Once priorities were decided, Land O’ Lakes resident Jack George posed a question during public comment.

“What is the end game here? What is the objective?” he said. “I haven’t heard that tonight and, without a goal, I don’t know how to get there.”

McKinney said the state department of transportation planned a series of video “primers” to provide information on a broad range of topics, including how projects get funded. The primers hopefully will educate people on issues such as how projects are developed and funded, and allow for “longer conversations.”

The videos will be posted online, McKinney said.

David West, left, and Judy Geiger discuss a transportation vision for Interstate 275, and Pasco County, at a public meeting hosted by the Florida Department of Transportation.

Tampa Bay Next isn’t the only transportation initiative in Pasco.

Kris Hughes, the county’s planning and development director, offered perspective on some ongoing efforts.

For example, vision planning for State Road 54 and State Road 56 is entering a second phase, with a public meeting on Aug. 24 at 5:30 p.m., at the Pasco Utilities Administration Building, off U.S. 41.

The county is partnering in that effort, while also completing a separate planning study in the area.

Hughes also noted that new technology, including driverless cars, will be part of new development in the Connected City corridor in northeast Pasco.

“This is a very complex, very intricate system of efforts,” Hughes said.

Published August 9, 2017

Commissioners make connections at White House

August 9, 2017 By Kathy Steele

Pasco County commissioners Kathryn Starkey and Jack Mariano attended a special White House conference to promote communications between the state’s county commissions and federal agencies.

The Florida County Commissioners’ White House Conference met on July 27, and included about 120 county commissioners and staff from all over the state. It was the second in what is planned as a series of conferences to strengthen relationships between the Trump administration, federal agencies and local elected officials.

The first conference was for Pennsylvania’s local governments.

Starkey described the Florida conference as similar in purpose to Pasco County’s Citizens Academy, but on a much shorter six-hour schedule. The Citizens Academy is nine sessions over several weeks.

“I think the visit was tremendous,” said Starkey. “It was a wonderful relationship-building day. It can only be the beginning of a good working relationship between local officials and the White House.”

The U.S. Secretaries of Labor and Commerce attended, as did representatives of other agencies, including the U.S. Department of Energy, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Department of State, and senior White House staff members.

Those attending heard an overview of each department and agency, their functions and the issues for which they can provide assistance to local governments. Contact information was shared, too.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio was among the conference speakers.

And, there were visits with U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis, Kathy Castor and Charlie Crist.

Starkey and Mariano headed to the conference with a list of priority issues for Pasco. Those included road projects, such as the new interchange at Interstate 75 and Overpass Road, the Ridge Road extension, veterans’ issues, coastal dredging, flood insurance and work force training.

“We talked a lot about dredging and the need for flood maps,” said Starkey.

An unfinished, 70-year-old dredging project near Sun West Park was high on Mariano’s list, according to a statement included in a Pasco County news release.

Pasco began a new permitting process for the dredging in 2007.

“Pasco County has a project ready to go, but we need federal approval for the dredge, so we can build seven boat ramps,” Mariano stated. “I’m hoping the President can help speed this project along.”

Published August 9, 2017