The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Upgrade Your Home with a Tankless Water Heater from Cornerstone Pros

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Efficient water heaters are essential to your home comfort systems. From taking a shower to washing the dishes, individuals need hot water throughout their day.

That’s why Cornerstone Pros Air Conditioning, Plumbing, and Electrical in Land O’ Lakes is offering tankless water heaters and suggesting that locals take advantage of this new technology that eliminates waste and significantly lowers energy bills.

Tankless Water Heating Specials
$100 Off New Tankless or Hybrid Water Heater Installed & Free estimates for Tank type and tankless water heaters replacements

James Reese, Plumbing Service Manager at Cornerstone Pros, explained that if your home was built in the past 12-20 years, it is likely overdue for a new water heater, A/C system and possible electrical panel.

“Unfortunately, water heaters age and eventually will start to fail. Some warning signs include corrosion buildup on pipe fittings, water leaks, hot water that doesn’t last long enough or hot water that is MIA,” says Reese.

With tankless, Cornerstone Pros is able to get rid of the enormous tank that takes up space in almost every closet or garage, and install a tankless water heater that carries a longer warranty than the average water heater.

“Tankless water heaters heat up on-demand for 99% operational efficiency,” adds Reese.

This guarantees that customers don’t have to pay to maintain the heat; they will only need to pay when they use the hot water. Tankless isn’t instant hot water, but it does warrant endless hot water throughout someone’s home.

“Tankless heaters were engineered with safety in mind; their designs incorporate numerous user-friendly features along with technologies like dry-fire defense, freeze protection, smart-grid capabilities and leak detection that prevent product failure,” says Reese.

Along with user-friendly features and reliable technology, some tankless are Wi-Fi enabled and customers can monitor their water heater from an app off their cellphones. Most plumbing malfunctions happen at inconvenient times, so this feature gives customers the ability to identify any issues before they’re too serious.

Cornerstone Pros is a woman-owned and family-operated business founded in 2006 in Land O’ Lakes. It has been serving our local community for more than 16 years showing customers the “Cornerstone Difference.” Over the years, it has built a strong, long-term relationship with the community that shows it truly is an elite home service provider for all of your home needs.

Owner Dana Spears says she is so proud of the dedication and service of her team to our community, and is honored to have over ten thousand online reviews showing full customer satisfaction.

For more information and/or to get a free quote for different water heating options, call 813-995-7558, or visit the Cornerstone Pros website, at CornerstonePros.com.

Published February 23, 2022

Don’t Trash It! How to Give Old Furniture a Fresh Look

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It could be your goal for this year’s spring cleaning: flip a piece of furniture.

Revitalizing an old piece of furniture into something you’d be proud to display (or even sell on Facebook Marketplace) has been deemed a laborious task. But with new revelations in paint technology, it really doesn’t have to be.

Bella Home Market in Lutz has always been known for its unique gifts and home décor finds, but it is also a proud, Elite retailer for the popular brand of chalk paint, Dixie Belle.

As an Elite Retailer, Bella Home Market carries the complete line of Dixie Belle Paint products, including their Silk line. Silk products are primer, pigment color and top coat – all in one product. Old dressers or nightstands can be transformed immediately in just a couple coats, with just one product. The durability of the furniture remains the same, as well.

Owner of Bella Home Market, Lou Malerba, holds classes in store to help guests learn the technique for working with the paint properly. It’s great for anyone looking to learn how they can truly transform their home this spring cleaning season.

For online orders and Dixie Belle class signups, visit BellaHomeMarket.com.

Published February 23, 2022

En-LIGHT-ening You and Your Home at Finishing Touches

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Finishing Touches is a new lighting and fans showroom located in the heart of the Wesley Chapel/Land O’ Lakes area. Locally owned and operated by Bill and Terry Richards, the store offers a wide variety of lighting, ceiling fans and home décor. Terry has been in the lighting industry in this area for 40 years and knows precisely how to combine the best lighting touches with your home’s décor.

“We are passionate about lighting and keeping up with new designs and technologies,” said Richards. “Our focus is on finding you the right lighting for the right space, at the right price.”

As soon as you enter the store, you’re greeted by a comfortable store setting boasting beautiful selections of diverse lighting, along with over 70 ceiling fans of all sizes, styles and price ranges. Unique furnishings and artwork adorn the walls and floor to create a boutique feel.

”We have fans from 20” to 120” – something for everyone!” says Bill. “Besides what we have in the showroom, maybe you have a different style in mind. We can help you find it with our Online Design Center in the showroom. With Terry’s expertise, she will find what you are dreaming of AND in your budget. Our software gives us up-to-date info on stock availability and online prices, which we will meet or beat in most cases.”

The showroom is located in the Tampa Premium Outlets across from Kate Spade, a well-known women’s boutique. Hours are Monday thru Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Published February 23, 2022

Avalon Park Wesley Chapel’s Founder Welcomes All to Community

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 In the mid-90s, Beat Kahli (president and CEO of Avalon Park Group) and his wife Jill moved from Switzerland to the suburbs of Fort Lauderdale in South Florida.

“It was a big change. I rarely saw anyone I knew when I would leave my home in the morning. There was no sense of community,” says Kahli.

This kind of environment was completely different from where Kahli grew up in Switzerland. He missed being in a town where he was able to live, learn, work and play.

Beat Kahli, president and CEO of Avalon Park Group

“In my native hometown, Zurich, I could walk from my home to anything I need in my daily life… work, school, grocery stores, restaurants, etc.,” says Kahli. “That hometown culture was the blueprint for Avalon Park Wesley Chapel. Only my vision was to make it even better.”

And Kahli did just that.

“I love the peace of mind knowing that you can live your whole life, should you wish, in one place,” says Kahli.

“You can live in Avalon Park Wesley Chapel at all stages of life. From a college student in an apartment, to an individual looking to purchase their first home, to a growing family looking to buy a larger home, and even an older couple looking to settle down in a smaller townhome/apartment.”

Kahli believes a healthy community is made up of a diverse body of people. A town where people of various racial, economic and cultural backgrounds can live together. Kahli says this melting pot of perspectives gives the community depth and allows its members to live life inclusive of every background and belief, regardless of generation, origin, race and income class.

“As a developer, one of the ways that we build diversity at Avalon Park Wesley Chapel is by building an open community at every price point. I personally do not think gated communities with only single-family homes in one price point (often at the higher end) create a healthy community,” says Kahli.

Additionally, it is not uncommon in Avalon Park Wesley Chapel to have families with four generations living within walking distance of each other.

“The grandparents can spend quality time with the grandkids after school, while the parents are at work,” says Kahli. “Building roots in a community is a healthy way to make a town, and family, strong.”

There’s No Planned Community Like Avalon Park Wesley Chapel
Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, located on State Road 54 about 3 miles east of Interstate 75, began building its first homes in 2012. Today, 1,000 homes have been completed or are underway, and residents enjoy unique amenities, neighborhood schools, and easy access to Tampa, Lakeland and Orlando.

“We are not just developers — we are building a brand new town,” said Stephanie Lerret, senior vice president of marketing for Avalon Park Group. “We’re so much more than just another planned community – we’re bringing together everything a family needs to enjoy life today and in the future.”

Homes in the residential community range in price from the mid $200s to over $400s.

“Our builders offer homes for everyone, from teachers to physicians to empty-nesters wanting the convenience of the no-fuss, townhome lifestyle,” said Lerret.

Downtown Avalon Park
Avalon Park Wesley Chapel will offer places to shop and work in its downtown hub that will be connected to its residential neighborhoods by tree-lined streets, walkways and bike paths.

“We are building a traditional downtown, with stores located inside of our community on the boulevard road leading to our residences, parks and schools,” said Lerret. “We are creating a town that spreads out from the town center connecting to individual neighborhoods — very much like the footprints of small towns found across America.”

The first phase of downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel will include 130,000 square feet of mixed-use commercial space and apartments built above the storefronts.

“We’re building beautiful, multi-story buildings with commercial space designed for businesses our residents want close to home — restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, bars and entertainment, hair and nail salons, as well as activities like dance, gymnastic and karate studios,” said Lerret.

Eventually, Avalon Park’s downtown will have more than 560,000 square feet of retail, and 120,000 square feet of office space. At build out, this 1,650-acre master-planned community will have about 4,400 single and multi-family homes, and be home to 10,000 residents.

Published February 23, 2022

Deal calls for Pasco to pay tolls

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The Pasco County Commission has approved an agreement to temporarily pay for tolls on the Suncoast Parkway — to accommodate the complete opening of the Ridge Road extension at that interchange.

The agreement is needed because Florida’s Turnpike Authority must collect tolls for users on the toll road, according to background materials in the county board’s Feb. 8 agenda packet.

The county opened two lanes of the Ridge Road extension, between Moon Lake Road/Decubellis Road and the Suncoast Parkway on Dec. 31.

“Two interchange ramps were opened, the ramp from Ridge Road to southbound Suncoast Parkway and the off-ramp from northbound Suncoast Parkway onto Ridge Road. The two remaining ramps (the on-ramp from Ridge Road to northbound Suncoast Parkway and the off-ramp from southbound Suncoast Parkway to Ridge Road) remain closed as a result of equipment backorders, which are preventing the completion of the toll sites along these ramps.

“Work is now nearing completion on all ramps between Ridge Road and the Suncoast Parkway. “However, due to supply chain delays, not all of the toll equipment has been delivered for installation,” according to the agenda packet.

“The county has found it to be in the best interest of the public to open the full interchange as soon as possible,” the packet adds.

Negotiations for the agreement are in progress. The provisions of the agreement address the method by which tolls will be estimated for the period of time that the toll equipment and its installation is delayed, which is expected to be two months or longer.

The amount of the tolls to be paid by the county will be based on the Florida Turnpike Enterprise’s traffic counters’ estimates of the number of vehicles that use the ramps during the period when no toll equipment is operational.

The county’s financial obligations are expected to potentially include payment to the turnpike enterprise for one-time costs of traffic counting equipment setup, data processing, and pickup , estimated at about $4,000.

The county also will pay recurring costs of traffic count collection and scheduled maintenance of the equipment, estimated at $1,300 per week, until the tolls are operational.

Additionally, for each vehicle detected by the traffic counters utilizing the ramps while the tolling sites are not operational, the county will pay the turnpike enterprise the blended average toll rate of 33 cents per vehicle.

The total of all of these payments is estimated at $55,000 based on a nine-week period before the tolls will be operational.

However, any delays could require the county board to consider the issue again.

The agreement is subject to review and approval by the county attorney’s office for legal sufficiency.

Published February 23, 20222

Pasco County celebrates its ‘Star’ employees

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The Pasco County Commission took a few minutes during its Jan. 25 board meeting to celebrate the accomplishments of the county’s “Star Employees of the Year.”

Pasco County’s ‘Star Employees of the Year’ are joined by county staff and elected leaders in a photo, during the Jan. 25 public announcement of their honors. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

Each year, the county selects an outstanding team, performer and leader of the year.

County Administrator Dan Biles described the process used to select those winners.

“Every department recognizes individuals, which are sent to the branch level. The branch level then picks individuals at the branch-level awards, who then come to the executive team, then out of that pool of 3,200 — almost 3,200 — candidates, these are the ones who were selected this year as the Star Leader, Star Performer, Star Team.”

A county news release detailed some of the contributions made by those receiving honors for their performance in 2021. A summary of the release is presented in the descriptions below.

Here are the recipients:

  • Star Team of the Year: Geographic Information Services (GIS). This team tackled more than a dozen in-depth projects over the past year – including building interactive dashboards, apps and maps – to provide real-time information for internal and external customers. GIS readily volunteers to work on highly technical solutions that other organizations often outsource.
  • Performer of the Year: Dr. Christine Glenn, veterinarian with Pasco Animal Services. She and her team manage more than 3,700 surgeries and 150,000 treatments every year – not to mention the twice-weekly public vaccine clinics they oversee.
  • Star Leader of the Year: Facilities Management Maintenance Supervisor Vito Tambasco. For over 30 years, he has been focused on a single goal: superior customer service. His dedication is infectious, as he guides his team through one of the most challenging times in the county’s history. The team continues to be innovative and to adapt, as it works to provide safe, comfortable workplaces and provide overwhelming support to the Pasco team and community.

“We’re thrilled to recognize our team members who consistently perform at a high level to make Pasco County a better place to live, work and play,” Pasco County Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey, said in the county’s news release.

“Our 2021 winners truly represent the best qualities of teamwork and leadership, and certainly showcase the incredible talents in Pasco County government,” Starkey said.

Published February 23, 2022

Congratulations to the winner of our “Tell Us Your Love Story” Valentine’s Day-themed contest…. Edna Villanueva!

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Here is her love story:

“I want to tell you about our story of more than 17 years together. Our relationship is the most important thing for us and represents a second chance at love after being in toxic relationships. It is a story of hope and self-respect.

This is how our love story began:

“They were just having coffee, except it wasn’t really coffee at all; he was staring at her and she was staring back at him and it was hearts fluttering eyes flirting and cheeks blushing it was more like souls catching fire so in between each sip of hot steaming coffee never mistake it for “just coffee’ when they were secretly burning for each other.” – N.R.Hart (The Art of Having Coffee)

We took a chance at love and after 17 years we still treat each other like newlyweds. We support each other in good and bad because when someone is down, the other is always there for support and making things better. We have built a community of love around us and now he helps me take care of my parents. We always say that we hit the lotto when we met and are eternally grateful for that first kiss. Winning this contest will help me show my husband how we all appreciate his love and invaluable importance to our families. Just to think that everything started with coffee and a kiss…we are beyond grateful!”

– Edna Villanueva

Thank you to all who voted and stay tuned for our next contest in March.

A towering addition to Sensory Garden

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(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club raised funds through its Arts & Culture Committee programs to purchase and have installed a large elm tree, standing 15 feet tall, in the club-designated garden at Camp Idlewild in Land O’ Lakes. Lois Cohen, left, and Elayne Bassinger, were there to supervise the placement of the tree (behind them) in the Sensory Garden, which benefits autistic children and others who frequent the special needs camp. As the weather warms up, the women plan to continue to add special features to the garden, including a variety of flowering plants and shrubs to attract butterflies, birds and bees.

State Road 52 has new path in East Pasco

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Construction crews have been working on a project that will widen and realign State Road 52, from Uradco Place to Fort King Road, in eastern Pasco County.

‘Road Closed’ barricades block both sides of the new stretch of State Road 52 that runs through San Antonio, at Curley Road. (Fred Bellet)

Between Uradco Place and Bayou Branch Canal, the existing road will be widened into a four-lane divided highway, according to a project description on the Florida Department of Transportation’s District 7 website.

Then, east of Bayou Branch Canal, the new alignment will be a four-lane divided State Road 52 — built south of the existing State Road 52 and tying into Clinton Avenue.

Then, Clinton Avenue between County Road 579 and Fort King Road will be widened into a four-lane divided road.

Clinton Avenue, between Pasadena Avenue and U.S. 301, will become part of the new State Road 52.

The section of existing State Road 52, between Bayou Branch Canal and U.S. 301, will be designated County Road 52, after the construction of the new State Road 52 is completed.

The $81.5 million project began in November 2019 and construction is expected to be completed in the summer of 2024.

The website notes: “Daily lane closures and flagging operations are likely throughout the construction area on numerous roads including but not limited to State Road 52, Curley Road, McCabe Road, Prospect Road and Clinton Avenue. Motorists should use caution and be prepared to stop when necessary.”

The contractor performing the work is Superior Construction Company Southeast LLC.

Published February 16, 2022

A displaced street sign lies in the sand at McKendree Road, awaiting its new location.
A flatbed trailer with heavy equipment crosses the intersection of State Road 52 and the newly striped McKendree Road.
Crews work along the new State Road 52, on a stretch between Curley Road to the west and Prospect Road to the east. Motorists will have a grand view looking west toward San Antonio and Interstate 75.
The east-west sidewalk on the south side of Clinton Avenue is temporarily closed, during construction.
From the crest of the hill at Williams Cemetery Road and Prospect Road, new light poles tower above the new State Road 52 intersection.

Company to open 100,000-square-foot headquarters in Trinity

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A three-year-old athletic wear company has purchased property in Trinity and plans to open a 100,000-square-foot headquarters there, according to a news release from the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.

The company intends to invest $15 million in the facility and plans to hire 30 new employees this year, the Pasco EDC release adds.

The company’s name is NVGTN — which is pronounced navigation.

The online athletic wear company was started by husband and wife, Brett and Ashleigh Schneggenburger, in their studio apartment.

The company recently purchased property in the Trinity Corporate Center, where it plans to locate its customer service and fulfillment operations.

Brett is a United States Air Force veteran and served as an aircraft engine technician for five years.

“Brett and Ashleigh have an ambitious entrepreneurial spirit. They have turned their small at-home start-up into a very successful company in such a short time, and that is something we embrace and are thrilled to welcome to Pasco County,” Bill Cronin, Pasco EDC president/CEO, said in the release. “I look forward to building our relationship with NVGTN and to continue to see them grow and flourish.”

The company produces affordable yet trendy and form-flattering athletic wear that’s suitable for everyone, the release says.

It uses social media to market new collections and has developed a global customer base in over 170 countries, according to the Pasco EDC news release.

NVGTN launches new lines every two to three months, and during new product launches, they can have an influx of over 50,000 orders.

To find out more, visit NVGTN.com.

Published February 16, 2022