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Resident crusades for safety wall on I-75

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Construction dust, giant cranes and truck traffic are an everyday inconvenience near Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club.

Road crews are busy expanding the interchange at Interstate 75 and State Road 52 from County Road 54 to Hernando County.

The three-year project is slated for completion in 2017, and is meant to improve traffic flow by widening I-75 from four lanes to six lanes, with three lanes in each direction.

State Road 52 also will be widened to six lanes. There will be frontage roads north and south of State Road 52, west of I-75. Sidewalks and bicycle lanes also will be installed.

John Hart points out a chipped window at his home in Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club. He believes that vibrations coming from truck traffic on Interstate 75 cause damage to both his home and his neighbors’ homes. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)
John Hart points out a chipped window at his home in Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club. He believes that vibrations coming from truck traffic on Interstate 75 cause damage to both his home and his neighbors’ homes.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

But, what John Hart sees and hears from his backyard in Tampa Golf & Country Club he perceives as trouble.

He’s worried about a steady flow of cars and 18-wheelers delivering nonstop noise and rattling the foundation of his home.

And, in a worst-case scenario, he’s concerned about an overturned semitrailer crashing into his backyard.

The retired Rhode Island cop has been on a three-year crusade on behalf of his community to improve conditions.

“We’re looking for a safety wall,” Hart said. “I want to see the wall out there. I want to see people protected.”

State highway officials maintain that a study completed prior to construction did not justify a wall based on noise levels. And the road design, they say, meets national safety standards.

The entrance into the age 55 and older community is off State Road 52, within a few yards of the highway ramps.

Hart wants the sound and safety barrier installed along the approximately two-mile outer boundary of his neighborhood paralleling I-75. Currently, a row of pine trees and a vinyl fence are the only defenses against noise, or worse, an out-of-control vehicle, just 300 feet or so from a row of homes backing up to the interstate.

Hart has repeatedly raised his concerns with the Florida Department of Transportation.

He isn’t a man who gives up, even though Hart acknowledges that some by now — even within his community — probably wish he would concede it’s a lost cause.

Hart points to a recent accident as evidence that a safety wall is needed.

On Dec. 11, north of the interchange project, a dump truck in the southbound lane of I-75 blew a tire. A chain reaction accident occurred, involving another dump truck, a van, a semitrailer and a pickup truck.

Roadwork on the interchange at Interstate 75 and State Road 52 will be completed in 2017. This is one of several projects statewide to improve traffic flow on the highway.
Roadwork on the interchange at Interstate 75 and State Road 52 will be completed in 2017. This is one of several projects statewide to improve traffic flow on the highway.

The driver with the blown tire died and another person suffered serious injuries, according to media reports.

The van ended up on the outside shoulder of the highway.

Hart worries that someday a semitrailer could roll across the road into his backyard. “It would take out this house,” he said.

State department of transportation spokesman John McShaffrey said the state agency can’t design roads for unexpected tire blowouts. But, he added, “We don’t compromise (safety).”

Construction projects aimed at improvements for the community can be a tough sell sometimes, he added.

“One thing to keep in mind is that improvements are needed for the greater good and the motoring public,” McShaffrey said. “We have to look at the greater good.”

In this instance, Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club was in early stages of development when the project was designed, with 10 or fewer homes built.

“The interstate was here first,” McShaffrey said, adding that homebuyers knew they would be living next to I-75.

The community could pay for a wall privately, if that is what residents want, McShaffrey said.

The project’s goal is to make driving safer by adding more lanes, and improving access on and off ramps. It is one of a series of interchange projects statewide along I-75.

“These are capacity projects,” said McShaffrey.

On average, about 50,000 vehicles per day travel on I-75, south of State Road 52, according to state transportation data from 2014.

Estimates for 2020 peg traffic along this segment an average of 56,000 a day.

The project has been on the state road department’s radar for more than a decade. It has met with hurdles along the way, including a lawsuit filed by Hillcrest Properties against Pasco County in 2010. A settlement eventually resolved issues related to a right of way purchase, and cleared the way for construction.

Hart has a file of material he has collected over nearly three years of protests by himself and, at times, hundreds of area residents who attended a public hearing in 2012.

His letters, emails and phone calls seeking relief have gone to U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, Gov. Rick Scott, State Reps. Will Weatherford, John Legg and Danny Burgess. He has reached out to Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader, and former State Rep. Jim Norman.

Hart disputes the road department’s sound study.

“We did our own soundings,” he said.

The results showed noise levels in some areas reached 94 decibels, Hart said.

According to data from Purdue University, that equates to a jet taking off, a jackhammer, power mower or motorcycle within 25 feet.

Hart paid thousands of dollars to install double-pane windows that muffle some noises. He also said he repaired a crack in his kitchen ceiling which he attributes to heavy truck traffic.

He also noted a crack in the outer wall of his neighbor’s house, and a chipped window and similar crack on his house’s exterior.

“Every now and then, you can feel vibrations when a truck goes by,” Hart said.

He has hosted tours of Tampa Golf & Country Club for representatives of area lawmakers. He got sympathy but, so far, Hart said nothing has happened.

And, he won’t give up.

“I know what the danger is out there,” he said.

Published January 6, 2016

Pasco-Hernando State College issues first four-year degree

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For one former football star, the opportunity to witness palm trees and visit family was simply too great to pass up.

Jamal Roberts recently became the first student to graduate from Pasco-Hernando State College with a bachelor of applied science in supervision and management, taking advantage of one of PHSC’s two four-year programs.

Jamal Roberts converses with other Pasco-Hernando State College graduates after the college’s winter commencement. (Photos courtesy of Jamal Roberts)
Jamal Roberts converses with other Pasco-Hernando State College graduates after the college’s winter commencement.
(Photos courtesy of Jamal Roberts)

“It was an accomplishment,” said Roberts, 21, who graduated in December. “It was a milestone for me, and it was a milestone for the college as well. It’s wonderful.”

While primarily a two-year college, PHSC began offering four-year programs in 2014, starting with the supervision and management program, as well as offering a bachelor of science in nursing. Formerly known as Pasco-Hernando Community College, the institution changed its name to reflect its broader program offerings.

Wasting no time after graduation, the Dade City native has already lined up a job as an administrative assistant at Irvin & Petty, a St. Petersburg-based law firm that primarily focuses on personal injury cases.

“I just want to be able to get dressed up nice for work every day,” Roberts quipped.

While still unsure what career path he wants to follow for the next 30-plus years, Roberts hopes to work for a company that features a positive work environment where fellow co-workers get along.

Former Zephyrhills’ football star Jamal Roberts in action at a Kent State football practice.
Former Zephyrhills’ football star Jamal Roberts in action at a Kent State football practice.

“I can have the best (job) or the easiest job duties, but if I’m in a terrible place, then I’m not going to like that job,” he elaborated. “But, if I have hard duties and everyone around me is friendly, and we’re all working together, then that’s going to be somewhere where I can stay.”

Prior to graduating from PHSC, Roberts was a standout athlete at Zephyrhills High School, where he shined as a dual-threat quarterback on the football team, was an All-Conference sprinter on the track team and also lettered in baseball.

Showcasing extraordinary athleticism, Division I football scholarships rolled in from several out-of-state programs, including Ball State, University of Massachusetts and Eastern Michigan. However, Roberts opted to attend Kent State in Ohio in 2012, where he suited up to play defensive back.

“Honestly, it was probably the best time of my life,” said Roberts, who spent three years on the Kent State Golden Flashes football team. “I had so much fun. I met a whole a bunch of people that I can call real friends.”

His most memorable experience at Kent State occurred in 2012, when he was redshirting as a freshman, the Golden Flashes finished 11-3 and earned a berth to the GoDaddy.com Bowl game.

“It was just unbelievable,” Roberts reminisced. “Just the way everybody played together, it was crazy.”

Jamal Roberts (right) is presented with his diploma from Pasco-Hernando State College from Dr. Timothy Beard, the college’s president.
Jamal Roberts (right) is presented with his diploma from Pasco-Hernando State College from Dr. Timothy Beard, the college’s president.

While Roberts enjoyed his college experience, the bone-chilling Midwest winters in northeast Ohio started to become unbearable. “It was terrible,” he stated.

The opportunity to move back to the Sunshine State arose when his mother, Pamela, who works at PHSC as a student development assistant, told him the college offered four-year programs.

It became a seamless transition for Roberts, where most of his college credits at Kent State transferred and applied to the new bachelor’s degree program.

“Honestly, I did miss my family,” he said about moving back to Florida. “So, after some thinking and some consideration, and given the opportunity, I thought it’d be best if I was back at home and I finished up (at PHSC).”

While his football-playing career is over, Roberts hasn’t forgotten about the lessons he learned from the sport, which he uses in his everyday life.

“One of the first things I learned about football in high school, one of my coaches said, ‘you wake up and you get better, or you wake up and you get worse,’ and that’s what I stick by with absolutely everything,” he explained. “If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse and there’s no in between.

“That’s my mentality going towards things in life.”

With the burden of attending classes and studying on the weekends no longer tying up his time, Roberts plans to stay involved with the game he loves by getting into coaching youth football.

“I definitely see coaching as an opportunity for me to get out and teach young kids the game,” he said.

Published January 6, 2016

Lettuce Lake Park offers beauty, bird watching and fun

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If you’re looking for a place to commune with nature, spend some time exercising, or gather with family and friends — Lettuce Lake Park may be just the spot for you.

A woman is silhouetted in the setting sun as she views the sights from the Lettuce Lake tower. The observation tower has several levels, with lower vantage points for those who don’t want to climb to the top. (Fred Bellet/Photos)
A woman is silhouetted in the setting sun as she views the sights from the Lettuce Lake tower. The observation tower has several levels, with lower vantage points for those who don’t want to climb to the top.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

The 240-acre park offers wooded picnic areas, a playground, an interpretive center, an observation tower, and a 1.25-mile bicycle and jogging trail, complete with a fitness course, according to the park’s website.

There’s also a 3,500-foot boardwalk, rental canoes and kayaks, and plenty of places to sit back and enjoy nature’s splendor, including the park’s wildlife, its hardwood hammocks and its pine flatwood plant communities.

Lettuce Lake is not actually a lake, the park’s website says. Lettuce Lake is a shallow, finger-like body of water that is connected to the Hillsborough River, which originates in the Green Swamp, roughly 25 miles to the northeast.

More than half of Lettuce Lake Park’s property lies in the natural floodplain of the Hillsborough River and consists of hardwood swamp forest, the park’s website says.

A pair of fishermen stream across Lettuce Lake en route to a connection with the Hillsborough River
A pair of fishermen stream across Lettuce Lake en route to a connection with the Hillsborough River

The park, at 6920 E. Fletcher Ave., also features an Audubon Resource Center. The center hosts programs aimed at connecting people with nature. The focus of the center’s program is to help visitors better understand the Hillsborough River ecosystem.

Bird watching tours are held a couple of times each month, with times and dates available at the visitor’s desk. For more information, visit TampaAudubon.org.

Lettuce Lake Park
What: A 240-acre Hillsborough County Park, offering places to walk, bicycle, canoe, kayak, picnic and commune with nature.
Where: 6920 E. Fletcher Ave., Tampa
When: Winter, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Spring, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Summer, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fall, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
How much: Entry is $2 per vehicle, up to eight people, and $1 for each additional person.
For more information, call (813) 987-6204.

Published January 6, 2016

They heard there were good fishing spots at Lettuce Lake Park, but Philip Conner, front, and his dad, Fred Conner of Bedford, Virginia, did not have any luck. They plan to return anyway. This was the men’s first visit to the park.
They heard there were good fishing spots at Lettuce Lake Park, but Philip Conner, front, and his dad, Fred Conner of Bedford, Virginia, did not have any luck. They plan to return anyway. This was the men’s first visit to the park.

 

 

A 5-foot alligator shares a log with a turtle, near the water’s edge at Lettuce Lake Park.
A 5-foot alligator shares a log with a turtle, near the water’s edge at Lettuce Lake Park.
Isabel Magnano, left, and Felisha Dicks, both of Tampa, stroll out along the Lettuce Lake Park boardwalk, while others walk in. The boardwalk winds through the hardwood swamp forest where visitors can see vegetation and wildlife that are indigenous to this area.
Isabel Magnano, left, and Felisha Dicks, both of Tampa, stroll out along the Lettuce Lake Park boardwalk, while others walk in. The boardwalk winds through the hardwood swamp forest where visitors can see vegetation and wildlife that are indigenous to this area.

Lacrosse tourney runs smoothly

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The Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions presented by Pasco County, which wrapped up on Dec. 31, drew favorable reviews from coaches, spectators and vendors.

The event featured 73 pre-collegiate lacrosse teams from 15 states, including Canada, which made the trek to Wesley Chapel to compete in the three-day tournament.

The warm Florida weather was a pleasant feature for many out-of-state spectators who spent several hours outdoors, watching lacrosse at the Wesley Chapel District Park.

Jimmy Watson of @FCALacrosse wins the @UnderArmour Rising Stars Championship Game MVP. (Photos courtesy of NDP Lacrosse)
Jimmy Watson of @FCALacrosse wins the @UnderArmour Rising Stars Championship Game MVP.
(Photos courtesy of NDP Lacrosse)

“It’s a good time of the year,” said Rod Hidusky, who drove from Roanoke, Virginia, to see the tournament. “The weather’s been real good. It’s a little chillier up there (in Roanoke).”

While Hidusky acknowledged, “parking was tough,” he said the event was well organized.

“I think the fields are really good,” Hidusky said, noting the fields are marked and well maintained. “They’ve got some vendors and stuff, so it’s a pretty good time.”

Todd Anderson of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, said the experience is great for youth lacrosse players being able to compete against opponents they’ve never seen before.

“It’s pretty neat for them being able to play kids from all over the country,” said Anderson, who supported the Bucks County Select 2020 lacrosse team. “We’ve played (teams from) Florida, Virginia and Minnesota. It’s been great having these teams from all over the place.”

In between games, lacrosse players and their families relaxed and tailgated under tents set up throughout the park. Others visited the playgrounds or checked out vendors selling lacrosse gear and apparel.

Evan and Tara Jones, who invented a lacrosse ball resurfacer, traveled from Roswell, Georgia, to sell their product at the tournament.

The idea for their product, “The Ballscratcher,” was created about four years ago when they grew tired of purchasing new lacrosse balls every few weeks for their two sons.

The Jones family, who travels to about 30 lacrosse tournaments across the country every year, enjoy the convenience and setup at Wesley Chapel.

Everest Academy of Ontario was the champion of the Elite Division.
Everest Academy of Ontario was the champion of the Elite Division.

“Having all the fields in one location is wonderful for vendors and also for families, so they’re not having to drive in between schools or parks and stuff,” Tara said. “I know from traveling across the country doing this, the setup of having everything under one location helps tremendously. We love it.”

Evan said the more a lacrosse ball is used, the more stains it gets, causing it to lose its grip and feel.

“The kids hate ’em because they shoot differently,” Evan said about discolored lacrosse balls. “Imagine if you had nothing but dead tennis balls that you’re practicing with, and you went out in a game and got a (new) one.”

The invention, which they introduced at the tournament three years ago, ended up cutting the Jones family’s spending on lacrosse balls in half.

“We spent about 50 bucks a month on balls, and so we were tired of spending it,” Tara said. “For coaches, a case of balls is about $180. That’s money that could be used for fields, coaches, uniforms and equipment.”

Having a large number of lacrosse teams and families at the tournament has allowed the Joneses to get beneficial exposure for their product.

“People like to touch, feel and see it, especially with a lot of Internet stores that carry our product,” Tara said. “They don’t believe it until they see (it).”

In addition to fans and vendors, the Tournament of Champions was convenient for coaches.

From a coach’s perspective, the tournament’s schedule was easier to maneuver after event organizers introduced a mobile app that provided updates on scores, opponents and game locations in real-time.

“It’s honestly one of the cleanest tournaments I’ve been to,” said Pasco Lions Rising Stars head coach Chris Burke. “They have your entire schedule, and they have your standings. …I was able to break down the standings and go, ‘OK, we’re either playing these guys or those guys the next game because it’s the playoffs,’ and that was because of the mobile app.

“The information that you’re getting is a lot better, rather than running and trying to find a guy in a green shirt, saying, ‘Hey, I need to know where we’re (playing) at.’ I was able to do that on my phone on the sidelines and tell (players) immediately.”

The tournament’s competition level impressed Burke, who’s also a junior lacrosse player at Saint Leo University. Catching Burke’s eye in particular was the unique style of play from Canadian youth lacrosse teams.

Canadian teams typically play box, or indoor lacrosse with six players, as opposed to playing outdoor field hockey with 10 players, making it an adjustment for both Canadian teams and their opponents.

“Canadians usually play more of a box aspect, so they’re really good in close quarters,” Burke explained. “They’re stick handling is really good. Most of the time they don’t switch hands. …They’re impressive, because in a box environment, it’s a smaller field, so they have to be aggressive; they have to always be sprinting. It’s really a different type of athlete rather than field, you’ve got a bigger environment, and you’ve got guys going all over the place.

“Whenever you get a very diverse environment like this, you’re going to get better.”

In between preparing for games and coaching, the tournament also gave Burke the opportunity to try to lure some players to join the Saint Leo’s lacrosse program.

“I saw a couple of kids, and I texted my coach; I was like, ‘Hey, you’ve got to be here,’” Burke said. “I’ve been meeting with kids the whole time, saying, ‘Hey, where are you playing? You’re a senior, non-committed? I’ve got a home for you.’ ”

Published January 6, 2016

Park master plan meetings on tap

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Hillsborough County’s Conservation and Environmental Lands Management department will host a series of meetings during the next 2½ months to provide information to residents about the county’s regional park system, and gather input for a master plan.

The public meetings will take place at 10 locations, with the first on Jan. 9 at the Upper Tampa Bay Park on Double Branch Road. All meetings will take place on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to11:30 a.m.

The meetings will provide an overview of the conservation department’s duties, outline recreational opportunities in the area and explain the master planning process in detail. Department officials also will field questions.

When the master plan is finished, it is expected to include specific recommendations on policies, procedures and practices relating to natural resource management, facility uses and upgrades, and outdoor recreation for the parks and trails.

The Hillsborough County Conservation and Environmental Lands Management department will have a public meeting at Lake Rogers Park on March 27. (Photos courtesy of Hillsborough County)
The Hillsborough County Conservation and Environmental Lands Management department will have a public meeting at Lake Rogers Park on March 27.
(Photos courtesy of Hillsborough County)

“The master plan is really going to focus on the vision for our regional parks,” said Forest Turbiville, the county’s director of conservation and land management. “We want the public to kind of tell us what they would like to see. …What kind of services, activities and, potentially, facilities that they would like to see in the future at each one of our regional parks, as well as our ELAPP (Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program) sites.”

For those unfamiliar, ELAPP is a voluntary, non-regulatory program established for the purpose of providing the process and funding for identifying, acquiring and protecting endangered or environmentally sensitive lands in Hillsborough County. It is a citizen-based program made up of volunteer committees.

While the department has a few possible ideas for the plan, Turbiville said he first wants to gather residents’ ideas and feedback on improvements that can be made for the regional parks and trails before organizing the bulk of the plan.

The public meetings will provide information about the regional park system and will gather resident feedback to help create a master plan.
The public meetings will provide information about the regional park system and will gather resident feedback to help create a master plan.

“Really, we’re waiting for the feedback from the public,” said Turbiville, whose department manages over 78,000 acres of land across regional parks and ELAPP sites. “We’re going to have a survey that’s available that we’re going to hand out at the public meeting. It’s going to consist of a pretty extensive list of questions centered around what people would like to see in the parks.

“The public input is going to drive the outcome of the plan,” he said.

As an example, Turbiville said some people might suggest additional programming at select park facilities, request the construction of a new nature center or may want the county to build additional boardwalks on the trails.

The master plan is expected to be completed by the end of December 2016, so its programs’ budgets can be set in motion for the 2017 fiscal year, and successive fiscal years, Turbiville said.

Park master plan meetings
What: Hillsborough County’s Conservation and Environmental Lands Management department will have a series of public meetings to help develop the county’s master plan for parks and conservation. The meetings will be on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 11: 30 a.m.

Meetings in the general vicinity include:

  • Jan. 9: Upper Tampa Bay Park, 8001 Double Branch Road in Tampa
  • March 5: Upper Tampa Bay Trail, 9201 W. Waters Ave., Tampa
  • March 12: Lake Rogers (meeting will include Lake Park): 9586 N. Mobley Road in Odessa

For a complete list of meetings, visit HillsboroughCounty.org/Conservation.

Published January 6, 2016

Student is military academy nominee

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Dean LaGattuta’s interest in attending a U.S. Service Academy first piqued when he was an adolescent and he learned his grandfathers, on both sides of his family, served in the Navy.

His interest in joining the service deepened through watching programs on the Military Channel and History Channel.

“The family legacy and then getting into military history really sparked my interest in serving in the military,” said LaGattuta, a senior at Freedom High School.

Dean LaGattuta poses for a photo with Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn while volunteering for the 2015 Tampa Bay Heart Walk. (Photos courtesy of Dean LaGattuta)
Dean LaGattuta poses for a photo with Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn while volunteering for the 2015 Tampa Bay Heart Walk.
(Photos courtesy of Dean LaGattuta)

LaGattuta is one of 14 students nominated for appointment to a United States service academy from the 15th Congressional District by U.S. Rep. Dennis A. Ross. He was nominated for both the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy,

Eight other Tampa area students were nominated, along with six from Valrico and two from Lakeland.

“It is one of the highest honors I have as a member of Congress to assist deserving constituents in seeking appointment to a U.S. service academy,” Ross said in a news release.

If students who’ve been nominated receive an appointment from one of the five U.S. service academies (Military, Naval, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine and Air Force), they have a 10-year obligation to the service, including the four years in whichever academy they attend and six years of active duty.

“We’re looking for young people who are committed to being military officers,” said Gary Clark, chairman of the District 15 Nomination Board. “We’re looking at that from a standpoint of being an ‘officer for life,’ whether they want to serve a career and retire, or if they just want to serve in the reserves or the guard.”

Dedicating at least 10 years of his life to the military wouldn’t be an issue for LaGattuta, who sees himself working in public service for a long time.

“The military academies offer an incredible opportunity to not only serve my country, but give back, too, through the opportunities that I’ve been lucky enough to have, because I was born in such a great country,” said LaGattuta, who is expected to hear about whether or not he’ll be appointed in the next few months. “Also, it helps me develop my leadership skills and potential, and further my love for service.”

To even be considered for a nomination from Ross, LaGattuta and the other students underwent an arduous, in-depth application process.

“You have to get specific teachers from your school to fill out certain forms and get recommendations from them,” LaGattuta said. “You have your cadet’s fitness assessment. For the U.S. Military Academy, I had three essays of 500 words, and for the Naval Academy I had one essay.

Dean LaGattuta, wearing No. 25, competes in a soccer game against Wharton High School.
Dean LaGattuta, wearing No. 25, competes in a soccer game against Wharton High School.

“It’s just incredible how lengthy the process is,” he added. “But, it’s well worth it, and I understand why they do it. They want to make sure the people who are appointed really want to be there.”

For those seeking a congressional nomination, the application process tries to identify candidates that demonstrate leadership skills, have a strong moral character, excel in academics and can surpass the required physical fitness standards.

“Somewhere in the neighborhood of three out of every four young people cannot qualify for military service because of physical capabilities, because of criminal records and being unable to pass the academic or aptitude standards,” Clark said. “So, we’re talking about a small subset within a smaller subset.”

Clark added, the nomination board reviews about 50 applications, narrowing the candidates down before conducting interviews and then making nominations.

Appointments by service academies are usually made between January and April, and sometimes as late as May, Clark said.

The odds of receiving an appointment based on a nomination are still relatively low, Clark said. Each service academy accepts between 1,000 and 1,200 applicants out of the 17,000-plus that are sent in from across the country.

“Last year, we nominated 12 (students), and we got 7 appointments.” Clark said. “So, if we can hit 50 percent, we feel pretty good that we’ve made some pretty good selections.

“The academies get the final say, which is why we try to put forward the very best (candidates) that we have to offer.”

LaGattuta appears to fit the bill as a desirable candidate, balancing academics, athletics and community service.

In addition to being a captain of both Freedom High’s varsity tennis and soccer teams, LaGattuta also serves as chairman of Tampa mayor Bob Buckhorn’s Youth Leadership Council, where his experience allowed him to be more informed about the probing issues within the Tampa community.

As part of the youth council, LaGattuta served meals to the homeless at the Trinity Café and also worked with underprivileged children at A Brighter Community, the oldest nonprofit preschool in Hillsborough County.

“It really grew and developed my passion for public service,” said LaGattuta, who’s surpassed 300 community service hours. “I love giving back to my community, and I think the most gratifying feeling a person can have is seeing they made a difference in someone else’s life, no matter how small it may be.

“And, all of these experiences have helped me build my application, build my file to hopefully make me a pretty good candidate (for appointment).”

Students not chosen for appointment by any of the five service academies could spend a year in college and reapply the following year, Clark noted. For some, it may serve as a blessing in disguise in terms of maturing enough to take on the rigors of service.

“That can go a long way towards developing their leadership and self-discipline, and things like that,” Clark said.

While the future of earning an appointment is still uncertain for LaGattuta at this point, the prospect of serving in the military is “all I see doing right now.”

“If I’m lucky enough to be appointed, I see myself making a career out of the military academy and public service, and serving my country,” he said.

Published December 30, 2015

 

Connerton and Pasco on the path to new homes

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Kyle and Melody Marks fit in nicely with the demographics that are driving residential growth in Pasco County.

And, these young professionals are clear on the lifestyle they want for themselves and their two children, Amelia, age 5, and Brody, age 7.

In six months, they plan to move from a starter home to a new and larger home in Connerton, a master-planned community off Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, also known as U.S. 41.

Kyle Marks, left, Amelia, age 5, and Melody Marks sit on a couch in the Lennar model home that is similar to one where they’ll live. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)
Kyle Marks, left, Amelia, age 5, and Melody Marks sit on a couch in the Lennar model home that is similar to one where they’ll live.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

Connerton is one of Pasco’s up-and-coming neighborhoods attracting eager buyers who want bang for their buck, a touch of the rural, and the amenities of big city life.

The Marks are saying goodbye to the temptation to cross the county line into Hillsborough or Pinellas, in search of a good restaurant or a shopping excursion.

“There is no more traveling back to Tampa for everything,” said Melody Marks.

The Marks set their sights on Connerton months ago, and became the first buyers of a Lennar-built home in the community.

Lennar is the newest homebuilder to offer homes at Connerton.

The Marks are part of an overall resurgence of home buying in Pasco County, which is recovering from the disastrous economic downturn in 2008.

Back then, new home construction constricted.

And, many residents saw their existing housing values plummet.

Some are still underwater, with mortgages that are higher than their property values.

But, that is changing, said Jeff Morin, vice president of sales for Lennar Homes.

“People wouldn’t sell before, because they were upside down,” he said. “This uptick has allowed people to be more comfortable that they can break even or make a little money.”

Developers are building more rooftops, and a growing population has hit critical mass and pay dirt for retail.

The sign at the entrance to Connerton is decorated for the holidays. The master-planned community is seeing an uptick in housing sales.
The sign at the entrance to Connerton is decorated for the holidays. The master-planned community is seeing an uptick in housing sales.

Tampa Premium Outlets is the most visible tip of an explosion of new shops, restaurants, hotels and offices that are here or on their way.

“We do everything over here,” Melody Marks reiterated.

When the Marks signed their contract, it wasn’t just for the shops and restaurants or because Kyle Marks’ parents already live in Connerton.

“It’s a lot more affordable here,” said Kyle Marks.

Statistics bear that out.

The year-to-date median price of a home in Hillsborough and Pinellas is about $218,000, while Pasco’s median price is about $154,000, according to data from My Florida Regional MLS.

Connerton’s housing prices generally begin in the low $200,000s, said Stew Gibbons, president and chief executive officer of Gibbons Group.

That price falls into the sweet spot for Pasco housing sales of between $140,000 and $250,000, again based on data from My Florida Regional MLS.

More than 350 families live in Connerton.

Connerton’s new home sales have averaged 100 or more annually in the past two years, and Gibbons anticipates that will increase by 50 percent in the next year.

Gibbons pioneered living in Connerton when he bought a home in 2006. He and a few other residents waited out the recovery.

“We knew ultimately it’s cyclical, even though this is one of the worst cycles ever seen and the worst downturn the nation has seen.” Gibbons said.

But, he said now, “That’s created pent up demand. It’s growing as confidence grows.”

For a time, the economic downturn turned the master-planned community into a poster child for a stalled future.

New construction of roads and streetlights stuck out in a neighborhood of blank spaces where hundreds of homes should be.

The future is much rosier now.

Kyle, Amelia and Melody Marks, left, will wait about six months for their new Lennar home to be built in Connerton. Stew Gibbons, president of Gibbons Group, and Jeff Morin, vice president of sales for Lennar joined them at the newly opened Lennar model home.
Kyle, Amelia and Melody Marks, left, will wait about six months for their new Lennar home to be built in Connerton. Stew Gibbons, president of Gibbons Group, and Jeff Morin, vice president of sales for Lennar joined them at the newly opened Lennar model home.

Plans for a town center and shops are back in the picture, likely to happen within two to five years, Gibbons said.

Pasco County owns about 20 acres that is set aside for a government center.

Connerton Elementary School is open, and Sanders Memorial Elementary STEAM School, an elementary magnet school, is located to the south, off U.S. 41.

Residents currently can enjoy about two miles of nature trails.

Connerton is unique in pegging its housing numbers to job creation, as part of a state incentive program.

At 2,000 homes, for instance, 500 jobs must be documented within a one-mile radius.

More houses, shops, offices and hotels are on the way.

“Pasco should be pretty robust,” said Gibbons. “The number of rooftops relates to retail that can be supported. They withheld until the market returned. It’s rising everywhere.”

At the height of the housing bubble, 6,000 homes were selling annually. Gibbons said it hit a low of about 1,000 homes a year, but has risen to about 2,500 this year.

There is potential within five years to reach between 6,000 and 7,000 housing sales a year, he said.

Gibbons remains sold on Pasco’s economy, and Connerton, in particular.

“It’s easy to meet people. I’m still here. I still love it,” Gibbons said.

Published December 30, 2015

Superintendent calls social media appeals ‘problematic’

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Concerns raised about a Go Fund Me site during a recent Pasco County School Board meeting prompted Superintendent Kurt Browning to voice concerns over how appeals for help are posted by teachers on social media sites.

The issue came up when Amy Bracewell, a parent who lives in Northwood, told school board members that a posting on a Go Fund Me site was seeking funds to purchase materials for students at Denham Oaks Elementary.

Superintendent Kurt Browning said social media appeals can create a false impression about district’s efforts.
Superintendent Kurt Browning said social media appeals can create a false impression about district’s efforts.

The posting said that 42 percent of the students in the school’s first-grade have reading deficiencies and need additional materials.

Bracewell lives in Northwood, a community in Wesley Chapel, which has been reassigned to attend Denham Oaks Elementary, in Lutz, next school year.

She and other parents objected to their children being moved from their Wesley Chapel community to attend a school in Lutz, with a lower academic rating.

“Considering that I have a kindergartner starting in the fall, I find it extremely disturbing to find a Go Fund Me page set up for the first-graders of Denham Oaks Elementary School,” she told board members.

Browning said he became aware of the Go Fund Me site the evening before the Dec. 15 school board meeting.

The superintendent said the post “was somewhat troubling to me, because it made it sound that we, as a district, were not providing the level of materials to those schools. That is just not the case.

“We provide the materials at every one of our schools that support our students in learning to read and learning to read on grade level,” Browning said.

“They wanted additional materials and were asking for contributions to pay for those additional materials,” he said.

He also asked teachers and other staff members to be careful when they are making social media appeals to be sure they accurately convey the nature of the request.

“The whole Go Fund Me pages and the Donor Choose pages, in my opinion, are incredibly problematic for this district,” he said. “They’re problematic as a whole.”

Sometimes requests are made for materials that are not compatible with district needs, he said. For instance, “iPad minis will not support many of the things that we do in classrooms,” he said.

Browning also noted, it’s impossible for the district to monitor all of the requests that are posted on social media.

With 87 schools in the district, he said, “We just don’t have the resources to do that.”

So, he urged caution in the postings, noting the message they send doesn’t just affect one school, but reflects on the entire district.

Published December 30, 2015

Land O’ Lakes stage project makes progress

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The Pasco County School Board approved a contract that gives the school district the lead on constructing a stage at the Land O’ Lakes Community Park.

The contract between Pasco County and the state Division of Cultural Affairs calls for the construction to be completed by June of 2017.

The school board’s vote on Dec. 15 approved an agreement between the board and the county for the school district to assume the responsibility for getting the design work, permitting and construction done.

Future performances, by groups such as Pine View Middle School’s band, will take place on a new stage at the Land O’ Lakes Community Park, once the new stage is completed. The project must be completed by June 2017, according to an agreement between Pasco County and the Pasco County School Board. The band, shown here, recently performed at Traditions on the Green. (File Photo)
Future performances, by groups such as Pine View Middle School’s band, will take place on a new stage at the Land O’ Lakes Community Park, once the new stage is completed. The project must be completed by June 2017, according to an agreement between Pasco County and the Pasco County School Board. The band, shown here, recently performed at Traditions on the Green.
(File Photo)

“The school district is able to make the process a bit faster,” said Sandy Graves, of the Heritage Park Foundation, who played a pivotal role in securing the funding for the stage.

“I am elated that the school board is taking on the project,” Graves said, via email.

The money for the project came from a $250,000 appropriation by the Florida Legislature, following years of lobbying efforts.

The quest for a stage at the park has been nearly 20 years in the making, Graves said, during a previous interview. It took three governors to finally get the state’s support.

Construction of the stage follows the completion of a $2.3 overhaul of Land O’ Lakes Community Park. That improvement included the installation of a Bermuda grass practice field, a Bermuda grass football field and a 300-foot Bermuda grass softball field.

The upgraded park also has a new concession building with restrooms and a meeting room, a maintenance building, open space, two shelters, new parking lots, a new playground and a remodeled patio area. There’s also a four-tenths-of-a-mile walking trail.

Over the years, the Heritage Park Foundation has had all sorts of fundraisers and events to draw attention to its cause.

Foundation members sold turkey legs at the community’s Flapjack Festivals, sold coffee at the opening of the Suncoast Parkway, sold water at a balloon festival at Starkey Park, and sold doughnuts and coffee at the Central Pasco Chamber’s community expos.

They also had events, such as Traditions on the Green and Scarecrows ‘N Stuff, to keep the issue in the public eye.

Both the county and the school district will benefit from the project, by using it for various public and school cultural activities, including music, dance, theater, creative writing, visual arts and other art forms, according to the agreement the school board approved.

Graves envisions the stage as becoming a popular place for people to gather, to have good old-fashioned fun.

Published December 30, 2015

Pasco expands magnet options

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Pasco County Schools is expanding its magnet school options beginning next school year, and is holding a series of community meetings to explain the additional options.

Sanders Memorial Elementary School is Pasco County’s first magnet school. It offers a curriculum that focuses on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics. The district is converting Centennial Middle School in Dade City into a science, technology, engineering and mathematics magnet school. (File Photo)
Sanders Memorial Elementary School is Pasco County’s first magnet school. It offers a curriculum that focuses on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.
The district is converting Centennial Middle School in Dade City into a science, technology, engineering and mathematics magnet school.
(File Photo)

The district is converting Centennial Middle School, in Dade City, into a STEM Magnet School. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

A series of community meetings, with each beginning at 6 p.m., will give parents a chance to learn more about the new middle school magnet program.

  • Jan. 11 in the cafeteria at Raymond B. Stewart Middle School, 38505 10th Ave., in Zephyrhills
  • Jan. 12 in the auditorium at Pasco Middle School at 13925 14th St., in Dade City
  • Jan. 13 in the cafeteria at Thomas E. Weightman Middle School, at 30649 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel
  • Jan. 19 in the cafeteria at Dr. John Long Middle School cafeteria, 2025 Mansfield Blvd., Wesley Chapel
  • Jan. 20 in the cafeteria at Centennial Middle School, at 38505 Centennial Road in Dade City
  • Jan. 21 in the cafeteria at Chester W. Taylor Elementary School, at 3638 Morris Bridge Road in Zephyrhills

Parents of sixth- and seventh-graders at the host schools, as well as parents of current fifth-graders that feed into those schools, are encouraged to attend.

Elementary schools feeding into Centennial Middle School are Centennial, Cox, Double Branch, Lacoochee, New River, Pasco, Quail Hollow, San Antonio, Seven Oaks, Veterans, Watergrass, Wesley Chapel, West Zephyrhills and Woodland.

At each meeting, Superintendent Kurt Browning, the magnet school principal and district staff will discuss the STEM magnet theme and programs that will be offered.

Parents also will hear about magnet school application timelines and options for transportation.

Fifth- through seventh-grade students may apply for acceptance to the magnet school during the magnet school application period, Jan. 18 through Jan. 31, 2016. Students and parents not listed are welcome to attend the meetings, but will need to apply for acceptance through the regular school choice period, which begins Feb. 1.

In addition to the new middle school magnet, the district also has an elementary STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics) program at Sanders Memorial Elementary in Land O’ Lakes.

Parents of prospective students to Sanders are invited to tour the school, at 5126 School Road in Land O’ Lakes, on Jan. 8 at 10 a.m., and 1:30 p.m.

Parents will have a chance to learn more about the school’s programs, facilities and unique features.

Sanders has unmanned aerial systems, solar panels, and other high tech devices, as well as computers and iPads for each student.

Published December 30, 2015