Nabers Jewelers owners retiring
After 32 years of running his store from Gall Boulevard in Zephyrhills, Tom Vanater is retiring, and closing Nabers Jewelers.
The store has been open since 1933, with Vanater as the second owner of the business after Myron Nabers.
Nabers is liquidating inventory, and is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It’s located at 6951 Gall Blvd. near Daugherty Road in Zephyrhills.
Proposed apartment community wants rezoning
A new apartment complex in the Dade City area will have a chance to move a big step closer to reality Dec. 3 if the developers there can convince county officials to rezone nearly 22 acres of land off Clinton Avenue.
Six Feet Under LLC is asking the Pasco County Planning Commission to rezone land near Floral Memorial Gardens Cemetery from agricultural to high-density multifamily. That would allow the developers to build up to 160 apartments on now-vacant land.
The project, according to documents filed with the county, is Quiet Valley.
Six Feet Under lists Vicky Johnson of Dade City as its manager. She’s associated with another company — Matthew 6:20 LLC — that owns more than 100 acres of primarily grazing and orchard land near Trilby and other parts of rural East Pasco.
The land, located on the north side of Clinton Avenue just a quarter-mile west of U.S. 301, was purchased from Hodges Family Funeral Home in late 2006 for $94,200, according to county property records.
Although no start date for the project has been announced, a study filed by Raysor Transportation Consulting said the community should be complete by 2017.
If the planning commission approves the rezoning, the matter would then have to come in front of the Pasco County Commission, likely early next year.
Construction starts on Esplanade of Tampa
Taylor Morrison recently celebrated the beginning of construction at Esplanade of Tampa, a new community the developer has planned for the New Tampa area.
Located west of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard just south of County Line Road, the community boasts 20 acres of lakes, as well as mature trees and wetlands. Its community center includes a resort-style swimming pool with spa and lap lanes, as well as a full-time lifestyle director.
For information on the community, visit TaylorMorrison.com.
Tourism on pace for record year
For the fourth year in a row, Florida will have record tourism after Visit Florida estimated that 23.7 million people visited the state between July and September.
That’s up 3.5 percent over the same time in 2013, and represents the largest third quarter visitation Florida has ever experienced.
“Florida’s thriving tourism industry is vital to growing jobs, and today’s report that Florida has experienced three record quarters so far in 2014 — putting the state on pace for a fourth consecutive record year — is great news for Florida families,” Gov. Rick Scott said, in a release.
So far this year, Florida has welcomed 73.9 million visitors, who spent $55.6 billion. Direct travel-related employment jumped 3.6 percent, adding 39,900 jobs.
Of those numbers, nearly 3 million came from overseas, and more than 526,000 from Canada.
Catholic Business Networking seeks members
The Catholic Business Networking group is looking for Catholic business owners, employees and supporters interested in joining it for regular meetings every Tuesday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, 2348 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes.
The group has annual dues of $60, and there is a minimum attendance requirement of two meetings per month.
For information, call (813) 833-4737, or visit CBNTampa.com.
Business Link available monthly
Business Link, a monthly small business gathering hosted by the San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union, meets the second Wednesday of each month beginning at 7:30 a.m.
The meeting is designed to provide a networking and information-sharing platform for the business community.
For locations, details and to reserve a seat, email , or call (352) 588-2732, ext. 1237.
Women-n-Charge to meet in December
Women-n-Charge will meet Dec. 5 at 11:30 a.m., at Pebble Creek Country Club, 10550 Regents Park Drive in Tampa.
The meeting will include a feature speaker and networking.
Cost is $15 for members who pre-register, and $18 for guests.
For information, visit Women-n-Charge.com, or call (813) 600-9848.
Wesley Chapel networking group
Networking for Your Success meets every Thursday at 8 a.m., at Lexington Oaks Country Club, 2615 Lexington Oaks Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.
Cost is $5, and annual membership to the group is $79.
Kumquat Festival selling sponsorship packages
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce is now accepting reservation packages for the 2015 Kumquat Festival, set to take place Jan. 31.
Packages start at $500, and include logos and links on the KumquatFestival.org website, as well as booth space at the festival. Premier packages, which run from $1,000 to $5,000, include additional features.
The event is expected to draw 45,000 people from Florida, who live here seasonally, and who are visiting.
For information, call John Moors at (352) 567-3769, or email .
East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group has scheduled several speakers for the coming months. The group meets every other week at the Village Inn at 5214 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills. Networking begins at 8 a.m., with the meeting starting at 8:30 a.m.
Upcoming speakers include:
- Scott Lindner, pastor of Atonement Lutheran Church, Dec. 9
- Michael Smith, pastor of Fair Haven Baptist Church and principal of Zephyrhills Christian Academy
The group will have its Christmas mixer Dec. 1 at 6 p.m., at Village Inn, 5214 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.
For information, call Nils Lenz at (813) 782-9491, or email him at .
Dade City chamber needs volunteers
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce is looking for some volunteers to help with the chamber event season.
With winter residents returning to the area, there are a number of activities the chamber needs help to staff. The chamber is looking for people who are friendly and outgoing, who have knowledge of the local area and activities, and are team-oriented.
