Local News

Students have a field day at Sanders

March 23, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Sanders Memorial Elementary School started spring break early with a day of fun in the sun.

Presley Knouse, 9, has the school’s initials painted on her cheek by school art teacher, Kellie Silvey, during the Field Day activities at Sanders Memorial Elementary School. (Fred Bellet/Photos) — Presley Knouse, 9, has the school’s initials painted on her cheek by school art teacher, Kellie Silvey, during the Field Day activities at Sanders Memorial Elementary School.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

More than 700 students spent their day at school playing games, dancing, relay racing, getting their faces painted and slurping down snow cones.

The annual Field Day on March 18 was the last school day before the weeklong spring break started for public schools in Pasco County.

Presley Knouse, 9, got her cheek painted with the letters of her school, SMES. Then, she headed off for a round of tinikling, a dance originated in the Philippines.

Classmates tapped and moved two poles in and out, as Knouse stepped over or in between the poles.

On the basketball court, students tested their skills with an outsized jenga game or zoomed handmade paper planes through the air.

A boom box energized dancers with familiar tunes, old and new. From “Hey Macarena” to “Do the Hokey Pokey,” students got into the rhythm.

Chloe Choo, 7, gets the jump on the tinikling event, as she goes airborne above plastic poles moving from side to side.

On the school’s field, students tested their strength and skills at tug o’ war, relay races, soccer kicks, or football and baseball tosses.

About 70 volunteers, and another dozen or so teachers and staff members, participated. Most volunteers were parents, but about eight employees from the Nike store at Tampa Premium Outlets also helped.

Standing in line, students hopped with excitement as they waited a turn at kicking the soccer ball into a net.

Riya Mendenhall, 5, joined in a tug o’ war.

“You lose sometimes. You win sometimes,” she said.

Sanders Memorial Principal Jason Petry joined in the fun, too. He gave some tips on baseball pitching to 5-year-old Patrick Mize, as the youngster got ready for his wind-up.

“It kind of kicks off their spring break,” Petry said. “They’ve worked hard since the beginning of the year. You kind of need a day like this to celebrate.”

Published March 23, 2016

Trevor Lucas, 6, and Jordan Richardson, 5, pour on the steam, as they face off with another kindergarten class during the tug o’ war Field Day event.

Srinav Nekkanti, 8, carries empty water bottles to the recycle bin after teams finished the tug o’ war during Field Day activities. More than 700 students participated.

Patrick Mize, 5, works on his pitching form during Field Day activities, with the help of Jason Petry, principal of Sanders Memorial Elementary School.

School shootings: What are we doing wrong?

March 16, 2016 By B.C. Manion

When it comes to mass shootings at school, there is one thing that most have in common, said Lisa Rapp-McCall, a professor in the graduate social work program at Saint Leo University.

“The vast majority end in the shooter’s suicide,” the professor told a crowd at a conference for social workers at Saint Leo University on March 11.

Rapp-McCall’s presentation, “Mass Shootings: What are we doing wrong? Where to we go from here,” provided conference-goers a deep look at the issue, using information the professor gleaned from FBI reports, Secret Service reports, other researchers’ information and studies.

Lisa Rapp-McCall discusses the seriousness of mass shootings at schools, and ways that schools, families and care providers can work to reduce potential incidents. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Lisa Rapp-McCall discusses the seriousness of mass shootings at schools, and ways that schools, families and care providers can work to reduce potential incidents.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The professor also drew on knowledge attained through her own experience when she worked with juvenile offenders and youth with mental health issues while she was a practicing social worker in Buffalo, N.Y.

The truth is that it’s difficult to research mass shooting cases that occur at school because they are rare events, and because the shooter is typically dead, Rapp-McCall said, beginning her presentation with the FBI’s definition of a mass shooting at school.

“The FBI defines a school mass shooting as a first-degree multiple homicide involving four or more victims,” she said. By that definition, there have been nine school mass shootings in the past 20 years.

But, that doesn’t count the events where multiple people are shot, but fewer than four die, she said. By that broader definition, the number of mass shooting incidents would double.

Rapp-McCall also went over some myths about mass shootings at schools:

School violence is an epidemic
All school shooters are loners and alike
These are impulsive acts
Easy access to guns is the No. 1 contributor
School shooters are easy to identify

While not an epidemic, the incidents are serious and work needs to be done to reduce the potential for these occurrences, Rapp-McCall said. And, while some may think they’re impulsive acts, they tend to be carefully planned and scripted, she added.

While much more research is needed, there are some clues, including the risk factors for school shooters. Those include:

Seventy-five percent have attempted suicide
They have been rejected by peers; or, if they have friends, they’re engaged in unhealthy behaviors
They are disconnected from school and are withdrawn
They have been bullied, humiliated, gay-baited
They collect injustices, feel victimized, may be paranoid
They have access to weapons
They’re fascinated by weapons

There are also risk factors in families, Rapp-McCall said. There tends to be a lack of intimacy and cohesion in the home. The youth is allowed to be withdrawn. There’s access to weapons. And, the family often appears to be afraid of the youth.

There is no easy fix for the problem, Rapp-McCall said, noting it will take concerted and sustained efforts to address this complex issue.

Better coordination of services and more communication between providers would help, she said. In some cases, a problem could be spotted and addressed much earlier, if people were talking to each other, she said.

She’d like to see more social workers hired to coordinate multiple services.

“Parents shouldn’t be case managers. They don’t know how to be case managers,” she said.

“All of these families, at one point or another, sought help,” Rapp-McCall said. “They weren’t really given a lot of help.”

She also thinks parents need more guidance about what to do when their child is withdrawn.

“It is OK to get them out of their room?

“Yes. Please do.

“Is it OK to go looking in their room, when they’re not there?

“Yes. Please do,” she said.

She also said schools must do more to reduce the potential for incidents.

There are also risk factors at schools, she said. Those include a pecking order, where certain groups of students are favored; a code of silence, where kids know what’s going on but won’t tell anyone; and, a culture that allows bullying to occur.

To address those issues, schools must ensure that activities are inclusive, she said. The pecking order must be abolished. And, codes of silence must be broken.

Schools need ongoing teams to maintain a healthy climate and culture, she said. That team should meet regularly, and it should include students, teachers, staff, coaches, parents, guidance counselors, school nurses and social workers, she said.

Students must be taught that they can’t be bystanders when bullying occurs.

“With our technology, there certainly could be an anonymous number that you could text to say, ‘Someone is getting bullied behind the cafeteria right now’,” she said.

More research is needed, Rapp-McCall said, particularly in the arena of young male depression.

“Where is the data? Where is the research? Who’s studying this? Who’s talking about this?

“Little, very little, has been written or researched about male depression and male suicide,” Rapp-McCall said.

Published March 16, 2016

Pasco looks to TIA for tourism boost

March 16, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Traffic is increasing at Tampa International Airport, and that has piqued the interest of Pasco County officials.

More than 18 million passengers passed through Tampa International Airport in 2015, nearly 7 percent more than the year before.

Tampa International Airport is in the midst of a three-phase $2.5 billion project to make the airport a ‘people mover’ for the 21st century. In the first phase, the airport will expand the main terminal by 55,000 square feet, build a new rental car center, and add 65 shops and restaurants including Hard Rock Café and P.F. Chang’s. (Images courtesy of Tampa International Airport) — Tampa International Airport is in the midst of a three-phase $2.5 billion project to make the airport a ‘people mover’ for the 21st century. In the first phase, the airport will expand the main terminal by 55,000 square feet, build a new rental car center, and add 65 shops and restaurants including Hard Rock Café and P.F. Chang’s.
(Images courtesy of Tampa International Airport)

Of those travelers, about 8 percent, or 1.6 million, were from Pasco County.

Pasco County commissioners are interested in finding out how to tap into the stream of visitors who arrive in Tampa Bay every year.

On March 8, commissioners heard an update from Joe Lopano, TIA’s chief executive officer, on the master plan to upgrade and expand TIA.

The first phase of a three-phase plan is slated for completion in fall of 2017.

That phase, estimated at $980 million, includes a new rental car center, a new 1.4-mile automated people mover that will connect the rental car facility to the main terminal, and construction of a runway bridge over the George J. Bean Parkway. In addition, the main terminal is being expanded by 55,000 square feet, and 65 shops and restaurants, including Hard Rock Café and P.F. Chang’s, will be upgraded or added to the airport’s amenities.

The total cost of TIA’s upgrades are estimated at about $2.5 billion, with a completion date of 2028.

Ducky’s is among the newest restaurants to be added to Tampa International Airport’s lineup of eating establishments.

Phase one is on budget and on schedule, Lopano said.

Construction isn’t all that is driving TIA’s makeover.

A more personal touch also is highlighting the airport’s progress, and its amenities.

About 160 volunteers – some retired airline employees – serve as airport ambassadors who greet and assist passengers.

Pasco officials want to educate those volunteers on what the county can offer tourists. Lopano and Pasco County Tourist Manager Ed Caum briefly discussed a bus tour of Pasco to give the airport ambassadors a first-hand view of Pasco’s current and future destinations.

Tampa International Airport is the first airport in the country that will have a Hard Rock Café on-site.

Among the tour stops could be SunWest Park, the Florida Hospital Center Ice complex under construction at Interstate 75 and State Road 56, Tampa Premium Outlets and The Shops at Wiregrass.

The county’s tourism website also touts restaurants and historical sites throughout the county, as well as the 10 birding stops on the Great Florida Birding Trail, Treehoppers Aerial Adventure Park and the Anclote Key State Park.

Advertising at the airport tends to be expensive and out of the county’s reach, Caum said. But, he plans to explore potential for sharing costs with other partners.

Pasco is coming off a record year for tourism, posting $968,263 in Tourist Tax collections between October 2014 and the end of September 2015. That was a 17 percent increase over the previous year.

According to the U.S. Travel Association, more than 500,000 visitors to Pasco spent about $466 million. Local sales taxes from those visitors totaled more than $14.9 million. And, tourism created nearly 6,000 full-time employees, with an annual payroll in Pasco of $106.2 million.

The increase in passengers at TIA is in part due to more international flights.

The master plan for Tampa International Airport includes construction of a 1.4-mile automated people mover to transport passengers between the main terminal and a new rental car center.

In 2015, Lufthansa German Airlines began flights from Frankfurt to Tampa. Other international destinations are London, Zurich, and Panama City, Panama. Airport officials also are hoping to add commercial flights to Cuba.

“We are an international region,” said Lopano.

And, an economic engine for the region.

The airport employees about 7,500 people, supports another 81,000 jobs indirectly and generates about $7.8 billion in annual economic activity.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells said he appreciated the collaborative way in which TIA officials and the region’s counties are working together on growth and economic issues.

That hasn’t always been the case, he said.

“We’ve never really been together as a region,” Wells said, but he added, “I can see it now.”

Published March 16, 2016

Traffic jams likely with U.S. 41 closure

March 16, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

Thousands of motorists who normally travel along U.S. 41 through Lutz can expect longer drive times, as the highway is closed until March 27 for a railroad crossing project.

CSX will be replacing the rails and the railroad crossing north of Crenshaw Lake Road.

Since U.S. 41 will be closed, thousands of motorists who travel through Lutz will be forced to detour.

To get around the U.S. 41 closure in Lutz, motorists heading from Pasco County can go south on North Dale Mabry Highway to Bearss Avenue and then east on Bearss Avenue to U.S. 41. Motorists who want to go north past the detour need to go west on Bearss Avenue and then north on North Dale Mabry Highway. Some internal roads will be open during the closure. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo) — To get around the U.S. 41 closure in Lutz, motorists heading from Pasco County can go south on North Dale Mabry Highway to Bearss Avenue and then east on Bearss Avenue to U.S. 41. Motorists who want to go north past the detour need to go west on Bearss Avenue and then north on North Dale Mabry Highway. Some internal roads will be open during the closure.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)

For motorists heading south, primarily from Pasco County, the detour route will be to travel North Dale Mabry Highway south to Bearss Avenue, then head east to U.S. 41.

For those heading north, the detour would be to take Bearss Avenue west to North Dale Mabry Highway and then continue north.

While motorists will not be able to cross the tracks during the closure, there will be access to local businesses, including Lutz Preparatory School.

Access to Lakeside Drive also will be maintained, from the north side of the tracks.

Electronic message boards and detour signs are being used to assist motorists traveling through the detour.

Officials said traffic will be congested on various roads throughout the area, adding most of the routes will experience heavier than normal congestion.

The Florida Department of Transportation worked with CSX to choose the March 14 to March 27 timeframe, so most of the work could be scheduled during the Hillsborough County Public Schools’ spring break, officials said.

Published March 16, 2016

U.S. 41 in Lutz will be closed at the railroad crossing, north of Crenshaw Lake Road, until March 27. Electronic signs were posted in advance of the closure to alert motorists. (Courtesy of Florida Department of Transportation) — U.S. 41 in Lutz will be closed at the railroad crossing, north of Crenshaw Lake Road, until March 27. Electronic signs were posted in advance of the closure to alert motorists.
(Courtesy of Florida Department of Transportation)

Porter to doubters: Raymond James is coming

March 16, 2016 By B.C. Manion

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

March 16, 2016 By B.C. Manion

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.

“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.

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

March 16, 2016 By B.C. Manion

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.

The 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:

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)

Visitors to Biscayne National Park in Florida can go fishing and lobstering along the shore of which kind of habitat – mangrove or desert? (Mangrove)

Sea kayakers can explore hundreds of islands off the Dalmatian coast of which European country south of Slovenia? (Croatia)

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

March 16, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

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

March 16, 2016 By Kathy Steele

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

March 16, 2016 By Kathy Steele

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