Local News

Lacrosse tournament to stay in Wesley Chapel

June 8, 2016 By B.C. Manion

Lacrosse players from across the nation will compete in Wesley Chapel at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions for at least the next two years.

Pasco County and NDP (National Development Program) Lacrosse have entered into an agreement that covers the tournament for 2016 and 2017.

Last year’s tournament had a $2.1 million economic impact on Pasco and Hillsborough counties, said Ed Caum, Pasco County’s tourism manager.

Opponents face off in a previous Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions game. (File Photo) — Opponents face off in a previous Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions game.
(File Photo)

With new developments — such as Tampa Premium Outlets and Florida Hospital Center Ice, as well as other businesses and restaurants — there’s potential for an even greater economic return from the visitors, Caum said.

“We are very pleased the Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions lacrosse tournament will be returning to Wesley Chapel,” Tracy Clouser, board chair of The Greater Wesley Chamber of Commerce, said via email. “We feel the area has a lot to offer tournament attendees and their support of our hotels, restaurants and shopping venues has a significant economic impact on our community.”

Besides the economic boost, the tournament offers lacrosse players a chance to showcase their skills, and colleges a chance to scout for players, Caum said.

Teams from the United States and Canada earn bids at qualifying tournaments to compete for the national championship across five divisions.

The tournament has been held at the Wesley Chapel District Park and at Wesley Chapel High School since 2008.

This past year, 73 teams competed. Fifty-nine came from out-of-state and 14 were from Florida, Caum said. The 2015 tournament involved 1,533 players and 219 coaches. There were about 3,250 spectators on each day of the tournament, which takes place each year from Dec. 29 through Dec. 31.

On average, those traveling to the tournament stayed in the area for 3 ½ days to 4 days, Caum said.

But, the tourism manager thinks more can be done to extend their stay.

And, he’s begun reaching out to area sponsors to help make that happen.

“The event kicks off at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Store. They are at The Grove every year.

“There’s a number of other days that they’re going to be in the area. I’d like to see all of our shopping centers and local businesses step up and do some sponsorship to provide opportunities, to move these teams and their families around the whole Pasco area.

“I’d love to see them go to Tree Hoppers, the new cable adventure park. I’d love to see them take an opportunity to go out to SunWest, because even in January that water temperature stays between 72 and 75 degrees because it’s spring-fed.

“You actually could be out there on that giant water playground at the end of December.”

Caum also would like to see more of the visitors bed down for the night in Pasco County.

“I’ve got the report from NDP Lacrosse. About 20 percent of the participants stayed in Pasco and 80 percent stayed in Hillsborough,” Caum said, that’s a 20 percent increase in the number of visitors choosing Hillsborough hotels, instead of staying in Pasco.

“We had a number of our hoteliers that had raised their price up,” the tourism manager said. Families that may have preferred to stay in Pasco were priced out and stayed in Hillsborough hotels instead, he said.

“We’re going to partner with the hotels a lot closer,” Caum said.

“Just because you have a great event coming in, you can’t gouge your participants. We’re hoping that they don’t do that again this year,” Caum said.

There was a time, back in 2012, when the lacrosse tournament’s future in Pasco County was uncertain. Back then, the tournament was being courted by IMG Academies, an elite athletic training facility in Bradenton.

But, Pasco upped the ante in their bid to keep the tournament and were able to secure it for four more years.

This time, the county signed a two-year deal with a third-year option, Caum said.

The county didn’t want to tie the contract to the Wesley Chapel District Park and the fields at Wesley Chapel High School for a longer period, Caum said.

“We may have a new field complex, depending on what rolls out with the sports complex,” Caum said, referring to Pasco County’s ongoing efforts to open a new sports complex.

Regardless of where the event is, however, Caum said the county wants to continue the involvement of the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association.

“We could not do it without them,” Caum said. “They’re the ones who provide all of the volunteers, and do all of the concessions and stuff.”

“That’s another reason that the NDP wanted to come back, because of the relationship they have (with the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association) — they have that volunteer base,” Caum said.

“Pasco County’s Board of County Commissioners, its Tourist Development Council and the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association have provided tremendous support to the event for nearly a decade,” Josh Gross, NDP’s vice president of business operations, said in a news release announcing the two-year deal.

Published June 8, 2016

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen opens, Chick-fil-A comes next

June 8, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Pasco County residents looking to grab a bite to eat will have two new dining options starting this month.

One of those options, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, opened on June 6.

Chick-fil-A will open June 30.

Cheddars Scratch Kitchen opened on June 6 in front of Tampa Premium Outlets. Chick-fil-A is under construction in between Cheddar’s and Culver’s, which opened in May. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos) — Cheddars Scratch Kitchen opened on June 6 in front of Tampa Premium Outlets. Chick-fil-A is under construction in between Cheddar’s and Culver’s, which opened in May.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

The restaurants are side-by-side on Sun Vista Drive, in front of Tampa Premium Outlets, off State Road 56, in Wesley Chapel.

Before opening day at Cheddar’s, about 170 employees received training and worked at an invitation-only dinner session to get ready for customers.

“I think we’re excited. It’s a new destination, a new area,” said Mark Garcia, a general manager from Laredo, Texas. He was on temporary assignment to launch Cheddar’s at the Cypress Creek Town Center, a major retail center anchored by the outlet mall.

Pasco County resident John Seebach will be the new restaurant’s general manager.

Diners weren’t the only ones eager to have Cheddar’s on their radar. Garcia said about 1,500 people applied for jobs.

Construction is nearing an end at Chick-fil-A on Sun Vista Drive, by Tampa Premium Outlets. Opening is June 30.

The restaurant seats nearly 320 people and serves meals made fresh from scratch daily. Menu items include hand-battered onion rings, grilled hand-cut salmon, homemade chicken pot pie and hot fudge cake sundaes.

“Everything is made pretty much in house,” Garcia said.

This is the first Cheddar’s in Pasco.

Next door, construction crews are busy getting Chick-fil-A primed for its opening.

Owner Britt Young previously owned a Chick-fil-A in Moultrie, Georgia.

“I’ve got family all around here,” said Young, who lives in Lutz. “We love the area.”

The chicken chain got its start in 1946 as a diner in Atlanta, opened by Truett Cathy. Cathy opened his first Chick-fil-A brand restaurant in 1967, also in Atlanta. From the beginning, Cathy kept his restaurants closed on Sundays, saying employees needed time to spend with their families.

According to the company website, Chick-fil-A has about 1,700 locations in 38 states and Washington D.C.

Published June 8, 2016

Group hopes to reopen Moore-Mickens

June 8, 2016 By Kathy Steele

The Moore-Mickens Education Center may get new life, through efforts by a nonprofit group to lease the center from Pasco County Schools.

The center, whose history is tied to the first school for black students in Pasco County, was closed in 2015.

Pasco County school officials said the buildings on campus were in disrepair and too expensive to keep open.

A flier on the front door of the administration building at Moore-Mickens Education Center tells visitors the school is closed. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos) — A flier on the front door of the administration building at Moore-Mickens Education Center tells visitors the school is closed.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

“It was a big blow, especially to the African-American community when the school closed,” said Jesse McClendon Sr., pastor of New Family Life in Christ.

An effort is underway by a nonprofit, operating as the Moore-Mickens Education and Vocational Center Inc., to reopen the school to house multiple programs. It is soliciting partners, such as Pasco Kids First and Feeding Pasco’s Elderly.

Board members include Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez and Keith Babb, executive director of 2nd C.H.A.N.C.E. Center4Boyz.

The campus on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in recent years offered classes for adults, teen parents and special needs children.

The school’s name honors the legacy of two Pasco educators, Rev. Junias D. Moore and Odell Kingston “O.K.” Mickens.

McClendon said the nonprofit anticipates bringing a finalized plan to the school board in June or July.

Pasco Kids First is open to the idea of relocating its programs to Moore-Mickens, including Healthy Families and the Trauma Treatment Team.

“I think we can offer a very stable couple of programs to place at the site,” said Rick Hess, president of Pasco Kids First.

Moore-Mickens Education Center closed in 2015, but a nonprofit group wants to find new purposes for the historical school. Its roots date back to the first school for blacks to open in Pasco County.

Other programs being considered by the Moore-Mickens’ nonprofit would include a food bank, afterschool programs, an elderly nutrition program and voluntary prekindergarten classes.

The goal is to have the facility open in time for next year’s VPK classes to start, McClendon said.

“That would be something that complements the program we’re doing over there,” said Hess.

There are challenges for anyone taking on the building, said Ray Gadd, Pasco County’s deputy school superintendent.

“This is an old building with a lot of maintenance issues,” he said. “It also has undisturbed asbestos. As long as it’s undisturbed, it’s not an issue. We left the campus because it was a maintenance nightmare.”

However, there are about four buildings on campus that could be usable, with some work, Gadd said.

When the school district initially announced plans to close Moore-Mickens in 2014, school officials heard impassioned pleas from hundreds of people in the community who wanted to keep it open.

McClendon said the school, over the years, had become the educational home to a diverse population of students.

For many, it gave them hope and second chances through General Equivalency diplomas, and alternative educational classes.

“It surprised me,” McClendon said.

The community persuaded district officials to keep Moore-Mickens open, then.

But, officials reversed course a year later, citing the expense of repairs.

One last chance to secure funds for Moore-Mickens faded when Gov. Rick Scott in January vetoed $250,000 in the state’s 2016 budget to reopen Moore-Mickens.

The Cyesis teen parent program, FAPE 22 program for Exceptional Education students from age 18 to 22, Adult Education and the Support our Students (SOS) last-chance program were relocated to other schools.

When approached by the nonprofit, Gadd said he urged them to reach out to a range of social agencies.

An agreement with the school district likely would be a lease arrangement for $1 a year for a set number of years, Gadd said.

The district would require that the nonprofit have insurance, he added.

The group would be on their own to secure money for repairs, upkeep and program funding.

Funding is an issue, but McClendon said the lease agreement could make the nonprofit eligible for grants. One source, for example, would be state historical grants. Fundraising events also would be held, McClendon said.

The reopening of the school likely would be done in phases, he said.

Published June 8, 2016

City awards ZEDC $50,000 grant

June 8, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

The Zephyrhills City Council recently awarded a sizable grant to The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce to foster business growth and economic development in the area.

The council unanimously voted last month to renew a $50,000 grant to the chamber to continue to maintain the Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition.

Melonie Monson, executive director of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, will help manage the ZEDC. (File Photo) — Melonie Monson, executive director of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, will help manage the ZEDC.
(File Photo)

The ZEDC is a unified effort between the city, the chamber, Main Street Zephyrhills Inc., and local businesses to support economic growth and business retention in Zephyrhills. It has more than 30 members.

Under the grant agreement, the chamber is obligated to do each of the following:

Manage the ZEDC
Develop marketing strategies that benefit the economic development of the Zephyrhills area
Cultivate business partnerships through outreach and advocacy
Collect relevant information that may be used for improved programs and services for local businesses

Melonie Monson, the chamber’s executive director, is responsible for managing the development coalition from the chamber office.

Monson said the coalition’s three main focuses for 2016 are job creation and business growth, city infrastructure such as roads, and the development of an educated and trained workforce.

Also, for the first time, the development coalition will handle marketing strategies and campaigns, in collaboration with the city.

Previously, the municipal marketing strategies for the development coalition were developed and implemented by the Pasco Economic Development Council. But, now the strategies will be completely turned over to the local development coalition, including the “Clearly Zephyrhills” marketing campaign.

Monson said the Pasco EDC would only get involved in future marketing strategies if they benefit the entire county.

Skip Skairus chairs the ZEDC Advisory Council. (Courtesy of CenterState Bank) — Skip Skairus chairs the ZEDC Advisory Council.
(Courtesy of CenterState Bank)

“At this point, we have our feet on the ground, we know the direction to go, we know how to run this program, so we’re OK that they’re backing away a little with us, and they have turned the campaign over to us to manage through the chamber and through the ZEDC,” Monson said. “They were instrumental to us in helping to start the ZEDC, and gave us ideas on what directions to go.”

Monson said one of the long-term priorities for the Zephyrhills development coalition is to attract a major industry to the city’s airport industrial park property, also referred to as the “Sysco Property.”

The 440-acre site is adjacent to the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport and next to the CSX rail line.

The chamber director said the location is an ideal spot for a “big industry” to house its operations.

“The glory of this area is that it is the only site in Pasco County that’s large enough for an industry to come in,” Monson said. “This property is on the train line…that goes to Orlando, Miami and to the Tampa port. There’s not a lot of areas that have that ability, so this is ideal for some type of big industry.”

“Eventually, we would like this to be a mega site which is 2,000 acres or more, but we’re starting with this 440-acre site and trying to get it site-ready,” she added.

The development coalition also is exploring the feasibility of establishing a vocational-technical education center in the city.

Monson said a vocational aviation school has been under discussion for several months, even though Gov. Rick Scott vetoed a $1.5 million aeronautical program at the municipal airport in 2015.

“We just find that our airport is an ideal location to bring an academy to. We have the availability property-wise, and we just feel like it’s a market for our youth to be trained and not to have to go elsewhere to get this training,” Monson said, adding, “I think we need to be a little more prepared on how to bring that before the Governor this time around.”

The ZEDC was formed in April 2012. It is made up of two components: the ZEDC Stakeholder’s Advisory Council — a voluntary committee of business and community leaders in the Zephyrhills area striving to create a sustainable business and economic climate; and the ZEDC Steering Committee — a group of economic development practitioners, including key staff from partner organizations, such as the city, the chamber and the Pasco EDC.

ZEDC Advisory Council chair Skip Skairus said the development coalition benefits Zephyrhills because it helps facilitate ideas and programs that ultimately advance the city’s economic development.

“Prior to the formation of this organization, there were a lot of good ideas from a lot of folks in the city in regards to economic development. However, it would seem that for whatever reason, (ideas) would stall because there really wasn’t a formal organization to enact the different things in regards to marketing, research, site development and government advocacy,” Skairus said. “That’s where I really think the biggest benefit to this group is: to take the great ideas that have always been in place, but to make sure they all fall into action.”

$50,000 grant renewed for ZEDC
Funding allocations:

$15,000 toward managing the coalition through the chamber office
$15,000 toward marketing and promotional support
$10,000 toward business outreach and advocacy
$10,000 toward research and program delivery

Published June 8, 2016

Saint Anthony’s makes history again

June 8, 2016 By B.C. Manion

At a place that can trace its history back to the 1880s, Saint Anthony Catholic School marked another milestone on June 3 with a ceremony to bless the completion of a renovated building constructed in 1922.

It was the second time in two years that Saint Anthony Catholic School paused to celebrate the completion of a construction project.

This view of the new school shows the St. Anthony Catholic School sign. The façade on the old school is plain red brick.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

The first event occurred on Feb. 5, 2015, when the Rev. Robert N. Lynch, Bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, presided over the dedication of the school’s new building. That building, designed to architecturally match the existing building, was funded through the Diocese’s Forward in Faith Capital Campaign.

At last week’s event, Abbott Isaac Camacho, of Saint Leo Abbey, presided over the ceremony to bless the school’s newly renovated 1922 building. The Saint Anthony Parish community is covering the cost of the $1.8 million project.

Those gathered at last week’s ceremony expressed gratitude for the education the school provides.

Retired U.S. Army Col. Peter Quinn was among those attending the ceremony. His son, Gabriel, just graduated from the school, and his twin daughters, Faith and Grace, are seventh-graders.

These children are sharing a special moment in history at Saint Anthony Catholic School as they witness the blessing of the school’s renovated 1922 building. They are from left in the front row, Sofia Trevino, Andrew Werckman, Cora Woodard and Taylor Young. In the back row, from left are Abigail Kocher, Boden Ballinger, Kyle Bueno and Joseph Hammond.

“We got here three years ago. This is a pearl of joy for us,” Quinn said. He noted that he searched all of the Diocese, including St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Brandon, before choosing to enroll his children at Saint Anthony.

“I wanted a place where my parish life and my kids’ school life would be one and the same.

“When I found this place, with the sisters in residence, that was it.

“The surrounding community is just so supportive,” Quinn said.

Leo Brand and Kyle Christmas, both members of the Knights of Columbus, were there, dressed in their full regalia.

They came to present the school with a gift: A pole and a stand, to hold the school’s banner.

“They’ve always borrowed ours for years,” Brand said. So, the Knights of Columbus San Antonio Council 1768 decided to purchase one for the school, he said.

Abbott Isaac Camacho, of Saint Leo Abbey, presides over the ceremony which included blessing the restored building, room by room. Brother Lucius Amarillas stands to the abbott’s right.

Christmas noted that one of his family members helped build the school decades ago. “He’s got his name on one of the bricks up on the top of the roof,” he said.

Christmas said he’s pleased to see that the school is building for the future.

“It’s nice to see that they are expanding and that they’re getting busy enough to expand, that people are taking advantage of a Catholic education,” Christmas said.

Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader was at the event — but not in his role as an elected leader. He has closer ties to the church and school.

“I’m an alumnus. It’s my parish. My church. It’s a great part of our community. My parents were actually married in the church,” Schrader said.

The renovation of the 1922 school building marks a proud moment for the parish and school, Schrader said.

“The community just came together. They recognized the importance of a Catholic education,” Schrader said.

Leigh DiMaria has three children at the school.

Sister Alice Ottapurackal takes the stage during the June 3 dedication and blessing ceremony for the renovated 1922 building on the Saint Anthony Catholic School campus. She spent the majority of her time expressing gratitude for the project and thanking those who were involved in making it happen.

“I love the fact that they were able to restore a lot of the old elements,” DiMaria said.

She’s pleased that her children, Faith, Vincent and Nolan, attend Saint Anthony, and that her family is part of the school’s community.

“The community around here, the support, I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s amazing,” DiMaria said.

Abbott Camacho presided over the ceremony, but others took part, as well. Rev. Garry Welsh, the current pastor, Sister Alice Ottapurackal, the current principal, and Sister Roberta Bailey, the Prioress at Holy Name Monastery and former principal of the school, also offered remarks.

Students took part, too. Hannah Fox, led the assembly in “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You,” Lindsay Golliday read a selection from scripture, and Aiden Fox and Adeline Shiver were altar servers.

Abbott Camacho reminded those gathered that “one of the characteristics of us Benedictines (who founded the school) is to welcome the other, as Christ, no matter who the other is. To see in them, the image of Christ.

“It’s not about the teachers. It’s not about the good reputation of the school. It’s about the other. Can we see Christ in the other, no matter their background? If we see in them, Christ, things start to change for good,” Abbott Camacho said.

Sister Bailey recalled Saint Anthony Catholic School’s rich history, and noted that it has faced some tough times.

“We owe a great deal of credit to the pastors that were in this area. There was a day when the principal and the bookkeeper would come up with budget, based on the tuition that we knew we could collect. And, whatever we thought we couldn’t collect, we gave that debt to the pastors, and they figured out how to support the school,” Sister Bailey said.

But through prayer, God’s blessings, the help of the Diocese, and the generosity of the parish and community, there’s now a new school building and a renovated building, Sister Ottapurackal said.

“Our school looks beautiful, and it is ready for 21st century learning. We are proud of how it came out, because of God’s blessing and people’s help,” the principal said.

Published June 8, 2016

Lutz is gearing up for the Fourth of July

June 8, 2016 By B.C. Manion

The Fourth of July is just weeks away, and Lutz is gearing up for its annual festivities.

This is a place that enjoys its Independence Day traditions, and it likes the community to join in on the fun.

So, if you’re thinking about being in the Fourth of July Parade, it’s a good idea to let Cheryl Benton know. She’s the one that makes sure you get your form filled out, so she can reserve you a spot in the parade lineup.

And, if you’re looking to earn some bragging rights for your baking skills, it’s a good time to get in touch with Karin D’Amico to find out about the rules and categories in the Cake Bake competition.

Three-a-half-year-old Logan Freelen got an early start at the one-mile run during Fourth of July festivities last year in Lutz. The little boy makes his way up Lutz Lake Fern Road with his dad, Richard Freelen of Riverview, during the last leg of the run before the start of the parade and festivities. (File Photo) — Three-a-half-year-old Logan Freelen got an early start at the one-mile run during Fourth of July festivities last year in Lutz. The little boy makes his way up Lutz Lake Fern Road with his dad, Richard Freelen of Riverview, during the last leg of the run before the start of the parade and festivities.
(File Photo)

If you’re planning to run in the 5K or take part in the 1-mile fun run or family walk, Terry Donovan is the guy who is in charge of those activities.

The main thing is, if you want to take part, it’s not too early to begin gearing up for the annual event.

One of the highlights each year is the auction that takes place after the parades, where cakes and pies that have been entered into the Cake Bake competition go home with the highest bidder.

And, finding out who will win the annual Lutz Guv’na race is always fun, too.

This annual competition, which raises money for local organizations, is a good-natured competition where the only qualification that the winner must possess is the ability to raise money. Whoever raises the most money wins.

This year, Greg Gilbert and Andre Pamplona are squaring off to see who will claim the title and be sworn in over a copy of Dr. Seuss’ “Green Eggs and Ham.”

The 5k and fun run get things rolling, generally drawing in the neighborhood of about 600 participants, said Donovan, the race director.

Runners begin arriving around 6 a.m., to register or pick up their packets.

The 5k is a chip-timed event.

The race, which originates at the Lutz Community Center, has been going on for decades.

And, many of the runners have been racing since they were young, Donovan said.

“I don’t really run anymore, I shuffle,” he joked.

The cake and pie competition also tends to get a lot of repeat entries.

Last year’s cake and pie contest drew 28 entries, including a 5-pound apple pie, a cake shaped like a fish and another with the look of the community’s iconic train depot.

Wilma Lewis had eight entries in the competition.

And, Shirley Simmons entered her famous, made-from-scratch pound cake, which fetched $75 in the auction after the parade.

Those interested in entering the competition should touch base with D’Amico to find out the various categories.

The parade — which has an old-fashioned feel — tends to attract scouts, schools, politicians, community organizations, law enforcement and local businesses.

It also draws a wide assortment of vehicles, ranging from antique fire trucks to flatbed trucks, military vehicles to classic cars, and bicycles to convertibles.

The parade route, which goes down Lutz-Lake Fern Road, turns to go in front of the Lutz Branch Library.

“We have 11 different trophies,” Benton said. “We have one for antique vehicles. One for bicycle entry. One for commercial. One for a family entry. Most comical. Most patriotic. Neighborhood entry. Walking unit. Youth entry. Judge’s favorite. Grand Marshal’s Choice.”

She thinks people enjoy the Fourth of July festivities because it’s a fun way to start off the holiday.

“It’s crafted after an old-timey Fourth in the park,” Benton said.

“It’s a community thing. It’s something for the kids to do on the Fourth of July,” Benton said.

All sorts of entries are welcome, she said. But, she does have a request: “Please no high-powered water guns,” she said.

“Because they have soaked little babies before,” she explained, and that’s not cool, she added.

Benton is in charge of getting the parade entries lined up along the route.

That requires marking spots on the street, based on the size of the entry, she said.

“It’s a hot job, I can tell you that,” she said, noting the spot for each entry must be painted on the street.

“They can email me, and I can email them an entry. It’s .”

Lutz Independence Day festivities
July 3
Cake entry drop off: Call Karin D’Amico at (813) 786-8461 for time and location

July 4
Festivities take place at 101 First Ave. N.E., in Lutz

6:30 a.m. to 7 a.m.: Cake registration deadline. For information, call Karin D’Amico at (813) 786-8461

8 a.m.: 5K begins (registration and packet pickups begin at 6 a.m.) For information about the 5K, 1-mile fun run and family walk, call Terry Donovan at (813) 949-6659

8:45 a.m.: 1-mile fun run and family walk begins

9 a.m.: Flag raising ceremony

9:30 am: Race trophies presented

10 a.m.: Lutz Community Parade begins. To sign up to be in the parade, email Cheryl Benton at Although she prefers emails, she can be reached by telephone at (813) 948-0823.

11 a.m.: New Guv’na sworn in; parade trophies awarded; Cake Bake Auction

Parade breakdown begins immediately after the festivities. Volunteers are welcome to help.

Published June 8, 2016

Sludge disposal passes the smell test

June 8, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Getting rid of thousands of wet tons of sludge each year – also known as biosolids – isn’t as easy as flushing a toilet and watching it drain out of sight —beyond anyone’s smell.

Pasco County is looking toward new technology and biosolids management company, Merrell Bros. Inc., to deliver a solution.

Pasco County commissioners heard a presentation during a May 17 workshop regarding a proposed facility that can turn sludge into dry fertilizer that can be sold.

Consultants from CDM explained how the system would work to commissioners.

Merrell would construct and operate the facility, which would be owned by the county and located at the Shady Hills solid waste complex.

County officials estimate a cost savings of as much as $750,000 a year based on a service agreement with Merrell. Construction costs would not exceed $13 million. The facility could be online within two years.

The Indiana-based company is the second to seek the county’s business. In 2011, commissioners selected Earth, Wind & Fire Technologies to handle the county’s sludge, but the company folded before negotiating a contract.

Earth, Wind & Fire planned to create a synthetic diesel fuel from the sludge.

Pasco annually ends up with about 23,000 tons of sludge that fills about 1,100 dump trucks, according to Anthony Pevec, environmental engineer with CDM.

Much of it is composted or hauled to landfills in Georgia. But, some also goes to St. Cloud, where the largest bio-landfill in central Florida is located. Tipping fees there rose about 13 percent in the last year, according to data from CDM.

Pevec told commissioners that getting rid of sludge is expensive and is getting more so as state regulations limit available sites. Counties worried about protecting clean water also are restricting new site permits, including Pasco.

According to CDM, St. Petersburg’s disposal method is estimated to cost about $80 million.

Nearly four years ago, Hillsborough County spent more than $25 million on a process that couldn’t eliminate the odor issue.

Merrell is proposing a 15-year agreement with Pasco, with three, 5-year renewals, according to county records. The proposed facility would have a 50,000-ton capacity. In addition to Pasco’s sludge, Merrell anticipates contracting with other counties to treat and convert their product to fertilizer for sale.

But Michael Carballa, the county’s utilities engineering director, said, “Our sludge always has priority.”

The facility would have a greenhouse “pod,” a pasteurization building and an odor control system. A pilot program tested the procedure by using some of Pasco’s sludge.

It passed the test.

“We wanted a high level of odor control,” said Pevec.

Published June 8, 2016

Eve’s Garden finds a new paradise

June 1, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Evie Lynn is moving to greener pastures.

To be precise, she is staking out 55 acres of an old orange grove in Groveland that will be populated with bonsai, bamboo and beefalos.

Evie Lynn, owner of Eve’s Garden Inc., is moving her nursery and gift shop to a large pasture in Groveland. (Courtesy of Evie Lynn) — Evie Lynn, owner of Eve’s Garden Inc., is moving her nursery and gift shop to a large pasture in Groveland.
(Courtesy of Evie Lynn)

The beefalos are her husband’s idea after spotting a herd of them on his drive to Groveland. The cows are a cross between domestic cattle and bison.

The couple are the proud owners of a baby beefalo, bringing their herd up to a count of one dozen.

Evie Lynn glowed with pride last week at the news of the calf’s first steps at the Lynns’ new pasture.

But, she was also deep into the details of shutting down Eve’s Garden Inc., after 33 years in Land O’ Lakes — and relocating her enterprise to Groveland.

The retail shop and garden, at 5602 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., are favorites of local gardeners who are looking for bonsai and bamboo plants, and who benefit from the expertise of Lynn and her staff.

But, the business primarily sells wholesale nationwide to gift shops, nurseries and large companies, such as Publix and Walgreens, and to Disney for the Chinese and Japanese pavilions at Epcot.

Eve’s is one of the largest bonsai nurseries in the nation.

On June 10 at 10 a.m., Higgenbotham Auctioneers will auction off about 7 acres of lakefront commercial property at 5602 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

Two statues of lions greet visitors at the entrance to Eve’s Garden Gifts. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos) — Two statues of lions greet visitors at the entrance to Eve’s Garden Gifts.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

The site will be sold as two parcels. One is about 2 acres, and fronts U.S. 41. The other is nearly 5 acres, and includes the shop and warehouse. Following the auction of the land, plants and supplies, Koi fish, statues, entrance gates and more also will be auctioned.

A preview of the property, and its inventory, will be held on June 3 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Currently, Eve’s Garden is offering 30 percent or more off on everything in the nursery.

Investors representing potential hotels, restaurants, and even a day care center have made inquiries, Lynn said.

For many years she has been looking for a larger property that opened up more opportunities for her business.

When she started Eve’s Garden, Land O’ Lakes still had rural appeal. But, Lynn said her property is too valuable for a plant nursery now that development and growth are changing the landscape of Land O’ Lakes.

And, she is ready for a quieter lifestyle.

Lynn grew up in New York. Her interest in bonsai came early when her mother would drop her off at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. At age 8, she would spend hours learning the ancient art of bonsai.

By trimming, shaping and wiring, a plant specimen can become a miniature version of what is found in a natural landscape.

Colorful and shapely vases are for sale at Eve’s Garden. The property and inventory will be auctioned on June 10.

“It’s very relaxing,” Lynn said. “You become one with them. It’s almost like a work of art, but it’s living art.”
Initially, Lynn thought about keeping a small shop open in Land O’ Lakes, but instead she hopes that customers will make the scenic, one-hour drive to Groveland.

She is in early stages of building a garden and gift shop with an Asian theme. A greenhouse and a 25,000-square-foot warehouse and packing plant are new additions to the property.

When she first eyed the site, Lynn said, “It was weeds, and you could barely go through it.”

Long-term, she plans to tap into the growing trend of agritourism that is popular, especially in central Florida.

The customer base is growing, as people seek activities that are farm-based and pastoral.

Within about five miles of Groveland, developers are planning to expand The Villages, a retirement community outside Orlando. About 2,000 new homes will be built.

Lynn is planning ahead to a grand opening of the new Eve’s Garden in Groveland in December.

“We’ll make it a splendid Asian thing,” said Lynn.

Published June 1, 2016

Center Ice to open in October

June 1, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

The walls are up, the ice has been poured, and droves of hockey players soon will visit Pasco County.

A hard-hat tour of the 150,500-square-foot Florida Hospital Center Ice Complex revealed significant progress of the $20 million project, at 3173 Cypress Ridge Road in Wesley Chapel.

Ice was poured on the rinks just a few weeks ago. There will be four full-size rinks, and one mini-rink. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photos) — Ice was poured on the rinks just a few weeks ago. There will be four full-size rinks, and one mini-rink.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photos)

A crowd of more than one hundred Pasco county business leaders and representatives toured the facility recently to learn about its features, and about available programs and sponsorship opportunities.

The facility is set to open “sometime in late October,” with a soft opening expected earlier, officials said.

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

There also will be a full-service family restaurant on the second floor and five party rooms totaling 17,000 square feet. Several corporate events have already been booked.

Florida Hospital also will have an office there, focusing specifically on enhancing sports performance and injury prevention.

“We’ve come a long way on this project (since) when we were looking at just an empty field,” said George Mitchell of Z Mitch, the facility’s developer. “It took a lot of imagination from the beginning.”

An indoor track is one of the more unique features at Florida Hospital Center Ice.

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

Former hockey pro Gordie Zimmermann, a Z Mitch partner, said the colossal edifice is creating a buzz as far north as Toronto and Montreal, two hockey-crazed cities.

“People up there are already talking about this building,” Zimmermann said. “We had some teams up there that are in the junior leagues that actually want to come down here and do training camps and tournaments here.

“It’s going to be great for our community to have the tournaments and programs — like the girls’ Olympic (hockey) team training, world-class figure skaters, USPHL (United States Professional Hockey League) teams here; we’re really looking at a top to bottom programming,” he added.

Zimmermann, who was an integral cog in developing the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon, visited approximately 500 ice rinks throughout North America to conceptualize the Wesley Chapel venue.

Area business leaders and representatives were on hand for a hard-hat tour. They learned about available programs and sponsorship opportunities.

One of the complex’s features that is drawing quite a bit interest from hockey directors in Canada isn’t even ice-related — it’s the indoor sprint track.

Zimmermann said more hockey players and athletes are using sprint tracks for conditioning, but Canada’s bitter cold temperatures make it difficult to train outdoors year-round.

“A lot of those program directors up there were looking at our website, saying, ‘Wow, you’ve got an indoor sport track to train on.’ They thought that was really good; that’s an attraction for them,” Zimmermann said.

Zimmermann already has a hockey and skating department in place.

Kevin Wolter, who spent 30 years within the USA Hockey Coaching Education program, was named as the facility’s general manager. Shari Trotter, the figure skating director at the Ashburn Ice House in Washington D.C., was hired to serve as the facility’s executive figure skating director.

Moreover, two maintenance staff members will be coming aboard in June to begin managing the facility’s refrigeration program.

In total, 20 full-time and 30 part-time employees will be working at the facility, Zimmermann said.

The initial opening was set for October 2015, but it was delayed by the weather and issues with the installation of the refrigeration system.

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
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 June 4, 2016

Local history project heads to national competition

June 1, 2016 By B.C. Manion

Land O’ Lakes High School freshmen Isabella Torres and Lauren Pinero-Colon weren’t even sure if they could squeeze competing at the local History Fair into their crowded school schedule.

But, the pre-International Baccalaureate students decided to give it a shot, and even pulled an all-nighter to finish their exhibit on time.

The hard work paid off.

They came in first at the district competition and placed second at state.

Isabella Torres, of Wesley Chapel, and Lauren Pinero-Colon, of Land O’ Lakes, are traveling to College Park, Maryland, to competed in the National History Day competition. Their exhibit, behind them, has been selected to represent the state of Florida in a display at The Smithsonian. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos) — Isabella Torres, of Wesley Chapel, and Lauren Pinero-Colon, of Land O’ Lakes, are traveling to College Park, Maryland, to competed in the National History Day competition. Their exhibit, behind them, has been selected to represent the state of Florida in a display at The Smithsonian.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

Soon, they’ll be traveling to College Park, Maryland, to be among more than 3,000 students from around the world competing at the Kenneth E. Behring National History Day Contest. The event is being held June 12 through June 16.

No matter how that turns out, the teenagers already have one claim to fame.

Their exhibit, “Sacagawea: Cultural Exchange Through New Encounters,” has been selected to be part of a special display.

“Every state affiliate gets to choose one project to represent the state. The state affiliate has chosen their project, and their project is going to be featured in The Smithsonian Museum,” said Jennifer O’Connor, coordinator of Pasco County’s History Fair.

Torres, of Wesley Chapel, and Pinero-Colon, of Land O’ Lakes, are the only Pasco County students who have placed at the state competition, and just the top two in the state are selected to go to the national competition, O’Connor said.

Their project examines the role that Sacagawea played in the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery Expedition.

“We thought she was kind of the star of the expedition,” Pinero-Colon said.

Historians focus on Lewis and Clark, she said, noting they “don’t really show how much of an asset she was to the expedition. We wanted to show that.

“She basically administered all of the exchanges between the Native Americans they encountered. She made it a lot easier for them to travel,” Pinero-Colon said.

“She was passed around through tribes against her will, so she knew the land very well,” she added.

Isabella Torres and Lauren Pinero-Colon conducted thorough research to create an exhibit tracing the life of Sacagawea and her contributions to Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery.

Sacagawea’s knowledge of the land and tribal languages made her invaluable, the students said.

“She served as an interpreter,” Pinero-Colon said.

Without Sacagawea, she said, ““We think that they wouldn’t have made it to the Pacific.”

The students tell the story of the Native American woman’s contributions through an elaborate exhibit tracing her life.

“They spent a lot of time looking for primary sources, and pictures and artifacts, that they could use, so that would help them in telling their story,” O’Connor said.

What sets this project apart is the quality of the research the students have done, O’Connor said.

“I think a lot of students will fall short, in that, they spend a lot of time on secondary sources, with the Internet,” O’Connor said.

Torres and Pinero-Colon, on the other hand, found information through the Library of Congress and tracked down researchers who specifically knew about Sacagawea.

“We spent time researching and interviewing professors for it, so we could kind of cross-examine all of the research, for different points of view on it,” Pinero-Colon said.

They wanted to be sure they were thorough, and relied on credible and knowledgeable sources, Torres said.

While they’ve earned the right to compete at the national level, there’s no funding available to cover the costs, so O’Connor and the students will be traveling at their own expense. They estimate that it will cost around $3,000 to cover travel expenses and contest costs.

This is some of the details included in the exhibit created by Isabella Torres and Lauren Pinero-Colon. Their work captured second place in the state history fair.

The students have set up a Go Fund Me account, in hopes of attracting some community support.

O’Connor has been involved with the district’s History Fair for nine years. “It’s always interesting to see what students will come up with,” she said.

“Most of the students learn the process of putting together the History Fair project in middle school.

“At the high school level, if they’re going to do History Fair project, they have to do it on their own. It’s not like there’s class time devoted to this. They have to do it on top of their other classes, staying after school, doing research,” O’Connor said.

The annual theme is broad enough to permit a wide range of projects, O’Connor said.

“The NHD (National History Day) theme provides a focused way to increase students’ historical understanding by developing a lens to read history, an organizational structure that helps students place information in the correct context and finally, the ability to see connections over time,” according to the organization’s website.

Contests are held each spring in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, and at international schools in Central America, China, Korea and South Asia, the website says.

Students create historical projects in one of five categories: documentary, exhibit, paper, performance or website.

Torres said she and Pinero-Colon wanted to compete because they believed it could help them in their college applications.

Plus, Torres added: “We just wanted to do something different. We don’t really participate in sports. We’re academic people. We wanted to apply knowledge and make something cool out of it.”

As it turns out, they did.

State History Fair winners from Pasco
Forty-six Pasco County Schools students competed at the 2016 Florida National History Day competition in Tallahassee in May.
Lauren Pinero-Colon and Isabella Torres won second place in the Senior Group Exhibit and earned them a right to compete at the national level.
Other Pasco winners were:

Akshaya Venkata, Land O’ Lakes High School: Economic Freedom Award, Senior Individual Website – Comparative Advantage of the Potosi Silver Mines
Jacqueline Cupo, Ariella Meier and Emerson Parks, Pasco Middle School: Third place, Junior Group Documentary – Hurricane Andrew and the Encounter with Florida
Shelton Ried, Paul R. Smith Middle School: Spirit of 45 Award, Junior Individual Documentary – Nazi Invasion of Florida
Pierce Thomas, Paul R. Smith Middle School: Third Place, Junior Individual Performance – Marco Polo and the Silk Road
Hannah Mayer, River Ridge Middle School: Outstanding County Award, Junior Individual Exhibit – Jeff Corwin Gone Wild
Ronak Argawal, Charles S. Rushe Middle School: Mayflower Scholarship, Junior Paper – James Cook

Published June 1, 2016