Local News

Lacrosse fundraiser rescheduled to March

November 23, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

The PascoLax Harley Jam, organized by the Pasco County Lacrosse Alliance (PCLA), has been rescheduled.

The event, originally slated for Dec. 3, will take place on March 25, from noon to 6 p.m., at the Concourse Rotary Pavilion, 15325 Alric Pottberg Road in Spring Hill.

The shindig, which organizers intend to hold annually, will feature a rock/country concert and a reverse raffle.

The Pasco County Lacrosse Alliance’s PascoLax Harley Jam has been rescheduled to March 25. The event will take place from noon to 6 p.m. at the Concourse Rotary Pavilion, 15325 Alric Pottberg Road in Spring Hill. (File Photo) — The Pasco County Lacrosse Alliance’s PascoLax Harley Jam has been rescheduled to March 25. The event will take place from noon to 6 p.m. at the Concourse Rotary Pavilion, 15325 Alric Pottberg Road in Spring Hill.
(File Photo)

Concert performers include three Tampa-based bands: Soul Circus Cowboys, Jaded and Phoenix. The grand prize to be raffled off is a choice of either a 2017 Harley-Davidson SuperGlide, or a $20,000 cash prize.

Tickets for the concert/raffle are $100, while concert-only tickets are $10 per person.

Only 2,000 tickets — 1,000 raffle and 1,000 general admissions — will be sold.

Food trucks and other vendors will be present, and 98 Rock will provide a live remote from the concert.

All net proceeds from the benefit will help the PCLA provide funding for several Pasco County high schools to offer boys and girls lacrosse programs.

Sunlake, Mitchell, Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass Ranch high schools will offer club lacrosse programs, for the 2017 season.

Anclote, Land O’ Lakes and Zephyrhills high schools, meanwhile, are expected to form boys and girls lacrosse programs, for the 2018 season.

The PCLA, a nonprofit organization, is also assisting the transition of the programs from a club-level sport to a Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA)-sanctioned sport, beginning with the 2018 spring season.

Eric Handman, fundraising director of the PCLA, said the fundraiser will help subsidize the expenditures to operate each school’s boys and girls lacrosse programs.

“It costs a lot to fund a team,” Handman said, “when you consider refereeing fees, bussing, field use, goals and equipment.”

David Mazursky, president of the PCLA, told The Laker/Lutz News in September that he estimates equipment and operational costs for the lacrosse organization will total about $15,000 per school. Whatever funds aren’t covered through sponsorships will trickle down to players in a “pay-for-play” model.

According to its website, the PCLA is looking to set the registration fee in the same arena as Hillsborough County’s, which decreased from $390 to $320 over the past three years.

“The goal is eventually to get the pay-to-play fee more reasonable,” Handman said.

For more information, visit PascoLaxHarleyJam.com or PascoLax.org.

Published November 23, 2016

Giving thanks, not only on Thanksgiving

November 23, 2016 By Diane Kortus

Because we publish on Wednesday, and Thanksgiving is always on Thursday, this is the one week of the year that I’m guaranteed that my column lines up perfectly with what’s on the minds of readers.

And that, of course, is reflecting about what we’re most thankful for.

Like most of you, my greatest thanks is being with family to create new memories, reminisce about old times and talk about the future.

Diane Kortus, publisher of The Laker/Lutz News, poses for a photo with her daughter-in-law, Erin Mathes, her grandson, Connor and her son, Andy. (Courtesy of Diane Kortus) — Diane Kortus, publisher of The Laker/Lutz News, poses for a photo with her daughter-in-law, Erin Mathes, her grandson, Connor and her son, Andy.
(Courtesy of Diane Kortus)

My family actually celebrated Thanksgiving a few weeks back, because my niece was married in Gainesville earlier this month. After the wedding, my daughter, Rachel, and my son, Andy and his family, came to Land O’ Lakes to celebrate an early Thanksgiving dinner.

Because Andy lives in Appleton, Wisconsin, and Rachel is a graduate student in Tallahassee, distance has prevented us from celebrating Thanksgiving together in three years.

I took a few days off to cook, and even tried some new recipes. (I should have stuck with sweet potatoes and marshmallows, instead of the new healthy version I made.)

No matter the age, children love tradition, right down to green bean casserole with French’s fried onions and Publix pumpkin pie.

And, because my kids were home for several days, I also stocked my kitchen with some of their favorite childhood foods, including mint chocolate chip Klondike bars, Cinnamon Toast cereal and calorie-laden eggnog.

As young adults, my children are conscientious of their diet, and mostly eat healthy foods.

At least that’s true until they’re home with Mom.

It was amazing how quickly they found their favorite childhood foods in the pantry and freezer.

It was fun to watch Andy introduce his 1-year-old son, Connor, to his first Klondike bar. Believe me, that little guy caught on very quickly to the pleasures of mint ice cream covered in frozen chocolate.

Andy left home for college 10 years ago, and has not lived in the Tampa area since then. But, whenever he visits my home, he delights in discovering household items from his childhood he hadn’t thought of for many years — such as my retro-orange silverware organizer that has kept my spoons, forks and knives separated since before Andy was born. And, there are the holiday platters and bowls I received as wedding gifts 32 years ago, which only come out of the buffet once or twice a year.

Andy excitedly showed these “family heirlooms” to his wife, Erin, who I’m sure was grateful there was no room in their luggage to bring back any of these family treasures to Appleton.

That’s fine with me because I’m still attached to many of these items. They may be 30 years old, but there is no need to replace them.

Besides my family, I am thankful for so much more. I’m blessed to own this newspaper in an expanding local economy. I am grateful to have so many supportive advertisers and readers, and to have employees who are also my closest friends. I am also thankful for Vic Anthony, who came into my life five years ago, and for our two dogs, Buddy and Travis.

Tomorrow I will celebrate Thanksgiving with Vic’s family in Alabama — my second holiday dinner in three weeks.

Once again, I will reflect about the many blessings in my life. And it is my hope, that no matter how, where or when you celebrate the holiday that you, too, have people and memories to cherish.

Published November 23, 2016

Guiding Pasco County Schools is a big job

November 23, 2016 By B.C. Manion

As Kurt Browning begins his second term as superintendent of Pasco County Schools, he knows he’s got his work cut out for him.

He found that out during his first term.

The superintendent of Pasco County Schools poses in the livestock barn at the Pasco County Fair. (Photos courtesy of Pasco County Schools) — The superintendent of Pasco County Schools poses in the livestock barn at the Pasco County Fair.
(Photos courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

“I tell people, I have not worked as hard in my adult life as I have this past four years,” said Browning, who directs the daily operations of Florida’s 11th-largest school district.

The 58-year-old quickly added: “Although I’ve never worked this hard, I’ve probably never done anything as fulfilling.”

Elected without opposition, Browning oversees an organization with 88 schools, 73,340 students and 9,954 employees.

When he came on board, he said he assumed he’d be able to accomplish change faster.

“I’ve always been able to effectuate change pretty quickly,” said Browning, who previously served as Florida’s Secretary of State and Pasco’s Supervisor of Elections.

In Pasco County Schools, though, he found that change has been incremental, rather than sweeping.

He likens it to turning a big ship.

And, he acknowledges, it hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing.

Kurt Browning, superintendent of Pasco County Schools, bends his 6-foot-2 frame to get down to eye level with these children at Fox Hollow Elementary School.

For one thing, Browning said he also had to learn to work alongside the elected Pasco County School Board.

“That was a tough adjustment for me,” Browning said, adding that he hasn’t always been perfect on that score.

“I think there has been a board member or two who has pulled me aside and said, ‘You really need to communicate better. You need to keep us more informed,’” the superintendent said.

It’s a lesson he’s taken to heart: “I still make decisions, but I’ve got to remember that I’ve got a school board out there, and they’ve got a role,” he said.

When issues arise now, Browning aims to keep school board members in the loop.

For instance, the school board met in executive session on Nov. 15, so the staff could brief them on the impasse declared on Nov. 11 by the United School Employees of Pasco.

A learning curve of his own
The superintendent also had to develop a deeper knowledge of education issues.

“The first year and a half, it was a challenge,” Browning said.

Browning takes a Selfie during a graduation ceremony for Fivay High School. He never tires of ceremonies that honor students who have completed the necessary requirements to graduate.

Now, he can discuss educational issues facing the district and potential impacts on students, but said he’s no expert on education.

So, he said, he surrounds himself with “highly qualified, competent people — passionate people” he can turn to for the information he needs to make decisions.

The district faces big challenges.

“July 8th was not a good day for me. That was the day that the school grades came out. School grades dropped,” Browning said.

The district’s rank also dropped, from 33rd in the state to 39th.

“We’ve got to see some improvement,” Browning said. “We cannot continue to teach kids the same way we did 25 years ago, because it’s just not working.”

At the same time, it’s important to remember that good things are happening around the district, Browning said.

“You can go into kindergarten classrooms and see kids doing things independently that are just mind blowing,” he said.

He’s also impressed by the number of graduates receiving scholarships every year, and the schools the students plan to attend and their planned areas of study.

Browning understands that people judge schools by their school grade, but he said, it doesn’t tell the whole story.

Kurt Browning tours Quail Hollow Elementary, which was converted from an ‘open’ school to one with traditional windows, walls and doors.

“It doesn’t show all of the caring teachers, the caring administration. It doesn’t show all of the activities and the support that those folks give to the kids in those schools,” he said.

Still, it’s problematic when the district is drawing new school boundaries, Browning said.

At public meetings on proposed boundaries, it’s common for parent to resist sending their child to a school that has a lower grade.

That issue is likely to surface more often, as the district grapples to accommodate Pasco County’s burgeoning growth.

Work is now underway to recommend school boundaries for Bexley Elementary and Cypress Creek Middle/High School, which are set to open next fall.

As new subdivisions pop up across the landscape, the district will need more schools.

“We can’t build schools fast enough,” Browning said, pointing to the residential growth along the State Road 54 corridor, from Meadow Pointe Boulevard to Little Road.

But, the district doesn’t have the money to build more schools, Browning said.

A potential solution would be to raise school impact fees, which the superintendent favors.

That issue is expected to heat up in the coming year.

The Pasco County Commission sets the fees, which apply to new residential construction.

Social media is double-edged sword
Aside from its facility needs, another challenge facing the district is the pervasive misuse of social media.

Social media can be a great tool for sharing information, but its use can quickly spin out of control, Browning said. “It’s like a fire. You just can’t put it out.”

The consequences for misusing social media can be serious, and parents need to be vigilant about how their kids are using technology, Browning said.

“I have done everything but knocked on the doors of houses and said, ‘Know what your kids are doing.’ The last thing you want to have happen is for your kid to go and post something on Twitter about shooting up a school, blowing up a school.

“It’s going to be on the record for the rest of their life,” Browning said.

In reflecting on his first term, Browning said one area where the district has made considerable progress involves the expansion of educational options.

Four years ago, the district essentially had the International Baccalaureate program at Land O ‘Lakes and Gulf high schools, he said.

Now, it has an elementary magnet school at Sanders Memorial Elementary.

Pine View Middle School is an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme Candidate School.

The district has the Cambridge Program at Pasco Middle School and Pasco High School, and it has converted Centennial Middle and Bayonet Middle to S.T.E.M. magnet schools.

It also has added an Aviation Academy at Sunlake, Hudson and Zephyrhills high schools.

The district also is eyeing the possibility of bringing Cambridge to Paul R. Smith Middle, and Anclote High School and San Antonio Elementary. And, it is considering an IB elementary program at Pine View Elementary.

Browning’s days are busy. At any given time, he may be visiting a district school, discussing a budget priority at a school board meeting, or joining the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office at a news conference. He’s also been known to pose for a photo in the livestock barn at the Pasco County Fair.

Perhaps his favorite thing, though, is sitting on the stage during district high school graduations.

It never gets old, Browning said.

He looks out on the sea of “hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of graduates” and thinks about their accomplishments.

“These are all kids who have met their requirements,” the superintendent said.

“I’m sitting there saying, ‘Wow, really, this is good stuff.’”

Published November 23, 2016

Land O’ Lakes gets a new brewery

November 23, 2016 By Kathy Steele

In the Loop Brewing is ready for beer lovers to belly up to the bar.

The craft brewery, in a renovated two-story house, and an outdoor beer garden, along the shores of Lake Padgett, is the setting for the newest addition to the craft beer scene in Pasco County.

In the Loop Brewing co-owner Joe Traina pours a beer at the Land O’ Lakes brewery. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos) — In the Loop Brewing co-owner Joe Traina pours a beer at the Land O’ Lakes brewery.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

It is the dream-come-true for three friends who spent weekends in a garage on Cherbourg Loop, brewing beer that got kudos from friends.

Now, Mark Pizzurro, Peter Abreut and Joe Traina are inviting the neighborhood to share in the hoppy pleasures of craft brew at In the Loop, at 3338 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

“It’s been a good, solid opening,” said Traina. “We’re meeting neighbors and making new friends.”

On a recent afternoon, Traina poured brews for first arrivals to In the Loop.

“It’s amazing and exciting to have a local place that harkens back to the old-fashioned bar,” said Steve Flom, who was visiting family in Land O’ Lakes. “Everybody wants a place like Cheers, where everybody knows your name. Joe knows our names.”

Beer-brewing friends Mark Pizzurro, left, Peter Abreut and Joe Traina have opened In the Loop Brewing at 3338 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

The journey from renovations to opening day took nearly two years of entanglements in bureaucratic red tape. Licenses and approvals to brew their own craft beer brands just arrived.

Within a month of so, five In the Loop brews will be on tap, with more to come. First arrivals will be an IPA, a vanilla espresso porter, a Vienna lager and a pale ale.

Pizzurro is the brewmeister. He served an internship at Big Storm Brewing in Odessa.

Abreut is a former firefighter who owns Crossfit En Fuego, located next door to In the Loop. He focuses on the brewery’s marketing.

Traina deals with sales, and they all handle bar duties.

For now, beers on tap include local and Florida-based brews such as Funky Buddha and Sunshine City IPA.

A wooden deck at In the Loop Brewing overlooks the shores of Lake Padgett in Land O’ Lakes.

Looking for something different? Try a Swedish cider in a tall, cool glass.

But, the In the Loop brews aren’t the final touch for what the partners see as a slow, deliberate introduction to the neighborhood.

More is to come.

A staircase from the tasting room to the second floor eventually will open into a special events room.

Before that can happen, though, a second exit must be installed to meet county building and safety codes.

In the moment, however, guests can enjoy the bar, and a tasting room with dark concrete floors and a brick chimney. Old-style suitcases, cut in half, jut from a wall and serve as drink rests. Outside, the patio and a wooden deck roll out toward Lake Padgett, with peaceful views of the lapping waters.

Games of Jenga and corn hole are at the ready for friendly competitions.

“We want it to be a good time to kick back and relax,” said Traina.

Published November 23, 2016

Zephyrhills bans fracking

November 23, 2016 By Kathy Steele

The City of Zephyrhills has banned fracking, a controversial practice of extracting oil or natural gas.

The Zephyrhills City Council voted unanimously to prohibit the use of land for hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, within the city’s limits.

In taking the action, the city is following the lead of other Florida municipalities.

The City of Zephyrhills banned fracking on Nov. 14. (File Photo) — The City of Zephyrhills banned fracking on Nov. 14.
(File Photo)

The council’s vote received an ovation from representatives of several environmental groups who were present at the Nov. 14 meeting.

Several Pasco County residents spoke in opposition to fracking, a process of pumping chemically treated high pressure water into a drilled pipeline to break through rock formations to tap into oil or natural gas reserves.

Janice Howie, conservation chairman for the Nature Coast Native Plant Society, called the Zephyrhills fracking ban “a really bold initiative.”

“I don’t think any good comes from fracking,” said Howie, “especially not here in Florida with our aquifer.”

“People in Florida don’t want fracking,” said Pat Carter, a Dade City resident and member of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs.

“A big problem with fracking is what to do with that polluted water. There’s just no safe way to dispose if it,” Carter said.

The Zephyrhills ordinance says that fracking wastewater, or “flowback,” contains several known contaminants, including naturally occurring radioactivity, heavy metals, hydrocarbon and brine.

Fracking typically uses anywhere from 30,000 gallons to up to 13 million gallons for each drilling operation, the ordinance reads. It also notes that much of Florida’s water supply comes from aquifers in highly permeable limestone formations, which are “vulnerable” to hydraulic fracturing activities.

“I find the idea of fracking in any place in Florida to be alarming,” said Nancy Hazelwood, another Dade City resident. “We should not be doing anything that would possibly avenge our water resources that are so fragile as it is now, especially here in Zephyrhills. Why take the chance on anything that would endanger our water resources?”

Carl Waldron, of Dade City, added that fracking’s perceived economic benefits “isn’t worth the risk.”

Waldron added: “We have many basic needs, and one is clean, accessible water.”

The Dade City Commission unanimously passed an antifracking ordinance in August.

In other business, the council unanimously approved a first reading ordinance to impose a temporary moratorium on the opening of any new cannabis dispensing facilities. If passed on the second reading, the moratorium would expire Nov. 13, 2017.

Florida voters recently approved Amendment 2, which inserts language into the Florida Constitution allowing those with cancer, HIV/AIDS, epilepsy and a host of other conditions to use marijuana, if it is recommended by their doctor.

Zephyrhills’ city attorney Matthew Maggard said he advocated for the moratorium because marijuana laws are “changing so rapidly.” He added the city also needs time “to research the various land use and zoning requirements” related to the amendment.

“We can put an outright ban on it because it’s still federally illegal. I think it’s a good idea to just put a hold on this,” said Maggard.

City manager Steve Spina, agreed, saying: “We thought it was in the best interest to look into it, and then plan on how we think the dispensaries would fit into Zephyrhills.”

Published November 23, 2016

Career educator joins Pasco County School Board

November 23, 2016 By B.C. Manion

The newest member of the Pasco County School Board believes the perspective she brings to the board will aid in its deliberations.

Colleen Beaudoin, a career educator, said her background in the field, coupled with the experiences she’s had as a mother of children in the system, will help her to ask the right questions when issues come before the board.

Colleen Beaudoin, who joins the Pasco County School Board this week, thinks her background as an educator and as a mom of a student in the district, will equip her well to ask pertinent questions in her new role. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Colleen Beaudoin, who joins the Pasco County School Board this week, thinks her background as an educator and as a mom of a student in the district, will equip her well to ask pertinent questions in her new role.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“I didn’t set out with this goal of being on the school board,” said Beaudoin, who was unopposed in her bid to replace Joanne Hurley. Hurley, who has served eight years on the board, retired from her post this week.

Beaudoin said she felt encouraged to run because of some experiences she’s had in the past couple of years.

“In the spring of 2015, there were two different things going on,” she said.

“My youngest has Tourette’s Syndrome,” she explained. “I started getting involved with the national association. I’m on the educational advisory board. That was when the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was up for reauthorization,” she said.

She encouraged people to write their lawmakers.

“People responded. I started meeting with different people, advocating for kids,” Beaudoin said.

“At the same time, there were some changes at the (Pine View) middle school that I was concerned about,” she said.

That was when Pine View was getting ready to seek to become an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme Candidate School.

“It’s a good program,” Beaudoin said. “I was concerned about the implementation of the program.

“I had some questions. I went to the school board meeting, just as a mom, and spoke and was well received. We had meetings. We worked together with the school. I felt like I was able to make a positive impact,” she said.

“Then, I found out that Joanne Hurley was not going to run again. I spoke to her and started asking more questions and talking to different people. A lot of parents that I’ve known in the community said, ‘You should do this.’

“So, I started looking into it more,” said Beaudoin, who has two sons who are graduates of Land O’ Lakes High School and one son who attends Pine View Middle.

“I think it’s helpful that I bring that perspective to the board — of a parent with a student that is currently in the system,” Beaudoin said.

After she decided to run, Beaudoin began regularly attending school board meetings and workshops.

“I know I still have a lot to learn, but I know it’s been a luxury to have this time to prepare myself,” she said.

As she assumes her seat on the board, Beaudoin has identified some key issues she wants the school system to address.

She’d like to see better communications between the district and families.

“I think we have a lot of great programs in Pasco County, and parents don’t know about them. We’ve got to make sure that people can make informed decisions about their children,” she said.

She’s not sure exactly what should be done, but one possibility might be to hold information nights in each of the county’s three areas to give parents a chance to come and learn about the wide variety of programs the district offers, she said.

“We have all of these Career Academies now. We have magnet programs. We have magnet schools. We have a lot to offer. I don’t know if everyone knows,” she said.

She said she is advocating for all students, to be sure the district keeps “the doors open as long as possible for kids to make choices and see what’s out there.”

As an educator who joined the teaching profession in 1988, Beaudoin said she knows what questions to ask. But she added: “Not everybody does.”

She thinks the district needs to provide additional support for classroom teachers.

“A lot of teachers are disheartened. They’re working really hard. We need to find a way to support them in the classroom,” she said.

“I want to see what we can do. We have got to do something so our teachers can focus on teaching our kids. We’ve got to see what we can take off their plates, so they can focus on teaching our kids,” she added.

She also like the district to work harder on identifying more gifted and talented students in its underrepresented populations. “I think a lot of kids slip through the cracks, and we need to make an effort,” she said.

“We need to inspire people. We need to inspire our kids,” Beaudoin said, noting, “I’m trying to focus on things that we really can do.

“I really want to get in there and speak up, and ask questions. I do know what questions to ask,” Beaudoin said.

Published November 23, 2016

Coca-Cola on tap at Florida Hospital Center Ice

November 23, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Coca-Cola Beverages Florida and Florida Hospital Center Ice are joining forces to bring Coca-Cola products to the soon-to-open ice hockey and sports complex in Wesley Chapel, according to a news release from Florida Hospital Center Ice.

Florida Hospital Center Ice will open in January 2017 with four ice rinks and a mini-rink. (Courtesy of Florida Hospital Center Ice) — Florida Hospital Center Ice will open in January 2017 with four ice rinks and a mini-rink.
(Courtesy of Florida Hospital Center Ice)

The iconic cola company and Florida Hospital reached an agreement for Coca-Cola to exclusively provide non-alcoholic beverages at the new facility, which is under construction at the Interstate 75 and State Road 56 interchange.

Construction is expected to conclude in December, followed by an official opening in January 2017.

Coca-Cola products include Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Sprite, Fanta, Powerade, Core Power and Dasani bottled water.

The exclusive rights for Coca-Cola prohibits competitive beverages, soft drinks, sports or energy drinks, water, tea and juices from the facility’s concession stand and the full-service restaurant – Top Shelf Sports Lounge – on the mezzanine level.

“Coca-Cola is such an iconic brand and so synonymous with sports, that we thought it was a natural partner for our new facility,” said Gordie Zimmermann, in a written statement.

Zimmerman is the complex’s managing partner, with Florida Hospital Center Ice.

Construction on the Florida Hospital Center Ice sports complex is expected to finish in December. (File Photo) — Construction on the Florida Hospital Center Ice sports complex is expected to finish in December.
(File Photo)

Florida Hospital Center Ice is billed as the largest sports facility in the southeastern United States. It is more than 150,000 square feet and offers four ice rinks plus a mini-rink.

Zimmermann’s company, Z Mitch LLC, invested $28 million in the facility. Florida Hospital is the facility’s major sponsor and naming partner.

The Tampa Bay Lightning is a program rink partner.

Advertising sponsors include Bright House Networks, Buffalo Wild Wings, DEX Imaging, RIPA Associates, Snyder Financial, Team Bohannon/kw, and The Toni Everett Co.

Center Ice will host national and international hockey tournaments and figure skating competitions, and is seeking sponsors for its special events.

For information, visit FloridaHospitalCenterIce.com.

Published November 23, 2016

Board member wants a school for the arts

November 23, 2016 By B.C. Manion

Alison Crumbley also wants more arts education, in general

As Alison Crumbley begins her third term on the Pasco County School Board, she has identified some key priorities that she wants the district to tackle.

“I would like to see for the entire school district — fine arts, performing arts … humanities, whatever you want to call it, enhanced.

Pasco County School Board member Alison Crumbley, beginning her third term, wants the school district to have a greater emphasis on the arts. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools) — Pasco County School Board member Alison Crumbley, beginning her third term, wants the school district to have a greater emphasis on the arts.
(Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

“We had to cut out a lot of that my first year on the board because of that $55 million shortfall. I don’t feel we ever put them back to what they were, plus I don’t feel like they were strong enough in the first place, for me,” Crumbley said.

She’s also pushing for a magnet school for the arts, and she knows the ideal spot.

“We have a River Ridge facility already there. We don’t have to move a wall,” she said.

“It’s time. It’s just time,” Crumbley said.

“I know the parents want it. The kids want it,” she said.

Crumbley said she’s even been approached by potential partners from the community, that have resources, who want to be involved.

“I have that interest. I feel like Pasco County, in general, has lacked in the arts,” Crumbley said.

Students benefits from a strong arts curriculum, Crumbley added.

“It’s about tapping into kids’ creativity,” she said. “It helps them to calm down, think about things in a different way. Life should not just be about the test.”

“Everybody needs the arts,” Crumbley added.

“Whether it’s singing, dancing, performing on a stage in theater — any of it. You’re finding out more about yourself, and you’re finding out more about what you can do,” she said.

The arts can also help students build self-confidence, she said.

The school board member also wants to work on tapping into Pasco County’s wealth of “human capital.”

She wants the district to do a better job of matching up people who are willing to volunteer their expertise, with teachers and other staff members who can benefit.

“Ever since I’ve been on the board, I’ve had people say to me, ‘I want to help with this. I want to help with that.’” Crumbley said.

“Our teachers are overloaded,” the school board member said. “They’re getting more and more work dumped on them. They just do it. Most of them just do it.”

Helping to reduce the burden may be as simple as getting a volunteer to read to students, while a teacher grades papers or completes other work, the school board member said.

“You’ve got retirees from every walk of life that want to help. They know that there’s a lot of need,” Crumbley said.

It also helps children to see that grownups are willing to help, Crumbley added.

Crumbley said she’s been pleased to see the dedication and resourcefulness “of the vast majority of the district’s staff.”

On another front, Crumbley would like to see improvement in the way the district communicates with parents — both in the way it delivers information and also in the way it solicits feedback from parents, she said.

That’s true both at the district level and the school level, too, she said.

“We do have so many good programs in the district now. I just want to be sure that all of the kids and parents are knowledgeable,” she said.

“I just want to be sure that we’re reaching them with all that we have available,” she said.

Making that happen, Crumbley said, may require additional manpower.

Crumbley said she was drawn to serve on the school board because she’s always been interested in children’s issues.

Crumbley was initially elected in 2010, when Kathryn Starkey vacated her school board seat to run for the Florida Legislature.

Crumbley was unopposed when she ran in 2012, and was unopposed when she ran for another term.

“Having raised three kids that came through Pasco County Schools, I just felt like there was some work that could be done. Your community is only as good as your schools,” Crumbley said.

Published November 23, 2016

New tennis center on tap for Zephyrhills

November 23, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

Pasco County residents longing for greater tennis opportunities soon will have that wish granted.

Todd Vande Berg, planning director for the city of Zephyrhills, unveiled plans for a two-story, outdoor tennis facility, designed to United States Tennis Association (USTA) standards.

The Zephyrhills City Council gave Vande Berg a consensus to proceed with an engineered site plan and an architect plan, at its Nov. 14 meeting.

The facility, presently known as the Zephyrhills Tennis Center, will be located on 4.7 acres of donated land at The District at Abbott’s Square, a new real estate development situated north of Dean Dairy Road and west of Simons Road.

This rendering of the Zephyrhills Tennis Center shows 10 courts (eight clay, two hard surface), three mini-courts and one exhibition court. The tennis center is also expected to feature a pro shop, a multifunctional community room, and two office spaces. A second level, if added, will contain an observation deck, players lounge, and concessions. (Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills) — This rendering of the Zephyrhills Tennis Center shows 10 courts (eight clay, two hard surface), three mini-courts and one exhibition court. The tennis center is also expected to feature a pro shop, a multifunctional community room, and two office spaces. A second level, if added, will contain an observation deck, players lounge, and concessions.
(Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

The estimated $2.19 million project will likely include 10 courts (eight clay, two hard surface), three mini-courts and one exhibition court.

The tennis center is also expected to feature a pro shop, a multifunctional community room, and two office spaces.

A second level, if added, will house an observation deck, players lounge, and concessions.

The facility was initially expected to feature a “50-50 mix” of five clay and five hard surface courts. However, the USTA advised Vande Berg to plan for additional soft surface, clay courts.

“Most people prefer playing on a soft court,” Vande Berg said. “Wherever you go now, most courts in Florida are going with a majority clay courts.”

Though ground has yet to break on the forthcoming project, the planning director has already received several inquiries for its use.

“A lot of interest is out there,” Vande Berg said. “I’ve gotten calls from people in New England who want to run the facility. We have colleges asking if it’s going to be available this summer for training.”

The facility, too, opens the door to hosting local and regional USTA-sanctioned events.

“We could bring in some pretty good sized tournaments,” Vande Berg said.

“It will be an economic draw for not only Zephyrhills, but all of Pasco County,” he said.

“You could bring in probably 50 to 100 kids and their families that would be staying the weekend to play in tournaments,” he added.

Vande Berg said the tennis center will be funded over the next two fiscal years. He noted that recreation impact fees from The District at Abbott’s Square and other developments should total about $2.13 million, all but financing the entire project.

Other possible funding sources include: USTA grants, Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) grants, Penny for Pasco, and partnerships with Pasco County Parks and Recreation, and Pasco County Tourism.

“This isn’t a city of Zephyrhills project. This is a countywide project,” Vande Berg said. “There’s going to be a lot of countywide people using this facility.”

Memberships will be required to access the facility, though Vande Berg indicated that prices will be “more economical” for Zephyrhills residents, compared to non-residents.

“We need to fully vet that aspect out,” he said, “to see exactly what our community is comfortable with…”

Vande Berg and City Manager Steve Spina have sought direction from other tennis facilities in nearby communities, including Auburndale and Plant City.

The eight-court Cindy Hummel Tennis Center, in Auburndale, has yearly memberships ranging from $107 to $240, for unlimited court access. Meanwhile, the 10-court Plant City Tennis Center offers individual annual passes for $350, and family annual passes for $700.

In east Pasco, many residents have pleaded for additional tennis facilities and programming.

During a May open house at the Alice Hall Community Center in Zephyrhills, several residents told The Laker/Lutz News the foremost reason they use Zephyr Park is because of its tennis courts.

One east Pasco resident, Fred Hall, was particularly vocal about the subject. “The single most used thing in (the) park is the tennis courts,” Hall said, in May. “Those are used in the morning from 7 a.m., until the lights go off at night. Seven days a week.”

Published November 23, 2016

Digital billboards illuminate controversy

November 23, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Stand-alone, static billboards litter the highways and roadways across Pasco County despite a 17-year-ban on permitting new billboards.

Dismantling and removing many of these outdoor signs is a longstanding goal of county officials who want to reduce what they view as visual blight on county roads.

But, in a high technology world, the wave of the future is illuminated digital billboards that flip through multiple advertisements in seconds, and at night, illuminate the skyline while motorists zip by.

Owners of outdoor advertising companies are hoping to strike a deal with Pasco County commissioners to swap out some static billboards in return for installing a smaller number of digital billboards.

But, working out a formula for the trade-off is proving to be difficult.

On a 3-2 vote on Nov. 9, the Pasco County Commission decided to postpone a decision on the proposed ordinance for 30 days to allow additional negotiations.

Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey took a tough stance on the matter — while commissioners Mike Moore, Jack Mariano and Mike Wells Jr., favored the delay.

“I think you guys are being played by a savvy industry,” Starkey said. “Why do we have to give them everything they want?”

The ordinance, if approved, would amend an existing one that bans new billboards. It also would add rules for companies seeking to convert static signs to digital ones.

The proposed formula is based on total square footage, not billboard structures or sign faces. It would result in removing about 10 billboards for every digital billboard that is installed.

Industry representatives lobbied for a five-to-one ratio, which they say would make the swap-out profitable for their companies, including Clear Channel, OUTFRONT Media and The Champion Family of Companies.

County staff members previously backed off an initial proposal for a 14-to-1 ratio.

There’s also disagreement over the rotation cycle for advertisements. The county set a limit of 30 seconds, while industry representatives favor 8 seconds.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said industry input would be key to making the ordinance work.

“I would like to see some of your static billboards come down,” he said. “But, I don’t want to pass something and you’re not going to participate.”

County data shows there are 133 static billboards on U.S. 19.

The next highest count is on State Road 54, with 66 billboards, followed by U.S. 41, with 53; State Road 52, with 46; and Interstate 75 with 33. In total, the billboard structures account for about 172,000 square feet of advertising.

But, the 10-to-1 ratio just isn’t doable and could mean no static billboards will come down, said Tom O’Neill, local vice president for real estate and public affairs for Clear Channel Outdoors.

“I’m not saying you’re trying to be egregious, but you’ve got to get it closer to what we need,” he said.

Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader pointed out that it was industry representatives who pushed for the ordinance, not residents or chambers of commerce. He offered an 8-to-1 ratio compromise, but got no takers.

“I don’t know how this helps our local businesses,” he said. “To me it’s sort of the tail wagging the dog.”

Schrader suggested voting on the ordinance with the 10-to-1 ratio and giving it a chance to work.

He criticized industry representatives for missing a meeting with county staff to discuss the ordinance prior to the hearing. They did meet individually with some commissioners, he said.

“They chose not to lobby me, because they knew I couldn’t be persuaded,” Schrader said.

Wells Jr., who supported the delay, had a warning for industry representatives. “If you don’t meet with them (staff), I’m done, too,” he said.

The Nov. 9 commission meeting in New Port Richey was Schrader’s last meeting, after 16 years on the board.

His seat will be filled by Ron Oakley, who won the District 1 race on Nov. 8.

Published November 23, 2016