Local News

Wildlife corridors on hold, again

September 23, 2015 By Kathy Steele

A plan to establish and protect wildlife corridors met another delay in its 15-year journey from a lawsuit settlement to approval from the Pasco County Commission.

During a workshop on Sept. 15, Pasco County commissioners opted to forego upcoming public hearings in October and November. The hearings were for a proposed ordinance to establish criteria and regulations for seven proposed wildlife corridors that, in part, would pass through private lands.

Instead, the matter will go back to the county’s Local Planning Agency for more discussion. The agency’s members previously tabled the matter without making a recommendation to the Pasco County commission on the ordinance. No new date for the agenda item was scheduled.

Also, county officials plan to schedule a fifth public workshop to get more input on the ordinance. Another workshop for commissioners also will be scheduled to provide additional information including maintenance costs for the corridors and ballpark figures on the cost of choosing to establish the corridors through eminent domain rather than the ordinance.

The maze of hearings and workshops is only the latest for a hot-potato issue that has been tossed around by several Pasco County commissions since a lawsuit settlement in 2000.

“We are eager to come to a resolution on this,” said Matt Armstrong, Pasco’s executive planner for the Long Range Planning Group. “We don’t want it to be hanging around there another 15 years.”

The sticking point is how to strike a balance between conservation and property rights, including compensation for land acquired by the county for the corridors.

The proposed ordinance would be applied only if a landowner sought to rezone property for land uses of greater density or intensity, and had a corridor within the property’s boundaries.

In such cases, the county and landowner would provide property appraisals and reach agreement on a sales price through negotiation. Landowners also would have appeal rights before the Development Review Committee.

The county estimates a need for about 7,000 acres to create the wildlife corridors. Subtracting land the county already owns and some undevelopable wetlands, county officials say only about 2,500 acres would be regulated through the ordinance.

The corridors in central Pasco would link current and proposed development projects at Starkey Ranch, Crossbar, Connerton and Cypress Creek.

However, Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said “everyday average citizens” have concerns about what could happen to their property.
“Their concern is that I’m not going to be allowed to do what I need to survive, to pay my bills,” he said. “They can’t grow oranges. They can’t grow citrus. I’m just not ready to go full force on this.”

The mandate to create the wildlife corridors – also known as critical linkages – comes from a lawsuit filed in the late 1990s that challenged the county’s land use plan. The suit centered on the then-proposed development of the Oakstead subdivision, off State Road 54.

Oakstead went forward, but the settlement agreement required the county to adopt conservation measures including the wildlife corridors. A task force recommended creation of the county’s Environmental Lands Acquisition and Management Program, also known as ELAMP.

But ELAMP, which is a voluntary system of acquiring land, isn’t sufficient on its own to protect the wildlife corridors, said David Goldstein, assistant county attorney.

If commissioners choose not to adopt the ordinance, acquiring land through eminent domain is the next option, he said.

“It’s more expensive,” Goldstein said.

A guesstimate on eminent domain costs can be provided to commissioners, said Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker.

She also noted that unless the county owned easements through private land, the corridors would not be open to the general public for recreation.

If anyone wanted to try bicycling the corridors, the answer would have to be ‘No you can’t. It’s still private property,’ ” Baker said.

About $36 million from the Penny for Pasco revenues were set aside to purchase conservation land, with about $17 million invested to date. The ELAMP program has been extended another 10 years, and funds could be used to purchase other properties.

A decision on the ordinance is critical, especially given the renewed burst of development in Pasco County, Armstrong added.

“Once it develops, it’s not coming back.”

Published September 23, 2015

Will Wiregrass sports complex be indoors?

September 16, 2015 By Kathy Steele

The best use for a proposed 100-acre Wiregrass Sports Park is an indoor, multi-use complex, according to a study done by Chicago-based Johnson Consulting Co.

A few outdoor playing fields should be built, the consultants say, but they conclude that indoor sports such as basketball, volleyball, wrestling, cheerleading and martial arts are the most profitable wave of the future.

The study cites other municipalities with success in similar ventures including Gatlinburg, Tennessee; Round Rock, Texas; and Foley, Alabama.

Indoor facilities operate year-round, and successful ones typically are unique to their geographic area, the study found.

Pasco County commissioners will discuss the study, and the county’s options for developing the parkland, at their Sept. 22 meeting.

The land for the park is part of more than 200 acres donated to the county by the Porter family, and is located near The Shops at Wiregrass.

Several Pasco County commissioners reported at their Sept. 8 meeting that J.D. Porter has raised questions about the study. There are concerns, they said, about future residential development on Wiregrass Ranch property and the need for open space for new residents.

“I think they were counting on this field being available,” said Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader.

J.D. Porter could not be reached for comment.

“I don’t think they (the Porter family) feel like they are in the loop,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore. “I think people are really anxious to see what’s going to happen.”

Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker said the study, as well as details on the history of the parkland, is part of the upcoming discussion.

Plans to put the study on the commissioners’ meeting agenda were delayed by the county’s flooding crisis.

(From Pasco County Sports Complex Feasibility Study)

“We never intended this to be something you would rubber stamp,” she said. “There is a conversation that needs to occur.”

Commissioners hired Johnson Consulting Co., in March, to complete a $35,000 feasibility study on the best use of the land and how to achieve the county’s goals of building a sports tourism facility.

One proposed venture already has failed.

Pasco Sports, a partnership between James Talton and former major league baseball player Gary Sheffield, had proposed a youth baseball camp, with 20 ball fields and dormitories on site.

They wanted the county to commit between $11 million and $14 million in tourism dollars. But Talton and Sheffield let a December 2014 deadline pass without following through on a $3 million pledge to the project.

And, it turns out that baseball isn’t a winning game for Pasco, according to the consultants’ study.

That kind of development would have to compete with a $27 million sports complex in Seminole County. Plans there are for 15 fields for baseball, softball, soccer and lacrosse.

“Also, the Florida marketplace is becoming saturated with outdoor complexes, especially for baseball,” the study found.

Instead, Johnson Consulting proposes an indoor facility between 85,000 square feet and 100,000 square feet, with room for expansion.

They envision between six and eight basketball courts that would convert to as many as 16 volleyball courts. There also would be a seating area for up to 750 spectators, locker rooms, and between four and six multipurpose rooms.

A health care partnership with an area hospital or health care provider also is recommended.

Published September 16, 2015

Solemn service marks 9/11

September 16, 2015 By Kathy Steele

Sept. 11, 2001 is a day people remember for the ordinary details of life — and then the shattering horror of two hijacked planes flying into the World Trade Center in New York.

Hijacked planes also struck the Pentagon building, and crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Veteran Bill Hansberger of American Legion Post 118, left, wipes his eyes at the memorial service at Zephyr Park honoring the victims of 9/11. Next to him are fellow post members, George Hansen, Keith Holz and Gil Shepard, far right, of the Marine Corp League’s Sgt. Maj. Michael S. Curtin Detachment #1124. (Fred Bellet/Photos) — Veteran Bill Hansberger of American Legion Post 118, left, wipes his eyes at the memorial service at Zephyr Park honoring the victims of 9/11. Next to him are fellow post members, George Hansen, Keith Holz and Gil Shepard, far right, of the Marine Corp League’s Sgt. Maj. Michael S. Curtin Detachment #1124.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

Those acts of terror cost 2,606 people their lives in the Twin Towers. Another 246 died in the four planes, including 19 terrorists. And 125 people died at the Pentagon.

On the 14^th anniversary of 9/11, communities across the nation held thousands of memorial services to honor the victims who died — including first responders, who risked and lost their lives to save others.

About 50 people gathered at Zephyr Park in Zephyrhills for a solemn ceremony — “We Remember: 9/11 Memorial Service.” The Marine Corps League, Sgt. Maj. Michael Curtin, Detachment 1124 sponsored the event.

Curtin was a first responder with the New York City Police Department who died while saving lives at the World Trade Center.

“An attack of this magnitude, it calls for heroes, doesn’t it?” said Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield. “It calls for people to step up and go in where no else wants to go. These folks that went in these towers were heroes.”

VFW Post 8154 Honor Guard bugler Jerry Morel, 82, sounds taps during Zephyrhills’ ‘We Remember: 9/11 Memorial Service.’

Whitfield recalled that 9/11 was not Curtin’s first encounter with terrorism. In 1993, Curtin was with the NYPD’s first response team at the first World Trade Center bombing.

Two years later, Curtin went with a team of New York police officers to Oklahoma after Timothy McVeigh’s bomb exploded at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.

“His history of service has said it all,” Whitfield said.

After a moment of silence, an honor guard fired a 21-gun salute, and 82-year-old Jerry Morel blew taps on the bugle.

Everyone can recall memories of a day that began with the steady thrum of normalcy.

Zephyrhills’ resident Meaghan Sammons drove to a local home improvement store to buy roof nails requested by her job supervisor.

Meagan Sammons of Zephyrhills and her son, Heath Sammons, 11, a Boys Scout with Troop 2 watched the American flag billowing in the wind as it flew at half-staff to honor those who died on 9/11.

When she got back, everyone was gathered around a television. Her first thoughts were of her father who drove a delivery truck near the World Trade Center.

“I tried to call him and I couldn’t get him,” she said. “You are numb. It didn’t hit right away, until you saw the second building coming down and the aftermath.”

She finally reached her father who had left the area before the attack.

Sammons brought her 11-year-old son Heath to the memorial service. He wore his Boy Scout uniform.

She wanted to honor the day and share in a moment of unity. And she said, “If history is not taught to younger generations, it will repeat itself. I hope this never repeats itself.”

State Rep. Danny Burgess was in the 10th grade on 9/11.

“This is very real. This is very raw,” he said.

But the day after, Sept. 12, also should be remembered, especially the moment when President George W. Bush called for unity as he stood on a mound of rubble at the Twin Towers, he said.

“Let’s remember that in the midst of all this, we all united. That’s what’s best about the American spirit,” Burgess said. “We saw so much love and compassion…It shouldn’t take such tragedy to pull us together as a country.”

Sal DiMartino, 92, was a medic during World War II and is a current member of the Marine Corp League’s Sgt. Maj. Michael Curtin Detachment 1124.

World War II veteran Sal DiMartino, 92, served in the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marines. He got a call from his daughter in California on 9/11, telling him to turn on his television.

People need to bring back the spirit that brought the nation together in World War II, he said. “That was when you were dedicated to your fellow man.”

Rod Rehrig Sr., recalls being at work at his real estate office when he saw the events unfold, also on television.

“It was really sad,” said Rehrig, who is the commandant for Detachment #1124 of the Marine Corps League. “All those lives wasted.”

But the memorial service can offer solace, he said.

“I think we have a little more peace of mind. We’re doing something out of respect for those who died. It strengthens people,” Rehrig said.

Published September 16, 2015

New adult day care serves Lutz, Land O’ Lakes

September 16, 2015 By B.C. Manion

There’s a new adult day care center available for caregivers who need someone to watch their loved one while they’re working, running errands or merely taking a break from their caregiving duties.

CARES Adult Day Care at Northlake Community Center, 2640 N. Lakeview Drive in Tampa, opened in July in an updated recreational center.

CARES Adult Day Care at Northlake Community Center opened in July. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos) — CARES Adult Day Care at Northlake Community Center opened in July.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

The adult day care center provides care for those ages 18 and older afflicted by Alzheimer’s or dementia, or who have other special needs.

The goal is provide the help that caregivers need and to provide socialization for those coming to the day care, said Brittany Stowers, center manager.

The center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Some clients come daily and stay for the entire day. Others may come one or two mornings a week, or every other week, Stowers said. Those arrangements are made individually.

Program costs vary, based on how many hours of service a client receives and on individual financial situations, Stowers said. She said that will be discussed when arrangements are made for the care.

Regardless of the amount of time that clients spend in the center, the goal is to make it an inviting and stimulating place for them, Stowers said.

There are various activities, including daily walks, arts and crafts, meals, snacks and entertainment.

They play No Money Bingo, do brain teasers and share their talents. Some people really enjoy singing, Stowers said.

Brittany Stowers is the center manager for the CARES Adult Day Care at Northlake Community Center, 2640 N. Lakeview Drive. The center provides care for those ages 18 and older who are afflicted by Alzheimer’s or dementia, or who have other special needs.

Clients also can look through books and magazines that have been donated to a small library at the center.

Clients can sit on recliners indoors and on picnic benches on the back porch. There’s an arts and crafts room, too.

“Since it is not a residential facility, we know they really don’t need to be here if they don’t want to,” Stowers said. “They can tell their family members, ‘I don’t like it. It’s boring.’ ”

Knowing that clients have a choice is motivating to the center’s staff to be sure to find ways to engage the clients, and to encourage them to interact with each other, she said.

“It really pushes us to find activities that they would really like to do, so they enjoy coming back every day,” she said.

“I haven’t heard one person say ‘I’m bored’ yet,” said Phyllis Bross, a CARES board member, who was at the center one recent morning.

The center gives the clients a place to meet new friends, both Stowers and Bross said.

They won’t become isolated, Bross said, noting that can easily happen if a person doesn’t get out to meet new people.

Besides letting the community know about the available service, the staff wants to invite anyone who is interested in volunteering to step forward.

“Volunteers are so helpful,” Stowers said. She’s looking for people who have special talents or hobbies, to help make the activities more engaging.

She’s also looking for people who don’t mind taking on some chores.

She could use people who want to help in the kitchen, or do clerical work, or merely provide companionship for clients by talking or listening to them.

The center has the capacity for 100 clients. So far, it has 16. Stowers expects the number to increase, as people become aware of the service.

The center is one of six in Pasco and Hillsborough counties. The two locations in Pasco County are in New Port Richey and Dade City.

CARES receives support from Hillsborough and Pasco counties, the Area Agency on Aging, the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, the United Way of Pasco County, and Senior Connection Center Inc.

Anyone who wishes to volunteer or needs more information, should call Stowers at (813) 570-7901.

“Living Well into the Future”
What: Jeremy Ewbank will perform as Elvis, Diane Hunter will give a presentation on a healthy body and mind, and Phyllis Bross will present on the accessibility and importance of Alzheimer Support Groups.
Where: CARES Adult Day Care at Northlake Community Center, 2640 N. Lakeview Drive in Tampa.
Who: All are welcome

World Alzheimer’s Day event
What: The staff will decorate the center in purple, and people will wear purple to bring awareness to World Alzheimer’s Day. Phyllis Bross will present on the importance of Alzheimer Support Groups and forever learning. Diane Hunter will present on a healthy body and mind.
When: Sept. 21, beginning at 10 a.m.
Where: CARES Adult Day Care at Northlake Community Center, 2640 N. Lakeview Drive in Tampa
Who: All are welcome

Published September 16, 2015

Author unearths details of Wesley Chapel’s past

September 16, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Today’s community of Wesley Chapel is a bustling place with The Shops at Wiregrass, Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch and Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, to name just a few community landmarks.

Motorists stream down State Road 54 and State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard and there are new subdivisions, restaurants and businesses popping up.

A group of Wesley Chapel natives gathered in what was once considered to be downtown Wesley Chapel on Aug. 10, to discuss local history with Madonna Wise. Shown here are Roy Burnside, former mayor of Zephyrhills, Madonna Wise, Bill Smith, Sue Boyette and Frank A. Scott, Sr. of the First Baptist Church of Wesley Chapel. (Courtesy of Madonna Wise) — A group of Wesley Chapel natives gathered in what was once considered to be downtown Wesley Chapel on Aug. 10, to discuss local history with Madonna Wise. Shown here are Roy Burnside, former mayor of Zephyrhills, Madonna Wise, Bill Smith, Sue Boyette and Frank A. Scott, Sr. of the First Baptist Church of Wesley Chapel.
(Courtesy of Madonna Wise)

But not much is generally known about the history of this place which had settlements dating back to the 1840s.

A book being written by local historian, Madonna Wise, will shed light on that early history.

Wise has been meeting with descendants of families that have deep roots in the Wesley Chapel community and she’ll be sharing photographs and anecdotes in an upcoming book to be published by Arcadia Publishing, out of South Carolina.

Wise has written similar books about Zephyrhills and Dade City for the publishing company.

She expects the Wesley Chapel book will be released in early 2016. It will likely be about 220 pages and will contain at least 180 photographs, she said.

It will have chapters about the area’s pioneers, its ranches, economy and community institutions.

Tracing the history of Wesley Chapel has been challenging because the community, unlike Zephyrhills and Dade City, has no city government or nucleus of old town buildings to help reveal its past, Wise said.

But she has found a wealth of information through families who still live in the area and who have vivid recollections of the community long before Interstate 75 sliced through it and developments, such as the Saddlebrook Resort, began to be built.

Malinda Jane Gillett Stanley, born in 1892, was a midwife in Wesley Chapel. She’s from one of the families featured in a book about Wesley Chapel currently being researched by Madonna Wise, a local historian. Photo by Weimer Studio, Courtesy of Marco Stanley, Marlo Hilton and Charles Estepp (Photo by Weimer Studio, Courtesy of Marco Stanley, Marlo Hilton and Charles Estepp) — Malinda Jane Gillett Stanley, born in 1892, was a midwife in Wesley Chapel. She’s from one of the families featured in a book about Wesley Chapel currently being researched by Madonna Wise, a local historian.
(Photo by Weimer Studio, Courtesy of Marco Stanley, Marlo Hilton and Charles Estepp)

Wise said she relied on her background in genealogy to help her track down families to interview.

By using those resources, she found Marco Edward Stanley, of Gainesville, who arranged for Wise to interview his mother, Lillie Sapp Stanley, a 95-year-old, who still lives here.

“She (Lillie) lived in the area on a ranch. She knew everyone,” said Wise, who met with her and other members of the Stanley family.

As she conducted her research, Wise said she discovered that many families with deep roots in the community still live there.

“Everybody is related to everybody,” Wise said, mentioning the Coopers, the Stanleys, the Hills, the Smiths, the Barnes, the Boyettes and others.

“There is this close nucleus of families. They really deeply care for each other. They know all about the cousins. Who moved here. Who moved there,” Wise said.

David Brown, a descendant of the Barnes family, told Wise: “We cared about each other. If you didn’t show up for church one Sunday, somebody would come check on you.”

Much like in Dade City, Wise said, one interview led to another.

Marco Stanley encouraged Wise to talk to his cousin, Bill Smith.

“So they set up a meeting for me to talk to Bill,” she said. “Bill’s sister is 92. Her name is Ruth Smith Adams. She’s still sharp as a tack.”

“Bill says to me on the phone, bring butcher block paper,” Wise said.

To his knowledge, nobody had ever drawn a map of the settlements, she added.

Wise’s book will have that map.

“We’re talking 1900. It’s not right at the beginning because the settlements started in the 1840s,” she said.

John Boyette, born in 1875, is shown with his wife, Blanche, and children, Johnnie, William, Ruby and Vera. (Courtesy of Cletia Pierce) — John Boyette, born in 1875, is shown with his wife, Blanche, and children, Johnnie, William, Ruby and Vera.
(Courtesy of Cletia Pierce)

“They told me where to draw,” said Wise, noting they worked on the map for about four hours and have revised it since.

“It shows where early families lived, including Ped Tucker and Thomas Boyette and Jacob Godwin, she said.

“And then they would tell me things like, ‘This is where we held the rodeo. And this is where the old log school was before the Wesley Chapel school. And this is where we went swimming.’,” the author said.

Wise conducted 15 interviews, each lasting four to five hours, or more.

During those chats, she also found out about some of the area’s clandestine activities, including moonshiners and gator hunters.

Tracking down the area’s history has been fun and interesting, Wise said.

Published September 16, 2015

Suicide prevention can begin with small gestures

September 16, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Betsey Westuba delivered a powerful message about suicide prevention last week at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.

To help illustrate the impact of suicide, she brought along a banner covered with 2,892 yellow ribbons.

Each ribbon represented an individual who died by suicide in Florida during 2013.

The yellow ribbons on this banner, next to Betsey Westuba, represents lives lost to suicide. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — The yellow ribbons on this banner, next to Betsey Westuba, represents lives lost to suicide.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The ribbons reflect only the people who died — not the scores of people left behind to cope with the aftermath.

Westuba’s talk touched on the warning signs of suicide and the difficulty people often have in grappling with a loss caused by the suicide of a loved one. She provided information about where to turn for help.

Westuba knows firsthand how it feels to have a loved one die by suicide because that’s how her brother died.

It is common for survivors to experience guilt and to question why the death occurred, she said.

Survivors may find it helpful to seek professional counseling or join a survivors’ support group, she added.

There are actions that people can take to help prevent suicide, said Westuba, who is region six director for the Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition.

People may feel helpless, but small gestures often can help someone who is considering suicide to choose a different path, she said.

Westuba addressed steps people can take to help prevent suicide and help that is available for people who are considering suicide during her talk, timed to coincide with National Suicide Prevention Week, which ran from Sept. 7 to Sept. 13.

More than 70 people gathered for the talk.

“Each suicide is unique,” Westuba said.

People who take their own lives may be dealing with a variety of pressures, she said. Those can include family problems, unrealistic expectations, the loss of a job, and the loss of a home, or other issues.

“Usually it’s not going to be one particular thing,” Westuba said. Rather, it can be an accumulation of stresses, she said.

When people start to feel overwhelmed, they need to know that help is available, Westuba said.

When a person stops keeping in touch with others, that’s a huge sign they may be going through some kind of depression, she said.

If you sense that, Westuba said, it might help to reach out and ask: “What’s happening in your life?”

Sometimes, people just need someone to listen and to check in on them to see how they are doing, she said. That can help people get through a crisis and provide time for them to get additional help.

Developing a safety plan can help, too.

That plan can include a list of people the person can talk to if they need help. It also lists things the person enjoys doing.

Tapping into simple joys in life, such as taking a walk or playing with a dog, can help lift someone out of a funk, Westuba said.

Sharing their feelings with supportive friends and family and getting involved in the community can help those who are feeling overwhelmed, as well, she said.

She urged people in the crowd to pay attention to others and to notice if their behaviors are changing.

Eating disorders and self-harm, such as cutting or picking at skin, can be a sign that someone needs help, she said.

Westuba suggested using a direct approach: “Talk about it. Ask: ‘Are you having thoughts of harming yourself? Are you having thoughts of harming someone else?’ ”

When someone is suicidal and has a firearm, a knife or a stockpile of medications, the best thing to do is call 911, Westuba said, adding that others should not put themselves at risk of being harmed.

Suicide prevention
If you or someone you know is suicidal, call 911 or The National Suicide Prevention Hotline at (800) 273-8255

Visit 211.org and enter your ZIP code to find help for all sorts of issues.

These are signs that someone is thinking about ending his or her life:
If a person talks about:

Killing himself or herself
Having no reason to live
Being a burden to others
Feeling trapped
Experiencing unbearable pain

If a person:

Increases use of drugs or alcohol
Researches ways to kill himself or herself
Behaves recklessly
Withdraws from activities
Isolates from family and friends
Sleeps too much or too little
Visits or calls others to say goodbye
Acts aggressively
Displays one or more of the following moods: depression, loss of interest, rage, irritability, humiliation and/or anxiety.

Local support group
WHAT: Healing After a Loved One’s Suicide
WHO: Adults, 18 and older
WHEN: 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the first and third Wednesday of each month
WHERE: 17030 Lakeshore Road, Building G, Lutz
COST: Free
INFO: Call Suncoast Kids Place to register or for information, (813) 990-0216

Published September 16, 2015

See the Bolts for free at Fan Fest Sept. 20

September 16, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Fan are always excited when a professional sports team gears up for another season. There’s excitement, optimism, and a desire to be part of the action. Fans can’t wait for the games to start.

I’m not talking about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this time. Don’t get me wrong. This is definitely a football town, and fans have been waiting months to see the Bucs back in action. But their season started last weekend.

No, I’m talking about the Tampa Bay Lightning. We’re a football town, but we’re a hockey town, too.

Thousands of fans come to Fan Fest each year to watch scrimmages and hear interviews with players and executives. (Photo courtesy of the Tampa Bay Lightning Facebook page) — Thousands of fans come to Fan Fest each year to watch scrimmages and hear interviews with players and executives.
(Photo courtesy of the Tampa Bay Lightning Facebook page)

(Technically, Detroit is known as “Hockeytown” due to its Red Wings and the team’s storied and successful history in the National Hockey League. But let’s be honest: Our city is nicer, it has better weather, and we have the better team right now. So we’re also a hockey town).

Anyway, the Lightning’s season starts in less than a month, with preseason just a few days away. To celebrate, the team is holding its annual Fan Fest on Sept. 20 for ticket-holders, well-wishers and anyone who supports the Bolts. And it’s free, which is why you’re seeing it here in On the Cheap.

You might wonder why the hockey season is starting when it feels like they just stopped playing. That’s because the Lightning kept winning through the playoffs. Instead of heading home when the regular season ended in April, they played all the way until the middle of June, when they lost in the Stanley Cup Finals. Fans were proud of how they played, but they’re also hungry to see another stellar season. So you can expect a good turnout at Fan Fest.

The Lightning hasn’t released all the details for the event yet, but we know what to expect based on previous events.

It will be held at the team’s home at Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Drive in Tampa beginning at 11 a.m.

Autographs and photos are a big part of the free event planned this year for Sept. 20. (Photo courtesy of the Tampa Bay Lightning/Scott Audette) — Autographs and photos are a big part of the free event planned this year for Sept. 20.
(Photo courtesy of the Tampa Bay Lightning/Scott Audette)

Thousands of fans attended last year’s Fan Fest, and it should be the same again this year, if not bigger.

We do know that there will be three player scrimmages and two autograph/photo sessions. Fans can also take photos with the Prince of Wales trophy, which is given to the Eastern Conference champions each year. There’s always a Kids’ Zone, with games, face painting, balloon animals and other activities. Throw in a used equipment sale and executive and player interviews, and you have everything a fan could want except an actual game. It’s a great chance to interact with other fans, get an early look at the team in action and prepare for what should be another successful season.

As with most professional sports teams, seeing the Lightning during the season isn’t cheap. Tickets, parking and concessions all add up fast, and that’s if you can even get a ticket in the first place.

But Fan Fest is free, parking is discounted (it was $5 last year), and concessions are cheaper, as well. There will be food trucks parked outside, too.

If you support the Lightning, it’s a fun way to kick off the new season. And since Fan Fest is free and open to the public, you can show your support whether you’re a season ticket holder or have never been to a game.

There is one thing though: You have to have a ticket to get in.

To get your ticket, go to Lightning.NHL.com and click on “Lightning Launch Weekend.” You can get tickets for Fan Fest and also find out about the Lightning Live event. That’s on Friday, Sept. 18 outside the arena, and will include live music and giveaways.

So enjoy a free weekend of fun, get ready for the regular season and put your wallet on ice. Get it? Ice?

Okay. No more jokes.

Have fun and Go Bolts!

Published September 16, 2015

‘Topping out’ at Dade City Hall

September 16, 2015 By Kathy Steele

Construction on the new government complex in Dade City is more than halfway complete.

To celebrate, workers took a short breather for a traditional “topping out” ceremony for the modern day replacement of the historic City Hall.

On Sept. 3, dozens of city employees, community leaders, architects from Wannemacher Jensen Architects and the construction team from Ajax Building Corp. celebrated the milestone.

Afterward, they enjoyed a luncheon at the site.

City employees and community leaders joined members of the Ajax Building Corp. for a ‘topping out’ ceremony at the construction site of the new Dade City government complex. Lon Neuman, left, director of operations at Ajax Building Corp.; Dade City Police Chief Ray Velboom; Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez; Dade City Mayor Billy Poe, Jr.; Lori Rice, business development manager for Ajax; Bill Byrne, president of Ajax; and, Mike Wilson, operations manager for Ajax. (Photos courtesy of Wannemacher Jensen Architects) — City employees and community leaders joined members of the Ajax Building Corp. for a ‘topping out’ ceremony at the construction site of the new Dade City government complex. Lon Neuman, left, director of operations at Ajax Building Corp.; Dade City Police Chief Ray Velboom; Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez; Dade City Mayor Billy Poe, Jr.; Lori Rice, business development manager for Ajax; Bill Byrne, president of Ajax; and, Mike Wilson, operations manager for Ajax.
(Photos courtesy of Wannemacher Jensen Architects)

Usually such ceremonies happen when the last steel beam is hoisted into place at the tallest point in the building. But “topping out” the new one-story City Hall called for something a bit different.

People were invited to sign their names on the unfinished lobby wall. Those signatures will vanish under the finishing touches to the interior walls.

“It’s like a time capsule element,” said Michael Wilson, operations project manager for Ajax Building Corp.

With the exterior work all but complete, the next phase of construction on the approximately 22,000-square-foot structure will be to install the mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems. Paint and interior trims will follow.

The project is slated for completion in early 2016. The busier than usual rainy season hasn’t been an issue in keeping to the schedule, Wilson said.

The design by Wannemacher Jensen Architects has two separate buildings linked by an entryway canopy and courtyard.

One building will house government offices in City Hall; the other will be headquarters for Dade City police.

Funding for the estimated $5.9 million project is from the city’s reserve funds and the Penny for Pasco program.

Rendering of new Dade City government complex.

In 2013, work crews tore down the historic City Hall, which started out as a 1920s hotel that never was completed. It became the hub of city government in the 1940s as part of a Depression-era work project.

While awaiting their new offices, city employees are working at a City Hall annex and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot on U.S. 98, at U.S. 301.

About 20 employees will move into the new City Hall, with about 25 police department employees settling into their new headquarters.

The move should be complete by Feb. 1, said Gordon Onderdonk, the city’s public works director.

The city’s police department will relocate from its current Pasco Avenue address to the new complex, which will have interview rooms, holding cells, a booking area, a special area for the K-9 unit and a conference.

No decision has been made on the future of the existing police station.

New and upgraded technology will be installed throughout the two buildings. And there will be a panoramic view of Meridian Avenue from the chamber of the City Commission.

Published September 16, 2015

Pasco officials push for trail loop

September 16, 2015 By Kathy Steele

A decision is months away.

But much is at stake for whichever county secures the favor of the Florida Department of Transportation in choosing a 20-mile route for the Coast to Coast (C2C) Connector Trail.

State highway officials anticipate completing a feasibility study in June 2016 on a northern route through Hernando and Sumter County or a southern route through Pasco and Sumter County.

Dade City resident and professional cyclist Josh Thornton spoke in support of a Pasco recreational trail, and a proposal to build a loop from two separate trails. (Photos courtesy of Richard Riley) — Dade City resident and professional cyclist Josh Thornton spoke in support of a Pasco recreational trail, and a proposal to build a loop from two separate trails.
(Photos courtesy of Richard Riley)

Sumter County is the only sure winner in the construction of a major segment of the planned 275-mile trail that will link the state’s east and west coasts.

Florida DOT representatives from District 5 presented a slide show on the study and the routes during a Sept. 10 board member of the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization.

About 35 people attended the meeting including area residents, elected officials and FDOT representatives from District 7 and District 5.

For Pasco MPO members, it was a chance to make the case for the southern route, but also to push for construction of a loop that would be created by building both routes.

Except as a future project, however, FDOT officials didn’t encourage hope for the loop.

“That can be a suggestion. It’s something you need to work on with Sumter County and what their visions are on the Coast to Coast Connector (Trail),” said Lee Royal, government liaison for FDOT in District 7. “That would be a decision through the planning process.”

Pasco MPO Chairman Lance Smith said a loop is the type of trail ride that bicyclists enjoy, and this one would provide a round trip of nearly 45 miles. “You look for a loop more than an up and back (ride),” said Smith, who also serves on Zephyrhills City Council.

The northern route begins in Hernando, then heads southeast through Sumter, linking the cities of Center Hill and Webster before connecting with the Withlacoochee State Trail.

The southern route jogs through northeast Pasco, parallels State Road 50, and moves into the Withlacoochee Forest on its way to trails end in eastern Sumter.

John Moors, executive director of the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, speaks in support of a recreational trail through Pasco County as others line up behind him at the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization’s board meeting.

“That’s a real life line for us to have the southern route,” said Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez. She serves on the Pasco MPO.

Dade City and northeast Pasco are draws for hundreds of bicyclists who come weekly to enjoy the challenges of the area’s rolling hills.

“Our area is a mecca for cyclists,” said Josh Thornton. He is a former professional cyclist who lives in Dade City. “This is a big thing to have cyclists come to the area and support local businesses.”

He supports the southern route but he added, “It’s a great idea to have a loop.”

Pasco officials anticipate the construction of several trails that will link Pasco and Pinellas County, and eventually hook up with Suncoast Trail and Hernando. Work is underway on U.S. 301 on a multi-use trail that in future will link with the Hardy Trail, in Dade City.

The trail system and the bicycling community are part of Dade City’s identity, Hernandez said.

“We’re really working very, very hard to connect what we have here,” she said.

But the town of Webster is just as convinced that the trail can be its economic lifeline. Mayor Kelly Williams attended the meeting to make her city’s case.

She secured a grant for Webster to pay for an analysis of the economic impact of the trail on Webster’s local economy.

Portions of the analysis included studies of trails built in other areas, including Winter Garden in Orange County. The Orange County Trail study relied on data provided by the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council.

The report noted that the southern route would produce nearly 33,000 annual user trips compared to nearly 29,000 on the northern route. However, more economic opportunities would be available, and more money generated along the northern route, according to the study.

The analysis focused on a 75-mile radius of Webster, which the study found would be a significant destination point for people following the Scenic Sumter Heritage Byway.

Local trail users on the southern route would spend about $9 per person while northern route users would spend more than $13. Annual spending on both routes would exceed $300,000 but the northern route would come out ahead by about $80,000, the study found.

The spending opportunities included restaurants, food and beverages, rental fees, guide maps/books and lodging.

Webster would see between $393,000 and nearly $500,000 pumped into the local economy, according to the study.

“It would be an unbelievable economic boon to Webster, having the trail go through there,” said Williams. “I will continue to fight for my city as I know you will for yours.”

One Webster resident, Thomas Parsons, told Pasco MPO members he doesn’t support either route. The best option, he said, would be for the trail to follow State Road 50 where the state already has rights of way.

The northern route crosses his driveway, Parsons said. And though he is not a hunter, Parsons said, people who use dogs to aid their hunting worry about lack of access to their hunting areas. “I think this is another attack on their rights,” he said.

Several Pasco MPO members took FDOT to task for what they saw as a snub to Pasco in the kick-off meeting for the feasibility study. About 120 people attended the meeting near Webster but MPO members said prior notification was insufficient.

Not surprisingly, most who attended were from Sumter and they favored the northern route, said Pasco County Chairman Ted Schrader.

In addition, members were upset that FDOT had no plans to schedule upcoming meetings in Pasco.

Royal said as many as 8,500 mailings were sent to people within 300 feet of the proposed corridors. Local governments also were notified, she said.

But Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells said he only recalls receiving an update after the meeting.

Two additional workshops will be scheduled in 2016. By the end of the meeting, FDOT officials agreed to hold one workshop in Pasco.

Published September 16, 2015

Hockey complex to open in spring

September 16, 2015 By Kathy Steele

An anticipated opening for the Florida Hospital Center Ice complex will be delayed until spring 2016, largely due to a slower than expected wait on permitting.

Gordie Zimmermann, a partner in Z Mitch, said he expects construction to resume in the next weeks, with a scheduled completion in the first quarter of 2016.

“We’re in good shape,” Zimmermann said.

Initially, the opening for the sports complex, at 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd., had been announced for the fall, potentially at the same time as the Tampa Premium Outlets. The outlet mall will open on Oct. 29.

Construction of the Florida Hospital Center Ice sports complex is slated to start again soon after a delay in obtaining permits. (Courtesy of Florida Hospital Center Ice) — Construction of the Florida Hospital Center Ice sports complex is slated to start again soon after a delay in obtaining permits.
(Courtesy of Florida Hospital Center Ice)

Both facilities are off State Road 56 at the Interstate 75 interchange.

A groundbreaking for the sports complex took place in March. The pre-construction work including underground utilities has been completed. But, the site has been inactive for several months.

The rainy season caused some delay, but Zimmermann said much of the slow down was due to mechanical and structural challenges from the refrigeration system for the ice rinks and the air conditioning.

“All that had to be organized properly so it fits,” he said. “It’s complicated.”

Florida Hospital, which purchased naming rights for the complex, is partnering with Z Mitch on the project. The facility’s name – Florida Hospital Center Ice – was announced in May.

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel will offer sports performance and injury prevention programs, along with orthopedic and outpatient rehabilitation services.

There will be four full-size ice rinks, and a mini-rink for ice hockey and figure skating. But the facility will be multipurpose for basketball and other sports, including soccer and lacrosse. Curling also is an anticipated sport.

A sports-themed family-style restaurant will be opened. Non-sports activities, such as dog shows and graduation ceremonies, are likely as well.

The sports complex is expected to be a venue that will host regional and even international youth hockey leagues, and global hockey tournaments.

Zimmermann said a hockey day at the site might be held by the end of the year. And, he said figure skating registration could take place in February.

Along with the permitting, Zimmermann said, “We’re moving ahead in proper sequence.”
Published September 16, 2015