The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Boy Scouts conduct food drive

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Members of the Greater Tampa Bay Area Council of Boy Scouts of America are participating in a national Scouting for Food program to benefit local food banks, according to a news release.

The drive began Jan. 23, when Scouts left empty bags in neighborhoods in the nine counties of the council. They will return to collect the filled bags by Feb. 7.

An instruction sheet inside the bag includes the pickup dates, Christopher Perry, the council’s Scouting for Food chairman, said in the release.

The Scouts will deliver the food to designed food banks, as well as a few unit-sponsoring organizations.

In Hillsborough County, food will go to Abe Brown Ministries, Community Food Bank, Santa Maria Mission and other locations.

The COVID-19 virus crisis has resulted in job losses and increased needs for food distribution, Perry said.

“Families are struggling and the food banks are struggling; they are receiving less in donations,” Perry said, adding the organizers have chosen mainly smaller local pantries to support.

In 2020, the council donated almost 35,000 pounds of canned foods and nonperishable items, collected by more than 110 units in the council, according to Perry, who hopes to exceed that number this year.

“It’s a little different this year as Scouts can pick up on any day that is convenient for their unit instead of one specific collection day, as in the past,”  Perry said.

Masks are to be worn and social distancing practiced for both the bag distribution and the food collection.

Published February 03, 2021

74th annual Pasco County Fair is a go

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The 74th annual Pasco County Fair is happening this year, with some modifications from previous years, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The fair’s theme is “The Adventure Continues,” and the show will run Feb. 15 through Feb. 21 at the Pasco County Fairgrounds, 36722 State Road 52 in Dade City.

Even amid the pandemic, fair organizers are assuring a fun, enjoyable and safe time for all.

The Pasco County Fair will again feature a full lineup of entertainment, attractions and activities, but with enhanced COVID-19 protocols in place throughout the fairgrounds in Dade City. (File)

Details about the festival were shared at a Jan. 19 Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting, hosted at the fairgrounds. Speakers included Pasco County Fair Association president R.J. Huss and annual fair chairman Tracy Thompson.

Several measures are being taken in the way of COVID-19 health and safety protocols, including quadrupling the number of hand sanitizer stations and investing in a fogger machine. There also will be indoor mask requirements, social distancing recommendations, spaced seating, and one-way aisles in designated areas.

“We’re going full steam ahead at having a fair,” Huss said at the meeting. “We’ve talked to multiple different people in our local government, state government, and we feel confident that we can do it.”

There will be one key departure from prior county fairs: This year’s event won’t feature the typical kick-off parade in downtown Dade City, which usually features marching bands, colorful floats, mounted horse units and more.

The showy serenade was a no-go after fair organizers consulted with the Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez, Dade City Police Chief James Walters and other officials.

Said Thompson, “It was just not physically possible to get a permit to ensure everyone’s safety this year for the parade, so it had to be nixed, but we’re hoping to come back on our 75th anniversary (in 2022) to have a bigger and better parade.”

However, the fair expects to make up for the parade absence in other ways — including its full entertainment lineup and slew of other activities.

One of the headliners is “The Wagsters,” a Myrtle Beach, South Carolina-based magic show that encompasses illusions and sleight-of-hand tricks, mixed in with some comedy and audience interaction.

The husband and wife team of Brandon and Hannah Wagster will perform on the Back Porch Theatre all weeklong, at designated times in the afternoon and evening.

This will mark the magic duo’s first-ever show in Florida after an accomplished eight-year run at The Carolina Opry Theatre and over 850 performances.

They come well-accredited, having earned the International Magician Society Merlin Award for “Best Theatrical Magic Production,” among other honors.

One event back after a long hiatus is “ClogJam,” an exhibition-style competition featuring folk dance cloggers from across the state. That is scheduled for Feb. 20 at 11 a.m., at the Dan Cannon Auditorium.

Pasco County Fair Association president R.J. Huss was a guest speaker at a Jan. 19 Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce business breakfast meeting. (Kevin Weiss)

For those unfamiliar, clogging involves dancers using their footwear percussively, by striking the heel, toe or both against a floor or each other to create audible rhythms.

“Many years ago we had a clogging show in here and people loved it, and there’s been a lot of chatter on Facebook and around town,” Thompson said.

In the way of kid-friendly attractions, “Walking With Giants,” popular with the younger crowd, is returning. The interactive strolling show features moving, animatronic prehistoric dinosaurs and dragons that children can crawl on, play on and pose with for pictures.

The lifelike creatures measure 8 feet tall and 16 feet long, with realistic eye-blinking, tail-swooshing and mighty roars.

That show can be found in the Schrader Building Entertainment Area all week.

“The dinosaur thing was a big hit last year, the kids loved it, so we brought that back,” Thompson said of the attraction.

Other noteworthy happenings throughout the week include a stunt thrill circus, a comedy hypnotist, racing pigs, community talent show, pageants, sanctioned rodeo show and bluegrass and gospel concerts, plus other frills.

All in all, Thompson is “extremely happy” with the lineup the association was able to book through the pandemic. “We’ve got top-notch entertainment coming from across the nation,” Thompson said. “We’re always in the cutting edge of finding new entertainment.”

Meantime, the independent midway again will offer a little taste of everything for fairgoers working up a thirst and appetite.

Besides traditional fair grub — such as pizza, corn dogs and cotton candy — new offerings this year include fried vegetables, corn fritters and donut burgers. (Some of those calories can seemingly be burned off while venturing throughout the 30-acre hillside fairgrounds.)

Fair exhibits will take on a new twist this year, too.

While youth ag and plant auctions still will be handled in person, they’ll also be simulcast online, where bidders virtually can partake in the action in real-time.

The youth steer sale is Feb. 18 at 7 p.m., at the Albert A. Barthle Livestock Pavilion; the hog sale is Feb. 20 at 5 p.m., at the Barthle Livestock Pavilion; and, the plant sale is Feb. 21 at noon at the Joe Herrmann Greenhouse.

Huss noted the online auction feature is “something I think the fair should’ve been doing for a long time,” adding its youth exhibitors could see their projects go for a higher price because of it.

Details are still being worked out with an auctioneering company on software, cameras, broadcast links and so on.

Fair officials seek big turnout
The annual shindig typically draws between 45,000 to 50,000 visitors over the course of the entire week.

Huss and other organizers don’t have a particular attendance figure in mind for this year, but expect a solid showing even with challenges posed by the virus.

Huss noted the Manatee County Fair — the first Florida-based fair to open in 2021 on Jan. 14 —has reported strong attendance and positive reviews for its COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

“I think we’ll have a great turnout, but it’s hard to project,” said Huss. “We’ve heard of record attendance at some of the other fairs across the state, (but) I just don’t know if we can commit to expecting that, just because of the unknown. How many people in this area do want to get out, versus how many are concerned about the COVID?”

The fair is run by the Pasco County Fair Association Inc., an independent, nonprofit organization which relies mostly on local community sponsorships, fair memberships, guest revenue, and rental income from the buildings housed on the fairgrounds.

Officials say the fairgrounds underwent an eight-month event rental freeze between March and November due to COVID-19; the first major event to return was the Florida Bug Jam back on Nov. 7 and Nov. 8

Huss said the shutdown represented “a pretty substantial income loss” for the association, but “we are still putting on a very good fair, with those budgets cut.”

“We’re doing everything that we can do, and I think we’re going to have a great fair,” he said.

For more information, visit PascoCountyFair.com, or visit the Pasco County Fair Association on Facebook.

Pasco County Fair
When: Feb. 15 through Feb. 21 (Hours vary)
What: Rides, food, games, entertainment, livestock and exhibits
Where: Pasco County Fairgrounds, 36722 State Road 52, Dade City
Cost: Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6 through 12, free for ages 5 and under; parking is free. Discounted gate and ride tickets are available online at PascoCountyFair.com.
Info: Visit PascoCountyFair.com, call 352-567-6678, or email .

If you go

  • Check the weather report — Be prepared with sunscreen and visors on warm,
    sunny days. Have a jacket or sweatshirt for cool evenings. A poncho or umbrella
    is a good idea if skies turn gray.
  • Wear comfortable shoes —With over 30 acres of activities and the fairgrounds
    being located on a hillside, there is plenty of walking in store.
    • Leave coolers at home — No bottles, cans, coolers or picnic baskets are
    permitted on the fairgrounds.
  • Bring a camera — There figures to be plenty of memorable moments, so bring a
    camera or video camera to capture the special day. (Note: Use of cameras and video cameras may be prohibited during certain entertainment events.)
  • Leave your pets at home — With the exception of service animals, pets are
    not permitted on the fairgrounds.
  • Parking — Parking is free at the fairgrounds. Be sure to lock your vehicle,
    and take note of where you have parked. Take a minute to familiarize yourself
    with your surroundings when you arrive to avoid confusion when you depart. When
    driving in the parking lot, please drive with caution and keep an eye out for people walking in the lot.
  • Once inside the fairgrounds — Be sure to pick up a daily schedule at the Information booth. This is the best way to plan your day and to be aware of all there is to see and do at the Pasco County Fair.
  • Health & safety — Pasco County Fair officials ask everyone to wash his or her hands before leaving the restrooms, animal areas, and barns — especially before eating. Hand-sanitizing stations are located throughout the fairgrounds and food court area.
  • Volunteers needed
    The Pasco County Fair Association is in search of volunteers for the fair, for gates and buildings, to fill these slots:

    • Feb. 15 – three shifts
    • Feb. 16 to Feb. 19 – two shifts
    • Feb. 20 – various shifts
    • Feb. 21 – two shifts

    A volunteer breakfast is scheduled for Jan. 30 at 9 a.m. For information or to sign up as a volunteer, call 352-567-6678.

Published January 27, 2021

Keeping community life alive, despite COVID-19

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When COVID-19 caused everything to shut down, Tish Dobson went to work to figure out how to safely reopen the amenities that she believes the people at The Preserve at Wilderness Lake have come to rely on — as a source of joy, in their daily lives.

“We were shut down March the 16th for COVID,” she said, and the governor’s order affected the community’s amenities that include The Wilderness Lodge, Activities Center, Bath House & Spa, Nature Center, movie theater, pools and tennis courts.

Tish Dobson, lodge manager at The Preserve at Wilderness Lakes, has been honored for her leadership in the innovative use of technology. The award was bestowed by Government Technology Magazine, in conjunction with AT&T. (Courtesy of Tish Dobson)

“While we were shut down, I went to work immediately within a couple of days — because I knew we would have to have a plan,” said Dobson, the community’s lodge manager.

The challenge was this: “How were we going to open the doors to the facility, but yet keep everyone safe, and keep the building clean and sanitized?

“During COVID, when everything was shut down, we wanted to make sure that they (residents) knew that we were still here working,” she said.

The efforts made by Dobson, and approved by the board and the management company, garnered an award from Government Technology Magazine, presented by AT&T.

Award winners were announced from throughout the nation, in a Dec. 15 virtual ceremony. While focusing on the use of technology, the contest named winners in the categories of citizens, operations and leaders.

Dobson, who lives in Lutz, was recognized in the category of technology innovation leadership among special districts, in the southeastern region of the United States.

Although her name is on the award, she doesn’t consider it her personal award.

“I represent the community, I represent the board and I represent the management company (Rizzetta & Company).”

The Preserve at Wilderness Lake Community Development District, was established 20 years ago, in Land O’ Lakes. It has 958 homes, and between 3,200 to 3,300 residents, said Dobson, who has been the lodge manager there for 15 years.

In announcing Dobson’s award, the magazine reported the lodge manager responded proactively to the sudden onset of the pandemic with a comprehensive plan that CDDs across Florida used as a blueprint.

That plan, according to the magazine, included:

  • Shutting down communal spaces, which was executed through email, automated messages and custom signage
  • Informing residents and transitioning to a virtual community space through e-blasts, a website and newsletters, and initially holding public board meetings over Zoom
  • Reopening with new social distancing policies and equitable access to scarce time slots and spaces in public venues, which was achieved through automated online and phone reservations

Dobson said the plan includes specific sanitation protocols and a specific schedule to ensure spaces were kept safe. It also includes health precautions, such as masks, social distancing and staggering events, to avoid crowding. Plus, she said, there’s hand sanitizer everywhere.

Capacity has been reduced for amenity buildings to ensure good air circulation, UV lights have been installed in the HVAC system for disinfection, and doors are kept open to keep air flowing, she said.

At the movie theater, for instance, there are empty rows between guests, to achieve social distancing. In the meeting room, board members are spread out at separate tables, and audience seating has been arranged to leave space between people.

The Preserve at Wilderness Lake has lengthened events, staggered entry into them and hosted some outdoors, during this time of COVID-19. The idea is to offer the opportunity for fun, while keeping everyone safe.

Getting people together again, safely
Gradually, the community has been adding events.

It began around June with a story time for tots, typically an activity held indoors.

“We decided to take it outdoors, at our playground, and incorporate outside activities, with a story, with a snack and a little craft, geared toward the story,” Dobson said.

“A typical event would last two hours. We increased the time to four hours, so that we could stagger the time frames when the families were coming in. That way, they could visit each station, without feeling that they were being crowded, and not feeling safe.”

In October, it offered its annual Haunted House event, in its Nature Center.

“Each family had the opportunity to go in, just as a family, and enjoy all the scares.

“Of course, we had several doors that were open. Then, we would spray the room down with Lysol, and then the next family would come in.

“We always put the Haunted House on for two nights. Between the two days, we had about 200 people come to that event,” she said.

Throughout the pandemic, a primary question has been: “How can you keep the community engaged?” Dobson said.

“We keep the red carpet rolled out for our residents,” she said, and we didn’t want COVID-19 to prevent that.

“When you’re locked at home, and then your lodge — your fun place — is closed, too, that’s awful,” Dobson said.

“It was tough when it closed because we, as staff, missed the residents,” she said.

The lodge is all about, “What extra service can we do to help somebody have a great day?” Dobson said, it’s as simple as offering a cup of coffee, or helping someone who’s having trouble logging onto the internet.

“You need to get out and just be able to sit on a chair on a dock, or go to a movie theater and watch a movie, and just decompress.

“When we opened the doors, it was like a sigh of relief. Everyone was happy, from the residents to the staff — it was just like, ‘Yes, some normalcy again.’

“They’re used to coming to the lodge because the lodge is the fun place.

“They can just kick back, enjoy the facility.

“You don’t have to worry about politics here.

“It’s just fun. You come here to take a breather and just to enjoy life,” Dobson said.

Published January 27, 2021

Extra help to be provided for struggling students

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Pasco County Schools is planning to extend its school day to provide extra help for students who are struggling.

The Pasco County School Board on Jan. 19 approved a plan to invite elementary and secondary school students who are lagging behind to take part in the longer day.

Vanessa Hilton, the school district’s chief academic officer, said schools “have done a great deal of work, communicating with families about their options for semester two. In particular, lots of outreach to families of students who are struggling, or not making progress, in particular in MySchool Online.

“They spent a lot of time trying to welcome them back into in-school learning,” Hilton said.

The state required districts to develop and implement expanded spring academic intervention plans, including supplemental services and expanded learning opportunities, for those students who are not making gains or making progress.

To address that issue, the district will provide intervention needed in reading and/or mathematics, from Feb. 1 through May 22.

The program will run for 90 minutes at the end of the school day on Monday through Thursday afternoons, with an option for three-hour Saturday school for secondary students.

Transportation and snacks will be provided.

“Additionally, as part of the plan, we’ll also be building a monthly progress report to be shared with families, not just with students in extended learning, but any students who are not meeting expectation,” Hilton said. “That way, everyone is well-informed about how our students are progressing. This data is also required by the state.”

The extended learning will be offered in all schools. Students who meet the district’s criteria will be invited, but not required, to attend.

“This is not compulsory,” Superintendent Kurt Browning emphasized.

The district has reached out to parents of struggling students to help the students catch up.

“It is still up to the parent, as to whether or not they want their student to stay the extra hour and a half, Monday through Thursday, or take advantage of the Saturday session.

“It is there for them. We are spending great sums of money to make sure their students are successful and where they need to be, but the parent still calls the shots,” the superintendent said.

School board member Allen Altman said he wishes the district could require students who are struggling to receive the extra help. He said he’s personally aware of situations, and teachers have told him of others, in which students and their parents are both entirely disengaged.

While the district can’t require students to attend, Altman said it should strongly encourage them to do so. He doesn’t want the district to be held responsible for the lack of progress — when the district is extending opportunities for students to improve their academic performance.

Hilton also noted that if there are students who continue to be learning virtually, but are struggling, “it is entirely possible” for them to attend the extra instructional sessions.

However, they would need to do so at school because the grant funding for the program requires face-to-face instruction.

“School leaders and teachers really do want to serve students who are struggling,” Hilton said.

She also addressed Altman’s concern.

“I do know that their invitations will be more like recommendations. That’s also what they did to try to encourage families to come back from MySchool Online, if students were not successful there,” Hilton said.

Published January 27, 2021

Shedding light on human trafficking

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The Human Trafficking Foundation raises awareness to educate communities about the perils of men, women and children enslaved through human trafficking. This form of modern-day slavery involves the exploitation of vulnerable persons through commercial sex, forced labor or involuntary servitude.

(Courtesy of The Human Trafficking Foundation)

On a local scale, according to national human trafficking hotline tips and complaints, Florida ranks as third in the proliferation of human trafficking, with the Tampa Bay area being second in the state.

The David Maus Foundation will sponsor the annual Light Up the Night Human Trafficking Awareness Event scheduled for Jan. 30, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel.

The free, family friendly event will take place at the shopping center’s parking garage, upper level.

There will be live music by Brooke Robertson; intermission music hosted by Northwest Community Church; a performance by Vine Church’s Dunamis Dance Ministry; a Kids’ Zone; a teen area with games; educational speakers; and, a candlelight ceremony to conclude the event.

To learn more about the Human Trafficking Foundation, visit HTFoundation.us.

If you think you have come into contact with a victim of human trafficking in Pasco, Hillsborough or Pinellas County, call the National Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline at 888-373-7888.

Published January 27, 2021

Parent questions school quarantine policy

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When Mike Kidd’s daughter was exposed to someone at Sunlake High who tested positive for COVID-19, the school called to inform the family that she would need to quarantine.

Kidd took it in stride.

After all, the district has been asking families to do their part to help stop the spread of the virus.

In fact, he told the school that there were two other girls in the family that attend the same school, so his family would keep them home, too.

Initially, the school official agreed.

But then, the family was notified that the two girls who had not been directly exposed were deemed as being absent from school.

When the family tried to explain they were keeping the girls at home because their sister had been exposed to COVID-19, they were told that wasn’t the district’s policy, Kidd said.

The district’s practice follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance, Steve Hegarty, a spokesman for Pasco County Schools, said via email.

The Department of Health — Pasco County also follows the CDC’s guidance, according to an email from Melissa Watts, spokeswoman for the health department.

But that doesn’t make sense to Kidd, who said if his daughter was exposed at school and came down with the virus, it was very likely that the virus would be spread to his other two daughters, since they are frequently in close contact with each other.

“Obviously if students wearing masks and “socially distanced” at school would need to quarantine, my other daughters who sleep in the same room, lay in the same bed/couch and watch movies, hug, etc., should also quarantine,” Kidd told The Laker/Lutz News, in a letter to the editor, he sent via  email.

It just seems practical to quarantine the student’s siblings, when another student in the family is required to quarantine, he said.

Hegarty explained the school district’s practice works like this: “The family would have received a call from the school, as well as an official letter from the Pasco Health Department informing them of the need to quarantine their daughter. That letter would not have instructed anyone else in the home to quarantine because there was no evidence that any other family members had been in close contact with a person who tested positive.”

Hegarty said the district requires quarantine only “for those students and staff members who were in close contact.”

He also noted: “What definitely would not be practical is requiring quarantine for anyone who came in close contact with a person who came in close contact with a person who tested positive.

The district has had thousands of students quarantining and the number would be much higher, if it followed the practice of quarantining all siblings, Hegarty wrote. In fact, that practice could result in entire school populations being sent home, in some cases.

A parent can decide to keep a student at home, Hegarty said.

“It will be marked as an absence. It could be an excused absence, but still an absence. It would be up to the school and the family to ensure that the students don’t fall behind academically – regardless of whether they are quarantined or simply absent,” the school district spokesman said.

Pasco County Schools, COVID numbers*
1,319 positive student cases; 16,999 students impacted
594 positive employee cases; 1,492 employees impacted
Impacted cases are those who were required to stay away from school due to a positive case that resulted in quarantine.

* As of Jan. 25

Source: Pasco County Schools

Published January 27, 2021

The legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., lives on

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Saint Leo University students, faculty and staff took part in a variety of volunteer activities, both on campus and off, to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in the university’s annual MLK Day of Service, according to a university news release.

Geossica Madden, a freshman from Jamaica, volunteered to clean the Greek Life benches at Saint Leo University. This is her first semester on campus and she was eager to get involved. (Courtesy of Christine Lear/Saint Leo University)

With masks firmly in place and social distancing enforced, Saint Leo University volunteers went to work off campus on Jan. 18, volunteering for Habitat for Humanity of East and Central Pasco in Dade City, and Gulfside Hospice Thrift Shoppe in Zephyrhills. On Jan. 19, volunteers participated in a virtual “read-in” for students at St. Anthony Catholic School in San Antonio.

On campus, students, faculty and staff had multiple opportunities to engage in charitable and beautification efforts.

Those efforts included making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, putting together meals, and distributing them in Clearwater for Someone Cares Tampa Bay. Volunteers worked at Gulfside Hospice Thrift Shoppe and Habitat for Humanity of East and Central Pasco, and performed cleaning and beautification tasks on campus.

King’s birthday is honored each year with a national holiday. The slain civil rights leader was known for inspiring others to be of service. He once described the importance of service this way: “Everybody can be great … because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

Published January 27, 2021

Maria Sanchez, Liz Castro and Karen Garcia work together to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to help feed others.
Brian Boehm, a junior cybersecurity major, pitches in to do some weeding in a median in a Saint Leo University parking lot.
Regina Plummer, of Saint Leo University’s Learning Design Department, shows her ‘plarn’ project – which involves crocheting with plastic bags to make mats for the homeless.

Strong housing outlook predicted through 2021

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Experts speaking during the 2021 Tampa Bay Builders Association virtual Economic Forecast predicted a bright picture of this year’s housing market — both locally and nationally.

“We have a very bullish outlook for 2021,” said Lesley Deutch, managing principal at John Burns Real Estate Consulting.

“Usually, we’re a little bit more on the pessimistic side,” said Deutch, whose company is a combined research and consulting company. But, she added: “The outlook is very, very strong.”

Tampa recovered immediately in the housing market and in relocations, Deutch said.

“Tampa, I have to say, since the beginning of COVID, has been sort of the outlier, in a very positive way. It really outshone almost all of the other markets in the country.”

“Single-family permits are rising,” she said, noting they’re up by 8%.

“Builders are selling out of their current communities and that’s really going to slow the sales pace,” she added.

The real estate expert also noted the Tampa market has a low inventory in both new homes and in resale homes.

For instance, there’s just a 1.2 months of supply in the resale market, she said.

“That’s virtually nothing. That’s driven by demand from people moving to Tampa, moving around Tampa. But, it’s also driven by investor demand,” she said.

Big national companies are coming in and buying all of the resale inventory in Tampa, fixing it up and putting it back on the market as rentals, she said.

“You can guess what that leaves us with — some pretty rapid price appreciation,” she said.

“The resale market is really starting to appreciate because there’s just no supply on the market. In fact, it’s coming pretty close to the new home, which is around $294,000 right now,” Deutch said.

That would seem to create a major crunch in affordability, she said.

But, Tampa remains relatively affordable because the Federal Housing Administration recently raised its loan limits to $356,000 in Tampa, plus mortgage interest rates are low, she said.

Deutch also noted: “There is demand on all levels, not only in Tampa, but across the Southeast.”

Deutch also offered a sunny outlook in the national housing market, and she attributes part of that to an increasing optimism that the vaccines for COVID-19 will allow the country to return to normal by the end of the year.

Her 2021 housing forecast for the United States projects an 8% appreciation in resale home price appreciation — far above the consensus forecast of about 3%.

“We actually believe that resale price appreciation could trend even higher, due mostly to investor activity, as well as homebuyer activity,” she said.

Her company also projects a 9% appreciation in new home prices.

“That’s really driven by that tremendous lack of supply, and the need to drive down sales activity, so construction can catch up,” Deutch said.

On the rental side, the projection is for effective rents to decline 5% on the national level, but she noted this doesn’t apply in the Tampa market.

The national decline in apartment rents, she said, “is primarily driven by the urban markets that are really seeing some serious rent declines at this point.”

On the other hand, single-family rentals are projected to have a 3% increase in rents, and there may even be some upside potential there, she said.

Nationally, the forecast is for 7% new home sales growth, and 9% single-permit family permits and starts, she said. The consensus projection is higher, but she said that’s based more on a supply issue than on demand.

While Deutch focused on the housing market, Brent Schutte, chief investment strategist with Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company, talked primarily about the economic outlook for 2021.

Schutte is a frequent expert commentator on national news outlets including CNBC, The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg.

He told those listening in that “the market is painting a picture that 2021 is going to be much brighter than 2020, economically.

“I think the reason the market has been able to shake off some of this bad news is because it doesn’t believe it’s permanent. It does see a political system that will endure. It sees an economy that has largely adapted to COVID,” he said.

“Most importantly, it does see vaccines that are coming in 2021 and that will get all of those people who are impacted right now, hopefully, back to work in 2021,” he added.

The fiscal stimulus will play an important role, too, he said.

Painting a broad picture, Schutte said, “we do see in 2021 a U.S. and global economy that will be operating on all cylinders of growth, for really the first time since somewhere late 2017, early 2018.”

He projected fast economic growth, somewhere between 5% and 6%, in 2021, early 2022.

“And, the growth is going to be broad, which is important from a market perspective,” he added.

“On a national basis, at least based on the data that I have, housing still remains very affordable,” Schutte said.

He also touched on politics.

“While the Democrats do have control of all three chambers, I think it’s important that it is still pretty much a divided government,” he said.

With the margin of control slim, he said “I’m not thinking there’s going to be a huge progressive tax increase” later this year.

He also advised: “You should never overweigh politics in your investing outlook. It is one variable to look at, but only one.

“Presidents and administrations are pluses or minuses to economic growth in the U.S., not absolute positives or negatives.

“What happens during a president’s term is much more determined by when they take over in the business cycle.

“Do they take over early in the business cycle? Do they take over mid-business cycle, or do they take over late business cycle? As you might expect, the ones who take over early in the business cycle typically preside over the highest market returns,” Schutte said.

Housing forecast Tampa*
2021 forecast

  • Employment in Tampa: up 1.9%, for a gain of 25,700 jobs
  • Median income: $57,000, relatively flat
  • Affordability: 9.1, on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being most unaffordable
  • Construction: Total permits down 1.5%, driven by the multifamily side of the market; single-family permits up 6.5%.
  • New home volume: Up 5% to 7%
  • Median new home appreciation: Up 9%
  • Resale market: Up 7%
  • Apartment rent: Down 4.3%; single-family rent: Up 3.4%

Housing trends, these are here to stay:

  • Build-for-rent: 700-square-foot 1-bedroom units and 1,000-square-foot 2-bedroom units
  • Work from home: Homes with extra room for work space
  • Multi-gen living: From room for a mother-in-law to adult children, the demand for shared living spaces is expected going forward.
  • Outdoor living: COVID has raised awareness regarding the competitive advantage of outdoor living spaces, at your home and within communities.

* Tampa projections include Pasco, Hernando, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

Source: Lesley Deutch, managing principal John Burns Real Estate Consulting

Published January 27, 2021

This tiny, tangy fruit tastes great in pie

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You may not know a lot about kumquats, but in these parts, the tiny citrus fruit is so popular, it even has an annual festival dedicated to it.

This year, the festivities, which usually happen in downtown Dade City at the end of January, have been postponed until March 27.

You don’t have to eat your kumquat pie in one or two sittings. The pie will keep in the refrigerator for three or four days and can be kept in the freezer for several weeks. (Courtesy of Shari Bresin)

Event organizers made the move in an abundance of caution, to keep people safe during this time of COVID-19.

That doesn’t mean you have to wait to learn more about the circular-shaped fruit, or wait for the popular pie that is sold at the festival each year. You can make your own kumquat pie.

So, here are a few facts about this tiny fruit called the kumquat.

The fruit is small and much like grapes, you can eat a handful in a single sitting.

Kumquats are native to China, where the name means “golden orange.”

In the United States, the Nagami variety is the most common, and the fruit is primarily grown in Florida,  Louisiana, Alabama and California, according to Farmers Almanac.

They are a healthy choice.

Like all citrus, kumquats are high in vitamin C. They contain several B vitamins and they contain minerals, including calcium, magnesium and zinc. In five kumquats, there’s about 6.5 grams of fiber.

They also have antioxidants — which are important for healthy aging, and to help prevent cancer.

Be sure to eat the peels, which are edible, because that’s where you’ll find the antioxidants and the fruit’s anti-inflammatory properties.

The kumquat is the only citrus fruit with an edible peel.

And, the peel tastes sweet, while the seeds and juice taste sour.

If you don’t like the sweet-and-sour combination, you can separate the peel from the pulp.

You might have heard that it tastes best if you gently roll the fruit between your fingers before eating the fruit, to release the essential oils.

Kumquats also are high in water content, making them hydrating and refreshing.

Between the water and fiber, they are quite filling while also low in calories — just 71 calories in a serving of five kumquats.

They’re a great go-to snack to have around the home or in your office, if you’re trying to lose or maintain weight.

Additionally, preliminary research on mice has shown that they help prevent weight gain, and helped lower fasting blood sugar, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and triglycerides, and reduced the growth of fat cells.

Plant compounds from kumquats also are being used to study obesity in mice.

In a study where mice were given a high-fat diet, they gained more weight after eight weeks than the mice given a high-fat diet in addition to the kumquat extract.

Of course, further research on this is needed to see the impacts on humans.

Kumquats can be refrigerated for up to two weeks, or left at room temperature for a few days.

Besides being healthy, they’re versatile.

They can be used in sauces for meat dishes, can be added to stuffing, can be baked into breads, and of course, can be used to make a kumquat pie, which is usually a staple at the Kumquat Festival.

If you can’t find them at the store, you can go to KumquatGrowers.com (based in Dade City), and they can ship some to you during the season (November through March).

You can also order jams, jellies, sauces, salad dressings, salsas and butter, all made with kumquat.

If you don’t want to wait until this year’s kumquat festival, you can make your own pie.

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.

Kumquat Pie (Recipe courtesy of TheSpruceEats.com)

Ingredients

  • 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2/3 cup pureed kumquats (wash, cut in half, and remove seeds to puree)
  • 8-ounce container whipped topping, defrosted
  • 9-inch pre-baked pie shell or graham cracker crust

Directions

Combine sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice in a large bowl, and beat on medium speed until it starts to thicken, approximately 2 minutes to 3 minutes.

Add kumquat puree and beat on low speed until combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary.

Fold in whipped topping and pour mixture into prepared crust.

Refrigerate pie overnight, or for at least 2 hours, before serving.

Published January 27, 2021

Zephyrhills plans to seek state funds for three projects

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The City of Zephyrhills has decided to seek state funding for three improvement projects during the 2021 state legislative session.

Those projects involve improving Seventh Street; expanding the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center; and, improving a runway at Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. The total costs for all three projects is estimated at $11.6 million.

This is a rendering of what a complete roadway would include, traversing Seventh Street from C Avenue north to U.S. 301. The 1.5-mile section would be converted from a single two-lane, one-way northbound road to a two-lane, two-way road with the addition of a multi-use trail, a sidewalk, on-street parking (where practical), and drainage improvements. (Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

The Zephyrhills City Council unanimously approved staff’s recommendation to submit funding requests for these projects at a Jan. 11 regular meeting.

When the Florida Legislature meets, it considers requests from local governments for assistance with projects of local importance.

Zephyrhills must ask state Rep. Randy Maggard, R-Dade City, and state Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, to sponsor these projects on the city’s behalf.

Staff will work to complete the applications and then submit to both the Florida House of Representatives and Florida Senate, said Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe.

Monies would theoretically be made available to Zephyrhills in July, should one or more of those projects be approved by the Florida Legislature and signed off on by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Here’s a more detailed look at the proposed projects:

  • Seventh Street complete street

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The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has proposed to convert U.S. 301 and Sixth Street to a one-way pair street network. Because of these improvements, the city correspondingly wants to construct roadway improvements along Seventh Street from C Avenue north to U.S. 301. The roadway would be converted from a single two-lane, one-way northbound road to a two-lane, two-way road with the addition of a multi-use trail, sidewalk, on street parking where practical, and drainage improvements. The length of the street project is approximately 1.5 miles. Estimated cost is $6.3 million.

  • Indoor tennis complex, plus outdoor hard courts

Shown as Phase II on the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center plans, this includes the construction of a 30,000-square-foot indoor tennis facility with the capability for other sports and activities (soccer, ping pong, banquets, ceremonies), along with associated parking. Additionally, staff would like to construct six outdoor hard courts, allowing for sanctioned hard-court tournaments. Estimated cost is $2.5 million.

  • As part of the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport’s runway 01-19 extension, additional funding is needed for paved runway shoulders, taxiway B extension, stormwater piping and an access road. These projects have a total estimated cost of $2.8 million. (File)

    Zephyrhills Municipal Airport runway extension

The city previously received a state appropriation of $5.9 million for the extension of runway 01-19, which is currently out to bid. However, an engineer’s cost estimate indicates the original appropriation will cover only the design and construction of the runway, and will not cover the paved runway shoulders, taxiway B extension, stormwater piping or the access road. These additional items have a total estimated cost of $2.8 million.

Before deciding to approve the project submissions, there was much discussion during the meeting — mainly concerning the additions to the tennis center and the airport runway extension.

Zephyrhills Council President Charles Proctor, for one, expressed disappointment because the city again must request for additional state funds regarding improvements to the airport runway. He was dismayed, as well, that no state funding requests were presented for improving various city parks facilities, including Hercules Park.

The city manager addressed both matters.

Poe detailed how original airport runway costs were likely underestimated because there was no design at the time of the requests for fiscal year 2018-2019, plus he said there was a short time frame for an engineer to put a package together. Moreover, construction costs have changed somewhat since then, Poe said.

“I agree, it’s crazy to me that $5.9 million doesn’t cover everything we needed out there; unfortunately, that’s where we are on that,” the city manager said.

As for not requesting anything in the way of local parks improvements from the state, Poe suggested next year might be more apt given expected state budget reductions due to the COVID-19 pandemic — where officials have said could hit the $5 billion shortfall range.

He mentioned conversations with various state representatives made it appear they’re likely to sponsor fewer projects on the whole because of the pandemic’s lingering effects. For example, Poe said Burgess previously told him he’d be comfortable sponsoring just two Zephyrhills projects this year.

Poe observed: “Let’s be honest, I think this state budget coming up here is going to be very tight. That doesn’t lend itself to a lot of appropriations, but we could be surprised. I think people are spending more than what we thought they would be throughout this past year, so hopefully projections were off.”

The City of Zephyrhills is seeking state funding for a trio of infrastructure projects. (File)

Meantime, there always had been plans to construct an indoor multi-purpose sports complex holding four tennis courts, at some point.

City council members were taken aback that the proposal also includes the construction of six additional outdoor hard-surface tennis courts to the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center, situated on 10 acres at 6585 Simons Road.

The facility already features nine Har-Tru clay tennis courts, two hard-surface tennis courts, eight pickleball courts and four padel courts.

If the multimillion dollar expansion project is passed in its entirety, that would give the facility 21 tennis courts in one form or another, plus the pickleball and padel offerings.

Aside from a quartet of indoor/covered courts, Poe explained the reasoning for funding an additional six outdoor hard surface courts is to open the facility to a wider range of tournaments, and to accommodate increasing recreational uses and demands.

In order to host certain tournaments — such as high school district or regional meets — the facility must have a minimum of eight hard-surface courts, he said. (Any indoor courts would not count toward that requirement because they technically have a different playing surface.)

As a further added use — the outdoor hard-surface courts could be converted and taped into pickleball courts as needed, Poe said.

Council Vice President Jodi Wilkeson and Councilman Alan Knight questioned why an extra half-dozen outdoor hard courts weren’t part of original construction plans several years ago.

“It’s unfortunate that we didn’t plan ahead,” Wilkeson said, adding she’d also like to at some point see some concrete economic data generated from tennis tournaments and other events.

“It would be nice for me to look at it from more of a business plan perspective,” she said. “We talk about these amorphous numbers that impact the community tax revenue, but what other source of revenue is there for the city as it relates to these tournaments, or the tennis center.”

Poe wasn’t quite sure why more hard courts weren’t included from the onset, as he wasn’t the city manager at that time.

He suggested this possibility: “I don’t know that it was anticipated that the center would be as successful as it has been this early.”

He also pointed out there was perhaps more emphasis on constructing clay courts at the time: “I think the thought was the future of tennis facilities is to have the Har-Tru courts. With the clay courts, it’s easier on the joints and offers a little more flexibility to its users,” Poe said.

Despite council’s critiques, they ultimately agreed to seek funding to advance the tennis center’s build out.

Councilman Lance Smith underscored the facility’s importance, to put the matter into perspective: “I was over there for some of the (recent) tournaments and there were people from all over Florida that were in Zephyrhills, spending money in our restaurants, and then some of them lived at homes across the street, too, so there’s an ancillary benefit you get from it.”

Smith continued: “To host a high school tournament…that’s not a significant amount of revenue, but it brings people to the area. All of it generates traffic that wouldn’t otherwise be here in Zephyrhills. That being said, we do need to be careful spending our money.”

Elsewhere, regarding Seventh Street enhancements, Poe explained this project still needs to be designed.

Poe also noted: “There are some elements that could be removed or phased in to make that very large number more palatable for funding.”

Published January 27, 2021