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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Military academy appointments include soccer standout

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Growing up, Victoria Mitchell always knew she wanted to serve her country with a career in the military.

She’ll soon get the chance, when she’s officially inducted into the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, on June 28.

The 17-year-old recent Wesley Chapel High School graduate received her official appointment to the Navy in late March — about 10 months after she verbally committed to play soccer there last May and five months after she was nominated for appointment from the 12th Congressional District by U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis.

Wesley Chapel High graduate Victoria Mitchell will be inducted into the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland on June 28. She was nominated for appointment in November from the 12th Congressional District by U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis. (Courtesy of Victoria Mitchell)

Mitchell is one of six Tampa Bay area students who were nominated and subsequently received appointments to a United States service academy through Bilirakis’ office.

The others are: River Ridge High School’s Connor Beckman, United States Military Academy; Mitchell High School’s Austin Jerome, United States Merchant Marine Academy; Clearwater Central Catholic High School’s Annalise Klopfer, United States Naval Academy; Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School’s Dennis Teicher, United States Military Academy; and, Wiregrass Ranch High School’s Payton Wilson, United States Air Force Academy.

Mitchell, for one, vividly remembers when her acceptance letter arrived in an email.

“I was pretty much overwhelmed with excitement,” Mitchell recalled. “I actually read the email several times and couldn’t believe that, like, I actually got in. I remember showing the email to my dad and being like, ‘Is this for real? This means I’m going straight there?’ I thought I was going to a prep school at this point, so I was kind of down; I didn’t think I was going to get in immediately. I had almost given up hope and then I got that email when I least expected it. I was just overwhelmed, excited — like, it was one of the best days ever.”

Each year, members of Congress nominate candidates for appointment to four of the five academies: U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York; the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), Annapolis, Maryland; the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado; and, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, New York.

The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, Connecticut, does not require a congressional nomination for appointment.

Applications far exceed open slots
Appointments by service academies are usually made between January and April, and sometimes as late as May. Congressional service academy nominations don’t always guarantee acceptance.

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis held an annual reception last month to honor local students who received his nomination and subsequent appointment to a United States service academy.
Appointees, pictured from left, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School’s Dennis Teicher, United States Military Academy; Wesley Chapel High School’s Victoria Mitchell, United States Naval Academy; Wiregrass Ranch High School’s Payton Wilson, United States Air Force Academy; and, River Ridge High School’s Connor Beckman, United States Military Academy. Other Bilirakis’ nominated appointees not pictured are Mitchell High School’s Austin Jerome, United States Merchant Marine Academy; and, Clearwater Central Catholic High School’s Annalise Klopfer, United States Naval Academy.

Approximately 1,200 candidates are selected each year for the Naval Academy’s “plebe” or freshman class, and each student is required to participate in Plebe Summer. Last year the Academy received more than 16,000 applications for the Class of 2022.

A 2018 study by the U.S. News and World Report found the U.S. Naval Academy to have an 8 percent acceptance rate — the 12th most selective among all colleges and universities in the United States.

Attending a service academy comes with an obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation. Each student receives a full scholarship.

The application process alone is arduous, Mitchell said, from filling out hundreds of pages of paperwork to undergoing a background check and a physical fitness test.

It also requires a series of interviews before a group of retired and active duty service members, which she labeled “probably the most complex part of the application.”

Mitchell’s passion for the military traces back to her grandfather, Patrick Mitchell, who served in the Air Force for 24 years.

As a young girl, her family would take her to Air Force bases throughout Florida, where she was in awe of “seeing our soldiers in uniform and just everything they stand for.”

Mitchell, too, has always considered herself “a patriot at heart.”

Said Mitchell, “I love my country, and I’ve always known I wanted to serve my country and protect our land — especially like nowadays with all the controversy going on, there’s a lot of disrespect towards our nation and it kind of motivates me to stand up (and) encourages me to go join our military…”

Immediately after induction, Mitchell will report for Plebe Summer, which is designed to help freshman prepare for their first academic year at the Naval Academy.

During this time, plebes have no access to television, movies, the Internet or music, and restricted access to cellphones. They are only permitted to make three calls during the six weeks of Plebe Summer.

As the summer progresses, the new midshipmen learn basic skills in seamanship, navigation, damage control, sailing, and handling yard patrol craft.

Plebes also learn infantry drills and how to shoot 9-mm pistols and M-16 rifles.

Other daily training sessions involve moral, mental, physical or professional development and team-building skills. Activities include swimming, martial arts, basic rock climbing, obstacle, endurance and confidence courses.

Forty hours are devoted to the instruction of infantry drill and five formal parades.

Mitchell is looking forward to all of it.

“I know the summer’s going to be very difficult, very busy,” she said, “but overall, I’m excited for the structure of the academy.

“I’m really excited to gear up, do PT (physical training) with the brigades, I’m excited to basically learn to be a soldier, and I’m going to be living that life for the next four years, and they’re grooming me to be the best officer I can for our country, so I’m excited to learn everything over the next couple of years.”

Juggling academy life and soccer
Besides handling responsibilities of the service academy life, she’ll also be a member of the Navy women’s soccer team, a Division I program.

Mitchell, a forward, opted to strictly play club soccer her senior year after playing varsity soccer at Wesley Chapel High the past three seasons.

Her junior year, she posted a team-leading 34 goals in just 16 games played, earning second-team All-Sunshine Athletic Conference honors.

Also throughout high school, Mitchell was a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She volunteered for Special Olympics and Relay for Life, and was a youth soccer coach for a local development academy.

The Naval Academy was the only school she applied to, after vetting other service academies and what they offered.

“It’s a pretty good fit for me,” she said, “because I get to play Division I soccer, go to school and then I also graduate as an officer.”

She plans to serve for at least 10 years, noting she also has an interest in entering the aviation field at some point.

“I’m going to see where it takes me,” she said of the Naval Academy. ”I know there’s a certain point in the Academy where you can sign on for more years in the service, which I’ll probably do,” she said.

Published June 20, 2018

Creativity rules at Lutz Preparatory summer camp

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Camp Invention isn’t your typical summer camp.

It’s a camp where kids are encouraged to strap on their creative thinking caps and let their imaginations run wild.

And, that’s exactly what was going on at Lutz Preparatory School last week.

This year’s curriculum tested a variety of the young students’ skills.

Caitlyn Commedor sits near her Mod My Mini Mansion. (B.C. Manion)

In one challenge, campers designed their own Optibot, a small driving robot that senses changes in light.

In another, campers dreamed up their own futuristic smart home — complete with high-tech innovations.

Another group got involved with cupcake catapults, while another worked on nursing a sick robotic puppy back to good health.

This is the fourth summer that Lutz Preparatory has hosted Camp Invention — a program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

The national program serves more than 140,000 students each year, partnering with nearly 1,700 schools and districts across the nation, according to program materials.

It’s a summer camp that challenges kindergarten through sixth-graders to find their inner inventor — and that’s exactly what it was doing in the classrooms at Lutz Preparatory.

Liam Loper, 6, is eager to answer a question at the Camp Invention summer camp, held at Lutz Preparatory School.

Kids were buzzing with excitement, chattering with each other on projects they were doing.

Six-year-old Liam Loper was working on his Mod My Mini Mansion, which featured, among other things, a windmill made of clothespins to help generate energy.

The young boy said he was having fun at the camp and it seemed like everyone else was, too.

Meanwhile, in another classroom, 9-year-old Audrey Wehling, was talking about the Optibot she designed.

“We had to design a car with sensors,” she said. Her car, she said would fly and would go under water.

She also gave it name: Bob 2.0.

“I’ve always liked the name Bob,” she said. “I thought adding 2.0 was cool.”

Kids weren’t the only ones enjoying themselves at the camp.

Greg Robbibaro, who led the group of fifth- and sixth-graders, said the camp encourages kids to go on mental explorations.

“The kids get to expand their imagination. They get to have a little bit of freedom with all kinds of things that would otherwise be thought of as junk, but they get to make these creations that they’re extremely proud of,” Robbibaro said.

Andrea Ball, who was leading a younger group, said the camp gives kids a great way to learn how to work with others and to think.

Audrey Wehling, 9, gave her Optibot a name: Bob 2.0. She says she has always liked the name Bob and thought it would be cool to add 2.0 to it.

“I think it’s good that they work with people they don’t know. They’re so used to working with their friends or their classmates,” she said.

“They have to do unstructured activities, which can be hard. They have to think outside the box,” she said.

“I’m not going to tell them how to do it. They have to brainstorm,” she said.

It’s good for the children, she said. “We need more of that.”

This year’s camp drew 111 participants primarily from Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel and Odessa, said Christina Mitchelson, the camp director.

The camp was led by five instructors and 15 leadership interns.

The leadership interns are area high school students who are earning community service hours needed for scholarship requirements, she said.

“Our leadership interns have been fantastic,” Mitchelson said.

They help the instructors and help the students, as well.

For instance, when a young student is having trouble with a particular task, the leadership intern can step in.

Leadership interns also direct games during the lunch break, once the children finish eating.

The level of engagement was obvious, as kids keyed into the activities going on in the classrooms.

They were chattering, quiet, or eager to answer questions — depending on what was happening in the room.

Mitchelson said the camp is popular every year.

“They love this camp. They wish it went on longer,” she said.

To find out more, visit CampInvention.org.

Published June 20, 2018

Delay appears likely on Ridge Road extension permit

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Pasco County officials were hoping for a decision on a permit, and a construction start for the proposed Ridge Road extension by winter 2018. Instead, a revised schedule provided to the United States Army Corps of Engineers projects the anticipated permit decision in late February 2019.

Despite the revised time frame, Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles remains hopeful of a quicker decision.

“I still think there’s a way to get there this year,” Biles said.

Ridge Road currently dead-ends at Moon Lake Road in west Pasco. Pasco County wants to extend the road eastward to U.S. 41 to provide a hurricane evacuation route. (File)

Pasco is whittling down a checklist of additional information requested by the Army Corps in May 2017.

Monthly status reports are provided to the Army Corps and weekly conference calls are held.

Biles said he was set to meet with Army Corps representatives on June 15 in Cocoa Beach.

Members of the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization got a brief update on the project at their June 14 meeting in New Port Richey.

A May 3 letter to the Army Corps, with the new schedule, was included in an agenda packet for the meeting.

The county has been on a quest for the Ridge Road extension permit for nearly 20 years. The roadwork would entail an 8-mile extension of Ridge Road, which currently dead-ends at Moon Lake Road in New Port Richey.

The new segment would link Moon Lake to U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes, across from an entrance into the master-planned community of Connerton.

The county puts a priority on Ridge Road as an east-west evacuation route during hurricanes.

Environmentalists are fighting against the project, which would cut through environmentally sensitive wetlands in Serenova Preserve.

The Army Corps is the federal agency in charge of regulating the Clean Water Act. In April, the agency selected one of 17 proposed routes through the Serenova Preserve as “the least environmentally damaging practicable alternative.”

But, the Army Corps requested additional engineering and environmental information, including wetlands mitigation plans.

In March, Pasco County commissioners approved a wetlands credit purchase agreement with Ecosystem Investment Partners Credit Co., for up to $4.4 million. The Florida Turnpike Enterprise would pay a portion of the costs.

The credits would come from the Old Florida Mitigation Bank, located south of State Road 52 and east of U.S. 41, adjacent to the Connerton Preserve.

The route under review was set aside in a court settlement years ago to mitigate about 200 acres of wetlands lost during construction of the Suncoast Parkway.

Opponents of the road extension say the county’s road project violates that agreement. They also maintain the road is meant to encourage new development, and will destroy wildlife habitats.

Attorneys for the Save the Serenova Coalition have submitted documents in opposition to Ridge Road. Coalition members have said they would file a lawsuit, if the Army Corps grants the permit.

Published June 20, 2018

Labor laws explained at chamber luncheon

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Navigating wage and hour labor laws can be complicated.

The North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce offered a primer on the topic at its monthly economic briefing luncheon at Fox Hollow Golf & Country Club.

The guest speaker was Lourdes Bahr, community outreach specialist for the wage and hour division of the United States Department of Labor. Based in Tampa, she travels throughout Central Florida providing federal labor law training.

Lourdes Bahr, of the United States Department of Labor, was the guest speaker at the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce economic briefing luncheon. (Kathy Steele)

Bahr is an Emory University graduate and former investigator for the labor department’s wage and hour division. She also serves as trainer for new investigators.

Good record keeping is the first piece of advice she offered.

“Make sure you have good records,” she said. “They are your protection. They are your friend. Make sure you are proactive in checking records.”

When the labor department investigates for violations, Bahr said it generally is the result of a complaint from a past or present employee, or maybe a third party.

Some investigations also arise based on multiple complaints against a particular industry, she said.

Investigations require interviews with employees and review of records, including time cards and payroll sheets.

“It’s always a nuisance when you’re investigated,” Bahr said. “Our staff knows this. We try to be as efficient and helpful as possible.”

Bahr said the Tampa office has four technicians available to answer questions about labor laws, if business owners have concerns. “There’s nothing wrong with calling,” she said.

Currently the labor department is offering a self-auditing program, known as PAID (Payroll Audit Independent Determination).

It began about three months ago, and will continue for another three months, Bahr said.

The program offers employees and employers a way to resolve inadvertent violations of overtime and minimum wage. It avoids costs and fees of litigation.

However, employers can’t participate if they are in litigation or under current investigation by the labor department.

The process requires completion of an application and registering with the labor department.

The error can be corrected, and the business owner will have a “clean plate,” Bahr said.

So far, not many businesses have applied, but she said, “We want to make sure people have the option to do this. We’re hoping to get some traction with it.”

For information on PAID, visit DOL.gov/whd/paid.

For information on labor laws, visit DOL.gov/whd, or call (866) 487-9243.

Published June 20, 2018

Institute aims to equip students for success in college and life

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The National Hispanic Institute led the International Collegiate World Series at Saint Leo University last week for the second year in a row.

The event is the capstone of a series of three programs designed by NHI to help high school students to develop the skills needed to become the next generation of community leaders, said Zachary Gonzalez, associate vice president of the institute.

The National Hispanic Institute seeks to build community leaders that aren’t reliant on external forces to guide them, according to Zachary Gonzalez, associate vice president of the organization, a graduate of NHI programs. (B.C. Manion)

The conference is held annually for high school students from across the United States and from global Latino communities, Gonzalez said. This year, it attracted more than 110 students — traveling from different countries and from across the United States.

Saint Leo University picked up the students at the airport, housed them, fed them and provided them a chance to get a taste of life on a college campus.

“We are proud to again partner with the National Hispanic Institute for the Collegiate World Series,” Dr. Jeffrey D. Senese, Saint Leo University president, said in a prepared statement. “NHI holds the same values as Saint Leo University—both instill the drive for excellence and encourage respect for all. Saint Leo welcomes learners of all backgrounds. We are excited to welcome these young people to our campus, and help them learn about college life and all that it offers.”

The program uses a self-directed, student-centered learning method that encourages critical thinking.

“Every high school program that we have focuses on a different angle of leadership development,” Gonzalez said. “NHI’s mission is to build more community leaders that don’t rely on external forces to guide them. We talk a lot about thought leadership.”

Connor Caldwell came from San Antonio, Texas, last week to take part in the National Hispanic Institute’s International Collegiate World Series. The idea is to prepare college-bound students for the college application process and for independent living. (B.C. Manion)

During the week, the students work on filling out college application forms, writing essays and making other preparations for college life and beyond. They have a chance to collaborate with other students and to gain insights from mentors who have already experienced college life.

“A lot of times a college freshman comes on campus, they don’t necessarily know how to plug in. They don’t necessarily know how to lead. Sometimes they don’t have any prior experiences in working with students of different nationalities, different backgrounds, confronting different cultures, confronting different social environments,” Gonzalez said.

“We’re not here to tell them there’s a right or wrong answer. It’s about how do we get them to see that their talents can be applied to the community, and begin to build those tools,” he added.

Danielle Castro, who works in admissions at Saint Leo University, was one of the coaches during the week.

She thinks the experience is helpful, as college-bound students look ahead to apply for admission.

“They’re getting prepped and ready, so now they’re going to feel that much more confident in applying to all the schools that they really want to go to. It helps them mentally,” Castro said.

Connor Caldwell, 16, from San Antonio, Texas, knows exactly what she wants to do.

Participants in the National Hispanic Institute’s International Collegiate World Series at Saint Leo University work on their Common App college application form. (Courtesy of Benjamin Watters/Saint Leo University)

“I want to major in computer science and electrical engineering, and I want to become a computer scientist or an electrical engineer for the FBI,” she said.

“I also want to have a dance minor. I’ve been dancing since I was 2.”

Participating in the week at Saint Leo is helpful, she said.

“My school is really good about college applications and starting early, but this is an additional resource that I have that my peers don’t.”

It’s an advantage, “especially going in as a rising senior, knowing what to expect and having my essay looked at and having my application looked at,” she said.

“I’ve visited colleges before, and I’ve talked to admissions counselors before, but now that it’s actually my turn to do this — (it helps) knowing what questions to ask, and what to get from my admissions counselors, and knowing how I can implement that with my applications and essays, and such,” she said.

Gonzalez said the experience can be quite eye-opening for many of the students.

“For a lot of them, it’s the first time they’ve flown to another state or country,” he said.

For more information about NHI, its programs, and its new path for developing leaders, visit NationalHispanicInstitute.org.

Published June 20, 2018

North Tampa Aero Park airport up for sale

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North Tampa Aero Park is on the market.

The sales price for the licensed public airport is $4 million, according to brokers with CBRE.

The company’s airport specialist group is in charge of marketing and selling the airport, located at 4241 Birdsong Blvd.

“We’ve had quite a bit of interest,” said Gary Bauler, broker and first vice president for industrial properties at CBRE in Tampa.

The North Tampa Aero Park airport is up for sale. The asking price is $4 million. (B.C. Manion)

The airport, which dates to the mid-1970s, covers 21 acres sandwiched between Wesley Chapel Boulevard and Interstate 75.

Compark 75, a business park with premier office, warehouse and manufacturing tenants, is adjacent to the airport.

The airport offers about 10,000 square feet of maintenance hangar space; 3,500 square feet of offices; three platted residential lots; office and hangar buildings; a fuel farm, 16 T-hangars; annual runway easement income fees; a licensed Lasergrade and PSI testing facility; and a licensed Federal Aviation Administration repair station.

While most local airports are regulated by municipalities or aviation authorities, Bauler said North Tampa Aero Park is unique in being privately owned.

The Brammer family has owned and operated North Tampa Aero Park for years. But, Bauler said, “They think it’s time to get out of the business, and do something else.”

The area has seen a lot of changes since the airport opened in 1975, Bauler said.

“When it was originally built, Pasco was a lot more undeveloped,” he said. “Now, you’ve got a lot of residential and more businesses, like Compark 75. We’re encouraged that this is the right time to sell. There are a lot more affluent owners in the area now.”

Tenants at the airport include Happy Hangar Café, American Balloons, and Tampa North Flight Center, which is the airport’s fixed-base operator (FBO).

The flight center offers a range of services, including flight instruction, aircraft sales, instrument proficiency checks, parts sales and biennial flight reviews.

It has been a training and teaching resource for the Wesley Chapel Civil Air Patrol.

Some hangars are leased, but others are condominium hangars, whose owners are represented by a condominium association.

For information, visit CBRE.com.

Published June 20, 2018

Disaster expo offers valuable info — and swag, too

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Visitors to the Pasco County Disaster Expo could find answers to nearly any question they had about preparing for a disaster, and responding in the aftermath.

And, they could also load up on all sorts of freebies.

Ralph McCullough, president of the Gulf Coast ARC, says that amateur radio operators can provide a vital source of communication to help keep information flowing during and after disasters. (B.C. Manion)

They could pick up a can of Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli and a gallon of water, courtesy of Pasco County Walmart stores.

At other expo tables, they could pick up a rain poncho, a waterproof cellphone protector, hand sanitizer, a keychain, a notebook, pens, reusable tote bags, insect repellent and bookmarks, among other things.

Throughout the expo, there were people waiting to provide information aimed at helping to prepare for a possible disaster, what to do when a disaster threatens and where to turn for help in the aftermath.

There were booklets, fact sheets and plastic cards chock-full of information aimed at helping, and there were plenty of people on-hand to field questions and provide answers.

Melinda Velez, manager of community impact initiatives for United Way of Pasco County, was on-hand at the expo to remind residents that calling 2-1-1 is a good option when people need information about resources that can help during the aftermath of a flood, high winds or other disasters.

Ralph McCullough, president of the Gulf Coast ARC, was one of the people working a booth. He was there to share how his organization of amateur ham radio operators can help when a disaster strikes.

“We can provide emergency communications back and forth to the shelters, get messages through for medical reasons, general welfare reasons. If the whole infrastructure is down, we can put our personnel into fire trucks, ambulances, what have you,” McCullough said.

That kind of help was provided during Hurricane Katrina and when the Twin Towers went down on Sept. 11, he said.

Pasco County has 37 registered members who were prepared to help during Hurricane Irma last year.

If there had been a direct hit, there were 70 radio operators on standby to help in case the whole infrastructure went down, he said.

Melinda Velez, manager of community impact initiatives for the United Way of Pasco, was at the expo, too, handing out 2-1-1 cards to remind residents that the number can help people find resources quickly to respond to their needs when a disaster strikes.

County officials have plenty of vehicles to use when the area is hit by high winds, flooding or both.

The booth was also giving out a freebie: A small kit containing first-aid bandages and disposable towelettes.

Being prepared is important, Velez said. “Last year was one for the record. Most of New Port Richey was on evacuation.”

Frankie Gulledge, an underground crew chief for the Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative Inc., was there, too.

He demonstrated the dangers involved in having contact with overhead electrical lines and downed power lines.

His message? Keep your distance from overhead electrical lines and downed power lines.

Outside of the expo hall, there was an assortment of emergency vehicles, which can clear out debris, drive through high waters and be used in water rescues, among other things.

Useful numbers
These Pasco County numbers could prove useful in the aftermath of a disaster:

Customer service: (727) 847-2411

Emergency Management: (727) 847-8137

Human Services: (727) 834-3297

Pasco County Sheriff’s Non-Emergency Number: (727) 847-8102

United Way: 2-1-1

Website: PascoCountyFl.net

Emergency supply list

  • One gallon of water per day per person for at least three days
  • A three-day supply of nonperishable food and a can opener to open canned foods
  • Battery-powered or hand crank radio, and a N.O.A.A. Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries
  • First-aid kit
  • Whistle to signal for help
  • Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic
  • Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
  • Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
  • Local maps

Other items to consider for emergency supply kit

  • Prescription medications and eyeglasses
  • Infant formula and diapers
  • Important family documents stored in a waterproof plastic container, including insurance policies, identification and bank account information
  • Cash
  • Sleeping bag or blanket for each person
  • Change of clothing
  • Games for kids

Source: FEMA, Ready.gov

Published June 13, 2018

Deadline approaching for county budget

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Crunch time is approaching for Pasco County’s 2019 budget.

On June 5, Pasco County commissioners got a look at a draft budget as part of their review process.

Crucial dates are coming up, including a July 10 deadline to set the millage rate, which determines how much homeowners will pay in taxes.

No increase in millage is expected. However, some will pay higher tax bills because of general increases in property values.

County officials anticipate that the average, single-family homeowner will pay almost $16 more into the general fund on a homesteaded property valued at $100,000. The cost will increase about $3.80 for the fire fund.

Owners of non-homesteaded property will pay almost $65 more to the general fund, and about $15.35 to the fire fund.

New revenues from property taxes are expected to increase by about 8.5 percent for the general fund, adding about $10.5 million to county coffers.

Those funds are evenly divided between the county and its constitutional offices, and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

New construction is fueling a large share of the increased tax revenue.

However, a Nov. 8 referendum to add another $25,000 exemption to homesteaded property is expected to adversely affect the county’s 2020 budget — if the measure passes, and county officials are expecting it to pass.

The loss to the county’s general fund in 2020 would be about $12 million, and about $2.4 million for the fire fund.

Funding temporary housing for inmates at the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center is one of the immediate challenges facing the Pasco County Commission.

By 2020, projections put inmate population at nearly 2,400 a day. The facility was built to house about 1,400 inmates, and already exceeds that number.

The draft budget includes about $2.4 million for the cost of temporary onsite housing; and another $2.5 million to pay other counties to house Pasco inmates in their jails.

Currently, there remains about $3.3 million in unfunded budget needs at the sheriff’s office.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco struck a positive note on the matter.

“It’s very tricky, but we’re getting there,” Nocco told county commissioners. “I know we’re going to get there in the end.”

Other big ticket items include about $2.8 million for repairs and capital improvements for public buildings; $1.4 million for Medicaid, retirement and health insurance; and $1 million for deferred maintenance of parks that are in danger of closing.

County officials peg deferred maintenance costs at parks at about $24 million.

“So, that’s not even treading water there,” said Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey.

Published June 13, 2018

Volunteers spruce up Moore-Mickens campus

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Volunteers put a little shine to the campus of Moore-Mickens Education & Vocational Center in Dade City.

They swept the parking lot, raked and bagged leaves, pruned the greenery and cut the lawn.

Inside, they cleaned up the kitchen and refrigerators, and wiped down walls.

Dade City resident Quantabia Maner serves on the Community Enrichment Committee for the Moore-Mickens Education & Vocational Center. She helped organize a Saturday cleanup at the school.
(Fred Bellet)

Future projects include interior painting and a pressure washing for the exterior of the school’s buildings.

For now, the cleanup efforts were done just in time for summer activities.

“It looks so much better,” said Marilyn Hunter, president of the Moore-Mickens Education & Vocational Center, at 38301 Martin Luther King Blvd., in Dade City.

Many of the volunteers who showed up for work duty on May 26 are former students who wanted to give back.

Some of those who turned out also serve on the school’s advisory board or its junior board.

“This is a legacy,” said Warren “Snapper” Godbolt, a director on the advisory board and a 1968 graduate of the school. “It’s been a life saver in a lot of ways to a lot of people. The teachers here made a lot of difference in our lives. They were like second parents for us.”

Dade City resident Guy Wright brought his ride-on mower to Moore-Mickens Education & Vocational Center to help spruce up the campus.

Moore-Mickens is a historical landmark in Dade City as the first public school for blacks in Pasco County. It began as Moore Academy, but later operated under the Moore and Mickens’ names as elementary, middle and high schools, and lastly as the education center.

The school’s name honors its founding educators, Rev. Junias D. Moore and Odell Kingston Mickens.

Pasco County Schools closed Moore-Mickens in 2016, citing the expenses of repairs and upkeep.

Nearly a year ago, a coalition of community activists accepted the keys to Moore-Mickens from the Pasco County school board. There is a 30-year lease, at a cost of $10 a year.

School administrators and its board of directors are revitalizing Moore-Mickens as a learning center and social hub for the community.

Dade City resident Ed Reed clipped overgrown palms to help beautify the landscape at Moore-Mickens Education & Vocational Center.

“We want this to be a new beginning,” said Godbolt. “The first priority is education. If you can save anyone’s child, you’ve done something.”

In recent months, the school has begun afterschool tutoring and General Equivalency Diploma classes. This summer, the school is partnering with a Gainesville-based nonprofit, Mega Social Enterprise Inc., to offer job training skills to youth, ages 14 to 21.

Although some students have signed up, additional applications are being accepted, Hunter said. The program will provide stipends during training, and will seek to find hands-on work opportunities in the community.

Sprucing up the campus was a kickoff to a busy summer.

Quantabia Maner is in charge of the Community Enrichment Committee for the school and helped organize the cleanup day.

Pam Roberts, a junior board member, attended sixth grade at the school. She was in charge of lunch for the volunteers – hot dogs, chips and drinks.

“It was a great experience for me,” she said of her brief time at Moore-Mickens. “I have great memories.”

Dade City resident Arthur Whitehead, 80, was among the first volunteers to show up on a recent Saturday morning to clear leaves and sweep the parking lot at Moore-Mickens Education & Vocational Center.

Arthur Whitehead, 80, was an eager volunteer. He was born in Tampa but lived most of his life in Dade City. He pushed a broom to sweep up leaves and dirt from the parking lot.

“I’ve lived here longer than Tampa, and I wanted to help out,” he said.

Mack Brockington operates Soul Refreshing Outreach in Zephyrhills. He wants to expand services and open a food pantry at Moore-Mickens. “We’re trying to move in this direction (to Dade City),” he said.

A friend and fellow church member, Guy Wright, brought a ride-on mower to clip the lawn, especially the tall grass between classroom buildings.

Ed Reed is a custodian for Pasco County Schools. He went to elementary school at Moore-Mickens. His father, Freddie Reed, worked on the construction of Moore-Mickens’ buildings.

Baron Bloodsworth, of Dade City, signed as a volunteer, ready for cleanup duty at Moore-Mickens Education & Vocational Center. Bloodsworth attended the school in the late 1990s.

And, Ed Reed’s wife, Ella, was a majorette and student there.

“I’m glad I’m part of it,” said Reed, who pruned palms from planters, and in the landscaping outside the buildings.

Baron Bloodsworth attended middle school in the late 1990s. He grabbed a rake and went to work. “It made an impact on the community,” he said. “Anything I can do to help.”

Edele Graham had appointments that day but made time to give an hour or so to the cleanup. She attended middle school. “I just want to see it stay and thrive,” she said.

For information on Moore-Mickens or the Mega Social Enterprise summer youth program, call Marilyn Hunter at (352) 807-5691 or Saundra Coward at (352) 467-0313.

Published June 13, 2018

All aboard for a bus tour of Pasco development

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A bus tour through Pasco County connected the dots, and highlighted both new development, and notable educational institutions, such as Saint Leo University.

The Central Pasco Association of REALTORS sponsored the tour to offer professionals in real estate and area residents an up-close look at what’s happening in Pasco. The bus tour on June 7 was the first, but CPAR officers say they plan for more in future.

Dr. Jeffrey D. Senese, center, president of Saint Leo University, welcomed bus tour visitors to the university’s campus.
(Kathy Steele)

“We’re looking to introduce people, to say, the (Florida Hospital Center Ice) rink,” said Jack Buckley, who is chairman of the CPAR committee that organized the tour. “Not everyone knows it’s here. We want to make them aware of activities in the area.”

About 60 people boarded the bus at the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa Suncoast Parkway. The all-day tour visited nine locations, including stops at Florida Hospital Center Ice, Saint Leo, and the historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City.

Other locations were the master-planned communities of Bexley by Newland Communities, Epperson and Mirada; the Dade City Business Center; the business park, Compark 75; and Tampa Premium Outlets.

A lunch break at Florida Hospital Center Ice included a tour of the ice rink facility, off State Road 54.

The CPAR bus tour also was about forging closer ties between Central Pasco and Dade City business and chamber of commerce communities.

Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez arranged a police-escorted drive through downtown Dade City, and touted its historic, small town charm.

“This is my little piece of heaven that I call home,” the mayor said.

The real estate organization will be supporting Dade City officials for “Discover Dade City,” an economic summit on Sept. 27 at the Pasco-Hernando State College.

“We’re feeding off one another, so residents and businesses get the benefits from our associations,” said Buckley.

The tour offered opportunities for networking, and getting to know new people, said Hernandez. “I’m excited about that.”

Jo Easton, a certified residential specialist, said the tour provided new experiences in getting to know not only about new development but well-established places such as Saint Leo.

She had driven by the university many times, but the tour was her first visit to the campus.

Florida Hospital Center Ice was new to her, too.

“This is really helpful to us,” Easton said.

John McCabe, a vice president and Small Business Administration lender with CBC National Bank, was also glad to get to know the area better.

“You see these places driving by, but to do a deep dive, it’s terrific,” he said. “I think the tour is a great thing.”

McCabe works out of Tampa but services the Tampa Bay area including Pasco.

For more information, visit CPARFl.com.

Published June 13, 2018