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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Wellness center celebrates opening

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Florida Hospital Zephyrhills officially welcomed community leaders and residents to the ribbon-cutting of its CREATION Health Wellness Center on Feb. 4.

Dozens took the opportunity to tour the 13,000-square-foot facility, which is housed near the hospital’s campus on the northeast corner of Daughtery Road and Dairy Road.

The wellness center features an education room, where free healthy cooking classes will be offered. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photos)
The wellness center features an education room, where free healthy cooking classes will be offered.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photos)

The nearly $500,000 project is approximately three times the size of the former wellness center, which was located on the first floor of the hospital.

The old facility, which shared room space with the hospital’s cardiac rehab department, was a “tight fit,” according to Susan Frimmel, the hospital’s marketing director.

The new facility was a “long time coming,” said Casio Jones, wellness center director.

“When I walked into the (old facility) almost five years ago, I said, ‘This is not going to work.’ It was there since 1995, and when I got there in (2011), they were still using equipment that was purchased in 1995,” Jones explained.

The center’s 24-hour fitness floor consists of brand-new cardio machines, circuit machines and free weights.

Jones noted the wellness center is for a people of all ages and fitness levels.

To properly accommodate the wellness center’s all-encompassing membership, Jones said all fitness specialists are degreed in exercise science and have “high-end certifications.”

“We have such a variety of special populations, from active people to those with health conditions…so we need to make sure our staff is able to provide a safe-training environment so when somebody comes, they’re not just on they’re own and don’t know what to do,” Jones explained.

Over 30 group exercise classes are offered throughout the week, ranging from spin classes to Zumba to Pilates.

Jones said the fitness classes are important, because they provide an environment where members can both “socialize and work out.”

In addition to the 24-hour fitness floor, the center features a full-service spa — offering skin care treatments, massages, body therapy, waxing and pampering.

“Gyms in this area don’t have spas,” said Jones, who’s worked in the health and fitness industry for more than 30 years. “When you think of CREATION, it’s the whole body. You can’t just have a gym without the relaxation part; you have to help the person rejuvenate to recharge.”

Dozens of community leaders and residents attended the Feb. 4 Florida Hospital Zephyrhills CREATION Health Wellness Center’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Dozens of community leaders and residents attended the Feb. 4 Florida Hospital Zephyrhills CREATION Health Wellness Center’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.

There’s also an education room, which Jones referred to as the “hidden gem.” Free healthy cooking classes will be taught throughout the week, as well as informational sessions on other aspects of health, such as diabetes care.

“Now you’re truly impacting not just that person, but their household,” Jones explained about the education room. “You have people that are potentially overweight…can learn the appropriate ways on how to live and manage their life.

“Without the right information, you can’t transition somebody to make the right changes.”

The wellness center had a soft opening two weeks ago, and already has over 700 members, Jones said. He hopes to have over 1,000 members by year’s end.

According to Jones, the wellness center has seven exercise instructors, five personal trainers, five massage therapists, two estheticians, an acupuncture specialist, a nail technician, a community educator and a diabetes educator.

Florida Hospital Zephyrhills President and CEO Randy Surber said it was important to have a wellness facility that’s not only fitness oriented, but also promotes living a balanced lifestyle.

“We believe the balance between fitness and staying active is really key to future wellness, but we also believe in nutrition and what you put in your body has a significant influence on your health,” Surber explained. “Our goal is to keep people active, teach them how to eat right, and also pamper them every now and again, too.”

Surber feels the new wellness center will be “transformational” to the Zephyrhills community.

“A lot of people really wanted this and are eager for this,” Surber said. “We believe we can teach them the right way to live in a way that can help them extend…their quality of life.”

Tim Linville, president of the Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, was impressed by the wellness center’s “holistic” nature.

“It’s nice there’s other options for people in Zephyrhills as the city grows,” the chamber president said. “It’s gorgeous.”

What: Florida Hospital Zephyrhills CREATION Health Wellness Center
Where: 38233 Daughtery Road
Amenities: 24-hour fitness facility, group classes, wellness spa, healthy living seminars
For more information, visit FHZwellness.com.

Published February 10, 2016

Telling Wesley Chapel’s story

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Writing about local history is nothing new for Madonna Jervis Wise.

The Zephyrhills woman traced the history of Zephyrhills, and also of Dade City, for books published by Arcadia Publishing, of Charleston, South Carolina.

Now, she has written another book for the publisher’s Images of America series. This one focuses on Wesley Chapel.

Gator hunting was done at night in the swamps of Wesley Chapel. Lonnie Tucker, at far left with a light on his head, guides two visitors through the swamp. (Photos courtesy of Madonna Jervis Wise)
Gator hunting was done at night in the swamps of Wesley Chapel. Lonnie Tucker, at far left with a light on his head, guides two visitors through the swamp.
(Photos courtesy of Madonna Jervis Wise)

When the publisher asked her to do the Wesley Chapel book, Wise knew it would be challenging.

Unlike Zephyrhills and Dade City – which both have city governments, historic buildings and established town centers, Wesley Chapel offered no clear place for Wise to begin her research.

So, Wise relied on her background in genealogy to help her track down descendants of families with deep roots in Wesley Chapel.

She began her quest by tracking down Marco Edward Stanley, of Gainesville, who arranged for Wise to interview his mother, 95-year-old Lillie Sapp Stanley.

The historian met with members of the Stanley family, and that interview led to others.

When she interviewed David Brown, Michael Boyette, Bill Smith or members of the Stanley family, she discovered the families shared deep bonds.

Ranches were a significant part of Wesley Chapel’s history. An outstanding Texas Longhorn-Ankole bull was 15 years old and had a horn span of 54 inches, when he died at K-Bar Ranch in Wesley Chapel.
Ranches were a significant part of Wesley Chapel’s history. An outstanding Texas Longhorn-Ankole bull was 15 years old and had a horn span of 54 inches, when he died at K-Bar Ranch in Wesley Chapel.

“There was this cohesiveness among the settlers,” Wise said. “They would talk about each other in this real, deep caring way.”

Putting together “Images of America: Wesley Chapel,” 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.

Through U.S. Census records and interviews with primary sources, Wise learned the names of the families of many early settlers, including Asbel, Barnes, Boyette, Bradley, Cooper, Ellerbee, Geiger, Gillette, Godwin, Hill, Kersey, O’Berry, Overstreet, Ryals, Smith, Stanley, Strickland, Thomas and Tucker.

Some of those names, she discovered, had various spellings, such as Stanley and Standley.

She also discovered that the community was known by various names through the years. Those names included Godwin, Double Branch, Wesley, Lemon and Gatorville – and finally, Wesley Chapel.

A car parked at the end of a cypress log in the 1930s illustrates the enormity of the trees that were felled in the Wesley Chapel area. Large timber companies or trusts acquired vast tracts of land that were depleted of lumber. Many deserted the claims, once the limber was harvested and the properties were sold for tax deeds.
A car parked at the end of a cypress log in the 1930s illustrates the enormity of the trees that were felled in the Wesley Chapel area. Large timber companies or trusts acquired vast tracts of land that were depleted of lumber. Many deserted the claims, once the limber was harvested and the properties were sold for tax deeds.

One surprising discovery, she said, was that women have long been acknowledged for the prominent role they played in the community.

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

For instance, Francis Asbury Barnes’ granddaughters, Martha and Vida, played pivotal roles in Barnes’ ranching operations. The women, Wise wrote, were “industrious managers of land and cattle.”

Photographs and anecdotes in the 127-page volume paint a portrait of a place where people worked hard and cared about their neighbors. It was a community where the church was the central gathering place.

“This was a haven for the Singing Convention,” Wise said. “That’s something that occurred a lot in the South, but it was really, really prominent here.

“It occurred any month that had a fifth Sunday,” she said.

It was described by one descendant as Wesley Chapel’s ‘Grand Ole Opry.’

“It was hosted usually at the Double Branch Church (now known as the First Baptist Church of Wesley Chapel), and people came from everywhere,” Wise said.

“When I interviewed Cullen Boyette, he said these barbershop quartets that were on the radio would come here. Mostly, it was gospel music,” she said.

“They would have music nearly the entire day, and then they had (what they called) ‘dinner on the ground,’” she said.

They spread blankets out on the ground and enjoyed a potluck feast, Wise explained.

Around 1931, 19-year-old Lonnie Tucker watches for revenuers. He is pictured in Wesley Chapel with his moonshine still.
Around 1931, 19-year-old Lonnie Tucker watches for revenuers. He is pictured in Wesley Chapel with his moonshine still.

She also noted that Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church, for whom many believe the community was named, operated only from 1890 to 1892, at the corner of State Road 54 and Boyette Road.

Besides its church life, Wesley Chapel was known for its moonshining, gator hunting and turpentine stills, Wise said.

The timber and turpentine industries also played a significant role, she said. And, many ranching operations were founded on land where timber had been depleted, and the land was sold off for for tax deeds, Wise wrote.

Over time, many of Wesley Chapel’s ranches and citrus groves have given way to shopping centers, homes, schools, churches, a state college and other developments.

Of all of the changes through the years, Wise thinks the construction of Interstate 75 had the biggest influence on the community’s growth.

“I think that’s the most significant change. Wesley Chapel would not be what it is today without that. It really did change the landscape,” she said.

Two teachers and 33 students are in this photograph taken in the early 1920s at Wesley Chapel School.
Two teachers and 33 students are in this photograph taken in the early 1920s at Wesley Chapel School.

As she conducted interviews, tracked down records and gathered photographs, Wise developed a wealth of knowledge about Wesley Chapel.

Despite her prodigious research, though, there were some questions that she could not answer.

For instance, she couldn’t pinpoint the exact boundaries of the community – an issue still debated today.

And, she couldn’t determine precisely how the community got its name.

Some said it was named after an early settler. Others, claimed it was after John Wesley, founder of the United Methodist Church.

As for Wise?

She’s content, for now, to leave those questions open.

Upcoming book events

  • Feb. 16 at 2 p.m.: Talk at the Hugh Embry Library, 14215 Fourth St., in Dade City. It will include both “Images of America: Dade City” and “Images of America: Wesley Chapel.”
  • Feb. 25 at 12:30 p.m.: Book signing at the East Campus of Pasco-Hernando State College, 36727 Blanton Road in Dade City
  • March 4 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Book signing at the Zephyrhills Library, 5347 Eighth St., in Zephyrhills.

For more information about the book or events later this year, email Madonna Wise at .

Published February 10, 2016

Assisted care center set to open in August

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A new $13 million assisted living center in Lutz is under construction, and set to open in August.

Angels Senior Living at Lodges of Idlewild, located at 18440 Exciting Idlewild Blvd., in Lutz, will have 94 units to serve about 100 residents, according to Daniel Almendares, corporate operations manager at Angels Senior Living.

The 85,000-square-foot facility expects to employ 45 people.

Construction is under way on the new Angels Senior Living at Lodges of Idlewild facility. The $13 million, 85,000-square-foot facility will have 94 units for up to 100 residents. (Photos courtesy of Angels Senior Living)
Construction is under way on the new Angels Senior Living at Lodges of Idlewild facility. The $13 million, 85,000-square-foot facility will have 94 units for up to 100 residents.
(Photos courtesy of Angels Senior Living)

As part of the assisted living experience, residents will be aided in hygiene, ambulating, keeping track of medications, and dining.

In addition to assisted living, Lodges of Idlewild will offer both memory care and independent living services.

The memory care program, designed for residents suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, will be a “secured unit” with a higher staffing ratio for additional attention.

The independent living program features independent apartments where residents can pay for “a la carte services” and transition into the assisted living facility when needed.

A rough estimate for the monthly cost for a resident to live at the facility is $4,000, Almendares said.

The two best options for financial assistance for senior care is through the Medicaid Managed Long Term Care program, or the Veteran’s Aid (VA) and Attendance program attained by serving in a war, according to Angels Senior Living’s website.

The Medicaid route requires being on Medicaid and then applying for the program to pay an amount that may total 25 percent to 50 percent of monthly rent.

The veteran’s aid option requires an application through the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs. Financial assistance in this program varies.

The location of the senior living center “fit well into our geographic offerings,” Almendares said, adding that its proximity to the Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz is a bonus.

Once it is complete, the assisted living center should look similar to this prototype. The senior living center is set to open in August 2016.
Once it is complete, the assisted living center should look similar to this prototype. The senior living center is set to open in August 2016.

“We want to develop a tight-knit relationship with the church and the patrons, and for our residents to enjoy the services offered on such an already beautiful campus,” he said. “The placement along a major thoroughfare only improves the ease for family members to visit their loved ones on the way from work, school, or (coming) from errands.”

To help promote social interaction, there will be activity rooms for games, arts and crafts, and exercise.

“The activities for all our residents are there to entertain and provide a higher quality of life beyond just great care,” Almendares said.

Angels Senior Living operates a total of nine other locations throughout Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties.

There are three facilities in North Tampa alone — Connerton Court in Land O’ Lakes, Angels Senior Living at New Tampa on North 42nd Street, and Shady Palms on North Florida Avenue.

Angels Senior Living has not yet determined who will be the executive director to oversee the day-to-day operations at Lodges of Idlewild, Almendares said.

Angels Senior Living at Lodges of Idlewild
What: A $13 million, 85,000-square-foot assisted living facility with 94 units
Where: 18440 Exciting Idlewild Blvd., in Lutz
Opening date: August 2016
Key Programs: Assisted living, memory care and independent living
For information, call (813) 886-2023, or visit AngelsSeniorLiving.com.

Published February 10, 2016

He calls cats purr-fect companions

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The license plate on his car reads “BigCats.”

But, when it comes to cats, Denny Mitchell doesn’t care whether they’re big, small or medium. He loves them all.

And, he wants to persuade others that they should love the furry felines, too.

Denny Mitchell is a devoted cat aficionado who sings the praises of cats – literally – at his musical tribute show, “All About Cats.” (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)
Denny Mitchell is a devoted cat aficionado who sings the praises of cats – literally – at his musical tribute show, “All About Cats.”
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

While dogs may be a man’s best friend, the way Mitchell sees it: “Cats are our best companions.”

Two years ago, Mitchell took his passion for cats on the road.

He educates and entertains audiences, generally from age 8 and older, at libraries, senior centers and civic groups with his musical tribute “All About Cats.”

On Feb. 27 at 2 p.m., he will bring his musical show to the Lutz Branch Library, at 101 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road in Lutz.

The Friends of the Lutz Branch Library is sponsoring the event, which has free admission.

Mitchell, owner of Meowser Productions, spent more than a year composing music and lyrics, and crafting a slide and video show to cover the history and habits of cats.

He brings his keyboard and sound system. A robotic, white-furred cat, named Tallulah, also accompanies him – arriving in a pink cat carrier.

Tallulah rests regally atop a purple pillow, where she purrs, meows and washes her face with slow paw swipes.

“She sets the mood,” Mitchell explained.

He sprinkles his performance with humor and original songs — though sometimes he also sings “Memory,” the show-stopping tune from the musical “Cats.”

Mitchell researches his facts.

Among his nuggets are:

  • Cats date back 35 million years.
  • The Egyptian word for cat is mao, meaning “to see.” In ancient Egypt people were fascinated by a cat’s eyes.
  • Cats, per pound, are 12 times stronger than humans.
  • Adult cats have 244 bones; humans, 206.
  • A cat’s field of vision is about 200 degrees.

Mitchell, who grew up on Long Island, New York, shared his mother’s love for cats.

Tallulah is a robotic cat that purrs and meows as it rests on a purple pillow, when Denny Mitchell begins his musical tribute to cats, “All About Cats.”
Tallulah is a robotic cat that purrs and meows as it rests on a purple pillow, when Denny Mitchell begins his musical tribute to cats, “All About Cats.”

On Christmas Eve, when he was 5, the family heard a plaintive meowing.

“We opened the front door, and there was the tiniest little black kitten all by himself,” Mitchell said.

Clancy, as he was named, had found a home.

It’s a cliché story, he said, but it’s true.

Cats have freedom of choice, he said. “They pick us. We don’t pick them.”

Mitchell is a self-described ailurophile, that is, cat lover.

He is passionate about helping nonprofits that find homes for abandoned cats and that help feral cats living on the streets.

He volunteers as a tour guide at Big Cat Rescue, an animal sanctuary in Citrus Park, near Tampa. The organization rescues and houses exotic cats, including lions, tigers, bobcats and cougars.

A foster program at Big Cat Rescue temporarily houses kittens until they are ready for adoption. The program is in partnership with Humane Society Tampa Bay.

Mitchell became a volunteer at Big Cat Rescue after taking a tour there about 15 years ago.

A few years ago, while he was giving a tour, a promoter on the tour commented on Mitchell’s wit and humor. The promoter suggested that Mitchell put together a show.

So, Mitchell did.

“The mission is to inform, raise money for nonprofits and hopefully pay my expenses — though that is secondary,” Mitchell said.

Kittens can be viewed on live cam as they play at the Kitten Cabana at Big Cat Rescue. (Courtesy of Denny Mitchell)
Kittens can be viewed on live cam as they play at the Kitten Cabana at Big Cat Rescue.
(Courtesy of Denny Mitchell)

While it wasn’t his college major, music has been one of Mitchell’s chief interests for years.

He has written lyrics and performed music, and for more than three decades, he has played piano and sang at church, often as a soloist.

He’s constantly doing volunteer work with cats.

Mitchell has given donations to that group and others, including Humane Society Tampa Bay and Humane Society of Pinellas. Both agencies have trap, neuter, vaccinate and return programs for feral cats, as well as offering foster care and adoptions for domesticated cats.

“This is how you break the breeding cycle,” said Mitchell. “It’s a harsh life (for feral cats).”

Mitchell lives in Seffner with his wife, who also volunteered for 13 years at Big Cat Rescue. She now spends most of her time operating a boarding stable for horses.

“We are very much animal people,” Mitchell said.

And, of course, they have cats.

“I told my wife I thought we should have two. So, we have five,” he said.

Want to know more?
You can see live cams of Big Cat Rescue’s kitten rescue operation by going to Explore.org/bigcatrescue.
You can also visit Denny Mitchell’s website, MeowserProductions.com, to find links to area nonprofits and about adoption events.

Published February 10, 2016

Costco Wholesale wants giant sign

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A planning oversight committee gave tentative approval to a large display sign for Costco Wholesale, slated to open next to Tampa Premium Outlets.

It takes the membership warehouse chain a step closer to permitting and construction. Company officials have not announced an opening date.

Costco received approval in January for the sale of beer, wine and liquor.

The approximately 153,000-square-foot warehouse building will have a separate liquor store of about 2,100 square feet.

Architect Doug Brookbank, principal at MG2 Global, represented the company at the Jan. 25 hearing at the county’s Development Review Committee. Committee members review recommendations from the county’s planning department.

The Pasco County Commission will have the final say.

Costco officials asked to increase the sign’s size from about 600 square feet to about 1,700 square feet.

In return for the larger sign, the company would forego installing nine smaller signs that met county requirements.

If the larger sign were approved, the overall sign space would be reduced by 35 percent.

“We believe this is not unreasonable considering the size of the structure (warehouse) itself,” said Denise Hernandez, the county’s zoning manager.

Costco would join a cluster of new retail either already opened or under construction, off State Road 56 at Interstate 75.

Tampa Premium Outlets opened in October with nearly a 100 outlet stores including Nike, Coach, Tommy Hilfiger and Fossil.

Culver’s restaurant and Cheddar’s Casual Café are under construction. Chick-Fil-A, Kohl’s, Panda Express, and BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse also are planned as part of Cypress Creek Town Center.

Published February 10, 2016

Names being sought for Elem W

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Pasco County School Board members are seeking suggestions for a formal name for a new school being built in the Wiregrass Ranch area of Wesley Chapel.

Crews are bustling around the site, as construction work continues on the school, which has been known generically as Elementary W.

The school board is asking the public, district staff and students to suggest names so that it can select one before the structure opens.

Classes are scheduled to begin at the new elementary school in August.

Crews are bustling around the site of Elementary W, off Mansfield Boulevard in the Wiregrass Ranch area in Wesley Chapel. The Pasco County School Board is seeking suggestions for a permanent name for the school. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Crews are bustling around the site of Elementary W, off Mansfield Boulevard in the Wiregrass Ranch area in Wesley Chapel. The Pasco County School Board is seeking suggestions for a permanent name for the school.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The structure is being built on Mansfield Boulevard, across from John Long Middle School, and down the street from Wiregrass Ranch High School and Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.

When it opens, it will give Wesley Chapel students the opportunity to attend kindergarten through college, along the same road.

School board policy encourages the community, educators and students to suggest names for district schools.

The school board prefers to name schools after the general location, features of the area, or historical information about the school’s location, and the suggested name must be descriptive and brief, according to a school district news release.

If the name of an individual is submitted, it should be of a person of prominence, recognized for his or her outstanding civic or educational contribution, the news release adds. The board will only consider naming a school after an elected official or school district employee has been deceased for two or more years, or has left public office or district employment more than two years ago.

Once a name is adopted, it is considered permanent unless the facility or its use changes.

If you would like to suggest a permanent name for the school now known as Elem W, submit your suggestions with a brief explanation for each school name by Feb. 29.

Email submissions using the Subject “Elementary W” to , fax them to (813) 794-2716, or mail them to: Linda Cobbe, Communications & Government Relations Department, 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes, 34638.

Published February 3, 2016

 

Amici Pizza plans stand-alone location

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Owners of Amici Pizza & Deli are planning to build a new stand-alone restaurant, with additional retail space, on Wesley Chapel Boulevard.

The new restaurant is a short distance from the existing Amici restaurant in Grand Oaks Square, at Wesley Chapel and Pet Lane.

Andrea and Josephine Mannino, are heading toward a construction start of Amici Plaza in spring with an opening likely by the end of 2016.

Pasco County records show a conceptual plan with about 3,000 square feet for the restaurant, and about 1,800 square feet for retail.

“We’d like to have our own building and a bigger kitchen,” said Andrea Mannino.

No decisions have been made on the additional retail space, he said.

The site is located at the corner of Magnolia Boulevard and Wesley Chapel Boulevard, which is also known as County Road 54.

Pasco County is moving forward with acquisition of right-of-way along County Road 54 to prepare for the expansion of the two-lane road into a four-lane road at the junction of State Road 56 and State Road 54 to Progress Parkway.

The road design also would allow for future expansion to six lanes.

County records show that construction on the $46 million project would begin in fall 2018 and would be completed in fall 2019.

To accommodate the placement of the restaurant and plaza, the Manninos’ requested the county reduce by 9 feet the amount of land acquired for the road project, and also requested a reduction in building setbacks.

The county’s Development Review Committee has recommended approval to the Pasco County Commission, which has the final say. Commissioners are scheduled to consider the request on Feb. 9.

At the same meeting, commissioners also will consider the restaurant’s request for a beer and wine license.

Construction of Amici Plaza will adopt “low impact development principles,” said Stuart Artman, director of engineering projects for Moody Engineering, Inc.

Instead of an open-air storm water pond, the site would have an underground storage vault to capture and disperse rainwater. That can decrease potential flooding problems, and provides more area for amenities such as a sidewalk around the restaurant that is separate from the public sidewalk built along the roadway.

The site also places parking spaces to the side and rear of the restaurant, another “smart growth” trend in development.

“It makes for a more compact and walkable site, which the county is encouraging,” said Chief Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein.

Published February 3, 2016 

 

Wastewater plant is set to retire

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Due to increasing maintenance and operation expenses at the Dale Mabry Wastewater Treatment Plant, the county expects to retire the plant.

To prepare to end operations at the 40-year-old plant, the county is installing a six-mile stretch of 24-inch and 36-inch reclaimed water pipeline transmission main, and a new pump station to transfer wastewater flows from the Dale Mabry plant’s location to the Northwest Regional Water Reclamation Facility.

The pump station, as well as reclaimed water tanks, will replace the Dale Mabry plant, which will be demolished, likely in early 2017.

Once the wastewater facilities at the Dale Mabry site are removed, it will leave a majority of the site as a green space, which is likely to become a county park.

Construction of the Dale Mabry Wastewater Diversion project is in full force, with a six-mile stretch of water transmission piping being installed along Gunn Highway. The installation of the 24-inch and 36-inch piping should be complete over the next few months. (Courtesy of Alice Ramos of the Valerin Group)
Construction of the Dale Mabry Wastewater Diversion project is in full force, with a six-mile stretch of water transmission piping being installed along Gunn Highway.
The installation of the 24-inch and 36-inch piping should be complete over the next few months.
(Courtesy of Alice Ramos of the Valerin Group)

The Dale Mabry Wastewater Diversion Project is one of three components of the larger, $240 million Northwest Hillsborough Wastewater Consolidation Project.

The other phases involve expanding the Northwest facility to accept and treat additional wastewater flows, as well as retiring the River Oaks Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The Dale Mabry portion of the project costs approximately $35 million.

Officials say the entire program will improve treatment efficiency, reduce power costs and minimize future rate impacts.

“It’s kind of like an old air conditioner. When you replace your old air conditioner, it’s like, ‘Wow, I really saved a lot of money,’” said Thomas Rawls, program manager of the Northwest Hillsborough Wastewater Consolidation Project. “When we transfer that flow to the new plant, it’s like you’re getting better motors, better energy savings.

“Everything’s more efficient.”

Barring any delays, the Rawls said the entire project should be completed by December—ensuring the pumps, pipeline and plant all work in conjunction with one another.

“We have to make sure the (Northwest) plant can absorb that (water) flow because we use a biological treatment system…there’s actually living organisms that treat our wastewater, and you don’t want to shock them,” Rawls explained about the flow transfer. “It’s like you’re sending them a new type of food, if you want to call it.”

The county expects the entire Northwest Wastewater program to save the county approximately $80 million over the next 20 years. Water rates will not rise for residents, officials say.

“As soon as we start transferring that (water flow), the county’s saving money,” Rawls said.

Rawls referred to the project as “the perfect storm,” for beginning construction this year, due to the county’s good credit rating and bond capacity. Plus, the county was staring down the barrel of “$10 (million)-$20 million” in repairs alone at the Dale Mabry plant site.

“It’s like an old car — you’re either going to junk it, or you’re going to rebuild it make it a pristine car,” the project manager explained. “We’ve got the fiscal ability, the county’s administration is behind it, the citizens are behind it, and it’s just a good mesh of everything.

“Five to 10 years ago — in the middle of that recession — it wasn’t the best time to go out and do this,” he said.

Construction crews are currently installing transmission pipelines along Gunn Highway between the Veterans Expressway and Lynn Turner Road—which should wrap up in the next few months.

With drills going underneath major intersections at Brushy Creek and the Veterans Expressway, there have been a small section of lane closures.

“We’re doing a directional drill that goes down 40 feet underground…and comes up on the other side,” said Rawls. “We don’t want to affect all the traffic in those big intersections, but we’ll have to close some of the median. It’s better than cutting through the intersection and disrupting all that traffic.”

Rawls said the project’s construction has “stayed pretty true” with its timelines, especially since the county is using a “design-build” form of project delivery, where both the designer (McKim & Creed Engineering) and contractor (Westra Construction) are working hand in hand.

“If they come across a problem out there, they have a team of engineers and experts out there that can get together, figure out the issue and keep moving, so there’s less impact on the community,” Rawls said. “It’s not going to linger on for years and years.”

During the winter months, Rawls noted it’s much easier to lay pipe into the ground, because there’s not as much rain.

“We can properly compact the (piping), and backfill it while it’s drier,” he explained. “We kind of held off during the holidays, but we’re hitting it hard now. We’re picking it up full steam.”

Published February 3, 2016

Scenic vistas are in U.S. 301 vision plan

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Between Zephyrhills and Dade City, a ribbon of asphalt connects two cities with distinct characteristics.

At either end, U.S. 301 is a gateway into two versions of small town America.

Between those places, motorists are treated to scenic vistas, rolling hills and wooded valleys.

“Anyone who drives it understands the uniqueness,” said James Edwards, director of Pasco County’s Metropolitan Planning Organization.

But, there are pressures building along U.S. 301, as developers make room for new subdivisions, shops and offices.

The Florida Department of Transportation will complete resurfacing of U.S. 301 in 2016, and also build a 10-foot wide multi-use trail paralleling the roadway. (File Photo)
The Florida Department of Transportation will complete resurfacing of U.S. 301 in 2016, and also build a 10-foot wide multi-use trail paralleling the roadway.
(File Photo)

The test is how to make room for growth, but also preserve the character of two cities and the state highway in between.

Edwards and Randy Mejeur, associate principal with AECOM, presented a long-range strategic vision plan on Jan. 25 for development along U.S. 301, from Kossik Road to the U.S. 98 bypass.

The plan emerged from three public workshops that gathered input from area residents, developers and business owners.

Pasco MPO funded the vision efforts. Representatives of Zephyrhills, Dade City and the Florida Department of Transportation participated.

“We think we’ve packaged a consensus out there,” Edwards said. “There really was no foundation. I think we’ve built the foundation.”

Mejeur said the workshops were heavily attended.

About 72 percent who participated either approved or strongly approved the proposed vision. About 11 percent either opposed or strongly opposed the plan and 18 percent was neutral.

Highlights of the vision plan are:

  • To maintain four lanes, with a trail system
  • To build reverse frontage roads, parallel to U.S. 301, but for use by local traffic
  • To have a minimum number of traffic signals and median cuts
  • To support development, but to have landscaping, buffering, and preservation of hills and vistas
  • To create unique gateways for Zephyrhills and Dade City

“They didn’t want to see Zephyrhills and Dade City all mashed up,” Mejeur said. “They wanted to keep distinct looks.”

And, they didn’t want the highway to be lined with strip malls.

Trail connections were priorities, too, Mejeur said.

“If we can preserve the character while accommodating traffic, I think that would be great,” said Zephyrhills Councilman Lance Smith.

Councilman Charlie Proctor had concerns about right-of-way purchases.

Edwards said, “We would see it as a friendly buy and not a condemnation. It is possible to come to terms.”

The state transportation department began resurfacing U.S. 301 in 2015, from Kossik Road to Bougainvillea Avenue, near the U.S. 98 bypass. The approximately six-mile road project also includes construction of a 10-foot wide multi-use trail paralleling the highway. Completion of the project is expected in the spring.

The new trail eventually is slated to link with Hardy Trail in Dade City.

Mejeur said a bicycle and pedestrian analysis for the area should be done “to look at how movement occurs, so that they continue to occur in a safe way.”

Next steps include the Pasco planning organization partnering with the state transportation department on a realignment study for U.S. 98 and Clinton Avenue. There is no funding as yet for the realignment, but other road projects to extend Clinton and to realign State Road 52 are in design phase.

The Dade City Council is expected to receive a similar presentation on the U.S. 301 vision plan soon.

Published February 3, 2016

Local man makes unique jewelry

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For Dan Balk, creating jewelry for a living wasn’t his original path in life.

But, he’s glad it’s turned out that way.

Balk, who operates a jewelry studio from his home in Lutz, has been making jewelry since 2008—around the time the United States’ recession was in full swing.

With a background in athletic training and physical therapy, the New Jersey native spent 13 years working as an associate dean of education for a massage school in Tampa. Simultaneously, he worked as a massage therapist for the Tampa Bay Mutiny and the New York Yankees.

However, once the nation’s economy took a tailspin for the worse, Balk’s seemingly stable career was no more.

Dan Balk handles the entire jewelry-making process for all of his pieces. (Courtesy of Nataly Balk)
Dan Balk handles the entire jewelry-making process for all of his pieces.
(Courtesy of Nataly Balk)

His massage school went bankrupt, and the Yankees, like many companies at the time, began laying off employees.

“Massage is very much a luxury for people, and people weren’t spending that type of money at that time,” Balk explained. “I must’ve sent 2,000 to 3,000 resumes in any one of the fields I was licensed to work in, and nothing was happening.”

With a wife and two children to support, Balk was at a crossroads — until his father-in-law, Roberto Vengoechea, suggested Balk make some “trinkets” to sell in the meantime.

Taking up Vengoechea’s suggestion, Balk served a 28-day apprenticeship under the guidance of his father-in-law, a master jeweler in Black Mountain, North Carolina.

Vengoechea’s tutelage turned out to be a  “cathartic” and “powerful” experience for Balk.

It was like the planets began to align, he said.

“I really, really loved what I was watching him do, and what I was doing,” Balk said. “What a boon for us that I was able to learn from someone who was so well-versed in the trade.

“We haven’t looked back since,” he said. “This is was what I was made to do.”

The craft of making jewelry by hand is declining, Balk said, due in part to the proliferation of graphic design, 3D printing and overseas production.

“All of these things that were done by hand — in a couple generations, if we don’t teach other people, they’re lost,” Balk said. “As a craftsperson, you’re under an obligation to teach.”

Balk designs and fabricates every piece of jewelry from raw materials.

Typically, the process can involve as many as five or six different parties, from the time a piece is designed until it is sold, he said.

Balk handles the entire jewelry-making process—whether it’s a ring, a pendant, a necklace or a bracelet.

He leaves the “business side of things” to his wife, Nataly.

“I create all of my own (metal) sheets, I make all of my own (silver and gold) alloys, I design all of my own pieces, and I finish them; I set all of my own stones, and I select my stones. When I can cut and polish the stones myself, I do that myself,” Balk said. “That’s a premium — that the artist had direct contact with a piece all the way through to completion.”

Depending on the type of jewelry and its complexity, Balk may spend anywhere from a few days to a week on a piece.

While most of his jewelry designs are labeled as “modern and futuristic,” there’s essentially no limit as to what Balk can create based on a customer’s request.

From that standpoint, each piece of jewelry made by Balk is “one of a kind,” and not constrained to basic round rings and singular stones.

One customer, for instance, had rings and pendants made out of antique silverware. Another had a wedding band containing fossilized dinosaur bone. Others have had shark’s teeth and sea glass casted into their personalized pieces.

“If you have the idea, it probably can be made. Because I do it all myself, I’m not limited by just the components I can buy,” Balk explained. “Some (jewelers) say, ‘I do customer ordering — these are the settings you can choose, and these are the bands you can choose.’ We don’t do that; we can make anything you want to make.

“It’s not limited by a picture in the catalog.”

A look at one of the rings Balk recently completed. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)
A look at one of the rings Balk recently completed.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)

After operating the Singing Stone Gallery in Ybor City for six years, Balk has been working out of his home jewelry studio in Lutz since last August.

The change in work location logistically made more sense, especially for teaching jewelry classes, which he’s done since 2012.

Balk’s daily “five-step commute” to work allows him to both focus on his craft and teach hands-on, personalized classes in a relaxed setting.

“We’re really getting to know each person that comes in. It’s not a class of 17 or 18 people that leave after an hour,” Balk’s wife said. “He’s taking you into his studio and saying, ‘Let me tell you everything I know, and if you have any questions, please let me know.’ He starts very calmly and patiently, and explains everything.”

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, men will often surprise their partner by taking them to one of Balk’s jewelry making classes — a unique experience compared to a typical dinner date.

“I’m not against a good meal, and they are memorable when they are good, but you have that night, you eat your food and the next day, you’re done. This kind of thing—you’re making a memory,” Balk said.

“It’s an experience as well as a timeless piece that you keep forever,” Nataly said.

For more information, call (813) 728-4325, or email .

Published February 3, 2016