Local News

History fair focuses on Wesley Chapel

March 23, 2016 By B.C. Manion

If you’re curious about the history of Wesley Chapel, there’s a new event designed to help you learn about the community’s past.

Pasco-Hernando State College is hosting the Wesley Chapel History Fair on March 31, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the college’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd. The event will be in the college’s conference center.

Pasco-Hernando State College is hosting a history fair on March 31, with speakers sharing stories about Wesley Chapel’s past. Madonna Wise will talk about her book, “Images of America: Wesley Chapel.” (Photos courtesy of Madonna Jervis Wise) — Pasco-Hernando State College is hosting a history fair on March 31, with speakers sharing stories about Wesley Chapel’s past. Madonna Wise will talk about her book, “Images of America: Wesley Chapel.”
(Photos courtesy of Madonna Jervis Wise)

The event will showcase stories and anecdotes about the area, as it has evolved from a rural community into a center for growth in Pasco County.

Madonna Jervis Wise will talk about her latest book, “Images of America: Wesley Chapel,” which recounts what Wesley Chapel was like when the community still had moonshiners, alligator hunters, turpentine and timber operations.

Wise also will be signing copies of her book, which will be available for purchase at the event.

Other highlights will include presentations from two women who will share stories about their family members.

Stephanie Black, director of the Pioneer Museum & Village, will recount tales of the legendary Lonnie Tucker, and Quinn Porter Miller will share vignettes about James H. “Wiregrass” Porter, and her family.

Thomas Touchton, founding Chairman of the Tampa Bay History Center, will share the J. Thomas and Lavinia W. Touchton Collection of Florida Cartography.

Angelo Liranzo, a librarian who spearheaded the digitizing of more than 100 years of area newspapers, will provide a hands-on demonstration regarding local historical resources.

There was a time when Wesley Chapel was widely known for its moonshining operations and its alligator hunting. The community has been transformed in recent years into a major growth center in Pasco County.

Wise, who has also written local history books about Zephyrhills and Dade City, said it was harder to find a starting point in Wesley Chapel because the community did not have a city hall or established town center.

So, she relied on her knowledge of genealogy and tracked down people she could interview, which led to more interviews and documents to help tell the community’s story.

Putting together the book meant interviewing scores of pioneer descendants, culling through land records, visiting properties and even putting together a map to get a sense for what it used to be like.

As Wise did her research, she said one surprising discovery was that women in the community had long been acknowledged for their contributions.

“Pioneer women of Wesley Chapel were revered for their tireless days of toil, with a nurturing spirt and the skill to raise large families,” she wrote in her book.

Published March 23, 2016

Not your typical hospital food

March 23, 2016 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Louis Sicona and Michael Serrano were looking for a new place to try out for lunch one day, and they wound up at Twigs Café at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz.

“It was just a whim,” Sicona said.

The hospital, at 4211 Van Dyke Road, is near where Sicona and Serrano work, and they decided to check out its café.

That was more than a year ago, and they’ve been dining at the hospital twice a week ever since.

Serrano offered these four reasons why: “Variety, quality, quantity and price.”

First-time diners might be most surprised by the quality.

Chef Paul Finocchi, of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North’s Twigs Café, shows off a pizza fresh from the oven. (Courtesy of William J. Jack) — Chef Paul Finocchi, of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North’s Twigs Café, shows off a pizza fresh from the oven.
(Photos courtesy of William J. Jack)

The Twigs Café has daily offerings that are comparable to any hipster café or gourmet restaurant, at a much more reasonable price.

For roughly as much as a hamburger chain lunch deal, the Twigs Café gives diners a choice of delicious, from-scratch, healthy home-cooked meals at the convenience of fast-food and at cafeteria prices.

Paul Finocchi, executive chef and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, seems to wave his magic ladle over the food, and inventive creations poof into existence.

On any given day, employees, visitors, and anyone else fortunate enough to be around, might be treated to chicken mole, watermelon gazpacho, macadamia-crusted tilapia with piña colada sauce, tomato-stuffed flounder, Manhattan seafood chowder, green chicken chili, Caprese salad, horseradish-crusted salmon, or some other delicacy.

Finocchi, better known as Chef Paul, credits Marty Blitz, chef at Mise en Place in Tampa, for the horseradish-crusted salmon, a premium entree that sells for about $4 a serving at the hospital.

“Those are $20 entrees out in the real world,” Chef Paul said. “You go to Bonefish Grill—that’s basically the same dish that you can find at these places.”

Louisiana-seasoned fried catfish with sautéed greens and coleslaw are a staple at Twigs Café.

Staples like fried catfish, herb-grilled chicken breast, tomato-glazed meatloaf, and baked chicken quarters return regularly, but the menu changes constantly and varies with the seasons.

“I try to stay current on trends,” Chef Paul said. “Upwards of 90 percent of the stuff I cook in-house, I buy fresh where I can. I’m always looking for what’s current and what’s trending,” such as dark leafy greens, cauliflower, or ancient grains, a few of the recent trends.

Chef Paul encourages creativity in his kitchen.

The cold salad station is an example of this, in overdrive.

Tuscan bread salad, shaved fennel and orange slices, spaghetti squash with sundried tomatoes, green beans and strawberries with lemongrass, Brussels sprouts with pistachios and honey—anything is possible at this station.

While training kitchen help for other BayCare hospitals, Chef Paul has been known to arrange a friendly competition to see who can come up with the most creative cold salad.

“It kind of gives me a good gauge to see where people are,” Chef Paul said.

People who are visiting patients, or who work at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, aren’t the only ones who enjoy eating at The Twigs Café. (Courtesy of St. Joseph's Hospital-North) — People who are visiting patients, or who work at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, aren’t the only ones who enjoy eating at The Twigs Café.
(Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

The winners are always the customers, many of whom visit the hospital solely for the food. The hospital encourages the general public, not just staff and visitors, to dine in the cafeteria.

“I’m here for the community, not just the patients,” Chef Paul said.

Michael and Rosalie Pitch are two community regulars who frequently dine on Chef Paul’s dishes.

“The food is good and reasonable,” Michael Pitch said, looking up from his honey-soy glazed salmon. “It’s well-cooked. It’s fresh. It’s wholesome, and it’s appetizing. He makes it look good.”

“There’s a nice variety,” Rosalie Pitch said, a grilled strip steak in front of her. “Every day he has something different. There’s a lot to choose from. You can have dinners or sandwiches—there’s a lot of food, and the workers here are very nice.”

Take-home is available, too, Michael Pitch added.

The Twigs Café buzz spread rapidly to local churches. Since Chef Paul caters prayer meetings on Wednesday mornings, a loyal flock of churchgoers, all wearing their Sunday best, can now be seen passing through the cafeteria after church services on Sundays.

Sicona and Serrano patronize the grill station regularly, where hamburgers, chicken breasts, mahi-mahi, and much more is grilled fresh, and where an adjacent toppings station is provided for customers to give their selection its finishing touches.

They both said the chicken quesadilla is their favorite meal.

Sicona especially likes the way one of the station’s grill masters prepares his chicken quesadilla.

“No one else seems to make it like him,” Sicona said.

For the Wednesday and Thursday lunch offering, the chefs usually like to show off at the “action station,” breaking out the woks and pans, cooking right in front of customers. That is when cooking can truly become a collaborative process.

Perhaps the chef is leaving out one of your favorite ingredients, but that’s no problem.

“Just take it off the salad bar,” the chef will instruct, and he’ll add it to whatever creation he is making at the time.

Serrano likes the way that all of the staff try to accommodate special requests.

“I hate to say no to anybody, especially in this environment,” Chef Paul said. “If it’s in my power, I’ll do it. And, I’ve tried to instill that in all my people. Why say no, when you can say yes?”

By William J. Jacko

Published March 23, 2016

Pigz in Z’Hills finds new home

March 23, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

After months of discussions and planning, the popular Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Festival will have a permanent home.

The Zephyrhills City Council voted on March 14 to contribute $30,000 to build a new 14-acre event venue for use by nonprofit organizations at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, 5040 Airport Road in Zephyrhills.

The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce helped raise an additional $30,000 to help cover the costs for the nearly $60,000 project.

The venue is situated north of the Zephyrhills’ City Yard, stretching to Airport Road and backing up the southern boundary of the Lincoln Heights subdivision. It will feature a 20-by-40-foot stage, along with 48 vendor spaces equipped with water and electricity. Additionally, there will be an office, and enough space for freestanding vendors, business expos and children’s activities.

The annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest will have a permanent venue, starting next January. The 14-acre location will have permanent staging, water and electricity, and enough room to accommodate up to 15,000 attendees.
(Courtesy of Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce)

The property will be owned by the City of Zephyrhills, which will provide ongoing funds for site maintenance and staffing. To offset those costs, the city will likely create rental agreements for event hosts.

About six months ago, the idea for a permanent venue was proposed by the chamber of commerce after determining a larger site was needed to house ‘Pigz in Z’Hills.’

The tract of land the chamber had been using for the festival was about 2.5 acres.

The new venue will be able to accommodate up to 15,000 guests at a time, and will provide easy access and parking along South Avenue.

Chamber director Melonie Monson said the new venue is “an exciting step for our city.”

Monson noted: “This venue will help to improve our area aesthetically along with benefitting our community economically, and what will showcase the city.”

Zephyrhills City Council members concurred, with the passage of the matching donation.

“I believe it will benefit the city as a whole, financially,” said councilman Charles E. Proctor. “It’s a small price for us to donate…that we will recoup in the long-run.”

Melonie Monson, executive director for the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, presented the venue plan in front of the Zephyrhills City Council on March 14. (FIle Photo) — Melonie Monson, executive director for the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, presented the venue plan in front of the Zephyrhills City Council on March 14.
(FIle Photo)

“This is what Zephyrhills is all about. This is what we do in the community,” added council president Ken Burgess, regarding the hosting of community-wide events in Zephyrhills.

Monson, who presented the venue plan in front of the council, didn’t expect an approval this quickly.

“I’m so excited,” the chamber director said.

“We were going (to the council meeting) for more information, so we are thrilled that we’re ready to go forward with this, and they’re serious about it,” Monson added.

The new venue should be complete in time for the seventh annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest, slated for Jan. 21.

“That’s been the whole thing of why we pushed it so fast. We need it for next January,” Monson said about the construction of a permanent venue. “We start advertising in a couple of months, so we had to know whether this was going to fly or not.”

Monson pointed out that Zephyrhills was “in jeopardy” of losing the festival because of the amount of resources required to build a venue from scratch, which can total up to $10,000 each year.

Also, a significant portion of the old venue would be set up each year by volunteer Darrell Pennington.

“Darrell has done all the legwork, and he can’t go out there for a week, and literally for seven days be awake,” Monson said. “Physically, he can’t do it anymore, and we can’t ask him to keep constantly doing that.”

Pennington is pleased with new 14-acre location, especially because of its capability to better handle a large crowd.

“This past year, the band crowd has really grown. It’s become very popular, and it encroached on the vendors…and, that’s why it’s important that we get this new location with much more room,” he said.

According to Monson, ‘Pigz in Z’Hills’ has created an economic impact of over $1.3 million for Zephyrhills. Out of the 30,000 total attendees the past six years, over half have come from both outside the region and state, she said.

In addition to ‘Pigz in Z’Hills,’ the new venue expects to host other events for the Thomas Promise Foundation, Ride for Hospice and Paulie Palooza.

The permanent location may also open up opportunities to bring back the once-ballyhooed Zephyrhills Celtic Festival, and possibly a hot air balloon festival.

One potential issue raised during the council meeting was the amount of noise that may be created, since the venue will be near a residential area.

To counteract that issue, events will be limited to the daytime. Furthermore, the stage will have a sound barrier, directing the sound of music toward the airport, as opposed to the residential area.

Published March 23, 2016

County and state team up on land deal

March 23, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Pasco County and the state of Florida have teamed up on a $6 million land deal to designate a large swath of a former cattle ranch in Land O’ Lakes as a conservation easement.

The county and the state each will pay $3 million for two parcels totaling nearly 620 acres, located west of Old Pasco Road about a half-mile south of State Road 52.

Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey held out on a land deal to be sure that a swath of land could possibly be used as the right-of-way for a planned trail that will generally follow the old Orange Belt Rail Line. (File Photo) — Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey held out on a land deal to be sure that a swath of land could possibly be used as the right-of-way for a planned trail that will generally follow the old Orange Belt Rail Line.
(File Photo)

The purchase is an acquisition for the county’s Environmental Lands and Acquisition Management Program, also known as ELAMP. That program is partially funded with revenues from the Penny for Pasco program.

There’s a provision in the deal that could result in a portion of the northern half of the site being used as the right-of-way for a planned trail system that generally will follow along the former Orange Belt Rail Line.

Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey persuaded commissioners to postpone a vote on the contract until after their lunch break at the March 8 meeting in Dade City. She wanted to add language to the contract that would clear the way to negotiate the trail’s easement and public access through the site.

Without that provision, Starkey said the county could be forced to eventually negotiate a separate, costly deal to buy privately owned land for the trail.

“This is one of our most important trails in the county,” Starkey said. “We need to be able to build a trail there. This should have been part of the discussion before it was brought to us.”

The initial deal struck between sellers, the state and the county didn’t allow public access.

Four generations of the McKendree family operated the cattle farm. Sellers of the conservation easement are Neil Mathis and Christine Phillips.

Negotiations took about two years for an agreement that is the first partnership between Pasco and the state to buy conservation land. The state usually strikes such deals with federal agencies, said Keith Wiley, the county’s natural resources manager.

Members of the Florida Cabinet are scheduled to approve the deal on March 29.

With time a factor, Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader didn’t want to continue the vote to the next commission meeting. “I don’t want to jeopardize the state’s participation. I’m confident we’ll secure this (easement). This is a win-win for everyone,” he said.

But, after a representative for the property sellers agreed to the contract’s new stipulation, commissioners gave their approval to a revised agreement.

The exact route of the trail isn’t determined, but it generally will run diagonally across the county from Lacoochee through Land O’ Lakes to Odessa.

The county owns portions of the rights-of-way for the trail along Old Pasco Road and State Road 52, near the conservation easement site, according to Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker.

The Florida Department of Transportation also is building a bridge as part of its widening and realignment project along Interstate 75 and State Road 52. State officials said there would be an underpass below the bridge for the county to build a trail connector.

Starkey envisions the trail as a redevelopment tool for the Land O’ Lakes area, similar to a walking and bicycle trail established through Dunedin in Pinellas County.

“It has great potential to be an economic draw in Land O’ Lakes,” she said.

Published March 23, 2016

New elementary school gets a name

March 23, 2016 By B.C. Manion

The school formerly known as Elementary W now has a name.

Pasco County School Board members voted unanimously on March 15 to name the school Wiregrass Elementary.

The board chose the name after little discussion. They decided to go with a name that reflects the community where the school will open in August.

Board member Cynthia Armstrong made the motion for the school’s new name, saying she was recommending Wiregrass, rather than Wiregrass Ranch, to avoid potential confusion with the nearby Wiregrass Ranch High School.

Armstrong also noted that she prefers naming schools based on their location because it helps to build a sense of community.

She also noted that naming a school for a person can lead to problems later on. “Down the road, when we want to repurpose a building, we want to repurpose a program, it makes it very difficult to do so because people have very strong feelings, as well they should,” Armstrong said.

“I have always felt strongly that geographic names are the way to go,” agreed School Board Chairwoman Joanne Hurley.

The new school will be led by Principal Steve Williams and Assistant Principal Melissa Bidgood.

Williams joined Pasco County Schools in 2001, working as a literacy specialist, then assistant principal and then principal.

Most recently, he led the Office for Teaching and Learning, supporting K-12 learning in all Pasco County Schools.

Bidgood joined Pasco County Schools in 2004. She spent the first part of her career at Sunray Elementary School followed by Sand Pine Elementary as a classroom teacher.

She later became a literacy coach at Seven Springs Elementary School, interned at Sunray Elementary as assistant principal and, most recently, has served as an assistant principal at Seven Oaks Elementary School.

Published March 23, 2016

Seeking to stop illegal dumping

March 23, 2016 By Kathy Steele

The collection bins that people fill with donations of shoes and clothes are a familiar sight around the community.

For the most part, they help local charities that operate thrift stores or have giveaway programs to benefit low-income individuals and families.

In most cases, they’re clean, well marked and routinely emptied.

An unmarked donation bin in a parking lot near Sam’s Club on State Road 56 became a dumping ground for furniture and appliances. (Courtesy of Mike Moore) — An unmarked donation bin in a parking lot near Sam’s Club on State Road 56 became a dumping ground for furniture and appliances.
(Courtesy of Mike Moore)

But, not always. And now, the Pasco County Commission and the Zephyrhills City Council are ready to clamp down on those bins that quickly become illegal dumpsites, and eyesores for the community.

Many of the bins that become dump sites appear to be operated by organizations seeking clothing items to sell.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore came to a February commission meeting with photographic proof of the problem.

“What happens is a lot of organizations will collect items and sell them on the open market,” Moore said. “You’ll see people abandon the bins at times, and at times they don’t make regular collections.”

Pasco County staff members are reviewing ordinances from Deerfield Beach, Jacksonville, Tampa and Manatee County as models for a local draft ordinance to bring to county commissioners.

The city of Zephyrhills also is considering an ordinance to curb similar illegal dumping issues at bins within city limits. City Councilman Lance Smith put the topic on the council’s March 14 agenda.

Within the next month a draft ordinance should be ready for the city council’s review.

Smith’s first encounter with the issue came about two years ago when he spotted a rusty looking donation bin in the right of way by Woodland Elementary School. Code enforcement removed it.

Not every clothing bin is creating eyesores, but Smith said, “When someone leaves a mattress, the next thing it’s a television. It becomes a dumping ground.”

With Pasco County poised to adopt an ordinance, Smith said it makes sense for Zephyrhills to do the same.

Mike-Moore crop — Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore would like Pasco County to crack down on illegal dumping near donation bins. (File Photo)

Recently, code enforcement investigated a complaint about illegal dumping at a bin at the Winn-Dixie shopping center on County Road 54. The property owner was notified, said Bill Burgess, Zephyrhills’ building code administrator.

“They had it cleaned up and, I believe, thereafter removed,” Burgess said.

He recalled another bin that from a distance looked legitimate. On closer inspection, it was made of plywood and hand-painted. It had no contact or identifying information.

Draft ordinances for Pasco and Zephyrhills likely would require registration and set standards for maintenance and operation.

Moore said Pasco’s ordinance could require that the bins be clearly marked with a business name, a contact phone number and rules on keeping areas around the bins cleared. Written permission from property owners also should be required, he said.

Moore said he heard from one landowner who told him that over the past years he has had to remove bins and illegally dumped materials from his properties, at a cost of hundreds of dollars.

The ordinance isn’t meant to make money for the county or to hamper businesses, property owners and agencies that act responsibly, Moore said.

“The last thing we want to do is hurt legitimate charities,” Moore said. “We want them to keep doing what they’re doing.”

Published March 23, 2016

Easter season filled with spiritual celebrations

March 23, 2016 By B.C. Manion

As Easter approaches, churches across The Laker/Lutz News coverage area are preparing for a host of spiritual activities.

Some churches will be hosting Good Thursday, Holy Friday and Easter Vigil services, while others will be focusing primarily on Easter Sunday services.

There will be community events, as well, to celebrate the season.

David Huff, pastor at Trinity Church of Wesley Chapel, released the doves at the end of last year’s Easter service. A dove release is again planned for Sunday’s service. (Photos courtesy of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills) — David Huff, pastor at Trinity Church of Wesley Chapel, released the doves at the end of last year’s Easter service. A dove release is again planned for Sunday’s service.
(Photos courtesy of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills)

In Zephyrhills, the Zephyrhills-Wesley Chapel Ministerial Association will be leading the annual Good Friday Walk of the Cross.

Adults and families are invited to the walk, which takes participants on a 1 ½-mile pilgrimage with stops outside seven Zephyrhills churches.

Along the way, individuals take turns carrying the cross to different churches, and at each stop, a scriptural verse and reflection is shared.

The first stop on the walk will be on March 25 at 5:30 p.m., at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, at 5316 11th Street. The walk concludes about 6:45 p.m., at the First United Methodist Church, 38635 Fifth Ave., where there will be a Good Friday service.

“This is such an amazing event, to have people from all different faiths and all different styles and denominations of Christianity, coming together for something in unity,” said Dennis Harmeson, president of the ministerial association. Until he participated in the walk, he said, “I had never seen anything like it,” regarding people’s willingness to lay aside the things they disagree about, in a show of unity about the things they agree on.

On Easter Sunday, Florida Hospital Zephyrhills will partner with the ministerial association to present an annual Easter sunrise service, on March 27, beginning at 7 a.m. It will be on the front lawn of the hospital’s campus at 7050 Gall Blvd.

The service will feature a message from Dennis Harmeson, pastor at Zephyrhills Wesleyan Church, and music by Craig Garrison, a pharmacy regulatory specialist and volunteer spiritual ambassador at Florida Hospital Tampa, who is also a resident of Zephyrhills.

Pastor Nick Deford of First Church of the Nazarene, Zephyrhills, delivered the Easter message in 2015 before a crowd estimated at around 1,500.

An offering will be taken for The Good Samaritan Project of Zephyrhills and for the ministerial association, which both are nonprofit organizations, and the hospital will provide complimentary refreshments.

Because of limited seating, the hospital suggests that those attending bring a lawn chair. The event will be held, rain or shine.

The sunrise service at the hospital is a tradition that began around 1985, said Doug Higgins, chaplain at Florida Hospital Zephyrhills.

“It’s kind of a gift to the community from the hospital, to encourage this important celebration of the year,” he said.

One of the highlights is the release of a dove, a symbol of the Holy Spirit, Higgins said.

“That’s a great symbol of Christ’s resurrection, and new life within us, as well,” he explained.

The service typically draws about 1,500 people, he said.

Harmeson, who will be the main speaker at the sunrise service, said he will be focusing on the resurrection of Christ and “how we react, moving forward with the knowledge Christ died for us.”

Scores of churches of various Christian denominations also are planning special services leading up to Easter and on Easter Sunday, and we have some of those services in our What’s Happening section this week. Many churches also have information about the themes and times for their services posted on their websites.

Published March 23, 2016

Eighth-grader receives presidential honor

March 23, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

An eighth grade student at Torchbearers’ Christian Academy in Dade City has received a presidential honor for her volunteer work at a local hospital.

Fifteen-year-old Savannah Jones was awarded a President’s Volunteer Service Award for 2015 after she spent the summer doing all sorts of tasks at Bayfront Health Dade City.

The President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizes citizens who have achieved the required number of service hours for a particular age group during a year.

Savannah Jones, an eighth-grader at Torchbearers’ Christian Academy in Dade City, received a President’s Volunteer Service Award for her contributions to Bayfront Health Dade City. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo) — Savannah Jones, an eighth-grader at Torchbearers’ Christian Academy in Dade City, received a President’s Volunteer Service Award for her contributions to Bayfront Health Dade City.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)

For youths between the ages of 11 and 15, those volunteering for 100 hours or more reach the “Gold Level” status, and receive presidential recognition, a personalized certificate and a congratulatory letter from the president of the United States.

Jones greatly surpassed the 100-hour qualifying figure by putting in nearly 175 volunteer hours between June 2015 and August 2015.

The middle school student typically volunteered eight hours a day, for three or four days a week, during the summer.

Jones said she was “excited” and “shocked” when she found out she was receiving the prestigious honor.

“I want to be a nurse or doctor when I grow up,” Jones said, so she thought volunteering at Bayfront Health would be a good experience.

According to Amy Fort, volunteer coordinator for Bayfront Health, Jones was willing to help in any area needed throughout the hospital and had a “can-do” attitude.

Jones’ duties included filing for the hospital’s accounting department, replenishing emergency supplies and greeting visitors at the facility’s front desk.

“I was like a floater,” Jones said.

“I really liked volunteering in the ER (Emergency Room), and before a patient comes in, I’d have to clean the beds and clean the rooms, and make sure that it was prepped for them,” she said.

Fort said that Jones “took great pride and initiative with her volunteer duties at the hospital. She was great at communicating and a bright spot in many of our patients’ days.”

Fort also noted that volunteers, such as Jones, serve as the “backbone” for the hospital.

“They are the first people to greet visitors, and they are our cheerleaders in the community,” the volunteer coordinator said. “Volunteers have played a critical role in our hospital for years, compassionately supplementing the services that (the) staff provides to patients, families and guests.”

Jones believes that more youth her age should volunteer in their spare time, especially at local hospitals, pointing out that many people need help.

In addition to her volunteer service, Jones is viewed as a model student by staff at Torchbearers’ Christian Academy, a school that has an enrollment of about 70 students, in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Principal Jan Yarbrough said, “everything stands out about her,” and added that the eighth-grader is “agreeable” and “works hard.”

When Yarbrough heard that Jones spent the summer volunteering at Bayfront Hospital, she said she wasn’t surprised.

Jones, according to the principal, ““seeks to please.”

“She has excelled and moved up tremendously, and is very much in charge of her life,” Yarbrough said.

Carolyn Babbitt, who is one of Jones’ teachers, describes the young woman as someone who is honest and wants to do well.

“Children grade their own work and the teachers re-grade it. She’s been very honest with that. If she’s not sure it’s right, she asks for some interpretation,” Babbitt explained.

Jones began attending the Christian school in 2014, after she and her parents realized that Pasco Middle School wasn’t an ideal fit.

“She has come a long way,” Babbitt said. “She’s gained all kinds of confidence,” she added.

She believes that Jones is thriving in the small-school setting, surrounded by people who accept her.

“It’s really helped her,” Babbitt said.

Jones admits she didn’t really start to enjoy school until she transferred to the academy.

“I started liking school, and I just wanted to come all the time,” she said. “I’m having good grades now, and I think it’s helped me more.”

Jones plans to continue volunteering for the hospital over the summer, and also plans to be a Habitat for Humanity volunteer.

Published March 23, 2016

Steinbrenner student organizes jazz concert

March 23, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

A junior at Steinbrenner High School is organizing a benefit jazz concert to help out a local food pantry.

Steinbrenner’s James Wall is hosting the Eagle Scout Jazz Benefit Concert on April 10 at 4 p.m., at the Messiah Lutheran Church, 14920 Hutchison Road in Tampa.

Admission is free, but attendees are asked to bring a food donation, which will be given to the Kaye Prox Food Bank in Tampa.

Steinbrenner High junior James Wall is organizing a jazz benefit concert as part of a service project in his quest to become an Eagle Scout. Wall will be playing the trombone, and will be accompanied by several other musicians, including longtime pianist Chuck Berlin and bassist John Lamb, a former member of the Duke Ellington Jazz Orchestra. (Courtesy of James Wall) — Steinbrenner High junior James Wall is organizing a jazz benefit concert as part of a service project in his quest to become an Eagle Scout. Wall will be playing the trombone, and will be accompanied by several other musicians, including longtime pianist Chuck Berlin and bassist John Lamb, a former member of the Duke Ellington Jazz Orchestra.
(Courtesy of James Wall)

Wall, who has been a Boy Scout since kindergarten, is hosting the traditional jazz concert as part of a service project in his quest to become an Eagle Scout.

“I want to be a musician. I want to major in music. I wanted to do an Eagle Scout project that would pertain to what my career would be like,” said Wall, who is currently in the final rank of Boy Scouts before advancing to an Eagle Scout.

“I felt like this would be a good idea, to help prepare a concert. It’s what I may be doing a lot of times when I go into my career,” the high school junior explained.

For the service project, Wall was able to secure some of Tampa Bay’s top musicians, including longtime pianist Chuck Berlin and bassist John Lamb, a former member of the Duke Ellington Jazz Orchestra.

In booking the longtime musicians, Wall said he met Berlin through a mutual friend, and noted that Berlin and Lamb are also “really good friends.”

“A lot of my family is from New Orleans, and (Berlin) is from New Orleans, so that got us talking a lot,” Wall said.

One of Wall’s classmates, Christian Bianchet, a senior, will be on drums during the concert.

As event organizer, Wall won’t be standing idle during the concert, either. The Steinbrenner student, who has practiced music for more than 10 years, will join in on the jazz session by playing the trombone.

“The trombone is my main instrument,” Wall said, adding that he also doubles on the euphonium. “I like its very mellow tone, and I like its dark sound.”

This won’t be the first time Wall has performed on stage.

He’s currently a member of the Steinbrenner Jazz Band and also plays lead trombone in the Ruth Eckerd Hall Jazz Youth Ensemble.

Wall is still mulling where he wants to study music after he graduates high school.

He’s currently considering the University of California-Berkeley, Florida State University and the University of South Florida.

For more information on the concert, email .

Eagle Scout Jazz Benefit Concert
What: A traditional jazz music concert benefitting the Kaye Prox Food Bank in Tampa
Who: James Wall, trombone; Chuck Berlin, piano; John Lamb, Bass; and Christian Bianchet, drums
Where: Messiah Lutheran Church, 14920 Hutchison Road in Tampa
When: April 10 at 4 p.m.
Other information: Admission is free, but attendees are asked to bring a food item to donation.

Published March 23, 2016

Bradley Massacre makes history in Pasco

March 23, 2016 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

A Seminole war party led the attack
Various accounts, published on the historic website Fivay.org, tell the story of the Bradley Massacre, reportedly the last Seminole war party attack on a settler’s homestead east of the Mississippi River.

Capt. Robert Duke Bradley was one of the first white settlers to live south of the Withlacoochee River, according to those reports.

He wasn’t feeling well on May 14, 1856, and was awaiting supper with his wife and children that evening.

Barracks and tents at Fort Brooke in Tampa Bay, around 1840. In 1824 Fort Brooke was a military post established at the mouth of the Hillsborough River in present-day Tampa. It had as many as 3,000 soldiers and would take part in all three Seminole Indian Wars. The fort was decommissioned by the U.S. Army in 1883. (Courtesy of South Florida Library) — Barracks and tents at Fort Brooke in Tampa Bay, around 1840.
In 1824 Fort Brooke was a military post established at the mouth of the Hillsborough River in present-day Tampa. It had as many as 3,000 soldiers and would take part in all three Seminole Indian Wars. The fort was decommissioned by the U.S. Army in 1883.
(Courtesy of South Florida Library)

The captain, who was bedridden on his farm, was a veteran who had fought against the Seminole Indians as far north as the Suwannee River.

He had resigned his commission, because he was no longer a healthy man.

The skirmishes he’d been involved in had damaged his lungs, and for the rest of his life, he would require medical services from the army doctor stationed at Fort Brooke.

Bradley had personally surveyed a homestead in a remote area that would be later known as Darby, a community in Pasco County.

It was frontier country with its share of moccasin tracks, but the good news was that no Indian sightings had been reported for many years.

But, the evening of May 14, 1856, would forever change the 53-year-old’s life.

Bradley — who had always been willing to defend his land granted under the Armed Occupation Act — suddenly heard sounds of a war whoop and gunfire of a Seminole war party.

The attack would be recorded as the last attack on a settler’s homestead east of the Mississippi River.

After meeting with U.S. President Millard Fillmore at the White House, Seminole Chief Billy Bowlegs initially agreed to surrender. The U.S. government later offered Bowlegs $10,000 to relocate to the Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma. Bowlegs had led his warriors on sporadic attacks, which may have included the Bradley Massacre. (Credit: Harper’s Weekly, June 12, 1858) — After meeting with U.S. President Millard Fillmore at the White House, Seminole Chief Billy Bowlegs initially agreed to surrender. The U.S. government later offered Bowlegs $10,000 to relocate to the Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma. Bowlegs had led his warriors on sporadic attacks, which may have included the Bradley Massacre.
(Credit: Harper’s Weekly, June 12, 1858)

Bradley’s 11-year-old daughter, Mary Jane, was quickly shot through the shoulder and heart. The captain saw her come into his bedroom, where she collapsed and died.

Fifteen-year-old William Brown Bradley was shot on the porch of the log house.

An Aug. 4, 1922 Dade City Banner story recounting the raid, reported that Nancy Bradley, the captain’s wife, “…rushed out on the porch, picked up the wounded boy, and carried him into the room and laid him on the bed. He (William) got up, grabbed a rifle, and fired through a crack between the logs, handed the gun to one of his brothers, saying, ‘fight till you die’ and fell to the floor dead.”

News of the 15-year-old’s injuries reached as far north as the Macon Weekly Telegraph, which on June 24, 1856 reported: ‘His body had been pierced by two balls.”

When Bradley realized the Indians had reached the steps of his front porch, he heard his wife yell: “They are coming in!”

What happened next was reported as far east as the Palatka Democrat, which published a May 22, 1856 account:

“Captain Bradley, who was prostrated on his bed with sickness, arose and returned a fire on the Indians with two or three guns which he had in his house, which caused them to withdraw,” according to the Palatka Democrat report.

The Banner’s 1922 article indicated that “one of the boys shot at two Indians who were trying to hide behind a tree and afterwards more blood was found there than anywhere else.”

Bradley counted at least 15 Indians attacking his log cabin.

The Palatka Democrat reported: “Captain Bradley was of the opinion that the Indians were about his house all night.”

Because he was a known Indian fighter, there are several historical sources that describe the Bradley attack as an act of revenge.

During the Second Seminole War (1835-1842), a major strategist and leader for the Indians was Thlocko Tustenuggee– or better known as “Tiger Tail” to the white man.

And, it was Captain Bradley who had tracked down and killed Nethlockemathlar, the older brother of Tiger Tail.

At the time of the Seminole raid, the Bradley residence was approximately a mile north of the location of this historic marker off Bellamy Brothers Boulevard. (Doug Sanders/Photo) — At the time of the Seminole raid, the Bradley residence was approximately a mile north of the location of this historic marker off Bellamy Brothers Boulevard.
(Doug Sanders/Photo)

Reaching the Bradley homestead the next day from Fort Brooke, Capt. Thomas C. Ellis and a group of men went into the surrounding woods to hunt for the Seminoles. “The camp of the redskins was found in the big cypress swamp and nearby the grave of the Indian killed by Captain Bradley,” according to the Dade City Banner.

As the Bradley attack produced more sightings and fears of the Indians, Gen. Jesse Carter at Fort Brooke received a letter from a citizen’s committee dated May 31, 1856. It said, in part:

“… we therefore most respectfully ask that you will, at the earliest practicable moment, send to our relief a force sufficient to protect us from the cruel barbarities of this insidious foe…”

With the frontier on alert, Bradley and his wife laid to rest their son and daughter in unmarked graves. This was done to prevent the Indians from returning and desecrating the burials.

The family would learn later that the Indian war party was pursued as far south as Fort Mead “and the entire band either killed or captured,” according to one newspaper account.

Called “The Bradley Massacre” by a historical maker erected by Pasco County in 1979, the killings that night 160 years ago was one of several events that ultimately forced Chief Billy Bowlegs and the last of some 100 Seminole warriors to leave Florida at the end of the Third Seminole War in 1858.

Armed Occupation Act
Granting 160 acres to any head of a family, the Florida Armed Occupation Act of 1842 required a settler’s house to be built in one year, the clearing and growing crops for five years, and defending the homestead.

By Doug Sanders

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 March 23, 2016