The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

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

ICI Homes Opens New Wesley Chapel Model in Persimmon Park

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ICI Homes, Florida’s premier family owned builder, has been so pleased with its success in Asturia in Odessa, and Bexley in Land O’ Lakes, that it has expanded its Pasco footprint with a new community in Wesley Chapel called Persimmon Park.

Located in the area’s most prestigious neighborhood — the master-planned community of Wiregrass Ranch —  Persimmon Park is Wesley Chapel’s newest new home community. ICI Homes is building 97 homes in this unique subdivision located off Bruce B. Downs and Chancey Road, directly behind The Shops at Wiregrass and AdventHealth Wesley Chapel.

The Lantana is the beautifully furnished model home at Persimmon Park, with three bedrooms, two baths, an open kitchen and unique breezeway for outdoor living.

“This is our first project in Wesley Chapel, and we are very excited to have been invited by the Porter family to build our homes in this vibrant community,” said Paula Spitler, Tampa sales manager for ICI Homes.

The Porter family is the owner and developer of Wiregrass Ranch, and homesteaded and lived on this land for generations. It was the Porters’ vision that brought together the unique land use plan that creates a live, work, play and learn environment with single and multi-family homes, a regional county park, large and small business centers, shopping malls and restaurants, schools and colleges, regional employers and medical facilities.

“The Porters interviewed multiple builders, and we’re very honored that they saw the value ICI Homes is bringing to Wiregrass Ranch,” says Spitler.

The result of such foresight are neighborhoods like Persimmon Park that are tucked inside Wiregrass Ranch and designed as walkable communities with trails that lead to parks, schools, entertainment, recreation and top-notch medical facilities.

“Persimmon Park gives our residents immediate access to all that Wiregrass Ranch and Wesley Chapel have to offer,” said Spitler. “Plus, the communities’ amenities are everything that a family wants without going overboard — a unique T-shaped pool and cabana, outdoor grilling, interconnecting trails, and dog parks for small and large breeds.”

ICI Homes is introducing its first neo-traditional homes in Persimmon Park, featuring open floor plans with front porches, and garages at the back of the home. The first phase has 40 homes on 40-foot homesites, and ICI is premiering five new floor plans with prices beginning at $292,900.

“Light and bright with lots of windows,” Spitler describes these floor plans as having a cottage look and feel that are open, airy, and exemplify Florida casual living inside and out.

“These homes have been designed for people wanting to simplify their life, who want less square footage to clean and maintain, yet want all the upscale finishes and details offered by ICI Homes,” says Spitler.

The beautifully furnished model home at Persimmon Park is the Latana. At 1,793 square feet, this one-story home features three bedrooms and two baths, with an open kitchen and unique breezeway for outdoor living. It’s a great home for first-time buyers, as well as empty-nesters wanting to downsize. The builder’s second one-story floor plan is the Jasmine, which is slightly smaller at 1,552 square feet, and also has three bedrooms, two baths and a two-car garage.

ICI Homes also is introducing three, two-story floor plans, ranging from 2,020 to 2,434 square feet. The largest home is the Primrose, which offers the master bedroom downstairs, and a game room and three additional bedrooms upstairs. The Magnolia and Orchid also are four bedroom, three bath homes, and designed specifically for Persimmon Park.

Great public schools are another reason families are choosing Persimmon Park. Students are assigned to highly rated Wiregrass Elementary, Dr. John Long Middle and Wiregrass Ranch High. “These are some of the best public schools in all of Pasco County,” said Spitler.

From the huge success it had in Bexley and Asturia, ICI Homes is continuing to build its legacy in Pasco County with its new community of Persimmon Park.

Since it was established in 1980, ICI Homes has built over 4,000 single-family homes in Florida and the Tampa area, and has earned several prestigious awards for design and innovation.

Persimmon Park
VIP Appointments
Pre-Opening Pricing
Feb. 28 – March 5
To schedule, call (813) 359-9818.

VIP buyers can purchase a home before open house pricing is set.

February 26, 2020

New East Pasco school gets a name

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A new high school that will focus on technology, STEM and business programs on the east side of Pasco County will be called the Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation.

The Pasco County School Board approved that name unanimously during the board’s Feb. 18 meeting.

The school is located at Curley Road and Keifer Road in Wesley Chapel on the former Kirkland Ranch property.

Program plans for the school include academies for Business, Finance & Marketing; Digital Technology; Engineering Technology; Health Science & Human Services; Transportation Technology; and Building Technology, according to Pasco County Schools’ Facebook page.

The school will serve grades nine through 12 and offer industry certification in high-demand career fields with a focus on technology, STEM, and business, the Facebook page adds.

The name Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation encompasses both the area where it will operate, and in general, to the school’s mission.

Board members received about 100 suggested names for the school.

Board member Alison Crumbley said there were so many fine people on the list that she couldn’t narrow it down to just one.

Board member Cynthia Armstrong said the name — Academy of Innovation — is broad enough to cover the ever-evolving direction of career and technical education.

“As we know, CTE is changing daily,” Armstrong said.

The new school is slated to open in August 2022.

Published February 26, 2020

Customers Become Friends at Prime Time Home Team

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It’s not just about finding that dream home, or quickly selling a client’s property, for the Prime Time Home Team.  According to partners Ernest Van Glahn and Debi Bolusi, their business is also about building long lasting relationships that often evolve into friendships.

With over 22 years of combined industry experience, the two Realtors train under the Craig Proctor Coaching Program, where Ernest is also a certified coach. This past November, the pair was honored with the program’s Quantum Leap Award for exceptional gains in real estate.

“We have some really innovative consumer programs” said Debi. “For instance, if buyers don’t Love Their Home Within 18 Months After Purchase, We Will Buy it Back or Sell It For Free, and for sellers, We Will Guarantee The Sale of Their Home or We’ll Buy It (conditions apply).”

“We also provide our buyers with a free 13-month home warranty,” said Ernest. “We recently had a client who was so grateful for this warranty because his hot water heater stopped working three days after he purchased the home, and the home covered the replacement of the hot water heater, saving him hundreds of dollars.”

The Prime Time Home Team specializes in first time homebuyers and also works with current homeowners who are downsizing or need more space for their growing family. Seniors often call looking for a maintenance free villa, and they regularly work with retirees and others moving to Florida.

The Prime Time Home Team also offers programs for military (retired and active), as well as first responders.  They work with several lenders and loan options, and can assist with down payment assistance programs.

A retired New York City Police Captain, Ernest was a first responder on 9/11 and believes in the importance of assisting his brothers and sisters in arms.  Today, Prime Time Home Team donates to the Stephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation, named after a New York City firefighter who lost his life on 9/11. This foundation pays off the mortgage of first responders and members of the military when they are killed in the line of duty.

“Both of us being from New York and having lived through the tragedy of 9/11, this foundation is very close to our hearts” said Debi and Ernest. “Our goal for 2020 is to donate $10,000 to the Stephen Siller Foundation by donating a portion of our commission on every closing.”

Call 24/7 • 813.359.0880 • PrimeTimeGuaranteedSale.com

Published 2/19/20

Take Care Of Your Trees Before Storm Season

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Alfredo Carrillo & Bobby Van Allen

By Kelli Carmack

When Hurricane Irma hit two years ago, Alfred Carrillo and his family were staying with Bobby Van Allen and his family. The catastrophe that ensued from Irma’s wrath led to a conversation between the two friends that became an idea for a new business venture.

“One thing led to another, I broke out a napkin and it all came together,” said Van Allen.

That idea was Central Florida Tree & Debris.

Based in Dade City, Central Florida Tree & Debris provides topnotch services for all tree care needs. The company offers a diverse range of services, including removal, felling, lopping, trimming, pruning, shaping, surgery, wood chipping, stump removal, land clearing and weed control.

Central Florida Tree & Debris has highly skilled, fully qualified arborists who safely remove trees of any size. Arborists also provide proper care and maintenance of trees, to insure that your trees continue to be an asset to you and your property for years to come.

In addition to working with home owners, the company also provides services for commercial property owners. Central Florida Tree & Debris also works for major developers such as Florida Power & Light and Duke Energy to perform hazardous tree removals. In order to perform this specialized line of work, Central Florida Tree & Debris has the most updated technology and all their employees are fully trained and certified in areas such as CPR, First Aid, etc. Central Florida Tree and Debris takes pride in being fully equipped to tackle any service required of them.

With competitive prices and great customer service, Central Florida Tree & Debris strives to provide 100% customer satisfaction.

“It’s a great feeling… it’s great to give back to the community I grew up in and to make it,” said Van Allen.

Chelsea Carmody, administrative director for Central Florida Tree & Debris, prides her company on its great customer service.

“We make those personal connections that matter to our customers,” said Carmody, who adds that Central Florida Tree & Debris is a company full of like-minded people who share the same values: growth, integrity, persistence and trustworthiness.

If you’re thinking of doing the job yourself, Van Allen stresses the dangers that come with tree removal. “It pays to call in an expert for your own personal safety and the safety of your property,” said Van Allen.

With hurricane season beginning in just a few months, it’s important to note that Central Florida Tree & Debris specializes in disaster recovery, offering a 24-hour rapid response to storms and other natural disasters.

Office: (352) 437-4542
Address: 15000 Citrus County Drive, Suite 324, Dade City, FL 33523

CFtreeservices.com/index.html

Published 2/19/20

This Home Lender Puts You First

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By William Jacko

When Bruce and Tasha Henry chose the name OhmStar Home Lending for their new business, they wanted something with a soothing sound that would generate positive energy.

“The meaning of ohm is the ultimate,” said Tasha Henry, who holds a doctorate in occupational therapy. “It’s been proven that saying the word ‘ohm’ brings a calming effect and healing vibration to the soul — it clears the atmosphere and brings light to situations.

“And, we wanted to bring light to our buyers. It can be a dark place if you’ve never bought a home before because you don’t know what to expect. You need light, guidance and someone to help decrease the stress. We wanted to send a good and positive vibration out to the universe.”

OhmStar opened in 2004, and with savvy leadership, survived the 2008 recession to become a mortgage lender with both state and national licensing.

“OhmStar Home Lending is a direct lender,” said Tasha. “We’re not going to shop customer loans to 50 different lending companies. We’re pretty much a one-stop shop, and customer credit will only be pulled once.”

The Henrys communicate directly with mortgage underwriters who make the final decision.

“We are able to close and fund very complex loans in less than 30 days,” said Tasha. “We’ve even had VA loans that we’ve closed and funded in two weeks, which is almost unheard of, and are very proud that our turnaround time. Our goal is to get the loan in, closed and funded in less than 30 days.”

As a mortgage lender, OhmStar offers Federal Housing Administration, Veterans Affairs, conventional and 12-month bank statement loans. They also offer first-time homebuyer programs, and can do refinances, purchases and loans for investment properties, second homes, primary residences, duplexes, apartment buildings and commercial loans.

“We cater to veterans,” said Bruce Henry, who holds a doctorate in business administration. “We can do 100% financing for veterans with FHA and VA loans, and also offer a credit enhancement program to help veterans and other clients whose credit is not the best.”

The OhmStar credit enhancement teaches financial literacy to their customers. “We offer classes designed for first-time homebuyers—just to educate people on financial literacy,” said Tasha.

While the Henrys have built a large and successful lending business, they continue to give personalized service that small businesses specialize in.

“I was born in the early 1960s, and remember going to the neighborhood food and meat markets,” said Bruce. “Those hometown services were important to me growing up because they looked after the little person. We believe in that same level of service and sense of community, and strive to offer that to our customers every day.”

813-784-1206 • www.ohmstarloans.com • 7320 E. Fletcher Avenue, Tampa, FL 33637

Published 2/12/20