Local News

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

Flea Market has ‘banner year’

March 16, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Published March 16, 2016

Retracing her grandfather’s steps

March 16, 2016 By B.C. Manion

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

She set out to find out more.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Published March 16, 2016

Stage is set for another music fest next year

March 16, 2016 By B.C. Manion

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

She also offered some kind words about Hicks.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Published March 16, 2016

Local couple shares passion for fossils

March 9, 2016 By B.C. Manion

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The couple’s passion for fossils is obvious.

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

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

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

Their passion has evolved through the years, Mike said.

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

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

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

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

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

There were armadillos the size of Volkswagens, Mike said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

North Tampa Behavioral Health set to expand

March 9, 2016 By B.C. Manion

North Tampa Behavioral Health is preparing to embark on a $9 million expansion, with 24 additional beds expected to open in January 2017 and another 24 beds to open a year later.

The center, at 29910 State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel, opened on Oct. 1, 2013. It has 75 beds and offers services for people with mental health needs including depression, addiction, anxiety, bipolar, psychosis, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder and other disorders. It has inpatient, outpatient and partial hospitalization programs.

North Tampa Behavioral Health offers acute mental health care and longer-term treatment. It has inpatient, outpatient and partial hospitalization programs. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — North Tampa Behavioral Health offers acute mental health care and longer-term treatment. It has inpatient, outpatient and partial hospitalization programs.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The majority of the center’s patients come from Pasco and Hillsborough counties, but the facility also draws patients from 11 counties, and from out-of-state, said Abbey Brown, director of business development for the facility, which is owned by Acadia Healthcare.

The first phase of the expansion will enlarge the center’s military program, which goes by the acronym C.O.R.E., which stands for Challenge, Overcome, Restore and Empower.

No decision has been made yet about how the other 24 beds will be used, said Jameson Norton, CEO of the facility.

The center has 175 employees in its 24/7 operation, and expects to add 50 more, said Norton, who is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.

The military program that is being expanded is geared to the mental health needs of veterans and active members of the military, Brown said.

It’s a program the facility has built from the ground up, said Brown, who is a 10-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force.

“It’s a very different, unique population, with a very different and unique set of needs. Their (post-traumatic stress disorder), or depression or substance abuse might look very different than the normal civilian who hasn’t had the same experience. It just makes them different,” Brown said.

Jameson Norton, CEO of North Tampa Behavioral Health, said the facility is planning to launch a $9 million expansion, which will include 48 beds. (Courtesy of North Tampa Behavioral Health) — Jameson Norton, CEO of North Tampa Behavioral Health, said the facility is planning to launch a $9 million expansion, which will include 48 beds.
(Courtesy of North Tampa Behavioral Health)

“All of us have military experience, but not only military experience, but military mental health experience,” Brown said. “We’re able to offer an amazing structure, and then within that structure, tailor the program to the individual and their needs.

“We are partnering with all of the local installations, a lot of the VA (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs), and other local installations, and we also get referrals nationwide,” she said.

“We are using all of the modalities,” Brown added, including cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive processing therapy and/or accelerated resolution therapy.

“We’re using all of the ones that the Department of Defense is saying are the best practices,” Brown said.

The center provides treatment for patients 18 and older. It is organized into three units. One unit treats patients who need a higher level of acute care. Another unit focuses more on mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. The third unit focuses on longer-term patients. Some are in the facility’s 28-day substance abuse program, and others are in the C.O.R.E. program, Brown said. Patients in the military program tend to stay 30 to 90 days.

Besides providing care for patients, the center also wants to be a community resource, Brown said.

It has an internship program involving 15 students who are attending Saint Leo University or Pasco-Hernando State College, Brown said.

The center is also planning to offer more continuing education courses to area professionals.

“All of the administrators here have moved from somewhere, so they have a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and we want to bring that to the community. We’re building, as part of this, a state-of-the-art teaching area, so people will be able to come in, and we’ll offer different CEU (Continuing Education Unit) trainings, different community events,” Brown said.

The facility also aims to help raise awareness and increase understanding about mental health issues, both Brown and Norton said.

“We all probably have a friend or a family member who are very affected by a mental health condition. It really takes that team effort to make sure that we can provide the best care possible,” Norton said.

Published March 9, 2016

Nursing home set to open in 2017

March 9, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Construction is under way on an upscale nursing home and assisted living facility at the corner of Hayes Road and Nebraska Avenue, in Lutz.

Tampa Lakes Health Care and Rehabilitation Center, at 750 Hayes Road, is slated to open in February 2017. A groundbreaking for the 179-bed facility took place in January.

Tallahassee-based Summit Care Consulting is developing the approximately 96,000-square-foot center that will be built in a neighborhood style layout.

An artist’s rendering shows the ‘neighborhood’ style design for Tampa Lakes Health & Rehabilitation Center. The facility will offer a homelike setting for permanent and temporary residents. (Courtesy of Tampa Lakes Health & Rehabilitation Center) — An artist’s rendering shows the ‘neighborhood’ style design for Tampa Lakes Health & Rehabilitation Center. The facility will offer a homelike setting for permanent and temporary residents.
(Courtesy of Tampa Lakes Health & Rehabilitation Center)

Each “neighborhood” at Tampa Lakes will have its own dining and activities areas, spa room, tranquility/therapy room, outdoor areas and mobility garden.

Permanent and temporary residents will be welcome.

Summit Care specializes in nursing home facilities.

According to its website, clients include New Port Inn in New Port Richey, The Springs at Boca Ciega in St. Petersburg and Northbrook Health & Rehabilitation Center in Brooksville.

In a statement announcing the start of construction, company officials said they were responding to a customer base that wants “to enjoy more of a homelike environment during their stay.”

For instance, residents can dine in restaurant-style settings with freshly prepared meals. Nutritional counseling will be provided by a registered dietician for residents in short- and long-term care.

The focus of customized care plans will be to reduce unnecessary drug use and repeat visits to the hospital.

A “Partners in Care” program brings physicians, patients, residents and their families together to set attainable goals.

Rehabilitation programs will offer state-of-the-art medical technologies to work toward recovery, reduce pain, prevent falls and address other age-related health issues.

“It will be our focus to improve the quality of life for each individual, so they can get the most out of life,” the company statement says.

Published March 9, 2016