Kathy Steele

Residential building momentum in Pasco

July 27, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Motorists cruising on major corridors see bulldozers stirring up dirt on open pasture land or crews in hard hats pounding nails into houses, frame by frame.

Billboards are inescapable. They fill the rights of way in clusters along State Road 54, State Road 56 and U.S. 41.

They call out to passersby — inviting prospective homebuyers to seek out the newest in luxury living.

The Moore family moved from Michigan to a new Wiregrass Ranch subdivision to enjoy Florida sunshine and the small-town feel of their new neighborhood. From left: Noah, 2, father Marlo, Kynnedy, 5, and mother Traci. (Courtesy of the Moore Family) — The Moore family moved from Michigan to a new Wiregrass Ranch subdivision to enjoy Florida sunshine and the small-town feel of their new neighborhood. From left: Noah, 2, father Marlo, Kynnedy, 5, and mother Traci.
(Courtesy of the Moore Family)

Long Lake Ranch, Bexley South, Asturia, Connerton and Estancia at Wiregrass are just a few on the expanding list of upscale communities with new homes for sale.

The unmistakable message?

New home construction is taking off in Pasco County.

Homebuyers are touring the market from near and far, in person and online.

Moving day for Traci and Marlo Moore, and their children, Kynnedy 5, and Noah, 2, came on the weekend of the Fourth of July.

They moved into a single-family home in an enclave of Wiregrass Ranch that is so new that construction dirt is still flying.

The Michigan transplants spent more than two years searching for a dream home in Florida, Texas and North Carolina.

They found it in Wesley Chapel, off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, one of the busiest development areas in the county for homes and retail.

Building continues on some houses, but others are ready for residents in a new subdivision at Wiregrass Ranch. (Fred Bellet/Photos) — Building continues on some houses, but others are ready for residents in a new subdivision at Wiregrass Ranch.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

The Moores are among a multitude of people in the hunt for new and modern homes, with easy access to jobs, shops, schools and restaurants.

“There is a lot of pent-up demand,” said Steve Seeger, director of sales and marketing for Lennar, one of the home builders at Wiregrass Ranch.

In 2016, Lennar plans to build 116 homes in the Wiregrass subdivision where the Moores now live. The homebuilder is constructing or selling homes in nine communities in Pasco and 46 in the Tampa Bay area.

Other builders including CalAtlantic, M/I Homes, Beazer Homes, Homes by WestBay, David Weekley Homes and the Ryland Group are among the companies signing up for the residential boom in Pasco.

Housing on the rise in Pasco
Business is brisk in Pasco County’s building department.

Contractors pulled more than 1,900 building permits by mid-July. That’s nearly the number that was pulled for the entire year in 2015.

Work crews are building new homes in the Waterford enclave of Concord Station.

Construction of single-family homes has been on an upward trend in Pasco County every year since 2012.

The climb back from the Great Recession continues, though there’s still a huge gap between the number of homes being built this year compared to the number that were built in 2005, when the county issued 7,252 permits for single-family homes.

At the same time, the number of permits issued in both 2015 and in 2016, reflect a significant improvement compared to the 884 permits issued in 2011.

People who study housing trends see Pasco’s residential construction continuing to trend upward.

Pasco had four of the top 10 communities, based on new housing starts in the first quarter of 2016, according to Metro Study.

Long Lake topped the list with 264 housing starts in that period. Wiregrass was next, with 229. FishHawk in Hillsborough County took third spot with 225 housing starts. Most on the list are in Hillsborough.

A large sign advertising future construction of the planned master-community of Bexley South seeks to catch the attention of passing motorists on State Road 54.

But Union Park, with 188 housing starts, and Concord Station, with 175 housing starts, were also in the top 10.

“A year ago, no Pasco community was on the list,” said Tony Polito, regional director for Metro Study.

And, these numbers are not just data collecting in some government computer.

The information for the Metro Study is gleaned by local field teams who drive through the county collecting information on housing trends.

New construction in many communities was just beginning last year, and now Polito said, “Pasco has the biggest supply of lots.”

The one missing product from Pasco’s flurry of home building is starter homes, Polito said.

“Apartment buildings are taking over for people who would be traditional first-time buyers,” he added.

Builders can build on a ‘grand scale’
Others also find good news in Pasco’s housing trends.

The economy in general is looking brighter all across Tampa Bay.

But in the housing arena, Pasco is in what real estate broker Bill Eshenbaugh described as an interesting position. Eshenbaugh publishes the Eshenbaugh Report, which looks at local trends and property listings.

“It’s a pretty clean palette,” he said.

These mailboxes are ready for some future residents in the Waterford enclave at Concord Station.

Large tracts of open land, especially along State Road 54 and State Road 56, are worthy investments for developers who want to build on a grand scale.

More new development is possible in Pasco in contrast to redevelopment and infill in more urban, built-out counties like Hillsborough and Pinellas, Eshenbaugh said.

“Pasco has a really nice place in the market,” he said. “It’s a desirable area.”

Long Lake is enjoying great success, as is Wiregrass, where a couple of $1 million sales have happened in Estancia, Eshenbaugh said.

Some residential is going up in Lutz around the Veteran’s Expressway and North Dale Mabry Highway. One new subdivision under construction is CalAtlantic’s The Promenade at Lake Park, off North Dale Mabry, near Idlewild Baptist Church.

Some homebuyers in Pasco are purchasing second, or third, homes, Eshenbaugh said.

“They are moving to upscale,” he said.

Those age 55 and older also are interested in Pasco.

Concord Station is on a top-10 list for new housing starts for the first quarter of 2016, according to Metro Study. The master-planned community is off State Road 54.

And, Eshenbaugh said some people are skipping South Tampa, where they might have to tear down an existing house to build the new home of their dreams.

“Here, they can buy a lot of house that is nice and modern,” he said.

That is what eventually sold the Moores on their new home, even after checking out Orlando, as well.

They wanted a neighborhood with a small-town feel, but one that was part of new growth.

“We thought it would be nice to get into that process earlier,” said Traci Moore. “We’re doing this as a family.”

Wesley Chapel fit the mold.

“It’s an extremely diverse area, multicultural and with age diversity. That appeals to me especially,” Traci Moore said. “The Wiregrass area seems to be a good mix of things – business and residential.”

Pasco is a good place to start a new chapter in their lives, she said.

Not far behind will be her parents.

They, too, are in the market for a Pasco County home.

Top ten communities for housing starts first quarter, 2016
Long Lake Ranch – 264
Wiregrass Ranch – 229
FishHawk Ranch – 225
Waterset – 216
Hawks Point – 195
Union Park – 188
Ayesworth Glen – 186
Valencia Lakes – 179
Concord Station – 175
South Fork – 165

Published July 27, 2016

False alarms could prompt hefty fines

July 27, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Pasco County is considering fines ranging from $50 to $500 to help reduce the volume of false alarm calls that waste deputies’ time.

Figures collected by the sheriff’s office reveal that deputies responded to more than 17,000 alarm calls from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015.

Most of the calls came from residential alarms.

Of the alarm calls received, nearly 80 percent of total calls to homes and businesses were false alarms, the data showed.

“Most were caused by systems not being maintained,” said Chase Daniels, sheriff’s spokesman.

At a Pasco County Commission meeting on July 12, Daniels told commissioners that Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco agreed with a county initiative to craft an ordinance that creates a registry for alarm systems and approve fines for excessive alarm calls.

Commissioners directed the county’s legal staff to draw up such an ordinance for future consideration.

Of the more than 17,000 calls recorded in 12 months, about 13,500 were false alarms.

Daniels said one business had 187 alarm calls within 12 months.

Most residential calls occur when the owners are not home, and most business calls occur when the business has closed for the day, data showed.

The proposed ordinance would create an annual registry of alarm systems that would be maintained by the sheriff’s office. The registry would include information on the owner of the alarm system, the type of system in use, who monitors the system and individuals to contact when deputies respond to alarm calls.

A $50 fine would be levied for failure to register, and also failure to update registration information. Failure to respond to the premises within two hours of notification would cost $100.

Two warnings would be given for false alarms for those with registered alarm systems, but a $50 fine would apply for a third false alarm call. Fines would increase by $100 for subsequent false alarms to a maximum of $500.

If the sheriff’s office responds to a false alarm at a location with a nonregistered alarm system, no warnings would be issued. Instead, fines would begin at $100 and increase to $500 on the fourth and subsequent offenses.

Published July 27, 2016

Permit granted for Raymond James

July 20, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Raymond James is a step closer to building a campus in Wesley Chapel, according to J.D. Porter, whose family has a pending contract on a land sale to the financial services giant.

Last week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved the permit needed for the project last week, Porter said. “It covers the entire Raymond James project,” he said.

The project, which would be built near State Road 56 and Wiregrass Ranch Boulevard, ultimately could have 1 million square feet in office space.

J.D. Porter addressed members of the Pasco Alliance of Community Associations in March, talking about various projects in Wiregrass Ranch, including a campus for Raymond James, the financial services giant (File Photo) — J.D. Porter addressed members of the Pasco Alliance of Community Associations in March, talking about various projects in Wiregrass Ranch, including a campus for Raymond James, the financial services giant
(File Photo)

“The process from here on out is that we’ve got to go back before the Board of County Commissioners and ratify the deal, update timelines, because it took a little while to get the permit in. And then, after that, per their contract, they have 30 days to close,” Porter said.

Steve Hollister, a spokesman for Raymond James, offered no timetable for when the project will proceed.

“Raymond James continues to evaluate occupancy needs as part of the firm’s long-term growth strategy. We believe the Wiregrass Ranch property is a good future development opportunity and expect to close on the property within the next three months, but cannot commit to a specific construction schedule at this time,” Hollister said, via email.

Still, the Corps’ approval is a significant milestone for a project, which has been described by leading Pasco officials as “a game changer” for the county.

The Pasco County Commission enticed Raymond James to locate in Wesley Chapel by providing about $10 million in roadwork and tax breaks. The state also provided about $4 million in incentives.

Before the county approved the deal in 2011, the Pasco Economic Development Council commissioned an independent analysis of the potential economic impacts.

That analysis, conducted by Impact DataSource, of Austin, Texas, estimated that the Raymond James campus would lead directly or indirectly to 1,200 jobs, providing total salaries of more than $600 million and would yield approximately $135 million in additional taxable sales within the county.

Raymond James is a diversified financial services holding company, with subsidiaries engaged primarily in investment and financial planning, in addition to investment banking and asset management, according to the company’s website. Its stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

The company has more than 6,700 financial advisors who serve more than 2.7 million client accounts in more than 2,700 locations throughout the United States, Canada and overseas, the website adds. Its total client assets are approximately $500 billion.

The company’s name came from merging companies run by Robert A. James and Edward Raymond, the website says.

Published July 20, 2016

Catch a litterbug, get a reward

July 20, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Pasco County residents can now earn a little cash and help the county clean up at the same time.

Pasco County has announced a new program that provides $50 rewards to those who help the county identify and catch litterbugs.

Pasco County is using cameras to help catch people it alleges are conducting illegal dumping activities. This truck is a still shot taken from one of the county’s videos. The county is offering a $50 reward to people who help identify and catch litterbugs. (Courtesy of Pasco County) — Pasco County is using cameras to help catch people it alleges are conducting illegal dumping activities. This truck is a still shot taken from one of the county’s videos. The county is offering a $50 reward to people who help identify and catch litterbugs.
(Courtesy of Pasco County)

The reward goes to individuals who provide information that leads to charges and fines against someone caught littering or illegally dumping.

“We have a real problem with littering and dumping in the right of way,” said Mike Garrett, the county’s public works director.

A county crew now spends at least one day a week picking up trash including televisions, furniture, tires and mattresses.

Pasco County commissioners approved the reward program at their July 12 meeting.

“I think it’s a great idea,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore. “Anything that can curb dumping in the county, I’m all for it. Hopefully, it will work.”

Funding for rewards will come from fines collected from successful prosecutions.

The county currently has 15 outstanding cases that could produce a total of $7,000 in fines. The maximum fine is $500.

The public works department launched its efforts to curb litter and dumping in 2011. Since then, 33 cases of illegal dumping have produced about $8,400 in fines.

However, the county only receives the fines when cases are settled before referral to court. That’s precisely what county officials hope residents can help them accomplish.

Three years ago, the county began placing cameras in certain locations to catch people engaged in illegal dumping.

In one case, the county taped a man dropping a small bundle of newspapers and magazines on the roadside. While the camera captured his license plate, which was traced to Hernando County, the address wasn’t good, Garrett said.

Another man unloaded the bed of a truck that was filled with tree limbs and debris. The man kept looking around him to see if anyone was watching, then he scampered back into the truck’s cab and drove off.

County officials want help in identifying and locating him.

Videos on both cases currently are posted on YouTube.com. They can be found under Pasco County Illegal Dumping Case SR 1330 and SR1334.

In the future, the county plans to televise three to four videos on its own website of people caught in the act. A hotline number for tips will be provided, too.

Currently, residents can call with tips and information at (727) 274-3611.

Published July 20, 2016

Protecting Northeast Pasco’s rural nature

July 20, 2016 By Kathy Steele

More than a decade ago, Pasco County adopted a future land use goal of preserving the character of what is dubbed its “northeast rural area.” Bellamy Brothers Boulevard, the Green Swamp, State Road 52 and the Hernando County line define the area’s borders.

Pasco County commissioners are considering a rural protection ordinance to preserve the rural character of northeast Pasco including homes on large land lots. (Photos courtesy of Richard K. Riley) — Pasco County commissioners are considering a rural protection ordinance to preserve the rural character of northeast Pasco including homes on large land lots.
(Photos courtesy of Richard K. Riley)

While there’s a goal on the books, there’s currently no ordinance that puts regulations in place to accomplish it.

But, that is about to change.

On July 12, Pasco County commissioners had a public hearing on a rural protection ordinance that, if approved, would create an overlay district and govern residential development involving three houses, or more.

The proposed ordinance also sets lighting standards and prohibits mining or development activities that would lop off the tops of hillsides or destroy vistas.

A separate ordinance would deal with commercially zoned properties and the county’s designated areas for employment centers, which are generally found along U.S. 301.

Richard Riley, who lives in the community of Trilby, gave a power point presentation during the public comment portion of the meeting.

Matthew Armstrong, executive planner, and Justyna Buszewski, planner II, of the Pasco County Planning Division, explain some of the conditions proposed in the rural protection ordinance.

“Everything up here is photogenic,” said Riley, a freelance photographer who has done work for various publications, including The Laker/Lutz News.

“It’s wonderful to be here,” Riley added.

Though the ordinance isn’t perfect, Riley said, “We’re supportive of most of the parts of the ordinance. We’re trying our best to get something on the books.”

Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader said the ordinance was in “pretty good shape,” but he expressed concerns about regulations on landscaping.

Specifically, he challenged trees as allowable buffers along scenic corridors, potentially blocking out the vistas the ordinance is meant to protect.

If the intent is to protect vistas, Schrader said, “That doesn’t accomplish that.”

County planners said they were trying to give developers and landowners options on buffering, but would look at tweaking the ordinance.

The final public hearing is scheduled for Aug. 19 at 1:30 p.m., at the historic Pasco County Courthouse at 37918 Meridian Ave., in Dade City.

Published July 20, 2016

Pasco eyes $1.5 billion budget

July 20, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Pasco County commissioners are looking at a projected budget of about $1.5 billion for 2017.

The proposed budget holds the line on new taxes, but allows some room for new services, programs, staff hires and capital improvements.

As county staff was completing the budget, they received news that property tax revenues would be about $1.8 million more than expected.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore is happy to see funding for a bus circulator route in Land O’ Lakes in the county’s proposed $1.5 billion budget for 2017. (File Photos) — Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore is happy to see funding for a bus circulator route in Land O’ Lakes in the county’s proposed $1.5 billion budget for 2017.
(File Photos)

The additional cash helped avoid a repeat of last year’s scrappy debates over the budget request from the Pasco County Sheriff’s office.

This year’s budget, if approved, provides an additional $6.3 million for the sheriff’s office. The money would go for salary raises, equipment and new hires.

Other expenditures in the proposed budget include $331,000 for a bus circulator route in Land O’ Lakes, and $60,000 to hire a federal lobbyist.

Still, the budget overall reflects a “modest growth philosophy” amid an economy that is slowly recovering, Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker wrote in a letter to the commissioners.

The new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

Commissioners received a briefing on July 12 on the proposed budget.

Public hearings on the budget are scheduled on Sept. 13 in Dade City and on Sept. 27 in New Port Richey.

Overall, the 2017 budget reflects an increase of less than 6 percent, or about $85 million, over last year’s budget.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco was able to secure more funding for raises in the county’s proposed 2017 budget. The sheriff said he needs to increase salaries because he’s losing too many deputies to other area agencies that pay more.

The millage rate would remain unchanged from its current rate of about $7.60 per $1,000 of property value for the general fund, and about $1.80 per $1,000 of property value for the fire district.

However, county officials said the typical homeowner, with a homestead exemption, could pay almost $7 more in property taxes in 2017, based on rising property values.

“I’m pretty satisfied with the budget,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore.

The bus route in Land O’ Lakes, for example, is a significant addition to the community, he said. “It’s one of our major corridors (U.S. 41) and the only one that doesn’t have bus transit. Hopefully, it will relieve traffic congestion.”

One item not included in the budget was a request for more weekend and evening operating hours at the county’s libraries. The request was to restore the hours to 2008 levels.

County officials balked, saying the recurring costs were too high.

“I would like to see us ease back into increasing library hours,” Moore said. But that seems unlikely for now, he added.

The total tax roll increased from about $20 billion in 2016 to $22.9 billion in 2017. The assessed value of new construction increased about $777 million.

In May, the Pasco County Property Appraiser’s office had projected a 5.5 percent increase in property tax revenues. But, based on additional data, valuations rose about 7.2 percent, and accounted for the additional $1.8 million in revenues.

The initial estimates were just that – estimates, said Pasco County Property Appraiser Mike Wells Sr. Typically, the numbers tick upward, but he said the increase was “a little larger than usual.”

“The county is doing well now,” he said. “Everybody seems to be cooking right along.”

With a fatter wallet than expected, departmental budget requests generally were easier to accommodate.

The total budget for the sheriff’s office for 2017, if approved, would be about $110 million, up from about $104 million in 2016.

The $6.3 million increase would fund a second year of salary raises of about 8 percent on average for sheriff’s employees.

The sheriff pushed for the funds in an attempt to prevent the loss of deputies to other Tampa Bay area law enforcement agencies with higher wages.

The sheriff’s office 2017 budget also includes 24 additional fulltime employees at a cost of about $4.9 million. Patrol laptops would be replaced at a cost of about $703,000.

But, not everything the sheriff initially requested was approved. A radio tester position and a traffic control officer for Moon Lake Elementary School were removed.

Other items funded in the proposed budget include:

A fire rescue ambulance and crew for Fire Station 37 on State Road 54, at Ballantrae
The design and construction of Fire Station 38 at Watergrass Town Center
A code enforcement initiative to clean up major corridors, such as U.S. 41 and U.S. 19
A 12-member special operations team for unique rescue situations
An average 4.8 percent pay raise for county employees
A pilot program with the homeless diversion program
In-house mowing, paving and sidewalk crews
An additional fire inspector to focus on new construction review and inspection
Continued upgrades on radio dispatch equipment
The addition of two arson investigators

Published July 20, 2016

Business Digest 07/20/2016

July 20, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Business forum
A Lunch N Learn Business Forum is scheduled for July 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce Don Porter Boardroom, at 6013 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Suite 105.

Attendees will learn about IGTech365, a company offering IT management services.

The cost is $15 including lunch. Those attending must RSVP by July 20 because seating is limited.

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

Ribbon cutting
The Pasco Education Foundation will have a ribbon cutting on July 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., in District School Board Building 8, at Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

For information, call Jannah McDonald at (813) 794-2705 or email .

Chamber luncheon
The North Tampa Chamber of Commerce will have a chamber networking luncheon on July 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Beef O’ Brady’s, at 8810 N. Himes Ave., in Tampa. Attendees can order from the lunch or regular menu. A minimum payment of $5 is required if you don’t order food, plus you must pay for your drinks.

A display table will be available for brochures, flyers and promotional items.

RSVP to , or call Keller Williams Tampa at (813) 864-6370.

New brewery
Craft Life Brewery will have a soft grand opening on July 22 at 4 p.m., at 2624 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. The announcement is on the brewery’s Facebook page.

Wesley Chapel-based Keith’s Kountry Kooking will cater the event.

For information, call the brewery at (813) 575-8440.

Dental ribbon cutting
Lake Park Dental, 19151 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz (new location), will host a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony on July 23 at 10 a.m.

There will be cocktails, food, music, games, raffles and a bounce house. Guests also can tour the practice and meet the team.

For information, call (813) 960-9500, or visit ImplantDentistTampa.com.

East Pasco networking
East Pasco Networking Group will have its breakfast meeting on July 26 at 7:30 a.m., at Fresh Country Café, at 5518 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

Guest speaker is Mike Mira, owner of Fresh Country Café.

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

Ribbon cutting
Stilos Salon & Barber will host a ribbon cutting and mixer on July 28 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at 7016 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes. The ribbon cutting will be at 6:30 p.m.

Come network, nibble and support a growing new business.

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

Salute to small business
Copperstone Executive Suites will have a Salute to Small Business networking mixer and ribbon cutting on July 28 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Copperstone’s meeting room, at 3632 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

For information, call (813) 298-7363, or email .

Networking luncheon
The North Tampa Chamber of Commerce will host a network luncheon on July 28 at 11:30 a.m., at IHOP, 408 E. Bearss Ave., in Tampa. The theme is relationship building with business neighbors. Order from the IHOP menu. A senior lunch menu will be available to all. Minimum of $5 is required if you do not order food, plus you must pay for your drinks.

For information, phone TransAmerica at (813) 334-8998, or email Jenn Beaumont at .

Economic briefing
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly economic development briefing on July 28 from 11:30 a.m., at Pebble Creek Country Club, 10550 Regents Park Drive in Tampa. The guest speaker will be Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore.

The $15 cost includes a buffet lunch.

For information, email , or call (813) 994-8534.

Wesley Chapel breakfast meeting
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly breakfast meeting on Aug. 2 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., at Pasco-Hernando State College, in the third floor conference center, Room B-303, at the Porter Campus, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Guest speaker is Kartik Goyani, vice president of Metro Development Group, which is developing Metro Lagoons by Crystal Lagoons.

The cost for chamber members is $15 in advance. Register online by July 29 by 3 p.m. At the door, the cost is $20 for members and non-members.

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

Zephyrhills chamber breakfast
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly breakfast meeting on Aug. 4 from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., at Golden Corral, at 6855 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

The guest speaker is Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco.

Sponsors are Faithful Friends, Martin Electric and The Laker/Lutz News.

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

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

Women-n-Charge lunch
Join the ladies of Women-n-Charge on Aug. 5 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., at Pebble Creek Country Club, at 10550 Regents Park Drive in Tampa. The meeting includes lunch and time to network.

Guest speaker will be attorney Clementine “CC” Conde. She will discuss “Domestic & Substance Abuse – Another Perspective.”

The cost is $15 for members and $18 for guests. To register, visit Women-n-Charge.com.

For more information, contact Judy at (813) 600-9848 or .

Two-day forum
The third annual APTacious Experience, a two-day forum for personal and professional development, will meet on Aug. 5 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and on Aug. 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Residence Inn by Marriott, at Northpointe Village, 2101 Northpointe Parkway in Lutz.

June Hall, founder of Time to APT (Accentuate Positive Thinking), is the event’s organizer. This year’s theme is “Find Your Happiness, Find Your Success.”

There will be live entertainment, food, breakout sessions, door prizes and a fashion show. The event will benefit two nonprofit organizations — Big Brothers/Big Sisters Tampa Bay and Bricks 4 Kidz Wesley Chapel. The organizations are serving as partners for the forum, with Time to APT.

Special hotel rates are available for event attendees.

The cost is $60 for the forum.

For sponsorship opportunities, program booklet ads and exhibitor tables, email Alexandria Blaha at .

For information or to register, visit Aptacious.com/register/.

Paper recyclables permitted at curb

July 13, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Curbside recycling is expanding.

For the first time in Pasco County’s recycling history, newspaper, cardboard and other mixed paper are now eligible for the county’s curbside pickup program.

No additional fees will be charged.

Residents who pay for twice-a-week trash service already are billed for the recycling service.

Title Items already accepted are aluminum cans, metal food cans, plastic bottles, jars and containers with numbered codes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7, and glass bottles and jars in clear, green and brown colors.

Now, county officials say residents can drop paper and cardboard into their recycling containers along with the jars, cans and bottles they normally discard.

In addition to newspapers, “mixed paper” includes inserts, junk mail, office paper, paper bags and wrapping paper. Cardboard includes shipping containers that have been flattened, cereal boxes, shirt inserts, cardboard tubes and shoeboxes.

The Pasco County Commission discussed the addition of paper and cardboard as pickup items at a May 17 workshop, and agreed the change made sense.

It is a good conservation measure, and “reduces and keeps landfill space free for other types of trash that can’t be recycled,” Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said in an email to The Laker/Lutz News.

The six haulers who provide trash service to county residents began accepting the expanded list of recyclables effective June 29.

Paper and cardboard have been excluded from Pasco’s curbside recycling program since its inception.

However, nearly five years ago, the county joined with the Pasco County School District to provide drop-off centers for paper and cardboard products. The school district’s sites earn money for its schools; Pasco’s sites earn money for fire stations, libraries and parks.

Those drop-off centers remain as an option for discarding paper and cardboard, said Jennifer Seney, Pasco’s recycling supervisor.

Seney said she uses them and will continue to do so for very large cardboard boxes and shredded paper.

It’s a habit many residents have who also like helping out schools or parks, she added.

“They’ll continue to go there,” she said.

But, giving residents the curbside option hopefully will reduce the county’s overall trash stream and boost recycling.

In the long run, Seney said that could delay the need for an additional burner for the county’s Waste-to-Energy facility, and save money for taxpayers.

According to the county’s website, the Waste-to-Energy facility burned through about 341,000 tons of trash in 2015. About 20 percent, or 68,000 tons, was paper and cardboard. And, according to the county’s data, for every ton recycled, between 15 and 17 trees are saved.

For information on recycling, visit PascoCountyFl.net.

Published July 13, 2016

Pioneer descendants receive honor

July 13, 2016 By Kathy Steele

On the momentous occasion when Florida issued its first drivers’ licenses in 1940, Ruth Smith made history.

County Judge O. L. Dayton Jr., pulled a desk into the hallway at the Dade City courthouse and plopped the 17-year-old into a chair in front of a manual typewriter.

“People lined up and stood as I typed up the first driver’s license in Pasco County,” said Ruth Smith Adams, now age 93. “I even typed up my mother and father’s (licenses). That’s probably before most of you were born. Here, I’m back this time, and it’s amazing.”

Ruth Smith Adams and brother, Bill Smith, received a resolution from the Pasco County Commission thanking them for efforts to preserve the heritage of Pasco County and Wesley Chapel. From left, front row: Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, Pasco County Clerk of Court Paula O’ Neil, Bill Smith, Ruth Smith Adams, Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey and Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano. From left, back row: Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader, Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells, Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker and Pasco County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder. (Photos courtesy of Richard K. Riley) — Ruth Smith Adams and brother, Bill Smith, received a resolution from the Pasco County Commission thanking them for efforts to preserve the heritage of Pasco County and Wesley Chapel. From left, front row: Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, Pasco County Clerk of Court Paula O’ Neil, Bill Smith, Ruth Smith Adams, Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey and Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano. From left, back row: Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader, Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells, Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker and Pasco County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder.
(Photos courtesy of Richard K. Riley)

Adams was addressing the Pasco County Commission, which was bestowing a resolution it passed honoring her and her 91-year-old brother, Bill Smith, for their work in preserving the heritage of Wesley Chapel and Pasco County.

They accepted the resolution on June 7 in what is now the Dade City Historic Courthouse.

The siblings are descendants of one of Pasco’s pioneering families dating back to 1867 when their great-grandfather, William R. Smith, settled in Wesley Chapel after the Civil War. In 1883, the elder Smith became owner of 160 acres of open land under the Homestead Act of 1862. He married Annie E. Sims and had six children, including Daniel Smith, the grandfather of Adams and Bill Smith.

Wesley Chapel remained part of Hernando County until 1887, when maps were redrawn to create Pasco.

Local historian Madonna Jervis Wise recorded the memories and recollections of Adams and Smith during hours of interviews for her book, “Images of America: Wesley Chapel.”

The pair also provided Wise with documents including homesteading deeds and photographs. And, they assisted her in drawing a map of area settlements in the 1900s.

“This is quite an honor,” Smith told commissioners.

He recounted the day in 1941 that he walked out of a Zephyrhills’ movie house after seeing a John Wayne western.

Ruth Smith Adams and her brother, Bill Smith, are descendants of one of the pioneer families that settled Wesley Chapel.

“I started walking and someone came running down the street, yelling that (Japan) had bombed Pearl Harbor,” said Smith, who was 16 at the time.

He joined the U.S. Army when he was 19 and was shipped to the Philippines. He was there when the United States dropped the atomic bomb on two Japanese cities.

“I saw Nagasaki when it was still smoking,” said Smith, during a telephone interview.

Back home he worked for a while on the family ranch, later joining a seaman’s union and working on cargo ships for a couple of years. He also worked as a coalman for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad before again returning to help with the family’s cattle and citrus farming endeavors.

His father, Luther Smith, was the son of Daniel Smith and Elizabeth Geiger Smith, who was born near Zephyrhills. To honor Daniel and Elizabeth’s marriage, friends and family held a barn raising to build their home in 1894.

This is the map of pioneer families in Wesley Chapel, as recalled by Ruth Smith Adams and her brother, Bill Smith. The Smiths were instrumental in helping Madonna Jervis Wise , research the community’s history for her book, “Images of America: Wesley Chapel.” (Courtesy of Madonna Jervis Wise) — This is the map of pioneer families in Wesley Chapel, as recalled by Ruth Smith Adams and her brother, Bill Smith. The Smiths were instrumental in helping Madonna Jervis Wise , research the community’s history for her book, “Images of America: Wesley Chapel.”
(Courtesy of Madonna Jervis Wise)

Luther Smith helped bring electricity to Wesley Chapel in the 1940s when he served on the Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative. The cooperative then was part of the Rural Electric Administration, a federal agency created in 1935.

Luther Smith’s home was located off Smith Road in Wesley Chapel.

In 1979 the family donated the pioneer, cracker-style home of Luther Daniel Smith to Cracker Country, a living museum located at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Hillsborough County.

When the house was moved there initially, members of the Smith family participated in special pioneer days and shared memories of life in Wesley Chapel and Pasco. Later, fair officials recruited volunteers to take over those duties.

According to the resolution, Smith and Adams remember a heritage of “open range, general stores over time, the Fifth Sunday Sings (Singing Convention) which so defined Wesley Chapel culture, the weekly rodeo, and the economic mainstays of timbering, turpentine, and ranching, as well as family farming, charcoal making, moonshining and hunting.”

Wesley Chapel was also known for The Singing Convention, which was held any month there was a fifth Sunday, Wise said. Families gathered, spread picnic lunches outdoors on orange crates, and enjoyed songs and music, Bill Smith said.

The siblings also recalled traveling to Zephyrhills every Saturday for grocery shopping. Their mother carried homegrown vegetables and eggs to trade for supplies.

“They wanted to tell a positive story, and I think there is something to be said for that,” said Wise. “They really are preservers of history.”

Published July 13, 2016

New yogurt shop coming to Lutz

July 13, 2016 By Kathy Steele

A new yogurt shop — sweetFrog Premium Frozen Yogurt — plans to open soon in a storefront in the Willow Bend Town Centre, at 22920 State Road 54, at Collier Parkway in Lutz.

The center’s anchor, Kmart, closed in mid-March. Representatives of Sears Holdings said the Kmart closing would cut company expenses overall and speed up its efforts to recast Kmart’s business model.

sweetFrog Premium Frozen Yogurt will open a shop in August in the Willow Bend Town Centre, at Collier Parkway and State Road 54. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo) — sweetFrog Premium Frozen Yogurt will open a shop in August in the Willow Bend Town Centre, at Collier Parkway and State Road 54.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

No additional announcements on a prospective tenant to fill Kmart’s spot, as well as a handful of other vacant storefronts, are available yet, according to Courtney Bissett-Hayes of Bissett McGrath Properties.

The sweetFrog shop is expected to open in August next to South Beach Tanning, Bissett-Hayes said.

The franchise owner could not be reached for comment.

The sweetFrog brand began seven years ago in Richmond, Virginia, as a start-up business by South Korean immigrant Derek Cha and his wife, Annah, according to the yogurt shop’s website.

The company is operated on Christian principles, similar to the model of Chick-fil-A. The second part of its name —Frog —is an anagram for Fully Rely on God.

Company mascots are Scoop and Cookie. The shop is available for birthday parties and special events. A Leap Forward School program offers free frozen yogurt cards to schools as giveaways for students who are on the honor roll, have perfect attendance or are singled out for exceptional citizenship.

There is a sweetFrog location in Spring Hill.

Worldwide, the yogurt franchise has 350 locations. It has shops in 25 states across the country, and in the Dominican Republic, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, according to its website.

Published July 13, 2016