The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Paynes Prairie State Preserve is something special

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Wild horses on Paynes Prairie are descendants of horses that lived on the prairie in the 1600s, when it was part of a Spanish cattle ranch called Rancho de la Chua. Today, a trail in the park is named for the ranch. For more on this nature lovers’ paradise, see full story.

(Courtesy of Florida State Parks)

Paynes Prairie: An awe-inspiring place for nature lovers

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Sometimes, you have to go inland to see “The Real Florida.”

To see the “Real Florida” at its very best, visit Paynes Prairie, stretching 2 miles on both sides of U.S. 441 in Micanopy, a hamlet south of Gainesville.

Paynes Prairie offers wide-open views of the sky, marshes and ponds. Even the most traveled naturalists are in awe. (Karen Haymon Long)

The 50-square-mile prairie is protected within Paynes Prairie State Preserve. Even speeding past to a Gator game, or heading north for vacation, you’ll know it’s something special.

Blue skies and billowy clouds arch high over tawny grasses swaying in the breeze. Fish leap from ponds. Shorebirds stand tall in swampy marshes. The sun rises on one side of the prairie and sets on the other.

If you’re lucky, you may see flocks of migrating sandhill cranes, grazing bison, wild Spanish horses, roaming cattle, and alligators slipping into tranquil waters.

The 22,000-acre park offers a world of exploration, whether you hike, fish, birdwatch, horseback ride, camp, boat or kayak.

It’s a photographer’s paradise, with 300 species of birds, river otters, bobcats, Florida black bears, wild pigs, white-tailed deer, coyotes, marsh rabbits and hundreds of other critters.

Paynes Prairie State Preserve park encompasses 22,000 acres. The main entrance is off U.S. 441 in Micanopy, south of Gainesville. (Karen Haymon Long)

Hiking through canopied forests on the prairie’s edge and staring out over prairie grasses, I thought about the pachyderms, bigger than our elephants, that lived on this land 2.6 million years ago. They shared it with camels, llamas, tortoises as big as bulls, bison, horses and nearly 20-foot-long sloths.

We felt lucky to see American eagles, Great Blue Herons, snowy egrets, turtles, moorhens, limpkins, coots and woodpeckers.

When visiting, you may want to bring binoculars. We were glad we had them when we needed to use them to see the bison, wild horses and cattle far out on the prairie.

We took peaceful hikes through forests of palms, giant oaks, pines, magnolia trees and palmettos bordering the prairie. Often, we were alone and trails were silent, but for the crunch of leaves under our feet.

The great naturalist William Bartram, who visited the prairie in 1774 when it was called the Alachua Savanna, wrote about seeing those same types of trees.

American bison in the park descended from 10 bison transplanted to the prairie in 1975 from Oklahoma. Long ago, bison lived in the prairie and roamed throughout the southeastern United States. (Courtesy of Florida State Parks)

He said emerging from the dark forests to the wide open prairie made him feel “on the borders of a new world! On the first view of such an amazing display of the wisdom and power of the supreme author of nature, the mind for a moment seems suspended, and impressed with awe.”

Bartram met with Seminoles and their chief, Ahaya the Cowkeeper, who lived nearby and ran cattle on the prairie. The “Siminoles,” as he called them, slaughtered cows, prepared a feast for him and let him hunt for plants on their land.

They called him Puc-Puggee, which means “the Flower Hunter.” Today, the park’s campground is named Puc Puggy. The prairie was named for the Cowkeeper’s eldest surviving son, Payne.

The ancient prairie was formed by the collapse of limestone bedrock and the merging of sinkholes. Its waters drain into a sinkhole at the northeast region of the prairie and into Orange Lake to the south.

Back in 1871, that sinkhole – called the Alachua Sink – clogged up and water rushed over the prairie, forming what locals called Alachua Lake. It was so deep steamboats ran on it, carrying passengers, lumber, oranges and other cargo between Micanopy and Gainesville. In 1891, the sinkhole opened up, the lake drained 8 feet in 10 days and became a marshy prairie again.

Today, it’s wetter than some years, and some trails were partially closed on our visit due to flooding.

Bald eagles often soar over the vast prairie. They are among 300 species of birds you might see there. (Courtesy of Florida State Parks)

The best way to see the prairie is to head to the park’s main entrance at its southern end, where you’ll find the Visitor Center with exhibits and a video on the history of the prairie, an observation tower, hiking trails, the campground, picnic area, playground, boat ramp and access to Lake Wauberg.

Farther north, off U.S. 441, look for a sign for the 3-mile, roundtrip La Chua Trail, a boardwalk/grassy trail around Alachua Sink and marshes to an observation platform. (This was partially closed on our visit).

A fishing pier north of that trailhead offers panoramic views of the prairie and some good fishing. On our visit, a fisherman looked at a huge catfish he just caught and said proudly, “That’s the first fish I’ve caught in years.”

North of the prairie, off Williston Road in Gainesville, find Sweetwater Wetlands Park, which offers 3.5 miles of gravel and boardwalk trails over wetlands, ponds and grasses dotted with turtles, moorhens, Great Blue Herons, limpkins, anhingas and other birds.

The 125-acre Gainesville city park was created to protect the quality of water that drains into Paynes Prairie and the Florida Aquifer by filtering out pollution and harmful nutrients.

Its use is more restricted than the state park’s because of the filtering processes. No boats, fishing, bikes, horses, drones or pets are allowed. But, it’s a wondrous place to walk for watery views and birdwatching.

A lone hiker walks toward Cones Dike Trail, an 8-mile round-trip trail in Paynes Prairie State Preserve park. (Karen Haymon Long)

Tips for the Trip

Note: Visiting Paynes Prairie is worth the trip, but it will have to wait awhile. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced March 22 that it would be closing all state parks effective immediately to ensure social distancing in light of concerns about potential spread of coronavirus diease-2019. It is uncertain when the state parks will reopen. Before heading that way, be sure to call ahead.

Paynes Prairie State Preserve is at 100 Savannah Blvd., Micanopy.
Hours: 8 a.m. to sundown daily; Visitor Center open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., daily.
Fee: $6 per car with two to eight passengers; $2 for one passenger, and for walkers and bikers.
Events include: Coffee with a ranger; talking to naturalists about William Bartram; gazing at stars with members of the Alachua Astronomy Club; birding with members of the Alachua Audubon Society.
For the events schedule and other information, see FloridaStateParks.org, and click onto Paynes Prairie State Preserve, or call the ranger station at (352) 545-6000 or the Visitor Center at (352) 466-4100.

Sweetwater Wetlands Park is at 325 SW Williston Road, Gainesville.
Hours: 7 a.m. to sunset daily.
Fee: $5 per car; $2 for walkers and bikers.
Contact: SweetwaterWetlands.org; (352) 393-8520.

By Karen Haymon Long

Published March 25, 2020

The Porch of Peace

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Steve Melton (Christine Holtzman)

Come now, pull up a chair, on the porch of peace.

Stay and rock awhile, let your worries cease.

We’ll tell a few stories, maybe a joke or two.

It’s good to be together when the day is through.

Feel the gentle breeze as it blows

from east to the west.

It carries away the heat and your cares,

It makes you feel at rest.

We’ll watch the sun go down,

see the sky turning red

Stop thinking about your troubles, before we go to bed.

Stop. Listen to the quiet.

We don’t hear that much anymore.

We need to hear it more often,

It gives our hearts and minds time to restore.

Next time you are in the area, please stop and stay awhile

The porch of peace will leave you

with a smile.

-By Steve Melton, cowboy poet

Editor’s note: The Laker/Lutz News typically doesn’t publish poetry, but we decided to make an exception to offer a counterpoint during these trying times.

Steve Melton is a cowboy poet and a native of East Pasco County.

Published March 25, 2020

Snowbird — Who’s Watching Your Home While You’re Away?

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Jodie Patrone-Sullivan

By Kelli Carmac

 If you’re a snowbird, odds are you’re getting ready to head back north. As you say goodbye to Florida, do you find yourself wondering if your home will be okay while you’re hundreds of miles away?

While you hope your home will be fine until you return, that’s not always the case. Unforeseen damages can happen— broken A/C unit, hot water tank leak, mold, roof and storm damage, rodent infestations and even break-ins.

But, now there’s a solution to your worries. Snowbird Home Patrol can help prevent potentially damaging and costly problems from harming your home, and give you peace of mind.

Snowbird Home Patrol is a family owned home-watch service that will come to your home on a consistent basis to make sure everything is in tip-top shape.

Owner Jodie Sullivan got the idea for her business 10 years ago, after her father’s hot water tank in his condo rusted out while he was gone for the summer. “After the cleanup, my dad hired a home-watch service company to prevent such a thing from happening again, and told me he thought my background was ideal to start a home-watch company in Florida,” said Sullivan.

Sullivan owned a special event business in Land O’ Lakes for 23 years and has an impressive background in customer service. She also is the incoming president for the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon.

 “My event business was successful because I provided outstanding customer service, and I bring this knowledge and philosophy with me to my new business,” said Sullivan.

Sullivan founded Snowbird Home Patrol after becoming a Certified Home Watch Professional through the National Home Watch Association. As a homeowner herself for over 26 years, she knows her way around a house.

Snowbird Home Patrol provides clients with weekly or bi-weekly home inspection. After a home is inspected, she uploads her findings to a secure customer portal, where clients can see a full report on their home.

Sullivan stresses the importance of having a trained professional inspect your home, instead of asking a neighbor or friend to stop in periodically to check on things.

“When a serious issue arises, you need someone to act quickly and professionally,” said Sullivan. “We take care of problems in a timely and cost-effective manner, and prevent you from overstepping a friendship.”

Snowbird Home Patrol also offers additional home services, including package pick-up, opening and closing home for the season, general cleaning and hurricane preparations.

Protect your home by calling Snowbird Home Patrol — it’s affordable, dependable and personable. The company services homes in Zephyrhills, Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Tampa, New Port Richey, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor, Hudson, Crystal River and The Villages.

(813) 927-2730 • www.SnowbirdHomePatrol.com

Published 3/18/20

East Pasco land donated for fire station

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The Pasco County Commission passed a resolution at its March 10 meeting recognizing Schikedanz Bros.-Hammock Pines Ltd., for its donation of 3.8 acres for a fire station to improve fire rescue services in East Pasco County.

Scott Cassin, fire chief for Pasco County Fire Rescue, expressed appreciation for the gift.

The site is just east of Fox Ridge Boulevard, on the south side of State Road 54, in Wesley Chapel.

Construction is tentatively set for 2023, and when it opens it will be known as Station 4.

The station will enhance services to Watergrass, Meadow Pointe and Zephyrhills, Cassin said.

“This is a great location, it’s going to serve so many people,” the fire chief added, noting that the station will be constructed using funding provided through general obligation bonds approved by county voters.

Gunther Flaig, who spoke on behalf of the land donor, said, “As a father of a current EMS student, trying to become an EMS worker, I know a little bit about the difficulty that you’re facing.”

He said the company was happy to “do a little bit” for the county.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey also expressed gratitude for the donation, noting that she and Flaig have been friends for a long time.

Commission Chairman Mike Moore said, “We very much appreciate your donation.”

As the county continues to grow, Moore said, so will its need for more fire stations.

Published March 18, 2020

Worried about your plants turning brown?

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Seeing some of your plants turn brown in the winter can be a bit concerning.

It’s good to know that it’s normal for many plants, such as turfgrasses, to go dormant and turn brown in the winter.

The plant is protecting itself during cold temperatures and lower light levels.

Vegetation that’s injured by the cold can turn brown, but resist the urge to cut it back or to add fertilizer to damaged plants. Wait until you’re sure that warm temperatures have returned before taking action to address weather damage. (University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences)

Typically, plants will recover once spring arrives.

However, hard freezes may injure or potentially kill some plants.

The best way to protect your plants from cold injury, or death, is to select plants for your landscape based on the USDA Hardiness Zone Map that outlines which plants are most likely to survive in a given zone (https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/).

Florida is a wonderful place to grow a wide variety of plants, but not all of them thrive in every part of the state. For instance, a Christmas palm does well in South Florida, but won’t survive the winters in Central Florida.

Also, just a few miles can mean a big difference in temperature variations between our coastal and inland locations.

A principle of Florida-Friendly Landscaping is to plant the right plant in the right place. Not only does that principle apply to location in the landscape; it also applies to your climate zone.

Even though cold damage can cause injury to many plants, don’t lose hope. There are a few considerations to keep in mind to help your plant recover from cold injury.

It’s helpful to know that soils that have frozen even slightly, like in a container, can lose a lot of moisture and cold-damaged plants still need water.

After a freeze, check the soil around injured plants to determine if they are dry or not. If dry, irrigate until the soil is moist, but not wet.

It is tempting to fertilize plants after injury to stimulate new growth, but it’s not a good idea to “tell” an already injured plant to expend energy to grow — especially when the risk of more damage from another freeze is possible.

Resist the urge. Don’t fertilize until later in the season after the plant has shown obvious signs of recovery and is actively growing. That typically happens in late spring or even as late as summer.

The principle of patience also applies to pruning.

Cold-damaged plants typically look terrible with brown and even black, dead tissue. But, pruning tells the plant to grow, so put down the pruners.

Extensive growth during recovery robs the plant of vital energy and nutrients, and leaves new, tender tissue vulnerable to more damage from cold weather. Once the threat of frost or freeze passes, it’s safe to remove dead plant tissue.

If your lawn happens to be the common St. Augustinegrass, and it suffers extensive cold damage — which typically only occurs when exposed to temperatures around 20 degrees Fahrenheit — it will most likely die. Bahiagrass will rebound when warmer weather returns. If the lawn turns brown and stays brown, and appears to rot away, you’ll want to re-sod or re-seed, depending on the turfgrass species, to reestablish the lawn.

Some cold-injured ornamental plants may take years to recover from the roots, such as hibiscus.

Cold protection is relatively simple though. For most ornamental plants in pots, simply move them into a protected area when temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit are predicted.

If the plant is not easily moved, a bed sheet or blanket makes a good cover. Just ensure the cover drapes all the way to the ground so that heat from the ground can be trapped under the cover protecting the plant. Place a rock or brick on the cover to anchor the cover, but don’t allow it to weigh down the plant and cause damage.

Additionally, if you can erect a simple scaffold for the blanket to rest on just above the foliage, there’s less chance of cold injury since frost that rests on the blanket that touches the foliage can still cause damage through heat loss.

Many homeowners “lollipop” the blanket around the trunk or base of the plant cutting off the flow of heat from the soil, so don’t make this major mistake.

Plastic sheeting can be used, in a pinch, but it must be removed before sunlight strikes the plant in the morning or you risk burning the plant underneath, which happens rather quickly.

There are some commercial frost clothes that also can help prevent cold injury, but they must be used in the same way mentioned above.

With any cover, remove it once the temperature is above freezing early in the morning to allow the light to reach the plant, reduce the chance of sun scald, and get more heat into the plant.

Cold damage is not always preventable, but it is possible for plants to recover with a little TLC. In most cases, the plant just needs to be left alone to recover on its own time.

For more information about reestablishing your lawn, go to: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/lh013. For more information on cold protection for ornamental plants, refer to: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_landscapes_and_cold.

By Whitney C. Elmore

Dr. Whitney C. Elmore is the UF/IFAS Pasco County Extension director and an Urban Horticulture Agent III.

Published March 11, 2020

To celebrate Pi Day, let’s make some pie

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You might have heard that March 14 is Pi Day — in honor of the math constant ?.

Perhaps you recall from your middle school days that Pi (?) equals 3.14, hence, March 14 is the day set aside to celebrate Pi Day, or in the case of this column — to celebrate pies.

Pies comes in so many varieties.

A pastry blender, also called a pastry cutter, on right, is used to mix solid fats into flour to make dough. (Shari Bresin)

There’s apple, pumpkin, sweet potato, blueberry, kumquat, cherry, chocolate, and that’s just to name a few.

If you delve into the history of pie, you’ll realize that these flavors are considered modern.

The word “pie” is thought to derive from the magpie bird, known for collecting random items in its nest.

Early pie makers would put anything into their pies — beginning with the early Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, and up through the Medieval period in Europe.

In the days before pies were considered primarily as a sweet finish to a meal, pies were typically filled with meat and served as the main course.

But, these were not the kind of meat pies that are popular today, such as Shepherd’s pie or chicken pot pie. Rather, they were filled with rabbit, crow or mussels.

There was no delicious flaky crust, either.

To get to the meat filling, you had to crack open the top. The hard shell wasn’t meant to be consumed, nor was the bottom crust. They were simply intended to contain the filling.

In fact, the crust wasn’t called the crust until after the American Revolution. Before that, it was called a “coffyn,” referring to a basket or container.

If the pie wasn’t filled with meat, then likely it was filled with cheese or honey.

So, how did pie become dessert?
Going as far back as the 1300s, there were tarts, which were similar to the pies we know today.

But, these tarts didn’t have any sugar.

In those days, sugar was a rare commodity. It was a sign of wealth and was out of reach for most people.

By the 1700s, though, the British set up sugar colonies in the Caribbean, making sugar more accessible.

At that time, however, pies continued to be meat or cheese dishes.

The idea of making tarts sweet didn’t catch on until the tarts arrived in the United States.

While it was technically a sweetened tart, the colonists started calling it pie — to deepen the divide between the colonists and the British.

With the abundance of sugar also came the idea to make the coffyn into an edible crust.

So, there’s a short history of pies, to help you celebrate Pi Day.

You’ll probably notice on March 14 that many restaurants, food retailers, and bakeries offer special deals on pie, for Pi Day.

Perhaps you’ll mark the occasion by making a pie of your own.

After all — like many things in life — math is more fun when paired with dessert.

By Shari Bresin

Shari Bresin is the Family & Consumer Science Agent for the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension Pasco County.

Recipe for blueberry pie
Since blueberries will begin ripening soon, up until the end of May, here’s a recipe for blueberry pie. The recipe comes from the Natasha’s Kitchen website: https://natashaskitchen.com/blueberry-pie-recipe/.

Tools: You will want a rolling pin, a 9-inch pie pan, and either a food processor or pastry blender.

Ingredients for crust:
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus a little extra for dusting
½ Tbsp granulated sugar
½ tsp sea salt
2 sticks of cold butter, diced into ¼-inch pieces
6 Tbsp to 7 Tbsp of ice water

Directions for crust:
Put flour, sugar and salt in food processor and pulse a few times.
Add butter and pulse again until you see coarse crumbs/pea-sized shapes.
Mixture should be dry and powdery.
Add water and pulse until you see moist clumps or small balls.
To see if you have enough water, press a piece of dough between your (clean) fingers and make sure the dough sticks.
If it doesn’t, add more water, a teaspoon at a time.
Transfer dough to a work surface and divide in half.
Flatten with rolling pin, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one hour prior to making filling.

Ingredients for filling:
6 cups blueberries, rinsed and drained
1 tsp lemon zest
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 ½ Tbsp all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg
1 Tbsp water

Directions for filling:
Roll one half of dough into 13-inch circle and place in 9-inch pie pan.
Roll other half into 12-inch circle and use a pizza cutter to make 10 one-inch strips for lattice top.
Combine blueberries, zest, lemon juice, flour, sugar and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl, and then transfer to dough in pie pan, with berries slightly higher in center.
Create a lattice crust on top of filling using the 10 one-inch strips of dough, and pinch the edges to seal (if you’re not familiar with making this crisscross style of top crust, there’s a tutorial on NatashasKitchen.com that shows this: https://natashaskitchen.com/how-to-make-a-lattice-pie-crust/).
Beat egg and water, and brush over lattice crust and edges.
Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes to 60 minutes.

Published March 4, 2020

Park Square Homes Opens New Model in Asturia

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Families looking to build a new home in one of the in-demand communities along the State Road 54 corridor have an exciting new option with Park Square Homes, a family owned builder based in Orlando that is Asturia’s newest builder.

Located in Odessa, Asturia is a master-planned community of just 550 homes that is nearing completion. Located less than one mile from the Suncoast Parkway, Asturia is known for its premier builders and amenities that include nature trails connecting neighborhood and parks, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and a contemporary 5,800-square-foot clubhouse with a resort-style, zero-entry pool.

Park Square Homes joins ICI Homes and David Weekley Homes as the exclusive single-family home builders in Asturia. Park Square Homes has 22 lots in Asturia, and seven homes have already been sold since opening for sale at the end of the year. All Park Square homes are being built on 55-foot lots that are conveniently located close to the community’s entrance on State Road 54. These are some of the largest interior lots remaining in Asturia.

The homes Park Square Homes is building in Asturia all have new elevations designed just for this community, with front porches and covered lanais with pavers. One- and two-story homes are designed with kitchens that open to great rooms and eat-in cafés, and are bright and airy with large windows, including optional transom windows on some models.

The Margate II by Park Square Homes is Asturia’s newest model home.

Park Square Homes is known for its well-designed, easy-living floor plans that maximize living areas with many high-end standard features, including granite countertops, 42-inch cabinets, and smart home packages. Five floor plans are available at Asturia, all with private and expansive master suites, large secondary bedrooms, optional drop zones at the garage entrance, spacious laundry rooms, and large open lofts.

“We are very excited to be building in Asturia — one of Pasco’s most prestigious master-planned communities that offers our homeowners some of the area’s best amenities, with great schools and quick access to major roadways,” said Sang Lee, Tampa Division president for Park Square Homes.

The Margate II by Park Square Homes is Asturia’s newest model home. This beautifully furnished model opened earlier this month, and features three bedrooms, two baths and a two-car garage.

The 1,966-square-foot home has an inviting foyer that opens to a spacious office and island kitchen with an abundance of cabinets. The office space also can be built as a playroom with optional French doors, or as a fourth bedroom. A private master suite at the rear of the house has his-and-her closets and a luxury master bath. The Margate II also is available with a 15’ x 26’ bonus room and bath on the second floor. Pricing begins at $324,990.

The Walton II is another one-story plan available at Asturia, and comes standard with four bedrooms in its 1,811 square feet of living area. Pricing begins at $309,990.

Park Square Homes also is offering three two-story homes in Asturia, ranging from 2,382 to 3,075 square feet, with four or five bedrooms and three baths. All floor plans have one bedroom on the first floor, with the Pensacola plan offering the master suite downstairs. Two-story floor plans begin at $345,990.

“Many families looking at our floor plans in Asturia are first-time buyers, or empty-nesters wanting to downsize,” said Lee. “They are attracted to Asturia for its healthy lifestyle and schools, and truly appreciate the great value they get with a Park Square Home. Our model, the Margate II, is one of our best-selling floor plans, and we are so pleased to be able to offer it in Asturia.”

Park Square Homes brings over 35 years of experience building quality homes in Central Florida. It expanded into the Tampa Bay market in 2007 with communities in south Hillsborough County. Asturia is its first community in Pasco County.

More information about Park Square Homes can be obtained by visiting its Asturia model at 2370 Stone Table St., Odessa, which is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.; calling (813) 497-8128, or by emailing .

Published February 26, 2020

Lottery Deadline Approaching for Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel

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The deadline is quickly approaching for parents wanting their children to be in the 2020-2021 enrollment lottery for Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel, a new, tuition-free public charter school located at the community entrance of Avalon Park Wesley Chapel.

The modern architecture of Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel gives students and faculty stunning lake and conservation views.

Parents must complete the application form online at PinecrestWesleyChapel.com, by midnight on March 6. Several information sessions are scheduled on Feb. 29 and March 2 (see info box).

Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel is one of the most important elements of the goal to build a brand-new town in Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, says Stephanie Lerret, senior vice president of marketing and community relations for the Avalon Park Group. Lerret noted that the developer’s goal is to have the very best school in the entire state.

“Our residents are ecstatic to have the option of sending their children to one of the top charter school operators in Florida,” said Lerret. “The school is conveniently located at our community’s entrance, and will be open before the completion of the widening of State Road 54, which runs in front of the school and our community.”

The new school will open with 650 students in kindergarten through sixth grade, and plans to expand to serve up to eighth grade. It is the first Pinecrest Academy in Tampa Bay.

With 16 schools nationwide, Pinecrest Academy Inc., has made a name for itself in the education community. As Aimee Mielke, the newly appointed principal for Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel, would say, “When you walk into a Pinecrest school, you know you’re in a Pinecrest school.”

Blue and green colors brilliantly burst along the hallways of the modern building that has 49 large classrooms, oversized art and music rooms, and high-tech science labs. The school is visually notable with unusual windows in the shape of half-moons, circles and squares that give students and faculty stunning lake and conservation views.

“There’s no question that Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel is a visually stunning architectural masterpiece,” said Miekle.

The principal is excited about the advanced programs Pinecrest will offer its students, including a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) curriculum, and a dual English/Spanish language program. With the STEM program, Pinecrest students will learn about new technologies, such as robotics, and will have fully functioning STEM labs in all grades — something most schools do not offer.

Pinecrest also will have self-contained classrooms for gifted students, where pacing will be faster and performance tests much more in-depth, to allow gifted students to flourish in their education.

“All Pinecrest schools have an emphasis on high-quality instruction. We’ll continuously be monitoring the data so we know what each student needs, and have many different programs available to focus on the needs of the individual student,” says Mielke.

“All Pinecrest schools are high-performing,” Miekle continues. “Once we commit to a community, we’re not going to let you down.”

For the 2018 school year, all Pinecrest Academy schools in Florida earned an “A” from the Florida Department of Education.

“Pinecrest is unlike anything else…When somebody finds a school that fits what they believe in and what they want to see for their child, they will drive from anywhere,” says Mielke.

Pinecrest will be offering before and after care for their students, which will start at 6 a.m., and end at 6 p.m. It will be fee-based, but Mielke ensures it will be affordable. Pinecrest also will be providing a fee-based private Pre-K program for siblings of Pinecrest students; to be considered for the Pre-K program, your child must be 4 years old by Sept. 1.

For more information, please go to PinecrestWesleyChapel.com.

Pinecrest Info Sessions
Saturday, Feb. 29
Kindergarten: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Grades 3, 4 and 5: Noon to 1 p.m.
6th Grade: 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Monday, March 2
Kindergarten, Grades 1 and 2: 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Grades 3, 4, 5 and 6: 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

RSVP required at PinecrestWesleyChapel.com.

All sessions are next to the school at:
Trinity Church of Wesley Chapel, 33425 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel 33543

New Principal Has Pasco Roots
Aimee Mielke has been appointed as the first principal at Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel.

Mielke has been in the education industry for 23 years, with 20 of those working for Pasco County, most recently as principal of Connerton, Watergrass and Trinity elementary schools. She currently is principal of a charter school in Citrus Park, SLAM Tampa, a 6-12 school that focuses on sports leadership, arts and management.

Principal Aimee Miekle shows off the new crest for Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel.

“I love Pasco County, and it feels great to be back” says Mielke. When she was getting her bachelor degree at the University of South Florida, Mielke interned in Land O’ Lakes at Sanders Memorial Elementary, where she fell in love with the area and greatly appreciated the huge support she received from the community.

Throughout the years, Mielke has worn many different hats. She’s been a teacher, supervisor and director at the district level, assistant principal and principal. One thing she hasn’t done until this point was to open her own school, which is why Pinecrest is a dream come true for her.

“I have so many opportunities to be creative…I’m putting my stamp on the school from the ground up,” says Mielke.

Mielke says her main focus for the first year is to build meaningful relationships with her students and their family members, as well as providing students with the highest quality academics. Mielke plans on spending a lot of time this summer on professional development for Pinecrest teachers to ensure they will give the best education to their incoming students.

Published February 26, 2020

Resident Artist at March Gallery Show

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Richard Terrill, a three-year resident of Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, is exhibiting his contemporary paintings at the East Pasco Fine Arts Gallery now through April 30.

Richard Terrill’s portrait of Rumi, the celebrated Persian poet from the 13th century.

Terrill is an accomplished contemporary painter, whose work draws you in with bright colors, high contrasts and whimsical tangents. His paintings are colorful, unconventional and political – work that one would not expect from someone who taught high school and college English for 39 years. But, after talking with the artist for a few minutes, one quickly realizes that Terrill is also a knowledgeable historian, who artistically incorporates his world view points into his paintings.

“I like to use bright colors because they uplift the often serious and somber content of my paintings,” said Terrill. “And, I often add whimsical scenes into my paintings that poke fun at the seriousness of the human psyche.”

Terrill’s paintings have been exhibited and sold in the museum shop at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. This is his first art show in Florida.

His exhibit can been seen daily at the Welcome Center for Avalon Park West Chapel, which is located on State Road 54 about five miles from I-75. Avalon Park Wesley Chapel and the Pasco Fine Arts Council work together to bring arts and cultural events to East Pasco County.

“One of the main goals of this partnership is to introduce people to local artists like Richard Terrill, with monthly exhibits and demonstrations,” said Stephanie Lerret, senior vice president of the Avalon Park Group. “It is exciting to discover artists like Richard Terrill who already live in our community, and are willing to share their great talent with their neighbors.”

Artist Richard Terrill
Gallery Show
Feb. 24 – April 30
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday – Saturday

Reception“Outsider…ArtBrut…CoBrA…and More”
Friday, March 20, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Afternoon Tea
April 15, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Free – Refreshments Served

East Pasco Fine Arts Gallery
Avalon Park Information Center
33613 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel

Published February 26, 2020