Special to The Laker/Lutz News

New Manufactured Homes At Shadow Wood Village

June 23, 2020 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

It’s not too late to discover the fabulous new homes at Shadow Wood Village in Hudson, located just 30 minutes from Land O’ Lakes, and less than two miles from the Gulf of Mexico.

In the three months since this manufactured home community began selling new homes priced in the mid $90s, 18 out of 20 inventory homes have been sold. There are just two homes left, and these are expected to sell quickly to those age 55 years and older. More homes are expected in mid-July and will be ready in a few months.

The community’s new homes are spacious — up to 1,456 square feet — and boast front porches, great rooms for living and dining, two bedrooms with a den and two full baths. Floor plans are open and contemporary with the latest in home design trends. Kitchens feature lots of cabinets and a large island for bar stools and conversation, and in some models, with the kitchen sink inset in the island. Quality blinds and appliances are provided, including the refrigerator.

Every home has an inviting front porch; one of the new models coming in has a full front porch. A covered carport with a large, secure storage area, and steps leading from the driveway to the back of the home, is convenient for unloading groceries and provides easy access to the laundry area.

There is a very exciting lease-to-purchase plan that comes with each home when you decide to rent it. These are 12-month leases with a variety of rent incentives. If you want to buy a new home now, or rent one, Shadow Wood has the perfect home for you.

Shadow Wood Village offers residents an array of amenities, including a heated pool.

Call Community Manager Pennye Rose for more information at (877) 360-1124, or email .

Published June 24, 2020

Infinite HD — Experienced Home Remodeling

June 23, 2020 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Rob Howard got his start in the flooring business 35 years ago as a teenager, when he was working at a grocery store and his manager asked if he could finish the store’s floors when a contractor failed to show.

Rob agreed to help, discovered that he enjoyed the work, and has been in the flooring business ever since.

Experienced partners at Infinite HD, Jarred Howard (left), Rob Howard and David Rodriguez.

Over the years, Rob has expanded his skills to include painting, tile work and other skills needed for home improvements, and today works in both remodeling/restorations and new construction.

In 2014, Rob added new partners — his son, Jarred Howard, and longtime colleague, David Rodriguez. The men named their new business Infinite Home Designs, which they abbreviated to Infinite HD.

Infinite HD has grown into a full-service home repair and installation company, with a focus on bathroom and kitchen remodeling, as well as flooring.

A recent trend that Rob has observed is that many people are calling about back porch installations.

“It makes sense. People who are off for the summer, or working from home, want a relaxing spot to unwind. Plus, with it being summertime with mosquitoes and gnats running around crazy, having a back porch makes your summer experience much more enjoyable,” said Rob.

Home repair shows, such as “Fixer Upper,” often inspire people to do their own home repairs, but David Rodriguez stresses the importance of hiring a licensed professional for most home repair needs.

“We have a saying in the business — ‘Cheap labor isn’t skilled, and skilled labor isn’t cheap,’” said David. “It truly matters who you hire.”

Infinite HD has seen its share of cases where people try to do their own home repairs, or hire unqualified people, and end up having Infinite HD finish the job.

“Those clients end up spending more money, time and stress by trying to do it on their own,” said David.

Infinite HD recently moved its office to Odessa to keep up with the company’s growth. The location is convenient to its customer base in Hillsborough and Pasco counties. Rob is excited to watch his company continue to grow and expand.

Infinite HD continues to operate as a family business, which Rob is reminded of every time he steps into the office, because his grandchildren helped install its floor. Having both his son, Jarred, and daughter, Janann, work for him is something Rob deeply treasures – a sentiment his son, Jarred, shares.

“It’s always nice to make those memories with my dad,” said Jarred.

For more information, or to book a free estimate with Infinite HD, call (813) 309-5211.

By Kelli Carmack

Published June 24, 2020

Community celebrates Juneteenth at gathering in Union Park

June 23, 2020 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

A community Juneteenth celebration was held last week in Wesley Chapel’s Union Park. The event, held on June 19, marked that historic day in 1865, when slaves in Texas learned they were free. This year’s celebrations across the nation have taken on a particular significance, in the aftermath of the May 25 death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, who died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, knelt on Floyd’s neck. The Juneteenth event at Union Park featured prayer, song, dance and mingling. Some black-owned businesses also offered items for sale, too. Organizers urged those attending to wear masks, to avoid the potential spread of COVID-19.

Carmel Friendship Church donated the signage used for the celebration. (Fred Bellet)

Alexandra Archibald, of Wesley Chapel, and others at the gathering wore Juneteenth T-shirts to mark the historic day of June 19, 1865, which was when slaves in Texas learned they were free.

Aniya Stratford of the Carmel Friendship Church sang ‘Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,’ at the first annual Juneteenth Family Day Celebration at Union Park, a community in Wesley Chapel.

Watermelon festival offers sweet, old-fashioned fun

June 23, 2020 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Amy Guzzo, 38, of Lutz, chows down on a slice of watermelon during the adult watermelon-eating contest at the first annual Lutz Watermelon Festival. She was declared the contest winner. (Randy Underhill)

It was billed as the first annual Lutz Watermelon Festival — and, the sweet juicy melon was a big draw.

There were watermelon-eating contests for kids and adults, a watermelon-catapult contest, and a Little Miss Watermelon pageant.

Other ways to have fun included a large hay bale walk, tire swings, a rock climbing tower and a dunk tank.

Festival-goers could grab a bite to eat from a plethora of food trucks, could do some shopping from local vendors and could enjoy music, too.

The event even had free parking.

The festival was held on June 13, an overcast day, at County Line Produce, 206 Newberger Road in Lutz. It was hosted by County Line Produce Company and Intensity Academy Gourmet & Hot Sauce Company.

By Randy Underhill

Published June 24, 2020

Harper St. Clair seems to have the queen’s wave down, as she celebrates being named the winner in the age 3 to 5 category in the Little Miss Watermelon pageant. Here, she is waving to her little sister, Savanah St. Clair. (Courtesy of Amanda Short)

These giant hay bales are no match for 3-year-old Roselie Nobles. (Randy Underhill)

Three-year-old Sebastian Ellis, of Spring Hill, takes this tractor on an imaginary spin, during the watermelon festival in Lutz. (Randy Underhill)

Pat Largo, of New Port Richey, was master of ceremonies during the Little Miss Watermelon Pageant, which had several age categories. Here, he announces Nicolette Verno, age 7 months, of Rochester, New York, in the age 0 to 2-year-old group. Her mother, Marissa Verno, holds Nicolette for a pose. (Randy Underhill)

Christian Northrup, 22, of Lutz, gets ready to enjoy a Maine Lobster roll sandwich from one of the food vendors at the festival. (Randy Underhill)

Ten-year-old Kayden Bilbery, of Trinity, shows off the trophy he won for winning the children’s division of the watermelon-eating contest. (Randy Underhill)

Six-year-old Jayceon Rivera, of Lutz, checks his footing on the rock-climbing tower at the festival. (Randy Underhill)

Bringing Wall Street to Main Street

June 17, 2020 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Kelli Carmack

With a career spanning over 34 years, financial advisor Bill Kimbrough knows how to help you answer the question, “Can I financially get there?”

By taking the time to learn the individual goals of each of his clients, Kimbrough builds a strategy tailored just for them. He identifies the most appropriate investments, protections and services to get clients where they want to be. Having a financial advisor like Kimbrough truly helps ease the challenges that come with making financial decisions.

“When you try to do it all on your own, you’re subject to your own emotional whim. An advisor really serves as an objective force,” says Kimbrough.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Kimbrough became a financial advisor in 1986 with E.F. Hutton, and spent the past 15 years working with Franklin Templeton Investments. But, after recognizing his true calling to serve individual investors, Kimbrough decided to join Edward Jones in the summer of 2019.

“We bring Wall Street to Main Street,” Kimbrough says, “We focus on the everyday person, which you don’t find in many other firms.”

Being in business since 1922, Edward Jones is just two years away from its 100th anniversary. With more than 14,200 branch offices in all 50 states and through its affiliate in Canada, Edward Jones has more branch offices in North America than any other brokerage firm in the country.

One of the biggest misconceptions Kimbrough hears is that once you reach a certain age, you can’t invest.

“The fact of the matter is, it’s never too late to start investing. You’d be surprised what you could save and accomplish in a matter of 10 to 15 years. You may not be a millionaire, but every bit counts,” says Kimbrough.

Some of the most important lessons Kimbrough learned throughout his career is to stay focused on the long-term, stick with high-quality investments, save as much as you can and, most importantly, treat people fairly.

“People have different lives, goals, sets of values… the more I get to know my clients, the better off I’ll be to help them,” says Kimbrough.

Kimbrough resides in Lutz with his wife Nina. When he’s not working at Edward Jones, Kimbrough gets involved in the community by being a member of The Rotary Club of Land O’ Lakes and The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce.

“Getting involved in these organizations has been a wonderful experience for me. I look forward to continuing my community involvement in this extraordinary area,” says Kimbrough.

1532 Land O’ Lakes Blvd, Suite G, Lutz, FL 33549 • (813) 909-1726 • EdwardJones.com

Published on May 6, 2020

Plaza Mexico — The Best Mexican Restaurant For Father’s Day

June 16, 2020 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

(This is a Paid Advertisement)

Residents in Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills and Dade City are continuing to discover one of the area’s most charming restaurants, Plaza Mexico Restaurant Bar & Grill, and keep coming back for its outstanding food and great prices.

“Families love the variety of our menu, and especially enjoy our chimichangas, taco salad and combo specials,” said Hector Alvarez, one of the restaurant’s owners. “It’s great seeing so many new faces in our restaurants every week, especially now as we re-open from the recent COVID-19 shut down.”

Located in Zephyrhills on County Road 54, just east of U.S. 301, Plaza Mexico opened last summer in a beautifully renovated building that features two distinctive dining rooms and a full bar that offers daily drink specials from margaritas, to homemade sangria to Mexican beer.

The Zephyrhills restaurant is one of five Plaza Mexico restaurants in the Southeast, and the only one in Tampa Bay. The small, family-owned chain specializes in traditional Mexican food and decorates with authentic Mexican furniture and colorful decorations. The décor in Zephyrhills is unique with a “Day of the Dead” Mexican theme, which gives the restaurant a softer and more romantic ambiance.

“We care about the good taste of our food, as well as providing our customers with personal, hospitable service. We are proud to be part of the Pasco community, and hope to always make your time with us enjoyable,” said Hector

It is not unusual to see Hector Gallardo and his uncle, Hector Alvarez, working at Plaza Mexico. Both men are owners, who lead from the front and work alongside their employees to ensure professionalism and quality control.

“At most places, the owner just opens the restaurant. They let the people work for them, but here the owners work in the restaurant. That’s one of the things that people like. We have two or three owners working at a time, to make sure that everything is done very professionally,” said Alvarez.”

The menu at Plaza Mexico is extensive with many different choices, including a full page just for seafood, and lots of vegetarian dishes.”

Food is made fresh daily, and some of the recipes have existed for generations within the family. One dish — a popular house special that can be ordered for one or two persons — that Alvarez is particularly proud of is served in a molcajete.

“Molcajete is volcano stone, and we serve the food inside the stone. We put in chicken, steak, shrimp, chorizo—a Mexican sausage—and onions, jalapenos and cactus. Cactus is a traditional food in Mexico. It comes with rice and beans, and a salad. It’s a big plate.”

The menu has authentic versions of the usual Mexican favorites: tacos, fajitas, burritos, quesadillas and enchiladas. And for seafood lovers, there are crab quesadillas, white shrimp enchiladas and ceviche.

“The cerviche is probably one of the plates that is most traditional with Latin people, like Cubans and Peruvians,” Alvarez said. “We make our ceviche a bit spicier, and can be fish or shrimp. We also cook ours before we put in the lime.”

In the mood for something different? Try the mole poblano.

“The mole is a tradition in Mexico,” said Alvarez. “The mole poblano is a sauce that’s made with chocolate and poblano peppers, so it’s kind of sweet, and it’s probably the only sauce that’s sweet compared to the other sauce.”

A popular appetizer is guacamole made fresh tableside from a pushcart.

“Our cart goes around to every table to offer fresh guacamole,” Alvarez said. “It’s a really popular appetizer because it’s made fresh and in front of you.”

Every other Sunday evening, a mariachi band brings a fiesta atmosphere to the restaurant. Plaza Mexico has a private room available for parties, and a full bar with happy hour Monday to Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with two-for-one drink specials.

Published June 17, 2020

Meat: It’s what’s on the menu for Father’s Day

June 16, 2020 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Father’s Day and grilling go hand-in-hand.

Dad may even get some grilling-related gifts that he’ll put to use right away to prepare the Father’s Day meal.

But, like so many other aspects of society, the pandemic has been hard on the beef industry, and meat, in general.

Traditional kabobs can make a nice Father’s Day dinner. The kids can help prepare the meal by chopping up the veggies, and the steak, depending on their ages. (Tip: Eight 12-inch bamboo skewers may be substituted for metal skewers. Soak bamboo skewers in water 10 minutes before using; drain.) (Courtesy of BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com)

So, I turned to my coworker, Laura Bennett, to ask her for some specifics.

Laura is the livestock agent for the University of Florida/Pasco County Extension, as well as the livestock agent for Sumter and Hernando counties.

I asked her what is going on with the beef shortages and prices, and this is what she told me: “Over the past weeks, many people have been concerned about our beef supply chain, and about all meats, including pork and chicken, for that matter,” Laura said.

She also pointed to an article in Feedstuffs Magazine, by Darrell Peel, a livestock marketing specialist for Oklahoma State University.

That article says the beef markets appear to be moving beyond the worst of the disruptions.

This is great news for consumers and producers of beef alike.

So, what was the problem in the first place?

When restaurants were forced to close their dining rooms in March, they experienced a swift and sharp reduction in business. At the same time, demand increased drastically at the grocery store because people were staying home to eat.

The shift created a bottleneck in the supply chain and disrupted the flow of product to retail markets.

Then, in early April, several beef processing plants had to close because of workers coming down with COVID-19 infections.

For four consecutive weeks, cattle processing was down nearly 35% compared to the same period last year.

Since then, beef processing has rebounded quite well, and for the week ending May 30, beef production coming out of the processing plants is down just 7.6% compared to the same week last year.

So, why were prices affected?

Let’s take a look at “boxed beef” to understand the impacts.

“Boxed beef” describes how 90% of beef is shipped to retail outlets.

Boxed beef refers to wholesale cuts of beef — such as beef rib, beef loin — packaged into vacuum pouches and then placed into a box for shipping.

Vacuum packaging is typically accomplished using a bag that has very low moisture and oxygen transmission rates.

The air is removed from the package via a vacuum chamber and the package is heat sealed.

With the elimination of oxygen, the growth of typical spoilage organisms is significantly reduced, thereby extending product shelf-life.

The shelf-life of vacuum-packaged, fresh beef is approximately 35 days to 45 days.

Early in 2020, boxed beef quality graded as “choice” was bringing $2.10 a pound.

In mid-May, the price more than doubled to $4.60 a pound.

Individual cuts of beef have had a wild ride of their own.

As you would imagine, the middle cuts — cuts from the loin that include our steaks — have been in lower demand because most go to food service/restaurants.

Let’s take a look at Choice wholesale beef tenderloin, which is filet mignon.

It was selling at $9.70 a pound early 2020, but dropped to a weekly low $5.33 a pound, in early April, when restaurant demand essentially stopped.

Once supply was shortened by processing plant closures, it hit a mid-May peak of $12.38 a pound.

You also may have noticed how hard it is to find hamburger in the grocery store.

That’s because many of us find hamburger easier to use and cook at home, thus raising demand for it once people significantly reduced eating out at restaurants.

The “chuck roll” is a wholesale cut that a good deal of hamburger comes from.

The price of chuck rolls had a pre-COVID-19 average near $2.66 a pound.

As you might expect, its price peaked in early May at $6.28 a pound, before dropping back to $4.66 a pound at the end of May.

Derrell Peel concluded his article this way: “hopefully beef product markets are settling back into a much more stable situation and with typical product price relationships re-established.”

That’s great news, as we enter grilling season.

For more information about the USDA Quality and Yield Grading system, contact Laura Bennett, UF/IFAS Multi-County Livestock Extension Agent at .

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.

The website, BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com, has loads of recipes, including this one for kabobs.

Classic Beef Kabobs

Ingredients

1 pound beef Top Sirloin Boneless Steak cut 1-inch thick
8 ounces mushrooms
1 medium red, yellow, or green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Cut beef Top Sirloin Boneless steak into 1-inch pieces. Combine seasoning ingredients in large bowl. Add beef, mushrooms, bell pepper pieces and onion pieces; toss to coat.
Alternately thread beef and vegetable pieces evenly onto eight 12-inch metal skewers, leaving small spaces between pieces.
Place kabobs on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill kabobs, covered, 8 minutes to 10 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 9 minutes to 11 minutes) for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning once. Season kabobs with salt, as desired.

Published June 17, 2020

You Can Help Stop The Cycle Of Poverty

June 16, 2020 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Wacinque A.K. BeMende has a vision he wants to share with you — that there is an innovative way to stop the cycle of poverty — and he’s asking for your help to spread the word.

He is on a mission to help the 40% of Americans who do not have a savings or checking account, people often called the “unbanked,” to open accounts at local banks and credit unions.

Wacinque A. K. BeMende, Chief Poverty Consultant, KaizenRhino Solutions International Consultancy

“Without a banking account, you cannot take the very first step of helping yourself, which begins with saving money, even if it’s just $5 a week,” explains BeMende. “The key is investment accounts that earn dividends, while holding on to the original stock to compound interest and increase in value over the years.”

“It’s been proven that welfare does not work, and ultimately leads to generations of poverty,” continues BeMende. “We have created a system that is not an entitlement program, is politically neutral because it is not supported by taxes, and is not dependent on consumer debt.”

BeMende’s company, KaizenRhino Solutions, is working to establish an international standard of asset ownership that can be used as a tool to help solve issues surrounding poverty and income inequalities. To bring this standard to the political forefront, BeMende is asking people to sign a Change.org petition requesting that governments worldwide adopt this international standard.

“We need people like you to sign our petition to make our voice stronger, to help us implement the change needed to break the poverty cycle,” said BeMende. “The petition asks only for your name and signature. Your information will not be used for any other purpose.”

To sign the petition against poverty, and to review BeMende’s Asset Ownership Standard, go to: http://chng.it/KQczCdfyPr.

The mission of KaizenRhino Solutions is to solve the problem of multigenerational poverty by reducing the number of unbanked individuals to ZERO, and to encourage individual ownership of income-generating dividend stocks.

“The first generation that opens savings accounts and invest, breaks the cycle of poverty, and the next generation will see even bigger gains and keep families off the welfare merry-go-round,” said BeMende.

BeMende’s company educates you about self-directed Global Permanent Investment Accounts (GPIA), which is comprised of any number of dividend-paying stocks that generate income while allowing the principal to build over time.

BeMende founded KaizenRhino Solutions International and established the GPIA account in 2016 when he retired from the Armed Services after a 40-year military career, where he served in the Marines, Air Force, Army and National Guard.

When he retired, BeMende could have lived an affluent life of leisure, but instead started his business aimed at helping people get off welfare. To make the company’s name memorable, he incorporated the name of his favorite animal, the rhinoceros, which also became its mascot. BeMende even has a fun, model toy of a plastic purple rhino mounted on top of a piggy bank, but with the money slots for saving in the rhino, named GPIA Saver, not the pig.

“I knew what it was like growing up on welfare, and I wanted to help people change their course in life,” he said. “I want to teach people how finance and investing is open to everybody, and show them how they can create their own wealth,” says BeMende.

“Our country needs a solution that is sustainable, and owning dividend-paying stocks allows individuals to build principal over time, and create a source of income for generations to come.”

BeMende studied banking and finance and received his bachelor’s degree from Upper Iowa University. His master’s concentration was in adult education, and he was an adjunct instructor of personal finance management at Central Texas Community College.

BeMende has completed numerous continuing education programs in entrepreneurship, financial education and human resources. Most recently, he participated in the STRIVE (Startup Training Resources Inspiring Veteran Entrepreneurship) program at Hillsborough Community College.

BeMende, who grew up in Nashville’s poorest neighborhood, tells the story of a favorite high school teacher who loved the stock market almanac by Yale Hirsch, and taught his class the history of the stock market and the principles behind compounding.

“His message stuck, and I became a dividend stock investor, beginning with saving just a few dollars a week. When I pass on, my military retirement pay will end, but bequeathing allows my income from investments to put a smile on someone’s face for a very long time,” BeMende says.

KaizenRhino Solutions International Consultancy
Creator of GPIA “income for generations and generations to come”
575-650-8728

Published June 17, 2020

UPDATE: Southbound I-75 to westbound SR 56 reopened

June 2, 2020 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The southbound Interstate 75 ramp to westbound State Road 56 has been reopened.
Work on the Diverging Diamond had closed the right lane of the ramp heading west, but kept open the left lane on the ramp.
Now, motorists exiting at the ramp can head either direction on State Road 56.
The ramp was reopened because too much congestion was building up at the ramp, according to John McShaffrey, a community outreach manager for the Florida Department of Transportation.
Revised June 03, 2020

Hitting the gyms…

June 2, 2020 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

As Florida reopens for business, lots of people have begun hitting the gyms and fitness facilities again. Whether it’s to take a dip, walk a treadmill, lift weights or work with ropes, gyms are beginning to see activity again. Unlike some businesses, they had been totally shut down in recent weeks, due to concerns about the potential spread of COVID-19.