The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Here’s a healthy gift idea

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When it comes to the holidays, unhealthy choices abound.

But, there’s one gift that you can give that actually promotes good health.

Contrary to what some people believe, nuts are a heart-healthy food. Because nuts are high in fat and calories, some people exclude them from their diet.

Contrary to what some might believe, nuts can be heart-healthy despite their calories and fat content. The key is to eat them in moderation.
(Courtesy of Betsy Crisp)

But the fact is, nuts are good for you — when eaten in moderation, of course.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends 1.5 ounces of nuts, roughly equivalent to small handful a day.

That’s roughly equal to one-third cup.

Or, to be more specific, here’s the number of nuts in an actual serving: 36 almonds; 30 hazelnuts; 42 peanuts; 30 pecan halves; or, 70 pistachios.

Another option is 2 tablespoons of a nut-butter.

Technically speaking, nuts are a good source of protein so they can be used as a protein substitute.

They also are a good source of fiber, thiamin, niacin, folate, phosphorus and zinc.  And, they are a good source of Vitamin E, magnesium, selenium, copper, manganese.

Although they are high in fat, it is considered a “good” fats (mono & poly) and do not contain cholesterol. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in many kinds of fish, but many nuts are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Nuts with the highest antioxidant levels include: walnuts, pecans, peanuts, legume, pistachios, almonds, pine nuts and hazelnuts.

Choosing nuts instead of a less healthy snack may just help you stick to a heart-healthy diet.

Just portion the nuts into snack bags and store for later or take them with you for when get a “snack attack.”

Of course, you can’t just eat nuts and not cut back on saturated fats found in many other foods, such as dairy and meat products. That won’t do your heart any good.

Remember, too, if the nuts are covered with chocolate, sugar or salt that could cancel out the heart-healthy benefits as well.

Still, unless you are allergic to nuts, you can include nuts as part of your heart-healthy diet.

A bowl of unshelled nuts is still a holiday tradition for many.

You can prepare small baskets of mixed nuts to give as gifts (unshelled nuts keep longer than shelled nuts and cost less).  It might be fun to include a nutcracker, too.

Or, you could make a mix of roasted unshelled walnuts, pecans, almonds and hazelnuts (also called filberts).  If you are giving nuts as a gift, make sure that your recipient or any member of their family is not part of the 1 percent of Americans allergic to nuts, because they could experience reactions that can range from mild to life threatening.

Nuts contain oils, so eventually they will become rancid and have an off-flavor if they are kept at room temperature for an extended period of time. However, they will stay fresh for up one year in some cases, if they are stored in a tightly-sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer.

Betsy Crisp is an Extension Family & Consumer Sciences agent and a licensed dietitian for the University of Florida/IFAS. She is based in Pasco County and can be reached at .

Sugar-Free Roasted Almonds
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg white
1 teaspoon cold water
2 cups whole raw almonds

Directions:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, mix together the three spices and set aside.
In another large mixing bowl, whisk egg white and water until frothy.
Add almonds to large bowl, stir to coat well.  Add the spice mix and stir well, again to coat.
Spread on baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container or packaging as a gift.

Makes three cups.

Published December 21, 2016

Tree farm plays starring role in annual tradition

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The first thing you need to know about the Ergle Family Christmas Tree Farm is, you have to be going there to get there. Nobody leaves the house for a gallon of milk, or a package of screws, or to drop off a donation at the neighborhood church and comes home with an Ergle tree.

Visiting the Ergle Family Christmas Tree Farm provides a great photo op for the Webers, of Lutz. Shown here are Kyle, Kelly, Sophie and Aria, along with photographer Cortney Pieus.
(Tom Jackson/Photos)

No, unlike the neighborhood big-box retailer and those ubiquitous pop-up lots, experiencing Debbie and Tony Harris’ rolling 25 acres on U.S. 301 above the north bank of the Withlacoochee River — like yoga or a “Gilmore Girls” marathon — requires commitment.

Nonetheless, for 25 years — longer if you include the original Ergle farm, a converted citrus grove nearby founded by Debbie’s late father, Omar Ergle, the Pasco-Hernando Community College provost — seekers by the thousands have found their way to this out-of-the-way place in the country to retrieve their centerpiece symbol of the season.

Once there, visitors browse from a menu that includes choose-and-cut Florida-hardy species in the field, or familiar imports from Michigan and North Carolina — Scotch pines, Douglas firs, blue spruces, Fraser firs and more — turning the farm into nothing less than the region’s yuletide crossroads, where evergreens and old-fashioned seasonal merriment are dispensed in equal measure.

Breathe deeply, the sign says. They’re making oxygen.

Piper (in front), Vesper (in the wagon) and Kemper Streets have come from Lakeland to visit the Christmas tree farm.

“You have to give customers what they want,” says Tony Harris, silver hair under an ever-present ball cap, and in his experience, about 70 percent of them want trees from up north, even though they cost about 80 percent more (about $10 a foot versus $6 for farm-grown trees). “But, for an old Southern boy like me, going out in the woods to cut down a red cedar and haul it home — that’s Christmas.”

Similarly, for most of the spread’s customers, treating the experience not like just another hurried household errand, but instead like a time-honored ritual, seems to be what it’s all about.

“It’s a tradition,” says Wesley Chapel entrepreneur Ben Alexander, founder of Balloon Distractions. “Coming out here” — as he did with his wife, Rachel, and daughters Claire, 19, and Grace, 17, on a recent Thursday — “harkens back to a time when people did stuff with their families.”

For the Delaneys of Treasure Island — Pete and Paula and their 28-year-old daughter Amanda, plus leashed Pomeranians Nick and Gabby — tramping around with a bow saw in search of the perfect tree (while Pete preserves the day on a 12-year-old Sony video recorder), followed by a picnic lunch, defines the Christmas season.

For Susan Zygmont, 81, from Connecticut by way of New Port Richey, every bit of the experience, from the moment her son, Bob, picks her up until they’re back home, is an eagerly plotted adventure.

Debbie Harris holds a wreath. Among the reasons she has to celebrate is the fact that she’s a cancer survivor.

“On the drive out here, you see so many things you don’t ordinarily see,” Zygmont says, “and then on the way home, we always stop at a little diner in Brooksville. It’s tradition. It’s Christmas.”

Virginia Michael Tokyro, from just up the road in northern Ridge Manor, likes that Tony will cut the price on a potted tree — which she’ll use for Christmas, then plant outside — in exchange for fudge.

Then again, it’s not just any fudge. Family lore holds that a San Diego grandmother came into possession of one of the recipes used by Los Angeles-based See’s Candies, and they’ve been whipping it up, now, for four generations.

As it turns out, the farm isn’t just for picking out trees. Area professional photographers — among them Wesley Chapel High digital media specialist Cortney Pleus — are pitching the place as the ideal location for Christmas card portraits.

So, here came the Webers of Lutz — Kyle, a Wesley Chapel High School history teacher; Kelly, a Sand Lake Elementary assistant principal; and their daughters, Sophie, 5, and Aria, 3 — to pose in the slanting light piercing the farm’s Choctawhatchee sand pines.

“We’ve known Cortney a couple of years,” says Kyle Weber, “so when she tells us she’s found a great place for pictures, we believe her.”

Nick Speigle is handy with a saw.

Happily, for the Harrises, this time of year few things shout “Hallelujah!” more boldly than a ceiling-scraping evergreen erected in the family room.

“I knew it was going to be a good year,” Tony said on a recent hopping Friday night. It bears noting the man is the essential optimist, a Gibson Les Paul-strumming, Harley-riding, boat-driving, Jimmy Buffet-celebrating free spirit.

But, December brought upbeat news, even by Tony’s hopeful predisposition. Diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2014, Debbie’s recent follow-up biopsy revealed no traces of a recurrence. More important, she reports she feels terrific.

All that said, then, “How could it be anything but a good year?” Tony says. Still — and he rarely is one to reveal proprietary information — this one is feeling exceptional. “It could be a record,” he says.

Accordingly, he ordered a second delivery of more than 1,000 trees from his supplier in western North Carolina, whose mountaintop farm, though not threatened, is within sniffing distance of the recent, raging wildfires.

More than 1,000 newly cut trees? In the second week of December? From a guy whose crew’s work is occasionally interrupted based on the wind direction?

As Alexander, the Wesley Chapel balloon guy, says, “It’s the holiday for love, the holiday for joy.”

This year, especially, those who come to bathe in the full Ergle experience are rewarded with both.

Tom Jackson, a resident of New Tampa, is interested in your ideas. To reach him, email .

Published December 14, 2016

Spreading cheer, and cuddly bears, at Christmas

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A Land O’ Lakes mom recently led an effort to help less fortunate children by making stuffed bears and other animals at Build-A-Bear Workshop at The Shops at Wiregrass.

“I made an event on Facebook,” said Cindy Ross, whose business RP&G Printing, is in Wesley Chapel.

Cindy Ross, of RP&G Printing in Wesley Chapel, welcomes guests to a fundraiser at Build-A-Bear at The Shops at Wiregrass. The fundraiser was originally started by her daughter as a service project.
(Mary Rathman/Staff Photos)

“I asked people to come build a bear. Bring their kids, bring their family. Just have fun building a bear that they’re willing to donate,” she said.

She also announced the event through The Laker/Lutz News.

Twenty-seven people came out to build stuffed animals and 11 others who couldn’t come donated money.

The volunteers made a total of 70 bears and other animals with a total estimated value of more than $1,100, Ross said, expressing gratitude for all of the help.

The people at Build-A-Bear Workshop were fantastic, she said. And, the volunteers were great, too, she added.

“A lot of the people I’ve met through the years — with my business and with the chamber and with my friends — this community is just truly amazing. I definitely want to say, ‘Thank you so much,’ to all these people. This would not have happened at all, if these people in our community, weren’t as giving and caring as they are,” she said.

Ross said she was inspired to organize the event by her daughter, Miranda, who originally came up with the idea when she was a student at Wesley Chapel High School.

Miranda thought it would be fun to create cuddly stuffed animals for kids who couldn’t make them for themselves, and she enlisted a couple of her friends, Cindy Ross recalled.

Barbara Wilson, Jennifer Crissey and Stephanie Vokes have their Build-A-Bear minions and bears in hand, ready to stuff.

“We did The Joshua House, and we had a pretty good turnout.

“So, she did it for two or three more years, up through high school,” Cindy Ross added.

Miranda and her friends made 55 bears during her senior year, before the young woman headed off to college to the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

A couple of years ago, Cindy Ross decided to revive the effort.

“I asked my friends, my neighbors, did a little event on Facebook.

“Two years ago, I did it, and we donated them to Farmworkers Self-Help. I want to say, I had maybe 20 bears or stuffed animals.

“I didn’t do it last year, but I decided this year I wanted to do it again.

Guests lined up at the bins to choose which animal to stuff and dress for the fundraiser at Build-A-Bear in Wesley Chapel.

“It’s something I would like to continue to do every year,” she said.

“I just felt, just really the calling,” she said.

The bears and stuffed animals will go to children who live in the areas of Wesley Chapel, Lutz, Land O’ Lakes and East Pasco, she said.

“There are so many people and kids in need, all over the place.

Some of the stuffed animals were delivered to Double Branch Elementary. Others will go to children of people being served by Sunrise of Pasco County Inc., Domestic and Sexual Violence Center, and also to other children in need at area elementary schools.

Cindy Ross said her husband, Kent, also pitches in.

The Wesley Chapel business woman said she plans to organize the event again next year, and she wants it come full circle.

She wants Miranda, who now lives in Jacksonville Beach, to get back into the act.

“I told her last night, ‘Definitely, next year when we plan this, we’re going to plan it on a day that you can be there. We’ll make it an annual thing, together.”

Published December 14, 2016

Boundary proposals draw fire

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The Pasco County School Board is in for a long meeting on Dec. 20, if parent meetings on proposed school boundaries are any indication.

Board members are scheduled to hold public meetings on school boundaries proposed for Bexley Elementary School, Cypress Creek Middle/High School and on rezoning changes affecting schools in West Pasco County.

Parents wore T-shirts to express opposition to Option 12, the option originally recommended for Cypress Creek Middle/High School.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

The board meets at the school district’s headquarters at 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Recommended boundaries for Bexley Elementary, which is being built in a new subdivision off State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes, appear to be the least controversial.

The proposed boundaries for Bexley would reduce crowding at both Odessa and Oakstead elementary schools, and would provide additional students for Lake Myrtle Elementary.

Controversy ratchets up when it comes to proposed boundaries for Cypress Creek Midde/High School, now under construction on Old Pasco Road.

The middle/high school initially will serve sixth- through 11th-grade students, and will add a senior class during its second year of operations.

Its proposed boundaries for Cypress Creek Middle/High affect Rushe, John Long and Weightman middle schools, and Sunlake, Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass high schools.

The atmosphere was like a pep rally during a parent meeting at Wesley Chapel High School on Nov. 29, to discuss the boundaries initially recommended by a boundary committee.

Speakers line up to express their opinions and ask questions regarding the proposed boundaries for Cypress Creek Middle/High School during a Nov. 29 parent meeting in the gymnasium at Wesley Chapel High School.

At that time, the committee was recommending that Meadow Pointe students be moved from John Long and Wiregrass Ranch, while Seven Oaks students be allowed to stay at those schools.

Now, the committee is recommending a different option.

“Instead of sending the Meadow Pointe folks, they’re sending the Seven Oaks folks to Wesley Chapel (High)/Weightman (Middle),” said Chris Williams, director of planning for Pasco County Schools.

The committee changed its original recommendation from Option 12, to Option 20. For more details, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us/planning/rezoning.

“It’s going to be interesting to see what the reaction is now,” Williams said.

In addition to changes affecting Seven Oaks and Meadow Pointe, the committee has recommended changes affecting students in the Rushe and Sunlake attendance areas.

The students moving from Rushe would go ahead and move next school year, Williams said.

But the Sunlake students, in the affected area, would be phased into the new high school, Williams said. Only the freshmen in the affected area would attend Cypress Middle/High School next year. The sophomores, juniors and seniors in that area would be grandfathered in at Sunlake.

So many people showed up to a parent meeting regarding the proposed boundaries for Cypress Creek Middle/High School that Chris Williams, director of planning for Pasco County Schools, could not face the entire crowd while giving his prepared presentation. He turned during portions of the presentation, to acknowledge the people behind him.

As the ninth-graders from the Sunlake area become sophomores, a new crop of freshmen from the affected area would move to Cypress Middle/High. Eventually, the phase-in will be completed.

That approach is considered necessary, Williams said.

“Because, essentially, if we move everything we say we’re going to move into Cypress Creek, Cypress Creek is going to be over capacity, right away,” he said.

Steps are needed to provide more capacity at Rushe and Sunlake because the schools are situated in high-growth areas, and they don’t have much space available to add portable classrooms, Williams said.

Phasing in Sunlake will create transportation problems, but the district also faces that issue when it allows seniors to be grandfathered to finish out high school, Williams said.

“It’s problematic, but it’s short term,” Williams said.

Williams said he cannot recall an instance when the district has grandfathered three grades at a school, but he said there is enough space at Sunlake to do that for now.

That’s different than the situation at Wiregrass Ranch High School, which has so many students it has been operating on a 10-period day to create additional capacity, the planning director said.

If the district just moved the ninth-graders from Wiregrass, it would have to remain on a 10-period day, he said.

Despite this year’s recommendations, Williams said it’s important for Meadow Pointe residents to understand there may be a day when not all of the community’s students will be able to go to John Long and Wiregrass Ranch.

“That (school zone) is going to have to continue to get smaller as more houses are built in Wiregrass,” Williams said.

Regardless of where their children are assigned, parents raised a number of issues during parent meetings.

They wanted to know the potential impacts to academic offerings and athletic opportunities. They voiced concerns about traffic hazards and hardships on children whose learning will be disrupted. Some parents also noted their children will be attending more than one high school because their siblings are seniors and are grandfathered in at their current high school.

School boundary hearing
When: Dec. 20, 6 p.m.
Where: Pasco County School boardroom, at 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
Why: New boundaries are needed to relieve overcrowding at some schools and to provide enrollment for others.
To be sure to have the most updated information, call (813) 794-2000, or visit Pasco.k12.fl.us/planning/rezoning/.

Boundary committees making recommendations on where the lines should be drawn for schools are asked to consider these factors:

  • Socioeconomic balance
  • School feeder patterns
  • Future growth and capacity
  • Transportation issues
  • Subdivision integrity
  • Planning integrity to provide stability

Boundaries for Cypress Creek Midde/High School
The new school, which will open initially for students in sixth through 11th grades, will affect the boundaries for Rushe, John Long and Weightman middle schools, and for Sunlake, Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass Ranch high schools.

 

Boundaries for Bexley Elementary School
Proposed boundaries for Bexley Elementary School would provide relief for Oakstead and Odessa elementary schools, and will provide additional students for Lake Myrtle Elementary.

Published December 14, 2016

Overpass Road could be widened

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Residents can review a proposal for improvements to Overpass Road at a public hearing on Dec. 15 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the First Congregational Church of Zephyrhills, 7900 Fort King Road in Zephyrhills.

Pasco County, the Florida Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration will host the event. Maps and related documents will be available for review.

There will be a formal presentation at 6 p.m., as well as opportunities, before and after, to offer comments and ask questions about the project.

Final approval for the project is expected by spring 2017.

Overpass Road currently is an east/west, two-lane road from Old Pasco Road to slightly less than a mile east of Boyette Road, where it ends.

The approximately nine-mile project would expand Overpass to a minimum of four lanes from Old Pasco Road eastward to U.S. 301, in Zephyrhills. A redesign would realign Overpass and connect it with Kossik Road.

In addition, a new interchange would be built to connect Overpass with Interstate 75.

“We need another exit,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore. “It’s that simple.”

Moore and other members of the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization received an update on the project during an MPO meeting on Dec. 8 in Dade City.

The interchange is the only portion of the project to have any funding. Construction costs for the interchange are about $64 million, but the county currently has about $32 million available.

Moore said about $15 million in state funding should be pursued to help make up the shortfall. And, Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano said federal funding also should be sought for road projects in light of President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to support infrastructure improvements nationwide.

Published December 14, 2016

Costco primed for February opening

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Costco Wholesale is heading toward a Feb. 8 opening of its new location in front of Tampa Premium Outlets, off State Road 56 in Lutz.

But, motorists can expect to fill up their vehicles at Costco gas pumps as early as Jan. 11.

Applications to the membership-only warehouse giant will be available on Jan. 10. Eighty to 90 positions are expected to be filled in coming weeks, according to Rosina Yeo, the general manager for the new merchandise warehouse, at 2225 Grand Cypress Drive.

Construction is in the final stages on the Costco Wholesale warehouse in front of Tampa Premium Outlets, off State Road 56.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

While those are the expected dates, they are tentative depending on construction, Yeo said, but she noted work on the 186,000 square-foot warehouse is in its final stages.

Landscaping will begin soon, and the parking lot is expected to be finished within the next two weeks, she said.

Yeo transferred from a Jacksonville Costco where she was assistant general manager. She worked for about two months at the Costco Wholesale in Brandon while waiting to relocate to the new store.

Yeo said shoppers in Brandon frequently asked about the opening date for the new store, and about jobs.

About 200 jobs will be filled in total, Yeo said, with about half from company-wide transfers and half from new hires.

Applications can be made online at Costco.com by clicking on the link for employment. Site visitors can type in their zip code to find details on available jobs and how to apply.

The first warehouse site with the Costco name opened in Seattle in 1983. The company later merged with Price Club, which had gotten its start in 1976 in San Diego.

The warehouse giant sells an eclectic mix of merchandise, including wine, clothes, gas, jewelry, electronics, tires, glasses, hearing aids, vacation packages, cars, home improvement services, hardware and pharmaceuticals.

Costco’s operating philosophy is to price low and sell in very high volumes. Shoppers also expect many items to rotate out weekly, giving them what Costco calls a “treasure hunt” experience for surprising and unexpected products showing up on store shelves.

 

Published December 14, 2016

Ron Oakley sworn in as Pasco County Commissioner

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Ron Oakley brings more than 50 years of business experience and a passion for public service to his new job as Pasco County District 1 commissioner.

Oakley was sworn into office on Nov. 29.

He replaced former Commissioner Ted Schrader who decided not to seek re-election and instead made an unsuccessful bid for property appraiser.

Ron Oakley received congratulations from Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano and Mary Lecznar, senior executive assistant for the Pasco County Board of Commissioners. Oakley was sworn in on Nov. 29 as commissioner for District 1.
(Photos courtesy of Richard K. Riley)

Though this is the first time Oakley has served as an elected official, he’s not new to public service.

He was appointed to serve on the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s board, and served as treasurer, vice chairman and chairman.

It was while serving on that board, Oakley said that he began “loving public service.”

Oakley, 71, is chairman of the Boys & Girls Club of Lacoochee. He also sponsors the annual John Anderson Benefit Concert in Dade City, with proceeds aiding local charities.

Oakley views elected office as a new way of serving, and he takes it seriously.

Before and after the election, he frequently could be found in the audience at commission meetings, listening and observing.

“I did that as preparation,” he said. “I’m very, very honored to be elected commissioner of District 1 and to serve the people of Pasco County.”

Oakley grew up in Dade City and worked in the family’s businesses, including cattle ranching, citrus growing and a truck transport business for liquid food products.
He sees his business experience as a plus in dealing with the county’s budgets.

Ron Oakley settled into his new office after being sworn in as Pasco County commissioner for District 1.

“I’m going to focus on everything as it comes up and try to do my best to come up with solutions,” Oakley said. “I’ll keep taxes down and be frugal with your money. It’s got to be used in the proper way.”

High on his list of priorities is road maintenance.

The county is about 13 years behind in addressing crumbling roads, he said. “It didn’t happen in one year or four years, but you have to start somewhere, and money is an issue.”

Expanding some two lanes roads to four lanes, and creating greater connectivity between east and west Pasco is important, Oakley added.

He supports extending Ridge Road, but also shares in the county’s frustrations over waiting years on a decision from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding permits for the project.

The 8-mile extension would provide an evacuation route during hurricanes or other emergencies, and would give the county another east-west connecting route.

The Connected City project also is on the commission’s agenda. In 2015 state legislators approved a 10-year pilot program which will focus on development of communities and new jobs utilizing cutting edge technology, including gigabit Internet speeds.

Ron Oakley took the oath of office as Pasco County District 1 commissioner from Matt Maggard, a Zephyrhills attorney and Oakley’s nephew.

Pasco County and Metro Development Group are partnering on initial projects within the boundaries of the Connected City. The total area covers about 7,800 acres in northeast Pasco, bordered by Interstate 75, State Road 52, Overpass Road and Curley Road.

Some residents within the Connected City have raised concerns that future developments will harm the rural character of their neighborhood.

Oakley said he supports the Connected City but, “I want to be very aware of what I’m voting on, make sure I study the issues.”

Flooding problems, which affects much of western Pasco, also need solutions. Oakley said he believes his service on Swiftmud’s board gives him a useful background in tackling the
matter.

The commission also faces tough decisions on solid waste, in particular the funding of an estimated $190 million expansion of waste-to-energy facility at Shady Hills. The facility burns trash to produce renewable energy.

Ultimately, everything comes back to the budget, and a conservative approach to what can be done, he said.

“We have budgetary restraints,” Oakley said. “Money is an issue.”

Published December 14, 2016

Learn about manatees, and maybe see some, too

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If you’re looking for something to do with out-of-town guests, want to take the family for a little getaway or simply would like to get close to nature — Tampa Electric Company’s Manatee Viewing Center may be just the place.

The center, now celebrating its 30th anniversary, is open each year from Nov. 1 through April 15.

Located at 6900 Dickman Road in Apollo Beach, the center attracts people from all over the world, said Yasmin McComber, an environmental specialist there.

“A lot of the locals love it. Then, the snowbirds come down, so they’ll be here, too. You have a lot of retirees — this is how they work out. They take our nature trail for an hour or two,” McComber said.

Manatee statues and informational signs help to guide visitors through the attraction.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

Last year, the center drew 277,000 visitors during the peak season for manatees. It expects its 5 millionth visitor in January.

Kimmy Smith, from Riverview, was there on a recent day. She wanted to show off the center to her mom, Pam Fattic, who was visiting from Pendleton, Indiana.

Smith said she’s visited the center on numerous occasions.

“I come all of the time when manatees are in season,” she said, noting she’s been there 10 to 15 times.

“Seeing manatees is hit or miss,” Smith said, but she estimates she’s seen one during about 80 percent of her visits.

It doesn’t bother her if she doesn’t see a manatee because there are other things, such as butterflies and a nature walk, to enjoy, she said.

Smith’s mom, who was making her first visit to the center, liked what she saw.

“It’s really pretty. I love this. It’s just beautiful. I didn’t expect it to be so big,” she said.

No matter how many times a person visits, the experience is never quite the same, McComber said.

“Every day, things change. It’s nature,” she said.

“People sometimes complain: ‘There’s no manatees,’” McComber said. But, that’s beyond the electric company’s control. The manatees come and go as they please, she explained.

“They started coming here in the mid-1980s,” she said, because of the warm water near the plant.

The Manatee Viewing Center is celebrating 30 years of operation.

When Tampa Bay reaches 68 degrees or colder, the mammals seek out this refuge, McComber said.

The discharge canal is a state and federally designated manatee sanctuary that provides protection from the cold for the manatees.

“Cold water comes in from the outside. It cools down our machinery, then it is pumped back (warm) into the water,” she explained.

The ideal time to visit is when it is between 50 degrees and 60 degrees outdoors, McComber said. “The air temperature is cold, and the water’s cold. They’re looking for warmth. The first two weeks in November were perfect,” she said.

Spotting a manatee can be tricky, she said. “You have to keep your eyes on the water.”

But, even if you don’t see a manatee, there’s a good chance you’ll see other interesting wildlife.

“You’re going to find fish. It can be a bull shark, a spinner shark or black-tip sharks. Then you have your black drum, your sheep head. You have your mangrove snappers, snook and tarpon,” McComber said.

And, there are fiddler crabs, mangrove snakes and other wildlife.

Visitors can get a closer look at Florida’s outdoors along the center’s nature trail, and they can hike the trail to gain access to the observation tower that is 50-feet tall.

Those wanting to visit the observation tower should be aware there are three flights of stairs and no bathrooms there.

But, there are benches, where visitors can rest, and those climbing the tower will be rewarded with a 360-degree view of the Apollo Beach area.

While the center has been open for decades, there have been some recent improvements, including the addition of a rays touch tank and additional restrooms.

Other highlights include an educational center, a gift shop, picnic areas and a butterfly garden.

Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center
When: Open from Nov. 1 through April 15. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The wildlife observation tower and habitat trails close at 4 p.m. daily. Closed at 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve and closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.
How much: Free admission and parking
Where: 6990 Dickman Road, Apollo Beach, 33572
Please note: Shoes and shirts required; service animals only. The center is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

For more information: Call (813) 228-4289, or visit TampaElectric.com/Manatee.

Manatee facts

  • Manatees have a thin layer of fat and can become cold stressed if they are in water colder than 68 degrees.
  • A manatee’s nostrils have valves that close while the animal is underwater. Manatees can hold their breath up to 20 minutes when resting.
  • Manatees are herbivores. Manatees eat up to 10 percent of their weight a day.
  • Manatees can travel up to 15 mph in short bursts. They can travel up to 50 miles in one day.

Published December 14, 2016

It’s beauty by design at Bella Home Market

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Bella Home Market — a new shop situated in Lutz — owes a lot to mother and daughter relationships.

Jennifer Wagner, owner of Bella Home Market, and her daughter, Sophia Wagner, the store’s assistant manager, are partners in a new Lutz store.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

Growing up in Wisconsin, Jennifer Wagner soaked up her mother’s do-it-yourself approach to interior design. She took on home remodeling projects and did them with style.

“I got my taste and flair from her,” said Wagner.

Now, she and her daughter, Sophia Wagner, are putting their talents together at Bella Home Market, a shop that brims with

eye-catching home décor and artwork for any room in the house.

Bella’s vibe is eclectic, from vintage chic to brand new.

The shop is a treasure trove for gifts, candles, soaps and scents, and also is a dealer for the Dixie Belle Chalk Paint brand.

The shop opened in June at Tropical Village Plaza, 1532 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., next to The Breakfast Nook.

Jennifer Wagner opened the shop after years of encouragement from her friends to take the plunge into retail.

Bella Home Market has gifts as well as paintings, sculptures and other home accessories.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Wagner)

She has a background in homebuilding, but also experience in staging homes — for family and friends — to make them more appealing to potential buyers.

“They told me ‘you have a knack for this’,” she said.

Her friend and founder of the Dixie Belle Paint Company, Suzanne Fulford, alerted Wagner to the vacant storefront at Tropical Village. The paint company is across the way at 1641 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

She immediately liked the “small town feel” of the plaza, with shops clustered around a courtyard.

“It was perfect,” Jennifer Wagner said. “I love this center.”

She brought her daughter, Sophia, into the venture as assistant manager.

Sophia Wagner is a sophomore at the University of South Florida, working toward a mass communications degree. Future plans might include film school or news broadcasting.

A table display at Bella Home Market is filled with eye catching colorful treasures for home decorating and gifts.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Wagner)

She took off a semester to help her mother open the store, but will be a full-time student again next year.

But, in her spare time, she will still be working at Bella Home Market.

One goal for the new year is to increase painting classes – featuring Dixie Belle Chalk Paint. Crafting enthusiasts can learn techniques to give furniture or other items a shabby chic look.

Bringing in new items to the shop is a year-round adventure.

Mother and daughter go on buying trips to Dallas, Atlanta and North Carolina, with an eye for one-of-a-kind items.

Tables, shelves and wall space are filled with mirrors, candle holders, railroad lanterns, jumbo-size Edison light bulbs, delicate metal butterflies, and replicas of farm tractors made from nuts, screws and bolts.

Among their finds also are paintings and sculptures by fair trade artists in places such as Haiti. But, national artists, including metal and 3-D vision sculptor Travis Burford, and local artist, Jessica Marcus, are represented, too.

“You support the community,” said Jennifer Wagner. But, she has another wish for the new year.

“I want to find more local artists.”

Holiday hours for the store in December are Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. The shop is open on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

To find out more, visit BellaHomeMarket.com.

Published December 14, 2016

Commissioners study up on medical marijuana

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A 22-year-old patient with debilitating seizures proved to Dr. Ron Aung-Din that medical marijuana is a useful, plant-based treatment for a wide array of illnesses.

The active ingredients in the marijuana plant – known as cannabinoids – significantly reduced his patient’s seizures.

“That was the beginning of my era of enlightenment,” said Aung-Din, a neurologist in Sarasota.

Aung-Din was among a panel of experts to share his experiences with medical marijuana with Pasco County commissioners during a two-hour workshop on Dec. 6 in Dade City.

Other speakers were Megan Stone, owner of The High Road Design Studio in Arizona; Chris Dunn, owner of Global Operations for Covered 6; Mark Janotti, an architect who designs dispensaries; Kim Rivers, chief executive officer of Trulieve, which was the first to open a Florida dispensary; and Ben Atkins, operations manager of Trulieve.

Stone, Dunn and Rivers participated via phone calls.

County commissioners are grappling with how to implement local regulations on medical marijuana.

Voters statewide overwhelmingly approved a Nov. 8 referendum to expand an existing medical marijuana program. Currently, a low-level form of medical marijuana, known as Charlotte’s web, is available to some patients with seizure disorders or late-stage cancer.

Within six months, the Florida Department of Health is expected to issue regulations that will allow treatment for more illnesses, and also allow more potent strains.

County commissioners were scheduled to have public hearings, and final votes, on three ordinances related to medical marijuana on Dec. 13, before The Laker/Lutz News’ press deadline.

They would restrict dispensaries to industrially zoned districts; set operating regulations for dispensaries; and, extend by one year an existing moratorium on the cultivation, production and dispensing of cannabis, the product used to make medical marijuana.

The current moratorium expires Dec. 31.

The workshop was part of ongoing efforts by commissioners to be schooled on all aspects of the medical marijuana industry.

There is a lot of misinformation about the subject, Aung-Din said.

Until 1937 when marijuana became illegal, the neurologist said, “Cannabis was very much part of traditional American medicine.”

The difference now, he said, is that “people are not getting their needs met (with traditional medicine).”

Stone offered commissioners insight into how dispensaries are operated. Her company has designed dispensaries including The Healing Center in San Diego and Minerva Canna Group in Albuquerque.

The Healing Center is a small storefront inside a medical building. Minerva Canna Group is one of several retail shops.

Their designs are upscale, sophisticated and professional.

“People are just dispensing medicine,” Stone said. “There is none of the drug culture element. We are serving all demographics. The shelves are not lined with joints.”

Stone said employees at these dispensaries typically would earn $13, $14 or $15 an hour.

That seemed like a high wage to Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore.

“They are not going to pay $15 an hour for those jobs in Florida,” he said.

Dunn gave commissioners perspective on security at dispensaries. He is a former undercover narcotics officer.

“The cash is always an issue,” he said.

Because marijuana is illegal under federal law, most banks don’t want to run afoul of federal regulations and won’t open accounts or make loans to people working in the marijuana industry.

That means most dispensaries operate with cash-only, which raises concerns for some about robberies and increased crime.

But, Dunn said, “The biggest problem is mainly internal theft.”

Nine out of 10 times, theft comes from inside the business, he added.

Trulieve was the first company to open dispensaries in Florida with one each in Tallahassee and Clearwater. The first medical marijuana delivery went to a resident of Hudson.

Rivers said she anticipated Trulieve would open five additional locations in the next months. Medical marijuana is available in capsules, tinctures (in liquid form), oral syringes and two types of vaporizers.

A topical specifically for skin cancer patients might be added in the future, she said.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey had concerns about people illegally obtaining identification cards to receive medical marijuana. She recounted stories from two people who visited California who said they were approached by strangers selling medical marijuana cards.

Atkins said Florida law makes it unlikely that could happen. The program is strictly regulated through the state’s electronic registry. Besides the doctor, only the dispensary and police officers can access the registry, he said.

Dosages expire after 45 days. Currently there are about 200 doctors who have qualified to approve medical marijuana, Atkins said.

“We don’t see that growing very much,” he added.

However, county commissioners expressed concerns about how to limit the number of dispensaries in Pasco.

“I’d hate to see these just everywhere,” said Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley.

Published December 14, 2016