The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Kevin Weiss

Pasco County all-star baseball game

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The inaugural Pasco County All-Star Baseball Game, presented by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, is slated for May 20 at 4 p.m., at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, 13651 Hays Road in Spring Hill. The game features the top senior players from each of the 15 high schools in Pasco County. Tickets are $10; parking is $5. For information, contact Bob Durham at (813) 784-4410 or .

East and West team rosters are listed:

East Team
Land O’ Lakes High School
McCabe Sargent
Troy Klemm
Dustin Harris
Max Law
Brayden Lyman
Kyler Roy

Pasco High School
Corey Mills
Zach Balogh
Jackson Fiorelli

Sunlake High School
Tommy Mace
Jacob Ortiz
Michael Wu
Colden Peeples

Wesley Chapel High School
Jovy Diaz

Wiregrass Ranch High School
Kyle Cooper
Logan Mercado
Jose Spence
Ryan Capagrosso
Nate Stringfield

Zephyrhills Christian Academy
Hunter Barber

Zephyrhills High School
Dalton Gold
Marcus Gonzalez
Austin Putz

West Team
Anclote High School
Brock Decker

Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School
Paul Coumoulos
Chris Berglund
Dillon Morton
Zack Berglund
Manny Sado

Fivay High School
Elijah Hauck

Gulf High School
Mike Smith

Hudson High School
Jordan Nutting
Justin Morgan

Mitchell High School
Trevor Foggia
Kyle DeJesus
Ryan Del Negro
Blake Parry

Ridgewood High School
Pedro DeLos Rios
Anthony Malave
Joel Squillante

River Ridge High School
Trevor Hawks
Sean Murtha
Dalton O’ Toole
Landon Fish

Saint Leo to host 2021 NCAA XC Championships

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Saint Leo University and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission have been selected to repeat as hosts for the 2021 NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships, at The Abbey Golf Course, 33625 State Road 52 in San Antonio.

Both groups were also selected to host the 2020 and 2021 NCAA Division II Cross Country South Region Championships, at the golf course.

Saint Leo University, in partnership with the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, has been selected to repeat as host for the 2021 NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships, at The Abbey Golf Course.
(Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

The Saint Leo and Tampa Bay Sports Commission partnership previously hosted the NCAA Division II Cross Country South Region Championships in 2015 and 2016, as well as the 2016 NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships.

“Being selected to repeat as a co-host for these NCAA Division II cross-country events in 2020 and 2021 is a tremendous honor for all of us with Saint Leo Athletics,” Saint Leo Athletics Director Francis X. Reidy said, in a release. “We have a great partner in the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, and I want to thank Rob Higgins and his team for their efforts to celebrate and enhance the Division II championship experience…”

Other Sunshine State Conference institutions were named NCAA championship hosts in the sports of men’s and women’s cross-country (Florida Southern, 2018 and 2019 South Regionals), men’s and women’s soccer (University of Tampa, 2020 and 2021 championships), men’s and women’s tennis (Rollins College, 2019 and 2022 championships), and women’s volleyball (University of Tampa, 2021 championship). SSC provisional member Palm Beach Atlantic was also named a host institution for men’s golf (2021 championship) and women’s golf (2019 championship).

Drawing portraits, one pet at a time

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John LaFree was always told he couldn’t make a living as an artist.

But he created a career with his artistic talents, as the proprietor of Canine Caricature Pet Portraits.

Freelance and self-employed, LaFree operates his easel out of the comfy confines of his Wesley Chapel home.

The pieces he produces are anything but ordinary.
LaFree, 42, puts a “fun and whimsical spin” on the traditional pet portrait, creating an original hand-drawn work of art based on a combination of submitted photos, descriptions and requests.

John LaFree, of Wesley Chapel, launched Canine Caricature Pet Portraits in 2010. The 42-year-old puts a ‘fun and whimsical spin’ on the traditional pet portrait, creating an original hand-drawn work of art based on a combination of submitted photos, descriptions and requests.
(Kevin Weiss)

His custom illustrations — drawn on 12-inch by 16-inch paper using markers and Prismacolor art stix — serve as a unique interpretation of pets, incorporating the owner’s lifestyle to form “a very personal and collaborative project.”
“Oftentimes when people are giving me their descriptions, they’re talking about what they imagine their dog is thinking about,” said LaFree. “I can manipulate it and go in any direction, whether it’s something the dog enjoys doing, the dog enjoys playing with, or maybe it’s something you enjoy doing.”

The artsy influences are bred from his youth, when he doodled and pored over MAD Magazine and Gary Larson’s The Far Side.

Though dogs are the primary focus, Lafree’s portraits have expanded to include cats, horses, hamsters, ferrets, rabbits, snakes and turtles.

“It literally can be any animal,” he said. “I market myself as Canine Caricatures, but it’s easily feline, equine, bovine.”

The creative venture began in 2010, following stints as a caricature artist at Busch Gardens and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, in Ohio.

An example of one of LaFree’s recent pet portraits.
(Courtesy of John LaFree)

Before that, LaFree was a stage actor, with a few appearances in small films and television.

Besides Florida and Ohio, his career led him to California, Colorado and New Mexico.

The shift from actor to artist happened “almost overnight.”

“I think the whole time I was trying to be an actor, I was ready to not be an actor anymore,” LaFree explained. “I wasn’t enjoying it as much as I enjoyed the process and the rehearsals and the applause of each show.”

Conversely, artwork “is all process” to LaFree.

“It’s more pleasing for my eye,” he said, “and it’s a lot more fulfilling for me to be working on my visual stuff and try to convey a story with a few marker strokes.”

Since Canine Caricatures launched, LaFree established an extensive client network, commissioning artwork for various animal shelters and pet rescues, along with pet store chains.
“Artistically, it was very fulfilling,” he said. “It was new for me. It was a challenge. It was hard. And, nobody I knew was doing anything like that,” he said.

Most of his business today is via online orders.

Beyond the United States, he’s received orders from countries like Australia and Sweden.

Each piece — barring any distractions — takes about one to two hours to complete, LaFree said.

He works on about five projects per day, hoping to complete 20 to 25 per week.
The typical turnaround time for an order is about three weeks.
That can expand to nearly two months, during the busy holiday season.

“Christmas,” he said, “is nuts.”

Though LaFree regularly is “super busy,” he remains grateful to do something he enjoys.

Most of LaFree’s business comes via online orders. He typically completes 20 to 25 pieces per week.

“There are not a whole lot of us that have made a whole business out of it,” he said.

The work, too, has given the artist an appreciation “for all of the diversity of life on this planet.

“I’ve learned about so many different breeds. I know more about dogs than I ever thought there was to know,” he said.

Meanwhile, the artist’s drawing style continues evolving.

That includes incorporating more realistic visual features, like pinpointing a pet’s glassy eyes or moisture in its gums.

“I’ve continued to be a student of what I’m doing. I’ve always tried some new stuff,” LaFree said.

Several other ventures, too, are in the works for LaFree.

They range from molding dog sculptures, to writing a children’s book.

There’s also a project called Boozehoundz, a cartoon drawing about dogs with drinking problems.

“I try to branch out,” LaFree said. “The more I can do, the more interesting it stays for me.”

LaFree has a tent at the Fresh Market at The Shops at Wiregrass the first and third Saturday of each month, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For information, visit CanineCaricatures.com.

Published April 26, 2017

Symposium spotlights mental health, well-being

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College life can be exciting, but also can be challenging.

Besides searching for independence, there comes a new level of responsibilities — academically and socially.

That’s why administrators and student leaders at Pasco-Hernando State College organized a Community Resource Fair and Symposium on mental health and well-being, at the college’s East Campus in Dade City.

Research conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness on mental health on college campuses shows:

  • 25 percent of students have a diagnosable illness
  • 40 percent do not seek help
  • 80 percent feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities
  • 50 percent have been so anxious they struggled in school

About a dozen organizations were present during the April 19 event — part of the college’s ongoing community awareness series.
Several local mental health and wellness agencies were on hand, including BayCare Behavioral Health, and Sunrise of Pasco County Domestic and Sexual Violence Center.

Pasco-Hernando State College organized a Community Resource Fair and Symposium on April 19 at its East Campus in Dade City.
(Courtesy of PHSC)

Representatives from those groups, along with a college staff member, led a panel discussion on mental fitness among college students.

One of the panelists was Jacqui Turner, a liaison for BayCare Health System’s Student Assistance Program (SAP), which provides support to students in dealing with personal, academic, or relationship problems via referral services through managed care benefits and other community resources.

According to Turner, most college students utilize the SAP service because they struggle balancing school, work and general life obligations.

Those stresses, Turner said, can translate to poor classroom performance.

“When your mind is focused elsewhere,” she said, “you’re not performing to your fullest potential…and your grades go down pretty fast.”

Aside from stress, feelings of anxiety and depression can also be prevalent among college students, Turner noted.

Another panelist, Chuck Wilson— the college’s executive director of the President’s Institute for College Preparation, Completion, Certification, Leadership Development — suggested financial decisions—good and bad—can impact mental well-being.

He said most debt is created right out of college.

“As you’re preparing for life, don’t mess up your money,” he said.

That includes incorporating preventative measures, such as saving and smart spending habits. 
“If you don’t do that,” Wilson said, “now you’re dealing with depression, and fear and anxiety.”

Later on, Wilson advised those with financial struggles to seek help from elder family members and dabble with financial literacy programs.

“Often there’s value in age and experience,” he said.

He also advocated performing a self-assessment “when something is weighing you.”

“Have courageous conversation with yourself. When you tell yourself the truth, I think that’s the baseline for rising above whatever the situation is.”

With April being National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a portion of the symposium centered on ways to support victims and survivors of sexual assault, dating and violence domestic and stalking.
The topic was led by Aubrey Hall, Green Dot coordinator for Sunrise of Pasco. The Green Dot Bystander aims to end or reduce the amount of violence found on university campuses.

According to Hall, one in four women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime, and one in six men will be stalked.

“These numbers rise when college is in session,” Hall explained. “When you’re in college, you’re four times more likely to be assaulted than when you’re not in college.”

She pointed out survivors of violence “sometimes feel guilty or shameful, because they feel like they should have acted.”

Empowering those victims, Hall said, starts with utilizing proper interaction techniques.

One such technique, called trauma-informed care, is an approach that aims to engage people with histories of trauma, recognize the presence of trauma symptoms and acknowledge the role that trauma has played in their lives.

“When you go and you interact with somebody, you don’t really know what they’ve been through. And, it’s really not right to ask somebody about it,” Hall said.

“I never go into a room assuming no one’s experienced violence.”

She, too, never asks ‘why,’ when dealing with trauma victims, due to its presumptive tone.

“If you’re asking somebody why something happened to them, you’re putting the blame on them. You’re putting the onus on them,” Hall said.

She added: “Language is extremely important. Not only how you’re asking the questions, but then following up.”

Published April 26, 2017

Carrollwood Village park project pushes forward

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With funding secured for a new community park in Carrollwood Village, the next step is finalizing the project’s conceptual design.

The 50-acre Carrollwood Village Community Park is set to replace the Dale Mabry Wastewater Treatment Plant once it goes offline, and the land is converted to a green space.

A new 50-acre park eventually will replace the Dale Mabry Wastewater Treatment Plant, once it goes offline and is converted to a green space. Anticipated park amenities for the Carrollwood Village Community Park are a playground, volleyball court, open-lot amphitheater, skate park, and event pavilion. Other incorporated features include walking trails, a dog park, a splash pad, a picnic area, a botanical garden and a nature center. The park’s budget stands at $6.5 million.
(File)

The property is situated west of North Dale Mabry Highway, south of West Village Drive in the Greater Carrollwood Area.

The current total park project budget is $6.5 million, including $400,000 in impact fees and $6.1 million in financing. The land transfer from the Hillsborough County Public Utilities Department is currently estimated at $1 million to $1.5 million.

The county is retiring the 40-year-old plant because of increasing operation and maintenance costs; the plant’s workload will be transferred to the Northwest Regional Water Reclamation Facility off South Mobley Road.

The decommissioning of the plant is expected to be complete sometime next spring.
In the meantime, the park will be phased in over several years, beginning with the Design Build Procurement Phase, now underway.

That involves the construction of a new pump station, a reclaimed water outfall, odor-control equipment and an electrical building.

As Phase I ramps up, the Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation Department is still gathering input on the project, which included an April 18 open house at the Carrollwood Cultural Center.

Dozens of residents attended, providing comments, filing out notecards, and asking questions on proposed use and amenity options.

The meeting served as a follow-up to a gathering in September 2015, where parks officials collected input from the community on the type of amenities they’d value the most at the 50-acre site.

Department officials ranked the citizens’ comments, and created a top 10 “wish list” of amenities.

A “passive” community park, featuring walking trails, a dog park, a splash pad, a picnic area, a botanical garden and a nature center were some of the most requested amenities.

Shown here is a conceptual design for the 50-acre Carrollwood Village Community Park. An open house was held April 18 at the Carrollwood Cultural Center to generate additional feedback on the project.
(Kevin Weiss)

Based on the community’s comments, the conceptual plan was further developed to incorporate desired changes, including a playground, volleyball court, open-lot amphitheater, skate park and event pavilion.

This current plan is a “living document” that may be changed based on site conditions, construction restrictions and budget allowance, park officials say.
Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan, the featured speaker at the April 18 open house, said the park has potential to become “a real jewel” in Carrollwood.

“It is going to be a wonderful community asset,” Hagan said. “With the location and size of this property, we have a rare opportunity to really create something special right in the heart of Carrollwood Village.”

A major question remaining is which park elements the community wants first, said Doc Dougherty, the county’s parks and recreation director.

“There’s so much that goes into infrastructure at a place this big,” Dougherty explained. “Our goal would be to have as many (park) elements as we can in the first phase, so people can see something useful here.”

Another issue still under consideration is the park’s operational component.

“That is a challenge throughout all of our facilities,” Hagan said, “Whether it’s parks, libraries or fire stations, it’s not the capital cost up front, but it’s the recurring, yearly operational costs that provide challenges.”

Hagan noted the county is considering various public-private partnership opportunities to reduce those costs.

The county’s parks department already oversees 176 neighborhood parks, 54 recreation centers, and 118 playgrounds, along with has 38 sports complexes, four skate parks and six dog parks.
The idea for the new park in Carrollwood was community-driven.

Once news spread about the retirement of the wastewater site a few years ago, the Friends of the Northwest Regional Park — the group responsible for spearheading the idea for a new park — collected several thousand individual signatures and received support from over 10,000 Carrollwood homeowners for a new community park.

“I’ve never seen a project that has had this level of community support,” said Hagan “A lot of credit must go to leadership here in Carrollwood Village.”
Officials say additional meetings are anticipated as the project develops.

Public comments on the Carrollwood Village Community Park will be accepted through May 2.

To provide feedback on the project, visit tinyurl.com/lgn4xxv.

Published April 26, 2017

Spring football preview: Hillsborough County

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Spring football practices are now underway for high schools across the state. Though the first games of the 2017 season remain several months away, Florida high schools are allowed a maximum of 20 practice sessions from April 24 to May 31, according to Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) guidelines.

Here’s a look at what schools in our coverage area in Hillsborough are working with:

Carrollwood Day School
Coach: Mark Jones (2nd year)
2016 record: 2-6

Carrollwood football coach Mark Jones went 2-6 in his first season.
(File)

The Carrollwood Day School Patriots are hoping to rebound after a challenging season under first-year head coach Mark Jones. After a promising 64-0 victory over Avant Garde Academy in August, the Patriots suffered a six-game losing streak, then closed the season with a 34-7 win over St. Petersburg Catholic; the Patriots were outscored by a 240-33 margin during the losing streak.

Youthful last season, the Patriots may see significant improvements in 2017 following an offseason of polishing. Rising junior quarterback Chris Butash (448 passing yards, three touchdowns) could be in for a breakout season, especially with the return of top target Kyle Benedict (20 receptions, 225 yards). Meanwhile, defensive tackle Pierre Alsint (62 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks), the team’s top pass rusher, is also expected to return for his senior season.

 

Second-year Freedom coach Floyd Graham looks for a turnaround in 2017.
(Courtesy of Freedom High)

Freedom High School
Coach: Floyd Graham (2nd year)
2016 record: 3-7

A relatively difficult district schedule and an ineffective offense led to a disappointing 3-7 season for the Freedom Patriots under first-year head coach Floyd Graham. In 2016, Freedom scored just five touchdowns all season, failing to score more than seven points in all but three games. An offensive resurgence this fall likewise could be tough with the exit of running back Trent Burnett (420 all-purpose yards) and wideout Carlos Ridicio (167 all-purpose yards). However, Graham has engineered a program turnaround before. While at Steinbrenner High from 2009-2011, Graham guided the Warriors from a 1-6 record, to 5-5 and 7-3 marks.

 

Gaither High School
Coach: Kirk Karsen (1st year)
2016 record: 5-5

The Gaither Cowboys will have a new head coach in 2017. Kirk Karsen, a former Sickles and Alonso defensive coordinator takes over a Cowboys squad that went 5-5 last fall.
(Courtesy of Gaither High)

Kirk Karsen, a former Sickles and Alonso defensive coordinator, takes over a Gaither program that loses quite a bit of offensive talent from last year’s 5-5 squad. Gone are senior tailback TJ Williams (1,253 all-purpose yards, 19 touchdowns) and quarterback Gavin DenBoer (1,218 yards, 10 touchdowns), who has transferred to Alonso High. The Cowboys also will miss a pair of Division I-caliber linebackers in Decalon Brooks (Florida State University) and Estefano Feliciano (Old Dominion University), a duo that combined for 195 tackles, 35 tackles for loss and nine sacks last season.

But, the cupboard isn’t completely bare.

The Cowboys still return leading receiver Cayden Jordan (22 receptions, 449 yards, one touchdown) and leading tackler Matthew Wood (112 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, three sacks). Another Gaither player to watch in 2017 is Donovan Jennings, a 6-foot-6, 310-pound offensive lineman, who’s beginning to receive interest from multiple Division I programs.

Steinbrenner High School
Coach: Andres Perez-Reinaldo (6th year)
2016 record: 5-4

The Steinbrenner Warriors are looking for their third straight winning season in 2017— and it may be difficult.

The Steinbrenner Warriors are looking for their third straight winning season this fall.

The Warriors must mold a new starting quarterback, following Collin Wray’s defection to Clearwater High School. The program also needs to unearth additional weapons for the new signal caller, following the graduation of standouts Brett Bitter (43 catches, 652 yards, seven touchdowns) and Carson Kaleo (53 receptions, 502 yards).

Other significant losses include leading tackler Dane Coleman (103 tackles), outside linebacker/defensive end Devon Connors (56 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks) and kicker/punter Noah Ruggles (nine field goals made, 36.6 yards per punt).

Some potential impact Warriors players in 2017 include: tailback Josh Harris (355 yards, four touchdowns), receiver Brandon Garcia (28 receptions, 371 yards, three touchdowns), linebacker Charles Stephens (99 tackles) and defensive tackle Juan Batista (87 tackles).

 

Wharton High School
Coach: David Mitchell (13th year)
2016 record: 4-5

The Wharton Wildcats are seeking a rebound season after going 4-5 in 2016.
(Courtesy of Wharton High)

After a 4-5 setback last fall, the Wharton Wildcats look to regain its 2015 form, when the team finished 8-2. That starts with unseating district foes like Wiregrass Ranch and Gaither high schools — easier said than done. Even with the graduation of versatile athlete Randy Haynes Jr. (Ohio Wesleyan University) and productive defensive tackle Justin Visconti (Southeastern University), the Wildcats still should remain competitive in 2017. Expect significant contributions from powerful tailback Shannon King (5-foot-10, 210 pounds) and cornerback John Dixon (44 tackles, two interceptions).

Meanwhile, the Wildcats most prized prospect is Lavel Dumont, a 6-foot-5, 270-pound offensive tackle transfer from Brooks Debartolo Collegiate High School. The three-star recruit has garnered several Division I offers, such as Marshall University and Western Kentucky University.

Published April 26, 2017

Area college signings

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Wiregrass Ranch High School

Football
Inside linebacker and defensive end Jason Winston signed with Stetson University, a Division I Football Championship Subdivision school. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder tallied 67 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 2016.

From left: Jason Winston, Chris Faddoul, John Pease and Connor Nixon. All four Wiregrass Ranch student-athletes have signed with Division I schools.
(Courtesy of Casie Pease)

Kicker/Punter Chris Faddoul signed with Florida A&M University, a Division I Football Championship Subdivision school. Faddoul averaged 45 yards per punt in 2016.

Soccer
Goalkeeper John Pease signed with Jacksonville University, a Division I school. Pease compiled 0.857 goals against average and 50 saves during the 2016-2017 season.

Defender Connor Nixon signed with Presbyterian College, a Division I school in Clinton, South Carolina.

 

Wesley Chapel High School

Sam Schneidmiller (basketball), left, and Tyler Rover (golf) signed with Oglethorpe University.
(Courtesy of Tyler Rover)

Basketball
Sam Schneidmiller, a 6-foot-2 guard, signed with Oglethorpe University, a Division III school in Atlanta, Georgia. The four-year varsity player and three-year starter averaged 16.6 points per game and 6.2 assists per game as a senior, earning SAC First-Team All-Conference honors.

Golf
Tyler Rover, a four-year letterman, also signed with Oglethorpe University. Rover played the No. 1 position on the Wildcats varsity golf team his entire high school career, and earned SAC All-Conference honors his sophomore, junior and senior years. Rover will play for Jim Owen, who’s coached golf at Oglethorpe for over 35 years.

Wesley Chapel High football standout Donovan Willingham signed with Lane College.
(Courtesy of Tyler Rover)

Football
Defensive tackle/outside linebacker Donovan Willingham signed with Lane College, a Division II school in Jackson, Tennessee. The 5-foot-8, 225-pound defensive stalwart tallied 58 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in 2016.

PHSC hoops standout signs with Vermont college

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PHSC’s Charles Isaac
(Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

Charles Isaac, a 6-foot-2 forward at Pasco-Hernando State College, has signed to play basketball with the College of St. Joseph in Vermont, a United States Collegiate Athletic Association Division II school. Isaac, also a former Blake High School standout, averaged a team-leading 22.8 points per game last season. The state college finished the 2016-2017 season with a 12-14 record.

Nice Haul!

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(Courtesy of John Medvid)

During the South Pasco Bassmasters March tournament at Lake Istokpoga, Mike Mathews, left, and Kevin Corcoran won first place by reeling in five bass, totaling 19.82 pounds; the largest bass weighed 6.40 pounds. Both are Port Richey residents and caught their fish flipping a junebug jig. Elsewhere, Joe and Jim Felice, of Team Felice, won the tournament’s Big Bass Award, with a 7.46-pound catch. The next tournament is May 20 on the Kissimmee Chain.

Delivering business concepts in ‘bite-sized’ pieces

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A nationwide program for budding entrepreneurs is coming to Zephyrhills.

Co.Starters is a program aimed at teaching entrepreneurs how to start their companies and grow their business.

The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will begin offering the program next month.

Adopted by more than a dozen entrepreneurial organizations in cities around the country, the 10-week program applies lean business modeling methods popular among high-growth startups and businesses of all kinds.

SMARTstart Business incubator director Krista Covey, who oversees the Co.Starters program in Pasco County, was the featured speaker at The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce Business Breakfast on April 6.

In Co.Starters, weekly sessions are led by a trained coach in a small, supportive group setting.

The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will offer a Co.Starters program in May. The 10-week course is aimed at teaching entrepreneurs how to start their companies and grow their business. It’s been adopted by more than a dozen entrepreneurial organizations in cities around the country.
(File)

And, enterprise-level concepts are introduced in “bite-sized pieces.”

“Each week is a different topic,” she added. “We talk about taxes. We talk about legal entity selection. We talk about everything.”

The program demystifies business concepts.

It uses easy-to-understand language and takes away the feeling of intimidation that some people feel when they’re venturing into the entrepreneurial world, Covey said.

The program largely helps potential entrepreneurs decide whether they want to pursue turning their idea into a business.

That’s critical, considering only about 20 percent of all companies last five years or more, Covey said.

The program also is open to existing business owners, who may look to “rethink” their existing business model.

“Some of the best things you can do to serve entrepreneurs is get them around other entrepreneurs,” Covey explained. “Get them collaborating, working together, sharing ideas.”

In Zephyrhills, the 10-week program runs from May 4 through July 6.

Classes will be each Thursday, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce office, 38550 Fifth Ave.

The program costs $295. Registration is due by 4 p.m., on April 28.

Similar programs will be offered later this year in Dade City, Wesley Chapel, Trinity and Land O’ Lakes.

Besides Co.Starters, other countywide resources are available for entrepreneurs and established business owners, Covey said.

One is the Pasco Enterprise Network (PEN), a collaborative effort of nonprofit agencies committed to ensuring the success of small businesses, through consulting, counseling, education, and technical assistance.

Among the partners are local chambers of commerce and colleges — like Saint Leo University and Pasco-Hernando State College.

Those arenas, Covey said, are particularly useful for networking and hiring a workforce.

The Pasco County Library System, another PEN partner, can be a valuable aid for startups, providing a wide variety of market research tools, databases and trade journals.

Meanwhile, the SMARTstart Pasco Business Incubator — managed by Covey since 2013 — remains available for entrepreneurs.

Located at 37837 Meridian Ave., in Dade City, the mixed-use facility offers co-working space, dedicated desk space, meeting space, classrooms and private offices.

Covey stated entrepreneurs typically spend about two years in the incubator program.

The incubator offers microloans for small businesses, too.

Available up to an amount of $35,000 with a fixed interest rate, the term of loans may range from 12 months up to a maximum of 72 months.

Launched in 2012, about 30 borrowers have participated in the microloan program, creating over 170 jobs, Covey said.

“We’re very passionate about job creation and helping our businesses in Pasco be as successful as possible,” she said.

Published April 19, 2017