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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Exploring Tampa’s Jewish history

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Tampa’s Jewish population today numbers more than 25,000 members involved in  more than a dozen synagogues, day schools, and multiple community centers and related organizations.

The of history Tampa’s Jewish community likewise runs deep — dating back more than 170 years.

More than 80 Jewish stores and buildings were in Ybor City during the first half of the 20th century. Max Argintar Menswear was the last Jewish business to survive in Ybor. It opened in 1908 and closed in 2004. (Courtesy of Tampa Bay History Center)

The Tampa Bay History Center, in partnership with the Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library, recently had a presentation documenting the history of Tampa’s Jewish settlers.

The Oct. 26 event was led by Dr. Carl Zeilonka, archives chair at Congregation Schaarai Zedek, who is also a docent at the history center.

He outlined the history of Tampa’s Jewish population, the economic role of Jewish-owned businesses and the role of Jewish residents in politics, during an hour-long interactive discussion that drew dozens of attendees.

Tampa’s first documented Jewish settler is Emaline Quentz Miley, who arrived in 1844 via South Carolina.

Miley and her husband, Bill, settled in the Odessa area, Zeilonka said.

Interestingly, they are believed to have planted Hillsborough County’s first citrus trees.

More Jews, mainly of Eastern European descent, began immigrating to Tampa during the American Civil War, as the Florida frontier became attractive to merchants and businessman. Many operated produce businesses, dry goods stores, oyster bars and lumber mills.

Several Jewish women have been pioneers for their gender in the political realm. Helen Gordon Davis was first Jewish woman from Tampa elected to the Florida House of Representatives. She also served in the Florida Senate.

It led to Jews entering public service in Hillsborough County, beginning in 1871 with Charles Slager and Isidore Blumenthal.

Slager was first appointed as postmaster of Tampa. He later served as Hillsborough County’s sheriff and tax collector, and as a school board member.

Blumenthal, meanwhile, was appointed to the Hillsborough County Commission.

Many Jewish businesses had closed by the mid-1870s due to the presence of a yellow fever epidemic, Zielonka said.

Other factors were to blame, too, he said, including the Franco-Prussian War preventing the export of Cedar, and the cattle industry swelling in Fort Meade instead of Tampa.

“The 1870s were a real era of problems,” Zielonka said.

It wasn’t long until Jewish immigration picked up again, however.

Discoveries of phosphate reserves, a railroad system and cigar factories brought Jewish merchants back to Tampa in the 1880s, Zielonka explained.

“It opened up the community to tourism, to trade, to every type of commerce you can imagine. It really began the explosion of Tampa as a city,” Zielonka said.

Maas Brothers department store was one of the most successful Jewish-owned businesses in Tampa. Founded in 1886 by Abe and Isaac Maas, it grew from a small 23-by-90-foot store to a chain of 39 stores across Florida.

“It provided a lot of good opportunities for Jewish businessman to come in, and they came from all over, either directly of European immigrants or children of European immigrants.”

Two of the most successful merchants were Abe and Isaac Maas.

In 1886, they founded Maas Brothers department store. It grew from a small 23-by-90-foot store to a chain of 39 stores across Florida. The Maas Brothers brand went defunct in 1991 when it was merged into the Burdines department store chain, which later rebranded as Macy’s.

By 1890, there were more than 20 Jewish families living in Tampa.

That spurred the formation of the city’s first synagogue in 1894, Congregation Shaarai Zedek, which means “Gates of Righteousness.” The first standalone building, built in 1899, was located at 1209 N. Florida Ave.

The congregation steered the formation of Tampa’s first Jewish social organization, first Jewish women’s organization and first Jewish cemetery.

“What do we do best? We organize. And, it was time to organize,” Zielonka said of Tampa’s Jewish community in the 1890s.

The early 1900s were also noteworthy for Tampa’s Jewish community.

A second synagogue, Congregation Rodeph Sholom, was founded in 1902.

Tampa’s first synagogue, Congregation Shaarai Zedek, was founded in 1894. The temple is now located on West Swann Avenue.

The city’s first Jewish day school — The Hebrew School — was formed in 1915. The school shut down in 1917 after falling behind on mortgage payments, however.

And, the city’s first Jewish newspaper, Florida Jewish Weekly, was founded in 1924. It was the first of many Jewish newspapers formed over the years in Tampa.

Zielonka pointed out that Jews were very prominent in Ybor City around this timeframe.

He said than 80 Jewish stores and buildings sprouted up in Ybor City during the first half of the 20th century. “They were very common, all over the place.”

Max Argintar Menswear was the last Jewish business to survive in Ybor. It opened in 1908 and closed in 2004.

Fast-forward to the World War II period.

Hundreds of Jewish soldiers came to Tampa throughout the war, being stationed at one of the city’s three air force bases—MacDill, Henderson Field and Drew Field.

Moreover, 39 of the 65 families at Shaarai Zedek had someone who served in the war.

The congregation frequently sponsored Passover Seders at the old Hillsborough Hotel, an effort to support Jewish troops.

“The Jewish community embraced their soldiers that were here, and those that also served in the war,” Zielonka said.

The turn of the 21st century brought more Jewish families to south Tampa, creating the need for a second Jewish Community Center. The Bryan Glazer Family JCC opened in December 2016, at the site of the historic Fort Homer W. Hesterly Armory building on North Howard Avenue.

Following the war, many Jewish servicemen settled in Tampa and established families, further strengthening the community.

The timeframe also marked the early days of Tampa Jews becoming influential political figures.

Zielonka mentioned Judge Harry N. Sandler, who was speaker of the Florida House of Representatives from 1932 to 1935. Sandler is responsible for many laws related to worker’s compensation.

The speaker noted several Jewish women, too, later became pioneers for their gender in the political realm.

Cecile Waterman Essrig was the first Jewish woman elected to political office in Hillsborough County, becoming a school board member in 1967.

Helen Gordon Davis was another, becoming the first Jewish Hillsborough County woman elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1974. She also served in the Florida Senate.

Sandy Warshaw Freedman was the first Jewish woman elected as Mayor of Tampa, in 1986.

Meanwhile, the Jewish community has seen other developments within the last 40 years.

The TOP (Tampa, Orlando, Pinellas) Jewish Foundation was formed in 1980.

The Jewish Press of Tampa was formed in 1988. The popular paper, started by Jim and Karen Dawkins, still publishes today.

The Hillel Academy, which formed in 1970 at Rodeph Sholom, relocated to a 10-acre campus on Fletcher Avenue in 1992.

The Weinberg Village Assisted Living Facility, too, was established in 1995, in Citrus Park.

The Jewish community most recently celebrated the opening of the Bryan Glazer Family JCC in December 2016.

Located at the site of the historic Fort Homer W. Hesterly Armory building on North Howard Avenue, it now totals more than 4,400 members. “It’s a busy place,” Zielonka said.

The turn of the 21st century saw more Jewish families moving to south Tampa, creating a need for another Jewish Community Center, he explained.

“The demographics of Tampa are very different than they were 20 years ago,” Zielonka said.

“The Jewish community is 50 percent in the south — and growing. New people moving to town want to live in south Tampa because it’s close to where the action is.”

Published November 1, 2017

Eddie Herrmann, a pillar in San Antonio, was an original

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Edward Joseph Herrmann, known as “Eddie” to most everyone in San Antonio, was an original, and with his passing on Oct. 21, the community paused to reminisce about a pillar of the community.

Eddie wore many hats. He was a father, a son, a husband, an uncle, a former Mayor of San Antonio, an award-winning winemaker, a writer and a respected historian.

His death came on the evening of the 51st annual San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival, an event which he co-founded with Deputy Sheriff Willy Post, as a project of the Jaycees.

Edward ‘Eddie’ Joseph Herrmann died on Oct. 21, on the first evening of the 51st annual San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival, an event he co-founded in the town of San Antonio, in East Pasco County. (Courtesy of Madonna Jervis Wise)

To know Eddie was to appreciate a man who revered his community, and valued the facts and lessons of history.

Local history buffs and museums regularly consulted with Eddie.

“Eddie gave me many photos to use on the Fivay.org website, and he was able to provide information about a number of old photos,” said Jeff Miller, who operates the website and is a respected local historian.

“Eddie knew of the existence of a large collection of high-quality vintage photos of Dade City, San Antonio and surrounding towns. Most of the photos were taken by the Dade City Chamber of Commerce in the late 1920s, and before. He asked Oliver and Barbara DeWitt of Dade City, who are now in possession of the photos, to allow me to scan the photos, which are known as the Helen Eck Sparkman Collection. They can be viewed and downloaded in high resolution on the Fivay.org website,” Miller said.

These photos of public places and historic homes are indicative of Eddie’s zeal to capture accurate information and to share his knowledge, often through anecdotes, about the culture and flavor of a specific time or event.

Herrmann co-authored “The Historic Places of Pasco County,” commonly called “the orange book,” with James J. Horgan and Alice Hall in 1992.

The volume traces the history of the county from 1887 to a hundred years later, in 1987, describing 264 buildings, sites, and homes that were designated as historic. The book also provides a map and guide to the county’s cemeteries.

Compiling the information was a gargantuan task.

And, Eddie told others about a time he once spent 24 hours, without a break, conducting research for the book, along with his great friend, the iconic Zephyrhills activist Alice Hall.

“We spent the night together at the Zephyrhills City Hall poring through records, and they just left us there all night,” Eddie said.

Eddie was a charter member of the Pasco County Historical Preservation Committee, formed in 1977 by the Pasco County Commission.

In his role on the committee, he was involved in the placement of historical markers throughout Pasco County.

His work was valuable in protecting landmarks, said Scott Black, another local historian and a member of the Dade City Commission.

Eddie identified “important sites around the county that were in danger of being forgotten,” Black said, via email.

“I particularly remember how often he would talk about his quest for the ‘26-Mile House,’ which was a stagecoach stop 26 miles south of Chocochattee (present-day Brooksville) on the old road to Tampa,” Black said.

Eddie pinpointed the location so well that he was able to persuade the county to require Lennar Homes to fund an historical marker at the entrance of the Stagecoach Village housing development in Land O’Lakes — as one of the permitting conditions for the development, Black recalled.

Pat Mulieri, a member of the Pasco County Commission at the time, recognized Eddie’s contributions in a proclamation he received in 2014 on the steps of the Pasco County Historic Courthouse in Dade City.

Edward ‘Eddie’ Joseph Herrmann is in the front row on the far left, in this photograph taken at one of scores of historic marker dedications he took part in, throughout Pasco County.

Eddie rarely missed a meeting of the Pasco County Historical Society, and he served the organization in every capacity, from president to board member to program chairman, for many years.

He provided a wealth of information, and was always ready to help others unearth historic facts.

For example, he delved into assisting Eva Martha Knapp and Hernando High School students with documenting the 1944 German POW Camp No. 7 that was operated in Dade City during World War II. During the course of that work, Eddie forged friendships with several former soldiers — hosting them at his home and then visiting them in Germany.

Eddie had the knack of seeing both the forest, and the trees.

He recognized the interweaving of the economy, resources and changing political issues.

For instance, he had extensive knowledge about Florida horticulture, and proved to be an invaluable resource for me, when I was conducting my research for local history books about Dade City and Wesley Chapel.

As an example, he encouraged me to include the impact of a cactus farmer, Anthony Tuzzolino of Wesley Chapel, who raised 15 acres of cacti and imported cacti, and other produce, from Wesley Chapel to Ybor City during the early 1940s.

Beyond merely telling me that, Eddie researched the issue, contacting the Pasco County Cooperative Extension Office, as well as the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences on Opuntia Cactus, and then he passed along several citations to me.

Thus, I wasn’t surprised when I later learned that Eddie himself was an accomplished gardener and grower. As a matter of fact, he won the Florida Grape Growers Association’s first winemaking competition in 1974, and then went on to spend years continuing to hone his skills in growing grapes and making wine.

When gopher tortoises were declared a “species of special concern,” Eddie embraced the opportunity to protect the tortoises — which had been used in races at the Rattlesnake Festival. He spearheaded the design of a large wooden version of a toy that resembled a gopher tortoise to be used instead.

Eddie’s research also helped correct the record on one of Dade City’s most iconic buildings, Miller said.

“It had long been thought that the historic 1909 courthouse in Dade City was designed by a local man, Artemus Roberts, but Eddie discovered that it was actually designed by Edward Columbus Hosford, an architect who designed many courthouses and other buildings in the South,” the local historian explained.

“Eddie’s discovery came about after his brother Gregory moved to Mason, Texas, and told Eddie that the courthouse there looked almost exactly like the one in Dade City, but that it was designed by Hosford. Eddie looked through the old minutes of the Pasco County Commission and found that Hosford did indeed design the Pasco courthouse, and that Roberts was the Superintendent of Construction,” Miller added.

In addition to his public life, Eddie was a man who treasured his faith and family.

Every Sunday, he could be found kneeling in his pew in church at his parish of St. Anthony of Padua in San Antonio. Then, the family gathered for a pancake breakfast at his parents’ home.

He also was an active member of the St. Leo community and participated in St. Leo Abbey events. Articles he wrote about Father Felix Ullrich, former pastor of Saint Anthony Church, and about the history of San Antonio can be found on Miller’s website, Fivay.org.
With Eddie’s passing, San Antonio has lost a man who worked tenaciously for the community’s good.

Those of us who were lucky enough to know him, will miss Eddie’s optimistic outlook and energy.

In his final email to me, he signed off in customary way: “Keep smiling. It looks good on you!”

It was the same kind of upbeat sentiment that he conveyed, in so many different ways, during a life well-spent in San Antonio.

Edward “Eddie” Joseph Herrmann

  • Edward Joseph Herrmann, widely known as ‘Eddie,’ was born to Joe Herrmann and Rose Ullrich Herrmann on July 25, 1936 in the Jovita Building in San Antonio.
  • Eddie grew up in the Jovita Building that was built by his grandfather, Lucius Herrmann, a baker by trade, and Tony Rachel, with help from his father, Joe, and his aunt, Margaret Herrmann Kirch, who were teenagers at the time. The family lived upstairs, with businesses downstairs.
  • Eddie had several siblings: Margaret Herrmann Beaumont, Paul Herrmann, Rosemary Herrmann, Joseph Herrmann, Barbara Herrmann Sessa, John Herrmann, Mary Sue Herrmann Keenan and Gregory Lucius Herrmann.
  • Eddie started school a year early at St. Anthony School and skipped a grade. He graduated when he was 16 from St. Leo College Prep School.
  • Eddie married Mary Patricia “Patsy” Miller on Oct. 19, 1955. Their 62nd anniversary was just two days before Eddie died. The couple’s five children are: Michael Joseph Herrmann, Amy Herrmann Greif, Larry Herrmann, Laura Herrmann Bailey and Eric Herrmann.
  • After finishing high school, Eddie worked for his dad’s Saf-T-Gas Company, but eventually bought the Culligan Soft Water Business from his dad and raised his kids in ‘Culligan Kindergarten,’ with the children riding around with him for years in his big truck, as he serviced his route. His wife, Patsy, was the bookkeeper.

This biographical information was supplied by Margaret Herrmann Beaumont, Eddie’s sister.

By Madonna Jervis Wise

Published November 1, 2017

Development coming by Lexington Oaks

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New development is headed to vacant land fronting the Lexington Oaks subdivision.

The Pasco County Commission approved a change to the county’s comprehensive land use plan, and a zoning amendment, to allow for the development of a residential and commercial project at Lexington Oaks Boulevard and Wesley Chapel Boulevard.

The boulevard is within the wider Wesley Chapel area, at the epicenter of new growth in Pasco. Lexington Oaks Boulevard is the entry into the Lexington Oaks residential community.

Specialty Restaurants Corp., proposes to build up to 200 apartments or condominiums and retail, north and south of Lexington Boulevard at Wesley Chapel Boulevard. The road is the entry into Lexington Oaks subdivision. (Kathy Steele)

The California-based developer, Specialty Restaurants Corp., proposes to build up to 200 apartments or condominiums and 300,000 square feet of retail. An assisted living or independent living facility could be constructed, too.

Developers worked with the Lexington Oaks Homeowners Association on issues related to interconnections with existing roads, and roads internal to the proposed development.

This proposal replaces one previously considered by Specialty Restaurants that did not include a residential component.

“It would have been pretty much a straight retail project,” said Clarke Hobby, the attorney representing the developer.

Development will happen north and south of Lexington Boulevard, under the names of Lexington Oaks Plaza North and Lexington Oaks Plaza South. An approximately 5-acre parcel in the southern portion was carved out of the project to potentially be developed separately.

The southern parcel is about 46 acres; the northern parcel about 23 acres.

Internal roads and driveways within the south parcel and the separate 5-acre parcel will have connectivity to Lexington Oaks Boulevard. There also will be access to Progress Parkway at Wesley Chapel Boulevard, which has a traffic signal.

This would just be the latest new development in the area.

Wesley Chapel Boulevard is dotted with subdivisions, such as Stagecoach, Cypress Estates and Grand Oaks.

It is a major corridor linking to State Road 54 and State Road 56 to the south, and the rapid commercial and residential development at that intersection.

Tampa Premium Outlets and Cypress Creek Town Center are adding to the retail sector. New hotels are open or are under construction. An apartment and retail development called Brighthouse Crossings is under construction behind the Walgreens drugstore, near the same intersection.

As more development emerges, Pasco is preparing to widen Wesley Chapel Boulevard.

Cypress Creek Town Center developers recently completed road widening immediately north of the State Road 54 and State Road 56 intersection.

Future county plans call for widening Wesley Chapel Boulevard to a six-lane divided roadway, with additional traffic signals. Some segments of Wesley Chapel Boulevard to the south are two lanes, but the roadway at Lexington Oaks is four lanes.

The widening will extend to just north of Magnolia Boulevard.

Bike lanes, a median, sidewalks on the eastern side of the boulevard and a multi-use trail also are included in the road design.

Published November 1, 2017

Seeking to improve Zephyrhills’ code enforcement

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The city of Zephyrhills is taking a hard look at its code enforcement policies — in an effort to maintain property values and make the community more desirable.

According to City Manager Steve Spina, that starts with taking “a holistic view” on the issue.

“When people come to visit, they need to drive through town and see a vibrant commercial business community, a vibrant downtown,” Spina said. “People are going to move a business here and look at the schools, the recreation and the quality of life issues — and if they’re driving from the airport to somewhere else, and it’s not a pretty picture, they don’t stay.”

This image, shown during an Oct. 23 council meeting, provides an example of some of the compliance issues on code enforcement. The city of Zephyrhills is analyzing ways to beef up its code enforcement efforts, in hopes of maintaining property values and making the community a more desirable place to live. (Courtesy of City of Zephyrhllls)

During a regular Oct. 23 meeting, the city manager and building inspector Bill Burgess delved into the city’s code enforcement efforts — outlining progress and limitations, along with various initiatives and solutions.

Alan Knight, council president, several weeks ago requested an update on citywide code enforcement issues, citing growing concerns about blighted structures and dilapidated communities.

Attacking the problem head-on is a continuous battle, city officials say.

“A lot of times, code enforcement is two steps forward, three steps back,” Spina said.

“Over the last five to six years, there’s been action, but sometimes it’s just hard to keep up with the level of problems that we face,” Spina said.

Burgess concurred: “We have seen a turn a little in the wrong direction, and it’s a little harder to stay ahead of it than it was in the past.”

City staffers this year have made more than 900 code-related contacts, completing 35 mowing and abatements, which has led to issuing $2,400 in citations and $750 litigation. There’s also been one demolition and two neighborhood cleanups.

From 2011 to 2016, Zephyrhills had 36 demolitions and collected $85,000 in mowing fees and abatements, and liens and administrative costs. Additionally, city staff made more than 7,200 contacts with residents and business owners related to code enforcement issues.

That includes Funk Street, formerly a notorious “drug haven,” south of town. In a span of two years, the city removed 34 trailers and cleaned the site up entirely.

But, addressing similar run-down parts of the city has proven to be a challenging and time-consuming task.

The issues, city leaders say, continually are tied to changes in demographics, drug infestation, cheap housing conditions and mental health issues, among others.

Lack of adequate funding and resources is another issue.

Zephyrhills building inspector Bill Burgess updated council members on the city’s code enforcement efforts. He indicated issues have become more widespread over the past year or so, due to several different factors. (Kevin Weiss)

The city’s Building Department has six employees. It had five in 1991.

The code enforcement division has one full-time and one part-time employee, each able to make five contacts to 10 contacts per day.

Local and federal funds for demolitions of blighted structures also have recently dried up.

“We’re back on our dime,” Burgess said.

Meanwhile, legal procedures in repairing blighted structures often delays code enforcement efforts.

“It can be a lengthy process, just to get one house or one property done,” Spina said.

“When you do make contact, it’s not just simply you go up and knock on a door. Sometimes you have to go back, write letters, do research. It’s time-consuming,” Burgess added.

“It seems easy…but, if they don’t (respond) or if they’re not accepting of that, then we have to go through that whole process, where there’s a lot of time involved,” he said.

Spina noted the city continuously deals with repeat violators, some of whom have been to court or have been jailed before.

“We’re dealing with the same people, over and over. We’ve had people that we’ve put in jail and they’re back out, and there’s no resolution to the problem,” Spina said.

The city also has some absentee landlords and revolving tenants, plus cheap rental rates throughout the city, that contribute to the problem, Spina said.

The city is ranked fourth nationally in affordable housing.

“That’s a good thing for different communities, depending on economic and social conditions, and job opportunities, but it also can be a negative,” Spina said.

In light of ongoing struggles, Spina outlined several initiatives to try to solve code enforcement issues “from a number of different ways.”

Some of the ideas he presented, include:

  • Planning for CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) funding to help with neighborhood blight
  • Toughening up city ordinances, to include citing rental owners, as well as tenants, for code violations
  • Consulting with other communities, such as New Port Richey, on their code enforcement plans
  • Utilizing Zephyrhills Police reserve officers, once the reserve program is re-established, to assist with related code enforcement matters
  • Developing an in-house demolition program
  • Continuing with neighborhood cleanups to assist in removing household trash, debris, appliances, tires and so on
  • Adding staff to the code enforcement division

The formation of an interdepartmental intelligence committee, coordinated by the Zephyrhills Police Department is one step that’s already been taken.

The task force — involving police, utility workers, public works employees, Planning Department, Community Redevelopment Agency — places more people on the streets to look for issues, and watch for abnormal behavior and suspicious activities.

Spina noted it’s already netted several arrests since the summer.

“We see how it’s working. It’s a key element of what we’re doing, and it shows the need also for interdepartmental cooperation and how well people work together,” he said.

The city’s lien forgiveness program and neighborhood cleanups also have netted encouraging results, Spina said.

More staffing for the code enforcement division, however, garnered the most attention—and support—from the council.

“Personnel is the key to this,” Mayor Gene Whitfield said.

Council president Alan Knight also suggested taking “a serious look” at staffing, considering the city’s impending growth — like the development of 1,500 new homes.

“I think our code enforcement people are doing a real good job. It’s just a massive job,” Knight said.

Councilman Lance Smith, meanwhile, suggested a “more aggressive” comprehensive plan on code enforcement.

The plan, he said, would specifically identify programs, staffing needs and technological opportunities, to be implemented sometime next year.

“We need to look at it really seriously,” Smith said. “I’d say right now maybe we’re treading water, but if we’re not going to do more, then we’re going to be underwater.”

Published November 1, 2017

Woodland Elementary gets $12 million makeover

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The signs of construction are everywhere at Woodland Elementary School, at 38203 Henry Drive in Zephyrhills.

The beeping sounds of equipment backing up fill the air, as crews from Wharton-Smith Inc. Construction Group move about, working on a new building that’s going up on campus.

Andrew Simpson is the project coordinator for Pasco County Schools, overseeing the $12 million makeover project at Woodland Elementary School. (B.C. Manion)

The 25,274-square-foot building includes eight classrooms, a music room, an art room, a stage, a cafeteria and a kitchen, said Andrew Simpson, project coordinator for Pasco County Schools.

Architectural plans by Furr & Wegman indicate a cafeteria designed for about 376, which will be used for school lunches, and will have a stage for school performances.

The $12 million project also includes remodeling work.

The old cafeteria and kitchen will be converted into four new classrooms and a science, technology, engineering and mathematics lab, Simpson said.

“It already has the plumbing. It already has the drains. It already has the electrical capacity,” he added, during a recent walk-through at the construction site.

Beyond the new building, other differences that parents, students and staff may immediately notice are the new entrance that the school will have when it opens for the fall 2018-19 school year, as well as new signs, a longer car rider loop and a larger administrative suite.

Restrooms are being updated, too.

Work on the new building will be completed by July, Simpson said.

The remodeling work will be done before classes begin in the fall of 2018, he added.

A worker digs in a hole behind the new classroom building being added at Woodland Elementary School.

A quick look around the current campus reveals scores of portable classrooms — a sure sign that Woodland’s enrollment exceeds its capacity.

Built in 1976, the school was designed for 652 students. Its enrollment now stands at around 950 students, but it has exceeded 1,000 in recent years.

“This school is severely over capacity,” Simpson said. “That was a lot of the reason that the school board decided that we needed to try to add capacity.”

With the additions, the school’s new permanent capacity will be 900 students.

The new building will add 176 student stations and the renovation will yield 72 more, according to Furr & Wegman’s plans.

The project also calls for enlarging the administrative area, while shrinking the space devoted to the school’s media center.

With the advent of digital technology that can be used in classrooms, the media center is not being used the same way it used to be, Simpson said. So, a portion of the media center will be converted into space for the new administration suite.

Work has been proceeding well, without any major surprises, Simpson said.

Hurricane Irma slowed down the project, but that time has been made up, he added.

“The labor is our biggest challenge. There’s so much going on,” he said, noting a billion-dollar renovation project at Tampa International Airport “is eating up labor.”

Published November 1, 2017

Video production class: Seeing life through a different lens

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Students in the first period class in the Academy of Digital Video Production program at Wesley Chapel High School seem to have a clear idea of what they need to do, and when they need to do it.

Jillian Choinski is acting at technical director, switching between camera shots. (B.C. Manion)

They take their spots in the control room, behind the cameras, seated at the anchor’s desk, or standing near a wall — to film that day’s WCAT daily morning news.

Occasionally, there’s a problem with a camera, or they need to reread line, but the students are focused, and, within a few minutes they’re done.

Filming the daily newscast is just one of the myriad ways these students get to learn the ins and outs of video production, according to Stephanie Bertig, who oversees the program — which is the only one of its type in Pasco County Schools.

The Academy aims to teach students how to property frame and shoot video, as well as become certified on either Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro editing software, Bertig said.

Those skills will have value to the students, regardless of the profession they pursue, she noted.

Besides the daily news, students also get to create music videos, commercials, public service announcements and short films, said Bertig, now in her third year at Wesley Chapel High.

During the recent filming, 17-year-old Justin Taylor was acting as senior producer, ensuring the production team and anchors were on track.

He said he initially enrolled in the program to get a fine arts credit out of the way.

“I ended up just loving it, so I’ve been doing it ever since,” said Taylor, who is now considering a career in the film industry, either in directing or editing.

The program has taught him how to analyze what he’s seeing on television, or in a film.

Steven Richardson and Amelia Defilippis work in the control room during a recent taping of the WCAT daily news show.

He’s learned in the class, for instance, how “most shots will change every 3 (seconds) to 7 seconds.”

He explained: “You change shots to keep it fresh.”

He enjoys creating videos, and said the most challenging aspect is deciding what kind of video to shoot.

“Really the difficult part is not creating a video, it’s planning a video. Writing the script, writing the storyboard. The pre-production is kind of the difficult part,” he said.

He said he knows how to complete those tasks. The challenge is deciding what to feature in a video, given the vast array of possibilities.

Sixteen-year-old Montel Roundtree, a junior, delivered the sports and lunch news during the recent taping.

Roundtree, who lives in Land O’ Lakes, said he enrolled in the program because he’s interested in stop-motion animation.

“That’s what I plan to do,” he said.

He attends Wesley Chapel High on school choice and is glad to be in the Academy.

“I think it’s an amazing program. I have certainly learned a lot, and it’s fun, really fun,” said Roundtree, who said he’s not related to Reginald Roundtree, the anchor on WTSP 10 News.

Seventeen-year-old Peter Politano, of Land O’ Lakes, handled the floor manager duties during the taping.

He gives the Academy high marks.

“I feel like it’s one of the backbone programs of the school,” said Politano, who is glad to be part of it.

“I like being creative. I like expressing my thoughts through videos. No other class does that except for TV production,” he said.

Junior Jillian Choinski hopes to pursue a field that will allow her to use the skills she’s developing.

“I want to do something behind the scenes, not in front of the camera,” she said.

Seventeen-year-old Billy Criqui, of Wesley Chapel, was working one of the cameras during the taping.

He enjoys being part of the program. “It’s so different from everything else that they have here,” he said.

Peter Politano, is floor manager and Billy Criqui works a camera during taping of the WCAT daily morning show.

Sixteen-year-old Christabel Yonly, of Wesley Chapel, was in charge of the weather report that day.

She enjoys the class, but doesn’t expect to pursue a career in video production. However, she does want to get her certification in the Adobe products.

Like some others in the program, 16-year-old Steven Richardson originally wanted to get a fine arts credit.

“But then I started to really like it because I get to express my creativity,” said Richardson, of Wesley Chapel.

Seventeen-year-olds Austin Edwards and Ricky Perez are both interested in careers that are related to what they’re learning now.

“Every time I watch TV now, all I can think about is what shot they have. The rule of thirds they have. Their head room. What they did to get the shot,” Edwards said.

“I’ve been told a lot, ‘If you do what you love, then you never have to work a day in your life.’ So, hopefully, I can start doing something like this,” he said.

Perez is interested in a career that involves shooting news packages.

He enjoys being part of the Academy.

“I think it allows you to be creative with your decision-making. It allows you to work with a team,” he said.

Perez also enjoys his classmates: “You can make friends here. It’s awesome.”

Seventeen-year-old Amelia Defilippis has been taking television production since middle school. She thinks the program instills important traits, such as self-reliance and responsibility.

For 17-year-old Ariana Shiwbalak the program is just the beginning of reaching her goal to be a broadcast journalist.

She said she knows that the media has been labeled as purveyors of fake news, but she wants to help change that.

“I love it with a passion,” she said.

Being an anchor makes her nervous, but she said that’s OK.

“You know how when you’re at the top of a roller coaster? You’re scared to go down. But, once you go down, it’s a really good feeling. That’s basically how it is,” Shiwbalak said.

Award-winning videos:
Pasco County Sheriff’s 2017 competition: Colton Bierly and Robby McLaughlin
2016 Kinder Vision — The Greatest Save — Teen PSA: First Place, ‘Gone’ by Amelia Defilippis and Sean Portillo
McDonald’s of Tampa Bay’s Classroom FUNds 2016 Contest: Emily Lorentsen and Faith Mercer

Published November 1, 2017

Imagine charter school needs growing room for programs

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Imagine School at Land O’ Lakes is experiencing growing pains.

Classrooms are full.

The gymnasium is a part-time lunchroom.

The school’s solution is to build a two-story wing off the rear of the gymnasium, adding about 13,000 square feet of space.

Imagine Charter School in Land O’ Lakes will open a new, two-story expansion in August 2018 to accommodate school programs, and add a dedicated lunch room.
(Kathy Steele)

The expansion provides enough room for seven classrooms and a dedicated lunchroom.

The goal is to open the new extension by August 2018.

The lunchroom café and a teachers’ lounge will be on the first floor. Additional rooms will be on the second floor. The rooms can be used as classrooms, if needed, but their primary purpose is to house programs, such as band or makerspace.

Enrollment is 775 students, just a handful short of the school’s goal of 800 students. While the school has a waiting list, the expansion isn’t about increasing enrollment.

“We just need extra workspace,” said Imagine Principal Aimee Williams.

The gymnasium is transformed into a lunchroom daily, and then cleared out.

That’s not a big problem during the school day, Williams said.

“It’s more for the sports and afterschool programs that makes it difficult to swap out,” she explained.

A pre-application meeting with county planners was held on Oct. 23.

Details on the project are being worked out prior to construction.

This year, the school will graduate its first class of eighth-graders who began at Imagine in kindergarten.

Imagine opened nearly a decade ago in a business park in Ballantrae. The move to its current location, at 2940 Sunlake Blvd., came in 2012. The school’s charter extends to 2028, following a fifteen-year renewal in 2013.

Teachers are STEAM-certified. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics.

The school received an A grade from the state for 2016-2017. It educates students from kindergarten through eighth grade, who come to the public charter school from Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, New Port Richey, and even Hillsborough County.

The school has won accolades.

Imagine received the 2016 Promising Practice Winner by Character Counts. In 2015, it was runner-up in the National School of Character competition by Character Counts, and a runner-up for National School of the Year by Imagine Schools.

Imagine is owned and operated by an affiliate of Imagine School Non-Profit Inc., which has schools nationwide.

It’s a point of pride that the Land O’ Lakes campus is part of the Pasco County community, the principal said.

“We definitely feel we are part of Pasco County and want to add whatever we can to the community,” Williams said.

Published November 1, 2017

Zephyrhills council approves fire assessment fee study

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The City of Zephyrhills may be adding fee assessments, as a reliable measure to boost the city’s general fund and support operations.

The city council unanimously approved a study analyzing the impact of a fire assessment fee, during a regularly scheduled meeting on Oct. 23.

City Manager Steve Spina said a fire assessment fee — placed on individual property owner parcels throughout the city —would generate $1 million to $2 million annually toward the operation of the fire department.

It could also, at some point, result in a reduction of the city’s millage rate, he said.

“It’d be very similar to the Municipal Servicing Tax Unit that the county does,” Spina said.

The assessment study, performed by Stance Consulting, will provide the city with a detailed model for the development of a 10-year financial plan.

The cost for the development of the fire assessment study is $33,384. Implementation assistance ($8,500) and outside legal sub-consultant fees ($6,330) bring the cost of the program to about $48,000.

Spina acknowledged the program is “pricey,” but noted it could also be utilized if the city wanted to assess a stormwater fee in the future.

Last month, the city passed a Resolution of Intent informing residents and the Pasco County Property Appraiser and Pasco County Tax Collector offices that fee assessments are being considered.

In other action, the city council approved a three-year agreement with current City Attorney Matthew E. Maggard.

The term, which runs through Oct. 21, 2020, will pay Maggard $135 per hour for the first year and $150 per hour for the final two years. The contract also requires the city to pay a minimum fee of $700 per month as a retainer.

Attorney services were rendered at $125 per hour all of last year.

Maggard has served as the city’s attorney since last August, when he took over for Joseph A. Poblick, who stepped down to serve on the Pasco County Court.

Maggard also is an attorney with the law firm of Hersch & Maggard P.A., in Dade City and Zephyrhills.

He said the service fee for the first year of the contract is fair, noting “there are still some things in government work that I’m still learning to navigate, that will take a little extra time.”

“I think I’ll be a little more qualified and a little more experienced after one more year,” Maggard said.

The city manager, meanwhile, spoke positively of Maggard’s services to Zephyrhills over the past year.

“I’ve found him to be very informed, probably the most professional and agreeable city attorney to work with. He works with all the staff. He’s easy to get a hold of,” Spina explained.

Council members expressed similar feelings regarding Maggard and his expertise.

“He’s done a very professional job ,” councilman Charles Proctor said. “Anytime I’ve ever had any questions, if he didn’t answer the phone, he promptly called me back with an answer. I believe we’ve got a good guy here.”

“I could tell right from the (job) interview that I was going to like him,” councilman Ken Compton said. “He’s been nothing but professional, on the spot, very easy to get along with, and very accurate and very assertive and proactive with what he’s done.”

Council vice president Lance Smith added he’s glad the city has hired a local attorney “who provides a professional service to the city.

“Hopefully we can stick with him for quite a while. Hopefully he doesn’t get tired of us,” Smith said.

Published November 1, 2017

New retailers open at Tampa Premium Outlets

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Tampa Premium Outlets has added four new retailers, and four more will open in time for holiday shopping season, according to an announcement from Dancie Perugini Ware Public Relations.

Tampa Premium Outlets is adding new retailers to its shopping directory, including Pop Cult. The store sells posters, gifts, figurines and accessories. (Kathy Steele)

The four new recently opened retailers are Volcom, Pop Cult, Green Mango and Happy Dough.

  • Volcom designs, markets and distributes board sports-oriented items, including clothing, footwear, accessories and related products for young men and women. It is open in Suite 638 near Under Armour and PacSun.
  • Pop Cult sells mid-20th century and early 21st century global mainstream items such as posters, gifts, figurines and accessories. It is open in Suite 938 near Steve Madden.
  • Green Mango serves up fresh cups of mango, with a twist. Customers can get their treat with a hint of lime, chili powder or simply freshly peeled. It is in a kiosk outside of Market Hall, near Auntie Anne’s.
  • Happy Dough scoops edible gourmet cookie dough that is safe to eat, has no preservatives and can be baked. It is in a kiosk near Under Armour, and across from PacSun.

The four other shops that are coming in the fall are Bath & Body Works, Finish Line, Candy Barrel and Lavender Nails & Spa.

  • Bath & Body Works offers personal care products. White Barn will open in conjunction with Bath & Body Works. It offers diffusers and home décor. Find both at Suite 860.
  • Finish Line offers top brands in footwear, clothes and accessories. The shop is opening in a new space in Suite 830, near American Eagle Outfitters.
  • Candy Barrel is a candy emporium with sweets and treats from old-fashioned hard candy to flavor nerds. It will open in Suite 420 near Guess.
  • Lavender Nails & Spa is a full nail and spa salon that will open in Suite 430, also near Guess.

The new arrivals add an eclectic mix of merchandise and sweet treats to the mall’s store directory.

Nearly 100 name-brand shops offer daily savings on merchandise of about 25 percent to 65 percent.

The outlet mall is at 2300 Grand Cypress Drive, off State Road 56, at the Interstate 75 exit, in Lutz.

For information, visit PremiumOutlets.com/tampa.

Published November 1, 2017

Academy at the Lakes creates bold vision for the future

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Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, Academy at the Lakes is taking a long view — and making some big plans.

While specifics are still a work in progress, the school envisions the creation of a third campus on 47 acres it acquired in 2013 from the MacManus family, of Land O’ Lakes, according to Mark Heller, head of school.

Mark Heller, head of school at Academy at the Lakes, said work is underway to plan for Academy at the Lakes’ future. He’s excited about the possibilities.
(B.C. Manion)

The private, independent school in Land O’ Lakes, at 2331 Collier Parkway, has an enrollment of 450 students, from preschool through grade 12. Besides Land O’ Lakes, its students come from New Tampa, Wesley Chapel, Lutz, Trinity, Spring Hill, Dade City, Hudson and Holiday, New Port Richey, Westchase and Odessa.

It now has campuses on both sides of Collier Parkway.

The third campus would be off 20 Mile Level Road, on land that is undeveloped, except for the former MacManus family home.

Plans for that third campus include athletic facilities, a new lower division school for grades kindergarten through fourth grade, and an environmental sciences education area.

It also would include the infrastructure that’s needed to support those facilities, Heller said.

The site off 20 Mile Level Road offers an exciting opportunity for environmental learning, Heller said.

Entering that site, Heller said, “you travel through a beautiful Florida wetland. A cypress swamp, water, wildlife, a beautiful canopy of trees.

“We aim for that to become an environmental science education area,” he said, adding that Academy at the Lakes’ vision includes classrooms and boardwalks, and perhaps an observation tower.

It would be a place, Heller said, “where, not only the children from Academy at the Lakes can learn to be good stewards of this gift of the fragile ecosystem,” but children from other schools would be able to attend environmental programs, too.

This banner communicates the message that Academy at the Lakes aims to convey to its students, staff and faculty.

The site is just off State Road 54, in a rapidly developing area in Land O’ Lakes.

“When you’re here at Panera and RaceTrac, you’re in the heart of suburbia. You go 200 yards up 20 Mile Level Road and you’re in Old Florida. What we want to do is preserve this as Old Florida and use it as a community educational tool,” Heller said.

There’s also the possibility of using some of the school’s land at that site for a first-rate aquatic swimming center, with an Olympic swimming pool, he said. “We’re looking at partnering with someone else.”

Other potential plans include work at the school’s existing campuses.

There’s talk of expanding the school’s early childhood center. And, moving the lower division would allow the school to increase its middle and high school enrollments.

Other potential plans include adding a new robotics and technology center, adding a Maker Space and making other campus improvements, such as a quadrangle in front of McCormick Hall, Heller said.

Heller expects the school to begin moving on some, or all, of these ideas within the next few years, but said there’s no specific timetable or cost estimate available yet for the school’s future expansion plans.

Published November 1, 2017