Local News

App seeks to reduce property fraud

November 18, 2015 By Kathy Steele

The Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller’s Office is now offering residents a free app that will help protect against property fraud.

The app seeks to take aim at what the Federal Bureau of Investigation reports as the fastest-growing, white-collar crime in the nation.

The Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller’s Office is offering residents the app to help them monitor documents such as deeds, wills and liens filed with Pasco County.

Pinellas, Polk and Palm Harbor counties have launched similar preventative programs during the past year, using up-to-date social media technology.

Since launching the app in September, nearly 110 people have registered for the program in Pasco, said Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Paula O’Neil.

As of last week, four alerts had been sent out, though no one had yet reported any fraudulent activity.

The app is an early warning system that works in the same way a credit card alert program does, O’Neil explained.

While alerts don’t automatically mean something is wrong, people will know if they need to question an activity, she said.

“It lets them know if something is wrong,” said O’Neil. “There are no fees for any of it.”

Residents or business owners can go online to register the name or names to be monitored. They choose a notification method including by email or phone.

Alerts go out when a document is recorded with the registered name or names. Property owners can verify whether they initiated the activity.

A typical fraud might include filing a forged deed that records a new owner, and then taking out a mortgage on the property. Such activity, in some cases, could go undetected until the true owner refinanced or sold the property.

O’Neil said the app also could protect people from phone scammers who illicit personal information later used to file false documents.

If fraud is suspected, law enforcement or another appropriate agency can be contacted for follow up.

To register call (800) 747-4600, or visit www.pascoclerk.com and go to the link for “property fraud alert service.”

Published November 18, 2015

A cross-country mission to battle polio

November 18, 2015 By B.C. Manion

When Nick Hall set out to make a bicycle trek across the country, he focused on a single goal: To inspire others to join him in the quest to conquer polio.

It was a 3,000-mile ride that would take Hall up steep mountain passes, through stretches of desert, and along interstate highways and down narrow roads.

He’d sleep in a tent on the side of the road, or in abandoned buildings, or behind truck stops.

Nick Hall climbed steep mountain passes during a 3,000 trek aimed at raise awareness about the quest to conquer polio, and to raise money to help purchase vaccines to help eradicate the disease. (Courtesy of Nick Hall) — Nick Hall climbed steep mountain passes during a 3,000 trek aimed at raise awareness about the quest to conquer polio, and to raise money to help purchase vaccines to help eradicate the disease.
(Courtesy of Nick Hall)

He’d wash his change of clothes in sinks at truck stops or convenience stores.

Hall began his cross-country trek on July 14 by placing the rear wheel of his bicycle tire in the Pacific Ocean.

He finished his journey — surrounded by family, friends and supporters — on Aug. 15 in St. Augustine.

Along the way, he shared the Rotary Club International’s quest to eradicate polio from the face of the planet.

While he was out on the road, Hall said, his grandson asked how one man riding a bicycle could help put an end to polio.

Hall’s wife told the boy that as the cyclist met people along the way, they’d want to know his story, and after they heard it, they’d share it.

Ironically, Hall said, this is much the same way an infectious disease — such as polio —is spread. One person has contact with another person, who in turn has contact with others.

As Hall made his way across the country, Facebook posts chronicled his journey, and donations came in to battle polio from people in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and, as far away as South Dakota.

Nick Hall attends a Wesley Chapel Rotary Club meeting to share the story of his 3,000-mile bicycle trek to raise awareness about the quest to end polio. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Nick Hall attends a Wesley Chapel Rotary Club meeting to share the story of his 3,000-mile bicycle trek to raise awareness about the quest to end polio.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The ride is over, but Hall is still sharing his story. He recently talked about his adventures at a noon luncheon meeting of the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club.

“I never had a goal of covering a certain number of miles, nor getting to a certain destination by a certain time,” Hall said. There were too many variables beyond his control, he explained.

He had no power over the direction of the winds, he said, and didn’t know if he’d encounter a hurricane, or when his bicycle would need a repair.

“And so, my goal was only ever to keep the bike moving 10 hours a day,” Hall said.

Hall figured he had an average of 15 hours of sunlight a day, leaving plenty of time for breaks, which he took during the hottest parts of the day.

And, it was hot.

“The bank sign in Blythe, California, on the edge of Death Valley, registered 115 degrees. And, for 10 consecutive days, the high never got below 100.”

His longest ride on a single day was 150 miles; his shortest, was under 70.

“My day would begin at usually a half-hour before sunrise. I would set my alarm to go off, because I didn’t want to miss a minute of the cooler temperatures before the sun really got blisteringly hot,” he said.

“I’d have a Fig Newton. I’d stop at a grocery store — buy a box, just to take the edge off my appetite. I didn’t want to waste time eating a full breakfast, not when it was the coolest part of the day.

“I’d wait three or four hours before stopping, and then would eat a couple of fried eggs, fried ham, hash browns, toast. Sometimes extra servings of the hash browns,” he said.

Nick Hall finishes his trek from San Diego to St. Augustine. The bicycle trip involved riding through all sorts of conditions. (Courtesy of Nick Hall) — Nick Hall finishes his trek from San Diego to St. Augustine. The bicycle trip involved riding through all sorts of conditions.
(Courtesy of Nick Hall)

Around mid-morning, he’d stop for one of his favorite snacks: A paper-wrapped Hostess Apple Pie.

It was 780 calories, and it was awesome, he said.

“I was losing a lot of electrolytes. Why take salt pills when you can eat potato chips? Or, salted peanuts?

“And then, I would have a couple of ice cream bars in the late afternoon.

“You know there’s not much pleasure cycling across West Texas — a barren landscape, resembling the landscape of the moon.

“And, there’s a need. We all need pleasure,” he said.

So, he indulged in foods that gave him pleasure and also helped him maintain his weight, as he was burning around 4,000 calories a day.

Hall rode through all kinds of conditions.

He traveled on Interstate 10 through parts of Arizona and Texas.

Riding on an interstate sounds hazardous, he said, but it was actually safer than some of the other roads he took.

“Compare I-10, with a speed limit of 70 miles per hour, with a road I was on in Louisiana — two-lane road, speed limit 70 miles an hour. No shoulder.

“There were multiple times when big logging trucks would whiz by. They couldn’t pull over very far, because there was oncoming traffic.

“I had multiple, ‘Oh, fecal matter’ moments,” he said.

His worst mishap occurred on the morning of July 26, as he cycling on I-10 in West Texas.

He was coming down a mountain pass at a decent clip.

“All of a sudden, I heard this horrible, metallic, crunching sound,” he said. “The bike came to a shuddering stop. I did not. I kept going.

“I’d run over a 6-inch bolt,” said Hall, who scraped his face and knee but didn’t break any bones.

The bolt hit the front tire, and the bike was missing spokes, had broken spokes and had a bent fork.

A truck driver gave Hall a lift to San Antonio, Texas, for bike repairs, and Hall was back on the road two days later.

Hall said the best moment on his trip came when he arrived in Palatka.

At that point, he knew he was ahead of schedule. He knew he wouldn’t need to wash his clothes in a convenience store sink, or need to scout out a safe place to sleep.

He said he had the satisfaction, too, of knowing people he’d met along his journey had contributed donations to help eradicate polio from the planet.

Published November 18, 2015

Elementary W causes boundary shifts

November 18, 2015 By B.C. Manion

The sight of a new elementary school under construction would seem to be a cause for celebration.

But, even when students can attend a new school, and even when the new school will reduce crowding at other area schools, the prospect of boundary changes for existing schools is often fraught with controversy.

“Folks don’t want to move. I can understand. Folks are loyal to their school,” said Chris Williams, director of planning for Pasco County Schools.

Elementary W, being built off Mansfield Boulevard in Wesley Chapel, is slated to open in August 2016.

A sign lets passersby know that the construction of Elementary School W is being supported by Pasco for Penny funding. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos) — A sign lets passersby know that the construction of Elementary School W is being supported by Pasco for Penny funding.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

It will affect the current boundaries for Seven Oaks, Double Branch, Sand Pine and Denham Oaks elementary schools — if the Pasco County School Board approves a plan recommended by a school boundary committee.

Those who are interested in learning more or weighing in on the proposed boundaries are invited to attend a community meeting set for Nov. 19 at 6 p.m., at Denham Oaks Elementary, 1422 Oak Grove Blvd., in Lutz.

The proposed boundaries aim to reduce crowding and leave room for future growth in schools expected to experience the largest enrollment increases over the next few years, Williams said.

Under the proposal, students would be shifted out of Double Branch Elementary and Sand Pine Elementary into the new Elementary W, Williams said.

Then, some students from Seven Oaks would be assigned to Sand Pine, and others from Seven Oaks would be assigned to Denham Oaks, Williams said.

“Part of the rationale is that we don’t want to shift a whole huge amount of kids to Sand Pine and have to move a bunch of portables over there,” Williams explained.

The walls have gone up at Elementary School W, a new school being built off Mansfield in the Wiregrass area of Wesley Chapel.

“Denham Oaks has quite a bit of room now,” he added.

The boundary committee’s proposal is facing resistance, Williams said.

Although Williams was out of town recently, he said he’s heard that “the biggest opposition is coming from the Arbor Woods group. They’re the newest phase of the Northwood development. They don’t want to be zoned into Denham Oaks.”

Opponents would prefer to stay at Seven Oaks Elementary or move to Sand Pine Elementary, he said.

“Part of their rationale is that Denham Oaks is a lower-graded school. They’re concerned about that,” Williams said.

Opponents also are concerned about traffic through the interchange of State Road 56 and Interstate 75, especially with the recent opening of Tampa Premium Outlets, Williams said.

However, the committee has taken a look at the traffic issue, Williams said.

“They certainly have the ability to go down to County Line (Road) and traverse County Line (Road). By our measurement, so far, the drive times to get to Denham Oaks (Elementary School) from that area are not as bad as they made it out to be,” Williams said.

There’s no question that Seven Oaks Elementary needs relief, the planning director said.

“The car line at Seven Oaks is just madness because of how many kids we have there,” he said. “We just can’t continue to have that many kids at Seven Oaks Elementary.”

In addition to the upcoming community meeting, the public also can weigh in at two public hearings before the Pasco County School Board.

The first public hearing will be during the board’s 9:30 a.m. meeting on Dec. 1, and the second public hearing will be during the board’s 6 p.m. meeting on Dec. 15. The board meets at in the school district complex, Building No. 3 North, at 7205 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Elementary W boundary meeting
What: Community meeting to discuss proposed boundaries for Elementary W, a school under construction in Wesley Chapel that’s expected to open in August 2016.
Where; Denham Oaks Elementary, 1422 Oak Grove Blvd., in Lutz
When: Nov. 19 at 6 p.m.
Who: All are welcome

Published November 18, 2105

Chorale offers thanksgiving, through song

November 18, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Marvin Robertson has been passing along his love for music for decades, and for the past eight years he’s been sharing that passion as the director of the Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Chorale.

The chorale, a group of 29 singers selected through audition, shares it loves of music by presenting free local concerts.

Its next performance, Festival of Thanks, is set for Nov. 21, beginning at 5 p.m., at the East Pasco Seventh-day Adventist Church, 7329 Dairy Road in Zephyrhills.

The event will include a welcome by Randy Surber, president and chief executive officer of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, and will have a homily on the theme of Thanksgiving, Robertson said.

Marvin Robertson, director of the Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Chorale, is shown here leading the chorus, during last year’s Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony at the hospital. The community chorus is gearing up for a Nov. 21 public performance, focusing on the theme of Thanksgiving. (Courtesy of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills) — Marvin Robertson, director of the Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Chorale, is shown here leading the chorus, during last year’s Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony at the hospital. The community chorus is gearing up for a Nov. 21 public performance, focusing on the theme of Thanksgiving.
(Courtesy of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills)

The Festival of Thanks will be a 70-minute program that includes a mixture of challenging music, as well as patriotic songs and hymns, Robertson said.

The audience will be invited to sing along on the first piece, “Now, Thank We All Our God,” and to join in on the final number, “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” the chorale director said.

The program also includes a piece by Aaron Copland, a widely known American composer.

One of the more challenging works on the program is a piece called “Song of Moses,” composed by Chris Medina, a choir member who works in radiology at the hospital, Robertson said.

The piece is dedicated to the memory of James Leuthauser, a former member of the chorale’s bass section, who died two years ago.

Medina said he was inspired by a Biblical verse that “speaks of a song that is sung by the people that are redeemed from the earth … It’s kind of a happy, eventful song.”

Medina has belonged to the chorale group since it began, but his association with Robertson goes back to his college days at Southern Adventist University in Tennessee. Robertson, now retired, was dean of the school of music.

Medina said he enjoys being part of the chorale. “It’s a stress reliever for me,” he said.

Being a member of the chorale is enriching, said Sue Green, a member of the group for seven years.

The group rehearses from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., on Mondays, and, after the most recent practice, Green said she is feeling more confident about the selections in the upcoming performance.

“We’re working on it, putting on the finishing points,” Green said.

The chorale offers a wonderful opportunity for people who have a passion for singing to share it with others, Green said.

“It is challenging, and it’s thrilling,” said the retired preschool teacher.

Robertson said the chorale members come from all walks of life, and range in age from 16 to nearly 80.

“It’s an interesting group,” he said, noting the chorale includes nurses, radiology techs, teachers, a real estate broker, a doctor, a chaplain, and retired U.S. Marines, among others.

Through the years, members have come from as far away as Lutz and Hudson and Lakeland, he said.

The youngest member, 16-year-old Rose Phelps, is delighted to be part of the group.

“Singing in a choir is just so helpful because I’ve learned so much about how it sounds when all of the voices come together, the basses and the tenors, and altos and sopranos. It just really trains my ear. Hearing all those parts together is really amazing,” she said.

Being a member of choir provides opportunities for growth.

“He just gives us a piece, and we have to try to sing it right off the bat,” she said.

She’s impressed by the musical ability of other members of the choir and said she’s learning, constantly.

Besides the Festival of Thanks, the chorale also performs at the Christmas Tree Lighting at the hospital campus, and at what Robertson calls a “Prelude to Easter” concert.

The Festival of Thanks begins at 5 p.m., but doors open at 4:30 p.m., and it’s a good idea to get there early, Robertson said.

“We don’t open the doors until 4:30, and there’s always a group waiting outside. We average probably 400 to 500 people. It fills the sanctuary,” he said.

Some people have been to every Thanksgiving concert, since they began giving them, Robertson said.

“They come. I notice them, because they try to sit in the same place all of the time. And, they are not members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. They are people who like this type of music,” Robertson said.

The portion of the program that allows audience participation provides individual enrichment, Robertson said, “but it’s also community involvement I love to hear the people sing, because they really do sing.”

Green said the chorale is well received.

“Many people have said that it is the best-kept secret of Pasco County,” Green said. “I’m not really certain which group receives the biggest blessing, the musicians or the audience.”

Robertson said the hospital provides financial support to promote the chorale, which, in turn, supports the community through the arts.

“Health care is more than just taking care of the sick,” he said. “We’re enhancing the life of the community.”

What: Festival of Thanks, featuring several musical selections by the Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Chorale.
Where: East Pasco Seventh-day Adventist Church, 7329 Dairy Road in Zephyrhills
When: Nov. 21 at 5 p.m.
Who: The public is welcome and admission is free.

Published November 18, 2015

Fall Festival introduces new stables to Wesley Chapel

November 18, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Sarah Russell took horse-riding lessons when she was 4.

At age 7, she got her first American Saddlebred.

By the time she was 15, she was a world champion equestrian.

“It’s just my passion,” Russell said.

Now, it’s her business as well.

Before Sarah Russell owned her own stables, she was a successful saddleseat competitor. At age 17, she was already a three-time world champion. (Courtesy of Sarah Russell) — Before Sarah Russell owned her own stables, she was a successful saddleseat competitor. At age 17, she was already a three-time world champion.
(Courtesy of Sarah Russell)

Russell opened Sarah Russell Stables Oct. 1, with a 24-stall barn, covered arena and a half-dozen training horses. She lives on the property, located at 29319 Hadlock Drive in Wesley Chapel, with her husband, Ross, and son, Kellan.

They’ll host a free Fall Festival event on Nov. 29 to serve as an open house of sorts, and introduce the business to the community.

Russell has worked in stables locally, and in places like Kentucky.

The 29-year-old has spent her life competing and caring for horses, and has noticed the good and bad characteristics of various stables.

She has taken the best of her experiences and put them into one Wesley Chapel business.

“I think the Wesley Chapel area is really an untapped market for our business. It’s such a growing and booming town, it was a great opportunity to start something like (a new stable) there.”

Russell has taken advantage of the opportunity by offering riding lessons for all levels of riders. She specializes in saddleseat training, a challenging discipline which requires riders to handle a double bridle when guiding their horse. As a competitive rider, Russell claimed multiple national and world championships, and memorabilia of her titles are displayed at her business.

Stephanie Burchette, who works at Ross Russell's veterinary practice, takes a horse out for a little sunshine and fresh air. Millionheir’s Row is one of the client horses at Sarah Russell Stables in Wesley Chapel, which opened on Oct. 1. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo) — Stephanie Burchette, who works at Ross Russell’s veterinary practice, takes a horse out for a little sunshine and fresh air. Millionheir’s Row is one of the client horses at Sarah Russell Stables in Wesley Chapel, which opened on Oct. 1. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

But, you don’t have to be an aspiring world champion to get something out of horse riding, she said. She’s taught adults who had never been on a horse, and they came away with a new passion and pastime. One adult student went from never riding before to owning three horses.

While grownups can enjoy valuable experiences by riding, children and young adults learn lessons that stay with them when they’re out of the saddle.

“It’s such a commitment. It teaches you dedication, and determination and hard work,” Russell said. “You learn to develop a connection between you and your horse which is so good for so many other aspects of life.”

The stalls are already filling up with students who board their horses there, and Russell keeps the training up even when the owners aren’t around. The students still come by frequently to bond with their horse, she said.

Russell and her husband are originally from Michigan. When they moved to the area, they lived in a more traditional subdivision.

But, that wasn’t the life she wanted, and having her own business on 18 acres suits her much better.

Her husband is a veterinarian whose office also is on the property, and Kellan, while only 2, already enjoys being around and sitting on horses.

In a couple of years, he’ll be his mother’s age when she started taking lessons, and Russell believes he’ll take to it like she did.

Owning a stable isn’t easy, Russell admits.

While she already has clients whose horses get trained on a daily basis, there’s still a lot of work to do less than two months into her new career.

“It’s a lot of work. It’s a big undertaking and a huge commitment, but it’s what I’ve always wanted to do, so it’s a great thing,” she said. “It’s totally worth it. Every minute of it.”

The Fall Festival will run from noon until 4 p.m. It will include local vendors, face painting, a bounce house and pony rides. For information about the festival or the stables, contact Russell at (810) 955-5023 or .

Published November 18, 2015

Antiques from rustic to elegant at Shabby Shack

November 18, 2015 By Kathy Steele

Golf can wait – at least for now. Antiques are so much more fun.

So, Laura Sanderson has put her golf career on hold, and has set up shop at Shabby Shack Antiques & Vintage.

The shop’s name is a twist on the Bill Murray movie, “Caddyshack,” a classic comedy about what else – golf.

But, let’s forget golf for the moment.

Inside Shabby Shack, antiques and collectibles fill the floors, nooks and crannies of seven rooms.

Elephants are the motif for a pair of table art decorations at Shabby Shack. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos) — Elephants are the motif for a pair of table art decorations at Shabby Shack.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

The wares are from personal family treasures, garage sales and thrift stores.

“This has been a passion of my whole family, collecting antiques and unusual things,” said Sanderson. “I’m at a point in my career when it was good to put it on pause, and go for it,” Sanderson said.

She is the new owner of the former Family Treasures’ property. That long-time business on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard bought and sold coins, metal detectors and collectibles.

The location also once operated as an antique shop, known as Calamity Jane.

Shabby Shack, at 4312 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., is stepping out with its own sense of style.

Sanderson asked her family members to “thin out” their antiques at home, and bring them to Shabby Shack.

On weekends, she also combs through garage sales and thrift shops on the lookout for the one-of-a-kind item.

Laura Sanderson is putting her golf career on hold for another passion – antiques. She opened Shabby Shack in October.

“It’s not straight antiques. I have modern too, if it’s unusual,” she said. “I like things that have form and function.”

Her favorites are art deco and mid-century Modern.

In her spare time, she goes creative and repurposes what seems to have lost its function. An old camera with a flash attachment, for instance, becomes a lamp. Map pages from an atlas become the foundation for wreaths.

A large, wooden biplane hangs from a ceiling, waiting for its transformation.

“It would be the perfect lamp hanging over a pool table,” said Sanderson, who is a graduate of Brandon High School.

She began playing golf as a youngster, but didn’t become a professional golfer until age 40.

She worked for more than 25 years as a golf pro at area country clubs, including The Groves and Meadow Oaks.

She moved to Land O’ Lakes about six years ago.

Shabby Shack is in a spot along U.S. 41 that Sanderson hopes is ready for redevelopment.

A large, wooden biplane hangs from a ceiling at Shabby Shack. Shop owner Laura Sanderson thinks it would make a perfect hanging lamp over a pool table.

“I believe in Land O’ Lakes,” she said. “I so badly want to see something happen along U.S. 41.”

And, she’s eager for Shabby Shack to be a part of that transformation.

On a mid-day on Tuesday, Land O’ Lakes resident Margaret Dillard dropped by to purchase a pulley. She had her eye on it for a few days.

“I don’t know where you’re shopping (for antiques), but you’re getting some mighty nice things,” she told Sanderson.

Dillard said she enjoys the surprises that can be found at Shabby Shack. The shop caters to all tastes from rustic to elegant, she said.

Sanderson said her goal at the shop is to “turn, turn, turn. I want new truckloads every week. I don’t want stale inventory.”

Merchandise generally is priced on the lower end of the scale, from $3 to $200.

Sanderson’s husband helps with lawn maintenance around the property, which also has a smaller building in the rear. Sanderson hopes to rent that out, possibly for another antiques space.

For now, Shabby Shack is pretty much a one-woman show.

“I’m just stepping out on a leap of faith,” Sanderson said.

What: Shabby Shack Antiques & Vintage
Where: 4312 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Information: (813) 501-4900

Published November 18, 2015

Carrollwood Day School speaker supports cancer research

November 18, 2015 By Michael Murillo

More than two decades ago, Charlotte Embody watched a televised speech by a basketball coach, who had been diagnosed with cancer and was accepting an award.

The March 3, 1993 speech was uplifting, but Embody didn’t expect it to have a personal impact on her family.

“Of course, it was emotional, but it didn’t become a big thing in my life,” Embody said.

Over time, that would change.

The coach making the speech was Jim Valvano, former head coach of North Carolina State and an analyst for ESPN.

George Bodenheimer, longtime president of ESPN and now its executive chairman, will speak and sign books on Nov. 18 at Carrollwood Day School. He donates all author royalties to the V Foundation. (Image Courtesy of V Foundation for Cancer Research) — George Bodenheimer, longtime president of ESPN and now its executive chairman, will speak and sign books on Nov. 18 at Carrollwood Day School. He donates all author royalties to the V Foundation.
(Image Courtesy of V Foundation for Cancer Research)

He was accepting the first Arthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian Award at the inaugural ESPY Awards, ESPN’s awards show.

And, the speech would become an iconic 10 minutes of inspirational television.

Valvano succumbed to cancer the following month, but his legacy continued far beyond his coaching accolades or the frequent replays of his famous speech.

Valvano founded the V Foundation for Cancer Research, which has donated more than $150 million in research grants over the years.

Now, Embody has organized a speaking and book-signing event on Nov. 18 at 7 p.m., at Carrollwood Day School, 1515 W. Bearss Ave. in Tampa. The public is welcome to attend, and there is no admission charge.

The school and the V Foundation will host former ESPN President George Bodenheimer, who will be talking about his book, “Every Town is a Sports Town: Business Leadership at ESPN, from the Mailroom to the Boardroom.”

Bodenheimer donates all of the royalties from his book to the cancer foundation.

Embody and her husband, Derek, also have donated to the V Foundation over the years, but the famous speech became a part of her family’s activities as well. Her sons attended Carrollwood Day School, and her oldest son, Billy, was given the speech to read in fifth grade.

“He performed it for competitions at the bay area Forensics League,” Embody explained. Eventually, he won first place with the speech, and his younger brother, Andy, took it on and performed it as well.

The entire family all knew the speech by that point, and after the boys lost a friend to cancer, it took on even more meaning.

Now, helping the foundation is a special cause for the Embodys. When the V Foundation let her know that Bodenheimer would be in town on that date, Embody wanted to set something up at the school her children once attended.

“We’ve known who he is for years, and I’ve just been in awe of everything he’s done,” Embody said, referring to Bodenheimer.

They met at a gala event last year, and Embody found him to be both inspiring and down-to-earth.

As president of ESPN for more than a dozen years, Bodenheimer led the company through a period of expansion, including launching high definition, Spanish language and college sports networks to grow the brand.

Often cited in most-influential lists of sports executives, he got his start as a mailroom clerk at the network, and left the position of president in 2012 to become the network’s executive chairman.

Embody is glad to have someone of his caliber speaking to the community, especially local children. Sometimes they need positive messages from someone other than their parents, she said. And finding the right person to deliver a thought-provoking message isn’t easy.

“In this day and age, it’s really hard to find someone with good character and ethics and integrity that you want your kids to look up to,” she said.

Bodenheimer is that good-character influence for both children and adults, Embody said. Her children are in their 20s, but the speech from Valvano and the V Foundation still resonates with her family.

She hopes for a good turnout for Bodenheimer at the Carrollwood Day School Theatre, and is glad to have him speak at the school her children attended, and where they were first given that inspirational speech to recite.

“It’s sort of where our story really took root with the V Foundation,” Embody said.

Copies of Bodenheimer’s book will be available for purchase at the event.

For more information, call the school at (813) 920-2288, or visit CarrollwoodDaySchool.org.

Published November 18, 2015

School year starts sooner for local students

November 18, 2015 By B.C. Manion

The 2016-2017 school year will ring in earlier for students in Pasco and Hillsborough counties.

Students in Pasco County will begin next school year on Aug. 15 and will finish it on May 26.

The Pasco County School Board approved the new calendar without discussion.

“The purpose for the earlier start date is to allow secondary students to complete semester exams before winter break,” according to Linda Cobbe, the Pasco County school district’s spokeswoman.

“It also lets us end the school year before June,” she noted.

The adopted calendar has six fewer days in the first semester than in the second semester. The third quarter has the most days, and the others all have roughly the same number of days.

Kenny Blankenship, president of the United School Employees of Pasco, said he thinks students do benefit from having the opportunity to take their semester exams and end of course exams before the winter holidays.

This school year, the end of the first semester in Pasco County is Jan. 14. Next school year, it will be Dec. 22.

Students’ first day of school in Hillsborough County next school year is Aug. 10. The district’s first semester will end on Dec. 16.

The last day in Hillsborough County for students will be May 26, 2017.

Published November 18, 2015

Antiques store is repository of memories

November 11, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Johnny Herrmann’s business card boasts that his antiques business, in San Antonio, is “not your grandma’s antiques store.”

But, there’s no doubt that the shop where his business operates is steeped in his family’s history.

The store is in the 1946 Herrmann Building, at 11853 S. Curley St.

Johnny Herrmann enjoys being surrounded by items he’s purchased at estate sales, other antiques stores and from individual sellers. He has a particular weakness for paintings. He just loves having them around. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Johnny Herrmann enjoys being surrounded by items he’s purchased at estate sales, other antiques stores and from individual sellers. He has a particular weakness for paintings. He just loves having them around.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The building is one of a collection of structures on Curley Street, south of State Road 52, constructed by the Herrmann family, beginning in the 1920s.

“People used to refer to this part of town as Herrmann-ville, because there were so many buildings that my grandfather and father built,” said Johnny, whose grandfather moved to the area in the 1920s, according to published reports.

The collection of businesses is now called the South San Antonio Arts and Antiques District, or s.o.s.a for short. The businesses, as well as San Antonio Pottery, are part of that district.

Step inside San Antonio Antiques, and you’ll find a place chock full of unusual items — purchased from estate sales, other antique shops and individual sellers.

A few years ago, the place was vacant, and it had been that way since the mid-1970s, Johnny said.

Now, it houses the antiques shop, Tangerine Hill and Red Dog Designs & Home, and A Healthy Convenience. Upstairs, there’s a yoga studio and a place for martial arts classes.

Beyond its current role, the building is a physical reminder of a family that has played a considerable role in San Antonio.

Johnny lives in the house that belonged to his grandfather, Lucius, who was a baker by trade.

His business is in the space that was once occupied by his father’s business.

Indeed, the gleaming terrazzo floor near the front door is emblazoned with the logo for Saf-T-Gas, the business that Joe Herrmann ran from the building.

Joe Herrmann arrived in San Antonio when his father, Lucius, moved there and set up a bakery.

Lucius Herrmann left the area, but Joe and his wife, Rose Ullrich Herrmann, stayed, raising nine children there.

Joe and Rose were deeply involved in community life.

These are the buildings that were built by Johnny Herrmann’s grandfather, Lucius and his father, Joe. At one point, the area was known as “Herrmannville.” (Courtesy of Johnny Herrmann) — These are the buildings that were built by Johnny Herrmann’s grandfather, Lucius and his father, Joe. At one point, the area was known as “Herrmannville.”
(Courtesy of Johnny Herrmann)

Joe played a role in so many different ventures and organizations there, he was called “Mr. San Antonio,” according to news accounts.

He was entrepreneurial from a young age.

He delivered newspapers and fresh bread. He set up a radio store. He caddied at a golf course, too.

News accounts and historic documents detail Joe’s involvement in politics, banking, business and civic life.

He was appointed by the governor to fill a seat on the Pasco County Commission, upon the death of Arthur Schrader. He served as San Antonio’s mayor.

He helped establish the Traveler’s Rest community and was one of the founding fathers of the San Antonio Credit Union, the Pioneer Florida Museum and Village, and the Pasco County Fair Association.

He also championed the San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival and the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce.

Before he died, Joe made it known he would like to see the former Saf-T-Gas building revived, Johnny said.

Now, it’s a showcase of the items Johnny has accumulated through years in the antiques business.

In the past, Johnny and a partner had stores in Seminole Heights and Ybor City, and then Johnny traveled thousands of miles each year, going to shows in cities from New York to Miami.

He still has a passion for collecting and selling. He enjoys the thrill of finding an unusual item, or a great bargain, and he continually seeks to broaden his knowledge.

He enjoys being surrounded by interesting objects and paintings in his shop.

And, it’s nice, he said, to be able to walk to work from the house that his grandfather built to work in the building that his father constructed and to do business in a community that he calls home.

Published November 11, 2015

Consolidation improves emergency operations

November 11, 2015 By Kathy Steele

Pasco County’s 911 call center is making strides in improving its operations, according to an annual report of its activities.

For the past two years, the Public Safety Communications department has been in transition as the county and Pasco County Sheriff’s office consolidated emergency response operations.

The Dade City Police Department also recently merged its 911 center with the county.

The Public Safety Communications division is a busy place.

In 2014-2015, it answered more than 525,000 calls.

Of those, more than 210,000 were 911 calls, and nearly 38,000 were classified as high priority.

Of more than 252,000 dispatched calls, most went to the Pasco Sheriff’s Office and Pasco Fire Rescue, the report shows.

There were about 15,000 dropped, or abandoned, calls.

That’s a significant number, according to Randy TeBeest, assistant county administrator for public safety and administration.

But, it’s an improvement.

In a single year, the center has reduced the number of abandoned calls from 10 percent to 7 percent, the report found.

“Abandoned calls are a national problem,” TeBeest said, and they happen for a variety of reasons.

Children sometimes dial 911 by mistake. Prank calls are made. In the age of the cellphone, pocket dialing happens. And at accident scenes, people who start to call 911 realize other people also are dialing and, TeBeest said, they drop their calls.

A benefit of consolidation is a 55 percent reduction in call transfers from one department or agency to another. That has helped cut down on the time a caller has to wait and also on the potential for dropped calls.

Emergency dispatch times have improved by 30 percent, the report found. National standards require 90 percent of emergency calls be answered in 10 seconds during the busiest hour with the greatest call volume.

The standard also requires 95 percent of all emergency calls to be answered within 20 seconds. There was a significant decline in answering times for the sheriff’s office in the summer of 2014, but TeBeest said, “At all times, we were above industry standards.”

Most recently, call takers answered about 99 percent of calls for assistance from the sheriff’s office within the standard recommended time.

One of the biggest challenges for the center is staffing turnover due to the intensity of the job. The center currently has 13 vacancies.

But, TeBeest said the center expects to be close to fully staffed soon.

The county authorized eight new hires and, in total, there are 11 new employees in training, he said.

The emergency response operations will deploy a new radio system in the coming year to enhance communication among agencies. A new phone system also is being installed to thwart potential cyber attacks.

Published November 11, 2015