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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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This fair was a showcase of ideas — turned into inventions

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Students at John Long Middle School recently transformed the school’s cafeteria and gymnasium into a venue where students showed off inventions they created, based on their ideas.

Eleven-year-old Logan Cantele rolls out his remote-controlled Clawrider robot, which is capable of moving and picking up items. (Christine Holtzman)

The school’s Maker Mania community night was inspired by the concept of Maker Faire, an international movement which encourages people of all ages and backgrounds to produce something unique of their own.

John Long Middle was the first public school in Pasco County to have such a fair, last year, and it was so successful that this year, the school invited the community — as well as the students’ families — to come take a look.

There was plenty to see.

Throughout the cafeteria and gymnasium, long rows of booths showcased creations from 76 students, in sixth through eighth grades.

Eighth-grader Breanna Martin, 13, shows how a hydraulic arm she made is powered by water. Each syringe of colored water represents a different command that the arm is able to perform.

As people stopped by, students explained what they had made and demonstrated how it works.

“The focus is to learn how to do something they didn’t already know how to do,” explained Darcy Cleek, a science teacher at John Long.

Students are taught about the process of engineering, but they also learn how to market their products, Cleek said.

Eleven-year-old Ava Krutulis, for instance, had a booth displaying her name brand ‘AK Toys,’ which she came up with using her initials.

As part of her brand, she presented her blue robotic snake to viewers.

Eleven-year-old Brooke Wheatley demonstrates how her project, a dance shoe dryer and deodorizer, can fix stinky shoes in 15 minutes by using rice, scented oils and a fan.

The snake’s head, body and pointy tail were carefully shaped and constructed from pieces of plastic — held together with toothpicks, beads, hot glue and thumb tacks.

Ava explained the source of inspiration for her project: “My sister really wanted a snake, but we can’t (have one).”

Her mother, Gina, chuckled recalling her response to the request for a real pet snake: “Mom said no,” she said.

Ava decided to make the next best thing.

During her demonstration, the toy snake twisted and slid across the floor with the help of a battery-operated motor.

Down the hall in the gymnasium, Isabel Martinez, 11, displayed her homemade lava lamp.

Using household ingredients, such as bottled water, vegetable oil, food coloring and Alka-Seltzer tablets, 11-year-old Isabel Martinez, shows off a colorful lava lamp she created to demonstrate at Mania Maker Night.

The sixth-grader said the idea caught her eye while she was doing research on Google.

Soda bottles containing water and oil were each placed on light pads so there would be a glow on the inside.

Her booth had instructional poster boards, and she explained how the lava lamp works, while demonstrating.

Vegetable oil and water don’t mix, so when I put the Alka-Seltzer in, the water reacts and pushes it up towards the oil,” she said.

Along with the tablets, Isabel dropped in food coloring, creating an even more interesting visual.

Next to Isabel stood Breanna Martin whose project used different colors of water, released through syringes, to move a hydraulic arm up, down or forward.

Eleven-year-old Naomi Gibson sits behind her ‘Tide Killer Shark,’ a device designed to eliminate red tide, as a previously produced video demonstration that the sixth-grader starred in broadcasts on the television screen.

The 13-year-old said her father who works in construction, and with hydraulic equipment, helped her with her project.

Besides learning how water pressure works, she also learned how to advertise, she said.

“This would help manufacturers,” she added. “Before you have to present something on what you want to build, you have to show them a diagram.”

Back in the cafeteria, 11-year-old Logan Cantele displayed something similar, but more computerized.

“I have a claw machine that moves on wheels,” he stated. “It’s a reliable source.”

The Claw Rider runs on four motors to help move it up, down, to spin and clench small objects.

Using an app on his tablet and a remote control, Logan demonstrated how the claw could pick up a ball and place it inside a cup.

Eleven-year-old Sylvana Armstrong uses a remote control to change the colors of the LED lights on her Bluetooth stereo speaker project that she named the ‘Alien Party Time Music Box.’

The sixth-grader was compelled to create the machine because his late great-grandmother once had limited mobility.

“What I have here is something that can help someone that can’t walk or can’t really do much,” he said.

When asked if his project helped him develop a greater appreciation for science, he replied, “you bet it does – especially the engineering part.”

Sylvana Armstrong, a sixth-grader, made what is essentially a music box.

She redesigned a portable speaker with painted cardboard – an Alien Party Time Music Box.

She demonstrated with a Bluetooth how to connect her phone to the portable speaker.

As she pulled up a music video on YouTube, she could watch the visual and pace around while getting amplified sound at a distance from the speaker.

She said she wanted her project to be unique, and she said, overall, being involved in Maker Mania has helped her to become more creative.

The faculty at John Long didn’t set out to have the students compete with one another, but to learn the fundamentals of being an inventor.

“The things that you can’t get away from [are] critical thinking and problem solving,” Cleek said.

“That’s at the heart of what this whole thing’s about.”

As Cleek surveyed the booths and the crowds of students, she said the sight makes her feel hopeful about the future.

Published December 26, 2018

Did Lincoln actually sign this document?

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My travels to Lincoln, Illinois, began with a column published in The Laker/Lutz News on July 11, regarding a document that had been passed down, from one generation — to the next, to the next.

From left, James M. Cornelius, John Paul and Norm Schmidt, examine Martha Fountain’s Lincoln Document, in downtown Springfield, Illinois. (Courtesy of Doug Sanders)

That column pondered: What would it be like to have a large document signed by Abraham Lincoln, and not know its value or its history — or if it really had been signed by the nation’s 16th president?

The document belongs to 84-year-old Martha M. Fountain, a lifelong resident of Zephyrhills.

It is an Executive Order, dated Dec. 15, 1864, and appears to be signed by President Abraham Lincoln, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and Assistant Adjutant Gen. E.D. Townsend.

The document originally belonged to Martha’s husband of 31 years, Guy Joseph Fountain Jr.

It had hung proudly in his office at Best Way Electric in Dade City.

When he died in 2016 it became Martha’s sole property, because the couple had no children.

Martha Fountain proudly holds her Lincoln document.

However, Martha had no knowledge of the document’s original history.

After months of research involving several military websites and the History Center at the Pioneer Florida Museum and Village, north of Dade City, I tracked down the history of Guy Fountain’s great-great uncle Samuel Warren Fountain, who was 15 years old at the outbreak of the American Civil War on April 12, 1861.

To recap some of that history, Samuel volunteered to join the Ohio National Guard, serving under Maj. Gen. David Hunter, during the Valley Campaigns of 1864. Hunter later achieved his own fame as part of the military commission trying the conspirators involved in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.

Samuel’s military career also continued, involving at one point military campaigns against Geronimo and Sitting Bull.

In 1904, when Samuel was a lieutenant colonel, he directed security at the St. Louis World’s Fair.

President Abraham Lincoln’s signature remains legible after 154 years.

Ironically, Geronimo was also at the fair as a living exhibit intended as a “monument to the progress of civilization.”

Samuel was a brigadier general a year before the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in the nation’s capital, and he gave a speech about Lincoln during an appearance before the Union League Club of Philadelphia on Feb. 9, 1921.

In part, Samuel said: “Other men have reunited a divided nation, or liberated an enslaved race, or carried to conclusion a fratricidal war, or swept immoral institutions from the earth by consummate statesmanship; but no man ever combined and carried through, chiefly by the clarity of his mind and the purity of his character, several such gigantic enterprises in half a decade.”

So, with Samuel’s accomplishments well-documented — and with the permission of Martha and her attorney, John Council, I set out with the document to the Land of Lincoln to see what I could find out about it.

Traveling to find some answers
The trip itself was quite an adventure.

In an attempt to outrun Hurricane Michael, in October, I barely missed a tornado — that was just a mile away in Jacksonville.

Then, I survived a hotel room without power, in Walterboro, South Carolina, and then spent an afternoon with the staff at a Cracker Barrel in Charlotte, because of heavy downpours in North Carolina.

Lincoln, Illinois, is the only town named by Lincoln himself. He was a young lawyer practicing there from 1847 to 1859.

Once I reached the home of Norm and Judi Schmidt, who live in Akron, Ohio, I soon would have a personal guide for the remainder of my trip.

Norm had learned about Martha’s Lincoln document through a copy of my column he received from Donna Swart, a former mayor of San Antonio and former curator of the Pioneer Florida Museum and Village in Dade City.

Donna also was a neighbor who grew up next door to Norm’s family farm in Illinois.

When Norm and I arrived in downtown Springfield, Illinois, on a cold Sunday afternoon, James M. Cornelius and John Paul were there to meet us.

Cornelius is the curator of the Lincoln Collection at the Lincoln Presidential Library, and Paul is a bookseller who owns Prairie Archives in downtown Springfield.

We asked Cornelius to assess the authenticity of the document.

He told us: “The signatures of Lincoln, Stanton and Townsend were engraved by someone using a real signature, so it could be reproduced over and over.

Dr. David Gerlach is president of Lincoln College in Lincoln, Illinois. It is the only institution of higher education named after President Lincoln during his lifetime.

“The fine eagle decoration at the top also began as an engraving,” he said. “Once the printing plate had been set with the text, and the decoration, and the blank lines to be filled in by hand, any number of copies could be run off of a press from that plate. The ink used is darker, more enduring than what would come directly out of a fountain pen.”

Families in Ohio would have more reason to hold onto the documents since the names were handwritten, Cornelius explained.

“Ohio had roughly 15 regiments of these 100-days men in 1864,” he said. “At 1,000 men per regiment, that’s 15,000 copies printed with the engraved signature of Lincoln, Stanton and Townsend.”

The document received by Samuel Warren Fountain is unique in one way, however, Cornelius said.

“Most of the Ohio men who did the 100 days in 1864 were ‘old’ for soldiering, usually 30 to 45 years of age.”

So, it turns out that while the document wasn’t originally signed by Lincoln, it isn’t a forgery.

Paul examined Martha’s document, to estimate a value.

As part of the Valley Campaigns of 1864, Samuel Warren Fountain served under Maj. Gen. David Hunter during the Civil War. Hunter later achieved fame as the president of the military commission trying the conspirators involved with the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. (Courtesy of Robert Massey (Great-great nephew of Samuel Fountain)

Paul said that Martha’s document dates back to the civil war period. He also noted “some marginal tears and one small marginal loss.”

Paul estimated the document’s value at $400.

“Our value is based largely on the history of this individual soldier, an underage volunteer, with a subsequently successful military career,” Paul explained.

Cornelius agreed that Fountain’s history is compelling. “Rarely would you get a story and career as interesting as Fountain’s from such service.”

Indeed, Fountain was photographed with Douglas MacArthur at West Point, and was good friends with John “Black Jack” Pershing, who later served as the commander of the American Expeditionary Force during World War 1.

After visiting Springfield, Norm and I traveled south to the city of Lincoln, Illinois, where the Lincoln Heritage Museum is located on the campus of Lincoln College.

It was here that an offer was made to display Martha’s document as part of 50,000 items of Lincoln memorabilia at the museum.

Martha and her attorney are delighted that the document will have a permanent home in Illinois.

“This seems to be a perfect place,” Martha said, smiling broadly.

Doug Sanders has a penchant for unearthing interesting stories about local history. His sleuthing skills have been developed through his experiences in newspaper and government work. If you have an idea for a future history column, contact Doug at .

Published December 26, 2018 

Richard Corcoran is new state education commissioner

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Richard Corcoran is Florida’s new Commissioner of Education.

Corcoran was selected unanimously for the position by the State Board of Education at its Dec. 17 meeting.

Richard Corcoran (File)

In a news release about the appointment, Richard Corcoran said, “I look forward to working with the Board to ensure students and their families are empowered to take control of their education options, more resources are directed to Florida’s classrooms and all students have high-performing educators. Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis set strong expectations for education in Florida, and I look forward to working with our state’s education stakeholders and the Florida Legislature to ensure Florida’s students have the greatest chance at lifelong success.”

Corcoran, a veteran and an attorney, served for eight years in the Florida House of Representatives and served as Speaker of the House from 2016 to 2018.

As a legislator, he advocated for the Schools of Hope program, which serves students in persistently low-performing schools; the establishment of the Hope Scholarship to help bullied students; and the Best and Brightest Scholarship Program, to reward and recruit quality educators.

Under the Florida Constitution, the State Board of Education is responsible for appointing the commissioner of education.

State Board of Education Chair Marva Johnson said, “Richard Corcoran has a strong leadership record. He is the best leader to ensure a smooth transition and to identify opportunities to accelerate progress along the way,” according to the release. “He brings with him a passion for providing Floridians access to the world-class education options they deserve and being a good steward of taxpayer dollars. I am confident he will be critical to keeping Florida’s education system moving in the right direction.”

Other state board of education members also spoke highly of Corcoran’s appointment to the post, including, Gary Chartrand who said Corcoran “has a well-deserved reputation for advocating intensely on behalf of Florida’s students and their families. I have been outspoken about parents’ right to choose the best school for their children’s individual needs, and he will play a pivotal role in maintaining the positive momentum we have built around school choice in Florida.”

Published December 26, 2018

Crystal clear lagoon at Epperson opens with a splash

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Metro Lagoons, by Crystal Lagoons — the first Crystal Lagoon amenity in the United States —officially opened with a party on Dec. 16.

About 400 invited guests and residents were expected to turn out, according to officials.

This is an aerial view of the Crystal Lagoons amenity at Epperson. (Courtesy of Aqua Marketing & Communications Inc.)

“Residents have waited a few months to get in here, so we wanted to throw them a nice holiday party,” said Eric Wahlbeck, managing director of Metro Lagoons.

“This is compliments of Metro,” he said, noting the festivities would include a showing of the movie, “Elf,” on a huge screen, followed by the broadcast of the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Baltimore Ravens.

There also was free barbecue, bounce houses, a visit from Santa and, of course, people taking advantage of a chance to play in the lagoon — the only one of its type in the United States.

There were lots of ways to enjoy Metro Lagoon by Crystal Lagoons, during a party to mark the amenity’s official opening at Epperson.

The lagoon covers 7.5 acres and includes 16 million gallons of water.

“It’s a pretty amazing idea of bringing crystal, clear water — this amount of water, this size, into a residential community. It’s something that’s never been done before. We’re really excited to offer this through the Epperson community,” Wahlbeck said. “What we’re excited about is getting the residents in here and allowing them to start enjoying the space.”

The lagoon’s water temperature fluctuates with the ground temperature.

“In the summer, it’s going to be like the Gulf (of Mexico),” he added.

The lagoon is operated using sustainable technology and maintained remotely by Crystal Lagoons to ensure crystal clarity. It offers various aquatic activities, including kayaking, stand-up paddle-boarding and a waterslide with rock wall.

There are also private cabanas, a family beach, an event pavilion and more.

And, what’s there now is only the beginning, Wahlbeck said.

“We’ve got development plans all around the lagoon,” he said, noting that new amenities will be added over time.

The Epperson community currently has about 300 homes, with about 1,500 people living there.  At completion, it is expected to have 4,000 dwellings.

Published December 26, 2018

Have some Hoppin’ John, and a Happy New Year

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The beginning of 2019 is right around the corner, and celebrating the start of a New Year often involves partaking in a traditional food ritual to promote health, luck and prosperity in the year ahead.

In the Southern United States, many subscribe to the notion that eating just a bowl of Hoppin’ John will bring you good fortune in the New Year.

The ritual dates back to the 1800s in South Carolina, where the food is also known as “Carolina Peas and Rice.”  This African-American dish is nothing fancy. It’s just a simple recipe of pork (ham hock/bacon/country sausage), black-eyed peas (or red cow peas/field peas) and rice.

There are many ethnic variations of this dish.

Beans and rice have been staples of many cultures around the world from Africa to Brazil (baiao-de-dois), Guiana, Peru (tacu-tacu), Costa Rica/Nicaragua (gallo pinta), Venezuela (pabellon criollo), Puerto Rico (arroz con gandules), the Caribbean and Cuba.

You can follow the traditional way of cooking separately, or, as some prefer you can cook the black-eyed peas and rice in the same pot. Some may even add the greens to that same pot making it a one-dish meal. I like the simplicity of that idea, but would probably go a step further and adapt to using my slow-cooker.

In modern times, the recipe has been modified to make a somewhat healthier/more nutritious version using smoked turkey (instead of fattier pork products)  to add flavor; sometimes jalapenos to add spice; red or green bell peppers to add more color; and then served upon a bed of brown or white rice.

I find the symbolism intriguing.

Each food item represents a different meaning: black-eyed peas = coins; greens = money (“green backs”); corn bread = gold; and tomatoes (optional) = health.

Betsy Crisp is a Professor Emeritus, UF/IFAS Extension – Family & Consumer Sciences.

Recipes

Hoppin’ John for New Year’s Day
Ingredients

 2 smoked turkey thighs (cooked as instructed below)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1 cup red bell pepper (or ½ red + ½ green), diced

2 jalapenos (remove stem and seeds), chopped

1 Tablespoon garlic, chopped

1 pound dried black-eyed peas (rinse, remove any tiny stones/debris; soak overnight; rinse and drain)*

1 quart chicken stock (low-sodium)

1 bay leaf

3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

Cayenne pepper to taste

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes

1-2 Tablespoons cider vinegar (optional)

1 cup green onion, thinly sliced for garnish

4 cups freshly steamed brown or white rice

Instructions

  • In a large pot/Dutch oven, add turkey breasts and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and reduce to simmer to cook until tender and meat falls off bone. Remove meat from pot (reserve broth in a large glass measuring cup – fat will rise to top and can easily be removed when cool). Let turkey cool to touch to remove bones and skin, and set aside.
  • Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in the large pot.
  • Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, jalapenos and garlic, and cook until opaque and lightly browned, about 8 minutes.
  • Add the turkey meat, peas, chicken stock, bay leaf, thyme and a teaspoon of salt.
  • Simmer for 40-60 minutes, or until peas are just tender.
  • Add the can of diced tomatoes**
  • If liquid evaporates, add the saved broth. (You may have to add more seasoning)
  • Add 1-2 tablespoons cider vinegar (optional) ** and stir.
  • Garnish with green onions.
  • Serve hot over rice (uncooked rice can be added to the pot early, but you will need that extra broth).

Serve with collard/mustard/turnip greens (even chard/kale/cabbage/spinach) and corn bread to complete this Southern meal.

Makes 10 servings.

Notes:

  • Soaking dried peas overnight is not the only method, but helps speed cooking process, otherwise beans can take 1 ½-2 hours to become tender (do not overcook or they will become paste). Another technique is to rinse and sort to remove tiny stones/debris. Place peas in a large soup pot over medium-high heat and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover pot and let stand 1-2 hours. Drain and rinse beans.
  • Acid in the form of vinegar, tomatoes, lemon juice or something similar may make beans tough if added early in the cooking process and, therefore, beans may take longer to cook.

Published December 26, 2018

Wreaths Across America pays homage to fallen veterans

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In touching tributes that played out at cemeteries across the country, the nation paused for a moment on Dec. 15 to remember its fallen military veterans through Wreaths Across America.

People fanned out to place wreaths on headstones throughout the 512-acre Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. To date, more than 129,000 have been laid to rest at the cemetery. (Randy Underhill)

An estimated 2 million wreaths were laid on the gravestones of military veterans, including more than 30,000 at the Florida military cemetery in Bushnell.

Thousands arrived to Bushnell early, on a cloudy, windy day, to take part in the annual ceremony.

The wreaths arrived in semi-trailer trucks.

People traveled there on motorcycles and in cars. They came as members of veterans organizations, civic clubs, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. There were family members and friends of the veterans being honored.

This is the gravestone of Lowell Hathaway, who served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He is the father of Mary Eberhard, accounting manager for The Laker/Lutz News.

The crowd lined the narrow streets, as the escorted semi-trucks made their way to different sections of the 512-acre cemetery — delivering more than 30,000 wreaths to be placed at the headstones of veterans.

A ceremony was held at 11:45 a.m., with the presentation of colors, the placing of the POW/MIA table, the posting of ceremonial wreaths and other ceremonial touches.

Keynote speaker Maj. Gen. Michael E. Langley, of U.S. Central Command, spoke about the nation’s veterans, and their fortitude and willingness to serve.

The playing of “Taps” concluded the service.

The event was hosted by Wreaths Across America Bushnell and U.S. Military Vets MC.

Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell is off Interstate 75, about one hour north of Land O’ Lakes.

By Randy Underhill

Published December 19, 2018

Vernon Brown, of Fort Myers, a veteran of the Vietnam War, placed a wreath for a fallen soldier he did not know, during Wreaths Across America on Dec. 15.
Staff Sgt. Andrew King, of Oklahoma, and Sgt. Kristopher Calnon, from California, both stationed at MacDill, post one of the ceremonial wreaths during Wreaths Across America, at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell.
Ninety-six-year-old Lyle Strong, of Zephyrhills, stands proudly, as he is recognized for his service during World War II.
Local Harley Owner’s Group members Capt. David Kreiger, Land O’ Lakes, seated on motorcycle; Barbara Blakely, director, left center, of Lutz; Larry Blakely, secretary, of Lutz; and Luis Buitrago, treasurer, get ready to ride through the rain to the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. They are shown here in Land O’ Lakes.
Major Michael E. Langley, of the U.S. Central Command, was the keynote speaker for Wreaths Across America, an event at cemeteries across the country, including Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell.
U.S. Air Force veteran David Reeve, a member of the U.S. Military Vets MC, stands near a table set in honor of prisoners of war and missing comrades. Each item on the table has significance. The table is set for a meal, but never occupied, at every military ceremony.

Specialty grocers sprouting up in Pasco

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A national trend for smaller, specialty grocery stores is taking hold in Pasco County.

Within the next year, Earth Fare, Sprouts Farmers Market, and possibly Lucky’s Market will open grocery stores that specialize in natural, organic and fresh foods.

Aldi is planning to open its no-frills, discount grocery stores in Zephyrhills and New Port Richey in 2019. Also, a new store is coming to the southeast corner of State Road 54 and Wesley Chapel Boulevard, on a parcel owned by developers of the Cypress Creek Town Center.

South Branch Ranch developers submitted plans to the county that include a “prototype” grocery store within a mix of commercial, office and retail. The approximately 25,000-square-foot store, on State Road 54 at Suncoast Parkway, would fit within the size range for boutique-style grocery shopping.

These new foodie arrivals on the retail scene follows an explosion of growth all over Pasco of more shops, restaurants and residential development.

Activity centers include Cypress Creek Town Center, the Village at Mitchell Ranch, Starkey Ranch and Wiregrass Ranch.

Rooftops and retail are two major parts of getting development started, and making them profitable, said Bill Cronin, executive director of the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.

“Some of the developments now are coming to fruition with their plans,” Cronin said.

Grocery stores are one part of that development pattern.

As 2019 unfolds, Pasco residents can anticipate a buffet line of new grocery options in addition to the traditional brand names, such as Publix and Winn Dixie.

According to the U.S. Grocery Store Trends 2018, consumers continue to prize high-quality fruits and vegetables, low prices, and great product selection and variety.

Currently, the new trend in groceries is for smaller stores that offer organic, natural and local foods. In addition, consumers are looking for something extra – a food “experience.”

“Everybody is looking for that food experience, whether its ethnic sourcing or that new product,” said David Fikes, vice president of communications and community/consumer affairs director for the Food Marketing Institute. “It’s not (about) giving people 11 varieties of ketchup in the store.

The digital age is ushering in coupons and social connectivity via mobile applications. Online grocery shopping is gaining in popularity, especially with millennials, according to the survey.

Baby boomers, though, are showing keen interest, as well.

Experiences are shared on Facebook, or other social media, as if saying “I discovered this, and you’re the foodie among your group,” Fikes said.

Prior generations would shop to stock the pantry in order to have enough food on hand, Fikes said. That evolved later to a desire for nutritional, healthy food, he added.

Now, a third factor is a desire for discovery, engagement and connection, according to the FMI survey.

“We are moving away from stocking up our pantry to what’s the next meal,” Fikes said.

The specialty grocery stores coming to Pasco include:

Earth Fare is an organic-based grocery store that boasts that its shoppers don’t need to read labels to know its products are healthy. (Courtesy of earthfare.com)

Earth Fare
The store will open at Cypress Creek Town Center, at 25535 Sierra Center Blvd. The organic-based grocery store boasts that shoppers don’t need to read labels to know its products are healthy.

Its food is free of added hormones, artificial anything, and, according to Earth Fare’s website, the store sells “100 percent clean food for your family.”

Earth Fare began in Asheville, North Carolina, as a health food store before it enlarged and, in 1994, became a full-service grocery store. Its stores are built to be energy efficient, with skylights and LED light bulbs. Biodegradable to-go containers are used, and recycling is encouraged in the store.

Among its features is the Heirloom Juice Bar.

Aldi
Aldi is in the permitting phase for a store at 2215 Sun Vista Drive, which is near the Tampa Premium Outlets, off State Road 56. The store is expected to open in fall 2019, according to email responses from Matt Thon, Haines City Division vice president for Aldi.

Aldi is planning new stores in Pasco County, one near Tampa Premium Outlets and the other in Zephyrhills. (Courtesy of Aldi)

Thon also confirmed in the email that an Aldi will open in Zephyrhills, but no other details are available.

The location under discussion is off Pretty Pond Road, at U.S. 301. One issue nearing resolution at the site is the relocation of a traffic signal to that intersection.

The traffic signal “is under design review and engineering,” said Todd Vande Berg, Zephyrhills’s planning director.

Plans are to remove the existing signal at the main entrance to the shopping plaza, but to have traffic signals at the north and south ends of the plaza.

No construction date is set, but Vande Berg anticipates Aldi will open in 2019.

Lucky’s Market
Lucky’s is eyeing an approximately $1.5 million renovation to the former Winn Dixie grocery store at Collier Parkway and State Road 54, according to county records.

A pre-application meeting with county planners was held in November.

The Lucky’s option isn’t a done deal, but is the latest grocery to show interest in the site. Previously, representatives for Sprouts Farmers Market made inquiries and submitted a plan for a grocery store, as well as retail and a restaurant.

Nothing came of the proposal.

Now, Lucky’s is exploring options, though a spokeswoman for Lucky’s said no contract is signed.

The pre-application included demographics suggesting why the site has potential.

Average daily vehicle trips within 3 miles of the site, on State Road 54, total nearly 40,000; within 7 miles, more than 173,000 vehicle trips are charted.

About 14,770 households are within 3 miles of the proposed Lucky’s, and about 66,000 within 7 miles. Average household income ranges from about $87,000 to $94,000.

Lucky’s began in 2003 with inspiration from two chefs.

The store highlights local, organic and natural foods. Customers can sip glasses of wine or beer at an in-store café, or as they stroll along the aisles and fill their carts.

Lucky’s also has a juice bar, hot-ramen bar, a bulk foods section, and specialty foods, including house-made sausage and in-house smoked bacon.

Sprouts Farmer’s Market
Pasco’s first Sprouts Farmers Market will be one of three anchor stores at the 165,000-square-foot shopping center, The Village at Mitchell Ranch, according to a Dec. 13 press release from The Shopping Center Group.

Other anchors will be HomeGoods and Michaels. The shopping center is in Trinity, at Little Road and State Road 54.

The Arizona-based chain opened its first store in 2002. Its roots, however, date to 1943 and a fruit stand operated by Henry Boney in San Diego.

Sprouts features natural foods at affordable prices. Its motto is “eating clean and living healthy.” Today, the chain has about 300 stores and 28,000 employees.

By Kathy Steele

Published December 19, 2018

Regional coalition to respond to climate change

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The Pasco County Commission on Dec. 11 signed the memorandum of understanding to be part of the Tampa Bay Regional Resiliency Coalition.

The coalition has been formed to coordinate climate adaptation and mitigation activities across county lines to plan for economic and social disruptions that are projected to result from sea-level rise and storm surge, and to provide state and local agencies with access to technical assistance and support.

The coalition is made up of the counties of Citrus, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee and Sarasota, and the municipalities within those jurisdictions.

The memorandum of understanding notes that Tampa Bay has approximately 4 million residents, representing nearly one-fifth of Florida’s population, and is projected to have nearly 5 million residents by 2040.

The memo also notes the numerous ways that sea-level rise, storm surge and extreme weather conditions can threaten the lives of residents, damage property, disrupt business and destroy public infrastructure.

Coalition members have joined to coordinate their efforts and enhance their abilities to prepare, adapt and mitigate for the effects of sea-level rise, storm surge and climate change, both in their individual communities and throughout the Tampa Bay region.

Through the governing boards of coalition members, the coalition will pursue:

  • Regional cooperation
  • A regional resiliency action plan
  • Science-based decisions
  • A legislative strategy
  • Community involvement

The memorandum also notes that by joining the coalition that members commit local resources and staffing, and acknowledge that the governing body of each coalition member retains its power and authority.

Published December 19, 2018

County continues pursuit of Ridge Road Extension

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Pasco County is continuing its pursuit of a project to allow the extension of Ridge Road, and Sam Beneck, the county’s project manager, gave a briefing on the status during a Dec. 12 luncheon meeting of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce.

“We are currently in the design and permitting phase,” said Beneck. “We have not started any construction activities,” he told members and guests during the luncheon at the Fox Hollow Golf Club in Trinity.

At the North Tampa Bay Chamber luncheon on Dec. 12, Sam Beneck, Pasco County project manager, updates attendees on the current plans for the Ridge Road Extension. (Brian Fernandes)

The planned 9-mile project will be broken into two phases, the project manager said. Phase 1 would stretch from Moon Lake Road in New Port Richey heading east to the Suncoast Parkway. Phase 2 would run from the Suncoast Parkway to U.S. 41, in Land O’ Lakes.

The duration for the first phase is expected to be three years, but the county hopes to shorten that.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers views it as one project, and the funds for the phases will be allocated separately.

The first phase is estimated at $67.8 million. The second phase has not yet been funded.

A Suncoast Parkway interchange also is being considered. The design for that project is expected to cost $1 million, with funding from the Florida Turnpike Enterprise.

“In prior years, we have expended almost $20 million on this project,” Beneck explained. “That includes land acquisition, a fair amount of design and redesign.”

He emphasized that in working with the Corps of Engineers, the county vigorously sought the alternative that is cost efficient, while improving mobility and reducing hurricane evacuation time.

Replacing roadside slopes with walls and pedestrian rails is being considered, he said.

The project manager also said the county has been working closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reduce impacts to the environment.

Pasco County and the Corps of Engineers came to a consensus in 2017 on an approach called Modified Alternative 7 as the least environmentally damaging option. It calls for partially elevating the Ridge Road Extension.

According to a traffic analysis survey, Modified Alternative 7 would also increase traffic flow and reduce evacuation time.

Under the plan, 16 bridges would be added in sensitive areas, as well as curbs and guardrails.

Specialized fencing also will be installed in areas where animals are most likely to frequent.

The county also would provide $3.2 million in compensation for environmental impacts during Phase 1.

The county also is collaborating with Duke Energy to design a new trailhead with parking and to provide access to existing hiking trails within the Serenova Preserve.

The county expects a permit decision by the Corps of Engineers by September 2019.

While the county continues to press forward on its efforts, the project continues to meet resistance.

Two of those opponents spoke at the Pasco County Commission’s Dec. 11 meeting.

Dan Callaghan, a long-time critic of the Ridge Road Extension, said that contrary to the county’s claims, the project is being pursued to promote development, not to improve hurricane evacuation.

He said the county wants to nibble to death its preserve areas and “slash our wild places to death, by a thousand cuts.”

Clay Colson, who also opposes the Ridge Road Extension, urged commissioners to protect the county’s preserves.

“You know preserve is something that means we’re going to keep it for our future generations,” Colson said.

Instead of extending Ridge Road through the Serenova Preserve, Colson said the county should extend Connerton Boulevard to the Suncoast Parkway.

Staff writer B.C. Manion contributed to the report.

Published December 19, 2018

Carin Hetzler-Nettles named principal of the year

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When Pasco County Schools opened Cypress Creek Middle High School, the challenges facing the new leader of that school weren’t the same kind faced by most principals of new schools.

For one thing, the school was the first in the Pasco school district that would be for students in sixth through 11th grade, initially, with a senior class to be added the following year.

For another, the school was pulling students from established middle and high schools — including many families who challenged the school district’s boundaries for the new school.

When it comes to being a cheerleader for her students and staff, Cypress Creek Middle High Principal Carin Hetzler-Nettles is out front, and center. The principal was named Pasco County Schools’ Principal of the Year and is now among the candidates for the state title. (File)

And, of course, there was the issue of combining middle and high school students on the same campus — with their obvious differences in the size, maturity level and academic needs.

So, when the school district was deciding on the leader for Cypress Creek Middle High, it had to be sure that whoever was in charge would be able to rise to the occasion.

“The obvious leader for this new school was Carin Hetzler-Nettles,” Tammy Berryhill, assistant superintendent of high schools for Pasco County, wrote in a letter nominating Hetzler-Nettles for Florida’s principal of the year.

Berryhill noted a number of the principal’s achievements, including her work to raise the performance at Wesley Chapel High School, which she led before being selected as the inaugural principal at Cypress Creek Middle High.

The assistant superintendent noted that Hetzler-Nettles is known for being able to help develop teachers and assistant principals for broader district roles, such as instructional coaches, assistant principals, principals, district supervisors and even one assistant superintendent.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning also sees Hetzler-Nettles’ strengths.

In his letter nominating her for the state honor, Browning observed: “Mrs. Hetzler-Nettles was selected as Principal of the Year from among nearly 80 school principals. Her peers nominated her, and all district administrators voted for the winner. They could not have selected a better example of an outstanding school leader. I am certain she would represent the state of Florida with distinction as the state’s Principal of the Year.”

For her part, Hetzler-Nettles said she “was very shocked, and humbled” to be named Pasco’s principal of the year, especially in light of her high regard for her peers across the district.

Hetzler-Nettles said she embraced the leadership position at Cypress Creek Middle High because it presented unique challenges from the outset.

For one thing, the district hadn’t initially intended to have middle and high school students within a single school on the campus. It had planned to build a high school and a middle school, but lack of funding changed those plans.

With pressing needs for more classroom space, the district decided to house grades six through 12 on the campus, temporarily, until the new middle school could be built.

And, instead of having separate principals for the middle and high school programs, Hetzler-Nettles was chosen to lead the entire campus, with assistant principals to support her.

The job had built-in challenges
Hetzler-Nettles described some of them, in an essay she wrote that’s included in her statewide nomination packet.

“I’m not going to lie, and say it was easy, and that all of the students zoned to attend Cypress Creek Middle High School were excited about the change.

“In fact, it was extremely difficult to get the students to buy in to the culture, community and identity we were building at Cypress Creek.

“Who could blame them? For decades, some of the communities that were rezoned to attend Cypress Creek were Wildcats or Bulls, and now they were forced to be Coyotes.

“The idea of having to leave friends who lived in a different neighborhood that was not affected by the boundary change, and attend a new school that had no familiarity, was a challenge for most students.

“It was my job to combat those fears and make the students’ transition from their previous school to Cypress Creek as smooth as possible.”

Long before the school opened, the principal began reaching out to schools that would be sending students and to parents of those students — to begin building the new community that would become Cypress Creek Middle High.

The principal said she knew many parents were worried about having sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders on the same campus as high school students.

Steps were taken to ensure that the middle school and high school students were kept separate.

At the same time, Hetzler-Nettles knew there were opportunities for high school students to develop leadership skills, and for middle school students to take advantage of academic possibilities.

For instance, middle school students could walk across campus for high school classes, and high school students could serve in ways that they could become positive role models for younger students.

“I know how awesome high school kids are. If you set high expectations for them, they will rise to the challenge,” the principal said.

Being named Pasco Schools’ principal of the year is icing on the cake for Hetzler-Nettles.

“I cherish this job and I love the work that I do, and feel that being a principal is an important role,” she said. “I see the power of good leadership — in getting kids excited about all of the possibilities that await them in life.

“I see the power in setting processes and procedures and high expectations for students, and for people who work with me and for me, and for myself,” she said.

She loves being an educator because the field is filled with people who are always striving for improvement.

“That’s a true love of mine: To think of ways that would engage kids to move something forward or make something better, and to have people rally around or come up with ideas and then to put that to work and to see it in action,” she said.

It’s not a passion that everyone shares, she added.

“People don’t always love change. But, I get very excited about, ‘How can we improve this? How can we always be striving to make things better?’

Being a principal is rewarding, but not always easy, she said.

“There’s not a day that I don’t come to work that there’s not a challenge, and it’s not always the same one,” she said.

It’s a job that requires grit and perseverance — but those are attributes that everyone needs in life, she said.

“You’ve got to have grit and perseverance, and set high expectations for yourself, in order to make it through whatever path you choose in life,” the principal said.

“You’re going to get knocked down in life. We all do and we all have.

“It’s really how you approach those challenges and roadblocks that are going to get put in front of you — as to how successful you are going to be in whatever you choose to do,” Hetzler-Nettles said.

Published December 19, 2018