The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Porter to doubters: Raymond James is coming

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J.D. Porter said he knows there are a lot of people who doubt that Raymond James will ever have a location in the Wiregrass Ranch community of Wesley Chapel.

And, he said he knows that the decision by T. Rowe Price not to locate in Pasco County has helped to fuel those speculations.

But, at a March 10 meeting of the Pasco Alliance of Community Associations in Land O’ Lakes, Porter told the crowd: “I’ll tell you straight up, let’s dispel the myth right now: Is it going to happen? Are they going to close?

J.D. Porter, whose family owns thousands of acres in Wiregrass Ranch, talks about future plans for the area near The Shops at Wiregrass and Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
J.D. Porter, whose family owns thousands of acres in Wiregrass Ranch, talks about future plans for the area near The Shops at Wiregrass and Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“It’s going to happen. Raymond James will close,” said Porter, whose family owns the sprawling Wiregrass Ranch, which includes thousands of acres of ranch land and citrus groves.

Porter expects Raymond James to get their permits within the next 45 days or so, and that will trigger closing within 30 days of that, he said.

“Once they close, you’ll start seeing dirt being moved to the site,” Porter said.

“It’s exciting. Right now, they’re in for permitting for a million square feet,” he said, estimating that the site will be occupied by 4,000 to 5,000 employees.

“I imagine we’ll have even more interest on the office side, once Raymond James closes,” Porter said.

“We’re currently talking with about four other office users that are Fortune 250 companies, anywhere from 400,000 square feet to another 1.2 million square feet of office,” said Porter, whose family has already sold the land now occupied by The Shops at Wiregrass and Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, and donated 65 acres for Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.

Porter is also enthused about progress being made for a performing arts center on the state college’s campus. The project received $15. 5 million in funding last year from the Florida Legislature and there’s $11 million earmarked for the project in this session’s proposed budget.

It could be vetoed by Gov. Rick Scott, but Porter doesn’t think it will be. If that money comes through, about half of the funding needed for the first phase of the project would be available, he said.

Porter envisions a facility that can seat between 5,000 and 8,000 people and could be a venue for plays, concerts, graduations and other events.

With the performing arts center, Pasco County high school students would be able to have their graduation ceremonies within the county instead of having to use venues elsewhere, Porter said.

He also talked about other projects that are under way or being planned in the Wiregrass Ranch development. Those include high-end apartments, a hotel, an assisted living facility and a specialty grocer, although he didn’t name which one.

Porter said his family entertains many proposals coming from people who want to open restaurants, gas stations and other uses.

The area’s demographics are enticing, Porter noted.

“You’ve got a median age that’s about seven years younger than the Florida average and about 11 years younger than the national average. You’ve got a median income that’s about $11,000 more than what the national average is and about $14,000 to $17,000 more than what the Florida average is,” he said.

When the family sells land, it’s more interested in how the sale affects the overall quality of the community than whether they can get top dollar, Porter said

The specialty grocery store is an example of this, he said.

“We’re going to take a price hit on that,” Porter said. “But, I think it’s something that will have value. I think it is something that will flourish within the community.”

“You can’t play the short game. You’ve got to play the long game,” he said.

Published March 16, 2016

 

Hospital shows off its new cath lab

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Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel had an open house to show off its new cardiac catheterization lab on March 13, unveiling the first completed project in the hospital’s $78 million expansion.

About 100 people registered to take the guided tour through the new lab and to learn about the technology that will be used to help treat patients at the hospital.

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel is in the midst of a $78 million expansion that will add 111,993 square feet of new construction and 10,834 square feet of renovation. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)
Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel is in the midst of a $78 million expansion that will add 111,993 square feet of new construction and 10,834 square feet of renovation.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

After seeing the equipment and hearing about its capabilities, James R. Carner was impressed.

“You guys have got a great lab,” said Carner, who is an account executive for Central Payment Corporation.

“I love technology,” he said. “I’ve got no problem with coming in and letting them take care of me – with all of this.

“At least I could rest easy knowing I’d be taken care of, if anything did ever happen to me. That’s awesome,” said Carner, who is also an ambassador for The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce.

Providing high-quality care within the community is the hospital’s aim, said Denyse Bales-Chubb, president and CEO of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel.

“I think it’s wonderful to be able to provide the state-of-the-art technology here in Wesley Chapel, for our community and for the people who live here,” she said.

Michael Baird, from Medtronic, is holding a cryoballoon, used for freezing during an AFib ablation.
Michael Baird, from Medtronic, is holding a cryoballoon, used for freezing during an AFib ablation.

“No one wants to have to travel to get care. They want it right in their backyards.

“You can just have that comfort that you can come here and get taken care of; you don’t have to travel clear downtown,” Bales-Chubb said.

The opening of the new cath lab signals just the beginning of the hospital’s new facilities.

The expansion will be opening in stages, Bales-Chubb said. As a wing or a suite is finished, the state inspectors will be coming in to inspect, so that portion of the expansion can be opened.

“We’re very excited about that. Everything is still on schedule to have everything completed by December 2016,” the hospital executive said.

The expansion includes 62 additional inpatient beds, 17 additional emergency room beds and 18 observation beds.

The expansion involves adding three floors to the hospital’s center wing, and constructing an additional three-story wing that connects the south and center wings.

The expansion involves 111,993 square feet of new construction and 10,834 square feet of renovation.

Besides the additional rooms, the hospital is adding more emergency rooms, surgical suites and shelled space for future growth.

Kevin Webb, of Saint Jude Medical, is running an Ensite Velocity machine, which is Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel’s 3-D mapping machine. In essence, it allows a second set of eyes to watch what is going on during a procedure, Webb says.
Kevin Webb, of Saint Jude Medical, is running an Ensite Velocity machine, which is Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel’s 3-D mapping machine. In essence, it allows a second set of eyes to watch what is going on during a procedure, Webb says.

When fully completed, the expansion will yield about 200 more full-time equivalent jobs, Bales-Chubb said.

Besides the tour, there was also a ribbon cutting ceremony with representatives from The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce and the Trinity Odessa Chamber of Commerce.

The hospital also hosted the MEGA Heart Exhibit, giving the community a chance to learn more about heart health in a portable walkthrough heart exhibit.

Those stepping inside the exhibit, could learn about cardiovascular functions, observe examples of various types of heart disease, and see information about some of the latest medical treatments for heart problems.

Published March 16, 2016

Seeking national glory, one contest at a time

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They may be too young to know the ways of the world, but they certainly know their way around it.

Several area students have qualified to be semifinalists in the 2016 Florida National Geographic State Bee, earning the right to compete at Jacksonville University on April 1.

Area semifinalists and their schools are:

  • Reece Kaplan, Carrollwood Day School
  • Hirsh Kabria, Charlie Walker Middle School
  • Riju Datta, Corbett Preparatory School
  • Ethan Rampersaud, Dr. John Long Middle School
  • Noah Pearlman, Hillel Academy
  • Samuel Glickman, Martinez Middle School
  • Shlok Patel, Raymond B. Stewart Middle School
  • Landry Samuels, St. Anthony School
  • Rishi Nair, Williams Middle Magnet School

The semifinalist competition is the second level of the National Geographic Bee competition, now in its 28th year.

School Bees took place in schools with fourth- through eighth-grade students throughout Florida, to determine each school champion.

School champions then took an online qualifying test.

bee_logo_blue-NEWThe National Geographic Society has invited up to 100 of the top-scoring students in each of the 50 states, District of Columbia, Department of Defense Dependents Schools and U.S. territories to compete in the state Bees.

Each state champion will receive $100, the National Geographic book “The National Parks: An Illustrated History” and a medal, and will journey to Washington D.C., to represent their state in the National Geographic Bee Championship at National Geographic Society headquarters, from May 22 through May 25.

The national champion will receive a $50,000 college scholarship and lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society. The national champion will also travel (along with one parent or guardian), all expenses paid, to Alaska’s coastal wilderness, including Glacier Bay National Park, in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.

The 2016 National Geographic Bee Championship final round will be moderated for the first time by journalist and humorist Mo Rocca.

Test your knowledge
How would you fare as a National Geographic Bee contestant? Here’s a sampling of the type of questions the Bee includes:

  1. To fish in Lake Winnipesaukee [wi-neh-peh-SAW-kee] and ski near Franconia Notch, you would travel to which state – New Hampshire or South Dakota? (New Hampshire)
  1. Visitors to Biscayne National Park in Florida can go fishing and lobstering along the shore of which kind of habitat – mangrove or desert? (Mangrove)
  1. Sea kayakers can explore hundreds of islands off the Dalmatian coast of which European country south of Slovenia? (Croatia)
  1. For centuries, the Chinese emperors lived in seclusion in the Forbidden City, which is located within what present-day city? (Beijing)

Published March 16, 2016

 

 

New general store features homemade goods

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Business has been booming for a new general store in Lutz.

Sherman’s General Store opened its doors on Feb. 6, replacing Annie’s Garden Shed at 100 Fourth Ave., N.W., in Lutz.

Debra Sherman owns and operates Sherman’s General Store with her husband, David. They reside in Lutz. (Courtesy of Debra Sherman)
Debra Sherman owns and operates Sherman’s General Store with her husband, David. They reside in Lutz.
(Courtesy of Debra Sherman)

David and Deb Sherman operate the store. They also own Deb’s Whistle Stop Depot, the Whistle Stop BBQ, the Whistle Stop Gardening Center, Dillard’s Trading Post, and the Shabby Squirrel.

The 1,000-square-foot store features homemade jams, jellies, fruit butters, relishes and pickled vegetables made exclusively for the shop by Webster’s, a food wholesaler.

The general store also offers a wide variety of homemade, all-natural soaps, lotions and candles.

Since opening the new store over a month ago, sales and customer interest have been “phenomenal,” Deb said.

“Everything is doing well,” the store owner said. “We ordered 22 cases (of preserves) and sold out in two weeks. “Nobody else has (the products), but us, which makes it nice.”

Along with her husband, Deb has “carved out a niche” in operating shops that offer unique items that can’t be found at your average retail store.

“I try to only put things in here that are unique. If it’s not unique, I don’t want to carry it,” she said.

After opening her first shop—Deb’s Whistle Stop Depot—in 2010, Deb didn’t expect the family’s businesses to flourish like it has.

Sherman’s General Store in Lutz opened its doors on Feb. 6. Some of the store’s most popular items include homemade jams, jellies and fruit preserves. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)
Sherman’s General Store in Lutz opened its doors on Feb. 6. Some of the store’s most popular items include homemade jams, jellies and fruit preserves.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)

In addition to “one of a kind” items, she attributes the shops’ successes for their ability to generate repeat customers and out-of-state visitors.

“It’s been very much a trial and error with how things would go,” Deb said. “Over the years, it’s basically due to our customer base and word of mouth getting out.”

While racking up sales every day is rewarding, Deb most enjoys dealing with customers, and showing them around her shops each day.

“You build up a relationship, and it makes it very enjoyable—meeting people and getting to know them,” she said.

Sherman’s General Store
What: A 1,000-square-foot shop that offers homemade jams, jellies and preserves, as well as homemade soaps, lotions and candles.
Where: 100 Fourth Ave., N.W., Lutz
Hours of operation: Monday: Noon to 5 p.m.; Tuesday through Saturday: 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday: Noon to 4 p.m.
For more information, call (813)-949-8600, or visit DebsWhistleStop.com.

Published March 16, 2016

 

Pasco launches new housing initiative

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Pasco County is jumping into the affordable housing market in an initiative aimed at helping its homeless population.

Pasco County commissioners authorized a program that will rehabilitate foreclosed houses or, in some cases, build new houses.

Under the program, area nonprofits would become partners to manage the county’s efforts to provide houses for homeless individuals and families with “extremely low income.”

George Romagnoli is Pasco County’s community development director. (Courtesy of Pasco County)
George Romagnoli is Pasco County’s community development director.
(Courtesy of Pasco County)

“This is really new. This is not being done anywhere else,” said George Romagnoli, the county’s community development director.

Proposals will be sought from nonprofits interested in participating.

Pasco County commissioners then would select several agencies to work with the program.

Currently, about $500,000 is available from the State Housing Initiative Partnership, or SHIP program.

In coming years, county officials anticipate up to $2 million could be allocated to the program from federal grants.

The goal is to complete about 20 houses a year that can help homeless individuals and families get back on their feet. Most of the houses would be rehabbed for less than $20,000.

Also, small houses — of about 600 square feet to 800 square feet — could be built, or mobile homes could be placed on vacant lots for about $40,000 each.

“We’re very confident we can do this,” Romagnoli said.

People with low incomes are finding it increasingly difficult to find affordable rents, he said. For instance, a single mother with children who loses her job and is evicted has a hard time finding a place to live.

“There are no longer cheap rents in Pasco. And, what can be found is not safe, or cheap,” Romagnoli said.

Properties would be acquired through foreclosures, tax deed sales or other ways.

Currently, such properties can end up with the Pasco Opportunity Program, or POP, for rehabilitation and resale to homeowners. With the adoption of the new housing program, properties will be evaluated before being assigned either to POP or to the homeless initiative.

It is estimated that Pasco has about 900 chronically homeless people who live on the streets or in the woods.

In a separate initiative, the county is partnering with Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg Inc., on a pilot program for chronically homeless individuals.

Romagnoli said there could be some overlap in the two programs, with homeless individuals relocated to newly acquired housing.

“Any time we can use transitional housing, instead of shelters, is beneficial,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore.

Published March 16, 2016

Conference focus: global careers

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Marshall Larsen, keynote speaker at a global business conference, offered an unusual bit of advice to Saint Leo University students.

Don’t automatically search for the biggest corporate paycheck, the retired Goodrich executive told students.

Marshall Larsen, retired chairman and chief executive officer of Goodrich Corporation, was keynote speaker at the seventh annual International Business Conference at Saint Leo University on March 10. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Marshall Larsen, retired chairman and chief executive officer of Goodrich Corporation, was keynote speaker at the seventh annual International Business Conference at Saint Leo University on March 10.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

“If you want to do anything out of the corporate norm, do it right now. So, what if you fail? Do it now. You’ve got time,” Larsen said. “Your youth, at some point, will be gone. There’s my lesson for the day.”

About 500 students participated in the seventh annual International Business Conference on March 10 at the main campus of Saint Leo University, in St. Leo.

The event included guest speakers, panels, mock interviews, and a cybersecurity competition, dubbed “Capture the Flag.” The conference theme was “Achieving Success in the Global Economy.”

Larsen said he was undecided after graduating from business school. He ended up at Goodrich as a financial analyst, and spent 35 years with the company.

He is the retired chairman, president and chief executive officer of Goodrich Corporation. The company was founded in 1870 as a producer of rubber hoses. It later became a tire manufacturer. Over a 40-year period, Goodrich got out of the tire business and acquired aerospace companies that compete globally for contracts.

A major factor in the company’s success, as it transformed over the years, came down to creating a unifying culture that was open to ideas from every employee at Goodrich, Larsen said.

“I prided myself on having people there who could say ‘Marshall, you’re wrong,’” he said.

After his talk, Larsen took questions.

Saint Leo sophomore Mindy Vitale asked for advice on setting up a small international business. She is majoring in hospitality and international tourism.

A good plan, not just a good idea, is a requirement for any business to succeed, Larsen said. “There are these pesky things like cash flow.”

Vitale, 20, said she found Larsen’s views on life after graduation helpful as well. “I do want to travel,” she said. “I totally agree with him. Experience is important. What you learn through the process is really critical.”

One student asked Larsen for his view on how the business world would fair under either a Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton presidency.

“Who knows what’s going to happen?” he said. “Business is resilient, and they’ll figure out a way to grow.”

Congress also will have a say in the country’s future, he added.

“I’m just being very measured and watching this,” Larsen said. “I just hope for the sake of the country that we make the right decision.”

Panel discussions featured topics, such as women in leadership, the best degree for international business opportunities, and the changes in health care since the Affordable Care Act.

The leadership panel included Pamela Hobbs, vice president of human resources for the American Red Cross; Shirah Levine, managing director for institutional equity sales at Robert W. Baird & Co.; and Camille Renshaw, senior director and lead broker in New York City for Stan Johnson Company.

All of them found that hard work, a willingness to take risks, building relationships and being open to unexpected opportunities propelled them into successful careers.

Hobbs left her family dairy farm in upstate New York to relocate to Atlanta without having a job. She worked for 18 years in the solid waste industry, before taking her current position in human resources with the American Red Cross.

Renshaw got a liberal arts degree in college and later a fellowship in France “mostly because I didn’t know what else to do.”

Upon her return, she worked as an analyst for Turner Broadcasting System. She now is in commercial real estate and is founder of the New York office for Stan Johnson Company. Her clients include UBS and Checkers Drive-In restaurants.

Levine walked away from a full basketball scholarship in college, and worked a series of hourly-wage jobs including her favorite – a bartender.

She also went back to school and got a degree in communications and media studies.

At age 34, she now is a managing director and equity sales trader for Robert W. Baird & Co., a financial investment firm. She met her boss while working as bartender and bar manager and was invited for a job interview. At the time, Levine said she didn’t know a stock from a bond.

But she had drive, and better tests scores than her job competitors.

“I hope you guys see there are a lot of ways to skin a cat in this world,” Levine said.

Published March 16, 2016

Flea Market has ‘banner year’

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A new event layout, plus substantial community support, helped turn the annual GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club’s annual flea market into a hit.

“We had a banner year,” said Pat Serio, co-chairwoman of the flea market. “It did not break a record, but it was a very good year for us, and we wanted to thank the community for really stepping up to our requests for donations, and they certainly came out to shop.”

The GFWC Lutz-Land O’Lakes Woman’s Club opted to expand the layout of the flea market at the Historic Old Lutz School by adding additional pop-up tents behind the facility.

Additional pop-up tents were added behind the Historic Old Lutz School. The expanded layout helped spread out both the crowd and the merchandise. (Photos courtesy of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’Lakes Woman’s Club)
Additional pop-up tents were added behind the Historic Old Lutz School. The expanded layout helped spread out both the crowd and the merchandise.
(Photos courtesy of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’Lakes Woman’s Club)

Serio said the expanded layout, which was former woman’s club president Kay Taylor’s idea, allowed for “better flow of traffic” for flea market shoppers.

“We’ve had a lot of feedback from customers who’ve been coming to our flea market over the past decade, and they loved it because it was expanded,” said Serio, noting they plan on having a similar event layout next year. “We had more than ever in terms of merchandise, and it was spread out, and we were able to display it better as a result.

“It just worked so well. It was very convenient. It just spread the crowd out, too.”

The new tent layout also improved the aesthetics of the popular flea market, which is usually the club’s second-largest fundraiser each year.

“In prior years, we were forced to layer things and stack things, so people sometimes can’t see what is being offered,” Serio said. “This was really very good in terms of staging.”

Serio estimates “somewhere between 1,500 to 2,000 people” visited the flea market, on March 4 and March 5.

Additionally, sales were up from last year’s flea market, Serio said.

The annual GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club Flea Market attracted between 1,500 and 2,000 shoppers for its two-day event. Sales were up over last year’s totals.
The annual GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club Flea Market attracted between 1,500 and 2,000 shoppers for its two-day event. Sales were up over last year’s totals.

“That’s what we always aim to do — have more success than the prior year is always the right direction to be in,” she said.

Serio noted the flea market had a lot of leftover items — enough to fill three trailers for beneficiaries like the Goodwill and Salvation Army.

“Usually, we have two small trailers but, for some reason, Goodwill sent out what I referred to as an 18-wheeler. I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, where are we going to put this?’ But, we put (the trailers) side-by-side. Goodwill came by with a second trailer, and we filled all of it,” Serio explained.

“Due to the nature of the beast, we always have a lot of leftovers. That isn’t indicative of our sales,” she said.

The woman’s club plans to have a board meeting on March 17 to discuss how the organization will divvy up flea market funds for donations and college scholarships.

Serio said the organization will be able to award college scholarships this year, but there will be fewer than last year.

Typically, the organization provides about a dozen of those scholarships, totaling $18,000 to $20,000 in donations each year. However, the cancellation last December of the club’s annual arts and crafts festival put a significant dent in the club’s finances. The arts and crafts festival normally is the club’s biggest fundraiser, so its cancellation has caused the group to shift gears.

“We have to revise and do things quite differently because of this year’s situation,” Serio said.

The club expects to host several small events throughout the year to raise additional funds.

Published March 16, 2016

Retracing her grandfather’s steps

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Betty Lowe Phelps finally had the chance to mark an item off her bucket list last fall, when she climbed to the top of the Loggerhead Key Lighthouse in the Dry Tortugas.

As she made her way to the top, she was making the same climb as her grandfather — Benjamin Howard Lowe Sr. — did when he was an assistant lighthouse keeper there during the 1930s.

Visiting Loggerhead Key Lighthouse has long been on Betty Lowe Phelps’ bucket list. She finally visited the lighthouse last fall. She was accompanied on the trip by her sister, Toni Lowe Clinger, left and by Clinger’s husband, Bryon. (Photos courtesy of Betty Lowe Phelps)
Visiting Loggerhead Key Lighthouse has long been on Betty Lowe Phelps’ bucket list. She finally visited the lighthouse last fall. She was accompanied on the trip by her sister, Toni Lowe Clinger, left and by Clinger’s husband, Bryon.
(Photos courtesy of Betty Lowe Phelps)

The Land O’ Lakes woman now has been inside, or boated around, all four of the lighthouses from which her grandfather worked.

Phelps had been aware that her grandfather worked in lighthouses, but didn’t know many details.

She began doing more research after she visited the Sanibel Lighthouse in 1999.

That’s where she discovered that even though she knew her grandfather had worked there, his name wasn’t in the records.

She set out to find out more.

She began talking to relatives to find out what they knew and also began searching for records.

She now has a binder full of photographs and documents she’s collected. She also has another source: 20 hours of recordings of her grandfather’s recollections.

A profile on her grandfather is included in the 2006 book, “Lore of the Reef Lights: Life in the Florida Keys,” by Thomas W. Taylor.

Taylor gleaned much of the information for the profile from Phelps and other members of her family.

Taylor’s account says Lowe grew up as the son of a boat captain, and worked for his father on a vessel called The Magnolia, until the ship was lost in a hurricane in 1919.

Over the years, Lowe worked on various boats, according to Taylor’s book.

Phelps said her grandfather went to the waterfront whenever he needed work.

“He was a cook on a lot of the crews. They did shrimping. They did lobstering. They did turtling. They did sponging,” Phelps said.

In essence, he would do whatever kind of work he could find, she said.

In 1929, Lowe joined the United States Lighthouse Service as an assistant keeper and was assigned to work at Fowey Rocks Lighthouse, according to Taylor’s account.

After his wife experienced complications while giving birth, Lowe moved the family back to Key West, to be closer to a support network. He then became an assistant keeper at the Loggerhead Key Lighthouse in the Dry Tortugas, Taylor notes.

American Shoal Lighthouse, off Sugarloaf Key in the Florida Keys, is the third lighthouse where Betty Lowe Phelps’ grandfather worked as an assistant keeper.
American Shoal Lighthouse, off Sugarloaf Key in the Florida Keys, is the third lighthouse where Betty Lowe Phelps’ grandfather worked as an assistant keeper.

“During the summer months, when school was out, the entire family would voyage out to the Dry Tortugas to spend the summer with their father at the light station, living on the second floor of the station’s duplex dwelling,” Taylor adds.

He’d make regular trips to Key West, Phelps said.

“There were three men at a time. Every 28 days, one of them came in. They would spend a month with their family,” she said.

When they returned to the lighthouse, they brought fresh provisions, such as fruit, vegetables and fresh meat, she said.

Next, Phelps said her grandfather went to work at American Shoal Lighthouse, off of Sugarloaf Key, which was closer to the family.

And finally, in 1939, he took a lighthouse post in Sanibel.

“His wife begged him to take that job because there was a cottage, and the family could all stay together,” Phelps said.

Phelps has been a member of the Florida Lighthouse Association since 2000, and is delighted she finally had the chance to see the view from top of the Loggerhead Key Lighthouse.

It was a trip she’d planned to make back in 2003, with a half-dozen members of her family, as part of the Florida Lighthouse Association’s trip to the Dry Tortugas.

But, those plans were dashed due to mechanical problems with the boat.

“That was a tremendous disappointment, as we had all traveled from various parts of central Florida for the rare opportunity to visit the island and climb the most remote of our grandfather’s lighthouses,” Phelps said.

Now, she’s finally replaced that disheartening memory with a happy one.

Published March 16, 2016

Stage is set for another music fest next year

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Doreen Armillei and her husband, Ron, were grabbing a bite to eat as they waited for things to get started at the Land O’ Lakes Spring Music Festival & Expo, presented by the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce.

The Land O’ Lakes couple came out to the concert for a simple reason.

“I wanted to see Taylor Hicks,” Doreen said.

“I like his personality very much,” Doreen added, noting she became a fan while watching Hicks compete and ultimately win Season 5 of American Idol.

Concert-goers seemed to be enjoying themselves at the concert featuring Taylor Hicks, winner of Season 5 of American Idol. The concert was performed at the Fraternal Order of Police Pasco Lodge 29 property at 21735 YMCA Camp Road, in Land O’ Lakes. (Fred Bellet/Photos)
Concert-goers seemed to be enjoying themselves at the concert featuring Taylor Hicks, winner of Season 5 of American Idol. The concert was performed at the Fraternal Order of Police Pasco Lodge 29 property at 21735 YMCA Camp Road, in Land O’ Lakes.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

Karen Twilla, another Land O’ Lakes resident, came to the concert with her husband, daughter and a couple of friends. She, too, appreciates Hicks.

“I’ve seen him in Tampa. I’ve seen him in New York City, when he was in ‘Grease.’ We’ve seen him in Las Vegas and here,” she said, noting she also watched him on American Idol.

She enjoys Hicks’ music, but is even more impressed by his character.

“He’s just a fine gentleman. He just loves his music. I love his heart,” Twilla said.

They weren’t the only ones attracted to the March 11 concert. People were waiting in line before the gates opened at 6 p.m.

And, when they got in, there was plenty of room to spread out blankets and set up lawn chairs on the spacious grounds at the Fraternal Order of Police Pasco Lodge 29 property at 21735 YMCA Camp Road.

While some settled onto blankets, or claimed seats in the reserved section, others stationed themselves on boats — on Bell Lake, which borders the property — to take advantage of the spring concert.

The aroma of barbecue filled the air, and there were vendors selling Cajun food, funnel cakes, fried Oreos and other foods.

The evening concert enjoyed “chamber of commerce weather,” in the words of Elayne Bassinger, president of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce.

Although the March 11 concert was sold out, attendance was lighter than expected. Apparently those purchasing tickets gave them to people who decided not to use them, Bassinger said.

It was easy to see that biggest fan of Taylor Hicks in this row of audience members. Karen Twilla, center, of Land O’ Lakes, is flanked by Fred Twilla, her husband, left, and Kelli Actis, right, of Tampa, as they wait for the show to start at the Land O’ Lakes Spring Music Festival & Expo, presented by the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce. Karen Twilla said she has seen Hicks perform in Las Vegas, in the Broadway production of Grease, and in Tampa. She was looking forward to adding Land O’ Lakes to that list.
It was easy to see that biggest fan of Taylor Hicks in this row of audience members. Karen Twilla, center, of Land O’ Lakes, is flanked by Fred Twilla, her husband, left, and Kelli Actis, right, of Tampa, as they wait for the show to start. Karen Twilla said she has seen Hicks perform in Las Vegas, in the Broadway production of Grease, and in Tampa. She was looking forward to adding Land O’ Lakes to that list.

But, the chamber president was pleased by the event’s organization, led by Suzanne Beauchaine and David Gainer.

“It’s a lot of pieces to put together,” Bassinger said.

“We had an excellent turnout of volunteers,” she added. And, generous sponsors made the event a success, despite the empty seats, she noted.

Bassinger said she also heard positive feedback from people who attended the concert, who told her that it’s the kind of event that Land O’ Lakes has been needing.

She believes the event will grow every year, and that it will become a signature event for Land O’ Lakes.

“That’s our plan, to bring in different entertainment each year,” Bassinger said.

She also offered some kind words about Hicks.

Solar Exposure guitarist Kevin Calhoun plays a solo during the opening act’s performance at the music festival.
Solar Exposure guitarist Kevin Calhoun plays a solo during the opening act’s performance at the music festival.

“He is such an awesome, kind person. You could not ask for someone to be a nicer person. He’s all about his fans,” she said. “He’s handsome, on top of that,” Bassinger said.

On March 12, the event featured local musicians, food vendors, activities for the kids and a business expo, with scores of local businesses offering information about their goods and services.

Besides adding music this year, the event also involved a new location for the business expo, which previously was at the Land O’Lakes Recreation Complex.

Event co-chairs Beauchaine and Gainer said they will be analyzing what worked and what didn’t.

“We’re using this as a learning experience,” Beauchaine said. “We want this to be an annual event. We’re going to take what we learn from it, and make it bigger and better.”

Gainer added: “Honestly, we were hoping we just got people to come out the first year and see what this was about. It takes a little time to build momentum.”

Published March 16, 2016

Local couple shares passion for fossils

By

Seina Searle will never forget the first time she and her husband, Mike, went to what was then called Fossil Fair.

“We walked around with our jaws open,” Seina said. They were in awe of what fossil hunters could find in Florida.

Seina and Mike Searle get a thrill out of finding fossils to help unravel the mysteries of the prehistoric past. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)
Seina and Mike Searle get a thrill out of finding fossils to help unravel the mysteries of the prehistoric past.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

The Searles had already begun their amateur quest to find old bits of bone and teeth in a desire to learn more about Florida’s prehistoric past, but when they got to Fossil Fair, she said, they were blown away by the possibilities.

That was 1993, and the Searles immediately joined the Tampa Bay Fossil Club.

Flash forward 23 years. Mike is now president of the club, which boasts around 600 members and Seina is on the board of directors. She’s coordinating a team of about 140 volunteers for the 29th annual Tampa Bay Fossil Fest, set for this coming weekend at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

They hope the event will spark an interest in others that will lead them to join a community devoted to unearthing clues about the creatures that roamed the earth millions of years ago.

The couple’s passion for fossils is obvious.

An entire room in their Lutz home is filled with shelves of fossils they’ve found while diving in rivers and exploring mines. They have stuff in their garage and out back, too.

Mike and Seina Searle spend much of their free time hunting for fossils. The shelves in a room in their Lutz home are filled with items they’ve found. They have more in their garage and in a patio area out back.
Mike and Seina Searle spend much of their free time hunting for fossils. The shelves in a room in their Lutz home are filled with items they’ve found. They have more in their garage and in a patio area out back.

There’s one section in their fossil room devoted to finds from vacations to Nebraska to go fossil-hunting. They’ve made the trip 19 times and are planning to go there again this year.

Their passion has evolved through the years, Mike said.

At first, they just wanted to find stuff, he said.

“Then we wanted to find good stuff. Then, we wanted to find the most stuff,” he said.

“Sometimes you get wrapped up in what the value of your collection is worth and what you find. We’ve completely gone through all of those emotions. Now, our goal is to find stuff that’s scientifically valuable, that will help unravel the picture of what was in Florida,” he said.

Seina is fascinated by what Florida was like millions of years ago.

“It was a lot like Africa now,” she said. “You had the mammoths. Mastodons. Rhinoceros. Huge Bears. Lions.”

There were armadillos the size of Volkswagens, Mike said.

Seina has had a penchant for unearthing buried treasures since her childhood.

“I always loved archeology as a kid. I was always digging in the backyard, hoping to find something. I always had that interest,” Seina said.

The couple has traveled to Nebraska 19 times to hunt for fossils and plan to make a 20th trip there this year.
The couple has traveled to Nebraska 19 times to hunt for fossils and plan to make a 20th trip there this year.

“I never really thought so much about fossils, until he (Mike) took me looking for shark’s teeth in Venice,” she said.

Mike said he became interested in fossils after a kid showed him some shark’s teeth he had found.

“My favorite fossil, I think, is shark’s teeth,” Mike said. “What I quickly came to appreciate was the time involved. “Most people can’t conceive the time.

“You pick up a shark’s tooth on the beach,” he said. “It’s from a 5 million-year-old animal.

“Some of the fossils we dig out west are 30 million years old. You cannot conceive that kind of time frame,” he said.

The Searles have built their knowledge of archeology and paleontology through years in the field, listening to experts and sharing discoveries with other club members.

The Tampa Bay Fossil Club meets monthly at the University of South Florida, featuring presentations from experts. Club members bring items to the meetings for help in identifying the specimens.

The club also goes on field trips, has an annual campout and organizes other activities.

“I’m certain we’re the largest amateur club in the country,” Mike said.

There’s camaraderie among club members, the couple said.

When fossil hunters get together, he said, they tend to talk about things like the newest sloth that’s been found, or why diving is off limits in certain areas, Mike said.

“Everything else seems like it doesn’t matter,” he said.

29th annual Tampa Bay Fossil Fest
When: March 12, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; March 13, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Florida State Fairgrounds, intersection of Interstate 4 and U.S. 301, just east of Tampa
How much: $7 for adults, free for children 12 and under
Details: Paleo enthusiasts will find plenty to see and do at Florida’s largest prehistoric show. There will be fossils, artifacts, minerals, shells, workshops, silent auctions, door prizes, and activities for kids.
For more information, visit TampaBayFossilClub.com.