The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Stage is set for another music fest next year

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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.
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

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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.
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.
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

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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

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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

No shortage of ideas for school name

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Pasco County School Board members have plenty of names to consider for Elementary W, a new school set to open in Wesley Chapel in August.

Forty-one names have been submitted for the board’s consideration. It is scheduled to vote on the issue at its March 15 meeting at 6 p.m.

Several of the names are variations on the same name.

For instance, there are three variations for a school to be named after the Godwin family, or a member of the family — a family with deep roots in the Wesley Chapel area.

Construction work continues on Elementary School W. The school is scheduled to open in the fall. The Pasco County School Board is expected to name the school at its March 15 meeting, at 6 p.m. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Construction work continues on Elementary School W. The school is scheduled to open in the fall. The Pasco County School Board is expected to name the school at its March 15 meeting, at 6 p.m.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

There’s also a couple of suggestions relating to the Porter family, one being Porter Elementary and the other, Porter Ranch Elementary. And, there’s a suggestion for Wiregrass Elementary, which relates to the name of the Porter family’s ranch, which is also the namesake for Wiregrass Ranch High School and Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch. The high school and state college are just down the street from the new elementary school.

There are also suggestions to name the school after the nation’s current president Barack Obama Elementary, or to call it Challenger Elementary, in honor the 30th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger’s explosion.

Other suggestions call for naming it for people who have contributed to community life, education or society. Those include naming it for: Dave Estabrook, a retired educator; Greta L. Adams, a retired educator; Harriet Hemenway, a  founder of what would go on to become the National Audubon Society; Heather Fiorentino, former superintendent of Pasco County Schools; the late Mike Olson, former county tax collector; Sandra and Max Ramos, retired educators; the late Wendell Krinn, former principal of Ridgewood High; and Susan Jordan, the Indiana educator who died while pushing children out of the way of a speeding school bus.

A couple suggestions submitted — Dempsey Elementary and Nancy Browning Elementary — were not accompanied by any details.

Some submissions suggest giving the school a name it could live up to, such as Acceleration Elementary, or Bright Future Elementary, or Growth Elementary, or Hope Elementary, or Love Elementary, or New Horizons Elementary, or Unity Elementary, or Whole Child Elementary, or Wonderful Elementary, or World Change Elementary.

One suggests Yankees Elementary. Another, Galaxy Elementary.

Others want to name it after places, or at least to give it a name that sounds like a place. Those suggestions are Chapel Falls Elementary, Gatorville Elementary, Long Ranch Elementary, Mansfield Elementary, Meadow Pointe Elementary, Ridge Elementary, Wilderness Elementary and Woodside Elementary.

Of course, board members could also come up with a few ideas of their own.

The board meets at the school district’s office complex, Building No. 3 North at 7205 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

School name suggestions
–Acceleration Elementary
–Barack Obama Elementary
–Bright Future Elementary
–Brown Elementary
–Challenger Elementary
–Chapel Falls Elementary
–Dempsey Elementary
–Estabrook Elementary
–Galaxy Elementary
–Gatorville Elementary
–Jacob Godwin Elementary
–Godwin Elementary
–E.L. Godwin Elementary
–Greta L. Adams Elementary
–Growth Elementary
–Harriet Hemenway Elementary
–Heather Fiorentino Elementary
–Hope Elementary
–Long Ranch Elementary
–Love Elementary
–Mansfield Elementary
–Meadow Pointe Elementary
–Mike Olson Elementary
–Nancy Browning Elementary
–New Horizons Elementary
–Porter Elementary
–Porter Ranch Elementary
–Ramos Elementary
–Ridge Elementary
–Susan Jordan Elementary
–Unity Elementary
–Wendell Krinn Elementary
–Whole Child Elementary
–Wilderness Elementary
–Wiregrass Elementary
–Wiregrass Ranch Elementary
–Wonderful Elementary
–Woodside Elementary
–World Change Elementary
–Yankees Elementary

Published March 9, 2016

Bank branch to open in Land O’ Lakes

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First National Bank of Pasco is expanding into the growing markets of central Pasco County.

Bank officials filed an application to open their first Land O’ Lakes branch at the northeast corner of State Road 54 and Livingston Road, according to records filed with the Office of Comptroller of the Currency.

It will be the fourth office for First National, which opened in Dade City in 1986. Two other offices are in Zephyrhills, in eastern Pasco.

Steven Hickman is president and chief executive officer of the Dade City-based First National Bank of Pasco. The financial institution plans to expand into central Pasco, opening its first Land O’ Lakes branch. (Courtesy of First National Bank of Pasco)
Steven Hickman is president and chief executive officer of the Dade City-based First National Bank of Pasco. The financial institution plans to expand into central Pasco, opening
its first Land O’ Lakes branch.
(Courtesy of First National Bank of Pasco)

The site for the new branch is adjacent to Terra Bella, a master-planned community of single family homes and a recently completed apartment complex, Alta Terra Bella. And, Tampa Premium Outlets, The Shops of Wiregrass and The Grove in Wesley Chapel are all part of the swirl of development activity along State Road 54 and State Road 56.

“We think it’s a very strategic location for high growth,” said Steven Hickman, president and chief executive officer of First National Bank of Pasco.

Hickman said other locations would be considered for future expansion.

The comment period on the bank’s application ended March 3. Bank officials also have met with county planners to discuss permitting and construction of the bank branch.

Closing on the property is expected by the end of April. Construction would take about a year for a bank branch that will cater to a changing customer base that includes the Gen Y, or millennial generation.

“It’s not going to look like one of our traditional branches in Zephyrhills or Dade City,” Hickman said.

Traditional teller lines will be eliminated, replaced with “universal” employees prepared to help with myriad of banking, insurance or wealth-management needs.

The number of customers opting for online and mobile phone banking services is increasing, particularly among millennials born between 1982 and 2000. And, traditional brick-and-mortar banking isn’t as attractive to young people who grew up in a totally digital world.

The First National branch will be full service, but its customers can opt for as much or as little personal service as they want.

“It’s all going to be a new approach for us,” Hickman said.

Virtual banking is a choice but, he said, “It’s a higher touch if the customer wants it.”

First National of Pasco opened in 1986 in Dade City. The bank reported assets of $137 million and net income of $529,000 in 2015, according to documents filed with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

Published March 9, 2016

Rays manager recalls north Tampa roots

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Kevin Cash tries not to dwell on the fact that he’s in the second year of managing his hometown Major League Baseball team.

Instead, he separates his duties of being the skipper of the Tampa Bay Rays with the nostalgia of growing up in Lutz, playing in Northside Little League, attending Gaither High School and being a one-time catcher for the Rays in 2005.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash embarks on his second season leading the ball club. The North Tampa native played in Northside Little League and graduated from Gaither High School, before attending Florida State University and playing eight years in Major League Baseball. (Courtesy of Tampa Bay Rays)
Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash embarks on his second season leading the ball club. The North Tampa native played in Northside Little League and graduated from Gaither High School, before attending Florida State University and playing eight years in Major League Baseball.
(Courtesy of Tampa Bay Rays)

While he admitted “there’s a lot of excitement” in having the opportunity to return home a year ago, he noted that it’s more important to have an MLB managerial job, regardless of where it’s located.

“Whether you’re in the town or not, there’s 30 of those jobs that are pretty prestigious positions, and it’s an honor to be there,” said Cash, 38. “But, it does make it a little bit sweeter, and you can’t deny the fact it gets you back home.

“You factor in that it brought my family back to my hometown, and back to a bunch of family and friends. That just adds to everything,” he said.

Over the years, Cash, the youngest manager in the MLB, has proven he’s willing to move anywhere to work in professional baseball.

After an eight-year MLB career as a journeyman catcher that sent him to Toronto, Boston, New York and Houston, Cash became a bullpen coach for the Cleveland Indians, working under manager Terry Francona in 2013 and 2014.

With his playing days finished and his coaching career in full swing, Cash wasn’t sure how long it would take before he’d be able to permanently return to Florida— where the bulk of his family and his wife’s family live.

Cash still recalls his younger days growing up in the Valley Ranch Drive neighborhood, situated across from Lake Park.

“I remember when my parents moved to the neighborhood in Lutz, it was like a one street cul-de-sac, and there were boys everywhere,” Cash said. “We had pickup football games, pickup basketball, baseball games every day. It was just a pretty cool neighborhood to grow up in, because there were so many kids our age that we could go out there, and have a complete game with.”

Even back in the late ’80s and early ’90s, the Tampa youth baseball scene was rife with talent.

As a 12-year-old, Kevin Cash played on the 1989 Northside Little League team that reached the 43rd Little League World Series. His team fell in the quarterfinals to Eastview (California) Little League 12-5. (Courtesy of Little League Baseball)
As a 12-year-old, Kevin Cash played on the 1989 Northside Little League team that reached the 43rd Little League World Series. His team fell in the quarterfinals to Eastview (California) Little League 12-5.
(Courtesy of Little League Baseball)

In 1989, 12-year-old Cash played second base for the Northside Little League team that reached the 43rd Little League World Series, which then consisted of the top four little league teams from both the United States and the rest of the world.

From the time Cash attended (and graduated) Gaither High from 1993 to 1997, 31 players from Tampa were drafted to pro ball clubs directly from the high school ranks.

“It was a youth hotbed,” said Cash, who played college baseball at Florida State. “There were just a lot of good players coming out of that area…and the competition was always very healthy. When you look at when that age group got to high school baseball, you started to see that there were really good high school players that were either getting pro contracts or opportunities to go play college baseball.

“We’re biased, because we think Florida baseball is great, but we get to play year-round where some other states obviously don’t,” Cash said.

Despite having a father, Mike, who played minor league baseball, Cash never felt pressure to participate in the sport growing up, often playing with his brother, Justin, as much as possible.

“Playing as a little leaguer was the highlight of (our) day—going to practice, playing those weekend or weekday night games. We just really enjoyed it,” Cash said.

“We just always wanted to play. We lived at the Northside Little League Park.”

Published March 9, 2016

Zephyrhills projects on the way

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The Zephyrhills CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) has several projects on tap for its 30-year master plan.

Gail Hamilton, in her first year as CRA director for the city of Zephyrhills, gave an overview of what’s expected during the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce’s monthly meeting on March 3.

The CRA oversees a 520-acre defined district that essentially encompasses the center spine of the city, generally between Hercules Park to C Avenue, and from Zephyr Park to 17th Street.

Zephyrhills CRA director Gail Hamilton spoke to the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce on March 3. She outlined several projects for the CRA’s 30-year master plan. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photos)
Zephyrhills CRA director Gail Hamilton spoke to the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce on March 3. She outlined several projects for the CRA’s 30-year master plan.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photos)

Hamilton talked about the agency’s impending priorities—neighborhood cleanup, restoration of dilapidated homes and the development of Zephyr Park.

“The idea behind the CRA is that the city looks at the city limits and they look at…slum and blight conditions. …You look at different aspects of the community and you decide that the private sector, the market, is not going to bring up the conditions within that defined district,” Hamilton explained.

“One of the things the CRA does is look at the conditions, and try to come up with incentives…for people to invest and make the conditions better within the district, and therefore, increase the property values.”

Hamilton cited the Silver Oaks community as an example for the type of area the CRA is working to clean up.

“There’s no sidewalks, there’s no streetlights, there’s no driveways,” she said.

“People are parking on the grass, and the grass has died, and it’s just sand…blowing into the street. They haven’t painted the houses. The roofs are bad. There are appliances in the yards. Trash is blowing.

“Would you invest there? Would you buy a home? The answer is no,” she said.

The first step in improving the appearance of residential areas within the district was taken at the CRA’s last board meeting on Feb. 22, with the passage of a $10,000 Residential Paint Grant Program.

The program is open to residents of owner-occupied homes on a first-come, first-served basis. The grant provides up to $500 in matching funds. For example, if an owner spends $1,000 on paint, the CRA will provide $500. If an owner spends $400 on paint, the CRA will reimburse $200.

The Zephyrhills CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) oversees a 520-acre defined district that essentially encompasses the center spine of the city, generally between Hercules Park to C Avenue, and from Zephyr Park to 17th Street.
The Zephyrhills CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) oversees a 520-acre defined district that essentially encompasses the center spine of the city, generally between Hercules Park to C Avenue, and from Zephyr Park to 17th Street.

“We want to encourage people to paint their homes,” Hamilton said. “Nothing makes a house look better than a good coat of paint.”

In addition to residential properties, the CRA is looking to spruce up commercial property, and make the city more attractive for future business.

At the CRA’s next board meeting on March 28, the CRA is expected to pass a Commercial Sign Grant Program.

“Looking at the businesses around town, the signs really do need help,” the CRA director said. “The CRA is working to come up with designs for the different commercial districts, because if you’re on Fifth Avenue, the sign you put up is a whole lot different than the sign you would put up if you were on Gall Boulevard.

“We want to make sure you have an opportunity to put a sign up that is interesting, reflects your business, and really matches the district and the area that your business is in,” she said.

The CRA is making it a priority to incorporate better branding for “The City of Pure Water.”

“You go anywhere in the world and you say, ‘Zephyrhills,’ the first thing people say is, ‘water.’ Why is it that we have no water anywhere in downtown? There’s not a water fountain or even a picture of water,” Hamilton explained.

“When we finish this (30-year master) plan, at no time will you be in Zephyrhills that you don’t see, touch or hear water.”

Additionally, the CRA is embarking on a yearlong design plan for upgrading Zephyr Park.

Hamilton pointed out that a “great park” should make the city more attractive for visitors.

“It’s a great asset. It’s going to be a great investment for the city of Zephyrhills,” she said. “We will increase the redevelopment value of all the surrounding properties in that area.”

The agency is also in the midst of restoring the historic Jeffries House — leveling, replacing window frames and rehabbing the entire building.

“When you look at Zephyrhills, there’s not a tremendous amount of economic resources, so the historic resources we have, we want to honor them,” Hamilton said.

Published March 9, 2016

 

Pasco is real estate ready

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The real estate market in Pasco County is thriving.

And, evidence of that was on display at “Meet the Developers: The Future of Real Estate.”

The annual breakfast meeting, hosted by the Pasco Economic Development Council, brought together developers, real estate brokers, investors and community leaders at the Residence Inn on March 2.

Four examples of Pasco’s current and future development initiatives were highlighted: Compark 75, Starkey Ranch, Connected City and the Duke Energy Site Readiness Program.

Compark 75 defied conventional wisdom that building on speculation in the midst of an economic meltdown would be a bad idea. The initial developer in 2008 abandoned the project.

Tom Ryan, economic development manager for Pasco Economic Development Council, standing by the podium, moderated a panel on the future of real estate in Pasco County. On the panel, from left, were: Danielle Ruiz, economic development manager for Duke Energy; Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations for Metro Development; Heidi Tuttle-Beisner, broker with Commercial Asset Partners Realty; and Matt Call, project director for Starkey Ranch/Wheelock Communities. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Tom Ryan, economic development manager for Pasco Economic Development Council, standing by the podium, moderated a panel on the future of real estate in Pasco County.
On the panel, from left, were: Danielle Ruiz, economic development manager for Duke Energy; Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations for Metro Development; Heidi Tuttle-Beisner, broker with Commercial Asset Partners Realty; and Matt Call, project director for Starkey Ranch/Wheelock Communities.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

But, Larry Morgan of HR Pasco LLC, and Ross Kirk, of KVR Development LLC, joined forces as owner and developer, respectively, to take on the challenge.

The industrial park is next to Interstate 75, about halfway between State Road 54 and State Road 56 interchanges. Suncoast Parkway is 12 miles to the west. The Tampa North Aero Park is along Compark 75’s northern boundary.

In 2014, a $15 million expansion of the industrial park broke ground. It was the first major investment in commercial office construction in Florida since the 2008 recession.

More expansion is under way, with the ongoing construction of a new 65,000-square-foot building. It will be the fifth building at the 165-acre site.

Every building has gone vertical without signed tenants. But, the park is nearly filled to 100 percent capacity. Plans also are  are under way for a new building that can be designed as a multistory office, or built-out for light industrial or manufacturing.

“As fast as we can build them, we are finding quality companies to go in them,” said Heidi Tuttle-Beisner, a broker with Commercial Asset Partners Realty who handles leasing for the park.

Starkey Ranch is a master-planned community of more than 5,500 homes under development by Wheelock Communities in Odessa, off State Road 54.

Groundbreaking on the first model homes took place in 2014. Homes are now selling in Whitfield Park. The welcome center opened in spring. And, Taylor Morrison anticipates a grand opening in April for its model home center for the Esplanade subdivision at Starkey Ranch.

The interest in the ranch is evident in the 2,400 visitors on average who click onto the community’s website each week, said Matt Call, project director for Starkey Ranch/Wheelock Communities.

Interest also is high on the proposed business park and retail sites planned at State Road 54 and Gunn Highway.

Call said announcements would be made on an anchor grocery store, likely in June. And, an apartment complex also is coming at that location, with an announcement expected soon.

“We’ve had a lot of interest in this opportunity,” Call said.

A one-of-a-kind gigabit community and a crystal lagoon are the centerpiece attractions for Metro Development’s “connected city” corridor.

State lawmakers created a special development district for about 7,800 acres in central and eastern Pasco County as a 10-year pilot program. Interstate 75, State Road 52, Curley Road and Overpass Road border the district. Development in the district will be able to bypass the typical state reviews in favor of local control in the hands of Pasco County commissioners.

Metro Development is developing master-planned communities on the former Epperson Ranch within the special district. One town center feature will be a 7-acre man-made swimming pool, known as a crystal lagoon.

“We want that to be integrated into the community,” said Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations for Metro Development.

But, Metro Development also will create the first planned gigabit community, or Connected City, in the nation. Residents and business owners will live, work and play in an environment linked by Ultra Fi, a broadband system with speeds so fast that photos can be downloaded in seconds, not minutes.

Assistance in its development will come from US Ignite, a nonprofit group founded by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Science Foundation.

Future development on property adjacent to Zephyrhills Municipal Airport is getting a boost from Duke Energy through the Duke Energy Site Readiness Program.

In 2015, Duke Energy representatives worked with the city of Zephyrhills on a study of about 440 undeveloped acres around the airport.

The site is centrally located in Florida, and is in proximity to such highways as State Road 54, I-75 and Interstate 4. In addition, there is the bonus of a CSX rail line in the area.

Duke Energy has reviewed nearly 190 sites in six states in the southeast during the past 10 years.

Information from these reviews serves as a guide for local communities that want to create pad-ready sites for development.

One obstacle is expansion of the site’s wastewater capacity at an estimated cost of $1.7 million, said Danielle Ruiz, economic development manager for Duke Energy.

However, she said tax revenues from the Penny for Pasco program could provide funds for this project.

Pasco County recently launched a revolving loan program, with up to $15 million available to make sites pad-ready or to build shell buildings for potential industrial, manufacturing or flex-space. The deadline to submit proposals to the county is April 11.

Published March 9, 2016

Connerton Corner to get McDonald’s

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McDonald’s restaurant is set to open at Connerton Corner in late summer.

It is yet another sign that developers are looking north along U.S. 41 to bring retail to Land O’ Lakes, an area where more rooftops are popping up.

A groundbreaking for McDonald’s is expected by mid-April, with an opening date slated for late July or early August.

A dump truck tips a load of dirt onto a vacant lot that in April will be the site for a groundbreaking of a new McDonald’s restaurant, at U.S. 41 and Pleasant Plains Parkway. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
A dump truck tips a load of dirt onto a vacant lot that in April will be the site for a groundbreaking of a new McDonald’s restaurant, at U.S. 41 and Pleasant Plains Parkway.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

Construction crews currently are preparing the site at the entrance into the master-planned community of Connerton, at U.S. 41 and Pleasant Plains Parkway.

The site is owned by Orlando-based Connerton Corners LLC, according to Pasco County records.

For McDonald’s franchise owner, Jose Hernandez, the restaurant will be his 11th restaurant in the Tampa Bay area. His 10th restaurant recently opened at 11367 Ridge Road in New Port Richey.

Hernandez also owns franchises in Trinity, New Port Richey and Land O’ Lakes. He bought most of his locations in 2014 from Bob Brickman, a long-time franchise owner in the Tampa Bay area.

“(Pasco) is destined for very progressive growth,” said Hernandez, who began his career with McDonald’s more than 25 years ago. He has been an operator/owner since 2008 but also has served in corporate positions including more than four years as president of McDonald’s Caribbean division.

McDonald’s has restaurants in about 120 countries. Hernandez has visited more than 80 of those countries and helped open restaurants in Central and South America and the Philippines.

Hernandez now calls Pasco County home.

“It’s amazing after a world tour to come home,” Hernandez said. “We are very fortunate to be in our location in Pasco County, (an area) that is still under discovery.”

He was 9 years old when his family immigrated from Cuba to south Florida. In 1989 Hernandez relocated to Tampa where he began his career with McDonald’s.

The fast-food chain currently is sprucing up the design of its restaurants including Hernandez’ location at Land O’ Lakes Boulevard and State Road 54.

The company also recently introduced the all-day breakfast to its menu. That is going over well, Hernandez said.

The Connerton Corner restaurant will be testing another new concept – self-ordering by kiosk. The Ridge Road location also has kiosks.

Hernandez said customers can walk in, place an order at a kiosk, then sit down and wait for an employee to deliver the meal tableside.

“I believe it’s a whole different experience,” he said.

It’s a sign of how much social media and new technology is influencing customer service, he added.

Initial testing has been positive but the system will be tweaked to work through any kinks in its operation. Employees will help guide customers through the process. “We’ve done a lot of prep work to bring it forward,” Hernandez said.

The new restaurant initially will fill about 60 to 65 positions. Current employees from other locations will help get the restaurant started but local residents also will have opportunities to apply for jobs, Hernandez said.

“I think it grows from there,” he said.

Published March 9, 2016