Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Suzanne Schmidt

Staff Writer

LAND O’ LAKES — Shouts of encouragement were everywhere during the 6^th Annual House Day at The Academy at the Lakes.

The event brings all the classes together from the youngest in kindergarten to the seniors in high school to do relays, play dodge ball, tug of war and a variety of other field day activities. John Pitcairn, middle division director, said the students learn bonding and leadership skills.

“The idea is to foster community spirit and to establish bonds across all grade levels,” Pitcairn said. “We want kids to have the feeling that the entire school is their school.”

He said the day is also about having some good old-fashioned fun.

“It is another way to inject another element of joy in our journey,” Pitcairn said. “It is one way for us to celebrate together.”

Buck Kramer, fourth-grader, said he likes the competition of the day.

“It is challenging and fun,” Kramer said. “Our house won the competition the last two years in a row and we are hoping to do it again this year. I also really like it when the older kids encourage me to because it gives me courage to do things I wouldn’t have done before.”

Colleen Lopez, eighth-grader, was a middle division team captain at the event. She said she enjoys the house day whether her team wins or not.

“I like how all the houses are working together,” Lopez said. “This makes the little kids day, to be with the bigger kids. They look up to the older kids. They get to hear encouragement and learn teamwork.”

Students in the school are in houses with each house represented by a different bird including kestrel, nighthawk, osprey and peregrine. Each house competed against each other during the field day. During the house day, older students were cheering on the younger students in the same houses.

“It is a mix of competitions where some are for grades in close proximity and some are across all age groups,” Pitcairn said. “The day started with a parade of all the houses similar to the Olympics.”

Building relationships within the entire student community is an important part of the school according to Pitcairn.

“We pair each student with another student in the school,” Pitcairn said. “When a kindergartener first comes to the school they are paired with a fifth-grader and they stay together until the older student graduates. Then the fifth-grader is paired with a younger child so students always have another student they are paired with.”

The school has events for the paired up students to interact throughout the year with intramural sports tournaments in soccer, basketball, volleyball and academic activities like buddy reading days and the academic cup.

“The older kids act as mentors,” Pitcairn said. “They are role models for the younger kids. It helps to break down barriers. It also provides leadership opportunities for the kids at all different grade levels.”

John Gans, junior, helped many of the younger students in his house at the event. He said he thinks it is a great excuse to dress up and have some fun.

“It is tons of fun to cheer on the little kids,” Gans said. “They look up to us. It is good to bond with the kids and mentor them.”

Shirley Leung, senior, was also working to encourage the younger students. She said she was excited to get more bonus points for her team for having good spirit.

“I think it is a great way for the little kids and the older kids to bond,” Leung said. “We are all on separate campuses so we don’t get to see each other a lot. It is a lot of fun.”

Parents get to come out and enjoy the fun as well. Carla Fairchild, parent to Brett, 11, and Natalie, 6, said she loves coming out to watch the field day activities.

“I love it because it brings the whole school together,” Fairchild said. “All the grades get to interact with each other. I think it teaches the children how to work together.”

For more information, visit academyatthelakes.org.

Officials report gang activity in Pasco

By Suzanne Schmidt

Staff Writer

PASCO—Even though Pasco does not have a big city atmosphere, it does not mean we do not have big city problems like gangs.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no definitive way to identify gang members, according to Sergeant Mike Jones of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

“There is no way to identify gang members,” Jones said. “The first way to identify gang activity is if graffiti pops up.”

Some of the symbols commonly used by gangs when spray painting, or tagging, includes a five or six pointed star and pitchforks.

If people in the area notice graffiti, Lieutenant Chuck Balderstone, supervisor of the vice and narcotics unit, said the most important thing to do is to call the Sheriff’s office immediately.

“The graffiti may be an indicator of if there is a gang,” Balderstone said. “It takes detectives who are trained to observe the different types of graffiti in order to discern where it came from and what it has to say.”

Even though it is an indicator for gangs, not all graffiti is gang related.

“Just because kids are hanging out listening to hip hop music and have baggy pants does not mean they are in a gang,” Jones said. “There has to be criminal activity in order for it to be classified as a gang. Just because there are three or four kids out doesn’t mean they are a gang.”

When there is graffiti, Jones said it is important to let the Sheriff’s office decode the meaning.

“We have gone to all kinds of training,” Jones said. “We learn to identify symbols and we learn to read them. It is kind of like a newspaper of the street. A lot of the time we can identify who is doing it. Anytime we leave up the graffiti, it gives the gang power and entitlement which is why we have to identify it and remove it right away.”

According to the Florida Statute 874 a criminal gang means a formal or informal ongoing organization, association, or group that has as one of its primary activities the commission of criminal or delinquent acts, and that consists of three or more persons who have a common name or common identifying signs, colors, or symbols, including, but not limited to, terrorist organizations and hate groups.

In order to be considered a gang, the group has to have documented proof of at least two things from the list found at myflorida.com in the 2009 Florida Statutes under Chapter 874. In the same way, in order to be considered a gang associate the person needs to have at least one thing documented and proven from the list.

“The gangs engage in criminal activity like anything that will improve their status in the gang like theft and burglary,” Jones said. “This is their business, that is what they do for a living.”

Balderstone said the gangs also deal drugs as a way to make money.

By Sarah Whitman

Senior Staff Writer

WESLEY CHAPEL —Thousands of miles from Florida in Vancouver British Columbia, Wesley Chapel resident Caydee Denney takes to the ice to compete as an Olympic pairs figure skater. Back in her hometown, 11-year-old Nina McDaniel and 8-year-old Ashley Crawford watch Caydee’s every jump and turn, dreaming of one day following in her footsteps.

McDaniel and Crawford are competitive figure skaters living in Wesley Chapel. They train at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon, the nearest rink to east Pasco County. For the two girls, life is never as sweet as when they’re on the ice.

“I wake up at 5:45 in the morning and I’m on the ice by 6:30,” McDaniel said. “I train three days a week before school.  It’s a lot of hard work but it’s fun and exciting.”

McDaniel began skating when she was just 3-years-old. She began competing at age four and currently trains with coach Tommy Brannen at ISF. Brannen skated competitively as a youth and was a professional skater for 17 years with Disney On Ice. He teaches girls to set goals and work hard to achieve the impossible.

“To be a good figure skater takes determination and commitment,” Brannen said. “Every skater dreams of growing up and becoming an Olympic champion. As skaters grow, they have to assess what level they are at and decide what direction they want to take. They have to be focused to succeed.”

Brannen choreographs all his students competition programs. McDaniel took home 1^st place wins at the ISI 50^th Anniversary Championships held in Orlando last May, performing to music from “The Addam’s Family” and “Sleeping Beauty”. She competed in the freestyle, compulsory and spotlight categories.

“The most difficult parts are getting through the program artistically and the jumps,” McDaniel said.

Crawford, a second-grader, is new to skating but already dreams of taking the ice to win the gold. She skates with coach Terry Lynn Zellner, a colleague of Brannen’s at ISF, and practices after school.

“My goal is to ice skate for a long time and try to get in the Olympics one day,” Crawford said.

The weekend of February 20, Crawford and McDaniel will compete at the RDV Sports Complex District Competition in Orlando. Crawford will skate a Hannah Montana themed program, which features spins, crossovers and fun choreography by Zellner.

“I like to compete,” Crawford said. “It’s fun to do new tricks and do shows.”

Ashley’s mom, Cindy, also skates and will even compete in Orlando.

“I skated when I was a kid and always wanted to take lessons,” Cindy said. “When I saw Ashley on the ice, I knew I wanted to be out there too. I know I’m not going to be an Olympian one day but I try and push myself to see how well I can do.”

The mother and daughter sometimes skate together. Ashley said she is proud of her mom.

“It’s real fun to skate with her around the ice,” she said. “I like that she’s there too.”

The Crawfords are unique in the local skating world. Most ISF parents are supporters not skaters. They spend countless hours a week driving to and from the rink so their children can have time on the ice. They sit on the sidelines with water, juice and snacks ready to go.

Nina’s mom, Carmen McDaniel, spends entire weekends with Nina at competitions.

“It’s a big commitment as a parent and it can be tiring but I love watching her skate,” she said. “When she’s out there she has the big smile on her face and I can tell how much she likes it. I’m really proud of her.”

Carmen praises coaches at ISF for working with students to help them achieve individual goals. She said the rink is a great place to skate.

“Tommy Brannen is a wonderful coach,” she said. “He is not too strict but he isn’t to easy either. He works with Nina to help her improve, so she can keep skating at a higher level.”

Nina doesn’t mind doing her program again and again until she masters every move.

“Tommy’s a good coach because he teaches us it’s important to practice,” McDaniel said. “That’s how you get better.”

McDaniel looks up to Olympic champions Sasha Cohen and Oksanu Bayul, who she says move beautifully on the ice.

“I love to watch other people skate,” she said. “I like to watch my friends skate at competitions and cheer them on.”

All the skaters at ISF are cheering for Olympian Caydee Denney. Though they don’t know her personally, she is a role model to all the girls. McDaniel and Crawford know it is important to dream.

“I want to compete through high school and then I want to be a performer in Disney on Ice,” McDaniel said. “I want to be Belle in ‘Beauty and the Beast.’ Sometimes after I see the show, I imagine myself skating to the different songs and being in the show.”

Crawford is a fan of Disney but she is more interested in the competitive side of figure skating.

“I want to be in the Olympics and I want to win 1^st place,” she said. “I want to skate for my whole life.”

It’s likely Caydee Denney had a similar dream not to long ago.

For information on skating lessons at the Ice Sports Forum, 10222 Elizabeth Place in Brandon, call (813) 684-7825.

By Suzanne Schmidt

Staff Writer

ZEPHYRHILLS — After almost a year, the Zephyr Commons shopping center is finally coming together.

“We still have three or four spots left,” said Carol Smiddy, leasing and sales associate for Primerica Group One. “We are about 85 percent leased right now. We are very excited about how beautiful the center is and the community seems to be excited about it as well.”

The shopping center, 7838 Gall Blvd., includes tenants Publix, H&R Block and China Star with the UPS Store, Great Clips, Pet Supermarket and Tijuana Flats, which is opening soon. Staples will have a soft opening Feb. 20 with a grand opening in March.

When looking at the center, one might think it looks European, which is exactly the point.

“The landlord, Richard Trzcinski, went to Europe,” Smiddy said. “The towers, the window boxes and the colors are all inspired by his trip to Europe.”

Lyn Rice, area operating district manager for Staples, said out of the 14 stores in the Tampa Bay area that he is responsible for the store at Zephyr Commons is the prettiest.

“I love the architecture and the design of the plaza,” Rice said. “I think it adds a lot for the aesthetics of the community. It is by far one of the nicest looking plazas I have seen in a long time.”

Rice said he is excited to be opening in the Zephyrhills community.

“I think Zephyrhills and the surrounding areas such as Dade City and Brooksville will benefit from having a Staples store,” Rice said. “It is good because it will help the community grow and we are also adding 30 more jobs to the market.”

Staples provides a full-service EZ tech department that fixes computers, a full-service copy and print center and consumer electronics like computers, digital cameras, printers and GPS.

Even though the property was bought three years ago, building on the shopping center began about a year ago. Publix was the first business to open in the plaza last April.

“There was a Publix up the road, but they needed a bigger store,” Smiddy said. “This is a big draw for the community. There were needs there and we wanted to fill them.”

Phase I is complete and once the group has filled the center, they will start on Phase II. Through Phase II the developer will add about 100,000-square-feet of space for a big box retailer and will add another 100,000-square-feet of space for professional offices.

“We are working right now to find the right tenant,” Smiddy said.

The Primerica Group One also developed the Collier Commons Center in Land O’ Lakes.

For more information call Carol Smiddy at (813) 933-0629 Ext. 206 or visit www.primericagroupone.com.

By Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

ZEPHYRHILLS — The Pasco County Fair may be the most well known event in the county each February, but it does not draw the largest crowd.

That distinction goes to the Winter AutoFest, which is Feb. 18 to 21 at Festival Park, 2738 Gall Blvd. Organizers say the event will draw about 80,000 people during the four days.

“We expect to have people from around the state and the world show up,” said Pia Sierra, event organizer. “It is easily bigger than the county fair. We’ll have vendors from California and all over the country, and I know for sure some people from Sweden will be here selling cars. Big car dealers to average people can have a good time here.”

Pia is married to Tim Sierra, son of Mike Sierra who has been the owner of the event since 1987.

“This will be the 36th annual Winter AutoFest and I’m very excited about it,” Mike said. “I’m really just a little boy with some really big toys. I’m just enamored with cars and I think you should do what you love. That’s why I bought the show more than 20 years ago.”

Mike, who is a lawyer, was born and raised in Ybor City and moved to the Hillsborough County side of Odessa in 1981. He said his first car was a 1915 Hudson touring car, which is a convertible without windows.

His favorite car is the 1913 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. Mike likes the Silver Ghost so much that he bought six.

“I traded up for a superior car, even though it’s older than my first one,” Mike said.

The highlight of the event is the collector car auctions, which will be 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 20 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 21.

“We will have 300 cars up for auction,” Mike said. “We have many different kinds of cars at prices for all budgets. From as little as $6,000 and $10,000 to as much as $250,000.”

Pia said of the available vehicles, “All the cars will be at least 20-years-old unless they are customized in some way or are a convertible. Most will be from the 50s, 60s and 70s.”

Mike said anyone can buy cars at the auction from such dealers as Dave Murray, owner Orlando Classic Cars.

“We’ll bring 50 cars to the event and usually sell them all,” Murray said. “We’ve done the Zephyrhills AutoFest since 1992 and love doing it. It’s only an hour and a half away from where we are located and is always packed. The people who run it are very nice people too.”

Murray, who has owned Classic Cars for seven years, said some of the cars he would be auctioning at the AutoFest are a 1929 Chevrolet and a custom built 2002 Corvette.

Besides the auction, people can buy antique and exotic vehicles directly from sellers at the car corral all four days. People can also buy car parts, tools, restoration supplies and antiques that have nothing to do with vehicles throughout the event.

Stock cars, two-man speedsters, midget and sprint cars will all be raced during the AutoFest as well. Warm-ups for the races are Feb. 18, with races starting at 11 a.m. Feb. 19 to 21.

Mike and his family also have a fall version of the AutoFest each November. Last year at the 25th fall event, Mike said there was more than $3.5 million in sales.

“The fall event is smaller than the winter one and I’m hoping we can do $5 million in sales at this event,” Mike said. “That would be a record for us. The most we’ve done is $4.5 million a couple years ago. Maybe I’m just being hopeful, but we have some really good iron coming in and with a little better economy this year we might set a new record.”

For more information on the Winter AutoFest, visit www.zephyrhillsauction.com.

If you go

• What 36th annual Winter AutoFest
• When Feb. 18 to 21
• Where Festival Park, 2738 Gall Blvd. in Zephyrhills
• Cost $8 Feb. 18 and 19 and $10 Feb. 20 and 21