Michael Hinman

Local official on elevated road: It’s when, not if

December 4, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Pasco County Commissioners are being asked to give an early blessing to a proposed elevated road project along the State Road 54/56 corridor … and they just might do it.

A nonbinding resolution about the unsolicited proposal was part of the commission’s Tuesday meeting, which took place before The Laker/Lutz News press deadline. The goal was to help Florida Department of Transportation officials get a clear look at where commissioners stand on the project that could exceed $2 billion. That is, even though the commission’s approval is not necessary for it to move forward.

“What DOT wants to know is if we’re still onboard doing this thing,” said Richard Gehring, the county’s planning and development administrator. “The DOT and the county have a lot of partnering history in putting this together and working on it. And basically, we already have $1 million out there in the corridor with detailed studies we’ve done there.”

International Infrastructure Partners Inc. brought the idea of building a 33-mile elevated road — similar to what was constructed over the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway in Hillsborough County — earlier this year. It would be primarily a private venture, with IIP earning long-term profits through tolls.

FDOT had originally set a deadline of last October to receive competing proposals on such a project, but delayed it just ahead of the deadline until Dec. 9 after IIP asked for more time.
Part of that reason was because the Urban Land Institute, the independent growth and development analytical group that is studying the future of Pasco County, had reportedly advised against the project.

Yet, ULI’s recommendation may have been a bit premature, Gehring said.

“They raised the question, wondering if we’ve exhausted all alternatives, and they raised a bunch of study issues,” Gehring said. “But what they didn’t know is that we already had two-and-a-half years of efforts already underway.”

ULI leans toward the development design structure of “New Urbanism,” Gehring said, which emphasizes pedestrians and de-emphasizes vehicle traffic. But what IIP has proposed is much different — allowing the corridor to maintain localized traffic while providing viable options for those trying to traverse the region.

“They said that some communities were taking down their elevated roads, but those were specialized circumstances,” Gehring said. “They were one-, two- or three-mile sections in downtowns that were built years and years and years ago. This is nothing like that.”

Whether the elevated road is the way FDOT and the county goes or not is not going to change the fact that something has to be done to move traffic, Gehring said. Intersections like U.S. 41 and State Road 54 already see 100,000 vehicles each day, and that’s only going to grow as the corridor grows.

“At some point, 140,000 or 150,000 cars per day are going to need to be in that corridor, and that’s going to be both a blessing and a curse,” Gehring said.

The Metropolitan Planning Organization developed a long-range transportation plan in 2008 that warned the State Road 54/56 corridor could require up to 20 travel lanes to accommodate future vehicles in a little more than 20 years. The group later earmarked $800 million for improvements to the corridor that could include toll-based roads and elevated sections.

The resolution considered by the commission also shared an FDOT study completed earlier this year that looked at 18 highway and transit improvement alternatives for the corridor, eliminating anything additional built at the same level as the existing road. Its recommendation was to go up, possibly with four elevated lanes.

Commissioner Pat Mulieri, who has been a proponent of the elevated road, told The Laker/Lutz News last week she planned to support the resolution. By passing it, FDOT and other agencies will get the support it needs for more studies that would define the concept’s revenue potential costs, environmental impacts, explore more possible private-public partnerships, and seek out more public input.

Although IIP has not provided any cost projections for the project, using the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway elevated road as a model from 2004, construction could cost more than $70 million per mile. That would put the total price tag well over $2.3 billion.

The question is no longer if to build something like this elevated road, but when, Gehring said.

“If someone out there has another way to solve this, we would be very glad to listen,” he said.

Contempo students ready to dance for Rockettes

December 4, 2013 By Michael Hinman

The Rockettes have high-kicked their way on dance stages around the world since 1925. And for the first time in seven years, they’ll bring their famous precision dance moves to Tampa’s Straz Center.

Contempo School of Dance instructor Kathleen Beach runs the dancers through the routine planned for their Rockettes performance on Dec. 27 and Dec. 28. Joining her are Omar Brito, Madison Blocher, Sydney Bruen, Caleigh Hayes and Kelsey Bognar. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

Before they take the stage Dec. 27 and Dec. 28, however, they’ll have an opening act filled with faces many should recognize: a team from Contempo School of Dance on State Road 54 in Lutz.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance for us to dance,” said school founder Lani Gunn.

The team had just five weeks to learn their routine, which lasts a little more than 2 minutes and 30 seconds, using music provided by The Rockettes. It will involve 32 dancers in all, who will not only take the stage to tease The Rockettes’ performance — but they will have front row seats for the main attraction as well.

Most, if not all, of the students performing that holiday weekend will watch The Rockettes for the first time. And that includes Gunn.

“I have their DVD. I’ve just never seen them in person,” she said.

The school caught the attention of the New York City Dance Alliance, a dance convention group founded in 1993, through its success at various competitions. The alliance will earn a portion of the ticket proceeds for its scholarship fund to help get dancers into school by anyone who purchases their ticket with the promotional code “NYCDA9.”

The teams get just one hour a week to practice together, but they’re also spending a few good hours each week practicing on their own at home.

“The steps that they are learning, they have learned over the years,” Gunn said. “It’s not like they can just learn it in five practices.”

Which means for all the dancers, this was a performance years in the making. Erika Hanzelka has danced at Contempo since 2007.

“My friend just told me to start coming here, and I loved it so much, I started to take more and more classes every year,” the 11-year-old said.

Other members of her team have been dancing even longer, like Whitney Herd, 12, who started at Contempo when she was 2 years old as part of the studios’ “Mommy and Me” program.

“I always find myself doing tap dances around my house,” Herd said. “With dance, you can express your emotions and kind of let go. And (Contempo) is a place where you can dance and have fun.”

Dancers just get addicted to it, Gunn said.

“When they are 3, they go once a week,” she said. “And then after that, they want to try some other form, and some other one after that. Many of these kids take between 8 to 10 classes a week.”

The Rockettes are performing as part of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular running from Dec. 12 through Dec. 29 at the center’s Carol Morsani Hall. This is the highest-profile venue yet for Gunn’s studio, which has operated in Lutz for the last 19 years.

“We do competitions, and dance at Busch Gardens and Disney, but never at that big stage at the Straz,” Gunn said.

For more information on The Rockettes show, visit StrazCenter.org. To learn more about Contempo, visit ContempoDance.com.

Music icon Charlie Daniels making fundraising stop in Pasco

December 4, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Charlie Daniels may play a mean fiddle, but how is he with a shotgun?

The Grand Ole Opry legend is making his annual trip back to the Tampa Bay area, once again to raise money for The Angelus — a group home in Hudson. But this time, his fundraising tour is going to include Land O’ Lakes.

Country music star Charlie Daniels stops to visit a moment with Gene, one of the residents of The Angelus. Daniels is making a stop in Land O’ Lakes this weekend to help raise money for the nonprofit. (Photo courtesy of The Angelus)

The Charlie Daniels Sporting Clay Shootout is scheduled for Dec. 7 at Tampa Bay Sporting Clays, 10514 Ehren Cutoff. It will not only include Daniels, but some of his other celebrity friends like the stars of Discovery’s “The Deadliest Catch,” as well as R.J. Molinere Jr., and Jay Paul Molinere from “Swamp People” on History.

And a former Tampa Bay Buccaneer player or two could show up as well.

“It’s just going to be a lot of fun,” said Tammy Williams, who has helped organize events like this for The Angelus for more years than she cares to share. “All of this is for an amazing cause, as we can use every dollar we raise this weekend.”

The residential facility set on 17 wooded acres in Pasco County was designed for the severely handicapped — all 32 of its residents are wheelchair-bound. It has five group homes, a day program, a wood shop, a pool, miniature horses, and even a rustic log cabin known as “Charlie’s Lodge” after Daniels himself.

“Everyone has a different story,” Williams said. “We have quite a few whose parents are just too old to take care of them anymore, and others who just need specialized care they couldn’t get anywhere else.”

The facility has operated on some government subsidies, but that has dwindled over the years to where private donations are more crucial than ever. And while the number of residents might seem low, it takes up to 80 employees to keep The Angelus functioning, providing much-needed around-the-clock care.

“While the state is cutting your money, they are continually raising their standards on what you have to do as a facility,” Williams said. “We have no problem giving our residents the best care, but all of it costs money.”

Daniels, who is probably best known for his songs like “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” first learned about The Angelus 23 years ago. He was asked to help raise a little bit of money for the facility, and he just never stopped.

Skip Schaer had the same problem. He owns Schaer Development of Central Florida Inc., a site development company located on Hunt Road, just off State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes. It started with his son volunteering for the organization more than 16 years ago, and the next thing he knew, Schaer himself had become involved — working his way right up into the organization’s board of directors.

While it was always nice to know Daniels would make the trip to Florida to help The Angelus each year, it wasn’t until Schaer saw him in action during a Sunday service on one of his visits that he truly understood the singer’s devotion to the organization.

“He brought some of the celebrities with him, and everyone was waiting for him at Charlie’s Lodge,” Schaer said. “He walked in the door, and without saying a word to anybody, he went to each one of the kids to speak with them. They would take his face into their hands, and he would just continue, one after another, talking with every single one of them.”

Charlie’s Lodge was built in 1999 with the help of more than 600 volunteers, and has been a quiet refuge for residents and employees alike at The Angelus.

Although the Charlie Daniels event originated in Pasco County, in recent years it has moved south to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa. That’s where Daniels and others will perform Saturday night.

But with The Angelus and the weekend fundraiser roots in Pasco, Schaer looked for an opportunity to bring it back. And shooting clays in Land O’ Lakes seemed like the perfect opportunity.

“We are hoping that we have a lot of local folks who will come out and support us here in their own backyard,” Schaer said. “Charlie and everyone else will be there, and they are all very hands-on. They never have a problem posing for pictures or signing autographs.”

But shooting slots are already filling up, even at $150 for an individual or $600 for a four-person team.

For more information on the shootout or any of the other events planned around Daniels’ visit, go to TheAngelus.com, or call Tammy Williams at (727) 243-8293.

Business Digest 12-04-13

December 4, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Sponsors sought for barbecue event
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce is still seeking sponsors for January’s Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues event, which raises money for local youth leadership and education programs.
The event itself takes place at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, 39450 South Ave., in Zephyrhills, Jan. 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It includes food, music, a car and motorcycle show, a business expo, and more.
For more information on how to sponsor by Dec. 5, call the chamber at (813) 782-1913.

Ryland Tampa named Builder of the Year
The Tampa Bay Builders Association recently honored the Tampa division of Ryland Homes with its Homebuilder of the Year award.
The award is based on sales and marketing practices, as well as year-round civic, community and charitable work. The winner is selected from the TBBA’s membership.
Ryland Homes in Tampa currently builds new homes in 15 communities around Tampa Bay.

Wesley Chapel chiropractor partners with Gainesville MC
Gainesville Medical Centers is now working with Cypress Creek Chiropractic & Wellness in Wesley Chapel, adding the local venue to other locations around the state.
The medical centers test for Florida’s top 60 environmental allergens, as well as up to 300 items, including food, chemicals, pesticides and medicines. They also offer immunotherapy, which helps desensitize patients from environmental allergens.
For more information, call (386) 283-4991, or (352) 505-9355.

Grand opening for Suncoast Schools
Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union recently hosted its grand opening of what it’s describing as an environmentally friendly branch at 32745 Eiland Blvd., in Zephyrhills.
It is the second branch to focus on being environmentally friendly, including light-emitting diode lighting throughout, high-efficiency windows and insulation, geothermal air-conditioning and heating, and 40-kilowatt solar power panels to offset electricity.
The Zephyrhills branch also is expected to use half the electricity of other branches, and the exterior is outfitted with drought-resistant landscaping with drip irrigation where possible.
This is the credit union’s second branch in East Pasco County, joining the one at 12510 U.S. 301 in Dade City.

Women-n-Charge meets in December
Women-n-Charge will meet Dec. 6 beginning at 11:30 a.m. at the Pebble Creek Country Club, 10550 Regents Park Drive in Tampa.
The meeting includes lunch, a feature speaker, and networking.
Cost is $15 for members in advance, and $18 for guests and any member not buying in advance.
Register at www.Women-n-Charge.com.
For more information, call (813) 600-9848, or email .

KNOW luncheon in Dade City
The Knowledgeable Network of Women from the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will host its next KNOW luncheon Dec. 4 beginning at 11:30 a.m.
Guest speaker is Joy Hampton, district legislative assistant to Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel.
The luncheon will take place at Scotland Yard Golf & Country Club, 8900 Wire Road, in Dade City. Cost is $15 for members, and $20 for guests.
For more information, call (813) 782-1913, or email .

East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group has scheduled several speakers for the coming months. The group meets every other week at the Village Inn at 5214 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills. Networking begins at 8 a.m., with the meeting starting at 8:30 a.m.
Here’s the group’s slate of upcoming speakers:
• Dec. 10: Rev. Scott-Eric Lindner, pastor of Atonement Lutheran Church in Wesley Chapel
• Jan. 14: Christopher Payne, managing partner of Ryder Payne Capital Inc.
• Jan. 28: Carol Johns, president and chief executive of GIM Associates LLC
• Feb. 11: Cheryl Pollock, business development director for Premier Community HealthCare Group Inc.
• Feb. 25: Regina Etheridge, retired IRS revenue officer

Christmas celebration at East-West Animal Hospital
East-West Animal Hospital, 1524 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Lutz, will host its Christmas celebration Dec. 14 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The hospital’s mascot, Barley the Opossum, will pose for photos as “Barley Claus.”
A calendar and T-shirts featuring Barley will be sold to help local animal rescue organizations. There also will be food and giveaways.
Barley was the only survivor of a car accident when he was just two weeks old. A former employee of the animal hospital rescued him, and tube-fed him until he could eat on his own.
For more information on the event, visit EastWestAnimalHospital.com, or call (813) 948-6534.

Donations earn spa time
The Planet Beat Contempo Spas in New Tampa, Seven Oaks and Westchase are celebrating the holidays by offering “12 Days of Spa” certificates to anyone who donates a toy valued at more than $10, or canned goods for families in need for Christmas.
Current members will receive a free lotion sample or spa service for their donation.
The “12 Days of Spa” certificate is valued at more than $129, and entitles the bearer to 12 consecutive days of spa services through Jan. 31. The certificates are transferable.
For more information, call (813) 971-9337, or (813) 991-4433.

Dealership helps soldiers for the holidays
Parks Ford, 28739 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, recently wrapped up its Support the Troops drive, which collected items for the military between October and November at the dealership.
Once the drive was over, a Parks Ford team delivered all the items collected, volunteered to help pack boxes, and donated $2,500. The funds help the group with its biggest challenge — paying for shipment of donated items overseas. This particular donation will allow Support the Troops to send up to 70 boxes to military personnel this holiday season.
For more information on how to support the troops during the holiday season, visit OurTroopsOnline.com.

Local synagogue merges Thanksgiving with Hanukkah

November 27, 2013 By Michael Hinman

The Jewish celebration of Hanukkah predates Christmas by at least a couple centuries. But for the first time since 2002, the “festival of lights” is being mentioned in the same breath as a different holiday, Thanksgiving. And that likely won’t happen again until people travel in flying cars and live on Mars.

The first night of Hanukkah begins at sunset Nov. 27. And because November started on a Friday, Thanksgiving doesn’t take place until Nov. 28. And that’s not very common.

Crowds gather, ready to light the menorah for a recent Hanukkah celebration at The Shops at Wiregrass. Chabad at Wiregrass will do it all again Dec. 1 in front of Dillard’s, which will include food, face painting, and games. (Photo courtesy of Rabbi Mendy Yarmush)

“It’s quite rare for Hanukkah and Thanksgiving to overlap, but it’s not really rare for it to start in November,” said Rabbi Mendy Yarmush, who leads Chabad at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel. Hanukkah “started on Nov. 28 in 1994, and it will again in 2032. The only thing different is that Thanksgiving is a lot later than it usually is.”

The last time Hanukkah started on the Thanksgiving eve was in 1899, according to ReformJudaism.org. And it will only happen once more — in 2089.

That means Jews will celebrate Hanukkah the same time they’re sitting down to watch football. And it opens the door to merge some of the traditions of both holidays.

The rabbi’s wife, Chanie Yarmush, recently shared some recipes with her women’s group that provide the best of both worlds. For example, instead of the traditional potato latkes, Chanie Yarmush suggests sweet potato latkes. Instead of applesauce, families could try cranberry-applesauce.

“That’s what Chabad is, a place to be traditional and still be contemporary with what’s going on throughout the world,” Mendy Yarmush said.

Chabad at Wiregrass, which started in 2008 and is part of the international Chabad movement, is staying out of the way of traditional Thanksgiving celebrations, but has still scheduled a pair of events to help celebrate the holiday.

The first is a Hanukkah party on Nov. 27 where teens will load a stretch limousine to first attend the grand menorah lighting in Tampa, and then continue their celebration at the Tampa Bay Lightning game at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

Then, on Dec. 1, Chabad at Wiregrass will host its sixth annual Hanukkah celebration at The Shops at Wiregrass. That will include a menorah lighting in front of the Dillard’s store, and a number of other activities including music, food, face painting, and even a giant Jenga game.

Both events start at 5:30 p.m.

“I didn’t want to challenge people to choose between Thanksgiving and Hanukkah,” Yarmush said. “This way, they have the first night to light their menorah, to heat their turkey, and maybe even play a little with the dreidel.”

Chabad at Wiregrass is not affiliated with any particular Jewish movement, although the international group has roots in the Hasidic community. Its congregation, which pulls from North Tampa and central Pasco County, meets at 2124 Ashley Oaks Circle in Wesley Chapel.

For more information, visit them online at ChabadAtWiregrass.com.

Ancient miracle at root of Hanukkah
Probably best known for the menorah, a candelabrum with eight candles used to observe each night, Hanukkah is a Jewish celebration dating back to the final centuries before what has become known as the “common era.”

The Greek king Antiochus IV Epiphanes invaded Judea, where Jerusalem and the Second Temple were located. The king looted the city, and banned many Jewish practices.

This created a revolt that would eventually be led by Judah Maccabee. Once the Greeks were run out of the city, Maccabee took possession of the temple, and worked to purify it from the invasion. A menorah was required to burn throughout the night every night, but there was only a day’s supply of olive oil available — and it would take a week to produce more.

Yet, the oil somehow lasted eight days, creating a miracle that has been celebrated ever since.

Hanukkah is celebrated toward the end of the Jewish month Kislev, which usually falls in November or December of the common calendar. It typically features fried foods like pontshkes and latkes (jam-filled doughnuts and potato pancakes), to recognize the importance of oil, and includes small gift exchanges.

Hanukkah observances also are a time for kids to play games with a dreidel, a four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter on each side.

— Michael Hinman

Gall Boulevard reimagining is going to take community effort

November 27, 2013 By Michael Hinman

What makes a community a good community?

For decades, it’s been the downtown that has served as a primary draw for Zephyrhills. And now, in just a few short years, that downtown will expand to include a large chunk of Gall Boulevard between North and South avenues.

Tom Montgomery, center, a consultant with the Florida Department of Transportation handling the revamp of the one-way pair in Zephyrhills, shares some thoughts with Zephyrhills city planner Todd Vande Berg, right, during a recent meeting on Gall Boulevard. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

But what will it take to transform Gall Boulevard from highway meant to take you to a destination, to actually become a destination itself.

“We are looking to you to help us identify what a great street is,” said Tammy Vrana, a Safety Harbor consultant working with city officials on Gall Boulevard. “We have some plans and things to look at. Whatever you say won’t hurt our feelings. We just want to make sure we get it right.”

Todd Vande Berg, Zephyrhills’ planning director, is spearheading the project for the city. The initiative began soon after the Florida Department of Transportation agreed to hand over control of the thoroughfare, and instead take on the one-way pair of Sixth and Seventh streets instead.

The switch has given the city a chance to turn Gall into a main street, and the city wants direct input from residents and business owners. Vande Berg has planned a series of meetings to help make that possible. The first session, at Alice Hall on Nov. 14, attracted more than 30 people. They came to find out what could come to Gall and suggest what they would like to see.

“We’re starting off with the creation of a great street, and that is the goal,” Vande Berg said. “Considering our design options, we are going to be looking at different ways that we can transform Gall Boulevard. And we’re not just stopping with the street and the infrastructure related to the street, but future development as well.”

One aspect of this first community workshop was the use of real-time audience polling to gauge opinions on what should be placed on the streets, what kind of sidewalks, what kind of businesses should be encouraged, and the like. People were guided through a series of questions by Shilpa Mehta, a consultant with Renaissance Planning that included what kind of businesses should front the street, what parking should be like, and types of pedestrian and transit options.

However, consideration has to be made for users of all ages, especially teenagers —a group often overlooked by a community dominated by retirees. That’s where a new youth council led by Mayor Danny Burgess is going to become very helpful, Vande Berg said.

Councilwoman Jodi Wilkeson said the existing Main Street Zephyrhills organization could be a big help as well.

“We have all these events downtown, and what came to mind for me is the Main Street director, Gina Granger,” Wilkeson said. “She recruits and attracts hordes of young people to come downtown. The more activities here in our downtown the better within walking or bike-riding distance of these young people’s homes.”

These changes won’t happen overnight, consultant Vrana said. But the project’s success hinges on the participation of as many people as possible.

“We need to plan, and stick with all of it along the way,” Vrana said. “It will be a long process. It will be a long journey. But where it ends up will make this a happy community.”

CES goes public, putting Pasco on the map

November 27, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Will take over former bank branch on Fifth Avenue

It’s not very often Pasco County can brag about being the home of a public company. But in less than a week, Zephyrhills will get that honor when CES Synergies begins trading over-the-counter under the symbol “CESX.”

It’s an effort that is expected to raise millions of dollars for the full-service environmental, demolition and mold remediation company, creating potentially thousands of jobs across the country. And even better for Zephyrhills, CES also plans to move the core of its operations from nearby Crystal Springs right into the city’s growing downtown district. The company plans to open offices in the upper floors of the former Wachovia Bank building on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Seventh Street, right in the heart of proposed road upgrades by the Florida Department of Transportation.

Jeff Chartier, president of Strategic Capital Markets, and a member of the CES Synergies board of directors, shares why he feels people should invest in the Crystal Springs company on the public market. A small group of people gathered at Manolo’s Ristorante Italiano on Fifth Avenue in Zephyrhills to hear the presentation. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

“This gives the chance for local people who know the company to actually enjoy the fruits of it going public,” said Jeff Chartier, president of Strategic Capital Markets of North Miami Beach, who is now a member of the CES board of directors. “They have a chance to own part of the company, and join us as we’re poised to go on the bigger market,” like the Nasdaq exchange.

Chartier presented the new public company to an audience of potential investors last week at Manolo’s Ristorante Italiano in Zephyrhills. There, Chartier offered shares at $1 each — as long as buyers were ready to gobble them up in blocks of 15,000.

Traditionally, companies would hit the stock market through an initial public offering, similar to what Twitter did earlier this month when it closed on its first day at $44.90 a share, and raising $31 billion.

Taking that approach is very expensive and time-consuming, and could take longer than the year CES needed to go public. Instead, CES took a different approach, called a reverse merger. It found a public shell company — basically a company with no remaining assets — and purchased it.

It’s similar to buying a house. The infrastructure is already there for electricity, water and cable, just as the shell company had everything in place to operate as a public company.

Chartier discovered CES nearly by accident. While he’s always looking for businesses that could potentially be good public company candidates, Chartier said he didn’t even have CES on his radar until he met owner Al Biston. When he finally did, Chartier liked what he saw.

“There’s 140 years of experience with management alone,” Chartier said. “We feel that a lot of institutional funds will be very attracted to this company,” thus potentially boosting the stock price in the near future.

Becoming a public company is a completely new world for CES, which has operated 35 years doing business in private, starting originally as Cross Environmental Services. Now everything from its financial records to major personnel changes are part of the public record through the SEC, necessary so investors have a complete picture before buying in.

According to its initial filings, CES has a little more than 140 employees, had revenue of $6.8 million over the last six months — generating a loss of a little more than $363,000 — but the company also has a backlog of projects worth more than $9 million. Its clients include federal agencies like NASA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Air Force, as well as industrial and commercial companies like Publix, Cemex, and Jones Lang LaSalle.

Local governments that work with CES include the University of South Florida and the Florida Department of Transportation.

This same time last year, CES turned a profit of $1.3 million on revenue of $9.7 million.

Money raised through this stock offering will fuel expansion for CES, primarily in the acquisition of other smaller companies like it around the country, to help broaden its client base. Although the jobs created through that growth will be outside Pasco and Hillsborough counties, the success will filter its way back into the area —especially for local investors if the stock value rises, as Chartier expects.

Biston and two other business partners purchased the former Wachovia Bank building on Fifth Avenue in 2009 for $550,000. They later offered the building to the city for $855,000 as a possible new library before council members decided to expand the library at its current site.

Biston told The Laker/Lutz News that he had bought out his other partners on the building recently, and is now the sole owner. He plans to use the upper floors, and lease out the bottom floor for a storefront business, possibly an eatery.

“He’s a one-man show. He is economic development, and obviously a very successful man,” City Councilman Kenneth Compton said of Biston. Compton was at the presentation Thursday night with fellow councilman Charlie Proctor.

“I think we all have a mutually beneficial relationship,” he said. “Zephyrhills has benefitted from a competitive businessman. It’s a very big day for Zephyrhills, and it’s a big day for Pasco County.”

Business Digest 11-27-13

November 27, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Fill the Fiat
Parks Fiat of Wesley Chapel has partnered with the Mason Dixon Christmas Wish Fund, encouraging people to help them ‘fill the Fiat.’ Now through Dec. 31, people who visit guest services at The Shops at Wiregrass and make a small donation of cash, toys or gift items, can receive a coupon book of savings at The Shops. The fund helps local Tampa Bay families in need during the holiday. Also, anyone who test drives a Fiat on Dec. 7, Parks Fiat will donate $10 to the wish fund.

Perez joins Cameo Salon & Spa
Dawn Perez has joined Cameo Salon & Spa as a licensed cosmetologist specializing in color, highlights and cuts.
Originally from New York, Perez moved to Florida in 2009. She has 17 years experience, the past four working as a cosmetology instructor.
For more information, call Perez at (813) 948-7411.
Cameo Salon & Spa is located at 1817 Collier Parkway in Lutz.

Learn about social media
The SmartStart business incubator in Dade City is offering “Social Media and Your Business” Dec. 3 at noon, at the Dade City incubator, 15000 Citrus Country Drive, Suite 103.
Participants should bring their own lunch.
For more information, email Krista Covey at ">.

Contest offers financial planning
Several area companies have banded together to offer a free complete financial plan to an area family for the holiday season.
Independent Financial Services of Land O’ Lakes has joined Gregg Heckley, Attorney at Law; and Balanced Accounting and Tax Inc., to provide the package, valued at $1,500. The plan would include a complete look at the family’s financial future, as well as the completion of a complete last will and testament package, and personal tax preparation.
“It is critical that people plan for their financial future, and according to statistics, many people have little to no plan on how they will fund their retirement years beyond what Social Security has to offer,” said Jeannie Holliday, financial advisor and co-owner of Independent Financial Services, in a release.
Those eligible to enter must live in the Tampa Bay area (Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties), write a statement up to 300 words on why they should win the contest, and other factors.
More information and an entry form can be found at tinyurl.com/FinanceContest, or by calling (813) 908-2701.

Shoot some clays, make a Big difference

November 20, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Being a Big Sister has always been one of those things that Elisabeth Butterfield wanted to do, but just couldn’t make the commitment.

That is until a friend who had already volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters talked about everything involved, and how it can make a difference. And Butterfield was sold.

Elisabeth Butterfield, right, spends some time with her ‘Little,’ Chelsea, during a recent nature hike. Butterfield joined Big Brothers Big Sisters last year, and has become, more or less, part of Chelsea’s extended family. (Photo courtesy of Elisabeth Butterfield)

“I always wanted to get involved with the program, but I was noncommittal being a single person and all,” Butterfield said. “Then I realized that was stupid. It’s a very small commitment for such a big impact, and that is when I got over myself and finally did it.”

A year ago, Butterfield was matched with 10-year-old Chelsea, who already has a very active mom, Theresa. But like many parents, there are times Theresa can use some time for herself, and having Butterfield involved in the family is like having that aunt nearby.

“There’s all these life experiences that you can have as a child, but only if they’re available to you,” said Butterfield, who lives in Wesley Chapel. “For me, as a child, I never had sushi. I grew up in a low economic status myself, and for me, going out was going to Friendly’s. I didn’t know about dining out, and didn’t even know things like what side the fork goes.”

Those are just some of the benefits Bigs like Butterfield can share. But there are still dozens of children in Pasco County who could use mentoring like Chelsea, and that will be highlighted during an event this weekend at Tampa Bay Sporting Clays.

Clays for Kids kicks off at 9 a.m. at the center, located at 10514 Ehren Cutoff, in Land O’ Lakes. The event is not only a fundraiser, but a chance to attract more volunteers like Butterfield into the program.

The commitment to being a Big is just a few hours a month, said Jan Roberts, Pasco’s director of partnership development for the organization. And it doesn’t really cost much money, either.

“They are very, very into making sure that this is not a financial pinch for anyone, because they want to be sure they have Bigs of any economical background,” Butterfield said. “There are so many things to do, from trivia night, to bowling, and even tickets to games. They provide you with a lot of resources, so really, it’s very little out of pocket.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay will celebrate 50 years in 2014, from a national organization that has its roots all the way back to 1902. Big Brothers was formed in 1964 in Hillsborough County, and Big Sisters was added a year later through the efforts of juvenile court judge James P. Calhoun.

The organization now has 2,000 volunteers in Pasco, Hillsborough and Polk counties, but there is always a need for more. A study shared by the local Big Brothers Big Sisters says children who are mentored in the program are 46 percent less likely to begin using illegal drugs — that number jumping to 70 percent when focused on minorities.

Another 27 percent are less likely to use alcohol, and 52 percent are less likely to skip school.

Butterfield is a recruiting manager and runs a small consulting business, all of which can eat up large chunks of her time. But that doesn’t stop her from spending time with Chelsea.

“Time finds you,” she said. “Everyone will say they don’t have time, but judging from my own experience, that’s just not true. They just don’t make the time.”

For more information on the Clays for Kids fundraiser, or to volunteer, call Jan Roberts at (813) 997-6881, or visit BBBSFl.org.

If you go
WHAT: Clays for Kids
WHO: Big Brothers Big Sisters
WHEN: Nov. 23, 9 a.m.
WHERE: Tampa Bay Sporting Clays, 10514 Ehren Cutoff, Land O’ Lakes
COST: Teams of four, $400; individual, $100
INFO: BBBSFl.org

Chance billboard introduces fitness studio to new home

November 20, 2013 By Michael Hinman

The ink was barely dry on the sales agreement, and Samantha Taylor was already moving into her new Pure Health and Fitness Studios location on Knight Road in Land O’ Lakes.

That’s because the longtime local trainer doesn’t like to waste time, whether it’s helping to get a body in shape, or to provide a new 3,700-square-foot facility for her clients. Yet, Taylor hasn’t always enjoyed that level of discipline.

Customers to Pure Health and Fitness Studios will now be welcomed by a grand staircase when they walk into Samantha Taylor’s 3,700-square-foot facility on Knight Road in Land O’ Lakes. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

“I used to be a major binger,” Taylor said. “I would binge on thousands of calories at a time, and that progressed for quite a few years, all in the middle of my professional training career.”

At the time, Taylor was a physical trainer at Lifestyle Family Fitness Center. And while she was one of the top trainers in the company, Taylor had a nickname she didn’t really much care for: “the chunky trainer.”

“I had gained about 20 pounds,” she said. “I know that doesn’t sound like a lot, but for a personal trainer, that is like gaining 50 or 60.”

But that all changed a decade ago when she discovered the Bible.

“I really started to get the revelation that the Bible talks about that your body is a temple of God,” Taylor said. “For me, it was life-changing. It was just like a light switch went on inside my head, and I suddenly understood that my body was a gift, and I really didn’t have the right to abuse it.”

It was also that same time Taylor decided to strike out on her own, starting Pure Health, and working with women to build their bodily temples as well.

Taylor admits that because it helped her, spirituality is a part of her program. But it doesn’t mean she attracts only Christian clients.

“We don’t force it on people, but those who want it, it’s in there,” she said. “That is a reason why people seek me out. They want to work with someone who works with not just the body, but they like the mind, spirit and the body all together.”

Since starting Pure Health, Taylor has hosted clients in a few smaller locations she rented out. And she was happy doing that, until one day last summer she saw a billboard while on her way to Busch Gardens.

“Something in me knew I had to turn around and get that phone number,” Taylor said. “And when I finally saw the building, it was everything I had dreamed about. We now have rooms for seminars, and eventually even a cooking class. We are lakeside on an acre of land. I get teared up every time I think about it.”

The two-story building is off State Road 54, not far from its intersection with Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, but a bit hidden behind trees and a small lake. Taylor said she is turning it into a place where women can come and get fit without feeling intimidated by the bigger box gyms.

Construction is already underway inside the building, which Taylor expects to have done by the end of the year. And right now, only her six trainers even know about the new location. They got their first look just last week, welcomed by hundreds of rose petals sprinkled up the main walkway.

The boot camp portion of her program will open at the new location by Thanksgiving, set up in what is an air-conditioned former garage. The big doors opening up to it are still there, which Taylor says can be opened in cooler weather to let in some fresh air.

Taylor’s program is straightforward: “If you don’t eat certain foods, you will not have cravings.”

“I think that is the trap that so many people find themselves in,” she said. “They’re trapped in cravings and impulses and desires that seem to overtake them. And they don’t know how to rein it in.”

The new location for Pure Health opens Jan. 1 at 2206 Knight Road in Land O’ Lakes. In the meantime, to reach Taylor, call (813) 909-4939, or visit her website at PureHealthStudios.com.