Kathy Steele

Business Digest – 04/20/2016

April 20, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Award nominations
The deadline for nominations for the 2016 Pasco Economic Development Council Industry of the Year Awards is April 29.

Winners will be announced at the 30th annual Appreciation Banquet in September.

The awards recognize top companies in Pasco County that excel in technology, innovation, job creation, growth, capital investment and community involvement.

Nominees should be service, manufacturing or technology companies operating in Pasco County. Award categories are manufacturing, service/distribution, technology and nonprofits/others.

The awards will be separated into divisions based on number of employees. Evaluations are based on job creation, increased capital investment, and contributions to the community through civic involvement between January 2015 and June 2016.

Each year, more than 600 business and community leaders in Tampa Bay and Pasco County, attend the awards banquet, including state legislators, county commissioners and city officials.

Awards were presented to eight companies in 2015, and the winners were The Laker/Lutz News; Applicant Insight; SAHM Co.; Big Storm Brewing Co.; Preferred Materials; Easy Business Software; Veterans Alternative Therapy; and Florida Hospital Zephyrhills.

For information, contact Economic Development Manager Devon Barnett at (813) 926-0827, ext. 227, or Office Manager Suzanne Renczkowski at (813) 926-0827 or .

Lunch and learn
A Lunch N Learn business forum will take place April 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce boardroom, at 6013 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Suite 105, in Wesley Chapel.

The guest speaker will be Jan O’ Brien, co-founder of Wandering but Not Lost Coaching, a real estate, business, life coach and training company. O’ Brien will offer 20 power tips on “How to Create an All-Star Linkedin Profile.” The Meaning Center LLC is a co-sponsor.

Cost is $15 including lunch. RSVP required, as seating is limited.

For information, contact Loreen O’ Brien at The Meaning Center, at (813) 447-0338, or visit WBNLCoaching.com.

Welcome center
The master-planned community of Asturia will have a grand opening of its Amenity Center on April 21 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at 14701 State Road 54 in Odessa. Enjoy cocktails and hors d’ oeuvres, and tour the new 5,800-square-foot center, with a community clubhouse, state-of-the-art fitness center, covered outdoor living rooms, resort style swimming pool and open lawn for recreation.

Please RSVP to Jill Fuhrman at (904) 417-9865 or .

For information about Asturia, visit AsturiaFlorida.com.

Chamber mixer
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will have a mixer on April 21 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Alice Hall Community Center, at 38116 Fifth Ave., Zephyrhills.

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

Happy hour & mixer
New Tampa Chiropractic and Injury Center will host a happy hour and mixer on April 21 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at 2312 Crestover Lane, Suite 102, in Wesley Chapel.

Beer, wine, appetizers and door prizes will be offered.

For information, contact Theresa Ferrantelli at (727) 255-9449 or .

For information, visit New TampaChiropractor411.com.

Spring mixer
The East Pasco Networking Group will have its Spring Mixer on April 22 at 6 p.m., at Blackstone’s Reef & Grill, at 38361 County Road 54, in Zephyrhills. Guest speaker will be Amanda Keith of the Thomas Promise Foundation.

There will be door prizes and a 50/50 drawing that will benefit the foundation.

Please RSVP to Nils Lenz at (813) 782-9491 or ; Vicky Jones at (813) 431-1149 or .

Ribbon cutting
Chevy of Wesley Chapel will have a ribbon cutting and grand opening on April 26 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at 26922 Wesley Chapel Blvd., in Wesley Chapel. The dealership is one mile west of Interstate 75.

Refreshments will be served at this free event.

RSVP at (727) 216-6470 or .

For information, email .

Grand opening
The Central Pasco Association of Realtors will host an open house and grand opening at its new location on April 27 from 4 p. m. to 6 p.m., at 248123 State Road 54 in Lutz.

Hors d’oeuvres, beverages and prizes will be offered.

For information, email Pete Rundel at , or visit CPARfl.com.

Breakfast mania
East and Central Pasco Marketing Mania will take place on April 28 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., at American House, at 38130 Pretty Ponds Road in Zephyrhills. A continental breakfast will be provided. To RSVP, call (813) 400-2263.

The event takes place every last Thursday of the month. Locations may change periodically.

For information, call (813) 779-4501.

Sleep lab ribbon cutting
Bayfront Health Dade City Sleep Lab is relocating and will celebrate with a ribbon cutting and grand opening on April 28 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at 13100 Fort King Road, in Dade City.

For information, call (877) 232-2717, or visit BayFrontDadeCity.com.

Job fair
Pasco-Hernando State College career and testing services and CareerSource Pasco Hernando will host a manufacturing job fair on May 11 from 9 a.m. to noon, at the West Campus in New Port Richey, 10230 Ridge Road, in building R151.

Bring plenty of resumes. Participants will be able to visit with representatives of local manufacturing companies, who will offer on-the-spot interviews.

Job seekers must register at PHSC2016Manufacturing.eventbrite.com.

Local manufacturing employers seeking to hire qualified candidates are invited to participate at no cost.

For event information, call Jackie Eden at (727) 816-3381, or visit PHSC.edu.

Sparks flying over 911 center

April 13, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Controversy is swirling over the leadership of Pasco County’s 911 center, after a dispatcher mishandled an emergency call regarding a wrong-way driver on Interstate 75.

Pasco County commissioners also say that residents have reported instances of dropped calls or unanswered calls to the center.

“I think it’s gotten to the point we need to think outside the box,” Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said during the commissioners’ March 29 meeting.

Despite additional staff members working at the center, Moore said, “There have been too many missteps.”

A solution could come at the commissioners’ April 12 meeting in Dade City, when the issue is expected to be reviewed again.

The center has been without a permanent director for about 18 months.

On two occasions, candidates backed away. One cited family related reasons. The other gave no reason.

The issue of who will lead the county’s emergency center has evolved into a tussle between Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco and Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker.

Baker and Nocco disagree over who should appoint the center’s leader, and how the county and sheriff’s office will divide responsibility for the center.

The county and the sheriff’s office began consolidating their emergency response operations into one center in 2013.

Nocco and Baker each fired off letters to the Pasco County commissioners after a sometimes heated discussion at the commissioners’ March 29 meeting.

At that meeting, Moore invited Nocco to present recommendations to be put to an immediate vote.

“We all want to find a solution,” Nocco said.

He proposed promoting Lt. Dan Olds to the position of director of the emergency center, and letting Pasco Fire & Rescue name one of its supervisors as assistant director.

Olds currently serves as the center’s assistant director for public safety communications, which includes the consolidated 911 center.

Jody Kenyon has served as acting director, pending the hiring of a permanent director. He began serving in October 2014, soon after Dona Fernandes resigned from the job.

Baker objected to Nocco’s proposal. She said the matter “needs a more detailed conversation.”

Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader backed Baker.

“This is an important issue,” he said. “There’s a lot of us that haven’t had the benefit of all the facts.”

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey agreed that a vote should not be taken on something commissioners have not seen.

Schrader urged Nocco to meet with Baker to discuss the matter.

Nocco said his staff members would meet with Baker, but he would not.

“When trust is an issue, that’s a problem,” Nocco said.

Nocco sent a letter two days later to Starkey and the board, again laying out his solution.

Nocco’s letter states that he has met with Baker multiple times on the issue and “she has failed to provide any solutions for the Center.”

Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker

On March 31, Baker sent a lengthy letter to the commissioners, responding to Nocco and outlining three options for hiring a director for the emergency center.

In her letter, Baker objected to what she characterized as the sheriff’s “inaccuracies and half-truths.”

Baker states there haven’t been multiple meetings, and Nocco’s refusal to meet with her are what have prompted issues about trust.

“I am concerned that his delegates are either misunderstanding or misrepresenting our conversations,” Baker wrote.

Baker contends that Olds doesn’t meet minimum requirements established by the center’s consolidation board.

Baker also notified commissioners that she was removing Kenyon as acting director. He remains as technical services manager. She appointed newly-hired Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie to take on additional duties as acting public safety communications director.

In her letter, Baker noted that Guthrie supervised both emergency management and emergency communications in Flagler County before being hired by Pasco.

In a second letter to commissioners, dated April 1, Nocco gave “conditional acceptance” to Guthrie, if he is appointed permanently and serves solely as the center’s director.

Baker is expected to recommend three options on April 12.

The county has full responsibility for the center, with the county administrator hiring the director, with commission approval.
The sheriff hires a director and takes responsibility of the center. The county would appoint the assistant director, and set up an enterprise budget to track expenditures.
The center would be under control of the Consolidated Communications Board, which would select an executive director and other management positions. Employees and support services would be under contract with the county.

Baker also noted: “I remain willing to transfer responsibility and authority of the entire (Consolidated Communications Center) to the Sheriff, if that is the Board’s desire.”

Published April 13, 2016

Trail skips East Pasco

April 13, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Pasco County will be left out of one of the longest segments of the state’s Coast to Coast Connector Trail, but efforts are expected to continue to include the county in future projects.

The Florida Department of Transportation is opting for a northern trail route that winds through Hernando and Sumter counties and the city of Webster for the Coast to Coast Connector Trail, known as the C2C trail.

The department of transportation rejected alternate southern routes that would have passed through Pasco County, citing safety and relocation issues, and environmental concerns.

Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez, left, studies a map as David Williams, a planning manager for the Florida Department of Transportation, talks about the state’s recommendation for a segment of the Coast to Coast Connector that skips Pasco County, but does go through the town of Webster. In the background, Webster Mayor Kelly Williams looks on. (Richard K. Riley/Photo) — Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez, left, studies a map as David Williams, a planning manager for the Florida Department of Transportation, talks about the state’s recommendation for a segment of the Coast to Coast Connector that skips Pasco County, but does go through the town of Webster. In the background, Webster Mayor Kelly Williams looks on.
(Richard K. Riley/Photo)

State officials also said a southern route would add about nine additional miles to the C2C trail, which would boost construction costs.

About 80 people attended the last of three public meetings, hosted by the the state transportation department on April 7. Other meetings were in Sumter and Hernando counties.

Many came away from the April 7 meeting disappointed that the Sumter trail segment wouldn’t pass through a single Pasco town or city.

“It’s so important to us, not only as a destination, but for economic impact to the community and tourism,” said Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez.

Transportation officials and their consultant, Orlando-based VHB, conducted a feasibility study for what is known as the South Sumter Connector Trail, the largest remaining segment of the C2C trail. The study looked at three northern routes through Hernando and Sumter counties, and two southern routes through Pasco and Sumter.

The purpose of the project is to build a trail segment connecting the Good Neighbor Trail to the South Lake Trail. That link also will interconnect with the James A. Van Fleet trail, which winds to the Withlacoochee Trail. When finished, the C2C will be about 270 miles of new and existing trails in nine counties, including the Starkey Wilderness Trail in west Pasco and the trailhead for the Withlacoochee.

The planned trail segment would fill the gap in the C2C trail, which when finished will link Pinellas County in the west with Brevard County in the east.

Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey also suggested another alternative, which would tie in the cities of Webster, Lacoochee, Trilby and Dade City. That proposal was not part of the study, which will conclude in June.

The transportation department’s preferred route would cost about $21.4 million. The southern routes would cost about $25 million to $27 million.

The next phase is an approximately two-year study of environmental and engineering issues that would begin in late 2016 or early 2017. The trail then would be designed, right of way secured and, finally, construction would begin.

The entire process is likely to take multiple years.

Hernandez and others plan to keep lobbying for the entire Pasco community, in this and future projects.

Constructions of several trails or links with existing trails are in the works in Pasco, and also between Pasco and Pinellas County. They eventually will link with the Suncoast Trail and Hernando. A multi-use trail beside U.S. 301 is planned as a future link for the Hardy Trail, in Dade City.

Dade City council members were scheduled, on April 12, to consider a letter supporting Starkey’s proposed route, as well as a connector loop suggested by Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader. That action was slated for consideration after The Laker/Lutz News’ press time.

The letter, which would be sent to state transportation officials, also will request that directional signage be installed at the Good Neighbor Trail to let bicyclists know of trails available in Pasco.

Dade City resident Mark Pinson is heading up a petition drive to gather signatures favoring a trail that would include Dade City and other Pasco destinations.

“Bikers want destinations,” Pinson said. “Dade City is a great destination. You want a place to eat and have a cup of coffee.”

Several trails come close to Dade City, but they don’t connect, he said.

Hundreds of bicyclists flock to Dade City and San Antonio to enjoy scenic rides, he added.

Brooksville resident Art Frassrand checked out proposed routes on a display map prior to the transportation department’s slide show, and listened to David Williams, a planning manager for the department, as he explained the agency’s decision process.

“This is easily the most feasible route,” Williams said. “It’s a lot easier right-of-way wise. We won’t take as much frontage.”

Frassrand wasn’t persuaded.

“I think the southern route is the best,” Frassrand said.

It would trail through the Withlacoochee State Forest, and offer “the prettiest views,” he said.

Williams said forestry officials weren’t in favor of the C2C going through the state forest. He also noted hunters who said a bicycle trail would disrupt their hunting season.

However, Frassrand said bicyclists share the forest with hunters now for off-road or dirt bike riding.

Pinson said the northern route followed along busy highways.

“It’s probably a more unsafe route for bikers,” he said.

The extra nine miles that bothered transportation officials wouldn’t be an issue for bike riders, especially those planning an across-the-state jaunt, Pinson said.

“This is the prettiest nine miles of the whole trip,” he said.

Published April 13, 2016, Revised on April 15, 2016

Land sale pending near Hercules Park

April 13, 2016 By Kathy Steele

A commercial corner by the entrance into Hercules Park is on its way to being sold.

What happens with the remainder of the park’s land will depend on negotiations between officials from Pasco County Schools and the City of Zephyrhills.

Zephyrhills officials remain eager to see the park reopened and refurbished, said Steve Spina, city manager.

He anticipates meeting with school district officials in coming weeks.

“We’re not sure of the acreage yet,” Spina said.

Pasco County school officials plan to discuss the future of Hercules Park with the city of Zephyrhills, possibly looking at shared parking for the district’s ball field and the park. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo) — Pasco County school officials plan to discuss the future of Hercules Park with the city of Zephyrhills, possibly looking at shared parking for the district’s ball field and the park.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

That won’t be known until the land deal is completed, city and school officials said.

Because of various stipulations in the agreement, a closing date is not expected until Dec. 9.

The Pasco County School Board, on April 5, approved the sale of approximately 2.5 acres to GH &G Florida LLC for about $1.7 million. The property is at the southeast corner of Gall Boulevard and County Road 54, near the entrance into Hercules Park.

However, the buyer could opt to purchase two smaller, adjacent parcels for an additional $600,000, according to the contract agreement.

Pasco County closed the park about five years ago to save money. Based on a prior agreement, the approximately 15-acre site had to be used as a park or be returned to the school district, which owns the property.

The property went on the market in 2015, but a $1.7 million bid by the city of Zephyrhills fell short of the initial $2.3 million offer from GH & G Florida. The company pledged to donate 10 acres to 11 acres to Zephyrhills for its park.

GH & G had six months to complete the deal, but later asked for an extension. That led to more negotiations and an agreement to sell less acreage.

The parkland is a historical site for Zephyrhills, and part of about 80 acres originally owned by Hercules Powder Co. The company, which converted pine stumps into resin and turpentine, once was the city’s largest employer.

The property later became sites for the park, Zephyrhills High School and Woodland Elementary School.

Hercules Park has a fitness trail, children’s playground and an aquatic center in a woodland setting.

School officials plan to pursue an agreement with the city.

The district has ball fields next to the park, and there would be opportunities to share parking space and other amenities.

“It would be a matter of us and the city sitting down to talk through those details,” said Chris Williams, the school district’s planning director. “I think it would be beneficial for both of us.”

Published April 13, 2016

Patience dwindling on Ridge Road

April 13, 2016 By Kathy Steele

When it comes to the extension of Ridge Road, one Pasco County commissioner said it’s time to fish or cut bait.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore wants an answer from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the project by mid-May, or he’s ready to drop it.

The county has been waiting for 16 years for a permit on the project.

Moore reluctantly joined other commissioners on March 29 to approve a new consultants’ contract to pursue the permit, but said his tolerance is waning.

“I can’t continue this year after year,” Moore said. “I can’t continue even six months to give more and more funds (to a project) that I don’t know is going to happen.”

Moore signaled earlier that he had concerns about a six-month extension to a contract with consultants at Dawson & Associates.

The firm, based in Washington D.C., is helping steer the county’s permit application through the rules and regulations of multiple federal agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

At the time, commissioners agreed to the contract extension, but lowered the monthly payments of $38,500 down to $28,500.

The new contract is for one year, retroactive to February 2016, with the potential for month-to-month extensions for an additional three months. The fee remained unchanged.

The contract can be terminated with 30 days’ notice.

Dawson & Associates have submitted a new road design, with more bridges, that is part of a packet under review by the federal agency.

The agency is expected to respond within a month or so, said Dwight Beranek, senior advisor with Dawson & Associates.

“We’re seeing continuous progress, and even accelerated progress, in these last months,” he said.

The federal agency rejected the county’s permit application in April 2015, citing insufficient data and analysis of 17 construction alternatives.

Additional information and the modification of one alternative have been provided, but the application remains in the bureaucratic pipeline.

The 8-mile extension is viewed as high priority as a hurricane evacuation route, and as an additional east/west connector. But, there are objections about environmental damage to the area, and additional harm if more development is encouraged.

The road would run through about 58 acres of the 6,000-acre Serenova Preserve, set aside years ago to mitigate wetlands lost during construction of the Suncoast Parkway.

The road currently dead-ends at Moon Lake Road in New Port Richey.

The extension would link to U.S. 41, with a route to the parkway in Land O’ Lakes. There would be no access to the preserve from the road extension.

The county’s budget, for several years, has included $42 million for the first phase of the project.

Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey also expressed frustration with the lengthy process.

Pasco’s application is believed to be the longest pending permit request in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s history, but Starkey said delays aren’t unusual.
“This is a major problem with the Army Corps. It’s not just the county,” she said. “We’re not the only ones going through this.”

In agreeing to the new contract, Moore issued an ultimatum:

“I’m giving you (Dawson & Associates) until mid-May, or I’m done.”

Published April 13, 2016

Business Digest 04/13/2016

April 13, 2016 By Kathy Steele

CABA mixer
Carrollwood Area Business Association will host “CABA after 5” at Shells Seafood Restaurant, 2101 Fowler Ave., on April 13 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. CABA meets every Wednesday for a coffee or “After 5” event that showcases a CABA member’s business. The events are free and open to all CABA members. Guests may attend two of these events prior to joining CABA. No registration is required.

For information on this event, contact David Canady at (813) 304-2170 or .

Ribbon cutting
Signarama and EmbroidMe of New Tampa will celebrate their grand opening at a new location, 1917 Passero Ave., in Lutz, on April 14 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The companies began nearly five years ago in Wesley Chapel. The new site gives them a retail and wholesale storefront, with an adjacent 15,000 square feet of printing and fabrication space. The expanded space makes Signarama the region’s largest sign manufacturing facility north of Tampa, according to sales manager Jim Charos.

The free event will include a ribbon cutting at 5:30 p.m., music, food, refreshments, door prizes and tours of the facility. Among restaurants providing food will be Texas Road House, Latin Twist, Bakery Boutique, Kaixo Gourmet, Stacy’s Gluten Free Goodies and Hungry Harry’s Family BBQ. There also will be wine tasting and entertainment from John Jay the DJ. Invited guests include Pasco County Clerk of Court Paula O’Neil, Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, and State Rep. Danny Burgess. Area chambers of commerce will also participate including Central Pasco, Wesley Chapel, Hispanic Business Leaders, Zephyrhills, Dade City and Trinity-Odessa. All proceeds from the door prizes will be donated to the Pasco Chapter of the American Cancer Society.

For information, contact Signarama at (813) 994-0101, or email .

North Tampa chamber meeting
North Tampa Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly general meeting on April 14, with check-in at 11 a.m., at Brunchies, Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch and Catering at 14366 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa. Networking is until 11:30 a.m., when lunch will be served from a select menu.

For information, contact the chamber at (813) 961-2420, or email .

CareerSource mobile stop
The CareerSource Mobile One-Stop bus will be at the Zephyrhills Public Library, 5347 Eighth St., on April 14 starting at 9:30 a.m.

Those interested can get help in searching for work, creating and printing resumes, accessing local and statewide job listings, and getting information about programs provided by CareerSource. The mobile unit is a self-contained resource room on wheels with 12 computer stations, satellite internet and telecommunications, and printing and copying capabilities.

There is no cost for job seekers.

Pharmacy ribbon cutting
Palms Pharmacy will have a ribbon cutting and open house on April 15 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., at 17008 Palm Pointe Drive in New Tampa. Come enjoy refreshments, a special customer giveaway (while supplies last) and a drawing for a Kindle Fire or a FitBit.

For information, contact Shahida Choudhry at (813) 252-9063.

Grants for women
Women-n-Charge is offering two $1,000 grants that can be used toward business-related equipment, services or continuing education. The mission of Women-n-Charge, in part, is to support and assist professional women in managing their businesses more effectively.

Applications are available online and are due April 15. Winners will be announced at the May 6 meeting at Pebble Creek Country Club in Tampa.

For information, contact Judy Nicolosi, treasurer of Women-n-Charge, at (813) 600-9848, or email .

Hispanic business luncheon
The Hispanic Business Leaders luncheon will be April 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, at 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes. The event is hosted by the Hispanic Business Leaders of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce. The guest speaker will be Robert Chavarrica of the Small Business Administration.

The cost is $20 for chamber members, and $25 for non-members, but $18 if prepaid.

For information, contact John Jay Anglada, of Finest DeeJays, at (813) 298-3232.

Task forces consider road choices

April 6, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Two volunteer task forces recommend more in-depth review of a range of traffic solutions for State Road 54 and State Road 56 that include keeping redesigned roads at ground level, building flyovers or a no-build option.

The West Task Force and the East Task Force concluded the first phase of a vision study for the State Road 54 and State Road 56 corridor with meetings on March 28 and March 31, respectively. It was the third meeting for each group, which began working on the issue in September 2015.

Members of the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization will review the recommendations from the task forces to determine where to focus their attention in coming months. Each group took 18 alternatives and whittled them to no more than six options, including the no-build choice. There also were add-on alternatives to the list that were considered, such as designs that used frontage and bypass roads.

Vehicles stack up along State Road 56 as they approach and pass by the Interstate 75 interchange, near Tampa Premium Outlets. A vision study is looking at ways to ease congestion as more development pops up along the east/west corridor. (File Photo) — Vehicles stack up along State Road 56 as they approach and pass by the Interstate 75 interchange, near Tampa Premium Outlets. A vision study is looking at ways to ease congestion as more development pops up along the east/west corridor.
(File Photo)

The next phase of a three-part study is expected to drill down on specific transportation alternatives, with greater detail on design and costs of future construction.

The study’s second phase could take months, probably not concluding until late 2017 or 2018.

“This is going to be a long process,” said James Edwards, the county’s transportation planning manager with the MPO. “Something has to be done,” he added.

In addition to overall concerns about the entire corridor, area residents and the East Task Force also concentrated on the State Road 54 and U.S. 41 intersection. About 100,000 vehicles travel through it daily.

A proposal from the Florida Department of Transportation would build a flyover that would be elevated over U.S. 41, and could include toll lanes. The issue has stirred controversy and worries that the Land O’ Lakes community could be split in half, with many businesses being closed or relocated.

State transportation officials recently have said they would wait for the county’s vision study before moving forward on the matter.

The entire State Road 54 and State Road 56 corridor is a high development area, with new homes, shops, restaurants, offices and hotels popping up. Congestion and traffic volume is increasing rapidly.

“Our models tell us we have a problem,” Edwards said. “It’s a corridor with issues. It’s not just one intersection.”

The West Task Force focused on State Road 54 from U.S. 19, in west Pasco, to U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes. The East Task Force reviewed State Road 54/State Road 56, from U.S. 41 to Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, east of Interstate 75.

Task force members were from the MPO’s Citizens Advisory Committee, local chambers of commerce, community leaders, developers or their representatives, and residents from East Pasco and West Pasco.

The groups, each with nine members, will remain in place to aid with upcoming reviews.

Officials, however might make some new appointments to the East Task Force based on spotty attendance by some members.

The task forces opted mostly for the same transportation alternatives, but varied in how they ranked their choices. Elevated express lanes, with public transit express lanes, ranked first in the West Task Force survey, but just barely based on a weighted score. Close behind were survey responses in favor of a modified alternative with at-grade express lanes and express transit lanes.

Most East Task force members wanted six at-grade lanes, with dedicated lanes for public buses and rail. That choice was followed by a preference for the no-build option. The top picks by east members were at the bottom of the west members recommended list.

Both groups also supported an add-on alternative that would consider frontage and bypass roads in intersection design.

“These are all going to be analyzed in phase two,” said Ali Atefi, a county transportation engineer.

The East Task Force meeting also heard a new presentation – not included in the survey – for an at-grade design for State Road 54 and U.S. 41, known as “parallel flow intersection.” Jacksonville-based engineer, Greg Parsons, had pitched his concept to state transportation officials previously. He has a patent on the design.

His specific road design to date has not been built in the United States, though Parsons said a few places, including Baton Rouge, have used partial versions of the design.

The design is based on allowing left turns onto a bypass road, before vehicles reach an intersection. Parson said that allows for a continual flow of traffic.

“I’m really confident my traffic option will work,” Parsons said.

He is equally certain the transportation department’s flyover, or any elevated design, won’t work.

With traffic volume increases, Parsons predicts that by 2040, an elevated roadway would see delays of up to an hour getting through traffic signals, with vehicles backed up for four miles.

According to Parsons, his proposed design would mean delays of one minute and minimum vehicle lineups.

Edwards said that Parson’s concept would be vetted by the state department of transportation.

“It’s a little premature. He’s introducing a concept out there,” he said. “There’s a lot of information that isn’t at the table yet and many issues to be vetted.”

For information about Mobility 2040: A Vision for the SR 54/56 Corridor Phase 1, visit PascoCountyFl.net.

To view Parson’s YouTube presentation, visit GFParsons.com/us41-sr54.

Published April 6, 2016

The Shops at Wiregrass is adding stores

April 6, 2016 By Kathy Steele

The Shops at Wiregrass is adding fresh faces to its retail lineup.

By the end of fall, the outdoor mall will host the grand openings of seven new stores.

The first three shops, Lola Perfume, Soleciety Sneaker Boutique, and 3D Musketeers Printing, already are open.

The Shops at Wiregrass is adding to its retail lineup, in an effort to keep up-to-date with customer desires. The regional shopping mall is adding stores including Irish 31, Lola Perfume and Rocket Fizz Soda Pop & Candy Shop. (File Photo) — The Shops at Wiregrass is adding to its retail lineup, in an effort to keep up-to-date with customer desires. The regional shopping mall is adding stores including Irish 31, Lola Perfume and Rocket Fizz Soda Pop & Candy Shop.
(File Photo)

VisionWorks, VomFASS Oils, Vinegars, Spirits & Wines, Rocket Fizz Soda Pop & Candy Shop, and Irish 31 will arrive in the next months.

“We’re continually working with our leasing department. We listen continually to our customers who tell us what they want,” said Greg Lenners, general manager at The Shops at Wiregrass. “We try to have a little bit of everything.”

The new shops are part of the routine of keeping a mall fresh and were planned ahead of the opening of Tampa Premium Outlets, Lenners said.

“We have to be very strategic with what we put in,” Lenners said. That’s true for every mall, including Tampa Premium Outlets, he noted.

Four outparcels at Wiregrass are still up for grabs, so additional announcements could happen this year, Lenners said.

Lola Perfume features brand-name fragrances for men and women, at a shop near Hollister’s.

Soleciety Sneaker Boutique, next to Zales, sells hard-to-find, limited edition sneakers.

VisionWorks is a national eye care chain that will open in fall 2016 on an outparcel in front of Moe’s Southwest Grill, near Barnes & Noble Booksellers. The shop sells exclusive brand-name frames, lenses, sunglasses and accessories, and provides eye health care, including examinations for corrective lenses or contacts.

Rocket Fizz Soda Pop & Candy Shop will appeal to sweet tooths, at its spot near JC Penney. The shop, which is opening in spring, is a nostalgic trip back to the 1940s and ’50s, with a soda fountain flair. “It’s got a cool, hip flavor to it,” Lenners said.

Customers can browse the shelves for retro and gag gifts, concert and movie posters, and tin signs.

VomFASS Oils, Vinegars, Spirits & Wines will open in late spring near Center Court. The shop sells premium cooking oils, balsamics, vinegar specialties and an exclusive choice of fruit balsamic vinegars. Spirits, liqueurs and wines also will be available.

3D Musketeers Printing sells custom, color printed three-dimensional figurines.

Irish 31 is known to its customers at “The People’s Pub.” The ale house, near Panera Bread, will serve up traditional Irish food, vegetarian dishes, Southern favorites and comfort foods, along with a large selection of beers, wine and specialty cocktails.

The eatery’s name in part is from founder Jay Mize, who wore jersey number 31 as a member of the University of South Florida’s football squad. A fall opening is planned.

“It’s going to be a nice restaurant with Irish appeal to it,” said Lenners. “It will add extra flavor (to the mall).”

Published April 6, 2016

Seed of idea takes root in garden

April 6, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Construction trailers once cluttered the vacant lot on a hilly rise across from Florida Hospital Zephyrhills.

Now, a community garden is taking root there, as hospital employees, one by one, build garden beds that will sprout with vegetables, flowers and herbs.

The landmark Zephyrhills’ water tower looms just behind Florida Hospital Zephyrhills’ CREATION Health Community Garden. Garden beds, aquaponics, butterfly gardens and an educational pavilion will make up the 2-acre garden. (Fred Bellet/Photos) — The landmark Zephyrhills’ water tower looms just behind Florida Hospital Zephyrhills’ CREATION Health Community Garden. Garden beds, aquaponics, butterfly gardens and an educational pavilion will make up the 2-acre garden.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

The Florida Hospital Zephyrhills CREATION Health Community Garden sits behind a white picket fence, on Dairy Road directly behind the hospital.

The garden is a complementary piece to the hospital’s new CREATION Health Wellness Center.

The center offers gym memberships, personal training, a Kid Zone play area, free cooking demonstrations, healthy lifestyle seminars and more.

“This is kind of tying it all together,” said Kelley Sasser, the hospital’s director of process improvement.

Garden beds can be rented by anyone in the community for $75 annually, with no charge for the soil.

Some beds are built tall enough to accommodate gardeners with mobility issues.

Sasser and David Force, who works in the same department as a specialist, are the garden’s promoters.

Force brings gardening expertise to the project; Sasser is a passionate cheerleader.

David Force, a process improvement specialist, brought the idea of a community garden to managers at Florida Hospital Zephyrhills. He learned to love gardening from his grandmother.

“We’ve taken the garden under our wings,” Sasser said. “That is what (David) eats and breathes.”

Force credits his grandmother with giving him a love of gardening.

He grew up in Zephyrhills and Dade City, but every summer he visited his grandmother who could coax plants to grow in the worst of conditions.

“She always had a garden,” he said. “This was in north Florida in the middle of sand.”

It was a happy time, he said. “That’s some of my best memories.”

Initially, Force wanted to create a garden for hospital volunteers.

“The hospital thought that was a good idea but wanted to go further,” Force added.

It took nearly three years from merely having an idea to actually digging in the dirt, but on March 16, the first of 70 garden beds were nailed together and filled with fertile soil.

Force has about 500 plants growing in a small greenhouse, from seeds donated by Lowe’s home improvement store in Zephyrhills.

Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, lavender and cilantro are among the plants ready to sprout. Ultimately, these fresh veggies and herbs could find their way to the hospital’s cafeteria or into a cooking demo at the wellness center.

Brett Uravich, left, Florida Hospital Zephyrhills’ liaison for physicians and business development, and Kim Friedmeyer, clinical nurse educator, put together raised garden beds at the hospital’s community garden.

One long-range goal is to have enough community involvement that a farmer’s market might be held once a month, Force said.

Or, maybe a cooperative, he added, “which would be wonderful.”

At the mid-March kickoff, hospital employees walked over throughout the morning and into the lunch hour, to help with the gardening tasks.

Several volunteers sported T-shirts with the message, “Doing Good in the Neighborhood.”

Florida Hospital Zephyrhills is the only hospital in the area with a community garden. As one of 45 hospitals in the Adventist Health System, it is the second hospital in the system to start a community garden. The first started at an Adventist Hospital in Castle Rock, Colorado.

A gazebo, garden shed and a small greenhouse are on-site. Walkways and landscaping give the 2-acre garden a tranquil, inviting ambiance.

Aquaponics, an education pavilion, a butterfly garden and a small orchard will be added during the second phase.

Benches also will be placed throughout the garden, which now is dotted with red and yellow hibiscus in ceramic planters.

The garden also nurtures the spirit.

A tray of seedlings sits in a temporary storage area prior to being planted in Florida Hospital Zephyrhills’ CREATION Health Community Garden.

It embraces the tenants of the Adventist faith and lifestyle, including trust, outlook and nutrition, said Casio Jones, director of the hospitals’ wellness center.

“You’re building oneness with the Lord,” Jones said.

There are social bonds that also knit a community together.

“That increases your ability to see things in a positive way,” he said. “You plant and you reap something good. I just know this is going to be an opportunity for us to partner with our community better.”

Natasha Forbes-Thorne looks forward to quiet lunches in the gazebo, and creating salads from the vegetables she’ll grow in the garden.

Her son donated funds to buy the gazebo, and she served on the hospital’s community garden committee.

“My big thing is teaching the next generation to do sustained gardening, and to know where their food comes from,” said Forbes-Thorne, the hospital’s rehabilitation director. “I see how real this is. This is gold right here.”

Published April 6, 2016

Seven Oaks Pet Hospital expands

April 6, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Boxes still are being unpacked in his new home, but that doesn’t faze Duncan, the in-house cat at Seven Oaks Pet Hospital.

He’s content to catnap in his bed, atop a desk, while others do the heavy lifting.

For veterinarian Sree Reddy, the new location for Seven Oaks is a dream more than three years in the making.

Receptionist Jeanette Mandeville reviews documents with veterinarian Sree Reddy at Reddy’s clinic, Seven Oaks Animal Hospital. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos) — Receptionist Jeanette Mandeville reviews documents with veterinarian Sree Reddy at Reddy’s clinic, Seven Oaks Animal Hospital.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

Physically, the animal clinic is just about a half-mile from its previous location.

But, Reddy has come a long way since opening Seven Oaks in a shopping center, off State Road 56, nearly a decade ago.

In its new and more spacious building, the veterinary clinic is getting a fresh start, and adding to the growing retail boom along the state highway.

“We decided we were outgrowing our location,” said Reddy. “If two people were up front, it was full. We actually had people waiting outside.”

At about 5,000 square feet, Seven Oaks Pet Hospital is more than doubling its previous size.

Reddy made an immediate decision to buy a large plot of land when it went on the market. It fit perfectly with the desire to stay near his customer base, and to also do retail.

The new hospital has an expansive waiting area, five examination rooms, an isolation room, surgery, boarding and grooming services, and state-of-the art-technology, including the ability to do on-site ultra sounds.

Veterinarian Sree Reddy opened a new, larger animal clinic at his Pet & Fit Center. Reddy also will operate a pet store and lease space to self-defense school Hammerfist Krav Maga. A standalone Crossfit 14 gym will open soon in a building behind the animal clinic.

More than a pet hospital, the Pet & Fit Center is a commercial center, on a prime spot at 27027 State Road 56, around the corner from Buffalo Wild Wings and a short distance from The Shops at Wiregrass and Tampa Premium Outlets.

Reddy plans to open Pet Depot next door to his clinic. He will take his time, stocking the shop with pet food and accessories that his clients want.

Reddy plans to focus on American-made products, but he said, “I want to carry what my clients want,” he said. “Our goal is to mimic our neighborhood.”

Next door to the pet shop, another storefront is leased to a self-defense school – Hammerfist Krav Maga.

A nearly 12,000-square-foot building behind the clinic will soon be home to CrossFit14, a gymnasium relocating also from Cypress Village’s plaza.

A ribbon cutting and grand opening probably is two months to three months away.

Reddy treats his four-legged patients with traditional methods and medications, but he also is passionate about holistic treatments such as acupuncture and Chinese herbs.

He also offers less invasive surgeries of laser and laparoscopy.

The Eastern-influenced treatments, including acupuncture, are especially useful for dogs with hip dysplasia, seizures or arthritis.

Duncan slumbers in his bed, next to a computer in the surgery room. The 8-year-old domestic longhair was adopted by Seven Oaks Pet Hospital nearly five years ago

The hospital also offers house calls, and annual wellness plans to help with pet expenses.

His staff works with several animal rescue groups, including ones for Labrador retrievers and greyhounds. The clinic also does free work for the Pasco County Animal Shelter, including some bone surgeries and X-rays.

Reddy’s passion for caring for animals began in India with summers spent at his grandparents’ farm, populated with cows, goats and sheep.

He got his veterinary degree at Tuskegee University in Alabama.

He also did research at the National Animal Disease Center in Ames, Iowa, where Reddy said as many as 500 veterinarians worked together at the federally funded facility.

But, he opted to move from research into a veterinary practice in 2001.

Reddy opened a clinic in Clearwater in 2004, and three years later moved to Wesley Chapel. It was a positive experience settling into a community where, Reddy said, families have strong bonds and see their pets as part of the family.

His goal is to make his hospital and veterinary practice part of that.

“I want to make relationships,” he said.

Published April 6, 2016