The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Pasco to help homeless ‘navigate’ to better lives

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Pasco County is exploring a new program to address the needs of the homeless population. It would provide a one-stop location to provide shelter, and an array of services and resources for homeless individuals.

County officials are proposing to remodel two vacant buildings at 8239 Youth Lane in Port Richey, formerly the home of a Boys & Girls Club. Described as a “navigation center,” the site would be able to house up to 100 homeless people at a time, and be a central location for nonprofits and other agencies to provide “wraparound services.”

County officials provided Pasco County commissioners with a presentation on the program at the Oct. 24 meeting in New Port Richey. In a 4-1 vote, commissioners agreed to pursue the program, potentially as a 2018 budget item.

“It’s a chance to take a step forward. It’s a chance to give these people a hand up,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore. “One of the things you don’t see is a facility like this in Pasco County. We’ve got to move forward on this.”

The commissioner serves as chairman of a citizen’s advisory board with the Coalition for Homeless in Pasco County.

Estimates put remodeling costs for the vacant buildings at about $1 million. County officials plan to pursue state funding.

Annual operating cost would be about $600,000, with funds from public and private resources.

The program is modeled after one adopted in San Francisco. County officials also are looking at other programs, including ones in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.

About 4,500 people are homeless in Pasco, with about 800 chronically homeless. According to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, there are more than 100 homeless camps countywide.

Individuals stake out camps often in wooded areas all over the county, including west Pasco, Zephyrhills and Dade City, sheriff’s data shows.

Chase Daniels, assistant executive director of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, said, “Having one of these low-barrier shelters would be a game changer in Pasco County.”

Bob Dillinger, public defender in Pinellas and Pasco counties, said more than 30 percent of homeless in Pasco are children. Perceptions of homeless people often are wrong, he said.

“They want a job. They want a safe place to live,” Dillinger said.

One homeless camp at a time would be relocated to the navigation center where people can live while case managers from various agencies provide counseling, job training, health care and educational resources. The end goal is creating a pathway to permanent housing.

The location for the navigation center met with some opposition.

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano cast the lone vote against the proposal and lobbied in favor of the Mike Fasano Regional Hurricane Shelter in Hudson.

“I would like to see us doing a full look,” he said. “If there’s other alternatives, I want to look at those alternatives.”

The hurricane shelter already is equipped to accommodate groups of people, and has a full kitchen, he said.

Greg Phillips, chief executive officer of a nonprofit, Kids Kicking High, also asked commissioners to consider allowing his program to occupy the space at the former Boys & Girls Club. The program offers before and after school classes with a focus on martial arts, and is located off Little Road in New Port Richey.

Sandra Butler’s 8-year-old autistic son recently earned his white belt at Kids Kicking High. “That’s a big accomplishment for him,” she said. “This is a big need for our community.”

While county officials described the navigation center as being secluded, some area area residents expressed concerns during public comment that the navigation center would increase crime in their neighborhood.

County officials hope to dispel those concerns.

“The homeless are here,” said Cathy Pearson, the county’s assistant county administrator for public services. “It’s better to have a place for them than to have them loitering at your business or your lawn.”

Published November 9, 2016

Proposed Bexley Elementary boundaries raise concerns

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Parents raised concerns about potential impacts from proposed boundaries for Bexley Elementary at a Nov. 1 meeting at Oakstead Elementary School.

Parents raised questions about such issues as school choice, transportation and programming for the new school, which draws its name from a subdivision under construction off State Road 54, in Land O’ Lakes.

The new school, set to open in the fall, for the 2017-2018 school year, will provide relief for both Odessa and Oakstead elementary schools, which are operating well above capacity. Odessa is at 131 percent capacity, and Oakstead is at 144 percent. The proposed boundaries will also expand Lake Myrtle Elementary, an older school operating at about 80 percent capacity.

Some parents were dismayed at the likelihood their children will be rezoned to Lake Myrtle, a “B” rated school built in 1984.

This is what Bexley Elementary will look like upon its completion.(Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)
This is what Bexley Elementary will look like upon its completion.(Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

“I know their school rating isn’t as high as Oakstead Elementary,” said Sarah Davis, whose daughter will attend Lake Myrtle. “I don’t know much about it, so all I can do is my research online, and since it’s not as great as a school, my concern is that she won’t get the help that she needs that’s she’s already getting.”

Dave Scanga, area superintendent for Central Pasco schools, said Lake Myrtle is “a great school.”

“It is an older building,” Scanga said, however, he added, “in terms of the traditions that Lake Myrtle has had, for a long time it’s always been top-notch.”

“I think all of our schools are good,” added Richard Tonello, planning supervisor for Pasco County Schools. “Maybe grades aren’t a reflection of the school. You go to any of our schools, you’re going to see a great group of teachers, and they’re going to look after your child.”

Other parents expressed frustration over Bexley’s current unknowns, such as staffing dynamics and school schedule.

Scanga said potential teachers will be identified in March and April, after a new principal is named in December and assumes duties in February.

“A lot will happen once we get to February, and then it’s the (principal’s) job to let them play out the rest of the hiring and selection.”

He added: “As we get closer to the start of school, there will be all sorts of opportunities for people to come in, see the building and meet the people that are going to be in the building, too.”

Betsy Kuhn, assistant superintendent Pasco County Schools, anticipates several teachers from both Odessa and Oakstead to be reassigned to Bexley.

“It’s a very exciting opportunity for teachers to come in to open a new school, so we typically have a lot of interest,” Kuhn said.

“I think you’ll have a lot of interest from teachers outside our system, in our system, both experienced and new,” she added.

Sorting out transportation issues, too, was another focus of the hour-long meeting.

Scanga said bus routes will be reconfigured to accommodate the new school.

The Pasco County School Board provides free transportation to and from school for students who live more than 2 miles away from school.

Students who are selected to choose a particular school through open enrollment must provide their own transportation.

Pasco County’s school choice open enrollment period runs from Feb. 1 to March 1, for the 2017-2018 school year. Final determinations are expected around April or May. Extenuating circumstances and family hardships will also be considered, school officials said.

For example, students entering the fifth grade may have a greater chance to remain at their current school depending on the influx of school choice requests.

“It’s hard to make a decision until they know exactly how many students are requested,” said Chris Williams, planning services director for Pasco County Schools. “In every past experience, we’ve been able to accommodate fifth graders.”

“It’s a process we go through…to try to accommodate as much as we can,” he added.

Scanga said he understands the frustration from parents, especially those who deliberately moved to a particular community for their children to attend a certain school.

“School rezoning always catches many people off guard,” said Scanga, “and also in terms of not getting what we had planned for, or hoped for.”

Scanga also noted: “One of the challenges we have—and it’s unique—is just how fast the growth is happening right here on the 54 corridor. We’re like ground zero. Much of Florida, like much of the country, just doesn’t have this challenge…of how do we continually provide the best education to children in the best facility possible.”

Last month, a boundary committee recommended boundaries for Bexley Elementary.

The committee selected an option that would include Ballantrae, Suncoast Meadows, Suncoast Pointe, Hayman/Fuentes, Meadowbrook/Sierra Pines, and all of Bexley, which are east of the Suncoast Parkway.

Bexley Elementary also would include Swan View Townhomes, Ivy Lake Estates and Toscano at Suncoast, which are west of the Suncoast Parkway.

At nearly 96,000 square feet, the new school will have a capacity of 878 students, and is expected to have 706 students.

Oakstead, which had 1,095 enrolled students is expected to have 765 students, under the proposed boundaries. Odessa, which had 1,000 students, is expected to have 780, and Lake Myrtle, which had 587 students, is expected to have 616.

Students that would be shifting from Oakstead to Lake Myrtle live in these areas: Morsani, Woodville Palms, Cambridge/Lake Linda, Oakstead Area South, Cypress Cove/Village on the Pond, Meadowview/Country Close and Foxwood/Lake Heron.

The school board is scheduled to hold its first public hearing on the proposed boundaries on Dec. 20 and its second public hearing on Jan. 17, when it is expected to make the final decision on the issue.

While the committee recommends the boundaries, the Pasco County School Board has the final word on where the lines should be drawn.

Boundary guidelines are based on a number of factors, including future growth and capacity, socio-economic balance, school feeder patterns, and transportation.

“All of these guidelines we use, it’s a little bit of a balancing act,” Tonello said.

Bexley Elementary is the first of several schools (additional elementary schools, middle school and high school) planned within the Bexley development.

When those schools are built depends on the amount of growth within the community, as well as the amount of capital funding available, Williams said.

He noted the school district has accumulated nearly $500 million in debt capital, a hurdle in building new schools.

“One of the things that we struggle with as a district is our capital funding,” Williams said. “We are constrained—we can’t always build where we want to because of funding. It might mean adding a classroom wing at an existing school.”

Construction costs for Bexley Elementary total about $20 million.

For more information, visit PascoSchools.org/planning/rezoning.

Published November 9, 2016

Lutz Arts & Crafts show set for December

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With a new venue in place, the 37th annual GFWC Lutz Arts & Crafts Show promises to be “bigger and better than ever.”

The show — one of the most popular events in Hillsborough County — will be on Dec. 3 and Dec. 4 at Keystone Prep High School, 18105 Gunn Highway in Odessa.

After last year’s show was cancelled due to a sinkhole at Lake Park, the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club scrambled for about three months to find a new permanent venue location.

The club signed a five-year contract with Keystone Prep to hold the festival on the school’s property, which spans over 60 acres.

“We’ve got a lot more room,” said club chairwoman Faith Sincich.

The 37th annual Lutz Arts & Crafts Show will be held on Dec. 3 and Dec. 4 at Keystone Preparatory High School in Odessa. (File Photo)
The 37th annual Lutz Arts & Crafts Show will be held on Dec. 3 and Dec. 4 at Keystone Preparatory High School in Odessa.
(File Photo)

Other possible venues — Land O’ Lakes Community Center and the Florida State Fairgrounds — were also explored.

“Our club really banded together,” said Kay Taylor, art show director. “We have 100 members, and we had people from the whole club check out venues.”

The club is hoping for a “smooth transition” in the show’s first year at Keystone Prep.

“We’re trying to anticipate every single hiccup that can happen,” Sincich said.

The show director agreed.

“We know we have more to address,” Taylor said, “because the county provided things like dumpsters and electricity.”

After the show’s cancellation in 2015, this year’s event may prove to be one of the largest ever.

The club expects to have 355 vendors — about 50 more than two years ago — and anywhere from 30,000 to 40,000 attendees.

“We’ve never been this full at this time,” Taylor said. “We have a lot of new vendors.”

Additionally, existing vendors, Taylor said, will have more distinctive offerings compared to previous shows.

“What they did 10 years ago isn’t what they’re doing today,” Taylor explained. “The crafts are more sophisticated and evolving. It is a perfect place to go Christmas shopping.”

Attendees can expect to see a wide assortment of items, including paintings and photography, jewelry, plants, and various forms of art — metal art, wood art, yard art.

“If it’s a craft, we have it,” Taylor said. “We’ve got some really unique items coming in this year. There’s a guy that makes lamps out of musical instruments.”

There will also be an eclectic offering of soap crafts, club members said.

“One lady makes hers in the shape of desserts, so her display looks like a bakery,” Sincich said. “It’s really a cool display.”

The show’s food offerings have expanded, too.

The club expects 14 food booths, which will be arranged in a U-shape, resembling a makeshift food court.

“We bumped up our food vendors,” Sincich said. “We have a cake vendor coming in, as well as an award-winning barbecue guy.”

The arts & crafts show is the largest yearly fundraiser for the club, which gives back to the community in the form of college scholarships and donations to local charities.

To make up for the shortage of funds triggered by the cancellation of last year’s show, the woman’s club hosted several smaller events and fundraisers throughout the year.

Yet, it wasn’t enough.

Approximately $16,000 was taken out of the club’s scholarship budget as a direct result of the festival’s cancellation.

“It really hit our budget very hard,” said Pat Serio, head of public relations for the woman’s club. “We had to scale everything back. It’s been a very difficult year for fundraising.”

Show vendors, too, “took a hit” by last year’s cancellation.

“This was a big event for them,” Sincich said, “and the vendors are very anxious to be back.”

Described as a “family friendly event,” the annual shindig is a staple for the Lutz community.

“Typically, it is a very nice weekend,” Sincich said. “One thing I like about it is I see a lot of people and friends. It’s like a huge community event…and I’m really happy to welcome Odessa, because I think that’s kind of a similar community. It’ll be fun to incorporate their community with ours.”

What: 37th annual Lutz Arts & Crafts Show
When: Dec. 3, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Dec. 4, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Keystone Preparatory High School, 18105 Gunn Highway in Odessa
Cost: Free admission to the show, but there will be a $5 parking fee to benefit the school.
For information, call Kay Taylor at (727) 842-8624 or Lois Cohen at (813) 528-1179.

Show Categories (Awards up to $250 in each division)

  • Division I—Painting: Graphics, Drawings, Watercolors, Acrylics
  • Division II—Sculpture: Wood, Clay, etc.
  • Division III—Crafts: Fine, as well as Wood, Jewelry, Wearable Art, etc.
  • Division IV—Photography

Published November 9, 2016

 

Tracing the development of early Lutz

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Once one of the most active stops for wood-burning locomotives, Lutz was settled with just a handful of homesteaders.

William Paul Lutz was a railroad engineer. He and his brother, Charles, played a pivotal role in the history of Lutz, a community north of Tampa. (Photographs courtesy of Susan A. MacManus)
William Paul Lutz was a railroad engineer. He and his brother, Charles, played a pivotal role in the history of Lutz, a community north of Tampa.
(Photographs courtesy of Susan A. MacManus)

There was a store and a couple of houses there in 1907, and once the Tampa Northern Railroad was extended from Brooksville to Tampa that same year, the Concord Stagecoach Line went out of business.

But, that news didn’t discourage two brothers from West Virginia — William Paul Lutz and Charles Henry Lutz.

That’s because one of the largest sawmills in northwest Hillsborough County was the Gulf Pine Lumber Company — which was south of Odessa and owned by Charles Lutz.

In 1909, Charles Lutz built a tram track to carry his lumber 10 miles to the east, connecting his sawmill to the Tampa Northern Railroad at what is now Lutz Lake Fern Road and U.S. 41.

William Lutz — Charles’ brother — was the railroad engineer.

Most of the area was “nothin’ but sand,” according to the recollections of Dorothy Lutz Jones, stepdaughter of William Lutz.

“Then from there on to Tampa, there was nothin’ until you got there, down to the city,” Jones is quoted in an account published by local historian Susan A. MacManus, a professor at the University of South Florida.

First Lutz United Brethren Church was built in 1914. Before that, church members met at Lutz School.
First Lutz United Brethren Church was built in 1914. Before that, church members met at Lutz School.

MacManus and her mother, Elizabeth Riegler MacManus, wrote “Citrus, Sawmills, Critters and Crackers: Life in Early Lutz and Central Pasco County.

William Lutz is reported to have witnessed “strange events” as he engineered his train through such a remote countryside.

“It was not uncommon to come across public hangings and to see some unfortunate soul with his neck still in the noose,” the local history book notes.

According to his wife’s journal, William Lutz sold cars on the side and would take orders for a vehicle, and then strike one on the tracks with his locomotive.

“The railroad would pay for the damaged car, Lutz would buy it, have it repaired, and then sell it to his customer,” according to a published account.

William Lutz exhibited a better side of his nature to the family of Ella McDowell in December 1912. Ella had received a handwritten note thrown from the train by Lutz inviting her to ride with him to Tarpon Springs and spend Christmas with his family.

Trains like these helped pave the way to Florida’s future. (Courtesy of Tampa Bay History Center)
Trains like these helped pave the way to Florida’s future.
(Courtesy of Tampa Bay History Center)

The year — 1912 — was also a memorable year for the local residents demanding their own post office.

That was largely because the investors of the North Tampa Land Company.

C.E. Thomas, the company’s president, had been busy marketing “…a vast settlement where folks could buy tracts of land to farm and raise orange groves,” according to the MacManus’ book.

Thomas would eventually build the new post office, and donate land for the wood-frame schoolhouse, cemetery and church. He even provided jobs with his nursery.

But, when postal officials named the new post office “Lutz” on March 27, 1912, they helped cement the memory of the contributions of the two Lutz brothers, in an area still generally known today as North Tampa.

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

Published November 9, 2016

 

Local author is inspired by mysterious phenomenon

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The notion of writing about “things that go bump in the night” is not a new idea for novelists.

Many authors have used the presence of unexplained sounds to help create a sense of suspense for their readers.

But, in the case of Alicia White, an author who lives in Wesley Chapel, it was a sound that she actually heard — similar to a sonic boom — that sparked the the idea for her first novel, “The Roar.”

A.M. White was inspired to write her first novel by a mysterious booming sound she has heard in Wesley Chapel. She called that novel ‘The Roar.’ She has finished a sequel and expects the third book in a three-part series to come out next spring. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
A.M. White was inspired to write her first novel by a mysterious booming sound she has heard in Wesley Chapel. She called that novel ‘The Roar.’ She has finished a sequel and expects the third book in a three-part series to come out next spring.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

White has lived in the Tampa area since 1991, but she didn’t hear the sound until she moved into Wesley Chapel about a year ago and, since then, she’s heard it about five times.

“It rattles things, kind of like a sonic boom would,” she said.

She quickly learned that she was not alone.

“There have been reports within a 15-mile radius,” said White, who uses the pen name A.M. White.

“People make note on social media to get reassurance that they’re not going crazy,” she notes. So far, there’s no explanation for the phenomenon.

The author said she’s heard the sound, and so has her husband, Mark, and their 8-year-old son, Landon. Their 4-year-old Grayson hasn’t heard it, but White’s dad, Gary Orchard, who lives in Lutz, also heard it once while sitting in White’s living room in Westbrook Estates.

“It’s not just this neighborhood. People have reported hearing it in Lexington Oaks, up near Quail Hollow, over to Meadow Pointe,” White said.

The author, who expects to release her second novel, “Into the Roar,” on Nov. 17, said she’s wanted to be a writer since she was young, but never seriously pursued it until last year.

“Last spring, I kind of had a brush with my own mortality. I had a health scare,” she said.

That motivated her to stop thinking about trying her hand at writing and to start doing it.

The second-grade teacher said she finds windows of time for writing after her boys are in bed. She squeezes in about four hours a night for her writing.

She envisions a third book in the series, which she describes as a dystopian novel, in the vein of books like “The Hunger Games” and “Divergent.” She expects her third book to be released in the spring.

White thinks she has an unusual writing process, which she describes as a “reverse-movie” approach.

“I see it playing out in my head, and it just comes out,” she said.

Since she sees what’s happening to her characters — and it can be violent at times — it can be an emotional experience, said White, who teaches at Turner/Bartels K-8, in New Tampa.

In addition to writing her books, White also designed the covers and does all the marketing, through social media, such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

By publishing her own work, she owns the rights, but White would like to find a publisher to pick up her books because she’d love a wider audience.

White said she’s encouraged by the feedback she’s been receiving.

“There’s a lot more to it than the money,” she said, noting “The Roar” has attracted readers as young as 12 and as old as 91, and has appealed to both genders.

And, while she’s never stepped foot out of this continent, her book has been read by people in six of the seven continents and by people in 10 different countries.

Reviews on Amazon.com for “The Roar” characterize the novel as “fantastic” and say it deserves five stars. It is described by one reviewer as a “great read.” Another said, “couldn’t put it down.” Another reader summed it up by saying, “Wow!”

Copies of “The Roar” are available through Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. The paperback sells for $11.99 and the Kindle version is $2.99.

Published November 9, 2016

Hillary Clinton makes a stop in Dade City

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Florida, it seems, is always in play as a must-win state in any presidential election. So, it wasn’t surprising during the last week of the 2016 election to see a frenzy of political activity.

Visits from Donald J. Trump, Hillary Clinton and a roster of surrogates from both campaigns took center stage all across the state, including Clinton’s Nov. 1 stop in Dade City.

Clinton drew several hundred to a get-out-the-vote rally on the lawn in front of the Charles E. Conger Library at the Pasco-Hernando State College East Campus.

Trump did not visit Pasco County during his run for the nation’s top job.

Clinton was joined in Dade City by former Miss Universe Alicia Machado, who has accused Trump of demeaning her as a woman and a Latina.

“I could not be prouder to cast my vote for Hillary Clinton,” said Machado, a former Miss Universe, who accused Trump of ridiculing her for gaining weight and calling her “Miss Piggy” and “Miss Eating Machine.”

Clinton used Machado’s story to hammer Trump as a misogynist whose anti-women comments made him unfit to be president.

But, not everyone at the event was pro-Clinton.

Several yards away about 30 protesters stood behind barricades while waving Trump/Pence signs and sometimes shouting “Lock her up.”

Chants of “Hillary, Hillary, Hillary” rose in response.

Clinton’s biggest cheer came when she pledged to make college tuition-free at state colleges for families making less than $125,000 a year.

The possibility that Clinton could make history by becoming the first female president also heartened supporters.

“It’s a part of history, no matter what color, creed or race you are,” said Dade City resident Debra Greer.

Oliver Hindahl, 14, sported a T-shirt emblazoned with “Madame President: Get used to it.”

He didn’t hear Clinton say anything new in Dade City, but he said, “It was very impressive.”

But, having a woman for president?

“I don’t think it will be all that different,” he said.

To which his mother, Virginia Thom, replied. “I think there’s a generation gap there.”

Tampa resident Chuck Bonham missed a rally Clinton held a week earlier at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park in downtown Tampa. He couldn’t pass up a second chance.

“She has plenty of experience. She understands government and represented people in the (U.S.) Senate,” said Bonham, who wore a blue ball cap with the message “I (heart) Jesus.”

San Antonio resident Kathy Leitner, 74, came to the rally with her granddaughter, 17-year-old Nicole Payne.

“Hillary Clinton represents my story,” Leitner said. “I remember when girls did not play sports in school. Girls did not take certain classes, like shop.”

Published November 9, 2016

SwampFest gearing up for community-based fair

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SwampFest, hosted by the Land O’ Lakes High School Athletic Booster Club, gives kids and adults a chance to have fun — but also helps raise money to benefit the high school and other local organizations.

This year, the event will feature a new carnival company, said Doug Hutchinson, SwampFest coordinator.

SwampFest will feature 24 rides, a magic act, bands, a DJ, other entertainers, food and carnival games. It’s a local event that offers fun for people of all ages, said Doug Hutchinson, SwampFest coordinator. (File Photo)
SwampFest will feature 24 rides, a magic act, bands, a DJ, other entertainers, food and carnival games. It’s a local event that offers fun for people of all ages, said Doug Hutchinson, SwampFest coordinator.
(File Photos)

“It’s going to be Arnold Amusements. They’re a family oriented, family owned, carnival company. Right now, they’re doing the Hillsborough County Fair down in Brandon,” Hutchinson said.

“Last year, we had a little disappointment because the operator that brought the rides, brought just the rides. We didn’t really have a full complement of games … where it makes it more like a fair,” Hutchinson said.

Arnold Amusements will bring a full Midway, with games, rides and amusements.

The event will last four nights, from Nov. 3 through Nov. 6. Highlights include 24 rides, a magic act, and performances by Stonegrey, Vincent Randazzo, Nunes at Night, DJ Carlos, Nicole’s Dance Center, Show on the Road Tampa and Suncoast Dance.

Hutchinson said the organizers talked to teenagers to find out what they’d like, and they suggested a DJ because they want to dance, Hutchinson said.

The event will be at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

SwampFest is an offshoot from Flapjack Festival, a popular Land O’ Lakes event that shifted to Dade City, and then was suspended.

After the Flapjack Festival moved, a group got together to organize SwampFest, said Hutchinson, who was the coordinator for the Flapjack Festival in Land O’ Lakes.

Tickets for Midway rides will be sold individually, or event-goers can purchase armbands for unlimited rides.
Tickets for Midway rides will be sold individually, or event-goers can purchase armbands for unlimited rides.

“We started having it the same weekend as Flapjack used to be. It’s not as big. Our goal is to try to make it more of a community-based fair,” he said.

The event raises money for the Land O’ Lakes High School Booster club, but it also raises money for other groups who sell pre-sale tickets.

Pre-sale armband tickets for unlimited rides are $15 each. On-site armband ride tickets are $25.

Locations selling the pre-sale tickets are: Land O’ Lakes High School cheerleaders, Sunlake High School (guidance office), Sanders Elementary School, Pine View Middle School, Sugar and Spice Daycare and Beef O’ Brady’s at Village Lakes, Wilderness Lakes and Sunlake.

The event has free admission, and generally attracts between 2,000 and 3,000 people, Hutchinson said.

This will be the second year that the event will be at the upgraded Land O’ Lakes Community Center Park.

Hutchinson can’t wait until the park gets its stage, which will be in time for next year’s SwampFest.

“It’s not easy getting some of the entertainment to come out there and play under a tent,” he said. With the stage, it will be easier to persuade musicians to come out to play.

The event was initially held at Land O’ Lakes High, but the community park offers a greater degree of visibility, creating a better opportunity to attract people who are traveling past the event, he said.

Proceeds from SwampFest are used by the booster club to benefit students at Land O’ Lakes High.

“For the first five years, we put pretty much all of our money that we made off of SwampFest into upgrading the weight room,” Hutchinson said.

The boosters also paid for the school’s blue and gold marquee sign.

“That’s a nice sign, and it was definitely overdue,” he said, estimating its cost at about $12,000.

The event is now in its seventh year, having skipped one year because of construction at the park.

It’s the kind of event that brings people together, Hutchinson said.

“The year that we didn’t have it, everybody was complaining because that’s kind of their annual alumni get-together,” he said.

For more information about SwampFest, visit LOLSwampFest.com.

SwampFest
What: A community festival featuring games, rides, entertainment and food
Where: Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
When: Nov. 3 through Nov. 6 (See LOLSwampFest.com for more details)
How much: Free admission; pre-sale unlimited ride armbands, $15; on-site unlimited ride armbands, $25.

Published November 2, 2016

 

Man-made wetlands replenish thirsty Central Pasco

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An approximately $13 million reclaimed water project is under construction on pastoral lands of a working cattle ranch in Land O’ Lakes.

In the next year, 15 man-made wetlands will be created on about 237 acres at 4G Ranch, owned by the Phillips family. The system is expected to be operational in 2018, and will provide the county with up to 5 million gallons of reclaimed water a day.

Pasco’s residences and golf courses are among those expected to benefit from the project. The wetlands also will be a resource in times of drought, along with the county’s 500-million gallon reclaimed water reservoir on Boyette Road.

Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey, center, digs into the dirt at a groundbreaking for a reclaimed water project at 4G Ranch. Standing next to Starkey are William Ted Phillips Sr., ranch owner (in light blue shirt); and, his son Teddy Phillips Jr. (next to Phillips Sr.). (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey, center, digs into the dirt at a groundbreaking for a reclaimed water project at 4G Ranch. Standing next to Starkey are William Ted Phillips Sr., ranch owner (in light blue shirt); and, his son Teddy Phillips Jr. (next to Phillips Sr.).
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

It is a one-of-a-kind environmental experiment to turn dry uplands into wetlands that will help restore natural habitats that were degraded from years of well pumping during drought. And, the wetlands eventually will help recharge the Floridan aquifer.

On Oct. 24, officials from Pasco County, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (Swiftmud), and members of the Phillips family had a groundbreaking for the Central Pasco County Beneficial Water Reuse Project.

“It was one of the most exciting projects I’ve ever been involved in,” said Randy Maggard, governing board chairman of Swiftmud. “I think this will set the standard from here on out.”

Reclaimed water for the wetlands will flow from an existing county water main near 4G into a network of pipes that will deliver the water to each of the 15 wetland “cells.”

Each cell will be of different size and capacity, and also landscaped.

“We control the water level on each cell independently,” said Jeff Harris, Pasco’s staff biologist and project manager.

In addition to the project site, Harris said about 2,000 surrounding acres will be rehydrated.

The 4G ranch, he added, is ideally situated between the Cross Bar well fields and the Cypress Creek well fields.

In June, Pasco County commissioners approved a 25-year lease agreement in a public/private partnership with the land owner, William Ted Phillips Sr.

The agreement can be extended for three 10-year periods. The county’s leasing costs for the first 25-year period will be about $2.3 million.

Swiftmud will contribute half of the project’s construction costs, up to about $7.1 million.

The project in concept dates back about seven years.

Work on the agreement with 4G Ranch, and design of the project, began more than two years ago.

The long wait was worth it, said Teddy Phillips Jr., the ranch owner’s son. He also is chief executive officer of Phillips & Jordan Inc., the construction company in charge of building the wetlands.

“We made this thing look like it is a piece of natural beauty,” Phillips Jr. said. “We think this is a great model.”

Published November 2, 2016

Hockey complex to open in December

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It’s almost here.

The highly-anticipated Florida Hospital Center Ice hockey complex is slated to open in mid-December.

According to Gordie Zimmermann, a developer with Z Mitch, the complex’s “soft opening” may occur somewhere between Dec. 10 and Dec. 15.

Dasher Boards in Rink C were installed on Oct. 25. The facility has five ice rinks, a multipurpose sports floor, a 2,600-square-foot fitness facility and an indoor sprint track. (Photos courtesy of Florida Hospital Center Ice)
Dasher Boards in Rink C were installed on Oct. 25. The facility has five ice rinks, a multipurpose sports floor, a 2,600-square-foot fitness facility and an indoor sprint track.
(Photos courtesy of Florida Hospital Center Ice)

The facility’s grand opening, he said, will likely be held sometime in early January.

In May, officials said the 150,500-square-foot complex would open in late October.

But, weather setbacks and technological hurdles has delayed the $20 million project, at 3173 Cypress Ridge Road in Wesley Chapel.

Now, the complex is undergoing a “four-to-five week” project-commissioning period.

“There’s a lot of things that have to happen,” Zimmermann said of the commissioning period. “There’s a lot of flushing of the big, main pipes. Then they’ve got to test all the controls, and all the motors and compressors.”

The complex operates off a single refrigeration package, which also serves as a dehumidification system. The process is multifaceted, Zimmermann said.

“The whole system is connected,” Zimmermann said, “so in order for it to be running like a charm, everything has to balance — the ice on all the rinks, (and) the dehumidifiers.”

Zimmermann, who helped develop the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon, added it typically takes about three to four days to finish a sheet of ice for each rink.

The Florida Hospital Center Ice hockey complex is set to open in mid-December. The $20 million, 150,500-square-foot facility is located at 3173 Cypress Ridge Road in Wesley Chapel.
The Florida Hospital Center Ice hockey complex is set to open in mid-December. The $20 million, 150,500-square-foot facility is located at 3173 Cypress Ridge Road in Wesley Chapel.

Described as the largest ice sports facility in the southeastern United States, the finished building will house five ice rinks, a multipurpose sports floor, a 2,600-square-foot fitness facility and an indoor sprint track.

The multipurpose floor will be used for several sports, including roller hockey, volleyball, basketball, lacrosse and soccer.

There also will be a full-service family restaurant on the second floor and five party rooms totaling 17,000 square feet.

Once the facility opens to the public, Zimmermann said the “Learn to Skate” program will be offered first, followed by various recreational and in-house youth leagues.

Registration for those programs will soon be available on the Center Ice website, Zimmermann said.

Meanwhile, other activities — public skating and pickup hockey games — will take place.

“The first thing that’s really going to happen in a big way here is the skating,” Zimmermann said. “We have some big group events that are scheduling with us, and then shortly into the February timeframe, we have a lot of tournaments starting up and running all the way through July.”

While membership and league fees are not yet readily available, Zimmermann said each program will have “pretty competitive pricing.”

“Everything’s going to be in relation to what you typically see in the market — it’s not like a big upswing or anything like that,” he explained.

Center Ice expects to be a haven for several local high school club teams, which are part of the Tampa Bay Lightning High School Hockey League. High schools like Freedom, Mitchell, Wharton and Wiregrass Ranch have expressed interest in using the facility for regular practices and games.

“You’re looking at four or five high schools making this their home,” said Zimmermann, who coaches hockey at Wiregrass Ranch. “We’re going to be able to give them more ice time.”

Officials believe the massive facility will ultimately attract 1.5 million to 2 million visitors annually, with 40 percent coming from outside Tampa Bay.

For information, visit FloridaHospitalCenterIce.com.

Florida Hospital Center Ice
Facility overview
The 150,500-square-foot complex will be the largest ice sports facility in the southeastern United States. Here are some details:

  • One Olympic-size rink (200 feet by 100 feet)
  • Two North American standard-size rinks (200 feet by 85 feet)
  • One multipurpose sports floor/ice pad-multipurpose pad conversion
  • A 2,600-square-foot fitness facility
  • An indoor sprint track and conditioning area
  • An onsite athletic trainers and sports performance program
  • Five corporate/birthday party rooms
  • A family sport restaurant
  • Private and public locker rooms
  • A hockey skills training area
  • A revolving entrance door to control inside temperature environment

Florida Hospital Center Ice will have numerous programs and uses, including:

  • Local, regional, national and international hockey tournaments
  • University and high school teams’ practices and games
  • Recreational leagues
  • Hockey development programs
  • Roller and street hockey
  • Camps, clinics, multisport training
  • Curling
  • Figure skating
  • Public skating, birthday parties
  • Sled hockey
  • Indoor sports: box lacrosse, volleyball, basketball
  • Sports Performance Enhancement and Injury Prevention programs
  • Corporate events, public meetings

Published November 2, 2016

Multi-use trail opens along U.S. 301

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Get ready for a safer—and steeper — ride.

The U.S. 301 Bicycle Pedestrian Trail is complete, allowing for riders to safely navigate through one of east Pasco’s busiest commercial corridors connecting Zephyrhills and Dade City.

The 4.5-mile, 10-foot wide trail — built within the existing road right-of-way on the west side of U.S. 301 — extends from Kossik Road to Dade City Avenue.

Several community leaders were on hand for the trail’s ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 27 at Grace Baptist Church in Dade City. (Photos courtesy of Richard K. Riley)
Several community leaders were on hand for the trail’s ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 27 at Grace Baptist Church in Dade City.
(Photos courtesy of Richard K. Riley)

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) constructed the $2 million trail as part of the larger, $12.5 million U.S. 301 resurfacing project. Construction lasted about 12 months, officials said.

Jim Edwards, Pasco County Transportation planning manager, said the 4.5-mile extension was a difficult undertaking, due to the sharp, rolling hills along U.S. 301.

“This terrain doesn’t make it any easier to construct this particular project,” Edwards said, during a grand opening ceremony on Oct. 27. “ It was challenging, and also a bit more costly than I think it was originally anticipated…”

The multi-use trail was a collaborative effort among several local regional and state agencies, including FDOT, Pasco County MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization), the cities of Zephyrhills and Dade City, and the Dade City and Zephyrhills Chambers of Commerce.

The 4.5-mile segment is a connector to a larger trail network planned for the U.S. 301 corridor that will eventually extend from north of Dade City to the Hillsborough County line south of Zephyrhills.

The 4.5 mile, 10-foot wide U.S. 301 Bicycle Pedestrian Trail extends from Kossik Road to Dade City Avenue. It was built within the existing road right-of-way on the west side of U.S. 301.
The 4.5 mile, 10-foot wide U.S. 301 Bicycle Pedestrian Trail extends from Kossik Road to Dade City Avenue. It was built within the existing road right-of-way on the west side of U.S. 301.

“It’s part of something bigger,” said Edwards. “We’ll have a connected system all the way down towards USF (University of South Florida), and all the way to the Withlacoochee State Trailhead, so this is an element of that — a 4.5-mile element of it.”

The Pasco MPO is currently determining options for extending the trail south of Kossik Road into downtown Zephyrhills. The northern extension of the existing Hardy Trail — from Church Avenue to Lock Street in Dade City — is programmed for construction in fiscal years 2017 and 2018.

“You’ve got to start somewhere, and this is what this trail basically does,” Edwards said. “It provides safety, health benefits, economic benefits, impacts tourism, and recreation. As you amenitize these trails, they practically become linear parks…and they really become more heavily used as time goes by.”

Kathryn Starkey, Pasco Board of County Commissioners chairwoman, one of the key advocates for the multi-use extension, said she expects the trail to be a “very popular” attraction.

Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez, left, called the trail’s completion ‘a celebration of vibrancy.’
Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez, left, called the trail’s completion ‘a celebration of vibrancy.’

“I know a lot of people are going to come over and use this, and bring economic benefit to the communities here along the trail,” Starkey said.

She added: “Pasco County is going to be the county in the state that’s known for its trails.”

Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez echoed similar statements, calling the trail’s completion a “celebration of vibrancy.”

“This is too cool. This makes us special in Pasco County,” Hernandez said. “This is just a piece of a puzzle that’s so important to Dade City and Zephyrhills, and we just have to continue to put this puzzle together.”

“I think it’s a great asset to our cities — it enhances our cities and our communities,” Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield said.

The trail’s ongoing maintenance costs will shift from FDOT to Pasco County and its cities, officials said.

For more information about transportation planning in Pasco County, visit the MPO website, PascoCountyFl.net.

Published November 2, 2016