The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Lutz News

All-girl band gaining popularity

By

A group of 13- to 15-year-old Tampa girls are turning heads in the local music scene.

Extra Celestial, an all-girl band made up of vocalist Casey Banales, 14; guitarist Devyn Dacus, 15; bassist Caitlin McHale, 15; and drummer Anabella Vivero, 13, will be performing several live shows in the next two months.

They’ll be at Skipper’s Smokehouse on April 8, the Hard Rock Café on April 30 and The Orpheum on May 14.

Extra Celestial was formed in August. From left, Annabella Vivero, Caitlin McHale, Casey Banales and Devyn Dacus. (Courtesy of Marlene Fox Photograph)
Extra Celestial was formed in August. From left, Annabella Vivero, Caitlin McHale, Casey Banales and Devyn Dacus.
(Courtesy of Marlene Fox Photograph)

The band, formed in August by Jim Chambers of Jim Chambers Music Box, is also working on recording its first single, “Restart.”

Chambers, a former 15-year record executive who won three Grammys with Maroon 5, the Dave Matthews Band and Flyleaf, had been trying to put an all-female band together for some time.

“I had worked with them in the past,” said Chambers, who works closely with three other bands. “I finally was able to assemble them.

“I think they’re the only all-female band in Tampa. Each of them do have (good) qualities; they all play very well.”

The band, described as “alternative rock with pop leanings,” mainly plays cover songs from the 1980s to contemporary.

Some of their favorite tracks to perform include “Helter Skelter” by The Beatles, “Heartbreaker” by Pat Benatar and “Exes and Ohs” by Elle King.

“We don’t really stick to one specific area of music. We kind of just do everything,” said McHale, a sophomore at Steinbrenner High School who’s played bass for two years.

From left, Casey Banales, Caitlin McHale, Annabella Vivero and Devyn Dacus. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)
From left, Casey Banales, Caitlin McHale, Annabella Vivero and Devyn Dacus.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)

While it’s “much easier” for the band to learn cover songs, the group also has its eyes set on creating a few more singles, and possibly creating an EP, extended play.

Their single, which they’ll record in a studio on April 17, was written by Banales and riffed by Dacus. The process of crafting the single to make it “sound good” took about a month, band members said.

“I think it will be easier now to put out more (songs) since we understand the process of songwriting more,” McHale said.

The band, which typically rehearses twice a week, has developed a close camaraderie since forming several months ago.

“I think it’s because we’re all from different cliques at school,” explained Banales, a freshman at Cambridge Christian High School. “Like, we’re all so different that we get along so well; none of us are alike each other.”

Despite being the lead vocalist, Banales was initially hesitant about joining a band.

“One of the reasons I didn’t want to be in a band was because I don’t like having to get to know new people,” she said. But, she said her mom encouraged her, saying: “‘Do it. You’ll like it.”

So, Banales decided to give it a try and discovered she liked it.

“They’re all actually really cool,” she said, referring to her band mates.

Over time, the group has become closer through learning to communicate and express opinions with one another.

Also helping the band’s development is Chambers’ vast experience throughout the music industry, which included stints at Sony/BMG and VH1.

“I just show them how to navigate that process…and manage them, like, ‘How do you make a flyer, how do you use social media,’” Chambers said. … “It’s really ‘Record Label 101’ and ‘Band Management 101,’ too.”

“It’s good to have someone tell you what you’re doing wrong just because sometimes we don’t notice…when it sounds bad or off,” McHale said.

According to Chambers, pitching a young band to certain venues can be a tough sell — until management witnesses their talent and the ensuing crowds the group draws to their shows.

“It’s a big deal Skipper’s is allowing them to perform on a Friday night,” Chambers said, emphatically. “Often…you see a young band and you’re like, ‘Okay, we’ve seen this show before.’ But, our bands kick (butt); it’s like, ‘Whoa, they’re quite good.’

“It’s a really tough pitch, but when you bring 300 people, they’re like, ‘Oh, he wasn’t kidding.’ I did that on a Sunday with them,” he said.

While the band was initially nervous when they first had to perform in front of a live audience, the group now has no problem headlining on a big stage.

“When there’s a lot of people, I don’t get as nervous,” Banales said.

Dacus agreed, saying, “When you’re around people you don’t know, it’s kind of easier.”

With youth and potential on their side, Extra Celestial has no plans of slowing down anytime soon.

“I would love to do it professionally,” McHale said. “I don’t know if that’s where it’s going to go, but I think that would be pretty cool. I’d love to do that.”

Extra Celestial
Band Bios
Casey Banales, vocalist: Banales is a freshman at Cambridge Christian School. She began singing at age 6, and also played violin when she was younger. Banales is a member of her school’s basketball, volleyball, track and cheer teams.

Devyn Dacus, guitarist: Dacus is a sophomore at Steinbrenner High School. She first started playing music, on the piano, as a 4-year-old. When she was 10, she started playing the guitar.

Caitlin McHale, bassist: McHale is a sophomore at Steinbrenner High. She has been playing bass for two years after first learning how to play the guitar. She also plays soccer at Steinbrenner.

Annabella Vivero, drummer: Vivero is an eighth-grader at Cambridge Christian. She’s been playing drums since age 5, when she took classes at the American Rock School in Tampa. She is a member of her school’s basketball and track teams.

Published April 6, 2016

Swimming against all odds

By

Thomas Casey will be making his 16th swim this year to raise money for people battling cancer.

Casey, 57, flies to his hometown of Bridgeport, Connecticut each summer to participate in the annual SWIM Across the Sound — a 15.5-mile swim marathon stretching from Port Jefferson, New York to Bridgeport — helping to raise $2.5 million each year.

It wasn’t until 2012, though, that he found out that he also is dealing with the disease.

Lutz resident Thomas Casey was diagnosed with Stage IV renal cell carcinoma in 2012. The cancer spread from his kidney to the bones in both of his arms. (Photos courtesy of Thomas Casey)
Lutz resident Thomas Casey was diagnosed with Stage IV renal cell carcinoma in 2012. The cancer spread from his kidney to the bones in both of his arms.
(Photos courtesy of Thomas Casey)

When he was diagnosed with Stage IV renal cell carcinoma — the most common form of kidney cancer — it came without warning.

The Lutz resident said there was “no history of cancer” in his family.

He was diagnosed shortly before he was scheduled to make the trip to Bridgeport.

“Six weeks before the event, I went to the doctor’s (office) because I was having pain in my left side, and I found out I had diverticulitis, and he said, ‘Oh, and by the way, your left kidney is filled with cancer,’” Casey said. “Being told you have cancer, everybody says the same thing: ‘It’s like you got hit by a freight train,’ and it’s true.”

Casey acknowledges it’s a strange feeling — to know he is the only member of his family to be stricken with the disease.

“I’ve got three brothers and a sister with no cancer,” he said. “I’m the only one…out of my family that does any kind of (cancer) fundraising, and I get it. But, I don’t take it that way, and I never say, ‘Why me?’ I don’t have that attitude.”

Even after having his kidney removed, the cancer had spread to his arms, where tumors were virtually breaking the bones in half.

Despite being stricken with Stage IV cancer, Casey swims three to four days per week. He helps raise money for cancer victims by swimming in the annual SWIM Across the Sound, a 15.5-mile swim marathon that stretches from Port Jefferson, New York to Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Despite being stricken with Stage IV cancer, Casey swims three to four days per week. He helps raise money for cancer victims by swimming in the annual SWIM Across the Sound, a 15.5-mile swim marathon that stretches from Port Jefferson, New York to Bridgeport, Connecticut.

With the help of Dr. David Cheong, an orthopaedic oncologist, Casey had both tumors removed. To reinforce the upper-arm bone, known as the humerus, in both of Casey’s arms, the doctor inserted two 10 ½-inch plates to provide both mechanical and rotational stability.

“Humeral shaft tumors can be particularly devastating because they run the length of the bone,” said Cheong, a surgeon with Orthopaedic Associates of West Florida in Clearwater.

“Patients generally need extensive therapy to regain normal function,” the surgeon said.

However, Casey was a rare case.

The Lutz resident’s recovery went so well so quickly that he is able to swim a mile (72 lengths) three to four days a week.

“The doctor that has rebuilt me is totally amazing.  I can not thank Dr. Cheong and the other professionals enough that have worked with me,” said Casey, who’s already booked his trip for the 2016 SWIM Across the Sound event.

“I don’t know if any other person could have done what he did. …For what he’s done for me, I am totally, wholeheartedly grateful.”

Dr. David Cheong is an orthopaedic oncologist with Orthopaedic Associates of West Florida in Clearwater. He removed tumors in Thomas Casey’s arms and inserted two 10 ½-inch plates to provide both mechanical and rotational stability for his upper arms. (Courtesy of Ashley Pontius)
Dr. David Cheong is an orthopaedic oncologist with Orthopaedic Associates of West Florida in Clearwater. He removed tumors in Thomas Casey’s arms and inserted two 10 ½-inch plates to provide both mechanical and rotational stability for his upper arms.
(Courtesy of Ashley Pontius)

“If you see me, you would not believe that I have these rods in my arms, and am still able to swim and raise money for the foundation up there,” he said.

While he knows the clear cell carcinoma is still in his body and “isn’t going anywhere,” Casey uses swimming as a coping mechanism.

“You think, and you kind of dream when you’re in the water. I think a lot about what’s coming up,” said Casey, who’s been a swimmer for more than half his life. “I can’t work anymore; the one thing I can do is swim. Not to be able to swim anymore would probably upset me.”

According to Dr. Cheong, it’s important for cancer patients like Casey to have an activity where they can focus their energy.

“I have always known Thomas to be a highly motivated individual with goals and aspirations to beat cancer and maintain an active lifestyle,” the surgeon said. “I believe that this attitude is the single most important aspect to a patient’s recovery and success.”

Casey also puts it on himself to speak to others about the deadly disease. He said that having open discussions about cancer has helped him deal with it.

“I don’t like sitting at home all day. I try to do things, but I don’t let this (cancer) depress me at all,” Casey said.

Casey has had radiation three times, but has never undergone chemotherapy.

Casey acknowledges that with Stage IV cancer, “the worst is yet to come.”

But, he doesn’t let the thought disturb him.

“Technically I should be dead now. But, it’s not killed me yet, and I keep fighting it,” he said, noting the typical life expectancy is two years for someone with his type of cancer.

What bothers him most is seeing children who have cancer, Casey said.

“I’ve lived 57 years and these children, basically, have not lived,” Casey said.

Published March 30, 2016

New restaurant to take Hot Rods’ spot

By

A lawsuit shuttered Hot Rods Country BBQ in 2013.

Two weeks ago, the quirky Lutz restaurant, locally famous for ‘swamp bat’ and hot sauces, met the wrecking ball.

Hot Rods Country BBQ, a Lutz landmark, closed in 2013. The restaurant recently was torn down to make way for a new, unnamed restaurant at Sunset Lane and Livingston Avenue. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)
Hot Rods Country BBQ, a Lutz landmark, closed in 2013. The restaurant recently was torn down to make way for a new, unnamed restaurant at Sunset Lane and Livingston Avenue.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

County records show the property changed hands in December 2015 when Sunset Livingston LLC bought Hot Rods from Champor Corp Inc., for $525,000. Winter Park-based Alton Lightsey is listed as the registered agent for Sunset Livingston; Lutz real estate broker Jerry Shaw is manager.

Plans are to build a new restaurant with an outdoor patio. The as-yet-unnamed restaurant will serve beer and wine, and could have a few barbecue items.

Co-owner Jerry Shaw said, “It’s going to be home-cooked, family style food.”

The beer and wine license received approval in January.

Next comes settling on a restaurant name, drawing up construction plans, and getting the building permits, Shaw said.

No ribbon cutting is set, but Shaw hopes to open the restaurant within six months or so.

“It’s a matter of getting the drawings completed and approved,” he said.

A dirt lot is all that is left of Hot Rods Country BBQ. The restaurant was torn down to make way for a new restaurant from owners Sunset Livingston LLC.
A dirt lot is all that is left of Hot Rods Country BBQ. The restaurant was torn down to make way for a new restaurant from owners Sunset Livingston LLC.

Hot Rods became legendary in Lutz for its offbeat menu items and rustic décor.

It opened in 1998. A lawsuit over debt led to the restaurant’s closure in May 2013.

Rod Gaudin started Hot Rods with a barbecue pit, next to a country store he had at Sunset Lane and Livingston Avenue. He later converted a wood-frame house into the restaurant. Customers walked onto the porch and opened the front door with a water-spigot handle.

Hot sauces tantalized with names such as “Scorned Women,” “Endorphin Rush,” and “Mosquito Blood.”

Typical dishes were barbecue and cornbread. Atypical dishes were ‘swamp bat,’ ‘lizard tail’ and ‘armadillo eggs’ — known respectively as quail, beef steak and cheddar cheese poppers.

State inspectors revealed the swamp bat secret to a Tampa Tribune reporter, though Gaudin’s lips were sealed on the subject.

Published March 30, 2016

Crusading for sidewalk safety

By

Leonard Road is drawing a lot of attention, but not the kind that most residents want.

Developers have ambitious plans for large tracts of wooded land along the curvy two-lane road that winds from U.S. 41, almost to State Road 54. More than 300 single-family homes, an assisted living facility, medical office and retail are on the drawing board.

Though Leonard dead-ends just shy of State Road 54, the road eventually will be paved and extended, according to site plans on file with Pasco County. Area residents in this Lutz neighborhood are bracing for a future as a cut-through road from U.S. 41 to State Road 54.

Leonard Road residents want the county to build a sidewalk to protect pedestrians and bicyclists. On a recent afternoon, a motorist in a car drove past, from left, Mike Benjamin, David Haynes and Ed Klaameyer. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Leonard Road residents want the county to build a sidewalk to protect pedestrians and bicyclists. On a recent afternoon, a motorist in a car drove past, from left, Mike Benjamin, David Haynes and Ed Klaameyer.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

To local residents, the coming development is a warning flag for more traffic, and added dangers to pedestrians and bicyclists who already share the road with motorists who navigate Leonard Road’s curves.

Residents have lobbied for years to get a sidewalk on the north side of Leonard.

“We’re not asking for an amenity,” said Mike Benjamin. “This is a safety issue. There’s going to be substantially more traffic, and it already is way dangerous.”

On a recent afternoon, a couple walked along the road’s shoulder toward U.S. 41. A man trudged in the opposite direction, toting a plastic bag filled with items purchased at a local store.

And, a young boy pedaled his bicycle as cars passed by in each direction.

That is a daily trek for many residents.

Benjamin knows of three residents, in motorized wheelchairs, who hang close to the edge of the pavement as they head to U.S. 41.

Two years ago, David Haynes landed in the gully with banged up knees when he fell from his bicycle, as two vehicles nearly collided along a curve in the road.

“There was no place to get off the road,” he said.

When traffic comes around the corner, Benjamin said, “People can’t see them in advance.”

In winter months, the woods on the south side of the road are bare. But, once spring arrives, trees will bloom, and Benjamin said, “It will further impede anyone’s vision going around the curve.”

The worst stretch of Leonard is from U.S. 41 to Cot Road at the entrance into Lake Como Family Nudist Resort. Speed limit signs warn motorists heading west to slow to 20 miles per hour as they enter the first curve, a short distance from Lake Como. The posted speed falls to 15 miles per hour in front of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, which operates the Little Lambs Preschool. A second curve swings past Lake Como before the road straightens on its path toward Henley Road, and Leonard’s dead-end before State Road 54.

Nearly 110 children attend the church’s preschool. Drop-offs and pick-ups add up to about 107,000 annual vehicle trips, according to Ed Klaameyer, property director on the church’s board of directors.

“That’s a lot of potential issues,” he said.

Two years ago, residents gathered more than 190 signatures on a petition asking for a sidewalk. Last year, they were hopeful when the county planted surveying stakes. But, nothing happened.

In October, more than 20 residents of Leonard Road came to a town hall meeting, held by Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey and county officials. They hoped to plead their case publicly, but landed at the bottom of the agenda list.

The meeting ran long, and sidewalks never came up.

“We were all disappointed,” Benjamin said. “Our voice was never heard.”

Benjamin has sent some 50 emails and made numerous phone calls to keep pushing for help.

Starkey is a frequent recipient of emails and phone calls from area residents. She is sympathetic to their cause.

“I’m working on it,” she said. “I’m trying to find a solution.”

Leonard Road is on the county’s priority list of alternative transportation projects, but it sits just one position above last place on a list of 23 priorities. It is a list updated every year and given to the Florida Department of Transportation as a guide in what projects to fund in Pasco with federal dollars.

Leonard won’t be funded in 2016 and likely not in 2017, said Allen Howell, the county’s senior planner for bicycles and pedestrians.

In an email sent to Benjamin about two years ago, Howell cited the estimated sidewalk cost at about $176,000. As of June 2015, the cost was pegged at about $250,000.

Projects for new sidewalks and trails start with requests from citizens, county staff and county commissioners. They are ranked on a point system for criteria such as safety, connectivity to existing sidewalks and trails, accessibility to schools and transit stops, and improved mobility in low-come and minority neighborhoods.

Roads with faster speeds, such as 45 miles per hour, get more points than roads with slower speeds of 30 mph or lower.

“I really feel sorry for them out there, but the hard reality is it’s one of hundreds of areas that are unsafe because of no sidewalks,” Howell said. “It’s tough selecting the priority to see which gets a sidewalk first.”

But, Benjamin said federal money isn’t the only option, since Pasco residents supported renewal of the Penny for Pasco program.

“We elected people to go and figure out how to get these things built for us,” he said.

The neighborhood has done some things on its own for safety. Holy Trinity handed out bright orange safety vests to residents who are frequent walkers or bicyclists on Leonard.

“You really have to have your wits about you to deal with traffic,” said Klaameyer.

Haynes never leaves home without his when he hops aboard his bicycle.

“I’m trying to keep from getting hit,” he said.

Published March 23, 2016

Not your typical hospital food

By

Louis Sicona and Michael Serrano were looking for a new place to try out for lunch one day, and they wound up at Twigs Café at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz.

“It was just a whim,” Sicona said.

The hospital, at 4211 Van Dyke Road, is near where Sicona and Serrano work, and they decided to check out its café.

That was more than a year ago, and they’ve been dining at the hospital twice a week ever since.

Serrano offered these four reasons why: “Variety, quality, quantity and price.”

First-time diners might be most surprised by the quality.

Chef Paul Finocchi, of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North’s Twigs Café, shows off a pizza fresh from the oven. (Courtesy of William J. Jack)
Chef Paul Finocchi, of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North’s Twigs Café, shows off a pizza fresh from the oven.
(Photos courtesy of William J. Jack)

The Twigs Café has daily offerings that are comparable to any hipster café or gourmet restaurant, at a much more reasonable price.

For roughly as much as a hamburger chain lunch deal, the Twigs Café gives diners a choice of delicious, from-scratch, healthy home-cooked meals at the convenience of fast-food and at cafeteria prices.

Paul Finocchi, executive chef and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, seems to wave his magic ladle over the food, and inventive creations poof into existence.

On any given day, employees, visitors, and anyone else fortunate enough to be around, might be treated to chicken mole, watermelon gazpacho, macadamia-crusted tilapia with piña colada sauce, tomato-stuffed flounder, Manhattan seafood chowder, green chicken chili, Caprese salad, horseradish-crusted salmon, or some other delicacy.

Finocchi, better known as Chef Paul, credits Marty Blitz, chef at Mise en Place in Tampa, for the horseradish-crusted salmon, a premium entree that sells for about $4 a serving at the hospital.

“Those are $20 entrees out in the real world,” Chef Paul said. “You go to Bonefish Grill—that’s basically the same dish that you can find at these places.”

Louisiana-seasoned fried catfish with sautéed greens and coleslaw are a staple at Twigs Café.
Louisiana-seasoned fried catfish with sautéed greens and coleslaw are a staple at Twigs Café.

Staples like fried catfish, herb-grilled chicken breast, tomato-glazed meatloaf, and baked chicken quarters return regularly, but the menu changes constantly and varies with the seasons.

“I try to stay current on trends,” Chef Paul said. “Upwards of 90 percent of the stuff I cook in-house, I buy fresh where I can. I’m always looking for what’s current and what’s trending,” such as dark leafy greens, cauliflower, or ancient grains, a few of the recent trends.

Chef Paul encourages creativity in his kitchen.

The cold salad station is an example of this, in overdrive.

Tuscan bread salad, shaved fennel and orange slices, spaghetti squash with sundried tomatoes, green beans and strawberries with lemongrass, Brussels sprouts with pistachios and honey—anything is possible at this station.

While training kitchen help for other BayCare hospitals, Chef Paul has been known to arrange a friendly competition to see who can come up with the most creative cold salad.

“It kind of gives me a good gauge to see where people are,” Chef Paul said.

People who are visiting patients, or who work at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, aren’t the only ones who enjoy eating at The Twigs Café. (Courtesy of St. Joseph's Hospital-North)
People who are visiting patients, or who work at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, aren’t the only ones who enjoy eating at The Twigs Café.
(Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

The winners are always the customers, many of whom visit the hospital solely for the food. The hospital encourages the general public, not just staff and visitors, to dine in the cafeteria.

“I’m here for the community, not just the patients,” Chef Paul said.

Michael and Rosalie Pitch are two community regulars who frequently dine on Chef Paul’s dishes.

“The food is good and reasonable,” Michael Pitch said, looking up from his honey-soy glazed salmon.  “It’s well-cooked. It’s fresh. It’s wholesome, and it’s appetizing. He makes it look good.”

“There’s a nice variety,” Rosalie Pitch said, a grilled strip steak in front of her. “Every day he has something different. There’s a lot to choose from. You can have dinners or sandwiches—there’s a lot of food, and the workers here are very nice.”

Take-home is available, too, Michael Pitch added.

The Twigs Café buzz spread rapidly to local churches. Since Chef Paul caters prayer meetings on Wednesday mornings, a loyal flock of churchgoers, all wearing their Sunday best, can now be seen passing through the cafeteria after church services on Sundays.

Sicona and Serrano patronize the grill station regularly, where hamburgers, chicken breasts, mahi-mahi, and much more is grilled fresh, and where an adjacent toppings station is provided for customers to give their selection its finishing touches.

They both said the chicken quesadilla is their favorite meal.

Sicona especially likes the way one of the station’s grill masters prepares his chicken quesadilla.

“No one else seems to make it like him,” Sicona said.

For the Wednesday and Thursday lunch offering, the chefs usually like to show off at the “action station,” breaking out the woks and pans, cooking right in front of customers. That is when cooking can truly become a collaborative process.

Perhaps the chef is leaving out one of your favorite ingredients, but that’s no problem.

“Just take it off the salad bar,” the chef will instruct, and he’ll add it to whatever creation he is making at the time.

Serrano likes the way that all of the staff try to accommodate special requests.

“I hate to say no to anybody, especially in this environment,” Chef Paul said. “If it’s in my power, I’ll do it. And, I’ve tried to instill that in all my people. Why say no, when you can say yes?”

By William J. Jacko

Published March 23, 2016

Steinbrenner student organizes jazz concert

By

A junior at Steinbrenner High School is organizing a benefit jazz concert to help out a local food pantry.

Steinbrenner’s James Wall is hosting the Eagle Scout Jazz Benefit Concert on April 10 at 4 p.m., at the Messiah Lutheran Church, 14920 Hutchison Road in Tampa.

Admission is free, but attendees are asked to bring a food donation, which will be given to the Kaye Prox Food Bank in Tampa.

Steinbrenner High junior James Wall is organizing a jazz benefit concert as part of a service project in his quest to become an Eagle Scout. Wall will be playing the trombone, and will be accompanied by several other musicians, including longtime pianist Chuck Berlin and bassist John Lamb, a former member of the Duke Ellington Jazz Orchestra. (Courtesy of James Wall)
Steinbrenner High junior James Wall is organizing a jazz benefit concert as part of a service project in his quest to become an Eagle Scout. Wall will be playing the trombone, and will be accompanied by several other musicians, including longtime pianist Chuck Berlin and bassist John Lamb, a former member of the Duke Ellington Jazz Orchestra.
(Courtesy of James Wall)

Wall, who has been a Boy Scout since kindergarten, is hosting the traditional jazz concert as part of a service project in his quest to become an Eagle Scout.

“I want to be a musician. I want to major in music. I wanted to do an Eagle Scout project that would pertain to what my career would be like,” said Wall, who is currently in the final rank of Boy Scouts before advancing to an Eagle Scout.

“I felt like this would be a good idea, to help prepare a concert. It’s what I may be doing a lot of times when I go into my career,” the high school junior explained.

For the service project, Wall was able to secure some of Tampa Bay’s top musicians, including longtime pianist Chuck Berlin and bassist John Lamb, a former member of the Duke Ellington Jazz Orchestra.

In booking the longtime musicians, Wall said he met Berlin through a mutual friend, and noted that Berlin and Lamb are also “really good friends.”

“A lot of my family is from New Orleans, and (Berlin) is from New Orleans, so that got us talking a lot,” Wall said.

One of Wall’s classmates, Christian Bianchet, a senior, will be on drums during the concert.

As event organizer, Wall won’t be standing idle during the concert, either. The Steinbrenner student, who has practiced music for more than 10 years, will join in on the jazz session by playing the trombone.

“The trombone is my main instrument,” Wall said, adding that he also doubles on the euphonium.  “I like its very mellow tone, and I like its dark sound.”

This won’t be the first time Wall has performed on stage.

He’s currently a member of the Steinbrenner Jazz Band and also plays lead trombone in the Ruth Eckerd Hall Jazz Youth Ensemble.

Wall is still mulling where he wants to study music after he graduates high school.

He’s currently considering the University of California-Berkeley, Florida State University and the University of South Florida.

For more information on the concert, email .

Eagle Scout Jazz Benefit Concert
What: A traditional jazz music concert benefitting the Kaye Prox Food Bank in Tampa
Who: James Wall, trombone; Chuck Berlin, piano; John Lamb, Bass; and Christian Bianchet, drums
Where: Messiah Lutheran Church, 14920 Hutchison Road in Tampa
When: April 10 at 4 p.m.
Other information: Admission is free, but attendees are asked to bring a food item to donation.

Published March 23, 2016

 

Traffic jams likely with U.S. 41 closure

By

Thousands of motorists who normally travel along U.S. 41 through Lutz can expect longer drive times, as the highway is closed until March 27 for a railroad crossing project.

CSX will be replacing the rails and the railroad crossing north of Crenshaw Lake Road.

Since U.S. 41 will be closed, thousands of motorists who travel through Lutz will be forced to detour.

To get around the U.S. 41 closure in Lutz, motorists heading from Pasco County can go south on North Dale Mabry Highway to Bearss Avenue and then east on Bearss Avenue to U.S. 41. Motorists who want to go north past the detour need to go west on Bearss Avenue and then north on North Dale Mabry Highway. Some internal roads will be open during the closure. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)
To get around the U.S. 41 closure in Lutz, motorists heading from Pasco County can go south on North Dale Mabry Highway to Bearss Avenue and then east on Bearss Avenue to U.S. 41. Motorists who want to go north past the detour need to go west on Bearss Avenue and then north on North Dale Mabry Highway. Some internal roads will be open during the closure.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)

For motorists heading south, primarily from Pasco County, the detour route will be to travel North Dale Mabry Highway south to Bearss Avenue, then head east to U.S. 41.

For those heading north, the detour would be to take Bearss Avenue west to North Dale Mabry Highway and then continue north.

While motorists will not be able to cross the tracks during the closure, there will be access to local businesses, including Lutz Preparatory School.

Access to Lakeside Drive also will be maintained, from the north side of the tracks.

Electronic message boards and detour signs are being used to assist motorists traveling through the detour.

Officials said traffic will be congested on various roads throughout the area, adding most of the routes will experience heavier than normal congestion.

The Florida Department of Transportation worked with CSX to choose the March 14 to March 27 timeframe, so most of the work could be scheduled during the Hillsborough County Public Schools’ spring break, officials said.

Published March 16, 2016

U.S. 41 in Lutz will be closed at the railroad crossing, north of Crenshaw Lake Road, until March 27. Electronic signs were posted in advance of the closure to alert motorists. (Courtesy of Florida Department of Transportation)
U.S. 41 in Lutz will be closed at the railroad crossing, north of Crenshaw Lake Road, until March 27. Electronic signs were posted in advance of the closure to alert motorists.
(Courtesy of Florida Department of Transportation)

 

New general store features homemade goods

By

Business has been booming for a new general store in Lutz.

Sherman’s General Store opened its doors on Feb. 6, replacing Annie’s Garden Shed at 100 Fourth Ave., N.W., in Lutz.

Debra Sherman owns and operates Sherman’s General Store with her husband, David. They reside in Lutz. (Courtesy of Debra Sherman)
Debra Sherman owns and operates Sherman’s General Store with her husband, David. They reside in Lutz.
(Courtesy of Debra Sherman)

David and Deb Sherman operate the store. They also own Deb’s Whistle Stop Depot, the Whistle Stop BBQ, the Whistle Stop Gardening Center, Dillard’s Trading Post, and the Shabby Squirrel.

The 1,000-square-foot store features homemade jams, jellies, fruit butters, relishes and pickled vegetables made exclusively for the shop by Webster’s, a food wholesaler.

The general store also offers a wide variety of homemade, all-natural soaps, lotions and candles.

Since opening the new store over a month ago, sales and customer interest have been “phenomenal,” Deb said.

“Everything is doing well,” the store owner said. “We ordered 22 cases (of preserves) and sold out in two weeks. “Nobody else has (the products), but us, which makes it nice.”

Along with her husband, Deb has “carved out a niche” in operating shops that offer unique items that can’t be found at your average retail store.

“I try to only put things in here that are unique. If it’s not unique, I don’t want to carry it,” she said.

After opening her first shop—Deb’s Whistle Stop Depot—in 2010, Deb didn’t expect the family’s businesses to flourish like it has.

Sherman’s General Store in Lutz opened its doors on Feb. 6. Some of the store’s most popular items include homemade jams, jellies and fruit preserves. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)
Sherman’s General Store in Lutz opened its doors on Feb. 6. Some of the store’s most popular items include homemade jams, jellies and fruit preserves.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)

In addition to “one of a kind” items, she attributes the shops’ successes for their ability to generate repeat customers and out-of-state visitors.

“It’s been very much a trial and error with how things would go,” Deb said. “Over the years, it’s basically due to our customer base and word of mouth getting out.”

While racking up sales every day is rewarding, Deb most enjoys dealing with customers, and showing them around her shops each day.

“You build up a relationship, and it makes it very enjoyable—meeting people and getting to know them,” she said.

Sherman’s General Store
What: A 1,000-square-foot shop that offers homemade jams, jellies and preserves, as well as homemade soaps, lotions and candles.
Where: 100 Fourth Ave., N.W., Lutz
Hours of operation: Monday: Noon to 5 p.m.; Tuesday through Saturday: 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday: Noon to 4 p.m.
For more information, call (813)-949-8600, or visit DebsWhistleStop.com.

Published March 16, 2016

 

Flea Market has ‘banner year’

By

A new event layout, plus substantial community support, helped turn the annual GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club’s annual flea market into a hit.

“We had a banner year,” said Pat Serio, co-chairwoman of the flea market. “It did not break a record, but it was a very good year for us, and we wanted to thank the community for really stepping up to our requests for donations, and they certainly came out to shop.”

The GFWC Lutz-Land O’Lakes Woman’s Club opted to expand the layout of the flea market at the Historic Old Lutz School by adding additional pop-up tents behind the facility.

Additional pop-up tents were added behind the Historic Old Lutz School. The expanded layout helped spread out both the crowd and the merchandise. (Photos courtesy of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’Lakes Woman’s Club)
Additional pop-up tents were added behind the Historic Old Lutz School. The expanded layout helped spread out both the crowd and the merchandise.
(Photos courtesy of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’Lakes Woman’s Club)

Serio said the expanded layout, which was former woman’s club president Kay Taylor’s idea, allowed for “better flow of traffic” for flea market shoppers.

“We’ve had a lot of feedback from customers who’ve been coming to our flea market over the past decade, and they loved it because it was expanded,” said Serio, noting they plan on having a similar event layout next year. “We had more than ever in terms of merchandise, and it was spread out, and we were able to display it better as a result.

“It just worked so well. It was very convenient. It just spread the crowd out, too.”

The new tent layout also improved the aesthetics of the popular flea market, which is usually the club’s second-largest fundraiser each year.

“In prior years, we were forced to layer things and stack things, so people sometimes can’t see what is being offered,” Serio said. “This was really very good in terms of staging.”

Serio estimates “somewhere between 1,500 to 2,000 people” visited the flea market, on March 4 and March 5.

Additionally, sales were up from last year’s flea market, Serio said.

The annual GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club Flea Market attracted between 1,500 and 2,000 shoppers for its two-day event. Sales were up over last year’s totals.
The annual GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club Flea Market attracted between 1,500 and 2,000 shoppers for its two-day event. Sales were up over last year’s totals.

“That’s what we always aim to do — have more success than the prior year is always the right direction to be in,” she said.

Serio noted the flea market had a lot of leftover items — enough to fill three trailers for beneficiaries like the Goodwill and Salvation Army.

“Usually, we have two small trailers but, for some reason, Goodwill sent out what I referred to as an 18-wheeler. I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, where are we going to put this?’ But, we put (the trailers) side-by-side. Goodwill came by with a second trailer, and we filled all of it,” Serio explained.

“Due to the nature of the beast, we always have a lot of leftovers. That isn’t indicative of our sales,” she said.

The woman’s club plans to have a board meeting on March 17 to discuss how the organization will divvy up flea market funds for donations and college scholarships.

Serio said the organization will be able to award college scholarships this year, but there will be fewer than last year.

Typically, the organization provides about a dozen of those scholarships, totaling $18,000 to $20,000 in donations each year. However, the cancellation last December of the club’s annual arts and crafts festival put a significant dent in the club’s finances. The arts and crafts festival normally is the club’s biggest fundraiser, so its cancellation has caused the group to shift gears.

“We have to revise and do things quite differently because of this year’s situation,” Serio said.

The club expects to host several small events throughout the year to raise additional funds.

Published March 16, 2016

Local couple shares passion for fossils

By

Seina Searle will never forget the first time she and her husband, Mike, went to what was then called Fossil Fair.

“We walked around with our jaws open,” Seina said. They were in awe of what fossil hunters could find in Florida.

Seina and Mike Searle get a thrill out of finding fossils to help unravel the mysteries of the prehistoric past. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)
Seina and Mike Searle get a thrill out of finding fossils to help unravel the mysteries of the prehistoric past.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

The Searles had already begun their amateur quest to find old bits of bone and teeth in a desire to learn more about Florida’s prehistoric past, but when they got to Fossil Fair, she said, they were blown away by the possibilities.

That was 1993, and the Searles immediately joined the Tampa Bay Fossil Club.

Flash forward 23 years. Mike is now president of the club, which boasts around 600 members and Seina is on the board of directors. She’s coordinating a team of about 140 volunteers for the 29th annual Tampa Bay Fossil Fest, set for this coming weekend at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

They hope the event will spark an interest in others that will lead them to join a community devoted to unearthing clues about the creatures that roamed the earth millions of years ago.

The couple’s passion for fossils is obvious.

An entire room in their Lutz home is filled with shelves of fossils they’ve found while diving in rivers and exploring mines. They have stuff in their garage and out back, too.

Mike and Seina Searle spend much of their free time hunting for fossils. The shelves in a room in their Lutz home are filled with items they’ve found. They have more in their garage and in a patio area out back.
Mike and Seina Searle spend much of their free time hunting for fossils. The shelves in a room in their Lutz home are filled with items they’ve found. They have more in their garage and in a patio area out back.

There’s one section in their fossil room devoted to finds from vacations to Nebraska to go fossil-hunting. They’ve made the trip 19 times and are planning to go there again this year.

Their passion has evolved through the years, Mike said.

At first, they just wanted to find stuff, he said.

“Then we wanted to find good stuff. Then, we wanted to find the most stuff,” he said.

“Sometimes you get wrapped up in what the value of your collection is worth and what you find. We’ve completely gone through all of those emotions. Now, our goal is to find stuff that’s scientifically valuable, that will help unravel the picture of what was in Florida,” he said.

Seina is fascinated by what Florida was like millions of years ago.

“It was a lot like Africa now,” she said. “You had the mammoths. Mastodons. Rhinoceros. Huge Bears. Lions.”

There were armadillos the size of Volkswagens, Mike said.

Seina has had a penchant for unearthing buried treasures since her childhood.

“I always loved archeology as a kid. I was always digging in the backyard, hoping to find something. I always had that interest,” Seina said.

The couple has traveled to Nebraska 19 times to hunt for fossils and plan to make a 20th trip there this year.
The couple has traveled to Nebraska 19 times to hunt for fossils and plan to make a 20th trip there this year.

“I never really thought so much about fossils, until he (Mike) took me looking for shark’s teeth in Venice,” she said.

Mike said he became interested in fossils after a kid showed him some shark’s teeth he had found.

“My favorite fossil, I think, is shark’s teeth,” Mike said. “What I quickly came to appreciate was the time involved. “Most people can’t conceive the time.

“You pick up a shark’s tooth on the beach,” he said. “It’s from a 5 million-year-old animal.

“Some of the fossils we dig out west are 30 million years old. You cannot conceive that kind of time frame,” he said.

The Searles have built their knowledge of archeology and paleontology through years in the field, listening to experts and sharing discoveries with other club members.

The Tampa Bay Fossil Club meets monthly at the University of South Florida, featuring presentations from experts. Club members bring items to the meetings for help in identifying the specimens.

The club also goes on field trips, has an annual campout and organizes other activities.

“I’m certain we’re the largest amateur club in the country,” Mike said.

There’s camaraderie among club members, the couple said.

When fossil hunters get together, he said, they tend to talk about things like the newest sloth that’s been found, or why diving is off limits in certain areas, Mike said.

“Everything else seems like it doesn’t matter,” he said.

29th annual Tampa Bay Fossil Fest
When: March 12, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; March 13, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Florida State Fairgrounds, intersection of Interstate 4 and U.S. 301, just east of Tampa
How much: $7 for adults, free for children 12 and under
Details: Paleo enthusiasts will find plenty to see and do at Florida’s largest prehistoric show. There will be fossils, artifacts, minerals, shells, workshops, silent auctions, door prizes, and activities for kids.
For more information, visit TampaBayFossilClub.com.